Chris Pearce's Blog, page 11

Bolivia

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

Bolivia is a landlocked country that is a place of many contrasts. It is the poorest nation in South America, yet it is rich in natural resources. It is the highest, most rugged, and most isolated country in the southern hemisphere. It has some of the coldest and hottest weather on the planet and can be among the windiest, driest, and most swampy of places. More than 60 per cent of the population is indigenous, the highest in South America. There are many other interesting facts about Bolivia.

Geography

The country hasn’t always been landlocked. It lost Litoral, a coastal department, to Chile in 1879 in the War of the Pacific, which was fought between Chile on the one side and Bolivia and Peru on the other. The Andes Mountains run through the western part of the country, while the east includes part of the Amazon Basin and its rainforests. In the southwest is the largest salt flat in the world. La Paz is the highest capital city in the world, situated 11,900 feet above sea level. The country has the world’s highest navigable lake, Lago Titicaca, at 12,500 feet.

Climate

Bolivia experiences large differences in temperatures between regions, but not so much between seasons in the one location. Despite its tropical setting, temperatures in the highlands can fall below freezing at night and snow is common in many areas. In the lower altitudes, winter temperatures can be quite pleasant. The rainforest area is very hot and wet for much of the year. La Paz, in the highlands, has an average maximum temperature range through the year of just 63 to 66 degrees Fahrenheit and an average minimum of 34 to 43 degrees.

History

The region has been constantly inhabited for over 2,000 years, initially by the Aymara people. It was part of the Inca Empire which ruled much of the western part of the continent from the thirteenth century. The Spanish conquered the area in the sixteenth century and it was known as Upper Peru or Charcas. The city of Potosi became a wealthy mining area and had the largest population in the New World at one time. After fighting the Spaniards for 16 years, the region became a republic in 1825 named after Simon Bolivar, its first president. The country has suffered frequently from political instability and economic problems throughout its history.

People

Most of the population is Amerindian, including about 30 per cent who speak Quechua and 25 per cent who use the Aymara language. Around 30 per cent are Mestizo, who are of mixed Amerindian and European ancestry, and 10 per cent are Caucasian, mainly of Spanish descent. The main religion is Roman Catholic, the faith of 78 per cent of residents. Two-thirds of the population live in poverty. Half have Spanish as their first language. About 90 per cent of children go to school at some stage but often only for a year or even less. Illiteracy is still high, especially in rural areas.

Economy

The country has the lowest level of economic output per head of all South American nations, despite plentiful natural resources. Inflation reached 14,000 per cent in the early 1980s. This was followed by a huge fall in the price of tin in the 1980s, its main mineral, and the withdrawal of western financial support after the end of the Cold War in 1991. There have been plenty of economic reforms, including private ownership and encouragement of foreign investment but this has often been overshadowed by protest against reform, political instability, and racial tension. Agriculture remains the largest industry although only 3 per cent of the land is arable and permanent crops take up just 0.2 per cent.

Government and politics

Bolivia is a republic with a long history of political unrest. Between independence in 1825 and 1981, it had 193 coups and countercoups, with each new government lasting an average of 10 months. Relative political stability in recent decades is often attributed to Victor Paz Estenssoro, who ran for president eight times, succeeding four times. His intermittent presidency stretched over a period of more than 37 years.

Transport and communication

Accessibility varies due to the country’s terrain. This makes flying a popular option. Bolivia had 1,009 airports in 2008, ranking it seventh in the world, although only 16 of these have paved runways. The country has 2,200 miles of rail, and 39,000 miles of roads but just 6 per cent of them are paved. It has more than 6,000 miles of commercially navigable waterways, putting it fourteenth in the world, plus the use of the Paraguay River to the Atlantic Ocean. Bolivia has no shortage of television stations, boasting 48 of them, and has 251 radio stations. It has more than three million mobile phones among its population of 10 million.

History of International Women’s Day

(updated from the original published to Bubblews writing site, now gone)

Today, 8 March 2016, is International Women’s Day. The day features various events around the world to celebrate the achievements of and respect for women. It is especially important here in Australia as we have a right-wing Coalition government (of the Liberal and National parties) that arguably hasn’t been particularly into women although it is improving. In a 19-person Cabinet under previous PM Tony Abbott, there was originally one woman. Not surprisingly, Australia has more International Women’s Day events per head of population than most countries.

The history of International Women’s Day is the story of the struggle of women to get a better deal in life. I think the theme for this day in 2016, “Pledge for parity”, is spot on. If we give women and other people who are potentially disadvantaged by various political, social and economic systems the same opportunity as those traditionally favored by these systems, then society and the economy will be much better off for it.

Women had long played a role in meetings and demonstrations aimed at improving their lot. Female reform societies were established in northern England in mid 1819 and many members wore white and carried their society flags at a huge meeting for parliamentary reform, which would become known as the Peterloo Massacre, in Manchester, UK in August of that year.

International Women’s Day came out of labor movements in the US and Europe in the first decade of the 20th century. The first women’s day was held in Chicago on 3 May 1908. National Woman’s Day was first celebrated in New York on 28 February 1909 when about 15,000 women, including many from the garment industry, marched for better pay and conditions and voting rights. The day was observed each year until 1913.

The first International Conference of Working Women was held in March 1910 in Copenhagen. At the second one, also held in Copenhagen, in August of that year, socialist Luise Zietz proposed an International Women’s Day. It received unanimous approval from the over 100 women, including the three female members of the Finnish parliament as well as women from socialist parties, unions, and working women’s clubs from 17 countries who had gathered for the conference.

Clara Zetkin of Germany’s Social Democratic Party’s Women’s Office organised the first International Women’s Day on 19 March 1911, attended by over one million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. They campaigned for the right of women to work, vote, hold public office, and not be discriminated against.

Russian women took part in International Women’s Day in 1913, campaigning for peace. It was celebrated on the last Sunday of February, under the Julian calendar still used at that time in Russia. From 1914, International Women’s Day was moved to 8 March and has been held on that day ever since. Peace remained a theme of the day.

In 1917, Russian women in St Petersburg marked the day (23 February under their Julian calendar; 8 March under the Gregorian calendar) by going on strike for “bread and peace”, protesting about food shortages and the war. Four days later, the women were still on strike and this initiated the February revolution (it was still February in Russia), forcing the tsar to abdicate. The new provisional government gave women the vote.

After the October Revolution, International Women’s Day was held each year in the USSR and it became a holiday from 1965. The day was mainly celebrated in communist countries, including China from 1922 and Spain from 1936. In China from 1949, women were given a half-day holiday to celebrate women’s day.

International Women’s Day celebrations were revitalised in the west in the 1970s. The United Nations designated 1975 as International Women’s Year, and International Women’s Day was celebrated on March 8 of that year and every year since. From 1996, the UN has given International Women’s Day a different theme each year and these have included themes around peace, rights, equality and so on.

The prominence of International Women’s Day has grown steadily since the 1970s. Large celebrations and demonstrations are held in the US, Canada, Europe, UK and Australia. It is an official holiday in many Asian and African countries.

The Beatles in Australia

I wrote and posted this article to Bubblews writing site, now gone, a couple of years ago …

It’s 50 years [now 52] since the Beatles toured Australia. They had taken the UK by storm and then the US. In June 1964, it was Australia’s turn. We’d never seen anything like it. Crowds were huge. I was 11 and rode my bike 10 miles to downturn Melbourne but couldn’t get within three blocks of their hotel where they stood on the balcony. In Adelaide, 300,000 people lined the streets between the airport and downtown, half the city’s population.

At school, we walked around the schoolyard singing Beatles’ songs. We combed our hair in the Beatles’ style, straight down over the forehead, with a wave at the end. We avoided the ghastly black plastic Beatle wigs though, on sale at local department stores for two shillings and sixpence or 25 cents. Everyone had their favourite Beatle. Ringo probably led the way, followed by Paul, John and George. They had wide appeal. Even my grandmother liked them.

If a new Beatles song was due to be released, radio stations would announce that it would be first heard at eight o’clock Thursday night, or whenever. You made sure you were turned in to hear it, because you knew it would have a different sound and rhythm to anything you’d heard before. Every song had a fresh, new sound: I Want to Hold Your Hand, Yesterday, All My Loving, Day Tripper, Eleanor Rigby, to name just a few.

The world had never seen anything like it – four mop-top lads from previously unheralded Liverpool took the world by storm with a string of hits. In the US, they filled the top five positions on the hit parade, all at once! I recall a Melbourne radio station’s top 40 had the Beatles filling the first six spots.

The Beatles were a 1960s music and cultural phenomenon that shook the establishment to its core. Old-fashioned teachers, businessmen and politicians, who still supported putting babies born out of wedlock into orphanages, warned us of the dangers. “Beatles” gets 46 million Google hits [now 98 million] and the band hasn’t been around for well over four decades. It’s a legacy that speaks for itself.

The band can be traced back to 1957 when schoolboy John Lennon formed a skiffle band called the Quarrymen. Paul McCartney joined it later that year and George Harrison in 1958. Ringo Starr didn’t come on board until 1962. The band had various names before they became the Beatles: Johnny and the Moondogs, Long John and the Beatles, the Silver Beetles, the Beatles, Silver Beats, Silver Beatles, and finally simplicity won the day and they were called the Beatles again.

Simplicity was the hallmark of their songs too. There never seemed to be a superfluous note or word in any of them. It was good tight pop music. Their first recording contract was worth a penny per single sold, or a farthing for each band member. Two hit singles came in late 1962: Love Me Do and Please Please Me. The hits kept coming in 1963 and by 1964 they had conquered America, and Australia. By the late 1960s, they weren’t running out of good songs.

Early on, the term Beatlemania was coined and the level of hysteria at airports, hotels and concerts was something that had never been seen before. Incessant screaming at concerts by thousands of teenage girls could completely drown out the music. Their concerts only lasted half an hour (plus a support act) but that was the norm back then.

The Beatles were the most successful, acclaimed, innovative and influential band in popular music. Their music is timeless and is still popular after 50 years, including among the younger generations. Most polls of the best music act of all time put the Beatles at the top of the pile. They had more than 40 number one records in the United Kingdom and, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, the Beatles have sold more music units in the United States than anyone else with 177 million.

What is midnight?

I wrote the following article to Bubblews writing site (now gone) in 2014 …

The following article is based on a post I wrote to the Helium (writing site, now also gone) forum a couple of years ago. There had been discussion of exactly what Helium meant by midnight on a particular day, say the 14th of the month, as a deadline to request payment. Was it the start of the day or the end of the day? 

In lay terms, midnight is when the clock reads 12:00 am. It can be a tricky concept though. Midnight can be construed as the start of a day, or the end of a day, or both.  

International Standard ISO 8601 states: “As every day both starts and ends with midnight, the two notations 00:00 and 24:00 are available to distinguish the two midnights that can be associated with one date. (http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/iso-time.html) 

Similarly at Wikipedia, “Midnight marks the beginning and ending of each day in civil time throughout the world. It is the dividing point between one day and another.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight) 

However, Greenwich 2000 Ltd states: “Every day starts precisely at midnight and A.M. starts immediately after that point in time e.g. 00:00:01 A.M.” (http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/info/noon.htm) 

US Government Printing Office Style Manual says: “12 a.m. (12 midnight)” (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2008/html/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2008-11.htm). In other words, they interpret midnight as being at the start of the day. They used to have midnight at the end of the day.  

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12-hour_clock#Confusion_at_noon_and_midnight (you have to copy and paste this one into the website bar) for various interpretations of midnight and the confusion it can cause. 

At Yahoo Answers, to the question “When is Tuesday midnight?”, the “best answer” says midnight is at the end of the day: “You are correct, midnight ends the day, Tuesday 1200 at night ends Tuesday, 1 minute later (or 1 second later, for that matter) is Wednesday. Your landlord’s note meant the period starting Tuesday Aug 1st 12:00:01, i.e. one second past Monday midnight, up to and including Tuesday Aug 8th 12:00:00, i.e. Tuesday midnight. Hope that helps.” (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060806123904AAcCpih)  

I’m not sure what happens in the intervening period of 1 minute or 1 second. Also, this “best answer” describes what is an eight day period (i.e. the start of Tuesday in one week to the end of Tuesday in the next) rather than a week, but the landlord’s note referred to a one week period. Nevertheless Asker chose this as the best answer out of 15, stating: “Good, concise, easy to understand answer. Most of the others added to the confusion.” The other 14 answers were a mixture: end of day, start of day, both, and for some it wasn’t clear. It was the same story on a few other forums I looked at. There is plenty of confusion.

I suppose it depends on whether you think of midnight as a moment in time (albeit an infinitely small one) or a concept that divides two days and therefore isn’t actually a time period or moment in time itself. If the latter, then midnight is at the start and the end of a day. If the former, then it could be either the first instant of a day or the last instant. 

Where time matters, it is probably best not to use the term midnight at all. Insurance contracts and transport timetables will usually use 11:59 pm (or 23:59) or 12:01 am (or 0:01) on a particular day rather than midnight to avoid confusion. A long time ago, I bowled in a few all night bowling marathons for some reason and the advertised check in time was usually given as 11.59 pm.  

I’m sure you can think of other examples of where midnight was used as part of a due date or a start time and you weren’t sure which day it meant. It’s best not to use the term in such situations.

 

A Weaver’s Web novel excerpt: Henry Wakefield at reform meeting

Here’s another excerpt from my historical novel A Weaver’s Web set in early 19th century Manchester area, UK …

Going to the Methodist service on the other side of town became a regular event for the Wakefields. Henry wasn’t convinced with what he saw as their revolutionary stance, but he was happy with most of what they said and did, and felt he couldn’t return to Edmond’s church anyway. Sarah disapproved of all Nonconformists but was obliged to obey her husband. In her heart, she remained loyal to the Establishment and everything it stood for and often told Henry so. The children weren’t interested in any of it, tagging along because they had to.

Then, one Sunday a week and a half before Christmas a great meeting of Hampden Club spinners and weavers was to take place at the chapel after late morning service. Sarah and the children headed home without Henry who stayed for the meeting. He sat next to [friend] Johnno in the middle of the chapel, both wrapped in coats and scarfs to keep out the cold. People came from far and wide, nearly all on foot. Each man was to give twopence to club funds.

A tall, strongly built man stepped onto the pulpit and cleared his throat. He swept a shock of ginger hair from his forehead. ‘Gentlemen, gentlemen, could I have your attention please,’ he said, holding up both hands to try and quieten the crowd, which had swelled to several hundred men and a handful of women and children. ‘No alcohol will be consumed or snuff taken until after the meeting.’

Every pew was crammed full. Latecomers sat in the aisle or stood at the back of the chapel.

‘For those who don’t know me, I’m Samuel Bamford, secretary of the Hampden Club here in Middleton. I welcome members of the local club as well as those from Hampden clubs in other towns.’

A cheer went up.

‘A show of hands of men from Middleton,’ he said.

About half the audience raised their hands and cheered and yelled.

‘Those from Bury.’

A much smaller but just as noisy group put their hands up.

Bamford named each town within a few hours’ walk known to have a Hampden Club, and an instant roar came from club members of that town. Participants had come from as far as Rochdale in the north and Manchester in the south, from Bolton in the west and Oldham in the east. News of the meeting had been spread by word of mouth, cheaper than posters or putting a notice in a newspaper. The show of hands told organisers informal channels had been a success.

‘As you know, this meeting has been called to appoint reform delegates to visit all parts of England to muster support for our distressed condition, and thereby bring pressure for parliamentary reform through sheer numbers.’

‘I volunteer,’ cried a drunk near the front.

‘Let me first explain delegates’ responsibilities,’ Bamford said, frowning at the man. ‘Then I’ll call for sensible nominations.’

‘Where’s the beer and muffins?’ said another drunk, his mug hanging ready around his neck by a piece of cloth.

A mixture of laughter and scorn greeted the comment.

‘Gentlemen, please,’ Bamford said, trying to bring the crowd to order.

Henry sat quietly, unsure if he should be there.

‘Thank you.’ Bamford continued. ‘Gentlemen, we live in difficult and rapidly changing times. Gone are the days when a son simply assumed the occupation of his father and took over the father’s business when he retired. We now have the factory system to contend with.’

Several men hooted their disapproval, Henry among them.

‘Many of us are employed by it. All of us are affected by it. It will not go away. What we have to do is gain the support of citizens throughout the country for our impoverished state, so we’ll be strong enough to petition the parliament in London to act.’ He was loud and clear and passionate.

Someone just in front of Henry called out: ‘But most of the seats are held in the south of the country. Manchester’s not even represented.’

‘And the second biggest city in all of England,’ added another voice near the back of the chapel. ‘It’s a disgrace.’

Again the crowd erupted.

‘We need annual parliaments,’ Bamford shouted, not waiting for the noise to stop. ‘And every man should have the right to vote for the person he wants to represent him. We must seek reform. Why should we pay our taxes without representation?’

A huge cheer went up. Nearly everyone stamped their feet wildly.

‘Men, please. Father Pickering will expel us,’ he warned them.

‘What about the Corn Laws?’ said a man who sat cross-legged in the aisle.

‘The Corn Laws must be repealed. They’ve meant higher prices and lower wages, and put men out of work.’

There was more cheering.

As the meeting went on, the men yelled and cheered more and stamped their feet louder. Henry feared revolution would break out there and then, starting in the Methodist chapel in Middleton, with greater repercussions than the revolution in France. He wondered if the meeting would lead to a return to the Luddite days when he was fortunate not to be hanged or transported for allowing machine breakers to use his ladder to get into a factory one night.

(cover of A Weaver’s Web showing the Peterloo Massacre, Manchester, UK, 1819)

The crowd was so angry they seemed ready to overthrow the government. Should he have listened to Sarah in the first place? She hadn’t been keen for them to go to a Nonconformist church or happy for him to attend this meeting of radicals. But he thought of his encounter with Father Edmond and his ever declining wage and the abject poverty endured by him and his family. Reform might mean they have some meat with their potatoes, and he could send the children to school more often. Sarah could make them each another set of clothing and warmer winter jackets. He could afford a beer and he wouldn’t have to work every day. But he thought of his landlord, a strict loyalist. If the landlord knew Henry was at this meeting, he would surely be evicted from his house.

Soon Bamford had the crowd responding to his every utterance. ‘Are we going to let our masters milk every ounce of labour from us and give us next to nothing in return?’

‘No,’ yelled the men as one.

‘Are we going to let them charge exorbitant prices for food essential to our survival?’

‘No,’ was the frenzied response.

‘Are we going to seek parliamentary reform no matter what?’

‘Yes,’ they bellowed, and clapped madly.

While the crowd welcomed the calls for more and more change, Henry thought of how Sarah and others often said people should be happy with what they have. He supported the Nonconformists and reform, but he was becoming a little unsure of this unruly bunch. Suddenly he blurted out: ‘Shouldn’t we be thankful for what we’ve got and be patient?’ He thought it a fair question, but it was met with catcalls from all over the chapel.

Bamford tried in vain to bring the mob to order. Shouts of ‘High Tory traitor’ rang out above much jeering and swearing. Men pushed their way towards Henry from various parts of the chapel, waving their fists. The shouting got louder. Someone behind him grabbed his jacket and pulled it hard. He tried to free himself but couldn’t. They pinned him against the back of his seat. He felt a whack on the head and everything went fuzzy, distant, quieter. He disappeared under a surge of angry members. They then lifted him high into the air and he struggled in vain to free himself as they passed him from one group to another above their heads, many of the men now laughing. He got a glimpse of the ceiling, then the floor, and the ceiling again. They hurled him out the door and he bounced and rolled down the steps. His world went black.

– end of excerpt –

A Weaver’s Web is available from these sites:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H52SEEK

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00H52SEEK

Amazon Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00H52SEEK

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Chris_Pearce_A_Weaver_s_Web?id=-hlJAgAAQBAJ

Kobo Books: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-ww/books/A-Weavers-Web/jHgKZNwqjkybm8qWDO3mcw?MixID=jHgKZNwqjkybm8qWDO3mcw&PageNumber=1

Apple iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/a-weavers-web/id775610928?mt=11

A Weaver’s Web novel excerpt: Henry Wakefield robs tavern

Here’s another excerpt from my historical novel A Weaver’s Web set in early 19th century Manchester area, UK …

Henry couldn’t sleep. He lay in bed worrying – about Tuesday, what Sarah would do if she found out their money had been stolen, how he would feed the family next week, the business, how he hadn’t told Sarah he was going to sell it, and where he would get the money to pay his employees, the moneylender, and the landlords of his house and factory.

He thought of the scoundrels who robbed him, picturing them in some late hour tavern getting drunk, perhaps keeping company with one or two ladies of the night, laughing and joking. If only he had managed to get to the Cloak and Dagger. He had no doubt a card game would have been on, being payday. And the beer would have flowed, with a pound or two or more added to what might already have been in the till … and the money would still be there. He knew the publican used to keep the takings in his back room, until one night an intruder broke in and his wife got knocked over the head as the man made off with the money. Fearing for her safety, she had made her husband hide the money in the front room, the bar itself, ever since. But Henry knew where it was hidden.

He looked across to Sarah’s side of the bed. He couldn’t see her in the pitch dark, but heard her slow regular breaths and occasional gentle snore. His heart quickened at the thought of all the money. The risk was great but he felt he had no choice. He was desperate, surely more so than the taverner could ever be. If he got it, he would think of it as a loan and repay it as soon as he could.

To have any hope of getting the money, he first had to get out of the house without waking Sarah. She was a light sleeper and usually woke if one of the children coughed or if a horse rode by. As he eased himself out of bed, he heard her stir. He didn’t move until satisfied she was asleep again. Then he sat on the end of the bed and fumbled with his trousers and boots. But she woke.

‘Henry, is that you?’

‘Er … yes.’

‘Where are you?’

‘Here. I’m just going downstairs for a drink of water. I can’t sleep.’

She didn’t say any more, and he tiptoed from the room, carrying his boots so she wouldn’t hear them on the wooden floor. Downstairs, he took the strongest knife, put his boots on and crept outside. It was so dark he could hardly see where he was going. All the time, he listened for any sign of life, but there was none. When he got near the Cloak and Dagger, he saw the faint outlines of a man and woman staggering along the street giggling. He waited for them to pass. Everything was silent again. He tried the tavern door but it was locked. Henry knew it would be fastened on the inside by a large wooden latch. Using his knife as a lever, he exerted more and more pressure. Just when he thought the knife might break, he heard the latch pop. He pushed the door open and went inside.

(cover of A Weaver’s Web showing the Peterloo Massacre, Manchester, UK, 1819)

In almost pitch darkness, he inched his way to the opposite side of the room next to the counter. Slowly he bent down and ran his hand over the floorboards until he got to the fourth one. This was the loose one. Again he took his knife and used it as a lever. The floorboard creaked as it came up. He stopped and held his breath, straining to hear any sound from the back room. He was about to resume when he heard coughing and muffled talking. He froze. The murmurings went on for some time. He prayed they would stay in bed. His legs and then his arms started going numb. Either he had to get up and sneak out or go through with what he had come for. Not wanting to leave empty-handed, he shook the feeling back into his hands and felt along the earth for the till. He knew if he made a sound, he would be caught. His hand came to a box-like object. The lid came off easily and he slowly picked up a fistful of coins, holding them tightly so they wouldn’t jingle. He put them in his coat pocket. The talking had stopped, but this didn’t mean everyone was asleep. Ever so carefully he took another handful and another. He didn’t take all the money as the publican had a family to feed.

After he replaced the floorboard, he stood up. His legs wobbled from being stooped so long. He crept towards the door, pushing his hands against his pockets, and out he went. The moment he closed it behind him, he let out several gasps. He leant against the wall until he got his balance.

His jacket bulged so much he put many of the coins in his trouser pockets as he walked home but then had trouble keeping his trousers up. Suddenly he saw a figure ahead. He realised how vulnerable he was, with all that money. The figure lurked in and out of the shadows and was carrying a truncheon. Henry saw it was a constable and was about to turn and go the other way, but left it too late.

‘And what might you be doing wandering the streets at this time of night?’ the watchman said. He was unsteady and appeared to have had a few drinks.

Henry put on his best upper class voice. ‘I was just going home from my club, and …’

‘A likely story. I’m going to search you for stolen goods.’

‘… and I saw someone trying to break into a house.’

‘Where?’

‘If you go to the corner behind me and turn right, it’s a little way down on the left. Quick.’

‘Thank you, Sir. Goodnight.’

The constable stumbled off in the direction Henry indicated and was soon gone. Henry couldn’t help chuckling before he hastened along, wondering how much money he had. But it was too dark and dangerous to stop and count it. When he got home he checked up and down the street as far as he could see, which wasn’t far. It looked clear. He transferred all the money to his coat pockets and went inside and upstairs. He took the coat off and quietly laid it on the floor next to his side of the bed. Removing his boots, he accidentally kicked the chamber-pot, causing Sarah to wake up and turn over.

‘Now what are you doing, Henry?’ she said sleepily. ‘That’s twice you’ve woken me.’

‘I … had to use the potty.’ He got into bed and soon fell asleep.

– end of excerpt –

A Weaver’s Web is available from these sites:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H52SEEK

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00H52SEEK

Amazon Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00H52SEEK

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Chris_Pearce_A_Weaver_s_Web?id=-hlJAgAAQBAJ

Kobo Books: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-ww/books/A-Weavers-Web/jHgKZNwqjkybm8qWDO3mcw?MixID=jHgKZNwqjkybm8qWDO3mcw&PageNumber=1

Apple iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/a-weavers-web/id775610928?mt=11

A Weaver’s Web novel excerpt: Henry Wakefield travels to Middleton

Here’s another excerpt from my historical novel A Weaver’s Web set in early 19th century Manchester area, UK …

Henry produced a handful of coins and was immediately invited into the office. The owner sat down behind a huge desk and signalled to Henry to sit on one of the chairs opposite.

‘Whisky, Mr Wakefield?’ Thorndike reached behind his chair and took a bottle and two glasses from a cupboard.

‘Yes please, Sir,’ Henry said happily. It was the first time a member of the upper class had ever offered him a drink. He relaxed in his chair and smiled as Thorndike poured two whiskies and passed one to him. He crossed his legs and took a sip with surprising elegance.

‘We’re not normally in the business of selling orphans, Mr Wakefield.’

‘He’s not an orphan. He’s my son.’

Thorndike looked at him hard. ‘Have you got proof?’

‘At the church in Middleton. That’s where the boy was baptised.’ It was a long way to Middleton and Henry didn’t want to visit Edmond anyway. He hoped Thorndike would accept his offer.

‘Let’s just settle for a pound, Mr Wakefield.’

‘But orphans are easy to come by, Mr Thorndike. The factories simply take them off the streets. I’ll give you twelve shillings.’

‘Fifteen. They’re not as easy to procure as years gone by. We have to contend with new laws.’

Henry took another sip of his whisky. It didn’t taste like any old home brew. This was good quality stuff. ‘All right, fifteen.’ He counted out the sum and gave it to Thorndike who put the money straight in his pocket.

‘Oh yes, and speaking of new laws, they’ve now got one that stops us selling orphans, and the authorities are on to it. I’m afraid you’ll have to produce evidence of his baptism before I can release him.’

‘Then you’d better give me back my money until I get the proof you need.’

‘A deal was done, Mr Wakefield.’

‘What? You can’t do that. I’ll tell the jurors.’

Thorndike leant back and laughed. ‘They’re good friends of mine. They won’t believe a word you say.’

Henry knew Thorndike was right. They would never believe someone as far down the social ladder as Henry, handloom weaver, over someone like Mr Thorndike, cotton baron, landholder and esteemed citizen.

‘You despicable person. You miserable old …’

But the cotton baron beamed with satisfaction.

‘What’s fifteen bob to you?’ Henry said. ‘It’d be like a farthing to most people.’

‘The law’s the law, Mr Wakefield.’

‘And what about the law that says you can’t steal from another person?’

The cotton lord laughed again. ‘No one stole anything. You gave me the money.’

‘It’s trickery.’

Thorndike stopped laughing. ‘Bring me evidence he’s yours and I’ll give him to you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve work to do.’ He resumed sifting through a wad of papers on his desk – purchases, and orders from buyers throughout England and abroad.

Henry swallowed the rest of his whisky, determined to get something for his fifteen shillings, and left.

Next Monday, he set off for Middleton for the first time since they moved. He had waited until Monday as he knew Edmond would quite likely be out opening new churches or schools, or campaigning against his opponents. Henry would rather see the assistant who filled in when the minister was absent.

He hadn’t been happy to leave Sarah, with the baby due any time. She was still working. Her pay was needed to buy food and other necessities. He hoped she wouldn’t be off work too long, though he was confident Albert would soon get a wage, once Thorndike released him. What annoyed Henry was the month or so it would take Albert to earn the sum Thorndike had taken, and there was his own loss of income while he went to Middleton to get proof of his son’s baptism. In a strange sort of way, he admired the cotton baron. To have that much money and power was something Henry could only dream of. But since his meeting with Thorndike, such thoughts were in his mind more often.

As he trekked along the road to Middleton, he pictured himself in a big house, bigger than Edmond’s, with servants and plenty of food, and dry clothes to change into on a rainy day. He only knew weaving though.

He was halfway to Middleton, on a lonely stretch of road when, suddenly, two men jumped out of bushes in front of him.

‘This is a stick-up,’ the taller one said, holding a gun at him.

Henry took a step back.

‘Stop!’ the other fellow said. ‘Hand over your money, or else.’

(cover of A Weaver’s Web, showing the Peterloo Massacre, 1819)

Henry stopped, afraid to move. He had been held up twice before, but on both occasions had no money and the robbers let him go. This time he had several pounds. But he noticed his assailants weren’t coming towards him and they looked nervous, even more than he felt himself. They seemed unsure, each perhaps waiting for the other to make a move, like they were scared something might go wrong. Henry knew it wasn’t only the upper class who could call people’s bluff, so he decided to take his chances and try and deceive these novices, to keep his money.

‘I’m but a humble weaver off to visit his sick mother,’ he said. ‘All I’ve got is a few pennies I need for her medicine.’

They turned to each other, not knowing what to do next.

Henry continued. ‘There’s a coach a half mile or so back. The driver’s fixing a broken wheel. He had some sacks on board marked Bank of England. I saw them.’

He didn’t have to say any more. The robbers hurried off to find the imaginary coach. When they had gone, Henry laughed out loud. He felt proud of what he had done. But he knew he had to be careful as not all robbers were that gullible. He walked swiftly for fear they would realise they had been fooled and come after him.

Striding along the roadside, he couldn’t help notice the openness and greenery and fresh air, and the friendliness of the people as they waved to him from their front gardens. These were things he missed in Manchester. Rain was in the air, but he hardly noticed it. He wondered if they would ever return to the country. It was so much nicer than a cellar in a terrace – what with the flooding, and every time a neighbour talked or coughed or cried, day or night, he could hear them. The only thing he liked about Manchester was the Cloak and Dagger.

By late morning he reached Middleton. Crossing the stream, he half expected to see his old house perched on the green hillside above the laneway, albeit with somebody else in it. But what he saw was worse, much worse. Where his cottage had stood for so long was a factory, a cotton mill of three storeys, not nearly as big as many in Manchester, but just as ugly. Black smoke billowed into the sky. The stream, where children had played and people got their water, was deserted and the water no longer clear. A high fence now kept unwelcome visitors and stray animals out and, no doubt, orphans in. His house was gone, not a trace left. And the trees had been cut down and the cottages on adjoining properties were gone too.

He had seen enough and had to move on, quickly. A little further, in an area that had been open field, was a terrace similar to those in Manchester, where some of the new mill’s employees probably lived.

‘God Almighty, save us from ourselves,’ Henry mumbled, overawed and depressed by what had happened to his home and his town. Why was it that one person could do this and make so much money, and cause misery for so many people? he asked himself. If he had that much money he would at least make sure conditions and wages and living quarters were reasonable.

As he walked on, he stared in disbelief at other new mills and terraces, causing him to tread in puddles and trip over roots and stumps on the side of the laneway where trees once flourished. He was almost run over by a horse and cart laden with cloth.

‘Watch out, peasant,’ the driver called out, ‘can’t you see I’ve got a heavy load?’

Henry didn’t answer, but kept walking. Sometimes he wished he was a peasant, on a remote farm far away from any factory.

He got to Edmond’s and saw horses peering from their stables, and the priest’s carriage in an open shed. That meant Edmond was home. Henry was sure he would be confronted by him and be asked why he and his family had walked out of church and never returned, and be lectured on his sins, and be told how the good priest was still engaged in battle with the Nonconformists and the Catholics. It was a daunting thought. Perhaps he could wait until next day and hopefully the vicar would be out. But he had to get back to Manchester as soon as possible to finish his orders. He took a couple of deep breaths and felt ready to face him. As he approached the front door, it opened and there stood the priest.

– end of excerpt –

A Weaver’s Web is available at the following sites:

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History of the Kurds

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

The Kurdish people live in a region to the south of the Caucasus Mountains, covering an estimated area of at least 100,000 square miles, including a large part of southern Turkey and northern Iraq as well as smaller parts of western Iran and north-east Syria. About 25-30 million Kurds live in the area.

Sumerian records from the 3rd millennium BCE mention a land to the south of Lake Van called Karda or Qarda, home of a mountain dwelling group called the Qurtie. Another possible mention of the Kurds is in Assyrian documents from about 1100 BCE which describe the Kurti or Kurkhi people who lived in the Hizan and Mount Judi regions. They fought against the Assyrians, led by their king Tiglath-Pilseser I, who burnt 25 of their villages.

Many Kurds consider themselves descendants of the Medes, an Iranian people who defeated the Assyrians in 612 BCE. A 15th century Armenian manuscript, probably copied from an older document, includes a Christian prayer in a Median language using a northern Kurdish dialect called Kurmanji. Some scholars believe the Kurdish language as a whole can be traced back to the Medes. Around 200 BCE, the Cyrtii, a people who lived in the mountains of western Persia and spoke a Median language, are possible ancestors of the Kurds.

The Cambridge History of Iran states that the Kardouchi or Carduchi of Mesopotamia in the 4th century BCE are likely Kurdish ancestors. The Carduchi came into contact with the Macedonians, Parthians, Sassanids and Arsacids. Parthian king Gotarzes is thought to have founded the Gurans, the main tribe in the southern part of Kurdistan. The Seleucids resettled many Kurds into western Anatolia in the 2nd and 3rd centuries BCE. In 190 BCE, Roman historian Livy mentions thousands of Kurdish soldiers fighting for Antiochus III against the Romans.

The state of Corduene or Gorduene was a Kurdish or proto-Kurdish state that became a Roman Empire province in 66 BCE. It remained under Roman control until 384 CE. In 530 CE, the Kurds lost their flocks and orchards in four years of cold weather, while at the same time they were fending off attacks from Syrian and Byzantine forces. In the 5th century, Kurds living in the mountains of northern Mesopotamia were known to worship the sun. Their sun worshipping rituals, and the sacrifice of an ox, were recorded in the 7th century. They lived a sedentary life raising cattle and sheep. During the Muslim conquests, Arab commander Utba overran Kurdish forts in Adiabene in 641. Kurds took part in the Khariji revolt in 696.

By the 9th and 10th centuries, the Kurds were regarded as a nuisance by Baghdad leaders. In southern Kurdistan, Baghdad caliphs captured the fortress of Sermaj. In 833, southern Kurdish forces led by Babak Khorramdin and Christian convert Nasr were defeated by Islamic Abbasid Caliphate from Baghdad, killing 60,000 Kurds. Nasr escaped to Byzantine and formed the Kurdish group of Theophilus, attacking the caliphate in 838. In that year and 905, Kurdish disturbances were quelled in the northern areas.

The subsequent weakening of the Muslim caliphate enabled the Kurds to establish independent states or dynasties in the Medieval period. By the late 10th century, there were five large Kurdish principalities across Kurdistan. All five states were annexed by the Seljuk Turks in the 12th century. The region was devastated by Mongol attacks in the following century and by the Timur in the 14th century. The Akkoyunlu disposed of many of the ruling Kurds in the 15th century, replacing them with their own people. The Kurds fared no better during the Ottoman era (1299-1922), fighting and losing many battles against the superior forces of the Turks.

The Kurds continue to face widespread discrimination in the various countries they live in. Some of the restrictions on Kurdish culture and language are gradually being relaxed but there is still a long way to go. Only in Iraq have they been given autonomy.

The Camp David Accords

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

The Camp David Accords are landmark peace agreements between Israel and Egypt. The leaders of both countries signed the agreements in 1979 in front of then US president Jimmy Carter at Camp David. The road to the agreements was often torturous and the results have been mixed. Nevertheless, peace has prevailed between the two countries.

After the Yom Kippur War in 1973, US diplomacy efforts towards peace in the Middle East had been stepped up. Under President Ford, this had involved a series of bilateral peace talks with Israel and Egypt. President Carter opted for a multilateral approach, realizing the importance of other players in the Middle East peace process. In 1977, he met individually with Egypt’s Anwar El Sadat, Israel’s Yitzhak Rabin, Jordan’s King Hussein, and Syria’s Hafez al-Assad. He was aware of objections to making peace with Israel from other Arab nations as well as some European countries, such as Hungary and Czechoslovakia, who had fought alongside the Egyptians. Some Arab groups threatened to attack Egypt if they entered a peace agreement with Israel and NATO armies were in readiness.

In the middle of all this, Menachem Begin became Israel’s prime minister and Egypt and Israel became engaged in secret bilateral talks. The US wanted a peace plan along the lines of the 1954 Geneva Conference, but Sadat felt things were not progressing due to the large number of players and his lack of confidence in the West. Israel also saw benefits in bilateral negotiations. It preferred dealing with one country rather than a number of Arab nations, and even felt that Egypt could help lessen the angst Arabs and communists had for Israel. Unbeknown to the rest of the world, Sadat visited Israel in November 1977 and gave a speech at the Knesset on his views for peace, territories occupied by Israel, and the Palestinian issue. His visit prompted a number of eastern European countries to threaten war against Egypt if it continued to recognize Israel or pursued any peace agreement with the Israelis.

Sadat’s visit to Israel prompted the Cairo Conference the following month and the Camp David Accords in 1978. Both he and Begin arrived at Camp David on 5 September of that year for what became 13 days of negotiations. Talks became bogged down and both men wanted to abandon them. There was little direct contact between the pair and it was left to Carter to shuttle between the two in their separate rooms, trying to get agreement. On the tenth day, talks stalled over the Sinai and West Bank. Carter’s aim was to try and get agreement for Egypt to have the Sinai and leave the West Bank with Israel. Negotiations continued for another three days, with Carter taking them both to Gettysburg National Military Park and drawing comparisons between the Civil War and the Israeli-Egyptian struggle.

Agreement was finally reached in the form of ‘A Framework for Peace in the Middle East’ as well as ‘A Framework for the Conclusion of a Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel.’ There were also letters of understanding between each country and the US. The first agreement called for self-government of the West Bank and Gaza, dealt briefly with Israeli-Egyptian relations, and Israeli-Arab relations. The second agreement led to the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty in March 1979, covering Israel’s withdrawal from the Sinai, normal diplomatic relation between the two countries, Israel’s freedom to use the Suez Canal and other waterways, unimpeded travel between Egypt and Jordan, and restrictions on Egypt’s military presence in the Sinai. The agreement was sweetened by the US commitment to provide billions of dollars of grants and aid, including military aid, to both countries. Sadat and Begin jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize in October 1978.

As a result of the Camp David Accords, normal relations between Egypt and Israel began in 1980 with trade in crude oil and other commodities, regular airline flights, and an exchange of ambassadors. However, Arab perceptions of Egypt took a turn for the worst, with it being suspended from the Arab League for a decade, for recognizing Israel, for signing a peace treaty with them, and for not using the agreements to push for Palestinian rights. In fact, there was a shift in the Israel-Arab conflict from an Egyptian-Israeli issue to the Palestinian problem and this is probably still the case today.

Many Arabs remain upset with Egypt for not taking up the Palestinian cause during the peace negotiations. However, both Begin and Sadat saw multilateral negotiations as a problem. If this avenue had been pursued, it is possible that no agreement would have been reached. The Camp David Accords demonstrated to the Arab world that beneficial negotiations with Israel were possible, paving the way for the 1993 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinians and the 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace, although neither agreement met with the same success. Also, Egypt has successfully mediated ceasefires between the Palestinians and Israel.

The Egyptian-Israeli agreements have not been seen by either side to be totally successful. Many Israeli settlers in the Sinai did not want to move and had to be forcibly shifted and their settlements dismantled. Israelis often regard the situation between the countries as a ‘cold peace,’ and that relations are far from normal, although the agreement was initially favored by most Israelis and was supported by the Knesset. They also complain of a tourism imbalance, with about 20 per cent of Israeli overseas tourists visiting Egypt but only two per cent of Egyptian overseas tourists heading for Israel.

Residents of both countries initially supported the Camp David Accords. However, in a 2006 poll by the Egyptian government, 92 per cent of its people saw Israel as an enemy. In contrast, an Israeli poll in 2001 still found that 85 per cent of its residents supported the Camp David Accords, although many think the accords favor Egypt as Israel lost the Sinai with its oil and tourism and where 4,500 of its people had lived.

Anwar El Sadat and his legacy to the Middle East

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

Anwar El Sadat was president of Egypt for nearly 11 years before his assassination on October 6, 1981. In that time, he brought back the country’s multi-party political system, and launched Infitah, or ‘open door’ policy in terms of encouraging foreign investment. He threw out the Russian advisers and initiated economic reforms, ending the public sector’s domination of the economy. Through the ‘Corrective Revolution,’ he expelled many of Egypt’s leaders from the previous Nassar government, including pro-Soviets and other leftists, as well as some liberals and Islamists. He reclaimed the Sinai from Israel in the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

In 1977, Sadat became the first Arab leader to visit Israel and spoke at the Knesset in Jerusalem with his plans for peace between the Arabs and Israelis. Sadat thought Israel would relinquish the Sinai in return for his visit and the promise of peace, and then Egypt would undisputedly lead the Arab world. But it wasn’t that easy. Although Sadat’s visit to Israel created excitement and hope in both countries and the West, he was in trouble with other Arab nations as they didn’t recognize Israel and he didn’t consult with them before his trip to Jerusalem. Similarly, he hadn’t told Jordan of his 1973 war plans.

Meetings between Sadat, Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin, and US president Jimmy Carter resulted in the Camp David Accords in 1978, which led to the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty in 1979. Under the agreement, each country was to accept the other’s existence, they would cease their wars which had been going on since 1948, Israel was to make a complete withdrawal from the Sinai, and the Suez Canal was to be freely available to Israeli ships. Israel never doubted Egypt’s legitimacy but many in Egypt questioned Israel’s right to exist and this has continued to the present day. A poll by the Egyptian government in 2006 found that 92 per cent of its residents saw Israel as an enemy. The situation in Israel is the opposite, where 85 per cent of residents in a 2001 poll still supported the Camp David Accords.

If it wasn’t for Sadat, the Camp David Accords may never have happened. It was Sadat who pushed for a bilateral agreement between Egypt and Israel rather than a multi-lateral one involving other Middle Eastern and European countries as favored by the US. He went to Israel in secret and pleaded his case. This led to the Cairo Conference and subsequently the Camp David agreements. The two accords, ‘A Framework for the Conclusion of a Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel’ and ‘A Framework for Peace in the Middle East,’ have led to peace between the two countries for 30 years. Both Sadat and Begin gained international respect and were joint winners of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978.

The Accords allowed Egypt and Israel to commence normal relations in 1980, including trade in crude oil and other commodities, regular airline flights between the countries, and an exchange of ambassadors. The agreements paved the way for the Oslo Accords in 1993 between the Palestinians and Israel, and the Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace in 1994, although neither of these has been as successful as the Camp David Accords.

On the downside of the 1978 Accords was Egypt’s suspension from the Arab League for a decade. Peace in the Middle East was put at risk with a number of Arab and eastern European nations threatening war against Egypt. Many of these countries were opposed to Egypt’s acceptance of Israel’s legitimacy to exist and were also annoyed that Egypt hadn’t negotiated a better deal for the Palestinians. There was a return to militant Islam. Sadat had sought the support of Islamists, and Sharia law had become the basis of Egyptian legislation, but his desire for peace with Israel got the Islamists offside. One of those jailed after his assassination was Ayman al-Zawahiri who joined the global jihad and became an Al-Qaeda leader. But Sadat knew that the Arab world needed Egypt. Jordan re-established relations with Egypt in 1984. Yasir Arafat went to Egypt in 1984 when he left Lebanon rather than head to Syria or Jordan. Egypt was re-admitted to the Arab League in 1989.

A result of the Camp David Accords has been a shift in the issue of peace in the Middle East from an Israeli-Egyptian problem to an Israeli-Palestinian one. This conflict has resulted in much bloodshed and controversy, but has remained more of a local issue than past wars between Israel and Egypt. Had Sadat not expelled the Communists and moved Egypt towards a market economy, and had he not initiated bilateral peace talks with Israel, the situation in the Middle East today may well have been ongoing hostilities between a Russian-backed Egypt along with other Arab nations lending support on the one side and a US-backed Israel on the other.