text:
THE GEOPOLITICAL FALLOUT: MEDVEDEV WEIGHS IN
January 18, 2021 / Joseph P. Farrell / 80 Comments
You might recall that I began last week's "return to blogging" after the Christmas-New Year holiday with some speculations on the possible geopolitical fallout from the American elections. Without rehearsing all those speculations in detail again, let's just say that I concluded that both America's friends and allies, competitors, and outright enemies would be considering a "pulling away" to the extent that that is possible, and for countries like Japan or India (or even Russia), that meant over the next several years an increase in defense spending and bilateral security arrangements by-passing, or not including, the United States, such as the recent logistical support agreement signed by India and Japan. As the Russians observed some years ago toward the tail end of the Obama Administration and the beginning of the incoming Trump administration, the USA was simply "not agreement capable." In the wake of the election of Trump in 2016, and now that of Biden in 2020 under circumstances many - including this author - view as highly questionable, foreign powers have had to lurch from one policy adjustment to another.
All this adds up to: instability; in their eyes, the USA appears to be increasingly unstable, and being run by a bunch of infants.
Well, it didn't take long for the corroboration of my speculations to come, for according to this article shared by K.M., none other than former Russian president and prime minister, Dmitri Medvedev, has weighed in on the subject in a recent op-ed piece in TASS:
Dmitry Medvedev: America 2.0. After the election
It's important to recall that Mr. Medvedev, while a regular feature of Mr. Putin's government, is more of a globalist or Atlanticist than is Mr. Putin, at least, as far as his public posture is concerned. It's that little fact which makes his message more intriguing. Indeed, I cannot help but think that Mr. Medvedev was probably encouraged to write his op-ed piece precisely because of this point; Mr. Putin has given many speeches over the past decade, warning about the dangers of uni-polarism and a globalism incapable of recognizing the importance of national cultures and their preservation, and a pax Americana version of Mr. Globaloney's globalist fantasies. Mr. Medvedev, on the other hand, has not been nearly as vocal on this score, which makes his commentary worth noticing.
The very first thing to notice is the title of the piece: "America 2.o, After the election". The implication seems to be clear, namely, that whatever America was before the last election it is now something else; it's an "update" or a "version 2", but it is not what it was. There has been a rupture, a break, an interruption, and it no longer is what it was before.
Beyond this, there's much to ponder in Mr. Medvedev's editorial. Firstly, there is the general corroboration that this last election has set into motion geopolitical waves that will ripple around the world and well into the future:
It is commonly acknowledged that the biggest economies have a major influence on political and social development of other countries. Crises that they periodically go through affect the global economy and consequently have impact on regional and national economies, as well as on political systems of countries that are sensitive to such impact. Yet, it is often overlooked that certain political events, such as elections, can also provoke serious crises in other countries. That is especially so when countries that have a direct influence on the fundamental global processes are concerned.
In this context, it is worth taking a look at the recent US presidential election. It is not that this presidential campaign, likely the most scandal-ridden in history, proved that the flaws in the US electoral system have a comprehensive nature. That is no news.
In fact, the strengths and shortcomings of the US voting system could be regarded as a purely domestic issue. But there is one problem. Elections in this country, especially when there is a transfer of power from one political force to the other, can trigger significant changes in the global economic development, seriously affecting the existing institutions of international law and global security system.
In other words, there will be long-term consequences of this "likely most scandal-ridden" U.S. election in history, most of them geopolitical and economic, and impacting international stability and security. For those studied in the language of "Kremlinese", this translates to "we'll be watching what you (attempt to) do in, and what you say about Russia and The Ukraine very carefully." On this score, Mr. Medvedev underscores, once again, America's "not-agreement-capable" instability:
Many US leaders have at various times admitted, including to me personally, "It is true that our system is not perfect, but we are used to it and it is convenient for us." The problem is that the rest of the world finds it increasingly "inconvenient" to work with such a country, as the US becomes an unpredictable partner. This unpredictability gives other States, regional associations and military political organizations cause for concern. It would be nice if the US political establishment realized this responsibility. (Emphasis added)
The reason for this instability? Note carefully the following words:
The nation is divided, the fault line running between people of different value orientations, which reflect on the electoral choice between Republicans and Democrats. There is a clear "value divide" between conservative Americans and those who promote change in traditionalist attitudes, between "law-abiding" Americans and those who support active street protest, between those employed in high-tech industry and those left out of the technological revolution. Besides, the election race laid bare the tensions between the federal government and state and local governments. Accusations against the federal government of exceeding its authority in using force to suppress riots have exposed cracks in American federalism, which the central government (regardless of party affiliation) prefers to conceal as far as possible.
There have also been large-scale violations of the election law. The United States still has no standard procedures for voter registration, voter identification, ballot issuance and submission. (Emphasis added)
In other words, Mr. Medvedev notices what is obvious to other major world powers on the "outside looking in": America is culturally divided, and in addition to this, there a bad fissures running along the lines between state and local governments, and (an increasingly weak) central or federal government. He even manages to note what much of the propatainment media in the US ignores, namely, the widespread violations of election laws during the last cycle. He then continues by rehearsing essentially the case that Mr. Trump and his supporters have outlined.
Most noteworthy, however, are his remarks concerning the censorship being practiced by the social media tech giants. Consider the irony of the following words, composed by a former President and Prime Minister, and current high ranking national security advisor in the Kremlin, writing in an op-ed piece appearing in TASS!
There is one more critical issue which, in the context of the outdated American electoral system, has moved up extremely high up the agenda. I am talking about the unprecedented role in public politics of social networks and new media, and, accordingly, of private IT companies that own those platforms. Conventional American media, whose activities are regulated by laws and fall within the First Amendment, have traditionally – and always officially – taken the side of a certain candidate and yet deemed it necessary to give coverage to statements made by the opponent during election and post-election campaigns. The social media, however, are beyond any special regulations and work on the basis of user agreements. And it was them that unleashed the media war without rules! And that war is waged against one single person. During the vote counting, Trump's posts on Twitter, where he has over 85 million followers, were flagged as potentially misleading and later even hidden. The events in the Capitol resulted in the unprecedented and permanent suspension of Trump's accounts in all social media – where he has a total of about 200 million followers. Noteworthy is that the tone of the posts that provoked the suspension of Trump's accounts was not much different from his narrative of the preceding weeks. Next, they blocked tens of thousands of supporters of the incumbent president across all kinds of platforms which used to be viewed as forums for a full-fledged discussion. For America, just as for the rest of the world, this level of corporate censorship is a truly extraordinary phenomenon. A question arises: who are those supreme judges that decided that they, of their own volition and based on their own rules – but, in fact, guided by their political preferences, can deprive the country's president of the opportunity to communicate with an audience of many millions? Whether Trump is good or bad, he is his country's national, and, furthermore, an official who enjoys the trust of nearly half of the Americans. Thus, it turns out that several technological corporations located in California got an appetite for power and thought it possible to juggle with news and facts to suit their own political preferences. This is but a blatant censorship!
Dictating their own terms, they have sought to substitute for state institutions, encroaching on their mandates, aggressively imposing their views on a great number of people, leaving them no other choice; while the 75 millions of Trump's voters and hundreds of millions of his subscribers were left out of their "choice." These were simply labelled as insecure. Isn't it, indeed, a spectre of cyber totalitarianism that is gradually overwhelming the society, taking away from it (and potentially the entire world) the opportunity to see the reality for what it is? But even if Donald Trump leaves the politics for good and the Tech Giants wipe out his digital footprint, the minds will remain hugely polarized. This is yet another problem stemming from the US's outdated voting system, and it will push governments of different countries into action to prevent the same scenario in their own States. (Emphasis added)
Medvedev is correct in his prediction, as we've already seen both Mad Madame Merkel, and Mad Madame Macron expressing concern about the censorship of Mr. Trump, and there are already indications that Russia is attempting to build out its own version of the internet. Or to put all this as plainly as possible: other countries will take similar action, leaving the American social media giants isolated within their own country, peddling their own version of propatainment, and assuming the role that TASS once had during the Soviet era!
He then passes on to the economic and financial implications that inevitably follow in the wake of the geopolitical ones:
Given the special place of the US in the architecture of international relations, all this makes us try and guess the impact of the elections on the "classical" world politics as well as economy. It is crystal clear that the elections influence directly trends in global development. Everything else, with certain reservations, can be regarded as an internal affair of the US itself. Yet outward effects are our common issue. Let me remind you that George W. Bush's victory back in 2000 caused a significant though short-term volatility on stock markets. It is equally possible after the current shock, which of course provides considerable grounds for concern. But the long-term stability of the US dollar will be largely determined by the resilience of institutions for the protection of property rights, the demand for American goods and services in the global market, as well as the predictability and independence of the Federal Reserve System (FRS), which underpins the confidence in the US dollar.(Emphasis added)
Perhaps, however, it is Mr. Medvedev's concluding words that are the most ominous and, behind their carefully crafted wording, the most chilling:
I have listed only a few areas which will obviously be among those deserving special attention. Most importantly: the unpredictability of further US actions in the international arena, a kind of toxicity of this country even for its allies and partners is a result of serious social upheavals that American society faces. This internal and external instability is largely due to a clumsy, hopelessly outdated voting system that has seen no major changes since the 18th century up to the present. And the last election turned out to be not a political competition of ideas that the US had always prided itself on, but rather a confrontation between two campaigns of hatred.
We do not want the US to have problems. And for practical reasons: such problems create waves of instability all-around that overflow us as well. The problems of the Unites States can only be solved by the Americans themselves along with the good governance of the country. One of the founding fathers of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, rightly noted that "the whole art of government consists in the art of being honest". Any election is the most important test of such honesty. Of course, only Americans themselves can decide whether to put aside their national selfishness and launch the voting system reform, and, consequently, the reform of political life, or not. So far, there has been no real move towards this. Nor even the slightest hint of a desire to change anything. And the international community is already paying too high a price for the US reluctance to change. (Emphasis added)
To boil all that down to its most succinct quintessence: the U.S.A. is simply "not-agreement-capable" because as he has pointed out, it cannot even agree with itself. In that context, the USA should expect its allies, and its competitors - such as Russia - to act accordingly. And this is bound to affect Mr. Globaloney, whose mantra is the Great Resert and whose base of power is still locked firmly and squarely within North America.
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Loxie Lou Davie on January 19, 2021 at 4:30 pm
Just thinking of our American Mystic who prophesied that Russia would save the world. 😉
FiatLux on January 19, 2021 at 7:59 pm
I've thought of that too… Wouldn't it be something if Cayce was right?!
Maison on February 1, 2021 at 6:59 am
I'm hoping Dr Farrell will comment on Putin lifting covid restrictionsin Russia
https://principia-scientific.com/from-russia-with-love-putin-lifts-covid19-restrictions/
As for prophecy, Russia shows up in many Catholic prophecies, Fatima being the primary one. Our Lady is said to have appeared to three poor ignorant children there and there was the infamous sun miracle, witnessed by tens of thousands. She asked the Church to consecrate Russia to her Immaculate Heart and the world would get peace. If the Church didn't do as requested, Russia would "spread her errors" throughout the world. Many think that the errors are communism/Marxism. The church didn't do as requested and there has been so much written about this. There is also a secret that was supposed to be released, but the Church didn't do that either…
Russia is named elsewhere, namely in Garabandal where Our Lady appeared again to four poor illiterate girls in 1962. The timing there was relevant because the Church didn't release the Fatima secret as requested in 1960 and didn't do the consecration either at the Council where it could have been done as she requested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUYuO7M4k_s
Russia is named in other prophecies too, but the above too are best known.
roastedandsalted on January 19, 2021 at 11:25 am
I don't believe it is run by infants I lean more towards wayward teenagers taking orders from Darth Vader at their height of incohesion and strength.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miri_(Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series)
roastedandsalted on January 19, 2021 at 12:16 pm
what happened to the baby boomers to cause their subsequence intentional emotional and physical destruction of their offspring and their surroundings with the fear of being left on the curbside?
goshawks on January 19, 2021 at 5:27 pm
I suggest you read "The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecy – What the Cycles of History Tell Us About America's Next Rendezvous with Destiny" (1997) by William Strauss & Neil Howe. Read it carefully, let it digest for a week or so, and then read it again…
Kaibosch on January 19, 2021 at 9:07 am
Medvedev is rubbing salt in the wound and flagging up the obvious, namely, the imminent demise of the USA as THE global superpower; end of the dollar as reserve currency and the huge implications of that for civil society, culture and future relations. He's doing what the Russians always do which is to id the entire problem as one of US internal corruption and malfeasance as opposed to – in this case – a co-ordinated and pre-meditated attack from global forces determined to put an end to US hegemony and exceptionalism and make it a vassal state of the Central Banking cartel and its public and private sector co- conspirators. The clue is that Russia and C hina have been named-checked by WEF as 'on top' come the new world (dis)order.
roastedandsalted on January 19, 2021 at 4:03 am
dropping here.
As above so as below.
does it come with pith instructions or is it open for interpretation?
Christine on January 18, 2021 at 10:01 pm
In America Operation Phoenix is flyin. In Russia the gun cabinet is unlocked. PUULLLLL!!
Vietnam was reportedly a beta test…..
marcos toledo on January 18, 2021 at 9:10 pm
As always lengthy but no wasted words Medvedev pulls no punches. Unfortunately Joe the Grifter would more correctly be more the president of the old CSA than of the USA and serving his masters of all places in NATO and EU as a running dog. By the way the USA has had over fifty presidents since its beginnings technically George Washington was the eighth president of the republic. There were seven presidents under the Articles of Confederation he was the first under the Constitution.
Michael on January 18, 2021 at 6:37 pm
Sometimes it's good to listen and reflect. Our leadership seems to forget this concept. Both Joseph and Medvedev have made valid points. All the drama coming out of our Country the past 20 plus years has a ripple affect in the world. Crime that pays is crime that stays. If there is no accountability for these corporate criminals how can we be trusted or respected as a leading nation? Now we are seeing the Corporate states playing a more active" in your face "role in creating disaster capitalism and pushing an anti-human agenda. Perhaps we should reflect on how we can get our governing institutions back to a functioning civil manner that considers all life and coming generations. Perhaps we need to stop investing in the irresponsible corporate states that don't seem to answer to any ethical or decent moral pro-human code.
Nathan on January 18, 2021 at 8:28 pm
Good point, hit them in the wallet? They're very entrenched at this point
Richard on January 18, 2021 at 4:37 pm
In one's humble opinion, Dmitry Medvedev, and the rest of the former Soviet elite have not taken their sights off what was to what it [Cold War] has become. They're as much entangled in this bad-case-of-US-corruption as the rest of the major and minor powers that be, and they know it. The newer Russian Federation have their own issues in Moscow as well as next door which are not going away anytime soon.
One thing that stands out from the article is that they Russians have NOT dropped the ball and play close to the chest with a dead pan face that has yet to be called. That includes watching the other Red play book to their southeast. They understand the politics of the billionaires and Washington often better than the home players. One would dare say, they pride themselves in being better than the corrupted home team players.
Communications traffic should be quite interesting come Wednesday midnight, but on which meridian of longitude?
zendogbreath on January 18, 2021 at 6:20 pm
Rest assured that the National Guard is in DC to protect the nation from an inside threat to the incoming administration. Thank the powers that be for tasking the FBI with vetting the 25,000 troops in the Guard for their attitude to the president. I need to find an emoticon for 'big sigh of relief."
OrigensChild on January 18, 2021 at 7:06 pm
ZDB: Do I detect a whiff of sarcasm in your tone? It certainly is aimed in well deserved direction. I can't wait to see you really let go!
I can't remember the last time I read as trenchant and pertinent an analysis from an American politician…
Meaning I don't think our (American) political class, or even its speechwriters, could produce a piece such as this one by Medvedev. That's what strikes me most about all this, besides its being confirmation of Dr. Farrell's own insightful geopolitical analyses.
Ian on January 19, 2021 at 2:21 am
Exactly what I was thinking as I read the excerpts. I'm not sure when ( if ) the American political class exhibited similarly high standards; I suspect you'd have to go back many decades. I've said for a long time, that one of the main problems the USA has is the dearth of an elite class with both moral and intellectual integrity ( not perfection mind you, but at least some semblance of virtue as a guiding principle ). I write as one who is firmly convinced ( despite the myth of democracy/republicanism propagated in America ) that it is the few who rule in any society, whether openly or behind the scenes. If my view is correct, the USA needs a ( much ) better class of elites. And that can only be accomplished with a strong ( multi-decade ) focus on *culture* ( i.e. as Dr. Farrell has defined and discussed the topic on so many occasions ). The cream that rises to the top will only be as good as rest of the milk in the bottle.
The intellect of the politicians is irrelevant for the purposes of the corporate globalist davos crowd. The only thing that matters to them is that the politicians swear allegiance to the globalist totalitiarian flag and do as they are told. Intelligence not necessary. In fact, it should be obvious by now that the dumber the politician/public official, the better, as far as the globalists are concerned since dumber equals more corruptible and easier to control (see for example former communist terrorist and current head of the WHO). This explains the rise of the career politician and the fall of the conviction politician. People of integrity and honesty with serious moral and intellectual convictions need not apply for public office.
Ian on January 19, 2021 at 6:05 pm
We shall see how that works for the Davos crowd. Any elite needs a managerial class ( which effectively includes the political class ) that will be able to coordinate and carry out policies in an effective conducive to elite goals. Degraded minds and morals cannot be depended on to maintain an empire ( paradoxically, this is true even it is an evil empire ). So, unless the techno-dystopia envisioned by the elites comes to fruition very soon ( a matter of years, not decades ), rot will quickly set in on a regime that has, in the wake of fake pandemic + widescale election fraud ( the tail end of a 6 decade psy-op ), concretized falsehood on a level equivalent to the Soviet Union. The present-day configuration of the USA, if ruled in the current degenerate manner, will fall much sooner than people currently think possible.
Levi G on January 18, 2021 at 2:37 pm
Trump was never an outlier, there hasn't been a real changing of power in the executive branch of this government in many generations. Everything is being set up to make it seem less stable than it is, when in actuality the powers that be have never been in more control.
The Cold War ended a long time ago, and China became the new designated "west" before young adult voters were born.
It's all a show folks.
Bluenose on January 18, 2021 at 4:26 pm
That was Kissinger's plan from decades ago.
That's the irony of hearing Kissinger's man Pieczinik ranting on Alex Jones that Biden will not be president and Trump will prevail.
Danse on January 18, 2021 at 1:57 pm
Dear Joseph, thank you very much for your articles I have discovered thanks to the plandemic. Dear Giza commenters, thank you too for your views.
Seen from France /EU dictatorship, Medvedev article is in the same line as what many Russian officials have been saying to us for years about the US : as we know, Russia dares have their borders near a lot of american bombs-loaded european countries and so for our common safety, they did their best to explain us that, should a new war be launched against Russia by the same perpetrators as the previous ones, again the same destruction would take place in western Europe.
Also they have been informing us about the immense harm needlessly done to our countries due to the compliance with the everlasting « American sanctions » against Russia & al, a virus older than covid.
Focusing on the blatantly rigged elections blatantly omits the reasons why the political corruption openly increases in the US and the government has been privatized. Even Medvedev knows it needs much deeper than a reform of the electoral system.
In France the presidential elections are also completely rigged at a big scale since Sarkozy, in order to forcefully lock us behind the new iron wall of NATO and the EU we had refused by referendum in 2005, and MK-puppet Macron was not elected but selected.
As for our completely unelected corrupt EU « leadership », no need to bother about rigged elections then, but their front handler, Soros, said clearly several times : « CHINA MUST NOW TAKE THE LEAD OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER ».
Remember how long Wladimir Putin tirelessly tried to convince the European countries' « leaders » to form an alliance with Russia, before he finally resigned himself to sign with China ?
« Waves of instability all-around that overflow [Russia] as well », is it not precisely what Mr. Globaloney aims at provoking in order to seize power after having taken down all governments by dividing all the People ?
Eugenicist « Mr. Globaloney, whose mantra is the Great Reset and whose base of power is still locked firmly and squarely within North America », was comfortably drinking tea in Switzerland while European and American soldiers were dying on battle fields.
(Anglo-American Money Owners Organized World War II https://www.voltairenet.org/article187508.html)
Dear American People, bottom line : don't you ever be ashamed of what has been done to you. The deadly danger is the violence of the DIVISION, artificially produced for so long with lies such as « communists versus conservatives », « Blacks versus Whites », « civilized versus moslem »… whereas there are only two sides in this world : the parasites and the People, the blood thirsty and those who want a decent life for their children.
The USA can « agree with itself » by agreeing on this and defeat the suicide mind programming.
Thank you Danse. Been talking with the few people it is possible to talk with in lockdown about just that. Feeling guilty about enduring what we have endured is just more mk and gaslighting. Time to recognize who is the problem and it's not each other.
What we need to concern ourselves with now is exemplified in the 1/6/2021 Insurrection.
https://twitter.com/Tony__Heller/status/1351024026202877953
"I learned this week from @CNN that the commander in chief of the largest military in world history, attempted to overthrow his own government using a guy in a buffalo hat who was armed with a bullhorn."
If a bunch of paid actors can pretend to a civil war and force us into a dialectic that maximizes personal and property damage, that would be, well, alot like what the US has helped Mr Globaloney do to almost every other country right?
ZDB, the thoughts in your last paragraph have been what causes me concern in some early-morning hours. It feels like some combination of Problem -> Reaction -> Solution, Disaster Capitalism, and a Harkonnen planet-in-the-making. My intuition is just jumping up-and-down and exclaiming, "Look, look!" I sure hope we (collectively) can use this time for a step Up rather than a step Down…
Great comment. Spot on.
Eleni Tsigantes on January 27, 2021 at 1:50 pm
Thank you Danse for presenting this so well, as I write, a Greek, from Lesvos….on the EU frontier, 7 miles across the strait from Turkey.
Back in 2005-7 our then [pre-"crisis"] PM Karamanlis was negotiating with Rosneft for a Russian gas line to and through Greece. His car was surrounded on a country road by black SUVs, with black clad men with machine guns. His Special Forces security managed to escape the situation. Arriving home he discovered that his wife and children were kidnapped…they were released 36 hours later. 2 months later one third of the Peloponossos burnt down, headlined around the world. The first incident was kept out of the news at the time, and only released in 2010, 2 years after Karamanlis was replaced by Papandreaou…who announced from Kastelorizo [where Turkish boats are now stationed, pretending it's their own]…that Greece was "broke". The "crisis" was on.
You have Sarkozy and Macron, Germany Merkel, the UK Blair, Cameron & Bojo, Greece Papandreou, DNC and Soros-funded Tsipras and now Mitsotakis….the list goes on….all selected. The USA had Clinton and Obama….
"Europe", the EU part of it, has been under Mr. Globaloney for 22 horrendous years and that gives Europeans a special framework watching the return to power of an unfettered US swamp, so eerily familiar in their worse-than-mediocrity. Whatever people might think of Trump he was good for Europe
and for much of the world. We had a breathing space. A time to get stronger – including the USA.
Most important of all Americans themselves went on a very steep learning curve…..
So I join you whole heartedly saying to Americans Not to feel ashamed – we've all been played, or, slow-boiled but to mid-way only, we can all jump out of this pot together! And just ignore all those lifestyle ID politics red herrings….they're a 'just for now' tactic to create false division aka meaningless.
Denis on January 18, 2021 at 12:27 pm
I am in disagreement with the most of you.
Here is a question to ponder.
With a reminder of the fact that a great majority of election denial litigation having been refused by Trump appointed Judges, with a reminder of the fact that Republican AG's in Arizona and Georgia having dissavowed any questions as to any suspicions of impropriaties that may have occurred during the election, any that may have deeply impacted on the results, to the affrimation that the former AG of the US Bill Barr has put out affirming the legal results of the election devoid of any percieved illegalities, my question, what if the polls leading into the election were correct?
Why were the election results so far from being a reflection of the final result? Might not the attempt to influence the result be from the allegations from Trump influenced people? Trump influenced network?
Their error ?! They missed the mark?!
One can only dive into conspiracy theories and remain stained by them. Myself included. That is the mark of the Beast, the latter being another conspiracy theory?
Let's hope that Amercia becomes America, for us living in the outside US world. For us, living within living democracies, because of the US revolution, hoping that our Leader can once again Lead, with moral fortitude, and moral correctedness.
ragiza on January 18, 2021 at 12:51 pm
>Why were the election results so far from being a reflection of the final result?One can only dive into conspiracy theories and remain stained by them.Let's hope that Amercia becomes America,<
Yes, sentiments to live by….
For those more oriented toward facts and logic, here's a link compiling some reasons for doubting Biden actually won the vote.
https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2020/11/30/the-proof-is-in-the-election-was-stolen/
OrigensChild on January 18, 2021 at 12:56 pm
Denis, with the greatest respect, some of us have asked the same questions multiple times throughout this exercise. It boils down to this, in my opinion. When the preponderance of the data falls on the electoral coup hypothesis rather than the fair election hypothesis, which do you believe? The scientific method, as in matters of law, demands some real data on which to base its conclusions. If data comes into play that settles the question better, my attitudes can change. But, Bill Barr was never an unbiased participant in this matters. He was part of the cabal whose center was in the Bush family–and that is also problematic. This election feels like the next chapter in the 9/11 narrative to me. Until I see collaborating evidence to the contrary I see no reason to switch between the two hypotheses. I will, however, wait with you for that evidence just in case it does appear.
ragiza on January 18, 2021 at 1:31 pm
There's no better example of just how well American politics, security organizations, courts, law enforcement, and especially media, function than the Nov. 1963 assassination.
What's indisputable about the JFK assassination event is that rifle fire was coming from within the victim's 12 to 2 o'clock with wound debris blow-out to his rear. Motorcycle police to the rear of his vehicle were hit with some of this debris. The victim's wife crawled out on the trunk of the vehicle to retrieve a part of the victim's head which she later offered to emergency medics. The emergency medics who saw his body in Dallas described wounds caused by incoming fire from his front. While the law was such that the victim's autopsy should be done there in Dallas by local personnel, there was a near violent encounter between state of Texas agents and Federal agents, who were under orders to take control of the victim's body and get it to Washington, which they did nearly at gun point. A day later, someone found near the shooting scene a piece of ocipital skull bone, a blow out from the rear of the victim's skull. Some civilian and police witnesses who were just tens of feet from the victim when he was being hit by gun fire moved toward the "grassy knoll" because that is where they thought the sound of firing was coming from. Oswald was at the victim's 5 o'clock, the wrong direction to have been the source of the rifle fire described above.
No argument from me either. As a friend and I were sitting in a pizza palor in Brooklyn on 09/12/2001, he asked me, "What do you think of all of this? If I know anyone who might be skeptical of the evolving official narrative it is you." I told him then, "I feels like the architecture of a deep story unlike any we've had since the JFK narrative. What we're being told is fiction–and what happened is hidden from view. I think the two are connected." He said, "I was afraid you would say this, and I am afraid if you prove to be right."
The reason why I chose the more recent variant is because historically, these two stories are more closely related in time–and because these events are an attempt to reset the U.S. back on the geopolitical path the U.S. was on back in 2001. Trump disrupted that narrative a bit–not enough for most of us, but there it is. The irony was, I did not know in 2001 what I know now–and I was there. Those globalists are angry that they lost momentum over the past four years toward some goal that Trump was hindering–and this has them very angry. You and I see this whole nexus of events in a similar fashion, which is why this conversation and forum is such a great place. Free expression is encouraged here.
Free expression is the point.
How better to learn who stupid I am – er rather how to be smarter – than to throw out there what I think reality is to hear back what we all think.
And then get some crazy links that turn out to be way more plausible than consensus science/journalism/whateverism.
Links like Miles Mathis, or Marisa at Riss Flex, or Noinsurancesurgery.com, or crazy sounding ones like gizadeathstar.com.
Is it me or do all the least credible sounding names provide the most credible ideas running now – while all the most credible sounding names uniformly insult us with gaslighting?
i dont know why but i always thought she was going after the bullet.
Didn't Bill Barr's Daddy hire Epstein to teach beautiful young wealthy girls Math and Physics at Dalton with zero credentials and qualifications? Right before Barr's Daddy left Dalton to be replaced by a headmaster who got busted of childraping a poor girl living in his how while on scholarship to Dalton? No patterns to see here. Let's just move along.
The Epstein-Barr virus.
Westcoaster on January 18, 2021 at 9:42 pm
9/11 indeed, what's just occurred with the phony election will probably have just as much impact. Ironic, isn't it, for the Russians to be scolding us about censorship in TASS of all places!
Denis,
by now you might have noticed how accepted you are here by folk who feel the answers to your questions are obvious. Please do let us know what you thought of Paul Craig Roberts' article that ragiza posted.
Definitely a shit show of an election, but not surprising as Twain said "if voting mattered they wouldn't let us do it"
Robert Barricklow on January 18, 2021 at 7:49 pm
Twain, the classic American.
If more people were like Twain;
the NWO would have never germinated.
Robert Barricklow on January 18, 2021 at 12:15 pm
First off, I never cottoned to Medvedev; wondering why Putin had him in; unless pure politics. Why. He's a neoliberal.[although, I did get that by reading, and all print/video is suspect]. Onto today's blog…
Any country not yet absorbed by the red blob[Bidet Inc., subsidiary of Red China] should stay as far away as possible.
Russia should be a safe bet, as they shook-off the red fever sometime ago; and still have herd immunity.
Great! Your blog references my concern in spades/is more of a globalist or Atlanticist than is Mr. Putin.
America 2.0; or, a new version, to be updated continuously w/red injection shots{Oregon considering bill for emergency seizure of private property[ https://legitgov.org/
There has been, in the U.S., a coup d'etat
[skip the diplomatic lingo].
In other words; beware what happened in the U.S. can happen anywhere[and has; only this time, the color revolution came home to roost]
You did it to our next door neighbor, The Ukraine. We'll be watching closely where you attempt to inject your NWO red madness.
In talking w/U.S. representatives Medvedev implies/You maybe used to madness; but we prefer sanity…
I'm late…
RB, I'm an Oregonian. That proposed Bill (HB-2238) scares the heck out of me with its possibility for misuse. If that Bill makes it to the floor, I wonder if the Republican side of the OR legislature will walk out (flee out of state) again, to prevent a vote being held through lack of a quorum…
Good luck G. Keep us aware. We have family there too who escaped from Newsome. Out of the frying pan.
Thank you again for the reminder on Miles. Not sure how I (or he) feel about finding sanity in his papers.
Robert, recent headlines about Navalny got me searching which brought me back to
s://gizadeathstar.com/2020/10/russia-walking-away-from-the-eu/
Seemed a more timely review than I expected. Then I came across your 10/27/2020 comment and this link
://youtu.be/dM19k4h4eMI
Think I missed it back then. Seems more pertinent now. Will look for more links to Marisa / Riss Flex. She looks as valuable a link as BOC. Perhaps a little more honest than Whitney Webb?
ZDB, you're welcome. And thanks in turn for all the links you (and others) have contributed. Hopefully, the Truth will out…
(On Miles Mathis, be discerning. In one of his latest papers, he states that the big Iwo Jima battle in WWII never took place. That's insane. I don't know whether he went beyond-the-pale in his conspiracy-think, or this is a defensive maneuver to stay alive in the current climate (i.e., a "he's a nut, and therefore harmless" stratagem to keep a wetware team from being dispatched to 'suicide' him). We'll see…
ZDB,
It really rang true; because, at the time I was reading: We Have Been Harmonized/Life In China's Surveillance State by Kai Strittmatter.
A real down & dirty skinny that describes in detail about that global –
something wicked coming this way.
That video confirmed what I already knew; but in words w/real heart behind them. But the real gem was he embedded the Chinese whistle blower telling about the NWO master plan: Global Slavery!
https://youtu.be/dM19kh4eMI
Unfortunately, he underestimated the Enemy. Trump appears all but gone from the White House.
Copied wrong.
It's there where you said ZDB.
https://youtu.be/dM19k4h4eMI
PiPoe on January 19, 2021 at 12:42 pm
I read about the Oregon Bill and the thought occurred to me was that this is the trial run – if it becomes law in OR, it will be rolled out in other states.
…back late from the mad tea party.
Done w/the red background noise.
First off, geopolitics is about war; at least the prominent background noise that colors the interaction of nations.
Second, Russia knows warfare; her history is red w/it. They won WWII w/it.
[Her geography puts her in its path].
Third, Russia knows the complexity of modern warfare; the ever-evolving and revolutionary technologies.
The U.S geography, on the other hand, means the U.S. experience is very limited in essential hands-on inst1tional historical warfare.
The U.S.is the primary mover in globalism[using threats as its primary tool] whose goal is to capture/destroy a nation's economy and culture. In other words, the U.S. is a predator nation. Hence, its strong military is sine quo non.
The U.S. weaknesses are many; but a policy of operating w/o real facts is the primary one, due to misleading intelligence to beef up the military, industrial, congressional complex.
One might also add the U.S. lack the essential humanity need to understand true warfare: it's cost to life.
Hence, what is the U.S. fighting for?
Its people?
NOT!
Its elite?
Along those same lines;
An absentee owner?
It is that global spectre of cyber totalitarianism that truly engenders the U.S. as a social pariah to be avoided at all costs. China's in the same cyber camp. Both are connecting. Both are exporting this inhuman technocracy to the world.
Both need to be colored gone.
China built her own internet.
Other countries want out of the technocratic monopoly truth/facts, U.S. tech giant straightjackets.
Nailed it in the long out takes/But the long term stability of the U.S. dollar will be largely determined by the resilience of inst1tutions for the protection of property rights, the demand for American goods and services in the global market, as well as the predictability and independence of the Federal Reserve System, which underpins the confidence in the US. dollar.[he continues ever more damning in his spot on analyses] …The problems of the US can only be solved by the Americans themselves. He goes on to quote Thomas Jefferson regarding the art of governance as being hones. Yet the US cannot even conduct a close to being honest election. Even worse, it can't agree w/its own damn self; let alone have another country trust any US agreements.
Globalist depends in the Might Makes Right policies enforced by the US military; and the Federal Reserve system.
Looks like Russia is taking on an anti-globalist leadership role. Others are joining; not only in an alignment against an aggressive Red Eastern Dragon; but a growing unstable, Red Might Makes Right, Western global aggressor.
Strange times are nothing new
in this galaxy, I'm afraid.
In fact, they might be endemic
to a living universe; as life is…
well, complicated.
Joseph Aiello on January 18, 2021 at 12:14 pm
"The Nazi's in Washington"
Billy Bob on January 18, 2021 at 12:10 pm
Using President Trump's presidential experience as an example seems to be a warning of what can happen if other leaders don't go along with the globalization agenda is registering world wide. If you want yourself, family and country to live and enjoy your comfy lifestyle and perks, pay attention.
You bet it is. Medvedev is not saying as such but I think he is very much aware of the problem. His depth of international visibility hints to this in part I would think.
Billy Bob – You summarized perfectly the reason for the frenzied, maniacal demonization and obstruction of Trump these past four years!
I think Mr. Globaloney is also trying to scare and demoralize populist voters around the world too. Good luck with that one, Mr. Globaloney!
Not so sure here Fiat.
Miles Mathis (thank you for the reminder to get a dose of sanity Gosh) brings up arguments that I've wrestled with for years. I and everyone I know feels driven right. And I worked harder than anyone I know against Cheney/Dubya/Rove/Rumsfeld.
Even those who agree with CNN (and CCP) and demonize Trump are feeling progressively (see how I did that?) nauseated by everything progressive (communism, masks, vaccines, lockdowns, transgender, neutral pronouns, calling Daryl Davis and Enrique Tarrio white nationalist racists, 9 year olds deciding sex change surgery and vaccines, transgenders beating heck out of women in sports, defund police, ………..)
I know of an expat who taught English in HK 37 yrs. CCP almost wrecked him. It was hard and expensive to get him out and back to USA. Now he's out of HK and promoting Biden and progressive ideas backed most obviously by CCP. As ironic as LeBron James' rants about systemic inequities in US but decidedly no rants about HK (let alone about Uyghurs and Falon Gong).
It's a goad and a doublebind. If populist voters cave in to socialist, communist, progressive groups, then it's #gulags and #getintheboxcar. The censorship makes the path down Solzhenitzyn's cautionary tales clear.
@jack allowed @projectveritas to leak video of him directing the memory holing of a sitting president and 70k followers while planning to continue the process on the rest of the platform's users.
It's not just scaring Repugs. It's horrifying a good portion of Biden's base. Some of us remember Dubya's rant "you're either with us or the terrists" and what ensued. Trump does not need to threaten his 80M+ supporters.
Mz/Mr Globalony is capable of bringing much more of CCP to USSA. Probably even capable of manufacturing consent for it. Right now though it sure feels like consent for a martial law lockdown from the right is being built.
Something like 85% of Repugs agree with Medvedev? The stunner is that something like 40% Demicans agree too. That's not like the support Richard J Daley got in Chicago when 100% of all voters knew it was fixed. The DNC does not have nor deserve the support Hishonordamayor got (at least until the '68 police riots).
Trump already has more than enough legal precedent for locking up tech oligarchs and most of the legislative branch. He probably has enough to lock up some of the judiciate (including Roberts). Who besides Hillary would put up much of a stink if he did?
ZDB: So true. So very true. We both know many "reasons" why Trump did nothing the four years he had, but we still ask ourselves, "Why didn't he?" The answers to that question remain unsettling–even now.
Actually, Trump did several things in his four years:
On the 1% and corporate side, he massively-reduced their taxes. That got the deficit really going.
On the 'disposable President' side, he moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, acknowledged Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights, gave US permission for Israel to annex the Jordan Valley, bribed/forced 'peace treaties' with Arab states still not acknowledging Israel, and established a formal USAF airbase within Israel. He did quite a lot…
(And the answers to the question of WHY he did that remain unsettling – even now.)
I'm referring back to Miles Mathis on that question.
Goshawks maybe the plan of some of the elites is to build up the Middle East?
Like the movie "Z" I've ranted about here; again & again. In it, a political assassination is investigated by a detective who won't stop until he gets at the truth and those responsible.
He finds out that top government/military government officials committed the crime AND, not only that; he has the proof.
The assassins are put in jail!
The next day,
the assassins are released!
AND right after that, the investigator
is immediately jailed!
Welcome to Amerika!
ZDB: Fair points. I find it hard to read the situation… My best guess at present: Globaloney doesn't have total control of both/all sides and wasn't expecting Trump to win. (I don't think so many media flunkies, politicians, high-level Swamp creatures, and Soros types are such good actors that they could have been faking their surprise and horror at Trump so well for so long. Unless part of the plan was to trick them into believing Clinton would win–doesn't seem likely to me.)
Once Trump was there, of course TPTB used him to get what they could out of him. I get the impression he was in over his head in Swampington and was outmaneuvered again and again by the national and international establishment–virtually all of which was united against him from the beginning. Head navigator of that vipers' nest isn't an entry-level position, no matter how good you are at business.
Agreed. Convid was the gun in his back. His initial response was confident but not long after he appeared in public looking shell shocked – like Johnson in UK. I believe they were threatened.
ragiza on January 18, 2021 at 11:08 am
Mr. Medvedev is essentially saying that this was a "rogue" election coming out of a "rogue" political situation in the US.
I would point out that it could be viewed historically as an improvement over how John Kennedy and Richard Nixon were replaced.
The US money-power elite that directs the "deep state" actors in the CIA, FBI etc, can play a lot rougher than this….
Just because they haven't yet doesn't mean they will not try. They will first attempt to destroy the idea of the man before taking his life. That may not be successful, so his death must be secured by "natural causes". He's passed beyond the sniper's bullet lest he be viewed as a martyr. As fragile as this coalition is, I don't think they want to risk that. Yet…
Perhaps?
Yes, they may be faced with doing something horrible, no matter what they do
to correct the outcome they desire.
In the past[human],
they chose the lesser of the evils.
Today[inhuman]?
They not only choose to globally in-humanize[covid184] mankind; but to technocratically global enslave him as well.
So does the d/evil exist?
We dont know how rough things got behind the scenes though and wont find out.
Roger on January 18, 2021 at 9:40 am
The elections are not cheat proof because the establishment relies on rigging them to stay in power. The deep state has filled the halls of power with the most corrupt and low IQ people it could find because it felt they were easier to control. Unfortunately they did not realize taking this too far would lead to a total collapse and failure of the system. Good luck to them on keeping their ill gotten gains and bringing in tyranny to seize what little is left. Good luck to us for allowing them to do this to us for as long as we have.
All good up to the point where I take responsibility for "allowing them to do" anything to us. First need to bring change is accurate analysis of what is changeable.
Let's see how long 75 million will stay awake. There is some genuine anger here. My wife's grandfather had a theory. He would take a grand child's finger, have them lick it to get it most, then ever so slightly have them touch the wood stove's side while it was burning hot. His theory, the best way to teach them to stay away from the heater was let them feel some heat without being injured. A lot of people received a massive finger burn this time around. Many of them are not likely to forget. The world was watching–and they understand what this means. Whatever the globalist crowd intends to do, their calendar may have been trimmed again.
moist, not most.
Roger on January 18, 2021 at 6:10 pm
I too think this time is different. The half of this country that matters and works so the rest can enjoy their welfare used to believe in the system. Now they don't and are very angry and patiently waiting to see what the commies do next. They are ready and prepared for the worst. Things might not change all that much for most of us and if not they will eventually accept it as long as their freedoms are taken gradually. If the commies come in hot and heavy with change and tyranny it won't end well for anyone. I've come to the conclusion you cant save the foolish from their foolishness. The monkeys all have access to the nuclear codes and other weapons of mass destruction and it's just a matter of time before they use them.
That half needs to do its own 'reset'. Pull the plug on everything that is effectively subsidising or supporting the system; financially and otherwise. This is the challenge for people – to have the courage of their convictions rather than simply wait and see.
Sandygirl on January 20, 2021 at 2:24 pm
Start with the noose they willing wear around their necks every single day .. Their cell phones so they can talk while they walk, shop, drive.
It's gonna be very interesting
goshawks on January 18, 2021 at 6:45 am
(Site observation that I hope someone can pass-on to Joseph: Unless my Firefox browser is somehow doing this, I cannot see Joseph's "Emphasis added" in his quotations. As I also cannot add italics or bolding, it appears all HTML Text Formatting is disabled – probably linked-with whatever caused the whole site to become italic. Personally, I would love to have this aspect of the site back the way it was…)
(1) Medvedev gives-away his 'slant' in his pushing of the Federal Reserve System (FRS). He was reputed to be under the bankster thumb after the USSR's breakup. It was at that time that the new Russia entered the Central Banking system. It is still the centerpiece of Russian finance. Putin has tried to 'de-fang' that system by paying-down Russian debt at an emergency pace. As I understand it, Russia has essentially no international debt. Banksters probably do not like that loss of control…
(2) As I understand the Russian mind from reading 'The Saker' (a descendant of White Russian émigrés), the Russians were far more afraid of Hillary than Donald. They expected to be at war within months if Hillary won (and prepared accordingly). Four years later, Joe seems to be putting-into his cabinet basically the same people Hillary would have chosen. The Russian leadership may be feeling familiar jitters…
(3) In my opinion, Mr. Globaloney's base of power is still locked firmly and squarely within a certain small, rogue Middle East country (and the shadowy figures behind it). There is a fair chance that the powers centered-in that country are the ones pulling Medvedev's strings (including in this TASS article)…
Marco on January 18, 2021 at 2:08 pm
Dont they pull the strings in "both camps". It is a script where the so called world leaders play their part. On the stage they fight with each other, but in reality all of them (including North Korea) follow the same agenda. It is the old divide and conquer on a very high level with the social media as the new army.
Marco, you might want to go over to Miles Mathis' site and read these articles:
http://mileswmathis.com/phoen.pdf (guest author)
mileswmathis . com/phoen2.pdf (guest author)
http://mileswmathis.com/phoenper.pdf (Miles)
The 'script' has been going-on for thousands of years. And, that's just the historically-documented part; it gets worse if you take myths of the Anunnaki seriously…
Pierre on January 19, 2021 at 6:48 pm
Miles Mathis does not get enough coverage (not any) on the shows I listen to. Take note, MM thinks that even nukes might be fake (he might be right). I have a tendency to defer to my superiors. He also did twain.pdf outing him as a player/spy. In a Luciferian world one can just take the opposite as the truth… and IwaJima fits in finely.
It is not so much an outdated election system as a modern computer mediated vote counting system that is the main problem. Is not Medvedev a 'phoenecian'?
Heck, Broer laid the American Revolution to waste last week ( I still cannot locate the definitive book ont hat one)… but seeing this video of duffle bagged communists in full dress rehearsal (thru Jim Stone today) one cannot but think of those Freemasons streaming from their Lodge dressed up as Indians for the Tea Party. 3.5mb
youtube-dl https://twitter.com/i/status/1351390857836969984
https://twitter.com/ArtValley_818/status/1351390857836969984
Yeah, I disagree with Miles Mathis on certain issues. I do not think he has enough military experience to judge whether certain battles (throughout history) took place. His stance on Napoleonic battles started this for me.
Also, I think he does not have enough Cold War experience to judge whether nukes are real or not. A few years ago, most of the film footage of 40s-60s nuclear & thermonuclear bomb tests was declassified. I spent some horrified & fascinated time reviewing them. These were film clips, not photographs. It would be very difficult to 'fake' them, given the scale…
Finally, I disagree with him that the Space Race was not real, that we never went to the Moon, that we never sent probes to other planets, etc. I am/was an aerospace engineer, raised and trained in the middle of all that. There is just too much evidence – from program details to data – that all these did take place. Whether or not there is an additional Black Program or Breakaway Civilization is another matter…
Miles' strength is in his 'lateral thinking' and un-visored logic. Plus, his genealogical digging. I think he has done a very good job of unearthing various Phoenician Navy 'schemes' throughout our history. Thanks!
DanaThomas on January 18, 2021 at 6:31 am
The US has declassified a report outlining its strategy in the Indo-Pacific region, focusing on countering Chinese dominance, including providing support to the Taiwanese government. For background on China–Taiwan tensions (and the US role), read: https://t.co/gJut3CIBKN pic.twitter.com/rxB2ZNZ0zF
Mention of Taiwan is always interesting from the "covert war" point of view.
anakephalaiosis on January 18, 2021 at 6:12 am
Lion killed by witch in Narnia!
Since Trumpy is going to be crucified, by Big Tech tyranny, it is interesting, to study the phenomenon, as a running staffer contrapunctus:
KING ARTHUR'S GRAIL TOAST 2
ᚣ FALL IN FALL
I recall, that I gave up ghost,
beerless in empty toast,
and in my last call
before fall,
I hung thirsty uttermost.


text:
"If The Good Lord's Willing and The Creek Don't Rise" is a 1955 American country song by Jerry Reed which was particularly popularized by the 1958 recording of Johnny Cash and has been covered by multiple artists.

Lyrics
The lyrics play on the expression Lord willing and the creek don't rise, which is thought to originate from Alabama. The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. Marty Stuart places the words "If the Good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise, we'll see you in the mornin'." in Williams' mouth in his tribute album Hillbilly Heaven. In the Reed song and Cash cover the verses vary the rhyme, so the opening line commences:

But in following verses the rhyme changes through "creeks don't rise", "creek stay low", back to "creeks don't rise".

The expression is incorrectly attributed on modern social media to an Indian agent, Benjamin Hawkins, in the late 18th century in a rumored letter not found in any archive to the U.S. President.  In response to a request that he return to Washington D.C., he wrote, "God willing and the Creek don't rise."  However, the first President to move to Washington was John Adams on 1 November 1800. The capitalization of the word Creek supposedly referred to the Creek Indian tribe rather than a body of water.

Versions
By date order (spelling and titling may vary):
"If The Lord's Willing And The Creeks Don't Rise", song by	Jerry Reed	arranged Reed  Capitol  1955
"If The Good Lord's Willing", Johnny Cash, arranged Jerry Reed 1958
"If The Good Lord's Willing And The Creek Don't Rise", Lattie Moore, Jerry Reed	1961
"If The Good Lord's Willing", Ray Godfrey, arranged Jerry Reed, Tollie Records 	1964
"If The Good Lord's Willing", Willie Knight Heartland 2004

Unrelated songs
"(Be The Good Lord Willing) The Creek Don't Rise", Jivin' Gene, arranged Smith, Hall-Way Records	1964
"If The Creek Don't Rise", Liz Anderson, arranged Liz Anderson, RCA Victor  	1969
"If The Good Lord's Willin'", Johnny Janis, N. Gimbel, A. Hoffman, B. Hart 1960
"God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise", with the lyric "God willin' an the creek don't rise, I'll be home again before this time next year." on God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise 2010
"Good Lord Willing", Jesse Frasure aka DJ Telemitry
"Creek Don't Rise", William Clark Green, on  Ringling Road
"Up the Creek", Tori Amos, from album "Native Invader", 2017
"Blue Diamonds", The Long Winters, from the album "When I Pretend to Fall", 2003. Includes the lyric "God willing and the creek don't rise, I've got two thousand dollars and a bullseye between my eyes."

References

Johnny Cash songs
1955 songs
Songs written by Jerry Reed

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Rashadat Akhundov has been released
Submitted by subazs on Mar 17, 2016
CEU alumnus who spent almost 3 years behind bars due to trumped-up charges appeared on the pardon list signed by the President of Azerbaijan today (March 17, 2016)
Rashadat graduated from Central European University Business School in 2007. After graduation Rashadat came back to his home country Azerbaijan where almost immediately he became one of the young leaders of the movement for democracy and human rights.
Rashadat was among the founders of the N!DA Civic Movement which aimed to bring about democratic change through peaceful and non-violent methods.
Prague Summer Schools 2016
The SCHOLA EMPIRICA in cooperation with the Institute for European and National Strategies (InStrategy) organize the Prague Summer Schools in Prague, Czech Republic between 2-9 July 2016 .
Marie Curie Changing Employment ITN - Open Day 2015
Submitted by Vargab on Mar 8, 2016
A short video has been added to the CPS video library about the Open Day of the MC Changing Employment project organized at the University of Strathclyde.
Vulnerability of Roma' in the Anti-human Trafficking Policy Discourse on Romano Them
A Roma radio program of the Radio Belgrade, Romano Them featured the audio record of a presentation and discussion held in a Serbian Think Tank organization Public Policy Research Centre. Jelena Jovanovic, research fellow of the Center for Policy Studies (CEU) talked about the results of the project Exploring 'Vulnerability of Roma' in the Anti-human Trafficking Policy Discourse in Serbia.
Tampons, pads, cups and Environment. Teaser campaign IV
Submitted by ApostolV on Mar 1, 2016
Teaser campaign IV
Tampons, pads, cups and Environment

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
5 Network and Information Technology jobs - Ontario, Canada
Browse for Network and Information Technology Jobs in Ontario, Canada. Find the job of your dreams on the ACM Career and Job Center today!
Lecturers (5), Definite Term
Waterloo, Ontario Canada
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Definite-Term Lecturer(s) The Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo invites applications for five (5) full-time Definite-Term Lecturer positions with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2021. Priority a...
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Definite-Term Lecturer(s) The Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University...
Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) Data Analytics for Health
London, Ontario Canada
The Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Science at Western University invite applications for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Data Analytics for Health at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, Probationary (tenure-track). Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and ...
The Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Science at Western University invite applications for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in...
Tenure-Track Faculty Positions in Computing and Software
Hamilton, Ontario Canada
Tenure-Track Faculty Positions McMaster University, Department of Computing and Software McMaster University is located on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Mississauga Nations and, within the lands protected by the Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement. McMaster University's Facu...
Tenure-Track Faculty Positions McMaster University, Department of Computing and Software McMaster University is located on the traditional...
Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream
Toronto, Ontario Canada
The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering at the University of Toronto invites applications for a full-time teaching stream faculty appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, in the area ...
The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering at the University...
Research Scientist, Multi-Modal AI
Samsung AI Center
Title: Research Scientist, Multi-Modal AICompany: Samsung Research AmericaLab: Artificial Intelligence LabLocation: Toronto, Canada Lab Summary Samsung AI Research Center (SAIC) located in Toronto, Ontario, is currently recruiting outstanding junior and/or senior scientists who have a passion for in...
Title: Research Scientist, Multi-Modal AICompany: Samsung Research AmericaLab: Artificial Intelligence LabLocation: Toronto, Canada Lab...


People do ask themselves that question all the time, but they rarely take it seriously.
They prefer to keep the answers at arm's length. They prefer to assign someone else the task of putting answers into action.
"What if …" sets up a kind of parallel universe, in which things are quite different.
It's no surprise that artists ask the question; then they answer it with novels and plays and paintings and films.
For the individual, the question always suggests taking a new course in life, changing the old framework. As one edges closer to initiating action, body and mind and psyche go into an anticipatory state of high energy.
It's as if the old you were moving along a single path … and now you have length, breadth, and depth.
Shapes of potential fulfillment appear in space.
When "What if …?" is asked and answered in its full scope, the person not only sees a new life but a new kind of life, in which a goal connects to multiple dimensions.
"What if …?" then, finally, is answered, not by some trained android system, but by the imagination.
Whether they are all dressed up with nowhere to go … or will be enlisted in a grand adventure, is up to the individual himself.


text:
Harrison Daily Voice serves Harrison, NY
serves Hartsdale & Scarsdale
serves Larchmont & Mamaroneck
Breaking News: Postmaster Installed Surveillance Device In Employees' Bathroom In Area, Police Say
Trash-Hauling Owner Working In Westchester Sentenced For Not Filing Taxes
Zak Failla
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Wayne Margarum Photo Credit: Stamford Police Department
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Man Reported Missing By Neighbors In Area Located
New York Officially Raises Age To Buy Tobacco, E-Cigarettes F...
Westchester Man Sentenced For Beating 2-Year-Old To Death Dur...
A 72-year-old refuse company owner from Fairfield County will spend time behind bars after admitting to failing to file tax returns for more than a decade in Stamford and parts of Westchester County.
Stamford resident Wayne Margarum has been sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to two counts of willful failure to file an income tax return after failing to do so for his business dating back to 2004.
For more than 40 years, Margarum has owned and operated Margarum Refuse, which provides garbage removal services. The business services approximately 600 to 700 with fees ranging from $25 to $60 per month.
Margarum pleaded guilty to not filing tax returns for himself or the business for 14 years in May last year.
Prior to his sentencing, Margarum paid $25,000 in taxes that he owed, and he still owes approximately $330,000 in back taxes, interest and penalties. Margarum, who had been released on bond, was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following his sentencing.
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A series of large-scale paintings by Felice House, assistant professor of visualization at Texas A&M, invites viewers to question gender stereotypes in American western mythology in "Re•Western," an exhibit showing at the Wright Gallery, Langford A, through Feb. 14.
An opening reception for the exhibit, which includes sculptures by Dana Younger, whose work juxtaposes the mythology of the West with the costs of westward expansion, is scheduled from 5-8 p.m. Jan. 23.
"For more than a century, the West has occupied a special place in the imagination of Americans, with perhaps only one foot in reality," said House.
Her paintings call attention to women's limited access to power in the popular mythology of the West by placing them into iconic scenes from Western movies.
"By subverting viewers' expectations, I'm questioning the genre, not only in its historical context, but as a contemporary fantasy with roots so deep in American culture that they are quite possibly inexorable," she said.
House, wrote Abby Koenig in the Houston Press, is an exceptional artist whose paintings capture the essence of iconic western scenes without being carbon copies. The difference, she wrote, is in the color palette she uses — dark colors with hints of attention-grabbing rouges.
In the paintings, "the solid masculinity of the typical cowboy is now a portraiture of femininity," wrote Koenig.
Before joining the Texas A&M faculty in 2012, House earned a Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Texas in 2011, a Master of Science in Visualization degree at Texas A&M in 2006 and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in 2000.
Younger's work, which includes images of bison, steam engines and horse-covered wagons of embossed and carved polyethylene and aluminum with the words "The End" written on them, illustrates how technology and modern marvels have brought this once romanticized era to an end, wrote Koenig.
"Re•Western" is presented by the College of Architecture's Diversity Council and sponsored by the college, the Department of Visualization and the Department of Architecture.


Moved to Chew from Bishop Sutton in 1986. Jim had a very good eye for the ball and was able to hit the quickest bowlers many a mile. Scored 181 not out against Chew when playing for Bishop Sutton at Chew Court (this was out of a target of 220 to win).
Never the most agile in the field Jim turned his arm over to good effect with his swinging trundlers. One of the biggest six hitters to have graced Chew Court.
Never one to back down in an argument.
Left to play for Purnells after one such dissagreement with the President of the Somerset League.
Back now and playing in the Two`s. Usually greets the bowler with one back over his head.


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CargoNet in the Media
Second Quarter 2018 ...
Second Quarter 2018 Cargo Theft Trends Analysis
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — In the second quarter of 2018, CargoNet® recorded 328 supply chain risk intelligence events in the United States and Canada. Sixty-four percent of incidents involved a stolen vehicle, and 48% involved stolen cargo among several other kinds of events, such as identity theft, missing drivers, and police intelligence. In total, CargoNet recorded 157 cargo thefts across the United States and Canada in second-quarter 2018, a 4% decrease from second-quarter 2017. The average cargo value per theft event was $186,779, for a total estimated loss of $29.3 million across the United States and Canada in this analysis period. There were 342 stolen vehicles recorded, including 120 semi-tractors and 155 semi-trailers.
California reported 34 cargo thefts in second-quarter 2018; thefts in the state were down 21% from second-quarter 2017. Florida was a distant second place, with 22 reported cargo thefts. CargoNet also recorded an increase in cargo theft in the province of Ontario and the state of Illinois. We also note that one of the top states for cargo theft, New Jersey, continued a downward trend in theft.
Food and beverage cargo thefts continued to decrease. CargoNet recorded just 25 thefts of food and beverage freight, down from 34 in second-quarter 2017. Household products became the most stolen commodity, and within this category, cargo thieves most often targeted major appliances, mixed household goods, and tools. CargoNet recorded a 133% increase in theft of metal shipments, particularly aluminum and copper. CargoNet issued its first warning of an anticipated increase in theft of metal shipments on April 18, 2018. The warning was based on a spike in metal thefts in both Canada and the United States along with high copper and aluminum commodity prices. Thefts of metal shipments appear to be highly correlated to current market price, and logistics firms can use market conditions as an indicator of theft risk for this commodity.
Thefts at truck stops were the most common in second-quarter 2018; 18% of cargo thefts in second-quarter 2018 took place at a truck stop. This is a shift from second-quarter 2016 and second-quarter 2017, in which only 9% to 11% of losses took place at a truck stop. Thefts at secured yard locations were the next most common loss category (16%). Secured yards are defined as fully fenced properties, and the fence must be tall enough to prevent easy access to the property. CargoNet also recorded an increase in theft at parking lot locations, such as those of major retailers.
CargoNet® is a Verisk (Nasdaq:VRSK) business.
Giuseppe Barone/Erin Bzymek
MWW Group (for CargoNet) 201-507-9500
gbarone@mww.com
ebzymek@mww.com
Michelle Pantina
michelle.pantina@verisk.com


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A Conversation With 'Sookie Stackhouse' Creator Charlaine Harris11:05
<iframe width="100%" height="124" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://player.wbur.org/hereandnow/2012/04/26/sookie-charlaine-harris"></iframe>
Author Charlaine Harris at Here & Now studios in Boston. (Jesse Costa/Here & Now)
It's a good time to be a Charlaine Harris fan.
The 12th book in her series of best-selling "Southern Vampire Mysteries," comes out on Tuesday and HBO's "True Blood," which is based on Harris' series, begins its fifth season in June.
The TV show, like the books, centers around Sookie Stackhouse, played by Anna Paquin.
Like the rest of the books and the show, "Deadlocked" centers around the telepathic Sookie Stackhouse and features a world filled with vampires, werewolves and fairies.
"In book twelve there are at least two kidnappings, a number of deaths, and very dramatic happenings in the fey and werewolf communities," Harris told Here & Now's Sacha Pfeiffer
Charlaine Harris will be ending her vampire mysteries in 2013 with the publication of the 13th book in the series.
"I began to feel that I had said what I had to say about Sookie and her world and to feel that it was time to stop while I was ahead," she said.
Book Excerpt: 'Deadlocked'
By Charlaine Harris
Fairies. Never simple. My grandmother, Adele, would definitely have agreed. She'd had a long affair with Dermot's fraternal twin Fintan, and my aunt Linda and my father Corbett (both dead for years, now) had been the results.
"Maybe it's time for some plain speaking," I said, trying to look confident. "Niall, maybe you could tell us why you're pretending Dermot isn't standing right here. And why you put that crazy spell on him." Dr. Phil to the fae –– that was me.
Or not. Niall gave me his most lordly look.
"This one defied me," he said, tilting his head at his son.
Dermot bowed his head. I didn't know if he was keeping his eyes down so he wouldn't provoke Niall, or if he was concealing rage, or if he just couldn't think of where to begin.
Being related to Niall, even at two removes, was not easy. I couldn't imagine having a closer tie. If Niall's beauty and power had been united with a coherent course of action and a nobleness of purpose, he would have been very like an angel.
This conviction could not have popped into my head at a more inconvenient moment.
"You're looking at me strangely," Niall said. "What's wrong, dearest one?"
"In the time he's spent here," I said, "my great–uncle has been kind, hard–working, and smart. The only thing that's been wrong with Dermot is a bit of mental fragility, a direct result from being made crazy for years. So, why'd you do that? 'He defied me' isn't really an answer."
"You haven't got the right to question me," Niall said, in his most royal voice. "I am the only living prince of Faery."
More Book Excerpts
"I don't know why that means I can't ask you questions. I'm an American," I said, standing tall.
The beautiful eyes examined me coldly. "I love you," he said very unlovingly, "but you're presuming too much."
"If you love me, or even if you just respect me a little, you need to answer my question. I love Dermot, too."
Claude was standing absolutely still, doing a great imitation of Switzerland. I knew he wasn't going to chime in on my side, or Dermot's side, or even Niall's side. To Claude, the only side was his.
"You allied yourself with the water fairies," Niall said to Dermot.
"After you cursed me," Dermot protested, looking up at his father briefly.
"You helped them kill Sookie's father," Niall said.
"I did not," Dermot said quietly. "And I'm not mistaken in this. Even Sookie believes this, and she lets me stay here."
"You weren't in your right mind. I know you would never do that if you hadn't been cursed," I said.
"You see her kindness, and yet you have none for me," Dermot told Niall. "Why did you curse me? Why?" He was looking directly at his father, his distress was written all over his face.
"But I didn't," Niall said. He sounded genuinely surprised. Finally, he was addressing Dermot directly. "I wouldn't addle the brains of my own son, half–human or not."
"Claude told me it was you who bespelled me." Dermot looked at Claude, who was still waiting to see which way the frog would jump.
"Claude," Niall said, the power in his voice making my head pound, "Who told you this?"
"It's common knowledge among the fae," Claude said. He'd been preparing himself for this, was braced to make his answer.
"According to whom?" Niall was not going to give up.
"Murry told me this."
"Murry told you I had cursed my son? Murry, the friend of my enemy Breandan?" Niall's elegant face was incredulous.
The Murry I killed with Gran's trowel? I thought, but I knew it was better not to interrupt.
"Murry told me this before he switched his allegiance," Claude said defensively.
"And who had told Murry?" Niall said, an edge of exasperation in his voice.
"I don't know." Claude shrugged. "He sounded so certain, I never questioned him."
"Claude, come with me," Niall said, after a moment's fraught silence. "We will talk to your father and to the rest of our people. We'll discover who spread this rumor about me. And we'll know who actually cursed Dermot, made him behave so."
I would have thought Claude would be ecstatic, since he'd been ready to return to Faery ever since entrance had been denied him. But he looked absolutely vexed, just for a moment.
"What about Dermot?" I asked.
"It's too dangerous for him now," Niall said. "The one who cursed him may be waiting to take further action against him. I'll take Claude with me . . . and Claude, if you cause any trouble with your human ways . . ."
"I understand. Dermot, will you take over at the club until I return?"
"I will," said Dermot, but he looked so dazed by the sudden turn of events that I wasn't sure he knew what he was saying.
Niall bent to kiss me on the mouth, and the subtle smell of fairy filled my nose. Then he and Claude flowed out the back door and into the woods. Walking is simply too jerky a word to describe their progress.
Dermot and I were left alone in my shabby living room. To my consternation, my great–uncle (who looked a tiny bit younger than me) began to weep. His knees crumpled, his whole body shook, and he pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes.
I covered the few feet between us and sank to the floor beside him. I put my arm around him and said, "I sure didn't expect any of that." I surprised a laugh out of him. He hiccupped, raising reddened eyes to meet mine. I stretched my free arm to reach the box of tissues on the table by the recliner. I extracted one and used it to pat Dermot's wet cheeks.
"I can't believe you're being so nice to me," he said. "It's seemed incredible to me from the beginning, considering what Claude told you."
I had been a little surprised myself, to tell you the truth.
I spoke from my heart. "I'm not convinced you were even there the night my parents died. If you were, I think you were under a compulsion. In my experience of you, you've been a total sweetie."
He leaned against me like a tired child. By now, a human guy would have made a huge effort to pull himself together. He'd be embarrassed at displaying vulnerability. Dermot seemed quite willing to let me comfort him.
"Are you feeling better now?" I asked, after a couple of minutes.
He inhaled deeply. I knew he was drawing in my fairy scent and that it would help him. "Yes," he said. "Yes."
"You probably need to get a shower and have a good night's sleep," I advised him, floundering for something to say that wouldn't sound totally lame, like I was coddling a toddler. "I bet Niall and Claude'll be back in no time, and you'll get to . . ." Then I had to trail off, since I didn't know what it was Dermot truly wanted. Claude, who'd been desperate to find a way to enter Faery, had gotten his wish. I'd assumed that had been Dermot's goal, too. After Claude and I had broken the spell on Dermot, I'd never asked him.
As Dermot trudged off to the bathroom, I went around the house checking all the windows and doors, part of my nightly ritual. I loaded a couple of dishes into the dishwasher while I tried to imagine what Claude and Niall might be doing at this moment. What could Faery look like? Like Oz, in the movie?
"Sookie," said Dermot, and I jerked myself into the here and now. He was standing in the kitchen wearing plaid sleep pants, his normal night gear. His golden hair was still damp from the shower.
"Feeling better?" I smiled at him.
"Yes. Could we sleep together tonight?"
It was as though he'd asked, "Can we catch a camel and keep it as a pet?" Because of Niall's questions about Claude and me, Dermot's request struck me kind of weird. I just wasn't in a fairy–loving mood, no matter how innocently he intended it. And truthfully, I wasn't sure he hadn't meant we should do more than sleep. "Ahhhhh . . . . no."
Dermot looked so disappointed that I caught myself feeling guilty. I couldn't stand it, I had to explain
"Listen, I understand that you don't intend that we have sex together, and I know that a couple of times in the past we've all slept in the same bed and we all slept like rocks . . . it was a good thing, a healing thing. But there are maybe ten reasons I don't want to do that again. Number One, it's just really peculiar, to a human. Two, I love Eric and I should only bunk down with him. Three, you're related to me, so sleeping in the same bed should make me feel really squicky inside. Also, you look enough like my brother to pass for him, which makes any kind of vaguely sexual situation double squicky. I know that's not ten, but I think that's enough."
"You don't find me attractive?"
"Completely beside the point!" My voice was rising, and I paused to give myself a second. I continued in a quieter tone. "It doesn't make any difference how attractive I find you. Of course you're handsome. Just like my brother. But I have no sex feelings about you, and I've come to realize the whole idea's just odd. So we're not doing the fairy sleep–a–thon of comfort any more."
"I'm sorry I've upset you," he said, even more miserably.
I felt guilty again. But I made myself suppress the twinge. "I don't think anyone in the world has a great–uncle like you," I said, but my voice was fond.
"I'll never bring it up again. I only sought comfort." He gave me Big Eyes. There was a hint of laughter turning up the corners of his mouth.
"You'll just have to comfort yourself," I said tartly.
He was smiling as he left the kitchen.
That night, for the first time in forever, I locked my bedroom door. I felt bad when I turned the latch, like I was dishonoring Dermot with my suspicions. But the last few years had taught me that one of my grandmother's favorite sayings was true. An ounce of prevention was worth a pound of cure.
If Dermot turned my doorknob during the night, I was too soundly asleep to hear it. And maybe my ability to drop off that deeply meant that on a basic level I trusted my great–uncle. Or trusted the lock. When I woke the next day, I could hear him working upstairs in the attic. His footsteps sounded right above my head.
"I made some coffee," I called up the stairs. He was down in a minute. Somewhere he'd acquired a pair of denim overalls, and since he wasn't wearing a shirt underneath he looked like he was about to take his place in the stripper lineup from the night before as The Sexy Farmer with the Big Pitchfork. I asked Sexy Farmer with a silent gesture if he wanted any toast, and he nodded, happy as a kid. Dermot loved plum jam, and I had a jar made by Maxine Fortenberry, Holly's future mother–in–law. His smile widened when he saw it.
"I was trying to get as much work finished as I could while it wasn't so hot," he explained. "I hope I didn't wake you up."
"Nope. I slept like a rock. What are you doing up there today?" Dermot had been inspired by HGTV to hang some doors in the walk–in attic to block off a part of the big room for storage, and he was turning the rest of the floored space into a bedroom for himself. He and Claude had been more or less bunking together in the small bedroom and sitting room up there. When we'd cleared out the attic, Dermot had decided to "repurpose" the space. He'd already painted the walls and refinished and resealed the plank floor. I believe he'd recaulked the windows, too.
"The floor is dry now, so I built the walls. Now I'm actually putting in the hardware to hang the doors. I'm hoping to get that done today and tomorrow. So if you have anything you want to store, the space will be ready."
When Dermot and Claude had helped me carry everything down from the packed attic, I'd gotten rid of the accumulated Stackhouse debris –– generations of discarded trash and treasures. I was practical enough to know that moldering things untouched for decades really weren't doing anyone any good, and the trash had gone in a large burn pile. The nice items had gone to an antique store in Shreveport. A few of the smaller items had already sold; I'd gotten a check from Brenda Hesterman and Donald Callaway at Splendide.
While the two dealers were at the house looking through the possibilities, Donald had discovered a secret drawer in one of the old pieces of furniture, a desk. In it, I'd found a treasure: a letter from my Gran to me, and a unique keepsake.
Dermot's head turned at some noise I couldn't yet hear. "Motorcycle coming," he said around a mouthful of toast and jelly, sounding almost eerily like Jason. I jerked myself back into the here and now.
I knew only one person who regularly travelled by motorcycle.
A moment after I heard the motor cut off, there was a knock at the front door. I sighed, reminding myself to remember days like this the next time I felt lonely. I was wearing sleep shorts and a big old T shirt, and I was a mess, but that would have to be the problem of my uninvited guest.
Mustapha Khan, Eric's daytime guy, was standing on the front porch. Since it was way too hot to wear leather, his "Blade" impersonation had suffered. But he managed to look plenty tough in a sleeveless denim shirt and jeans and his ever–present shades. He wore his hair in a geometric burr, a la the Wesley Snipes look in the movies, and I was sure he would have strapped huge weapons to his legs if the police would have let him.
"Good morning," I said, with moderate sincerity. "You want a cup of coffee? Or some lemonade?" I tacked on the lemonade because he was looking at me like I was crazy.
He shook his head in disgust. "I don't take stimulants," he said, and I remembered — too late — that he'd told me that before. "Some people just sleep their lives away," he remarked after glancing at the clock on the mantel. We walked back to the kitchen.
"Some people work late at night," I said, as Mustapha —who was a werewolf — stiffened at the sight and scent of Farmer Dermot.
"I see what kind of work you been doing late," Mustapha said.
I'd been about to explain that Dermot had been the one who'd worked late, while I'd only watched him work, but at Mustapha's tone I cancelled that plan. He didn't deserve an explanation. "Oh, don't be an idiot, you know this is my great–uncle," I said. "Dermot, you've met Mustapha Khan before. Eric's daytime guy." I thought it more tactful not to bring up the fact that Mustapha's real name was KeShawn Johnson.
"He doesn't look like anyone's great uncle," Mustapha snarled.
"But he is, and it's none of your business anyway."
Dermot hiked a blond eyebrow. "Do you want to make my presence an issue?" he asked. "I'm sitting here eating breakfast with my great niece. I have no problem with you."
Mustapha seemed to gather up his stoic Zen–like impassivity, part of his Blade persona, and within a few seconds he was his cool self. "If Eric don't have a problem with it, why should I?" he said. (It would have been nice if he had realized that earlier.) "I'm here to tell you a few things, Sookie."
"Sure. Have a seat."
"No thanks. Won't be here long enough."
"Warren didn't come with you?" Warren was most often on the back of Mustapha's motorcycle. Warren was a skinny little ex–con with pale skin and straggly blond hair and some gaps in his teeth, but he was a great shooter, according to Mustapha.
"Didn't figure I'd need a gun here." Mustapha looked away. He seemed really jangled. Odd. Werewolves were hard to read, but it didn't take a telepath to know that something was up with Mustapha Khan.
"Let's hope no one needs a gun. What's happening in Shreveport that you couldn't tell me over the phone?"
I sat down myself and waited for Mustapha to deliver his message. Eric could have left one on my answering machine or even sent me an emai,l rather than sending Mustapha –– but like most vamps, he didn't really have a rock–solid trust in electronics, especially if the news was important.
"You want him to hear this?" Mustapha tilted his head toward Dermot.
"You might be better off not knowing," I told Dermot. He gave the daytime man a level blue stare which warned Mustapha to be on his best behavior and rose, taking his mug with him. We heard the stairs creak as he mounted them. When Mustapha's Were hearing told him Dermot was out of earshot, he sat down opposite me and placed his hands side by side on the table very precisely. Style and attitude.
"Okay, I'm waiting," I said.
"Felipe de Castro is coming to Shreveport to talk about the disappearance of his buddy Victor."
"Oh, shit," I said.
"Say it, sister. We're in for it now." He smiled.
"That's it? That's the message?"
"Eric would like to you to come to Shreveport tomorrow night to greet Felipe."
"I won't see Eric till then?" I could feel my face narrow in a suspicious squint. That didn't suit me at all. The thin cracks in our relationship would only spread wider if we didn't get to spend time together.
"He has to get ready," Mustapha said, shrugging. "I don't know if he got to clean out his bathroom cabinets or change the sheets, or what. 'Has to get ready' is what he told me."
"Right," I said. "And that's it, that's the whole message?"
Mustapha hesitated. "I got some other things to tell you, not from Eric. Two things." He took off his sunglasses. His chocolate–chip eyes were downcast; Mustapha was not a happy camper.
"Okay, I'm ready." I was biting the inside of my mouth. If Mustapha could be stoical about Felipe's impending visit, I could too. We were at great risk. We had both participated in the plan to trap Victor Madden, regent of the state of Louisiana, put in place by King Felipe of Nevada; and we had helped to kill Victor and his entourage. What was more, I was pretty sure Felipe de Castro suspected all this with a high degree of certainty.
"First thing, from Pam."
Blonde and sardonic, Eric's child Pam was as close to a friend as I had among the vamps. I nodded, signaling Mustapha to deliver the message.
"She says, 'Tell Sookie that this is the hard time that will show what she is made of.'"
I cocked my head. "No advice other than that? Not too helpful. I figured as much." I'd pretty much assumed Felipe's post–Victor visit would be a very touchy one. But that Pam would warn me . . . seemed a bit odd.
"Harder than you know," Mustapha said intently.
I stared at him, waiting for more.
Maddeningly, he did not elaborate. I knew better than to ask him to. "The other thing is from me," he continued.
Only the fact that I'd had to control my face all my life kept me from giving him major Doubtful. Mustapha? Giving me advice?
"I'm a lone wolf," he said, by way of preamble.
I nodded. He hadn't affiliated with the Shreveport werewolves, all members of the Long Tooth pack.
"When I first blew into Shreveport, I looked into joining. I even went to a pack gathering," Mustapha said.
It was the first chink I'd seen in his "I'm badass and I don't need anyone" armor. I was startled that he'd even tried. Alcide Herveaux, the packleader in Shreveport, would have been glad to gain a strong wolf like Mustapha.
"The reason I didn't even consider it is because of Jannalynn," he said. Jannalynn Hopper was Alcide's enforcer. She was about as big as a wasp, and she had the same nature.
"Because Jannalynn's really tough and she would challenge someone as alpha as you?" I said.
He inclined his head. "She wouldn't leave me standing. She would push and push until we fought."
"You think she could win? Over you." I made it not quite a question. With Mustapha's size advantage and his greater experience, I could not fathom why Mustapha had a doubt he would be the victor.
He inclined his head again. "I do. Her spirit is big."
"She likes to feel in charge? She has to be the baddest bitch in the fight?"
"I was in the Hair of the Dog yesterday, early evening. Just to spend some time with the other Weres after I got through working for the vamps, get the smell of Eric's house out of my nose . . . though we got a deader hanging around at the Hair, lately. Anyway, Jannalynn was talking to Alcide while she was serving him a drink. She knows you loaned Merlotte some money to keep his bar afloat."
I shifted in my chair, suddenly uneasy. "I'm a little surprised Sam told her, but I didn't ask him to keep it a secret."
"I'm not so sure he did tell her. Jannalynn's not above snooping when she thinks she ought to know something, and she doesn't even think of it as snooping. She thinks of it as fact–gathering. Here's the bottom line . . . don't cross that bitch. You're on the borderline with her."
"Because I helped Sam? That doesn't make any sense." Though my sinking heart told me it did.
"Doesn't need to. You helped him when she couldn't. And that galls her. You ever seen her when she's got a mad on?"
"I've seen her in action." Sam always liked such challenging women. I could only conclude that she saved her softer, gentler side for him.
"Then you know how she treats people she sees as a threat."
"I wonder why Alcide hasn't picked Jannalynn as his first lady, or whatever the term is," I said, just to veer away from the subject for a moment. "He made her pack enforcer, but I would have thought he would pick the strongest female wolf as his mate."
"She'd love that," Mustapha said. "I can smell that on her. He can smell that on her. But she don't love Alcide, and he don't love her. She's not the kind of woman he likes. He likes women his own age, women with a little curve to 'em. Women like you."
"But she told Alcide . . ." I had to stop, because I was hopelessly confused. "A few weeks ago, she advised Alcide he should try to seduce me," I said awkwardly. "She thought I would be an asset to the pack."
"If you're confused, think how Jannalynn's feeling." Mustapha's face might have been carved in stone. "She's got a relationship with Sam, but you were able to save him when she wasn't. She halfway wants Alcide, but she knows he wanted you, too. She's big in the pack, and she knows you have pack protection. You know what she can do to people who don't."
I shuddered. "She does enjoy the enforcement," I said. "I've watched her. Thanks for the heads–up, Mustapha. If you'd like a drink or something to eat, the offer still stands."
"I'll take a glass of water," he said, and I got it in short order. I could hear one of Dermot's rented power tools going above our head in the attic, and though Mustapha cocked an eye toward the ceiling he didn't comment until he'd finished his drink. "Too bad he can't come with you to Shreveport," he said then. "Fairies are good fighters." Mustapha handed me his empty glass. "Thanks," he said. And then he was out the door.
Copyright 2012 Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris, author
This segment aired on April 26, 2012.