History of the Caucus Mountains

The Ghost of Freedom: A History of the Caucasus by Charles King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Caucus mountain range straddle the borders of Europe, Turkey, Russia and Iran. It is home to a multitude of different people and just as many governments. The residents of the Caucus Mountain range follow a variety of different religions , Orthodox Christianity, Shia Islam, Suno Islam and even nomadic Buddhists. Before the Russian take over the Caucus people were very tribal with power residing in the hands of local chieftains. Through the history of the Caucus three major empires have vied for control, the Persian Empire, Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Historically no Empire has been able to completely control the Caucus as the local warlord, whom power relied often times shifted alliances based on self interest and putting one empire against the other. The reverse was also true the major empires would pit the various warlords against each other. Classic divide and conquer which is easy to do as the various ethnic groups did not always like each other .

The book traces military history and documents how Russia was able to beat out the two other empires and take control over the Caucus. There were many conflicts with the local population. The most noted would be with the Daghestani people. The Circassian would put up fierce resistance to Russian rule. Often times using guerrila tactics the Russians found themselves taking on heavy casualties. Military leaders like Ermelov would mow down entire villages. Other leaders would deport major sections of the population . The communist take over would complicate things. Ur eventually Russia took over,

To the Russians the Caucus was at times a savage place but going their could be liberating . Often times Rusdia sent their undesirables like the Cossacks out there as colonists. Some times other nationalities would defect from forced conscription in the Russian Army and end up siding with the highlanders. Sometimes being a slave to a high lander was the same as being a serf to a noble or a forced conscripts in the military.

With Gorbachev reforms countries like Armenia,Azerbaijan and a Georgia broke away from the Soviet Union . This did not lead to peace but rather it lead to infighting among various ethnic groups. Chechenya tried to violently break away from Russian rule twice,their tactics involved invoking religion as a motivating factor. They used violent terror tactics to achieve their means .

Great over all history of the region. Of course, I will tell to go read the book if you want more information.

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Herbology 101

The Complete Medicinal Herbal: A Practical Guide to the Healing Properties of Herbs, with More Than 250 Remedies for Common Ailments by Penelope Ody
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There are many books out there on herbalism . This one is another one and maybe like all the others yet with some differences . This one is great for the coffee table, it is big, hardcover and looks nice. Most books on herbology will give you a dictionary listing of the herbs and what they are good for. The second half of most books has the dictionary symptom of ailments and what herbs can be used to treat them. This book has more.

The first part of the book talks about different philosophies around herbs. The author discusses Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, Greek medicine , European medicine going up until today. This tome will teach the student how to prepare teas, oil infusions and tinctures. There is a section on how to grow and harvest your herbs as well.

When describing the herbs you get a full page based on that herb. There is a picture of the herb and all the parts that are used. There is also a subsection on the page dealing applications . The various ailment that plague us are listed in chart form. So you get the ailment, what herb you should use and how the herb should be prepared. It is easy to understand .


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The Yemenites of Jerusalem: Tale

Seeds of the Pomegranate by Dvora Waysman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The first book “ Pomegranate Pendent “ was release over twenty years ago. I read it on my honeymoon in Israel. Seeing the Yemenite gargush drew me to the book magnetically. This book is a great read for Young Adults, especially if their knowledge of Yemenite Judaism is scant. One criticism of this book is that it should have included more Yemenite culture and customs. I love that stuff and there are others like me. The book has no plot line so to speak.

The first book left off with the conclusion of Israel’s war for Independence. The family had to leave behind their old city Jerusalem home and they had to abandon their Yemenite Jewelry shop called “ The Pomegranate Pendent”. The pendant is also given to the brides as a sort of tradition so they will be fruitful and multiply.

The book starts off with the family in 1956 celebrating a ten year yertheit for Mazal the family patriarch. Sitting graveside they tell stories about her . Next comes the six day war and the narrators husband goes off to war. The story gives some insight as to how war effected families. Kobi comes back home depressed for several weeks . It is at a family gathering that Kobi suggests that they get back their old city home and reopen the Pomegranate Pendent. Which they do. It does good business of course.

The 73 war comes about. More interruptions from war. The family lives through these tragedies Along with the rest of the nation. As Yemenite in Israel they must deal with assimilation and losing their Yemenite ways. This happens when Dikla falls for an Ethiopian Jew. The narrators son URI decides to go to America and start a life there. It causes problems. But they get through these problems as they have for thousands of years.

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Build Yourself Up!

Building Your Self-Image by Zelig Pliskin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Why are some people super successful while others are even afraid to try? There could be a lot of reasons for this. Modern psychology has determined that self image or how we see ourselves has a direct impact in every area of life. People with a positive self image tend to be more successful. After all if you have a positive self image you. Tend to believe in yourself more and those that believe in themselves are not afraid to go for it when pursuing their goals. They are not afraid to take a risk. What if you don’t have a positive self image. The answer of course is to build one.

Rabbi Pliskin who I had the honor of meeting in Jerusalem many years ago on the Discovery Program through Aish Hatorah has crafted a brilliant book to help you build your self image. Techniques and saying are culled from the deep flowing sources in Judaism, along with modern psychology and neurolingusitic programming.

What can you do to build your self image? Well for one you can do acts of kindness. This activity will be stored in your brain and you will think of yourself as a kind person. This raises your self image. One can also master themselves by overcoming negative behaviors and learning to work with their emotions. Over come these obstacle and you already have the building block of a positive self image. An anchor is an concept from neurolingusitc programming. An anchor is an activity that provokes a certain emotion that can be positive or negative. Use the positive anchor to lift your spirits so you can excel. Rabbi Pliskin’s method employs affirmations and a lot of rethinking of how we view things. Difficult or adverse challenges help us grow and bring out the best of us. Remember once you overcome these obstacles you have over come another challenge and this is stored in your brain and it builds your self image. Even if you only reach your personal best once just remember that you did do it and that you can do it. This is added to your brain and it builds your self image.

This book could come real handy if you follow the advice within the pages. You definitely can boost your self image and when you feel better about yourself then you accomplish more. sometimes though i think you need to achieve something in order for your self image to properly grow.

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The Last Jewish Gangster?

The Chronicles of The Last Jewish Gangster: From Meyer to Myron by Myron Sugerman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Italian and Jewish Immigrants got along really well together , especially in the underworld . Both groups were underdogs and often had to rely on their own community for justice and protection . The mob certainly provided that to both communities.
In fact the Italian mob and the Jewish mob grew up right along side each other, influenced each other worked together to form Murder incorporated.

Reading this tome will give good insight as to how things worked in the Jewish Underworld. Myron’s father was involved in bootlegging booze and selling slot machines, pinball machine and video poker machines. Myron got in on this business. His adventures in selling machines would take him all over the world to places like Nigeria, Greece, Israel , and several locations in South America.

I expected this to be more like The Godfather or Scarface. It instead this is an autobiography of a businessman man who deals with gambling machines. Not so much violence, but there is plenty of honor.a handshake seals the deal and everyone is as good as their word. That’s more honesty than you’ll find dealing with Attorneys or other people who work on the right side of the law.

I look at Myron Sugarman is a legit businessman not a criminal. Here is why, places like Atlantic City And Vegas can run legal gambling joints that people dump their money into but heaven forbid if they try it somewhere else. The government acts in favor of Atlantic City and shuts down the smaller gambling joints. Why is that? Why is it ok in Atlantic City but not Newark? The government makes arbitrary decisions, in fact they are a mob unto themselves.

Like mentioned earlier the immigrant communities often relied on the mob for justice and protection. Law enforcement and the outside world are not often friendly to immigrants , so who you gonna call? It was the Jewish mob that broke up the Nazi Bundt rallies and often quite violently. The Jewish mob also made sure that the Haganah was able to run the British blockade and get the weapons they needed.

Myron had a great relationship with Rebbe and Simon Wiesenthal. It was shortly after the Rebbe died that Myron lost a trial and pulled a two year prison term. Whenever things went awry on the legal front the Rebbe would always have advice that kept him out of jail.

The Jewish mob also helped bring Nazis to justice. Myron would meet Simon Wiesenthal in Vienna. The two would for a very close relationship. Myron would send donation and relay messages regarding the capture or elimination of Nazi war criminal. He was almost instrumental in capturing Joseph Mengele.

Despite being called a gangster I think Myron is a righteous man. It is not unethical to sell gambling machines when the govt arbitrarily decides who it is legal for and who it is not. He never killed anyone or sold drugs. Even when involved in less than legal ventures Myron always kept his eye open for the Jewish people.

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The Mystic Menorah

The Way Back by Jonnie Schnytzer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Hartbacher family legend goes back generations back to a time when the Cossack were massacring Jews in the Ukraine, a distant relative fought off a bunch of Cossacks with a Hanukkia or or a menorah. Later during the shoa or Holocaust a relative beats a Nazi to death and escapes a death camp. The menorah would be lost and one David Hartbacher will want to liberate it. David brakes into museums and steals Jewish artifacts so he can return them to their rightful Jewish owners.

On his last job he gets caught and serves some time in prison, upon his release his adventures only just begin. An archaeologist flees Egypt leaving his son behind in the hand of terrorists. Unfortunately for David two assassins follow. Razi is killed during the shootout but David kills an assassin. Off to Egypt to rescue the boy. Meanwhile the Mossad and the law enforcement get involved. Simultaneously in Egypt a Mossad handler is killed and so is his asset.

Back in Israel a cast a characters assemble to debate whether to go in or not. Limor is after Othman Aswad a terrorist who has killed lots of people and he is involved in white slavery. David gets caught by him. A cop gets sent to Benghazi to pinpoint and rescue. An assassin is after David for his role in liberating an artifact he had.

Funny how all these people’s lives are intertwined and they know each other. Strange coincidence. I liked how the author opened a window into the psyche of Israelis and the Mossad.great book to promote Jewish heroism and a great read for an adrenaline junkie.

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A Closer Look at History

Spies, Sadists and Sorcerers: The history you weren't taught in school by Dominic Selwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

British author, Derek Selwood, has generated an easy to read book that gives the reader a different view of history . In fact it might be fair to suggest that the history we have been taught in school is not the real history that went down. Remember that History is always written by the winner.

Starting off in Roman times we have Josephus Flavius who wrote the Jewish Wars and ANtiquities of the Jews. He started out as a Jewish noble and aided in the fight against Rome . He was the only survivor. He ended up becoming a Roman citizen collecting a pension. He conveniently switched sides.

The author examines another Biblical era story the one o0f Moses receiving the Ten Commandments. There is not a shred of proof that it even happened or that the Israelites traversed the desert escaping from Egypt. His analysis is mostly speculative as he suggests that the 10- commandments were not written in Hebrew But rather in Egyptian hieroglyphics. This is all speculation.

He takes a stab at British History by revealing some real juicy details. You might be shocked to learn that when Henry the 8th broke away from Rome to found the Church of England , the people were not for it, rather they were devout Catholics. Cromwell and his henchman at the behest of Henry the 8th stormed thorugh country destroying works of art, looting Catholic Churches and monasteries and demolishing statues. Lots of people were killed. Prior to his break with Rome Henry the 8th was a devout Catholic.

I was not really shocked to learn that the British Royal family was of German descent. Something they were not proud of during the World Wars. Churchill made a big mistake at Gallipoli it costs him his job at the time. Inyat Noor Khan, an Indian Muslim naturalized to a British citizen died helping the British spy against the Nazis. She was super dedicated. There was a gentleman from Spain who ran a fake spy ring in Britain. His false information deceived the Nazis and helped the allies with winning the war.

Christopher Columbus has been in the news lately. They’re removing his statues and why not ? He was no hero, he did not discover America. He only made it to Hispaniola. The first person to discover America was Leif Ericsson . Columbus was brutal . He enslaved the Native Americans his fellow Europeans killed the Native Americans in the most brutal fashion just for the fun of it. The European arrival meant genocide for the Native Americans. The white settlers were as racist as Hitler. Their goal was the annihilation of the Native Americans. Politician documents prove this out.

Often it seems that things are not what they seem. We of the Western Nations are not always thee good guy . America the land of the free was won on the oppression and genocide of Native Americans and yes it was genocide . Everything from/ broken treaties, disease infected blanket and that fire water (Booze). During the WWII the Americans and allies proved themselves to be just as genocidal as Hitler. Want to challenge your world view then open this book and get ready to have your eyes opened .

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