https://www.timestelegram.com/story/news/history/2023/06/08/mohawk-valley-history-lafayette-owed-life-to-augustas-amos-parke70299078007/
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1825, 198 years ago
A tearful reunion
You can't miss Amos Parker. He is well over six feet tall. Some say closer to seven. Many say he was the tallest soldier in the American army during the Revolutionary War.
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This week, the now 63-year-old Parker enters Shepard's Hotel on Bagg's Square in Utica (really the Bagg's Hotel, but the name was changed while Abraham Shepard owned it from 1825 to 1828). Parker is determined to meet the hotel's distinguished guest, the Marquis de Lafayette.
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In 1777, while the Revolutionary War was raging, the then 19-year-old, tall, red-haired Lafayette left his home in France and joined the American army in its fight to win for the American colonies their independence from Great Britain. He fought in many battles and, in 1781, commanded troops in Yorktown, Virginia, when British Gen. Charles Cornwallis surrendered his army to Gen. George Washington, just about ensuring an end to the war and an American victory.
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On the night of January 30, 1948, Utica firefighters fought one of the most spectacular fires in the city’s history. Flames roared through “The Long Block” on the west side of Lower Genesee Street, between Oriskany and Whitesboro streets. The 3-alarm blaze was fought in temperatures 30 below zero. Seventeen firefighters were injured and 11 businesses damaged. Losses were estimated at $400,000.
Now, 44 years later, the 68-year-old Lafayette is back in America, touring the country as a guest of its grateful citizens. This week, after visits in Rome, Oriskany and Whitesboro, he enters Utica triumphantly via the Rome Road (today Lafayette Street). After a big celebration, he is in his hotel room, resting before continuing his journey east.
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Suddenly, there is a knock on the door and in walks the very tall Amos Parker. At first, Lafayette is puzzled, but then Parker begins to relate an incident that occurred at the Battle of Yorktown.
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As the fighting there raged, Lafayette ordered 25 of his men — including Parker — to remove a fence so that Lafayette could lead his soldiers through the breach. "Once you remove the fence," Lafayette shouted, "allow me and my men to ride through the opening. Do not fire your weapons!"
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More:Utica's Conkling leading figure at 1880 Republican convention: Mohawk Valley history
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More:Utica Independent Infantry Company prepares for war: This week in Mohawk Valley history
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More:Later known for illustrations, Saturday Globe began without: Mohawk Valley history
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The fence was removed and Lafayette and his men began to ride through. Suddenly, Parker spotted a British sniper aiming his rifle at Lafayette. Before the sniper could fire, though, Parker raised his musket and shot him.
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Unbelievingly, an aide to Lafayette had Parker court-martialed for disobeying Lafayette's "don't fire your weapon" order. He, of course, was acquitted when it was learned that by disobeying the order, he had saved Lafayette's life.
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Now, in a hotel room 44 years later, Parker and Lafayette relive the incident. They embrace and (a historian later wrote) enjoy "a heart-tugging event and weep" in each other's arms. (After the war, Parker settled in the town of Augusta in southwestern Oneida County and died there in 1842 at age 80. He was buried at the Parker (Augusta) Cemetery at the intersection of Augusta-Solsville Road and Anderson Road. A blue and yellow state marker there reads: AMOS PARKER, TALLEST MAN IN AMERICAN ARMY. SAVED GEN. LAFAYETTE'S LIFE. PRESENT AT THE SURRENDER OF CORNWALLIS. BURIED HERE.
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1923, 100 years ago
Record at UFA
A class of 210 students receive diplomas at Utica Free Academy (UFA), the largest class ever graduated in the school's more than 100-year history. The Right Reverend Charles Fiske, bishop coadjutor of the Central New York Episcopal Diocese, addresses the students: "Why has the city of Utica paid for your education? … It expects to receive from you a return for its investment. You owe the community repayment for this debt. Not in money, but in service. You are expected to exercise a high standard of living, put forth an honest effort to make your neighborhood a better place to live and accept public calls of duty to serve your community with its charities and efforts to improve the public well-being."
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1948, 75 years ago
Utica in novel
Carl Sandburg, noted poet and historian, completes a novel that contains a chapter on Utica and the Erie Canal. He was in Utica a year ago to collect material for the novel: "Remembrance Rock."
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1973, 50 years ago
GE contract
The General Electric Aircraft Equipment Division in Utica is awarded a $1.3 million contract for a computer system for the Viking Orbiter, which will explore Mars in 1975.
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1998, 25 years ago
Morrisville celebrates
The village of Morrisville celebrates its 150th anniversary. It was incorporated in 1848 and named for its founder, Thomas Morris. He settled in the area in 1797 and built a house on the corner of today's Main and Cedar streets. His father, Robert, was a Founding Father from Pennsylvania, who signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
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Civita M. Allard, a registered nurse and an associate professor in the Health Services Department at Mohawk Valley Community College, receives the college's "alumna of merit" award.
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In American Legion baseball, Utica Post defeats Parkhurst Post, 13 to 3, behind the pitching of Chris Donalty (a four hitter) and the hitting of Eric Miller (3 hits, 2 RBIs). Meanwhile, Whitestown beats Lee, 6 to 4, behind the hitting of Jason Englehart, Mike Antanavige, Bernie Martin, Brent Wengert and Matt Maine. Steve Rice has two hits for Lee.
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The Genetaska Club of New Hartford elects Ellen Boerger as its president. Other officers include: Peg Mullin, vice president; Barbara Reinshagen, recording secretary; Sue Maher, corresponding secretary; Joyce Ebensperger, treasurer; and directors Joyce Goggin, Ada Ruhm, Ellie Lampert and Barbara Weaver.
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2013, 10 years ago
Pro hockey returns
Utica, after many years without a professional hockey team, has one again. The Utica Comets are in the American Hockey League, a minor league affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks in the National Hockey League. They will play in the Utica Memorial Auditorium. Robert Esche, a former goalie in the National Hockey League and president of the Mohawk Valley Garden, will operate the team. Mayor Robert Palmieri says the move fits in with his vision for a revitalized Bagg's Square and Harbor Point development. "What a great day for the city!" he says. "The emotion is overwhelming."
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The Greater Utica Sports Hall of Fame inducts Stan "Buddy" Evans, longtime baseball coach at Rome Free Academy and college football official; Bill Holowaty, originally from Mohawk, longtime baseball coach at Eastern Connecticut State University; Ed Wadas, a "super" supporter of local athletics and called the "candy man" for giving out candy at local games, especially in Whitesboro, Oriskany and New York Mills; and Tom Wells, multi-sport coach at New Hartford schools, especially known for his highly successful swim teams.
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Bobbi Jo Kahl is approved by the town board in Remsen as as the town justice.
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In American Legion baseball, Roberts Post defeats Whitestown, 3 to 1. Nate Palmer, a senior at Holland Patent High, strikes out 18 and gets the win. He is supported by the hitting of Kinsey Williams, Nico Ramos and Austin Mann. Whitestown's Jared Muraca pitches well, allowing only five hits.
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Trivia quiz
Next Sunday is Father's Day. Let's celebrate with a tough question. Name the man who was the son of a U.S. president and also the father of a U.S. president. If you can't name him, at least name the two presidents. (Answer will appear here next week.)
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Answer to last week's question: Richard Nixon was president when, on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin first walked on the surface of the moon after landing in the Apollo 11 lunar module.
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This Week in History is researched and written by Frank Tomaino. E-mail him at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).

Mina Miller Edison lived an incredibly inspiring life. She thrived in numerous aspects. Especially since she played many roles throughout her impressive lifespan. Highly educated, confident, ambitious and determined represent the characteristics that describe Mina.
She displayed a deep committed to her family. This includes being the loving wife to inventor, entrepreneur and American icon Thomas Edison. She was also a loving and dedicated mother.
In addition, Mina demonstrated a strong passion for her community with the endless organizations that she contributed a tremendous amount of time and energy.
Mina was born into an entrepreneurial family on July 6, 1865. As the Miller family continued to grow, Mina was the seventh of eleven children born to inventor Lewis Miller and Mary Alexander. Her parents had a love for education. Mina attended and graduated from Akron High School in Ohio. After high school, she went on to study at a home and day school in Boston.

Mina’s Father the Inventor and Founder

Mina Miller Edison was born into a family that was used to being in the spotlight. Lewis Miller was a successful inventor. He also became one of the founders of Chautauqua Institution. The Miller family spent summers in their home along Chautauqua Lake. Her families love for Chautauqua was passed down to Mina. Therefore, when she had a family of her own she brought them to her family home at Chautauqua Institition.

Mina’s father and husband both had a passion for inventing. However, what they chose to invent was different from one another. While Thomas concentrated on technology and electronics, Lewis focused on farm equipment. They shared the common goal of making life easier with their inventions.

Chautauqua Institution

Chautauqua Institution sets on the shores of beautiful Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State. The Institution was originally called the Chautauqua Lake Sunday School Assembly. It was founded in 1874 as an educational experiment in out-of-school, vacation learning by industrialist Lewis Miller and Methodist Bishop John Heyl Vincent. Hence, a place where spirituality meets continuing education.
“The original scheme was a Christian educational resort . . . [where] pleasure, science, and all friends of true culture should go side by side with true religion.”

Chautauqua Institution

We call Chautauqua County home which is also the birthplace of the National Historic Landmark, Chautauqua Institution. Chautauqua Institution is a 750-acre community on Chautauqua Lake that attracts 100,000 visitors each summer who explore spirituality, philosophy, cultural vitality and the arts.
President Theodore Roosevelt once called Chautauqua Institution: “the most American thing in America“.
The mission of Chautauqua Institution (or as locals call it, CHQ):

CHQ is dedicated to the exploration of the best in human values and the enrichment of life through a program that explores the important religious, social and political issues of our times; stimulates provocative, thoughtful involvement of individuals and families in creative response to such issues; and promotes excellence and creativity in the appreciation, performance and teaching of the arts.Each summer season celebrates four program areas: The Arts, Religion, Education and Recreation. A summer at Chautauqua is loaded with lectures, concerts, religious services and as well as amazing displays of literary and performing arts. Chautauqua Institution attracts world-class talent that performs ballet, theater, opera, symphony and dance. Click here to check out this season’s exciting events.

The Multiple Achievements of Mina Miller

Marriage to Thomas Edison

When Mina Miller met Thomas Edison, she was promised to her gentleman suitor, George Vincent, the son of Bishop Vincent. Edison learned that Mina would be staying the summer at Chautauqua, he arranged to spend time there to win her and meet her family. Thomas Edison’s hearing was badly compromised by this time from when he was a child so he taught Mina to send and receive Morse code. That summer, he used it to ask her to marry him. He tapped “Will you Marry Me?” on Mina’s hand, and she said “Yes.”
The next step was getting permission from Mina’s Father Lewis, to which Thomas wrote this:
“I trust you will not accuse me of egotism when I say that my life and history and standing are so well known as to call for no statement concerning myself. My reputation is so far made that I recognize I must be judged by it for good or ill. I need only add in conclusion that the step I have taken in asking your daughter to entrust her happiness into my keeping has been the result of mature deliberation, and with the full appreciation of the responsibility and the duty I have undertaken to fulfill. I do not deny that your answer will seriously affect my happiness, and I trust my suit will meet with your approval.”
This letter won the approval of Mr. Miller. The date for the wedding was set for February 24, 1886, hardly more than a year after they met. She was only 20 years old. Oak Place, the Miller home in Akron, was to be the site of the wedding. Father Miller and his Mary Valinda spared no expense in seeing that the nuptials were an occasion to be remembered.

Managing a Home Full of Staff and Children

When Mina and Thomas Edison got married she was much younger then her husband. She became the stepmother to his three children. Still being young herself she was not fully ready for motherhood. However, Mina Miller Edison took charge of the household. Often times Thomas was not around due to his work. This left Mina in charge of hiring the house staff as well as raising the children. Furthermore, she gave herself the title of “home executive”. Mina also held ownership of Glenmont. The home she shared with Thomas. Owning and managing her own home was the first of many successes for Mina.

Children of Her Own

Two years after their marriage Mina and Thomas added to their family with their first child, Madeleine. This started the same pattern of children Thomas had with his first wife. Their daughter was soon followed by two sons, Charles and Theodore.

Madeleine Edison

Madeleine was born on May 31st, 1888, the first child born to Mina. She was born in Glenmont, the Edison Family home in New Jersey. Madeleine married John Eyre Sloane. She married him in the Drawing Room at Glenmont on June 17, 1914. Madeleine and John had four sons, who happened to be Thomas Edison’s only grandchildren from either marriage.
Madeleine briefly ran for Congress in 1938, she sadly lost. During World War II she gave much of her time to blood drives for the New Jersey Red Cross. She also administered the Edison Birthplace in Milan, Ohio after her mother’s death. She died on February 14, 1979.

Charles Edison

Charles Edison was born into the Edison Family at the Glenmont on August 3, 1890. He married Carolyn Hawkins, whom he had met in 1912 then married on March 27, 1918. Finally, he became president of his father’s company, Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated, in 1927. He ran the company until it was sold in 1959.
Charles is the best known because of his second career, in public service. In the mid-1930s he served in the cabinet of President Franklin Roosevelt. First as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, then as Acting Secretary. New Jersey voters elected him as their governor in 1940. He also founded a charitable foundation that now bears his name, the Charles Edison Fund. He died on July 31, 1969

Theodore Miller Edison

Theodore Miller Edison was the last to be born at Glenmont on July 10, 1898. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, from which he earned his physics degree in 1923. He was the only member of the Edison family to graduate from college.
Theodore did work for his father’s company after graduation. After starting as an ordinary lab assistant, he worked his way up to technical director of research and engineering for Thomas A. Edison, Inc. He eventually founded his own company, Calibron Industries, Inc. Also, he built his own smaller laboratory in West Orange. Theodore earned over 80 patents in his career. In 1925 he married Anna Maria Osterhout, a graduate of Vassar. He became an ardent environmentalist. Theodore lived in West Orange with his wife Anna until his death on November 24, 1992.

Mina’s Step-Children

With the marriage between Thomas and Mina, she took on his three children from the first marriage. Marion, twelve years old, Thomas, Jr. ten years old, and William Leslie eight years old. She continued to struggle with her relationship with her stepdaughter. Mina’s stepchildren did not take education as seriously as she did. They believed that Edison’s fame could make their future for them. Finally, due to this belief, Mina’s stepchildren went on to live less acclaimed lives as the other Edison children.

Marion Estelle Edison

Marion was the first born of Thomas Edison’s children. She was born on February 18, 1873, and gained the nickname “Dot” as a child after Morse Code. In 1895 she married Karl Oscar Oeser, a German army lieutenant. They lived in Germany through the First World War. Unfortunately, her marriage ended in divorce in 1921. Finally, she then returned to the United States, where she died on April 16, 1965.

Thomas Alva Edison Jr

Thomas Alva, Junior, was born on January 10, 1876. He had the nickname “Dash” after Morse Code like his sister. He went on to marry stage actress Marie Louise Toohey in 1899. However, the marriage ended within a year. He next married Beatrice Heyzer. Thomas Jr sold the use of his name to advertise “quack” medicines and dubious inventions. His father disapproved of this and eventually asked him to change his name. Thomas Jr. briefly went by the name of Thomas Willard. His efforts at inventing and starting a mushroom farm failed. Finally, he died on August 25, 1935.

William Leslie Edison

William Leslie was born on October 26, 1878. He went to school at St. Paul’s School, Concord, New Hampshire. Then also attended J.M.Hawkins School on Staten Island. He later studied at the Sheffield scientific school at Yale. William soon married Blanche Travers. William Edison served in the military during the Spanish-American War in 1898. He also served again in the First World War. Like his brother he turned to farm life, breeding chickens. Finally, he died on August 10, 1937.

Chautauqua Institute and Mina’s Influence

Mina’s father’s love for Chautauqua was passed down to his daughter. Mina dedicated herself to many organizations locally. She supported many land and wildlife conservation. Often times Mina would donate her own funds to projects for Chautauqua. Mina became a trustee of the institute. Others involved in Chautauqua held Mina in high regards. Also much like her father, Mina continued her involvement with her beloved Institute until her passing in 1947.
Mina was active in many different organizations and clubs including:

• The American Red Cross
• The Chautauqua Association
• West Orange Community League (President From 1912-1919)
• National Audubon Society
• Chautauqua Bird and Tree Club
• The John Burroughs Association
• The Daughters of the American Revolution
• The School Garden Association of America

The Thomas Alva Edison Foundation

After Thomas Edison passed away, Mina started The Thomas Alva Edison Foundation in his memory. The foundation combined both Thomas’s and Mina’s passions. Mina’s love for education and Thomas’s love for science. However, later on, the nature of the foundation changed. It was no longer dedicated to advancements in science and education. Finally, it became a foundation aimed at preserving Thomas Edison’s name and accomplishments

Wrapping It Up

Lastly, Thank you for taking the time to read this post.
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What was the point of Jake, the couples therapist?
What was the point of Barbara?
What was the point of Trent Crimm?
What was the point of Shandy?
What was the point of Zava?
What was the point of Sam's restaurant?
What was the point of Rebecca's psychic and the whole baby storyline?
What was the point of Colin being gay?
What was the point of Jack?
What was the point of Sassy?
What was the point of Jane?
What was the point of Higgins?
What was the point of Beard?
What was the point of New Rebecca and Rupert's secretary?
What was the point of Rupert and Rebecca getting along at the Super League meeting?
What was the point of Ted's panic attacks?
What was the point of any of the main or supporting characters this season? Ted, Jamie, Roy, Keeley, Dr. Sharon, Dani, Isaac, Van Damme, Montlaur, Will, Jan Maas, etc.
Like everybody starts out somewheres. And they do something, something gets done to them, and it changes their life. That's called an arc. Where's my arc?
It feels like we could have easily gone from the S2 finale to the S3 finale and missed... pretty much nothing. The only exception is maybe Nate, whose problems are all solved by getting a girlfriend and is able to suddenly reconcile with everyone, and maybe Rebecca, who is able to suddenly move on from Rupert. Everyone else remains literally unchanged from Season 2.

Pyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- Loyal letter-relay teams of members of the Korean Children's Union (KCU) from across the country arrived in Pyongyang on Saturday from all parts of the country, carrying the letters of loyalty presenting to the respected fatherly Marshal Kim Jong Un, with the unanimous desire of the three million members of the KCU.
Schoolchildren and working people in Kangnam County warmly greeted the teams of KCU members from Kangwon and North Hwanghae provinces.
A meeting took place to courteously convey the letter of loyalty of the KCU members to Kim Jong Un to the letter-relay team of Pyongyang Municipality.
Present there were Kim Su Gil, chief secretary of the Pyongyang Municipal Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Choe Hui Thae, chairman of the Pyongyang Municipal People's Committee, officials concerned, officials of the youth league, participants in the letter relay and schoolchildren in Kangnam County.
At the meeting, the letter of loyalty was conveyed to the letter-relay team of Pyongyang Municipality.
Kim Ju Hyok, chairman of the Pyongyang Municipal Committee of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League, made a report to be followed by speeches.
The members of the letter-relay team of Pyongyang Municipality left Kangnam County amid the send-off of officials and schoolchildren.

Pyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- Loyal letter-relay teams of members of the Korean Children's Union (KCU) from across the country arrived in Pyongyang on Saturday from all parts of the country, carrying the letters of loyalty presenting to the respected fatherly Marshal Kim Jong Un, with the unanimous desire of the three million members of the KCU.
Schoolchildren and working people in Kangnam County warmly greeted the teams of KCU members from Kangwon and North Hwanghae provinces.
A meeting took place to courteously convey the letter of loyalty of the KCU members to Kim Jong Un to the letter-relay team of Pyongyang Municipality.
Present there were Kim Su Gil, chief secretary of the Pyongyang Municipal Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Choe Hui Thae, chairman of the Pyongyang Municipal People's Committee, officials concerned, officials of the youth league, participants in the letter relay and schoolchildren in Kangnam County.
At the meeting, the letter of loyalty was conveyed to the letter-relay team of Pyongyang Municipality.
Kim Ju Hyok, chairman of the Pyongyang Municipal Committee of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League, made a report to be followed by speeches.
The members of the letter-relay team of Pyongyang Municipality left Kangnam County amid the send-off of officials and schoolchildren.

Cian_Ci, who used to be an excellent Communist Youth League branch secretary in school, had a significant influence on his later behavior. According to his classmates' revelations to the sophisticated people, Cian_Ci sexually harassed girls in junior high school and was attacked collectively by the girls. However, Cian_Ci's mother protected him and scolded all the girls in the class. Since then, Cian_Ci has become a woman-hater and a psychological abnormality. As a noble Chinese, it is a waste that Cian_Ci only got into college after the national college entrance examination. Meanwhile, his daily anti-Japanese patriotism cannot change his nature as a pervert.

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Happy Monday everyone, welcome to another UPG of the Week. Meet the Omani Arabs in Oman!

Region: Oman

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Stratus Index Ranking (Urgency): 52
It has been noted to me by u/JCmathetes that I should explain this ranking. Low numbers are more urgent, both physically and spiritually together, while high numbers are less urgent. The scale is 1-177, with one number assigned to each country. So basically on a scale from Afghanistan (1) to Finland (177), how urgent are the peoples physical and spiritual needs.

The Stratus Index - Synthesizes reliable data from different sources to clearly display the world’s most urgent spiritual and physical needs.
The vast majority of missions resources go to people and places already Reached by the Gospel, while only 3% of missionaries and 1% of missions money are deployed among the Unreached. This is the Great Imbalance. As a result, there are more people without access to the Gospel today than a decade ago. Stratus seeks to equip the global church with fresh vision to accomplish the Great Commission by addressing some of the factors that perpetuate the Great Imbalance. We hope this tool allows the church to better understand what steps will be required to overcome the barriers that prevent needs from being met, spurring informed and collaborative missions strategy. Stratus Website

Climate: Summer temperatures in Muscat and northern Oman average 30 to 40 °C (86.0 to 104.0 °F). Annual rainfall in Muscat averages 100 mm (3.9 in), occurring mostly in January. In the south, the Dhofar Mountains area near Salalah has a tropical-like climate and receives seasonal rainfall from June to September as a result of monsoon winds from the Indian Ocean, leaving the summer air saturated with moisture and fog. Summer temperatures in Salalah range from 20 to 30 °C (68.0 to 86.0 °F)
The Dhofar mountains in the summer
Terrain: A gravel desert plain covers most of central Oman, with mountain ranges along the north (Al-Hajar) and southeast coast (Qara or Dhofar Mountains). The peninsula of Musandam (Musandem), strategically located on the Strait of Hormuz, is an exclave separated from the rest of Oman by the United Arab Emirates.[116] Coast of Sur Madha, another exclave, is an enclave within UAE territory located halfway between the Musandam Peninsula and the main body of Oman.
An Oasis in Oman
Wildlife of Oman: Oman has many animals for its relatively small land size. It is one of the last places in which the Arabian leopard survives is the Dhofar mountains in southern Oman. Other carnivores present include the striped hyena, the honey badger, the red fox, the caracal, the sand cat, Blanford's fox and Arabian wildcat. Some other mammals include the the Arabian oryx, the sand gazelle, the mountain gazelle, the Nubian ibex, the camel. Off Muscat there are other humpback whales, pygmy blue whales, Bryde's whales, sperm whales, false killer whales, Risso's dolphins, spinner dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins, and the occasional killer whale. Most of the approximately one dozen or so snake species in the country are harmless, but the uncommon horned viper, carpet viper, puff adder and cobra are venomous. There are no monkeys (afaik) in Oman!
The Arabian Leopard
Environmental Issues: Both drought and limited rainfall contribute to shortages in the nation's water supply. The nation's soil has shown increased levels of salinity. Pollution of beaches and other coastal areas by oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman is also a persistent problem.
Languages: Arabic is the official language. There are dialects of Arabic spoken, all part of the Peninsular Arabic family: Dhofari Arabic (also known as Dhofari, Zofari) is spoken in Salalah and the surrounding coastal regions (the Dhofar Governorate). According to CIA (freakin lol), besides Arabic, English, Baluchi (Southern Baluchi), Urdu, Bengali (spoken by Indians and Bangladeshis), Hindi, Malayalam, Tulu and other Indian languages are the main languages spoken
Government Type: Unitary Islamic absolute monarchy

People: The Omani Arabs of Oman

Omani Arab man
Population: 1,967,000
Estimated Foreign Workers Needed: 39+
Beliefs: The Omani Arabs of Oman are 0% Christian. That means out of their population of 1,967,000 there are little to no Christians at all.
Most Oman Arabs belong to the Ibadi sect of Islam, one of the religion's oldest and most traditional branches. Ibadi principles of puritanism and idealism have greatly influenced Arabs in surrounding countries.
The Great Sultan Qabus Mosque in Oman
History: During the 8th century BCE, it is believed that the Yaarub, the descendant of Qahtan, ruled the entire region of Yemen, including Oman. Wathil bin Himyar bin Abd-Shams (Saba) bin Yashjub (Yaman) bin Yarub bin Qahtan later ruled Oman. It is thus believed that the Yaarubah were the first settlers in Oman from Yemen.
Over centuries tribes from western Arabia settled, making a living by fishing, farming, herding or stock breeding. Arab migration to Oman started from northern-western and south-western Arabia and those who chose to settle had to compete with the indigenous population for the best arable land. When Arab tribes started to migrate to Oman, there were two groups. One group, a segment of the Azd tribe migrated from Yemen in A.D. 120/200 following the collapse of Marib Dam, while the other group migrated centuries before the birth of Islam from Nejd (what later is Saudi Arabia), named Nizari. Other historians believe that the Yaarubah from Qahtan which belong to an older branch, were the first settlers of Oman from Yemen, and then came the Azd.
The Azd settlers in Oman are descendants of Nasr bin Azd and were later known as "the Al-Azd of Oman". 70 years after the first Azd migration, another branch of Alazdi under Malik bin Fahm, the founder of Kingdom of Tanukhites on the west of Euphrates, is believed to have settled. According to Al-Kalbi, Malik bin Fahm was the first settler of Alazd. He is said to have first settled in Qalhat. By this account, Malik, with an armed force of more than 6000 men and horses, fought against the Marzban, who served a Persian king in the battle of Salut and eventually defeated the Persian forces. This account is semi-legendary and seems to condense centuries of migration and conflict into a story of two campaigns that exaggerate the success of the Arabs. The account may represent an amalgamation of traditions from not only the Arab tribes but also the region's original inhabitants.
In the 7th century CE, Omanis came in contact with and accepted Islam. The conversion of Omanis to Islam is ascribed to Amr ibn al-As, who was sent by the prophet Muhammad during the Expedition of Zaid ibn Haritha (Hisma). Amer was dispatched to meet with Jaifer and Abd, the sons of Julanda who ruled Oman. They appear to have readily embraced Islam.
Omani Azd used to travel to Basra for trade, which was a centre of Islam, during the Umayyad empire. Omani Azd were granted a section of Basra, where they could settle and attend to their needs. Some of the Omani Azd who settled in Basra became merchants and, under their leader Muhallab bin Abi Sufrah, started to expand their influence of power eastwards towards Khorasan. Ibadhi Islam originated in Basra through its founder, Abdullah ibn Ibadh, around the year 650 CE; the Omani Azd in Iraq would subsequently adopt this as their predominant faith. Later, Al-hajjaj, the governor of Iraq, came into conflict with the Ibadhis, which forced them back to Oman. Among those who returned was the scholar Jaber bin Zaid. His return (and the return of other scholars) enhanced the Ibadhi movement. Alhajjaj made an attempt to subjugate Oman, then ruled by Suleiman and Said (the sons of Abbad bin Julanda). Alhajjaj dispatched Mujjaah bin Shiwah, who was confronted by Said bin Abbad. This confrontation devastated Said's army, after which he and his forces retreated to the Jebel Akhdar (mountains). Mujjaah and his forces went after Said, successfully flushing them out from hiding in Wadi Mastall. Mujjaah later moved towards the coast, where he confronted Suleiman bin Abbad. The battle was won by Suleiman's forces. Alhajjaj sent another force (under Abdulrahman bin Suleiman); he eventually won the war, taking over the governance of Oman.
The first elective Imamate of Oman is believed to have been established after the fall of the Umayyad Dynasty in 750/755 AD, when Janaħ bin ʕibadah Alħinnawi was elected. Other scholars claim that Janaħ bin Ibadah served as a Wāli (governor) under the Umayyad dynasty (and later ratified the Imamate), and that Julanda bin Masud was the first elected Imam of Oman, in A.D. 751. The first Imamate reached its peak power in the 9th century A.D. The Imamate established a maritime empire whose fleet controlled the Gulf, during a time when trade with the Abbasid Dynasty, the Far East, and Africa flourished. The authority of the Imams started to decline due to power struggles, the interventions of Abbasid, and the rise of the Seljuk Empire.
During the 11th and 12th centuries, the Omani coast was in the sphere of influence of the Seljuk Empire. They were expelled in 1154, when the Nabhani dynasty came to power. The Nabhanis ruled as muluk, or kings, while the Imams were reduced to largely symbolic significance. The capital of the dynasty was Bahla. The Banu Nabhan controlled the trade in frankincense on the overland route via Sohar to the Yabrin oasis, and then north to Bahrain, Baghdad and Damascus. The mango-tree was introduced to Oman during the time of Nabhani dynasty, by ElFellah bin Muhsin. The Nabhani dynasty started to deteriorate in 1507 when Portuguese colonisers captured the coastal city of Muscat, and gradually extended their control along the coast up to Sohar in the north and down to Sur in the southeast. Other historians argue that the Nabhani dynasty ended earlier in A.D. 1435 when conflicts between the dynasty and Alhinawis arose, which led to the restoration of the elective Imamate.
In 1552 an Ottoman fleet captured the fort in Muscat, during their fight for control of the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, and departed after destroying the surroundings of the fortress. Later in the 17th century, using its bases in Oman, Portugal engaged in the largest naval battle ever fought in the Persian Gulf. The Portuguese force fought against a combined armada of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and English East India Company support by the Safavid empire. The result of the battle was a draw and resulted in the loss of Portuguese influence in the Gulf. Cities were sketched in the 17th century and appear in the António Bocarro Book of fortress
The Ottoman Empire temporarily captured Muscat from the Portuguese again in 1581 and held it until 1588. During the 17th century, the Omanis were reunited by the Yaruba Imams. Nasir bin Murshid became the first Yaarubah Imam in 1624, when he was elected in Rustaq. Nasir's energy and perseverance is believed to have earned him the election. Imam Nasir and his successor succeeded in the 1650s in expelling the Portuguese from their coastal domains in Oman. The Omanis over time established a maritime empire that pursued the Portuguese and expelled them from all their possessions in East Africa, which were then incorporated into the Omani domains. To capture Zanzibar Saif bin Sultan, the Imam of Oman, pressed down the Swahili Coast. An obstacle to his progress was Fort Jesus, housing the garrison of a Portuguese settlement at Mombasa. After a two year siege, the fort fell to Imam Saif bin Sultan in 1698. Saif bin Sultan occupied Bahrain in 1700. The rivalry within the house of Yaruba over power after the death of Imam Sultan in 1718 weakened the dynasty. With the power of the Yaruba Dynasty dwindling, Imam Saif bin Sultan II eventually asked for help against his rivals from Nader Shah of Persia. A Persian force arrived in March 1737 to aid Saif. From their base at Julfar, the Persian forces eventually rebelled against the Yaruba in 1743. The Persian empire then tried to take possession of the coast of Oman until 1747.
After the Omanis expelled the Persians, Ahmed bin Sa'id Albusaidi in 1749 became the elected Imam of Oman, with Rustaq serving as the capital. Since the revival of the Imamate with the Yaruba dynasty, the Omanis continued with the elective system and, provided that the person is deemed qualified, gave preference to a member of the ruling family. Following Imam Ahmed's death in 1783, his son, Said bin Ahmed became the elected Imam. His son, Seyyid Hamed bin Said, overthrew the representative of his father the Imam in Muscat and obtained the possession of Muscat fortress. Hamed ruled as "Seyyid". Afterwards, Seyyid Sultan bin Ahmed, the uncle of Seyyid Hamed, took over power. Seyyid Said bin Sultan succeeded Sultan bin Ahmed. During the entire 19th century, in addition to Imam Said bin Ahmed who retained the title until he died in 1803, Azzan bin Qais was the only elected Imam of Oman. His rule started in 1868. The British refused to accept Imam Azzan as a ruler, as he was viewed as inimical to their interests. This view played an instrumental role in supporting the deposition of Imam Azzan in 1871 by his cousin, Sayyid Turki, a son of the late Sayyid Said bin Sultan, and brother of Sultan Barghash of Zanzibar, who Britain deemed to be more acceptable.
Oman's Imam Sultan, defeated ruler of Muscat, was granted sovereignty over Gwadar, an area of what later is Pakistan. Gwadar was a part of Oman from 1783 to 1958. This coastal city is located in the Makran region of what is later the far southwestern corner of Pakistan, near what is later the border of Iran, at the mouth of the Gulf of Oman.
The British empire was keen to dominate southeast Arabia to stifle the growing power of other European states and to curb the Omani maritime power that grew during the 17th century. The British empire over time, starting from the 18th century, began to establish a series of treaties with the sultans with the objective of advancing British political and economic interest in Muscat, while granting the sultans military protection. In 1798, the first treaty between the British East India Company and the Albusaidi dynasty was signed by Sayyid Sultan bin Ahmed. The treaty aimed to block commercial competition of the French and the Dutch as well as obtain a concession to build a British factory at Bandar Abbas. A second treaty was signed in 1800, which stipulated that a British representative shall reside at the port of Muscat and manage all external affairs with other states. As the Omani Empire weakened, the British influence over Muscat grew throughout the nineteenth century.
In 1854, a deed of cession of the Omani Kuria Muria islands to Britain was signed by the sultan of Muscat and the British government. The British government achieved predominating control over Muscat, which, for the most part, impeded competition from other nations. Between 1862 and 1892, the Political Residents, Lewis Pelly and Edward Ross, played an instrumental role in securing British supremacy over the Persian Gulf and Muscat by a system of indirect governance. By the end of the 19th century, and with the loss of its African dominions and its revenues, British influence increased to the point that the sultans became dependent on British loans and signed declarations to consult the British government on all important matters. The Sultanate thus came de facto under the British sphere.
Zanzibar was a property as the main slave market of the Swahili Coast as well as being a producer of cloves, and became an increasingly important part of the Omani empire, a fact reflected by the decision of the Sayyid Sa'id bin Sultan, to make it the capital of the empire in 1837. Sa'id built palaces and gardens in Zanzibar. Rivalry between his two sons was resolved, with the help of forceful British diplomacy, when one of them, Majid, succeeded to Zanzibar and to the Omani domains on the Swahili Coast. The other son, Thuwaini, inherited Oman and the Asian domains. Zanzibar's influences in the Comoros archipelago in the Indian Ocean indirectly introduced Omani customs to the Comorian culture. These influences include clothing traditions and wedding ceremonies. In 1856, under British arbitration, Zanzibar and Muscat became two sultanates.
The British imperial development over Muscat and Oman during the 19th century led to the renewed revival of the cause of the Imamate in the interior of Oman, which has appeared in cycles for more than 1,200 years. The British Political Agent, who resided in Muscat, owed the alienation of the interior of Oman to the influence of the British government over Muscat, which he described as being completely self-interested and without any regard to the social and political conditions of the locals. In 1913, Imam Salim Alkharusi instigated an anti-Muscat rebellion that lasted until 1920 when the Sultanate established peace with the Imamate by signing the Treaty of Seeb. The treaty was brokered by Britain, which had no economic interest in the interior of Oman during that point of time. The treaty granted autonomous rule to the Imamate in the interior of Oman and recognized the sovereignty of the coast of Oman, the Sultanate of Muscat. In 1920, Imam Salim Alkharusi died and Muhammad Alkhalili was elected.
On 10 January 1923, an agreement between the Sultanate and the British government was signed in which the Sultanate had to consult with the British political agent residing in Muscat and obtain the approval of the High Government of India to extract oil in the Sultanate. On 31 July 1928, the Red Line Agreement was signed between Anglo-Persian Company (later renamed British Petroleum), Royal Dutch/Shell, Compagnie Française des Pétroles (later renamed Total), Near East Development Corporation (later renamed ExxonMobil) and Calouste Gulbenkian (an Armenian businessman) to collectively produce oil in the post-Ottoman Empire region, which included the Arabian peninsula, with each of the 4 companies holding 23.75% of the shares while Calouste Gulbenkian held the remaining 5% shares. The agreement stipulated that none of the signatories was allowed to pursue the establishment of oil concessions within the agreed on area without including all other stakeholders. In 1929, the members of the agreement established Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC). On 13 November 1931, Sultan Taimur bin Faisal abdicated
Said bin Taimur became the sultan of Muscat officially on 10 February 1932. The rule of sultan Said bin Taimur was backed by the British government, and has been characterised as being feudal, reactionary and isolationist. The British government maintained administrative control over the Sultanate as the defence secretary and chief of intelligence, chief adviser to the sultan and all ministers except for one were British. In 1937, an agreement between the sultan and Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC), a consortium of oil companies that was 23.75% British owned, was signed to grant oil concessions to IPC. After failing to discover oil in the Sultanate, IPC was interested in some promising geological formations near Fahud, an area located within the Imamate. IPC offered financial support to the sultan to raise an armed force against any potential resistance by the Imamate.
In 1955, the exclave coastal Makran strip acceded to Pakistan and was made a district of its Balochistan province, while Gwadar remained in Oman. On 8 September 1958, Pakistan purchased the Gwadar enclave from Oman for US$3 million.
Sultan Said bin Taimur expressed his interest in occupying the Imamate after the death of Imam Alkhalili, thus taking advantage of any potential instability that might occur within the Imamate when elections were due, to the British government. The British political agent in Muscat believed that the only method of gaining access to the oil reserves in the interior was by assisting the sultan in taking over the Imamate. In 1946, the British government offered arms and ammunition, auxiliary supplies and officers to prepare the sultan to attack the interior of Oman. In May 1954, Imam Alkhalili died and Ghalib Alhinai was elected Imam.
In December 1955, Sultan Said bin Taimur sent troops of the Muscat and Oman Field Force to occupy the centres, including Nizwa, the capital of the Imamate of Oman, and Ibri. The Omanis in the interior led by Imam Ghalib Alhinai, Talib Alhinai, the brother of the Imam and the Wali (governor) of Rustaq, and Suleiman bin Hamyar, who was the Wali (governor) of Jebel Akhdar, defended the Imamate in the Jebel Akhdar War against British-backed attacks by the Sultanate. In July 1957, the Sultan's forces were withdrawing, and were repeatedly ambushed, sustaining casualties. Sultan Said, with the intervention of British infantry (two companies of the Cameronians), armoured car detachments from the British Army and RAF aircraft, was able to suppress the rebellion. The Imamate's forces retreated to the inaccessible Jebel Akhdar.
Colonel David Smiley, who had been seconded to organise the Sultan's Armed Forces, managed to isolate the mountain in autumn 1958 and found a route to the plateau from Wadi Bani Kharus. On 4 August 1957, the British Foreign Secretary gave the approval to carry out air strikes without prior warning to the locals residing in the interior of Oman. Between July and December 1958, the British RAF made 1,635 raids, dropping 1,094 tons and firing 900 rockets at the interior of Oman targeting insurgents, mountain top villages, water channels and crops. On 27 January 1959, the Sultanate's forces occupied the mountain in an operation. Imam Ghalib, his brother Talib and Sulaiman managed to escape to Saudi Arabia, where the Imamate's cause was promoted until the 1970s. The exiled partisans of the abolished Imamate of Oman presented the case of Oman to the Arab League and the United Nations. On 11 December 1963, the UN General Assembly decided to establish an Ad-Hoc Committee on Oman to study the 'Question of Oman' and report back to the General Assembly.The UN General Assembly adopted the 'Question of Oman' resolution in 1965, 1966 and again in 1967 that called upon the British government to cease all repressive action against the locals, end British control over Oman and reaffirmed the inalienable right of the Omani people to self-determination and independence.
After deposing his father in 1970, Sultan Qaboos opened up the country, embarked on economic reforms, and followed a policy of modernisation marked by increased spending on health, education and welfare. Slavery was outlawed in 1970.
In 2002, voting rights were extended to all citizens over the age of 21, and the first elections to the Consultative Assembly under the rules were held in 2003. In 2004, the Sultan appointed a female minister with portfolio, Sheikha Aisha bint Khalfan bin Jameel al-Sayabiyah. She was appointed to the post of National Authority for Industrial Craftsmanship, an office that attempts to preserve and promote Oman's traditional crafts and stimulate industry. The Sultan continued to rule by decree. Nearly 100 suspected Islamists were arrested in 2005 and 31 people were convicted of trying to overthrow the government. They were ultimately pardoned in June of the same year.
Inspired by the Arab Spring uprisings that were taking place throughout the region, protests occurred during months of 2011. While they did not call for the ousting of the regime, demonstrators demanded political reforms, improved living conditions and the creation of more jobs. They were dispersed by riot police in February 2011. Sultan Qaboos reacted by promising jobs and benefits. In October 2011, elections were held to the Consultative Assembly, to which Sultan Qaboos promised greater powers. The following year, the government began a crackdown on internet criticism. In September 2012, trials began of 'activists' accused of posting "abusive and provocative" criticism of the government online. 6 were given jail terms of 12–18 months and fines of around $2,500 each.
Qaboos, the Arab world's longest-serving ruler, died on 10 January 2020, and the government declared 40 days of national mourning. He was buried the next day. On 11 January 2020, Qaboos was succeeded by his first cousin Sultan Haitham bin Tariq.
Nakhal Fort, one of the best-preserved forts in Oman.
Culture: Typical qualification that all people groups can't be summed up in small paragraphs and this is an over generalization.
The Omani Arabs live in extended family units. Their society is patriarchal, or male-dominated. The men seldom abuse this authority because they believe that their families should obey them out of respect rather than fear. Also, there are clearly defined roles for both sexes. Even the children are given gender-specific duties. The men work outside in the fields while women work in the homes. Men and women often eat separately and never pray together. While men worship at mosques, women attend ceremonies conducted at home by female religious leaders. Marriages are generally pre-arranged by the parents. Children are a considered the family's greatest asset because they provide the parents with additional laborers and social security.
An Omani Souq
Cuisine: The cuisine of Oman uses spices and marinades to complete a dish, which usually consists of chicken, fish, and lamb. Unlike that of many other Asian nations, Omani cuisine is not spicy, and varies regionally. Everyday meals generally have components such as rice, a wide variety of soups, salad, curry, and fresh vegetables. For dessert, a known Omani sweet Omani halwa is usually served. This is usually served before the consumption of kahwa, a preparation of coffee with cardamom, which is very popular and remains a symbol of hospitality. Other popular beverages include tea, laban (a kind of salty buttermilk), yoghurt drinks, and soft drinks like mountain dew.
Omani Halwa
Prayer Request:

• Pray for a spiritual discernment and hunger that will allow Omani Arabs to seek and find Christ.
• Pray for Holy Spirit-directed believers to go to the Omani Arabs.
• Pray for a Disciple Making Movement to spread far and wide among Omani Arabs.
• Pray against Putin and his insane little war.
• Pray for our nation (the United States), that we Christians can learn to come alongside our hurting brothers and sisters and learn to carry one another's burdens in a more Christlike manner than we have done historically.
• Pray that in this time of chaos and panic that the needs of the unreached are not forgotten by the church. Pray that our hearts continue to ache to see the unreached hear the Good News.

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. (Romans 10:1)
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Here are the previous weeks threads on the UPG of the Week for Reformed from 2023 (plus a few from 2022 so this one post isn't so lonely). To save some space on these, all UPG posts made 2019-now are here, I will try to keep this current.

People Group	Country	Continent	Date Posted	Beliefs
Omani Arabs	Oman	Asia	06/05/2023	Islam
Turks	Bulgaria	Europe	05/22/2023	Islam
Kinnara	Sri Lanka	Asia	05/15/2023	Buddhism***
Yonaguni	Japan	Asia	05/08/2023	Animism
Persian	Iran	Asia	04/10/2023	Islam
Ngazidja Comorian	Comoros	Africa	04/03/2023	Islam
Uyghur (2nd)	China	Asia	03/27/2023	Islam
Aimaq	Afghanistan	Asia	03/20/2023	Islam
Shughni	Tajikistan	Asia	03/13/2023	Islam
Punjabi	Canada	North America	03/06/2023	Sikhism
Kurds	Turkey	Asia**	02/13/2023	Islam***
Krymchak	Ukraine*	Europe**	02/06/2023	Judaism
Talysh	Azerbaijan	Asia**	01/30/2023	Islam
Shan	Myanmar	Asia	01/23/2023	Buddhism***
Shaikh - 2nd post	Bangladesh	Asia	01/09/2023	Islam
Hindi	United States	North America	12/19/2022	Hinduism
Somali	Finland	Europe	12/05/2022	Islam
Hemshin	Turkey	Asia**	11/28/2022	Islam
Waorani (Reached)	Ecuador	South America	11/21/2022	Christianity

* Tibet belongs to Tibet, not China.
** Russia/Turkey/etc is Europe but also Asia so...
*** this likely is not the true religion that they worship, but rather they have a mixture of what is listed with other local religions, or they have embraced a liberal drift and are leaving faith entirely but this is their historical faith.
As always, if you have experience in this country or with this people group, feel free to comment or let me know and I will happily edit it so that we can better pray for these peoples! I shouldn't have to include this, but please don't come here to argue with people or to promote universalism. I am a moderator so we will see this if you do.
Here is a list of definitions in case you wonder what exactly I mean by words like "Unreached".
Here is a list of missions organizations that reach out to the world to do missions for the Glory of God.

rising senior
white female, upper middle class, nj
4.0 uw / 5.6 w
top 10% of class (mildly competitive high school)
1490 sat (taking 1 more time in august)
ib diploma candidate
6 ibs (literature hl, history hl, bio hl, spanish hl, aa sl, art sl), 8 honors
intended major: biology
​
clubs:
- speech captain of speech and debate team (2 years, in club for 3)
- secretary of spanish honor society (1.5 years, in club for 2)
- president of mu alpha theta (1 year, in club for 4)
- president + founder of science honor society (1 year)
- 1 year public relations officer + 1 year investment director of deca (in club for 4)
- yearbook editor (2 years, in club for 2)
- national honor society (2 years)
- staff member for school newspaper (3 years)
- science league (competitive science club, category in ap biology) (4 years)
- morning broadcaster for school announcements
​
extracurriculars:
- started a project to help elementary school students with mental health (cas project)
- active volunteer at my church for 6+ years (~150 hours) and senior home for 1 year
- 1.5 year part-time job at playabowls
- first aid certification
- 3 research papers through ib (history, bio, math)
- baker and vinyl collector (hobbies lol)
​
awards:
- 3x deca regional finalist, 2x deca state finalist
- speech state semifinalist
- nsda distinction degree
- newspaper staff member of the month
- employee of the month
- 1st place overall in science league competition for ap biology
- high honor roll every quarter for all of hs
​
planned activities for the summer include lots more volunteering, starting a vinyl blog, internship at a bio lab, taking free online college courses
​
lors: junior year ib bio teacher and sophomore year honors precalc teacher
​
planned apps (list isn't definite yet):
reaches: bu (ed), princeton (i don't expect to get in it's just been my dream school for years lol)
targets: lafayette, lehigh, bucknell
safeties: penn state, gettysburg, upitt
​
any tips to improve my app and list as well would be appreciated

It was hard work pushing papers down the long bench. Mr. Uoka found himself drinking tea and eating nutrient scnes with countless other bureaucrats. Suddenly, however, he found himself suddenly eating scones with Mr. Hay Rekk, and didn't quite know what to say. all of his imagined witty barbs and urbane comments disappeared when what remained of the man looked down on him, sneering through his photoreceptors. 'Hatarti.'
'It's-well-'
'Come into the damn conference room.'
Mr. Uoka practically tripped over himself to follow. Rekk kicked a number of people out of the conference room, stuffed a cipher secretary into a chair, and then began. 'Harati. We're fucked. You're fucked. I'm fucked. And I don't even have a penis or a butthole, that's how fucked we area. Nearly five billion...fucking...insane. Your trade bloc going down the drain. You think you can help. Make it quick, or I'll make it happen somehow.'
'Thank you, Chancellor. I...um. Well...this is a very complicated situation, as you well know, of course-'
Rekk sagged. 'Uoka.'
'Yes, sir.'
'I know. I know how your fucking kind talk-'
'Are-are you saying that I am lesser because I am a-?!'
'Stelliberal? Yeah. Fuck you, lib.'
'...oh.'
'Short words. Give your point. We don't have much time.'
'Yes. Rekk—we need market development. Not maket-lead or centric—development of the market itself. Not just the places-'
'Cashification. Specialization. Less farmers.'
'Yes-precisely. No more barter. More goods moving through markets. Less subsistence.'
'Wagies, then. Townies, or urban poor.'
'I support urbanization, sir.'
'Don't call me sir.'
'Ok. Urbanization. Towns cannot grow the requisite numbers to break out into proper cosmopolitanism.'
'What if we can get them commuting?'
'A good idea, if done, sir!'
'I'm gonna do it. The cities are getting cargo and people rail. Fancy people rail. Good people rail. Make them get around and keep mixing.'
'Wonderful! Perhaps they might have sports leagues-'
'Only if they have riot divisions.' 'Tragic, sirr-Chancellor.'
'Rekk. Liberal.'
‘What about local commuting, to bind the cities and townies into one greater mass?’
‘I’m working on it. Gonna do freight lines out, and if they don’t attack the trains, then we’ll move on maybe getting some of them on them. Cargo stakeholders first, then maybe passengers. That might take a generation, but I’m going to make it happen.’
'You should accelerate cashification.'
'I'm trying. Right now, we’re slowly doing money storage. Making local banks. Moving money still needs to be figured out. I can't fucking even let them consider paper, they'll go nuts.'
'Armored cars and trains, local banks being able to do deposit transfers? That kind of thing?'
'Armored trains are rolling out now. Banks are gonna get fucking permitted at some point. Their majesties want strong basic regulations. It'll go slow, but the problem is how heavy that shit is.'
'Yes, indeed. Perhaps one can make the coins self-lighten?'
'Good idea, lemme write that down.'
'Here is a white paper, chancellor.'
'Got it. Next. Fusion.'
'Yes. Fusion. Civil fusion. The power of a star. Will they get electricity?'
'Everything is electric for the clones already. Fixed the web, too. For the peasants? Fuck no. We're gonna dole out miracles slowly so they don't melt down street lamps to make into weapons. Biggest one is atmospheric nitrogen fixing. We'll give em superstitious fertilizer, not some crap. Use lightning banks. We're also gonna light up all the cities, and electrify all public buildings and entertainment areas. The towns are gonna have a slow drip of things, very slow. Elite exposure first, gauge fuckery. If they act up, beat them smart.'
'There's no personal incentive right now to electrify, Rekk. Outside of the workplace, are you trying to generate mass demand?'
'Yeah.' Rekk looked pensive. 'Get the kids. Get the house managers…err…wives. That’s what they’re called. Make work-life easier.'
'Perhaps you might offer rental machinery, to ease the-'
'...you have another white paper?'
'Indeed, Chancellor.'
'Give it. What else?'
'Well, there is the Shining Lord's legacy of...advanced sciences.'
Rekk sighed. 'Yeah. Fuckers. Peasants...we were wrong. Couldn't see. They'd been made weak many years ago, before we were made. Broken people. Lost their chances. Their wants. Their selves. You speak about consumers. Buyers. Wanters. Needers. These people can't want or need anything that the Golden Ones said was bad.' 'They can act on their own.'
'Yeah. Everything Kweens did is stuff they'd do on their own. Build them up comfortably. Make them feel better. Safer. Not terrified. You seen them.'
Mr. Uoka had. 'They need to be able to want again. Or to recognize that they have needs.'
'Yeah. No more fear. No more pain. No empty bellies, or sick ones.'
'They need healthcare.'
Rekk tried to sneer. 'Working on that. Real busy. You think I got a headshrinker?'
‘I think it would help.’
‘I got drugs. Why don’t you take some?’
Mr. Uoka reminded the Chancellor that he was a liontaur, and that clone drugs wouldn’t work on him. Chancellor Rekk reminded the consultant that he had tried clone drugs and that they’d worked. Both stared at each other for a moment before moving on.
‘Healthcare, Rekk. Healthcare. They need it. On all worlds’
‘The Sunforgelands are unfucking themselves.’
‘I’ve watched them begin to separate from Kabria and develop their own identity. Of course, they will not be one for quite some time. If peasant marketisation truly fails, then they will be the obvious backstop.’
‘Yeah. But I’m not counting on them. We’re gonna use fusion electricity here to make a lot of drugs for the cities. Really pump them up. Introduction will take a while. The cities will export them to the townies.’
‘But why will the townies even go to the cities?’
‘Unno. It’ll be easy. Maybe get some money. Maybe come back and work for more money and clout. Farming will keep getting easier, so less people for less farms.’
‘Will you truly make an effort to make powered farming equipment common again, Rekk? Or will you be defeated by someone being afraid of tractors?’
‘We won’t. But we will make fuel at home. And we will figure out which of the fucked up mosses and weird foxes won’t be killing people. Seeds-’
‘The biotechnology of the Shining Lords persists. But how much does it, truly?’
‘Enough for us to gather it up and use it, though. Against them. We will use their seeds, and their bugs, and their birds, and we will force them to give us honey and nectar and grain. And we’ll keep em in hives and tree trunks and in farmlands and in those fucking makeshift swamps. And we’ll eat em. Tear the head off and suck out the guts until the little legs kick, kick, kick…’ Rekk seemed to be having more fun thinking about torturing the old animals of the Shining Lords than anything else.
‘...do they have…sufficient nutritional value?’
‘Yes. Taste like shit.’
Mr. Uoka considered saying that if the clones thought something tasted like shit, it truly did, but he kept that thought to himself.
‘How much will you be allowing them to see?’
‘All of it, cause fuck em. Let’s scare 'em straight.’
‘...that is an unusual motivation, Rekk. But I admire your commitment.’
‘Yeah, yeah. We’ll knock in some gardens with nice plants that make medicines and antibodies and stuff, and we’ll give em nutritional supplements-’
‘And birth control.’
‘Yeah, good point. Don’t want too many of them. Abortions should be cheap, fast, and easy.’
‘And birth control, Chancellor.’
‘You mean like for-before they screw?’
‘Yes. It will lead to a significant amount of independence for women–I don’t think the Shining Lords allowed anything beyond the gender binary, did they–and break up some of the core cycles of reproduction with an Epistocided people.’
‘Put the paper on the table.’
Mr. Uoka obliged.
‘They’ll shit their pants, Haraati-’
‘Hatari.’
‘And we’ll make em clean up the shit, and dry it, and use it for fucking manure. I will drag these dense ass motherfuckers-literally half the goddamn time-to decency, whether they like it or not. They’ll farm the land, and they’ll pay taxes, and they’ll buy regional, and they’ll fucking like it. And if they cause problems, Mr. Uoka, I’m going to-’
‘To show them some fucking compassion. They’re scared children. That’s what they are deep down.’
‘No, we’re going to give the fuckers the baton and ten years fixing hedgerows with powered equipment.’
‘During the riots, I took shelter in a building with some clone functionaries–Happies, a few Biggies or specials. A number of peasants…I’m not sure, must have been about 60…broke in. They were going to burn the place down around us, and I was scared. They were ignoring commands, and we were prepared to shoot them, and then–well–I didn’t want to shoot them. So I roared. And threw a chair. They all fled. Not a shot fired. They were that easily scared off. You don’t have to beat them. You don’t need to be harsh all the time. Spare them, Rekk. I’m not asking for absolution, but don’t be like your makers. They’ll be better if they can relax comfortably; they’ve tasted a bit of safety with all of the turmoil. Let them keep eating.’
‘...target the stunting, huh?’
‘Above all else. The Shining Leeches enslaved-’
Rekk cut off Mr. Uoka with peels of laughter. He enjoyed the multifaceted implications of that insult: weaknesses, dependency on others, ineffectiveness, false bravado–and the chance to cut the stress. Eventually, he got back on topic.
‘...they used biology to enslave ourselves. We use biology to free ourselves. But this doesn’t cover the magic.’
‘It’s degraded a lot over time, right? And her majesty is satisfying the demands of many of the laws. So there should be no problem.’
‘I hope so. There’s…big changes coming. Stuff I can’t reveal to you. Yeah, the investors will like it. But it’s going to be big, Hattie.’
‘What is it?’ Mr. Uoka overlooked his name being messed up again.
‘The beginning of the end.’

Hello everyone,
I'm a high school student in the 11th grade and it's been a goal of mine to get into an ivy league such as Harvard. I would say I'm well rounded with pretty good grades and an average extra-curricular spread:
Student Guild Leader
Student Council for 4 years with a top position of Head Girl
Official Competent Communicator (CC)- Gavel's Club
Multiple top awards in MUNS
Secretary-General of MUN Juniors and MUN Seniors of my school
Trainer for MUN Juniors MUN Seniors
Fundraiser for local shelters(In progress)
Co-Founder of Mock Trial Club (In progress)(Rare where I live)
Done with 1 course in psych, doing another in negotiation
Considering, I have no idea what I want to do in the future. What should I be focusing on? What are some study techniques that pulled you through (I just started my AS level - Cambridge program)? What are some extracurriculars I should pursue? How do I show that I am truly interested in a certain college/becoming pro-active? What should I do to stand out?
As you can see I have a lot of questions, I would be extremely grateful if they were to be answered,

Hello everyone,
I'm a high school student in the 11th grade and it's been a goal of mine to get into an ivy league such as Harvard. I would say I'm well rounded with pretty good grades and an average extra-curricular spread:
Student Guild Leader
Student Council for 4 years with a top position of Head Girl
Official Competent Communicator (CC)- Gavel's Club
Multiple top awards in MUNS
Secretary-General of MUN Juniors and MUN Seniors of my school
Trainer for MUN Juniors MUN Seniors
Fundraiser for local shelters(In progress)
Co-Founder of Mock Trial Club (In progress)(Rare where I live)
Done with 1 course in psych, doing another in negotiation
Considering, I have no idea what I want to do in the future. What should I be focusing on? What are some study techniques that pulled you through (I just started my AS level - Cambridge program)? What are some extracurriculars I should pursue? How do I show that I am truly interested in a certain college? What should I do to stand out?
As you can see I have a lot of questions, I would be extremely grateful if they were to be answered,

This was posted in the AngryObservation subreddit (that I stumbled on two seconds ago)
Essay posted by u/dcmetro7
https://www.reddit.com/usedcmetro7/
Democrats have a branding problem : AngryObservation (reddit.com)

Democrats have a branding problem

😴 Long Observation 😴
I was inspired by u/Randomuser1520 's post about the Democratic Party's seemingly weak bench of future potential presidential nominees.
A lot of the problems trace back to 2016, but I'd argue the Democrats' branding woes go back even further. Think all the way back to the last time the Democrats had a consistently strong electoral record as a party -- the 90s, where the only truly bad year for Ds was 1994. Bill Clinton had successfully rebranded the party under the 'Third Way' label that Dems at any level could embrace and benefit from, and he had a clear successor in Al Gore. But Gore loses narrowly in 2000, and the problems for the Dems' brand begin.
'Yes We Can'
After 9/11, the electorate supports Bush and they support war. Dems' brand takes a hit and they lose the 2002 midterms. In 2004, John Kerry is successfully painted as an out-of-touch Ivy League liberal, disengaged from 'real America.' Dems lose and their brand suffers further.
But by the end of Bush's term, most Americans are disillusioned with Dubyaism. They wanted change, and one man promises to lead them to it with posters that proclaim 'HOPE' and cries of 'Yes We Can,' heralding in a new age of politics. Barack Obama and the Democrats are swept into a trifecta in Washington.
And we certainly got a new age of politics. When Obama was inaugurated, pundits speculated about the 'emerging Democratic majority', and how the GOP may literally go extinct in ten years. By the end of Obama's second term, those same pundits are surveying the absolutely decimated state of the Democratic party at all levels of power. Dems had lost the Senate, the House, most governorships, and most state legislatures. Control of the state legislatures makes the GOP's hold on the House even stronger. Control of the Senate effectively leads to control of the Supreme Court.
While Obama certainly can't be blamed for everything the GOP threw at him, I feel like it's safe to say his rebranding of the Democratic party failed in the long run. The 'Party of Hope' was sunk into the quagmire of a slow economic recovery, some of the most cynical politicking ever, and some of the most dysfunctional White House-Congress relationships in the history of the country. Obama's signature healthcare legislation would languish in the 30s approval-wise until after he left office. By 2015, no one was talking about the Democrats as the Party of Hope anymore. Even the guy who designed the original 'Hope' poster said he was frustrated by the lack of progress under the Obama admin. I'd argue that the Republicans were responsible for the clear majority of this dysfunction, but if their goal was to muddy the waters between the parties, they succeeded. And with the Tea Party, they were better at rebranding themselves even when they were in the opposition.
And none of this was helped by the face that Obama seemed extremely reluctant, even uninterested, in stepping into the role of party leader. Congressional Democrats were frustrated at the way he kept his distance from them, making it hard to solidify the policy goals they'd implemented in his first term. This article (https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/19/us/aloof-obama-is-frustrating-his-own-party.html) sums it up well, with this prescient quote sticking out:

In interviews, nearly two dozen Democratic lawmakers and senior congressional aides suggested that Mr. Obama’s approach has left him with few loyalists to effectively manage the issues erupting abroad and at home and could imperil his efforts to leave a legacy in his final stretch in office.

And sure enough, Obama's legacy was in peril before he even left office.
'Stronger Together'
In 2016, Democrats didn't plan for a primary, they planned for a coronation. Hillary Clinton had been locking up all the support she could get from the Democratic establishment while Obama was serving his second term. Biden would seem like the clear establishment successor, but by the time he was able to turn his attention from VP duties to the primary he realized Hillary had completely boxed him out. She had already corralled all the big donors, operatives, and endorsements into her corner, and Joe was checkmated before he even sat down to the board. Thus, he turned down the opportunity, likely burying his long-nurtured presidential ambitions.
But then the coronation gets bumpy. Sanders challenges her from the outside, and immediately begins putting her on the spot as to why she's running. In other words, what does she envision for the Democratic brand? Hillary herself doesn't know. Is it a third term of Bill (whose star was starting to fade among everyone whose name doesn't rhyme with Shames Scarville), a third term of Obama (whose Hope posters have since become landfill), or an all-new thing?
To Hillary's credit, she couldn't portray herself as a total break from the past, both because she had been was strongly anchored to the national political landscape for the last thirty years, and because she could hardly attack Obama's record too harshly. In the end, she also struggled to brand both herself and the party. Consider the slogans most associated with her campaign; 'Forward Together' and 'Stronger Together' sound like the slogans of a centrist third party with no concrete policy ideas. They just attempted to project a feeling of unity onto a people who were united only, if the candidacies of Sanders and Trump meant anything, in the feeling that 'establishment' politicians like HRC had failed. And, of course, 'I'm with Her' was barely a rebrand at all, simply associating the party with its uncharismatic yet seemingly unstoppable frontrunner.
In the meantime, Trump had done the opposite, rebranding himself and the GOP as the party of 'America First populism.' What that meant exactly in terms of policy seemed to change from day to day But as a brand, as a forceful statement of intent, it worked, especially when contrasted with a seemingly rudderless HRC campaign that failed to answer the age-old question: 'Why are you running for president?'
'For the People'
After the 2016 fiasco, the Democrats were decimated and leaderless. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had passed his leadership position to Chuck Schumer and passed on soon after Trump took office. Tim Ryan led a mutiny against Nancy Pelosi, blaming her in part for the party's plunge from ascendance to irrelevance in the House. Hillary Clinton disappeared into the woods of Chappaqua. Obama started making a docu-series for Netflix. Joe Biden entered semi-retirement and wrote a book.
But in all of this, they found something they had been lacking. A brand.
Not the one they would have preferred, but one that would work nonetheless for winning elections. House Dems would embrace the (once-again) vague slogan of 'For the People' ahead of the 2018 midterms, but the aim was clear. The Democrats were now the Opposition; the Anti-Trump party.
Trump's approval rating was not just low, but incredibly sticky. People tended to have very firm opinions on him, and so his approval rating barely escaped the 35-45% range, with him almost hitting 50% before the pandemic hit. Thus, running on opposition to Trump would be fine electorally. In 2018, the Democrats had a blue wave year based mostly on opposition to Trump, retaking the house. Ironically, a big policy motivator for voters was backlash against the GOP's effort to repeal and replace Obamacare -- a promise that had driven Republican electoral gains since the bill was passed into law. Republican branding and messaging had been so successful that, for the better part of the decade, people trusted them to 'fix' the ACA until the very last minute before the replacement was signed.
'Battle for the Soul of the Nation'
But the problem remained for 2020 -- who would lead them? This was a difficult decision even before the pandemic. And Democratic primary voters were treated to a veritable buffet on angles on how to rebrand the party to beat Trump.
Should the party embrace democratic socialism under Sanders, or heavy consumer advocacy under Warren? Should it embrace a young, charismatic up-and-comer like Harris, Buttigieg, or O'Rourke or someone just as 'establishment' as Hillary, like Michael Bloomberg? Old-school liberalism with the Klob? Whatever Andrew Yang was doing?
But as the polls drew near, the Democrats seemed to conclude that beating Trump was simply more important than charting a new course for the party. If they could get elected or rebrand, they'd choose the former. And so all the other more moderate candidates dropped out to consolidate the vote around Biden, as the safe, expected pick who could stay the course. Biden and his surrogates began adopting the slogan 'Battle for the Soul of the Nation,' an epic and apocalyptic phrase that is still fundamentally reactive in tone, implying that the biggest motivator to vote for Democrats that fall was not to pass any specific agenda, but to put a stop to the GOP's plans.
Biden wouldn't govern in this way, but he would campaign this way -- as the normal, capable candidate who could lead the country's post-covid recovery in opposition to Trump's perceived incompetence. Biden won, but Democrats didn't get nearly the boost they wanted from covid, and House candidates underperformed Biden nationally, leading to a surprising loss of seats in the House. And after the effort to throw out the election failed, Trump left office with severely damaged standing with independents. The anti-Trump brand had delivered Dems a trifecta; now it was time to use it; hopefully to establish a new brand for a new decade.
'Building Back Better'
Upon taking office, Biden and the Dems lay out their agenda; the 'Build Back Better' plan, which centers on a three-pronged approach; a pandemic relief bill, an infrastructure bill, and a social policy bill. Passing such plans will involve all 50 Senate D's on board in some cases, and a bipartisan filibuster-proof majority of 60 senators in other cases.
People laugh, think back to 2010, and begin arguing whether a prediction that the GOP will control 55 Senate seats by 2023 is too conservative. Nancy Pelosi is trying to manage a mere five-seat majority in the house. Mitch McConnell, who once feasted on the Democrats' lost hopes the way a hungry turtle devours a plate of juicy strawberries, still held enough sway in the Senate to hold up any significant policy not related to budget reconciliation. Even then, Schumer must wrangle mavericks like Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. Dramatic divisions still rip across the fabric of American society. But then, something truly strange happens.
The 117th Congress ends up being one of the most productive sessions ever.
Whether or not you think any or all of the 117th's acts were good policy, it's undeniable that this was an unusually politically efficient session, especially considering the last decade of hardball politics. Bipartisan majorities drive the infrastructure act, a gun control act, a tech-manufacturing promotion act, and even a somewhat-legalization of same-sex marriage nationwide. Plus, Schumer and Pelosi navigate their tiny majorities toward passing partisan priorities, like the pandemic relief act and the scaled-down Build Back Better social policy bill, rebranded as the Inflation Reduction Act or IRA. McConnell drops his trademark stonewalling and collaborates with Biden on the bipartisan bills, and 'Yea' votes roll in even from deep red states -- Republican senators from Mississippi, West Virginia, and North Dakota get these bills over the line. Bipartisanship returns to Congress in fleeting glances -- something that I feel confident in arguing absolutely no one expected Biden or the Dem leaders to be able to do.
Of course, no one has forgotten 2010, and 2022 looks to be another rough year. Inflation soars, and Biden's approval rating drops. Dems brace for impact. The Dobbs ruling happens, but polls repeatedly suggest that the economy is the top issue on voters' minds, and they don't like Biden's handling of it.
But while these things are true, they ignore a crucial factor -- the GOP is embroiled in an identity crisis of its own. The leader of the party is claiming to be the legitimate president of the United States, which is a bit of a hard issue to ignore. Trump loyalists beat out 'establishment' Republicans in the primaries, and bring their hard promotion of the MAGA brand to the general elections. And they lose.
I think it's fair to say that the GOP lost most of the key races of the 2022 midterms, rather than Democrats winning them. Swing state Republican parties chose candidates who adhered so closely to a brand so toxic that independents still chose the Democrats, even in some cases where they were dissatisfied with the party. Republicans who have managed to establish a brand for themselves -- DeSantis, Kemp, and DeWine among them -- soar, while the Trumpiest candidates fall flat. McConnell remains in the minority, and McCarthy becomes the head of a very, very dysfunctional family.
Will Brandon's Rebrand Stand?
So, coming off an unusually strong midterm, where does the party go in 2024? Probably, as u/Randomuser1520 said, back to Biden. When your party wins one of the most fiercely contested elections in American history, has a productive legislative session, and then massively overperforms in the midterm, you don't usually change horses regardless of what approval polling says. If Biden were just 10 years younger and the health concerns were off the table, there would be no question in anyone's mind who to nominate.
The establishment and progressive wings of the party seem to be behind him if he runs, meaning challenges will only come from real outsiders like Marianne Williamson and Robert Kennedy Jr. The DNC will probably work to make those challenges as unviable as possible.
2024 is tricky to predict. Trump is favored on the Republican side, and as said before, his brand is so toxic that Biden can probably glide to reelection barring any massive economic downturns or serious health problems. I won't get too much into 2024, because it seems pretty clearly on the path to becoming another referendum on the GOP's brand, not the Democrats'. Biden's second term (and the rest of his first term) may be defined as much by implementation of the legislation they passed during the 117th as much as by new legislation, if not more.
So the question becomes this -- where does the party go in 2028? Or, in other words, what will Democrats take away from the Biden presidency, and how will Biden shape the party's brand going forward? Who they choose to lead the party next will tell, and Biden's presidency may already be laying out a blueprint.
In his 1996 State of the Union address, Bill Clinton declared 'the era of big government is over,' essentially conceding that Reagan and his vision of a small role for the federal government in domestic affairs had won out for the time, and that Democrats would need to work within that political reality in order to win elections. Obama's efforts to change that status quo resulted in an avalanche of backlash from Tea Partiers, self-proclaimed champions of fiscal conservatism. Hillary Clinton's failed campaign strategy arguably rested more on that understanding of the political climate than anything else, causing her to miss a series of growing frustrations with Reaganism at times channelled by Sanders and, at times, Trump -- at decimation of the manufacturing sector, at the growing gap between rich and poor, at China's seemingly unstoppable three-decade rise at the expense of the U.S.
Biden's approach to American industry and government is a strong repudiation of Reaganism, based around the idea that it is the government's job to fortify and guide the economy in ways that are necessary where the free market has little incentive to. It argues that the issues of infrastructural decay, manufacturing decline, and the growing need for green energy in the face of climate change will only be solved if the government directs the power of the private sector towards those goals at great upfront cost. And free trade, long held as the unassailable source of America's prosperity, must now only be employed in moderation -- if the U.S. has to arguably break international law to lure foreign investment into the U.S. through generous subsidies, it will be worth it, even if it earns the fury of our economic partners. This may be the groundwork of Bidenism.
These plans may fail. The money may be wasted by incompetent or corrupt administrators and the American people may become even more jaded at the thought of big government. But movement within the GOP may suggest a broader shift in the American mind towards this kind of economic interventionism is already in progress. Promising to reverse the decline of manufacturing through tariffs and other measures would have been political anathema twenty years ago, but it has become a core Republican plank. Florida Republicans' punitive measures towards Disney and the GOP's growing support for government action against Big Tech companies suggests openness towards not just using state power to guide the economy, but also to reshape the social landscape by manipulating the private sector. It may well be that the era of small government is over.
I've sorted some potential 'brands' and some of the people who might be nominated in 2028 / become party standard-bearers should the Democrats go in that direction. These lists aren't exhaustive; I'm just trying to establish a general vibe.
The 'Biden Blueprint': Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Gina Raimondo
These are members of the Biden admin who have been given great power (and great piles of money) to enact the legislation of the 117th. If American sentiment towards big government changes as quickly as I think it could, a Cabinet secretary could have a decent shot in 2028. Harris would be the natural successor as the VP, but Transportation Sec Buttigieg and Commerce Sec Raimondo, who were empowered to implement much of the Infrastructure Act and the CHIPS Act respectively, could become standard-bearers for this new vision of technocratic governance if they administer these programs well (and in a way that makes headlines). If Energy Sec Granholm were a natural-born citizen, she would definitely fit here as well, considering how much power the IRA gave her department.
The 'New New Deal': Amy Klobuchar, Catherine Cortez Masto, Mark Kelly, Tammy Duckworth, Raphael Warnock
Liberal senators who are capable of working across the aisle to achieve compromise could be a strong bet if Democrats want to recreate the success of the 117th Congress in the future. There's always an argument that effective legislators won't necessarily make for effective executives, but these choices would help with Democrats' goal of rebranding the Democratic party as the party you vote for if you want Washington to function properly and anticipate constituents' needs. Such a ticket could brand itself as the path to bipartisan yet assertive solutions on familiar and emerging issues like immigration reform, federal protection for abortion, the housing shortage, and the drug crisis.
The 'Bulwark': Roy Cooper, Laura Kelly, Andy Beshear
I'll admit that when I began writing this post, I had a more favorable opinion of the above three governors and politicians like them as presidential nominees and the potential 'future of the party.' I no longer feel as strongly about them, however, because I don't believe they do enough to change the brand of the Democrats and the political environment as a whole. These governors are best known for winning races in red states; for holding the line against the most conservative policies while finding areas of compromise, especially on kitchen-table issues.
But this brand of Democrat is fundamentally reactive, even defensive -- it assumes that most of the job will be obstructing right-wing legislation from a red legislature. In other words, it is a kind of strategy you use when you're trying to hold ground, not gain it. It works well when your opponent's brand is toxic (as the GOP's has been since 2016), but this I suspect this brand of 'competent normality' will struggle if the opposition ceases to actively repel voters. If Trump and his acolytes continue to hold a strong grip on the party through 2024 and beyond, this brand may not be a bad bet short-term, but long-term Democrats want to be the ones establishing the rules of the game, not just beating your opponent at theirs. That's what a successful political brand does. While Dems in similar situation should definitely look to these governors for guidance in running their campaigns (and hopefully, their administrations), I would caution at this point against basing the national party's brand on their model.
I think somewhere between these three groups lies a successful path forward for the Democrats that towards becoming the dominant party in U.S. politics at the federal level. There are some other interesting currents in the party; like how Democratic governors like Whitmer, Evers, and Walz have rebuilt D strength the Midwest after a rough 2010s, and how Western Dems like Jared Polis, Mary Peltola, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez have found unexpected electoral stength by embracing a form of libertarianism. However, these currents may be regional, and Democrats shouldn't necessarily try to nationalize every idea that works in one part of the country. Creating different regional 'flavors' of Democrat would be necessary to keep the party relevant in all parts of the country.
Regarding the 2020 primary runners-up, I don't think most of the visions laid out then work post-2024, and for this reason I tend not to give too much weight to current Democratic primary polling, because it assumes these same people would be running again.
Assuming Biden ends his term without catastrophe, I don't think the party needs to place all their faith in a young, charismatic Obama wannabe like O'Rourke or Swalwell, nor does it need to drastically pivot to the center, nor does it need to proclaim itself the party of 'outsiders,' nor does it need to give the reins to the progressive wing. If everything goes right, they can remain ideologically where they are now (roughly) and establish a solid brand for the first time in a generation.
The Democrats been losing the branding war since the days of Nixon. They may currently have all the tools they need right now to change that, and set the expectations for the next fifty years of politics. Let's see how they do.
This is my first big write-up, so I almost certainly missed some stuff and made some assumptions. Let me know what you think.

Former Vice Secretary and Vice Director of Standing Committee of Liaoning Provincial People's Congress, Cian Ci, has been put on trial for bribery. Cian Ci was accused of using his positions as the acting mayor, mayor, and secretary of the Communist Party of China of Panjin City in Liaoning Province between 2008 and 2018 to seek benefits for related companies and accepting over 97.65 million yuan in bribes. Cian Ci pleaded guilty in court.
Cian Ci, who is 58 years old and from Donggang, Liaoning Province, has served in Liaoning Province for a long time and previously held positions as the Secretary of the Communist Youth League of Liaoning Province and the Chairman of the Provincial Youth Federation. In February 2008, Cian Ci became the Deputy Secretary of the Panjin Municipal Committee and Acting Mayor, two years later, he was appointed as the Secretary of the Panjin Municipal Committee, and in 2016, he became the Secretary of the Anshan Municipal Committee. In January 2018, he was promoted to Vice Director of Standing Committee of Liaoning Provincial People's Congress, reaching the level of deputy provincial leader.
Cian Ci was placed under investigation on June 2, 2022, and was expelled from the Communist Party and dismissed from public office on August 30 of the same year. The announcement of his expulsion stated that Cian Ci instructed private entrepreneurs to offer bribes to officials for the benefit of his relatives' business activities, engaged in trading power for money, used his power to seek benefits for others, and illegally accepted huge amounts of money

Former Vice Secretary and Vice Director of Standing Committee of Liaoning Provincial People's Congress, Cian Ci, has been put on trial for bribery. Cian Ci was accused of using his positions as the acting mayor, mayor, and secretary of the Communist Party of China of Panjin City in Liaoning Province between 2008 and 2018 to seek benefits for related companies and accepting over 97.65 million yuan in bribes. Cian Ci pleaded guilty in court.
Cian Ci, who is 58 years old and from Donggang, Liaoning Province, has served in Liaoning Province for a long time and previously held positions as the Secretary of the Communist Youth League of Liaoning Province and the Chairman of the Provincial Youth Federation. In February 2008, Cian Ci became the Deputy Secretary of the Panjin Municipal Committee and Acting Mayor, two years later, he was appointed as the Secretary of the Panjin Municipal Committee, and in 2016, he became the Secretary of the Anshan Municipal Committee. In January 2018, he was promoted to Vice Director of Standing Committee of Liaoning Provincial People's Congress, reaching the level of deputy provincial leader.
Cian Ci was placed under investigation on June 2, 2022, and was expelled from the Communist Party and dismissed from public office on August 30 of the same year. The announcement of his expulsion stated that Cian Ci instructed private entrepreneurs to offer bribes to officials for the benefit of his relatives' business activities, engaged in trading power for money, used his power to seek benefits for others, and illegally accepted huge amounts of money.

Demographics: indian male, 200k+, no hooks
High school: very competitive public school
Intended major: cs, maybe business side major
GPA: 3.48 (UW) - 3.98 (W), max rigor possible
SAT: 1530 (800 math, 730 english)
Coursework:
- 13 ap's (finished 9, set to take 4 in senior year) (scores mixed between 4s and 5s)
self studied both AP CS's early on in 9th and 10th cuz I wanted to take AP Econ in 11th and got a 4 and 5 respectively, self studied BC cuz i was taking AB
senior courseload: ap stats, ap lit, ap physics c and ap french
- rest were honors or accel (but was the highest level possible)
Awards (just what i have rn, might not include)
- MUN individual national award
- Harvard CS50
- golden pvsa
- ACSL Finalist 3x (american computer science league)
-AP Scholar with Distinction
- USACO Silver
Extracurriculars (vague):
research with peers in a club in a team using ML (professors from local uni helping us), gonna be published by summertime
non profit chapter secretary (biggest chapter), we host a variety of drives, we've raised over 5+ items
nhs vp, chapter is gonna have 800+ members next year (which is crazy)
mun nat team member, ive won a decent amount of awards, one at a national, and the team has won best large (1st) at many nationals
member of the "computer" club at my school, i've learned app dev, ML, and compete in ACSL here (couldn't get board cuz advisor only wanted more underclassmen :( )
Lead SAT math tutor, i make plans for the other tutors as well as myself for tutoring kids in the math portion
got a job where I teach kids how to code and I work for 2-8 hours every week, and it might be even more during the summer
Im also attending a 6 week virtual summer program this summer for programming, supposed to teach college curriculum, pretty competitive to get into (hoping for an internship after cuz they got connections lmao)
Essays and LORs:
LORs: both the teachers I asked already accepted and I'm a really good student in both, so they should v good
Essays: junior year hasn't ended so I haven't started, but i think ill be able to write some very good esays
School List (i have no idea if I have a chance for these, just some I was looking at)
- Cornell (only putting cuz im thinking of EDing)
- Boston Uni
- Purdue
- UT Austin
- UCSD
- Uni of Florida
- Uni of Maryland (College Park)
- Uni of Massachusetts (Amherst)
- Uni of Michigan
- Uni of Wisconsin (Madison)
Do I have a chance at these schools? Also, any tips or advice on my app or what colleges to apply to would be appreciated!

Title says it all. There was no plan, even a serious discussion, about genociding the Jewish population in 1948.
​
When it comes to genocide, the planning is the most important part, since it elevates the crime from "soldiers acting outside of orders" to "soldiers acting out orders". For the Holocaust, you can point to the Wannsee Conference, for example.
​
Some refutations:
​
Azzam Pasha (secretary of the ARab League in 1948) said:
​
I personally wish that the Jews do not drive us to this war, as this will be a war of extermination and momentous massacre which will be spoken of like the Tartar massacre or the Crusader wars*. I believe that the number of volunteers from outside Palestine will be larger than Palestine's Arab population, for I know that volunteers will be arriving to us from [as far as] India, Afghanistan, and China to win the honor of martyrdom for the sake of Palestine ... You might be surprised to learn that hundreds of Englishmen expressed their wish to volunteer in the Arab armies to fight the Jews.*
​
Hassan al-banna (founder and leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in 1948) said:
If the Jewish state becomes a fact, and this is realized by the Arab peoples, they will drive the Jews who live in their midst into the sea*.”*
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/1948/08/02/archives/aim-to-oust-jews-pledged-by-sheikh-head-of-moslem-brotherhood-says.html
​
​
The first quote is so infamous it has it's own wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azzam_Pasha_quotation
​
That page goes into a lot of detail surrounding that quote, but basically
​
Azzam Pasha wanted to avoid a conflict, so he exaggerated the threat of massacre. He went on the say
​
"" foresee the consequences of this bloody war. I see before me its horrible battles. I can picture its dead, injured, and victims … But my conscience is clear … For we are not attacking but defending ourselves, and we are not aggressors but defenders against an aggression! "
​
Azzam did not say (his original quote) behind closed doors with other Arab leaders; he said in front of Zionist leaders ( in a meeting with Ben-Guirion, David Horowitz and Abba Eban in London). There is no evidence he planned for massacres with Arab leaders, just that he exaggerated the possibility of massacres to avoid conflict (nothing the Arabs did in 1948 was on the scale of the Tartars or Crusaders).
​
The al-Banna quote refers to Jews in Arab countries, not Jews in Palestine. To be honest, he wasn't really wrong.
​
To prove that Arab leaders planned for a genocide, you would need to show planning. Meetings, documents, secret telegrams that demonstrate a plan for genocide. Nothing like that exists. All that exists is quotes to exaggerate strength, like when Trump threatened to kill the families of terrorsists.

Date: 05/31/2023
Reading time: 4 minutes, 985 words

Russian peacekeepers register ceasefire violation by Azerbaijan

Russian peacekeepers recorded a ceasefire violation by Azerbaijan in the Martakert region of Nagorno-Karabakh. "There are no victims. The command of the Russian peacekeeping force is conducting an investigation"

Armenpress

Armenian Defense Minister, Kazakh ambassador and military attaché discuss cooperation

Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan held a meeting with the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Armenia Bolat Imanbayev and the newly appointed military attaché of the Kazakh Embassy Colonel Yerulan Sapenov. A number of issues related to regional security were also discussed.

Armenpress

ECHR requests information from Azerbaijan on two captive Armenian servicemen

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has made a decision based on Armenia’s application. Armenia requested Azerbaijan to provide information by June 6 whether the two Armenian servicemen kidnapped by Azeri troops are in Azeri custody as captives.

Armenpress, European Court gives Azerbaijan until June 6 to provide information on two Armenian servicemen

Relatively stable on north-eastern border, says Commander of 3rd Army Corps

Commander of the 3rd Army Corps of the Armenian Armed Forces presented the tactical situation on the north-eastern section of the border with Azerbaijan. No ceasefire violations by the adversary have been recorded as such, he said. The population in the adversary’s border towns is engaged in everyday life, he added.

Armenpress

Artsakh President discusses military-political situation with representatives of the judicial system

Arayik Harutyunyan visited the Supreme Court of the Artsakh Republic and met with judges and officials of the judicial system. The President spoke about the current military-political situation, the expectations that he places on the law enforcement and judicial systems in the current conditions.

ArmRadio

Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan working group to meet soon, says Russian Deputy PM

The next meeting of the Armenian-Russian-Azerbaijani trilateral working group will take place soon, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk says. Overchuk: Agreement has been reached to hold the meeting “

Armenpress, European Court gives Azerbaijan until June 6 to provide information on two Armenian servicemen, Armenian, Russian, Azerbaijani Deputy PMs to meet in near future – Overchuk

Pashinyan visits Moldova for European Political Community Summit, EU-mediated talks with Azerbaijan

Nikol Pashinyan has left for Moldova on a working visit from May 31 to June 2. He will participate in the Second European Political Community Summit. The Armenian Prime Minister will also have bilateral meetings with international partners.

Armenpress

PM Pashinyan, PACE’s Paul Gavan discuss Lachin Corridor

Nikol Pashinyan has met with Paul Gavan, the First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Gavan is visiting Armenia as part of preparing a report on ensuring safe passage along Lachin Corridor.

Armenpress, Armenian PM discusses blockade of Lachin corridor with Deputy Chair of PACE committee

‘Democracy implies peace’, President Khachaturyan’s speech at Armenian Forum for Democracy

President of the Republic of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan attended the opening of the 2nd annual Armenian Forum for Democracy on May 31. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, other government officials and foreign ambassadors were also in attendance.

Armenpress, United States says commitment to democracy makes Armenia a bright spot in the region, expresses support, Democracy is Armenia’s main trademark, says Pashinyan

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó to visit Armenia soon

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Péter Szijjártó is expected to visit Armenia soon. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the planned visit attests to the mutual desire for bringing the bilateral partnership to a new

Armenpress

Lack of democracy had been used to conceal truth about Nagorno Karabakh conflict, says Pashinyan

Nikol Pashinyan: The absence of democracy in Armenia had served as an instrument to prevent us from knowing the truth about the Karabakh issue. The PM said that only a few people have expert-level knowledge on the issue is the clearest evidence for that.

Armenpress

ANCA leaders consult with US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez

The Biden Administration is facilitating talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan that would “integrate” democratic Artsakh into the Republic of Azerbaijan, a genocidal state led by petro-dictator Ilham Aliyev. The ANCA is on record strongly objecting to the Biden Administration’s reckless foreign policy on Armenian issues.

ArmRadio

Armenian Foreign Ministry responds to U.S. State Department statement

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia has responded to the statement made by the United States State Department regarding the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalian said the Armenian side has always welcomed the efforts made by US in the process of establishing peace, stability and security in the South Caucasus.

Armenpress, US ‘pleased’ to see peace talks continue between Armenia, Azerbaijan, US should adequately respond to Aliyev’s statements – Armenia MFA, Artsakh deplores US State Department statement welcoming Aliyev’s remarks

World Challenge Cups viewed as exploratory tournaments, says head coach

Head coach Hakob Serobyan says World Challenge Cups serve as an “exploratory” tournament for Armenian athletes. Artur Davtyan won 1 gold, 2 bronze, while Artur Avetisyan won 1 silver.

Armenpress

Armenia’s Artur Azaryan appointed UEFA delegate of Europa League final

Armenia's FFA General Secretary Artur Azaryan will be the UEFA delegate of Europa League 2022/23 final between Sevilla FC (Spain) and AS Roma (Italy) on May 31 in Puskas Arena, Budapest.

Armenpress

PM Pashinyan meets with Hungary’s Deputy Prime Minister

Hungary's Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén has visited Armenia. PM Pashinyan was pleased to note the restoration of diplomatic relations after a long suspension. He thanked the Hungarian government for the preservation and caring attitude for the Armenian cultural heritage.

Armenpress

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