shoebat--2020-10-06--The Prime Minister Of Armenia Warns: ‘Turkey’s Mission Is To Reestablish The Ottoman Empire In The C

The Prime Minister Of Armenia Warns: ‘Turkey’s Mission Is To Reestablish The Ottoman Empire In The Caucasus. The Syrian Rebels That Turkey Sent To Kill Armenians Are Harassing Villages And Beginning To Impose Sharia Law In The Region.’

In a recent interview with TIME Magazine , the Prime Minister of Armenia , Nikol Pashinyan , warned that what Turkey is doing is working to reestablish the Ottoman Empire in the Caucasus .
He said : “ Turkey ’ s action is nothing short of action aimed at reinstating the Ottoman empire.
” He also claimed that the Syrian mercenaries who Turkey sent into Azerbaijan were harassing villages and trying to impose Sharia law .
As TIME reported : Turkey is soaring above the barriers of the American hegemony , being enabled and allowed to become not just a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but now a reigning powerhouse that can control the political atmosphere of the Caucasus .
This is really of no surprise , since the Turks once controlled Azerbaijan , and even went to battle with the Russians to control its capital city , Baku .
We are speaking of the Battle of Baku of 1918 .
The Caucasus countries of Georgia , Armenia and Azerbaijan had been granted freedom from the Russian Empire ( thanks to the Brest-Litovsk agreement with the Bolsheviks ) , but Baku was still under Bolshevik control .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Ardahan in Armenia , and Baku in Azerbaijan .
On April 19th of 1918 , the Turks entered Batum , and on April 25 they moved right into Kars .
But their eyes were still on Baku .
The city was rich in oil , and the empire needed that black blood of the earth for which so much crimson blood has been spilt .
The Bolsheviks controlled Baku with an Armenian proxy , the nationalist Dashnak Party , under the banner of the “ Baku Commune ” .
There was horrendous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the prior month .
In March of 1918 , the Baku Commune ’ s forces let loose on the Azeri population a vicious pogrom that slaughtered up to 12,000 Muslims .
It was then that the Azeris called to the Ottomans for help , and Enver Pasha did not waste time on such an opportunity to not only take more territory but to acquire the oil .
Moreover , by taking Baku the Ottomans would have a center point from which to deploy troops to Iraq where they wanted to retake Bagdad from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ army of native Azeris and it was given the title of “ the Caucasus Army of Islam ” ( Kafkas İslâm Ordusu ) .
This army , under the command of Nuri Pasha , eventually took the city of Baku from the Russians on September 15th .
The strategical reasoning behind winning this battle was to get Azerbaijan to become a loyal state to the Ottomans .
( See Rogan , The Fall of the Ottomans , ch .
13 , pp .
371-2 ) And to this day , we see this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ex-president of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev , described the relation between Azerbaijan and Turkey as “ one nation with two states ” .
Looking at the times of 1918 and of now , we see a continuous pattern with conflict between Armenians and Azeris and Turkey intervening to establish its control under the justification of helping Azerbaijan .
History does not repeat exactly , but it does rhyme .
It is a rhythmic trend of the political experience , always returning to the chorus of chaos .
Looking to the past , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ song that we hear today , and it is mesmerizing the world into yet another path of destruction .

By Theodore Shoebat
In a recent interview with TIME Magazine, the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, warned that what Turkey is doing is working to reestablish the Ottoman Empire in the Caucasus. He said: “Turkey’s action is nothing short of action aimed at reinstating the Ottoman empire.” He also claimed that the Syrian mercenaries who Turkey sent into Azerbaijan were harassing villages and trying to impose Sharia law. As TIME reported:
“Pashinyan said Armenia’s conditions for a ceasefire are Turkey “discontinuing [its] engagement” and “the withdrawal of mercenaries and terrorists or their elimination.” He claimed, without presenting evidence, that mercenaries were harassing Azerbaijani villages, demanding the implementation of shariah law, and ransacking shops selling alcohol.”
Turkey is soaring above the barriers of the American hegemony, being enabled and allowed to become not just a regional power in the Middle East, but now a reigning powerhouse that can control the political atmosphere of the Caucasus. This is really of no surprise, since the Turks once controlled Azerbaijan, and even went to battle with the Russians to control its capital city, Baku. We are speaking of the Battle of Baku of 1918. The Caucasus countries of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan had been granted freedom from the Russian Empire (thanks to the Brest-Litovsk agreement with the Bolsheviks), but Baku was still under Bolshevik control. The Ottomans wanted Batum in Georgia, Kars and Ardahan in Armenia, and Baku in Azerbaijan. On April 19th of 1918, the Turks entered Batum, and on April 25 they moved right into Kars. But their eyes were still on Baku. The city was rich in oil, and the empire needed that black blood of the earth for which so much crimson blood has been spilt.
The Bolsheviks controlled Baku with an Armenian proxy, the nationalist Dashnak Party, under the banner of the “Baku Commune”. There was horrendous violence committed by the Armenian nationalists in the prior month. In March of 1918, the Baku Commune’s forces let loose on the Azeri population a vicious pogrom that slaughtered up to 12,000 Muslims. It was then that the Azeris called to the Ottomans for help, and Enver Pasha did not waste time on such an opportunity to not only take more territory but to acquire the oil. Moreover, by taking Baku the Ottomans would have a center point from which to deploy troops to Iraq where they wanted to retake Bagdad from the British. Enver brought together an army of native Azeris and it was given the title of “the Caucasus Army of Islam” (Kafkas İslâm Ordusu). This army, under the command of Nuri Pasha, eventually took the city of Baku from the Russians on September 15th. The strategical reasoning behind winning this battle was to get Azerbaijan to become a loyal state to the Ottomans. (See Rogan, The Fall of the Ottomans, ch. 13, pp. 371-2) And to this day, we see this strong loyalty, to the point that the ex-president of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, described the relation between Azerbaijan and Turkey as “one nation with two states”.
Looking at the times of 1918 and of now, we see a continuous pattern with conflict between Armenians and Azeris and Turkey intervening to establish its control under the justification of helping Azerbaijan. History does not repeat exactly, but it does rhyme. It is a rhythmic trend of the political experience, always returning to the chorus of chaos. Looking to the past, we see a rhythm that parallels with the song that we hear today, and it is mesmerizing the world into yet another path of destruction.
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shoebat--2020-10-07--Armenia Strikes Military Establishment, Fuel Depot In Azerbaijan

As tensions mounted between Armenia and Azerbaijan , Azeri President Ilham Aliyev responded to Armenian threats of bombing oil pipelines by saying that she would attack the Matsamor nuclear plant in Armenia in retaliation if that happened .
Armenia has denied attacking any oil pipelines , but recent news from the Caucasian Knot reports that Armenian troops have attacked and destroyed and Azeri base and fuel depot .
During the offensive near the city of Jebrail , a large Azerbaijani base of fuel and lubricants was destroyed , but the oil and gas infrastructure was not fired upon , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false information about 60 Azerbaijani soldiers killed in the Jebrail region .
The Armenian armed forces struck in the southeastern direction of the front line , in the area of the city of Jebrail ( Jrakan ) , the press secretary of the Armenian Defense Ministry Shushan Stepanyan wrote on her Facebook page .
“ As a result of targeted fire of Armenian units < … > a large base of the enemy ’ s fuel storage was damaged , ” she said .
According to Stepanyan , 60 dead Azerbaijani soldiers remained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22 units of damaged and dozens of units of serviceable equipment .
Stepanyan posted on social media a video showing a photo of dozens of trucks on a highway in mountainous terrain , followed by a video of a large fire with a tall mushroom-shaped column of black smoke .
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has denied the reports of the Armenian side about losses in the Jabrayil direction .
“ We officially declare that the information disseminated by the Armenian side is unfounded and false .
In the direction of Jabrail , our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has superiority over the enemy , ” the “ Caucasian Knot ” correspondent translated the message of the military department .
Jrakan ( Jabrayil ) on the map of Nagorno-Karabakh .
https : //www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/354792/On October 4 , Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced the return of control over the city of Jebrail and several villages of the Jebrail region .
At the same time , the press secretary of the Armenian Defense Ministry Shushan Stepanyan stated that this is “ another lie ” .
Armenia called Azerbaijan ’ s message about an attempt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The statements of the Azerbaijani side that the Armenian forces have made an attempt to strike at the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline are blatant lies , ” press secretary of the Armenian Defense Ministry Shushan Stepanyan told the “ Caucasian Knot ” correspondent .
On October 6 , the General Prosecutor ’ s Office of Azerbaijan announced an attempt by the Armenian military to launch a missile strike on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan ( BTC ) oil pipeline in the section passing through the Yevlakh region .
“ The attempt was thwarted , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The representative of the Armenian military department stressed that the goal of damaging the oil and gas infrastructure is not set for the military .
“ However , regardless of the location , all those military objects and targets from which fire will be fired in the direction of Artsakh ( Nagorno-Karabakh – note of the ” Caucasian Knot “ ) will be destroyed , ” she said .
( source )

As tensions mounted between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev responded to Armenian threats of bombing oil pipelines by saying that she would attack the Matsamor nuclear plant in Armenia in retaliation if that happened.
Armenia has denied attacking any oil pipelines, but recent news from the Caucasian Knot reports that Armenian troops have attacked and destroyed and Azeri base and fuel depot.
During the offensive near the city of Jebrail, a large Azerbaijani base of fuel and lubricants was destroyed, but the oil and gas infrastructure was not fired upon, the Armenian Defense Ministry said. Baku called false information about 60 Azerbaijani soldiers killed in the Jebrail region.
…
The Armenian armed forces struck in the southeastern direction of the front line, in the area of the city of Jebrail (Jrakan), the press secretary of the Armenian Defense Ministry Shushan Stepanyan wrote on her Facebook page . “As a result of targeted fire of Armenian units <…> a large base of the enemy’s fuel storage was damaged,” she said.
According to Stepanyan, 60 dead Azerbaijani soldiers remained on the battlefield, as well as 22 units of damaged and dozens of units of serviceable equipment. Stepanyan posted on social media a video showing a photo of dozens of trucks on a highway in mountainous terrain, followed by a video of a large fire with a tall mushroom-shaped column of black smoke.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has denied the reports of the Armenian side about losses in the Jabrayil direction. “We officially declare that the information disseminated by the Armenian side is unfounded and false. In the direction of Jabrail, our army is successfully continuing its counter-offensive and has superiority over the enemy,” the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent translated the message of the military department.
Jrakan (Jabrayil) on the map of Nagorno-Karabakh. https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/354792/On October 4, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced the return of control over the city of Jebrail and several villages of the Jebrail region. At the same time, the press secretary of the Armenian Defense Ministry Shushan Stepanyan stated that this is “another lie”.
Armenia called Azerbaijan’s message about an attempt to fire at an oil pipeline as disinformation. “The statements of the Azerbaijani side that the Armenian forces have made an attempt to strike at the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline are blatant lies,” press secretary of the Armenian Defense Ministry Shushan Stepanyan told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.
On October 6, the General Prosecutor’s Office of Azerbaijan announced an attempt by the Armenian military to launch a missile strike on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline in the section passing through the Yevlakh region. “The attempt was thwarted,” the ministry said in a press release.
The representative of the Armenian military department stressed that the goal of damaging the oil and gas infrastructure is not set for the military. “However, regardless of the location, all those military objects and targets from which fire will be fired in the direction of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh – note of the” Caucasian Knot “) will be destroyed,” she said. (source)


shoebat--2020-10-07--Here It Begins: Accusations Fly That Azerbaijan Is Recruiting Terrorist Fighters From The Ukrainian

Here It Begins: Accusations Fly That Azerbaijan Is Recruiting Terrorist Fighters From The Ukrainian Neo-Nazi “Right Sector” And “Azov” Groups

There has been talk that Azerbaijan , given her strategic importance for oil , tight military alliance with Turkey , past history as a former Soviet occupied nation , and her location as a bridge between Russia , Turkey , the Middle East , and Central Asia , could see a major rise in terrorism as the Turkish-allied country might become a “ stepping stone ” for terrorists , backed by Turkey and even NATO , into Central Asia .
According to Russian and Armenian news sources , this may be coming true , as various reports ( all Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has started recruiting fighters from the Ukrainian Neo-Nazi “ Right Sector ” and “ Azov ” groups currently fighting Russia in Donetsk , Luhansk , and the Crimea regions .
According to Russian military commander Semyon Pegov , Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has announced the start of recruiting terrorists from the Ukrainian extremist gangs “ Right Sector ” and “ Azov ” .
The journalist ’ s telegram channel on Wednesday , October 7 , specifies that the recruitment takes place in Odessa .
Basically , the recruitment of militants is carried out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Odessa .
Recruiters from Baku give preference to the “ Azov ” and “ Right Sector ” militants , who have a bloody combat past in the trenches of Donbass .
It is also specified that for participation in hostilities against Nagorno-Karabakh , each militant was promised from 1.5 to 2 thousand dollars .
As you know , earlier it was suggested that [ Aliyev ] would send Ukrainian neo-Nazis to the trenches of Artsakh , many sources suggested such an insider .
Now the inside information has been finally confirmed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Azerbaijan and NKR flared up with renewed vigor on September 27 this year , shelling and clashes have been going on for more than 10 days .
( source ) There is a lot of disinformation on both sides , so it is objectively difficult to get clear information .
That said , the fact that the possibility of this was raised and now the Russians are accusing Azerbaijan of doing exactly this is concerning and must be watched carefully .
It is not unreasonable to expect this .
With it being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donetsk or Luhansk to Baku , the capitol of Azerbaijan , it is the equivalent of a drive from San Antonio to Phoenix .
To add more perspective on this , consider how there is a migrant caravan heading to the US right now from Honduras .
If we calculate the distance from Tegucigalpa , the capitol , to the American port city and major border crossing point of Laredo , Texas , which is right on the US border , it is about 1708 miles , or almost double the distance from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trip can me made in a day or less .
It is not very far by auto standards .
As such , getting to such a location is not a problem for the motivated .
The small nations and “ quasi-nations ” ( Chechnya , Dagestan , Ingushetia , etc . )
are all known for being used in proxy wars between major powers .
But with conflict in Azerbaijan exploding and a trend in progress already indicating a rise of nationalism and a return to war on the European continent , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be the trigger for something worse , now or in the future .
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There has been talk that Azerbaijan, given her strategic importance for oil, tight military alliance with Turkey, past history as a former Soviet occupied nation, and her location as a bridge between Russia, Turkey, the Middle East, and Central Asia, could see a major rise in terrorism as the Turkish-allied country might become a “stepping stone” for terrorists, backed by Turkey and even NATO, into Central Asia. According to Russian and Armenian news sources, this may be coming true, as various reports (all Russian) say that Azeri President Ilham Aliyev has started recruiting fighters from the Ukrainian Neo-Nazi “Right Sector” and “Azov” groups currently fighting Russia in Donetsk, Luhansk, and the Crimea regions.
According to Russian military commander Semyon Pegov, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has announced the start of recruiting terrorists from the Ukrainian extremist gangs “Right Sector” and “Azov”. The journalist’s telegram channel on Wednesday, October 7, specifies that the recruitment takes place in Odessa. Basically, the recruitment of militants is carried out in the Azerbaijani diaspora of the city of Odessa. Recruiters from Baku give preference to the “Azov” and “Right Sector” militants, who have a bloody combat past in the trenches of Donbass. It is also specified that for participation in hostilities against Nagorno-Karabakh, each militant was promised from 1.5 to 2 thousand dollars. As you know, earlier it was suggested that [Aliyev] would send Ukrainian neo-Nazis to the trenches of Artsakh, many sources suggested such an insider. Now the inside information has been finally confirmed. It should be reminded that the conflict between Azerbaijan and NKR flared up with renewed vigor on September 27 this year, shelling and clashes have been going on for more than 10 days. (source)
There is a lot of disinformation on both sides, so it is objectively difficult to get clear information. That said, the fact that the possibility of this was raised and now the Russians are accusing Azerbaijan of doing exactly this is concerning and must be watched carefully.
It is not unreasonable to expect this. With it being between 900 to 950 miles from either Donetsk or Luhansk to Baku, the capitol of Azerbaijan, it is the equivalent of a drive from San Antonio to Phoenix. To add more perspective on this, consider how there is a migrant caravan heading to the US right now from Honduras. If we calculate the distance from Tegucigalpa, the capitol, to the American port city and major border crossing point of Laredo, Texas, which is right on the US border, it is about 1708 miles, or almost double the distance from points east in Ukraine to Baku
The trip can me made in a day or less. It is not very far by auto standards. As such, getting to such a location is not a problem for the motivated.
The small nations and “quasi-nations” (Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia, etc.) are all known for being used in proxy wars between major powers. But with conflict in Azerbaijan exploding and a trend in progress already indicating a rise of nationalism and a return to war on the European continent, this could lead to a larger war and may be the trigger for something worse, now or in the future.
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shoebat--2020-10-07--Long-Term Unemployment Hits New Record

Long-Term Unemployment Hits New Record

Unemployment is a terrible thing in the US , since due to the nature of the society , if one does not have money , one can not participate in social life , and the ability to earn money is tied often to employment .
As such , when unemployment rises , it causes social and economic problems , and if it is bad enough , can cause major disruptions to society .
According to a report from the Labor Department and reported on by The Hill , long-term unemployment has reached new records with no signs of serious improvement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joined the ranks of long-term unemployment has spiked to a record high in a worrying sign of the economic recovery ’ s health .
According to the Labor Department , the number of people out of work for more than 27 weeks increased to 2.4 million in September , an increase of 32.5 percent from the previous month .
There are 4.9 million people who have been unemployed between 15 and 26 weeks .
Workers who have been separated from their jobs for more than 6 months typically have a more difficult time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy improves .
“ Last week we saw the biggest spike in long-term unemployment since they started measuring long-term unemployment , ” said Michele Evermore , senior researcher and policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project .
The number of long-term unemployed workers is expected to rise in the months ahead , something likely to be exacerbated by President Trump ’ s decision to scrap talks with Democrats on a COVID-19 economic relief bill before the elections .
The talks were aimed at restoring at least some of the supplemental federal unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of July .
Without a new relief package , small businesses hoping for another round of forgivable loans will be left in the dust .
The travel , leisure and entertainment sectors , in particular , may face closures and additional layoffs as colder weather makes dining and entertaining outdoors difficult .
Even if the pandemic comes under control , it could take years to return to earlier employment levels .
“ It ’ s bad news , ” said Evermore .
“ It ’ s hard on people to be unemployed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s hard on their mental health , it ’ s hard on their children ’ s performance in school , and it makes their employment prospects much worse in the future.
” The spike in long-term unemployment comes as the overall unemployment rate , which hit a high of 14.7 percent in April , dropped to 7.9 percent in September .
The economy has only restored about half of the jobs lost since the spring and remains at a deficit of 10.2 million jobs compared to February .
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the long-term unemployed as a primary reason more government support was necessary .
“ There is a risk that the rapid initial gains from reopening may transition to a longer than expected slog back to full recovery as some segments struggle with the pandemic ’ s continued fallout , ” he said in a speech urging Congress to pass more fiscal stimulus .
Powell also noted that the recovery thus far has been uneven , with low-wage service jobs typically filled by women and racial minorities taking the brunt of the losses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarter of the wage earners was down 21 points compared to just 4 percent for other workers .
The reason long-term unemployment has spiked is simple : More than 26 weeks have passed since the pandemic began , meaning that the tsunami of people who lost their jobs in the early days of the lockdowns are now reaching the long-term milestone .
But the fact that so many people have remained on the unemployment books for so long is a worrying sign for the economic recovery .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of billions more in relief funds than the GOP was willing to agree to , slammed Trump for pulling the plug on the negotiations , citing Powell ’ s analysis .
“ Trump is wedded to his $ 150 billion tax cut for the wealthiest people in America from the CARES Act , while he refuses to give real help to poor children , the unemployed and America ’ s hard working families , ” she said .
Pelosi appeared to be referring to a CARES Act provision , scrapped in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business owners to apply business losses toward nonbusiness income .
Trump is under audit for using a similar provision from the Great Recession himself .
( source )

Unemployment is a terrible thing in the US, since due to the nature of the society, if one does not have money, one cannot participate in social life, and the ability to earn money is tied often to employment. As such, when unemployment rises, it causes social and economic problems, and if it is bad enough, can cause major disruptions to society.
According to a report from the Labor Department and reported on by The Hill, long-term unemployment has reached new records with no signs of serious improvement.
The number of people who have joined the ranks of long-term unemployment has spiked to a record high in a worrying sign of the economic recovery’s health. According to the Labor Department, the number of people out of work for more than 27 weeks increased to 2.4 million in September, an increase of 32.5 percent from the previous month. There are 4.9 million people who have been unemployed between 15 and 26 weeks. Workers who have been separated from their jobs for more than 6 months typically have a more difficult time getting back to work even once the economy improves. “Last week we saw the biggest spike in long-term unemployment since they started measuring long-term unemployment,” said Michele Evermore, senior researcher and policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project. The number of long-term unemployed workers is expected to rise in the months ahead, something likely to be exacerbated by President Trump’s decision to scrap talks with Democrats on a COVID-19 economic relief bill before the elections. The talks were aimed at restoring at least some of the supplemental federal unemployment benefits that dried up at the end of July. Without a new relief package, small businesses hoping for another round of forgivable loans will be left in the dust. The travel, leisure and entertainment sectors, in particular, may face closures and additional layoffs as colder weather makes dining and entertaining outdoors difficult. Even if the pandemic comes under control, it could take years to return to earlier employment levels. “It’s bad news,” said Evermore. “It’s hard on people to be unemployed for such a long time. It’s hard on their mental health, it’s hard on their children’s performance in school, and it makes their employment prospects much worse in the future.” The spike in long-term unemployment comes as the overall unemployment rate, which hit a high of 14.7 percent in April, dropped to 7.9 percent in September. The economy has only restored about half of the jobs lost since the spring and remains at a deficit of 10.2 million jobs compared to February. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Tuesday cited the swelled ranks of the long-term unemployed as a primary reason more government support was necessary. “There is a risk that the rapid initial gains from reopening may transition to a longer than expected slog back to full recovery as some segments struggle with the pandemic’s continued fallout,” he said in a speech urging Congress to pass more fiscal stimulus. Powell also noted that the recovery thus far has been uneven, with low-wage service jobs typically filled by women and racial minorities taking the brunt of the losses. In August, employment for the poorest quarter of the wage earners was down 21 points compared to just 4 percent for other workers. The reason long-term unemployment has spiked is simple: More than 26 weeks have passed since the pandemic began, meaning that the tsunami of people who lost their jobs in the early days of the lockdowns are now reaching the long-term milestone. But the fact that so many people have remained on the unemployment books for so long is a worrying sign for the economic recovery. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who had been pushing for hundreds of billions more in relief funds than the GOP was willing to agree to, slammed Trump for pulling the plug on the negotiations, citing Powell’s analysis. “Trump is wedded to his $150 billion tax cut for the wealthiest people in America from the CARES Act, while he refuses to give real help to poor children, the unemployed and America’s hard working families,” she said. Pelosi appeared to be referring to a CARES Act provision, scrapped in the House Democratic HEROES Act, that allowed business owners to apply business losses toward nonbusiness income. Trump is under audit for using a similar provision from the Great Recession himself. (source)
Long-term unemployment is very serious and destructive to many. While one can “get a job”, the question that matters to many is to get a job that one can live on. There are only seventeen states in which one can rent an apartment earning $17 per hour, and only four in which one can do this earning under $15 per hour, with no states lower than $14.13, the lowest being in Arkansas. Considering that 44% of jobs pay a media salary less than $18,000 year and a mean income of $10.22 per hour, it takes a minimum of two people to afford a simple apartment just to live in, let alon to account for other bills.
This is the catch. Many people are out of work, and while there is work available (but getting harder to find), a lot of it is at best a supplement but not a main source of income. The result of this is a downward spiral of most of the public towards poverty.
The combined trends of growing poverty, job instability, and long-term unemployment are all interlinked and are not going away any time soon until the debt issue is dealt with, and that will only happen when it is believe to be politically advantageous to discharge.
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shoebat--2020-10-07--Turkey Wants Wars In The Middle East And The Caucasus So That It Can Take Advantage Of Chaos And Mak

Turkey Wants Wars In The Middle East And The Caucasus So That It Can Take Advantage Of Chaos And Make Itself A Global Power Again

Turkey is in Libya , in Syria ; Turkey is expanding itself in the Eastern Mediterranean , and now Turkey has imposed itself in the Caucasus .
What is one of the main objectives of Turkey in doing all this ?
It is to guarantee that Turkey will always have a say in peace negotiations , and thus placing it in a position of perpetual influence , thus expanding Turkish geopolitical leverage .
By expanding its sphere of influence , Turkey expands its control , and thus its hegemony , a prerequisite to empire building .
The foundation of empire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position to dictate terms from behind the barrel of a gun .
And since Turkey is the second most armed country in NATO , it is safe to say that Turkey ’ s ability to execute policies of intervention , while having a respected place in negotiations , is a sign of its growing global power .
When a ceasefire was agreed upon in Libya , it was Russia and Turkey that brokered it , not the United States , which really indicates Turkey ’ s soaring place as a hegemony ( with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the post-WW1 order , Turkey has no position ( the Ottoman Empire was indeed called the ‘ sick man of Europe ’ before its fall ) .
But now , Erdogan is changing this old world order , and ushering in a new world order where conflict can not be resolved without Turkey ’ s say so .
Turkey wanted a conflict in Syria , because it would ( being the most powerful of the Islamic world and a high ranking member of NATO ) put it in the position of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans gladly conceded to this , thus enabling Turkish expansion in the Near East .
One Turkish source very close to Turkish politics , Emre Dogru , wrote in an email correspondence with Stratfor back in 2011 that Turkey had a plan to invade northern Syria , and that such a measure was already known by the Americans , and that it would be done only with American and NATO involvement .
Dogru also said that Turkey would not invade Syria unless the Syrian civil war causes a migrant crises .
As we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found in the Wikileaks archives : “ But Turkey has a very-well developed contingency plan that may be implemented should the need arise according to the events that take place in Syria .
The plan was elaborated back in March 2011 , and revised in June 2011 .
Turkey ’ s allies , including the US , are aware of this plan .
The plan includes creating a buffer-zone in northern Syria ( I sent specifics of this plan in another insight before – pasted below ) only if the unrest or civil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massive refugee crisis 2 ) Threatens the border security 3 ) Provides PKK with an opportunity to attack on Turkey more easily .
But Turkey does not have any intention to take an action on Syria unless these conditions occur .
Turkey will not act without US/NATO involvement anyway.
” By being Azerbaijan ’ s biggest ally in the current conflict , Turkey is also given a giant say so in any sort of peace talks .
What this means is that Turkey is expanding its influence , and thus expanding its control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a brokerage for peace in Syria , Turkey is a major broker ; the same is said for Libya and the same will be said for the Caucasus .
As we read in a report from 112 Ukraine : What we are seeing are the beginning stages of a new world order , with former powers like Turkey rising above the rubble of its destroyed past to arise again and world superpowers .

By Theodore Shoebat
Turkey is in Libya, in Syria; Turkey is expanding itself in the Eastern Mediterranean, and now Turkey has imposed itself in the Caucasus. What is one of the main objectives of Turkey in doing all this? It is to guarantee that Turkey will always have a say in peace negotiations, and thus placing it in a position of perpetual influence, thus expanding Turkish geopolitical leverage. By expanding its sphere of influence, Turkey expands its control, and thus its hegemony, a prerequisite to empire building. The foundation of empire building is influence, being in a position to dictate terms from behind the barrel of a gun. And since Turkey is the second most armed country in NATO, it is safe to say that Turkey’s ability to execute policies of intervention, while having a respected place in negotiations, is a sign of its growing global power. When a ceasefire was agreed upon in Libya, it was Russia and Turkey that brokered it, not the United States, which really indicates Turkey’s soaring place as a hegemony (with American consent, of course).
In the post-WW1 order, Turkey has no position (the Ottoman Empire was indeed called the ‘sick man of Europe’ before its fall). But now, Erdogan is changing this old world order, and ushering in a new world order where conflict cannot be resolved without Turkey’s say so. Turkey wanted a conflict in Syria, because it would (being the most powerful of the Islamic world and a high ranking member of NATO) put it in the position of the stabilizing force of the region. The Americans gladly conceded to this, thus enabling Turkish expansion in the Near East. One Turkish source very close to Turkish politics, Emre Dogru, wrote in an email correspondence with Stratfor back in 2011 that Turkey had a plan to invade northern Syria, and that such a measure was already known by the Americans, and that it would be done only with American and NATO involvement. Dogru also said that Turkey would not invade Syria unless the Syrian civil war causes a migrant crises. As we read in the email which can be found in the Wikileaks archives:
“But Turkey has a very-well developed contingency plan that may be implemented should the need arise according to the events that take place in Syria. The plan was elaborated back in March 2011, and revised in June 2011. Turkey’s allies, including the US, are aware of this plan. The plan includes creating a buffer-zone in northern Syria (I sent specifics of this plan in another insight before – pasted below) only if the unrest or civil war in Syria 1) Creates a massive refugee crisis 2) Threatens the border security 3) Provides PKK with an opportunity to attack on Turkey more easily. But Turkey does not have any intention to take an action on Syria unless these conditions occur. Turkey will not act without US/NATO involvement anyway.”
By being Azerbaijan’s biggest ally in the current conflict, Turkey is also given a giant say so in any sort of peace talks. What this means is that Turkey is expanding its influence, and thus expanding its control, its political leverage. If there is a brokerage for peace in Syria, Turkey is a major broker; the same is said for Libya and the same will be said for the Caucasus. As we read in a report from 112 Ukraine:
By “re-activating” the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and changing the military-political balance of forces in favor of its ally Azerbaijan (and therefore in its favor), Turkey intends to establish itself in the region as one of the stakeholders of the local processes, guarantors of the new status quo, along with Russia, France, USA, and EU.
What we are seeing are the beginning stages of a new world order, with former powers like Turkey rising above the rubble of its destroyed past to arise again and world superpowers.
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shoebat--2020-10-07--Trump, A Second Stimulus Check, And The Election

There are some things in life that one does and one does not do .
One of the things that one does not do is to promise a monetary handout to the public and then postpone the offer until after Election Day , because it looks a lot like one is trying to use a “ carrot and stick ” method to coerce votes from the public .
The public is notoriously known for being easily manipulated , but even many of them are still wise enough to this .
However , this is what Trump seems to have attempted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump is promising a second round of COVID-19 stimulus checks , but only until after the election .
President Donald Trump urged Congress Tuesday night to approve piecemeal coronavirus relief measures he would sign , including a new round of $ 1,200 stimulus checks for Americans .
That turn came after just hours after he effectively killed discussions on a broader stimulus package until “ after I win ” the election .
Both moves by the president , who was released Monday from the hospital where he was being treated for Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If I am sent a Stand Alone Bill for Stimulus Checks ( $ 1,200 ) , they will go out to our great people IMMEDIATELY .
I am ready to sign right now .
Are you listening Nancy ?
” Trump tweeted Tuesday night .
He said in another tweet that he would approve funding for specific struggling industries , such as airlines and small businesses , which is short of what House Democrats proposed .
“ The House & Senate should IMMEDIATELY Approve 25 Billion Dollars for Airline Payroll Support , & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Small Business .
Both of these will be fully paid for with unused funds from the Cares Act .
Have this money .
I will sign now !
” Trump said .
A senior administration official familiar with the president ’ s thinking said Tuesday that a “ large-scale stimulus package is on the sidelines , ” as Trump made clear earlier , saying the president felt it best not to string people along .
But the White House appears to be planning to push a series of smaller , individual packages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump threw cold water on the stimulus talks in a series of tweets .
“ Nancy Pelosi is asking for $ 2.4 Trillion Dollars to bailout poorly run , high crime , Democrat States , money that is in no way related to COVID-19 , ” Trump said earlier of the aid package passed by House Democrats last week , which was actually for $ 2.2 trillion , “ We made a very generous offer of $ 1.6 Trillion Dollars and , as usual , she is not negotiating in good faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and looking to the future of our Country.
” “ I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when , immediately after I win , we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business , ” he continued .
“ I have asked Mitch McConnell not to delay , but to instead focus full time on approving my outstanding nominee to the United States Supreme Court , Amy Coney Barrett.
” ( source ) This can not end well for Trump in most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public may or may not get the checks , depending on what Biden does , and while Trump may have advantages in key states over Biden , it is well-known that broke , frustrated , broken people promised money to help them who do not get it from a person until “ after Election Day ” do not always think rationally , and they may take out their anger at Trump at the Ballot box .
If Trump wins and he does not do it , the public outcry of anger may lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do it , it will only further the US down the road to major currency devaluation .
If Trump had said nothing , the economic problems would remain , but it might not pose a political threat to him .
Now , one may have emerged because of this .
The saving grace of this would be if Trump is able to get a $ 1200 check bill separated from the rest of the bill currently in Congress .
THAT would reverse a lot of the frustrations the public may have against him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may give him an even bigger boost over Biden than what many would expect .
With the stakes so high , it will be interesting to watch the ballot boxes this November .
Donate now to help support the work of this site .
When you donate , you are not donating to just any commentary group , but one that is endlessly observing the news , reading between the lines and separating hysteria and perception from reality .
In shoebat.com , we are working every day , tirelessly investigating global trends and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what lies for the future .
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There are some things in life that one does and one does not do. One of the things that one does not do is to promise a monetary handout to the public and then postpone the offer until after Election Day, because it looks a lot like one is trying to use a “carrot and stick” method to coerce votes from the public. The public is notoriously known for being easily manipulated, but even many of them are still wise enough to this. However, this is what Trump seems to have attempted to do, for as NBC reports, Trump is promising a second round of COVID-19 stimulus checks, but only until after the election.
President Donald Trump urged Congress Tuesday night to approve piecemeal coronavirus relief measures he would sign, including a new round of $1,200 stimulus checks for Americans. That turn came after just hours after he effectively killed discussions on a broader stimulus package until “after I win” the election. Both moves by the president, who was released Monday from the hospital where he was being treated for Covid-19, were made on Twitter. “If I am sent a Stand Alone Bill for Stimulus Checks ($1,200), they will go out to our great people IMMEDIATELY. I am ready to sign right now. Are you listening Nancy?” Trump tweeted Tuesday night. He said in another tweet that he would approve funding for specific struggling industries, such as airlines and small businesses, which is short of what House Democrats proposed. “The House & Senate should IMMEDIATELY Approve 25 Billion Dollars for Airline Payroll Support, & 135 Billion Dollars for Paycheck Protection Program for Small Business. Both of these will be fully paid for with unused funds from the Cares Act. Have this money. I will sign now!” Trump said. A senior administration official familiar with the president’s thinking said Tuesday that a “large-scale stimulus package is on the sidelines,” as Trump made clear earlier, saying the president felt it best not to string people along. But the White House appears to be planning to push a series of smaller, individual packages on mutually agreed-upon items. Hours earlier, Trump threw cold water on the stimulus talks in a series of tweets. “Nancy Pelosi is asking for $2.4 Trillion Dollars to bailout poorly run, high crime, Democrat States, money that is in no way related to COVID-19,” Trump said earlier of the aid package passed by House Democrats last week, which was actually for $2.2 trillion, “We made a very generous offer of $1.6 Trillion Dollars and, as usual, she is not negotiating in good faith. I am rejecting their request, and looking to the future of our Country.” “I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business,” he continued. “I have asked Mitch McConnell not to delay, but to instead focus full time on approving my outstanding nominee to the United States Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett.” (source)
This cannot end well for Trump in most outcomes. If he loses, the public may or may not get the checks, depending on what Biden does, and while Trump may have advantages in key states over Biden, it is well-known that broke, frustrated, broken people promised money to help them who do not get it from a person until “after Election Day” do not always think rationally, and they may take out their anger at Trump at the Ballot box. If Trump wins and he does not do it, the public outcry of anger may lead to physical violence. If he does do it, it will only further the US down the road to major currency devaluation.
If Trump had said nothing, the economic problems would remain, but it might not pose a political threat to him. Now, one may have emerged because of this.
The saving grace of this would be if Trump is able to get a $1200 check bill separated from the rest of the bill currently in Congress. THAT would reverse a lot of the frustrations the public may have against him based on such a statement, and may give him an even bigger boost over Biden than what many would expect.
With the stakes so high, it will be interesting to watch the ballot boxes this November.
print


shoebat--2020-10-08--Satellite Images Purportedly Show Turkey SECRETLY Transferring Fighter Jets To Azerbaijan

Turkey is flexing her geopolitical and regional muscles once again , and this time it seems to be happening through her ally of Azerbaijan in the current Azeri-Armenian conflict over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh .
According to a report from The Drive , satellite images have uncovered what appear to be Turkey secretly transferring fighter jets into Azerbaijan to aid the Azeri side in the conflict .
Satellite imagery shows at least two F-16 Viper fighter jets , almost certainly belonging to the Turkish Air Force , at Ganja International Airport in Azerbaijan earlier this month .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of these jets were in that country after fighting erupted between it and its neighbor Armenia over the long-disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region .
The War Zone obtained the image of Ganja International Airport , dated Oct. 3 , 2020 , showing the pair of F-16s , as well as what could be a CN-235 light transport aircraft , from Planet Labs .
The airport is situated in the western part of Azerbaijan , less than 50 miles north from Nagorno-Karabakh .
Christiaan Triebert , of The New York Times ’ Visual Investigations team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jets in this imagery , providing initial analysis in a thread on Twitter .
Triebert said that the region has been a particular point of interest for the Visual Investigations team , as it has been for other news outlets , experts , and observers , since a new major conflict broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh on Sept. 27 , 2020 .
Since 1994 , the Armenian-backed Republic of Artsakh has held de facto control over Nagorno-Karabakh , despite the area being widely recognized as Azerbaijani territory .
Fighting has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades .
The issue of the possible presence of Turkish F-16s at Ganja and their potential involvement in this conflict first arose on Sept. 29 , 2020 , when Shushan Stepanyan , the Press Secretary of the Minister of Defense of Armenia , claimed that one of these jets flying from that airport had shot down an Armenian Su-25 Frogfoot ground-attack jet .
Turkish and Azerbaijani officials categorically denied this and said that no Turkish Vipers were conducting combat operations in the region .
Despite their presence at Ganja , it remains unclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ participating in the fighting in and around Nagorno-Karabakh , which has been steadily escalating since it began last week .
If they are not , the question becomes what possible role could they have and why has the deployment been kept secret ?
Azerbaijan has already been waging a devastating air war against Armenian and Armenian-backed forces using Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 armed drones , as well as Israeli-made loitering munitions , especially the Israel Aerospace Industries ( IAI ) Harop .
( source )

Turkey is flexing her geopolitical and regional muscles once again, and this time it seems to be happening through her ally of Azerbaijan in the current Azeri-Armenian conflict over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. According to a report from The Drive, satellite images have uncovered what appear to be Turkey secretly transferring fighter jets into Azerbaijan to aid the Azeri side in the conflict.
Satellite imagery shows at least two F-16 Viper fighter jets, almost certainly belonging to the Turkish Air Force, at Ganja International Airport in Azerbaijan earlier this month. This is the first hard evidence that at least some of these jets were in that country after fighting erupted between it and its neighbor Armenia over the long-disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
The War Zone obtained the image of Ganja International Airport, dated Oct. 3, 2020, showing the pair of F-16s, as well as what could be a CN-235 light transport aircraft, from Planet Labs. The airport is situated in the western part of Azerbaijan, less than 50 miles north from Nagorno-Karabakh.
Christiaan Triebert, of The New York Times’ Visual Investigations team was among the first to spot the jets in this imagery, providing initial analysis in a thread on Twitter. Triebert said that the region has been a particular point of interest for the Visual Investigations team, as it has been for other news outlets, experts, and observers, since a new major conflict broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh on Sept. 27, 2020. Since 1994, the Armenian-backed Republic of Artsakh has held de facto control over Nagorno-Karabakh, despite the area being widely recognized as Azerbaijani territory. Fighting has flared up at times in the intervening decades.
The issue of the possible presence of Turkish F-16s at Ganja and their potential involvement in this conflict first arose on Sept. 29, 2020, when Shushan Stepanyan, the Press Secretary of the Minister of Defense of Armenia, claimed that one of these jets flying from that airport had shot down an Armenian Su-25 Frogfoot ground-attack jet. Turkish and Azerbaijani officials categorically denied this and said that no Turkish Vipers were conducting combat operations in the region.
…
Despite their presence at Ganja, it remains unclear how the F-16s are or are not participating in the fighting in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, which has been steadily escalating since it began last week. If they are not, the question becomes what possible role could they have and why has the deployment been kept secret? Azerbaijan has already been waging a devastating air war against Armenian and Armenian-backed forces using Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 armed drones, as well as Israeli-made loitering munitions, especially the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Harop. (source)


shoebat--2020-10-08--Pandemic May Bring About Massive Decline In Christian Practice

As the effects of the pandemic continue to show themselves , the Barna group is reporting by way of the Christian Post that the disconnect from attendance at church may cause large declines among younger members of the various Evangelical denominations .
The coronavirus pandemic could accelerate a loss of faith among the next generation unless churches find ways to better disciple young churchgoers and keep them connected , senior researchers at the Barna Group say .
David Kinnaman , president of the California-based evangelical Christian polling firm and Mark Matlock , director of insights , cited earlier research highlighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grew up in the church will either walk away from their faith or from the church when they become young adults , during a recent discussion about the impact of the pandemic on Christians aged 18-29 .
When asked about what he was seeing and hearing from churches that are trying to respond to the problem , Matlock highlighted research showing that among adults 18-29 who were raised Christian , only 10 % of them are considered ideal or ‘ resilient ’ disciples .
Some 22 % are no longer Christian and 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they still believe in God but aren ’ t connected to a church .
Another 38 % are considered ‘ habitual churchgoers ’ but have loose ties to God .
“ It ’ s important to realize about that 22 % is that they just aren ’ t coming to church anymore .
They ’ ve said I no longer identify as a Christian , which is pretty serious , ” Matlock said .
“ There ’ s another group we call nomads that still identify as a Christian , they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s another group , they ’ re not really as connected to God but they ’ re coming to church pretty frequently and that ’ s what we call the habitual churchgoers .
And then there ’ s the resilient , kind of what we call the ideal disciple , ” he continued .
“ When we think about the habitual churchgoers , one of the things we know that makes them different from the resilients is that they have meaningful relationships at church .
That ’ s come out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Exiles .
We looked at five kind of themes that contribute to resilient discipleship , ” he said .
“ The pandemic has accelerated the urgency , I believe , in discipling those habitual churchgoers .
They are coming to our churches with pretty good frequency but they aren ’ t really grounded in their faith , practice or belief .
And that ’ s an opportunity that we have.
” Both researchers believe that this group had “ their hand on the door ” before the pandemic and the enduring impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ turn the knob and walk through it.
” “ It means that we have to make personal connections with this generation .
We need to be calling every young person that we have contact with .
We need to be making a connection with them .
Asking them how they ’ re doing ?
Finding out how their faith has been going .
How can we be the church to you ?
We know that resilients have those relationships , habituals do not .
And it ’ s a hard thing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ build those things but that ’ s what is most urgent right now , ” Matlock added .
( source ) This is not a surprise , and it is also not the fault of the virus .
American Evangelical Christianity was in decline for a long time , and like the economy , it was the virus that exposed the cracks that were already present and forced the problems to public view .
The trends towards a decline of Evangelical practice is due to many reasons , but a major one is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connect between it an American nationalism .
Thus being a Christian is often synonymous with adherence to or a sense of patriotic duty , and as this declines or one believes that one can be a ‘ good citizen ’ without necessarily going to a group such as a church , the numbers will likely continue to drop .
There is a constant focus , it seems , from many of these churches on how to better the environments in the churches , and while this has some impact , ‘ community ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the communities in society have already collapsed largely .
Instead , the issue seems to be related to a loss of faith in absolute truth and the idea that truth is something that can change , a problem that is not new , but is building on itself to the natural end of saying that one can define truth for oneself because the standards are always changing .
There has been much said about the Catholic Church , but she has seen a significant decline not related to the virus , her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is no danger of her survival as it pertains to her existence .
While there will ‘ evangelical churches ’ in the future , their power is declining as a social force , and with a decline in their political and economic power , because of their association with national identity and disconnect from the greater body of Sacred Tradition as well as with selective views on Sacred Scripture , may see even more serious declines than what happened with the Catholic Church .
Donate now to help support the work of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are not donating to just any commentary group , but one that is endlessly observing the news , reading between the lines and separating hysteria and perception from reality .
In shoebat.com , we are working every day , tirelessly investigating global trends and providing data and analysis to tell you what lies for the future .
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW OUR NEW SHOEBAT FACEBOOK PAGE

As the effects of the pandemic continue to show themselves, the Barna group is reporting by way of the Christian Post that the disconnect from attendance at church may cause large declines among younger members of the various Evangelical denominations.
The coronavirus pandemic could accelerate a loss of faith among the next generation unless churches find ways to better disciple young churchgoers and keep them connected, senior researchers at the Barna Group say. David Kinnaman, president of the California-based evangelical Christian polling firm and Mark Matlock, director of insights, cited earlier research highlighting how a majority of young people who grew up in the church will either walk away from their faith or from the church when they become young adults, during a recent discussion about the impact of the pandemic on Christians aged 18-29. … When asked about what he was seeing and hearing from churches that are trying to respond to the problem, Matlock highlighted research showing that among adults 18-29 who were raised Christian, only 10% of them are considered ideal or ‘resilient’ disciples. Some 22% are no longer Christian and 30% are classified as ‘nomads’ because they still believe in God but aren’t connected to a church. Another 38% are considered ‘habitual churchgoers’ but have loose ties to God. “It’s important to realize about that 22% is that they just aren’t coming to church anymore. They’ve said I no longer identify as a Christian, which is pretty serious,” Matlock said. “There’s another group we call nomads that still identify as a Christian, they’re not connected to church. But there’s another group, they’re not really as connected to God but they’re coming to church pretty frequently and that’s what we call the habitual churchgoers. And then there’s the resilient, kind of what we call the ideal disciple,” he continued. “When we think about the habitual churchgoers, one of the things we know that makes them different from the resilients is that they have meaningful relationships at church. That’s come out of the research that we did for Faith for Exiles. We looked at five kind of themes that contribute to resilient discipleship,” he said. “The pandemic has accelerated the urgency, I believe, in discipling those habitual churchgoers. They are coming to our churches with pretty good frequency but they aren’t really grounded in their faith, practice or belief. And that’s an opportunity that we have.” Both researchers believe that this group had “their hand on the door” before the pandemic and the enduring impact of the virus could cause them to “turn the knob and walk through it.” “It means that we have to make personal connections with this generation. We need to be calling every young person that we have contact with. We need to be making a connection with them. Asking them how they’re doing? Finding out how their faith has been going. How can we be the church to you? We know that resilients have those relationships, habituals do not. And it’s a hard thing to do in the pandemic to try to build those things but that’s what is most urgent right now,” Matlock added. (source)
This is not a surprise, and it is also not the fault of the virus. American Evangelical Christianity was in decline for a long time, and like the economy, it was the virus that exposed the cracks that were already present and forced the problems to public view.
The trends towards a decline of Evangelical practice is due to many reasons, but a major one is the fact that there is a strong connect between it an American nationalism. Thus being a Christian is often synonymous with adherence to or a sense of patriotic duty, and as this declines or one believes that one can be a ‘good citizen’ without necessarily going to a group such as a church, the numbers will likely continue to drop.
There is a constant focus, it seems, from many of these churches on how to better the environments in the churches, and while this has some impact, ‘community’ is not so much an issue, for the communities in society have already collapsed largely. Instead, the issue seems to be related to a loss of faith in absolute truth and the idea that truth is something that can change, a problem that is not new, but is building on itself to the natural end of saying that one can define truth for oneself because the standards are always changing.
There has been much said about the Catholic Church, but she has seen a significant decline not related to the virus, her problems are well-documented for years, and there is no danger of her survival as it pertains to her existence. While there will ‘evangelical churches’ in the future, their power is declining as a social force, and with a decline in their political and economic power, because of their association with national identity and disconnect from the greater body of Sacred Tradition as well as with selective views on Sacred Scripture, may see even more serious declines than what happened with the Catholic Church.
print


shoebat--2020-10-08--Tens Of Thousands Of People Have Disappeared From Mexico With No Trace

Many people associate deaths , abductions , or disappearances with places such as the Middle East .
However , the neighboring country of Mexico has become infamous for this as tens of thousands of people have disappeared in the nation without a trace .
They ’ re known as los desaparecidos — those who have vanished without a trace .
And their numbers are larger than the entire populations of such California cities as Redlands , Davis or Lake Elsinore .
Family members and others say Mexico ’ s staggering roster of missing persons reflects at least official indifference on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some cases , complicity .
The most high-profile case is that of the 43 young male students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers College , a small college in southern Mexico with a tradition of left-wing activism .
On their way to a protest in Mexico City , the group disappeared from Iguala , Guerrero , in September 2014 , after a confrontation with government security forces , who were acting in concert with local politicians and organized crime , according to Mexico ’ s federal government .
In June 2020 , Reforma reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrest of the cartel leader who allegedly ordered the students ’ assassination .
Arrest warrants were issued this week for local police , federal police and members of the army , according to Mexico News Daily .
Most of the victims ’ remains were never found .
But the search for the missing students in the rural hills of Guerrero turned up hundreds of other bodies , inspiring people across the country to form loose political and social alliances and search for the remains of their own missing loved ones .
In Tijuana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One father ’ s desperate search for his kidnapped son in 2007 led to the discovery of abandoned properties where a Tijuana bricklayer named Santiago Meza , also known as “ El Pozolero , ” dissolved as many as 650 bodies in caustic acid for the Arrellano Felix cartel .
He left their remains — mostly just tiny fragments of bones and teeth that did not dissolve in the acid — in partially-constructed houses he worked on as a mason .
“ We had to do the hard work of converting ourselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but forced by circumstances , when the authorities did not do their proper job .
We had to enter ( the properties ) ourselves , apart from authorities , to discover these units , ” said Fernando Ocegueda , the father who discovered the properties and founded the group United for Baja California ’ s Disappeared , which organized a dozen different parent collectives .
Since then , family members have been risking their own safety to search for their missing relatives in Tijuana .
They form into groups both for protection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lobby state officials in greater numbers .
( source )

Many people associate deaths, abductions, or disappearances with places such as the Middle East. However, the neighboring country of Mexico has become infamous for this as tens of thousands of people have disappeared in the nation without a trace.
They’re known as los desaparecidos — those who have vanished without a trace. And their numbers are larger than the entire populations of such California cities as Redlands, Davis or Lake Elsinore.
Family members and others say Mexico’s staggering roster of missing persons reflects at least official indifference on the part of authorities, and in some cases, complicity.
The most high-profile case is that of the 43 young male students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers College, a small college in southern Mexico with a tradition of left-wing activism. On their way to a protest in Mexico City, the group disappeared from Iguala, Guerrero, in September 2014, after a confrontation with government security forces, who were acting in concert with local politicians and organized crime, according to Mexico’s federal government.
In June 2020, Reforma reported the Attorney General of Mexico announced the arrest of the cartel leader who allegedly ordered the students’ assassination. Arrest warrants were issued this week for local police, federal police and members of the army, according to Mexico News Daily.
Most of the victims’ remains were never found. But the search for the missing students in the rural hills of Guerrero turned up hundreds of other bodies, inspiring people across the country to form loose political and social alliances and search for the remains of their own missing loved ones.
In Tijuana, that movement predates the Ayotzinapa case.
One father’s desperate search for his kidnapped son in 2007 led to the discovery of abandoned properties where a Tijuana bricklayer named Santiago Meza, also known as “El Pozolero,” dissolved as many as 650 bodies in caustic acid for the Arrellano Felix cartel. He left their remains — mostly just tiny fragments of bones and teeth that did not dissolve in the acid — in partially-constructed houses he worked on as a mason.
“We had to do the hard work of converting ourselves into investigators not for our own will, but forced by circumstances, when the authorities did not do their proper job. We had to enter (the properties) ourselves, apart from authorities, to discover these units,” said Fernando Ocegueda, the father who discovered the properties and founded the group United for Baja California’s Disappeared, which organized a dozen different parent collectives.
Since then, family members have been risking their own safety to search for their missing relatives in Tijuana. They form into groups both for protection and for political purposes, so as to lobby state officials in greater numbers. (source)


shoebat--2020-10-08--Report: Expect Masks For Years To Come

Report: Expect Masks For Years To Come

With the spread of COVID-19 and the push for masks , regardless of what one thinks , the concept of ‘ masking ’ is a global and long-term trend that is not going away .
According to one representative from the Spanish National Research Council , as far as Europe and Spain are concerned , it may be for years that people are required to wear masks .
Margarita del Val heads up a cross-disciplinary initiative by the Spanish National Research Council ( CSIC ) — Salud Global/Global Health .
She has been urging the entire region be restricted — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moves , which led to accusations of punishing the poor due to the locations of the most heavily affected areas .
Del Val said Madrid needs better quarantine control and contact tracing , and that it lacks the health-care officials to do this .
The government recently announced that police would be able to access health department data to help enforce quarantines on individuals , while the Spanish army was drafted in August to help with contact tracing in parts of the country .
Del Val also zeroed in on heavily congested public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaints about crowded buses and trains , specifically in areas that are seeing sharp rises in cases .
Ramos “ Public transportation has to be safer and making it safer means having more trains and buses…so that they are not so full .
Also trying to have start times — at different companies at different times , so that we don ’ t have the rush hour , which is highly concentrated , ” she said .
As well , del Val said people living in the most highly affected areas of Madrid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each time they enter the metro .
“ Some people can not buy surgical masks everyday and they ’ re using the low quality masks and they are not so effective for them or for others , ” she said .
She also urged hotels to reopen for people with symptoms , to prevent workers living in cramped conditions from spreading the virus .
A network of hotels opened up in the first wave of the pandemic , and those establishments are underused now that summer has ended , said del Val .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Val , especially as the warm weather leaves , and she predicts a “ huge problem ” with indoor drinking and eating , even with capacity cuts to 50 % .
Summer outdoor dining was also problematic , she said .
“ I think when people were eating and drinking outside , which was taking one measure , open air , which is good , they were forgetting a second measure…either distance or masks , ” or limited contact , she said .
Spain also had a problem with “ national tourism ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people together , often families , who didn ’ t keep safe distances when they should have .
Going forward , she said , theaters , which offer decent venting and where individuals wear masks and speak little , may have an edge over restaurants .
“ We are all heroes , ” reads a statue dedicated to health-care workers in Madrid ’ s Plaza del Callao , Oct. 1 , 2020 .
In the end , said del Val , no one can count on one single measure , but lifestyle changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get used to wearing a mask and taking a couple of measures for a couple of years , and integrate them into our daily lives , forget about them , they will turn into something that is useful to you , ” she said .
“ We will get over this in some years , but we don ’ t have to expect this is going to be a hundred-meter run .
It ’ s going to be a marathon.
” ( source )

With the spread of COVID-19 and the push for masks, regardless of what one thinks, the concept of ‘masking’ is a global and long-term trend that is not going away. According to one representative from the Spanish National Research Council, as far as Europe and Spain are concerned, it may be for years that people are required to wear masks.
Margarita del Val heads up a cross-disciplinary initiative by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) — Salud Global/Global Health. She has been urging the entire region be restricted — 45 municipalities had been before the latest moves, which led to accusations of punishing the poor due to the locations of the most heavily affected areas.
Del Val said Madrid needs better quarantine control and contact tracing, and that it lacks the health-care officials to do this. The government recently announced that police would be able to access health department data to help enforce quarantines on individuals, while the Spanish army was drafted in August to help with contact tracing in parts of the country.
Del Val also zeroed in on heavily congested public transport — social media is filled with complaints about crowded buses and trains, specifically in areas that are seeing sharp rises in cases.
Ramos
“Public transportation has to be safer and making it safer means having more trains and buses…so that they are not so full. Also trying to have start times — at different companies at different times, so that we don’t have the rush hour, which is highly concentrated,” she said.
As well, del Val said people living in the most highly affected areas of Madrid need to be supplied with clean masks each time they enter the metro. “Some people cannot buy surgical masks everyday and they’re using the low quality masks and they are not so effective for them or for others,” she said.
She also urged hotels to reopen for people with symptoms, to prevent workers living in cramped conditions from spreading the virus. A network of hotels opened up in the first wave of the pandemic, and those establishments are underused now that summer has ended, said del Val.
Restaurants remain a big concern for del Val, especially as the warm weather leaves, and she predicts a “huge problem” with indoor drinking and eating, even with capacity cuts to 50%. Summer outdoor dining was also problematic, she said.
“I think when people were eating and drinking outside, which was taking one measure, open air, which is good, they were forgetting a second measure…either distance or masks,” or limited contact, she said.
Spain also had a problem with “national tourism” in the summer that brought too many people together, often families, who didn’t keep safe distances when they should have. Going forward, she said, theaters, which offer decent venting and where individuals wear masks and speak little, may have an edge over restaurants.
“We are all heroes,” reads a statue dedicated to health-care workers in Madrid’s Plaza del Callao, Oct. 1, 2020.
In the end, said del Val, no one can count on one single measure, but lifestyle changes will be required. “We have to get used to wearing a mask and taking a couple of measures for a couple of years, and integrate them into our daily lives, forget about them, they will turn into something that is useful to you,” she said.
“We will get over this in some years, but we don’t have to expect this is going to be a hundred-meter run. It’s going to be a marathon.” (source)