Dracula was not insane; that is what the scholars tell us. He knew right and wrong, and the difference. A brilliant political leader for his time and a devious military commander, he practiced both heaven and hell, Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire whatever mode fit to conquer a land and hold it.
He knew the fabricwork of people, and he knew how to dive and where to dive to cut quick into the core of their souls. He made it his business to understand the emotion in their eyes and could recognize others' deceits, simply by comparing them to his own. If not always right, he guessed correctly most of the time.
However, he had an offbeat psychosis. Looking at his personality in retrospect, a psychiatrist or psychologist today might diagnose Dracula's crimes as tragic, inherent products of an erratic childhood. What he saw around him and what happened to him in his formative years seems to have greatly shaped the man.
First, there was the religious dichotomy of his era. Taught virtue and love, he also learned that it was all right to maim and torture in the name of God. Well...not really...but that was how the politicians of the day shaped religiosity to defend their own zealous ambitions based on the principle of stepping before being stepped on. To a child, however, it must have made all the sense in the world.
Born into nobility, Dracula was protected from the outside realities by a feudal system that favored the noble born; in fact, it nearly canonized it. He had no other recourse to learning the world than by experience, and that experience came heavily in the combative arts and in the judicious bigotry that must have been predominant in the Dragon's household. As a child playing in his father's chambers during meetings, he interpreted what he heard as fact: Turks are bad. Even our own subjects need watching. You can't trust anyone. Be on guard — or die. The fact that violence had wrought the success of his own father speaks strongly about Dracula's views on justice: Strength is violence, violence is strength, so violence is right.
His parentage represented both poles of the devout and the shrewd. His mother was a religiously devout woman who believed in the literal Bible; his father, a soldier first, believed in state. And at the age when he might resolve who was right, and where the dividing line lay, he was swept off to a foreign culture where Western ideals existed, but were translated in a way so unlike the familiar European parables.
Imagine the boy's feeling of betrayal when the father he adored handed him over to the foreigners who were supposed to be the enemy? Abandoned in Adrianople, taken away from the sensibilities of his mother, the guidance of his father, he was dissident. Yet, under the rebelliousness that he showed the Turks, he was learning just the same. Never quite able to understand the culture of his foster home, Turkey, he probably created his own culture — a mix of European and Turkish bias. And the lessons of physical justice taught by both.
When it came time to return home, he chose the quickest way to reindoctrinate himself as a prince, to pick up where his murdered father had left off. And because his father had been murdered, Dracula had made him a martyr and all feelings of the abandonment he suffered dissipated.
Revenge became his inspiration.
As for the impalings, do they suggest pseudo-sexual frustrations that some scholars claim? Perhaps. After all, for a man to whom violence was essential, wasn't sex another contact sport? The only female he had been allowed to escort in his early life had been the genteel form of refinement, but he knew that there was more to the animal instinct he felt than courtly bows and courteous manners. He simply may not have understood how to deal with the stirrings.
Dracula was not insane, no, but he was very, very confused.
*****
One may wonder why any woman in her right mind would marry Dracula, but marry him someone did. Perhaps it was an arranged marriage of state or, as some critics suggest, he simply saw her, wanted her and took her. Who she was is uncertain; there are theories — a member of Moldavian royalty, a Hungarian princess, a daughter of a Wallachian nobleman. The marriage would be tragic and brief, as we shall see in an upcoming chapter, and seemed not to produce any qualities of home-and-hearth in the prince. He rarely allowed her in his company, and retained his libertines at Castle Dracula.
But, the desires of his libido grew fainter as his reign reached what would be its mid-term. By 1458, after a decade-long period of relative peace between Europe and the Turks, the renewal of border skirmishes along the Serbian-Romanian line began to manifest the clouds of war. The Vatican, eyeing the incidences suspiciously from Rome, made overtures to Christian kings to begin uniting in the event the Muslims become contentious.
If the Pope hoped for peace, Dracula's actions weren't helping to soothe relations. In 1458, Sultan Mehmed II sent a couple of emissaries to remind the Wallachian that he was three years behind in paying the annual tribute of 10,000 gold ducats; Dracula expected such a visit eventually, as he had already made up his mind to discontinue the payments altogether. To avoid vexsome arguments, he decided to make fast work of the envoys.
When they came before his throne, he let them state their business. Once he realized where they were heading — that is, to the subject of payments in arrears — he snipped them short. "Excuse me, gentlemen, but speaking of payments due, I can't help taking note that you have not paid me due respect in removing your hats before my court. Don't you realize it is the customary and honored tradition to do so?"
The representatives startled. One of them, tapping his Phrygian cap, humbly replied, "We have not meant to insult your lord, but were it not a religious custom of ours not to remove them in public, we would have done thus immediately before your presence. I am sure, having been a resident in our country at one time, you understand." This man followed up with a reassuring smile.
"I see," Dracula glowered. "Then what you are saying is that you wish to never be seen in public without your...er, turbans?"
"That is correct, your lord."
"Then, let your wish be granted," their host chuckled. Clicking his finger at his sentries, he told them, "Our friends here love their hats so much that I think we should allow them the privilege they request. Remove them from my carpet and have their damn caps nailed to their skulls so that they never come off again!"
Pleading for mercy, the Turks were dragged from the throne room never to be seen alive again by the Wallachians. But, their screams resounded through the palace as, from the dungeon, the high executioner performed his...carpentry?
When Sultan Mehmed in Constantinople received the bodies of his two envoys, their caps nailed to their skulls with rusty spikes, he raged. He hatched a plot to destroy Dracula once and for all. Notifying the prince that he wished to meet on the Danube River at the city of Giurgiu for peace talks, he actually planned instead to send an army of assassins ahead of time to ambush Dracula and his escort en route through the mountains.
Dracula didn't believe the sultan's proposition. Nevertheless, he wrote back agreeing to such a conference. Days before the assigned date, he took a small army with him to enact a surprise of his own. Laying wait north of Giurgiu, above a narrow pass, Dracula's troops surveyed a Turkish vanguard of a thousand men riding pell-mell in the direction of Tirgoviste. Although the cavalry greatly outnumbered his own, he used the advantage of true mountain fighting, a skill he learned years before in Turkeyland. Strategically placed, a number of his musketeers from overhead cut down the party, rider at a time, while the remainder of his shooters, firing from positions in the enemy's rear, forced them into a gap where there was no retreat. When the foe attempted to surrender, Dracula's rifles shot them to pieces. (This ambush portrays an example of Dracula's military cunning. Historians credit him as one of the first European crusaders to use gunpowder in a deadly artistic way.)
Days later, when the sultan arrived on the Danube, expecting to meet his advanced guard with some good news, he was jolted to find something unexpected: Along the riverbank, for miles, his dispatched regiments hung nailed to spikes, twisted into inhuman poses, half-eaten by countless ravens that, even as Mehmed stared, drove their beaks into the cadaverous flesh. The sight was so repulsive that Mehmed abandoned all other maneuvers to return to Constantinople, where he would require months to rethink the situation.
Despite his heroics, Dracula knew he may have pushed the sultan a trifle too far. He had known Mehmed as a boy, knew his temperament and the temper of the Ottoman Turks, and he knew that Mehmed was probably looking for just such an excuse to start a full-scale war. Nervously, Dracula wrote to the Pope: "If (Romania) is subjugated, please understand they will not stay content with our land, but will immediately make war on you...So now is the time: by helping us, you really help yourself by stopping their army far from your own land and by not allowing them to destroy (us) and harm and oppress us."
The prince was relieved to hear, in response, that a Holy Crusade had been agreed upon in Mantua, Italy, and that all forces were poised to ride into Turkey. Dracula pledged his allegiance and began recruiting an army comprised of loyal Wallachians and troops assigned to him from other nations. The size of his force is estimated to have been about 30,000, comprised mainly of foot soldiers.
But, it dwarfed when compared to the gargantuan Turkish machine of 250,000 that crossed the Danube in May, 1462. Among them were the elite Janissaries; the Saiales suicide-squad; the Azabs (lancers); the Acings (archers); the Beshlis (riflemen) and the Sipahis (cavalry). Most of them headed straight for Tirgoviste.
Knowing he was humiliatingly outmanned, Dracula determined to make the road to Tirgoviste a calamitous one. He felled trees in the invaders' path, poisoned the wells, burned bridges and even villages that might shelter them, and he hit the marchers wherever he could along the way. His marksmen, posted in the bluffs overlooking the passes, did their best to reduce the volume of the enemy; snipers and archers caused havoc along wooded riverbanks. The most damage done to the Turkish march occurred outside the capital city when Dracula's main body of cavalry swooped out of the night forests to massacre a large contingency of foot soldiers.
But, all these had inflicted physical harm to the Ottomans. And since when had physical pain and suffering stopped the Turks? Dracula knew from experience that only one thing would cause them to stop in their tracks, to hesitate, to maybe abandon their mission. And that was to throw open the gates of Hell before their eyes in all its putrescence. To attack them where it stung most. In their imagination.
For years, the Wallachian had been capturing Turkish soldiers and spies, wisely keeping them on hold as a bartering mechanism. His dungeons at Tirgoviste, at his castle and at other outposts amid the Carpathians bulged with them, some 20,000 captives. Now, with the defeat of Wallachia a possibility, Dracula decided that he had nothing to lose, all to gain. He went for the tool that worked before, to cut deep into the psychological edge.Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
When the Turks arrived outside the walls of Tirgoviste, they paused. And they trembled. Some wept. Many vomited. Encircling the town were the bodies of their very own comrades, 20,000 of them, their long locks and robes fluttering in the breeze, their eyes staring vacantly down, their mouths emitting the sharpened point of a spike hammered up their backsides. There was no sound from inside the enemy's walls, no movement from within. But, the volley of silence was deafening.
The Turks buckled their steeds, reigned and bolted for the Danube. Cries of "Allah, protect us!" on their lips, they dashed from the devil whom they couldn't defeat.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Vice Consul Ando 3.3 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
PART C—JAPANESE DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
(h) Japanese-Russian Relations
482. Ambassador Smetanin Urges Support of the Japanese-Russian Neutrality Pact
While Ambassador Hiroshi Oshima in Berlin continued to urge Japan's active support for the Tripartite Pact, the Russian Ambassador to Tokyo, Constantin Smetanin, strove to convince Japanese leaders that their only logical course lay in supporting the Soviet-Japanese neutrality agreement.
To a Russian inquiry in mid-August 1941 concerning Japan's attitude toward the German-Russian war, Foreign Minister Toyoda had replied that no change of policy was under consideration and that friendly relations between Japan and Russia would continue unless Russia relinquished any of its territory to a third power for the establishment of military bases, or permitted the sphere of a third power to be extended into East Asia, or conducted an alliance with a third power which had the Japanese Empire as its military object.
Ambassador Smetanin offered his assurance that Russia was rigidly observing the Neutrality Pact and had not even considered the actions mentioned by the Japanese Minister. Foreign Minister Toyoda, then warned that the Japanese government might view the shipping of American munitions to Russia via Vladivostok as an infringement upon the Tripartite Pact. In regard to Japan's attitude toward the German-Russian war, its foreign policy still adhered faithfully to the spirit and objectives of the Tripartite Pact.[1178] This comment was doubtless inspired by reports from Japanese diplomats in Rome and Berlin that the United States was meddling in Japanese affairs and exerting economic oppression on Japan.[1179]
483. Japan Tells Germany Its Adherence to Neutrality Pact Is First Step Against Russia
Foreign Minister Toyoda on August 15, 1941 informed the German and Italian Ambassadors in Tokyo of his talk with Ambassador Smetanin. The German Ambassador then discussed the apparent belief of Russia that Japan, having promised to observe the Neutrality Pact after receiving assurances on two vital points from Russia, would not enter the German-Russian war. Foreign Minister Toyoda declared that in view of the current military expansion of the Japanese Empire, the observing of the Neutrality Pact seemed a first step toward carrying out future plans against Russia which would assuredly be undertaken in harmony with the spirit and objectives of the Tripartite Pact. When Ambassador Eugen Ott asked whether this present arrangement were not merely a temporary one to restrain Russia while Japanese preparations were being completed, the Foreign Minister replied that it was.[1180]
484. Mongolian-Manchukuoan Boundary Dispute Settled
While Japan was being urged to support the seemingly divergent Neutrality and Tripartite Pacts, on August 15, 1941 Japanese and Russian representatives, engaged since June 27, 1941 in negotiations concerning the Manchukuoan-Mongolian boundary, Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire reached a successful solution of a potentially critical situation.[1181]
The final signing was scheduled for September 22, 1941 and on September 20 a joint communique concerning this matter would be issued in Tokyo, Hsinking, Moscow, and Viga (Ulan,
[1178] III, 903.
[1179] III, 904.
[1180] III, 905.
[1181] III, 906.
[243]
Bator or Urga). As the time for the final session approached, some controversy over its location arose. The Japanese army desired the location to be Dorugi while the Mongolians favored Viga. Eventually, the conference met at Harbin.
According to the Japanese representative at Hsinking, it would aid Japan's cause to have the Manchukuoans publish the proceedings of the conference as one of their official documents rather than to have the Japanese government do so.[1182] Tokyo replied that there were no objections to having Manchukuo make the announcements although Tokyo itself wanted to consider and decide upon a method of announcing the related material in respect to the conferences.[1183]
However, by October 1, 1941 Tokyo had issued the policies it had decided to adopt toward all newspapers in connection with the Harbin conferences. Newspaper releases concerning boundary settlement were to be limited to simple factual statements concerning the exchanges of notes. The subject would be mentioned only in general terms though the successful results of the conference would be stressed.
An official government statement would be published but all documents in connection with the matter would be banned from publication. New maps for the public were to represent in only a vague manner the areas involved, while any printed matter describing in detail the new boundary was to be suppressed.[1184] The Manchukuoan-Mongolian Border Commission completed its general arrangements by October 3, 1941. With the exception of a few changes in phraseology, the original Manchukuoan proposal concerning the 300 kilos of border was accepted.[1185]
The tasks of drafting the necessary documents and issuing a joint communique remained to be done, and on October 7, 1941 the Manchukuoan government issued the following communique:
"The Empire of Manchukuo and the Union of the Mongol People have set up a mixed commission to determine the boundaries between the two countries. This commission has been meeting in Harbin and at boundary locations since September 23rd. The conferences have met under favorable conditions until October-----, and the plenipotentiaries have completed a certified written report of the results of their efforts. Having done so, the plenipotentiaries have entirely fulfilled their duty."[1186]
On October 13, 1941 Tokyo indicated its belief that any statement concerning developments in the conferences, which had been under way since June 1941, should be limited to what had already been published in joint communiques. In addition, no reference was to be made to the Nomonhan incident.[1187]
485. Finland Regains Territory Ceded to Russia
Finnish success in recapturing all of its territory formerly ceded to Russia with the exception of the Hango leased territory, many small islands, and the far northern fishing areas was reported to Tokyo on September 4, 1941 by Mr. Tadashi Sakaya, Japanese representative in the Finnish capitol. Furthermore, Finland's President, Risto Ryti, had divulged to newspaper correspondents that Finland would not demand the restoration of more land than had been hers in the past. Nevertheless, it was the belief of some diplomatic officials that the territory west of the Murmansk railroad would be ceded to Finland.[1188]
[1182] III, 907.
[1183] III, 908.
[1184] III, 909.
[1185] III, 910-911.
[1186] III, 912.
[1187] III, 913.
[1188] III, 914.
[244]
THE "MAGIC" BACKGROUND OF PEARL HARBOR
486. Japan Notes Stiffening of Russian Resistance
According to a report from Moscow on September 5, 1941, the failure of German aircraft to appear over Moscow for a few days had given the Russian populace increased hope; but Japanese agents reported the situation at Leningrad and Kiev to be still critical with army losses remaining high and few Russian airplanes appearing over the front lines.
Japanese sources disclosed that a feeling of discontent and contempt for the Stalin regime was manifesting itself and was undermining the confidence of the people in the propaganda which stressed the superiority of the Russian army. Though the Japanese believed that the Germans were attempting to foment a revolution, they pointed to the lack of freedom or liberty in a Russia controlled by the OGPU as evidence of the improbability of overthrowing the Stalin regime.[1189]
487. Leningrad Is Bombed and Kiev Fails
On September 24, 1941, Ambassador Tatekawa reported from Moscow that German planes had bombed that city and also the southern part of Leningrad.[1190] A week later, commenting upon Russia's casual announcement of the fall of Kiev as an attempt to divert the people's attention, he stated his opinion that the disappointment and feeling of betrayal experienced by the Russian people in this regard would gradually turn into popular mistrust toward the government.[1191]
488. Japan Protests Against Russian Floating Mines
The question of Russian responsibility for laying mines in waters near Vladivostok reached a minor crisis in September 1941 when a Japanese vessel was destroyed by a floating mine.
In spite of the fact that the Japanese government had already issued formal protests to the Russian government regarding the mining of the northern waters of the Sea of Japan, no effort had been made to remove these floating mechanical mines, with the result that a situation extremely dangerous to Japanese shipping had arisen.
On several occasions during August Japanese fishermen had come across mines drifting in the offshore fishing area in the western portion of a fishing zone. In this same area a sixty-ton fishing boat was sunk on September 1, 1941 after contacting a drifting mine. Since the number of floating mines, apparently of Soviet manufacture, was increasing, the Japanese government was forced to forbid the dispatching of sailing vessels to northern waters.
Furthermore, the Japanese government handed Soviet authorities a rigorous protest outlining the terrific losses that had been brought about by the presence of mines in these waters. Because the maintenance of a calm and normal situation in the Sea of Japan was a necessary factor in relations with Soviet Russia, it was felt that the Russian government should recognize the necessity for removing these mechanical mines; if not, additional loss might be sustained by Japanese or Third Country vessels. Japan, therefore, expected a sincere answer from the Soviet Union that would guarantee the safety of Japanese waters in the future.[1192]
It was further feared that if any American ships sailing in the neighborhood of Vladivostok struck one of these mines, Japan would be intimidated; therefore, a summary of the warning issued to Soviet Russia was also to be submitted to the American government for reference.[1193]
Although the Japanese had demanded an official apology, Ambassador Smetanin replied on September 22 that Russia in adhering to the spirit of the Hague Covenant of 1907, although it was not a signatory, had exercised caution in the laying of mines to avoid endangering neu-
[1189] III, 915.
[1190] III, 916.
[1191] III, 917.
[1192] III, 918.
[1193] III, 919.
[245]
tral vessels. Therefore, if Japanese vessels stayed clear of belligerent waters, they would not be sunk. Consequently, Russia considered Japan's protest to be groundless and refused to pay the indemnity demanded. Regardless of this flat refusal, the Japanese Vice Minister responded that Japan would wait for a formal response before deciding on the proper measures to be taken.[1194]
Another incident which caused the Japanese much concern, occurred on the morning of September 23, 1941 when the Hanoi Maru sighted, in the vicinity of Seisuira, a Russian floating mine, which it immediately delivered to Rashin. While proceeding from Rashin to Vladivostok, the Hanoi Maru sighted another mine which was also picked up and taken back to Rashin. These events were immediately reported to the Russian Embassy in Tokyo.[1195]
489. Japanese Intelligence Reveals Hitler's Demands on Russia Prior to German-Russian War
Japanese intelligence agents in Washington had been gathering information on the negotiations between Germany and Russia prior to the outbreak of hostilities on June 22, 1941. On September 29, 1941 they informed Tokyo of Chancellor Hitler's demands on Russia. Of the three stipulations allegedly made by Germany, Premier Stalin supposedly had agreed to the first two: (1) Germany should have access to Ukrainian oil and grain for the duration of the war against England; and (2) Germany should be permitted joint operation of the Siberia Railroad and be allowed to establish military bases in the Far East including the Vladivostok area. Premier Stalin had flatly refused the third demand that German representatives be stationed in the Russian military general headquarters.
It was then that Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop had encouraged Chancellor Hitler to believe that invasion of Russia would win the support of the remnants of the church faction and bourgeoisie and that the destruction of the Stalin regime would be an easy matter. However, as Soviet resistance had proved Herr von Ribbentrop's assumption to be erroneous, the Foreign Minister had fallen into disfavor with Chancellor Hitler, and his private intelligence organization either had been disbanded or had been taken over by the German army.[1196]
490. Ambassador Tatekawa Reports Discontent in Russia
On September 30, 1941 Ambassador Yoshitsugu Tatekawa reported that four million refugees were moving inward from the front lines and were roaming from city to city in search of food. In spite of the rising discontent and resentment of the refugees toward the government, evident partiality was being shown to special privilege groups in the Communist party.[1197]
491. Japanese Diplomat Supports Neutrality Pact with Russia
On October 10, 1941 the Japanese representative at Harbin reported that a telegram from Moscow to the Soviet Ambassador in Japan had stressed that Russia should not now consider surrendering to the German invader since it had endured many sacrifices and would soon be assisted by the United States and England.
The same representative suggested that because of Japan's isolation, it should maintain its neutrality and should arrange a provisional agreement upon the expiration of the present Neutrality Pact with Russia.[1198]
[1194] III, 920.
[1195] III, 921.
[1196] III, 922.
[1197] III, 923.
[1198] III, 924.
[246]
THE "MAGIC" BACKGROUND OF PEARL HARBOR
492. Ambassador Tatekawa Recognizes Russian Strength
Ambassador Tatekawa informed Tokyo on October 10, 1941 of the probability that should Germany bring Russia to complete surrender, the Communistic regime would be completely obliterated and a Fascist order would be set up in the country. On the other hand, the Japanese Ambassador believed that Russia was capable of enduring still heavier defeats by retiring behind the formidable Volga barrier where it could use vanquished troops and draw upon the agricultural and industrial resources in the Ural or Ob basins.[1199] He felt that if Germany should attack again in the spring, Russia would gradually retire to the Far East. He cannot imagine that Japan would stand by because if she had been a mere onlooker while Germany fought England and the United States, she would have to submit to whatever terms were dictated.
Ambassador Tatekawa was not convinced of Russia's ultimate capitulation, and he noted that Germany might possibly have to yield a point and concede the continued existence of Bolshevism.[1200] Although a severe winter would not materially effect an invasion of England or a campaign against Egypt, it might halt operations in Russia. Ambassador Tatekawa reiterated his contention that Russian forces in the Ural, when attacked by Germany, might escape a decisive defeat by gradually receding eastward, toward Japan.[1201]
493. Ambassador Tatekawa Reports on War Progress (October 8, 1941)
Ambassador Tatekawa announced from Moscow on October 9, 1941 that the Russian press had not mentioned a word regarding the German general offensive until the day of his report when it suddenly disclosed that severe fighting was going on 243 kilometers from the capitol. Another conscription had taken place on October 3, 1941 and two days later children under the age of 12 years had been removed to Chelyabinsk.[1202]
The desertion of Orel had severely shocked the Russian people; and Ambassador Tatekawa believed that although numerous articles had been written by both Pravda and Isvestia emphasizing the urgency of uniting to keep off the bonds of Nazi slavery, the people were resentful toward the government leaders who had permitted this defeat. He reported that anxiety and restlessness were increasing among the people.[1203]
494. Ambassador Tatekawa and Staff Evacuate Moscow
On October 16, 1941 Ambassador Tatekawa and most of his staff left Moscow for an unknown destination. Tokyo immediately sent a circular dispatch to all Japanese diplomats in foreign countries, informing them that code messages were no longer to be addressed to Moscow.[1204]
[1199] III, 925.
[1200] III, 926.
[1201] III, 927.
[1202] III, 928.
[1203] III, 929.
[1204] III, 930.
[247] [248 blank]
THE "MAGIC" BACKGROUND OF PEARL HARBOR
PART C—JAPANESE DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
(i) Japanese-Italian Relations
495. The Italian Press Urges Japan to Attack Allies
Following closely the example of Ambassador Oshima, Ambassador Zembei Horikiri in Rome urged Japan's entrance into the German-Russian conflict. On August 6, 1941 he expressed the belief that the Italian people feared a breach between Japan and the Axis. Though Roman authorities were attempting to suppress all rumors to this effect, they expected Japan to take new and direct measures for counteracting British and American propaganda which they believed was fostering these rumors of separation.[1205]
Ambassador Horikiri also noted that, although the Italian people had been impressed by the occupation of French Indo-China and though their newspapers had emphasized the evident strength of the Japanese Empire, some new step, such as the entrance of Japan into the war, was now required to convince them of Japan's sincerity.
In keeping with the propaganda program emphasizing Japan's military might, the Italian press had been stressing that United States and British power had been overestimated, and that under the surface the Allies had no intentions of arousing Japan suddenly but hoped to bring about its disintegration gradually. In line with this position, the Italian newspapers urged that Japan direct an assault on England and the United States; for they had stated that should the United States assist Russia by way of Siberia, they would force Japan into war against the Soviet Union. Furthermore, the Italians hoped that a general war against Russia would develop from the current situation.[1206]
496. Ambassador Horikiri Reveals Alleged Plans for Hitler-Mussolini Meeting
On August 18, 1941 Ambassador Horikiri learned from intelligence sources that Chancellor Hitler and Premier Mussolini were planning to meet somewhere in southern Russia. It was believed that this meeting would be held as a counter-action to the recent Atlantic Charter meeting of President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill.[1207]
497. Ambassador Horikiri Suggests Use of Anti-Russian Propaganda
On August 22, 1941, Ambassador Horikiri commented on a news broadcast which had revealed that the final draft of a mutual aid treaty had been completed between Russia and Chungking. He suggested that the news of this agreement could be most effectively used as propaganda in accusing Soviet Russia of having violated the Japanese-Russian neutrality agreement.[1208]
Tokyo replied that although the veracity of this press report was under investigation, at present the authorities in Japan were not using this material in their propaganda campaign.[1209]
498. Ambassador Horikiri Reports on the Italian Occupation of Croatia
On August 28, 1941, Mr. Horikiri reviewed the Italian-Croatian situation following the occupation of Croatia's Adriatic coast on August 23, 1941, by the Italian Second Army. Since Japanese newspapermen had left Italy for Croatia early in the month in the company of Mr. Honokura of the Japanese diplomatic staff in Rome and had returned on August 25, 1941,
[1205] III, 931.
[1206] Ibid.
[1207] III, 932.
[1208] III, 933.
[1209] III, 934.
[249]
Ambassador Horikiri was able to appraise the situation from first hand information. According to the newspapermen, peace and order were being restored gradually under the leadership of the Italian Fascist Party. The country was rich in natural resources, the cities were clean, and the people were of a fairly high cultural level.
Although the Matchek faction was still strong among the peasants, increasing regard for the new regime was in evidence. In addition, the Mohammedans seemed to be acting more in unison with the Italian fascists, although it had become necessary to exercise strict vigilance over the Serbians who numbered about one million. However, Germany had already laid plans to solve the problem by exchanging Serbians for Slovenes in Serbian territory.[1210]
Ambassador Horikiri reported that the Croatians harbored a strong resentment against Italy because of its many exorbitant demands and the unreasonable occupation of Dalmatia. In fact, some Croats were going so far as to demand the return of the territories of Fiume and Zara.
Croatian authorities had appealed to Germany with regard to Italian pressure but with no success, since Germany replied that the matter would have to rest until the Russian-German was had been concluded. Questions pending between Italy and Croatia centered around the boundary between the two countries and the problem of trade. Although Italy had sent representatives to discuss these problems, the Croatians were delaying action allegedly because of German advice.
According to Ambassador Horikiri, German forces were encamped on Croatia's Hungarian border while the Italian forces were aligned along the Adriatic Sea. The standard of the Italian forces appeared to be far below that of the German armies which further contributed to Croatian contempt for Italy. The Croats, tending to depend on Germany as the only force that might restrain Italy in this territory, were also bitter over Hungary's seizure of some oil fields which they envisioned to be part of their territory.[1211]
499. Ambassador Horikiri Again Urges Japan to Attack in the East
In commenting on Japan's future plans with regard to the Russo-German war, on August 30, 1941 Ambassador Horikiri stated that Japan appeared to him to be endeavoring principally to restrain Great Britain, the United States, and Soviet Russia peaceably, though it did not have the intention or the power to break immediately the encirclement of the three powers. If Japan were now armed sufficiently, nothing was to be gained by waging a war of nerves in an effort to hold off the Allied powers, because of these tactics Japan would only succeed in sharpening the enemy's vigilance and strengthening its defense, thereby causing greater sacrifices on the part of Japan.[1212]
Stating that he realized the value of different approaches to the accomplishment of Japan's purpose, Ambassador Horikiri urged immediate action in advancing to the south and in invading Thailand. This conformed with his previous recommendation of August 5, 1941.[1213] that Japan invade Russia immediately to eliminate the possibility of any future union between Great Britain, the United States, and Russia. Then Japan could deal with Great Britain and America later.[1214]
500. Mr. Filippo Anfuso Reports on Hitler-Mussolini Meeting
On September 4, 1941 Ambassador Horikiri reported on a conference which had taken place between Japanese Counselor Yoshiro Ando and the Italian Maritime Commission Director,
[1210] III, 935.
[1211] III, 936-937.
[1212] III, 938.
[1213] III, 679-681.
[1214] III, 939.
[250]
THE "MAGIC" BACKGROUND OF PEARL HARBOR
Filippo Anfuso, who had recently returned from the Mussolini-Hitler meeting. From this conversation Mr. Ando learned that the Italian and German armies were operating in perfect coordination; and although the Russians appeared to be putting up stiff resistance all along the line, it was believed that the German army would reach the Caucasus by the end of the week.
When Mr. Ando had inquired as to the political questions which were discussed in the conference between Chancellor Hitler and Premier Mussolini, Mr. Anfuso replied that they had talked about fighting until final victory and had agreed to overthrow the Bolsheviks and drive the Anglo-Saxons out of Europe.
No discussion was held, Mr. Anfuso said, regarding a conference of European nations which rumors declared was to be called in connection with the question of the New Order; and he expressed his personal belief that no such conference was necessary. To the Italian Director's return query about conditions in Japan, Counselor Ando had made a satisfactory reply.[1215]
501. Italy Suspects Japan of Neglecting Tripartite Pact
On September 30, 1941, Ambassador Horikiri informed Tokyo that the Italian Propaganda department, in a seeming attempt to spite Japan and Germany, had ordered the press not to emphasize the Tripartite anniversary which had been celebrated only superficially by the government and people of Italy. In this connection, he recounted a recent incident which had taken place at the Villa Madama on the occasion of Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano's press conference. A Japanese press correspondent had observed that the Japanese flag was not among the other flags hung in the reception hall. After he brought this omission to the attention Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire of the proper authorities, all of the flags were removed.
These happenings were of no little concern to Ambassador Horikiri; for they demonstrated that Italy disapproved strongly of the Japanese-American negotiations as a further indication of Japan's lukewarm attitude toward the Tripartite Pact.[1216]
Again, on October 1, 1941, Ambassador Horikiri in recounting an interview between Mr. Adolfo Alesandrini, Chief of the Amerasiatic Bureau, and Vice Consul Ando emphasized Italy's displeasure at Japan's recent attitude toward the Tripartite agreement. Mr. Alesandrini had made it clear that with the mounting indignation of the Italian people as well as of certain government officials, it was becoming exceedingly difficult for him to answer questions concerning Japan's intentions toward the Tripartite Alliance. Although Mr. Alesandrini was accepted as an authority on Japanese problems and though he understood that Japan's negotiating with the United States did not necessarily imply a withdrawal from the Axis, he inquired of Vice-Consul Ando concerning Japan's intentions in the matter.
Replying that he could not see that the United States-Japanese talks would harm the Axis, Mr. Ando expressed his personal opinion that in view of Japan's internal situation, all possible peaceful means should be exhausted first in the hope of reaching an agreement with the United States. The Vice Consul also explained that he did not believe that the Empire should enter into conflict unprepared as Italy had been forced to do. Mr. Alesandrini was in agreement on these points and remarked that he had made the same explanation to the Italian authorities.[1217]
502. Japan Learns of United States Representation to the Vatican
On October 8, 1941 Tokyo was advised that President Roosevelt's special envoy to the Vatican, Mr. Myron Taylor, had been sent to convince the Pope of the possibility of negotiating with the U.S.S.R. for the restoration of the Roman Catholic Church in that country. However,
[1215] III, 940.
[1216] III, 941.
[1217] III, 942.
[251]
the Pontiff had definitely refused, stating that although he had always been willing to promote the Catholic faith in other countries occupied by German and Allied forces, he felt that he could not trust Russia on religious matters.
Following this, it was alleged that Mr. Harold Tittman, Commercial Attache of the American Embassy in Rome, had visited the Vatican in the hope of persuading the Pope to undertake this task but had received a negative response in spite of his offer of American and British assistance.[1218]
503. War Creates Difficulties for Japanese Exchange Students
A similar situation to that existing in Germany, where Japanese exchange students were failing to meet financial obstacles because so few successful business houses remained in Berlin and in other university towns where they might obtain part time employment,[1219] prevailed in Italy also during September and October, 1941. Since no objection had been incurred from the International Students' Association, Ambassador Horikiri announced on September 30, 1941[1220] that two students, Tsunoda and Col. Seimei Shimizu, unable to remain financially independent, had decided to return home on the next evacuation steamer. Their expenses were being met by the Far Eastern Association and another unidentified organization.[1221]
In an effort to alleviate this situation Tokyo authorities decided to delay the departure of any students, saying that it was only in compliance with the wishes of the Far East Association that the government had been sending students to Italy alone. In this regard the Home Office requested that Ambassador Horikiri consult with Ambassador Oshima.[1222] However, Ambassador Horikiri chose not to consult with Mr. Oshima and replied on October 8, 1941 that although the continuance of exchange students was desirable, he could not see why they should be sent only to Italy during such critical times.[1223]
504. Mr. Virginio Gayda Urges Japan to Enter or to Threaten War on the United States
On October 8, 1941, Ambassador Horikiri conferred with Mr. Virginio Gayda, who candidly explained that Japanese-American negotiations gave the impression that Japan was pursuing its own ends and not attempting to act in harmony with the Axis. He believed that Japan must necessarily adopt a belligerent attitude to restrain America from entering the war and to assure victory for the Axis. Thus Japan would remain in control of the Orient. On the other hand, in the event that Japan did not assist Germany and Italy, Japan would be a loser at the conclusion of the war, regardless of which side should win, for it was possible that a victorious Germany might cooperate with the United States and England in oppressing Japan economically.
According to Mr. Gayda, Japan could be of great assistance to the Axis in restraining Great Britain by waging submarine warfare against British shipping thereby discouraging America's entrance into the war. The war then would be over in six months and Japan need not risk attacking Russia whose fate was already sealed.
Commenting briefly on the various aspects of the economic situation, Mr. Gayda believed that the present acute conditions in Italy would not become worse and that despite the discontent of some of the people, Italy would have no thought of peace until England had been forced into submission.[1224]
[1218] III, 943.
[1219] III, 944.
[1220] III, 945.
[1221] III, 946.
[1222] III, 947.
[1223] III, 948.
[1224] III, 949.
(h) Japanese-Russian Relations
482. Ambassador Smetanin Urges Support of the Japanese-Russian Neutrality Pact
While Ambassador Hiroshi Oshima in Berlin continued to urge Japan's active support for the Tripartite Pact, the Russian Ambassador to Tokyo, Constantin Smetanin, strove to convince Japanese leaders that their only logical course lay in supporting the Soviet-Japanese neutrality agreement.
To a Russian inquiry in mid-August 1941 concerning Japan's attitude toward the German-Russian war, Foreign Minister Toyoda had replied that no change of policy was under consideration and that friendly relations between Japan and Russia would continue unless Russia relinquished any of its territory to a third power for the establishment of military bases, or permitted the sphere of a third power to be extended into East Asia, or conducted an alliance with a third power which had the Japanese Empire as its military object.
Ambassador Smetanin offered his assurance that Russia was rigidly observing the Neutrality Pact and had not even considered the actions mentioned by the Japanese Minister. Foreign Minister Toyoda, then warned that the Japanese government might view the shipping of American munitions to Russia via Vladivostok as an infringement upon the Tripartite Pact. In regard to Japan's attitude toward the German-Russian war, its foreign policy still adhered faithfully to the spirit and objectives of the Tripartite Pact.[1178] This comment was doubtless inspired by reports from Japanese diplomats in Rome and Berlin that the United States was meddling in Japanese affairs and exerting economic oppression on Japan.[1179]
483. Japan Tells Germany Its Adherence to Neutrality Pact Is First Step Against Russia
Foreign Minister Toyoda on August 15, 1941 informed the German and Italian Ambassadors in Tokyo of his talk with Ambassador Smetanin. The German Ambassador then discussed the apparent belief of Russia that Japan, having promised to observe the Neutrality Pact after receiving assurances on two vital points from Russia, would not enter the German-Russian war. Foreign Minister Toyoda declared that in view of the current military expansion of the Japanese Empire, the observing of the Neutrality Pact seemed a first step toward carrying out future plans against Russia which would assuredly be undertaken in harmony with the spirit and objectives of the Tripartite Pact. When Ambassador Eugen Ott asked whether this present arrangement were not merely a temporary one to restrain Russia while Japanese preparations were being completed, the Foreign Minister replied that it was.[1180]
484. Mongolian-Manchukuoan Boundary Dispute Settled
While Japan was being urged to support the seemingly divergent Neutrality and Tripartite Pacts, on August 15, 1941 Japanese and Russian representatives, engaged since June 27, 1941 in negotiations concerning the Manchukuoan-Mongolian boundary, Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire reached a successful solution of a potentially critical situation.[1181]
The final signing was scheduled for September 22, 1941 and on September 20 a joint communique concerning this matter would be issued in Tokyo, Hsinking, Moscow, and Viga (Ulan,
[1178] III, 903.
[1179] III, 904.
[1180] III, 905.
[1181] III, 906.
[243]
Bator or Urga). As the time for the final session approached, some controversy over its location arose. The Japanese army desired the location to be Dorugi while the Mongolians favored Viga. Eventually, the conference met at Harbin.
According to the Japanese representative at Hsinking, it would aid Japan's cause to have the Manchukuoans publish the proceedings of the conference as one of their official documents rather than to have the Japanese government do so.[1182] Tokyo replied that there were no objections to having Manchukuo make the announcements although Tokyo itself wanted to consider and decide upon a method of announcing the related material in respect to the conferences.[1183]
However, by October 1, 1941 Tokyo had issued the policies it had decided to adopt toward all newspapers in connection with the Harbin conferences. Newspaper releases concerning boundary settlement were to be limited to simple factual statements concerning the exchanges of notes. The subject would be mentioned only in general terms though the successful results of the conference would be stressed.
An official government statement would be published but all documents in connection with the matter would be banned from publication. New maps for the public were to represent in only a vague manner the areas involved, while any printed matter describing in detail the new boundary was to be suppressed.[1184] The Manchukuoan-Mongolian Border Commission completed its general arrangements by October 3, 1941. With the exception of a few changes in phraseology, the original Manchukuoan proposal concerning the 300 kilos of border was accepted.[1185]
The tasks of drafting the necessary documents and issuing a joint communique remained to be done, and on October 7, 1941 the Manchukuoan government issued the following communique:
"The Empire of Manchukuo and the Union of the Mongol People have set up a mixed commission to determine the boundaries between the two countries. This commission has been meeting in Harbin and at boundary locations since September 23rd. The conferences have met under favorable conditions until October-----, and the plenipotentiaries have completed a certified written report of the results of their efforts. Having done so, the plenipotentiaries have entirely fulfilled their duty."[1186]
On October 13, 1941 Tokyo indicated its belief that any statement concerning developments in the conferences, which had been under way since June 1941, should be limited to what had already been published in joint communiques. In addition, no reference was to be made to the Nomonhan incident.[1187]
485. Finland Regains Territory Ceded to Russia
Finnish success in recapturing all of its territory formerly ceded to Russia with the exception of the Hango leased territory, many small islands, and the far northern fishing areas was reported to Tokyo on September 4, 1941 by Mr. Tadashi Sakaya, Japanese representative in the Finnish capitol. Furthermore, Finland's President, Risto Ryti, had divulged to newspaper correspondents that Finland would not demand the restoration of more land than had been hers in the past. Nevertheless, it was the belief of some diplomatic officials that the territory west of the Murmansk railroad would be ceded to Finland.[1188]
[1182] III, 907.
[1183] III, 908.
[1184] III, 909.
[1185] III, 910-911.
[1186] III, 912.
[1187] III, 913.
[1188] III, 914.
[244]
THE "MAGIC" BACKGROUND OF PEARL HARBOR
486. Japan Notes Stiffening of Russian Resistance
According to a report from Moscow on September 5, 1941, the failure of German aircraft to appear over Moscow for a few days had given the Russian populace increased hope; but Japanese agents reported the situation at Leningrad and Kiev to be still critical with army losses remaining high and few Russian airplanes appearing over the front lines.
Japanese sources disclosed that a feeling of discontent and contempt for the Stalin regime was manifesting itself and was undermining the confidence of the people in the propaganda which stressed the superiority of the Russian army. Though the Japanese believed that the Germans were attempting to foment a revolution, they pointed to the lack of freedom or liberty in a Russia controlled by the OGPU as evidence of the improbability of overthrowing the Stalin regime.[1189]
487. Leningrad Is Bombed and Kiev Fails
On September 24, 1941, Ambassador Tatekawa reported from Moscow that German planes had bombed that city and also the southern part of Leningrad.[1190] A week later, commenting upon Russia's casual announcement of the fall of Kiev as an attempt to divert the people's attention, he stated his opinion that the disappointment and feeling of betrayal experienced by the Russian people in this regard would gradually turn into popular mistrust toward the government.[1191]
488. Japan Protests Against Russian Floating Mines
The question of Russian responsibility for laying mines in waters near Vladivostok reached a minor crisis in September 1941 when a Japanese vessel was destroyed by a floating mine.
In spite of the fact that the Japanese government had already issued formal protests to the Russian government regarding the mining of the northern waters of the Sea of Japan, no effort had been made to remove these floating mechanical mines, with the result that a situation extremely dangerous to Japanese shipping had arisen.
On several occasions during August Japanese fishermen had come across mines drifting in the offshore fishing area in the western portion of a fishing zone. In this same area a sixty-ton fishing boat was sunk on September 1, 1941 after contacting a drifting mine. Since the number of floating mines, apparently of Soviet manufacture, was increasing, the Japanese government was forced to forbid the dispatching of sailing vessels to northern waters.
Furthermore, the Japanese government handed Soviet authorities a rigorous protest outlining the terrific losses that had been brought about by the presence of mines in these waters. Because the maintenance of a calm and normal situation in the Sea of Japan was a necessary factor in relations with Soviet Russia, it was felt that the Russian government should recognize the necessity for removing these mechanical mines; if not, additional loss might be sustained by Japanese or Third Country vessels. Japan, therefore, expected a sincere answer from the Soviet Union that would guarantee the safety of Japanese waters in the future.[1192]
It was further feared that if any American ships sailing in the neighborhood of Vladivostok struck one of these mines, Japan would be intimidated; therefore, a summary of the warning issued to Soviet Russia was also to be submitted to the American government for reference.[1193]
Although the Japanese had demanded an official apology, Ambassador Smetanin replied on September 22 that Russia in adhering to the spirit of the Hague Covenant of 1907, although it was not a signatory, had exercised caution in the laying of mines to avoid endangering neu-
[1189] III, 915.
[1190] III, 916.
[1191] III, 917.
[1192] III, 918.
[1193] III, 919.
[245]
tral vessels. Therefore, if Japanese vessels stayed clear of belligerent waters, they would not be sunk. Consequently, Russia considered Japan's protest to be groundless and refused to pay the indemnity demanded. Regardless of this flat refusal, the Japanese Vice Minister responded that Japan would wait for a formal response before deciding on the proper measures to be taken.[1194]
Another incident which caused the Japanese much concern, occurred on the morning of September 23, 1941 when the Hanoi Maru sighted, in the vicinity of Seisuira, a Russian floating mine, which it immediately delivered to Rashin. While proceeding from Rashin to Vladivostok, the Hanoi Maru sighted another mine which was also picked up and taken back to Rashin. These events were immediately reported to the Russian Embassy in Tokyo.[1195]
489. Japanese Intelligence Reveals Hitler's Demands on Russia Prior to German-Russian War
Japanese intelligence agents in Washington had been gathering information on the negotiations between Germany and Russia prior to the outbreak of hostilities on June 22, 1941. On September 29, 1941 they informed Tokyo of Chancellor Hitler's demands on Russia. Of the three stipulations allegedly made by Germany, Premier Stalin supposedly had agreed to the first two: (1) Germany should have access to Ukrainian oil and grain for the duration of the war against England; and (2) Germany should be permitted joint operation of the Siberia Railroad and be allowed to establish military bases in the Far East including the Vladivostok area. Premier Stalin had flatly refused the third demand that German representatives be stationed in the Russian military general headquarters.
It was then that Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop had encouraged Chancellor Hitler to believe that invasion of Russia would win the support of the remnants of the church faction and bourgeoisie and that the destruction of the Stalin regime would be an easy matter. However, as Soviet resistance had proved Herr von Ribbentrop's assumption to be erroneous, the Foreign Minister had fallen into disfavor with Chancellor Hitler, and his private intelligence organization either had been disbanded or had been taken over by the German army.[1196]
490. Ambassador Tatekawa Reports Discontent in Russia
On September 30, 1941 Ambassador Yoshitsugu Tatekawa reported that four million refugees were moving inward from the front lines and were roaming from city to city in search of food. In spite of the rising discontent and resentment of the refugees toward the government, evident partiality was being shown to special privilege groups in the Communist party.[1197]
491. Japanese Diplomat Supports Neutrality Pact with Russia
On October 10, 1941 the Japanese representative at Harbin reported that a telegram from Moscow to the Soviet Ambassador in Japan had stressed that Russia should not now consider surrendering to the German invader since it had endured many sacrifices and would soon be assisted by the United States and England.
The same representative suggested that because of Japan's isolation, it should maintain its neutrality and should arrange a provisional agreement upon the expiration of the present Neutrality Pact with Russia.[1198]
[1194] III, 920.
[1195] III, 921.
[1196] III, 922.
[1197] III, 923.
[1198] III, 924.
[246]
THE "MAGIC" BACKGROUND OF PEARL HARBOR
492. Ambassador Tatekawa Recognizes Russian Strength
Ambassador Tatekawa informed Tokyo on October 10, 1941 of the probability that should Germany bring Russia to complete surrender, the Communistic regime would be completely obliterated and a Fascist order would be set up in the country. On the other hand, the Japanese Ambassador believed that Russia was capable of enduring still heavier defeats by retiring behind the formidable Volga barrier where it could use vanquished troops and draw upon the agricultural and industrial resources in the Ural or Ob basins.[1199] He felt that if Germany should attack again in the spring, Russia would gradually retire to the Far East. He cannot imagine that Japan would stand by because if she had been a mere onlooker while Germany fought England and the United States, she would have to submit to whatever terms were dictated.
Ambassador Tatekawa was not convinced of Russia's ultimate capitulation, and he noted that Germany might possibly have to yield a point and concede the continued existence of Bolshevism.[1200] Although a severe winter would not materially effect an invasion of England or a campaign against Egypt, it might halt operations in Russia. Ambassador Tatekawa reiterated his contention that Russian forces in the Ural, when attacked by Germany, might escape a decisive defeat by gradually receding eastward, toward Japan.[1201]
493. Ambassador Tatekawa Reports on War Progress (October 8, 1941)
Ambassador Tatekawa announced from Moscow on October 9, 1941 that the Russian press had not mentioned a word regarding the German general offensive until the day of his report when it suddenly disclosed that severe fighting was going on 243 kilometers from the capitol. Another conscription had taken place on October 3, 1941 and two days later children under the age of 12 years had been removed to Chelyabinsk.[1202]
The desertion of Orel had severely shocked the Russian people; and Ambassador Tatekawa believed that although numerous articles had been written by both Pravda and Isvestia emphasizing the urgency of uniting to keep off the bonds of Nazi slavery, the people were resentful toward the government leaders who had permitted this defeat. He reported that anxiety and restlessness were increasing among the people.[1203]
494. Ambassador Tatekawa and Staff Evacuate Moscow
On October 16, 1941 Ambassador Tatekawa and most of his staff left Moscow for an unknown destination. Tokyo immediately sent a circular dispatch to all Japanese diplomats in foreign countries, informing them that code messages were no longer to be addressed to Moscow.[1204]
[1199] III, 925.
[1200] III, 926.
[1201] III, 927.
[1202] III, 928.
[1203] III, 929.
[1204] III, 930.
[247] [248 blank]
THE "MAGIC" BACKGROUND OF PEARL HARBOR
PART C—JAPANESE DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
(i) Japanese-Italian Relations
495. The Italian Press Urges Japan to Attack Allies
Following closely the example of Ambassador Oshima, Ambassador Zembei Horikiri in Rome urged Japan's entrance into the German-Russian conflict. On August 6, 1941 he expressed the belief that the Italian people feared a breach between Japan and the Axis. Though Roman authorities were attempting to suppress all rumors to this effect, they expected Japan to take new and direct measures for counteracting British and American propaganda which they believed was fostering these rumors of separation.[1205]
Ambassador Horikiri also noted that, although the Italian people had been impressed by the occupation of French Indo-China and though their newspapers had emphasized the evident strength of the Japanese Empire, some new step, such as the entrance of Japan into the war, was now required to convince them of Japan's sincerity.
In keeping with the propaganda program emphasizing Japan's military might, the Italian press had been stressing that United States and British power had been overestimated, and that under the surface the Allies had no intentions of arousing Japan suddenly but hoped to bring about its disintegration gradually. In line with this position, the Italian newspapers urged that Japan direct an assault on England and the United States; for they had stated that should the United States assist Russia by way of Siberia, they would force Japan into war against the Soviet Union. Furthermore, the Italians hoped that a general war against Russia would develop from the current situation.[1206]
496. Ambassador Horikiri Reveals Alleged Plans for Hitler-Mussolini Meeting
On August 18, 1941 Ambassador Horikiri learned from intelligence sources that Chancellor Hitler and Premier Mussolini were planning to meet somewhere in southern Russia. It was believed that this meeting would be held as a counter-action to the recent Atlantic Charter meeting of President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill.[1207]
497. Ambassador Horikiri Suggests Use of Anti-Russian Propaganda
On August 22, 1941, Ambassador Horikiri commented on a news broadcast which had revealed that the final draft of a mutual aid treaty had been completed between Russia and Chungking. He suggested that the news of this agreement could be most effectively used as propaganda in accusing Soviet Russia of having violated the Japanese-Russian neutrality agreement.[1208]
Tokyo replied that although the veracity of this press report was under investigation, at present the authorities in Japan were not using this material in their propaganda campaign.[1209]
498. Ambassador Horikiri Reports on the Italian Occupation of Croatia
On August 28, 1941, Mr. Horikiri reviewed the Italian-Croatian situation following the occupation of Croatia's Adriatic coast on August 23, 1941, by the Italian Second Army. Since Japanese newspapermen had left Italy for Croatia early in the month in the company of Mr. Honokura of the Japanese diplomatic staff in Rome and had returned on August 25, 1941,
[1205] III, 931.
[1206] Ibid.
[1207] III, 932.
[1208] III, 933.
[1209] III, 934.
[249]
Ambassador Horikiri was able to appraise the situation from first hand information. According to the newspapermen, peace and order were being restored gradually under the leadership of the Italian Fascist Party. The country was rich in natural resources, the cities were clean, and the people were of a fairly high cultural level.
Although the Matchek faction was still strong among the peasants, increasing regard for the new regime was in evidence. In addition, the Mohammedans seemed to be acting more in unison with the Italian fascists, although it had become necessary to exercise strict vigilance over the Serbians who numbered about one million. However, Germany had already laid plans to solve the problem by exchanging Serbians for Slovenes in Serbian territory.[1210]
Ambassador Horikiri reported that the Croatians harbored a strong resentment against Italy because of its many exorbitant demands and the unreasonable occupation of Dalmatia. In fact, some Croats were going so far as to demand the return of the territories of Fiume and Zara.
Croatian authorities had appealed to Germany with regard to Italian pressure but with no success, since Germany replied that the matter would have to rest until the Russian-German was had been concluded. Questions pending between Italy and Croatia centered around the boundary between the two countries and the problem of trade. Although Italy had sent representatives to discuss these problems, the Croatians were delaying action allegedly because of German advice.
According to Ambassador Horikiri, German forces were encamped on Croatia's Hungarian border while the Italian forces were aligned along the Adriatic Sea. The standard of the Italian forces appeared to be far below that of the German armies which further contributed to Croatian contempt for Italy. The Croats, tending to depend on Germany as the only force that might restrain Italy in this territory, were also bitter over Hungary's seizure of some oil fields which they envisioned to be part of their territory.[1211]
499. Ambassador Horikiri Again Urges Japan to Attack in the East
In commenting on Japan's future plans with regard to the Russo-German war, on August 30, 1941 Ambassador Horikiri stated that Japan appeared to him to be endeavoring principally to restrain Great Britain, the United States, and Soviet Russia peaceably, though it did not have the intention or the power to break immediately the encirclement of the three powers. If Japan were now armed sufficiently, nothing was to be gained by waging a war of nerves in an effort to hold off the Allied powers, because of these tactics Japan would only succeed in sharpening the enemy's vigilance and strengthening its defense, thereby causing greater sacrifices on the part of Japan.[1212]
Stating that he realized the value of different approaches to the accomplishment of Japan's purpose, Ambassador Horikiri urged immediate action in advancing to the south and in invading Thailand. This conformed with his previous recommendation of August 5, 1941.[1213] that Japan invade Russia immediately to eliminate the possibility of any future union between Great Britain, the United States, and Russia. Then Japan could deal with Great Britain and America later.[1214]
500. Mr. Filippo Anfuso Reports on Hitler-Mussolini Meeting
On September 4, 1941 Ambassador Horikiri reported on a conference which had taken place between Japanese Counselor Yoshiro Ando and the Italian Maritime Commission Director,
[1210] III, 935.
[1211] III, 936-937.
[1212] III, 938.
[1213] III, 679-681.
[1214] III, 939.
[250]
THE "MAGIC" BACKGROUND OF PEARL HARBOR
Filippo Anfuso, who had recently returned from the Mussolini-Hitler meeting. From this conversation Mr. Ando learned that the Italian and German armies were operating in perfect coordination; and although the Russians appeared to be putting up stiff resistance all along the line, it was believed that the German army would reach the Caucasus by the end of the week.
When Mr. Ando had inquired as to the political questions which were discussed in the conference between Chancellor Hitler and Premier Mussolini, Mr. Anfuso replied that they had talked about fighting until final victory and had agreed to overthrow the Bolsheviks and drive the Anglo-Saxons out of Europe.
No discussion was held, Mr. Anfuso said, regarding a conference of European nations which rumors declared was to be called in connection with the question of the New Order; and he expressed his personal belief that no such conference was necessary. To the Italian Director's return query about conditions in Japan, Counselor Ando had made a satisfactory reply.[1215]
501. Italy Suspects Japan of Neglecting Tripartite Pact
On September 30, 1941, Ambassador Horikiri informed Tokyo that the Italian Propaganda department, in a seeming attempt to spite Japan and Germany, had ordered the press not to emphasize the Tripartite anniversary which had been celebrated only superficially by the government and people of Italy. In this connection, he recounted a recent incident which had taken place at the Villa Madama on the occasion of Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano's press conference. A Japanese press correspondent had observed that the Japanese flag was not among the other flags hung in the reception hall. After he brought this omission to the attention Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire of the proper authorities, all of the flags were removed.
These happenings were of no little concern to Ambassador Horikiri; for they demonstrated that Italy disapproved strongly of the Japanese-American negotiations as a further indication of Japan's lukewarm attitude toward the Tripartite Pact.[1216]
Again, on October 1, 1941, Ambassador Horikiri in recounting an interview between Mr. Adolfo Alesandrini, Chief of the Amerasiatic Bureau, and Vice Consul Ando emphasized Italy's displeasure at Japan's recent attitude toward the Tripartite agreement. Mr. Alesandrini had made it clear that with the mounting indignation of the Italian people as well as of certain government officials, it was becoming exceedingly difficult for him to answer questions concerning Japan's intentions toward the Tripartite Alliance. Although Mr. Alesandrini was accepted as an authority on Japanese problems and though he understood that Japan's negotiating with the United States did not necessarily imply a withdrawal from the Axis, he inquired of Vice-Consul Ando concerning Japan's intentions in the matter.
Replying that he could not see that the United States-Japanese talks would harm the Axis, Mr. Ando expressed his personal opinion that in view of Japan's internal situation, all possible peaceful means should be exhausted first in the hope of reaching an agreement with the United States. The Vice Consul also explained that he did not believe that the Empire should enter into conflict unprepared as Italy had been forced to do. Mr. Alesandrini was in agreement on these points and remarked that he had made the same explanation to the Italian authorities.[1217]
502. Japan Learns of United States Representation to the Vatican
On October 8, 1941 Tokyo was advised that President Roosevelt's special envoy to the Vatican, Mr. Myron Taylor, had been sent to convince the Pope of the possibility of negotiating with the U.S.S.R. for the restoration of the Roman Catholic Church in that country. However,
[1215] III, 940.
[1216] III, 941.
[1217] III, 942.
[251]
the Pontiff had definitely refused, stating that although he had always been willing to promote the Catholic faith in other countries occupied by German and Allied forces, he felt that he could not trust Russia on religious matters.
Following this, it was alleged that Mr. Harold Tittman, Commercial Attache of the American Embassy in Rome, had visited the Vatican in the hope of persuading the Pope to undertake this task but had received a negative response in spite of his offer of American and British assistance.[1218]
503. War Creates Difficulties for Japanese Exchange Students
A similar situation to that existing in Germany, where Japanese exchange students were failing to meet financial obstacles because so few successful business houses remained in Berlin and in other university towns where they might obtain part time employment,[1219] prevailed in Italy also during September and October, 1941. Since no objection had been incurred from the International Students' Association, Ambassador Horikiri announced on September 30, 1941[1220] that two students, Tsunoda and Col. Seimei Shimizu, unable to remain financially independent, had decided to return home on the next evacuation steamer. Their expenses were being met by the Far Eastern Association and another unidentified organization.[1221]
In an effort to alleviate this situation Tokyo authorities decided to delay the departure of any students, saying that it was only in compliance with the wishes of the Far East Association that the government had been sending students to Italy alone. In this regard the Home Office requested that Ambassador Horikiri consult with Ambassador Oshima.[1222] However, Ambassador Horikiri chose not to consult with Mr. Oshima and replied on October 8, 1941 that although the continuance of exchange students was desirable, he could not see why they should be sent only to Italy during such critical times.[1223]
504. Mr. Virginio Gayda Urges Japan to Enter or to Threaten War on the United States
On October 8, 1941, Ambassador Horikiri conferred with Mr. Virginio Gayda, who candidly explained that Japanese-American negotiations gave the impression that Japan was pursuing its own ends and not attempting to act in harmony with the Axis. He believed that Japan must necessarily adopt a belligerent attitude to restrain America from entering the war and to assure victory for the Axis. Thus Japan would remain in control of the Orient. On the other hand, in the event that Japan did not assist Germany and Italy, Japan would be a loser at the conclusion of the war, regardless of which side should win, for it was possible that a victorious Germany might cooperate with the United States and England in oppressing Japan economically.
According to Mr. Gayda, Japan could be of great assistance to the Axis in restraining Great Britain by waging submarine warfare against British shipping thereby discouraging America's entrance into the war. The war then would be over in six months and Japan need not risk attacking Russia whose fate was already sealed.
Commenting briefly on the various aspects of the economic situation, Mr. Gayda believed that the present acute conditions in Italy would not become worse and that despite the discontent of some of the people, Italy would have no thought of peace until England had been forced into submission.[1224]
[1218] III, 943.
[1219] III, 944.
[1220] III, 945.
[1221] III, 946.
[1222] III, 947.
[1223] III, 948.
[1224] III, 949.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
panda 3.pan.33 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Synopsis
Mr. Garrison invites the Sexual Harassment Panda to his class to tell them about the laws concerning sexual harassment in school. During the presentation, Stan calls Cartman a dirty name with sexual connotations, prompting Cartman to sue him. This turns the town into a hotbed of lawsuits, all being handled by Mr. Broflovski.
Full Recap
"Sexual Harassment Panda" visits Mr. Garrison's class to educate the children. Cartman sues Stan for sexual harassment using Kyle's dad as his attorney and wins half of Stan's stuff. After winning that case, they go after the school, for $1.3 million in damages. Now the school has to make a few cutbacks. Kyle's dad is getting rich by representing the children and anyone else who feels harassed. The boys go in search of "Sexual Harassment Panda" to try to stop the insanity. Especially when Kyle's Dad represents both sides in the case of "Everyone vs. Everyone.” They find him at "The Island of Misfit Mascots Commune" and convince him to change his cause. He does and becomes Petey, the "don't sue people" Panda.
Kenny dies when he is sucked into a whirling fan blade, courtesy of Jimmy the "don't hold onto a large magnet while someone else uses a fan nearby" Falcon.
Mr. Garrison invites the Sexual Harassment Panda to his class to tell them about the laws concerning sexual harassment in school. During the presentation, Stan calls Cartman a dirty name with sexual connotations, prompting Cartman to sue him. This turns the town into a hotbed of lawsuits, all being handled by Mr. Broflovski.
Full Recap
"Sexual Harassment Panda" visits Mr. Garrison's class to educate the children. Cartman sues Stan for sexual harassment using Kyle's dad as his attorney and wins half of Stan's stuff. After winning that case, they go after the school, for $1.3 million in damages. Now the school has to make a few cutbacks. Kyle's dad is getting rich by representing the children and anyone else who feels harassed. The boys go in search of "Sexual Harassment Panda" to try to stop the insanity. Especially when Kyle's Dad represents both sides in the case of "Everyone vs. Everyone.” They find him at "The Island of Misfit Mascots Commune" and convince him to change his cause. He does and becomes Petey, the "don't sue people" Panda.
Kenny dies when he is sucked into a whirling fan blade, courtesy of Jimmy the "don't hold onto a large magnet while someone else uses a fan nearby" Falcon.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
step forward 1992 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Changing how the brain uses the chemical serotonin can cause unexpected, sporadic death—at Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire least in mice, an Italian team reports in the July 3 Science.
The research lends credence to the idea that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, which each year kills roughly 2,000 human infants aged 0 to 1 year, is related to a deficiency in the babies’ serotonin system.
“While it is premature to make a direct link between our study and the cause of SIDS,” says Cornelius Gross, a neuroscientist at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Monterotondo, Italy, who led the study, “our work should strengthen the belief that serotonin is critical to SIDS and should focus clinicians’ research on understanding the link between the two.”
The team’s study is the first to show how abnormalities in the brain’s serotonin system might cause sudden death, says Rachel Moon, an expert on SIDS at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. The results are “very preliminary,” but to have any model in living creatures that relates unexpected death to serotonin “is a really big deal,” says Moon, who was not involved in the new study.
The findings offer more evidence that SIDS is a developmental disorder that babies are born with and not a chance death caused by a parent doing something wrong, Marian Willinger, an expert on SIDS at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in Bethesda, Md., said in a July 3 teleconference.
access
Enlargemagnify
COLORING THE LINESBrain cells that release serotonin, highlighted above in green and yellow,could play a role in SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. A new study shows that when the serotonin system does not work properly in mice, it leads to drops in temperature and heart rate and even sudden death. Babies succumbing to SIDS could have a similar deficiency in the serotonin system.George Richerson, Yale University
To show that alterations in an animal’s serotonin system can kill, seemingly without cause, Gross and his colleagues injected extra serotonin 1A receptors into the brainstems of living mice. The receptors regulate serotonin levels in the brain, inhibiting serotonin neurons when levels get too high.
The mice with extra serotonin 1A receptors showed a 20 percent decrease in serotonin levels and the same percent drop in serotonin neuron firing compared to normal mice. The altered mice also suffered, and most died, from SIDS-like symptoms—extreme drops in heart rate and body temperature—when they were juveniles. The unaltered mice did not suffer these symptoms or die unexpectedly.
Previous research has shown that completely removing serotonin from the brains of mice does not kill the animals.
“So in essence,” Gross says, “it is worse to have a screwed up serotonin system than not have one at all.”
Researchers such as Dartmouth physiologist Eugene Nattie do have one concern with the team’s results—the age of the mice. Babies who die of SIDS are most often about 2 months old, which correlates to about a 15-day-old mouse, he says. The mice in this study died most often at 30 to 60 days. Mice reach maturity at 90 to 100 days.
“There are big arguments over what ages are equivalent from a mouse to a human,” Nattie says. “These mice are a little old for what we think links with SIDS.”
Still, he says, “the exciting thing is really that the mice are dying, spontaneously.” And, he adds, the study is a step forward in creating a much needed biochemical and physical understanding of SIDS.
The research lends credence to the idea that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, which each year kills roughly 2,000 human infants aged 0 to 1 year, is related to a deficiency in the babies’ serotonin system.
“While it is premature to make a direct link between our study and the cause of SIDS,” says Cornelius Gross, a neuroscientist at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Monterotondo, Italy, who led the study, “our work should strengthen the belief that serotonin is critical to SIDS and should focus clinicians’ research on understanding the link between the two.”
The team’s study is the first to show how abnormalities in the brain’s serotonin system might cause sudden death, says Rachel Moon, an expert on SIDS at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. The results are “very preliminary,” but to have any model in living creatures that relates unexpected death to serotonin “is a really big deal,” says Moon, who was not involved in the new study.
The findings offer more evidence that SIDS is a developmental disorder that babies are born with and not a chance death caused by a parent doing something wrong, Marian Willinger, an expert on SIDS at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in Bethesda, Md., said in a July 3 teleconference.
access
Enlargemagnify
COLORING THE LINESBrain cells that release serotonin, highlighted above in green and yellow,could play a role in SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. A new study shows that when the serotonin system does not work properly in mice, it leads to drops in temperature and heart rate and even sudden death. Babies succumbing to SIDS could have a similar deficiency in the serotonin system.George Richerson, Yale University
To show that alterations in an animal’s serotonin system can kill, seemingly without cause, Gross and his colleagues injected extra serotonin 1A receptors into the brainstems of living mice. The receptors regulate serotonin levels in the brain, inhibiting serotonin neurons when levels get too high.
The mice with extra serotonin 1A receptors showed a 20 percent decrease in serotonin levels and the same percent drop in serotonin neuron firing compared to normal mice. The altered mice also suffered, and most died, from SIDS-like symptoms—extreme drops in heart rate and body temperature—when they were juveniles. The unaltered mice did not suffer these symptoms or die unexpectedly.
Previous research has shown that completely removing serotonin from the brains of mice does not kill the animals.
“So in essence,” Gross says, “it is worse to have a screwed up serotonin system than not have one at all.”
Researchers such as Dartmouth physiologist Eugene Nattie do have one concern with the team’s results—the age of the mice. Babies who die of SIDS are most often about 2 months old, which correlates to about a 15-day-old mouse, he says. The mice in this study died most often at 30 to 60 days. Mice reach maturity at 90 to 100 days.
“There are big arguments over what ages are equivalent from a mouse to a human,” Nattie says. “These mice are a little old for what we think links with SIDS.”
Still, he says, “the exciting thing is really that the mice are dying, spontaneously.” And, he adds, the study is a step forward in creating a much needed biochemical and physical understanding of SIDS.
Friday, May 15, 2009
university 9.uni.002 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
When Rachel El-Mourli began attending Harrisburg University, there were no student handbooks, no alumni and no 16-story building on Market Street.
That was August 2005, the very first semester of classes at the university when the school had just 113 students and a couple of classrooms at SciTech High School. El-Mourli, 31, of Harrisburg, has the distinction of being one of the school's pioneer students, and she's a member of the first class to attend the school for a full four years.
Signing on with a university so new was a risk for those first-year students. But as she walked across the stage with 12 of her classmates at Harrisburg University's commencement ceremony Thursday night, she felt assured, not nervous, about the degree she was receiving.
"I'm really proud to have been a part of this," she said. "I'm responsible for making the school proud with my professional life. It was hard, but it was good."
Hard might be putting it nicely.
The fledgling school moved three times while El-Mourli was a student. She laughingly remembers the searches for new offices and the cold winter walks down Market Street to get to class. Added to that were the difficulties of raising her two children and opening a new business with her husband.
"Life doesn't stop when you go to college," El-Mourli said.
But with those challenges came opportunities. A new school meant fewer rules. El-Mourli designed her own integrated science degree, taking internships with the Dauphin County coroner and Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. She even helped design the school's cell-culture lab.
There's plenty of opportunity to make your mark on a school with no history, but that's not going to stop with her, she said.
"It's all part of the entrepreneurial spirit of the school," she said. "That's not going to be lost just because the pioneering students are gone."
El-Mourli plans to get a job in the biotech field, but she's already got her eyes set on a master's degree from Penn State University. She hopes to work for the Department of Homeland Security.
Being there from the beginning has made her connection to the school stronger, she said.
"When I'm in a position to give money, I'll give," she said. "I want to be the first student to sit on the board. I want to be involved with the university my whole life. That's how much I believe in it."
Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
That was August 2005, the very first semester of classes at the university when the school had just 113 students and a couple of classrooms at SciTech High School. El-Mourli, 31, of Harrisburg, has the distinction of being one of the school's pioneer students, and she's a member of the first class to attend the school for a full four years.
Signing on with a university so new was a risk for those first-year students. But as she walked across the stage with 12 of her classmates at Harrisburg University's commencement ceremony Thursday night, she felt assured, not nervous, about the degree she was receiving.
"I'm really proud to have been a part of this," she said. "I'm responsible for making the school proud with my professional life. It was hard, but it was good."
Hard might be putting it nicely.
The fledgling school moved three times while El-Mourli was a student. She laughingly remembers the searches for new offices and the cold winter walks down Market Street to get to class. Added to that were the difficulties of raising her two children and opening a new business with her husband.
"Life doesn't stop when you go to college," El-Mourli said.
But with those challenges came opportunities. A new school meant fewer rules. El-Mourli designed her own integrated science degree, taking internships with the Dauphin County coroner and Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. She even helped design the school's cell-culture lab.
There's plenty of opportunity to make your mark on a school with no history, but that's not going to stop with her, she said.
"It's all part of the entrepreneurial spirit of the school," she said. "That's not going to be lost just because the pioneering students are gone."
El-Mourli plans to get a job in the biotech field, but she's already got her eyes set on a master's degree from Penn State University. She hopes to work for the Department of Homeland Security.
Being there from the beginning has made her connection to the school stronger, she said.
"When I'm in a position to give money, I'll give," she said. "I want to be the first student to sit on the board. I want to be involved with the university my whole life. That's how much I believe in it."
Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Monday, May 4, 2009
age 6.age.003 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Men and women’s brains age differently, a new study demonstrates.
Researchers led by Carl Cotman and Nicole Berchtold at the University of California, Irvine, find that the activity of genes in men’s brains begins to change earlier than it does in women’s brains. The types of genes that change with age also differ between the sexes.
The study, which appears online September 22 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also found that in both genders, each part of the brain examined had its own pattern of aging.
“This is a very interesting study in what is, curiously, an under-studied area, normal aging,” says Etienne Sibille, a neuroscientist at the University of Pittsburgh, who was not involved in the study. “You have a combination of expected and surprises in each finding.” For instance, the fact that men and women’s brains age differently could be predicted based on women’s increased longevity, but the type and scope of the differences were unexpected, he says.
Cotman and Berchtold and their colleagues collected brains from people who had died of various causes between ages 20 and 99. The researchers isolated messenger RNA, or mRNA, from the people’s brains. Messenger RNA is a courier molecule that carries instructions encoded in genes to the cellular machinery that will build proteins using those instructions. Genes that produce higher levels of mRNA are more active.
The researchers examined gene activity in four parts of the brain: the hippocampus, the entorhinal cortex, the postcentral gyrus and the superior frontal gyrus.
Brain scientists expect changes in gene activity as the brain ages, and previous studies have demonstrated some changes in other parts of the brain. Cotman and his colleagues thought the parts of the brain that would have the most change in gene activity would be the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex, because they are most vulnerable to diseases of aging, such as Alzheimer’s.
But the team discovered that these disease-susceptible parts of the brain in older people have the least amount of change in gene activity when compared to younger people. In contrast, the postcentral gyrus, a part of the brain dedicated to perception, changes most. Scientists had expected that region to have the least change, if any.
“This is one of those fun head-scratchers, which is what science is all about,” Cotman says.
Overall gene activity was similar in people aged 20 to 59. And people aged 60 to 99 showed similar patterns of overall gene activity. But the team detected variability in their data. Cotman and Berchtold sat down to discuss the source of the variability and decided to see whether gender differences might explain it. “She thought it was the men, and I said it was the women,” Cotman laughs.
“The big surprise, and one I wasn’t too happy about frankly, was that with age, men show changes in metabolic activity,” Cotman says. http://Louis-J-Sheehan.biz Specifically, genes that control energy production in the brain are less active in men starting at about age 60, meaning that metabolic activity slows down. But after the initial drop in activity, men stabilize their gene activity and show no further decline after age 80, the researchers found.
Women’s brains change too, but the changes begin later and keep marching on the older women get, Berchtold says. Women showed gene activity changes in genes that help establish connections between brain cells and in genes that control information exchange in the brain. Women also showed a drop in energy production, but the decrease was not as great as for men. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
“What I think it means, especially for men, is that interventions — either lifestyle or medication — may be needed to keep these energy pathways robust,” Berchtold says. Cotman agrees. He pointed out (on his way to a tennis lesson) that exercise is a good way to keep metabolic genes in the brain going strong
Researchers led by Carl Cotman and Nicole Berchtold at the University of California, Irvine, find that the activity of genes in men’s brains begins to change earlier than it does in women’s brains. The types of genes that change with age also differ between the sexes.
The study, which appears online September 22 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also found that in both genders, each part of the brain examined had its own pattern of aging.
“This is a very interesting study in what is, curiously, an under-studied area, normal aging,” says Etienne Sibille, a neuroscientist at the University of Pittsburgh, who was not involved in the study. “You have a combination of expected and surprises in each finding.” For instance, the fact that men and women’s brains age differently could be predicted based on women’s increased longevity, but the type and scope of the differences were unexpected, he says.
Cotman and Berchtold and their colleagues collected brains from people who had died of various causes between ages 20 and 99. The researchers isolated messenger RNA, or mRNA, from the people’s brains. Messenger RNA is a courier molecule that carries instructions encoded in genes to the cellular machinery that will build proteins using those instructions. Genes that produce higher levels of mRNA are more active.
The researchers examined gene activity in four parts of the brain: the hippocampus, the entorhinal cortex, the postcentral gyrus and the superior frontal gyrus.
Brain scientists expect changes in gene activity as the brain ages, and previous studies have demonstrated some changes in other parts of the brain. Cotman and his colleagues thought the parts of the brain that would have the most change in gene activity would be the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex, because they are most vulnerable to diseases of aging, such as Alzheimer’s.
But the team discovered that these disease-susceptible parts of the brain in older people have the least amount of change in gene activity when compared to younger people. In contrast, the postcentral gyrus, a part of the brain dedicated to perception, changes most. Scientists had expected that region to have the least change, if any.
“This is one of those fun head-scratchers, which is what science is all about,” Cotman says.
Overall gene activity was similar in people aged 20 to 59. And people aged 60 to 99 showed similar patterns of overall gene activity. But the team detected variability in their data. Cotman and Berchtold sat down to discuss the source of the variability and decided to see whether gender differences might explain it. “She thought it was the men, and I said it was the women,” Cotman laughs.
“The big surprise, and one I wasn’t too happy about frankly, was that with age, men show changes in metabolic activity,” Cotman says. http://Louis-J-Sheehan.biz Specifically, genes that control energy production in the brain are less active in men starting at about age 60, meaning that metabolic activity slows down. But after the initial drop in activity, men stabilize their gene activity and show no further decline after age 80, the researchers found.
Women’s brains change too, but the changes begin later and keep marching on the older women get, Berchtold says. Women showed gene activity changes in genes that help establish connections between brain cells and in genes that control information exchange in the brain. Women also showed a drop in energy production, but the decrease was not as great as for men. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
“What I think it means, especially for men, is that interventions — either lifestyle or medication — may be needed to keep these energy pathways robust,” Berchtold says. Cotman agrees. He pointed out (on his way to a tennis lesson) that exercise is a good way to keep metabolic genes in the brain going strong
Thursday, April 30, 2009
skin 5.ski.0003 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Most people think of rain forests as hot spots for biological diversity, but new research suggests that belly buttons are also rich ecosystems. That’s one finding from the first attempt to take a large-scale inventory of microbes on human skin. http://LOUIS-J-SHEEHAN-ESQUIRE.US
In recent years scientists have come to appreciate that people are super organisms, composed not just of human tissue, but also of microbes galore. Human skin is covered by a wide variety of bacteria, viruses, fungi and mites, says Elizabeth Grice, a genomics researcher at the National Human Genome Research Institute in Bethesda, Md. Most of the time, people and their microbes live in harmony, but people with skin conditions such as eczema often also struggle with skin infections.
“The skin is two square meters of ecosystem,” Grice said November 13 in Philadelphia at a meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics.
Grice presented work she and her colleagues have done to catalog the diversity of bacteria living on human skin. The findings could help doctors and scientists better understand why some people develop skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis while other people with similar genetic backgrounds do not.
“We know there is a genetic component” to eczema, says Kimberly Chapman, a clinical geneticist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia who was not involved in the research. Some people with eczema have a defect in filaggrin, a protein that helps form the skin’s protective barrier. But not everyone who has filaggrin variations associated with eczema will get the skin condition. The new inventory of bacteria could help researchers determine whether people with eczema have an unbalanced immune response to bacteria living on their skin, says Chapman.
In the new study, dermatologists collected skin scrapings from 21 places on the bodies of 10 healthy volunteers. The participants were asked to wash only with Dove soap for a week, because the soap is mild and doesn’t contain antibacterial chemicals. For 24 hours before the samples were collected the volunteers weren’t allowed to shower or wash their hands.
Grice and her colleagues examined genetic diversity in the 16S ribosomal RNA gene in bacteria in the samples. The gene encodes an RNA used in the protein-building machinery in bacterial cells. Some parts of the gene contain many variations that scientists can use to distinguish one type of bacteria from another. This technique has been used to sample bacteria living in a wide variety of ecosystems, including oceans, human and mouse intestines, and even on shower curtains and toothbrushes.
Some parts of the body contain an abundance of bacterial species. Among the most diverse spots were the belly button, inner forearm, buttocks, the skin between the fingers and the gluteal crease (also known as the plumber’s crack). Other body parts have a relative dearth of bacterial diversity. Among the skin’s diversity, cold spots are the greasy spot just behind the ear, the crease on the side of the nose, the toe webs and the sternum.
In some spots on some volunteers the researchers found up to 300 different species of bacteria, Grice says. Other areas contained as few as three different types of bacteria. The amount of diversity varied greatly not only from body part to body part but also from person to person. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Oily spots tended to have an abundance of Propionibacteria, which can break down fatty acids in the oil for food. Corynebacteria, Staphlococcus and Propionibacteria were often found on moist skin, while dry skin, like the heel, had more Staphylococcus. There are many varieties of Staphylococcus bacteria present on the skin, not just Staphylococcus aureus, a type of bacteria often linked to skin infections.
The researchers plan to test the healthy volunteers again six months after collecting the first samples to see whether bacteria on the skin change over time. Grice and her colleagues are also recruiting volunteers with eczema to see if people with skin conditions have different types of bacteria on their skin.
In recent years scientists have come to appreciate that people are super organisms, composed not just of human tissue, but also of microbes galore. Human skin is covered by a wide variety of bacteria, viruses, fungi and mites, says Elizabeth Grice, a genomics researcher at the National Human Genome Research Institute in Bethesda, Md. Most of the time, people and their microbes live in harmony, but people with skin conditions such as eczema often also struggle with skin infections.
“The skin is two square meters of ecosystem,” Grice said November 13 in Philadelphia at a meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics.
Grice presented work she and her colleagues have done to catalog the diversity of bacteria living on human skin. The findings could help doctors and scientists better understand why some people develop skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis while other people with similar genetic backgrounds do not.
“We know there is a genetic component” to eczema, says Kimberly Chapman, a clinical geneticist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia who was not involved in the research. Some people with eczema have a defect in filaggrin, a protein that helps form the skin’s protective barrier. But not everyone who has filaggrin variations associated with eczema will get the skin condition. The new inventory of bacteria could help researchers determine whether people with eczema have an unbalanced immune response to bacteria living on their skin, says Chapman.
In the new study, dermatologists collected skin scrapings from 21 places on the bodies of 10 healthy volunteers. The participants were asked to wash only with Dove soap for a week, because the soap is mild and doesn’t contain antibacterial chemicals. For 24 hours before the samples were collected the volunteers weren’t allowed to shower or wash their hands.
Grice and her colleagues examined genetic diversity in the 16S ribosomal RNA gene in bacteria in the samples. The gene encodes an RNA used in the protein-building machinery in bacterial cells. Some parts of the gene contain many variations that scientists can use to distinguish one type of bacteria from another. This technique has been used to sample bacteria living in a wide variety of ecosystems, including oceans, human and mouse intestines, and even on shower curtains and toothbrushes.
Some parts of the body contain an abundance of bacterial species. Among the most diverse spots were the belly button, inner forearm, buttocks, the skin between the fingers and the gluteal crease (also known as the plumber’s crack). Other body parts have a relative dearth of bacterial diversity. Among the skin’s diversity, cold spots are the greasy spot just behind the ear, the crease on the side of the nose, the toe webs and the sternum.
In some spots on some volunteers the researchers found up to 300 different species of bacteria, Grice says. Other areas contained as few as three different types of bacteria. The amount of diversity varied greatly not only from body part to body part but also from person to person. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Oily spots tended to have an abundance of Propionibacteria, which can break down fatty acids in the oil for food. Corynebacteria, Staphlococcus and Propionibacteria were often found on moist skin, while dry skin, like the heel, had more Staphylococcus. There are many varieties of Staphylococcus bacteria present on the skin, not just Staphylococcus aureus, a type of bacteria often linked to skin infections.
The researchers plan to test the healthy volunteers again six months after collecting the first samples to see whether bacteria on the skin change over time. Grice and her colleagues are also recruiting volunteers with eczema to see if people with skin conditions have different types of bacteria on their skin.
Friday, April 17, 2009
public
No. 399
August 30, 1941
No number.
FROM: Helsinki (Sakaya)
TO: Washington
(Message to Tokyo #260.) (Part 1 of 3.) Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
The other day the American Minister here invited me to a luncheon, and I took that opportunity to ridicule the attitude of the United States in sponsoring Great Britain, Chungking, etc. I said that it was peculiar that the United States should back up the Soviet which is diametrically opposed to the democratic principle. The Minister said that he had not received any detailed reports from Washington on the present attitude of the government but he imagined that his country considered it essential to back up Russia against a greater threat. As for Bolshevism, he said that the view of the United States was that because of what the Soviet has been through for the past ten years, Bolshevism cannot possibly constitute a very great threat to other nations.
Trans. 10-13-41
No. 400
August 30, 1941
No number.
FROM: Helsinki (Sakaya)
TO: Washington
(Part 2 of 3.) (Message to Tokyo #260.)
I said, "Well, don't you think it would be a good idea to have all nations get together and make peace?" and he replied, "Yes, I agree with you." I then pointed out how ridiculous it was for the United States to meddle in Europe and Asia and at the same time cling to the Monroe Doctrine. He replied, "In general, I might be inclined to agree with you; however, we have to face changing situations. In any case, I think this is only a temporary state of affairs. In general, there is a mistaken idea throughout the world concerning our Monroe Doctrine. By it we forbid any foreign country to seize control of any part of the American continent, and at the same time we imply that we do not wish to control any other country. I do not know what Germany intends to do with Europe. However, it would seem that she is contravening the principle of self-determination, thus shattering the foundations of peace between the old and new worlds. This would upset the economic equilibrium, and the United States intends to prevent any such thing."
Trans. 10-13-41
No. 401
August 30, 1941
No number.
FROM: Helsinki
TO: Washington
(Message to Tokyo #260.) (Part 3 of 3.)
I said, "Well, be that as it may, the American attitude toward Japan isn't doing the world situation any good. Just like the Asama Maru incident last year. American shipments of material for Russia via Vladivostok are inciting the Japanese people and officials exceedingly, so the United States had better watch out." The Ambassador answered, "Well don't you think that the present bad blood between our two countries is only a passing phenomenon? As long
[A-209]
as our leaders continue to talk things through, I think that naturally there is a good chance for a composure of relations between our two countries. My present feeling is that it is important that we get along well to avoid a world disaster."
Trans. 10-13-41
No. 402
August 26, 1941
#66.
FROM: Hollywood (Nakauchi)
TO: Washington
(Message to Tokyo #163.)
Re your #489[a] to the United States.
1. Newspapers and magazines sent from Japan to private individuals here have on many occasions either been delayed or not received. Newspapers to semi-officials were received during August. Furthermore, there are clear indications that printed matter is being censored.
2. There is no actual proof.
3. As I told you in my #157[b], on that occasion, photostatic copies were made of (his) private letters and diary.
4. No examples have occurred.
5. In connection with the Tachibana incident, Naval officials were trailed and kept under surveillance as a matter of course. Since then too, persons having to do with the Army and the Navy have continued to be under surveillance. Capatain ISHIKAWA and Commander SASAKI of the Navy, who returned home on the tanker Otowasan Maru, underwent an examination by Customs Officials before boarding the steamer. Nevertheless, the F.B.I. subjected them to a rigorous examination.
6. No actual proof.
[a] Tokyo asks Washington for information with regard to the method in which the United States handles cases involving Japanese there. This is to be used as reference material in drawing up a reply to the United States' protest of Japan's decision to control the business of foreigners in Japan.
[b] See III, 380, 381.
Trans. 10-4-41
No. 403
August 27, 1941
#508.
FROM: Tokyo
TO: Washington
(In 3 parts—complete.)
Re my #473[a] and your #693[b].
On the 27th I handed the following as our answer to the American Ambassador in Tokyo and when the occasion arises please get in touch with the State Department concerning it.
1. Under the principal of reciprocity it is necessary in investigating the transactions of foreigners to exclude the American Ambassador, Consul, and employees together with the employees of other government offices resident in Japan from the other foreigners. (This arrangement is at present in effect between Japan and England, Australia, Canada and Holland. This arrangement exempts only personal accounts and does not include public funds and inasmuch
[A-210]
THE "MAGIC" BACKGROUND OF PEARL HARBOR
as the official in charge of receipts and disbursements as well as the other employees are exempted it is not only convenient in practice but also moneys in the bank (?) are also exempted.)
2. Inasmuch as American practice does not follow the above we are adding the following revisions to the American proposals before accepting them.
(1) In regard to paragraph (a) of the above memorandum, concerning the nature, and object of the payments of official accounts permission shall be given for-----for actual running expenses as telegraphic expenses, salaries of employees, rents, entertainment expenses, etc., it being mutually understood that the investigation of details be omitted. However in the matter of the purchase of office equipment or major repairs request be made for each occasion as it arises.
(2) That a permit not be required for each case of the receipt of money transferred to official accounts.
(3) That permit be granted for the embassy and consulate and other government offices to pay in to their national treasury the balance on hand of current operating expenses and funds arising from the disposal of assets as well as income received by the consulate in the conduct of its business also that employees be allowed to remit money to their home countries.
(4) In regard to paragraph (c) personal living expenses and travel for which permits are not required shall be 1500 yen a month in Japan and $500 a month in America, that is the standard for Japanese employees $500 and for American employees 1500 yen for personal living expenses and travel only. Permits shall be issued for the above amounts reciprocally and employees permits shall be granted as follows: Both Japan and America shall grant to their Ambassadors the sum of $2000 a month or its equivalent. To the Financial Attache $1000 or its equivalent. To the Counselor and the Military and Naval Attaches $1500 each or its equivalent. To the First Secretary $1000 or its equivalent. To the Consul and the Second Secretary group $750 or its equivalent.
When circumstances render necessary an amount greater than those indicated in the above the Ambassador shall make application for permit for each occasion as it occurs.
(5) The grants for employees above the rank of clerks of the Japanese Embassy and Consulate shall be sent by the Japanese Foreign Office direct to the individual concerned through the Yokohama Specie Bank and the American Government shall give the above-mentioned bank a general permit covering the above payments. (A list of the employees above the rank of clerk shall be furnished to the State Department by the Japanese Embassy in Washington.) Furthermore when the travel expenses, etc., remitted by the Japanese Foreign Office through the Yokohama Specie Bank shall exceed the $500 a month limit established in paragraph (4) above, permit for payment shall be granted upon request of the Embassy.
3. Furthermore, when I presented the memorandum I gave my opinion as follows:
(a) As far as Japan is concerned the above arrangement includes only the Japanese Empire, however if America for her part will promise to facilitate the clearing of dollar remittances to Japanese offices and employees in South America and Europe through New York and do her utmost to remove any obstacles, if in the future conditions should arise to permit the use of such funds by the aforesaid offices and employees, then I will recommend that the Manchurian Government and the Nanking Government accord the same treatment to American offices in Manchuria and that part of China that is occupied by Japanese forces as is accorded them in the Japanese Empire itself.
[A-211]
(b) In regard to the operating expenses mentioned in paragraph (1) under paragraph (2) above the actual amount concerned is at present the subject of investigation and it is desired that a reciprocal report be made when the actual figures have been arrived at.
[a] See III, 376.
[b] Not available.
Trans. 9-5-41
No. 404
September 2, 1941
#521.
FROM: Tokyo (Japanese Foreign Minister)
TO: Washington
Re my #485[a].
As the result of subsequent negotiations by the Korean Governor General's office with the missionary authorities in Keijo[b], all thirteen of them have consented to evacuate. As a consequence, the Governor General's office has dismissed all pending litigation on record in the Public Procurator's office. This is being done with the view of settling all questions.
These missionaries are sailing for Shanghai on Japanese boats departing August 26 and September 16. They will board American vessels in Shanghai for the United States.
Furthermore, with regard to the settlement of this matter, as well as the Oasa incident mentioned in a previous wire, much has been accomplished through the personal endeavors of Governor General MINAMI. The above is for your information.
[a] See III, 382.
[b] Seoul—capital of Chosen.
Trans. 9-4-41
No. 405
September 4, 1941
#179.
FROM: Washington (UAWRK)
TO: Tokyo (SUMMER) (Vice Chief, Gen. Staff)
(Parts 1 and 2.)
Part 1
In spite of the efforts of the American authorities concerned and other leading parties, it is easy to see that America's ardor in aiding Russia is less than in the case of Britain, which goes without saying, and very much less than in the case of aiding China.
Therefore in as far as we can go without injuring America's prestige, I think it would be proper for us to show our opposition to the sending of aid to Russia via Vladivostok, and as emergency measures to prevent this, we will, for example, place emphasis on the fact that our Navy will hold maneuvers in that area, that is in a mined area and set forth the case of the sinking of the TERUKUNI MARU, etc.
[A-212]
THE "MAGIC" BACKGROUND OF PEARL HARBOR
Part 2
But it is a fact that if we use actual power[a] in preventing the (?passage of?) the above mentioned aid, America's pressure on us will be still further increased and eventually it can[b] result in the rupture of diplomatic relations and the opening of a warfare of commerce destruction.[c]
[a] JITSU RYOKU.
[b] KANOSEI NAKI TO SEZARU.
[c] TSUSHO HAKAISEN.
August 30, 1941
No number.
FROM: Helsinki (Sakaya)
TO: Washington
(Message to Tokyo #260.) (Part 1 of 3.) Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
The other day the American Minister here invited me to a luncheon, and I took that opportunity to ridicule the attitude of the United States in sponsoring Great Britain, Chungking, etc. I said that it was peculiar that the United States should back up the Soviet which is diametrically opposed to the democratic principle. The Minister said that he had not received any detailed reports from Washington on the present attitude of the government but he imagined that his country considered it essential to back up Russia against a greater threat. As for Bolshevism, he said that the view of the United States was that because of what the Soviet has been through for the past ten years, Bolshevism cannot possibly constitute a very great threat to other nations.
Trans. 10-13-41
No. 400
August 30, 1941
No number.
FROM: Helsinki (Sakaya)
TO: Washington
(Part 2 of 3.) (Message to Tokyo #260.)
I said, "Well, don't you think it would be a good idea to have all nations get together and make peace?" and he replied, "Yes, I agree with you." I then pointed out how ridiculous it was for the United States to meddle in Europe and Asia and at the same time cling to the Monroe Doctrine. He replied, "In general, I might be inclined to agree with you; however, we have to face changing situations. In any case, I think this is only a temporary state of affairs. In general, there is a mistaken idea throughout the world concerning our Monroe Doctrine. By it we forbid any foreign country to seize control of any part of the American continent, and at the same time we imply that we do not wish to control any other country. I do not know what Germany intends to do with Europe. However, it would seem that she is contravening the principle of self-determination, thus shattering the foundations of peace between the old and new worlds. This would upset the economic equilibrium, and the United States intends to prevent any such thing."
Trans. 10-13-41
No. 401
August 30, 1941
No number.
FROM: Helsinki
TO: Washington
(Message to Tokyo #260.) (Part 3 of 3.)
I said, "Well, be that as it may, the American attitude toward Japan isn't doing the world situation any good. Just like the Asama Maru incident last year. American shipments of material for Russia via Vladivostok are inciting the Japanese people and officials exceedingly, so the United States had better watch out." The Ambassador answered, "Well don't you think that the present bad blood between our two countries is only a passing phenomenon? As long
[A-209]
as our leaders continue to talk things through, I think that naturally there is a good chance for a composure of relations between our two countries. My present feeling is that it is important that we get along well to avoid a world disaster."
Trans. 10-13-41
No. 402
August 26, 1941
#66.
FROM: Hollywood (Nakauchi)
TO: Washington
(Message to Tokyo #163.)
Re your #489[a] to the United States.
1. Newspapers and magazines sent from Japan to private individuals here have on many occasions either been delayed or not received. Newspapers to semi-officials were received during August. Furthermore, there are clear indications that printed matter is being censored.
2. There is no actual proof.
3. As I told you in my #157[b], on that occasion, photostatic copies were made of (his) private letters and diary.
4. No examples have occurred.
5. In connection with the Tachibana incident, Naval officials were trailed and kept under surveillance as a matter of course. Since then too, persons having to do with the Army and the Navy have continued to be under surveillance. Capatain ISHIKAWA and Commander SASAKI of the Navy, who returned home on the tanker Otowasan Maru, underwent an examination by Customs Officials before boarding the steamer. Nevertheless, the F.B.I. subjected them to a rigorous examination.
6. No actual proof.
[a] Tokyo asks Washington for information with regard to the method in which the United States handles cases involving Japanese there. This is to be used as reference material in drawing up a reply to the United States' protest of Japan's decision to control the business of foreigners in Japan.
[b] See III, 380, 381.
Trans. 10-4-41
No. 403
August 27, 1941
#508.
FROM: Tokyo
TO: Washington
(In 3 parts—complete.)
Re my #473[a] and your #693[b].
On the 27th I handed the following as our answer to the American Ambassador in Tokyo and when the occasion arises please get in touch with the State Department concerning it.
1. Under the principal of reciprocity it is necessary in investigating the transactions of foreigners to exclude the American Ambassador, Consul, and employees together with the employees of other government offices resident in Japan from the other foreigners. (This arrangement is at present in effect between Japan and England, Australia, Canada and Holland. This arrangement exempts only personal accounts and does not include public funds and inasmuch
[A-210]
THE "MAGIC" BACKGROUND OF PEARL HARBOR
as the official in charge of receipts and disbursements as well as the other employees are exempted it is not only convenient in practice but also moneys in the bank (?) are also exempted.)
2. Inasmuch as American practice does not follow the above we are adding the following revisions to the American proposals before accepting them.
(1) In regard to paragraph (a) of the above memorandum, concerning the nature, and object of the payments of official accounts permission shall be given for-----for actual running expenses as telegraphic expenses, salaries of employees, rents, entertainment expenses, etc., it being mutually understood that the investigation of details be omitted. However in the matter of the purchase of office equipment or major repairs request be made for each occasion as it arises.
(2) That a permit not be required for each case of the receipt of money transferred to official accounts.
(3) That permit be granted for the embassy and consulate and other government offices to pay in to their national treasury the balance on hand of current operating expenses and funds arising from the disposal of assets as well as income received by the consulate in the conduct of its business also that employees be allowed to remit money to their home countries.
(4) In regard to paragraph (c) personal living expenses and travel for which permits are not required shall be 1500 yen a month in Japan and $500 a month in America, that is the standard for Japanese employees $500 and for American employees 1500 yen for personal living expenses and travel only. Permits shall be issued for the above amounts reciprocally and employees permits shall be granted as follows: Both Japan and America shall grant to their Ambassadors the sum of $2000 a month or its equivalent. To the Financial Attache $1000 or its equivalent. To the Counselor and the Military and Naval Attaches $1500 each or its equivalent. To the First Secretary $1000 or its equivalent. To the Consul and the Second Secretary group $750 or its equivalent.
When circumstances render necessary an amount greater than those indicated in the above the Ambassador shall make application for permit for each occasion as it occurs.
(5) The grants for employees above the rank of clerks of the Japanese Embassy and Consulate shall be sent by the Japanese Foreign Office direct to the individual concerned through the Yokohama Specie Bank and the American Government shall give the above-mentioned bank a general permit covering the above payments. (A list of the employees above the rank of clerk shall be furnished to the State Department by the Japanese Embassy in Washington.) Furthermore when the travel expenses, etc., remitted by the Japanese Foreign Office through the Yokohama Specie Bank shall exceed the $500 a month limit established in paragraph (4) above, permit for payment shall be granted upon request of the Embassy.
3. Furthermore, when I presented the memorandum I gave my opinion as follows:
(a) As far as Japan is concerned the above arrangement includes only the Japanese Empire, however if America for her part will promise to facilitate the clearing of dollar remittances to Japanese offices and employees in South America and Europe through New York and do her utmost to remove any obstacles, if in the future conditions should arise to permit the use of such funds by the aforesaid offices and employees, then I will recommend that the Manchurian Government and the Nanking Government accord the same treatment to American offices in Manchuria and that part of China that is occupied by Japanese forces as is accorded them in the Japanese Empire itself.
[A-211]
(b) In regard to the operating expenses mentioned in paragraph (1) under paragraph (2) above the actual amount concerned is at present the subject of investigation and it is desired that a reciprocal report be made when the actual figures have been arrived at.
[a] See III, 376.
[b] Not available.
Trans. 9-5-41
No. 404
September 2, 1941
#521.
FROM: Tokyo (Japanese Foreign Minister)
TO: Washington
Re my #485[a].
As the result of subsequent negotiations by the Korean Governor General's office with the missionary authorities in Keijo[b], all thirteen of them have consented to evacuate. As a consequence, the Governor General's office has dismissed all pending litigation on record in the Public Procurator's office. This is being done with the view of settling all questions.
These missionaries are sailing for Shanghai on Japanese boats departing August 26 and September 16. They will board American vessels in Shanghai for the United States.
Furthermore, with regard to the settlement of this matter, as well as the Oasa incident mentioned in a previous wire, much has been accomplished through the personal endeavors of Governor General MINAMI. The above is for your information.
[a] See III, 382.
[b] Seoul—capital of Chosen.
Trans. 9-4-41
No. 405
September 4, 1941
#179.
FROM: Washington (UAWRK)
TO: Tokyo (SUMMER) (Vice Chief, Gen. Staff)
(Parts 1 and 2.)
Part 1
In spite of the efforts of the American authorities concerned and other leading parties, it is easy to see that America's ardor in aiding Russia is less than in the case of Britain, which goes without saying, and very much less than in the case of aiding China.
Therefore in as far as we can go without injuring America's prestige, I think it would be proper for us to show our opposition to the sending of aid to Russia via Vladivostok, and as emergency measures to prevent this, we will, for example, place emphasis on the fact that our Navy will hold maneuvers in that area, that is in a mined area and set forth the case of the sinking of the TERUKUNI MARU, etc.
[A-212]
THE "MAGIC" BACKGROUND OF PEARL HARBOR
Part 2
But it is a fact that if we use actual power[a] in preventing the (?passage of?) the above mentioned aid, America's pressure on us will be still further increased and eventually it can[b] result in the rupture of diplomatic relations and the opening of a warfare of commerce destruction.[c]
[a] JITSU RYOKU.
[b] KANOSEI NAKI TO SEZARU.
[c] TSUSHO HAKAISEN.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
latitude 1.lat.0003004 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Over the past few years the sun has gotten a bad rap. Too much sunshine can put you at risk for skin cancer. And an overdose of sun can also lead to nasty sunburns, or even heatstroke.
But the sun isn’t always bad for the body. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire Scientists have known for years that the sun is a great source of vitamin D. This vitamin naturally boosts the immune system, your body’s defense against disease. Now mushrooms bathed in ultraviolet (UV) light — like that from the sun — can help you get some of this valuable vitamin.
Each year there are more and more studies released that suggest if you want to be healthy, vitamin D is where it’s at. Vitamin D strengthens your heart and bones, and can prevent asthma and some forms of cancer and diabetes.
Some foods, like fish and eggs, are naturally brimming with the vitamin. And others, like milk and some cereals, are fortified with vitamin D. But you would need to consume a lot of milk and cereal to get your daily dose of vitamin D. Sunlight still reigns king as the best source for vitamin D.
Recently scientists have shown that specially treated mushrooms could give people a vitamin D boost. U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers in California treated portabella mushrooms to suntanning sessions of up to 18 minutes. The mushrooms didn’t develop a bronze glow or complain of heat stroke though. Instead each mushroom produced nearly 4 micrograms of vitamin D per gram of tissue. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire When white mushrooms were given similar sun treatments, these fungi boasted extra vitamin D, too. Now both kinds of vitamin-infused ‘shrooms are on the market. So if you like mushrooms, you could munch your way to a higher daily dose of Vitamin D.
Depending on a person’s age, people should get between 5 and 15 micrograms (or 200 to 600 international units) of vitamin D each day. Without these amounts, people are prone to get diseases like rickets, which causes distorted, soft bones. These numbers, though, are really just a minimum. Now some scientists suggest it’s better to get as much as five times the recommended vitamin D dose each day.
Having more foods with Vitamin D is a good thing, since there are also several factors that make it hard to get enough of the vitamin from just the sun.
One factor influencing elderly people’s vitamin D intake is that they often spend less time outdoors. Therefore, they need more vitamin D in their diet. And if you spend a lot of your time indoors, playing video games or on the computer, you may need extra vitamin D from your food, too.
Skin color and weight also help determine a person’s vitamin D needs. Darker skin filters out more of the sun’s UV light, so people with darker skin need more sun exposure to make necessary amounts of vitamin D. For unknown reasons, heavier people also need a greater amount of UV light to enable vitamin D production. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
And latitude — how far north or south you live — can play a major role in the sun’s ability to help you get adequate vitamin D amounts. As you get farther away from the equator, the amount of UV-filtering atmosphere increases. This means that at higher, more northern latitudes, people get less UV rays. So, if you live in a state like Alaska, most of the year you can’t get enough sun to trigger the vitamin’s production by your skin.
Eating foods enriched with vitamin D or taking a daily vitamin may not be as satisfying as breaking out your bathing suit and lying in the sun. But the right foods and supplements can help keep you healthy until summer’s rays are here again.
But the sun isn’t always bad for the body. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire Scientists have known for years that the sun is a great source of vitamin D. This vitamin naturally boosts the immune system, your body’s defense against disease. Now mushrooms bathed in ultraviolet (UV) light — like that from the sun — can help you get some of this valuable vitamin.
Each year there are more and more studies released that suggest if you want to be healthy, vitamin D is where it’s at. Vitamin D strengthens your heart and bones, and can prevent asthma and some forms of cancer and diabetes.
Some foods, like fish and eggs, are naturally brimming with the vitamin. And others, like milk and some cereals, are fortified with vitamin D. But you would need to consume a lot of milk and cereal to get your daily dose of vitamin D. Sunlight still reigns king as the best source for vitamin D.
Recently scientists have shown that specially treated mushrooms could give people a vitamin D boost. U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers in California treated portabella mushrooms to suntanning sessions of up to 18 minutes. The mushrooms didn’t develop a bronze glow or complain of heat stroke though. Instead each mushroom produced nearly 4 micrograms of vitamin D per gram of tissue. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire When white mushrooms were given similar sun treatments, these fungi boasted extra vitamin D, too. Now both kinds of vitamin-infused ‘shrooms are on the market. So if you like mushrooms, you could munch your way to a higher daily dose of Vitamin D.
Depending on a person’s age, people should get between 5 and 15 micrograms (or 200 to 600 international units) of vitamin D each day. Without these amounts, people are prone to get diseases like rickets, which causes distorted, soft bones. These numbers, though, are really just a minimum. Now some scientists suggest it’s better to get as much as five times the recommended vitamin D dose each day.
Having more foods with Vitamin D is a good thing, since there are also several factors that make it hard to get enough of the vitamin from just the sun.
One factor influencing elderly people’s vitamin D intake is that they often spend less time outdoors. Therefore, they need more vitamin D in their diet. And if you spend a lot of your time indoors, playing video games or on the computer, you may need extra vitamin D from your food, too.
Skin color and weight also help determine a person’s vitamin D needs. Darker skin filters out more of the sun’s UV light, so people with darker skin need more sun exposure to make necessary amounts of vitamin D. For unknown reasons, heavier people also need a greater amount of UV light to enable vitamin D production. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
And latitude — how far north or south you live — can play a major role in the sun’s ability to help you get adequate vitamin D amounts. As you get farther away from the equator, the amount of UV-filtering atmosphere increases. This means that at higher, more northern latitudes, people get less UV rays. So, if you live in a state like Alaska, most of the year you can’t get enough sun to trigger the vitamin’s production by your skin.
Eating foods enriched with vitamin D or taking a daily vitamin may not be as satisfying as breaking out your bathing suit and lying in the sun. But the right foods and supplements can help keep you healthy until summer’s rays are here again.
Monday, April 13, 2009
gap 9.gap.2234 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Sex equality means nothing when it comes to pain relief.
Morphine is not very potent in female rats, and a new study helps explain why. In their midbrains, females have fewer of the receptors that sense the feel-good drug, rendering morphine “remarkably ineffective,” according to a report published December 24 in the Journal of Neuroscience.Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Opioid-based narcotics, such as morphine and codeine, are some of the most widely prescribed drugs for human pain management. http://LOUIS-J-SHEEHAN-ESQUIRE.US The drugs are detected by proteins in the brain called opioid receptors, which bind to the drugs and trigger pain relief. But earlier studies in humans and rats have suggested that when it comes to pain-fighting medications, males and females are not created equal.
Female rats are known to require twice the amount of morphine as males to get comparable pain relief, says study author Anne Murphy of Georgia State University in Atlanta. But much of the research on pain relief has been conducted on male animals or in men. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire “What about females? No one’s bothered to ask these questions,” she says.
A part of the rat brain called the periaqueductal gray is important for pain relief. Earlier studies in male rats have shown that many opioid receptors are located in this particular midbrain region. Murphy has dubbed the region the “Mecca for morphine.”
Murphy’s team found that male rats have significantly more opioid receptors than female rats, suggesting that males may respond better to morphine because they are better able to sense it.
Even though other studies have hinted at differences in opioid receptors between males and females, “this work is the first to definitively demonstrate such differences,” says Rebecca Craft, a researcher at Washington State University in Pullman who studies sex differences in pain sensation.
The new study also shows that the female hormonal cycle has a major role in pain relief. Female rats with high estrogen levels had the fewest number of opioid receptors and were the most impervious to morphine. As estrogen levels naturally fell, the numbers of opioid receptors in females approached male levels.
The potential link between female hormones and pain may have been what kept other researchers from using female subjects. Because hormone levels are known to affect many biological processes, including pain, female rats must be at the same hormonal profile to get meaningful results from experiments. Deciphering the precise hormonal stage of a rat relies on time-consuming experiments, and many researchers may wish to avoid the hormone complication altogether by using males, says Murphy.http://LOUIS-J-SHEEHAN-ESQUIRE.US
In the new study, rats received a dose of morphine, and researchers measured how long it took the rats to remove one of their paws from a hot glass plate. The team reasoned that the morphine was not working if the rat removed its paw quickly; if the rat wasn’t feeling pain, it would keep its paw on the hot plate longer. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire Researchers found that female rats with high estrogen levels yanked their paws away from the heat, even after a morphine shot, suggesting that the morphine did very little to alleviate pain. Males, and also females with low estrogen levels, responded to the painful stimulus more slowly after being injected with morphine once.
Sex differences in human pain response are less clear, although recent brain-scan evidence suggests that men have a stronger response than women to the same amount of morphine. Craft says that while experiments on sex differences in rats are likely important for humans, more research is needed in humans to confirm if such a gender gap exists among them as well.
Age and ethnicity have also been suggested as factors that affect the potency of medicine. Murphy points to the need for pain medication studies that include a wide range of subjects, not just the young males who are typically chosen.
“These studies are going to help enlighten physicians and scientists that males and females are different. You have to have sex-specific medicine,” says Murphy.
Morphine is not very potent in female rats, and a new study helps explain why. In their midbrains, females have fewer of the receptors that sense the feel-good drug, rendering morphine “remarkably ineffective,” according to a report published December 24 in the Journal of Neuroscience.Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Opioid-based narcotics, such as morphine and codeine, are some of the most widely prescribed drugs for human pain management. http://LOUIS-J-SHEEHAN-ESQUIRE.US The drugs are detected by proteins in the brain called opioid receptors, which bind to the drugs and trigger pain relief. But earlier studies in humans and rats have suggested that when it comes to pain-fighting medications, males and females are not created equal.
Female rats are known to require twice the amount of morphine as males to get comparable pain relief, says study author Anne Murphy of Georgia State University in Atlanta. But much of the research on pain relief has been conducted on male animals or in men. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire “What about females? No one’s bothered to ask these questions,” she says.
A part of the rat brain called the periaqueductal gray is important for pain relief. Earlier studies in male rats have shown that many opioid receptors are located in this particular midbrain region. Murphy has dubbed the region the “Mecca for morphine.”
Murphy’s team found that male rats have significantly more opioid receptors than female rats, suggesting that males may respond better to morphine because they are better able to sense it.
Even though other studies have hinted at differences in opioid receptors between males and females, “this work is the first to definitively demonstrate such differences,” says Rebecca Craft, a researcher at Washington State University in Pullman who studies sex differences in pain sensation.
The new study also shows that the female hormonal cycle has a major role in pain relief. Female rats with high estrogen levels had the fewest number of opioid receptors and were the most impervious to morphine. As estrogen levels naturally fell, the numbers of opioid receptors in females approached male levels.
The potential link between female hormones and pain may have been what kept other researchers from using female subjects. Because hormone levels are known to affect many biological processes, including pain, female rats must be at the same hormonal profile to get meaningful results from experiments. Deciphering the precise hormonal stage of a rat relies on time-consuming experiments, and many researchers may wish to avoid the hormone complication altogether by using males, says Murphy.http://LOUIS-J-SHEEHAN-ESQUIRE.US
In the new study, rats received a dose of morphine, and researchers measured how long it took the rats to remove one of their paws from a hot glass plate. The team reasoned that the morphine was not working if the rat removed its paw quickly; if the rat wasn’t feeling pain, it would keep its paw on the hot plate longer. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire Researchers found that female rats with high estrogen levels yanked their paws away from the heat, even after a morphine shot, suggesting that the morphine did very little to alleviate pain. Males, and also females with low estrogen levels, responded to the painful stimulus more slowly after being injected with morphine once.
Sex differences in human pain response are less clear, although recent brain-scan evidence suggests that men have a stronger response than women to the same amount of morphine. Craft says that while experiments on sex differences in rats are likely important for humans, more research is needed in humans to confirm if such a gender gap exists among them as well.
Age and ethnicity have also been suggested as factors that affect the potency of medicine. Murphy points to the need for pain medication studies that include a wide range of subjects, not just the young males who are typically chosen.
“These studies are going to help enlighten physicians and scientists that males and females are different. You have to have sex-specific medicine,” says Murphy.
spread 9.spr.1123 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Sometimes, survival of the fittest means dependence on weak links.
Widely distributed fruit fly species have a temperature-sensitive step in the manufacture of a key part in their biological clocks. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire The heat-sensitive stumbling block may be the reason Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans have been able to spread to temperate zones while their cousins haven’t, a new study in the Dec. 26 Neuron suggests. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Previously, a research team led by molecular biologist Isaac Edery of Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J., had discovered that, when the temperature rises, Drosophila melanogaster’s production of a major gear in the clock that governs its daily rhythms melts down. The gear, a protein known as PERIOD, helps set the circadian clock in fruit flies and many other animals.http://Louis2J2Sheehan2Esquire.US
Fruit flies are active in the morning, take a siesta during the hottest part of the day, then wake up and move around again in the early evening when it is cooler. The siesta helps keep the flies from over-heating and drying out. PERIOD protein builds up during the siesta period until it reaches high enough levels to set off the flies’ inner alarm clocks and rouse them for the evening.
“There is a nice association between the time of day that the activity of the fly peaks and the point at which PERIOD peaks,” says Herman Wijnen of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Wijnen was not involved in the new study.
Production of PERIOD follows a multi-step process. First, the information contained in the period gene is converted into RNA, which will be read later by the cell’s protein-building machinery. Genes in fruit flies, humans and other eukaryotes contain interruptions, called introns. To deal with these, the cell has a molecular version of TiVo that cuts out introns as if they were commercials interrupting a television program. But cells can’t just skip over introns. The cells must physically cut the interrupting regions out and splice back together the bits of RNA that contain the actual protein-building instructions (called exons.)
In Drosophila melanogaster, and another widely dispersed species of fruit fly called Drosophila simulans, one of the exons contains a weak splice site that doesn’t hold together well when the mercury rises. The weak splice site prevents PERIOD protein from being made when it is too hot, delaying the flies’ evening wake-up call. The heat response allows the two species to vary the length of their midday naps.
That’s important in temperate latitudes in which day length varies considerably across seasons. Flies need longer naps in summer to avoid the heat of the day, and shorter snoozes as temperatures grow cooler and daylight hours dwindle.
But in the new study, Edery and his colleagues show that closely related fruit fly species, Drosophila yakuba and Drosophila santomea, don’t have heat-sensitive splice sites in period. Instead, the two species, found only in Africa, have strong splice sites that hold together even in hot weather, making the schedule of PERIOD production more regular than in the species that are widely dispersed. The equatorial flies also have regimented daily schedules, waking, napping and rousing again about the same time every day. That makes biological sense for species living along the equator where day length and temperatures don’t vary much with seasons, says Edery, who is also a member of the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine in Piscataway, N.J.
Replacing the weak D. melanogaster splice site with one from the African species also puts D. melanogaster on a regimented schedule, the researchers find.
But a strong splice site that’s insensitive to temperature could spell disaster for a fruit fly that finds itself in northern climates in the middle of summer. The flies might wake from their siesta while it is still hot, and become desiccated as they move about in the heat. http://Louis2J2Sheehan2Esquire.US The weak, heat-sensitive splice site makes D. melanogaster and D. simulans more flexible and better able to adapt to diverse climates than their cousins, Edery says.
“The proposition that we’re making is that the weak splice sites in melanogaster and simulans species may have facilitated their ability to colonize other parts of the world,” Edery says.
Edery and his colleagues make the argument in “nice” molecular detail, Wijnen says. “It’s a very nice illustration that these mutations seem to be associated with populations [of fruit flies] in temperate zones.”
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Comments 1
* It's The Culture, Not The Biologic Clock
The Clock Is Innate Since Life's Day One
It's Culture That Drives Genetic Changes
And Culture Evolves Per Intelligence
A. From "Hot clock key to fruit fly’s global spread"
http://www.sciencenews.org/index/generic/activity/view/id/39546/title/Hot_clock_key_to_fruit_fly%E2%80%99s_global_spread
"Widely distributed fruit fly species have a temperature-sensitive step in the manufacture of a key part in their biological clocks."
"The gear, a protein known as PERIOD, helps set the circadian clock in fruit flies and many other animals".
B. The above abstract displays a deficit of some comprehensions
of the nature of the CLOCK and of the functional nature of the PROTEIN and of the PROTEIN'S ORIGIN.
The CLOCK is innate in genes-genomes, as genes are primal organisms and genomes are multiGenes organisms and as at genesis the ONLY source of activity energy for genes was the daylight's sun radiation. This is why sleep is a ubiquitous inherent organism's trait.
The functional nature of the protein is, as normal in biologic systems, a cue-tag to specific member(s) of the genome, the cooperative multiGenes communal organism, directing what-when to express, in this case "rest untill the temperature decreases to X degrees, then work".
This specific protein tag was produced by a specific gene at a biased alternative-splicing-step junction, effected by the cultural feedback of the fly, like in all normal evolutionary cases in which a third stratum multicells organism or monocells community furnish cultural feedback to their second and prime strata genome-genes organisms as genetic evolution biasing instructions. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
And the extent of the capability of the genes-genome to respond to the feedback and to effect the thus requested "mutation"-modification, the extent of this capability is the genome's INTELLIGENCE, its capability to assess survival experience and to react-respond to it.
C. Life's Manifest
http://www.the-scientist.com/community/posts/list/112.p
Widely distributed fruit fly species have a temperature-sensitive step in the manufacture of a key part in their biological clocks. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire The heat-sensitive stumbling block may be the reason Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans have been able to spread to temperate zones while their cousins haven’t, a new study in the Dec. 26 Neuron suggests. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Previously, a research team led by molecular biologist Isaac Edery of Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J., had discovered that, when the temperature rises, Drosophila melanogaster’s production of a major gear in the clock that governs its daily rhythms melts down. The gear, a protein known as PERIOD, helps set the circadian clock in fruit flies and many other animals.http://Louis2J2Sheehan2Esquire.US
Fruit flies are active in the morning, take a siesta during the hottest part of the day, then wake up and move around again in the early evening when it is cooler. The siesta helps keep the flies from over-heating and drying out. PERIOD protein builds up during the siesta period until it reaches high enough levels to set off the flies’ inner alarm clocks and rouse them for the evening.
“There is a nice association between the time of day that the activity of the fly peaks and the point at which PERIOD peaks,” says Herman Wijnen of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Wijnen was not involved in the new study.
Production of PERIOD follows a multi-step process. First, the information contained in the period gene is converted into RNA, which will be read later by the cell’s protein-building machinery. Genes in fruit flies, humans and other eukaryotes contain interruptions, called introns. To deal with these, the cell has a molecular version of TiVo that cuts out introns as if they were commercials interrupting a television program. But cells can’t just skip over introns. The cells must physically cut the interrupting regions out and splice back together the bits of RNA that contain the actual protein-building instructions (called exons.)
In Drosophila melanogaster, and another widely dispersed species of fruit fly called Drosophila simulans, one of the exons contains a weak splice site that doesn’t hold together well when the mercury rises. The weak splice site prevents PERIOD protein from being made when it is too hot, delaying the flies’ evening wake-up call. The heat response allows the two species to vary the length of their midday naps.
That’s important in temperate latitudes in which day length varies considerably across seasons. Flies need longer naps in summer to avoid the heat of the day, and shorter snoozes as temperatures grow cooler and daylight hours dwindle.
But in the new study, Edery and his colleagues show that closely related fruit fly species, Drosophila yakuba and Drosophila santomea, don’t have heat-sensitive splice sites in period. Instead, the two species, found only in Africa, have strong splice sites that hold together even in hot weather, making the schedule of PERIOD production more regular than in the species that are widely dispersed. The equatorial flies also have regimented daily schedules, waking, napping and rousing again about the same time every day. That makes biological sense for species living along the equator where day length and temperatures don’t vary much with seasons, says Edery, who is also a member of the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine in Piscataway, N.J.
Replacing the weak D. melanogaster splice site with one from the African species also puts D. melanogaster on a regimented schedule, the researchers find.
But a strong splice site that’s insensitive to temperature could spell disaster for a fruit fly that finds itself in northern climates in the middle of summer. The flies might wake from their siesta while it is still hot, and become desiccated as they move about in the heat. http://Louis2J2Sheehan2Esquire.US The weak, heat-sensitive splice site makes D. melanogaster and D. simulans more flexible and better able to adapt to diverse climates than their cousins, Edery says.
“The proposition that we’re making is that the weak splice sites in melanogaster and simulans species may have facilitated their ability to colonize other parts of the world,” Edery says.
Edery and his colleagues make the argument in “nice” molecular detail, Wijnen says. “It’s a very nice illustration that these mutations seem to be associated with populations [of fruit flies] in temperate zones.”
* |
* Comment
Found in: Biology, Body & Brain and Life
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* digg digg
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Comments 1
* It's The Culture, Not The Biologic Clock
The Clock Is Innate Since Life's Day One
It's Culture That Drives Genetic Changes
And Culture Evolves Per Intelligence
A. From "Hot clock key to fruit fly’s global spread"
http://www.sciencenews.org/index/generic/activity/view/id/39546/title/Hot_clock_key_to_fruit_fly%E2%80%99s_global_spread
"Widely distributed fruit fly species have a temperature-sensitive step in the manufacture of a key part in their biological clocks."
"The gear, a protein known as PERIOD, helps set the circadian clock in fruit flies and many other animals".
B. The above abstract displays a deficit of some comprehensions
of the nature of the CLOCK and of the functional nature of the PROTEIN and of the PROTEIN'S ORIGIN.
The CLOCK is innate in genes-genomes, as genes are primal organisms and genomes are multiGenes organisms and as at genesis the ONLY source of activity energy for genes was the daylight's sun radiation. This is why sleep is a ubiquitous inherent organism's trait.
The functional nature of the protein is, as normal in biologic systems, a cue-tag to specific member(s) of the genome, the cooperative multiGenes communal organism, directing what-when to express, in this case "rest untill the temperature decreases to X degrees, then work".
This specific protein tag was produced by a specific gene at a biased alternative-splicing-step junction, effected by the cultural feedback of the fly, like in all normal evolutionary cases in which a third stratum multicells organism or monocells community furnish cultural feedback to their second and prime strata genome-genes organisms as genetic evolution biasing instructions. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
And the extent of the capability of the genes-genome to respond to the feedback and to effect the thus requested "mutation"-modification, the extent of this capability is the genome's INTELLIGENCE, its capability to assess survival experience and to react-respond to it.
C. Life's Manifest
http://www.the-scientist.com/community/posts/list/112.p
Saturday, April 11, 2009
twist 0.twi.1 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Seeing a hand slammed in a car door makes most people cringe. But others seem to lack such empathy, which might help explain why some are capable of repeatedly inflicting pain on others. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Now a study suggests that adolescents with aggressive conduct disorder — characterized by physical aggression, bullying and disregard for rules — may have robust rather than blunted reactions to others’ pain. Such adolescents may even get pleasure out of viewing other people in discomfort, Jean Decety of the University of Chicago reported February 15 at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. http://Louis1J1Sheehan.us
Using fMRI, Decety and his colleagues scanned the brains of eight adolescents with aggressive conduct disorder and eight adolescents without the disorder while showing them video clips of accidental, but painful situations.
Both groups showed activity in regions of the brain associated with pain, including the anterior cingulate cortex, insula and somatosensory cortex. http://Louis1J1Sheehan.us But adolescents with conduct disorder showed a greater activation of these pain regions and also showed activity in the amygdala and ventral striatum, areas of the brain tied to reward responses.
“They do, so to speak, share the pain of others,” Decety said at the meeting. “But instead of finding it negative, they enjoy it.”
Those with stronger reactions in these reward areas also scored higher on standard scales for daring and sadism and reported more acts of aggression.
When viewing clips of people intentionally inflicting pain, adolescents with conduct disorder showed brain activity patterns suggesting, as expected, that they have trouble controlling their emotion, the researchers reported. Their study appears in the February issue of Biological Psychology.
Decety said the findings may have implications for intervention programs. Negative feedback, for example, may not work with adolescents who gain pleasure from such a response.
“If you enjoy it, you do it again,” Decety said. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Now a study suggests that adolescents with aggressive conduct disorder — characterized by physical aggression, bullying and disregard for rules — may have robust rather than blunted reactions to others’ pain. Such adolescents may even get pleasure out of viewing other people in discomfort, Jean Decety of the University of Chicago reported February 15 at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. http://Louis1J1Sheehan.us
Using fMRI, Decety and his colleagues scanned the brains of eight adolescents with aggressive conduct disorder and eight adolescents without the disorder while showing them video clips of accidental, but painful situations.
Both groups showed activity in regions of the brain associated with pain, including the anterior cingulate cortex, insula and somatosensory cortex. http://Louis1J1Sheehan.us But adolescents with conduct disorder showed a greater activation of these pain regions and also showed activity in the amygdala and ventral striatum, areas of the brain tied to reward responses.
“They do, so to speak, share the pain of others,” Decety said at the meeting. “But instead of finding it negative, they enjoy it.”
Those with stronger reactions in these reward areas also scored higher on standard scales for daring and sadism and reported more acts of aggression.
When viewing clips of people intentionally inflicting pain, adolescents with conduct disorder showed brain activity patterns suggesting, as expected, that they have trouble controlling their emotion, the researchers reported. Their study appears in the February issue of Biological Psychology.
Decety said the findings may have implications for intervention programs. Negative feedback, for example, may not work with adolescents who gain pleasure from such a response.
“If you enjoy it, you do it again,” Decety said. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
homocysteine j.homo.992 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
A combination of vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folic acid might protect women against age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly, a new study finds.
Women taking this trio of vitamins in amounts well beyond the recommended daily doses were one-third less likely to develop macular degeneration than were people taking placebos, researchers report in the Feb. 23 Archives of Internal Medicine.
Cigarette smoking is known to increase a person’s likelihood of developing macular degeneration. Other than not smoking, there is little a person can do to limit risk, says study coauthor William Christen, an epidemiologist at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “This is the first trial to suggest a benefit” from vitamin B and folic acid, he says. “I’d like to see it corroborated in other populations.”
Christen and his colleagues analyzed data collected as part of a large trial originally designed to test the effects of other vitamins on women with heart problems. In 1998, researchers selected 5,205 women in the trial who didn’t have macular degeneration and were willing to take part in a test of B-6, B-12 and folic acid — also called folate and vitamin B-9. Half of the women were randomly assigned to get these supplements; the others received placebo pills. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Most of the women were overweight. Their average age was 63. The women in both groups provided information about their vision by responding to annual questionnaires in the mail. All were permitted to take multivitamins with B-6, B-12 and folate up to, but not exceeding, recommended daily allowances. Those getting the B-6, B-12 and folate pills received many times that amount.
http://LOUIS-J-SHEEHAN.ORG
Whenever a participant reported that she’d been diagnosed with macular degeneration, scientists contacted the woman’s eye doctor and elicited a report.
After 7.3 years of follow-up, those reports had turned up 82 cases of age-related macular degeneration among women taking placebos and only 55 cases in the women getting the vitamin supplements.
While an explanation for the apparent protection from macular degeneration remains unknown, it is known that folate, B-6 and B-12 can drive down blood concentrations of homocysteine, a compound suspected of damaging blood vessels. Researchers have tried to finger homocysteine in heart disease, but studies have failed to show a heart benefit from reducing homocysteine levels.
Age-related macular degeneration is also a vascular ailment — resulting from a disruption of proper blood flow to the macula, a part of the retina. It may be that the tiny vessels in the eye are more vulnerable to high homocysteine than the larger coronary arteries are.Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire “But this is speculation, not a hard hypothesis,” Christen says.
http://LOUIS-J-SHEEHAN.ORG
While the homocysteine connection remains unproven, the new findings might draw more resources toward work examining the compound’s role in macular degeneration, says study coauthor Emily Chew, an ophthalmologist at the National Eye Institute in Bethesda, Md. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
"Increased homocysteine levels have been shown in many studies involving age-related macular degeneration," says ophthalmologist Sibel Kadayifcilar of Hacettepe University Medical School in Ankara, Turkey. "However, we still don't know whether homocysteine is causative or only a marker." Meanwhile, other research shows that a vitamin B-12 deficiency is a risk factor for macular degeneration.
Combined, these lines of evidence suggest that elderly people with a shortage of these B vitamins or folate should take supplements, Kadayifcilar says.
Women taking this trio of vitamins in amounts well beyond the recommended daily doses were one-third less likely to develop macular degeneration than were people taking placebos, researchers report in the Feb. 23 Archives of Internal Medicine.
Cigarette smoking is known to increase a person’s likelihood of developing macular degeneration. Other than not smoking, there is little a person can do to limit risk, says study coauthor William Christen, an epidemiologist at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “This is the first trial to suggest a benefit” from vitamin B and folic acid, he says. “I’d like to see it corroborated in other populations.”
Christen and his colleagues analyzed data collected as part of a large trial originally designed to test the effects of other vitamins on women with heart problems. In 1998, researchers selected 5,205 women in the trial who didn’t have macular degeneration and were willing to take part in a test of B-6, B-12 and folic acid — also called folate and vitamin B-9. Half of the women were randomly assigned to get these supplements; the others received placebo pills. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Most of the women were overweight. Their average age was 63. The women in both groups provided information about their vision by responding to annual questionnaires in the mail. All were permitted to take multivitamins with B-6, B-12 and folate up to, but not exceeding, recommended daily allowances. Those getting the B-6, B-12 and folate pills received many times that amount.
http://LOUIS-J-SHEEHAN.ORG
Whenever a participant reported that she’d been diagnosed with macular degeneration, scientists contacted the woman’s eye doctor and elicited a report.
After 7.3 years of follow-up, those reports had turned up 82 cases of age-related macular degeneration among women taking placebos and only 55 cases in the women getting the vitamin supplements.
While an explanation for the apparent protection from macular degeneration remains unknown, it is known that folate, B-6 and B-12 can drive down blood concentrations of homocysteine, a compound suspected of damaging blood vessels. Researchers have tried to finger homocysteine in heart disease, but studies have failed to show a heart benefit from reducing homocysteine levels.
Age-related macular degeneration is also a vascular ailment — resulting from a disruption of proper blood flow to the macula, a part of the retina. It may be that the tiny vessels in the eye are more vulnerable to high homocysteine than the larger coronary arteries are.Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire “But this is speculation, not a hard hypothesis,” Christen says.
http://LOUIS-J-SHEEHAN.ORG
While the homocysteine connection remains unproven, the new findings might draw more resources toward work examining the compound’s role in macular degeneration, says study coauthor Emily Chew, an ophthalmologist at the National Eye Institute in Bethesda, Md. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
"Increased homocysteine levels have been shown in many studies involving age-related macular degeneration," says ophthalmologist Sibel Kadayifcilar of Hacettepe University Medical School in Ankara, Turkey. "However, we still don't know whether homocysteine is causative or only a marker." Meanwhile, other research shows that a vitamin B-12 deficiency is a risk factor for macular degeneration.
Combined, these lines of evidence suggest that elderly people with a shortage of these B vitamins or folate should take supplements, Kadayifcilar says.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
wing 6.win.000987 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
http://Louis2J2Sheehan2Esquire.US Wings are for swimming. Boxing. Catching a falling baby.
So far, bat biologist Thomas Kunz of Boston University and his colleagues have come up with 52 things bats do with their wings besides fly. Flight may be the main job for wings, but other uses deserve study too, Kunz said January 4 at the annual meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire.
Nonflight tasks might have had their own influences on wing evolution, Kunz said, calling the unusual listing project a first step toward exploring any such effects.
access
Enlargemagnify
WALKING ON WINGSVIDEO | Looking at a vampire bat on a treadmill shows how the bat walks by stepping forward on one wing at a time.Credit: Daniel K. Riskin/Brown University. http://Louis2J2Sheehan2Esquire.US
Bats manage far more forms of locomotion than flying, and, yes, in an emergency, bats can swim, Kunz said. Insect-eating bats in particular often hunt over water, where a miscalculated swoop ends with a dip. He has videotaped a foraging bat that splashed down in a Boston pond and then flap-stroked its wings to reach shore, climb a cattail and shudder off water droplets like a wet dog.
In tests of nine bat species, Kunz found that all could swim, and at least some could cope in the water as babies. “They can swim before they can fly,” he said.
Bats also need to maneuver themselves onto a perch, and Kunz cited new work by Dan Riskin of Brown University on wing and body acrobatics used for landing on ceilings.
access
Enlargemagnify
VAMPIRE RUNNINGVIDEO | A vampire bat runs on a treadmill. As the pace picks up, the bat shifts from its walking gait to bounding forward with its wings.Credit: Daniel K. Riskin/Brown University
In test setups, three kinds of leaf-nosed bats consistently landed on their feet (upside down) with a twist and tuck of their wings and hind legs, Riskin reported January 6 at the meeting. The bats hit the ceiling lightly, with a force equivalent to less than their body weight.
Lesser dog-faced fruit bats, in contrast, flew up to a four-point landing with a force equivalent to several times their body weight, and on one occasion 11 times their body weight.
Riskin hasn’t tested other species yet to check for widespread patterns, but he notes that the gently landing species roost in caves, where a rough touchdown would mean smacking into stone. Tree branches, where his four-point landers roost, might be more forgiving.
access
Enlargemagnify
TOUCHDOWN, GOING UPVIDEO |In a lab setup, a leaf-nosed bat does its typical maneuver for landing feet-up on the ceiling.Credit: Daniel K. Riskin/Brown University
Bat wings prove useful for right-side up movements too, according to Kunz’s list. Vampire bats that feed on mammals typically creep along the ground to reach targets instead of flitting in from above. These bats can walk by “stepping” forward on the wrists of one furled wing at a time.
Bats can also run. Riskin discovered this when he put vampire bats on a treadmill and found that they shifted to a new gait at higher speeds, reaching out both wings at a time to bound forward.
And, “vampire bats are the best climbers,” Kunz said. Some species use their wings to crawl around trees to reach sleeping bird prey.
Kunz has tallied nine kinds of bat locomotion other than flight that require wings. The various ground-based movements and climbing are his first choices for nonflight demands that might have influenced wing evolution, he said. Vampire bats, for example, move readily on the ground and have relatively big wing bones, but don’t fly long distances.
Most of the wing jobs on Kunz’s list, however, have little to do with moving from place to place. Wings help out in such everyday business as foraging, staying warm or cool, and having a family. Male bats defending their harems fight wing to wing. They wrestle in furious wing clinches and throw boxing punches at each other with wristlike wing parts. In testy species, Kunz says, “Harem males have bloody wrists from beating up on each other.”
Male sac-winged bats ferment a mix of spit and a penis secretion in pouches on their wings. Males lick out and replace the brew daily, maintaining just the right scent to fan at females. “Here I am, ladies — don’t I smell good,” is how Kunz translated the message, though he said, to his nose, it smells moldy.
Roosting females wrap their wings around nursing infants, offering both warmth and security. Babies grip with their mouths and big feet, but accidents can happen. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire.
These versatile wings evolved from forelimb bones that shifted proportions and grew forefinger-to-foot swathes of skin “Think of how many things we do with our hands,” Kunz said. “A wing is a hand.”
So far, bat biologist Thomas Kunz of Boston University and his colleagues have come up with 52 things bats do with their wings besides fly. Flight may be the main job for wings, but other uses deserve study too, Kunz said January 4 at the annual meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire.
Nonflight tasks might have had their own influences on wing evolution, Kunz said, calling the unusual listing project a first step toward exploring any such effects.
access
Enlargemagnify
WALKING ON WINGSVIDEO | Looking at a vampire bat on a treadmill shows how the bat walks by stepping forward on one wing at a time.Credit: Daniel K. Riskin/Brown University. http://Louis2J2Sheehan2Esquire.US
Bats manage far more forms of locomotion than flying, and, yes, in an emergency, bats can swim, Kunz said. Insect-eating bats in particular often hunt over water, where a miscalculated swoop ends with a dip. He has videotaped a foraging bat that splashed down in a Boston pond and then flap-stroked its wings to reach shore, climb a cattail and shudder off water droplets like a wet dog.
In tests of nine bat species, Kunz found that all could swim, and at least some could cope in the water as babies. “They can swim before they can fly,” he said.
Bats also need to maneuver themselves onto a perch, and Kunz cited new work by Dan Riskin of Brown University on wing and body acrobatics used for landing on ceilings.
access
Enlargemagnify
VAMPIRE RUNNINGVIDEO | A vampire bat runs on a treadmill. As the pace picks up, the bat shifts from its walking gait to bounding forward with its wings.Credit: Daniel K. Riskin/Brown University
In test setups, three kinds of leaf-nosed bats consistently landed on their feet (upside down) with a twist and tuck of their wings and hind legs, Riskin reported January 6 at the meeting. The bats hit the ceiling lightly, with a force equivalent to less than their body weight.
Lesser dog-faced fruit bats, in contrast, flew up to a four-point landing with a force equivalent to several times their body weight, and on one occasion 11 times their body weight.
Riskin hasn’t tested other species yet to check for widespread patterns, but he notes that the gently landing species roost in caves, where a rough touchdown would mean smacking into stone. Tree branches, where his four-point landers roost, might be more forgiving.
access
Enlargemagnify
TOUCHDOWN, GOING UPVIDEO |In a lab setup, a leaf-nosed bat does its typical maneuver for landing feet-up on the ceiling.Credit: Daniel K. Riskin/Brown University
Bat wings prove useful for right-side up movements too, according to Kunz’s list. Vampire bats that feed on mammals typically creep along the ground to reach targets instead of flitting in from above. These bats can walk by “stepping” forward on the wrists of one furled wing at a time.
Bats can also run. Riskin discovered this when he put vampire bats on a treadmill and found that they shifted to a new gait at higher speeds, reaching out both wings at a time to bound forward.
And, “vampire bats are the best climbers,” Kunz said. Some species use their wings to crawl around trees to reach sleeping bird prey.
Kunz has tallied nine kinds of bat locomotion other than flight that require wings. The various ground-based movements and climbing are his first choices for nonflight demands that might have influenced wing evolution, he said. Vampire bats, for example, move readily on the ground and have relatively big wing bones, but don’t fly long distances.
Most of the wing jobs on Kunz’s list, however, have little to do with moving from place to place. Wings help out in such everyday business as foraging, staying warm or cool, and having a family. Male bats defending their harems fight wing to wing. They wrestle in furious wing clinches and throw boxing punches at each other with wristlike wing parts. In testy species, Kunz says, “Harem males have bloody wrists from beating up on each other.”
Male sac-winged bats ferment a mix of spit and a penis secretion in pouches on their wings. Males lick out and replace the brew daily, maintaining just the right scent to fan at females. “Here I am, ladies — don’t I smell good,” is how Kunz translated the message, though he said, to his nose, it smells moldy.
Roosting females wrap their wings around nursing infants, offering both warmth and security. Babies grip with their mouths and big feet, but accidents can happen. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire.
These versatile wings evolved from forelimb bones that shifted proportions and grew forefinger-to-foot swathes of skin “Think of how many things we do with our hands,” Kunz said. “A wing is a hand.”
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
garner 9.gar.111 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire. Garner Ted Armstrong (February 9, 1930 - September 15, 2003) was an American evangelist and the son of Herbert W. Armstrong, founder of the Worldwide Church of God, at the time a Sabbatarian organization that taught strict observance of a seventh-day sabbath, holy days typically associated with the Jewish faith, and other observances derived from the Old Testament scriptures.http://ljsheehan.livejournal.com
Armstrong initially became recognized when he succeeded his father as the voice of "The World Tomorrow," the church's radio program that aired around the world. A television program of the same name followed, aired mostly in North America, eventually giving way to a "Garner Ted Armstrong" broadcast, a half-hour program that mixed news and biblical commentary. His polemical message was unlike most other religious broadcasters of his day.
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Brief biography
o 1.1 Personality
* 2 Childhood, Youth, and Military Service: 1930-1955
* 3 Early Ministry: 1955-1971
* 4 Challenging Times: 1971-1978
o 4.1 Garner Ted's Relationship with Stanley R. Rader
o 4.2 Father and son part ways
* 5 Post 1978 Ministry
* 6 Writings
* 7 Footnotes
* 8 References
* 9 External links
[edit] Brief biography
Armstrong was born in Portland, Oregon, to Loma Isabelle (Dillon) and Herbert W. Armstrong.[1] He was raised in Eugene, Oregon. He was the youngest of four children. He was named for a great-grandmother on his mother's side, Martha Garner, who was born in Suffolk, England in 1841 and died in Iowa in 1923, seven years before he was born.
Following service in the United States Navy during the Korean War, Armstrong returned to Pasadena, California where his father had moved the church's operations in 1946. He enrolled in Ambassador College, founded by his father and supported by the church. Ambassador was state-approved but not accredited, and Armstrong eventually completed bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in the only discipline offered, theology. He was ordained a minister in 1955 and held key administrative posts in both the Worldwide Church of God and Ambassador College until he was disfellowshipped (excommunicated) by his father in 1978. Prior to his removal, he was executive vice president of the church and president of the college, and was widely considered to be heir-apparent to succeed his father as head of the church and its operations.
[edit] Personality
In the mid 1970s, Penthouse magazine described Garner Ted as providing "late night companionship to thousands of truckers, the voice of the morning to millions of farmers, the living room preacher to a subculture of lonely, frightened, disoriented Americans." Noted for his charisma, movie star looks, and for being a music enthusiast, he toyed with becoming a nightclub singer before following his father into ministry. He was at ease before cameras and microphones. In radio and TV programs he mixed political, economic, and social news of the day with Bible-based commentary. Armstrong's voice, style and presentation attracted millions to the church-sponsored broadcasts. His voice was so widely known that his name was included with many of the world's politicians and entertainers on the record track The Intro and the Outro by the Bonzo Dog Band of the 1960s. On a radio commercial that aired in the Raleigh, NC area in the mid 1980s, he was among several celebrities said to have been seen at a popular restaurant in the area.
Armstrong's proclivity toward secular pursuits outside evangelism was evidenced by his appearance as a guest on the US television show "Hee Haw" in the 1970s (Armstrong had arranged for "Hee Haw" co-host Buck Owens to entertain attendees at the WCG's annual convention one year), and his apparent authorship of a novel, "Churchill's Gold" (not to be confused with a book by James Follet), penned under the pseudonym William Talboy Wright - a mixture of names from his grandparents: William Dillon (maternal grandfather), Isabelle Talboy (maternal grandmother), and Eva Wright (paternal grandmother). http://ljsheehan.livejournal.com
[edit] Childhood, Youth, and Military Service: 1930-1955
Garner Ted's genealogy is described in his father's autobiography. http://ljsheehan.livejournal.com The elder Armstrong reported that the Armstrong ancestors arrived in America in the late 1600s with William Penn. The ancestry was traced to Edward I of England, and according to the Church's teaching on the identity of the descendants of the ancient Israelites, back to King Herremon of [Ireland], and ultimately to King David of ancient Israel. Garner Ted's grandmother was "something like a third cousin to former President Herbert Hoover" (Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong, Vol. I, 1967 edition, pp. 25-26).
He was baptized in early 1953 (Origin and History, p. 36).
[edit] Early Ministry: 1955-1971
Garner Ted Armstrong was ordained to the ministry by his father in 1955. G.T. Armstrong later reported in a sermon that he didn't want to be a minister, to which his father answered something to the effect that because he didn't want to enter the ministry that was a sign that he should. In 1957, he began to take over much of his father's broadcasting responsibilities. During that same year, he travelled extensively through South America. As a fluent Spanish speaker, he made several Spanish language broadcasts of the World Tomorrow.
Armstrong conducted a major evangelistic campaign in Springfield, Missouri during the summer of 1958, around the time of the death of his brother Richard David Armstrong near San Luis Obispo, California. http://sheehan.myblogsite.com
In June 1959, Armstrong traveled with his father to Denmark, England, Rome, Italy and Monte Carlo to promote the World Tomorrow program. The younger Armstrong later described this trip as a positive bonding experience between father and son in the wake of the death of Richard David the previous year. It was during this trip that the Armstrongs discovered the property outside London that would later serve as the Bricket Wood campus of Ambassador College. Later that year, the younger Armstrong visited Australia and the Philippines to help oversee the overseas development of the Church's infrastructure. http://sheehan.myblogsite.com
In 1961, he was dispatched to Berlin to cover the growing tensions that led to the construction of the Berlin Wall.
After the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, Armstrong delivered an emotional message live on the World Tomorrow. He later reported that this was the most requested episode of the World Tomorrow broadcast.
Following a brief 1955 experiment on television by his father, Garner Ted Armstrong launched a televised version of the World Tomorrow in 1967. He would be the chief television host until 1978.
In 1968, he interviewed Franz Josef Strauss for the World Tomorrow.
[edit] Challenging Times: 1971-1978
The 1970s brought a series of reversals for Armstrong's career.
Ironically, the year 1972 had been prominent in Herbert W. Armstrong's prophetic views, as elaborated in a booklet called 1975 in Prophecy!. January 1972 was supposed to be the conclusion of the second of two 19-year "time cycles" which, according to the elder Armstrong, had begun in 1953 when The World Tomorrow began to be heard over Radio Luxembourg in Europe. According to his theory, at the conclusion of that second 19-year time cycle the members of the church were expected to flee to a place of refuge, which leading ministers had speculated could be the ancient city of Petra, carved into rock in Jordan. Following this flight, World War III supposedly would begin, with a United States of Europe rising up to overthrow both the United States of America and the United Kingdom. This fitted with both of the Armstrongs' teachings of a theory generally referred to as British Israelism, outlined in the elder Armstrong's book The United States and Britain in Prophecy.[2]
When the church's speculative prophecies about 1972 and 1975 did not occur, Garner Ted Armstrong proposed dropping such an approach in favor of one centered on Christian living and an outline of church doctrines and practice. His establishment of a "Systematic Theology Project" was eventually jettisoned by his father, but a form of it was later adopted by a separate church that Garner Ted would establish. [3]
[edit] Garner Ted's Relationship with Stanley R. Rader
By the mid-1970s, Stanley Rader, an attorney and church accountant who had been a personal assistant to Herbert W. Armstrong since 1958, appeared to be stepping into the number two position of administration previously thought to be Garner Ted's domain. Relations between the two became strained and a power struggle ensued.[4] One conflict was that Rader had set up privately owned, affiliated corporations that were doing business with the church. Garner Ted, and others in the organization, were skeptical of Rader's legal and financial dealings and suspected a bid to control the church's multi-million dollar business. One objection to Rader's role was that, being Jewish, he had never been a baptized member of the church or a practicing Christian. That obstacle was removed in 1975 when Rader was baptized by the elder Armstrong.
By the mid-1970s two different and rival views were developing regarding the work and future of the church.
One plan was formulated by Garner Ted Armstrong, who wanted to take the church in a direction built around a larger publishing and broadcasting platform that would go out under his name. Garner Ted was wary of prophecies built around specific dates, and he was reported to be against the idea of continuing to deliver messages that associated the U.S. and Britain with the Lost Ten Tribes. He experimented with turning the church's flagship magazine, The Plain Truth, into a tabloid-size newspaper in the style of the Christian Science Monitor. He envisioned a television broadcast along the lines of one that was later developed by the Christian Science Church, which created a short-lived nightly news program that was later seen on the Discovery Channel.
Meanwhile, Stanley Rader aided significantly in crafting a unique role for the senior Armstrong on the world stage: Herbert W. Armstrong was promoted to various governments as an "ambassador without portfolio for world peace." In that role he did not so much represent the Worldwide Church of God or Ambassador College as he did a completely new entity called the Ambassador International Cultural Foundation" (AICF). This foundation helped to finance the Tatum O'Neal motion picture Paper Moon; a new and slick commercial publication called Quest magazine; bought Everest House, a publishing company; and turned the Ambassador Auditorium, located on the college campus in Pasadena, into a performing arts venue that boasted an annual subscription series featuring world-renowned performers and celebrities from stage, screen and the recording arts. Gifts from the foundation helped Rader secure the audiences with world leaders for the elder Armstrong, whose message was less an overt Christian one than a more general one about peace, brotherly love, giving instead of getting, and a "great unseen hand from someplace" intervening in world affairs.
Garner Ted was known to disagree with this approach as well as the expenditure of funds on it and other foundation activities. It became an increasing point of division between father and son. http://sheehan.myblogsite.com
Meanwhile, in January 1976, he appeared on the television show Hee Haw. Some saw this as an increasing focus on secular pursuits.
In 1977, he officiated at the wedding of his father to the former Ramona Martin. The two would separate in 1982, and divorce in 1984.
[edit] Father and son part ways
As Rader's influence with the elder Armstrong grew, so did the gap between Garner Ted and his father. On top of the historic allegations of Garner Ted's gambling and adultery, the disagreement between father and son over operations and certain doctrinal positions of the church boiled over. In 1978 Herbert Armstrong excommunicated his son and fired him from all roles in the church and college the night of Wednesday, June 28, 1978 by means of a phone call to Tyler, Texas. Garner Ted moved to Tyler, Texas where he founded the Church of God International and the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association[5], through which he would soon return to the television airwaves.[1]
Garner Ted Armstrong never again had the media outreach that he had enjoyed in his father's organization, nor did his new church ever rival his father's in membership statistics. The Church of God, International, did, however, become a haven for some former members of the Pasadena church who took exception to Rader's role and/or the elder Armstrong's autocratic style. As a result, members of the Worldwide Church of God were forbidden by Herbert Armstrong from having any contact with Garner Ted, and his name was removed from a significant number of church publications. At the time of the separation, he was one of the Evangelists of the Worldwide Church of God.
However, in his later years, Armstrong's relationship with the Worldwide Church of God was somewhat cordial. Armstrong and his family were invited to stay on the Ambassador campus in Pasadena during the time of his father's funeral. He returned to the Big Sandy campus in 1986 for the funeral of Norval Pyle, an early Worldwide Church of God pioneer. In the spring of 1997, he was interviewed by a staff writer from the Ambassador University student newspaper. Finally, the church archivist sent him several family heirlooms that were held in the Worldwide Church of God's possession following his father's death.
[edit] Post 1978 Ministry
Garner Ted Armstrong continued his ministry through the Church of God, International in the years that followed. During this time, he appeared on both the John Ankerberg Show and the Oprah Winfrey Show.
He continued to conduct personal appearance campaigns throughout the United States, Australia, Jamaica, and Canada, although on a much smaller scale than during his heyday in the 1970s. During the 1980s, he was in Jamaica when a major hurricane (Hurricane Hugo?) struck the island.
In the fall of 1989, he travelled to Berlin to do on the spot radio broadcasts covering the fall of the Berlin Wall. This was coming full circle, as he had been in Berlin in 1961 as well.
His reputation was again damaged when a licensed nurse in Tyler accused him of making sexual advances during two massage sessions in 1995. She was interviewed by then-CNBC television host Geraldo Rivera, who showed portions of videotapes she had made during the encounters.[6] The fallout from the scandal was immediate and dramatic, and Armstrong was asked to step down from his roles with the Church of God International. He declined to appear on the Geraldo show to discuss the incident (although he had appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show several years back.) His next move was to heighten the profile of his Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association that he established, in 1998, the Intercontinental Church of God,[7] which he headed until his death in 2003 due to complications from pneumonia[8]. Upon Armstrong's death, country music artist Merle Haggard stated, ""Right after Johnny [Cash] died, I lost a real close friend in Garner Ted Armstrong. He was like a professor to me. What education I have, I owe to him. There was a period where I didn't even want to watch the news to see who else was gone."
Following his death in September 2003, Garner Ted was laid to rest in Gladewater Memorial Park, approximately two miles east of the former Big Sandy campus of Ambassador University. He is buried with his wife's family: his father in law Roy Hammer, his mother in law Pearl Hammer, and several other members of the Hammer family. (His parents, paternal grandmother, and brother are buried in Altadena, California. The Hammers were the donors of the original property on which the Ambassador campus was located. His widow Shirley continues to serve as the Vice-President of the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association, and continues to reside in the Hideaway Bay area of Flint, a small community outside Tyler, Texas.
Rather than selecting a new media spokesman, the evangelistic association continues to broadcast old programs made by Garner Ted on approximately 30 television stations and cable outlets[9]. The Intercontinental Church of God and Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association are now led by Mark Armstrong, one of three sons of Garner Ted and Shirley Hammer Armstrong. Mark Armstrong is not an ordained minister, but functions as CEO of the organizations. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
Armstrong initially became recognized when he succeeded his father as the voice of "The World Tomorrow," the church's radio program that aired around the world. A television program of the same name followed, aired mostly in North America, eventually giving way to a "Garner Ted Armstrong" broadcast, a half-hour program that mixed news and biblical commentary. His polemical message was unlike most other religious broadcasters of his day.
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Brief biography
o 1.1 Personality
* 2 Childhood, Youth, and Military Service: 1930-1955
* 3 Early Ministry: 1955-1971
* 4 Challenging Times: 1971-1978
o 4.1 Garner Ted's Relationship with Stanley R. Rader
o 4.2 Father and son part ways
* 5 Post 1978 Ministry
* 6 Writings
* 7 Footnotes
* 8 References
* 9 External links
[edit] Brief biography
Armstrong was born in Portland, Oregon, to Loma Isabelle (Dillon) and Herbert W. Armstrong.[1] He was raised in Eugene, Oregon. He was the youngest of four children. He was named for a great-grandmother on his mother's side, Martha Garner, who was born in Suffolk, England in 1841 and died in Iowa in 1923, seven years before he was born.
Following service in the United States Navy during the Korean War, Armstrong returned to Pasadena, California where his father had moved the church's operations in 1946. He enrolled in Ambassador College, founded by his father and supported by the church. Ambassador was state-approved but not accredited, and Armstrong eventually completed bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in the only discipline offered, theology. He was ordained a minister in 1955 and held key administrative posts in both the Worldwide Church of God and Ambassador College until he was disfellowshipped (excommunicated) by his father in 1978. Prior to his removal, he was executive vice president of the church and president of the college, and was widely considered to be heir-apparent to succeed his father as head of the church and its operations.
[edit] Personality
In the mid 1970s, Penthouse magazine described Garner Ted as providing "late night companionship to thousands of truckers, the voice of the morning to millions of farmers, the living room preacher to a subculture of lonely, frightened, disoriented Americans." Noted for his charisma, movie star looks, and for being a music enthusiast, he toyed with becoming a nightclub singer before following his father into ministry. He was at ease before cameras and microphones. In radio and TV programs he mixed political, economic, and social news of the day with Bible-based commentary. Armstrong's voice, style and presentation attracted millions to the church-sponsored broadcasts. His voice was so widely known that his name was included with many of the world's politicians and entertainers on the record track The Intro and the Outro by the Bonzo Dog Band of the 1960s. On a radio commercial that aired in the Raleigh, NC area in the mid 1980s, he was among several celebrities said to have been seen at a popular restaurant in the area.
Armstrong's proclivity toward secular pursuits outside evangelism was evidenced by his appearance as a guest on the US television show "Hee Haw" in the 1970s (Armstrong had arranged for "Hee Haw" co-host Buck Owens to entertain attendees at the WCG's annual convention one year), and his apparent authorship of a novel, "Churchill's Gold" (not to be confused with a book by James Follet), penned under the pseudonym William Talboy Wright - a mixture of names from his grandparents: William Dillon (maternal grandfather), Isabelle Talboy (maternal grandmother), and Eva Wright (paternal grandmother). http://ljsheehan.livejournal.com
[edit] Childhood, Youth, and Military Service: 1930-1955
Garner Ted's genealogy is described in his father's autobiography. http://ljsheehan.livejournal.com The elder Armstrong reported that the Armstrong ancestors arrived in America in the late 1600s with William Penn. The ancestry was traced to Edward I of England, and according to the Church's teaching on the identity of the descendants of the ancient Israelites, back to King Herremon of [Ireland], and ultimately to King David of ancient Israel. Garner Ted's grandmother was "something like a third cousin to former President Herbert Hoover" (Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong, Vol. I, 1967 edition, pp. 25-26).
He was baptized in early 1953 (Origin and History, p. 36).
[edit] Early Ministry: 1955-1971
Garner Ted Armstrong was ordained to the ministry by his father in 1955. G.T. Armstrong later reported in a sermon that he didn't want to be a minister, to which his father answered something to the effect that because he didn't want to enter the ministry that was a sign that he should. In 1957, he began to take over much of his father's broadcasting responsibilities. During that same year, he travelled extensively through South America. As a fluent Spanish speaker, he made several Spanish language broadcasts of the World Tomorrow.
Armstrong conducted a major evangelistic campaign in Springfield, Missouri during the summer of 1958, around the time of the death of his brother Richard David Armstrong near San Luis Obispo, California. http://sheehan.myblogsite.com
In June 1959, Armstrong traveled with his father to Denmark, England, Rome, Italy and Monte Carlo to promote the World Tomorrow program. The younger Armstrong later described this trip as a positive bonding experience between father and son in the wake of the death of Richard David the previous year. It was during this trip that the Armstrongs discovered the property outside London that would later serve as the Bricket Wood campus of Ambassador College. Later that year, the younger Armstrong visited Australia and the Philippines to help oversee the overseas development of the Church's infrastructure. http://sheehan.myblogsite.com
In 1961, he was dispatched to Berlin to cover the growing tensions that led to the construction of the Berlin Wall.
After the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, Armstrong delivered an emotional message live on the World Tomorrow. He later reported that this was the most requested episode of the World Tomorrow broadcast.
Following a brief 1955 experiment on television by his father, Garner Ted Armstrong launched a televised version of the World Tomorrow in 1967. He would be the chief television host until 1978.
In 1968, he interviewed Franz Josef Strauss for the World Tomorrow.
[edit] Challenging Times: 1971-1978
The 1970s brought a series of reversals for Armstrong's career.
Ironically, the year 1972 had been prominent in Herbert W. Armstrong's prophetic views, as elaborated in a booklet called 1975 in Prophecy!. January 1972 was supposed to be the conclusion of the second of two 19-year "time cycles" which, according to the elder Armstrong, had begun in 1953 when The World Tomorrow began to be heard over Radio Luxembourg in Europe. According to his theory, at the conclusion of that second 19-year time cycle the members of the church were expected to flee to a place of refuge, which leading ministers had speculated could be the ancient city of Petra, carved into rock in Jordan. Following this flight, World War III supposedly would begin, with a United States of Europe rising up to overthrow both the United States of America and the United Kingdom. This fitted with both of the Armstrongs' teachings of a theory generally referred to as British Israelism, outlined in the elder Armstrong's book The United States and Britain in Prophecy.[2]
When the church's speculative prophecies about 1972 and 1975 did not occur, Garner Ted Armstrong proposed dropping such an approach in favor of one centered on Christian living and an outline of church doctrines and practice. His establishment of a "Systematic Theology Project" was eventually jettisoned by his father, but a form of it was later adopted by a separate church that Garner Ted would establish. [3]
[edit] Garner Ted's Relationship with Stanley R. Rader
By the mid-1970s, Stanley Rader, an attorney and church accountant who had been a personal assistant to Herbert W. Armstrong since 1958, appeared to be stepping into the number two position of administration previously thought to be Garner Ted's domain. Relations between the two became strained and a power struggle ensued.[4] One conflict was that Rader had set up privately owned, affiliated corporations that were doing business with the church. Garner Ted, and others in the organization, were skeptical of Rader's legal and financial dealings and suspected a bid to control the church's multi-million dollar business. One objection to Rader's role was that, being Jewish, he had never been a baptized member of the church or a practicing Christian. That obstacle was removed in 1975 when Rader was baptized by the elder Armstrong.
By the mid-1970s two different and rival views were developing regarding the work and future of the church.
One plan was formulated by Garner Ted Armstrong, who wanted to take the church in a direction built around a larger publishing and broadcasting platform that would go out under his name. Garner Ted was wary of prophecies built around specific dates, and he was reported to be against the idea of continuing to deliver messages that associated the U.S. and Britain with the Lost Ten Tribes. He experimented with turning the church's flagship magazine, The Plain Truth, into a tabloid-size newspaper in the style of the Christian Science Monitor. He envisioned a television broadcast along the lines of one that was later developed by the Christian Science Church, which created a short-lived nightly news program that was later seen on the Discovery Channel.
Meanwhile, Stanley Rader aided significantly in crafting a unique role for the senior Armstrong on the world stage: Herbert W. Armstrong was promoted to various governments as an "ambassador without portfolio for world peace." In that role he did not so much represent the Worldwide Church of God or Ambassador College as he did a completely new entity called the Ambassador International Cultural Foundation" (AICF). This foundation helped to finance the Tatum O'Neal motion picture Paper Moon; a new and slick commercial publication called Quest magazine; bought Everest House, a publishing company; and turned the Ambassador Auditorium, located on the college campus in Pasadena, into a performing arts venue that boasted an annual subscription series featuring world-renowned performers and celebrities from stage, screen and the recording arts. Gifts from the foundation helped Rader secure the audiences with world leaders for the elder Armstrong, whose message was less an overt Christian one than a more general one about peace, brotherly love, giving instead of getting, and a "great unseen hand from someplace" intervening in world affairs.
Garner Ted was known to disagree with this approach as well as the expenditure of funds on it and other foundation activities. It became an increasing point of division between father and son. http://sheehan.myblogsite.com
Meanwhile, in January 1976, he appeared on the television show Hee Haw. Some saw this as an increasing focus on secular pursuits.
In 1977, he officiated at the wedding of his father to the former Ramona Martin. The two would separate in 1982, and divorce in 1984.
[edit] Father and son part ways
As Rader's influence with the elder Armstrong grew, so did the gap between Garner Ted and his father. On top of the historic allegations of Garner Ted's gambling and adultery, the disagreement between father and son over operations and certain doctrinal positions of the church boiled over. In 1978 Herbert Armstrong excommunicated his son and fired him from all roles in the church and college the night of Wednesday, June 28, 1978 by means of a phone call to Tyler, Texas. Garner Ted moved to Tyler, Texas where he founded the Church of God International and the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association[5], through which he would soon return to the television airwaves.[1]
Garner Ted Armstrong never again had the media outreach that he had enjoyed in his father's organization, nor did his new church ever rival his father's in membership statistics. The Church of God, International, did, however, become a haven for some former members of the Pasadena church who took exception to Rader's role and/or the elder Armstrong's autocratic style. As a result, members of the Worldwide Church of God were forbidden by Herbert Armstrong from having any contact with Garner Ted, and his name was removed from a significant number of church publications. At the time of the separation, he was one of the Evangelists of the Worldwide Church of God.
However, in his later years, Armstrong's relationship with the Worldwide Church of God was somewhat cordial. Armstrong and his family were invited to stay on the Ambassador campus in Pasadena during the time of his father's funeral. He returned to the Big Sandy campus in 1986 for the funeral of Norval Pyle, an early Worldwide Church of God pioneer. In the spring of 1997, he was interviewed by a staff writer from the Ambassador University student newspaper. Finally, the church archivist sent him several family heirlooms that were held in the Worldwide Church of God's possession following his father's death.
[edit] Post 1978 Ministry
Garner Ted Armstrong continued his ministry through the Church of God, International in the years that followed. During this time, he appeared on both the John Ankerberg Show and the Oprah Winfrey Show.
He continued to conduct personal appearance campaigns throughout the United States, Australia, Jamaica, and Canada, although on a much smaller scale than during his heyday in the 1970s. During the 1980s, he was in Jamaica when a major hurricane (Hurricane Hugo?) struck the island.
In the fall of 1989, he travelled to Berlin to do on the spot radio broadcasts covering the fall of the Berlin Wall. This was coming full circle, as he had been in Berlin in 1961 as well.
His reputation was again damaged when a licensed nurse in Tyler accused him of making sexual advances during two massage sessions in 1995. She was interviewed by then-CNBC television host Geraldo Rivera, who showed portions of videotapes she had made during the encounters.[6] The fallout from the scandal was immediate and dramatic, and Armstrong was asked to step down from his roles with the Church of God International. He declined to appear on the Geraldo show to discuss the incident (although he had appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show several years back.) His next move was to heighten the profile of his Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association that he established, in 1998, the Intercontinental Church of God,[7] which he headed until his death in 2003 due to complications from pneumonia[8]. Upon Armstrong's death, country music artist Merle Haggard stated, ""Right after Johnny [Cash] died, I lost a real close friend in Garner Ted Armstrong. He was like a professor to me. What education I have, I owe to him. There was a period where I didn't even want to watch the news to see who else was gone."
Following his death in September 2003, Garner Ted was laid to rest in Gladewater Memorial Park, approximately two miles east of the former Big Sandy campus of Ambassador University. He is buried with his wife's family: his father in law Roy Hammer, his mother in law Pearl Hammer, and several other members of the Hammer family. (His parents, paternal grandmother, and brother are buried in Altadena, California. The Hammers were the donors of the original property on which the Ambassador campus was located. His widow Shirley continues to serve as the Vice-President of the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association, and continues to reside in the Hideaway Bay area of Flint, a small community outside Tyler, Texas.
Rather than selecting a new media spokesman, the evangelistic association continues to broadcast old programs made by Garner Ted on approximately 30 television stations and cable outlets[9]. The Intercontinental Church of God and Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association are now led by Mark Armstrong, one of three sons of Garner Ted and Shirley Hammer Armstrong. Mark Armstrong is not an ordained minister, but functions as CEO of the organizations. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire
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