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Russia was a nation in Eastern Europe and Asia that rose to become the second greatest power in the world. After its formation following an era of Mongol rule, chaos broke out, resulting in the over three hundred year reign of the Romanov dynasty. The Romanovs and the Czar Nicolas II were overthrown in 1917 due to World War I and class tensions. Civil war soon broke out, with Leftist forces supporting the new found Russian Republic, which had a heavy socialist bent, against the Conservative monarchist " White Russians." The Entente Forces of Britain, France and the United States originally supported the White Russians, but later mediated a treaty creating a coalition between the two sides. The Russian Republic was highly corrupt and ineffective, and Russia remained in poverty for much of the 1920's, with Radical Bolshevik forces waging a low-level rebellion. When the Russian Republic's finances were destroyed with the start of the Great Depression in 1929, the government neared collapse. A charismatic monk and former adviser to the royals, Grigori Rasputin, and his ally Baron Von Ungern-Sternberg, then lead a march to Petrograd from his exile in Siberia, gathering much support and creating the New Russian Empire. The Black Hundreds became the ruling party. A strange twist of Fascism, anti-semitism, pan-slavism, and Orthodox theocracy came to dominate Russia, leading to the first successful totalitarian state.
Rasputin, calling himself the son of God, and Supreme Elder of the Slavic people, was technically not Emperor, this role falling to Czar Alexei II. However he was essentially the ruler of Russia, modernizing the nation, expanding its military for an invasion of Georgia from the U.S and the crushing of dissidents, and the extermination of Russia's Jews in the Holocaust. When the German People's Republic invaded in 1941, Russia was thrown into a terrible struggle against the Communist invaders, though Rasputin chased them out, and the Czar's Army occupied Eastern Europe, while the other major allied powers, primarily the U.S, occupied the West. World War III broke out after U.S president Douglas MacArthur expanded into the Middle East, threatening Russia. After Rasputin's death, uncertainty rocked the Russian hierarchy, and a ceasefire was negotiated. A disastrous invasion of Afghanistan also brought decline. The Americans continued bombing in 1959, and after the Armenian missile crisis in 1961, the Americans invaded the Russian Empire. Russia was hit by multiple nuclear missiles, Petrograd taken, and the Empire collapsed into various states, one of which, the Republic of the Volga, lead by Alexei II negotiated a ceasefire with the Americans, resulting in a heavily reduced democratic Russia recovering for the rest of the 20th century.
Revolution and Civil War
After three years of World War I, the Russian Empire was in a dire state. The Germans were making advances into the Russian heartland, food and supplies were scarce, and the people were starving. Added to previous societal issues within Russia, this meant revolution. In February 1917, massive riots and demonstrations lead to the abdication of Czar Nicolas II and the collapse of the Imperial government. A provisional government in Petrograd under Alexander Kerensky took over the nation, with the Socialist Revolutionary Party forming the majority of the government. On August 15, 1917, Kerensky, with the support of the Duma, declared the creation of the Russian Republic, abolishing the Russian nobility, and attempting to create a Socialist state. Kerensky also signed the Treaty of Brets-Litovisk with Germany promising massive concessions, ceding Poland, the Baltics and the Ukraine. As a result, General Kornilov attempted a coup to destroy the Republic and restore the Empire. Although the coup failed, Kornilov escaped, along with several conservative Russian generals to form the White Russian movement. The Russian Civil War had begun.
Kerensky had arranged a broad coalition of forces to back the Republic, ranging from the Moderate Constitutional Party to liberals and even the Bolsheviks, who, with their leader Lenin imprisoned in Germany, decided to support the Republic as Russia transformed into a socialist state before launching a Communist coup. Kerensky attempted to assemble an army out of workers, sailors, and left leaning Russian Army units. The Duma also supported the Republic. Kerensky emancipated the Jews, ensuring their unwavering support of the Republic. The White Russians, based in the East, had gathered several conservative army units, nobles, and certain Russian ministries. Meanwhile, several splinter republics broke off. Forces under General Denikin seized control of Kazan, but the Republic controlled most of European Russia. At first, the White Russian forces made advances, reaching the gates of Moscow by the middle of January 1918. But at this point, the Russian third army Unit defected, resulting in the Republic being able to push outward from its region of central control. The Allied forces of Britain, France, and the U.S, worried by the radical tendencies of the Republic, then gave support and supplies to the Whites, landing forces in Arkhangelsk and Vladisvostok, and allowing the White Russians to regroup in American held Armenia and Azerbaijan. As a result of this support, the White Russians reversed Republic advances and attempted to march into European Russia. It is at this point that the White Russians revealed their brutality, massacring thousands of civilians, and leading pogroms against Jews in the Ukraine. Bolshevik General Leon Trotsky, serving under the Republic, then mounted a defense pushing the White Russians across the Ural Mountains, and mounting an offense into Siberia. But disciplined forces under Alexander Kolchak stalled the offensive. Meanwhile, anarchist and separatist forces took control in several places. With so many factions and fronts, and with the impossibility of any force gaining a permanent advantage, Russia seemed doomed for permanent stalemate.
At this point, the Western powers began to rethink their support of the White Russians. While opposed to a Socialist Russia, the Entente had grown weary of war and sought to bring stability to Russia. In late 1918, Britain began mediating talks between delegates of the White Russians and the Russian Republic. By May of 1919, both Kerensky and General Denikin were ready to strike a deal. In the Treaty of Stockholm, Alexander Kerensky, Anton Denikin, and Alexander Kolchak, and many other factions agreed to lay down their arms, and share control of the Russian Republic. Although Czar Nicolas II and the royal family remained in exile in Denmark, the Russian nobility was maintained, and the Russian Army agreed to defend the Russian Republic. The Treaty was ratified in October of 1919, though fighting continued into 1920. As a result, Conservative and Moderate delegates were seated in the Duma, creating a weak coalition with Kerensky accepting a ministry post and liberal businessmen Alexander Konovalov as President. Petrograd remained the capital.
Despite the Treaty, many forces within Russia refused to recognize the Republic. Splinter Republics had to be forced back into Russia, revolts quelled. The Bolsheviks, feeling betrayed by Kerensky, went underground, and launched a small scale insurgency. Many of the Bolsheviks were captured and sent to labor camps in Siberia. Baron Von Ungern-Sternberg retreated with some White army units into Mongolia, which had been ceded by the Chinese in 1900, and continued to press for the restoration of the monarchy. And in the Ukraine and Belarus, a bloody campaign ensued as the Republic, with both Socialist and White support, crushed the anarchists from 1920-23. Despite these setbacks, Konovalov and the liberals sought to rebuild Russia. Taking massive loans from the U.S and Britain, Konovalov industrialized Russia, began construction of railroads and factories, sought to simulate Russian business, and even introduced radio. While pro-business initiatives appeared successful, the more progressive programs calling for improvement in the living standards of the Russian workers were defeated by Conservative delegates in the Duma. The general sense of goodwill that followed the Treaty of Stockholm faded away as the 1920's wore on. The coalition government, with corrupt elections and officials, had become ineffective. Much of Russia remained impoverished and backward, though the Progressives did succeed in transforming Russia into an industrial nation. Tensions increased between the Reformist and Conservative forces, which accelerated with the Great Depression in 1929.
Rasputin's Long March
It had become clear by the late 1920's that the coalition in the Russian Republic was not going to work. The Russian government had become highly corrupt and ineffective. Industrial interests had gained sway, and substandard conditions continued. While a few benefited from Russia's industrialization, economic inequality increased. It was perceived by many that the Jews had taken control of Russia The Bolsheviks, under Leon Trotsky, restarted their insurgency, bombing Republic buildings, leading demonstrations, attacking Nobles and Industrialists, and calling for a Revolution of the Proletariat. Many listened. Meanwhile, the monarchists had become increasingly uncooperative, blocking nearly all of the Reformist bills in the Duma. Russia soon fell increasingly into debt in order to pay for the reformist programs. When the Great Depression spread to Russia, the government lost millions, eventually forcing the government to declare bankruptcy. By this point, it was too late for the Republic.
During the Civil War, the Republic had tried and found guilty several members of the czarist government. After the war ended, these officials were sent to labor camps in Siberia. Among them was Grigori Rasputin. A peasant monk, Rasputin had worked his way into the council of the Royal Family, serving as a mystic and an advisor, and holding what some called unholy influence over the Czar. He had supposedly cured the heir to the throne, Alexei II, of hemophilia. Naturally, the Russian Republic viewed him as a threat, and since he was viewed with some contempt from the White forces, there was little opposition to his exile to Siberia. There was one more, apparently insignificant detail in this story- the lawyer who had Rasputin convicted, Mikhail Cherkasky, was Jewish.In the cold, dark labor camp in Magadan along the Sea of Okhotsk, Rasputin planned his revenge. Influenced by other political exiles in the camp, Rasputin laid forth his plans for Russia. Aiding Rasputin, and later writing down his memoir My Struggle, was a former Bolshevik, Josef Dugashvili. Dugashvili had been sent into exile for his revolutionary activities, but had now turned against not only the Russian Republic, but also the Bolsheviks, as he was disgusted by Trotsky. Both the Republic and the Bolsheviks were "infested by Jews," according to Dugashvili and Rasputin. In order for Russia to rise, they reasoned, they had to purge the nation of Jews. Dugashvili helped Rasputin refine his faith in the Slavic people, anti-semitism, anti-Communism, and Orthodox faith into an ideology - Fascism. Rasputin, though maintained his independence from Dugashvili, and developed a following in the large labor camp. Legend soon spread across Siberia of Rasputin's healing powers. Even the guards developed a certain respect for him, eventually giving him certain privileges over the other prisoners. The warden of the camp, who co-incidentally was also Jewish, was worried by Rasputin's growing influence, and eventually tried to have him transferred by boat to a larger camp in Vladivostok.
According to legend, when word reached the camp of the transfer, Rasputin decided he had had enough. On the cold morning of February 18, 1927, the tenth anniversary of the fall of the monarchy, Rasputin, Dugashvili, and several other exiles lead an attack on the Warden's base. Even the guards joined in. The Warden was found and beheaded. Rasputin's makeshift army soon seized control of all of Magadan, and massacred all of the Jews living there, or as Rasputin called them "Christ Killers and spawn of Satan." Rasputin's Long March had begun.News quickly spread of Rasputin's escape, and other revolts in various labor camps ensued. Rasputin's connections in other prison camps aided in the revolts. The revolting prisoners would join what became called the Holy Army. Rasputin's Holy Army then decided to head for Yakutsk, a nearly 1000 mile walk. Temperatures along the walk were among the coldest on Earth. Most of the original prisoners died on the way there. Rasputin and Dugashvili, however, remained in good health. As Rasputin journeyed through the Sakha Republic on a reindeer sled, his army seized control of various towns along the road. Most inhabitants in these towns were glad to swear allegiance to the holy man Rasputin, who some whispered was on a mission from God. Many citizens joined Rasputin's Holy Army. This replenishing was needed since Rasputin's forces had very high mortality rates due to the extreme weather. Word reached Yakutsk of the Holy Army, and a revolt broke out among the exiles in Yakutsk, and against the officials of the Russian Republic. Many Russian Army units, who disliked the Republic and its leftist sympathies, and had supported the Whites, defected. Additionally, the indigenous peoples, the Yakuts, were tired of Russian rule and saw an ally in Rasputin The large number of White Russians quickened the fall of the Sakha Republic. By the time the Holy Army reached Yakutsk on June 26, the city had already declared its loyalty to Rasputin. The entire Sakha Republic then fell under the control of the Holy Army.
The quick fall of Sakha masked the massive losses in the Holy Army. Nearly 80% of the original marchers from Magadan had perished. Rasputin remained in Yakutsk until April of 1928, gathering soldiers and supplies. The Russian Republic sent a significant expeditionary force headed by Anatoly Pepelyayev to crush the Holy Army. However, Pepelyayev was a White Russian, like most of the Holy Army. He resented his mission from the Russian Republic. Rasputin met with the general, and promised him control over Rasputin's bodyguard, the Order of the Raven. Rasputin also promised the restoration of Russia to greatness. The entire expedition, consisting of thousands of troops, then defected to the Holy Army. The Order of the Raven would eventually become Rasputin's personal shock troopers, prominent during the early years of his rule. This was a huge embarrassment to the Republic, and it contributed heavily to the downfall of Konovalov and the return of Kerensky to the presidency in December 1927.
Rasputin had spent most of the past year consolidating his control over Sakha. Most officials there and in the Northern Krasnoyarsk Oblast declared loyalty to Rasputin, viewing him as a liberator from the bureaucracy of the Russian Republic, and a White Russian Restorer. Rasputin also gained considerable popularity among the people of Siberia, who flocked to volunteer into his Holy Army. Only one section of Far Eastern Siberia remained outside his influence- a Republican enclave surrounding Vladivostok. Rasputin decided to seize control of this enclave. On April 7th, 1928, Rasputin and the Holy Army left Yakutsk, and headed south. The governor of Vladivostok, Ivan Strod, sent forth soldiers to meet Rasputin. The first two expeditions also defected, but the third managed to prevent Rasputin from seizing control of Khabarovsk, forcing him to make a temporary retreat. At this point, the Japanese Empire, sensing weakness, laid siege to Vladivostok in an attempt to take all of Siberia. Russian Army forces were sent along the Trans-Siberian Railway to free the city. Rasputin used the distraction to then take Khabarvosk. The Holy Army continued to Vladivostok. Although the Japanese had succeeded in taking control of the region, it was unclear for how long. The international community had condemned Japan's seizure, which had sparked a revolt in Manchuria, cutting off Japanese supply lines. Due to this, a recently unified China claimed it was ready to attack the Japanese if it continued expansion, and threatened to aid the revolt in Manchuria. The Japanese did not want to risk war with the Russian Republic or China, and needed to reinforce their troops in Manchuria. When the Holy Army defeated a Japanese scout group and neared Vladivostok, which was already under attack from the Russian Army, the Japanese decided to press for peace. The military governor of Vladivostok invited Rasputin for negotiations in September 1928. Rasputin allowed the Japanese to leave Russia unharmed, giving him control over Vladivostok, and all of Eastern Siberia.
Although other factors played in the Japanese withdrawal from Vladivostok, Rasputin's propagandists made it seem that Rasputin had single-handed chased the invaders out of Russia. All Republican forces in the region then joined the Holy Army. With control of Vladivostok, Rasputin now had access to the Trans-Siberian Railway, allowing the Holy Army to move men and supplies much quicker. Rasputin also discovered a new invention- radio. From a station in Vladivostok, Rasputin transmitted his messages across Russia, even into Petrograd, the capital. Rasputin declared he was on a mission from God to restore Russia, to rid the nation of Jews and other enemies of God, to unify the Slavic peoples, and prepare for the end times in which Russia would rule over the world as the Kingdom of God. To the impoverished peasants, Rasputin seemed to be a savior. Impoverished Siberians, including various indigenous groups, flocked to join the Holy Army. Under Rasputin's influence, many conservatives withdrew from the government, leading to even further inefficiency in the Russian Republic. Kerensky repeatedly ordered the Commander of Russian forces in Siberia, Alexander Kolchak, to crush Rasputin. Kolchak, being a White Russian, remained passive, and allowed Rasputin to advance through Siberia. He secretly sent deputies to meet with General Pepelyayev in order to negotiate a defection.
On Christmas Eve, 1928, Rasputin met with the warlord of Mongolia, Baron Von Ungern-Sternberg. Ungern had amassed a large White Russian Army in Mongolia, outnumbering the Holy Army. Ungern held very similar views to Rasputin, and wished to aid him in his takeover of Russia. Mongolia then joined the Holy Army, and Ungern became Rasputin's second in command, and Minister of War. Ungern then began to march on Irkutsk with a combined force of Mongolians and White Russians. Despite Rasputin's belief in the superiority of Slavs; many of his forces consisted of non-Orthodox Christian, Asian peoples. Rasputin thus selectively distributed propaganda among the Buddhists that he was a Buddha, and a powerful spirit among the Shamanists. Rasputin also declared that the Buryats and the Yakuts were also chosen by God to help the Slavs rule the world.
Moving with little opposition through Amur and the Transbaikal, and gaining control of key Buryat militias under the command of Grigory Semyonov, Rasputin faced heavy opposition in Chita. There was a significant Jewish population in the city, and the Jews there feared Rasputin's rule. Many other Chitans were loyal to the Republic, and joined the Jews. The Jewish population was reinforced by Republican forces from the Trans-Siberian Railway, who attempted to sabotage the section of the railway under the control of the Holy Army. Although the Republic slowed the Holy Army, it didn't stop Rasputin from winning the Battle of Chita in March of 1929. The Holy Army showed no mercy. The entire Jewish quarter was burned to the ground. The Holy Army then besieged Ulan Ude, where the Buryat population rebelled against the Republican garrison and joined the Holy Army, freeing Rasputin of another obstacle on the road to Irkutsk.The Holy Army then followed the Railway to Irkutsk, which was under siege from the Mongolians under General Sepailoff, Ungern's second in command. All of the armies of the republic in Siberia had gathered here to defeat Rasputin. Ungern shut off the railroads and had blockaded the city. In the Battle of Baikal, the Holy Army successfully defeated the last major Republic advance. As the Mongolians and the Holy Army converged on the city, inflicting massive damage on the Republican forces, the Marshal of the Russian Army, Alexander Kolchak arrived, and ordered the Republican forces to defect. Most did so, excepting a few leftist regiments. The Holy Army then turned on these regiments, and killed them all in the Irkutsk massacre, and seized the city by June 20th, 1929. Revolt soon broke out in Western Siberia, with White sympathizers seizing control of Omsk and declaring themselves part of the Holy Army. With Ungern's troops occupying Tuva and Altai, Rasputin had undisputed domination over Siberia. The last Republican garrison in Krasnoyarsk fell soon after.
The success of the Holy Army, combined with later losses in the Great Depression, sparked a revolt by the former White Russian forces in European Russia. A famine in the Winter of 1930 aided in the popularity of this revolt. Many starving peasants, who made little gains under the Russian Republic, and encouraged by the legend of Rasputin and his radio broadcasts, rose up against the Russian Republic, and conducted pogroms against Jews, who had played a major role in the government of the Russian Republic. Initially, the Russian Republic was able to crush the first major revolt in the summer of 1929. But when the stock market in America crashed in October, the Russians took huge losses, as they had taken heavy loans from the West. The Republic also lost revenue when Rasputin took Siberia, the tax authorities there had been killed or defected. Nervous investors withdrew from Russia, creating massive unemployment and poverty. The Russian Republic had previously been fairly strong in European Russia, but with the loss of Siberia and its inability to pay its debts, the majority of the Russian population turned against it. In March of 1930, when the Russian Republic declared bankruptcy, General Krasnov lead the Russian Army to begin another revolt after a failed military coup. Chaos ensued.
After the Holy Army had taken Irkutsk, significant logistical issues had been solved. With Kolchak's and Ungern's forces, the Holy Army now had enough men to attack European Russia. Since the infrastructure in the West was far more developed, the Holy Army now moved quicker and had lower mortality rates. Food, shipped by rebel peasants in both East and West, was no longer an issue. The Holy Army moved at an almost leisurely pace, taking Tomsk in October of 1929 and Yekaterinburg in February of 1930. Ungern's troops moved through the Kazakh and Turkic regions, pushing the Republic west. As the Holy Army gathered strength and crossed the Urals in 1930, Russia was in the brink of open revolt. Peasants attacked Russian bureaucrats and Jews, and Krasnov attacked Republican forces. In the Battle of Kazan in July of 1930, General Krasnov and Rasputin united to crush a Republican army, while during the same summer, White Russian forces took control of the Caucasus, defeating Kerensky's forces.
With the Holy Army over the Urals, Moscow and the capital, Petrograd, lay open. Kerensky decided to make a stand in Moscow. Most of the remaining Republican forces gathered to defend him. Even the Bolsheviks made occasional attacks against the Holy Army. Ungern, Krasnov, Kolchak, and Rasputin all united in a four month siege. Republican forces held the heart of Russia, the few Republicans remaining fought bitterly against the Holy Army. By Christmas of 1930, the combined White Russian forces had crushed the Republican garrison, seized most of European Russia, taken Moscow, and killed Alexander Kerensky.
The Republic held on to the Capital of Petrograd, and a few remaining outposts. Rasputin waited, calling for the return of the Romanov Family. The former Czarina Alexandra was delighted at the return of her "Dear Friend', and convinced her son Alexei to prepare to return to Russia. On the 4th anniversary of the beginning of the Long March, February 18th, 1931, Rasputin and the Holy Army walked into Petrograd, defeating the small Republican garrison. Alexei II, his mother, and several other royal family members arrived in Petrograd. On that day, Rasputin declared the New Russian Empire, crowning Alexei II Emperor of Russia, and himself Supreme Elder of the Slavic People. The Duma was dissolved, and replaced with a Council of Nobles who theoretically ran the country with the Czar. But in truth, Rasputin now ruled Russia.
New Russian Empire
Despite Rasputin having crossed over 6000 miles of Russia, and rallying the Russian masses around him, his control over the nation was not complete. Some leftists had refused to accept the new government. A leftist committee had gone underground and called for a Soviet Union to rule Russia. Naturally, Rasputin could not allow any rebellions to persist. But Rasputin also wished to re-unify the former Russian Empire. In 1921, the United States had conquered the Republic of Georgia in the Caucasus. Coincidentally, Rasputin's most trusted advisor, Dugashvili, was from Georgia. Under Dugashvili's influence, and under the conviction that all the Slavic Peoples should be united, Rasputin decided to invade Georgia, and also American held Armenia and Azerbaijan. Flush from recent victories, and confident that the U.S, thousands of miles away would be unable to aid its colony, Rasputin prepared for invasion.
On July 4th, 1931, 40,000 Russian troops entered Georgia, with General Avalov, another Georgian seeking to liberate his homeland, at the front. While the Russians caught the Americans by surprise, forcing them out of the country, the U.S planned a counter assault. Militias were raised out of the native Armenians, and Greek troops were summoned to aid the Americans. The initial victories of the Russians quickly fell into stalemate. Rasputin escalated the number of troops, but Russia was not ready for a full scale war. During the war, in September of 1931, a group of leftists lead by Leon Trotsky attempted to incite a revolt. As there remained considerable sentiment against Rasputin and the Orthodox Church, Rasputin feared the Leftists could destroy the Empire. The Czar's Army was sent to crush the revolutionaries. This distracted from the war in Georgia, where the Americans had rallied a surprising number of troops. Meanwhile, an American naval fleet had headed to Vladivostok, clashing with Russian ships in the huge Battle of Okhotsk. Wishing to maintain his power, Rasputin agreed to negotiate with U.S president Charles Dawes. A ceasefire was negotiated, and in the Treaty of Sofia, signed in 1932, the Americans ceded control of Georgia to Russia in exchange for war time reparations over the next two decades. Rasputin declared the Georgian war a victory, though he had barely averted a near fiasco. Rasputin decided to spend the next decade solidifying his rule over Russia before attempting even more expansion.
Rasputin's brutality had been evident from the day he inaugurated himself as Supreme Elder. He combined the Russian Police, the Interior Ministry and particularly loyal members of the Holy Army into a new agency, the Ministry of Orthodoxy, with Andrei Shkuro at its head. The Ministry of Orthodoxy would eventually overshadow the Order of the Raven in importance. The Secret police was used extensively against Leftists and Jews. Anyone suspected of leftist views was likely to end up dead or in a labor camp. The Empire called them agents of Satan. Some, including Leon Trotsky, fled to Germany before Rasputin could establish his government. Rasputin, calling himself an agent of God, also took over the Russian Orthodox Church, and turned it into his propaganda machine and an arm of the state. Monks were expected of holding the masses under Rasputin's will. While many monks willingly followed Rasputin, who they believed would purify Russia, many preached against him. The latter monks were quickly executed in Rasputin first purge, to eliminate those who questioned his religious authority in the clergy.
Rasputin also invented a plan to industrialize the Empire, based on the advice of Dugashvili and Russian industrialist Albert Spiridovich. Rasputin compared it to the story of Jesus feeding an entire crowd based on five loafs of bread and a few pieces of salmon, implying the Russian people would never go hungry again despite recent famines. Hence, it became known as the Five Loafs Plan. The plan tried to enact massive industrialization, building factories and infrastructure at a very fast rate. Production of steel and metals increased drastically. The Five Loafs Plan could not be enacted without massive suffering on the part of the Russian people. Forced labor was central to the plan. Jews and other religious minorities, particularly the Muslim Turkic groups, were the primary victims, being sent to labor camps. Many of them died in the massive overhaul. Meanwhile, pogroms against Jews continued throughout the 1930's, with Jews losing all of their rights, and facing large-scale intimidation. This would eventually culminate in the Holocaust. Many escaped to the German People's Republic, which offered refuge to Jews in the Russian Empire.
Many of the more Conservative supporters of Rasputin were shocked by some of his more radical changes. In order to secure his support among the peasantry, and have more productive agriculture, Rasputin had begun re-distributing much of the land, which the Republic had been unable to complete. The landowners and nobles were concerned at this change, leading some to openly agitate against Rasputin. The landowners were very powerful, and Rasputin would not tolerate their dissent. In 1933, Rasputin began his purge of the aristocracy. The Ministry of Orthodoxy raided and burned several mansions, and the most prominent dissenters were never seen again. The aristocrats were frightened into submission, and slowly merged with the new bureaucrats and officials under Rasputin. The Czar's Army was never fully purged, though many who were a threat in the officer core were killed. Alexander Kolchak, for example, was found guilty of consorting with the spawn of Satan and was executed in 1936. These purges meant no one could challenge Rasputin's personality cult.
The entire basis of the New Russian Empire was Rasputin's personality cult. Among the Russian peasantry, Rasputin was considered a prophet of God. Millions prayed to him daily. Rasputin soon had himself sainted by the Orthodox Church, despite still being alive. Every Sunday, Rasputin would recite a sermon over the radio to justify his regime, which millions listened to. Tight censorship was imposed, most foreign books were banned, and the state newspapers glorified Rasputin. Even the Bible was edited to make it appear that God had foretold the rise of Rasputin and the New Russian Empire. Russians, and to a lesser extent, other Slavs, were considered by Rasputin's sect to be the True Chosen people, not the Jews. The Bible was also edited to make it appear that Jews were agents of Satan. Rasputin also had a large harem, and instituted several mystic ceremonies into Russian Orthodoxy, glorifying the Empire and himself. Rarely appearing in public, Rasputin became something of a mythic figure, almost a god. This was exactly the image he wished to cultivate. No devout Russian would challenge an agent of God. Therefore, despite the presence of the Czar, who Rasputin claimed to be a father to, Rasputin came to be regarded as the undisputed ruler of Russia.
Culturally, foreign ideas and peoples were shunned, and a Russian culture was promoted. Russian Orthodox doctrine was heavily promoted- Rasputin wanted people to submit to God by submitting to the State. Saints such as John of Kronstadt and Tikhon of Zadonsk were widely venerated. Tikhon's doctrine of humility was corrupted into submission to the Empire. The Czarist adviser Pobedonstsev' anti-liberal views were also incorporated. In secular matters, the philosophy of Pochvennichestvo, or nativist agriculturalism served as a partial justification for the Empire's policies. It turned out Rasputin was a Dostoevskyphile, identifying with that author's exile and later religious conversions. Heavily edited versions of Dostoevsky, particularly the Brothers Karamazov, were promoted by the state, including radio and film dramas, which were meant to appeal to the poor. The characters of Zosima and Alyosha came to be identified with Rasputin and the pure, Russian peasant; while Ivan and Smerdyakov came were associated with Marxists and Jews. As Smerdyakov, in the new Brothers Karamazov, was a Jew who murdered his father, so too, in state propaganda, would the Jew try to murder Mother Russia. As a result, Brothers Karamazov came to be viewed as anti-semitic and state propaganda, leading to its banning in America along with other Russian works during World War III.
One of the few real challenges to the Empire was a revolt in the Turkic provinces. The majority of the inhabitants there were Muslim, and therefore immune to Rasputin's religious propaganda. In 1935, an uprising began in Uzbekistan. Millions rose up against the Empire and the forced labor they had endured. Of course, the Empire responded quickly. The Czar's Army was mobilized, and slashed and burned through the rebellious provinces. General Wrangel stormed Tashkent, which was razed by Russian troops. The Ministry of Orthodoxy then purged the area of rebels. Thus ended the last domestic challenge to Rasputin's regime, excepting leftists in the Ukraine, who remained underground.
Another core policy of the New Russian Empire was intolerance of Jews. Jews were heavily taxed, forced to live in certain areas, faced heavy restrictions, and were frequent victims of pogroms. Rasputin also used Jews for forced labor throughout the 1930's. As Jews became increasingly marginalized, Rasputin declared the Final Solution in 1940- the total extermination of all Jews living in Russia. Over seven million Jews perished in what later became known as the Holocaust. The labor camps were eventually converted into extermination camps, and with many extermination camps in isolated Siberia, the full extent of the Holocaust did not become known until after Rasputin's death. However, many Jews escaped west from Russia, later helping to establish the nation of Israel.
World War II
Originally, the German People's Republic and the New Russian Empire had very tense relations, at some points nearly going to war. But both Germany and Russia had one interest in common- they wanted to expand their borders without the interference of the Western Powers. So despite the two government being utter ideological opposites, the two governments decided to negotiate for control of Eastern Europe. In the Dugashvili-Meyer Pact, the two nations promised non-aggression, and secretly divided Eastern Europe - Germany would receive Western Poland, Russia would receive Eastern Poland and the Baltic Republics. They also temporarily promoted trade between the two nations.
When the German People's Republic invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, Britain and France declared war. Soon after, the Czar's Army, under General Kutepov, took over Eastern Poland, which had a large Jewish population. This Jewish population was quickly targeted for extermination. Rasputin claimed he was liberating Poland from Satanic rule, and uniting all the Slavic peoples. In 1940, Russia invaded Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, all of which quickly fell, though an invasion of Finland stalled. In Lithuania, a rebel group known as the Forest Brothers continued resistance. Rasputin prepared for the time when the Empire would expand even further east, bringing all the Slavs under the same banner. Despite the German expansion across Europe, Rasputin remained confident.
But in 1940, as Rasputin's hold over Eastern Europe tightened, revolt broke out. In response to the plight of the Forest Brothers, and with encouragement from Germany, Anarchist and Marxist militias in the Ukraine launched a guerrilla war, and began building support among the Ukrainian population. With the Forest Brothers revolting, and Ukrainian anarchist militias joining them, the Germans had an excuse and the support necessary to declare war on Russia. As the Ukraine broke out in open revolution, Germany invaded the New Russian Empire in late June of 1941. Ironically, the offensive was lead by Leon Trotsky, who sought to liberate his homeland. The next few months would be disastrous for Rasputin and his Empire.
With massive Communist armies incoming, and large uprisings, the ill-prepared Czar's Army was forced back to the gates of Petrograd by late October. Rasputin was forced to relocate to Moscow, as Petrograd was no longer safe. With Communist troops on the verge of destroying the Russian Empire, Rasputin called for drastic action. In a radio broadcast on November 8th, Rasputin declared that he was the son of God, and that he would lead a Holy war against the invading Jewish Satanic menace. All who cooperated with the Germans, declared Rasputin, were enemies of God. With the long, cold winter settling in, the Czar's Army was able to stall the overextended German offensive.
The Communists were trapped outside Petrograd, and began a long and bloody siege of the city with the support of the Forest Brothers. But with Rasputin declaring a Holy war and creating enormous amounts of propaganda, the Russians were ready to stop the Communists.
Rasputin relocated industrial production to the West of the Urals, and approached the Western Allies for assistance. The Americans in Armenia reluctantly gave military and logistical support to the Russian Army holding Tsaritsyn against a Communist siege. An American-Azerbaijani army arrived to support the Russians, to prevent the Communists from reaching Armenia. Due to Tsaritsyns' strategic location, the Communists, who included Germans, Italians, Hungarians and Ukrainians, sent over a million men to aid in the siege. The Russians fought the Communists with religious fervor. The battle degenerated into close quarters urban warfare. Baron Ungern, the Minister of War, sent forth suicide bombers against the Communists. The Communists were overextended, and faced low supplies and morale. As a result, the Communists were forced to retreat. Following the Communist retreat, Russian tanks headed by General Alexei Brusilov II engaged the Germans in the Battle of Kursk, another Russian victory.
With enormous sacrifice, the Russians were able to push the Communists out of Russia proper, and the Siege of Petrograd was eventually broken by General Krasnov. The intensity of the Communist occupation had alienated many Russians who had initially welcomed the Communists as liberators. However, the Communists were still supported by the Ukrainian Liberation Army and the Forest Brothers. These Slavic forces were fanatically anti-Rasputin and left-wing. The Russians feared that with the Ukrainian Liberation Army still active in Russian territory, the Communists might be able to regain a foothold. Indeed, Ukrainians behind Russian lines were able to sabotage the Russians significantly. Rasputin thus unleashed an enormous wave of racist and antisemitic propaganda among the Ukrainians. He claimed that Jewish Communists were plotting to destroy all of the Slavs, including the Ukrainians. Although the majority of the Ukrainian Liberation Army ignored this propaganda, it struck a nerve among the more Nationalist and less Marxist militias. The Germans had made it clear that the Revolution would eliminate national boundaries and governments. The Germans declined to establish a Ukrainian state, reasoning that Ukraine as a national entity would cease to exist once World War II concluded with the victory of the Revolution. The German occupation also alienated the non-ULA Ukrainians. Thus General Semyon Timoshenko of the Ukrainian Liberation Army was persuaded to launch a revolt against the Communists, with the understanding that Ukrainians, as Slavs, would be equal to the Russians. Timoshenko's revolt dismantled the previously impenetrable Communist defenses around the Ukraine, allowing the Czar's Army to enter Ukraine and Belarus. Following the defeat of the Communists there, the Forest Brothers were massacred.
Additionally, the Russians renewed their offensive against the Finns. The British, who were attempting to liberate Norway from Communist occupation, supported the Russian offensive and sent the Russians naval support. Despite strong Finnish resistance, the Russians were persistent, and eventually bombed the Finns into surrendering in 1946.
The Germans had suffered heavy casualties in Tsaritsyn and Kursk, and had become heavily reliant on Ukrainian and Balkan troops. When Timoshenko defected, the Russians were able to destroy the Ukrainian Liberation Army, giving the Germans a severe deficit in manpower. The Russians pushed through Poland and Romania. The Romanians rallied around Corneliu Codreanu and overthrew the Communist occupation with Russian support. Some Poles supported the Communists, but the antisemitic propaganda of Rasputin reduced Polish collaboration with the Germans. This antisemitic propaganda was so effective because German Chancellor Leo Jogiches (Imperial States of America) and his lover Rosa Luxemburg were both Jewish, in addition to Trotsky. This antisemitic propaganda eventually prompted the Konigsberg revolt, which took a heavy toll on Communist forces. As a result, the Czar's Army headed by Generals Brusilov and Krasnov was able to push the Communists out of Poland.
Meanwhile the Western Allies had landed in France and liberated much of Western Europe. This distraction allowed Russia to invade Germany itself. As the Czar's Army neared Berlin, Leo Jogiches lead a desperate charge against the Russian lines, resulting in his death. Following an intense, last-ditch defense by the Communists, the Russians entered Berlin. Baron Ungern triumphantly ordered the Reichstag demolished and replaced with a massive church dedicated to Rasputin. The new German Chancellor, Walter Ulbright, surrendered to the Allies on November 11th 1945, ending the European Theater of World War II.
Following World War II, the Russians overran Hungary, Finland, North Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and Serbia- virtually all of the Slavic lands. Rasputin's dream of Pan-Slavism was finally realized. The Baltic nations and Poland were immediately annexed by the Russian Empire following the Communist defeat. Hungary, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia were annexed in 1947. Russian-occupied East Germany was annexed and became known as the Prussian Oblast. A client state was established in North Bulgaria. The Fascist Iron Curtain had descended upon Eastern Europe.
Andrei Shkuro and the Ministry of Orthodoxy immediately began purging the new lands of undesirables. All Jews who had not fled the Czar's Army were sent to extermination camps in Siberia. The Ministry of Orthodoxy also persecuted former Communists and their collaborators. The harsh anti-Communist line of the Russians gained Rasputin many supporters in the newly annexed lands. This purge was obviously most intense in occupied Germany, with thousands either executed or sent into labor camps. Communist concentration camps created in Eastern Europe for political undesirables were ironically used by the Russians to intern Communists and other opponents to Russian rule.
The Serbs, being Orthodox Slavs, were most easily converted to Rasputin's brand of Russian Orthodoxy and political Fascism, which now stated that Rasputin was the Messiah. When the Russians entered Yugoslavia, the Serbs had eagerly overthrown and executed Tito, the collaborator appointed head of Yugoslavia by the Communists. Now the Serbs were able to persuade the Russians to aid in their ethnic grievances. The Russians and Serbs persecuted the Muslim Bosniaks and Kosovars and eventually placed them in concentration camps. This horrified the Albanians, who were now under American occupation. The Albanians began supporting a Kosovar insurgency against the Russians. However, the heavy Serb presence initially prevented this insurgency from becoming successful.
The more difficult obstacle to Russian rule was the fact that many of their new Slav subjects were Roman Catholic, and thus rejected Rasputin's claim to divinity. Following the execution of the Communists and Jews, Shkuro cracked down on the Catholic Church in Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Croatia. While Roman Catholicism remained legal, the Russian Orthodox Church was forcibly imposed on Catholic areas. Priests who refused to accept Rasputin's divinity were executed. The Russian Empire ordained new Catholic Priests who were not recognized by the church in Rome. Thousands of Catholics were killed by the Russians for their beliefs. The Pope condemned Russia's actions, and helped the Americans create a Catholic insurgency in Eastern Europe. Shkuro thus decided to relax his anti-Catholic campaign.
Romania, not being a Slavic country, remained independent of Russia. However, being an Orthodox country, they aligned with Russia politically and spiritually. Romanian Dictator Corneliu Codreanu accepted Rasputin as his spiritual mentor, but condemned the Russian occupation of Bessarabia.
Following the German invasion, the New Russian Empire sought to rebuild its economy and the infrastructure that had been destroyed. The Russians were heavily reliant on forced labor from Eastern European conscripts for this purpose. Rasputin, paranoid of a future war and suffering from dementia, continued to increase Russian military power and oppress his subjects even further.
The struggle for Global domination
The defeat of the Communist International, the Pan-American Alliance and the Japanese Empire left two superpowers standing at the end of World War II- the New Russian Empire and the United States of America. Although the Americans had aided the Russians against the Communists, they remembered the Russian invasion of Georgia and Armenia. Additionally, they found Rasputin's cult repugnant, and Russian military strength a threat to American hegemony. Foreign Secretary Dugashvili sought Allies against the Americans. He supported the rise of the Blue Shirts in China, who had established a Fascist state. Dugashvili knew that while spreading Russian Orthodoxy to every nation was impossible; Fascist client states could be established as a bulwark against American imperialism. Dugashvili thus began funding revolutionaries in Iran in preparation for an eventual Russian takeover.
But Rasputin was most concerned with Palestine. Jews fleeing the Russians had escaped to Palestine, where they had joined an already strong Jewish community. Following British withdrawal, the Americans, partially to annoy the Russians, had helped the Jews establish the nation of Israel and defeat the Arabs. Rasputin saw this as a direct affront to his person, and he publicly denounced the new nation "The Creation of the Anti-Christ, Satan's Earthly Kingdom." Since Russia did not border Israel, Rasputin decided to attack the United States, who were occupying West Germany, Austria, Albania, Greece, and South Bulgaria. However, Dugashvili realized that Russia was not yet ready for a war with the U.S, so Rasputin was convinced to blockade Vienna instead in protest. The blockade nearly resulted in war. The Russians funneled arms to Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon, and also to the secular Arab Fascist movement known as Ba'athism.


|Publication number||US7702175 B2|
|Application number||US 11/391,674|
|Publication date||Apr 20, 2010|
|Filing date||Mar 29, 2006|
|Priority date||Mar 30, 2005|
|Also published as||EP1708488A2, EP1708488A3, US20060228043|
|Publication number||11391674, 391674, US 7702175 B2, US 7702175B2, US-B2-7702175, US7702175 B2, US7702175B2|
|Inventors||Satoshi Yazaki, Hirofumi Honda|
|Original Assignee||Pioneer Corporation|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (19), Referenced by (10), Classifications (13), Legal Events (4)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus which performs image processing on an input image signal, which is brightness values input at intervals of a constant period of time, based on the frequency of the brightness change of the input image signal to improve a visual effect and other effects.
2. Description of the Related Art
The image display method and apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Kokai No. 2000-4380 are configured to be able to improve the contrast of an image display without increasing the circuit size by using an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter as a low pass filter.
To improve image visual effects, such as contrast, on an image, a low pass filter comprising a finite impulse response (FIR) filter that is more stable than an IIR filter is typically used.
In a method using such conventional LPFs, however, if an image includes a steep gradation change or a step input, like from zero to the maximum or vice versa between adjacent pixels, a phenomenon occurs in which the image on which a sharpening process has been performed becomes significantly different from the original one around the region where such gradation change occurs. Referring to
The present invention is directed to solve problems, including the above problem as an example, and has as its object to provide an image processing apparatus which can prevent an adverse effect of a sharpening process, that is, a phenomenon in which an original image is impaired.
The image processing apparatus according to the present invention receives an input image signal, performs an enhancement process on a high frequency component included in the input image signal on the basis of a low frequency component of the input image signal, and comprises: a combined wave component generator that extracts the low frequency component from the input image signal and combines a step variation component of the input image signal with the low frequency component to generate a combined wave component; and an enhancement processor that performs an enhancement process on the high frequency component obtained by removing the combined wave component from the input image signal.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The input image signal Vin is input not only to a LPF 20 but also to a subtracter 30 and an adder 50. The subtracter 30 subtracts a low frequency component Vlo output from the LPF 20 from the received input image signal Vin, and outputs a high frequency component Vh to a gain controller 40. The gain controller 40 multiplies the received high frequency component Vh by a predetermined gain G to obtain a gain-multiplied high frequency component Vhg, which is output to the adder 50. The adder 50 adds the gain-multiplied high frequency component Vhg to the input image signal Vin and outputs the result as the output image signal Vout to external circuits. The LPF 20 is a low pass filter that receives the input image signal Vin and outputs the low frequency component Vlo determined by a predetermined cut-off frequency. The input image signal Vin is input to a multiplier 22R in a multiplier group 22, a delay element 21 a, and a slope detector 25 b. The delay element 21 a delays the received input image signal Vin by an amount corresponding to time D, and outputs the delayed signal to a slop detector 25 a, the slop detector 25 b, a delay element 21 b, and a multiplier 22C in the multiplier group 22. The delay element 21 b further delays the received input image signal Vin, which has been delayed by the time D, by an amount corresponding to the time D, and outputs the delayed signal to the slop detector 25 a and a multiplier 22L in the multiplier group 22. The brightness value of the input image signal Vin delayed by the time 2D set by the delay elements 21 a and 21 b is denoted by VinL as an input brightness value corresponding to a pixel L; the value of the input image signal Vin delayed by the time D set by the delay element 21 a is denoted by VinC as an input brightness value corresponding to a pixel C; and the value of the input image signal Vin without delay is denoted by VinR as an input brightness value corresponding to a pixel R.
The multiplier group 22 includes the multipliers 22L, 22C, and 22R having respective multiplication values or tap coefficients (hereinafter, referred to as “mixture coefficients”) aL, aC, and aR, which are specified by a mixture ratio controller 26. The multipliers 22L, 22C, and 22R multiply the input brightness values VinL, VinC, and VinR by the respective mixture coefficients aL, aC, and aR and output the results. The outputs from the multipliers 22L, 22C, and 22R are added together by an adder 24 and are output as the low frequency component Vlo. The low frequency component Vlo describing a brightness value is therefore given by the following equation.
V lo =a L ·V inL +a C ·V inC +a R ·V inR
The slope detector 25 a receives the input brightness values VinL and VinC, obtains the slope ΔLC between the two values, and outputs the result to the mixture ratio controller 26. The slope detector 25 b receives the input brightness values VinC and VinR, obtains the slope ΔCR between the two values, and outputs the result to the mixture ratio controller 26. The slopes ΔLC and ΔCR are therefore given by the following equations.
ΔLC =V inC −V inL
ΔCR =V inR −V inC
The mixture ratio controller 26 calculates the tap coefficients or the mixture coefficients aL, aC, and aR based on the slopes ΔLC and ΔCR output from the slope detectors 25 a and 25 b, respectively, and outputs the results to the multiplier group 22, thereby controlling the mixture ratio. The mixture coefficients aL, aC, and aR are calculated by, for example, the following equations.
a L =a L0×2f(ΔCR)/(f(ΔLC)+f(ΔCR))
a R =a R0×2f(ΔLC)/(f(ΔLC)+f(ΔCR))
In the above equations, aL0, aC0, and aR0 are tap coefficients determined in the ordinary FIR filter design based on the cut-off frequency. The coefficients aL0, aC0, and aR0 have values of, for example, 0.25, 0.5, and 0.25, respectively. The function f(Δ) is an arbitrary monotonically increasing function such as, for example, f(Δ)=|Δ|, f(Δ)=Δ2, or f(Δ)=log(Δ).
The mixture control based on the above mixture coefficients implies that it is performed so as to reduce the mixture ratio of the brightness values on the side of having a steeper slope and at the same time to increase the mixture ratio of the brightness values on the side of having a more gradual slope. The LPF 20 thereby outputs a combined wave component as the low frequency component Vlo, in which a step variation component is added to a low frequency component extracted by an ordinary LPF.
The calculations of the mixture coefficients aL, aC, and aR are not restricted to use of the above equations, but any equations may be used that can reduce the mixture ratio of the brightness values on the side of having a steeper slope and at the same time can increase the mixture ratio of the brightness values on the side of having a more gradual slope.
The output brightness value of the LPF 20 a receiving the input image signal Vin is denoted by L1, that of the LPF 20 b receiving the output brightness value L1 by L2, and that of the LPF 20 c receiving the output brightness value L2 by L3. If it is assumed that each of the LPFs 20 a to 20 c has the same set of the tap coefficients such as, for example, aL0=0.25, aC0=0.5, aR0=0.25, the frequency bands or cut-off frequencies of the LPFs at the stages L1, L2, and L3 have a relation of lower<L3<L2<L1<higher.
Accordingly, as in the conventional apparatus, the image processing apparatus of the present invention can improve the effect of fineness, which is a purpose of the sharpening process, even in the time range where the input image has no step variation.
Assuming the frequency band 72 of the conventional low pass filter, the applicable range of a sharpening process is restricted to the region obtained by removing the frequency band 72 from the region of the frequency band 73. Assuming the frequency band 71 of the low pass filter of the present invention, however, the applicable range of the sharpening process is extended to the wider region obtained by removing the frequency band 71 from the region of the frequency band 73. This implies that the sharpening process can be applied to a signal having a wide frequency band including a lower frequency range.
As is clear from the above embodiments, according to the image processing apparatus of the present invention, the sharpening process can improve the fineness of an entire image in the same extent as the conventional apparatus while suppressing an excessive overshoot occurring around a step response region in an image, which is an adverse effect of the sharpening process. Further, when the frequency band to which a sharpening process is applied is widen to enhance the sharpening effect by configuring an LPF with a multi-stage structure, only the fineness of an image can be improved without increasing the adverse overshoot.
The present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that further variations and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-097056, the content of which is herein incorporated by reference.
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|JP2000004380A||Title not available|
|Citing Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
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|U.S. Classification||382/266, 382/254, 382/260, 382/274, 382/275, 382/261|
|Cooperative Classification||G06T5/004, H04N5/208|
|European Classification||G06T5/00D, G06T5/50, G06T5/00D3U, H04N5/208|
|Jun 14, 2006||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: PIONEER CORPORATION, JAPAN
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:YAZAKI, SATOSHI;HONDA, HIROFUMI;REEL/FRAME:017997/0977
Effective date: 20060518
Owner name: PIONEER CORPORATION,JAPAN
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:YAZAKI, SATOSHI;HONDA, HIROFUMI;REEL/FRAME:017997/0977
Effective date: 20060518
|Nov 29, 2013||REMI||Maintenance fee reminder mailed|
|Apr 20, 2014||LAPS||Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees|
|Jun 10, 2014||FP||Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee|
Effective date: 20140420


text:
Navigating Sensitivity to Prescription Changes in Eyewear
For many individuals, even the slightest change in their eyeglass prescription can be a significant adjustment. While some adapt quickly to new prescriptions, others may find themselves particularly sensitive to these changes. Let’s explore why some people are more affected by small alterations in their eyewear prescriptions and how to manage this sensitivity.
1. The Nature of Visual Perception
- Individual Differences: Just as people have unique physical responses to various stimuli, the eyes’ sensitivity to prescription changes also varies from person to person. For some, the eyes and brain can adapt quickly, while others may need more time to adjust.
2. Types of Prescription Changes
- Magnitude of Change: Small increases or decreases in lens strength can significantly impact those with high sensitivity. This is often more noticeable in individuals with high prescriptions or those with astigmatism.
- Multifocal Lenses: Transitioning to or changing multifocal lenses (like bifocals or progressives) can be particularly challenging, as they require the eye to adapt to different viewing zones.
3. Contributing Factors
- Age: Older adults may find it harder to adapt to prescription changes due to the reduced flexibility of their eye lenses.
- Underlying Health Conditions: Certain health conditions like diabetes or medications can affect vision, making adjustments to new prescriptions more challenging.
4. Symptoms of Adjustment Difficulty
- Physical Discomfort: Headaches, eye strain, and even nausea can be symptoms of difficulty adjusting to a new prescription and trigger sensitivity.
- Visual Disturbances: Blurriness, difficulty focusing, or discomfort with depth perception are common when adapting to a new prescription.
5. Managing Sensitivity
- Gradual Transition: Gradually increasing wearing time with the new glasses can help the eyes adjust.
- Consistent Wear: Consistently wearing the new prescription, rather than switching back to old glasses, aids in quicker adaptation.
- Follow-up with Your Optometrist: If difficulties persist, a follow-up appointment is crucial to ensure the prescription is correct and to rule out other issues.
Sensitivity to prescription changes in eyewear is a common experience for many. Understanding the reasons behind this sensitivity and adopting strategies for adaptation can make the transition smoother. Remember, regular eye exams and open communication with your eye care professional are key to finding the most comfortable and effective eyewear for your needs.

domain: medical


text: MURKMYRE (Second Edition) - Book One in The Murkmyre Saga. Betrayal. Revenge. Insatiable frogs. Prince Voltron Murkmyre wants two things; revenge, and the throne of the Murkmyrian Empire for himself. Enduring a seventy-four year prison sentence - for crimes he didn't commit - has left him in a bit of a bad mood. To achieve his ambitions, he and his dogsbody slave Plip must evade his psychotic mother's Empire and many shadowy forces - and survive a series of unfortunate crash-landings on worlds populated by ridiculous races and nonsensical creatures. And then there's the mystery of the Darkstar of Glümdyyk to unravel, a fabled gemstone of unimaginable power ... An anarchic, fast-paced space fantasy. With insatiable frogs. This Second Edition of Murkmyre contains numerous additions and revisions, and sets the scene for the apocalyptic events in Nocturnia - Book Two in The Murkmyre Saga.

domain: artistic


text:
Theresa Stevens joins RU once again (yay!) to lead us through editing the opening pages of a brave volunteer. This time we get excellent insight on story edits, formatting and so much more.
December 22, 2012
Amanda Turner gazed out at the parking lot from her second story window, her blood
was boiling over inside her body as she listened to the television playing in her office. “Stop it.
Rewind. No, never mind. I can’t bear to hear his voice anymore,” she said to her assistant, Lacy
Cavanaugh. “Who the hell does this ego-maniac Matt Lauer wannabe think he is? This isn’t
New York City or Los Angeles, this is North Carolina – Wilmington, North Carolina. My town.
That was my story, and he swooped in and scooped it. Who let him report on it this
morning?” Amanda sipped her gingerbread latte looking at Lacy for answers.
“It was weird, boss. He just came in this morning and demanded a camera crew follow
him to the Mayor’s house.” Lacy gave Amanda a dumfounded look adding, “He didn’t say
a word to any of us.”
“Damn him. I wonder who tipped him off?” Amanda continued to concentrate on the
parking lot, her eyes zeroing in on the parked Jeep Wrangler. She wish she could go out and
slash all four of its tires. Its owner, her co-anchor, was a thief without an ounce of journalistic
integrity, and she was going to prove it. Once and for all. Amanda looked away from the
window. Her voice began to rise again. “You know what. Let him have his moment. This is not
over. I will not let Tate Mathews or any journalist on this God damn planet get away with this.”
Amanda stood up, slammed her red paper coffee cup down and flew out the door headed in a
direct storm path to Tate’s office.
“Give him hell, Amanda,” Lacy cheered pumping one fist up in the air. As she pulled it
down and crossed her arms around her chest, she walked over to where Amanda had been
standing and glanced out at the Jeep. She smiled mischievously wondering if her late night
companion chose the festive red and green tie she suggested he wear today.
“Why did I listen to her?” Tate chuckled as he adjusted his tie. He hated the color red and
mixed with green stripes he looked like one of Santa’s elves. However, he also knew the tie
choice would undoubtedly upset the woman who shared a daily seat next to him. For
that reason alone, he decided the festive tie was well worth wearing.
“Thief, we need to talk,” Amanda demanded slamming his door. The clock above the
door shook off its center. He really needed to move the timepiece to another wall, he thought, as
a slammed door often followed Amanda’s entrance.
“Hello, and happy holidays. What a great soiree last night. You know, for a company
party and all. I hope you plan on giving Lacy a nice year-end bonus for throwing such a great
event. Say, what do you think of this tie?” Tate asked. His eyes were twinkling as he suppressed
the urge to smile.
Amanda gave Tate a look of disgust. “You know I wear royal blue on Wednesdays.
Why on earth would you pick that tie?” Amanda could feel the fire rise in her cheeks.
“Whatever. I don’t give a damn about the color of your tie, the shirt your wearing, or the
color of the dress on your bimbo last night. I want to know who your source is, and I want a
“So the tie is a no-go?”
“Damn it, Tate. Are you even listening to me? Are you having an affair with the
mayor’s wife? Is that how you scooped the story?”
Tate laughed. “If only it had been that easy.”
“Tell me!” Amanda screamed. Glancing anxiously at the clock, she swung the door
open. They were going to be late. “This conversation is far from over,” she warned as she took
off down the hallway.
Tate followed her out his door while fiddling with a royal blue tie that perfectly
matched Amanda’s outfit. “I’m sure it’s not. Maybe I’ll tell you as my personal Christmas gift to
you. If you will stop being such a Scrooge.”
“You are a lying, backstabbing thief, and you know it! One day soon I’m going to
expose you for the fraud you are.” Amanda slid into her seat.
“I look forward to it,” Tate fired back taking his chair and swiveling toward Amanda.
“By the way, she wore pink,” he taunted. “Hot pink.”
“Tate Mathews, you can take all of your ties and shove them up—” Amanda broke off as
their young production assistant, Ernie, began to signal.
“And three, two, one…”
“Hello, everyone. I’m Amanda Turner.”
“And I’m Tate Mathews. Your five o’clock news starts right now. Thanks for joining
This piece was sent in as a sample for the line editing series, but it’s not quite ready for line editing yet. Before we can get to the line editing, we normally do story edits, and this piece needs a bit of that kind of attention.
Let’s start with a word about format, though. You probably noticed as you read this that there are disruptions in the paragraphing and spacing. These result from the format of the original document and have been preserved here. The original is filled with hard returns, tab characters, extra spaces, and other problematic typography. In fact, as soon as I opened the file, I was imagining the complaints my typesetter would have made if we’d ever sent her a document like this. Format does matter.
Each house has slightly different format rules, of course, tied to their production habits, but for most houses, a few things can be assumed. Double space the text. Avoid gimmicky fonts, hard returns, and anything but hash tags or asterisks as scene separators. Tab characters are less universally troublesome, but using extra spaces to create an indent is probably going to cause problems in production. Use the paragraph format settings in your word processor to manipulate things like line spacing and indents. Anything else might not translate across software platforms and could make your manuscript look wonky, as is the result here.
The good news is that format issues are easily repaired. But there are other trouble spots in this opening that need to be mended. Look again at the first sentence.
Amanda Turner gazed out at the parking lot from her second story window, her blood
was boiling over inside her body as she listened to the television playing in her office.
That’s a run-on sentence (technically, a comma splice, because that comma is splicing two complete sentences together). Some writers use run-on sentences for stylistic purposes — they’re not as problematic in fiction as in, say, academic writing, so I’m not automatically opposed to their use. But I think it’s probably not a good idea to start with a run-on in the very first sentence. Many first readers might be turned off by that, and they might assume that rather than dealing with a high stylist, they’re reading an uncorrected draft. Here, too, because the verbs in the fused pieces don’t seem to flow together — “gaze” is a quiet verb, emotionally neutral, unlike the “boiling” in the second part — this doesn’t read like a deliberate style choice. It’s just not a strong first impression.
That is also easily fixed, so I’m not too worried about it. Just be sure to fix it before submission. What is a little more troubling is the way the character comes across in these early pages. First, there’s that interaction with the innocent assistant. I guess she’s not technically cussing out the assistant, but she sure is venting all over the assistant in what I would describe as an unprofessional manner. Also, it’s a little unclear as to why this is such a problem to warrant this level of dramatic response. I understand that she was working on the story, but reporters get scooped all the time. Nature of the business. That doesn’t make her co-anchor a thief, and the name-calling and rage feel a little melodramatic as a result.
We do want to start our books by establishing conflict and problems, so this author definitely has the right idea. The conflict and problems are right there on the page. That much is good. But the other goal of an opening is to bond the reader with the point-of-view character, and in romance, that usually means the heroine. A good heroine will be someone the reader can admire and cheer for. I found it a little hard to bond with this heroine because she did seem to be overreacting and letting her rage get the best of her. And at the end of Amanda’s piece, we head-hop to the assistant (who, it appears, is a traitor), and this disrupts the bonding process, too. In edits, we would try to have Amanda come across as someone who thinks it through, doesn’t overreact, and grasps the nature and extent of the real problem here (sabotage).
End scene, cut to the hero, and that fast cut with the scene in its current state doesn’t help the bonding process. But sometimes we use this kind of lightning-fast insert to establish some story facts before moving on to the character the reader should be bonding with. Prologues are a good example of this, especially when told in the point of view of someone other than the protagonist. Keeping these introductory pieces super-short can actually prevent the reader from bonding to the wrong character.
That’s not the situation here, though. That first bit isn’t prologue, and Tate’s follow-up piece didn’t read like an introduction to an heroic protagonist. Neither Amanda nor Tate really grabbed me. The conflict is interesting, but the characters need sympathetic motivations or a little more warmth or something else that would make us want to keep reading about them. In other words, this piece would have to be revised for character before we could get deeper into line edits.
RU writers, you have Theresa and her knowledge at your fingertips – ask away!
Join us on Monday with Leah Scheier as she discusses her path to publication.
Bio: Theresa Stevens is the Publisher of STAR Guides Publishing, a nonfiction publishing company with the mission to help writers write better books. After earning degrees in creative writing and law, she worked as a literary attorney agent for a boutique firm in Indianapolis where she represented a range of fiction and nonfiction authors. After a nine-year hiatus from the publishing industry to practice law, Theresa worked as chief executive editor for a highly acclaimed small romance press, and her articles on writing and editing have appeared in numerous publications for writers. Visit her blog at http://edittorrent.blogspot.com/ where she and her co-blogger share their knowledge and hardly ever argue about punctuation.
- A Different Kind of Format Issue – Ask an Editor with Theresa Stevens
- Weekly Lecture Schedule for April 16-20: Emmie Dark, Louisa George & Theresa Stevens!
- Ask An Editor: Theresa Stevens’ Line Editing Series
- Ask An Editor Theresa Stevens Tackles Line Editing
- Weekly Lecture Schedule for Dec 13-17: Lori Brighton, Janet Evanovich & Theresa Stevens

domain: literature


text:
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domain: design


text:
The second quarter of 2017 was a period of recovery for the Greater Cincinnati office market. A significant increase in direct vacancy in Q1 2017 had broken a streak of eight consecutive quarters of falling vacancy. However, vacancy decreased from the prior quarter by 20 basis points (bps) to 19.2% in Q2 2017. This figure is similar to the 19.0% vacancy figure recorded in Q2 2016. Year-over-year, suburban vacancy is unchanged at 20.8%, while vacancy in the Central Business District (CBD) increased slightly from 16.1% to 16.4%.
Source : Cushman & Wakefield

domain: economics


text:
Your money-making expert. Financial journalist, TV and radio personality.
There’s a reason why people who have taken canal cruises are often repeat customers. Pastoral landscapes serenely pass by at 4 mph, allowing you to take in all that your senses intended. Add to this gourmet food, personalised service and daily excursions and you have the perfect relaxing vacation.
My wife and I booked a trip with European Waterways through Alsace-Lorraine, a region of France created by the German Empire in 1871 and encompassing parts of the Rhine, Moselle Valley and Vosges Mountains.
We decided to arrive a few days early to explore Paris and rid ourselves of jetlag. Prior to our cruise, we boarded a TGV (high speed train) to the Strasbourg train station, where we were met by Alan, our tour guide for the week, and transported to our barge, the Panache.
Actually, the term barge is something of a misnomer. These retrofitted boats serve as upscale floating hotels on the water complete with comfy rooms, beds and showers as well as a lounge area, bar, dining room and all the amenities you can imagine. Our vessel accommodated 12 passengers and our cabin was spacious and comfortable and even had a double sink bathroom with full shower.
The crew staff, who may outnumber the passengers, are well trained to provide a high level of service. Aboard European Waterways, the price includes fine regional wines, an open bar and daily room service as well as a tour guide who manages interesting side excursions during the trip. Essentially, you are treated like a VIP on your own private yacht and it is not uncommon for locals to queue up along the banks to watch these large vessels navigate the sometimes narrow canals and locks.
Our first stop was the small town of Lutzelbourg, where we docked for the night and enjoyed a regional dinner prepared by our onboard chef, Christophe. This included a mixed salad with smoked duck, filet of pork with wholegrain mustard sauce, a selection of cheeses and dessert. Of course, wine pairing is all part of the fun and each selection is presented with a little bit of history, charm and humour.
Each day begins with a casual buffet breakfast followed either by an off-boat excursion or cruising down the canal through various locks to the next mooring destination. On our second day, we took a side trip to the town of Sarrebourg and the Chapelle des Cordeliers. You might not think twice about this non-descript little chapel except for the fact that it houses the largest stained glass window in the world by artist Marc Chagall. The Tree of Life is based on biblical themes but experts still guess as to some of its deeper, hidden symbols and meanings.
Our next stop, the Cristallerie Lehrer, is home to third-generation crystal makers, and here you can view master craftsmen creating beautiful glassware in the form of vases, stemware and cute little animals. You also have the option of purchasing some of these to take home with you – carefully packaged, of course.
Many of the postcard-perfect towns along the Canal de la Marne Au Rhin can be explored on foot or by bikes, the latter being carried on board. This is one of the best ways to see the small villages that line the canals. If you happen to get tired, no problem – just catch up to the boat at the next lock, in time for a sumptuous lunch.
Night-time is for relaxing and after dinner conversation with your fellow passengers. One evening, we were unexpectedly treated to a local entertainer who came aboard to sing, play the piano and encourage us to participate. It was quite a sight to see baby boomers trying to sing a karaoke rendition of Hotel California.
Our itinerary also included a visit to the Lalique crystal and jewellery museum in Saverne; tasting tarte flambée in Altenheim-sur-Zorn and seeing gorgeous Hansel and Gretel-style villages along the Alsatian wine trail.
For us, the highlight was the city of Strasbourg, selected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With winding cobblestone streets, flower-laden bridges, half-timbered houses and plenty of shops and restaurants, Strasbourg is an amazing place to visit.
The pièce de résistance, however, would have to be the Cathedral Notre Dame De Strasbourg. Construction of this gothic work of art started in 1015 and the spire was finally placed in 1439. Today, this magnificent cathedral is undergoing renovation but you can still tour the inside and see the massive astronomical clock dating from 1843.
It seemed our cruise went all too fast, and back on board we said our farewells at the captain’s dinner. Listening to Captain Willy tell of his voyages throughout Holland we found ourselves all in and started planning our next trip. No doubt, you will feel the same.
Tips for travelling to France and saving money
1. I always try to travel with lightweight, wrinkle-resistant water-resistant clothes. These save space in my luggage and I can wash the items in the sink.
2. I am based in the US but use a bank that doesn’t charge all sorts of fees for obtaining money at an ATM.
3. There are many mileage credit cards that will work towards things like free airfares as well as car rental and hotel rewards. Check Frugal Travel Guy.
4. A barging trip can be expensive but there are special offers available that will save you a bundle.

domain: geography


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domain: entertainment


text:
Blue's Clues is an American children's television show that premiered on September 8, 1996 on the cable television network Nickelodeon, and ran for ten years, until August 6, 2006. Producers Angela Santomero, Todd Kessler and Traci Paige Johnson combined concepts ...
Youth & Consequences
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Cleveland is hoping for a win World Series Game 6 win, but it's not just us rooting for the home team. Cleveland natives and Tribe fans from across the country traveled to be in town for the game.
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Most people we caught up with came into town without a ticket but said the plane ticket, train ride or road trip was worth it.
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domain: news


text:
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions chopped
- 4 tbsp finely diced shallots
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 cups tomato sauce (pref a tomato basil pasta sauce)
- 2/3 cups molasses
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
This recipe is already doubled so it makes a lot.
Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium heat.
Reduce heat to medium and add the onions, shallots and garlic. Gently saute for about 10 minutes until tender and golden.
Add the tomato sauce, molasses, brown sugar, orange juice, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes stirring until slightly thickened and reduced by half.
Optional. Pour sauce through a strainer to remove solids. Press solids against a spoon to extract sauce. Discard solids and put sauce into a sealed container.

domain: food


text:
Lilac tattoos are a popular choice, especially among women, for their exquisite beauty and profound symbolism. The lilac flower, with its enchanting purple hues, represents first love and mourning.
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