Leaving the Cradle: an Orion's Arm Timeline

Leaving the Cradle: An Orion's Arm Timeline

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A comprehensive history of the near future, lasting from May 25, 2023 to whenever I feel like it.

Please note that there will be the occasional usage of slurs by characters within this timeline. I do not condone the usage of these slurs by any means.
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Introduction
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    • Addemup

    Addemup

    Anti-Imperialist
    "The Information Age was the pinnacle of Terragen unity. Never before had mindkind been so thoroughly interconnected, and never would it again."
    • Famous quote from Ponderer of Dufa, c. 1150 AT.
    "The United States has lived through more crises than I could count on my two hands. The turbulent years of the centralizing Jackson administration, the proto-industrial meat grinder known as the American Civil War, the economic firebomb of the Great Depression, the nuclear threat posed by the Cold War with the Soviets, the constant protests and riots of the Civil Rights era - and most recently the War on Terror, the rise of far-right populism, and the concerted attempts by large portions of our society to undermine the very democratic system we all live in."

    "But we got through it. It amazes me, and I bet it amazes many others, that despite how we're so often given the short end of the stick by whatever's guiding this universe, each and every time we manage to crawl our way out of the pit. It must be something about the American ingenuity to persist and persevere, and there's no doubt in my mind that we'll be able to keep going for quite a while longer."

    "...There's still plenty of challenges we have yet to overcome, though. The continued worsening of the global climate, the rising dangers of artificial intelligence, and the everchanging political climate both at home and abroad still pose a major threat to the United States - even now, in 2054. I wish I could tell you that we'll be able to get through these just like all of those before, but there's only one real way to find out."
    • Expert interview from the documentary "2001-40: The Decades of Crisis". Shown at the San Diego International Film Festival, 2054.
    - - -

    Q: What's an "Orion's Arm"?

    A:     The Orion's Arm Universe Project is a collaborative hard sci-fi worldbuilding setting that takes place over 10,000 years in the future, when humanity has divided itself in all sorts of biological and artificial clades scattered across the massive Terragen Sphere. The project itself has been going on for almost 25 years at this point, and I would recommend taking at least a brief look at the Encyclopedia Galactica in order to familiarize yourself with what this timeline will inevitably end up becoming.

    Q: If OA is collaborative, then why are you posting this here?

    A: The general consensus among OA worldbuilders is that the main focus should be on the "present day" of 10601 AT, or more broadly everything that happens after the Technocalypse and the Great Expulsion. While I completely understand the reasoning behind this decision, I'm still enthralled by the comparatively brief time period between the start of the Information Age (2000 CE) and the founding of the First Federation (2900 CE), and this TL is my way of satisfying my personal curiosity for how the events of that time period could play out.

    Q: How far are you going to take this?

    A: That's kind of tough for me to say. A tentative hard limit would be the end of GAIA's Great Expulsion c. 620 AT (2590 CE), though the actual ending could be anything from the first manned landing on Mars to the founding of the Federation of Sophonts in 933 AT. In all likelihood, I don't consider myself to be the kind of person who can commit himself to finishing a stupidly ambitious project like this one, and I seriously doubt that I'll be able to get past the 2020s.

    Finally, I must admit that I have a very low amount of confidence in my ability to understand the modern political and cultural landscape, and I'm aware that I will make plenty of mistakes as we move forward. Please don't hold back on the (constructive) criticism, and I hope you enjoy reading this timeline as much as I enjoyed making it.
     
    Last edited:
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    • LEAVING THE CRADLE // The Eyes of the Law.​

    Florida governor Ron DeSantis announces candidacy for 2024 presidential race.
    • NBC News; May 25, 2023.
    Incumbent President Erdogan of Turkey wins re-election.
    • DW; May 29, 2023.
    President Biden signs Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.
    • Politico; June 5, 2023.
    "It's good to know that even during times of intense political polarization, the federal government can come together and commit to a bipartisan agreement in order to solve an immense crisis such as the one we faced today. Even I have to wonder, though, what would happen if said bipartisanship were to fail."
    • Anderson Cooper (CNN); June 5, 2023.
    Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie launches campaign for the next presidential election.
    • ABC News (US); June 6, 2023.
    Former Vice President Mike Pence launches 2024 presidential campaign.
    • Fox News; June 7, 2023.
    Federal grand jury indicts Donald Trump on 37 charges related to the mishandling of classified government documents.
    • CNN; June 9, 2023.
    Infamous domestic terrorist and political radical Theodore Kaczynski found dead in cell via suicide.
    • The Washington Post; June 10, 2023.
    Man plows car into Pride Month celebratory parade held in Tampa; at least 5 reported deaths.
    • Miami Herald; June 11, 2023.
    "This morning at around 10:30 Eastern Standard Time, yet another great tragedy struck our nation... we will do everything in our authority to arrest those responsible and bring them to a swift and expedient justice."
    • President Biden's press statement on the Tampa pride massacre; June 11, 2023.
    Tampa parade attacker identified as 23-year-old Justin Tucker, self-described incel and white supremacist.
    • The New York Times; June 12, 2023.
    "Fuck your fag flag! Fuck your fag flag!"
    • Justin Tucker while being apprehended by Tampa police; June 12, 2023.
    "Now, this is no way to fight against the woke left! We live in a county of free speech and republican ideals, and no matter how much some groups of people may try to challenge these values you can't just take a pickup and plow through them like cattle... there are more than enough peaceful avenues we can use to combat wokeism, like, oh, I don't know - the ballot box?"
    • Ron DeSantis on the Tampa pride massacre at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona; June 13, 2023.
    Tampa 4th of July parade cancelled due to fears of continuing political violence.
    • WEDU; June 14, 2023.
    Ukraine launches counteroffensive against Russian forces in Kherson Oblast.
    • Newsweek; June 16, 2023.
    White nationalist makes bomb threat against LGBTQ+ nightclub in Las Vegas; law enforcement quickly track down and apprehend him.
    • CNN; June 18, 2023.
    Ukrainian army crosses the Dnipro.
    • Reuters; June 20, 2023.
    Former National Security Advisor John Bolton launches presidential campaign.
    • Breitbart; June 22, 2023.
    Firefighters across Canada still unable to contain ongoing massive wildfires.
    • CBC; June 23, 2023.
    Russian military bases in Melitopol and Zaporizhzhia Oblast subject to Ukrainian bombing raids.
    • MSN; June 24, 2023.
    Ukraine makes push towards Armiansk.
    • Military.com; June 26, 2023.
    Bodycam footage of Tampa pride attacker's arrest leaked on Discord server.
    • Drudge Report; June 27, 2023.
    "This is the second time in the last six months someone has leaked classified government documents in order to prove a Discord argument... this right here is why I think the collective stupidity of humanity knows no bounds."
    • penguinz0 (YouTube); June 27, 2023.
    Representatives from 7 African nations meet In Nairobi, Kenya to discuss the potential formation of an East African Federation.
    • The Guardian; June 30, 2023.
    Business executives once again unable to recall what HRT stands for.
    • The Onion; July 1, 2023.
    Maryland becomes 24th state to legalize marijuana.
    • The Baltimore Sun; July 1, 2023.
    Canadian wildfires largely snuffed out, albeit at massive cost the country's natural forests.
    • CTV News; July 3, 2023.
    Toledo man fires gun into air at 4th of July celebrations; no reported injuries.
    • WBNS-TV; July 4, 2023.
    EAF constitution talks in Nairobi come to a standstill.
    • NBC News; July 6, 2023.
    Sudanese government takes control of last remaining holdouts of the Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum.
    • The New York Post; July 9, 2023.
    Tucker Carlson: "Yes, I'm running for president."
    • Fox News; July 13, 2023.
    Ukraine recaptures Skadovsk on the Black Sea coast.
    • BBC; July 15, 2023.
    Former president Jair Bolsonaro convicted of electoral fraud; sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
    • Folha de S.Paulo; July 17, 2023.
    Video games journalist site Kotaku files for bankruptcy.
    • Business Insider; July 19, 2023.
    "First Buzzfeed, then Vice, and now Kotaku... 'go woke, go broke' is really proving itself true, now isn't it?"
    • Soyjick43 (Twitter); July 20, 2023.
    "Or they could just be really bad with money"
    • ItreoGuevera (Twitter); July 20, 2023.
    Hundreds attend Reclaim Party rally in York.
    • ITV (UK); July 22, 2023.
    PSOE and UP retain control of the Congress of Deputies.
    • ABC (Madrid newspaper); July 24, 2023.
    Further EAF negotiations postponed until 2025.
    • The Washington Post; July 24, 2023.
    Former President of China Hu Jintao declared dead of natural causes.
    • China Daily; July 26, 2023.
    "Uh-huh."
    • @TankieSlayr (Twitter); July 26, 2023.
    Ukrainian advance halted near Kalanchak and Cahplynka.
    • Military.com; July 27, 2023.
    Three dead and two seriously injured after mass shooting at gay bar in Cincinnati.
    • WCPO-TV; July 29, 2023.
    "Absolutely appalling events in Cincinnati this morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims' families."
    • Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Twitter); July 29, 2023.
    "AOC is virtue signaling yet again. What else is new?"
    • Soyjick43 (Twitter); July 29, 2023.
    Cincinnati shooter's written manifesto recovered via police raid; cities Colorado Springs nightclub shooter as inspiration, among other mass shootings.
    • CNN; July 30, 2023.
    Friend of Cincinnati gay bar shooter arrested for charges of complicity and the supplying of illegal weapons.
    • NBC News; August 1, 2023.
    "You hear that? It was an illegal weapon! Stricter gun control laws won't work because people are just going to buy them illegally!"
    • Glenn Beck (Blaze Media); August 1, 2023.
    "It may have been bought on the black market, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to prevent these kinds of people from having easier access to dangerous weapons."
    • Cenk Uygur (The Young Turks); August 1, 2023.
    At least 150 total casualties in recent skirmish between Ukrainian and Russian Forces.
    • Euronews; August 3, 2023.
    Carlson once again espouses Great Replacement rhetoric at campaign rally in Jackson, Mississippi.
    • Right Wing Watch; August 7, 2023.
    Putin sends proxy to BRICS summit in Durban, South Africa.
    • Reuters; August 9, 2023.
    Cincinnati nightclub shooter pleads guilty to 2 counts of first-degree murder.

    WCPO-TV; August 11, 2023.
    • Serbia entering final stages of negotiations for potential accession to the European Union.
    DW; August 14, 2023.
    • Indian prime minister Narendra Modi shot during public speech in Mumbai.
    Euronews; August 16, 2023.

    "The Prime Minister was shot through the right side of his skull, with the bullet passing through part of his brain before exiting his person and going through the wall... he is not dead, and we expect him to fully recover."
    • Press release statement from Indian PR official following the attempted assassination of Narendra Modi; August 16, 2023.
    Attempted Modi assassin identified as 25-year-old Muslim nationalist Gunhan Kharoti.
    • Amar Ujala; August 18, 2023.
    Russian forces successfully push back Ukrainian advance towards the Dnipro.
    • Interfax; August 21, 2023.
    "This is merely a temporary setback... I know from the bottom of my heart that if the people of Ukraine are as determined to drive out the Russian imperialists as I am, then in due time we will reach the light at the end of the tunnel and rescue ourselves from this nightmare."
    • Ukrainian President Zelensky on recent military developments; August 21, 2023.
    "We can only pray to God that he's right."
    • Joe Biden to White House staff upon hearing Zelensky's translated speech; August 21, 2023.
    Indian prime minister Modi expected to make full recovery by October.
    • DW; August 25, 2023.
    PM Trudeau calls for new federal elections to be held on October 23.
    • Omni News; August 28, 2023.
    "The lack of adequate response for the recent large-scale wildfires have proven that the federal government is in need of a refresher... Canadians need to make their voices heard, and they will be able to in less than two months."
    • Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a press conference announcing snap elections; August 28, 2023.
    Gunhan Kharoti allegedly executed by firing squad this Tuesday.
    • Reuters; August 31, 2023.
    "Mr. Kharoti is alive and well... he is being held in one of our many maximum security prisons, and anyone who tells you otherwise is a liar and a subversive manipulator."
    • Indian PR officials responding to allegations regarding the death of Modi gunman Gunhan Kharoti; September 1, 2023.
    Indian military police launch crackdown on peaceful protests held in Jaipur against the execution of Gunhan Kahroti.
    • Al Jazeera; September 4, 2023.
    Russo-Ukranian front lines reverted back to pre-June status quo.
    • Newsweek; September 8, 2023.
    Yesterday's debate was chaos - but Trump managed to come up on top.
    • Breitbart; September 9, 2023.
    Freedom of Russia Legion launches raids into Kursk Oblast.
    • Dzerkalo Tyzhnia; September 11, 2023.
    The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers concede to most demands set by the Writer's Guild of America back in May, putting an end to the 5-month-long strike.
    • CBS; September 14, 2023.
    Meteor hurtles over northern Northwest Territories, near the mouth of the Mackenzie River.
    • CTV News; September 17, 2023.
    Federal electoral redistribution process completed.
    • CBC; September 20, 2023.
    New video footage shows Indian PM Modi walking with a limp.
    • DW; September 23, 2023.
    Tampa pride parade attacker found guilty of 7 counts of vehicular homicide; sentenced to 58 years in prison.
    • Miami Herald; September 26, 2023.
    Jim Bankoff announces his resignation as CEO of Vox Media.
    • The Wall Street Journal; September 29, 2023.
    Modi resumes full duties as Prime Minister of India.
    • Amar Ujala; October 3, 2023.
    Trump nicknames DeSantis "Raving Ron" in recent debate.
    • Fox News; October 6, 2023.
    Very strong typhoon hits Shanghai region of China, resulting in massive property damages and at least 1,500 confirmed dead.
    • The Asahi Shimbun; October 8, 2023.
    Taiwan also hit by recent typhoon; ROC government scrambling to make a response.
    • The Guardian; October 9, 2023.
    Chinese disaster relief forces slow to act; Red Cross often arrive entire days before official government teams.
    • BBC; October 11, 2023.
    ISIL claims responsibility for suicide bombing in northwestern Kabul.
    • Reuters; October 12, 2023.
    Democrat Danny Cole wins Louisiana gubernatorial race.
    • WVLA-TV; October 14, 2023.
    Labour Party retains majority in New Zealand House of Representatives.
    • TVNZ; October 15, 2023.
    Fernando Villavicencio wins second round of Ecuadorian presidential elections.
    • El Universo; October 16, 2023.
    Trump denies any involvement with January 6 attacks during today's debate; DeSantis claims otherwise.
    • NBC News; October 20, 2023.
    "WTF based DeSantis?"
    • Top reddit comment on r/politics; October 20, 2023.
    Polling gap between Trump and DeSantis narrows to around 25%.
    • Huffington Post; October 22, 2023.
    Liberals lose plurality in Canadian House of Commons.
    • CBC; October 24, 2023.
    Conservative Party enters coalition agreement with New Democrats.
    • The Toronto Star; October 27, 2023.
    Mass shooter opens fire during Church of God in Christ service in Mobile, Alabama; 3 dead (including attacker), 2 in critical condition.
    • WPMI-TV; October 29, 2023.
    "This senseless political violence needs to stop, and it needs to stop now. As president I protected the people of America from division and dissention, and after I return to office in 2024 I'll keep right on protecting, that I can tell you."
    • Donald Trump on Mobile church shooting at a rally in Albany, New York; October 30, 2023.
    "This right here is Trump's biggest lie yet."
    • Anderson Cooper (CNN); October 30, 2023.
    Pierre Poilievre sworn in as 24th Prime Minister of Canada.
    • The Globe and Mail; November 1, 2023.
    Billionaire and philanthropist George Soros dies at age 93.
    • AP; November 4, 2023.
    The West breathes a sigh of relief as NWO puppet master finally croaks.
    • Babylon Bee; November 4, 2023.
    Fighting in Sudan largely over, says General Abdel al-Burhan.
    • DW; November 6, 2023.
    Republican Daniel Cameron declared presumptive winner of Kentucky gubernatorial race.
    • WHAS-TV; November 8, 2023.
    Democrats regain majority in Virginia House of Delegates.
    • Richmond Times-Dispatch; November 8, 2023.
    Tate Reeves re-elected governor by 3% margin.
    • Sun Herald; November 8, 2023.
    New Jersey state legislature remains under Democrat control.
    • The Press of Atlantic City; November 8, 2023.
    A blue wave for 2024?
    • Vice; November 9, 2023.
    Governor Youngkin confirms that he will not be running for president in 2024.
    • WRIC-TV; November 11, 2023.
    United Right wins majority in the Sejm.
    • Gazeta Wyborcza; November 12, 2023.
    Latest MCU film The Marvels releases to little success in theaters.
    • Entertainment Weekly; November 13, 2023.
    DeSantis slams Trump's actions as president during Republican presidential debate.
    • Fox News; November 14, 2023.
    "The truth is, you didn't stop spending during your administration! You spent more money in 2020 than any other president in American history! All you ever did was spend, spend, spend!"
    • Ron DeSantis on Trump's fiscal policy during a Republican presidential debate; November 14, 2023.
    "Trump's presidency may have been good overall - at least, compared to that of Obama or Biden - but you have to admit that DeSantis was right."
    • Ben Shapiro (The Daily Wire); November 15, 2023.
    Modi reportedly "far more erratic than usual" in months following assassination attempt, according to anonymous Indian state official.
    • CNN; November 17, 2023.
    Electorate approves Aboriginal Voice referendum, with 55% voting "yes".
    • ABC News (Australia); November 19, 2023.
    Jim Carrey confirmed not to play role in upcoming Sonic 3 movie.
    • ScreenRant; November 21, 2023.
    Kermit the Frog balloon pops during Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
    • The New York Times; November 23, 2023.
    At least 30 dead from explosion near government facility in Kargi.
    • ITV (India); November 25, 2023.
    Indian PM Modi vilifies Muslims in profanity-ridden speech.
    • BBC; November 28, 2023.
    Smiling Friends renewed for a third season.
    • Deadline Hollywood; December 1, 2023.
    Trump trial date set for April 14.
    • CNN; December 4, 2023.
    "Oh, you know how it is... they think they can get me, but they can't. They think they can get me, but they can't."
    • Donald Trump at campaign rally in Miami; December 5, 2023.
    - - -

    It was my wife who first suggested that I run for governor. I believe it was a frosty morning early in December when I was once again going on and on about how arrogant and short-sided the Republicans had become in recent years. She was sitting across from me at the breakfast table, stirring her coffee while occasionally nodding in glum agreement. On this particular morning, however, she looked up at me from out of the blue and asked the question that would change my life forever.

    "Well, why don't you do something about it?" she said. At first I was quite flummoxed; more often than not when I went on these monologues the most she would do was give me a half-hearted "okay" or "I suppose you're right." Then I dismissed her question with "oh, dear, you know I would never be able to hold down a public office." She stopped for a moment, before looking at me right in the eyes and answering with the directness that I always loved about her:

    "Tim. I've known you for thirty-three years. When we first met, you kept telling me you didn't think you'd be able to pass the bar, and now look where you are! I know you can do a lot more if you put your mind to it."

    I didn't quite realize it yet, but this was the final push I needed. For the last few months I had occasionally considered the idea of getting into politics in an attempt to get the GOP to return to a state of sanity. Every time up until that point I rejected the idea without bringing it up with anyone else, far too concerned with my perceived inability to maintain a good public image. Now that someone I cared about was voicing the same ideas I had been thinking about for many months, I felt it was high time for me to make a decision. Now, you may not agree with me, but I still believe that the choice I made was the right one.

    Speaking of my wife, I wish I could have seen back then how troubled our marriage was. Far more often than not I spent my nights working overtime at the firm, paying little attention to calls which weren't important to work. In spite of everything since, I still believe that the worst mistake I ever made - at least, when it came to my personal life - was when I chose to become estranged with my beloved Doris.
    • Tim K. Anderson. "Rise and Fall", Simon & Schuster, 2039.
     
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    • LEAVING THE CRADLE // India Heats Up.​

    United Airlines plane headed for Bangkok crashes into the Bay of Bengal, killing all onboard.
    • Reuters; December 7, 2023.
    Lien placed on Alex Jones's $2.5 million Austin mansion by federal authorities.
    • Right Wing Watch; December 8, 2023.
    Traffic court lawyer Tim Anderson announces Republican gubernatorial campaign.
    • The Kansas City Star; December 9, 2023.
    Scott Kirby resigns as CEO of United Airlines following fallout from Bay of Bengal disaster.
    • Business Insider; December 10, 2023.
    Celebrating 30 years of DOOM - here's what might in store for the future of the popular 90s FPS franchise.
    • Polygon; December 11, 2023.
    Trump threatens to fight John Bolton during today's presidential debate.
    • CNN; December 13, 2023.
    "Trump may have made a plethora of outrageous and false statements in the past, but rarely has he resorted to outright threatening harm on any of his opponents. Could this be a sign of accelerating dementia?"
    • Alex Wanger (MSNBC); December 13, 2023.
    Antifa and BLM supporters gearing up for 2024.
    • National Review; December 15, 2023.
    Kashmir conflict heats up following increased Indian military presence in the region.
    • Euronews; December 17, 2023.
    Front lines in the Ukraine largely stagnant since start of September.
    • DW; December 20, 2023.
    "It's the end of the year, and the woke left's War on Christmas continues once again... we can't let them usurp traditional American values without a fight."
    • Ron DeSantis (Twitter); December 22, 2023.
    "Who let this man cook?"
    • @ItreoGuevera (Twitter); December 22, 2023.
    "furry detected, opinion invalid"
    • @leetusbr0b (Twitter); December 23, 2023.
    - - -

    Erin turned off their phone before turning their attention back towards the brick-and-mortar lecture hall they were approaching. A few more flecks of snow fell onto their exposed hands before they were able to stuff them back into their coat pockets. A number of other college students passed them by; some were checking their phones like they had done, while others were almost jogging in a rush to get to their classes on time. None of them stopped to talk to each other, or even so much as glance in another person's direction. Erin wondered if it had always been like this.

    This was far from the first time they received such dismissive comments on the internet. By this point it really shouldn't have bothered them anymore, but no matter how hard they tried to push it in the back of their mind those self-loathing thoughts continued to persist. As much as they hated to admit it, they were still quite ashamed of their interests, and it didn't help matters that random strangers on the internet would mock them from time to time due to some minor detail as inconsequential as their profile picture.

    There was a certain stigma that went with being a furry, and regardless of how much times had changed it would always remain that way. In fact, it could be said that this was true for any sort of group; there would always be racism, there would always be sexism, there would always be homophobia, and so on. But the real point was to minimize such stigma, because eliminating it in its entirety would be next to impossible.

    But now was no time to think about the internet, nor of any hobbies Erin might have. As they opened the door to the lecture hall, their mind largely cleared itself of any off-hand thoughts and began to focus on the subject of the upcoming lecture by Dr. Keaton: "The Impact of Multinational Corporations on Nation-States and the Greater Global Economy."

    - - -

    Ukraine celebrates second Christmas following invasion by Russia.
    • Euronews; December 25, 2023.
    Carlson takes third place in Republican primary polls.
    • AP; December 29, 2023.
    "Trump is going to win the nomination, there's no question about that. The general election, on the other hand, is a slightly different story."
    • Steve Doocy (Fox & Friends); January 2, 2024.
    Mosque in Indore, India set on fire by unidentified arsonist.
    • BBC; January 5, 2024.
    VRChat surpasses 50,000 concurrent users.
    • UploadVR; January 7, 2024.
    "...and the bastards are multiplying! If it wasn't for me and my valorous efforts to preserve the dignity of India, then the jihadis would have completely overrun this country by now..."
    • Narendra Modi during speech to Lok Sabha; January 8, 2024.
    Anti-Muslim riots skyrocket throughout India.
    • Human Rights Watch; January 10, 2024.
    Magnitude 8.1 earthquake hits New Zealand.
    • TVNZ; January 13, 2024.
    Kuomintang regains control over the Legislative Yuan in Taiwan; DPP leader Lai Ching-te elected president in spite of this.
    • DW; January 14, 2024.
    At least 150 reported dead from New Zealand earthquake.
    • Euronews; January 15, 2024.
    Residents of Hyderabad launch pogrom against Muslim residents; at least 100 reported dead.
    • Al Jazeera; January 17, 2024.
    Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger dead at age 100.
    • The Washington Post; January 18, 2024.
    "When one falls, another must go in order to restore balance."
    • @mrDemSoc (Twitter); January 18, 2024.
    Fire bomb detonated under car in predominately Hispanic Fort Worth neighborhood; perpetrator still at large.
    • KTVT; January 20, 2024.
    Fort Worth car bomber identified as Frank Cambeiro, a third-generation Cuban refugee.
    • The Dallas Morning News; January 21, 2024.
    Last pockets of NRF forces declared "snuffed out" by the Taliban.
    • Al Jazeera; January 22, 2024.
    Donald Trump wins Iowa Republican caucus.
    • Politico; January 23, 2024.
    "We're still winning, folks! We're still winning!"
    • Donald Trump at campaign rally in Des Moines; January 23, 2024.
    Frank Cambeiro arrested by Fort Worth police.
    • WFAA; January 23, 2024.
    Chris Christie drops out of the race after earning less than 0.5% of the vote in Iowa.
    • Fox News; January 24, 2024.
    Haley overtakes Carlson for third place in the Republican polls.
    • Townhall; January 26, 2024.
    Less than 3 million people worldwide have tested positive for COVID-19 over the last two months.
    • Newsweek; January 28, 2024.
    DeSantis narrowly wins New Hampshire primaries.
    • The New York Post; January 31, 2024.
    "This isn't just a victory against Trump, this is a victory for America!"
    • Ron DeSantis at campaign rally in Manchester, New Hampshire; January 31, 2024.
    John Bolton suspends campaign indefinitely.
    • Fox News; February 1, 2024.
    Ukrainian military launches counteroffensive against Russian forces by crossing the Dnipro River.
    • Military.com; February 2, 2024.
    Fight breaks out between Trump supporters and Antifa provocateurs at campaign rally in Dallas, Texas.
    • Breitbart; February 5, 2024.
    California State Assembly introduces bill for the creation of a statewide universal healthcare system.
    • The Los Angeles Times; February 8, 2024.
    Green Bay Packers beat Denver Broncos 23-22 in Super Bowl LVIII at Las Vegas.
    • CBS Sports; February 11, 2024.
    E3 set to return in June, albeit with some major changes.
    • PC Gamer; February 13, 2024.
    High-speed train headed for Rotterdam derails near Leiden; at least 48 reported killed or injured.
    • DW; February 15, 2024.
    Indian Parliament passes law barring Muslims from a number of high-level administrative positions.
    • Euronews; February 17, 2024.
    Opinion polling gap between Trump and DeSantis dips below 20%.
    • Politico; February 19, 2024.
    Single-payer healthcare bill passes California State Assembly 49-31.
    • KNBC; February 22, 2024.
    Honda announces plans to switch entire production line to fully electric cars by 2035.
    • Ars Technica; February 23, 2024.
    Trump wins Republican primary in South Carolina, with former governor Nikki Haley coming in at a close second.
    • Townhall; February 25, 2024.
    Ukraine Armed Forces closing in on Melitopol.
    • Military.com; February 26, 2024.
    Nikki Haley suspends presidential campaign indefinitely.
    • The New York Times; February 27, 2024.
    Governor Newsom signs statewide single-payer healthcare bill, slated to go into effect by July 1.
    • The Sacramento Bee; February 28, 2024.
    California universal healthcare bill narrowly passes State Senate.
    • CNN; February 29, 2024.
    How California's proposed new free healthcare system could be just the right push that the country needs.
    • Jacobin; March 1, 2024.
    Kerson Oblast fully liberated from Russian occupation.
    • 1+1; March 2, 2024.
    Man arrested after bringing concealed gun to Biden rally.
    • CNN; March 4, 2024.
    "...he's a book burner, you know that? He burns books."
    • Donald Trump on Ron DeSantis at Super Tuesday rally in Dallas, Texas; March 5, 2024.
    Trump wins Republican primaries in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia; DeSantis wins Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Vermont.
    • AP; March 6, 2024.
    Situation looking grim for DeSantis.
    • Breitbart; March 7, 2024.
    Twitter, Inc. closes in on deal to buy WhatsApp from Meta Platforms.
    • Forbes; March 8, 2024.
    "This is another great success for Twitter! Here's to more acquisitions in the coming future."
    • Elon Musk (Twitter); March 8, 2024.
    You sure you can afford that Mr. Elon?
    • @ItreoGuevera (Twitter); March 8, 2024.
    Antifa agitators attack Trump supporters at rally in Kansas City.
    • The Daily Wire; March 9, 2024.
    Kashmir separatists seize Leh in surprise assault.
    • DW; March 11, 2024.
    Massive protests break out in cities across northwestern India against oppressive anti-Muslim policies imposed by the government.
    • The New York Times; March 12, 2024.
    Indian law enforcement launch brutal crackdown on pro-Muslim protestors; casualties unknown.
    • Reuters; March 13, 2024.
    Trump wins primaries in Idaho, Mississippi, New York, Louisiana and Washington state; DeSantis wins Michigan and Missouri.
    • Fox News; March 13, 2024.
    Gunman opens fire at pro-Trump rally in Stockton, California; at least 6 dead, total injuries unknown.
    • NBC News; March 14, 2024.
    "Violence from the left is on the rise. They see any opposition to their vision of a woke dictatorship as a threat, and they will try to take down that threat by any means necessary. As your future president, I will make sure that the left will never be able to reach their anti-democratic goals, starting with the crime-ridden cities of Detroit and LA!"
    • Ron DeSantis at a rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; March 14, 2024.
    "C'mon, DeSantis. Just say you want to oppress black people. You know you do."
    • Killer Mike (Twitter); March 14, 2024.
    Modi doubles down on Islamophobic rhetoric; vows to "end the disgraceful practice of Islam in every village, city and household throughout all of India".
    • Newsweek; March 15, 2024.
    Trump leading opinion polls against DeSantis by 15%.
    • NBC News; March 16, 2024.
    Putin wins 72% of the vote in presidential elections.
    • TASS; March 18, 2024.
    DeSantis wins Republican primaries in Arizona, Florida, and Ohio; Trump wins Illinois and Kansas.
    • Politico; March 20, 2024.
    UN General Assembly passes resolution condemning Indian government's recent treatment of Muslims.
    • Huffington Post; March 21, 2024.
    Ukraine captures Melitopol from Russian forces.
    • Reuters; March 22, 2024.
    Bomb detonated at government building in Ahmedabad, killing 26.
    • ITV (India); March 24, 2024.
    Group calling itself the "Islamic State in India" claims responsibility for the Ahmedabad attacks; aims for the establishment of an Islamic fundamentalist caliphate in the western Indian subcontinent.
    • Al Jazeera; March 25, 2024.
    2K announces long-anticipated Civilization VII; set to release on December 20.
    • PC Gamer; March 26, 2024.
    Indian PM Modi calls for a "barrage of fire and fury" from the Indian military against the Islamic State in India; claims that "[the Islamic State of India] will not stop until every Hindu man, woman and child is eradicated from the face of the earth."
    • Euronews; March 27, 2024.
    Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden reportedly accepting bribes from Exxon lobbyists.
    • The Guardian; March 29, 2024.
    "I did not take any money or gifts from lobbyists... the news stories are nothing but complete fabrication and blatant lies."
    • Quote from Deputy PM Oliver Dowden at a press conference; March 30, 2024.
    Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-verse was just as good as the first two, if not better.
    • Deadline Hollywood; March 31, 2024.
    Indian Prime Minister Modi unveils new initiative to further restrict political rights of Muslims in India, including the banning of hijab wearing in many public spaces.
    • DW; April 2, 2024.
    Could an Indian civil war be the trigger for World War 3?
    • Vice; April 4, 2024.
    PM Sunak calls for early elections, citing recent Exxongate scandal.
    • The Sun; April 5, 2024.
    "It's very scary, what's been happening in India recently... the great Prime Minister Modi is under attack on all sides by a resurgent ISIS, the government is falling apart at the seams, it's been nothing but bad news from there, that I can tell you."
    • Donald Trump at a rally in Philadelphia; April 7, 2024.
    Apple Vision Pro launches to poor sales in the US.
    • Ars Technica; April 8, 2024.
    DeSantis narrowly wins Puerto Rico.
    • CNN; April 10, 2024.
    PM Albanese calls for half-Senate elections to be held on November 16.
    • ABC News (Australia); April 11, 2024.
    Ukrainian forces once again closing in on Armiansk.
    • Military.com; April 12, 2024.
    Crowd chants "fuck your f*g flag" and "stop the steal" at pro-Trump rally in Kansas City, Missouri.
    • Right Wing Watch; April 13, 2024.
    "Mark my words - by this time next month, we won't have to worry about Trump anymore."
    • Chris Jansing (MSNBC); April 14, 2024.
    Nation holds breath as a former president is put on criminal trial for the first time in history.
    • Breitbart; April 15, 2024.
    "So here we have it... the trial of the century. If Trump isn't put in the slammer for the rest of his days on Earth then democracy is officially dead in America."
    • Anderson Cooper (CNN); April 15, 2024.
    "Trump is going to win this trial. He won the 2016 election when everyone in the mainstream media said he wouldn't, he won against fraudulent attempts at impeachment by Congressional Democrats not once, but twice, and now he's going to win against the radical left bringing false charges against him in criminal court. The odds might still be stacked against him, though, but even if he is found guilty and imprisoned that doesn't mean he won't be disqualified from running - and he could still win the nomination and maybe even take back the presidency."
    • Ben Shapiro (The Daily Wire); April 16, 2024.
    Trump leads Republican opinion polls by just over 11%.
    • Townhall; April 17, 2024.
    Snap elections date fixed for May 9th.
    • BBC; April 18, 2024.
    Ukrainian military reenters the Crimea.
    • Newsweek; April 19, 2024.
    Russian immigrant reportedly mobbed by unknown assailants in northern Queens last night.
    • The New York Times; April 20, 2024.
    Trump defense team repeatedly claims entire trial is a "sham" and "unlawful political persecution".
    • Fox News; April 22, 2024.
    "The witch hunt never lets up! We the People need to prove my father's innocence by any means necessary!"
    • Donald Trump, Jr. (Twitter); April 22, 2024.
    This account has been banned from Twitter.
    • Message from Twitter staff; April 22, 2024.
    Islamic State in India turns Thar Desert into active guerilla warzone.
    • Reuters; April 23, 2024.
    Trump jury begins deliberations.
    • CBS News; April 25, 2024.
    Trump supporters surround Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse in New York City in an attempt to block court officials from entering.
    • The Huffington Post; April 27, 2024.
    Law enforcement fend off Trumpists with tear gas.
    • Jacobin; April 27, 2024.
    "How do you like THAT, magats?"
    • @transSocialite (Twitter); April 27, 2024.
    Donald J. Trump found guilty on 11 counts of falsifying business records; sentenced to 15 years in prison.
    • NBC News; April 29, 2024.
    "I don't think I should say anything about that."
    • President Biden's response when asked about former president Trump's conviction; April 29, 2024.
    "This is a historic day for freedom and democracy in the US! I'm glad we the people were finally able to bring the Donald to justice."
    • Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Twitter); April 29, 2024.
    "No comment."
    • Donald Trump to news journalists following verdict; April 29, 2024.
    Trump campaign set to continue despite conviction.
    • Fox News; April 30, 2024.
    - - -

    The first few months of my race for governor weren't all that different from the months which came right before it. More often than not I was spending my time working on cases instead of attending public gatherings or organizing my campaign. Hell, there were even a couple days when I forgot I was running altogether!

    Of course, that isn't to say I didn't campaign at all. At least once every week I would make some kind of appearance in front of a special interest group, or discuss campaign tactics with advisors, or attend a fundraiser event. To my surprise I conducted myself quite well during these appearances - though given my decades of experience with maneuvering the tricky world of the courtroom I shouldn't have been too astonished by my competence.

    One event I can recall quite well was held sometime in late February at a country club near St. Louis. My chauffeur drove me half an hour from the city center, on top of a three-hour train ride from Kansas City, so I had to take a quick bathroom break before I could begin. When I was finally ready to begin my speech I was already running 20 minutes late, and everyone was beginning to suspect that I just wouldn't be there. But then there I came, striding out in a huff, holding onto my fishing hat as I reached for the stage microphone.

    "So, what'd I miss?" Everyone laughed.

    I talked to them about the dangerous rise of far-right politics throughout the Republican Party, I talked to them about increasing division between both sides of the political spectrum, and I even gave a few personal anecdotes about my experiences during previous visits to St. Louis. The most important subject I talked about, of course, was about my campaign and the promises I made to better the state once elected. I'm sure anyone who's followed my life story can remember the most famous of my promises - words that have no doubt cemented themselves as one of the great quotes in American history - but for those not in the know, here they are:

    "If you think for even a second that as governor, I'll just sit by and let Missouri get torn apart by the klansmen and the neo-Nazis and Antifa, then you my good sir are dead wrong."

    If the applause that followed wasn't the biggest I had ever heard in my entire life up until that point, then I don't even know why I'd be here today. You believe me, of course. Don't you?
    • Tim K. Anderson. "Rise and Fall", Simon & Schuster, 2039.
     
  • View discussion
    • Interlude I
  • View content
    • Erin walked into the dorm room to see that very little had changed. The couch still had a number of scratch marks strewn across it from when the time one of their friends brought her cat, the flatscreen TV set was still cracked and broken (although it wasn't like they used it much to begin with), and several empty boxes of Orbit gum lay scattered across the unvacuumed floor. In the corner of the living room, their roommate sat hunched over his dual monitors, no doubt playing a round of either Counter Strike: Global Offensive or Team Fortress 2.

    Erin themself wasn't in the best shape, either. They had always been a bit on the heavy side since they were little, but over the last several months of freshman studies it had become tiresome to hear everyone they met saying some variation of the phrase "you need to lose weight." Their thick-framed glasses were always something they intended to replace with much less noticeable contacts, and their decision to dye their brown hair with streaks of neon green often fueled a comment or two from both teachers and family.

    They turned their head towards their roommate, who continued gaming "Hey, Pat."

    "Hey, Erin." Pat quit the server before turning towards his roommate. "How's it been?"

    "Oh, it's pretty much been the usual", they replied. "I'm still trying to study as much as I can for the finals, but can't just seem to find enough time."

    Pat snickered under his breath. "'Cause you're too busy getting paid to draw furries eating each other, right?"

    "I wasn't talking about my art, Pat, I was just talking about the finals." Erin flopped down on the couch, giving a cold, hard glare towards the ceiling fan. "I really hope you've been studying for them, too."

    "Yeah, mom, I studied." Pat swiveled his chair around back to face the monitor once more. "Damnit, I can't rejoin!"

    "So? It's just a game. There's a lot more you can do than just sit around all day."

    "Yes, I know. But it would be nice if it didn't happen so often."

    Without getting off the bed, Erin craned their head up towards the back of Pat's chair. "Listen, Pat. I may not have known you for very long, but I do know when someone's lying to me. You haven't been studying at all these past few weeks, have you?"

    "I haven't been studying as much as you would like me to, but yes, I have been

    "Do you even remember how much money we paid to get into this college in the first place?"

    "Um... wasn't it something, like, I dunno, fifteen grand?"

    "No, dumbass, that's per quarter. The annual tuition for Seattle University is fifty-three thousand, two hundred and thirty-five dollars," they said with the full confidence and awareness of someone who had the figure memorized. "There's no way in hell you, me, or anyone else who goes here should be expected to pay all that while trying to get a degree at the same time!"

    "Well, maybe if the federal government would quit giving colleges all their money, then maybe they wouldn't have an incentive their tuition so freakishly high."

    Erin paused in their tracks for a minute before they shot back a response. "What? Pat, you're not making any sense again. Why would more funding lead to higher tuition? Use your brain."

    Pat glared at Erin before mustering a reply. "You know what? Fine. If you care about the damn finals so much, then why won't you go study for them now? I know that I'm going to be able to pass without wasting every waking moment studying for them, but you can do whatever you want to do. There's nobody stopping you."

    Erin looked at Pat one last time.

    "Okay, then. I will."

    - - -

    Qin walked into the waiting room with sweat on his brow and a hand in his pocket. His eyes darted across the room, taking note of how few people were seated in the rows of chairs. It was a good thing, he mused, how the Chinese government was well-oiled enough for there to be so little complaints about its operations.

    But Qin wasn't here to air his nonexistent grievances, oh no - he was here to take a civil service exam. Such tests were an ancient and honored part of the Chinese bureaucracy, dating all the way back to the first imperial dynasty under Qin Shi Huang. He didn't think about it much, but the fact that he shared a surname with such a renowned historical figure made him feel quite small compared to the greater state of China.

    Before he could even so much as pick out a seat to use, a well-dressed middle-aged man with a combover walked out of the office, recognizing Qin almost as soon as he saw him. Qin knew the man, too - he was the man who helped him become a candidate in the first place.

    The man gave a short bow before speaking. "Ah, you must be Mr. Qin. We at the National Public Complains and Proposals Administration have been expecting you."

    Qin prostrated himself before the official, almost trembling with respect as he formed a response. "Greetings, Mr. Zhuanzhou. I am deeply honored to be in your presence."

    "Oh, there's no need for such formalities, Mr. Qin. You're not being elected to the Municipal People's Congress, now are you?"

    No, Qin thought, I suppose I'm not. After all, the most likely result he would get out of passing this exam was a minor position as an assistant clerk. He bowed again, much less deferential this time, before following Zhuanzhou through the door.

    The main elevator was just around the corner. Qin's benefactor pressed the button before looking down towards his protégé's side. "It's always good to see someone enter the civil service," he remarked. "Your father must be very proud."

    "I imagine you spoke with him recently, no?"

    "Ah... that I have not." Zhuanzhou walked into the elevator as it opened, motioning for Qin to follow. "I still see him, of course."

    Qin stepped through the elevator door at his patron's direction. "Good, good. It's good to hear he's okay."

    As the elevator began its trip through floor after floor, Zhuanzhou covered his hand and cleared his throat. "Now, let me take a moment to remind you of how this is done. The exam consists of one hundred questions, which will test your skill in the wide range of subjects required to become a functionary of the CCP. You will not be allowed to possess advance copies of the exam. There is to be no food, drink, or electronic devices in the exam room. Any applicants who have been found to violate these rules will receive an automatic score of zero and will be subject to further punishments as per the supervisor's discretion. Do you understand all of that, Mr. Qin?"

    The elevator door had already been open for some time. Qin gave Zhuanzhou the best look of confidence he could muster and nodded. "Yes, sir. I understand."

    Zhuanzhou gestured outside the elevator with a smile. "The exam room is down the hall, to the left. I wish you luck, Mr. Qin."

    - - -

    Donald Trump fumed as he sat down in front of the glass screen. He had done everything in his power to bring this country back from the brink of destruction, and what had they given him as thanks? It was things like this that almost made him wish that the protestors had been able to get to the congressmen before they could evacuate. Yeah. That would've shown them a thing or two.

    Meanwhile, one of Trump's senior campaign advisors, Brian Jack approached the other side of the barrier. To his right, a barrel-chested prison guard followed behind him like an intimidating shadow. It was quite bizarre, he considered, for him to see a former US president decked out in a traditional prisoner's uniform, let alone any prominent American politician. It just didn't seem to be something that happened in such a nation of liberty.

    If there was one thing Trump new how to do well, it was to intimidate his subordinates and his opponents.

    "Good evening, Mr. Trump. I'm here to talk to you about the campaign."

    "It's good to see you, Brian. We're all counting on you to help take back the presidency."

    Jack shifted in his seat before continuing. "Well, that's the thing, Mr. Trump... over at the HQ, we've been floating the idea of suspending the campaign. Even if you do win the general election, there isn't really a constitutional precedent that would allow the president to pardon himself."

    Trump remained sullen. "We need to keep going. If there's one thing I've never done in my entire life, it's having given up. If we don't win this election, then the country is doomed."

    Jack paused for a moment, turning his at the cop hovering over his shoulder before turning back to face the screen. "Alright. I'll relay this to the rest of the staff, Mr. Trump. I know we'll be able to pull it off."

    Trump shot Jack a grin he would never be able to forget. "I'll be counting on you."

    - - -

    Gurjas Neti walked out into the storefront with a content smile. He brushed his way past the giant slabs of raw beef before taking a look out into the sunlight avenue. Hundreds of men and women walked across the narrow street, some haggling with shopkeepers while others carried produce on their shoulders or pulled them on carts. Yes, today was market day in the neighborhood, and Gurjas was going to take every advantage he could get in order to provide for his family.

    His wife watched from behind the window, softly clutching her hijab and giving him an encouraging smile. He would give the world for her and their children if he could, but for the time being the three essentials of food, drink and shelter would more than suffice.

    A wiry Hindi man, perhaps not much older than Gurjas himself, walked up to the butcher shop clenching his side like his life depended on it. Well then, Gurjas thought, not the best first customer for today, but I'm sure he'll do well.

    The man pointed a shaky finger at his wife, who seemed yet to be aware of the strange man. "Your wife. She's wearing a hijab, isn't she? Do you treat her well?"

    "I don't think that's any of your business, sir."

    The man was taken aback at first before giving Gurjas an icy stare. "And I suppose it wouldn't be my business to know that you're holding a bomb in your basement?"

    Gurjas's eyes widened, a frightful emotion coming over him that could be best described as a mix of fear and shock. "What in the name of Allah are you talking about? I was born here in Hyderabad! My father was born here in Hyderabad, and his father before him! All you are doing is making needless accusations against me and my family!"

    By now, a small string of onlookers had stopped in their tracks to witness this absurd spectacle. Gurjas's wife looked at the scene from within her home, worried about the safety of her husband.

    "Police! Police! This Islamist is threatening to blow up the entire block if I don't buy his rancid cow meat!" The slanderer waved his arms like a madman in an attempt to attract the authorities - but despite shouting loud enough to be heard across the Deccan Plateau, no such help arrived. Those who did appear to the man's rescue, however, were arguably far worse.

    A spontaneous mob of angry citizens swarmed around the stand, while a much larger crowd ran away in all directions. Gurjas darted from side to side, trying in desperation to escape his human cage - but all the entrances to the shop were blocked by vengeful faces.

    The man who had started all this commotion had slipped away from the front of the crowd. Gurjas wondered if he'd ever see him again.

    "Jihadi! Jihadi! It's another jihadi!"

    The vigilantes were closing in on the butcher like a thick cloud of wasps. Gurjas could only react as a multitude of hands and fists jutted out towards him in an attempt to bring down the terrorist before he could destroy them all.

    "Get the bomb! Get the bomb!"

    "Please! Stop!" Gurjas cried. "There is no bomb! It's all a lie! I am inno-"

    Before he had the time to explain his side of the story, a shot rang out from the direction of the crowd. Gurjas clutched the side of his neck before howling in pain. His legs gave out and he hit the cobblestone floor. From the corner of his eye, he could see his wife rushing to his side, trying to help him even as a gaggle of enraged men closed in along with her.

    - - -

    Jacob Strand walked into the lunchroom with the usual sense of jitteriness his personality often provided. Out of all days, today was the day that he really wanted to focus on having fun and not worrying about the boring parts of school. But alas, today was not that day.

    As per usual, the school cafeteria was alight with nigh-apocalyptic amounts of chatter and an uproarious atmosphere. Halfway across the room, he spotted his best friend sitting by himself, no doubt waiting for Jake to arrive. They had known each other since first grade, and Jake knew for sure that he wasn't going to leave him in the dust if he could help it.

    Kevin was examining a soggy French fry from the school kitchen when Jake sat down . Kevin perked up before greeting his friend with a warm smile. "Hey, Jake. How was your test?"

    Jake pulled a ham sandwich out of his lunchbox before giving Kevin a vacant look. "Why the fuck should I know? I don't really wanna think about it," he complained as he eyed the sandwich with an apprehensive curiosity.

    "Okay, fine, keep your secrets," Kevin answered. "Did you go see the new Spider-verse movie?"

    Jacob shrugged. "No, not really. I don't go to movies that much."

    "Aw, c'mon, you saw the last one!"

    "I saw it on Netflix with my parents." He took a bite out of his sandwich before continuing. "Shew shut noh mee baish now."

    "But you did see it, right?"

    Jacob swallowed, his eyes still focused on the exposed ham as he answered. "Uh... yeah. Yeah, I did." He glanced over his shoulder for a split second. "Weren't you listening?"

    Kevin eyed him while holding a French fry like a cigarette. "Okay. Um... you never told me about the career test you did on Friday. How was that?"

    "I got electrical engineer for some reason. I really don't know why they make us take these things if they're not accurate."

    Kevin dipped his French fry in ketchup before eating it in one bite. "How do you know that?"

    "Because I've already decided what I'm gonna do."

    Kevin tried to raise an eyebrow, but only succeeded in making Jake chuckle. "Really? Don't tell me you're still on-"

    "Yeah, I know I'm not gonna be an astronaut, but I still want to go for something in that field. I like space, and I like the unknown. I wanna learn more about what's out there."

    Kevin picked up his empty lunch tray before making one last remark towards Jake. "Alright, then. It's just... I don't know if you can do it."

    Jake gulped down his last bite of sandwich before giving Kevin a smug look.

    "I know I can."
     
    Last edited:
  • View discussion
    • Chapter 2
  • View content
    • LEAVING THE CRADLE // Orange Man in Orange.​

    Trump's polling average plummets in light of recent imprisonment.
    • CNN; May 1, 2024.
    Here's how Trump can pardon himself if he wins the election.
    • Breitbart; May 1, 2024.
    DeSantis takes lead in Republican primary polls.
    • Politico; May 2, 2024.
    Modi accuses Pakistan of funding Islamic State in India's terror campaign; Pakistani officials deny all allegations.
    • Euronews; May 3, 2024.
    Melitopol slips away from Ukrainian control as Russian PMCs launch urban assault against Ukraine's fascist forces.
    • RT; May 5, 2024.
    Bosnia and Herzegovina begin negotiations on potential accession to the European Union.
    • DW; May 6, 2024.
    9 far-right extremists arrested in plot to break Trump out of prison.
    • Huffington Post; May 6, 2024.
    "We cannot let individuals with dangerous ideas or goals so much as attempt to overturn any verdicts given down by the law through violence. It doesn't matter how important the criminal is, it doesn't matter how much you might support him; it's still very wrong, and those who have done this irredeemable act earlier today wi-will be punished accordingly."
    • President Biden on attempted prison break of Donald Trump; May 6, 2024.
    DeSantis wins Indiana primary by a landslide.
    • NBC News; May 8, 2024.
    Mike Pence drops out of 2024 presidential race.
    • The New York Post; May 9, 2024.
    ANC loses majority in the South African National Assembly.
    • City Press; May 9, 2024.
    Trump prison break plotters revealed to have ties with the Proud Boys, QAnon, Atomwaffen, and numerous other alt-right terrorist groups.
    • ABC News (US); May 9, 2024.
    "Well, that's not too surprising."
    • Ana Kasparian (The Young Turks); May 9, 2024.
    Labour wins plurality in House of Commons.
    • The Guardian; May 10, 2024.
    Scottish National Party loses 5 seats following yesterday's general election.
    • The Herald (Glasgow); May 10, 2024.
    Reclaim Party wins 2 seats in Parliament.
    • The Sun; May 10, 2024.
    "For a time there, I was afraid that we would slip into a one-and-a-half party system. This is a great victory for the people of Britain!"
    • Keir Starmer (Twitter); May 11, 2024.
    Indian election results looking bad for Modi - and good for the INC.
    • Euronews; May 12, 2024.
    Labour enters coalition agreement with SNP.
    • The Times; May 13, 2024.
    Republican National Committee disqualifies Trump due to recent felony conviction.
    • The New York Times; May 14, 2024.
    "...although the Constitution of the United States does not restrict convicted felons from running or even serving as president of the country, we at the Republican National Committee have determined that the nomination of a convicted felon would irrevocably tarnish the reputation of the party and discourage future voters from voting Republican. Therefore, the Committee has voted in favor of disqualifying Donald J. Trump from the upcoming 2024 Republican National Convention on account of his recent imprisonment."
    • RNC chair Ronna Romney McDaniel in open letter to the Republican voter base; May 14, 2024.
    "Wow... I... that's just crazy. Has the GOP done something right for once?"
    • Rachel Maddow (MSNBC); May 14, 2024.
    "I didn't think the Republicans had a reputation to begin with."
    • Ilhan Omar (Twitter); May 14, 2024.
    - - -

    One of the greatest mysteries of early 21st century US history was the reasoning behind the Republican National Convention's disqualification of Trump from the 2024 elections. The fact that he had been convicted of multiple felonies could have been used as a rallying point against the corrupt establishment he was so adamant about dismantling, something that was not lost on the committee members despite choosing DeSantis over Trump.

    Though the true motives of the RNC will never be conclusively determined, it remains quite possible that the disqualification was related to Trump's unusual dip in the polls during the months leading up to and immediately after his trial and subsequent conviction. The RNC was likely well aware of this, and perhaps intended to capitalize on Trump's recent misfortune in order to present their preferred candidate, the somewhat more reputable and less felonious DeSantis, as presumptive nominee for the Republican Party.
    • Adam-5. "A Complete History of the United States of America, First Edition; Volume XIX: 2009-2029", New Lansing Virtual Press, 2174.
    - - -

    Charles III makes first speech at the State Opening of Parliament as King Regnant.
    • The Sun; May 14, 2024.
    Massive protests break out near the RNC headquarters against the disqualification of Donald Trump.
    • The Washington Post; May 15, 2024.
    Most states refuse to strike Trump from primary ballots despite recent disqualification.
    • Fox News; May 15, 2024.
    DeSantis narrowly wins Nebraska primary; Carlson wins West Vriginia.
    • ABC News (US); May 15, 2024.
    "...what? How?"
    • Tucker Carlson in response to being told that he won the West Virginia Republican primary; May 15, 2024.
    Islamic State in India claims responsibility for bombing of Hindu temple in Jaipur.
    • Reuters; May 16, 2024.
    African National Coalition enters coalition agreement with Economic Freedom Fighters following recent South African general election.
    • Newsweek; May 17, 2024.
    Modi caught red-handed in leaked telephone call pressuring BJP officials to "find him more votes" for his party.
    • Vox; May 18, 2024.
    "In the US, we'd lock up anyone who tried doing something like that. Don't believe me? Go ask the last guy who tried."
    • @ItreoGuevera (Twitter); May 18, 2024.
    Manchester United wins Premier League finals for the first time in over a decade.
    • BBC Sport; May 19, 2024.
    DeSantis wins Oregon and Kentucky.
    • NBC News; May 20, 2024.
    DeSantis declared presumptive nominee.
    • The New York Times; May 20, 2024.
    "Are you ready for a new wave of American patriotism? Are you ready to turn this country around for the better? I think we're ready, what do you think?"
    • Ron DeSantis at a rally in Miami, Florida; May 20, 2024.
    Recent poll shows Trump still ahead of DeSantis by just over 1 point.
    • Fox News; May 21, 2024.
    Tucker Carlson suspends campaign indefinitely.
    • The New York Post; May 21, 2024.
    Post office firebombed in Hyderabad, Pakistan; local authorities suspect Islamic State of India involvement.
    • Al Jazeera; May 22, 2024.
    Indian National Congress gains absolute majority in Lok Sabha following recent elections.
    • ITV (India); May 23, 2024.
    Modi accuses INC of perpetuating widespread electoral fraud; outside observers have determined that no such fraud took place.
    • CBS News; May 24, 2024.
    Modi collapses during speech to Indian Parliament.
    • DW; May 25, 2024.
    Indian government refuses to disclose at which hospital Prime Minister Modi is being held.
    • Euronews; May 27, 2024.
    Alex Jones arrested after assaulting government-employed debt collector.
    • CNN; May 28, 2024.
    Andrew Tate has been missing for over three weeks. What happened?
    • TMZ; May 30, 2024.
    Narendra Modi, 14th prime minister of India, dead at age 73.
    • BBC; June 1, 2024.
    Spontaneous celebrations break out across several major Indian cities.
    • The Washington Post; June 1, 2024.
    Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury sworn in as Prime Minister of India.
    • ITV (India); June 3, 2024.
    "...but these times of trouble are far from over. The Republic of India remains a very divided nation, and it is important that we do not give ourselves in to petty squabbles and destroy this great country from within."
    • Excerpt from Prime Minister Chowdhury's swearing-in speech; June 3, 2024.
    Islamic State of India leader Behdad Kalwar claims that the Indian change in leadership "changes nothing"; says he will "fight to the last man" against the new Indian government.
    • CNN; June 4, 2024.
    DeSantis wins New Jersey, New Mexico, South Dakota, and the District of Columbia; Trump wins Montana.
    • Politico; June 5, 2024.
    Heads of state of 5 former Allied countries attend 80th D-Day anniversary celebration in Caen.
    • ABC News (US); June 6, 2024.
    Bomb denotates in public square in Peshawar; Islamic State claims responsibility for attacks.
    • Al Jazeera; June 8, 2024.
    S&D picks up the most seats in recent European Parliament election - but the EPP remains on top.
    • DW; June 10, 2024.
    Workers' Party of Belgium wins plurality of seats in Chamber of Representatives.
    • Euronews; June 10, 2024.
    PM Starmer pledges support for proposed new Scottish independence referendum; claims it will be "a chance for the Scottish people to decide for themselves how they want to run things."
    • The Guardian; June 10, 2024.
    "So you admit it, then?"
    • @Charlie82 (Twitter); June 10, 2024.
    Major shootout in Tampico between Gulf Cartel and Federal Police results in at least 50 casualties.
    • Las Estrellas; June 11, 2024.
    Russian forces stall Ukrainian advance into the Crimea.
    • Reuters; June 12, 2024.
    High-ranking Gulf Cartel leader confirmed dead from last Tuesday's shootout.
    • The News (Mexico City); June 13, 2024.
    5 years into the streaming wars - a quick look at the current players.
    • Vox; June 14, 2024.
    Liverpool man makes implicit bomb threat outside of LGBTQ+ pub; law enforcement arrests him for breach of the peace.
    • The Times; June 16, 2024.
    Instagram Threads quietly shut down after less than a year of operation.
    • The Wall Street Journal; June 17, 2024.
    "The tards are plentiful this season. Time to thin the herd"
    • Anonymous 8chan post; June 18, 2024.
    Mass shooter opens fire on crowd celebrating Autistic Pride Day in Indianapolis.
    • The New York Times; June 18, 2024.
    "It's disgusting, the things people will do to further their hatred and intolerance... unfortunately, after committing this atrocious act the shooter turned his gun on himself before he could be apprehended by police. It's a real shame he couldn't be brought to justice."
    • President Biden on the Indianapolis shooting; June 18, 2024.
    5 Russian Olympic athletes plan to boycott Paris 2024 in protest against the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
    • The Guardian; June 19, 2024.
    Islamic State of India launches all-out assault on Jaisalmer.
    • Dainik Jagran; June 20, 2024.
    South Africa suffers total grid failure throughout much of the country's cities.
    • Euronews; June 22, 2024.
    "...good lord, it's like a civil war down there."
    • Remark by Anderson Cooper while watching footage of riots and looting from Cape Town; June 22, 2023.
    Chaos in the streets of major South African cities as government proves unable to restore power.
    • The Sunday Times (South Africa); June 23, 2024.
    Thousands of South Africans depart on ships from Cape Town in desperate attempt to find better living conditions.
    • NBC News; June 24, 2024.
    Armed gangs seize effective control of entire neighborhoods in Johannesburg.
    • Newsweek; June 25, 2024.
    Well over a dozen South African refugee ships enter New York Harbor.
    • The New York Times; June 26, 2024.
    50th G7 summit begins in Trois Rivieres, Canada.
    • CBS News; June 28, 2024.
    Tucson man arrested for posting threats on Facebook to drive car through San Francisco Pride parade.
    • KNTV; June 28, 2024.
    Neighborhood in southwest Jerusalem attacked by Palestinian suicide bomber.
    • Israel Hayom; June 30, 2024.
    Both Hamas and the PLO deny any involvement with yesterday's suicide bombing; Netanyahu claims otherwise.
    • Now 14 (Israel); July 1, 2024.
    Senator Ricardo Monreal elected President of the Mexican Republic.
    • La Jornada; July 2, 2024.
    Islamic State of India seizes Barmer in surprise assault against Indian garrison.
    • Reuters; July 4, 2024.
    State Grid Corporation of China reaches agreement with South African government to send laborers and financial aid in order to repair power grid.
    • DW; July 5, 2024.
    "I have a really bad feeling about this."
    • @TankieSlayr (Twitter); July 5, 2024.
    South African refugees arriving in Perth met with unsympathetic crowds.
    • ABC News (Australia); July 6, 2024.
    Islamic State of India claims responsibility for mass murder of Buddhist monks in Surat.
    • PBS News; July 7, 2024.
    Biden makes yet another slip-up during rally in Milwaukee.
    • Fox News; July 8, 2024.
    Anti-Israeli riots break out in cities and towns across the West Bank as many onlookers fear the start of a Third Intifada.
    • Kan 11 News; July 9, 2024.
    Thousands of Chinese migrant workers and electricians, many of them teenagers, arrive at the docks of Cape Town.
    • BBC; July 10, 2024.
    Florida man high on crack cocaine claims to be second coming of Christ before drowning himself in Lake Okeechobee.
    • The Miami Herald; July 11, 2024.
    IS leader Abu al-Hussein calls for "renewed offensive" against the Taliban in Afghanistan in video speech.
    • NBC News; July 12, 2024.
    President al-Assad of Syria praises recent Palestinian attacks against "colonialist Jews"; promises to "support this righteous intifada with the full weight of my authority."
    • Al Jazeera; July 13, 2024.
    President Biden denounces claims of support made by Syrian president al-Assad; vows that "the United States will oppose any moves of Syrian aggression, whether you like it or not."
    • ABC News (US); July 14, 2024.
    Hindus in occupied Jaisalmer subject to torture and forced conversions.
    • ITV (India); July 14, 2024.
    Chinese migrant worker shot by unidentified Zulu in Durban.
    • Euronews; July 15, 2024.
    Why Kick is quickly overtaking Twitch as the most popular online streaming platform.
    • Bloomberg; July 16, 2024.
    Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati condemns the Israeli military's conduct against the Palestinians; makes gestures towards a potential invasion of the Golan Heights.
    • Politico; July 17, 2024.
    Ron DeSantis nominated at Republican National Convention in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
    • NBC News; July 18, 2024.
    "They said it couldn't be done! They said Trump had an unbreakable hold on us Republicans! They said no one could be capable of overturning his so-called inevitable victory during the primaries! Well, we said they were wrong, and look where we are now!"
    • Quote from DeSantis's nomination acceptance speech at the RNC; July 19, 2024.
    "The RNC made a terrible mistake by ditching Trump for DeSantis. Now that the conservative vote has been split two ways, the senile Brandon and his retirement home campaign looks to have a greater chance at winning re-election now than ever before."
    • Jesse Waters (Fox News); July 19, 2024.
    Donald Trump to continue presidential campaign as an independent.
    • CNN; July 20, 2024.
    Palestinian suicide bomber destroys Israeli post office in Ashkelon.
    • Reuters; July 21, 2024.
    Meta Platforms announces the closure of Horizon Worlds on September 29.
    • VR Today; July 22, 2024.
    "No big surprise. heavy.jpg"
    • @ZuckerSuckr (Twitter); July 22, 2024.
    Israeli military launches bombing raid against suspected Hamas base in northern Negev.
    • Reuters; July 23, 2024.
    Opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games held in Jardins du Trocadero.
    • Le Parisien; July 24, 2024.
    Islamic State of India launches all-out offensive on Mount Abu and elsewhere in Rajasthan-Gujarat border region.
    • The Times of India; July 25, 2024.
    Tucker Carlson chosen as DeSantis's running mate.
    • Politico; July 26, 2024.
    "Now, I don't know if I would make a good vice president, and I don't know if I would be able to get much accomplished. But what I do know is that the global elites are continuing to push their woke agenda into our schools, our government, and our lives, and for me to sit back and let this opportunity to make real change pass by would be a massive disservice to the people of the United States of America!"
    • Tucker Carlson's vice presidential nominee acceptance speech at Tallahassee, Florida; July 27, 2024.
    "We're doomed."
    • Glenn Beck (Blaze Media); July 27, 2024.
    The Islamic State has occupied Pokhran for three weeks and counting. Here's what we found inside the hellscape.
    • Vox; July 28, 2024.
    Armed gang assaults Chinese electrical crew in East London.
    • SABC News; July 29, 2024.
    Taliban uncovers plot by Daesh to murder leading general with pipe bomb.
    • Al Jazeera; July 30, 2024.
    First presidential debate to be held on September 18th at Arizona State University.
    • CNN; July 31, 2024.
    - - -

    The brief and horrific period of intensified religious violence in India that lasted from roughly 2023 to 2025 could be said to rank high as one of the most crucial periods of the nation's history following the period immediately after independence. However, the Religious Crisis, as it would come to be known as in the decades following its passing, is quite different in that far more people were directly killed as a result of it than any other major event in the modern history of India. The oil Emergency of the mid-1970s and the anti-AI backlash of the early 40s under Prime Minister Chakavarti are perhaps the only two crises that could come close to the Religious Crisis in the sheer panic that the nation endured as a result, but neither could compare in terms of bodies violated and lives lost...

    ...in retrospect, the most important legacy established by the Religious Crisis was that it marked the beginning of the gradual cooling of relations between the Hindus and Muslims within India. True, there were plenty of efforts beforehand by minorities on both sides for reconciliation between the two religious groups, but the atrocities of the Religious Crisis proved to be a major factor in pushing such attitudes into the Indian mainstream.
    • Naveen Koluvailu. "The Democratic Raj; A History of Modern India (1947-2047)", Amazon India Publishing, 2050.
     
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  • View discussion
    • Chapter 3
  • View content
    • LEAVING THE CRADLE // Decision '24.​

    Stockholm, Sweden selected to be host for the 2030 Winter Olympics.
    • CBS Sports; August 1, 2024.
    Alleged Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front camp bombed through joint military operation between India and Pakistan.
    • Reuters; August 3, 2024.
    "This isn't something you'd expect India and Pakistan to do, given the historical animosity between the two countries and especially over the last year..."
    • Anderson Cooper (CNN); August 3, 2024.
    Three out of the five Russian Olympic athletes who boycotted Paris 2024 have gone missing; Russian government denies involvement.
    • The New York Times; August 5, 2024.
    Mike Pence selected to be Donald Trump's running mate.
    • NBC News; August 6, 2024.
    "Although I appreciate the generous offer made by the Trump campaign, I'm afraid that I will have to respectfully decline... there are individuals far more qualified and adept at maneuvering this tense and divisive election campaign than I am... once again, I would like to thank the Trump campaign for giving me this offer, and I wish the best of luck for him at the polls in November."
    • Mike Pence declining the offer to be Trump's running mate at a speech in Indianapolis; August 7, 2024.
    Kansas City lawyer Tim Anderson narrowly wins Republican nomination for Missouri gubernatorial race.
    • WDAF-TV; August 7, 2024.
    Islamic State in India captures Bikaner following two months of intense urban warfare.
    • ITV (India); August 8, 2024.
    Paradox Development Studio announces long-awaited Europa Universalis V, set to launch in summer 2025.
    • Polygon; August 10, 2024.
    2024 Paris Olympics come to a close.
    • Le Monde; August 11, 2024.
    Chinese athletes won over 100 medals over the course of Paris 2024.
    • NBC Sports; August 11, 2024.
    Eskom official arrested for attempting to sabotage the Chinese-led power grid recovery effort in South Africa.
    • China Daily; August 12, 2024.
    Watch Biden live as he loses his train of thought while on the campaign trail.
    • Breitbart; August 13, 2024.
    Vast majority of Myanmar's Sagain and Chin Regions under control of Tatmadaw.
    • DW; August 14, 2024.
    After months of debate and occasional infighting, Indian Parliament relaxes most of the anti-Muslim laws originally passed during the Modi era.
    • Euronews; August 15, 2024.
    Trump campaign picks Senator Tom Cotton as running mate.
    • NBC News; August 16, 2024.
    "I believe that if we are to come together as a nation and unite against enemies both at home and abroad, then the only man who would be capable of leading such an effort would be Donald J. Trump. I am proud to support him in his efforts to make this country great again, and I would be honored to support him in the biggest way I can - as the next Vice President of the United States of America!"
    • Quote from Senator Cotton's vice presidential nomination acceptance speech; August 16, 2024.
    Netanyahu announces military escalation against Palestinian terrorists.
    • BBC; August 17, 2024.
    Defensive Shield 2.0?
    • Vox; August 17, 2024.
    Current polls show three-way split between Biden, Trump and DeSantis.
    • Fox News; August 18, 2024.
    Ukraine captures Dzhankoi from Russian invaders.
    • 1+1; August 20, 2024.
    OpenAI's new ChatGPT update is more prone to hallucinations than ever before.
    • Wired; August 21, 2024.
    Second US presidential debate announced for October 4 at Thomas Jefferson University.
    • Politico; August 23, 2024.
    Category 4 hurricane moving towards Leeward Islands.
    • NBC News; August 24, 2024.
    Hurricane Gordon makes landfall on Puerto Rico and Hispaniola.
    • The New York Times; August 26, 2024.
    Viral video shows Puerto Rico family struggling as ongoing hurricane nearly rips their home apart.
    • Vice; August 27, 2024.
    Edge of Hurricane Gordon grazes eastern Cuba before approaching east coast of Florida.
    • The Miami Herald; August 27, 2024.
    Contingent of 1,500 infantry from Luhansk People's Republic military stage mutiny against commanding officers and Russian superiors.
    • Euronews; August 28, 2024.
    Tropical Storm Gordon dissipates off the coast of North Carolina.
    • CNN; August 29, 2024.
    Montenegro set to hold EU referendum on December 19.
    • DW; August 30, 2024.
    Over 800 Luhansk mutineers arrested by troops loyal to Putin following the loss of intense insurrection.
    • Reuters; August 31, 2024.
    Hurricane Gordon cleanup effort in the Caribbean still ongoing; at least 85 reported dead.
    • Newsweek; September 1, 2024.
    "It doesn't look like Brandon's been doing much for those affected by Hurricane Gordon... where's the compassion? Where's the humanity?"
    • Ron DeSantis at campaign rally in Baton Rouge; September 2, 2024.
    Scottish parliament approves bill to allow new independence referendum, which will be held in July of next year.
    • BBC Scotland; September 3, 2024.
    Senator Cotton to stand in for Trump in 2024 presidential debates.
    • The Washington Post; September 5, 2024.
    Former President of the Dominican Republic Danilo Medina announced to be missing following Hurricane Gordon.
    • NBC News; September 6, 2024.
    Vice presidential debates cancelled due to potential conflict of interest.
    • CNN; September 7, 2024.
    "Wait, so now they care about ethics?"
    • @transSocialite (Twitter); September 7, 2024.
    Russian military convoy traveling along E28 attacked by unidentified group of armed soldiers.
    • Reuters; September 8, 2024.
    "Y'know, I don't see that much of a difference between DeSantis and Trump. Why is one in prison while the other remains free?"
    • @ItreoGuevera (Twitter); September 8, 2024.
    A deep dive into California's new healthcare system.
    • Fox News; September 9, 2024.
    Third and final presidential debate to be held October 22 at University of Missouri's Columbia campus.
    • ABC News (US); September 10, 2024.
    Group calling itself the "Free Army of Kaliningrad" claims responsibility for E28 convoy attack; stated goal is to create an independent state covering Kaliningrad Oblast.
    • Euronews; September 12, 2024.
    New administrative capital of Egypt to be named "Cleopatra City".
    • Al Jazeera; September 13, 2024.
    Biden calls Trump a "big old jailbird" at campaign rally in Albuquerque.
    • The Daily Wire; September 14, 2024.
    Dozens killed and hundreds more injured after bomb detonates in New Delhi public square.
    • Amar Ujala; September 15, 2024.
    Belgian parliament unable to form government despite 3 months of tense negotiations.
    • DW; September 16, 2024.
    Recent polling shows Biden leading by almost 3 points.
    • CNN; September 18, 2024.
    First presidential debate of 2024 marked by chaos and unprofessionalism.
    • NBC News; September 19, 2024.
    "Kinda looked like Biden just sat there and watched Cotton and DeSantis tear each other apart. Won't somebody think of poor Brandon?"
    • @gevver105 (Twitter); September 19, 2024.
    Lebanon launches invasion of the Golan Heights.
    • Newsweek; September 21, 2024.
    10 reasons why Deltarune: Chapters 3-5 are the best yet.
    • ScreenRant; September 23, 2024.
    Lebanese forces seize Buq'ata following lightning raid against Israeli military bases.
    • The Washington Post; September 24, 2024.
    South African electricity crisis largely over thanks to Chinese men and money.
    • China Daily; September 25, 2024.
    Ukrainian military makes push towards the Sea of Azov.
    • Reuters; September 27, 2024.
    Lebanon military captures Merom Golan and Ein Zivan within the space of 12 hours.
    • Euronews; September 28, 2024.
    A whopping 27 people were online at the closing of Facebook's failed Horizon Worlds metaverse.
    • Cracked.com; September 29, 2024.
    "So long, Zuckerverse. We never wanted you here in the first place."
    • penguinz0 (YouTube); September 29, 2024.
    Former and current presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden attend Jimmy Carter's 100th birthday party along with thousands of others.
    • Huffington Post; October 1, 2024.
    "Yeah, somehow he managed to survive. I may hate the man's actions with every fiber of my being, but I still have to commend being able to live that long."
    • @Soyjick43 (Twitter); October 1, 2024.
    Free Army of Kaliningrad raids military base near Ponarth.
    • Reuters; October 2, 2024.
    DeSantis trounces his opponents at today's presidential debate.
    • Fox News; October 4, 2024.
    Biden carried the debate against DeSantis and Cotton like a champ.
    • CNN; October 4, 2024.
    Trump/Cotton clear winner of second presidential debate.
    • Breitbart; October 4, 2024.
    Lebanese forces reach Sea of Galilee.
    • ABC News (US); October 7, 2024.
    Ukraine recaptures Henichesk, cutting off Russian-occupied Crimea from forces in the Donbas.
    • 1+1; October 9, 2024.
    Cotton once again assures supporters at campaign rally that Trump pardoning himself if he wins is "perfectly constitutional".
    • The New York Times; October 11, 2024.
    Freedom of Russia Legion launches yet another raid into Belgorod Oblast.
    • Reuters; October 13, 2024.
    Caucasus Emirate claims responsibility for bombing of television station in Argun.
    • Newsweek; October 14, 2024.
    Indian armed forces wrest back control of Jaisalmer from Islamic State militants.
    • The Times of India; October 16, 2024.
    NASA announces plans for a manned Mars flyby mission by 2030.
    • Space.com; October 18, 2024.
    Mount Vesuvius erupts for the first time in over 80 years.
    • The Times; October 19, 2024.
    Italian government declares state of emergency throughout Campania Region.
    • Corriere della Sera; October 19, 2024.
    Evacuation buses for Vesuvius victims stall while parked.
    • Rai News; October 20, 2024.
    The struggle between government forces and the Islamic State of India over Bikaner remains ongoing as ISI troops use human shields at every opportunity.
    • ITV (India); October 21, 2024.
    Cotton aggressively attacks Biden during third debate; claims that he was "solely responsible" for the war in Ukraine.
    • CNN; October 22, 2024.
    At least 3,000 reported dead from Vesuvius eruption.
    • La Repubblica; October 23, 2024.
    Multiple parks in Rome crowded with tents housing Vesuvius refugees.
    • Newsweek; October 24, 2024.
    Minecraft version 1.24 changelog.
    • Minecraft.net; October 25, 2024.
    Islamic State of India-affiliated terrorist detonates bomb near Hindu temple in Mumbai.
    • The Times of India; October 26, 2024.
    Behdad Kalwar reportedly killed by Indian drone strike on Thar Desert base.
    • Dainik Jagran; October 28, 2024.
    Serbia to hold referendum on joining the European Union on March 9.
    • DW; October 30, 2024.
    Miami city councilwoman urges parents to not send their children trick-or-treating out of fear for potential of "razor blades" hidden in candy.
    • WPLG; October 31, 2024.
    Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni calls for snap legislative elections to be held on December 8; cites political backlash against the poor government response to the Vesuvius eruption.
    • BBC; November 1, 2024.
    Ukrainian military reaches Chornomorske.
    • DW; November 2, 2024.
    "Based on the most recent polling, it looks like Biden will be able to just barely scrape by past the 270 requirement. Given that the conservative voter base is evenly split between Trump and DeSantis, it's highly likely that even if no candidate is able to win a majority of electoral votes, Biden and Harris will still be able to win the majority of the popular vote pretty easily."
    • Jim Acosta (CNN); November 3, 2024.
    "As much as I hate to admit it I think Biden is gonna win this one. Trump's gonna spoil it against DeSantis, and if that isn't the most batshit insane, self-defeating final fuck you to the country he tried to run for 4 years then I don't know what is."
    • @Soyjick43 (Twitter); November 4, 2024.
    Group of Proud Boys attempt to block entrance to voting precinct in north Miami.
    • Right Wing Watch; November 5, 2024.
    Crowd of far-left extremists intimidate voters entering precinct building in Portland.
    • The Daily Wire; November 5, 2024.
    "This is the endgame, folks. This is the battle for the fate of our country!"
    • Tucker Carlson at DeSantis rally in Tampa; November 5, 2024.
    Biden wins Connecticut, most of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. DeSantis wins Pennsylvania and Maine's second district.
    • ABC News (US); November 5, 2024.
    DeSantis declared winner for Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and West Virginia. Biden takes DC, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.
    • Fox News; November 5, 2024.
    Biden wins Illinois and Michigan. DeSantis wins Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee. Trump and Cotton take Alabama and Mississippi.
    • CNN; November 5, 2024.
    "How is Trump getting states? He's rotting in fucking prison!"
    • Off-air remark by Anderson Cooper (CNN); November 5, 2024.
    Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana and Missouri go to DeSantis; Biden wins Minnesota and Wisconsin.
    • PBS News; November 5, 2024.
    DeSantis wins Kansas, all of Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas.
    • Fox News; November 5, 2024.
    Trump wins Montana and Wyoming, while Biden takes Colorado and New Mexico.
    • OANN; November 5, 2024.
    Biden declared winner for Arizona; DeSantis wins Idaho and Utah.
    • NBC News; November 5, 2024.
    Biden wins California, Oregon and Washington state. DeSantis wins Nevada.
    • ABC News (US); November 5, 2024.
    DeSantis picks up Alaska, while Biden takes Hawaii.
    • PBS News; November 6, 2024.
    JOE BIDEN REELECTED!
    • CNN; November 6, 2024.
    No candidate able to win 270 electoral votes; Congress to vote on the matter on Friday.
    • Fox News; November 6, 2024.
    "Remind me again why the electoral college still exists?"
    • @ItreoGuevera (Twitter); November 6, 2024.
    Democrats lose 4 seats in the House of Representatives and gain 1 seat in the Senate.
    • NBC News; November 6, 2024.
    "Though I can't say the same about the presidential outcome, I'm still kind of surprised that the Dems were able to pick up another seat in the Senate. I think it's also safe to say that the tides will be reversed after the midterms, once the six-year itch rears its ugly head."
    • Janice Dean (Fox & Friends); November 6, 2024.
    Democrats gain control of upper house of New Hampshire's state legislature, along with the lower house of Wisconsin; Republicans regain control of Michigan's lower house.
    • Politico; November 6, 2024.
    Republican Tim Anderson wins Missouri gubernatorial race.
    • KETC; November 6, 2024.
    Republican Mark Robinson elected Governor of North Carolina.
    • The News & Observer; November 6, 2024.
    - - -

    If I was pleasantly surprised to win the nomination, then you wouldn't believe the shock I got when the television announced me as the winner. Crystal Quade was a respectable opponent, perhaps more well-spoken than I was during the debates, and based on the polls I was under the assumption that it was she who would be living in the Governor's Mansion. The race did turn out to be very close, however - for a few hours on the evening of the election, most of the TV news stations were convinced that Quade would end up winning. But to my surprise and to the surprise of many voters, when the sun rose on the morning of November 6, 2024 the people of Missouri had chosen me as their new Governor-elect.

    The celebrations were joyful and immediate. Doris and both of my daughters each gave me the best hug that they could give, I thanked all of my top campaign aides for their generous support, and the incumbent at the time, Mike Parson, personally gave a phone call to congratulate me on my victory. Things were looking quite well for me, as much as they were for the future of the Republicans as a whole.

    All the while, there remained a seed of lingering doubt in my mind that had persisted for the better part of a solid year. Would I be good enough to run the state of Missouri? Would I be able to implement the reforms I wanted without any pushback from the legislature? Would anyone try to slander or cancel me out of office, like so many other politicians? There's no doubt in my mind that similar questions rang in the heads of many a past governor-elect, but at the time I had little choice but to keep those thoughts in the background and start work on the upcoming transition.

    Tim K. Anderson. "Rise and Fall", Simon & Schuster, 2039.
     
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  • View discussion
    • Interlude II
  • View content
    • The field was abuzz with activity and controlled chaos as John Flander kicked the football down the center. Three opponents swarmed him on all sides, trying their best to corner him before he could reach the goal. It would be a lot nicer, he thought, if we all wore uniforms like the real teams.

    One of the opponents staggered for a moment before another crashed into him like an oncoming train.

    John's good friend from Liverpool, Ron, kept a steady pace ahead of him while the one remaining challenger "Oi! Give me the ball, you knob!"

    "You don't have to shout at me!" The ball flew into the air for a brief second, almost seeming to hover in the air as everyone anticipated its touchdown. Ron hurried himself to the defense of his friend...

    ...but he wasn't fast enough. John's opponent, a burly teen with an imposing frame, noticed where the ball was headed and rushed over to the ball with lightning speed. The dying rays of the setting sun were still getting in all of their eyes, so it took a moment of mental processing for John and Ron to notice him picking up the ball with his hands.

    "Oi! Foul! That's a foul!"

    The ball thief took off with his prize, catching the ire of all the remaining players on the field. Some jolted after him with the full intention of apprehending the rule-breaker, but the others who knew the offending footballer kept their ground and stayed put. As the thief and his pursuers made their way through the leaf-covered alleys and streets, a light drizzle started to pepper the ground and everyone on it.

    Ron walked up to John and let out a soft grunt before turning to face the rule breaker's vanishing silhouette. "Well, that right there was your typical Saturday in East London."

    John snorted. "Oh, piss off. Nobody's playing football anymore these days. They're all either playing Fortnite or watching TikTok videos."

    "You sound just like my grandad, you know that?" Ron retorted with a smile. "I've got to go back to my place. I'll be playing some Gran Turismo."

    John stopped Ron before he could even walk two paces. "Hey Ron, can I come with you after dinner? I don't really have anything to do for the rest of the day."

    "Sure. Just don't take off with the steering wheel, aight?" The two friends shared a laugh before going their separate ways.

    - - -

    "Jesus Christ, that was really freaky."

    Jacob Strand and his father, George, sat in the family living room watching the credits to Invader Zim flash on the television. Jacob looked over to his dad, wearing an expression more of disappointment than freight.

    George shot a smirk at his son. "And funny. Don't forget funny."

    "Yeah, yeah, I know. I didn't really think it was that funny, though."

    George turned the TV off with the remote. "Well, I just wanted to show you the sort of stuff I used to watch when I was your age. It's really sad looking at how much worse cartoons have gotten."

    "What, you mean like the Owl House?"

    "Well, I didn't say specifically the Owl House, but I'm sure you know what I meant."

    "Even the Owl House was better than this." Jake

    "Really? What do you think a real alien would look like?"

    Jake put his knuckle against his chin before letting out a comedically generic "hmm."

    "I think if aliens were real, then they definitely wouldn't look like that. I think they'd be a lot weirder, a lot more crazy-looking. I mean, we are talking about aliens here, right? Creatures that have nothing to do with our world whatsoever?"

    George threw up his hands out of indifference. "I don't think there's any way to know for sure." Jake could almost see the spark that went off in his dad's brain before he immediately changed the subject. "Hey, wait a minute... do you still want to become an astronaut just so you can meet aliens?"

    Jake was taken aback. "Oh, no, it's not about the aliens at all! Matter of fact, I think aliens would be one of the reasons why I wouldn't want to go to space." He chuckled. The wonder in his eyes reminded George of a distant time, a time when his son was more caring towards his mom and dad. "I want to go be an astronaut because space is... is the final frontier."

    George smirked at Jake. "Well, before you can get to the final frontier, you have to go through the current fronter of 9th grade."

    "What does what I'm doing in school right now have anything to do with this?"

    George sighed, giving Jake the signal that he was going to go onto yet another one of his famous lectures. "You haven't been getting very good grades in school so far this year. Your last report card had a C in English and a B in math."

    Jake rolled his eyes. "I'm good with math, Dad. Trust me."

    "Really? What's 31 times 14?"

    "Umm... 434, right?"

    "Hey! Look at that! I knew you could do it," George exclaimed while lifting his hand up for Jake to high-five. Jake, whose bored expression remained unchanged, did not return the gesture.

    "Dad, that wasn't too hard. Two-digit multiplication was in fifth grade."

    George lowered his hand, returning to a serious demeanor. "Look, I know you're good with math, but that's not all you need to learn. Don't get me wrong, I can accept a C in anything just fine, but if you want to become an astronaut you really need to go above and beyond! You have to be exceptional in just about every subject you study in, and that included You need to be able to write eloquent reports about your experiences in space, and for college papers, and so many other things..." he leaned back into the couch, "Now, I'm not saying you can't do it; all I'm saying is that you really need to try."

    "Okay," Jake began. "I'll try. I've been trying."

    "Jake," George declared before putting a firm hand on Jake's shoulder. "You haven't been trying hard enough."

    - - -

    In the dusty backstage room of a dusty Covina bar, four exhausted bandmates walked in with a huff. Bernard, the lead guitarist of the band, held his forehead in dread of the conversation that was to follow.

    Irwin, the bassist, was the one to break the silence. "Well, then. Domodo, I think that was the worst gig we've had this year."

    Bern gave him a grim simile out of agreement. "Worst of the year? More like the worst of the decade. I'm sorry Gerard, but you could barely keep your rhythm up with everybody else."

    As if on cue, Gerard chimed in. "Yeah, that was my fault - but let's face it, you guys. Nobody likes Christian rock anymore. It's no longer in vogue."

    Sheila, a blonde woman who played rhythm guitar, added her own comment. "I don't think Christian rock was ever in vogue. At least, not here in Cali."

    Gerard continued with his thoughts. "Why did we name our band after some boring old white guys, anyway? Why couldn't we go with somebody like Richard Allen or Vernon Johns?"

    Bern just shrugged in response. "I dunno, man. I was 19 when I came up with that name. Really wish I had thought of something different."

    Irwin spoke up with an idea. "Well, it's never too late to change.

    "No, no, that won't work." Bern replied. "Everyone who knows us, knows us as 'Wycliffe & Penn'. There's no point in going through all the effort to change our name if we have to start all over with reputation. And besides you, Gerard, I don't think I've met any African-American in my life who enjoys Christian ro-"

    Just then, a roadie walked in with a huff, holding a half-empty can of Gatorade in his hand.

    "Hey, I wanna let you guys know that Biden's about to win. He's just taken Arizona, and I seriously doubt that DeSantis or Trump are gonna take any of the West Coast states. There's no way he can't win."

    Bern's brow furrowed. "Where did you get this from?"

    "CNN."

    "Yeah, I wouldn't jump to conclusions."

    "Dude, it was on NBC and ABC, too. I'm not that stupid."

    Bern waved a hand at the roadie in dismissal. "Okay, why are you telling me this now? Couldn't any of this wait until the morning?"

    He turned himself back to face the rest of the band, leaving the roadie to walk out in embarrassment. "Okay, despite what went down today, we still need to say our prayers before we eat..."

    - - -

    Sollux Captor walked out of the New Haven courthouse with a newfound sense of pride and accomplishment. Just about every family member he so much as looked at advised him against doing what he had just done, but now that he was an independent adult none of their complaints mattered to him anymore.

    He stopped outside the courthouse door to snap a short video selfie. Sure, there were people taking a look at him with his candy corn horn headbands and red-and-blue-tinted glasses, but why should they care about him? He had his 1k followers on his TikTok, and they had whatever lives they were experiencing. In a week or less, they would completely forget about him and his antics before going on and voting in elections or something.

    Sollux took the extra time to give his post a caption. It wasn't to hard to come up with, anyways: "ii am become 2ollux, de2troyer of feed2". All he had to do was make one last tap, and it was now on the internet for everyone to see. Well, everyone with a TikTok account, that is.

    As he walked down the street, he took glances at all the people going about their daily business. Most of them were wearing coats and jackets in order to weather themselves against the chilly autumn weather. Too bad he would never be able to get a date with any of them. Maybe that was for the best.

    - - -

    "I think we do need to call foul."

    Ron DeSantis sat at the head of a tired and anxious table of top campaign aides, all staring at each other with the eyes of anxious dogs. From the other room, the faint sound of several TVs all blaring election coverage at the same time remained the only response to the governor's proposal.

    A woman shot up out of her chair, dramatically throwing her hands up in disgust. "And we'll do that for what, you getting put in the slammer next to Trump? We have to concede, the stability of the nation depends on it!"

    DeSantis scowled. "You want to talk to me about the stability of the nation? We won't have a nation anymore if Biden gets to run it into the ground for the next four years!"

    A second campaign staffer, a crotchety old man with round-framed glasses, spoke up. "Frankly, Mr. DeSantis, we couldn't give a damn about what Biden does once he's re-elected. Our first and foremost concern is your safety and your political reputation, and if you think you can pull the same move that Trump did four years ago you can kiss your sorry career good-bye."

    DeSantis stared at the man in silence for a brief moment before collecting himself and continuing. "Alright, let's take a vote. All in favor of conceding the election?"

    Everyone except DeSantis raised his hand. "All opposed?" He slowly lifted his arm up for a brief moment before slumping it down in defeat.

    "Okay. The ayes have it. Tell the writers to prepare my concession speech."
     
  • View discussion
    • Chapter 4
  • View content
    • LEAVING THE CRADLE // Brandon Gets a Second Go.​

    Trump won almost 20% of the popular vote. What does this mean for America?
    • Vice; November 7, 2024.
    Next US Congress to hold contingent election on January 4.
    • Politico; November 8, 2024.
    Far-right Trump supporters launch protests against purported election fraud in a number of major cities.
    • CNN; November 9, 2024.
    Counter-protesters clash with alt-right election disruptors in Columbus, Ohio.
    • The Columbus Dispatch; November 9, 2024.
    Far-right rioters target and smash LGBTQ+ and black owned stores in Atlanta, Georgia.
    • WACS-TV; November 9, 2024.
    "How do you like it, fucktards?! How do you like it now?!"
    • Quote from Twitter video showing far-right assailants with masks smashing and looting a black-owned coffee shop in Atlanta; November 9, 2024.
    DeSantis concedes election to Biden in belated speech.
    • The New York Times; November 10, 2024.
    "After reviewing the results with my staff, we have determined that unlike the presidential elections of years past the outcome of last Tuesday's vote was not tampered with in any significant way. I know it may be hard for many of you to accept, but that's just the way things are."
    • Quote from Ron DeSantis's concession speech; November 10, 2024.
    "He did a good thing. I hate to say that about someone like Ron DeSantis, but he did a good thing."
    • Anderson Cooper (CNN); November 10, 2024.
    "What a coward."
    • Glenn Beck (Blaze Media); November 10, 2024.
    Most Republicans still believe presidential election was tampered with; here's why.
    • Fox News; November 12, 2024.
    "Stop the steal!"
    • Rallying cry made by Trump supporters outside the United States Capitol Building; November 12, 2024.
    Could there be a second January 6th?
    • Vice; November 13, 2024.
    Despite the restoration of the power grid, many South African refugees are refusing to return to their home country.
    • Vox; November 14, 2024.
    Indian government forces take back Barmer following several months of fighting.
    • ITV News (India); November 15, 2024.
    Ukraine captures city of Zaporizhzhia from Russian occupiers.
    • The Guardian; November 16, 2024.
    Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni found dead in State House at Entebbe.
    • AP; November 17, 2024.
    Labor wins 2 seats in recent half-Senate election.
    • ABC News (Australia); November 17, 2024.
    Jessica Alupo assumes role as President of Uganda.
    • Euronews; November 18, 2024.
    Ukrainian and Russian naval squadrons exchange gunfire in southwestern Sea of Azov.
    • The New York Times; November 19, 2024.
    Clique of UPDF commanders refuse to accept Alupo as new president; many onlookers fear the start of civil war.
    • NBC News; November 19, 2024.
    Thousands of Trump and DeSantis supporters hold rallies across the nation in protest against alleged voter fraud perpetuated by Democrats.
    • Breitbart; November 20, 2024.
    Gunfire breaks out between supporters of Alupo and supporters of the National Stability Council junta in Ugandan capital of Kampala.
    • The Washington Post; November 21, 2024.
    Far-right militants attempt to take Arizona governor Katie Hobbs hostage in retribution for purported complicity in the "fraud" of the 2024 presidential election.
    • The Arizona Republic; November 22, 2024.
    "The governor's bodyguards were able to repulse the terrorists, and Governor Hobbs was not injured in the fighting. They did their jobs, and for that the State of Arizona commends them."
    • Arizona state official during press conference at Phoenix; November 22, 2024.
    Ukraine acquires strategic control over the Azov Sea, west of the Kerch Strait.
    • Military News; November 23, 2024.
    Thousands of Ugandan troops deployed in foreign countries go rouge before attacking and burning every village they come across.
    • Human Rights Watch; November 23, 2024.
    Arizona state government holds eulogy for Marcus Spencer, gubernatorial bodyguard killed by domestic terrorists.
    • KPNX; November 24, 2024.
    New video footage shows Ukrainian soldiers celebrating recent victories against Russians with drinks and partying.
    • Vox; November 25, 2024.
    NSC forces seize much of Northern Uganda as Alupo loyalists retain control of much of the country.
    • Reuters; November 26, 2024.
    Artemis 2 crewed spacecraft launches for Lunar flyby.
    • Space.com; November 27, 2024.
    Falcon Heavy carries Lunar Gateway's PPE and HALO into Earth orbit.
    • SpaceNews; November 28, 2024.
    Last Islamic State of India elements beaten out of Jaipur.
    • Dainik Jagran; November 30, 2024.
    Stunning footage captured by Artemis 2 crew shows an amazing view from the eyes of the first humans to get a close look at the Moon in over 50 years.
    • Vice; December 2, 2024.
    First elements of NASA's Lunar Gateway deployed in orbit of the Moon.
    • Space.com; December 3, 2024.
    Artemis 2 splashes down in the Pacific.
    • Ars Technica; December 4, 2024.
    "Wonderful job done by the Artemis 2 crew! Glad I could help with the rockets."
    • Elon Musk (Twitter); December 5, 2024.
    "elon stop you're too much"
    • @EnefteMonke (Twitter); December 5, 2024.
    "How are you people still around?"
    • @TankieSlayr (Twitter): December 5, 2024.
    Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin claims that Syria is funneling guns and ammunition to Lebanon in support of the Golan Heights invasion.
    • Reuters; December 6, 2024.
    Fighting continues in Crimean Prairie Lands as neither side is able to achieve clear advantage.
    • Euronews; December 7, 2024.
    Hamas suicide bomber destroys radio station in Haifa. 23 dead, dozens more reported missing.
    • The Jerusalem Post; December 8, 2024.
    Centre-left coalition regains majority in Italian Chamber of Deputies.
    • Rai News 24; December 9, 2024.
    Italian prime minister Meloni encourages supporters to reject results of recent general election.
    • NBC News; December 10, 2024.
    Online video game company Roblox hit with $300 million child exploitation class-action lawsuit.
    • Business Insider; December 11, 2024.
    Toby Fox confirms Deltarune Chapters 6 and 7 will be released separately.
    • FanNow; December 12, 2024.
    Over 8,000 UN peacekeepers deployed to Uganda in order to help resolve ongoing civil war.
    • BBC News; December 13, 2024.
    Residents in Naples and Salerno stand firmly against Meloni's attempt to overturn elections.
    • CNN; December 14, 2024.
    DeSantis supporters surround Florida State Capitol in an attempt to disrupt meeting of presidential electors.
    • KULR-TV; December 15, 2024.
    FBI bomb squad defuses mail bombs sent to the houses of 4 Ohioan presidential electors.
    • The Columbus Dispatch; December 15, 2024.
    Buddhist temple in New Delhi firebombed by Islamist suicide bomber.
    • Dainik Bhaskar; December 16, 2024.
    Ukraine launches attack on Russian military bases near Yevpatoriya.
    • 1+1; December 17, 2024.
    Ugandan National Stability Council launches offensive towards government capital of Kampala.
    • Reuters; December 18, 2024.
    Montenegro approves EU accession referendum, with 62% saying "yes".
    • DW; December 20, 2024.
    Sid Meier's Civilization VII is great, but it could still be a lot better. 7/10
    • IGN; December 21, 2024.
    Alt-right terrorism continues to be on the rise.
    • Vice; December 22, 2024.
    Sonic the Hedgehog 3 bombs at the box office.
    • Deadline Hollywood; December 23, 2024.
    Homeless man causes disruption in Rockefeller Plaza by hiding in famous Christmas tree.
    • The New York Times; December 25, 2024.
    A look inside the shelled-out remains of Jaisalmer.
    • Vox; December 26, 2024.
    Region surrounding Kampala subject to frequent bombing raids as Ugandan Civil War shows little signs of stopping.
    • BBC News; December 27, 2024.
    Elly Schlein sworn in as Prime Minister of Italy.
    • Euronews; December 30, 2024.
    Armed Brothers of Italy supporters surround seat of the Italian Chamber of Deputies in attempt to overthrow government.
    • The New York Times; December 30, 2024.
    Protestors clash with military police in Rome as the fate of Italy hangs in the balance.
    • The National Review; December 30, 2024.
    Belgian Chamber of Representatives form government led by Worker's Party.
    • Luxemburger Wort; December 30, 2024.
    Meloni leaves Rome on plane headed to South Africa.
    • La Repubblica; December 31, 2024.
    Ugandan National Stability Council launches surprise strike on Mbarara.
    • The Daily Sun (South Africa); December 31, 2024.
    - - -

    Barasa could only watch as the APC crushed his favorite doll into a pile of straw and fabric in front of his very eyes. In fact, he should have been doing even less - his mother was urging him to come with her, but despite her continued tugs on her arm he remained transfixed by the vehicle.

    "Sweetie, we have to go, we have to go!" Mama chanted over and over again as the sockets in Barasa's shoulder nearly uncoupled from the rest of his torso. His legs gave out, and he couldn't even look back as she carried him onto the evacuation bus.

    He didn't understand how they could do such a horrible thing. He couldn't yet understand the more important things they had already done.

    - - -

    "We're now closer to 2050 than we are to 2000. I really don't know how to feel about that"
    • @Solkinne612 (Twitter); January 1, 2025.
    119th Congress sworn in at the Capitol.
    • AP; January 3, 2025.
    Senate votes to elect Harris as vice president; House of Representatives votes for Biden via plurality.
    • NBC News; January 4, 2025.
    "Somebody needs to do something about those 27 congresspeople who voted for Trump. Censure, expulsion, imprisonment, it doesn't really matter to me."
    • @transSocialite (Twitter); January 4, 2025.
    New wave of far-right rioting sweeps the nation following confirmation of Biden's second term.
    • The New York Times; January 5, 2025.
    Second January 6th attack narrowly averted via law enforcement blockade of Capitol Hill.
    • CNN; January 6, 2025.
    "So much for freedom..."
    • Pro-Trump insurrectionist after being turned away by Capitol Police blockade; January 6, 2025.
    "Two attempts by fascists to overthrow democratically elected governments in the span of a week. Jesus fucking christ what a world we live in"
    • @ItreoGuevera (Twitter); January 6, 2025.
    FBI issues arrest warrants against almost a hundred alleged ringleaders in yesterday's attempted invasion of the Capitol.
    • AP; January 7, 2025.
    Recent DoD report concludes Islamic State of India remains significant problem in the Thar Desert.
    • Military.com; January 8, 2025.
    Meta Platforms "bleeding money", according to 2024 annual budgetary report.
    • Forbes; January 10, 2025.
    Russian military struggles to contain Caucasus Emirate insurgents based out of the mountains.
    • NBC News; January 11, 2025.
    Andrew Tate makes new return stream on Rumble with large scar on cheek.
    • TMZ; January 12, 2025.
    Free Army of Kaliningrad seizes Rybachii in surprise attack against beleaguered Russian military.
    • DW; January 14, 2025.
    Tucker Carlson to launch new show starting next Monday, called Talks with Tucker, here on One America News Network.
    • OANN; January 15, 2025.
    All of Zaporizhzhia Oblast back under Ukrainian control.
    • Dzerkalo Tyzhnia; January 16, 2025.
    Focal point of Indian Religious Crisis shifts east as Kolkata becomes subject to more sectarian violence than ever before.
    • BBC News; January 19, 2025.
    Biden's second inauguration goes off without a hitch.
    • Newsweek; January 20, 2025.
    Oregon Legislative Assembly approves referendum to implement ranked choice voting in all statewide elections for Election Day 2025.
    • The Statesman Journal; January 22, 2025.
    Battle for control over the Golan Heights continues to rage on; at least 5,000 reported casualties across all sides.
    • Reuters; January 24, 2025.
    Boko Haram attacks in Nigerian Sahel ramping up over the course of the last two months.
    • Sky News; January 26, 2025.
    Roblox lawsuit settled out of court for undisclosed monetary amount.
    • The Wall Street Journal; January 29, 2025.
    PM Starmer gives hints towards potential reconciliation with the EU.
    • The Sun; February 1, 2025.
    Behdad Kalwar alive and well, according to recent Islamic State of India propaganda video uploaded to YouTube.
    • The New York Post; February 3, 2025.
    Unidentified masked assailants open fire in Maiduguri, Nigeria.
    • Vanguard (Nigeria); February 4, 2025.
    Are the Flyover states becoming the newest hotspot for the alt-right?
    • Vice; February 6, 2025.
    San Francisco 49ers beat New England Patriots 25-24 at Super Bowl LIX, hosted in Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
    • Fox Sports; February 9, 2025.
    World-famous singer and former Beatle Sir Ringo Starr dead at 84.
    • BBC News; February 11, 2025.
    Lebanese forces largely pushed out the vicinity of Galilee.
    • Yedioth Ahronoth; February 13, 2025.
    Donetsk People's Republic leader Denis Pushilin killed by drone strike.
    • Newsweek; February 14, 2025.
    Hundreds of thousands of South African refugees reluctantly board ships for home as many wonder just how firmly the ANC is under the CCP's thumb.
    • Fox News; February 15, 2025.
    FBI agents, ATF troops and local law enforcement surround alt-right hideout near Fort Wayne, Indiana as part of ongoing illegal arms crackdown and hostage situation.
    • WPTA; February 17, 2025.
    "Those bastards aren't gonna get our femoids, no matter what it takes!"
    • Far-right militia leader rallying against government agents during Fort Wayne hostage crisis; February 17, 2025.
    "Wait... so they're doing all of this just because they can't get a date? How fucking demented do you need to be..."
    • @transSocialtie (Twitter); February 17, 2025.
    Federal law enforcement unable to save most hostages as Fort Wayne compound burns to the ground.
    • CNN; February 18, 2025.
    "It's a real shame that even thirty years after Waco, the federal government still hasn't learned how to diffuse situations like the one that transpired over the last couple of days."
    • Tucker Carlson (OANN); February 18, 2025.
    "Out of all the things I thought would happen in 2025, I would have never expected there to be a incel repeat of Waco. Good fucking riddance to those assholes."
    • Vaush (YouTube); February 18, 2025.
    National Assembly narrowly rejects budget proposed by Macron cabinet.
    • BFM TV; February 19, 2025.
    President Macron calls for snap legislative elections to be held in June.
    • Le Parisien; February 20, 2025.
    Boko Haram launches brutal raid on key government facilities in Kano.
    • NewsOnline Nigeria; February 23, 2025.
    Leaked CCP dossier names "immigrants of African descent" as one of the primary domestic threats to Chinese national security.
    • CNN; February 25, 2025.
    Several leaders of the Ugandan National Stability Council killed by Alupoist bombing raid.
    • DW; February 27, 2025.
    PM Chowdhury declares Islamic State of India threat "largely over"; promises that "the government will take every measure possible in order to bring about reconciliation between Muslims and Hindus throughout India".
    • Euronews; February 28, 2025.
    Buddhist monk found stabbed to death in Mumbai alleyway.
    • The Times of India; March 1, 2025.
    Cities of Lira and Gulu back under Alupoist control.
    • Reuters; March 3, 2025.
    Texas state legislature narrowly passes law legalizing the use of medical marijuana.
    • Houston Chronicle; March 4, 2025.
    Governor Abbot vetoes medical marijuana bill.
    • KRIV; March 5, 2025.
    Amazon announces the release of the Asimov, a chore-performing consumer robot with a release slated for September.
    • Wired; March 7, 2025.
    "The Asimov will be revolutionary in consumer robotics. Its proprietary built-in deep learning processor core can be taught to perform a wide array of household tasks, including but not limited to disposing trash bags, cleaning dishes and vacuuming floors."
    • Jeff Bezos unveiling the Amazon Asimov at a presentation in San Diego, California; March 7, 2025.
    "Okay, who the fuck would pay for a $50,000 robot to take out your trash when you can do it yourself for free?
    • @ItreoGuevera (Twitter); March 8, 2025.
    President Biden's approval rating currently at 65%.
    • Politico; March 10, 2025.
    51% in Serbia vote "no" to joining the EU.
    • Le Monde; March 10, 2025.
    Reddit slowly losing userbase to competitors like Bettip and Mastodon.
    • The Wall Street Journal; March 13, 2025.
    Google closes in on deal to buy Reality Labs (including Oculus Studios) from Meta Platforms for $8 billion USD.
    • Forbes; March 14, 2025.
    "This is a key victory for ensuring the continued success of the Alphabet family. We aim to use the cutting-edge tech provided by Reality to create the next generation of virtual reality gear."
    • Sundar Pichai (CEO of Alphabet); March 14, 2025.
    Former president Jair Bolsonaro escapes from prison with aid from group of fervent supporters.
    • TV Brasilia; March 15, 2025.
    "Bolso is ours! Fuck the fags!"
    • Rallying cry of Bolsonaro prison breakers; March 15, 2025.
    Freedom of Russia legion launches concurrent assaults on Russian military bases across Rostov Oblast.
    • Reuters; March 16, 2025.
    "There seems to be a lot more defectors from the Russian armed forces than anyone's been able to anticipate. According to a Department of Defense estimate, the number of attackers appear to be at least 12,000..."
    • Brian Cambell (MSNBC); March 16, 2025.
    Russian forces reportedly "devastated" by FOR attacks.
    • DW; March 17, 2025.
    VVD loses 3 seats in the Dutch House of Representatives.
    • RTL 4; March 17, 2025.
    Bolsonaro reportedly escapes Brazil in private jet.
    • Newsweek; March 18, 2025.
    Governor Anderson vetoes bill that would put blanket ban on abortion throughout Missouri.
    • St. Louis Post-Dispatch; March 20, 2025.
    "...it's a voluntary form of population control. It may be disgusting and abhorrent to many of you out there, but I for one am quite worried about the global population crisis, and abortion is one way for us to combat this problem. Hell, if it were up to me I'd make damn well sure that any woman who gets raped could get one, but for some mystical reason the General Assembly and I don't see eye-to-eye on that."
    • Missouri governor Tim Anderson explaining his reasoning for vetoing abortion ban bill; March 20, 2025.
    Ukrainian military makes advance towards city of Donetsk.
    • Euronews; March 22, 2025.
    F5 Tornado sweeps across northeastern Kansas.
    • KSNT; March 25, 2025.
    Recent tornado creates at least $80 million worth of damages in Lawrence, Kansas.
    • NBC News; March 26, 2025.
    Governor Anderson offers to send monetary aid to help those affected by Tuesday's tornado.
    • The Riverfront Times; March 28, 2025.
    Partial solar eclipse occurs throughout much of Europe.
    • BBC News; March 29, 2025.
    Caucasus Emirate launches full-on assault on Vladikavkaz.
    • The Guardian; March 31, 2025.
    - - -

    By the spring of 2025, it was becoming quite clear to both the Russian public and the wider international community that the tides of the war were turning towards Ukraine's favor. The Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics were collapsing in on themselves without adequate Russian support, much of the Crimea was back under Ukrainian control, and any chance of the Russian navy making a breakout back into the western Sea of Azov were next to none. Nary a week went by over the summer without reports reaching the Kremlin of a mutiny somewhere in Siberia or the desertion of entire battalions worth of men.

    Despite this, Putin and his government remained vigilant. A leaked phone call on April 22nd between Putin and an unidentified field general portrayed Putin as an unrelenting war hawk, dismissing concerns of low morale with great platitudes to the "spirit of the Russian people" and assuring the general that the logistics train was "working like a mule" for the soldiers on the frontline. These sort of vague reassurances were echoed throughout the United Russia leadership up until the very end, and even then there still remained a glimmer of determination...

    Lucas Ballinger. "The Russo-Ukrainian War", Random House, 2030.
     
    Last edited:
  • View discussion
    • Chapter 5
  • View content
    • LEAVING THE CRADLE // Freedom is Not Free.​

    Reddit admins start yet another repeat of r/place for the second year in a row.
    • Cracked.com; April 1, 2025.
    Leading Alupoist general proudly admits to waterboarding prisoners of war during BBC interview.
    • Human Rights Watch; April 2, 2025.
    Boko Haram launches brutal attack on key military installations in and around Sokoto.
    • AIT News; April 3, 2025.
    Next German federal election date set for October 3.
    • Newsweek; April 4, 2025.
    Islamic State of India reduced to a few small pockets in the Thar Desert.
    • BBC News; April 5, 2025.
    Several United Russia MPs of Novosibirsk Legislative Assembly killed by mail bombs sent by unknown perpetrators.
    • Interfax; April 6, 2025.
    Israeli government declares victory over Lebanon in Golan Heights conflict.
    • Israel HaYom; April 7, 2025.
    Russian forces repulse Caucasus Emirate's attack on Vladikavkaz at considerable cost in civilian and military casualties.
    • Reuters; April 8, 2025.
    Family Guy renewed for 25th season.
    • The Hollywood Reporter; April 8, 2025.
    Manhush recaptured by Ukrainian forces with little resistance from Russian occupiers.
    • Euronews; April 9, 2025.
    Colorado Senate narrowly defeats House bill that would grant subsidies towards MDMA-assisted psychotherapy throughout the state.
    • The Denver Post; April 10, 2025.
    Inside the growing migration of white supremacists from across the country to the states of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.
    • Vice; April 11, 2025.
    Rank and file of Russian 68th Army Corps stationed in Sakhalin stage mutiny against Putin and Russian army.
    • Reuters; April 12, 2025.
    Tensions rising as tens of thousands of Chinese migrant workers have yet to return home despite the end of the power crisis.
    • The Sunday Times (South Africa); April 13, 2025.
    Pipe bomb detonated during mass held at Mormon church in Conway, Arkansas.
    • KARK-TV; April 13, 2025.
    Sakhalin mutineers launch guerilla campaign against remaining Russian military.
    • DW; April 14, 2025.
    Putin's popularity in Russia may now be lower than ever.
    • Vice; April 14, 2025.
    Biden once against seen slipping on his way up the steps of Air Force One.
    • Fox News; April 15, 2025.
    Netflix executives are reportedly considering filing for bankruptcy or taking another drastic action.
    • Vox; April 16, 2025.
    Alupoists "have the high ground", according to Ugandan Minister of Defence.
    • CNN; April 17, 2025.
    Fire breaks out in the parliament house of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic.
    • Euronews; April 18, 2025.
    Caucasus Emirate claims responsibility for the burning of Kabardino-Balkarian Parliament House.
    • BBC News; April 18, 2025.
    King Salman of Saudi Arabia dead at age 89.
    • NBC News; April 19, 2025.
    All of the Crimea east of Feodosia back under Ukrainian control.
    • 1+1; April 20, 2025.
    Bolsonaro extradited back to Brazil after being discovered living in dilapidated apartment in Porto, Portugal.
    • The Washington Post; April 21, 2025.
    Newly proclaimed King Mohammed of Saudi Arabia names brother Abdulaziz as Crown Prince.
    • Al Jazeera; April 22, 2025.
    Angry crowds surround maximum security prison where Bolsonaro is set to be reincarcerated.
    • TV Brasilia; April 22, 2025.
    NASA, ESA, JAXA, SpaceX, Blue Origin and Sony unveil jointly funded plans for a remote-operated "TeleNaut" system to be deployed starting in 2028.
    • Space.com; April 23, 2025.
    "The standard model TeleNaut will be operated remotely by humans stationed at ground control, as well as being capable of autonomous action in a few very specific circumstances... yes, we are aware that the light-speed delay will pose a problem to operations beyond GEO, and we have made plenty of built-in redundancies that will hopefully mitigate these concerns."
    • Quote from NASA press release on the newly announced TeleNaut system; April 23, 2025.
    Netflix, the pioneering company in streaming services, files for bankruptcy.
    • Bloomberg; April 24, 2025.
    Pro-LGBT riots break out in Moscow neighborhood following brutal police killing of unarmed lesbian.
    • Le Monde; April 25, 2025.
    Moscow authorities confirm lesbian "politice brutality victim" was a known prostitute and resisted arrest.
    • RT; April 26, 2025.
    "...we cannot continue to allow these deviants and predators free reign over law-abiding citizens, and we cannot tolerate their attempts at subverting traditional Russian values. They are the reason why we are fighting the fascist Ukrainians, and it is why my ministry and I work day in and day out to maintain law and order throughout the country."
    • Russian president Putin addressing the previous day's riots in Moscow during a press conference; April 26, 2025.
    Mariupol recaptured by Ukrainian military.
    • Reuters; April 27, 2025.
    New Belgian prime minister Coralie Fremault promises to strengthen efforts towards establishing socialism in Belgium.
    • Le Monde; April 28, 2025.
    Angry crowd in East London, South Africa break into Chinese worker's homes with the intent of driving them out.
    • BBC News; April 29, 2025.
    Boko Haram launches full-out assault on Katsina, Nigeria with the alleged intention of capturing it.
    • CNN; April 29, 2025.
    Alupoists forces launch all-out offensive into NSC-controlled northwestern Uganda.
    • The Daily Sun (Nigeria); April 30, 2025.
    Florida man charged with breaking and entering after breaking through Orlando homeowner's door with axe.
    • The Miami Herald; May 1, 2025.
    Total number of Islamic State of India militants "40 at the very most", according to Indian Ministry of Defence report.
    • The Times of India; May 2, 2025.
    3 far-right extremists arrested, charged with plotting to break Donald Trump out from prison.
    • The New York Times; May 3, 2025.
    "Did they really not learn after last time?"
    • Anderson Cooper (CNN); May 3, 2025.
    Video of Uyghur man being beaten by PLA soldier goes viral on Twitter before getting deleted.
    • Vice; May 4, 2025.
    New Fantastic Four movie a certified flop.
    • Entertainment Weekly; May 5, 2025.
    Is South Africa a Chinese client state?
    • The Daily Wire; May 6, 2025.
    President Gálvez proclaims "no holds will be barred" by authorities against drug cartels and other organized crime throughout Mexico.
    • El Heraldo de México; May 7, 2025.
    Caucasus Emirate reportedly overrunning South Ossetian military in latest attack.
    • Euronews; May 8, 2025.
    Caucasus Emirate claims responsibility for bombing of post office in Telavi, Georgia.
    • DW; May 9, 2025.
    Ukrainian advance towards Sevastopol met with considerable sabotage by guerilla fighters.
    • AP; May 10, 2025.
    "I think the situation that we're looking at here can be best described as Stockholm syndrome on a mass scale. The people of Crimea have become complacent with Russian domination in the ten years since it was 'annexed', and now that this status quo is being challenged some of them are going to react with hostility."
    • Danielle Warburg (MSNBC); May 10, 2025.
    Civilian rioters in Utarom, West Papua clash with Indonesian law enforcement.
    • ABC News (Australia); May 11, 2025.
    National Rally candidate from Haute-Loire claims that the upcoming Assembly elections "[will] be rigged"; calls for resistance against results "by any means necessary".
    • Le Parisien; May 12, 2025.
    Russian PMCs use civilians as human shields in defense of Simferopol and other settlements in the Crimean prairie lands.
    • Human Rights Watch; May 13, 2025.
    Despite numerous initial setbacks, California's universal healthcare system has been running quite smoothly.
    • Jacobin; May 14, 2025.
    Future looking grim for Marvel and the MCU.
    • The Hollywood Reporter; May 15, 2025.
    Miami startup Nu Atlantis, Inc. plans to build an artificial island near the Florida Keys.
    • Ars Technica; May 16, 2025.
    Mexican Secretary of Security and Civilian Protection shot by own bodyguard.
    • La Jornada; May 17, 2025.
    Third Intifada continues to rage on with at least 130 reported casualties on both sides over the course of the last month.
    • Keshet 12 News; May 18, 2025.
    Attempted SEGURIDAD Secretary assassin revelated to have ties with the Gulf Cartel.
    • Las Estrallas News; May 19, 2025.
    Governor Newsom signs bill creating further restrictions on homeschooling in California.
    • Los Angeles Times; May 19, 2025.
    "It's like they're doing an any% speedrun for falling into the ocean."
    • diesel patches (YouTube); May 20, 2025.
    Nebraskan voters approve referendum implementing two-round voting system for state legislative elections.
    • KSNB-TV; May 21, 2025.
    New independent study reveals that at minimum of 200,000 Guangzhou residents are foreign-born African immigrants.
    • Vice; May 22, 2025.
    SEGURIDAD secretary passes away from gunshot wounds in Mexico City hospital.
    • El Heraldo de México; May 22, 2025.
    Tesla CEO Elon Musk files for bankruptcy.
    • Bloomberg; May 23, 2025.
    "heh heh heh"
    • @NoMoreCryptoBros (Twitter); May 23, 2025.
    Elon Musk resigns as chairman of Twitter.
    • Forbes; May 24, 2025.
    Musk sells majority of Twitter stock as part of financial reorganization following bankruptcy.
    • Business Insider; May 25, 2025.
    Battle of Katsina ends with Nigerian military pushing out Boko Haram at the cost of decimated neighborhoods and over a thousand lives.
    • Newsweek; May 26, 2025.
    Over 700 Sakhalin mutineers captured following engagement near Uglegorsk.
    • TASS; May 27, 2025.
    Online grassroots campaign encourages LGBTQ+ people to boycott pride parades out of concern for growing corporatization of Pride Month.
    • The Huffington Post; May 28, 2025.
    City of Aringa back under Ugandan government control.
    • SABC News; May 29, 2025.
    Ukraine recaptures Simferopol from Russian occupiers.
    • AP; May 30, 2025.
    Musk resigns as CEO of Tesla.
    • The Wall Street Journal; June 1, 2025.
    Elon Musk resigns as SpaceX's CEO due to continued stockholder pressure in wake of bankruptcy.
    • Bloomberg; June 2, 2025.
    Very few pride parades to be held this month in Florida due to fear of pushback by authorities.
    • The Miami Herald; June 3, 2025.
    Steve Jurvetson named as new SpaceX CEO.
    • Space.com; June 4, 2025.
    "Planning something big tomorrow. Catch me on Rumble at 6:00 PM EST"
    • Donald Trump, Jr. (Gab); June 5, 2025.
    Trump, Jr. announces the formation of the Freedom Party.
    • Townhall; June 6, 2025.
    "As true American patriots we've fought for freedom every day of our lives, so it would only make sense to name our new party after the one thing the left seems to hate. Now, who's with me?"
    • Donald Trump, Jr. (Rumble); June 6, 2025.
    - - -

    "Who the hell does he think he is, doing the same exact thing we've been doing for decades? How on God's green earth does he think he's going to get anywhere?"

    Angela McArdle fumed her way out of the Libertarian National Committee meeting chamber. The news regarding the formation of the Freedom Party was as sudden to her as it had been for most others on this day, and it didn't help things that it was thrown onto her right in the middle of a heated debate regarding party platforms.

    A staff aide tagged close behind McArdle, trying to "Ma'am, he's a citizen of this country, just like you and me. He has the right to form whatever political organization he pleases."

    "If he wanted to challenge the two-party oligarchy, then he could've just joined up with us! Fucking off and doing his own thing is only going to divide the greater third party movement even further."

    "You know, being a libertarian doesn't always imply that you're right-wing."

    McArdle stopped in her tracks before turning to face her advisor. "Are you saying that we should become a centrist party?"

    "No. I'm saying that we should try and recruit more left libertarians in order to present the Libertarians as being beyond the two-sided political spectrum and-"

    "So you're saying that we should become a centrist party."

    "No, I- yeah. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. The rest of the committee might not take kindly to such a suggestion, though. I don't think it'll be worth it."

    The two paused for a moment before McArdle gave her response. "I think it's worth a shot."

    - - -

    "There's no hope for these people. They've committed political suicide by splitting off from the GOP."
    • Anderson Cooper (CNN); June 6, 2025.
    "...and as for me? I think this new third party that stands for what's right will be just the jolt that this country needs in order to get back on the right foot."
    • Tucker Carlson (OANN); June 7, 2025.
    "I'm putting my full support behind the Freedom Party. It's the only chance we've got at tearing down the totalitarian left."
    • Matt Walsh (The Daily Wire); June 7, 2025.
    Next Japanese general elections to be held on October 12.
    • Fuji News Network; June 9, 2025.
    Marjorie Taylor Greene changes her party affiliation to Freedom.
    • Fox News; June 10, 2025.
    At least 10 state legislators have switched from Republican to Freedom over the course of the last week.
    • Breitbart; June 11, 2025.
    Caucasus Emirate captures small town of Stepantsminda in surprise attack against Georgian military.
    • DW; June 12, 2025.
    Why the Freedom Party has little chance at success in the midterms.
    • CNN; June 13, 2025.
    Europa Universalis V builds on everything great about its predecessors - and it's all the better for it, too.
    • IGN; June 14, 2025.
    "EU5 is a bit barebones compared to what EU4 had at its release. I'm almost afraid to find out how expensive the DLC is going to be"
    • TheMadPyroOfTF2 (Steam); June 15, 2025.
    "It's been 10 years since Donald Trump started his run for president. I wonder if he has any regrets."
    • @LCCarmon2001 (Twitter); June 16, 2025.
    Head of North Ossetian Republic assassinated by bomb thrown at motorcade by Caucasus Emirate militant.
    • Euronews; June 17, 2025.
    Ukrainian air force sends bombing raids towards Russian encampments in and around Kramatorsk.
    • Reuters; June 18, 2025.
    President Biden signs bill requiring public school systems to toughen up against school shootings.
    • The Hill; June 19, 2025.
    Newest Chat GPT model actively parses the internet during prompts, in order to minimize hallucinations.
    • Ars Technica; June 20, 2025.
    Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro ousted by military coup.
    • ABC News (US); June 20, 2025.
    Caucasus Emirate launches brutal campaign against Dagestani coastal city of Derbent.
    • The Guardian; June 21, 2025.
    Group of three unidentified assailants open fire in Las Vegas strip club.
    • The Las Vegas Review-Journal; June 22, 2025.
    Celebrations break out throughout Venezuela as former President Maduro is killed by firing squad.
    • The New York Times; June 23, 2025.
    Alupoist forces capture Labongo, last remaining stronghold of the Ugandan National Stability Council.
    • Reuters; June 24, 2025.
    Russian and Ukrainian shells rain over Donetsk as the fate of the city remains in limbo.
    • Newsweek; June 25, 2025.
    Vegas strip club shooters identified as Blake Morrison, Olivia Patrick, and Harry Newman, three Christian fundamentalists with a long track record of hate speech towards sex workers.
    • NBC News; June 26, 2025.
    Far-right white nationalist militia Cracker Defense Squadron holds public rally in Bozeman, Montana.
    • CNN; June 27, 2025.
    Caucasus Emirate holds de facto control over most of South Ossetia as Russian military scrambles to muster response.
    • BBC News; June 28, 2025.
    Man fires gun into pride parade held in San Diego; 3 dead, at least 4 other reported injuries.
    • KGTV; June 29, 2025.
    San Diego pride shooter identified as Dominic Jarvis, 24-year-old black man with a history of homophobic and other anti-LGBT posts on social media.
    • Fox News; June 29, 2025.
    Todd Howard confirms that Elder Scrolls VI will take place within Hammerfell.
    • Game Informer; June 29, 2025.
    San Diego private investigators reveal Jarvis was a "dedicated follower" of Tariq Nasheed.
    • OANN; June 30, 2025.
    National Assembly election results: RE loses 11 seats. DEM gains 5 seats. HOR gains 3 seats. RN gains 3 seats. LFI gains 8 seats. LR gains 6 seats. SOC loses 2 seats. GDR loses 2 seats. LIOT gains 3 seats.
    • France Info; June 30, 2025.
    Venezuelan junta leaders call for a "push away" from socialism and normalization of relations with the West.
    • The New York Post; June 30, 2025.
    - - -

    In the years immediately following its inception, the Freedom Party was by no means the most successful third party in United States history up until that point. The Know-Nothings, the Free Soil Party, the Progressives, the Dixiecrats, the Libertarians and the Reform Party are all clear examples of alternative third parties who gained significant popular support throughout the US, typically from the extremes of either side of the political spectrum.

    But this time, things were different. By this point in the 21st century, the collective public sentiment was beginning to turn against the first-past-the-post election system that had largely been in use since the country's founding. In addition, the constant fighting between Democrats and Republicans as part of the ongoing Culture War had alienated many fence-sitters from both sides, causing some radical centrists to band together and work to dismantle the two-party system that they had perceived as holding them back for so long. Nowhere was this movement more exemplified than the radical changes the already radical Libertarian Party underwent during the latter half of the 2020s...
    • Adam-5. "A Complete History of the United States of America, First Edition; Volume XIX: 2009-2029", New Lansing Virtual Press, 2174.
     
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