WHO KILLED RASPUTIN??

Ronald Moe was a committed seeker for truth. Before Ron’s recent untimely passing he had finished his book on the murder of Rasputin and its meaning in the unraveling events in Russian history. “Prelude to the Revolution, the Murder of Rasputin” is now published and ready to be purchased and read.

Ron and I had some revealing discussions about this story over the past years as the murder of Rasputin is generally attributed to Prince Felix Yusupov. Ron presents a different story which involves the British agent, Oswald Rayner. Moe’s work is the result of diligent and thorough research and at the same time his book is readable and absorbing. After his retirement from his political science position at The Library of Congress he followed his passionate and deep research into the last days of the Romanoffs. I am now happy to see that due to the perseverance of his devoted wife, Grace, and friends, that landmark account is ready to read.

For a quick synopsis see Amazon’s Book Description page at http://www.amazon.com/PRELUDE-REVOLUTION-RASPUTIN-Ronald-Moe/dp/1593307128/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323786255&sr=1-5 .

See also http://ronmoe.wordpress.com/

Coco Chanel and WHO? Rasputin??

 Things “happen.” As an “unintended consequence” of the murder of Gregori Rasputin by Prince Felix Yusupov in December 1916 in St. Petersburg, Grand Duke Dimitri Pavlovich, first cousin of Czar Nicolas II, one of the handful of conspirators, was sent far out of town and Dimitri ended up in Paris. And who do you think took notice of the aristocrat’s arrival? Coco Chanel! She was eleven years his senior but that didn’t stop either one.

The French perfume business was booming because the scents didn’t last past eleven at night—so they bathed in the stuff.  As I heard the story, Dimitri advised Coco that she should not sell big bottles of perfume for cheap prices, but small bottles for high prices.  Dimitri introduced Coco to Ernest Beaux, a successful Russian-born perfumier from St. Petersburg who had learned his craft from his grandfather who entered Russia in 1812 with Napoleon and stayed there, learning the secrets of Russian perfume. From his grandfather, Beaux insisted that the addition of deer musk would make the perfume last the night. Coco hired Beaux, added deer musk to the eighty-some other ingredients and voila: we have Chanel No. 5. That was 1920. As an unintended consequence of the murder of Rasputin, our lovely ladies today have Chanel No. 5. Ce qui arrive, arrive.

As an intended consequence read “Walking on Ice, An American Businessman is Russia.”