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Sunday, July 8, 2012

Breaking Stereotypes

I should admit that I didn't like Napoleon, I couldn't understand how French people loved him after being him who destroyed the republic and the revolution by becoming an emperor. As I didn't understand that and it was my only argument to protect my point I decided to read his biography. Indeed I found something completely different and my stereotype about Napoleon broke together with my stereotype of the For Dummies books, which indeed are for dummies but are not at all crappy.

I read Napoleon for Dummies, it was the only book in the kindle store which had everything I was looking for: history, battles, politics, reforms and implications. I have to admit I hesitated whether to buy it or not but I think it was a good decision. Easy to read and comprehensive. Obviously I can not recall here everything I learnt about Napoleon but at least I can say that my opinion of him has changed and I got to understand much better the contexts and the importance of his role in changing the times, boosting the values of the revolution through out Europe, reforming the civil codes, promoting religious freedom, sponsoring the academy and the arts (through looting though), promoting public education, busting up the opportunities for the best qualified...
It is impossible to deny his political capabilities together with his management ones (not only to rescue France from a deep economic crisis, but to handle huge military campaigns).

Taking about those campaigns, I'd like to share a map of Europe that gives a simple image of how much the guy moved through the continent and even to Africa.


I'm very pleased with the book and I might read it again in some point in the future to refresh it, but now after having read about Simon Bolivar and Napoleon Bonaparte it seems the next one could be Julius Caesar and/or Alexander the Great, we'll see.

As a bonus, I include a timeline of the life of this fellow:

1769
15 August Napoleon is born in Ajaccio, Corsica, which was transferred from Italian to French rule a year earlier.
1779
1 January Napoleon and his brother Joseph enter school at Autun, France, mainly to learn French. 
25 April Napoleon enters Royal Military College at Brienne.
1784
15 September Napoleon passes exams and is selected to attend the École Militaire in Paris. 
1785
24 February Napoleon’s father, Carlo, dies.
September At age 16, Napoleon graduates from military school and is commissioned as Second Lieutenant of Royal Artillery. He joins the La Fère Regiment at Valence.
1789
14 July The fall of the Bastille signals the start of the French Revolution.
1792
20 June Austria and Prussia (soon joined by England and others) form the First Coalition against France.
10 August Napoleon witnesses the massacre of the Swiss Guards at the Tuileries by the Parisian mob. The monarchy soon falls, and the first French Republic is declared.
1793
21 January King Louis XVI of France is executed.
31 May The Reign of Terror in France begins.
September–December Napoleon commands artillery and leads the French government’s retaking of Toulon from royalists.
21 December Napoleon, at age 24, is promoted to General of Brigade.
1794
28 July Maximilien Robespierre is executed; the Reign of Terror ends.
9 August Napoleon is arrested and jailed but is released in 11 days.
1795
Summer–Fall Napoleon is stationed in Paris and meets Josephine.
22 August The constitution of 1795 creates the Directory.
5 October Napoleon puts down a royalist uprising and is soon promoted to general of division.
1796
2 March Napoleon is appointed general in chief of the Army of Italy.
9 March Napoleon marries Josephine.
4–22 April Napoleon wins a series of stunning victories in Italy against Austrian occupiers and their allies.
10 May Napoleon wins the Battle of Lodi in Italy.
15–17 November Napoleon wins the Battle of Arcole in Italy.
1797
14 January Napoleon wins the Battle of Rivoli in Italy.
17 October The Treaty of Campo Formio between France and Austria is ratified.
5 December Napoleon returns to Paris and is soon elected member of the National Institute of Sciences and Arts of France and appointed commander of the Army of England.
1798
19 May Napoleon and his army leave for Egypt via Malta.
1 July Napoleon captures Alexandria.
21 July The French win the Battle of the Pyramids.
1 August Admiral Nelson wins the Battle of the Nile against the French.
29 December A Second Coalition against France is formed by Britain, Austria, and Russia.
1799
7 March Napoleon takes Jaffa but is later stymied at Acre (in modern Israel).
25 July Returning to Cairo, Napoleon defeats the Turks at Aboukir.
August–October Napoleon leaves Egypt and returns to Paris a national hero.
9–10 November Napoleon helps overthrow the Directory and becomes First Consul at age 30.
1800
13 February The Bank of France is established.
15–23 May Napoleon leads his army through the Alps to attack Austrians in Italy, beginning the second Italian campaign.
14 June Napoleon wins the Battle of Marengo.
24 December The incident of the “Infernal Machine”: An attempt is made on Napoleon’s life.
1801
9 February The Peace of Luneville ends the War of the Second Coalition.
24 March Russian Tsar Paul I is killed; Alexander I becomes tsar.
15 July Napoleon signs the Concordat with the Pope.
1802
25 March The Peace of Amiens between England and France is ratified.
1 August Napoleon is named First Consul for Life.
1803
3 May The United States buys the Louisiana Territory from France.
18 May Great Britain declares war on France.
1804
21 March The civil code is published, and the Duke of Enghien is executed.
18 May The senate declares Napoleon Emperor of France.
19 May The Legion of Honor is established.
2 December Napoleon is crowned Emperor of the French.
1805
26 May Napoleon is crowned King of Italy.
9 August England, Austria, Russia, and Sweden form the Third Coalition against France.
17 October “The unfortunate General Mack” surrenders at Ülm.
21 October Admiral Nelson defeats the French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar but dies in the action.
2 December Napoleon wins the Battle of Austerlitz over the Austrians and Russians.
26 December The Treaty of Pressburg is ratified between France and Austria.
1806
12 July The Confederation of the Rhine is created.
6 October The Fourth Coalition against France is formed by Prussia, Russia, and England.
14 October Napoleon defeats Prussia at Jena and Auerstädt.
21 November Napoleon issues the Berlin Decrees, starting the Continental System.
1807
8 February Russians and Prussians lose the Battle of Eylau.
14 June Russians and Prussians lose the Battle of Friedland.
8 July The Peace of Tilsit is made with Russia and Prussia; the Grand Duchy of Warsaw is soon created.
November France invades Spain and Portugal.
1808
17 March The Imperial University is created in Paris.
6 June Napoleon’s brother Joseph is made King of Spain.
15 July Napoleon’s brother-in-law Joachim Murat is made King of Naples and Sicily.
4 December Napoleon enters Madrid and abolishes the Inquisition.
1809
9 April Austria and England form the Fifth Coalition against France.
20–23 April Napoleon defeats the Austrians at the Battles of Abensberg, Landshut, Eckmühl, and Ratisbon.
21 May Napoleon is held off by Austrian Archduke Charles at the Battles of Aspern and Essling.
5–6 July Napoleon defeats Charles at the Battle of Wagram.
16 December Napoleon divorces Josephine.
1810
11 March Napoleon marries Marie Louise of Austria by proxy in Vienna.
1811
20 March Napoleon’s son with Marie Louise, the King of Rome (Napoleon II), is born.
1812
24 June Napoleon crosses the Niemen River to invade Russia.
July Russia and England form the Sixth Coalition against France (and are later joined by Prussia, Austria, and others).
7 September Napoleon defeats the Russians at the Battle of Borodino.
20 October Napoleon leaves Moscow for Paris, arriving there on December 18th.
1813
26 August Napoleon, now 44, wins the Battle of Dresden.
16–19 October Napoleon is defeated at the Battle of Leipzig.
1814
January France is invaded by Sixth Coalition allies.
10–13 February Napoleon wins battles at Champaubert, Montmirail, Château-Thierry, and Vauchamp in France.
31 March Allies enter Paris; a provisional government is formed.
6–11 April Napoleon abdicates at Fontainebleau.
4 May Napoleon becomes Emperor of Elba.
29 May Josephine dies.
1815
1 March Napoleon returns to France.
20 March Napoleon enters Paris and the Hundred Days begins.
16 June Napoleon defeats the Prussians at Ligny (Belgium).
18 June Napoleon is defeated by the British and Prussians at Waterloo.
22 June Napoleon abdicates again.
15 July Napoleon surrenders to Captain Maitland of the HMS Bellerophon, hoping to retire in Great Britain.
15 October Napoleon is sent into exile on St. Helena at age 46.
1821
5 May Napoleon dies shortly before 6 p.m. at age 51.
1840
15 October Napoleon’s remains are exhumed for return to France.
15 December Napoleon is interred in the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris.


My own Tour de France: 2nd Stage

Saturday 7th of July, my second stage, this time towards the south of Grenoble, I was seeking the Lac Monteynard, about 50km from Grenoble:


Indeed I found the lake, but I was still far from the beach (about 20km more) and it was a really hot day, like 32degrees, so I decided to come back and live instead of reaching the lake and die :P. This stage has a long flat part and then you start to climb up the mountain. I reached about 800meters of altitude this time and it was like 30km one way, so 60km in total, but this time was very tough I have to admit it. I am considering changing the bike because I have mountain bike with very thick tires and I need the opposite, any ways, we'll see. This is the path I followed.


A proof that I indeed reached the lake, at least the beginning of it ;-)

Next time I think I could rather take a bus to the lake and then make the circuit of it, THIS ONE.

My own Tour de France: 1st stage

Saturday 16th of June was my fist day biking outside Grenoble , at that time I didnt know where I was going so I didnt advance much, eight days later, Saturday 23rd  was the real first stage of my own Tour de France from Grenoble to Lans-En-Vercors, it's 27km one way, thus it was 54km all the way. The highest point is about the 1200 meters of altitude, being Grenoble at about 250meters it means it's a nice slope to climb.



There are beautiful sights in all the road, and you can see Grenoble and its surrounding mountains. In my way to the top I caught a tribute they were making to some heroes of the French resistance against the Nazis in the summer of 44. In that area there was a group of Frenchmen opposing resistance to the German army who had occupied France, it seems that in the place where the cemetery is the Nazis shot about 200 people, now in the cemetery there are some of those Frenchmen who died fighting against the Nazis.









Wednesday, July 4, 2012

My summer friends

I just want to introduce my two friends for the summer.

The daily one: Perfect for going to work, to french classes and other city issues


The weekend one: Perfect for going to the mountains and enjoy the summer in the alps











Cosas que pasan en Macondo

Noticia tomada del diario El Tiempo, Colombia. (ver articulo original)
Me tomo el atrevimiento de incluir algunos comentarios mios y de subrayar los pasajes por los cuales decidí incluir esta noticia bajo la etiqueta Macondo, y que me llevan a pensar una vez mas que ese es el verdadero nombre de mi pais.


A ritmo de reguetón, salsa y merengue celebraba su matrimonio el narcotraficante Camilo Torres Martínez, alias ' Fritanga', cuando fue capturado por la Policía en un hotel cinco estrellas en la isla Múcura, a dos horas de Cartagena.
Fuentes de la Dijín señalaron que la captura del poderoso narcotraficante, pedido en extradición por EE. UU., se dio en medio de una lujosa fiesta amenizada por orquestas internacionales y con la presencia de cerca de 200 personas, entre ellos reconocidos actores y modelos de la farándula nacional [Pablo: Un tributo a Aureliano Segundo, quien introdujo las monumentales fiestas a mi pais Macondo] .Los invitados, que se resistieron a terminar la fiesta, habían llegado a la isla desde Cartagena en yates contratados por el narcotraficante, en los que se servían todo tipo de frutos del mar y champaña.
Uno de los investigadores de la Policía relató que mientras ocupaban el hotel los invitados siguieron bailando y los uniformados tuvieron que apagar la música y ordenar que dejaran de repartir licor para poder realizar el operativo.
Incluso, cuentan personas cercanas al caso, los invitados se molestaron por la presencia de la Policía y se empezaron a quejar. Solo la advertencia de que todos podían ser detenidos y la mediación del mismo narcotraficante logró que se calmaran y atendieran las instrucciones de la Fuerza Pública.
Todo el hotel había sido reservado para la fiesta de matrimonio del 'narco' y la parranda ya llevaba varios días -había iniciado el martes pasado-. Cada noche tocaba un artista reconocido y cuando llegó la Policía en la tarima estaba en pleno concierto un exitoso cantante nacional.
La fiesta, en la que ' Fritanga' ya había gastado alrededor de 1.500 millones de pesos, terminó cuando su principal protagonista fue esposado por la Policía y cuando sus invitados de honor trataban de esconderse y buscaban la forma de abandonar la isla.
Pero como si fuera poco, la Policía informó que en los archivos de la Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil, 'Fritanga' aparecía como muertoAl respecto, la Registraduría dijo que ese dato "se soporta en un registro civil de defunción expedido el 3 de diciembre de 2010 en la notaría 17 de Bogotá". En el registro, aparece que "el fallecimiento presuntamente ocurrió a las 11:00 p.m. del 2 de diciembre de 2010". [Pablo: Pero es que en Macondo no le negamos fiesta a nadie, ¡ni a los muertos¡]
Las autoridades mantienen un fuerte dispositivo de seguridad en la zona ante la posible presencia en la fiesta de Jhon Freddy Manco, alias el 'Indio', primo y socio de ' Fritanga', quien habría asistido a la boda pero no fue encontrado durante el operativo.
El 'narco' tiene un extenso prontuario al servicio de capos de la droga como Diego Rendón Herrera, alias 'Don Mario', y tendrá que responder por cargamentos de cocaína enviados a Estados Unidos a través de Centroamérica. Su nombre apareció a nivel nacional en 2009, en el escándalo que llevó a prisión al exdirector de Fiscalías de Antioquia, Guillermo León Valencia Cossio.

Historias de Macondo

Bajo la nueva etiqueta Macondo, quiero reunir esas historias de mi pais Colombia que en mi opinion clasificarian para hacer parte de Cien Años de Soledad, o que simplemente dan fé de que "nuestra realidad supera la ficción", de que nuestra realidad esta tan llena de absurdos  que es necesario mirarlos por encimita para poder seguir viviendo sin enloquecernos.

¿Que de donde soy yo, me preguntás? Yo soy de Envigado, un municipo de Macondo, en algun lugar entre la cienaga, el mar y las montañas.


Football takes and gives back

Three different games, two different tournaments, one common actor: England

Under construction [include this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_FIFA_World_Cup_Final]

June 27th 2010, SouthAfrica's world cup. England and Germany are playing the quarters of final in a brilliant match, Germany stroke first, and stroke again, 2-0 was the score after just half an hour of game.

But England woke up and score after a corner kick, it gave them the energy to keep pushing to get the tie before the break and gave us (the football lovers) the hope to get a memorable match, indeed it was, England tied but the referee disallow it! look:


The ball clearly was in! but the referee clearly didnt see it because he didnt allow it!! it was a decision that killed the game, England went pissed to the break and for the second half had its head rather in the referee than in the game, Germany scored two more goals. 4-1 final score, England victim of a bad decision.

June 19th 2012, almost two years after that, England was playing against Ukraine, again a quarters of final, this time of the Eurocup. England was leading 1-0 after a goal from Rooney, and the Ukranian Marko Devic shot this ball:


Again, clearly the ball crossed the line, goal for Ukrain!! no wait, John Terry was fast enough to clear the ball out before the Hungarian referee and his assistants noticed the clear goal. They didnt allow it either. Just that this time England was smiling.

Football takes away from you but also gives you back!