An 'imposter Christianity' is threatening American democracy
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(CNN)Three men, eyes closed and heads bowed, pray before a rough-hewn wooden cross. Another man wraps his arms around a massive Bible pressed against his chest like a shield. All throughout the crowd, people wave "Jesus Saves" banners and pump their fists toward the sky.
At first glance, these snapshots look like scenes from an outdoor church rally. But this event wasn't a revival; it was what some call a Christian revolt. These were photos of people who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, during an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
The insurrection marked the first time many Americans realized the US is facing a burgeoning White Christian nationalist movement. This movement uses Christian language to cloak sexism and hostility to Black people and non-White immigrants in its quest to create a White Christian America.
A report from a team of clergy, scholars and advocates — sponsored by two groups that advocate for the separation of church and state — concluded that this ideology was used to "bolster, justify and intensify" the attack on the US Capitol.
Much of the House January 6 committee's focus so far has been on right-wing extremist groups. But there are plenty of other Americans who have adopted teachings of the White Christian nationalists who stormed the Capitol — often without knowing it, scholars, historians, sociologists and clergy say.
White Christian nationalist beliefs have infiltrated the religious mainstream so thoroughly that virtually any conservative Christian pastor who tries to challenge its ideology risks their career, says Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of the New York Times bestseller, "Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation."
"These ideas are so widespread that any individual pastor or Christian leader who tries to turn the tide and say, 'Let's look again at Jesus and scripture,' are going to be tossed aside," she says.
The ideas are also insidious because many sound like expressions of Christian piety or harmless references to US history. But White Christian nationalists interpret these ideas in ways that are potentially violent and heretical. Their movement is not only anti-democratic, it contradicts the life and teachings of Jesus, some clergy, scholars and historians say.
Samuel Perry, a professor of religious studies at the University of Oklahoma who is authority on the ideology, calls it an "imposter Christianity."
Here are three key beliefs often tied to White Christian nationalism.
A belief that the US was founded as a Christian nation
One of the banners spotted at the January 6 insurrection was a replica of the American flag with the caption, "Jesus is My Savior, Trump is My President."
Erasing the line separating piety from politics is a key characteristic of White Christian nationalism. Many want to reduce or erase the separation of church and state, say those who study the movement.
One of the most popular beliefs among White Christian nationalists is that the US was founded as a Christian nation; the Founding Fathers were all orthodox, evangelical Christians; and God has chosen the US for a special role in history.
These beliefs are growing among Christians, according to a survey last year by the Barna Group, a company that conducts surveys about faith and culture for communities of faith and nonprofits. The group found that an "increasing number of American Christians believe strongly" that the US is a Christian nation, has not oppressed minorities, and has been chosen by God to lead the world.
But the notion that the US was founded as a Christian nation is bad history and bad theology, says Philip Gorski, a sociologist at Yale University and co-author of "The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy."
"It's a half truth, a mythological version of American history," Gorski says.
Some Founding Fathers did view the founding of the nation through a Biblical lens, Gorski says. (Every state constitution contains a reference to God or the divine.)
But many did not. And virtually none of them could be classified as evangelical Christians. They were a collection of atheists, Unitarians, Deists, and liberal Protestants and other denominations.
The Constitution also says nothing about God, the Bible or the Ten Commandments, Gorski says. And saying the US was founded as a Christian nation ignores the fact that much of its initial wealth was derived from slave labor and land stolen from Native Americans, he says.
For evidence that the United States was founded as a secular nation, look no further than the 1797 Treaty of Tripoli, an agreement the US negotiated with a country in present-day Libya to end the practice of pirates attacking American ships. It was ratified unanimously by a Senate still half-filled with signers of the Constitution and declared, "the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on Christian religion."
Does this mean that any White Christian who salutes the flag and says they love their country is a Christian nationalist? No, not at all, historians say. A White Christian who says they love America and its values and institutions is not the same thing as a White Christian nationalist, scholars say.
Gorski also notes that many devout Black Americans have exhibited a form of patriotism that does not degenerate into Christian nationalism.
Gorski points to examples of the 19th century abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, and the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Both were devout Christians who expressed admiration for America and its founding documents. But their patriotism also meant that "they challenged the nation to live up to its highest principles, to become a place of freedom, equality, justice and inclusion," he says.
The patriotism of White Christian nationalists, on the other hand, is a form of racial tribalism, Gorski says.
"It's a 'My tribe. 'We [White people] were here first. This is our country, and we don't like people who are trying to change it or people who are different' form of nationalism," Gorski says.
A belief in a 'Warrior Christ'
Videos from the January 6 attack show a chaotic, tear-gas-soaked scene at the Capitol that looked more like a medieval battle. Insurrectionists punched police officers, used flagpoles as spears and smashed officers' faces against doors while a mob chanted, "Fight for Trump!" The attack left five people dead and nearly 140 law enforcement officers injured.
The incongruity of people carrying "Jesus Saves" signs while joining a mob whose members are pummeling police officers leads to an obvious question: How can White Christian nationalists who claim to follow Jesus, the "Prince of Peace" who renounced violence in the Gospels, support a violent insurrection?
That's because they follow a different Jesus than the one depicted in the Gospels, says Du Mez, who is also a professor of history and gender studies at Calvin University — a Christian school — in Michigan. They follow the Jesus depicted in the Book of Revelation, the warrior with eyes like "flames of fire" and "a robe dipped in blood" who led the armies of heaven on white horses in a final, triumphant battle against the forces of the antichrist.
White Christian nationalists have refashioned Jesus into a kick-butt savior who is willing to smite enemies to restore America to a Christian nation by force, if necessary, Du Mez and others say.
While warlike language like putting on "the full armor of God" has long been common in Christian sermons and hymns, it has largely been interpreted as metaphorical. But many White Christian nationalists take that language literally.
That was clear on January 6. Some insurrectionists wore caps emblazoned with "God, Guns, Trump" and chanted that the blood of Jesus was washing Congress clean. One wrote "In God We Trust" on a set of gallows erected at the Capitol.
"They want the warrior Christ who wields a bloody sword and defeats his enemies," says Du Mez. "They want to battle with that Jesus. That Jesus brings peace, but only after he slays his enemies."
And that Jesus sanctions the use of righteous violence if a government opposes God, she says.
"If you deem somebody in power to be working against the goals of a Christian America, then you should not submit to that authority and you should displace that authority," she says. "Because the stakes are so high, the ends justify the means."
That ends-justify-the means approach is a key part of White Christian nationalism, says Du Mez. It's why so many rallied behind former President Trump on January 6. She says he embodies a "militant White masculinity" that condones callous displays of power and appeals to Christian nationalists.
But with few exceptions, White Christian nationalists do not accept this "militant masculinity" when exhibited by Black, Middle Eastern and Latino men, Du Mez writes in "Jesus and John Wayne." Aggression by people of color "is seen as a threat to the stability of home and nation," she writes.
Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson echoed this double standard last year when he said on a radio talk show that he never really felt threatened by the mostly White mob that stormed the Capitol on January 6.
"Now, had ... President Trump won the election and those were tens of thousands of Black Lives Matter and Antifa protesters, I might have been a little concerned," Johnson said.
Johnson later elaborated, saying "there was nothing racial about my comments-- nothing whatsoever."
This embrace of a warrior Christ has shaped some White evangelicals' attitudes on issues ranging from political violence to gun safety laws.
A survey last year by the Public Religion Research Institute revealed that of all respondents, White evangelicals were the religious group most likely to agree with the statement, "true American patriots might have to resort to violence in order to save the country."
There are also some White Christian nationalists who believe the Second Amendment was handed down by God.
Samuel Perry, co-author of "Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States," wrote in a recent essay that among Americans surveyed who believe "The federal government should declare the United States a Christian nation," over two-thirds rejected the idea that the federal government should enact stricter gun laws."
"The more you line up with Christian nationalism, the less likely you are to support gun control," wrote Perry. "Guns are practically an element of worship in the church of white Christian nationalism."
A belief there's such a person as a 'real American'
In the 2008 presidential election, vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin introduced a new term to the political discourse. She talked about "the real America" and the "pro-America areas of this great nation." Since then, many conservative political candidates have used the term "real Americans" to draw contrasts between their supporters and their opposition.
Such language has been co-opted into a worldview held by many White Christian nationalists: The nation is divided between "real Americans" and other citizens who don't deserve the same rights, experts on White Christian nationalism say.
Gorski, author of "The Flag and the Cross," says he found in his research a strong correlation between White Christian nationalism and support for gerrymandering—an electoral process where politicians manipulate district lines to favor one party or, some critics say, race over another. He found similar support among White Christian nationalists for the Electoral College, which gives disproportionate political power to many rural, largely White areas of the country.
When White Christian nationalists claim an election was stolen, they are reflecting the belief that some votes don't count, he says.
"It's the idea that we are the people, and our vote should count, and you're not the people, and... you don't really deserve to have a voice," Gorski says. "It doesn't matter what the voting machines say, because we know that all real Americans voted for Donald Trump."
Why White Christian nationalism is a threat to democracy
Those who want the US to become a Christian nation face a huge obstacle: Most Americans don't subscribe to their vision of America.
The mainstreaming of White Christian nationalism comes as a growing number of Americans are rejecting organized religion. For the first time in the US last year, membership in communities of worship fell below 50%. Belief in God is at an all-time low, according to a recent Gallup poll.
Add to that the country's growing racial and religious diversity. People who identify as White alone declined for the first time since the census began in 1790, and the majority of Americans under 18 are now people of color.
On the surface, White Christian nationalism should not be on the ascent in America.
So White Christian nationalists look for salvation from two sources.
One is the emboldened conservative majority on the US Supreme Court, where recent decisions overturning Roe vs. Wade and protecting school prayer offer them hope.
Critics, on the other hand, say the high court is eroding the separation of church and state.
Not all Christians who support the high court's overturning of Roe v. Wade and its school prayer decision are White nationalists. For example, plenty of Roman Catholics of all races support racial justice yet also backed the overturning of Roe.
But White Christian nationalists are inspired by those decisions because one of their central goals is to erase the separation of church and state in the US.
A recent study concluded that five of the justices on the Supreme Court are the "most pro-religion since at least World War II," and that the six conservative justices are "all Christian, mostly Catholic," and "religiously devout."
While some Americans fear the dangers of one-party rule, others like Pamela Paul, a columnist, warn of the Supreme Court instituting one-religion rule.
"With their brand of religious dogma losing its purchase, they're imposing it on the country themselves," she wrote in a recent New York Times editorial.
Gorski, the historian, says White Christian nationalism represents a grave threat to democracy because it defines "we the people" in a way that excludes many Americans.
"The United States cannot be both a truly multiracial democracy -- a people of people and a nation of nations -- and a white Christian nation at the same time," Gorski wrote in "The Flag and the Cross." "This is why white Christian nationalism has become a serious threat to American democracy, perhaps the most serious threat it now faces."
The other source of hope for White Christian nationalists is a former occupant of the White House. Their devotion to him is illustrated by one of most striking images from the January 6 insurrection: A sign depicting a Nordic-looking Jesus wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat.
If Trump returns to the presidency, some White Christian nationalists may interpret his political resurrection as divine intervention. His support among White evangelicals increased from 2016 to 2020.
And what the men carrying wooden crosses among the Capitol mob couldn't achieve on January 6, they might yet accomplish in 2024.
Bars with a view: The best pubs around the UK to enjoy – and photograph – at sundown
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Wherever you are – from a remote country pub to a buzzing urban bar – sharing a beer with friends in the golden glow of sundown, as the temperature mellows and the light softens, is a truly wonderful experience. It’s the perfect time to relax, unwind and reconnect, and capture the moment with a sundown snap in this gorgeous natural filter.
To help you have an extra special summer this year, we’ve created an edit of the best pubs around the UK to enjoy an ice cold San Miguel as the sun sets, as well as some expert tips from photographer Bal Bhatla – AKA Mr Whisper – to help you take the perfect pic for posterity while you’re there.
Somerset House Terrace Bar with San Miguel, London
This summer riverside terrace bar offers an excellent pairing: San Miguel on tap and a stunning view over the capital’s skyline. Serving ice-cold San Miguel Especial and 0.0%, cocktails including the new San Miguel Sundown Spritz, a delicious tapas menu and live music experiences from The Sax Man Ben Barnett and his team of artists, it’s the perfect place to relax and unwind with friends as the sun dips over the city. @sanmiguel_uk
The Watering Hole, Perranporth, Cornwall
One of the few bars in the UK that sits directly on a beach, this is set in the middle of Cornwall’s finest sands and is picture-perfect for incredible, atmospheric sundown snaps. With year-round live music events and outdoor stages, it’s also the perfect place to party as the sun sets. @wateringholecornwall
The Spyglass Inn, Isle of Wight
The Spyglass Inn is set right on the water’s edge in Ventnor Bay, with spectacular views across the rolling waves of the English Channel. Serving delicious, locally sourced food (including the aptly nautical Admiral’s Platter) it’s also a huge supporter of live music, hosting gigs every weekend. @thespyglassinn
Old Neptune, Whitstable
Known as The Neppy by locals, this bar in the heart of Whitstable’s fishing town dates back to the early 19th century. Sip on its fine selection of drinks and home-cooked food and catch some photos of the town’s iconic sunsets. @the_old_neptune
The Pack Horse in Affetside, Bury
This classy bar is nuzzled in a gorgeous, rural setting. Head straight for the dining terrace for beautiful scenery of the open countryside, where you can enjoy delicious surf and turf as you look over green fields and rolling hills. @packhorseaffetside
The Blue Bar, Porthtowan, Cornwall
Set among dunes of Porthtowan beach, the Blue Bar is a family- and dog- friendly bar and restaurant on the North Coast of Cornwall. A great place to relax and catch up with friends, the beachside terrace also provides stunning views over the ocean – so bring your camera and your framing A-game.
Fairway Buoy, Westward Ho!
The sunsets over Lundy Island have to be seen to be believed. You can do just that from the comfort of this pub’s balcony, with a refreshing drink in your hand. With a terraced beer garden boasting extensive outdoor seating, it’s the perfect place to settle in at sundown. @fairway_buoy
Dukes 92, Manchester
This stylish canalside bar is a perennial Manchester favourite, with its ‘suntrap’ terrace offering fine views of the city as the sun goes down. With a warm, friendly atmosphere and large outdoor area, it’s the perfect place to share a drink as the sun sets. Fun fact: Dukes 92 claim to be the number one seller of San Miguel on draught in the world, pulling an impressive 170,000 pints a year. @dukes_92
Fistral Beach Bar, Cornwall
You can almost touch the sea from the terrace, which is perfectly positioned for envy-inducing sundown pics. No wonder this welcoming pub, by Fistral Beach in Newquay, is popular among surfers, hikers, and Instagrammers alike. @fistralbeachbar
Quay Inn, Instow
This quayside heaven is an unbeatable place to be at sundown, with exceptional estuary views of Appledore and Bideford that demand to be snapped. Enjoy delicious seafood specials made with fresh, local ingredients, as you relax in the picturesque surrounds.
The Mermaid Inn, Isles of Scilly
Once a favourite of pirates and smugglers, this bar retains its maritime vibe thanks to its nautical interior (packed with local artefacts from model ships to flags and seafaring ephemera) and gorgeous views of the harbour and the ocean beyond – a perfect place to relax and restore at sundown. @themermaidinnscilly
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Представляете, как они обрадуются, если мы не придём? Надо идти!
Analysis: Russian gas flow too low to fill Europe's storage
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LONDON, July 26 (Reuters) - Russia's cut in supplies through its main gas pipeline to Germany will leave countries unable to meet goals to refill storage and Europe's biggest economy faced with rationing industry to keep its citizens warm during the winter months.
Politicians in Europe have repeatedly said Russia could cut off gas flows this winter, which would thrust Germany into recession and lead to soaring prices for consumers already grappling with inflation at multi-year highs.
So far, the most high-profile casualty of Russia's reduced gas flows is Germany's biggest gas importer Uniper. The government was last week forced to bail it out.
On Monday, the squeeze on Germany tightened when Gazprom said it needed to halt the operation of a turbine, meaning flows through Nord Stream 1 from Russia to Germany will drop to just 20% of capacity from Wednesday.
Gazprom had previously cited the delayed return of another turbine being serviced in Canada as the reason to reduce flows to 40% in June before halting them altogether for 10 days of scheduled maintenance this month.
Following the planned repair period, Gazprom resumed pumping on schedule on July 21, but at the reduced level of 40%.
Even before the latest reduction was announced on Monday, Germany's energy network regulator had said the country would struggle to meet its storage target.
The European Union as a whole plans to refill storage to 80% of capacity by Nov. 1 to provide a buffer for the peak demand winter months. So far, European gas storage levels are at 66% full, data from Gas Infrastructure Europe shows.
Germany has an even higher goal of reaching 95% full by November.
At 20% of capacity, Europe will be able to refill storage to only 75%-80% ahead of winter, Wood Mackenzie consultancy said on Monday.
"As a result, Europe is likely to get through the heating season with only 20% gas in store at the end of March – a very low level," Kateryna Filippenko, Principal Analyst, Global Gas Supply, at wood mackenzie said.
An extra cold winter would strain the situation further, especially if the weather is severe in Asia, as well as Europe, which would limit global availability of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to supplement pipeline supplies.
TIGHTENING SQUEEZE
Gas flows via other pipeline routes, such as Ukraine, have also fallen since Russia invaded its neighbour in February, in what Moscow calls a "special military operation", and the risk of a total cut-off through Nord Stream 1 looms large.
While Germany is particularly dependent on Russian gas, Austria and central and eastern Europe are also big users of Russian supplies.
Before the cuts linked to the turbine servicing in Canada, Russia has cut gas flows to Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Dutch firm Gasterra and Shell (SHEL.L) for its German contracts, after they all rejected a Kremlin demand issued in March to switch to payments in roubles.
Analysts and politicians say it would be very easy for Russia to find further reasons for further cuts.
"The key question is whether Russia wants to maximise pressure now and derail Europe’s plans to refill its gas inventories by the fall, or if Moscow wants to keep its powder dry until later in the year," said Centre for Strategic and International Studies fellows Ben Cahill and Isabelle Huber.
The European Union has been preparing for the prospect of continued lower supplies or a complete stoppage by seeking out alternative suppliers, encouraging energy saving and increasing coal generation.
Last week, the European Commission, the EU executive, proposed a target for all member states to cut gas use by 15% from Aug. 1 to allow storage to fill more quickly.
But the plan faces resistance from member states, with some flatly against binding cuts and others unwilling to let Brussels control their energy use.
"The entire European energy system is going through a crisis, and even with the restart of Nord Stream 1, the region is in a tight position with continued risk to energy security," Karolina Siemieniuk, analyst at consultancy Rystad Energy, said.
"European countries will need to work together fast if they are to survive the winter relatively unscathed and even if they do, the spectre of the next winter in 2023/24 is likely to keep prices elevated for months on end."
As Ukraine Signs Up Soldiers, Questions Arise About How It Chooses
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KHARKIV, Ukraine — At a subway station, a recruiting officer named Oleksandr, one of dozens deployed to different spots around Kharkiv, pulled young men out of the crowd recently, checking documents and determining whether they were eligible for military service.
A nationwide campaign is underway in Ukraine to recruit, register and draft men — a predictable response for a country at war. That campaign includes fanning out on the streets to find potential soldiers and issuing summonses ordering them to report to recruiting offices.
But the effort, especially the street recruiting, is drawing accusations that it is secretive and arbitrary, that it violates the government’s own rules and that it sometimes drafts the unwilling while spurning the willing. It has also led to a cat-and-mouse game between recruiters and men trying to avoid them.
Recruiters like Oleksandr, who did not give his full name because he was not authorized to speak to the media, say they issue summonses to register only to those who want to fight. “We ask them, do they have military training and do they want to serve in the war?” he said.
But some of those on the receiving end say they were never given a choice about appearing, while there are reports of men who are eager to fight being turned away, for reasons that appear bureaucratic in nature.
A petition signed by more than 25,000 Ukrainians, the threshold for requiring President Volodymyr Zelensky to respond, requests a ban on issuing summonses at checkpoints, gas stations and other public places. It asks him to establish a transparent process for when people might be called up.
“There are many willing people who are motivated, who have combat experience, but cannot join the service, because in many places they recruited people precisely on the streets who do not have experience,” the petition read.
Denis, 29, said he was recently handed a summons he did not want outside a Kharkiv supermarket. But at the recruitment office, “I lied and said I didn’t have any military training,” he recalled — a lie that may not be caught because his records are in a different part of Ukraine. Denis, who did not want his last name to be published for fear of punishment, added, “I know guys who don’t even leave their apartments because they’re afraid to get a summons, but I also know a lot of people who want to fight.”
Ukraine has long had conscription, and young men are required to do military service unless they fall into an exempt category, like being enrolled in a university, having a disability or having at least three children. After the war began, all nonexempt men ages 18 to 60 were required to register with their local recruitment offices and undergo medical screening for possible service, but at times enforcement and record-keeping have been haphazard.
Government officials say that only those with military experience or specifically needed skills have been drafted so far, but that others are likely to be called up as the war continues. Critics say that conscription has not been as selective as officials make it out to be, and that with the military in charge of recruitment, registration and drafting, the process is shrouded in secrecy, with little transparency about the standards applied to each step.
“This process of handing out summonses fully complies with the law,” said Yevheniia Riabeka, former legal adviser to the commander in chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. “This is a normal attempt to register citizens who are obligated to defend their country.”
Each local recruitment center is given targets for numbers of people to register, she said — but those figures are “completely secret information.”
Andrii Novak, a lawyer who represents people trying to be excused from service, drew a distinction between a summons sent by a recruitment office because its records showed that a person should register and one filled out by a recruiter who stopped someone on the street. He said his firm, Miller Law Firm, considers the latter illegal.
In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city by population, a channel on the messaging app Telegram provides anonymous, crowdsourced, real-time information on the locations of recruiters for people trying to steer clear of them. It has more than 67,000 subscribers.
“Our goal is to prevent the inappropriate issuance of summonses,” reads the channel description. It invites residents to send in locations and photos of police officers and recruiters.
One post featured a picture, taken from inside a parked car, of recruiters in front of a shop. The caption read, “It's our old friends.”
Another Telegram channel for the Lviv region in Western Ukraine reads: “It is important to get all the relevant information. Only by knowing your rights, you can protect yourself and your family!” The channel lists the five places where the most summonses are handed out and the diseases that keep men from serving. It also explains how to refuse a summons.
Ukrainians have shown remarkable solidarity, with hundreds of thousands volunteering for the regular army, for the Territorial Defense Forces — akin to the National Guard, with some units deployed in combat — or to work in civilian defense activities. But the numbers have not been enough to match the Russians’ battlefield strength — or to keep up with casualties, which officials have said peaked this spring at 100 killed and almost 400 wounded daily.
There are also signs, five grueling months into the war, that the sense of unity is fraying at the edges. Soldiers, including minimally prepared raw recruits, have done long, hard service, while others have managed to stay far from it.
Volodymyr Marchenko, 48, a farmer, has served five months in a Territorial Defense battalion, often at or near the front lines, without his unit being relieved. He knew how to shoot a hunting rifle and enlisted immediately when the invasion began.
Sent to fight in street clothes and ordinary shoes, he sustained frostbite on his toes.
“There is no one to replace us,” he said. “There are too few people. It’s very hard for the guys psychologically.”
There is also disillusionment with a system that turns away some who want to fight, while taking in others who are unwilling and unqualified.
“There are a lot of guys who have a lot of motivation and ability, who want to join the army now, but they don’t take them,” said a senior soldier in a Territorial Defense unit, who requested anonymity to speak candidly.
The lack of public transparency about the recruitment system, a major complaint of its critics, makes it difficult to tell how and why people are recruited. For the most part, though, bureaucratic or logistical factors — such as some units’ lacking available slots for officers or soldiers — seem to be behind why some with relevant skills or experience are not accepted for service.
On the opposite side, some commanders and senior soldiers say summoning men unwilling to serve is lowering morale among those who volunteered.
Last month, the Kyiv police chief, Ivan Vyhivskyi, said that police and military commissars raided two nightclubs that were violating curfew and issued 219 summonses for military registration to men they found there.
That drew a sharp response from a senior sergeant of the 47th Armed Forces Battalion in a Facebook post this month.
“I am proud of my military service and I am outraged that my profession is being reduced to the level of punishment for these scumbags,” wrote the sergeant, Valeriy Markus. “It’s humiliating.”
He wrote that soldiers and officers who put their lives on the line were demoralized by a chaotic recruitment process that drew draftees with poor qualifications or little inclination to serve. Sergeant Markus said he had personally faced situations where draftees’ alcoholism or other problems endangered other soldiers’ lives.
“It is impossible to get rid of them, or use force — they will sue,” he wrote.
Sergeant Markus, identified in a Ukrainian defense industry posting as part of the leadership of the 47th Battalion, declined to be interviewed.
In Kharkiv, only 25 miles from the Russian border, Oleksandr, the recruitment officer, said he was looking for unregistered men with military training. If they say they are not interested, he lets them go, he said.
Some, he recalled, shouted at him. “They say: ‘I don’t want to serve! Ukraine isn’t even a real country!’” He attributed a small thread of pro-Russian feeling in this region, bordering Russia, to what he called mental health problems from the frequent shelling the city has endured.
Oleksandr said that after the Kharkiv recruitment office was leveled by Russian airstrikes early in the war, military recruiters there no longer had records of who had registered and needed to recreate their database.
Mr. Zelensky has said he wants to field one million men in the military effort. That figure is reported to be at about 700,000, including Territorial Defense fighters, some of whom have been deployed to combat.
Millions of Ukrainians, displaced from the war-torn eastern and southern regions, are living in Western Ukraine, close to the Polish border, including many military-age men who have not signed up.
Last month the military chief of staff caused an uproar by issuing instructions indicating that military-age men needed to register when moving between provinces. After criticism from Mr. Zelensky that the military could not make such a move unilaterally, it clarified that it was simply asking citizens to inform the authorities if they were moving to a different region.
“Dear citizens,” read the notice. “I remind you, the war is going on. Your country needs you!”
Задача серии постов «Реклама Агрессии», изначально задумывалась и планировалась, как инструмент иллюстрации Механизма Рекламы, как таковой.
Дело в том, что большинство наших Уважаемых Коллег не понимает, не понимало, что такое Реклама, наивно полагая, что это инструмент продвижения Товаров (иногда Услуг и никогда Решений). А это не так.
Каким образом планировалось получать такой результат на примере публикаций СМИ?
Двумя путями:
1. непосредственное приведение момента сочетания пороговых свойств Систем, на границе которых возникает Реклама .
2. описание потенциальных условий возникновения и концентрации пороговых свойств Систем, на границах которых Реклама может возникнуть.
Что получилось на самом деле, на практике?
Бардак!
Из многолетней статистики и динамики посещений раздела «Теория Рекламы» известно, что реальное количество посетителей/ботов за сутки, на одну Тему не превышает 50.
Если Пост в Теме заслуживает внимания, количество посетителей/ботов за сутки, увеличивается до 100, 150, иногда 200.
Самые лучшие Темы никогда не собирали больше 1500-2000 посетителей/ботов за двое-трое суток с момента публикации.
Что мы видим сейчас?
900 и более посетителей/ботов в «Рекламе Агрессии» и привычные 50-100, иногда 200 посетителей/ботов на остальные («ПримДоп», «ДурДор», «ФанЖи» и «ВарЕр») Темы а.п..
Что это означает?
Это означает, что
большая часть наших Уважаемых Коллег приходит на Форум в раздел Теория Рекламы за новостями
!
Видит Бог и Админ, что а.п. несколько раз просил Уважаемых Коллег не считать подборки материалов СМИ новостями! Не читать их как новости. И как новости не использовать по назначению Новостей.
Тем не менее, ситуация не только не улучшилась, хотя бы не осталась прежней, но значительно ухудшилась.
Что а.п. сделает в этой связи:
• 13-я серия «Рекламы Агрессии» будет завершена в том же формате.
• 14-я серия «Рекламы Агрессии» будет существенно изменена. Пока а.п. планирует оставить три части:
1. потенциальные Рекламы Агрессии;
2. одно – два Облака пороговых свойств, способных вызвать Рекламу;
3. немного культуры, шутки, юмор белый и чёрный.
• никаких многостраничных постов больше не будет. 3 – 5 частей. Редко 7.
• публикации перестанут быть регулярными;
• материалы будут приводиться с ретроспективой до года. Посты будут снабжаться перекрёстными ссылками на ранние публикации.
• пользоваться публикациями как Новостями станет затруднительно(невозможно).
• а.п. не возражает, если Уважаемые Коллеги позаимствуют идею и возьмут публикацию в прежнем формате на себя.
_________________
С уважением, пониманием и отраслевыми пожеланиями, Dimitriy.
«Газпром» поставляет в Европу столько газа, сколько это технически возможно — Песков.
Gazo-Маzo (GM)
: Миллер конечно не Мазох, но Украина и там и здесь.
Реклама Агрессии.
P.S. Каких сочных и смачных отраслевых коллажей можно наделать по этой теме.
P.S.S. Может быть в следующей серии «РеклАгра» а.п. и попробует.
Цитата:
27 июл. 2022 г.
Реклама Агрессии.
Цитата:
Цитата:
Цитата:
26 июн. 2022 г.
Цитата:
Tory leadership – live: Truss and Sunak debate cancelled after presenter faints on air
...
The second live head-to-head between Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak has been cancelled after the debate’s moderator fainted mid-broadcast.
The Sun’s Showdown: The Fight for No 10 was abruptly taken off air after a big crash was heard in the TV studio.
In the few seconds before screens went blank, Ms Truss could be seem stepping off the podium where she was speaking with a concerned expression on her face.
TalkTV, the broadcaster hosting tonight’s debate, issued a statement confirming reports that political editor Kate McCann collapsed just over 30 minutes into presenting tonight’s proceedings.
Its statement reads: “Kate McCann fainted on air tonight and although she is fine, the medical advice was that we shouldn’t continue with the debate. We apologise to our viewers and listeners.”
Before the debate was halted, Mr Sunak said it was “entirely reasonable” to ask the largest companies to pay “a bit more” tax because they received taxpayer-funded support during the pandemic.
But Liz Truss, who would scrap the scheduled 19p to 25p increase in corporation tax, said the former chancellor’s policies would make the UK less competitive and push the country into recession.
Цитата:
Реклама Агрессии.
Цитата:
Цитата:
Цитата:
Реклама Агрессии.
Продолжение поста от 27.07.2022 г. следует…
Последний раз редактировалось: Dimitriy (27.07.2022 21:38), всего редактировалось 1 раз
Экс-канцлер ФРГ Герхард Шрёдер, насколько известно Кремлю, действительно находится в Москве, заявил Песков.
Он добавил, что встреча президента РФ Владимира Путина со Шрёдером пока не планируется, но контакты не исключены.
Цитата:
Экс-канцлер ФРГ Герхард Шредер приехал "на отдых" в Москву
...
"Я здесь несколько дней на отдыхе. Москва - прекрасный город", - сказал Шрёдер.
На уточнение о том, что неподалеку находится штаб-квартира российской нефтяной компании "Роснефть", Шрёдер ответил: "Неужели? О, действительно, вы правы".
...
Реклама Агрессии.
Цитата:
Армия Китая не будет сидеть сложа руки в случае визита спикера палаты представителей США Нэнси Пелоси на Тайвань — ВС примут решительные меры для пресечения внешнего вмешательства, заявил официальный представитель Минобороны КНР Тань Кэфэй.
Реклама Агрессии.
Цитата:
"This was our biggest fear": US officials work furiously to respond to Russia cutting European energy supplies
...
US President Joe Biden's administration is working behind the scenes to keep European allies united against Russia as Moscow further cuts its energy supplies to the bloc, prompting panic on both sides of the Atlantic over potentially severe gas shortages heading into winter, US officials said.
On Monday, Russia's state-owned gas company Gazprom said it would cut flows through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany in half, to just 20% of its capacity. A US official said the move was retaliation for Western sanctions, and that it put the West in “unchartered territory” when it comes to whether Europe will have enough gas to get through the winter.
In response to the turmoil, the White House dispatched Amos Hochstein, presidential coordinator for global energy, to Europe on Tuesday, officials said. He will be traveling to Paris and Brussels to discuss contingency planning with the US-EU energy task force created in March, one month after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The impact on Europe could boomerang back onto the US, spiking natural gas and electricity prices, the official said. It will also be a major test of European resilience and unity against Russia, as the Kremlin shows no signs of retreating from Ukraine.
The US and Brussels have been pleading with EU members to save gas and store it for winter, and energy ministers agreed in principle on Tuesday to cut gas use by 15% from August to March — with some concessions.
…
Реклама Агрессии.
Цитата:
Российские войска нанесли удары по портовой инфраструктуре в Николаевской и Одесской областях
...
Оперативное командование ВСУ «Юг» сообщило, что российские войска нанесли массированные ракетные удары по портовой инфраструктуре в Николаевской и Одесской областях. Предварительно отмечается, что удары были нанесены высокоточными ракетами типа «Калибр» воздушного базирования, что, в свою очередь, исключает возможность случайного попадания.
Стоит отметить, что министр обороны РФ Шойгу, 22 июля, при посредничестве генерального секретаря ООН и президента Турции, подписал соглашение по вывозу зерна из украинских портов. Согласно нему, Россия обязывалась не атаковать украинские корабли и порты во время прохождения судов. Но россияне, уже третий день в подряд демонстративно нарушают его.
...
Атаковать по договору нельзя хранилища зерна, места загрузки и корабли. Остальная инфраструктура портов иммунитетом от обстрелов не обладает.
Сегодня День памяти детей — жертв войны в Донбассе. Мы разделяем скорбь и боль наших братьев и сестер. Нет слов, чтобы выразить горе родителей, потерявших детей.
Аллея ангелов в Донецке – символ геноцида, символ преступлений террористического киевского режима, которые не имеют срока давности. Этот режим не просто нацистский и антирусский, он – античеловеческий. Украинская государственность – это Молох, которому приносят в жертву детей. Этот поганый идол должен быть разрушен, ему не место в истории.
Власть в Киеве сегодня находится в руках существ с выжженной совестью, для которых жизни людей не стоят ничего, а народ - не больше, чем расходный материал для реализации планов западных хозяев.
В свое время украинские нацисты грозились сделать Крым украинским или безлюдным. Сегодня они готовы сделать безлюдными все территории, до которых способны дотянуться. Твари.
В Кремле позитивно похвалили Европу за разблокировку транзита в Калининград
...
"Сами европейцы поняли, насколько для России это жизненно важно и насколько неприменимо их решение в контексте Калининграда", - сказал Песков.
Он также добавил, что некоторые вопросы еще остаются, несмотря на решение кризисной ситуации.
"Все это было достигнуто в процессе диалога, разъяснения. Безусловно, предстоит еще немалая работа, потому что там все равно определенные вопросы остаются. Но сейчас кризисная ситуация разблокирована. Это позитивный факт", - заявил Песков.
...
Почему мы беспокоимся о них больше, чем они сами о себе?
Ударом ВКС России 24 июля по складу боеприпасов в районе населенного пункта Любимовка Днепропетровской области уничтожено более 100 ракет к реактивной системе залпового огня HIMARS производства США.
Ликвидировано до 120 человек военнослужащих, охранявших объект, а также иностранные наемники и технические специалисты.
Реклама Агрессии.
Цитата:
Ну конечно проще гонять истребитель с контейнером, чем сделать профильный беспилотник.
Чем хвастаемся-то?
Чем хвалимся?
Сильные пробоины, но конструкция устояла. Появилось видео Антоновского моста после ночного удара ВСУ
Реклама Агрессии.
Цитата:
Реклама Агрессии.
Цитата:
Цитата:
В Стамбуле начал работу совместный координационный центр по контролю за экспортом зерна с Украины.
Украинская и российская делегации сидят напротив друг друга.
Цитата:
В Минобороны Турции заявили, что первые суда с украинским зерном пойдут по Черному морю в ближайшие дни.
Разминирование маршрута их движения не требуется.
Уровень доступа: Вы не можете начинать темы, Вы не можете отвечать на сообщения, Вы не можете редактировать свои сообщения, Вы не можете удалять свои сообщения, Вы не можете голосовать в опросах
Владимир Ступников, Генеральный директор коммуникационного агентства АУРА в составе Газпром-Медиа Холдинга. Социальные медиа становятся все более важным инструментом в работе каждого PR-специалиста, и одной из относительно новых, но стремительно растущих платформ, является Telegram. Этот мессенджер, изначально позиционировавшийся как безопасный и приватный инструмент связи, приобретает все большую популярность и привлекает внимание маркетологов и PR-специалистов по всему миру.
В 2024 году маркетологи все чаще начинают использовать метавселенные. По сравнению с социальными сетями, вовлеченность пользователей в иммерсивных площадках гораздо больше. Одним из самых интересных для клиентов форматов являются АR и VR. Как технологии будущего применять в маркетинге уже сегодня, разобрали в агентстве высоких откликов HICLICK.
Искусственный интеллект уже давно среди нас. Он прочно вошел в нашу жизнь, используется абсолютно в разных её сферах и кардинально меняет лицо современного бизнеса. Рекламная индустрия - не исключение. Самый яркий и известный пример - это нейросети, на основе которых построен поиск рекламных систем Яндекса. Использование нейросетей и других алгоритмов ИИ, делает рекламу еще более эффективной и качественной. Евгений Халин, директор по продуктам Коkос Group рассказывает о том, как работает ИИ, в чем его преимущество и какие перспективы нас ждут.
В период гендерных праздников предприниматели отмечают 50%-ый рост продаж. – Даже в случае торговли сепараторами или двигателями, при должном подходе. Для маркетологов это время – забег на короткие дистанции. Поэтому важно грамотно подойти к выбору инструментов.
Чего не хватает радио, чтобы увеличить свою долю на рекламном рынке? Аудиопиратство: угроза или возможности для отрасли? Каковы первые результаты общероссийской кампании по продвижению индустриального радиоплеера? Эти и другие вопросы были рассмотрены на конференции «Радио в глобальной медиаконкуренции», спикерами и участниками которой стали эксперты ГПМ Радио.
Деловая программа 28-й международной специализированной выставки технологий и услуг для производителей и заказчиков рекламы «Реклама-2021» открылась десятым юбилейным форумом «Матрица рекламы». Его организовали КВК «Империя» и «Экспоцентр».
28 марта в Центральном доме художника состоялась 25-ая выставка маркетинговых коммуникаций «Дизайн и реклама NEXT». Одним из самых ярких её событий стал День социальной рекламы, который организовала Ассоциация директоров по коммуникациям и корпоративным медиа России (АКМР) совместно с АНО «Лаборатория социальной рекламы» и оргкомитетом LIME.
На VII Международном форуме «Матрица рекламы», прошедшем в ЦВК «Экспоцентр» в рамках международной выставки «Реклама-2018», большой интерес у профессиональной аудитории вызвала VI Конференция «Интернет-реклама».
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