WTF

2024: hold my beer

And not just in the US.

It has actually been described as such. (It's called Civic Religion) Many countries have elements of this, like France or the Soviet Union.

There’s probably like 40% of us, at least, who aren’t jingoistic fuckbrains.

There are few large countries in the world where this isn't the case. Nationalism, in general, is absolutely a cult.

A price to die for

It's s twin tower sale

This is solid level 2 Walmart art.

There are 7.5 known levels.

1307 – Knights Templar officer Hugues de Pairaud is forced to confess during the Trials of the Knights Templar. He was persecuted on the charges of false idolism and sodomy.

I think it was just the brand of right wing patriotism under Bush. That's back when people used to wear NYPD hats and t-shirts even though they weren't cops.

It was pretty much stolen from Holocaust survivors. The original idea was 'never forget the Holocaust so that people will understand that hatred leads to genocide.'

It has no concrete meaning in this context as far as I can tell.

Control.

"You have to take off your shoes at the airport and then let a random person take pictures of you naked before getting on a flight because we need to prove that you're not a terrorist. Remember what happened the last time we didn't do that? You can either submit to us, or we can have another terrorist attack."

It also marks a time in history when people started going back to church in order to find some semblance of an explanation, and the churches like the increased attendance. They've got to keep us scared that the "terrorists" are around every corner, and they have the only solution.

Capitalism gonna capitalize. Gotta get all the monies any way they can.

There is a sale this weekend at a nearby store, 2/10$ and It felt like the soda apocalypse in there with everyone running around grabbing up case after case. I don't get it, one can and my mouth feels nasty while my body is demanding water to wash it down. I guess if your body is addicted to it you get a different reaction.

The really disturbing part was seeing all the kids gleefully freaking out as they helped carry case after case (some could barely carry one case because they were so young). I have addictions myself and the parent's purchase is their own prerogative, but I would never let my kid participate in my bad habits.

Meanwhile the Saudis are over it

yes, but where would we get an elephant and 12 penguines from?

I mean.. I could get an RC plane..

The reason, same with Israel, is because the US needs allies in the Middle East. A lot of "shock and awe" was launched from bases in Saudi Arabia. Which is extremely unsettling. But it highlights why the US keeps these countries as allies.

Imagine how different the world might be if the U.S. hadn't systematically interfered in every popular, leftist movement in South America in the last 50 years; that's even without mentioning the Banana Wars in Central America in the preceding 50.