I remember watching a documentary on the Klan and they mentioned that in the early days, the titles gave an aura of mystery to the thing. The name itself, Ku Klux Klan, was chosen for the same reason. This was back when the Klan was more of an upper-class thing, instead of blue collar.
I remember watching a documentary on the Klan and they mentioned that in the early days, the titles gave an aura of mystery to the thing. The name itself, Ku Klux Klan, was chosen for the same reason. This was back when the Klan was more of an upper-class thing, instead of blue collar.
Same can be said of the Nazis really. They were obsessed with the occult and symbolism (well, some people think they were, it's up for debate). Makes interesting reading, but would certainly not convince most people to follow their ideology. Or take into consideration that I find someone like Aleister Crowley fascinating, but that doesn't make me want to start shooting heroin and performing rituals in a secluded manor house.
I remember watching a documentary on the Klan and they mentioned that in the early days, the titles gave an aura of mystery to the thing. The name itself, Ku Klux Klan, was chosen for the same reason. This was back when the Klan was more of an upper-class thing, instead of blue collar.
Same can be said of the Nazis really. They were obsessed with the occult and symbolism (well, some people think they were, it's up for debate). Makes interesting reading, but would certainly not convince most people to follow their ideology. Or take into consideration that I find someone like Aleister Crowley fascinating, but that doesn't make me want to start shooting heroin and performing rituals in a secluded manor house.
The only reason I ever heard about Aleister Crowley was Ozzy Osbourne and Jimmy Page.
I remember watching a documentary on the Klan and they mentioned that in the early days, the titles gave an aura of mystery to the thing. The name itself, Ku Klux Klan, was chosen for the same reason. This was back when the Klan was more of an upper-class thing, instead of blue collar.
Same can be said of the Nazis really. They were obsessed with the occult and symbolism (well, some people think they were, it's up for debate). Makes interesting reading, but would certainly not convince most people to follow their ideology. Or take into consideration that I find someone like Aleister Crowley fascinating, but that doesn't make me want to start shooting heroin and performing rituals in a secluded manor house.
The only reason I ever heard about Aleister Crowley was Ozzy Osbourne and Jimmy Page.
You and everyone else (for the most part). It's part and parcel of the main thing rock n' roll has lost at this point: it's myth-making and mystique. "Hammer of the Gods", the Zeppelin biography, is mostly bullshit. But why would they have ever denied what was in the book?? Ozzy Osbourne had occult imagery on his album covers for 2 reasons: it looked cool and it scared the shit out of adults. I don't think Iron Maiden is nearly as fun to listen to as their album covers are to look at. Rock music used to be steeped in mystery and forbidden fruits, going all the way back to Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads for his ability to play guitar. David Bowie invented a character and literally became an androgynous alien from another planet for 2-3 years. No one knew what KISS looked like for almost a decade (and the eventual reveal saved their career in the early 80s). Alice Cooper once said about a story that he lost his virginity in a coffin, "It may or may not have happened, but I would never deny it." Sex and violence and what you aren't supposed to do sell. Deliver the goods, but always leave the audience wanting more.
I remember watching a documentary on the Klan and they mentioned that in the early days, the titles gave an aura of mystery to the thing. The name itself, Ku Klux Klan, was chosen for the same reason. This was back when the Klan was more of an upper-class thing, instead of blue collar.
Same can be said of the Nazis really. They were obsessed with the occult and symbolism (well, some people think they were, it's up for debate). Makes interesting reading, but would certainly not convince most people to follow their ideology. Or take into consideration that I find someone like Aleister Crowley fascinating, but that doesn't make me want to start shooting heroin and performing rituals in a secluded manor house.
The only reason I ever heard about Aleister Crowley was Ozzy Osbourne and Jimmy Page.
You and everyone else (for the most part). It's part and parcel of the main thing rock n' roll has lost at this point: it's myth-making and mystique. "Hammer of the Gods", the Zeppelin biography, is mostly bullshit. But why would they have ever denied what was in the book?? Ozzy Osbourne had occult imagery on his album covers for 2 reasons: it looked cool and it scared the shit out of adults. I don't think Iron Maiden is nearly as fun to listen to as their album covers are to look at. Rock music used to be steeped in mystery and forbidden fruits, going all the way back to Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads for his ability to play guitar. David Bowie invented a character and literally became an androgynous alien from another planet for 2-3 years. No one knew what KISS looked like for almost a decade (and the eventual reveal saved their career in the early 80s). Alice Cooper once said about a story that he lost his virginity in a coffin, "It may or may not have happened, but I would never deny it." Sex and violence and what you aren't supposed to do sell. Deliver the goods, but always leave the audience wanting more.
I was mostly thinking about the song "Mr. Crowley" lol when it came to ozzy.
So, in the realm of something fairly inconsequential but totally revealing, the fired Google engineer had one of the stupidest takes imaginable today on Twitter. He started with stating thar even though he finds their conduct deplorable, we at least need to admit that the KKK's leaders have names that sound cool (Grand Wizard etc). Whatever to that part. I have no idea why anyone would have that cross their mind, but ok. But THEN he makes the argument that being interested in fantasy-ish hobbies is so stigmatized in society that the KKK embracing those monikers among their leadership is going to drive disillusioned fans of fantasy to join the Klan. No joke. First off, it isn't even really true that fantasy is stigmatized anymore. But more to the point, as an entire forum of D&D geeks, have any of you been inspired to join the Klan because someone made fun of your Monster Manual?? This idea is so monumentally stupid that I don't know if he actually believes it, or if backhanded compliments to the KKK are just something you have to engage in to be taken seriously by the Alt-right. Moronic.
Sadly, white supremacists have had a longstanding fascination with the medieval period.
NPR's On The Media had a fascinating look into white supremacists and their fetishization of the period. They had on David Perry, a professor in the field, talk about the supremacists' misguided beliefs about the period and how the field is starting to push back against it.
I remember watching a documentary on the Klan and they mentioned that in the early days, the titles gave an aura of mystery to the thing. The name itself, Ku Klux Klan, was chosen for the same reason. This was back when the Klan was more of an upper-class thing, instead of blue collar.
Same can be said of the Nazis really. They were obsessed with the occult and symbolism (well, some people think they were, it's up for debate). Makes interesting reading, but would certainly not convince most people to follow their ideology. Or take into consideration that I find someone like Aleister Crowley fascinating, but that doesn't make me want to start shooting heroin and performing rituals in a secluded manor house.
The only reason I ever heard about Aleister Crowley was Ozzy Osbourne and Jimmy Page.
You and everyone else (for the most part). It's part and parcel of the main thing rock n' roll has lost at this point: it's myth-making and mystique. "Hammer of the Gods", the Zeppelin biography, is mostly bullshit. But why would they have ever denied what was in the book?? Ozzy Osbourne had occult imagery on his album covers for 2 reasons: it looked cool and it scared the shit out of adults. I don't think Iron Maiden is nearly as fun to listen to as their album covers are to look at. Rock music used to be steeped in mystery and forbidden fruits, going all the way back to Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads for his ability to play guitar. David Bowie invented a character and literally became an androgynous alien from another planet for 2-3 years. No one knew what KISS looked like for almost a decade (and the eventual reveal saved their career in the early 80s). Alice Cooper once said about a story that he lost his virginity in a coffin, "It may or may not have happened, but I would never deny it." Sex and violence and what you aren't supposed to do sell. Deliver the goods, but always leave the audience wanting more.
I was mostly thinking about the song "Mr. Crowley" lol when it came to ozzy.
Ozzy had the song, but Jimmy Page actually bought his house and filmed his parts of the non-concert portion of "The Song Remains the Same" there.
Six well-educated Confederate veterans from Pulaski, Tennessee, created the original Ku Klux Klan on December 24, 1865, during Reconstruction of the South after the Civil War. The name was formed by combining the Greek kyklos (κυκλος, meaning circle) with clan. The group was known for a short time as the "Kuklux Clan." The Ku Klux Klan was one among a number of secret, oath-bound organizations using violence, including the Southern Cross in New Orleans (1865), and the Knights of the White Camellia (1867) in Louisiana.
Aleister Crowley was a sex magick practitioner. Using orgasmic energies or male semen ( Zav in Hebrew, ejaculation,) to conjure demons and astral entities.
Crazy. yet interesting stuff. Read up on Thelema to know more. These practices are still being used today unfortunately.
Nah, the title Grand Wizard doesn't entice me to join the KKK. If they had a Master Sorcerer though it would be tempting...
What about Math Sorcerer?
On the one hand, I know you meant this lightheartedly so I will laugh along with you. On the other hand, I have had two of the s****iest weeks of my life recently and my patience is...thin...but I will still err on the side of caution and presume that you *aren't* calling me a member of the KKK.
Many early members of the Nazi Party were definitely heavily into occultism and Aryan mysticism--the Thule Society, originally founded before World War I but not an influential organization until after The Great War, was steeped in lore about how the Aryan people were descended from the quasi-Atlanteans who inhabited Hyperborea (another one of those "lost continents" like Atlantis). Many of its members formed the political party would would later be reorganized into the actual Nazi Party and even though Hitler subsequently abolished all such mystical orders a lot of the ideas permeated the Party until the end. If you ever wanted to know how a large group of people could go along with such things as they did, look into the mysticism which surrounded the proto-Nazis and you will figure out how.
caveat: as with numerology, just because I have studied something doesn't mean I believe in it.
Anyway...the early KKK guys were just mimicking other secret fraternal orders (but I highly doubt the Masons would appreciate being lumped in with the KKK), hence the fancy titles, the stupid attire, the symbols, and their tendency to be organized into local chapters.
@semiticgod No worries. It didn't help my mood any after last night's dismal performance with my 4-color energy deck at the LGS where I went 0-3, losing to three different control decks in a row (Part the Waterveil, blue/white spirits, then black/blue). Where were the aggro and midrange players? *shrug*
Anyway...the early KKK guys were just mimicking other secret fraternal orders (but I highly doubt the Masons would appreciate being lumped in with the KKK), hence the fancy titles, the stupid attire, the symbols, and their tendency to be organized into local chapters.
Amen to that. It's all legacy of XVIII and XIX centuries tradition of Freemasonry, Carbonari and other romantic, nationalistic (or internationalistic, as back there there was no meaningful distinction) movements, connected with birth of idea of nation.
The death toll in Mexico City is up to 250 now and may go higher as search/resuce teams continue to comb over collapsed buildings looking for survivors.
The power is out on the entire island of Puerto Rico. Some may have been restored by now but because of PROMESA the electric grid there wasn't in the best of shape before the latest hurricanes hit. The oversight board which Obama set up directs payments to creditors first then Puerto Rico gets to use the remaining money for its own needs.
The UN General Assembly drafted a treaty ending the development, testing, and/or possession of nuclear weapons. The UN says that the treaty is legally binding...but only on the nations who sign/ratify the treaty. Obviously, none of the current nuclear nations have done so or plan to do so.
Finally, California is attempting to sue the Trump Administration over the Department of Homeland's Security decision to suspend a handful of environmental laws in order to expedite construction of "the wall". I understand their frustration but the Federal Government exempts itself from its own laws all the time so this isn't anything new. I am still curious how they are going to put a wall over, under, or around Falcon Lake.
This happened in Syria yesterday. Sorry for large post.
A large-scale offensive on the positions of Syrian Government troops in the Idlib de-escalation zone, which breached a ceasefire agreement, was “initiated by the American secret services to stop the successful advance of the [Syrian] government troops to the east of Deir ez-Zor,” Head of the Main Operational Department of Russian General Staff Sergei Rudskoi said in a briefing in Moscow, Wednesday.
Sergei Rudskoi, Head of Main Operational Department of Russian General Staff (Russian): “Despite the agreements signed on 15th November in Astana, Jabhat Al-Nusra militants joined by groups unwilling to comply with the terms of the ceasefire, at 8.00am [local time] (06:00am GMT) on September 19 launched a large-scale offensive on the positions of government troops to the north and northeast of Hama in the Idlib de-escalation zone. The attack was carried out with the support of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, it was preceded by an artillery barrage. During the day, the militants managed to penetrate 12 kilometres [7.5 miles] through the government troops’ defence line and at the front up to 20 kilometres [12.4 miles]. According to current information, the attack was initiated by the American secret services to stop the successful advance of the [Syrian] government troops to the east of Deir ez-Zor. One of the main goals of the militants’ actions was an attempt to capture units of the Russian military police, amounting to 29 service personnel carrying out tasks at an observation point deployed in the area to control the de-escalation forces. In the militants’ attack, a military police platoon of 29 people was trapped and for several hours repelled the attacks of the enemy shoulder to shoulder with the Mwali tribe, which signed the agreement on joining the cessation of hostilities and remained true to it in this difficult situation. In these extreme conditions the commander of the Russian forces in Syria, General-Colonel Surovkin, formed a rescue group. It was composed of units of special operations forces, military police, joined by the military-natives of the North Caucasus and the Syrian Special Forces. The squad was headed by Deputy Head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Parties and Hero of Russia, Major General Victor Shuliak. Aviation conducted strikes on the terrorists’ positions. The actions of the rescue squad were constantly supported by a pair of Sukhoi Su-25s, striking at militants and armoured vehicle militants from extremely low altitudes. As a result, the encirclement was broken and units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, without a loss, reached the area controlled by the [Syrian] government troops. During the operation, three soldiers of the Special Operations Forces were injured. All participants of this unique operation were presented with state awards. A terrorist attack was stopped and they suffered heavy losses due to the measures taken by the Russian command together with the General Staff of Syria. Air and artillery strikes destroyed 187 objects, about 850 terrorists, 11 tanks, four armoured vehicles, 46 pickups, five mortars, 20 trucks and 38 weapons warehouses were destroyed in a 24-hours period. Using the results of the fire support, units of the fifth volunteer assault corps, together with squads of government troops with the support of Russian aircraft, counterattacked and currently almost completely regained the ground lost. The operation to destroy the terrorists will be continued.”
I'm not I trust a Russian official when he attributes something he doesn't like to the United States. Russia likes to blame practically everything on the United States.
Understood. But. The CIA is in the area and they are funding the jihadists there. Canadian freelance journalists have been reporting the same thing also. The CIA meddles in everything. The whole reason jihadists are a "Thing" is because of the CIA.
Understood. But. The CIA is in the area and they are funding the jihadists there. Canadian freelance journalists have been reporting the same thing also. The CIA meddles in everything. The whole reason jihadists are a "Thing" is because of the CIA.
I think the opening was there in part already but yeah, darned if the CIA isn't good at going in and stirring up a hornets nest. Good at leaving a big fat stinking pile of, well, stink. I was glad to see Obama at least making the effort to clean up the mines that are still killing farmers in Laos from that era of messes. Good with meddling, bad at dealing with the resulting mess afterwards.
Inspired by the undeniable results fake news had helping to misinform the public and aid in the election of Trump, the Republican Governor's Association (RGA) launched "The Free Telegraph" a website that is pure propoganda disguised as news.
The site trumpets the supposed accomplishments of Republican governors and gubernatorial candidates and blasts the alleged shortcomings of their Democratic counterparts. It is formatted and designed to look like a legitimate news outlet and trick casual or easily misled readers.
An Associated Press inquiry revealed that the RGA sought to conceal its involvement in the creation and administration of the site; it launched in July with no indication that it was the product of an official Republican Party committee. After the AP caught on to them, they “remedied” their lack of accountability. Now, at the very bottom of each page, you can squint and see a teeny tiny “paid for by Republican Governors Association” disclaimer, in fine gray-on-black font for ease of reading, surely.
One political communications expert at US News and World Report says the Free Telegraph commits a sort of “identity theft” by “appropriating the integrity of news,” aping credible news platforms to deliver blatantly partisan messages designed to elect Republican governors. She was particularly troubled by the RGA’s attempt to conceal its involvement in the site.
The website was registered July 7 through Domains By Proxy, a company that allows the originators of a website to shield their identities. An AP search did not find any corporate, Federal Election Commission or IRS filings establishing The Free Telegraph as an independent entity. Their Facebook account falsely labeled The Free Telegraph a "Media/News Company."
I think they are having a vote, or at least a referndum, in the Kurd region of Iraq on Monday in hopes of becoming the independent country of Kurdistan. This mirrors the upcoming referendum in Catalonia about its desire for independence from Spain. I always support people wanting to become independent and break off from their current country--I even support the folks seeking CalExit.
When your parent country hates you or ignores you, don't get upset about it--just leave.
I think they are having a vote, or at least a referndum, in the Kurd region of Iraq on Monday in hopes of becoming the independent country of Kurdistan. This mirrors the upcoming referendum in Catalonia about its desire for independence from Spain. I always support people wanting to become independent and break off from their current country--I even support the folks seeking CalExit.
When your parent country hates you or ignores you, don't get upset about it--just leave.
Now this shall be interesting. I am sure the PKK will be intently watching.
CalExit was never a thing. The guy pushing for it announced he was moving permanently to--wait for it--Moscow, where some Russian nationalist hardliners were kind enough to set up a "California embassy" for him. No one takes the secessionists seriously, not even Texas.
While California probably is the best equipped of the states to go independent, we'd still face a deal-breaker on water rights, as we get the majority courtesy of the Colorado river.
I think they are having a vote, or at least a referndum, in the Kurd region of Iraq on Monday in hopes of becoming the independent country of Kurdistan. This mirrors the upcoming referendum in Catalonia about its desire for independence from Spain. I always support people wanting to become independent and break off from their current country--I even support the folks seeking CalExit.
When your parent country hates you or ignores you, don't get upset about it--just leave.
Coming from Canada and living on the border of Quebec, I can attest that it isn't always about being ignored or hated but getting more for the region and can be more complicated than packing your bags and leaving. As Camdawg stated finances, trade and available resources are all deterents from a region actually breaking off from its federal parent.
You have to be aware of the difference of representing your region to get the most out of a federal government and legitimately wanting to seperate.
That isn't to say the Kurds can't form thier own country, especially if they have support from international bodies that will recognize thier existence.
So it sounds a lot like the Repulican Obamacare repeal bill is really cowardly. By abdicating responsibility for healthcare, giving huge cuts, and then giving block grants to states that's freedom right.
Only we've seen this failed policy before in Kansas.
Gov Brownback and the nutty Repulican legislature tried the same thing and it failed so hard. Brownback and Republicans won Kansas and promised tax cuts that would lead to astronomical job growth and wonderful things. It didn't happen instead revenue fell short of their rosy projections by hundreds of millions of dollars each year.
They cut everything, roads and education for example. And gave block grants to force Schools to enact the cuts so they would get the blame. Schools had to end the school year early because they ran out of money and class sizes got out of control. Other schools just closed.
I think they are having a vote, or at least a referndum, in the Kurd region of Iraq on Monday in hopes of becoming the independent country of Kurdistan. This mirrors the upcoming referendum in Catalonia about its desire for independence from Spain. I always support people wanting to become independent and break off from their current country--I even support the folks seeking CalExit.
When your parent country hates you or ignores you, don't get upset about it--just leave.
The Kurdish people are indigenous to the region. The countries occupying their land need to get out.
So McCain again says he'll be voting no on Tax cuts for the rich disguised as a Republican Healthcare bill again.
Scary that the fate of so many lives are in the hands of one man with brain cancer. Every other Repulican appears to be a blind partisan follower and would willingly rubber stamp anything that cuts taxes for the rich.
I really hope McCain is okay. We don't have a lot of politicians who support campaign finance reform, and we need as many as we can get.
It's the only kind of politician you know is honestly committed to the people rather than his or her campaign contributors.
We don't know what McCain is going to do until he does it, and Lindsey Graham is his BFF. He is a no at this hour, I wouldn't bet a cent on it being the final result at this point. On top of that, they are basically trying to purchase Murkowski's vote by exempting Alaska from most of the worst parts of the bill (but not the other 49 states). They are OBSESSED with repealing Obamacare as an idea, not as a matter of policy. A Republican staffer was quoted in the last few days as saying that 95% of Republicans would vote for the naming of a post office and calling it Obamacare repeal if they could get away with it. These are not serious, or, for that matter, GOOD people. This is the 4th time they have engaged in what is essentially emotional terrorism of millions of people in this country who rely on Obamacare to continue getting or being able to afford coverage. And they won't stop until they are voted out of power.
The most craven part of this is it is DESIGNED to punish blue states and reward red ones. Obamacare was designed with the idea of every state taking the Medicaid expansion. Some states not only refused the money (which was free) but actually SUED to not have to take it. And now Graham, Cassidy and the Republicans are saying that it isn't fair that the money for the Medicaid expansion is going to the states that accepted the funding. The states that didn't literally WENT TO COURT to not have to take it. The states that are getting the money are the states that chose to participate. The states that DIDN'T choose to participate did so for purely political reasons. The states that didn't participate are the main reason the exchanges are in flux.
Comments
NPR's On The Media had a fascinating look into white supremacists and their fetishization of the period. They had on David Perry, a professor in the field, talk about the supremacists' misguided beliefs about the period and how the field is starting to push back against it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ku_Klux_Klan
Aleister Crowley was a sex magick practitioner. Using orgasmic energies or male semen ( Zav in Hebrew, ejaculation,) to conjure demons and astral entities.
Crazy. yet interesting stuff. Read up on Thelema to know more. These practices are still being used today unfortunately.
Many early members of the Nazi Party were definitely heavily into occultism and Aryan mysticism--the Thule Society, originally founded before World War I but not an influential organization until after The Great War, was steeped in lore about how the Aryan people were descended from the quasi-Atlanteans who inhabited Hyperborea (another one of those "lost continents" like Atlantis). Many of its members formed the political party would would later be reorganized into the actual Nazi Party and even though Hitler subsequently abolished all such mystical orders a lot of the ideas permeated the Party until the end. If you ever wanted to know how a large group of people could go along with such things as they did, look into the mysticism which surrounded the proto-Nazis and you will figure out how.
caveat: as with numerology, just because I have studied something doesn't mean I believe in it.
Anyway...the early KKK guys were just mimicking other secret fraternal orders (but I highly doubt the Masons would appreciate being lumped in with the KKK), hence the fancy titles, the stupid attire, the symbols, and their tendency to be organized into local chapters.
Amen to that. It's all legacy of XVIII and XIX centuries tradition of Freemasonry, Carbonari and other romantic, nationalistic (or internationalistic, as back there there was no meaningful distinction) movements, connected with birth of idea of nation.
The power is out on the entire island of Puerto Rico. Some may have been restored by now but because of PROMESA the electric grid there wasn't in the best of shape before the latest hurricanes hit. The oversight board which Obama set up directs payments to creditors first then Puerto Rico gets to use the remaining money for its own needs.
The UN General Assembly drafted a treaty ending the development, testing, and/or possession of nuclear weapons. The UN says that the treaty is legally binding...but only on the nations who sign/ratify the treaty. Obviously, none of the current nuclear nations have done so or plan to do so.
Finally, California is attempting to sue the Trump Administration over the Department of Homeland's Security decision to suspend a handful of environmental laws in order to expedite construction of "the wall". I understand their frustration but the Federal Government exempts itself from its own laws all the time so this isn't anything new. I am still curious how they are going to put a wall over, under, or around Falcon Lake.
This happened in Syria yesterday. Sorry for large post.
A large-scale offensive on the positions of Syrian Government troops in the Idlib de-escalation zone, which breached a ceasefire agreement, was “initiated by the American secret services to stop the successful advance of the [Syrian] government troops to the east of Deir ez-Zor,” Head of the Main Operational Department of Russian General Staff Sergei Rudskoi said in a briefing in Moscow, Wednesday.
Sergei Rudskoi, Head of Main Operational Department of Russian General Staff (Russian): “Despite the agreements signed on 15th November in Astana, Jabhat Al-Nusra militants joined by groups unwilling to comply with the terms of the ceasefire, at 8.00am [local time] (06:00am GMT) on September 19 launched a large-scale offensive on the positions of government troops to the north and northeast of Hama in the Idlib de-escalation zone. The attack was carried out with the support of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, it was preceded by an artillery barrage. During the day, the militants managed to penetrate 12 kilometres [7.5 miles] through the government troops’ defence line and at the front up to 20 kilometres [12.4 miles]. According to current information, the attack was initiated by the American secret services to stop the successful advance of the [Syrian] government troops to the east of Deir ez-Zor. One of the main goals of the militants’ actions was an attempt to capture units of the Russian military police, amounting to 29 service personnel carrying out tasks at an observation point deployed in the area to control the de-escalation forces. In the militants’ attack, a military police platoon of 29 people was trapped and for several hours repelled the attacks of the enemy shoulder to shoulder with the Mwali tribe, which signed the agreement on joining the cessation of hostilities and remained true to it in this difficult situation. In these extreme conditions the commander of the Russian forces in Syria, General-Colonel Surovkin, formed a rescue group. It was composed of units of special operations forces, military police, joined by the military-natives of the North Caucasus and the Syrian Special Forces. The squad was headed by Deputy Head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Parties and Hero of Russia, Major General Victor Shuliak. Aviation conducted strikes on the terrorists’ positions. The actions of the rescue squad were constantly supported by a pair of Sukhoi Su-25s, striking at militants and armoured vehicle militants from extremely low altitudes. As a result, the encirclement was broken and units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, without a loss, reached the area controlled by the [Syrian] government troops. During the operation, three soldiers of the Special Operations Forces were injured. All participants of this unique operation were presented with state awards. A terrorist attack was stopped and they suffered heavy losses due to the measures taken by the Russian command together with the General Staff of Syria. Air and artillery strikes destroyed 187 objects, about 850 terrorists, 11 tanks, four armoured vehicles, 46 pickups, five mortars, 20 trucks and 38 weapons warehouses were destroyed in a 24-hours period. Using the results of the fire support, units of the fifth volunteer assault corps, together with squads of government troops with the support of Russian aircraft, counterattacked and currently almost completely regained the ground lost. The operation to destroy the terrorists will be continued.”
The site trumpets the supposed accomplishments of Republican governors and gubernatorial candidates and blasts the alleged shortcomings of their Democratic counterparts. It is formatted and designed to look like a legitimate news outlet and trick casual or easily misled readers.
An Associated Press inquiry revealed that the RGA sought to conceal its involvement in the creation and administration of the site; it launched in July with no indication that it was the product of an official Republican Party committee. After the AP caught on to them, they “remedied” their lack of accountability. Now, at the very bottom of each page, you can squint and see a teeny tiny “paid for by Republican Governors Association” disclaimer, in fine gray-on-black font for ease of reading, surely.
One political communications expert at US News and World Report says the Free Telegraph commits a sort of “identity theft” by “appropriating the integrity of news,” aping credible news platforms to deliver blatantly partisan messages designed to elect Republican governors. She was particularly troubled by the RGA’s attempt to conceal its involvement in the site.
The website was registered July 7 through Domains By Proxy, a company that allows the originators of a website to shield their identities. An AP search did not find any corporate, Federal Election Commission or IRS filings establishing The Free Telegraph as an independent entity. Their Facebook account falsely labeled The Free Telegraph a "Media/News Company."
https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2017-09-19/gop-governors-get-into-the-news-business
When your parent country hates you or ignores you, don't get upset about it--just leave.
While California probably is the best equipped of the states to go independent, we'd still face a deal-breaker on water rights, as we get the majority courtesy of the Colorado river.
You have to be aware of the difference of representing your region to get the most out of a federal government and legitimately wanting to seperate.
That isn't to say the Kurds can't form thier own country, especially if they have support from international bodies that will recognize thier existence.
Only we've seen this failed policy before in Kansas.
Gov Brownback and the nutty Repulican legislature tried the same thing and it failed so hard. Brownback and Republicans won Kansas and promised tax cuts that would lead to astronomical job growth and wonderful things. It didn't happen instead revenue fell short of their rosy projections by hundreds of millions of dollars each year.
They cut everything, roads and education for example. And gave block grants to force Schools to enact the cuts so they would get the blame. Schools had to end the school year early because they ran out of money and class sizes got out of control. Other schools just closed.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/09/politics/sam-brownback-kansas/index.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corduene
https://thekurdishproject.org/history-and-culture/kurdistan-religion/
Scary that the fate of so many lives are in the hands of one man with brain cancer. Every other Repulican appears to be a blind partisan follower and would willingly rubber stamp anything that cuts taxes for the rich.
It's the only kind of politician you know is honestly committed to the people rather than his or her campaign contributors.
The most craven part of this is it is DESIGNED to punish blue states and reward red ones. Obamacare was designed with the idea of every state taking the Medicaid expansion. Some states not only refused the money (which was free) but actually SUED to not have to take it. And now Graham, Cassidy and the Republicans are saying that it isn't fair that the money for the Medicaid expansion is going to the states that accepted the funding. The states that didn't literally WENT TO COURT to not have to take it. The states that are getting the money are the states that chose to participate. The states that DIDN'T choose to participate did so for purely political reasons. The states that didn't participate are the main reason the exchanges are in flux.