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Featured Replies

explain it like I'm 5. 

Thanks. 

This is an old conflict. Historically, there has been a population of Armenians (Christians) living inside of Azerbaijan (Muslim) in a region called Nagorno-Karabakh. It seems Azerbaijan is trying to bring the conflict to a conclusion to the detriment of the Armenian residents.

1 hour ago, Woland said:

This is an old conflict. Historically, there has been a population of Armenians (Christians) living inside of Azerbaijan (Muslim) in a region called Nagorno-Karabakh. It seems Azerbaijan is trying to bring the conflict to a conclusion to the detriment of the Armenian residents.

Yep.  

On independence back in the early 1990s, a war broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.  Nagorno-Karabakh is within Azerbaijan's internationally recognized borders, but it's populated by Armenians.

The Armenian residents started a rebellion.  Armenia supported them and the declared independence.  So they have had a little statelet that isn't internationally recognized.  It's kind of akin to what the Russians did in South Ossetia and Transnistria.  

For thirty years, the Azerbaijanis have just had to eat shit on that deal because Armenia is protected by Russia.  There are Russian peacekeepers there that prevent Azerbaijan from retaking Nagorno-Karabakh.  But now Russia can't do anything; they're busy getting their asses kicked in Ukraine.

So now the Azerbaijanis have decided it's time for a reckoning.  They're supported by Turkiye/Turkey and to a lesser extent by Israel.  Armenia is supported by . . . well, not really anybody.  So the Azerbaijanis had no real trouble overrunning Azerbaijan.

So now comes the ethnic cleansing bit.  Hard to say how much is being forced by the Azerbaijanis and how much is just good sense on the part of the resident Armenians in deciding that they don't want to stick around and figure out how much the ethnic cleansing is going to be forcible.  Regardless, there's about 125,000 Armenians who are fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh.  And that's a helluva refugee crisis for a country with a population of less than 3 Million.

My starter wife's brother-in-law was Armenian.  Dude was weird as hell.  100% attached to his mom.  It almost felt Oedipal, but I was told that's just the culture.

I hear that one of these Armenans is corching our football team RIGHT NOW!

We're home to the largest Armenian population outside of Armenia.  I like the food.  That's all I got.

8 minutes ago, Sbbruin said:

We're home to the largest Armenian population outside of Armenia.  I like the food.  That's all I got.

Glendale.  Some good Armenian grub in that hood.  I really like their string cheese.

When we visited Armenia (random as hell, long story), my daughter ended up talking to a gal at a park, trying to use the little bit of Armenian she had just learned.  The girl explained that she lived some of the time in Armenia, but most of the time in the US, where she was born.  My daughter said "I bet I can tell you where you were born."  "Ok, guess."  "Glendale."  "How'd you know that?"  "Ummm, aren't pretty much all Armenians in the US in Glendale?"  Gal says "yeah...I guess you're right."

3 hours ago, Gil Bang said:

explain it like I'm 5. 

Thanks. 

They are the Irish of the Caucasuses.

4 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Glendale.  Some good Armenian grub in that hood.  I really like their string cheese.

When we visited Armenia (random as hell, long story), my daughter ended up talking to a gal at a park, trying to use the little bit of Armenian she had just learned.  The girl explained that she lived some of the time in Armenia, but most of the time in the US, where she was born.  My daughter said "I bet I can tell you where you were born."  "Ok, guess."  "Glendale."  "How'd you know that?"  "Ummm, aren't pretty much all Armenians in the US in Glendale?"  Gal says "yeah...I guess you're right."

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Once an Armenian stiffed me for $150 worth of work and I'm talkin 1980s money. But the same guy also set me up with gigs with two other people who did pay me.

One of them was an odd dude that acted like an early DeSantis minus the electoral drive. He and I were eating lunch in a town where he used to live, and he said he saw an old friend across the restaurant. I asked him if he wanted to say hi. "No, I live in ___ now, I have new friends in ___."

The other was a Dutch CEO of a tech company who was no-nonsense but in spite of that he offered me a job. Like a damn fool I turned him down.

Oh, and the Armenian guy had grown up in Jordan and carried a knife in his briefcase.

No personal experience with Azerbaijanis.

Once an Armenian stiffed me for $150 worth of work and I'm talkin 1980s money. But the same guy also set me up with gigs with two other people who did pay me.
One of them was an odd dude that acted like an early DeSantis minus the electoral drive. He and I were eating lunch in a town where he used to live, and he said he saw an old friend across the restaurant. I asked him if he wanted to say hi. "No, I live in ___ now, I have new friends in ___."
The other was a Dutch CEO of a tech company who was no-nonsense but in spite of that he offered me a job. Like a damn fool I turned him down.
Oh, and the Armenian guy had grown up in Jordan and carried a knife in his briefcase.
No personal experience with Azerbaijanis.

My daughter had a suitemate in Gothenburg who was Azeri. Said she was a real bitch. So, extrapolating from our sample of one…

My ex wife’s lineage goes back to Armenia.  I hope the Azeris kick their ass, but I’m not rooting for ethnic cleansing.  That would be too crass.

Just noticed that Azerbaijan has a town named Ganja, so I think I'll root for them.

1 hour ago, RDCanecutter said:

carried a knife in his briefcase

You don’t?

1 hour ago, RDCanecutter said:

carried a knife in his briefcase.

2 minutes ago, Sawbonz said:

You don’t?

Come On Reaction GIF by MOODMAN

Whatever it is, it's due to their own free will

9 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

Yep.  

On independence back in the early 1990s, a war broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.  Nagorno-Karabakh is within Azerbaijan's internationally recognized borders, but it's populated by Armenians.

The Armenian residents started a rebellion.  Armenia supported them and the declared independence.  So they have had a little statelet that isn't internationally recognized.  It's kind of akin to what the Russians did in South Ossetia and Transnistria.  

For thirty years, the Azerbaijanis have just had to eat shit on that deal because Armenia is protected by Russia.  There are Russian peacekeepers there that prevent Azerbaijan from retaking Nagorno-Karabakh.  But now Russia can't do anything; they're busy getting their asses kicked in Ukraine.

So now the Azerbaijanis have decided it's time for a reckoning.  They're supported by Turkiye/Turkey and to a lesser extent by Israel.  Armenia is supported by . . . well, not really anybody.  So the Azerbaijanis had no real trouble overrunning Azerbaijan.

So now comes the ethnic cleansing bit.  Hard to say how much is being forced by the Azerbaijanis and how much is just good sense on the part of the resident Armenians in deciding that they don't want to stick around and figure out how much the ethnic cleansing is going to be forcible.  Regardless, there's about 125,000 Armenians who are fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh.  And that's a helluva refugee crisis for a country with a population of less than 3 Million.

This is a pretty good summary. I’d also add that the Armenians really cleaned the Azeris’ clock in the 1990s war despite being smaller and less equipped because of military experience and expertise.  Armenians were a preferred nationality in the old USSR and were over represented among general officer ranks, in high party structures, and even got better assignments as part of their mandatory service. Azeris generally relegated to the menial ranks. 
 

(This reveals a lot about the USSR and its ethnic policy, but also about the Armenians. An ancient and unique people and culture long scattered across other empires, they mastered the art of integrating into power structures as a means of self-preservation. I’m far from the only person to draw parallels with the Jewish experience).

So anyway— this isn’t all about World War I score settling, there’s bad vibes from the whole 20th century. And Armenians will say that leaving NK in the Azerbaijan SSR was a random and poorly considers decision by the Soviet committee that set up borders of the republics and was done to make sure no republic was too united. 
 

 

52 minutes ago, RDCanecutter said:

Boot.

You carry a boot in your briefcase? Steel Toe? 

Just now, InkaUtexas said:

You carry a boot in your briefcase? Steel Toe? 

Don't talk so loud, be coooool mannnn.

18 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

We're home to the largest Armenian population outside of Armenia.  I like the food.  That's all I got.

Office moved from Pasadena to Glendale, I had no idea about anything Armenia but yea they are crazy deep here. Agree on the food I’ve enjoyed it.

What brisket said replied before reading

Edited by Zepol87

18 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

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Thank god for image search, and thank you for introducing me to this wonder.

 

21 hours ago, NWBuck said:

Whatever it is, it's due to their own free will

YARN | ...you done fucked up. You know that, don't you? | Menace II Society  (1993) | Video clips by quotes | a9d8d11d | 紗

 

Free will is an illusion.  Everything is determined by the laws of physics.  Consequently, we are not morally responsible for our actions.  This is why you shouldn't judge people that you are not inclined to judge.  For the people you would like to judge, Donald Trump for example, there are a more elaborate set of compatibilist type arguments that demonstrate why some people are morally responsible for their actions even though they are just bags of meat at the complete mercy of the laws of nature.  

Edited by axiom of foundation

1 hour ago, axiom of foundation said:

YARN | ...you done fucked up. You know that, don't you? | Menace II Society  (1993) | Video clips by quotes | a9d8d11d | 紗

 

Free will is an illusion.  Everything is determined by the laws of physics.  Consequently, we are not morally responsible for our actions.  This is why you shouldn't judge people that you are not inclined to judge.  For the people you would like to judge, Donald Trump for example, there are a more elaborate set of compatibilist type arguments that demonstrate why some people are morally responsible for their actions even though they are just bags of meat at the complete mercy of the laws of nature.  

Look, man... You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill. I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose free will.

(put differently... Maybe I'm just predestined to disagree with you. 😁

Edited by NWBuck

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