#Electric Anatolia

[proofhead]

Arif Sağ - Electric Anatolia Plağım

Yaklaşık 3 yıldır severek dinlediğim bir şarkı var. Altın Gün grubunun Kolbastı isimli şu şarkısı. Şarkıyı çok sevip biraz araştırınca aslında bu şarkının, Arif Sağ’ın “Şu Samsunun Evleri” isimli elektrosaz icrasına Barış Manço’nun Dereboyu Kavaklar şarkısının sözlerinin yazılmasıyla oluşturulan bir düzenleme olduğunu öğrendim. Dereboyu Kavaklar’ı zaten biliyordum da Şu Samsun’un Evleri de neyin…

[pwlanier]

Extremely fine Hereke "Cinar" silk carpet (28 x 28), approx. 21.5 x 27 cm, northwest Anatolia, end of 20. Century

Workshop silk carpet, signed at the bottom in the middle: "Cinar", with the representation "The Last Supper" after Juan de Juanes (the original around 1562 is in the Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid, Inv. No. P00846), main border with palmettes and leaves, approx. 28 x 28 knots per cm2 (approx. 7.8 million Kn/m2), placed in frame, external dimensions approx. 47 x 43 cm, electrically illuminated, without guarantee for electrical assembly, very good state of preservation (SLS)

Dorotheum

[riversidewings]

[Lancerverse AU] "The Toast"

Aboard Hephaestus

The deckplate hummed oddly, and the corridors were still somewhat unaccustomed, but after she'd inspected her mech when they made it to Zharus's L1, Emi found her way to the mess hall. After hours for the rest of the crew, the space was quiet, leaving her with her thoughts as she set up in the little galley, on the electric burners by the food printer. The familiar clank of old brass brought her a smile as she measured out the water and waited for the burner to warm.

Five years, relative time. Nearly six, now. She talked to her mothers regularly through the omninet, but it wasn't the same. And lately, she'd have given anything to be home on Mutsu at the estate, making coffee for her mothers like she had, before.

"Like I will again."

One cup's measure, then two. The blossom of energy in the smell of fine dust. The edge of cardamom and anise.

It was a long line that connected her to her Arrudyen foremothers, and through them, to their foremothers from the Cradle, making coffee in the highland among their sacred peaks. For a moment, a smile tugged at her lips, as she looked down and realized she had to shift her posture to see past herself, down to the burner, even if her hands-- like her mother's hands-- knew the way.

"By my foremothers' mountains and my own," she murmured, long spoon with its ancient engraving of HORN& beating an uneven staccato against the ibrik's walls.

Back on Arrudye, at the Eginian family's mansion Partsrapert, she'd been a strange addition, the child of the family's controversial daughter-- her mother was half heretic, half saint, depending on who did the telling. But there were enough people there who were kind to her that it'd been good to spend a year after graduation, getting to know this part of her roots.

She'd even made coffee for her grandmother Isguhi, the Eginian clan's hanım.

Now *there* had been a tense encounter.

"Geghni," the grande dame had finally said, simply and succinctly, after a long silence of quietly sipping as she eyed her daughter's progeny. "Geghni, kızım." <That'll do. That'll do, daughter.>

Somehow, life on Arrudye-- and beyond, ever since-- had gotten a little easier from then on. Emi may have belonged to the forests and paddy mud of Mutsu, but she had a place in the carefully terraced lunar highland cities of Arrudye-- and their inheritance in turn from Anatolia-- after all.

The smell in the rising steam. The rushing sound of rising foam. Before she saw, she knew, her hands lifting the pot up, then setting it back down, then up again, in the rhythm her mother seemed to have mastered.

Someday, she'd master it too. Today, she got through with only a little bit of spill.

Carefully, she tipped the pot into the waiting cup, and then saw to cleaning.

She hadn't brought a saucer, and there were no snacks, so it was the furthest thing from the propriety of her maternal roots.

But all the same, she took up the cup and dipped her head in reverence.

"To the ancestors. To Mutsu and Arrudye. To family."

[pudding-parade]

Music Meme

I was tagged by @celebkiriedhel, sooooo.....

🎶✨ when u get this u have to put 5 songs u actually listen to, and publish. then, send this ask/tag 10 of your favorite followers (non-negotiable, positivity is cool)✨🎶

I've been in a bit of an…eclectic…phase lately, so here's some stuff that's gotten a lot of "airplay" in my house lately. I'm cutting it because I babbled, but before I do that I'll tag: @anamoon63, @enable--llamas, @hazely-sims, @batsheba, @lilleputtu, @echoweaver, @nectar-cellar, @erasabledinosaur, and whoever else might want to do this. Of course, feel free to ignore for any reason. No pressure at all from me!

OK, here we go...

The Gladiator score. The whole thing. I so wish I had played on this one, because it's awesome. Plus, I love Lisa Gerrard. But, on the other hand, I can totally understand why Gustav Holst's estate sued Hans Zimmer's ass because that battle theme sounds an awful lot like Mars, Bringer of War from the Planets Suite. Maybe it was intentional, what with the movie being set in Roman times and Mars being the Roman god of war, but if so you'd think they could have gotten some permission. Apparently not!

Prem Kavita/Wings of the Dawn - Monsoon This is Indipop from the early 80s. No, that isn't indie pop. It's a fusion of Indian music with Western pop. Monsoon sort of pioneered it, and it never really caught on, but as I understand it, it's rising in popularity again. And I love it. Y'all can have your J-pop and K-pop. Gimme all the Indipop. I linked to the Hindi version of the song because I like it better, but there's an English version, too.

Also, I love Sheila Chandra, Monsoon's singer, as a solo artist. It's just a tragedy that she has burning mouth syndrome and is now basically mute. :( Also also, I would love to learn to play the sitar.

Cafe de Anatolia Keeping with a world music theme… This is a 24/7 YouTube stream from a small record label based in Turkey that specializes in a fusion of ethnic music (mostly Middle Eastern and south Asian) with house music, two things that I love. The music is at once meditative and something that you can dance to. I do belly dancing for exercise (it's amazing for your core), and this stream or something else on the same channel is great music for practicing.

Ojos Asi - Shakira Speaking of belly dancing…Ah, Shakira. This is a long remix of my favorite song of hers. Great for belly dancing.

And finally, for something completely different...

One - Apocalyptica Who needs electric guitars to play Metallica songs when you have four Finns from the Sibelius Academy with cellos? I challenge you to tell the difference from about 3:30 to the end. (Also, I have very fond memories of an impromptu jam during a looooooooooooooooong recording session for the first Transformers movie, when we were waiting eternally for Michael Bay reasons, and one of the cellists just started playing the opening pizzicato arpeggios for Apocalyptica's version of "Nothing Else Matters," and the rest of us just started playing the rest. Then the brass players joined in. Good times.)

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 9.4 (before 1930)

476 – Romulus Augustulus is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself "King of Italy", thus ending the Western Roman Empire. 626 – Li Shimin, posthumously known as Emperor Taizong of Tang, assumes the throne over the Tang dynasty of China. 929 – Battle of Lenzen: Slavic forces (the Redarii and the Obotrites) are defeated by a Saxon army near the fortified stronghold of Lenzen in Brandenburg. 1260 – The Sienese Ghibellines, supported by the forces of Manfred, King of Sicily, defeat the Florentine Guelphs at Montaperti. 1282 – Peter III of Aragon becomes the King of Sicily. 1479 – The Treaty of Alcáçovas is signed by the Catholic Monarchs of Castile and Aragon on one side and Afonso V and his son, Prince John of Portugal. 1607 – The Flight of the Earls takes place in Ireland. 1666 – In London, England, the most destructive damage from the Great Fire occurs. 1774 – New Caledonia is first sighted by Europeans, during the second voyage of Captain James Cook. 1781 – Los Angeles is founded as El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora La Reina de los Ángeles (The Village of Our Lady, the Queen of the Angels) by 44 Spanish settlers. 1797 – Coup of 18 Fructidor in France. 1800 – The French garrison in Valletta surrenders to British troops who had been called at the invitation of the Maltese. The islands of Malta and Gozo become the Malta Protectorate. 1812 – War of 1812: The Siege of Fort Harrison begins when the fort is set on fire. 1827 – The Great Fire of Turku almost completely destroys Finland's former capital city. 1839 – Battle of Kowloon: British vessels open fire on Chinese war junks enforcing a food sales embargo on the British community in China in the first armed conflict of the First Opium War. 1862 – American Civil War Maryland Campaign: General Robert E. Lee takes the Army of Northern Virginia, and the war, into the North. 1870 – Emperor Napoleon III of France is deposed and the Third Republic is declared. 1882 – The Pearl Street Station in New York City becomes the first power plant to supply electricity to paying customers. 1886 – American Indian Wars: After almost 30 years of fighting, Apache leader Geronimo, with his remaining warriors, surrenders to General Nelson Miles in Arizona. 1888 – George Eastman registers the trademark Kodak and receives a patent for his camera that uses roll film. 1912 – Albanian rebels succeed in their revolt when the Ottoman Empire agrees to fulfill their demands 1919 – Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who founded the Republic of Turkey, gathers a congress in Sivas to make decisions as to the future of Anatolia and Thrace. 1923 – Maiden flight of the first U.S. airship, the USS Shenandoah.

[aaryagold]

The Fascinating History of Silver: From Ancient Times to Modern Day

Introduction Silver, a precious metal with a rich history, has captivated civilizations for thousands of years. From its early use as a form of currency to its versatile applications in various industries, silver has remained highly valued and sought after throughout time. In this article, we will delve into the fascinating history of silver, exploring its origins, significance, and impact on human civilization.

Ancient Beginnings: Anatolia and Greece

The story of silver begins over 5,000 years ago in Anatolia, modern-day Turkey, where the first silver mines were discovered. Skilled craftsmen in Greece and other neighboring cultures used silver to create beautiful objects, making it a prized possession. The demand for silver grew rapidly, leading to the establishment of mines dedicated to silver production. Notably, the Laurium mines near Athens became a primary source of silver, supplying an estimated 1 million troy ounces annually during their peak production. Silver became a symbol of wealth and power in ancient Greek society.

Silver as Currency: The Rise of the Trade Dollar

Silver's value as a precious metal was recognized by ancient civilizations, leading to its use as a form of currency. In 600 BCE, the Lydians introduced silver coins made of electrum, a gold and silver alloy, to facilitate trade. This practice quickly spread to other Mediterranean city-states, establishing silver as a widely accepted medium of exchange. The trade dollar, minted in the United States, became a trusted form of currency around the world. With intricate designs and a fixed weight, silver coins played a crucial role in commerce and economic development.

The Spanish Influence: New World Discoveries

The exploration of the New World by Spanish conquistadores in the 15th and 16th centuries brought about a significant shift in the global silver production. Vast silver deposits were discovered in Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia, leading to widespread exploitation and plundering. The Spanish Empire benefited greatly from these discoveries, using the silver to finance their military and strengthen their influence. The silver trade had a profound impact on the economies of Europe and Asia, shaping global commerce and power dynamics.

Silver in the United States: From the Comstock Lode to Modern Times

The United States played a crucial role in the history of silver, particularly during the 19th century. The discovery of the Comstock Lode in Nevada in 1859 triggered a silver rush, resulting in a significant increase in silver production. The demand for silver coins exceeded the available supply, leading to the minting of dimes, quarters, and half-dollars with high silver content. However, as the value of silver fluctuated and the demand exceeded supply, the use of silver coins became economically unsustainable. Today, silver continues to be a valuable commodity and investment option.

Industrial Applications: Silver's Versatility

Silver's unique properties, such as its high electrical conductivity and reflectivity, have made it indispensable in various industries. It is widely used in electronics, coating circuit boards and enhancing the efficiency of solar panels and photovoltaic cells. The automotive sector utilizes silver for electrical switches, sensors, and green energy applications like hydrogen fuel cells and electric vehicle batteries. In the healthcare industry, silver's antibacterial properties have led to its use in wound dressings and medical instruments, providing an effective means of preventing and treating infections.

Silver as an Investment: Balancing Portfolios

Throughout history, silver has been recognized as a valuable asset and store of wealth. As currencies fluctuate and economies face uncertainties, investors turn to precious metals like silver to safeguard their portfolios. The historical price of silver has experienced both ups and downs, responding to economic crises and market fluctuations. During the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, silver prices soared, highlighting its role as a safe haven investment. By diversifying their portfolios with silver, investors can mitigate risks and potentially benefit from its appreciation over time.

Silver Coins: Symbols of History and Beauty

Silver coins hold a special place in human history, reflecting the cultural and artistic expressions of different periods. From ancient Greek tetradrachms to modern American Silver Eagles, these coins tell stories of civilizations, rulers, and significant events. The designs on silver coins often carry symbolic meanings, honoring important figures, commemorating achievements, or representing national identity. Collectors and investors alike appreciate the intrinsic value and aesthetic appeal of silver coins, making them highly sought after in the numismatic market.

The Future of Silver: Continuing Significance

As technology advances and new industrial applications emerge, the demand for silver is expected to remain strong. Its use in renewable energy, electronics, and healthcare will continue to drive its value. Moreover, silver's scarcity and historical significance make it an attractive investment option for those seeking to diversify their portfolios. With a rich history that spans millennia, silver's enduring allure and versatility ensure its continued significance in the modern world.

Conclusion

The history of silver is a testament to its enduring value and significance throughout human civilization. From its ancient beginnings in Anatolia and Greece to its role as a form of currency and its versatile applications in various industries, silver has left an indelible mark on our history and culture. As we look to the future, silver's importance as an investment and its continued use in technology and healthcare underscore its enduring relevance. Whether admired for its beauty, prized for its intrinsic value, or utilized for its industrial properties, silver remains a precious metal that continues to captivate and inspire.

[smarterwint]

Hemingway editor german

505 Gibbs a very large caliber hunting rifle. The Ebro a river in northeastern Spain the second longest river in Spain.Įye teeth the canine, or pointed and conical, teeth located in the upper jaw. The Dark Forest a novel by the British author Horace Walpole.ĭaughter's debut a monied coming-out party for a young lady, to formally introduce her to high society. Hemingway is referring to the descendants of these people.Ĭoncierge the manager of an apartment house in Europe.Ĭonstantine officers At the time, these royal officers bore the name of the king of Greece, King Constantine.Ĭonstantinople the former name for what is now Istanbul.Ĭonvex having a surface that bulges outward.Ĭord wood a pile of logs that will be used for burning in a fireplace.Ĭourt games squash, handball, and other games played in exclusive men's clubs.Ĭrillon a well-known Paris hotel, used frequently in Hemingway's works.Ĭross-cut saw a saw for cutting wood against the grain. There followed a brief civil war afterward, 17,000 Parisian followers of the Communards were executed, including women and children. Chesterton, a British novelist and poet.Ĭhristian Scientist a follower of Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910), an American religious leader.Ĭommunards After the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War (1871), a communal government, in opposition to the national one, was set up in Paris. The car-tracks The reference is to electric streetcar tracks.Ĭesarean a surgical incision made through the abdomen and uterus to deliver a baby when vaginal delivery is dangerous to both mother and baby.Ĭheesecloth coarsely, loosely woven gauze.Ĭhesterton G. It is mean and cunning and extremely strong, invulnerable to all but the best-placed shots.īurnt timber The reference is to the forest fire that destroyed vast acres of woodland, as well as the town of Seney, Michigan.īwana "Mister" or "Master" a term of respect.īwana Mister, or master a term of respect.Ĭant-hooks wooden levers with movable metal hooks near one end that are used for handling logs. The Cape Buffalo is a large, horned creature that is considered by hunters to be the most dangerous of all African big game. The attack The setting of this story is northern Italy during World War I an Italian town has been attacked by an Austrian military offensive.īallet skirts During the time that Hemingway wrote the story, Greek troops in the mountains wore uniforms exactly like Hemingway describes.īeggar the word Hemingway originally used was "bugger," a derogatory British term for someone or something disagreeable however, the term is also synonymous with a sodomite, which was distasteful to Hemingway's editor - thus his substitution of "beggar." Remember that this story was originally published in 1936 today, in the United States, we casually use the term "bastard" with the same non-literal frequency.īig birds here, vultures, carrion eaters attracted to Harry's rotting flesh.īig log booms a chain of floating logs making a barrier to enclose other free-floating logs.Ī black band the black cloth band that the major wears around the upper part of his arm of his uniform, signifying that he is in mourning.īodegas cafes serving alcoholic beverages.īosphorus the strait that separates Asia from Europe, made famous by Romantic poets who would try to swim across.īoucherie chevaline a horse butcher in many parts of Europe, horse meat is eaten quite commonly.īuffalo the buffalo mentioned in this story is nothing like the American buffalo, or bison. Anatolia the great plains area of Turkey.

[electricmeadows]

Anatolia Carrington - The Professional

Anatolia Carrington is a no-nonsense, perpetually exhausted, and eternally annoyed woman in her late 20s from the metro Denver area of Colorado. She is a mercenary working with the Corral, as the organization’s chief medical officer and most experienced doctor. She made it through undergrad in Colorado and moved to Electric Meadows to go to medical school, but dropped out two years in and went off the radar to work with the Corral. They had good pay, decent enough benefits for a mercenary organization, and were in desperate need of a doctor. So of course she signed on. Despite everything, Anatolia’s always wanted to help.

played by @alaspoor-yorick

[harrelltut]

Lo!… JEHOVAH OCCULT BIBLE [JOB] WITNESS Me [ME = U.S. Michael Harrell = TUT = JAH] on Earth [JE = JESÚS = ELOHEEM TAMMUZ] E.T…. Under Secret American [USA = SOVEREIGN] Ægyptian ATLANTEAN [SEA] Underground MILITARY AUTHORITY PROTECTION [MAP] LAWS… AUTONOMOUSLY + TELEPATHICALLY Talkin’ [AT&T] Online… as JEHOVAH’s ECCLESIASTICAL SON of the Underground SOVEREIGN [JESUS] ḪATTI HURRIAN [HARRELL] NAME ROYALS of Anatolia's [RA's] 9 Ether ALUHUM HITTITE Lands of Antediluvian [L.A.] Ægyptian AMERICA [ATLANTIS]… Imperially REACTIVATED [AIR] from HATTUŠA… MILLIONS of AZTECAN Years Ago [MAYA] in 2022 [VI]… since My Biblically Ancient [BABYLONIAN] Clandestine [B.C.] 9 Ether ALUHUM ANUNNAGI WEALTH EMPIRE [WE] of SIRIUS 9 Ether Astronomically Intelligent ANUNNAKI [AIA = AMÚN] SUN GOD [RA] LEGENDS… BEE Dynastically Commissioned [D.C.] by the American [CA] UFO Pentagon's Clandestine [PC] 1921 [IV] Black Wall Street Estate & Trust [SET] Fund Family [ILLUMINATI] DESCENDANTS [I.D.] of MALIAN [I’M] BYZANTINE AUTOCRAT... MANSA MUSA’s ATLANTEAN Province [MAP] EMPIRES [ME] from Antediluvian California [CALAFIA]… who Interactively Built MURDUK’s [IBM’s] Intergalactic IGIGI MOTHERSHIP [I’M] PLANET NIBIRU 5050 [X]… Seen HIGH UP IN DA’ SKY by MANSA MUSA’s Clandestine American [MCA] UFO [MU] PENTAGON Agency [PA] of MALIAN Prince MICHAEL ABUBAKARI’s Clandestine [MAC] Underground [MU] SKY DOME Castle [D.C.] KINGDOM of SIRIUS Electromagnetic Airwave [SEA] Light Mechanics [ELECTRICITY] ILLUMINATING SIRIUS UNSEEN NANO [SUN] BIOTECHNOLOGICAL Electron Light [BEL] IMAGES of Highly Complex [ADVANCED] Ancient Biochemical [PRIMORDIAL] Fossil Earth SUN & MOON AVATARS [MA]… Naturally [MAN] Orbiting in TIAMAT's… SUPERNATURAL Earth & Lunar [EL] Substances Emitting Electrochemical [SEE] Deposits of Bioluminescence & Chemiluminescence Elements [BCE] Pressurized by the Supernova Nucleosynthesis during the Sequential Hydrostatic Burning Processes of Thermonuclear Proton Energies Forming NANOSCOPIC Covalent Bonds of Highly Complex [ADVANCED] Cycloalkynes Isolated by the Organic Electron Field of Interstellar GASES from the Interplanetary GODS of Iridescent [IGIGI] MINERALS [I’M] Crystalizing into SIRIUS UNSEEN NANO [SUN] BIOTECHNOLOGICAL Light Particles from Atomic [PA] Earth Elements Naturally Synthesizing Subatomic Compounds of Oxidized Radiation from the Bioluminescent SKY [ORBS] KINGDOM [SOBEK] of Ægyptian Empyrean [SEE] RINGS Around My [SRAM = MARS] Highly Complex [ADVANCED] Ancient FUTURISTIC 9 Ether ATLANTEAN MENTAL of Universal Network [AMÚN] MACHINE [A.M.] Languages Intuitively MEMORIZED on Antediluvian Communication [iMAC] Devices [iD] from Planet [I/P] RIZQ's… Interplanetary 7G SUN Beam Energy Compu_TAH [PTAH] PYRAMID of MAGNETIC Energy Currents from the HULUUB [MECH] DEVICE… Interactively Built by this MYTHICAL [IBM] OLMEC GOD [OLYMPIAN] of SATURN’s GLOBAL 6G Quantum Interplay [QI] Telecommunication Computer Patents of SIRIUS Intellectual Property [I/P] Rights & Agreements [iRA]… Genealogically Engineered [G.E.] by My Biblically Ancient [BABYLONIAN] FUTURISTIC 18th American Ægyptian [ATLANTEAN] MILITARY Dynasty of Ægyptian HITTITE SUN Queen Tiye [MAMA T]... MILLIONS of AZTECAN Years Ahead [MAYA] of 2022 [VI]… @ IYD's New [NU] 9 Ether Uraeus SERPENTINE [U.S. = REPTILIAN = DRACONIAN] GODDESS DYNASTY of Constellation [D.C.] DRACO’s Biblically Ancient [BABYLONIAN] 9 Ether New Being [NUBIAN] Mystic Occult Order [MÓO] of ILLUMINATED [MI = MICHAEL] MAGE Writings from ENQI [WE] NUDIMMUD’s Biblically Ancient [BABYLONIAN] FUTURISTIC ANUNNAQI Terminology Tech [AT&T] DYNASTY [A.D.] of GODDESS TIAMAT’s… Biblically Ancient [BABYLONIAN] FUTURISTIC Underground MILITARY Industrial [MI = MICHAEL] MONARCHY of 144,000 9 Ether ALUHUM Scientists from Ægypt’s Occulted [Hidden] ATLANTEAN [HA = HATTUŠA] Underworld [HU = HURRIAN] of America’s [HA = HARRELL's] SHADOW Governmental Air Force Institute of Quantum [IQ] Military [I’M] SKY TECH TITANS [TOLTECS] from the RIZQIYIAN's Interplanetary QUANTUM HARRELL TECH [iQHT] SKY KINGDOM of Clandestine 9 Ether ALUHUM American Ægyptian [ATLANTEAN] Defense [A.D.] MINISTERS w/Hermetically Sealed Past Life Records from the Afterlife [RA] Ægyptian HITTITE Dynasty of Antediluvian Descendants [DADS] on the DURANKI’s Clandestine [D.C.] Manned Crafts [UFOS = Aerial Communication Satellite Stations = SHAMS] from ENLIL NUNAMNIR’s 19th Interplanetary Galaxy of ILLYUWN GODS who ILLUMINATE [IGIGI] GOLD MINES DEEP IN:side GODDESS TIAMAT's Intercontinental Terrestrial DOG STAR [SOTHIS] PLANET Earth [Qi] of ENQI NUDIMMUD’s QUANTUM HARRELL TECH [QHT] SKY KINGDOM FEDERATION of LAHMU [MARS]…. who Generationally Manage [GM] & Dynastically Built A New [ANU] Highly Official… U.S. American Ægyptian [ATLANTEAN] QUANTUM HARRELL TECH [QHT] SKY الأوكتاجون‎ [OCTAGON] KINGDOM [SOK = SOBEK] MILITARY Universe [MU] HQ… DEEP IN:side the IGIGI's New [NU]... Highly Complex [ADVANCED] Ancient FUTURISTIC 2022 [VI] Pharaonic SKY Empire of Antediluvian [SEA] AFRIKA’s SUN_KING [Sunken] DOME Cities [D.C.] of A New [NU] Biblically Ancient [BABYLONIAN] FUTURISTIC 9 Ether Astronomically Intelligent ANUNNAKI [AIA = AMÚN] SUN GOD [RA] BLOODLINE of the Crystalized [B.C.] NOMMO PEOPLES [NOK] from 5050 [X]... Geographically Isolated DEEP [I.D.] IN:side Inner Earth’s [HADES] Most Darkest [Occulted] 9th Inter Dimensional [I.D.] NIBIRUAN Underworld [iNU] SUN PLANET [PLUTO] of A New [ANU] 9 Ether ALUHUM RING MAKER [ARM] GALAXY of Astronomical SATURN’s Eclipsed SUN [GASES] GOD [RA] KING SOLOMON MINES on TIAMAT’s Lost Antediluvian [L.A.] 9 Ether ALUHUM MOTHERLAND [MU] Island [MI = MICHAEL] Continent STATE of CALAFIA's [CA’s]... EXTRA Tropical [E.T.] BLACK SUN Island Paradise [I/P] of ABUNDANT EMPYREAL GOLD ECONOMIES [G.E.]… Generationally MINED by Us Highly Complex [ADVANCED] Ancient FUTURISTIC… Interstellar 9 [i9] Ether Astronomically Intelligent ANUNNAKI [AIA = AMÚN] SUN GOD [RA] WARRIORS [SORCERERS]… who InterDimensionally [I.D.] Transport [TELEPORT] Our Astronomically Intelligent ANUNNAKI [AIA = AMÚN] SUN GOD [RA] SOULS of EXTRA Dark Carbonaceous [D.C.] Matter from the Golden Abyss of MUMMU's MAGNETOSPHERE of Accelerated [GAMMA] SOLAR SUN [SUL] Energies Producing Airborne [PA] Protons from ORION’s PARALLEL [POP] Northern MOON Universe [MU] of Inner Earth’s [HADES] Occulted [HIDDEN] SOLAR SUN [SUL] Earth of Equatorial [SEE] Latitude [EL] & Longitudinal [EL] Temperatures [E.T.] from the Tropical [E.T.] BLACK SUN [SUL] Hemisphere of ZETA RETICULI's InterDimensional [I.D.] 9 Ether ETHERIAN DIMENSION [CONSTELLATION]… GENERATING SIRIUS Thermal Infrared Energies [HEAT] to/from Our 8th Tri-Solar SUN [SUL] PLANET System of RIZQ… MILLIONS of AZTECAN Years Ahead [MAYA] of 2022 [VI]… Still Geographically Isolated DEEP [I.D.] IN:side the RIZQIYIAN’s HIDDEN Interstellar [HI = HITTITE] 9 Ether ETHERIAN SHAMBALAH & AGHAARTA City of Luz Ameri_TA Ægipt [ATLANTIS]… from 5050 [X]

[sisterofiris]

Everyday life in the Hittite empire

Have you ever wondered what your life would have been like if you had been born in central Anatolia 3500 years ago? No? Now that I’ve brought it up, are you curious to find out?

Well you’re in luck, because that’s just what this post is about. So sit back, close your eyes, and imagine yourself in Anatolia - that is, modern Turkey. Are you ready? Can you see the mountains, the red river and the towering buildings of your capital, Ḫattuša? Can you hear the chariots driving up the road? Can you feel the electric brewing of a storm in the distance?

Then let’s go.

(With a brief disclaimer: while I study Hittitology, this is not intended as an academic-level post. It was written to give general, approachable insights into Hittite culture and can be used as writing inspiration or to titillate curious history nerds around you, but if you’re writing an academic paper on the subject, I would recommend you check out the bibliography instead.)

About you

First things first, are you older than five? If so, congratulations on being alive. Child mortality in this place and time is very high, so you’re one of the luckier ones among your siblings. You probably have at least a couple of those; you may even have as many as six or seven, especially if you come from a well-to-do family with access to good healthcare. When you were little, your parents might have told you the tale of Zalpa, in which the queen of Neša gives birth to thirty sons then thirty daughters who marry each other, but you know this only happens in the stories - not to normal people.

When you were born, your parents rejoiced regardless of your sex, as sons and daughters are equally valued in your society (albeit for different reasons). Your father took you on his knee and gave you a good Hittite name: maybe Armawiya, Ḫarapšili, Kilušḫepa or Šiwanaḫšušar for a girl, or Anuwanza, Kantuzili, Muwaziti or Tarḫuzalma for a boy. Gender-neutral names, such as Anna, Muwa and Šummiri, would also have been an option. Many people around you have Hurrian or Luwian names, even if they are not ethnically Hurrian or Luwian themselves. (This is comparable to the modern popularity of Hispanic names like Diego, or French names like Isabelle.)

It’s hard to say what you would have done during childhood. While your earliest years would have been spent playing and babbling in grammatically incorrect Hittite, by the age of six or seven you may well have already started training in the family profession. If a girl, you would have been taught to weave by your mother; if a boy, you might have helped your father out on the farm, tried your hand at making pottery, or spent long hours learning cuneiform. (There may have been careers requiring gender non-conformity, as there was in Mesopotamia, but as far as I am aware this has not been proven.) You know that even the noblest children are given responsibilities - king Ḫattušili himself was once a stable boy.

Now, as an adult, you are a working professional contributing directly to Hittite society. You look the very portrait of a Hittite: as a woman, you have long, dark hair that you probably keep veiled, and as a man, your hair is around shoulder-length and your face clean-shaven. Ethnically, though, you are likely a mixture of Hittite, Luwian, Hurrian, Hattian, and depending on when and where exactly you live, maybe Assyrian, Canaanite or even Greek. There’s a fair chance Hittite might not actually be your native language. Still, you consider yourself a Hittite, and a subject of the Hittite king.

Well, now you know who you are, let’s get along with your day!

Your home and environment

Your day begins the way most people’s days do: you wake up at home, in your bed. As an average Hittite, you probably sleep on the floor rather than on elevated furniture. Your floor is either paved or of beaten earth, and your house itself has stone foundations and mud brick walls, with a flat roof supported by timber beams. Windows are scarce and small, to keep the indoor temperature stable.

Outside, the rest of the settlement is waking up too. Statistically, you live in a village or small town, surrounded by forest and mountains. Summers here are hot and dry, and winters cold and snowy, with spring and autumn being marked by thunderstorms. Most inhabitants work as farmers, relying on the weather for their survival. Contagious illnesses are a constant threat - under king Muršili II, the land suffered a deadly plague for twenty years - as are enemy invasions. If you live within the bend of the red river, in the Hittite heartland, consider yourself lucky; if not, your settlement could well be shifting from one kingdom’s property to another and falling prey to both sides’ raids on a yearly basis.

Admitting no enemy forces are in the area today, you take your time to get up. You might tiredly stumble to the outhouse to go pee. Eventually, you’ll want to get dressed.

Clothing

As a man, your clothes comprise of a kilt or sleeved tunic, with a belt of cloth or leather. As a woman, you wear a long dress and, if you are married, a veil. All clothing is made from wool or linen, and a variety of dyes exist: red, yellow, blue, green, black and white are all colours mentioned in texts. If you are rich enough, you may be able to import purple-dyed fabric from Lazpa (Greek Lesbos) or the Levant. You will also want to flaunt your wealth with jewellery, regardless of gender.

Of course, your shoes have upturned ends in the Hittite style. Historians will tease you for this. Don’t listen to them. You look awesome.

Mealtime!

It’s now time for one of your two daily meals (the other will take place in the evening, after your work for the day is done). This will be prepared at the hearth, a vital element of every home, and which is likely connected to an oven. The staple of your diet is bread; in fact, it is so common that “bread”, in cuneiform texts, is used as a general term for food. It is usually made from wheat or barley, but can also be made from beans or lentils.

Worried you’ll get bored of it? You needn’t be: your society has enough types of bread that you could eat a different one each day for a whole season. Fig bread, sour bread, flat bread and honey bread are just some of your options, along with spear bread and moon bread... yes, in other words, baguettes and croissants. (Something tells me the Hittites and the French would have a lot to talk about.)

You also have various fruits and vegetables available: cucumber, leek, carrots, peas, chickpeas, lentils, beans, olives, figs, dates, grapes, pomegranates, onions, garlic, and more. Your diet is completed by animal products, including cheese, milk, butter, and meat, mainly from sheep and goats but also cows and wild game. Honey, too, is common.

These ingredients can be combined into all sorts of dishes. Porridge is popular, as are stews, both vegetarian and meat-based. Meat can also be broiled and quite possibly skewered onto kebabs. And of course, food would be boring without spices, so you have a variety of those to choose from too: coriander are cumin are just two of them.

As for drinks, you can have beer, wine, beer-wine (good luck figuring out what that is), milk or water. If you’re well-to-do enough, you may own a rhyton, a drinking vessel shaped like an animal such as a stag or bull. Don’t forget to libate to the Gods before drinking your share.

Daily work

The next thing on your plate, after food, is work. What you do depends on your social status and gender, and most likely, you do the same work as your parents did before you. You could be something well-known like a king, priest, scribe, merchant, farmer or slave, but don’t assume those are all the possibilities; you could also be, for example, a gardener, doctor, ritual practitioner, potter, weaver, tavern keeper, or perfume maker.

It’s impossible to go into detail on every career option you would have in Hittite society, so for the sake of brevity, let’s just discuss four - two male-dominated, and two female-specific.

Farmer

As a farmer, you are the backbone of your society. You and your peers are responsible for putting food on the plates of Hittites everywhere, thus ensuring the survival of the empire.

Like many farmers, you live on a small estate, most likely with both crops (or an orchard) and livestock to take care of. You may own cows, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, donkeys, and/or ducks. Your daily routine and tools aren’t that different from other pre-industrial cultures, though you have it a little rougher than most due to the Anatolian mountain terrain. If you have the means, you hire seasonal workers - both male and female - to help out as farmhands, and you may own a few slaves.

You get up early to milk the cows, and at the onset of summer, you or a hired herdsman may lead your livestock up to mountain pastures to graze. Depending on the season and the work that needs to be done, you may spend your day ploughing the fields, harvesting grain or fruit, tending livestock, shearing sheep, birthing a calf, repairing the barn, or various other tasks. Make sure to take proper care of everything: new animals are expensive, and losing one could get you into a precarious situation. In particular, you’ll want to keep an eye out for bears, wolves, foxes, and even lions and leopards.

Scribe

Few people are literate in Hittite society, and you are one of the lucky ones. You have been learning to read and write in three languages (Sumerian, Akkadian and Hittite) since childhood, and after long years of copying lexical lists and ancient myths, your education is now complete.

As a scribe, you are the dreaded bureaucrat. In a small town, you likely work alongside the town administrator, recording tax collections and enemy sightings as well as corresponding with other towns, and with the capital. You and your peers are the go-to people for officialising marriage agreements and divorces, drawing up work contracts, and creating sales receipts. If not in the town administration, you could also work in a temple, recording the results of oracles, cross-checking the correct procedures for a ritual, and making sure everything necessary for a festival is available. If you are particularly lucky, you may be employed by the nobility or even the palace, and be entrusted with such confidential tasks as writing the king’s annals or drafting an international treaty.

Regardless of where you are, two things are essential to your job: a stylus and a tablet. You may be a “scribe of the clay tablets”, in which case you will need to carry around a bit of clay wherever you go (and some water to moisten it). Otherwise, you are a “scribe of the wooden tablets”, in which case you use a wax tablet in a wooden frame, which requires less maintenance. It’s unclear whether these types of tablet are used for different purposes.

Fun fact: you likely have a few pen pals around the Hittite empire. After corresponding with other scribes for so long, you’ve started writing each other messages at the bottom of your tablets, asking each other how you’re doing and to say hi to each other’s families. Your employers needn’t know.

Weaver

Weaving, to a Hittite like you, is the quintessential female activity, along with textile-making in general. Like farming, this is a backbone of your society: without weaving, there would be no clothes, and without clothes, well, you can’t do much.

As a weaver, you produce textiles for your family and in many cases also for sale. You work in an atelier within your home, along with the other women of the household, keeping an eye on your smallest children as they play nearby. While your husband, brothers or sons may transport and sell your handiwork, you are the head of your own business.

You are skilled in multiple weaving techniques, and can do embroidery and sew fabric into various shapes (including sleeves - take that, Classical Greeks). You create clothing for all sorts of occasions, including rituals and festivals, outdoor work, and winter weather, and if you are lucky enough to be commissioned by the nobility, you put your best efforts into clothing that will show off their status. Don’t try to cheat anyone out of their money, though; prices are fixed by law.

Old Woman

Contrary to what you might expect, you don’t need to be old to be an Old Woman - this is a career just like any other, though it probably does require a certain amount of life experience and earned respect. As an Old Woman, you are a trained ritual practitioner and active in all sorts of cultic, divinatory and magical ceremonies.

Most commonly, you are hired for rituals protecting against or removing evil. Your services may solve domestic quarrels, cure a sick child, or shield someone from sorcery (a constant threat in your society). This is done through symbolic acts like cutting pieces of string, breaking objects, and sacrificing and burning animals, which are of course accompanied by incantations - sometimes in Hittite, sometimes in other languages, like Hurrian.

Far from a village witch, you are high-placed in Hittite society and trusted by the royal family itself. You have taken part in major rituals and festivals, including funerals, and you perform divinatory oracles too. This last responsibility gives you a large amount of influence over the king and queen; if you establish that something should be done, then it almost certainly will be. Use this power well... or not.

Your loved ones

After a long day ploughing fields, writing tablets, weaving clothes or reciting incantations, it’s finally time to reunite with your loved ones. For adults, these likely - but not necessarily! - include a spouse and children. You may just live with your nuclear family, but living with extended family is also common, and there may be as many as twenty people in your household. Siblings, aunts and uncles, parents, grandparents, children and babies all share the evening meal with you, and some nights, you might gather afterwards to sing and dance, tell stories, and play games.

You also have relationships outside of home. Friendship is valued by Hittite society, with close friends calling each other “brother” and sister”. You might meet up with them regularly at the local tavern for a beer and a bit of fun. Someone there might even catch your eye... Interestingly, there are no laws against that person being of the same gender as you. So, same or different gender, why not try your luck tonight?

Greater powers

It’s impossible to spend a day in the Hittite empire without encountering religion. The Land of a Thousand Gods is aptly named: Gods are in everything, from the sun to the mountains to the stream at the back of your house to fire to a chair. You should always be conscious of their power, and treat them with respect. Though there are few traces of it, you may have a household shrine where you make libations or offer a portion of your meal. Your Gods may be represented by anthropomorphic statues, by animals such as a bull, by symbols such as gold disks, or even by a stone. Either way, treat these objects well; the divine is literally present in them.

You should also be wary of sorcery. Never make clay figures of someone, or kill a snake while speaking someone’s name, or you will face the death penalty. Likewise, always dispose of impurities carefully, especially those left over from a purification ritual (such as mud, ashes, or body hair). Never toss them onto someone else’s property. Has misfortune suddenly struck your household? Is your family or livestock getting sick and dying? These are signs that someone has bewitched you.

Some days are more sacred than others. You participate in over a hundred festivals every year, some lasting less than a day, some lasting a month, some local, some celebrated by the entire Hittite empire. The most important of these are the crocus festival and the purulli festival in spring, the festival of haste in autumn, and the gate-house festival, possibly also in autumn. The statues of the Gods are brought out of the temples, great feasts are held, and entertainment is provided through music, dance and sports contests. Depending on how important your town is, the king, queen or a prince might even be in attendance. All this excitement is a nice break from your regular work!

Sleep and dreams

Phew, what a busy day it’s been. The sun, snared in the trees’ branches, has set on the Hittite land, and you are ready for bed. Time to wrap yourself snugly in blankets and go to sleep.

You may dream, in which case, try to remember as much as you can. Dreams can be a vehicle for omens. Maybe, if the Gods are kind, you might catch a glimpse of what the next days, months and years hold in store for you.

Good night!

Bibliography

Beckman, Gary, “Birth and Motherhood among the Hittites”, in Budin, Stephanie Lynn, Macintosh Turfa, Jean, Women in Antiquity: Real Women across the Ancient World, Abingdon 2016 (pp. 319-328).

Bryce, Trevor, Life and Society in the Hittite World, Oxford 2002.

Bryce, Trevor, “The Role and Status of Women in Hittite Society”, in Budin, Stephanie Lynn, Macintosh Turfa, Jean, Women in Antiquity: Real Women across the Ancient World, Abingdon 2016 (pp. 303-318).

Golec-Islam, Joanna, The Food of Gods and Humans in the Hittite World, BA thesis, Warszawa 2016.

Hoffner, Harry A., “Birth and name-giving in Hittite texts”, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 27/3 (1968), pp. 198-203.

Hoffner, Harry A., “Daily life among the Hittites”, in Averbeck, Richard E., Chavalas, Marc W., Weisberg, David B., Life and Culture in the Ancient Near East, Bethesda 2003 (pp. 95-118).

Marcuson, Hannah, “Word of the Old Woman”: Studies in Female Ritual Practice in Hittite Anatolia, PhD thesis, Chicago 2016.

Wilhelm, Gernot, “Demographic Data from Hittite Land Donation Tablets”, in Pecchioli Daddi, Franca, Torri, Giulia, Corti, Carlo, Central-North Anatolia in the Hittite Period: New Perspectives in Light of Recent Research, Roma 2009 (pp. 223-233).

[theculturedmarxist]

By Gary Brecher.Republished from the Radio War Nerd subscriber newsletter. Subscribe to Radio War Nerd co-hosted with Mark Ames for podcasts, newsletters and more!. Posted with THE EXILED.

There’s a gigantic, well-organized, extremely violent fascist group with tens of thousands of active members in Germany right now.

And nobody notices.

You’d think all the fascist-hunters would have sniffed it out by now, but it goes right by them as if these guys were invisible.

Which is odd, because this group is not trying to hide, or pretending to be harmless. They’re not shy about it, and it’s not just talk. They have quite a record. They’ve been rampaging for decades, and if anything they’re stronger now than they used to be. They’re closely linked to CIA and Nazi groups; they’re very busy beating, burning, and murdering minorities of all kinds, and boast quite openly about hating literally everyone who’s not a member of their own ethnic group and sect, even suggesting that members go on “hunting expeditions” against minorities which they’d already almost wiped out back in the 20th century.

This group recently held massive, open rallies in the cities of Germany, and it’s only in the last few years that the government has even attempted to ban the public symbols and salutes of this massive fascist group.

There’s something grotesquely comic about this. We have a swarm of fascist-spotters who’ve spent the last few decades waiting for fascism to emerge in Germany when it was marching around, shouting at the top of its lungs, beating minorities, celebrating genocide, and supporting ethnic cleansing right in front of their damn faces.

I’m talking about the Gray Wolves. And I defy anyone to find a more successful, out-front, no-kidding, massive, effective, ruthless fascist organization anywhere in the world. They’re adapting quickly, and even have their own fierce Wiki defenders.

Here are a few highlights from their long, successful career:

In 1978, Gray Wolves started pogroms against Alevi Kurds in Maras (also known as Kahramanmaras) in South-Central Anatolia.

Location is important here. Maras is due north of Aleppo across the Syrian border, NW of Kobane, and above all just up the road from Gazantiep. Gazantiep is a key city for right-wing Turkish nationalists, a city dominated not just by people who are ethnically Turkish but who identify as rightwing Turks of the most intensely nationalist kind. This kind of population lives in a state of siege, glories in that feeling, and is almost always willing to lash out against the sea of minorities they imagine surrounding them. That’s why Gazantiep keeps making the news as a nice convenient safe house for IS and their Turkish allies, some of whom killed 57 Kurds at a wedding in 2016.

It’s important to emphasize that people who are ethnically Turkish are not a bloc. Some of the bravest people on earth, languishing in the Turkish state’s prisons or buried in unmarked graves, are proudly Turkish by ancestry.

And then there are the young men who join the Gray Wolves. Those men are murderous fascists, and it’s cowardice to pretend not to see that.

Violence by these men against minorities has never stopped, but it hit its peak — more like the highest peak in a mountain-range of a graph — in 1978, before the Anglosphere had any handle on sectarian violence in the Middle East.

The target of the Gray Wolves in Maras was a double minority: Alevi Kurds. Alevi Muslims are often considered heretics by Salafists and other Sunni fundamentalists. They were massacred with impunity in Ottoman pogroms. Erdogan’s AK Party, which very much wants to revive Ottoman practice and Ottoman borders, openly considers the Alevi heretics fair game for the Gray Wolves’s death squads.

Those who were killed in 1978 were not only Alevi, but Kurds — and the Turkish state, which embraced Wilsonian ethnic nationality with a vengeance, a terrible vengeance, hates Kurds simply for being Kurds. So the Kurdish Alevi of Maras were a natural target twice-over.

The campaign against them built up for weeks, as pogroms usually do, with the unpredictable pace partly a result of working with unstable, violent mobs but also part of a strategy to terrorize the victims, who never know when things will go from bad (very bad) to even-worse.

The details of the massacre are very typical, sickening but not unusual:

Witnesses to the massacre.

Seyho Demir: “The Maras Police Chief at the time was Abdülkadir Aksu, Minister of the Interior in the last AKP government. The massacre was organised by MIT (the Turkish secret service), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Islamists together… As soon as I heard about the massacre, I went to Maras. In the morning I went to Maras State Hospital. There I met a nurse I knew…When she saw me, she was surprised: ‘Seyho, where have you come from? They are killing everyone here. They have taken at least ten lightly-wounded people from the hospital downstairs and killed them.’ This was done under the control of the head physician of the Maras State Hospital. Everyone knows that such a big massacre cannot be carried out without state involvement. In the Yörükselim neighbourhood they cut a pregnant woman open with a bayonet. They took out the eight-month foetus, shouting “Allah Allah” and hung it from an electricity pole with a hook. The pictures of that savagery were published in the newspapers that day. The lawyer Halil Güllüoglu followed the Maras massacre case. The files he had were never made public. He was killed for pursuing the case anyway. Let them make those files public, then the role of the state will become clear.”

Meryem Polat: “They started in the morning, burning all the houses, and continued into the afternoon. A child was burned in a boiler. They sacked everything. We were in the water in the cellar, above us were wooden boards. The boards were burning and falling on top of us. My house was reduced to ashes. We were eight people in the cellar; they did not see us and left.”(EZÖ/TK/AG)

All accounts agree that the massacre not only happened with state collusion but state encouragement. No one was punished. Many were, in fact, promoted, and hold high positions in Erdogan’s government today.

That’s the pattern here: the Gray Wolves as the street-fighting wing of the state. The parallel is closer to Indonesian Islamists in 1965 than the SA in 1930s Germany, but so many people have trouble taking any fascism clearly unless it can be soldered to 1930s Germany that I may as well make the analogy for, as they say in the academic biz, heuristic purposes.

The Gray Wolves ideology is very widespread and acceptable in many (not all) communities in Turkey. This leads to a lot of more or less lone-wolf killings (as it were), as when a soldier who was a member of the Gray Wolves killed a fellow soldier for being an Armenian a few years ago.

Older readers might remember the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II back in 1979.

The assassin was one Mehmet Ali Agca, a longtime member of the Gray Wolves.

He had a track record of killing leftists and other enemies on behalf of the “Idealists” (seriously, that’s what the Wolves call themselves):

“The weapon used in the Feb. 1, 1979, murder of a Turkish newspaper editor, Abdi Ipekci, for which Mr. Agca was convicted, was supplied by a member of the Idealist Clubs, according to the Turkish authorities. Other members helped Mr. Agca escape from prison. Still others prepared a false passport for him. And on the day of the killing, he went to the National Action Party offices.”

Note the familiar pattern: Ali Agca kills a leftist editor who’s annoying the Turkish state, gets caught, and manages to escape with a lot of help from Turkish intelligence.

They hardly bothered to hide their collusion in the escape. The Turkish state was killing a lot of leftists, a lot of intellectuals, a lot of minorities — the usual suspects for classic fascists like Ali Agca.

But as you older readers might recall, nobody in the media talked about Ali Agca as a Turkish fascist. He was, for Cold-War purposes, smeared as a Bulgarian agent.

The “Bulgarian connection” never made much sense, but it served the US/UK/Israel/Saudi intelligence agencies’ PR purposes. Remember, Turkey is NATO — very, very NATO.

NATO might survive the loss of many other small European states, but it could not survive losing Turkey. So the US/UK state will always side with the Turkish state and help them cover up fascist atrocities, blaming them on the Soviets until those useful patsies took their final dive.

Blaming Bulgaria rather than the obvious suspects, the Gray Wolves to which this thug Ali Agca had been murderously loyal all his life, was especially bizarre since there was an obvious sectarian motive: the Gray Wolves hate Christians, as they hate all other minorities, ethnic or religious, and make a point of staging provocations at all occasions when the remnants of what was once a huge Christian minority dare to show themselves in public.

Orthodox Christians are the Wolves’ preferred prey. They prefer not to do anything too bloody to high-profile Western targets like a pope, but when you squirt sectarian hate into weak minds and itchy trigger fingers for generations, some of the lads are going to pick the wrong victim.

Perhaps that’s what happened when Ali Agca went from NATO-approved murderer of leftists and Kurds, to shooting the Pope. We’ll never know, because it was quickly twisted into the ridiculous “Bulgaria did it” farce by the guys who enjoy a few cocktails with their opposite numbers from Ankara at all those NATO conferences.

And we’ll never know how much daily violence this massive fascist gang inflicts. Occasionally the Turkish state gets irritated enough to send a suicide bomber or two to kill Kurdish peace demonstrators, as it did in Ankara in 2015, killing 86 demonstrators and maiming a hundred more. But that state, our NATO ally, supports a whole madhouse of Arab and Turkmen jihadis as well as its own stable of disposable Gray Wolves assassins, so it may never be clear whether it was the Wolves, precisely, who pressed the detonators.

But it’s a statistical certainty that somewhere along the long line from greenlighting an attack like this and sending red-hot ball bearings splattering into the bodies of teenagers with peace banners, many of the men involved were members in good standing of the good ol’ Wolves.

Violence by the Gray Wolves is a constant in Turkey, usually unreported — especially now that Erdogan’s party has imprisoned thousands of journalists and intellectuals, and terrorized the rest into quietism or collusion. We may never know how many Kurds are murdered daily in the southeast of Anatolia, because no one who matters, in the Turkish state or its many powerful allies in the West (e.g. the Michael Flynn story) want you to know about it. It’s rare for those stories to make the news at all, but God knows you can’t forget them once you’ve read them.

In fact the Gray Wolves are going mainstream, and winning a lot of votes.

Fascism is mainstream in Turkey, getting more mainstream all the time — and has been since the violent dissolution of the Ottoman Empire. The Gray Wolves have quite a pedigree, a classic fascist genealogy.

Fascism is often strongest in the ruins of a defeated empire, and that was the situation in the former Ottoman Empire in the 1920s. The Empire had once ruled from Central Europe to Iraq, flowing and ebbing over the centuries (with a peak in the 16th century). At its peak, it was a fearsome conquering force.

There’s a great novel by the Albanian writer Ismail Kadare detailing the unstoppable waves of special forces that the Empire could unleash on strongpoints that held out against conquest.

The Ottomans took a long time to fall from that 16th c. peak. They were still around, partly because Britain and France always supported them against the bogeyman of the late Victorian Era, the Russian Threat.

Propped up by the two big powers of Europe, the Empire managed to survive a coup in 1908 by young officers who would go on to a career in defeat and genocide, because they guessed wrong on which side would win the oncoming Great War.

The Young Turks, as these officers were called, sided with the up-and-coming, efficient military of the neighboring empire: Germany. They guessed wrong, but not before they managed to exterminate the harmless Armenians who had recently been patronized as Turkey’s “model minority” for their docility. And this genocide went so well, so quietly, that Hitler, contemplating the genocide of the European Jews, allegedly demanded of any squeamish nay-sayers “Who remembers the Armenians?”

You get a lot of horrible echoes like that in this story. At any rate, no one cared to remember or notice the extermination of the Armenians, but the winners at Versailles were typically vengeful against the former Ottoman Empire — not by any means for wiping out the Armenians, but for being German allies, and losing.

Britain and France, now joined by the US, were as vengeful toward the former Empire as they had been lenient during its bloody final years. Ottoman rule over non-Turkish territory was erased. For a few years there was some doubt whether even Anatolia would remain a Turkish state.

Then, as most of you know, came Mustafa Kemal, soon to become Kemal Ataturk, a hero of Gallipoli (a Turkish/Ottoman victory that stood out proudly in the great defeat).

Ataturk was a typical elite young officer of the early 20th c. Those were very dangerous people, those young officers. Often impressive individuals, but completely ruthless and immensely fond of violence. That goes for all of them, right across the Continent — Hell, right across the world.

Ataturk formed a nucleus of former officers from the Great War. (Again, the international echoes are clear enough; suffice to say that these guys were the most dangerous, formidable demographic in a few generations, perhaps since the emergence of the Napoleonic elite.) They fought well, and then they went about making Turkey a monoethnic state, without mercy.

For a while, that state was professedly secular, but since it had already killed or driven out most religious minorities, the monoethnic state became, under the AK party, avowedly mono-sectarian as well.

The current chant of the Wolves many, many supporters is “My heart is Turkish and my soul is Muslim!” You must be both: ethnically Turkish and orthodox, Sunni Muslim as well. No mercy for anyone who fails either test, which means that a lot of Kurds, a lot of Alevis, a lot of secular Leftists, end up dead or in prison.

The evolution of the Gray Wolves is a classic fascist Genesis story, and the behavior of its hundreds of thousands (perhaps millions) of supporters is classic fascist violence. Why don’t more people notice that?

I hate to speculate, because the range of possible answers all boils down to cowardice, conformity, and the odd Euro-centrism one finds in the strangest places. They don’t get noticed because they’re not European, maybe? Fascism of the 1930s was European, and that’s the only kind amateurs notice? Odd, because Turkey is European enough to be the cornerstone of NATO.

This would not be the first time that the interests of what you could call the NATO Deep State aligned all too perfectly with the more gullible pockets of the Left. In fact, it’s very closely related to the phenomenon of not noticing, or trying very hard not to notice, the sectarian ultra-violence of the Syrian “rebels.” But this time, since Turkey is a NATO ally, it’s the violence of the state and its fascist proxies that is ignored. I struggle to come up with any other reason that the Gray Wolves get so little attention.

All I know is that we have a massive, ultra-violent, highly effective, classically fascist movement killing minorities every single day, and there’s an odd silence about it.

I would love to ask one of the innumerable online fascist hunters why they hunt stray curs and slink silently past the cold stare of the Gray Wolves. Perhaps it’s not so much any of the excuses I suggested above; perhaps some hunters just prefer smaller, easy prey to the real thing.

Gary Brecher is the nom de guerre-nerd of John Dolan. Buy his book The War Nerd Iliad. Hear him read his comic memoir Pleasant Hell in audiobook format.

Subscribe to the Radio War Nerd podcast & newsletter!

[wizardcow12]

Alright I'm a fucking history nerd and like geography too much so I thought why not share that with you guys. Anyway

MY FAVORITE EUROPEAN BORDERS!!!

Okay so remember the Tumblr post about Croatia being inland and uranium mines?

Yeah notice it has one flaw. IT HAS A GIANT ASS COAST LINE. So giant you might say it's cucking it's neighbors from the sea most noticeably Bosnia, and you might be asking

"why why is it shaped like that" And I'm hear to give you the answer

So back in ye olden days of the 19th century when imperialism was becoming the new fad and the ottomans (the dudes in Anatolia who thought the silk Road was cringe and cock blocked Europe from it) anyway the ottomans didnt know if they were in Europe or Africa so they decided to expand a bit early in the medieval ages into both. they won and lost but for the most part they looked like this

You're probably thinking

"wow what a nice empire"

But if you notice their borders in the Balkans it's suspiciously similar to bosnias borders. So ottomans influenced the bosnaians that's why, actually kinda but there's more.

BALKAN WARS. And the Europeans are angry about having ottomans in their land so they kick them out yay peace in the balkans.

Okay so ww1 happens and ottomans are in it! We're done with them for now (spoiler: they lose) but now we're following SERBIA or you know them as Yugoslavia. Okay so ww2 happens, angry short European tries to own the continent 2 electric boogaloo and the Croatians or Croats decide serbia is a bit of an asshole so they decided to join Hitler in some genocide of some Serbs. Croats lose ww2 and Yugoslavia is back and whole ffw to the 90s or 80s or something and it's some dude shoved a bottle up his ass and blamed an Albanian and everyone decided having one country lead a ethnic hellhole doesn't work shockingly so they start to break up and Croatia pops out like this because they hate having a country with two different alphabets and then bosnia also pops out so

TLDR Islam had a bit of an empire and with the power of religion and genocide the two countries had this as a border

So thanks for listening to my dumb rant about the balkans

[earthpkmnheadcanons]

What pokemon are found in turkey?

Turkey is a crossroads between Europe and Asia, and its wildlife is among the most diverse in both continents. It’s also a big country, stretching from the Aegean Sea in the west to a border with Iran in the east. In the mountainous center and around the Caucasus, rock-types are most common, especially Geodude, which can be spotted frequently on the side of mountain roads. Along the Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts, water and grass-types are more abundant. Especially common in East Thrace is Chespin, which are often found scaling buildings in Istanbul or Edirne. Chespin are curious Pokemon, and not afraid of humans, which allows them to live in these major cities with ease. 

In the southeastern portion of Turkey, it’s possible to find an abundance of ground and grass-types, as well as some unique Pokemon found nowhere else, such as the Nidoran lines. Nidoran live in small holes dug in the ground by a Nidoking or Nidoqueen, and survive by scavenging on berries. Wild Nidoking and Nidoqueen are exceptionally rare sights, but it is possible to run into them. Another unique sight is Chikorita; in fact, the largest population of wild Chikorita is believed to live in eastern Turkey, as war has depleted Chikorita populations in Iraq and Syria, two of the areas where they were previously more common. 

In Turkey’s major cities, such as Istanbul, Ankara, or Izmir, electric and normal-types are common sights, including Igglybuff, a Pokemon found only in Anatolia in the surrounding regions. Other wild sights include Pikachu or Togedemaru, though these are more commonly found outside of the city. The largest city in Europe and a major port, Istanbul is home to a wide variety of water-type Pokemon, and its largest gym is a water-type gym. Oshawott can be found here and all along the coast. 

[teruthecreator]

electric meadows owns my whole ass y’all

tonight was our first session and it was so fucking fun!!!!!! aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! some very very good shit happened this episode and i loved every second. some fun recaps: 

dustin “bustin” “the powerhouse” “bitchfield” scritchfield is the Only Man and i love him absolutely so much. he spent like the first 20 minutes of our session just fumbling over lies while talking to a Sexy Scientist. i knew from the moment this happened that i was going to love dustin and electric meadows forever. 

everyone’s trying to push lyra and jenny together and it’s so fucking wholesome to witness happen but also Y’all Gonna Have To Wait On This Shit. i wanna slowburn so badly; idk if they’ll be end-game but regardless i wanna Slowburn. let me slowburn, cro, please. 

just this whole thing:

me: lyra is very anxious and socially strange 

tin: oh Of Course 

tin: purposely puts anatolia in the exact place for lyra to slam into her and put her in an awkward social situation 

tin: :) 

me: oh god Oh Yes 

(this bit was so good thank you tin for letting me improv anxiety) 

anatolia is just....Yes. her and ironhorn friendship?? Yes. her being the mom figure for like a bunch of rowdy teen biker people?? Yes. anatolia and mr. clean banter???? FUCK YES!!! 

dustin like Hates scientists but we’re trying so desperately to slowburn him w sexy scientist and i can’t wait for the gay rights to start Rolling In.

also i got to end the session on like a rlly poignant moment and i just >:)))))))))))))))) Loving This 

love my friends love these characters Love The Podcast 

[titoist]

6 and 18? ^_^

6 -  Your favorite album by your favorite band

Ahh hmm....i think...Anatolia by feed me jack

18 -  An album that you could listen to on loop and never get bored of

HMMM. out of the blue by electric light orchestra

[electricmeadows]

Session Summary 2

Anatolia and Dustin take Anatolia's jeep out to the crash site. It's empty, and the bodies are gone, and the smoke has cleared. This is Anatolia's first time seeing the aftereffects of the "gak monster." She rolls Investigate a Mystery: 8 and asks "what happened here": there is only little bit of blood in the car, and the gak is corroded into the carpet of the car.

Dustin on the other hand rolls IAM: 13, asks "what can hurt it": there is camping gear in the back, including a disposable water jug that is torn open. Also, the gak is full of flecks of copper and lead, which Dustin has never seen before. Asks "where did it go": a trail of gak and copper flecks leads out to the southeast of the crash.

Anatolia reasons out that the copper and lead is from the gak monster decomposing. She and Dustin hop back in the jeep and follow the tracks out a mile, where the gak peters out. They put together that this thing regenerated enough to keep moving.

Dustin wants to keep looking, because he doesn't know when he'll get the chance to chase it again. Anatolia poitns out that they are not prepared, and they don't know where it went anyway. They compromise on going to EMDRI to see if Soldez or the other scientist can tell them anything.

Dustin pushes the buzzer, gives his "Bustin" moniker and tries to explain that he's here to see Soldez, whom the receptionist (Janice Porter) says is busy. Dustin says he talked to Soldez last night, so Janice assumes that it's a more personal visit and tells him to come back later, which Dustin is affronted by. Anatolia steps in and explains that they're concerned about the attack and car crash, rolling a Manipulate Someone: 12. Janice lets them in and calls up Dr. DeMort to come and talk to them.

Dr. DeMort comes in, and she eagerly introduces herself and takes Anatolia and Dustin up to her office. The office is decorated in Halloween decorations even though it's over a week into November, some of them even look like they've been up for multiple years (including but not limited to a model skeleton wearing a cape and a whole  gourd on its head). Dustin and Anatolia sit down, and Anatolia starts asking questions.

Dustin is sitting there awkwardly like a kid waiting for his mom to be done talking in a doctor's office. He rolls a MS: 7 trying to find out more about the gak, and Anatolia steps in.

Dr. DeMort is more than happy to answer Anatolia's questions, especially as Anatolia takes a powerful seating position to show off the whole the gak burned in her boot. She says that Dr. Soldez is developing a sort of "anti-gak" to try and take care of it and hopefully whatever it's coming from.

Anatolia explains that she too is a woman of science, flustering Dr. DeMort further. Anatolia asks if there's anything more Dr. DeMort can tell her about the gak such as how to treat its effects. However, Anatolia rolls a MS: 5 and Dr. DeMort explains that unfortunately she's tied to a confidentiality agreement and can't risk her job over a curious stranger.

Anatolia does manage to exchange contact info with Dr. DeMort, and she and Dustin make their exit. They return back to town, Anatolia to her office and Dustin to the Sieve.

In Anatolia's office, she relieves Ironhorn of duty. They did end up beating her Tetris score. Mr. Clean is now fixed courtesy of Cici, and he's humming an old Broadway tune as he sweeps the floor.

In the Sieve, Cici is manning the bar instead of Jenny. Dustin reports that their investigation didn't yield much, and orders a root beer to drown his sorrows.

Across the street and a short time later, Lyra is shutting down Dustin's Bistro when she gets a call from Jenny, who sounds strained. Jenny asks Lyra to get a car and drive to her. Lyra rolls Act Under Pressure: 9, she gets into Dustin's car and drives off in a blind panic, staying on the phone with Jenny.

Jenny is notably injured, with a lot of blood coming from a wound on her left side, and Lyra maneuvers her into the car. In the middle of doing so, she starts to see through the eyes of whatever this monster is (Tune In: 12). Lyra realizes it's inside one of the warehouses, frantically and angrily storming around and trying to get out. She knows it will attack any living thing it sees.

Lyra asks a delirious Jenny "where is it" and Jenny points vaguely towards a block of warehouses diagonally across the road. Lyra makes note of it before speeding back towards the Corral HQ, calling Anatolia on the way. Lyra skids into the parking lot, and she and Jenny have a back-and-forth for a moment before Anatolia calls them inside. Jenny gets taken into the back patient care room and Lyra collapses on the floor of the waiting room.

Eventually Lyra calls Dustin, who is still sitting obliviously at the Sieve. She explains that she took his car and that Jenny is hurt, and Dustin starts walking over. Dustin finds Lyra on the floor of the waiting room, and Lyra explains a bit about the situation and apologizes for taking his car. Dustin reassures her and tries to calm her down before going into the back.

Anatolia is in there taping down the last of the bandaging. She notices (IAM: 11) that the scratch was an irregular elliptical shape, like three claw marks close together snagged Jenny to the far left of her belly button. There was a noticeable amount of rust in the wound, and most of it was jagged but there were some clean edges.

Dustin asks what happened, Anatolia explains the wound but Lyra didn't actually say the thing that did it. Anatolia asks Dustin to keep an eye on Lyra, and Dustin promises to do so. Dustin goes back out to the lobby and takes Lyra home.