I had thought of a fact this morning that I didn't think that Nick knew, but he changed the subject on me before I could tell him the fact.

Still, I thought I'd include it here anyway.

Cordite was invented in the late 1800's and was used almost exclusively by the British in their small arms and many British bombs during WW1, at least until they had sufficent shortages that they had to switch the the American smokless powder for many of their munitions.

Cordite was not used for small arms in the US during WW1, but was often used with large munitions.

Cordite was used as a detonation device for the nucular weapon, Little Boy, the atomic bomb dropped over Hiroshima.

But the subject has been changed to insomnia, a subject dear to my heart, as I do occasionally suffer from its effects.

Insomnia can be a sign or symptom of various medical and psychiatric disorders.

Insomnia can also be a condition, that causes other disorders.

Changes in the area where you sleep, the time you go to sleep, depression and stress can all cause the condition.

Insomnia is on the increase, with more and more sufferers turning to their doctors or various nostrums for help.

A recent study, has shown that blue light causes a section of the brain to help you wake up, whereas red light does the opposite and helps you fall asleep. This study has suggested that the recent switch to compact floresent lights in which is deficent in red light and with more blue light in the output, could be part of the reason for the increase, as the light would be waking our minds in the evenings, when we are preparing to go to sleep.

Todays interesting fact continues with WW1 and Homeopathy.

There are a many people who believe that Homeopathy doesn't work, and possibly just as many who believe it does.

However, during WW1, the American Homeopathy, the journal of American Homeopaths sent three military hospitals to France.

The hospitals were fully equipped and included medical, surgical, nursing and radiolological teams, as well as apparently, a pharmacy filled with the standard non-homeopath medication of the day.

Todays's interesting fact again has to do with World War 1.

During WW1 aproximately 9.5 million millitary men died. During the same time approximately 9.5 million military horses and mules also died.

Calvery was used in the begining of WW1, and were used with good efect until both the introduction of large machine guns, when thousands of horses died in what ended up as futal charges, and the introduction of trench warfare, where horses were no longer effective. Calvery charges did not die out completely and continued until the end of the war, where they were effective where large calaber weapons were not available.

Horses and mules were used as in support roles throughout the war, taking supplies and munitions to the front and wounded back. Thousands of these support animals died from gas attacks and other munitions.

Today's interesting fact has to do with World War 1. Nick likes World War 1 and has requested this subject today.

I remember reading some years ago, that while may people think that the causes of WW1 was the assanation Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, which because of treaties signed over the years, required the begining of a war. Indeed, when I was in school, that was exactly what I was taught.

But the article insisted that the real reasons were economic. Oil, had become an important commodity. Oil companies, and nations, had worked out that the need for oil would be paramount for years to come. The article suggested that it was only after Germany had been cut off from the oil fields in the countries they had invaded, that they had effectively lost the war, with the same occuring again in WW2, when Germany was cut off from it's oil supplies.

I don't know how accurate this is, but it is an interesting fact that others believe this to be the facts for the war.