NEW INFO 5 Results from share redemption are posted. Less than .2% redeemed. Very bullish as investors are showing extreme confidence in the future of PLBY.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/playboy-mountain-crest-acquisition-corp-120000721.html
NEW INFO 4 Definitive Agreement to purchase 100% of Lovers brand stores announced 2/1.
https://www.streetinsider.com/Corporate+News/Playboy+%28MCAC%29+Confirms+Deal+to+Acquire+Lovers/17892359.html
NEW INFO 3 I bought more on the dip today. 5081 total. Price rose AH to $12.38 (2.15%)
NEW INFO 2 Here is the full webinar.
https://icrinc.zoom.us/rec/play/9GWKdmOYumjWfZuufW3QXpe_FW_g--qeNbg6PnTjTMbnNTgLmCbWjeRFpQga1iPc-elpGap8dnDv8Zww.yD7DjUwuPmapeEdP?continueMode=true&tk=lEYc4F_FkKlgsmCIs6w0gtGHT2kbgVGbUju3cIRBSjk.DQIAAAAV8NK49xZWdldRM2xNSFNQcTBmcE00UzM3bXh3AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&uuid=WN_GKWqbHkeSyuWetJmLFkj4g&_x_zm_rtaid=kR45-uuqRE-L65AxLjpbQw.1611967079119.2c054e3d3f8d8e63339273d9175939ed&_x_zm_rhtaid=866
NEW INFO 1 Live merger webinar with PLBY and MCAC on Friday January 29, 2021 at 12:00 NOON EST link below
https://mcacquisition.com/investor-relations/press-release-details/2021/Playboy-Enterprises-Inc.-and-Mountain-Crest-Acquisition-Corp-Participate-in-SPACInsider-ICR-Webinar-on-January-29th-at-12pm-ET/default.aspx
Playboy going public: Porn, Gambling, and Cannabis
!!!WARNING READING AHEAD!!! TL;DR at the end. It will take some time to sort through all the links and read/watch everything, but you should.
In the next couple weeks, Mountain Crest Acquisition Corp is taking Playboy public. The existing ticker MCAC will become PLBY. Special purpose acquisition companies have taken private companies public in recent months with great success. I believe this will be no exception. Notably, Playboy is profitable and has skyrocketing revenue going into a transformational growth phase.
Porn - First and foremost, let's talk about porn. I know what you guys are thinking. “Porno mags are dead. Why would I want to invest in something like that? I can get porn for free online.” Guess what? You are absolutely right. And that’s exactly why Playboy doesn’t do that anymore. That’s right, they eliminated their print division. And yet they somehow STILL make money from porn that people (see: boomers) pay for on their website through PlayboyTV, Playboy Plus, and iPlayboy. Here’s the thing: Playboy has international, multi-generational name recognition from porn. They have content available in 180 countries. It will be the only publicly traded adult entertainment (porn) company. But that is not where this company is going. It will help support them along the way. You can see every Playboy magazine through iPlayboy if you’re interested. NSFW links below:
https://www.playboy.com/
https://www.playboytv.com/
https://www.playboyplus.com/
https://www.iplayboy.com/
Gambling - Some of you might recognize the Playboy brand from gambling trips to places like Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Cancun, London or Macau. They’ve been in the gambling biz for decades through their casinos, clubs, and licensed gaming products. They see the writing on the wall. COVID is accelerating the transition to digital, application based GAMBLING. That’s right. What we are doing on Robinhood with risky options is gambling, and the only reason regulators might give a shit anymore is because we are making too much money. There may be some restrictions put in place, but gambling from your phone on your couch is not going anywhere. More and more states are allowing things like Draftkings, poker, state ‘lottery” apps, hell - even political betting. Michigan and Virginia just ok’d gambling apps. They won’t be the last. This is all from your couch and any 18 year old with a cracked iphone can access it. Wouldn’t it be cool if Playboy was going to do something like that? They’re already working on it. As per CEO Ben Kohn who we will get to later, “...the company’s casino-style digital gaming products with Scientific Games and Microgaming continue to see significant global growth.” Honestly, I stopped researching Scientific Games' sports betting segment when I saw the word ‘omni-channel’. That told me all I needed to know about it’s success.
“Our SG Sports™ platform is an enhanced, omni-channel solution for online, self-service and retail fixed odds sports betting – from soccer to tennis, basketball, football, baseball, hockey, motor sports, racing and more.”
https://www.scientificgames.com/
https://www.microgaming.co.uk/
“This latter segment has become increasingly enticing for Playboy, and it said last week that it is considering new tie-ups that could include gaming operators like PointsBet and 888Holdings.”
https://calvinayre.com/2020/10/05/business/playboys-gaming-ops-could-get-a-boost-from-spac-purchase/
As per their SEC filing:
“Significant consumer engagement and spend with Playboy-branded gaming properties around the world, including with leading partners such as Microgaming, Scientific Games, and Caesar’s Entertainment, steers our investment in digital gaming, sports betting and other digital offerings to further support our commercial strategy to expand consumer spend with minimal marginal cost, and gain consumer data to inform go-to-market plans across categories.”
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgadata/1803914/000110465921005986/tm2034213-12_defm14a.htm#tMDAA1
They are expanding into more areas of gaming/gambling, working with international players in the digital gaming/gambling arena, and a Playboy sportsbook is on the horizon.
https://www.playboy.com/read/the-pleasure-of-playing-with-yourself-mobile-gaming-in-the-covid-era
Cannabis - If you’ve ever read through a Playboy magazine, you know they’ve had a positive relationship with cannabis for many years. As of September 2020, Playboy has made a major shift into the cannabis space. Too good to be true you say? Check their website. Playboy currently sells a range of CBD products. This is a good sign. Federal hemp products, which these most likely are, can be mailed across state lines and most importantly for a company like Playboy, can operate through a traditional banking institution. CBD products are usually the first step towards the cannabis space for large companies. Playboy didn’t make these products themselves meaning they are working with a processor in the cannabis industry. Another good sign for future expansion. What else do they have for sale? Pipes, grinders, ashtrays, rolling trays, joint holders. Hmm. Ok. So it looks like they want to sell some shit. They probably don’t have an active interest in cannabis right? Think again:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/javierhasse/2020/09/24/playboy-gets-serious-about-cannabis-law-reform-advocacy-with-new-partnership-grants/?sh=62f044a65cea
“Taking yet another step into the cannabis space, Playboy will be announcing later on Thursday (September, 2020) that it is launching a cannabis law reform and advocacy campaign in partnership with National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), Last Prisoner Project, Marijuana Policy Project, the Veterans Cannabis Project, and the Eaze Momentum Program.”
“According to information procured exclusively, the three-pronged campaign will focus on calling for federal legalization. The program also includes the creation of a mentorship plan, through which the Playboy Foundation will support entrepreneurs from groups that are underrepresented in the industry.” Remember that CEO Kohn from earlier? He wrote this recently:
https://medium.com/naked-open-letters-from-playboy/congress-must-pass-the-more-act-c867c35239ae
Seems like he really wants weed to be legal? Hmm wonder why? The writing's on the wall my friends. Playboy wants into the cannabis industry, they are making steps towards this end, and we have favorable conditions for legislative progress.
Don’t think branding your own cannabis line is profitable or worthwhile? Tell me why these 41 celebrity millionaires and billionaires are dummies. I’ll wait.
https://www.celebstoner.com/news/celebstoner-news/2019/07/12/top-celebrity-cannabis-brands/
Confirmation: I hear you. “This all seems pretty speculative. It would be wildly profitable if they pull this shift off. But how do we really know?” Watch this whole video:
https://finance.yahoo.com/video/playboy-ceo-telling-story-female-154907068.html
Man - this interview just gets my juices flowing. And highlights one of my favorite reasons for this play. They have so many different business avenues from which a catalyst could appear. I think paying attention, holding shares, and options on these staggered announcements over the next year is the way I am going to go about it. "There's definitely been a shift to direct-to-consumer," he (Kohn) said. "About 50 percent of our revenue today is direct-to-consumer, and that will continue to grow going forward.” “Kohn touted Playboy's portfolio of both digital and consumer products, with casino-style gaming, in particular, serving a crucial role under the company's new business model. Playboy also has its sights on the emerging cannabis market, from CBD products to marijuana products geared toward sexual health and pleasure.” "If THC does become legal in the United States, we have developed certain strains to enhance your sex life that we will launch," Kohn said. https://cheddar.com/media/playboy-goes-public-health-gaming-lifestyle-focus Oh? The CEO actually said it? Ok then. “We have developed certain strains…” They’re already working with growers on strains and genetics? Ok. There are several legal cannabis markets for those products right now, international and stateside. I expect Playboy licensed hemp and THC pre-rolls by EOY. Something like this: https://www.etsy.com/listing/842996758/10-playboy-pre-roll-tubes-limited?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=pre+roll+playboy&ref=sr_gallery-1-2&organic_search_click=1 Maintaining cannabis operations can be costly and a regulatory headache. Playboy’s licensing strategy allows them to pick successful, established partners and sidestep traditional barriers to entry. You know what I like about these new markets? They’re expanding. Worldwide. And they are going to be a bigger deal than they already are with or without Playboy. Who thinks weed and gambling are going away? Too many people like that stuff. These are easy markets. And Playboy is early enough to carve out their spot in each. Fuck it, read this too: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimosman/2020/10/20/playboy-could-be-the-king-of-spacs-here-are-three-picks/?sh=2e13dcaa3e05
Numbers: You want numbers? I got numbers. As per the company’s most recent SEC filing:
“For the year ended December 31, 2019, and the nine months ended September 30, 2020, Playboy’s historical consolidated revenue was $78.1 million and $101.3 million, respectively, historical consolidated net income (loss) was $(23.6) million and $(4.8) million, respectively, and Adjusted EBITDA was $13.1 million and $21.8 million, respectively.”
“In the nine months ended September 30, 2020, Playboy’s Licensing segment contributed $44.2 million in revenue and $31.1 million in net income.”
“In the ninth months ended September 30, 2020, Playboy’s Direct-to-Consumer segment contributed $40.2 million in revenue and net income of $0.1 million.”
“In the nine months ended September 30, 2020, Playboy’s Digital Subscriptions and Content segment contributed $15.4 million in revenue and net income of $7.4 million.”
They are profitable across all three of their current business segments.
“Playboy’s return to the public markets presents a transformed, streamlined and high-growth business. The Company has over $400 million in cash flows contracted through 2029, sexual wellness products available for sale online and in over 10,000 major retail stores in the US, and a growing variety of clothing and branded lifestyle and digital gaming products.”
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgadata/1803914/000110465921005986/tm2034213-12_defm14a.htm#tSHCF
Growth: Playboy has massive growth in China and massive growth potential in India. “In China, where Playboy has spent more than 25 years building its business, our licensees have an enormous footprint of nearly 2,500 brick and mortar stores and 1,000 ecommerce stores selling high quality, Playboy-branded men’s casual wear, shoes/footwear, sleepwear, swimwear, formal suits, leather & non-leather goods, sweaters, active wear, and accessories. We have achieved significant growth in China licensing revenues over the past several years in partnership with strong licensees and high-quality manufacturers, and we are planning for increased growth through updates to our men’s fashion lines and expansion into adjacent categories in men’s skincare and grooming, sexual wellness, and women’s fashion, a category where recent launches have been well received.” The men’s market in China is about the same size as the entire population of the United States and European Union combined. Playboy is a leading brand in this market. They are expanding into the women’s market too. Did you know CBD toothpaste is huge in China? China loves CBD products and has hemp fields that dwarf those in the US. If Playboy expands their CBD line China it will be huge. Did you know the gambling money in Macau absolutely puts Las Vegas to shame? Technically, it's illegal on the mainland, but in reality, there is a lot of gambling going on in China. https://www.forbes.com/sites/javierhasse/2020/10/19/magic-johnson-and-uncle-buds-cbd-brand-enter-china-via-tmall-partnership/?sh=271776ca411e “In India, Playboy today has a presence through select apparel licensees and hospitality establishments. Consumer research suggests significant growth opportunities in the territory with Playboy’s brand and categories of focus.” “Playboy Enterprises has announced the expansion of its global consumer products business into India as part of a partnership with Jay Jay Iconic Brands, a leading fashion and lifestyle Company in India.” “The Indian market today is dominated by consumers under the age of 35, who represent more than 65 percent of the country’s total population and are driving India’s significant online shopping growth. The Playboy brand’s core values of playfulness and exploration resonate strongly with the expressed desires of today’s younger millennial consumers. For us, Playboy was the perfect fit.” “The Playboy international portfolio has been flourishing for more than 25 years in several South Asian markets such as China and Japan. In particular, it has strategically targeted the millennial and gen-Z audiences across categories such as apparel, footwear, home textiles, eyewear and watches.” https://www.licenseglobal.com/industry-news/playboy-expands-global-footprint-india It looks like they gave COVID the heisman in terms of net damage sustained: “Although Playboy has not suffered any material adverse consequences to date from the COVID-19 pandemic, the business has been impacted both negatively and positively. The remote working and stay-at-home orders resulted in the closure of the London Playboy Club and retail stores of Playboy’s licensees, decreasing licensing revenues in the second quarter, as well as causing supply chain disruption and less efficient product development thereby slowing the launch of new products. However, these negative impacts were offset by an increase in Yandy’s direct-to-consumer sales, which have benefited in part from overall increases in online retail sales so far during the pandemic.” Looks like the positives are long term (Yandy acquisition) and the negatives are temporary (stay-at-home orders).
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgadata/1803914/000110465921006093/tm213766-1_defa14a.htm
This speaks to their ability to maintain a financially solvent company throughout the transition phase to the aforementioned areas. They’d say some fancy shit like “expanded business model to encompass four key revenue streams: Sexual Wellness, Style & Apparel, Gaming & Lifestyle, and Beauty & Grooming.” I hear “we’re just biding our time with these trinkets until those dollar dollar bill y’all markets are fully up and running.” But the truth is these existing revenue streams are profitable, scalable, and rapidly expanding Playboy’s e-commerce segment around the world.
"Even in the face of COVID this year, we've been able to grow EBITDA over 100 percent and revenue over 68 percent, and I expect that to accelerate going into 2021," he said. “Playboy is accelerating its growth in company-owned and branded consumer products in attractive and expanding markets in which it has a proven history of brand affinity and consumer spend.”
Also in the SEC filing, the Time Frame:
“As we detailed in the definitive proxy statement, the SPAC stockholder meeting to vote on the transaction has been set for February 9th, and, subject to stockholder approval and satisfaction of the other closing conditions, we expect to complete the merger and begin trading on NASDAQ under ticker PLBY shortly thereafter,” concluded Kohn.
The Players: Suhail “The Whale” Rizvi (HMFIC), Ben “The Bridge” Kohn (CEO), “lil” Suying Liu & “Big” Dong Liu (Young-gun China gang). I encourage you to look these folks up. The real OG here is Suhail Rizvi. He’s from India originally and Chairman of the Board for the new PLBY company. He was an early investor in Twitter, Square, Facebook and others. His firm, Rizvi Traverse, currently invests in Instacart, Pinterest, Snapchat, Playboy, and SpaceX. Maybe you’ve heard of them. “Rizvi, who owns a sprawling three-home compound in Greenwich, Connecticut, and a 1.65-acre estate in Palm Beach, Florida, near Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg, moved to Iowa Falls when he was five. His father was a professor of psychology at Iowa. Along with his older brother Ashraf, a hedge fund manager, Rizvi graduated from Wharton business school.” “Suhail Rizvi: the 47-year-old 'unsocial' social media baron: When Twitter goes public in the coming weeks (2013), one of the biggest winners will be a 47-year-old financier who guards his secrecy so zealously that he employs a person to take down his Wikipedia entry and scrub his photos from the internet. In IPO, Twitter seeks to be 'anti-FB'” “Prince Alwaleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia looks like a big Twitter winner. So do the moneyed clients of Jamie Dimon. But as you’ve-got-to-be-joking wealth washed over Twitter on Thursday — a company that didn’t exist eight years ago was worth $31.7 billion after its first day on the stock market — the non-boldface name of the moment is Suhail R. Rizvi. Mr. Rizvi, 47, runs a private investment company that is the largest outside investor in Twitter with a 15.6 percent stake worth $3.8 billion at the end of trading on Thursday (November, 2013). Using a web of connections in the tech industry and in finance, as well as a hearty dose of good timing, he brought many prominent names in at the ground floor, including the Saudi prince and some of JPMorgan’s wealthiest clients.” https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/08/technology/at-twitter-working-behind-the-scenes-toward-a-billion-dollar-payday.html Y’all like that Arab money? How about a dude that can call up Saudi Princes and convince them to spend? Funniest shit about I read about him: “Rizvi was able to buy only $100 million in Facebook shortly before its IPO, thus limiting his returns, according to people with knowledge of the matter.” Poor guy :(
He should be fine with the 16 million PLBY shares he's going to have though :)
Shuhail also has experience in the entertainment industry. He’s invested in companies like SESAC, ICM, and Summit Entertainment. He’s got Hollywood connections to blast this stuff post-merger. And he’s at least partially responsible for that whole Twilight thing. I’m team Edward btw.
I really like what Suhail has done so far. He’s lurked in the shadows while Kohn is consolidating the company, trimming the fat, making Playboy profitable, and aiming the ship at modern growing markets.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-twitter-ipo-rizvi-insight/insight-little-known-hollywood-investor-poised-to-score-with-twitter-ipo-idUSBRE9920VW20131003
Ben “The Bridge” Kohn is an interesting guy. He’s the connection between Rizvi Traverse and Playboy. He’s both CEO of Playboy and was previously Managing Partner at Rizvi Traverse. Ben seems to be the voice of the Playboy-Rizvi partnership, which makes sense with Suhail’s privacy concerns. Kohn said this:
“Today is a very big day for all of us at Playboy and for all our partners globally. I stepped into the CEO role at Playboy in 2017 because I saw the biggest opportunity of my career. Playboy is a brand and platform that could not be replicated today. It has massive global reach, with more than $3B of global consumer spend and products sold in over 180 countries. Our mission – to create a culture where all people can pursue pleasure – is rooted in our 67-year history and creates a clear focus for our business and role we play in people’s lives, providing them with the products, services and experiences that create a lifestyle of pleasure. We are taking this step into the public markets because the committed capital will enable us to accelerate our product development and go-to-market strategies and to more rapidly build our direct to consumer capabilities,” said Ben Kohn, CEO of Playboy.
“Playboy today is a highly profitable commerce business with a total addressable market projected in the trillions of dollars,” Mr. Kohn continued, “We are actively selling into the Sexual Wellness consumer category, projected to be approximately $400 billion in size by 2024, where our recently launched intimacy products have rolled out to more than 10,000 stores at major US retailers in the United States. Combined with our owned & operated ecommerce Sexual Wellness initiatives, the category will contribute more than 40% of our revenue this year. In our Apparel and Beauty categories, our collaborations with high-end fashion brands including Missguided and PacSun are projected to achieve over $50M in retail sales across the US and UK this year, our leading men’s apparel lines in China expanded to nearly 2500 brick and mortar stores and almost 1000 digital stores, and our new men’s and women’s fragrance line recently launched in Europe. In Gaming, our casino-style digital gaming products with Scientific Games and Microgaming continue to see significant global growth. Our product strategy is informed by years of consumer data as we actively expand from a purely licensing model into owning and operating key high-growth product lines focused on driving profitability and consumer lifetime value. We are thrilled about the future of Playboy. Our foundation has been set to drive further growth and margin, and with the committed capital from this transaction and our more than $180M in NOLs, we will take advantage of the opportunity in front of us, building to our goal of $100M of adjusted EBITDA in 2025.”
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201001005404/en/Playboy-to-Become-a-Public-Company
Also, according to their Form 4s, “Big” Dong Liu and “lil” Suying Liu just loaded up with shares last week. These guys are brothers and seem like the Chinese market connection. They are only 32 & 35 years old. I don’t even know what that means, but it's provocative.
https://www.secform4.com/insider-trading/1832415.htm
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mountain-crest-acquisition-corp-ii-002600994.html
Y’all like that China money?
“Mr. Liu has been the Chief Financial Officer of Dongguan Zhishang Photoelectric Technology Co., Ltd., a regional designer, manufacturer and distributor of LED lights serving commercial customers throughout Southern China since November 2016, at which time he led a syndicate of investments into the firm. Mr. Liu has since overseen the financials of Dongguan Zhishang as well as provided strategic guidance to its board of directors, advising on operational efficiency and cash flow performance. From March 2010 to October 2016, Mr. Liu was the Head of Finance at Feidiao Electrical Group Co., Ltd., a leading Chinese manufacturer of electrical outlets headquartered in Shanghai and with businesses in the greater China region as well as Europe.”
Dr. Suying Liu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mountain Crest Acquisition Corp., commented, “Playboy is a unique and compelling investment opportunity, with one of the world’s largest and most recognized brands, its proven consumer affinity and spend, and its enormous future growth potential in its four product segments and new and existing geographic regions. I am thrilled to be partnering with Ben and his exceptional team to bring his vision to fruition.”
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201001005404/en/Playboy-to-Become-a-Public-Company
These guys are good. They have a proven track record of success across multiple industries. Connections and money run deep with all of these guys. I don’t think they’re in the game to lose.
I was going to write a couple more paragraphs about why you should have a look at this but really the best thing you can do is read this SEC filing from a couple days ago. It explains the situation in far better detail. Specifically, look to page 137 and read through their strategy. Also, look at their ownership percentages and compensation plans including the stock options and their prices. The financials look great, revenue is up 90% Q3, and it looks like a bright future.
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgadata/1803914/000110465921005986/tm2034213-12_defm14a.htm#tSHCF
I’m hesitant to attach this because his position seems short term, but I’m going to with a warning because he does hit on some good points (two are below his link) and he’s got a sizable position in this thing (500k+ on margin, I think). I don’t know this guy but he did look at the same publicly available info and make roughly the same prediction, albeit without the in depth gambling or cannabis mention. You can also search reddit for ‘MCAC’ and very few relevant results come up and none of them even come close to really looking at this thing.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gOvAd6lebs452hFlWWbxVjQ3VMsjGBkbJeXRwDwIJfM/edit?usp=sharing
“Also, before you people start making claims that Playboy is a “boomer” company, STOP RIGHT THERE. This is not a good argument. Simply put. The only thing that matters is Playboy’s name recognition, not their archaic business model which doesn’t even exist anymore as they have completely repurposed their business.”
“Imagine not buying $MCAC at a 400M valuation lol. Streetwear department is worth 1B alone imo.”
Considering the ridiculous Chinese growth as a lifestyle brand, he’s not wrong.
Current Cultural Significance and Meme Value: A year ago I wouldn’t have included this section but the events from the last several weeks (even going back to tsla) have proven that a company’s ability to meme and/or gain social network popularity can have an effect. Tik-tok, Snapchat, Twitch, Reddit, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter. They all have Playboy stuff on them. Kids in middle and highschool know what Playboy is but will likely never see or touch one of the magazines in person. They’ll have a Playboy hoodie though. Crazy huh? A lot like GME, PLBY would hugely benefit from meme-value stock interest to drive engagement towards their new business model while also building strategic coffers. This interest may not directly and/or significantly move the stock price but can generate significant interest from larger players who will.
Bull Case: The year is 2025. Playboy is now the world leader pleasure brand. They began by offering Playboy licensed gaming products, including gambling products, direct to consumers through existing names. By 2022, demand has skyrocketed and Playboy has designed and released their own gambling platforms. In 2025, they are also a leading cannabis brand in the United States and Canada with proprietary strains and products geared towards sexual wellness. Cannabis was legalized in the US in 2023 when President Biden got glaucoma but had success with cannabis treatment. He personally pushes for cannabis legalization as he steps out of office after his first term. Playboy has also grown their brand in China and India to multi-billion per year markets. The stock goes up from 11ish to 100ish and everyone makes big gains buying somewhere along the way.
Bear Case: The United States does a complete 180 on marijuana and gambling. President Biden overdoses on marijuana in the Lincoln bedroom when his FDs go tits up and he loses a ton of money in his sports book app after the Fighting Blue Hens narrowly lose the National Championship to Bama. Playboy is unable to expand their cannabis and gambling brands but still does well with their worldwide lifestyle brand. They gain and lose some interest in China and India but the markets are too large to ignore them completely. The stock goes up from 11ish to 13ish and everyone makes 15-20% gains.
TL;DR: Successful technology/e-commerce investment firm took over Playboy to turn it into a porn, online gambling/gaming, sports book, cannabis company, worldwide lifestyle brand that promotes sexual wellness, vetern access, women-ownership, minority-ownership, and “pleasure for all”. Does a successful online team reinventing an antiquated physical copy giant sound familiar? No options yet, shares only for now. $11.38 per share at time of writing. My guess? $20 by the end of February. $50 by EOY. This is not financial advice. I am not qualified to give financial advice. I’m just sayin’ I would personally use a Playboy sports book app while smoking a Playboy strain specific joint and it would be cool if they did that. Do your own research. You’d probably want to start here:
WARNING - POTENTIALLY NSFW - SEXY MODELS AHEAD - no actual nudity though
https://s26.q4cdn.com/895475556/files/doc_presentations/Playboy-Craig-Hallum-Conference-Investor-Presentation-11_17_20-compressed.pdf
Or here:
https://www.mcacquisition.com/investor-relations/default.aspx
Jimmy Chill: “Get into any SPAC at $10 or $11 and you are going to make money.”
STL;DR: Buy MCAC. MCAC > PLBY couple weeks. Rocketship. Moon.
Position: 5000 shares. I will buy short, medium, and long-dated calls once available.

Welcome, dear readers, to my semi-regular coronavirus roundup.
Friday, Dec. 11: The Covid Tracking Project reports the U.S. saw a record 232,000 cases and a record 108,000 people hospitalized with COVID-19. There were 2,749 deaths. The 7-day average for all four metrics is the highest it has been.
CNN reports that Friday's total deaths from Covid was actually 3,309, which would be the highest number of new deaths since the pandemic began (different methods of tabulation and time of publishing causes outlets to have different daily totals).
Housekeeping:

• HOW TO SUPPORT: I know we are all facing unprecedented financial hardships right now. If you are in the position to support my work, I have a patreon, venmo, and a paypal set up. No pressure though, I will keep posting these pieces no matter what - paywalls suck.
  
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Vaccine news

Late Friday, the FDA gave emergency use authorization to Pfizer’s vaccine, following threats from the president. Earlier in the day, the White House told FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn to submit his resignation if his agency did not approve the vaccine by day’s end. Trump has reportedly been upset that the U.K. has authorized a vaccine first and angry for what he perceives as a delay that harmed his campaign for re-election.

The outgoing president recently ranted to several advisers and associates about how vaccine manufacturers were possibly working to deny him the chance to declare victory in the pandemic, according to three people familiar with his private grumblings. One adviser told The Daily Beast that this month, the president asked if the heads of Pfizer, one of the main vaccine manufacturers, were “Democrats.”
“It kind of came out of nowhere and I didn’t really know how to respond,” this source recounted… “Donald Trump must get the credit for the vaccines. It is a miracle,” the president tweeted on Friday morning, referencing something said by a Fox Business host.

The Trump administration turned down repeated offers from Pfizer to lock in more than 100 million vaccine doses (enough for 50 million people) over the summer. The pharmaceutical company “repeatedly warned the Trump administration that demand could vastly outstrip supply and urged it to pre-order more doses, but were turned down.” Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a member of Pfizer’s board, said the administration turned down additional doses even after the company released data showing the vaccine to be effective (clip).
As a consequence of the administration’s failure to reserve more doses, Pfizer says they cannot provide more until late June or July.

• For comparison, the EU has ordered 200 million Pfizer doses so far.
  
• Note: The U.S. paid $1.95 billion as part of a deal for 100 million doses. In contrast, the administration has spent $15 billion on Trump’s border wall.
  

Perhaps in an effort to suppress criticism of their failure to secure additional Pfizer doses, Trump issued an executive order to prioritize vaccine shipments to “Americans before other nations.” The order, however, does not appear to be not impactful or enforceable. Operation Warp Speed chief Moncef Slaoui told ABC News that he has no idea what the order accomplishes:

“Frankly, I don’t know, and frankly, I’m staying out of this. I can’t comment,” Slaoui said. “I literally don’t know…I don’t know exactly what this order is about.” (clip)

Experts say that even with Pfizer’s and Moderna’s doses, the U.S. is not going to be able to fulfill the Trump administration’s promise that most Americans will be vaccinated by May. The U.S. has purchased roughly 200 million total doses - enough for 100 million people - from the two vaccine front-runners. While the administration has also reserved hundreds of millions of doses from four other manufacturers, including 300 million from AstraZeneca, the outlook for those vaccines is mixed.

“We’re clearly not going to get there” with the Moderna and Pfizer shots, said Peter Hotez, a virologist and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine, who is working on a vaccine candidate with partners in India. “We’re going to need four or five different vaccines.”

• UPDATE: After writing this post, HHS purchased another 100 million doses of the yet-to-be-approved Moderna vaccine. The expanded order would ensure continuous vaccine delivery through the end of June 2021, at a total cost of $3.2 billion

A little-noticed aspect of Operation Warp Speed: It explicitly states its goal is to deliver enough doses for just half of the U.S. population. “Operation Warp Speed's goal is to produce and deliver 300 million doses of safe and effective vaccines with the initial doses available by January 2021,” the HHS website states. As mentioned above, it is highly unlikely the U.S. will even reach that goal.
Further reading on vaccines:

• “Trump administration leaves states to grapple with how to distribute scarce vaccines.” Politico.
  
• “Every state has its own COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan. Find the one for yours here.” USA Today.
  
• “Find Your Place in the Vaccine Line.” NYT.
  
• “Jumping the line for a vaccine will be pretty easy.” Axios. “‘There absolutely will be a black market’: How the rich and privileged can skip the line for Covid-19 vaccines.” STAT.
  
• “The Freakout About Giving COVID Vaccines to Prisoners Has Already Begun.” Mother Jones.
  
• “Some States Balk After C.D.C. Asks for Personal Data of Those Vaccinated: The Trump administration is requiring states to submit personal data — including names, birth dates and addresses — of Covid-19 vaccine recipients.” NYT.
  
• “How the Race for a COVID-19 Vaccine Jeopardizes East Coast Shorebirds.” Audubon. “Horseshoe crabs help keep vaccines safe. Now, they're in big trouble.” CBS News.
  

TrumpWorld SuperSpreaders

Just as Trump intervened to ensure Chris Christie and HUD Secretary Ben Carson received the same monoclonal antibody therapy that he did, Rudy Giuliani admits he was given the rare treatment due to his “celebrity” status. HHS Secretary Azar says the U.S. has allocated 278,000 doses of the antibody therapies, developed by Eli Lilly and Regeneron. Yesterday alone, a record 232,000 people tested positive for the virus and a record 108,000 people were hospitalized with the disease.

“If it wasn’t me, I wouldn’t have been put in a hospital, frankly,” Mr. Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer, told WABC radio in New York. “Sometimes when you’re a celebrity, they’re worried if something happens to you they’re going to examine it more carefully, and do everything right.”

When told that most Americans did not have access to the same VIP treatments, Giuliani was clueless: "I, well, I didn't know that. I mean, they give it to us here at this hospital," Giuliani told the radio hosts. He added that he was "not sure" their description was accurate.

• NYT: In fact, the antibody treatments are so scarce that officials in Utah have developed a ranking system to determine who is most likely to benefit from the drugs, while Colorado is using a lottery system.

Finally, just as with Trump, Giuliani’s VIP medical treatment reinforced his belief that the coronavirus is not a big deal, saying he has “exactly the same view” of the virus as he did before becoming ill.
On his YouTube show, Giuliani admitted to experiencing symptoms while on his election conspiracy tour visiting four different states. The former mayor said that Americans should get tested as soon as they start to show symptoms but admits he did not do the same:

"I’m not going to say I passed that test completely… I had symptoms, I probably did have symptoms for a few days, I was traveling, I was traveling very fast and going to one state after another testifying at the hearings concerning the election. I had gone in 5 days to 4 states - Pennsylvania, to Michigan, to Arizona and to Georgia - and about five to six hearings in that period of time, preparing witnesses.” (clip)

Numerous state legislatures visited by Giuliani and Trump campaign lawyer Jenna Ellis (who also tested positive) shut down after they exposed members and staff to the virus, including the Arizona Senate and House of Representatives and the Michigan House of Representatives.

• While in Michigan, Giuliani asked a woman sitting next to him to remove her mask during her testimony before a panel on election fraud; she declined (clip).
  
• In Michigan, the House of Representatives is being investigated by the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration over violations to COVID-19 workplace regulations. Since the start of the pandemic, 11 Michigan state legislators and more than 30 legislative staffers have tested positive for coronavirus.
  
• Georgia state Sen. William Ligon, the chairman of the Judiciary subcommittee, said Giuliani was in “close proximity to senators, Senate staff, members of the media and the general public” during his visit. Videos show the former mayor was not wearing a mask. Dr. Megan Ranney told CNN that Giuliani could have potentially exposed "hundreds and hundreds" of people to the virus.
  

Despite the surging pandemic, Trump’s White House is continuing to hold indoor holiday parties. Jenna Ellis attended one of these parties just days before testing positive for the virus, angering attendees. According to ABC News, the White House has hosted at least 10 such parties and expects to hold at least 20 - at times with more than 200 guests.

At a Tuesday event touting his vaccine effort, a reporter asked, "Why are you modeling a different behavior to the American people than what your scientists tell?"
"They’re Christmas parties, and, frankly, we’ve reduced the number very substantially, as you know,” Trump responded (clip).

Mike Pompeo’s State Department is also hosting large parties, including an upcoming event with a guest list of over 900 people. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) has called on Pompeo to cancel the parties, saying they violate his own guidelines against holding “non-mission critical” gatherings and “pose a significant health risk” to attendees and staff.

“It is one thing for individuals to engage in behavior that flies in the face of CDC and public health guidelines. But it is another to put employees and workers at risk, some of whom include contractors, such as catering and wait staff, who do not receive the full benefits of federal employment and may not have health insurance,” said the Menendez letter.

Miscellaneous

CDC Director Robert Redfield allegedly tried to “conceal and destroy evidence” of political interference with coronavirus scientific guidance. The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis revealed testimony from a CDC career scientist that Redfield ordered subordinates to delete an email from political appointees who were attempting to alter language in a critical CDC report. Then HHS spokesman Michael Caputo and advisor Paul Alexander were forced out of the agency for their efforts to change and delay the reports earlier this year.

Dr. Kent stated in her interview, “I was instructed to delete the email.” She explained that she understood the instruction was relayed by Dr. Redfield to her supervisor and another member of her staff. She continued, “I went to look for it after I had been told to delete it, and it was already gone.” When asked who deleted the email, she replied, “I have no idea.” Dr. Kent stated, “I considered this to be very unusual.”

• Furthermore, Chairman James Clyburn accused HHS Secretary Alex Azar of stonewalling the subcommittee’s investigation into the matter, setting a deadline of Dec. 15 for production of requested materials and interviews.

Florida law enforcement agents searched the home of former state data scientist Rebekah Jones with guns drawn, claiming they were investigating an unauthorized message that was sent on a state communications system. Jones created a separate coronavirus-tracking system after she was fired from the Florida Department of Health for refusing to comply with alleged orders to manipulate data.
The state police seized her computer and phone in an attempt to prove that she’d sent an unauthorized “group text” through “a Department of Health messaging system” that is “to be used for emergencies only,” according to authorities. Further reporting has revealed that the warrant was issued on flimsy, fishy evidence:

the supposedly private messaging system that Jones might have accessed might have effectively just been an email address — an email address that the Florida Department of Health may have inadvertently published for anyone to see on the open web… I asked the FDLE to explain how it could have been accessed illegally — if the email address might have required someone to use private credentials somehow — but it declined, citing the active investigation.

12th Circuit Judicial Nomination Commission member Ron Filipkowski, a Republican, resigned in protest of the raid on Jones. In a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), Filipkowski states that he has “been increasingly alarmed by the Governor’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.”

"I have followed the events with Ms. Jones, seen the quality of her replacement, and reviewed the search warrant that led to her home being raided… Based on what I have seen and read, I find these actions unconscionable. Even if the facts alleged are true, I would still call her a hero… I no longer wish to serve the current government of Florida in any capacity.”

An investigation by a Florida newspaper found that “DeSantis' administration engaged in a pattern of spin and concealment that misled the public” on the pandemic. According to the newspaper, Republican DeSantis influenced a state administration that “suppressed unfavorable facts, dispensed dangerous misinformation, dismissed public health professionals, and promoted the views of scientific dissenters” who supported the governor’s ambivalent approach to the disease.

Previous thread is archived.
Same purpose as previous one. Some questions are recurring and are asked every day. This thread will give some knowledge so it will be possible to find the answer by yourself. Also this is a place to ask any questions about Lepin/KING and other brands, sets, minifigures, etc.
Here’s page that contains links to all the guides available: https://www.reddit.com/lepin/wiki/guides
FAQ:

1) Does a replica of certain Lego set exist? Does anyone make this set? 2) What’s the difference between Knockoffs and Lego? Do ko sets come with minifigures? 3) Where can I buy certain set? What is the best place to buy? 4) What's the cheapest option to buy this set? Where is the lowest price? 5) What's the quality of a brand or of a set? 6) Did anybody buy this set, impressions? How is this set? 7) I can’t find a set sold anywhere. 8) Are lepinworld, lepinland, bricklepin, lepinbricks official stores? 9) Will somebody make this set? Any news about this set? When will be the restock? 10) Never heard of "Weird_brand_name", how is it? Unknown brands. 11) How to buy from AliExpress? How to pick an AliExpress seller? Is this seller reliable? 12) Where can I buy minifigures? 13) Where can I buy spare parts? 14) Where can I find the building instructions? 15) Is it illegal to own or to buy Lepin-like items? 16) Where can I resell sets I don't need anymore? 

1) Does a replica of certain Lego set exist? Does anyone make this set?
Check on http://brick4.com website by Lego setcode (or by name if it is MOC). If a replica exists, you'll see clone brands and their set numbers (besides Lego).
You gotta remember that even ko sets have lifecycle and might be discountinued.
Some of discontinued Lepin sets might be still in stock somewhere. Try CreepHybrid store (https://creephybrid.easy.co/), they have access to suppliers that still have some of retired Lepin sets.
2) What’s the difference between Knockoffs and Lego? Do ko sets come with minifigures?
The sets are usually identical, but some parts might have slightly different molds or colors.
Minifigures are included if original set had them. If it's a MOC then there might be no minifigures.
Sometimes minifigures are not displayed on pictures because of Lego copyright issues. Also, minifigures can usually be bought separately from minifigure brands.
3) Where can I buy certain set? What is the best place to buy?
None of the brands has an official store. All the brands do dropshipping so you are buying from a reseller, you can't buy from a factory.
There is a list of recommended online stores in current Stores Rating Thread: You can check it (by flair) here. It is also available from the sidebar. If you are using mobile version you can find current stores rating thread here.
There are some factors that can lead to picking certain sellers, like your location for example. Some stores might not ship to your country and some might charge a lot for shipping, some might have a warehouse in your country. You gotta check prices at different sources first. Also customs duties might occur, pick sellers that can declare less value of your package and that provide delivery methods that can lower the chance of customs duties.
In general, people here mostly buy from Loy Chen (https://www.yourwobb.com/), Loy can be considered one of the most favourite sellers here.
Check the Stores Rating Thread to see all options: here
4) What's the cheapest option to buy this set? Where is the lowest price?
See p.3 - all these sources, you have to check them to know. Prices of the same set differ so nobody can say right away where the price is lowest. Prices might depend on your location.
I would say that seller should be reliable, but well if you want to save, consider the risk.
The lowest price doesn't guarantee best service quality or fast shipping. You can play a lottery and order cheapest AliExpress option from 90% rating store. AliExpress will protect your deal but you might lose time, because seller forgot to put you several bags for example, etc. But it might be a smooth transaction as well. Risk is on you.
5) What's the quality of a brand or of a set?
Depends on the brand and depends on the set, but generally quality is decent for the price you pay. It's really hard to find crappy sets these days.
GoBricks in considered the best brick supplier, quality about on par with Lego.
Brands by brick suppliers: https://www.reddit.com/astrobricks/comments/ic4vby/brick_brand/ and who uses GoBricks: https://www.yourwobb.com/blogs/news/the-brands-use-gobricks-bricks
6) Did anybody buy this set, impressions? How is this set?
Use the search please. There's a high chance someone posted a review here.
7) I can’t find a set sold anywhere.
Check if you are using correct setcodes for searching. See p.1
And as said there knockoff sets can become retired. Also if the set was produced by Lepin only, it might be discontinued as Lepin ceased to exist. KING (as Lepin's successor) might make a replica of this set in the future. Check http://brick4.com/ from time to time.
Though, some of discontinued Lepin sets might be still in stock somewhere. Try CreepHybrid store (https://creephybrid.easy.co/), they have access to suppliers that still have some of retired Lepin sets.
8) Are lepinworld, lepinland, bricklepin, lepinbricks official stores?
No, Lepin never had any official stores, and KING doesn’t either. KING only does dropshipping, so in any case you will be buying from a reseller. These lepin-something stores are ones of many resellers.
They lie about their officialness and they often do not include shipping fee in the item price, in general buying from them turns out more expensive compared to other stores. They are legit though, but afaik most of users here try to avoid them.
9) Will somebody make this set? Any news about this set? When will be the restock?
Unfortunately we don’t have such information, there’s no representatives of Chinese brands here. Also please do not request sets here and don't ask about the news on sets - nobody can answer this question.
10) Never heard of "Weird_brand_name", how is it? Unknown brands.
The number of brands is limited. You can check most of them on Brick4: http://brick4.com/brand/list/
Some sellers on AliExpress sometimes rename well known brands to non existed brands, for exmaple named after their store. If they have a setcode - paste in on brick4 and you'll find the real brand most likely.
LP brand on YourWOBB is the stock of old Lepin sets.
11) How to buy from AliExpress? How to pick an AliExpress seller? Is this seller reliable?
Read our AliExpress buyer’s guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TApv0EhSMiZsrqH1xZxDE7LLSGgZPIlAmmiujHfq2U0/
12) Where can I buy minifigures?
AliExpress recently forbade selling minifigs due to Lego complaints (Lego holds a patent on minifigs). Buy you can still find a lot of stores that display minifigures heads, though they sell whole minifigures.
Some AliExpress sellers opened their own websites:
https://www.minifiguresmall.com/ (Kopf Store) confirmed
http://www.worldminifigs.com/ (supposedly World Minifigures store owner)
These are useful to check full minifigure images too.
13) Where can I buy spare parts?
There is list of stores that sell spares: https://www.reddit.com/lepin/comments/gi89wf/spare_parts_stores_list/
14) Where can I find the building instructions?
If set is a replica of a Lego set, then you can download instruction from Lego website. Use http://brick4.com/ to know the set number.
For some MOCs sellers sell only the bricks and you have to buy the instruction from the original creator. Contact the seller for the information.
15) Is it illegal to own or to buy Lepin-like items?
This highly depends on your country laws, but in lots of countries it is not illegal to buy knock off goods for personal use even if you knew they were knock offs.
16) Where can I resell sets I don't need anymore?
Use /brickswap

Ask your questions here:

Today's 15-minute 3833-word news report is special. An AI tool was used to generate news. The AI scans Facebook and top-rated news sources to bring you the highest-quality content in an accessible and unbiased package. Take it away...

close ties between Azeri billionaire and Russia's Foreign Intelligence chief / Nisanov & Naryshkin

Sergey Naryshkin is the head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service and an influential figure. A report was published by a Russian opposition "Project" group that talks about Naryshkin's close ties to Azerbaijan.
Lragir cites the Project: the ties between Naryshkin and Azerbaijan are so close that at the height of the Artsakh war, Naryshkin was spending time in [Aliyev-allied billionaire] God Nisanov's private pool with a family member of the Azerbaijani deputy prime minister. (God Nisanov is the same Moscow-based businessman who banned ethnic Armenian sellers from his market in July without repercussions).
Naryshkin's family members used Nisanov's private jets to fly to Baku and Austria on multiple occasions. Naryshkin's daughter works at Nisanov's "Food-Cluster Depo" company and celebrated her birthday in Nisanov's "Rideson Flotilla" yacht, accompanied by Ilham Aliyev's daughter Leila Aliyeva.
The Project lists numerous other business ties between Naryshkin and Nisanov.
It's no coincidence that Kremlin chose Naryshkin as a representative to visit an anti-Armenian April 24th celebration event organized by Recep Erdogan in 2015. No world leader went to celebrate the event. Naryshkin was the only other high-ranking official other than Ilham Aliyev.
Russian channel Acute Angle comments: Russia chose not to help its ally Armenia during the Karabakh war (a belief partly shared by General Babayan). The "Project" has published an investigative report that might explain one of the reasons why.
The main subject is billionaire God Nisanov. Naryshkin was swimming in Nisanov's personal pool at the height of the conflict, in the presence of Azeri officials. (Russian reporters show video of Naryshkin exiting the pool building and entering a car with Azeri diplomatic plates.)
The diplomatic car belongs to Elman Bayramov, an affiliate of Azerbaijan's Prime Minister, who is a mutual friend of Nisanov and Naryshkin. The meetings took place during the Karabakh war.
Original video by Projekt: // (shows Nisanov's business empire in Russia). Cherkizovsk Market was shut down in Moscow a while back after complaints of low-quality and contraband. The tens of thousands of fakes had to be sold somewhere. Today, in its place are Nisanov's Food City, Moskva, and Sodovod markets. They generate 20 billion Rubles a day, yet the banks don't see a dime of it. It's all grey money.
Nisanov's Sadovod is Moscow's #1 place to convert crypto into cash, with the Chinese playing a key role. You contact the Chinese, tell them you got crypto, they give you an address of a booth, you transfer the crypto to their electronic wallet in the booth, and receive cash in return. You can also buy Chinese products with crypto.
Despite Central Bank's and Financial Monitoring Center's complaints written to Vladimir Putin, Nisanov's markets aren't being investigated. The last time the authorities paid a visit was well over a year ago. They ended up arresting a few illegal immigrants and that's it.
How is God Nisanov shielding his finances from authorities? Maybe his personal connections can help us find out.
(Shows video of Naryshkin exiting Nisanov's private pool. He visited it for several days during the war.) Azeri diplomatic vehicle affiliated with Azeri Prime Minister accompanied him each time. Of course, we can't tell if Naryshkin is giving favors to Nisanov during these meetings, but the fact is that Russia's head of Intelligence Chief chooses to spend his time in Nisanov's personal pool which is also where his office is.
Nisanov has many friends. One of them is Ilgam Ragimov, a lawyer from Azerbaijan. The latter is a friend of Vladimir Putin. Ragimov has a share in many of Nisanov's.
Another one of Nisanov's friends is brother Rotenbergs, who were seen visiting Nisanov's birth village in Azerbaijan. Rotenbergs are also Putin's close friends. Rotenbergs have a share in Nisanov's Food City market.
(talks about how Nisanov purchased tsar Alexander 2nd's historical building with the surrounding area and now wants to build a market in its place, while the govt ignores)
(subject changes) Moscow administration recently renovated this square for 2 billion Rubles. The contractor was a mysterious company IRPT with unknown owners. Moscow administration loves this contractor. In the past few years, it won contracts worth 30 billion Rubles. The money, however, went not to IRPT but to companies affiliated with Nisanov.
One such recipient was a company called Accord SpetsStroy belonging to Elgar Hadjiyev who revealed that Nisanov was receiving billion-worth government contracts through shell companies. "We did 12 billion Ruble contract together. Some of the contracts were rigged; we were told how much to bid," said his ex-partner Hajiyev.
Ex-partner Hajiyev was charged with a felony in 2018 (SURPRISED PICKACHU FACE). A year later his office was raided. He believes Nisanov organized the persecution to take over his business. Hajiyev is residing in London now while exposing the deals between public officials and Nisanov.
Hajiyev revealed that Nisanov took Naryshkin's family to ski on his private jet. We were also able to verify that Naryshkin's family used the Azeri businessman's jet for multiple trips, including some to Baku, where Naryshkin's daughter partied with Ilham Aliyev's daughter Leila Aliyeva. // end
Note: Naryshkin had publicly complained about the presence of Syrian jihadists in Azerbaijan during the Artsakh war. There is no hard evidence he was doing "favors", although the close ties may raise questions.
Original video: https://youtu.be/bDzzR5Bcn-E
Original text [full]: https://www.proekt.media/portrait/god-nisanov/
Commentary video: https://youtu.be/b005eFuggzE
Commentary article: https://www.lragir.am/2020/12/16/608755/

"Armenia must return the occupied territories"

Vladimir Putin: for many years, our position has been that 7 regions should be returned to Azerbaijan. The status of Karabakh should remain unchanged (no legal status); it should be delayed for the future. The status-quo should be strengthened. Communication should be guaranteed between Armenia and Karabakh. (sounds a lot like what Azerbaijan has always wanted?)
https://factor.am/321819.html

Nikol Pashinyan continues to dismantle and give away Syunik province to Azerbaijan / Kapan next

Deputy PM Avinyan: MoD Vagharshak is in Syunik right now. The army is currently installing positions.
Infrastructure Minister Papikyan: Syunik governor is working with the army and the Ministry to oversee the deployment of Armenian soldiers along the Syunik borders. To avoid rumors and false misinformation, it should be noted that the borders of the Republic of Armenia are properly guarded and being monitored.
https://youtu.be/DXAcYAaiLL4 , https://factor.am/321687.html , https://factor.am/321756.html
The Defense Ministry is doing border demarcation in Syunik province. Kapan mayor says one of the nearby favorable hills that was under Armenian control will go under Azeri control. Kapan, which is on the border with Armenia and Azerbaijan, will be 1km from the new state border, says the mayor. The region to Kapan's east is one of the 7 regions that go under Azeri control.
MoD Vagharshak: not one meter of land belonging to the Republic of Armenia will be conceded. High-ranking officers are present during the border demarcation process. Russian troops will guard this area.
In order to ensure the security of these zones, a whole complex of measures are being carried out, in particular, new military units are being formed, new infrastructures are being built, and this process will be continuous.
https://factor.am/321810.html , https://factor.am/321975.html ,
Facebook users, referring to reliable reports coming from Azerbaijani media, reported that 12 villages in the Kapan region, and the city of Kapan itself, will be handed over to Azerbaijan.
Syunik governor: the report is a provocation. Obviously, the villages and Kapan do not go under Azeri control. The area will become neighboring to the state borders after the demarcation, which envisions our withdrawals from some of the [Kashatagh, adjacent region] positions.
https://factor.am/321988.html
Another border area that's being discussed is the Kapan-Syunik road. Some of its sections were built within the Artsakh territories, which are now part of Azerbaijan. In other words, some parts of this important road could become under Azeri control. The government had asked for Russia's mediation in this region.
A group of Syunik residents went to the "contested" road section today to demonstrate. One of them used a rifle to shoot in the air. The police are investigating.
https://youtu.be/YXVcXJYySOc , https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/203167 , https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/203189
MP Ghahramanyan: 1) None of the lands belonging to the Republic of Armenia are going under Azeri control. 2) Our positions [which are being withdrawn] were located in Kubatlu and Zangelan areas [part of Artsakh's adjacent regions that are set to go under Azeri control]. 3) Fake news was circulated claiming some villages were encircled here. 4) The launch of the new airport in Kapan won't face issues. 5) Kapan-Agarak road continues to function. 6) Russian troops were stationed in some areas. 7) Kapan and Syunik are safe.
https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/203179

Scandinavian peacekeepers continue to help locals

Russian peacekeepers will involve more personnel to find missing soldiers and bodies. They've received 490 calls from families so far.
They helped to renovate 18km-long electric lines to 24 settlements, 50 poles, treat 558 patients, clear 195 hectares of land from explosives, since the ceasefire.
https://factor.am/321624.html
Putin said they could increase the number of peacekeepers if Azerbaijan agrees to. "Both sides had earlier agreed to the current numbers."
https://factor.am/321854.html

European Court rules against Azerbaijan

On September 29th, Armenia asked the ECHR court to apply emergency measures against Azerbaijan on humanitarian grounds to protect POWs. Azerbaijan's appeal was denied today.
The court has also found that Azerbaijan repeatedly failed to meet the requirement of providing POW info to ECHR.
https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/203135

POWs and searches

Search operations continue. 41 more bodies were found in Fizuli and Jabrayil regions today, bringing total discoveries to 933 since the ceasefire. 5 groups are working in 3 directions: Jabrayil, Fizuli, and Hadrut.
https://factor.am/321778.html
9 bodies were discovered in the Hin Tagher-Khtsaberd region where skirmishes took place over the weekend. The conditions are being clarified. Earlier, 9 soldiers were reported missing in this region during the skirmishes that left 4 Azeris dead and several wounded, with 6 wounded on the Armenian side.
https://factor.am/321918.html

former NSS agents stand up to Pashinyan's dictatorship

Former members of NSS want to "address the concerns" regarding the discussions about "selling Artsakh, persecution of the opposition, unprofessionalism by authorities", etc. They will launch their own investigation unless the issues are addressed. They list the main points as:
1) Do not use law enforcement as political tools to pressure others.
2) Take specific steps to address issues in the military.
3) Investigate concerns about the connections between Armenian and Azeri leaders.
4) The government should step down in the near future.
(you promise it's an unbiased investigation?)
https://factor.am/321807.html

opposition holds a rally, rightfully demands Pashinyan's resignation

Opposition leaders organized a rally today. They continue to demand Pashinyan's resignation. "The criminal group weakened the country and dismantled the army."
Another rally will be held tomorrow. They will march to Yerablur military cemetery to pay tributes to soldiers who fell due to Pashinyan's improper handling of the war and diplomacy.
https://youtu.be/_8ma7pW24CU , https://factor.am/321933.html
Update: There was a conversation about the size of the demonstrations yesterday. I had posted a link from a media outlet that later removed its article. The original link was not removed:
https://uic.am/11061
It's not just the former regime that wants PM's to resign. 38 scientists in Armenia and abroad joined the calls, some of whom were former Pashinyan supporters. They criticized Pashinyan for "not doing anything" to promote science in Armenia.
[Բերեք, բերեք Վազգեն Մանուկյանին թող Նիկոլի խուժանական կրթական ռեֆորմերի վերջը տա։ Այ մարդ, ումա պետք երկրորդ դասարանի երեխեքին ծրագրաորում սովորացնելն ու համալսարանում բնագիտության դասաժամեր ավելացնելը, եթե փոխարենը կարան հայոց լեզվի ոտանաորներ կարդան։ Էն ճուճուլիկի խուժան նկարներն էլ սաղ հանեք դասագրքերից ու երեխեքին սովորացրեք որ իրանց Բայրակտարներ արագիլներն են բերել։ ]
https://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/288760/

NSS charges former HHK MPs with attempted coup / assault against Mirzoyan / PM's residence

The NSS report says: the former HHK MP Հ.Ծ., the Former Chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee Վ.Ա., and unknown accomplices, ran a fake news campaign and spread misinformation about the members of the government and their families to their large audience on Facebook, with an attempt to gain support during the right opportunity for power usurpation.
When the November 10th Statement was signed, Հ.Ծ. learned about the riots in the Government and Parliament buildings, and with the help of accomplices, decided to use force to break the Constitutional order and participate in a coup.
Հ.Ծ. vandalized the Parliament building, then spotted Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan's vehicle outside, and surrounded it with the help of accomplices. They tried to flip the vehicle. Հ.Ծ. opened the door to assault the driver. The accomplices vandalized the car.
Speaker Mirzoyan was forced to exit. Հ.Ծ. and others began severely beating Mirzoyan and the bodyguards. Mirzoyan was taken to a hospital.
Հ.Ծ. and unknown accomplices then began searching for PM Pashinyan and the governors, with the goal of usurpation of power. He contacted another HHK MP Վ.Ա. and asked him to initiate a pre-planned action for usurpation. They failed because his efforts were not supported by the wider public.
PM Pashinyan's security staff managed to secure the PM by evacuating him shortly before the assault on his residence. Հ.Ծ. learned about Pashinyan's evacuation and expressed sorrow during a phone conversation with his accomplices, saying that "had everything went according to the plan [Pashinyan] wouldn't be anymore [սրանք հմի չէին լինելու]."
Հ.Ծ. was charged with a felony. The judge decided to keep him before his trial. To make sure he doesn't go to jail, Հ.Ծ. had used an accomplice to influence the legal process. Prosecutors filed new charges and asked the court to jail him again.
Meanwhile, his accomplice Վ.Ա. (also HHK MP) was also arrested and charged. The court refused to jail Վ.Ա. before his trial, too.
Work is being done to find the other accomplices. Over 100 searches were conducted. Evidence was found that the leadership of some political parties had plans to use and provoke violence during rallies.
[Վ.Ա. is Vardan Ayvazyan.]
https://factor.am/321801.html
https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/203174

Armenia needs new elections ASAP

Pashinyan had earlier indirectly said that he will discuss new elections after taking some "urgent steps" and "stabilizing the political situation" for the duration of 6 months. That's mid-May, according to his schedule.
Some figures want the elections now, while others say it should be a year later.
QP MP Alen says they should hold elections as soon as possible after some concerns are addressed. The government and opposition had been working on electoral code reform since 2019 to allow more opposition parties to enter Parliament, by reducing the entry threshold %.
Similar threshold-reduction law was supposed to pass when HHK was still the majority in the Parliament pre-2019, but HHK didn't vote in favor of it. That decision would later come back and bite HHK in the a$$ because HHK and ARF both failed to meet the high-threshold that they chose to preserve.
Today, the ruling QP party wants to implement these reforms before the upcoming elections. "There might be ways to expedite the process while holding talks with the Venice Commission."
https://youtu.be/6e8bJXwbRCs
https://factor.am/321860.html

just like that... Pashinyan is going let 12,024 Azeris walk into Stepanakert

Artsakh prez. spokesman: The Armenian media, referring to the "Vestnik Kavkaza" website, spread another misinformation originated from Azerbaijani sources that allegedly 12,024 citizens of Azerbaijan will be settled in Stepanakert. This is absolute nonsense, which is deliberately spread by the Azerbaijani propaganda machine in order to increase the tense mood in our society these days.
"Vestnik Kavkaza" has always spread Azeri propaganda to Russian-speaking audiences, so I ask the Armenian media to refrain from disseminating any material from that website.
https://factor.am/321850.html
The "12,024" number originated from a Turkish/Azeri reporter who calculated the ~ number of Azeris who were born in Stepanakert and were forced to migrate in 1991. The Turkish reporter claimed there would be 12,024 such persons today, and that since the negotiations have always envisioned the return of displaced persons, he believes that's how many people will return.
An Azeri reporter for EurasiaNet was unable to find any official Azeri sources to back up the number or the claim.
Before the war, 11% of Stepanakert's 39,000 population were Azeris.
https://fip.am/14293 , https://twitter.com/UlkerNatiqqizi/status/1339526630419656706

office changes

Aram Khachatryan is the new governor of Lori. He replaced a governor who was fired by Pashinyan in an attempt to save his own skin.
https://factor.am/321667.html

Kocharyan visits Moscow to save Armenia

Robert Kocharyan will travel to Moscow for three days. Coincidentally, there is a board meeting scheduled by the Russian SISTEMA private company. Kocharyan is a board member.
LHK chief Edmon Marukyan will also fly to Moscow (unrelated to SISTEMA).
https://factor.am/321625.html , https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/203145

Yerevan municipality workers rise up against drag-queen mayor

Yerevan mayor's spokesman: the media is circulating false rumors that there is a strike by workers who demand Mayor Marutyan's resignation. What really happened was Marutyan stopped paying bonuses beginning in September, amid economic issues, so today some workers gathered in the hall and demanded the bonus payments.
(Base salaries are often low and bonuses are what make the salaries living wage or worthwhile. Populist opposition figures have long criticized the mayor for "generous giveaways" while citing bonuses).
https://factor.am/321944.html

boomerang is being reloaded?

"Ankara can enter Tel Aviv within 2 days," said a Turkish political analyst cited by concerned Jerusalem Post.
"Turkish media vows to take over Tel Aviv, calls opposition ‘terrorists’"
"Vows to destroy Israel, “liberate Al-Aqsa,” and spread anti-Zionist and antisemitic comments have become normal in Turkey."
"In March 2018, a Turkish daily also suggested that Turkey should form an Islamist army to destroy Israel. In 2019, according to MEMRI [the meme network?], a retired Turkish general named Adnan Tanriverdi who heads the SADAT consulting firm also spoke about the need to liberate Jerusalem from Israel. “The Islamic world should prepare an army for Palestine from outside Palestine. Israel should know that if it bombs [Palestine] a bomb will fall on Tel Aviv as well."
Full: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/turkish-media-vows-to-take-over-tel-aviv-calls-opposition-terrorists-652292
https://factor.am/321879.html

"Azerbaijan and Turkey’s genocidal assault against Armenians"

Written by Modern Diplomacy's Turkish reporter Uzay Bulut:
https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2020/12/16/37624/

French city of Sarcelles

... has adopted a resolution condemning Azeri-Turkish aggression against Artsakh, and occupation of its lands. The city urges the French government to officially recognize the Artsakh Republic and to send financial aid.
https://factor.am/321784.html

singer Shushan Petrosyan: latest victim of Pashinyan regime

Petrosyan, who is a former HHK MP, was taken to a police station to testify after a woman claimed Petrosyan assaulted her in a store.
Petrosyan's lawyer says the alleged victim started the fight by calling Petrosyan a "traitor", which lead to a "light confrontation". The alleged victim claims Petrosyan assaulted her in response to those words. (is ok to physically assault people who call you a traitor?)
https://factor.am/321629.html , https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/203153

Pashinyan supporters continue to incite civil war

An incident occurred on December 14th. Former regime's supporters marched on the streets when a man expressed views in favor of Pashinyan. He was assaulted and sustained a cut above his eye.
The police decided to file charges against the alleged perpetrator, instead of investigating the Pashinyan supporter for aiding the traitor.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1038106.html

Yerevan metro protester was former official charged w/corruption

A video was published last week showing how several anti-Pashinyan activists shut down the capital's metro, demanding Pashinyan's resignation. Metro riders were berating them for making them late from work and not letting them deliver time-sensitive items. A confrontation ensued. The police launched an investigation against the activists.
It turns out the demonstrators were Դ.Գ, who is the former head of Erebuni District, his son Թ.Գ., and his former assistant Ա.Օ.
As it turns out, Դ.Գ was also the president of a metro-related company between 2014-2017 and was earlier charged with aiding embezzlement (surprise pikachu face).
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1038179.html

Armenia installs missiles on Azerbaijani border

Areni is a bordering village near the Nakhijevan border. It will have 6 anti-hail missile stations to disperse dangerous clouds, as part of a govt subsidy. The local residents have long complained about losing harvest to bad weather fired by Azerbaijan from the other side of the border.
https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/203211

Pashinyan administration sabotages Green Card lottery in Armenia

Something happened in 2018 and fewer Armenians began applying for Green Card visas for permanent migration to the US. The number increased and peaked in 2018 (applications filed in 2017), after which it began declining:
Applied in 2017: 267,000
Applied in 2018: 249,000
Applied in 2019: 191,826
Applied in 2020: 160,000
Armenia is in 3rd place with the % of its population applying to leave. Albania 8.4%, Moldova 8.1%, Armenia 5.4%, Georgia 3%.
https://fip.am/14272

COVID stats

Too many people were infected today, and too many people have died, due to the government's inability to handle the crisis, inability to close the borders in time, and inability to convince the public that coronavirus is not George Soros's tool to control the population.
If you care about digits: +3537 tested. +1174 infected. +1296 healed. +25 deaths. 18179 active.
https://factor.am/321647.html

infrastructure upgrades

Byureghavan's several roads, backyards, curbs have been renovated. The administration will attempt to bribe you with a few roads here and there, especially when elections are coming. Stay vigilant.
https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/203205

new aid for refugees: paid internship

The government will pay $200 to Artsakh refugees residing in Armenia to become interns and gain work experience. The employer will receive $65. The program lasts 3 months.
https://factor.am/321661.html

additional aid for wounded soldiers

As a temporary measure, wounded soldiers can receive financial aid for 6 months before they go through the official paperwork process and officially register as wounded. The amount of aid will triple, to $600.
https://factor.am/321664.html

humanitarian aid

President Armen Sarkissian, Himnadram.org, and "Yerevan My Love" foundations will help 170 Hadrut families to stay in hotels before permanent housing is available.
https://factor.am/321767.html

UNESCO adds St. Thadeus monastery

... to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list, after being petitioned by Armenia and Iran, reports the MFA. "The pilgrimage to the monastery of the Apostle Thaddeus is a unique manifestation of the centuries-old Armenian cultural presence and continuity in Iran."
https://factor.am/321951.html

blind wine tasting

Dozens of Armenian winemakers presented 134 samples for a blind tasting in Yerevan, organized by the German GIZ initiative and Armenian Wine Foundation.
Five experts got drunk that day. The goal is to develop quality control mechanisms for Armenian wines to prepare them for international markets.
More: https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1038124.html

silver medal in wrestling

57kg Arsen Harutyunyan won silver in the wrestling World Championship. He is the 2019 European champion.
https://factor.am/321978.html

Frozen

The symphonic orchestra is inviting Artsakh children to Hamalir to watch Disney's Frozen cartoon next week. There is a twist: the orchestra will perform the musical part. Karina Adegamova will be the solo.
https://factor.am/321740.html

you can donate to Artsakh & Armenia

www.1000plus.am (soldiers' medical help)
www.HimnaDram.org (for Artsakh & Armenia)
www.ArmeniaFund.org (U.S. tax-deductible)

archive of older posts

Armeniapedia's archive of my daily news threads:
http://www.armeniapedia.org/wiki/Daily_Anti-Corruption_Reports

disclaimer

All the accused are considered innocent unless proven guilty in the court of law, even if they "sound" guilty.

Canada is now a strange country, and most Canadians seem to be socialists. As in all socialist regimes, Canadians love collective repression and are generally against any form of individual freedom. They believe that for quality service government must spend their money, so it costs 10 times the regular price… when at the end of the day the service they receive is always of very poor quality. And even though the most of their schools and hospitals are poorly managed, they believe they are very lucky that their government is providing this service for them while they are just getting robbed.
Mass media justice
Canadians are against justice; they prefer to keep all legal procedures secret so that their system looks good even when it is wrong. Instead of listening to both sides and forming an opinion in a dispute, Canadians prefer to rely on the story the medias tell them, which often has as their sole source official press releases from the justice system or the police. Canadian medias are funded by the government and only exist in metropolitan areas. The events that occur in the suburban areas are non-existent in media coverage. They do not do any investigative work since a journalist’s duty is limited to writing 750-word texts on a subject given by the publisher. The topics of the day are oriented by the government which dictates the news with its new policies, while the media only serve to relay its message. Most of the time, journalists who share the socialist ideology becomes columnists and their main mission is to influence people to perceive things in the way the government have perceived them. The medias deliberately put forward liberal columnists to push their good relationship with the government.
The end of Canadian capitalism among political corruption
Canadians dream of a great social reset to bring down the capitalist system. Canada is in the process of voluntarily destroy its economy by closing every business and location with audiences, including basic needs like getting a haircut or go to a gym. The only shops that do not close are grocery stores, there citizen's control is tightened to the point of having to be told where to walk or not. In more remote areas, small grocery stores are running out of food because they do not have enough money to adequately fill the shelves. As Canadian commercial laws are very strict, stores must throw away their food after a date decided by the government even when it is still good. Several other parameters are controlled like the number of employees required to operate. Canadian taxes are also very high, making it is impossible for a local store to make a profit that is worth it. Local entrepreneurs manage to live off their debts, until the revenue agency eventually finds minor irregularities and initiates proceedings that typically shut down businesses. Canadian revenue officers have an interest in destroying businesses, because the government gives them bonuses based on the number of cases they initialize. The Canadian government monopolizes all criminal sectors of the economy such as alcohol, casinos, lottery and even weed. Because Canada has an anti-monopoly law, the government is breaking its own law to indirectly monopolize other sectors of the economy such as the internet, telephony, communications, factories, real estate, electricity, public transports and so on. In the manner of a communist country, the Canadian government is a shareholder in most companies that offer these essential services. The government is therefore passing several laws that unfairly favor its competition against small Canadian businesses, for example by setting fixed prices, which makes these American companies even richer in a trade of political favors.
Canadian politicians have a lot of power and are deeply corrupt. The country is basically ruled by two parties that are exactly alike, except one seems dumber and less dishonest than the other (you choose which one). Most of the Canadians' money is wasted to give all kinds of contracts to these big companies which, in return, use their resources to win elections and support the government in its measures. Obviously, the prize for the worst service and Canadian monopoly goes to health care. Health care is by far the biggest budget in Canada. Ever since we are into pandemic, they are the worst G7 country in the race for vaccination by far last in terms of quality of care. Health Canada voluntarily chooses not to follow the manufacturer's protocols to inflate the statistics on the number of people vaccinated and Canadians think this is a great idea. In their strategy, they also waste the little amount of vaccine they have on the elderly who are going to die soon anyway and on the indigenous communities.
Canadian sociology
Canadians are deeply racist and politically believe that testing vaccine on indigenous people is in fact a humanitarian act. The first line of this country's charter of rights and freedoms says that religion is a fundamental right, yet the government has no problem sending police into mass arrest for people who practice in churches. If the church is Jewish or Muslim, Canadians (especially Quebecers) applaud the politicians for shutting down communities within their right of religious practice. Like good socialists, Canadians support all the politically correct causes borrowed from the United States, like the radical fight against climate change, movements like Antifa, Black Life Matters, #MeToo, lgbtqia2 + and so on. Canadians believe that they are much more virtuous and smarter than Americans. In their racism against the US, they are convinced that Americans are all fat and poorly educated to the point of not knowing where to pin Canada on a world map.
Since Canadians are better than anyone else, they think they should behave in a politically correct and exemplary manner in public. A Canadian could very well go to Tim Hortons and buy a coffee, get spit in his face, and say thank you at the end if that gives $1 to a subsidized foundation that pays themselves big salaries. Canadians believe that society is collective and that everyone should be responsible for participating in the way they see fit. For example, in the health care system nurses are slaves to the government. They are not allowed to take vacations and even if they are sick the police will pick them up from home to force them to work and they might be judged as having endangered the lives of patients for not showing up at work. In all spheres of public employment in Canadian society omerta reigns since most leaders are dishonest and rob Canadians, but these people are protected by political power or unions’ leverage. In private employment, omerta is also present, but rather to protect the employer because if the company works it often means that it has succeeded in somehow abusing public money with the complicity of the government.
Young Canadians have absolutely no ambition because there are no prestigious jobs in Canada. Some dream of becoming internationally known artists on the internet, while some others think of suicide as the aspect taken by this repressive regime is ruining their lives. The lives of young people in Canada are already mapped out so that they will go all the way to university to study socialist theories and get a worthless degree that does not give access to any job. For most of them, their life will be mainly reduced at the level of working forever in a business for minimum wage. Even while working, it is not enough to afford an apartment and to eat adequately. The price of real estate in Canada is inflated by the Mafia like other sectors of the economy, and the lack of competition between businesses also means that food is more expensive than it should be. Young Canadian men are ready to hang out with anyone, anyhow, while young women have no idea about sexuality and are very unpleasant as both genders are deeply uneducated. This social factor, combined with the lack of education among Canadians, means that most couples in Canada live together for financial reasons. Even the conception of a child for the poorest becomes a monetary consideration since the government grants tax advantages based on the amount of children you have got. Even for the poorest, the Canadian tax rate is close to 50% of the annual salary.
Often living in debt, the average Canadian has no leisure. Simple activities like fishing or riding a motorcycle require expensive permits and are highly regulated. Taking advantage of the Canadian winter to ski or snowboard is seen as something very luxurious. Even a night at the movies is off budget, but that was back in the days when leisure was legal. In its mission to destroy capitalism, Canada has banned all forms of leisure except those that are well regarded by intellectuals. It is illegal to play hockey, but it is legal to visit a museum or library. Still in the same vein, Canadian police have suddenly become very aggressive and have the power to instantly issue fines of $5000 for no good reason at all. For instance, it is normal in Canada to see a police officer guarding a stairway and fining someone who climbs it too quickly by claiming it was jogging since sport is illegal. It is also normal to walk on the street and suddenly a police car starts following you just to intimidate. If you react badly you will have big problems. In addition to having your life ruined financially, you will lose your job and the people around you will be socially encouraged to judge you negatively.
Canada's “ new normal ”
To further divide Canadians, the Socialists rely on very cruel coercion reminiscent of humanity's worst war crimes. They sequester elderly people in long-term care facilities by depriving them of food while preventing their families from visiting them as the survival rate on average is of 2 years within these facilities. They also forbid humans to socialize, currently government decrees do not allow you to meet with people not living your house. If you choose to invite a friend over, your neighbors are encouraged by the government to call the police and you will then be arrested. The few Canadians who are fortunate enough to be professionals and to have a real job have an alleged duty of reserve which compels them not to express opinions that are contrary to those of the government. Canadian professionals are often governed themselves by paragovernmental instances that have the power to prevent someone from practicing their job if they see a lack of loyalty to the regime.
According to polls, Canadians strongly support the way their government currently runs the country. The pressure on the government is ever greater to continue to abolish even more fundamental freedoms. For over a year now, the Government of Canada has stopped manufacturing and renewing passports. Recently, Canada also added several additional barriers to prevent those with still valid passports from fleeing the country. Currently, Canada is in the process of constructing detention facilities or “quarantine facilities” to sequester those who will return to the country because their visas have expired. It is claimed that the detention in quarantine is voluntary, but refusal results in criminal imprisonment and a penalty of $750,000. The facilities are provided with airtight cells supervised by armed guards and the quarantine is for 15 days… if the results are negative. Even people who have tested negative upon return or been vaccinated will face this jail sentence upon their return to Canada.
Under Canadian law, internet service providers are responsible for reporting criminal behavior to the police. Since the new legislation, Canada considers criminal to post information on the internet that would be deemed fake or provoking hatred. It has therefore become normal and common for people expressing opinions against the government on the internet to be arrested, tried, and then jailed for making comments on social media. When this happens, the state medias are conducting the People's Court, and your reputation is ruined forever. If what you put on the internet is too sweet to be accused of anything, political employees will notice you and find a roundabout way to make you lose your right to speak. For instance, they will call directly Facebook or Twitter to suspend your account and they will also complain to your bank. Your assets will thus be easily suspended under the simple vague pretext that you have violated the terms of use.
For that reason I now use a VPN and I no longer feel safe at home.

Your 17-minute Monday report in 4312 words.

Pashinyan talks about the history of negotiations, responds to accusations by previous presidents, Russia relations, etc.:

After I took the responsibility for our failures in the war, an interesting process began in Armenia. Certain officials decided to blame their 25-year-long diplomatic failures on us.
The person [ex-president] who left Karabakh out of the negotiating table, and changed the format to AM-AZ negotiations, is now accusing us of turning the Karabakh issue into a territorial issue. In reality, this conflict became a territorial issue when AM began negotiating on behalf of Karabakh. This began over 20 years ago.
We are criticized for the international community viewing this war as AZ's attempt to restore its territorial integrity. The critic is the person, under whose administration, when the international community criticized AM for "occupying" AZ territories, was reassuring the Armenian public that there is nothing dangerous in it because when you enter a toilet in an airplane and close the door, the sign also says "occupied", so there is nothing scary about the word "occupy".
This was the explanation given by the administration in the 2000s to address their diplomatic failures. We forget things over time, so they want to take advantage of that.
The international community's stance wasn't formed in 2020 but in the past 25 years. That the world began viewing this as a territorial integrity issue, that Armenia became viewed as an occupant, did not develop beginning 2018. Since 2018 we've been trying to exit that state.
They blame the starting of the war on our diplomatic failures. Let's look at the diplomatic events that we inherited:
1995 Lisbon: shortly after our military victory, the international community agreed that Karabakh should stay as part of AZ and granted autonomy.
1998 document: Armenia, not Artsakh but the Republic of Armenia, was told to give 7 regions to AZ. It states that Karabakh should be part of AZ.
1999 OCSE Istanbul: states that conflicts must be resolved based on the principles of territorial integrity.
Madrid Principles: these were hailed as a diplomatic success by the former govt, but in reality, it was a shameful thing, because it states that Karabakh can be separate from AZ only if AZ agrees to it.
2011 Kazan: AZ slams the door and leaves, while AM president went around and gave interviews stating that we are ready to give away 7 regions to AZ, but AZ demands more than 7.
Resolutions in international institutes: stating that AZ lands are occupied and the conflict must be resolved based on the principles of territorial integrity.
2013: AZ begins military escalation and no one condemns them, maybe because as our former leader said, "when you enter a toilet and shut the door, even the tag says occupied."
2016 Russian offer: the topic of Artsakh's status was completely removed from the agenda. You say you built great relations with Russia while my administration couldn't... if that's the case, then how come our strategic partner left Artsakh's status out of negotiations under your administration?
This was the level of our diplomatic history, and these people are now lecturing us about failing diplomacy.
 
If you were good diplomats, why wasn't AZ punished for the 2016 April events? Because you went there and silently agreed to whatever was offered to you: accept the legitimacy of AZ's right to wage war.
It's not that our administration failed the diplomacy, it's that we failed the attempts to fend off the consequences of Armenia's past 25 years of diplomacy. If you were so good, why didn't you avoid the 2016 war? You couldn't. You only halted it after promising to give away the lands.
Why couldn't I do the same? Because we were told that since Armenia had already promised but failed to return lands in the past, now it has to be done legally written on paper with specific withdrawal deadlines. We could stop this war by signing a document that would be somewhat similar to what was signed on November 9th.
On the first day of this war, while in Parliament, I publicly stated that I can stop the war right now, and I listed the conditions for that. So why didn't you [former regime] make statements back then and publicly agree to [give away lands] and stop the war?
Now it turns out every opposition was in favor of giving away 7 regions with a 5+2 format. So why hadn't you done that yourself, in 2016, in 2017, to prevent the war? Especially since you knew what would happen after the 2016 April.
Some people think that AZ would easily agree on the 5+2 format. But that was the preliminary offer. The terms would still have to be negotiated. AZ would demand more, Shushi, Lachin, etc. and I'm amazed that some people, who consider themselves as great diplomats, do not understand, or do not want to understand, these simple things.
We are blamed for Turkey's entry into the conflict. Sorry, but Turkey had gotten involved since the Football Diplomacy [referring to Serj's soccer diplomacy], when due to AM's diplomatic failures, TR declared that there won't be good relations with AM unless AZ's lands are freed. This Turkish involvement began 10 years ago.
Another baseless criticism is about us allegedly dismantling the army in two years. "Why didn't you close the air during the war?". The air was closed... with the help of $42 million useless dysfunctional [radio] equipment that you purchased in 2017 [sarcasm, referring to felony case that Pashinyan administration launched against former regime officials for wasting money].
The author of this $42m waste [fired general Movses Hakobyan] now claims to make sensational revelations that he was apparently offered a kickback during the SU-30 jet purchase. Question: did you buy the $42m dysfunctional weapons without a kickback? Or are we supposed to believe that the $42m waste was purchased as an act of kindness?
To distract from the topic of waste, they focus on our decision to purchase OSA-AK units [Russia-made anti-missile and anti-drone tech]. First, we purchased OSA after discussions with broad circles. Second, OSA shot many drones; it shot an Israeli-made Hermes-900 drone in July, making it the first-ever occurrence and a sensation.
Now they ask, why did you buy THIS instead of THAT. Because we purchased whatever we could in the 2.5-year period. We had to raise soldiers' salaries, solve their food issue, solve the clothing and underwear issue, buy warheads which were missing, buy automatic rifles to replace bad ones, buy bullets, and buy jets. In 2 years we had to purchase everything that wasn't purchased in the past 20 years.
Why didn't you make these purchases in the past 18 years? How come building mansions, buying islands, buying mansions in Europe, accumulating millions in Swiss banks, were more important to you?
They began circulating a thesis that I made a catastrophic decision on the 3rd day of the war. We spent 15 days looking for that decision of mine, and couldn't find it. Maybe these are the times we live in: you can make a lie and get away with it.
Was the PM leading a battle? Was the PM making division-level decisions on the battlefield by himself? I only made one decision by myself throughout the war, and thanks to that, the 7th Defense Division remained intact because they were panicked and had earlier decided to retreat from the 7th Defense Zone.
I'm glad that they [former regime] admit that there was a chance to finish the war with success. After all, this wasn't a completely crazy and hopeless war. [referring to hopes that we could still make a breakthrough and win]
Frontline soldiers testified that in the first days of the war, some people [allegedly allied to the former regime] came and told them to leave because "Nikol has already sold the lands, go home." Months earlier, during the war, certain opposition parties had promised "political surprises" regarding the war. Whom did they collude with to deliver the "surprise"?
In global terms, we must admit that the reason for our failure was Armenia being corrupt for >25 years. Today, the most influential part of our political elite are people who had done nothing but accumulate wealth and embezzlement. This was done by an entire system, and this system resists us today. They want to manipulate the public.
Today the most important thing is the steps we take for the future. Regarding POWs and missing soldiers: we agreed that Armenians and Azeris who were captured during or before the war will be exchanged (all for all). We need patience here. We must ensure that anyone whose name is uncovered as a POW after the swap, is also repatriated.
The process of finding missing soldiers is slow but ongoing. It's consisted of two parts: identify bodies under our possession, and find bodies from areas under AZ control. Since November 9th we have recovered >600 bodies. Over 500 are being identified right now. DNA samples are used. It's a time-consuming process. 135 bodies were identified this way.
There are some painful events near our borders these days. Our army is being deployed along the line of the Republic of Armenia borders [Syunik province]. This process could lead to various interpretations in the public, but we are working on this process and I ask you not to fall into the panic mood on a daily basis regarding this. We need a real border and not a line of active military conflict.
There is progress in the resumption of Karabakh negotiations. OCSE states that all the conditions and willingness are present to resume it, which is important. The November 9th document will make our soldiers' service safer. Currently, there are no border tensions. We're working on addressing issues related to soldiers' living conditions.
Certain people circulate rumors about the "Meghri corridor" regarding the November 9th document. I'd like you to pay attention to the fact that the document has no mention of "Meghri" and "corridor", but it does mention "Lachin" (which allows Armenian to connect to Artsakh).
There is no Meghri Corridor. It's about removing transport blockade. If we want to take care of our future, we must think about economic opportunities. Could the restoration of AM-RU and AM-IR railroad improve the economy? I believe so.
Now I'll report on the progress regarding my 6-month roadmap: We approved aid packages, refugees were given one-time financial aid, those who lost their homes were given another aid package, govt is subsidizing the repair of damaged property in Armenia, families of wounded or deceased soldiers receive aid, those who housed refugees will get compensation, we'll soon pay the 2H2020 tuition of soldiers and their children, we're assessing damage to property (non-housing) to issue compensations, new social aid package for families of POWs, we're helping to restore daily lives in Artsakh.
Simultaneously, we continue the reforms aimed at the judicial system and electoral laws.
This isn't being done so that I can remain in power. It's done to make sure people remain in power. Armenian citizens must have the free right to choose their government. 2018 was the only election in our modern history that wasn't disputed. Today, some circles want to make sure it remains the last.
Not one accusation will remain unaddressed by us, even if with a delay. We can't spend all day in front of cameras addressing accusations. We have work to do.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036850.html

Serj Sargsyan and negotiations

Serj Sargsyan's office responded to the aforementioned message by Pashinyan, saying he failed the foreign policy, has no right to criticize others, and that he "trusted Aliyev more than Serj and Kocharyan".
A 2018 audio conversation between Serj and Belarus president Lukashenko was leaked on social media showing how Serj refused to give 7 regions to Azerbaijan in exchange for peacekeepers and $6 billion in presumably aid.
https://youtu.be/fxbpRTjFIAs
https://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/288434/
https://factor.am/317644.html

opposition figure reveals details about October 19th meeting between Pashinyan and opposition parties / could the war be stopped?

On November 30th we learned the details revealed by Pashinyan about the closed-door meeting that he held with opposition members to discuss the options. It was about Putin offering to give away 7 regions without Artsakh's Status but Aliyev began demanding repopulation of Shushi.
Opposition party leader Suren Sahakyan [not part of the former regime] says he was taking notes during the meeting with Pashinyan and decided to share the details today because "some analysts are using not-so-accurate information circulated by media".
Sahakyan about the meeting: the meeting with 9 parties lasted only an hour. Pashinyan said that he received a letter from President Arayik that Artsakh is ready to give away 5 regions now and discuss the timeframe to return 2 other regions (aka 5+2 Lavrov's Plan).
Pashinyan mentioned that he spoke with Putin. He said he asked Putin's opinion on how to end the war. Putin told him "Lavrov's Plan". Pashinyan said he did not reject or accept the Plan, and asked Putin, "If we agree, can Russia guarantee that the war will be stopped?".
Putin told him, "We will do everything possible to stop it but we don't have the same leverage [over Azerbaijan] as we once had."
To which Pashinyan responded, "And if we don't accept Lavrov's Plan, will this be viewed by Russia as a non-constructive step?"
Putin said, "no, of course not."
After the meeting with us, Pashinyan and Putin held another phone conversation. It turns out Azerbaijan had rejected Lavrov's Plan. The war continued. I say this in response to claims that Armenia could have stopped the war any moment by signing the papers on October 19th. [Sahakyan essentially confirms what Pashinyan said on November 30th].
 
Another info that Pashinyan gave us during the meeting was the installation of Russian border guards in the southern Armenian borders near Nakhijevan and Meghri. Pashinyan informed that Russia had said that any attack against these Russian soldiers would be viewed as an attack against Russia. [Russia implementing the security agreement with Armenia]
 
When Pashinyan mentioned the offer to give away the 5+2 regions, the dissatisfied ARF representative called it a capitulation and asked whether there is no other option. Pashinyan agreed that it would have been a capitulation to sign such a document as of October 19th, but said that inability to shoot the drones played a major role in the decision. [Azerbaijan would later reject this deal, as already mentioned]
Hours later, the MoD announced the shooting of the first Bayraktar drone. Artsakh army informed us that they shot 80% of Azerbaijan's heavy equipment and that we aren't the only one in a difficult situation. [might be why Armenia decided to keep on fighting with a hope to stop advancement at Shushi]
I reminded Pashinyan of his own words that "he who thinks like a loser will lose the war on the battlefield". I asked him why we can't shoot the drones. After all, they were shot in Syria and Libya. Was it money or politics? I also spoke about the possibility to officially recognize Artsakh. I also reminded that wherever Russian peacekeepers were stationed, it eventually led to a war, so we shouldn't solely rely on peacekeepers.
Our situation was difficult as of October 19th, but so was Azerbaijan's.
https://factor.am/318014.html

www.HimnaDram.org releases a message

... with details about their ongoing aid programs.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036860.html

construction of free housing for 1988 earthquake survivors

... continues in Shirak province's villages. 4 more will be built by the end of this year, and 20 more ready by 2021.
This is part of the 3 billion AMD aid package for 229 families for 2020. The govt decided to pass that aid package this year to provide housing for all remaining homeless families who are entitled to housing from the state.
There were 5,406 qualified families. 4,838 had received housing between 2008-2017. In 2019 families were given an option to take the money instead of the house; some did.
570 families received housing since 2018 as part of a >6 billion AMD aid package, said PM's office.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036868.html , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036954.html , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036965.html , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1037012.html

she lived to become a model

Lilith Mkrtchyan survived the 88's quake and her entire family of 4 also miraculously survived. They lost everything. Today she shared her journey in an interview:
https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/202429

combining the old with the new

Photographer Tigran Gasibyan restored Leninakan's areas destroyed in 88 with photos taken today:
https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/202430

rumors & refutals / Syunik borders

Syunik deputy governor denied the rumors that Armenia gave away Armenian lands near village Aravus. "The commander of Corps met the Azeri delegation on December 6th and discussed the borders. In the Lachin region [now legally part of Azerbaijan] the front line was somewhat pulled back. Not one meter of land belonging to Armenia was yielded," said Babayan.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1037024.html

BHK leader Gagik Tsarukyan

... visited NSS to testify regarding his 2017 voter-bribery charges that were pressed against him earlier this year after an investigation that began in 2019.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036871.html

opposition's demonstration & roadmap / demands Pashinyan's resignation

First president Levon TP released a message expressing concerns over possible political violence. He urged Pashinyan and former regime-nominated candidate Vazgen Manukyan to prevent physical conflicts.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036874.html
The mayors of several cities and villages in Syunik province joined the calls for Pashinyan's resignation.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036877.html
The 16 opposition parties [mostly former regime and their allies such as BHK] resumed their demonstrations in the public square. Their candidate Vazgen Manukyan presented their roadmap: they disagree with the November 9th document but won't repeal it, they'll try to strengthen the army and modernize it, strengthen ties with Russia, resume negotiations.
They gave Pashinyan and the government until December 8th to resign, otherwise, "there will be acts of mass disobedience across Armenia."
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036876.html , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036884.html , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036890.html
Former regime's outlets exaggerated the attendance numbers, claiming there were 50,000, says FIP fact-checker. "There could be 50,000 people only if the entire square in front of the Opera building was filled. At the time of Vazgen Manukyan's speech, there were only 7400 people," said the outlet and presents the aerial photo of the crowd.
[I've read the number 20,000 after the march began. I think it was The Independent. For comparison, in Yerevan, the parties received a combined of "very approximately" 120,000 votes in the 2018 elections.]
https://fip.am/14132
LHK has distanced itself from the rest of the 16 opposition parties and decided not to support Vazgen Manukyan but to nominate LHK chief Marukyan for PM. LHK also agrees that the November 9th document should not be repealed. They released a message in support of strengthening ties with Russia.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036944.html
Pashinyan and others went to Gyurmi to commemorate the 32nd anniversary of victims of the Spitak earthquake. One of the pastors, who is known to publicly oppose Pashinyan, refused to participate, saying "Pashinyan is not my Prime Minister". PM's secretary responded saying the sermon is first and foremost for the victims of the earthquake and that PM is there as a Christian man and that there is no difference on which pastor officiates the sermon.
https://factor.am/318233.html , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1037023.html

opposition is accused of forcing & bribing people to participate in rallies

NSS says: we received information that several representatives of businesses and local government officials threatened to fire their subordinates, or offered them "bribes", to convince them to take part in demonstrations. Such demands are illegal. We will find and take action against those who do this. We're also aware of tensions that could lead to violence so we urge the public not to respond to provocations and not to spread hatred.
[this wouldn't be the first time BHK Tsarukyan's own workers come forward and admit they were threatened to participate in an event under threats of being fired]
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036976.html

media & free speech organizations released a statement

It condemns the "discrimination and harassment" of 1in.am and Azatutyun outlet journalists (pro-western) by allies of 16 opposition parties during their demonstration. One of the journalists was forced to shut down the camera.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036945.html

Dvin restaurant owner to create a new political party

"It will largely consist of people without political history but those who had successes in their respective fields. We need radical and positive reforms," said Artak Tovmasyan.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036992.html , https://www.lragir.am/2020/12/07/606168/

anti-corruption: clinic director busted

Investigative Committee says: in 2011, the director of Vanadzor N1 clinic learned about financial problems faced by her sister-in-law, and decided to falsify documents to register the latter as a fake employee to embezzle 3.5m in salaries. A felony case is launched.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036930.html

POWs and missing soldiers

Pashinyan, the MoD, and Healthcare Minister met the families of POWs and missing soldiers to brief them about the ongoing works.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036889.html
Artsakh President Arayik: Azerbaijan has so far confirmed the names of fewer POWs than the evidence shows exist. [they probably want to do the all-for-all swap then claim they have more, hence the government's attempt to secure transfer of future POWs, too, who are "revealed" later].
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036892.html
The search for missing soldiers' bodies began in Hadrut and Fizuli regions, which are under Azeri control. It's done by the Red Cross, Russian Peacekeepers, and the Armenian delegation. The searches are almost complete in Shushi and Martakert regions.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036935.html
FOX11 Los Angeles: Hollywood celebrities turned activists over abuse of Armenian prisoners-of-war. Kim K, Cher, and Tankian.
https://www.foxla.com/news/hollywood-celebrities-turned-activists-over-abuse-of-armenian-prisoners-of-war

COVID stats

+2728 tested. +730 healed. +17 deaths. 22227 active.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036896.html
Russia will provide more COVID test kits and lab equipment as a gift. "Yerevan is interested in cooperating in the use of the Russian coronavirus vaccine," said RU MFA Lavrov.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036980.html

France

French Socialist Party will send a delegation to Artsakh this week, headed by the first secretary Olivier Faure, to "share the pain caused by this conflict and analyze solutions."
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036899.html
The French Isère Department has donated 50K Euros to Artsakh refugees residing in Gegharquniq province.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036941.html

MFA Ayvazyan has visited Russia

... to discuss the conflict. Russian and Azeri MFAs also held phone conversation. Lavrov accepted Ayvazyan's invitation to visit Armenia.
Ayvazyan repeated that Turkey should withdraw the jihadists from the region ASAP.
Putin and Merkel discussed the Artsakh conflict.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036903.html , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036981.html , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036983.html , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1037007.html

update: Turkey releases Russian NTV reporters from jail

... and will deport them to Russia. They were arrested last week for allegedly secretly filming inside the Bayraktar drone facility.
https://factor.am/318078.html

there is always a loophole

Belgian companies circumvent the arms embargo to Turkey. Flemish companies continue to deliver parts for the A400M, a military aircraft used by Turkey. The A400M is a project involving six NATO member states, among them Belgium and Turkey, and parts are not covered by Jambon’s embargo.
"The Turkish military actions in Syria, Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh show that this is not a country that can be exported to without any control. It is time to close this loophole in the legislation.”
https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/business/143995/belgian-companies-circumvent-arms-embargo-to-turkey/

Russian peacekeepers & humanitarian aid

RU will increase the size of the humanitarian envoy in Artsakh. An Il-76 was sent with rescuers and psychologists. 300 school children were given lessons on how to avoid bombs and administer life-saving medical procedures.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036905.html
Russian peacekeeper-medics began using ambulance vehicles to travel around and provide aid.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036925.html
72% of Russian residents are interested in the Karabakh conflict, says TASS. When asked about who provoked this war, 5% said Armenia, 12% Azerbaijan, 5% Turkey.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036956.html
Video of a Russian Uran-6 anti-bomb robot in action:
https://youtu.be/I334ti42VRQ?t=29
Video of Russian sappers looking for mines near Shushi-Lisagor road:
https://youtu.be/9h4GQVk_7KY
Video of a very good boy dog helping Russian sappers to find landmines:
https://youtu.be/2fGM5BPcpzQ?t=10
Video of Russian peacekeepers checking vehicles entering Artsakh.
https://youtu.be/HWDrM7QGWkc

water quality checks in Stepanakert

... are conducted on an hourly basis. Temperature, smell, taste, nitrite, ammonium, bacterias, etc.
https://factor.am/317771.html

the 12-month inflation was

... +1.6%. Food and beverages +0.8%. Alcohol +10%. Cigarette +0.4%. Clothing +1.6%. Utilities +0.4%. House appliances +2.3%. Healthcare +2.8%. Transport +2%. Telecommunication -0.1%. Leisure -0.2%. Education +2%. Restaurants +1.6%. Hotel service -0.5%.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036924.html

Kapan airport construction progress

The Civil Aviation says the construction of Kapan's "Syunik" airport is over. It's part of a plan to develop small aviation in Armenia. It has a new runway, passenger area, other structures that meet standards. L-410 small aircraft will fly there.
https://factor.am/317656.html

TUMO tech & science center

... has repaired Gyumri's 150-year-old theater building on the city park and converted it into an education center. It'll house up to 4,000 students. "Thanks to the multifunctional stage, it can rediscover its role as one of the most important cultural structures in the city." It was repaired with the help of Chon & Hasmik Mkrtchyan and Gyumri residents.
https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/202401

arts & music

"Aratsani" is a project that collected 2,000 Armenian proverbs from around the world. The Education Ministry organized an exhibition to have 100 of the proverbs illustrated by Armenian painters.
More: https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1036979.html
Bulgarian international "Вместе в 21 веке" music festival took place. Yerevan State Choir won the most prestigious Grand Prix award. The composer is Armenian-Israeli violinist Willy Weiner.
https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/202328

World Cup 2022... we are screwed (official prediction)

The Soccer world cup is in 2022. Today they drew a lottery to place each country in a group. Armenia's opponent will be Germany (easy), Romania (done), Iceland (no problem), Macedonia (been there done that), and the much-dreaded Lichtainstain (press F. didn't we lose to the farmers last time and miss an advancement ticket?).
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1037022.html

System Of A Down Has Raised Nearly $1 Million For Armenia With New Singles

https://www.iheart.com/content/2020-12-03-system-of-a-down-has-raised-nearly-1-million-for-armenia-with-new-singles/

New England Patriots Quarterback Cam Newton Unveils Custom Sneakers Dedicated to Armenia and Artsakh

www.civilnet.am/news/2020/12/07/New-England-Patriots-Quarterback-Unveils-Custom-Sneakers-Dedicated-to-Armenia-and-Artsakh-to-be-Auctioned-for-Post-War-Relief/411925

you can help Artsakh & Armenia

www.1000plus.am (soldiers' medical help)
www.HimnaDram.org (for Artsakh & Armenia)
www.ArmeniaFund.org (U.S. tax-deductible)

archive of older posts

Yesterday: https://www.reddit.com/armenia/comments/k6v9s8/dec42020_news_wrapup_housing_construction_repairs/
Armeniapedia's archive of daily news threads:
http://www.armeniapedia.org/wiki/Daily_Anti-Corruption_Reports

disclaimer

All the accused are considered innocent unless proven guilty in the court of law, even if they "sound" guilty.

Everybody starts out different, I grew up on a little creek side property but never really hunted until I was grown and the family house was gone. I started with hogs. My boss at the time was a hunter and the house we were working on was on 25 acres and had feral hogs. I didn’t get one but being part of the harvest for my boss was a lot of fun. I quickly got my license and thought about all the great times I was going to be having as a proper hunter. I was not new to guns, I had several and thought I knew something. At the time Lake Sonoma hosted a shotgun and archery pig hunt, that was close by and was the primary focus of my hunting. Pig hunting is a good segue into killing wild animals for somebody who otherwise hasn’t. They are ugly, nasty, aggressive, and invasive. The destruction they do to the landscape is universally hated by conservationists, and preservationists alike. The morals of killing the animals you eat are heavy. It makes you recognize the place of animals in our lives and it brings honesty with our food. Pulling the trigger on an animal is a lot harder than swiping your debit card at the grocery store. I see a lot of guys make a big ceremony over the animal they kill. Personally I don’t do that, I think it’s a bit weird, but whatever you want to do defines your own moral code. Deer hunting is a step that a lot of late onset hunters come to rather than start at. There is a beauty and majesty to an animal like a deer that most people have never seen through. “A thing like that is to be looked at, not killed and eaten.” But that is a mindset that has been artificially altered by the abundance of farm raised meat. Everybody’s ethics and morals are unique to them, and how you view your usage of animal products SHOULD dictate your view on killing them. Venison is called the sacred meat in my house. It has a flavor that can’t be reproduced on a farm. Even farmed venison doesn’t taste anything like wild venison. The animal I eat had a healthy natural life up until the moment of death which was administered in the most efficient way humanly possible. I too got hung up a little on whether I wanted to shoot a deer or not in the beginning. I didn’t have a problem with pigs or a turkey. Jack rabbits somehow didn’t conger up any emotions of sorrow when I shot one, but the idea of shooting a deer weighed heavy. Then one day I got a call from a friend of mine that does vineyard management, said there was a buck in the vineyard 5 miles away and gave me the code to the gate. It was a fair hunt, I spotted the deer, made a move to outsmart him, I was in position when he presented a good shot and I killed that deer with just a hint of hesitation. The process of killing and cleaning that deer, taking it to the processor and filling my freezer with meat was primal. I no longer had any problem with any legal take. Aside from restrictive laws like no shooting lions, or bobcats, most hunting and fishing laws are written with guidance from the biologists who help to manage healthy wildlands and animal populations. An animal’s outward appearance should not dictate it’s harvestability as a game animal. The cuteness value of it’s face should not have bearing on it’s daily bag limit. You will have your own evolution of hunting ethics as you gain experience. The following is a rudimentary list of animals common to California that you can hunt. Also included are my personal opinions
Jack Rabbits. Ok they are fun to shoot, but taste like shit. They stink up the kitchen when you cook them. I feed them to the dog if I shoot one but I have passed on many a jack with gun in hand because I have no desire to deal with it.
Cottontail. Much harder to find than hares, I have never shot one but when you hear about rabbit hunting that is what they are talking about. The cottontail is a tasty rabbit that should be regarded as a delicacy.
Squirrel (tree) Don’t let anybody tell you that’s gross, Tree squirrels eat real good. Hunting them is an art form in itself. They need to slow cook for 2 hours to break down the chewy meat. Once cooked properly though it is a real treat. 2 squirrels make a good meal for One person, two people can dine on 3 squirrels. I hear fox squirrels are not nearly as tasty, my only experience is with greys.
Furbearers. Mostly raccoon, coyote, fox. I tried for years to get a bobcat but no success. Now it’s illegal to shoot a bobcat. Coyotes are open all year, fox and coon have seasons. There are other animals but these are the ones I know of that I have access to. Tanning hides is fun and easy, you end up with something really cool when you are done. Hang it on the wall or make it into something like an arrow quiver or your own Game of Thrones costume. Using fur has it’s own ethical weight to it that you must decide for yourself. Shooting coyotes has always been an accepted means of predator control. Recent studies have shown that killing some coyotes usually just means more coyotes. However constant pressure on coyotes has shown to be an effective means of controlling them, as long as you never let up. This can be helpful for a local population of prey species if the coyotes are minimized during the birthing season. If there are just a low number of yotes on the ground while the deer fawns are very young, more of them will make it to adulthood. One could even enact a campaign against a local population of yotes during fawning season to give the coming years dear a better chance at life.
Pigs. If you have access to hunt pigs, there is a good chance that is why you have become a hunter. Pig hunting is a lot of fun because the action is hot. They leave a big fat track that is easy to spot and follow. They make a lot of noise and travel in large groups that can be seen from a distance. They are nasty looking and have a reputation for being dangerous to hunt. While there is some truth that they can charge and hurt you, the chances of being hurt by a pig are pretty slim. They are tough to kill, and tough to eat. Living a harsh life like a pig results in a tough body. There is no bacon and very little fat on a wild hog. Sows will taste better than a boar, in some places when they catch a wild boar, they castrate and release with a notch cut in the ear. That way the neutered male can live on, purge the testosterone and be spotted from a distance as neutered with the ear notch. Some people really like wild hog meat but I regard it as mediocre. Next hog I shoot is only going to be made into sausage with fat from domestic hogs. I don’t want any roasts or chop because the quality of the meat is not the best. I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot a pig, nor feed it to friends. But I probably wouldn’t try to initiate somebody eating wild game with wild hog meat.
Deer. Hunting deer is a real challenge. If you have private property access and can harvest a deer easily good for you. If you are like everybody else and you try your luck on public ground you will know it is not easy. There is a lottery system to get a tag to hunt popular and productive areas, while other areas that have less public land or that don’t hold a lot of deer have tags that are available over the counter. Negotiating the lottery system is a skill in itself. The statewide success ratio hovers around 12%. Consider that many counties have no public land and the real amount of successful public land hunters goes down considerably. In the East they hunt the whitetail by sitting in a blind all day. I bet that would work on blacktail but most blacktail hunters spot and stalk or still hunt. Either sit up on a place where you have a good field of view and “spot” a deer with binoculars then stalk up on him. Or you slowly creep through the woods looking to run into a deer. There are many other ways and approaches but this is the most common in California. We have a few species including blacktail, mule, axis, sitka. Mule deer are much bigger than blacktail and their antlers are really wide. I don’t know much about the other species, only that they are found in specific areas. Harvesting a deer will occupy a considerable part of a normal freezer. Two deer will likely require a second freezer in the garage. If you process a deer yourself expect the first one to take a few hours in the kitchen. Watch some youtube videos and get a sharp knife, a good packaging station, and get to work. If you have it processed expect to pay a buck or two per pound hanging weight. That means if you bring in a 100lbs deer hanging on a hook, you will pay for the 100lbs hanging, not the 40lbs of processed and packaged meat you get back.
Elk. Haven’t killed one, but I have been told Elk meat is the best tasting wild game, and is in some cases tastier than beef. All Elk in Ca are hunted with a tag won in a lottery. The lottery is point based so even if you don’t think you want to hunt elk now, you should start acquiring points for elk in case you want to in the future. Elk require a completely different equipment set than most other game animals you might hunt. They require a larger caliber to kill cleanly than a deer or pig does, but your deer or pig rifle might be fine as long as it is on the heavier side of caliber. You will need to have a very thought out and developed plan to kill an elk and get it out of the woods without spoilage. This is what I would say is an advanced species and should not be done without experience or mentoring. Elk hunting should be done in a team with enough man power to safely and effectively remove up to 1000 lbs of meat from wherever you are in the woods. Then you already need to have in place the logistics to deal with processing or and/or storing that meat,
There are other species of mammal you can hunt like bear, sheep, and pronghorns. I don’t believe any of them are for beginners though. At some point the challenge of the hunt becomes way more important than the payday. Like if you go after a mountain sheep, it might be the most physically challenging thing in your life. The journey is the destination, and the trophy is just a bonus to remind you of the suffering you got to enjoy getting there.
Birds are fun too.
Upland birds are birds that don’t spend their lives on the water like doves, quail, and pheasants. You don’t need a dog to hunt these birds but having one is usually like the difference between fishing from shore or fishing from a boat. A dog will be able to sniff out hiding birds like pheasants, break up groups of turkeys in the fall, and retrieve downed birds after you shoot them. Personally I don't hunt a lot where I need to find the birds, I need my dog to get downed birds. Quail are especially good at hiding after they go down. Add to that the landscape is usually somewhat vertical and a lot of birds won't get recovered without a dog. But don’t let not having a dog discourage you, get out there and hike the hills. Just recover your bird before shooting another one. Game birds are everywhere, and all you really need is a cheapo shotgun and some boots to get after them. The public land closest to you likely has some sort of game bird to hunt. Hike a trail, find a water source, kill some quail. EASY
Waterfowl are gear intensive and require a high tolerance for suffering. Traditionally waterfowling includes boats, decoys, calls, and dogs. You don’t need all these things but they make a huge difference. There are many species of waterfowl and they can be found in fields as well as in the water. Be prepared to get up really early and sit in a cold blind while having the time of your life. You can join a club which will give you access to a huntable spot and will most likely include all the gear needed to lure in the birds. As with everything in life the good ones are really expensive, and as a waterfowling consumer you are competing with some really wealthy hunters. There are plenty of public land options, however learning the ways to gain access and have success on them is tricky. Basically look for water, find the shallow puddles and ponds and if you don’t have any gear try sneaking up on the birds and jump shooting them. The good thing about ducks and geese is that if you find them saturday morning, you can usually expect them there the rest of the week as well.
Turkeys are the best. Technically they are considered upland birds but I am going to address them separately here. You can shoot turkeys a bunch of different ways. In the Spring, you call in a Tom or a gobbler and blow his head off with a shotgun. I use an air rifle, but his head is still the target. Locating and calling in a gobbler is hunting fun on a different level. Having a consensual conversation with an animal is always amazing. Convincing a horny turkey you are a willing hen is a fun game to play. In the fall they don’t come to a mating call so other techniques are used. Turkeys are the best game meat to share with non game meat eaters. A big Tom turkey yields a lot of meat. I like to grind and season and then use wherever ground meat is used. I make an excellent wild turkey lasagna. Cooking a whole bird is another festive way to consume it and a good way to share with others. There are also a couple nice trophies to keep with the spurs and the tail fan. (Tip: preserve your tail fan to trick next year’s turkey with)
Remember to represent. That means pick up your shells, and the ones you find. Pack out your trash and the trash you find. Bury your shits properly and give hunters a good name. Don’t engage anti-hunters in a way that makes us look bad. Be safe

Sonic the Hedgehog: a popular video game franchise of a cocky, quick-witted, free-spirited blue hedgehog who is as fast as the speed of sound and fights the forces of evil with a colorful cast of companions. The New York Knickerbockers: a professional NBA basketball team that resides in Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York City. Now you might be thinking, “What do these two things have in common? A video game mascot and a sports team aren’t similar?” And you’re probably right, they just seem too different from each other. It’s not like they are polar opposites, but that they are just so different that it seems almost impossible for them to have similarities. They are in two totally different realms of existence. But if you are a fan of both, you start to see through the overlining aspects and can find some significant connections between the two. You come to find that a prosperous start eventually led to many miserable downfalls. You find that the ones pulling the strings and running the show are the ones that are driving these two franchises straight into the ground. You find that the loyal fans are given false hope and promises nearly every year. And you come to find that these two franchises timelines are somewhat parallel to each other.
Bright Beginnings
If we are going to talk about how it all started with these two, let’s do the Knicks first, since they have been around longer. The winter of 1891 was the year that physical educator James Naismith had an idea. It was too cold for the Massachusetts boys to go outside and get active. So, Naismith decided to nail up some peach baskets indoors, got a leather ball, made some rules and regulations, and then the rest is history. The game for young boys quickly became a trend. Recreational centers and schools embraced this new game and basketball became known to all. But playing on a school team wasn’t enough. Where do these kids and young men go with this talent? It was then decided that just like baseball and football, America needed a professional league for basketball. And so, on June 6, 1946, in New York, the Nation Basketball Association was born. And with it, a new team called The New York Knickerbockers (more commonly known as Knicks for short). Yeah, that’s right, the Knicks are as old as the goddamn NBA. The Knicks have seen it all in the NBA. The best, the worst, wins, losses. It was only until the 70s where the Knicks began to prosper for the very first time. With Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Willis Reed, Bill Bradley, and Dick Barnett, Phill Jackson, under Coach William 'Red' Holzman, New York got their very first championship. And even another 3 years later. They beat out guys like Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlin, and many more. After those years, the rest of the 70s were an “iffy” time for NY. Their records were great at first, getting into the playoffs and Eastern Conference semi-finals just to be eliminated each time. Then the 80s came around and things started to look up for them again. Their records improved, Bernard King was great but were eliminated in the playoff each time they got there. Then, after a terrible season, the Knicks were placed in the NBA Draft Lottery for the very first time in 1985. And got one of the greatest players and best-known Knicks of all time with the 1st round pick, Patrick Ewing. Then the 90s came around, which was also an electric and most memorable time for New York basketball. Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Charles Oakley, Charlie Ward, Anthony Mason, the list goes on. Coached by the famous Pat Riley, it was an unforgettable time. Did they win any championships? No. But the Garden was never truly the same after that. And for the next 2 decades, it only seemed to change for the very worst.
During all of this, and World War 2, Service Games were making coin-operated slot machines for entertainment for the war effort. After the war, the company sent employees to Japan for expansion. The company began to grow worldwide. It was then shut down when the US government found illegal business practices (which was just some good ole tax evasion). But then one of the original creators, Martin Bromley, made other companies in order to take over its assets and activities, so nothing really changed. Service Games of Japan (more commonly referred to as Sega) was bought out by other companies as time went on, but never really seemed to leave Japan. From slot machines, to photo booths, to pinball machines, to eventually, the brand-new world of video game entertainment. Competition was fierce, games were created, their famous “Sega Genesis” console was made, until the faithful day of June 23, 1991, one of the most famous video game characters to ever exist was created. In the form of an 8-bit, blue, fast hedgehog named Sonic. It was the only character to out beat the worldwide beloved, Italian, plumber, and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) that we all know far too well at the time. The fast-paced and exciting gameplay was riveting. Players awed as Sonic raced to defeat Dr. Robotnik and his robot army to take over the world and stealing the mysterious and infinity powerful Chaos Emeralds was exhilarating for all. Sonic the Hedgehog was a staple of an iconic video game and video game character. And a staple of Sega’s success. The only logical thing to do now is to ride this success, and they sure did. With a multitude of sequels both canon and non-canon, spinoff shows, comic book series, merchandise, and some reboots, it seemed like Sega’s #1 mascot was at the top and continued to rise. But it only takes so long for something to keep rising in fame. Isaac Newton said himself, “What goes up must come down.” And if Sonic was on top, there is only one other place it can go.
The Roaring ‘90s
From the early 90s to the present day, these two have coexisted at the same time, but in different worlds. One related to video games, one related to live professional sports, both in the name of worldwide entertainment. Then the universe made their paths in time parallel to each other. When Sonic was created in 1991, The Knicks got Pat Riley to coach the team. Acquiring the originally undrafted John Starks, who was an electrifying scorer, as he went hand in hand with Patrick Ewing. They went as far as to beat the Pistons in the first round but fell short of succeeding forward because of some guy from the Chicago Bulls that I have never heard of, named Michael Jordan. I guess he was big deal but I’m not too sure. They had had an even better season the following year. Going from a 51–31 record to a 60–22 record. They made it to the Eastern Conference finals only to get swept by Jordan’s Bulls. For Sega, they released Sonic the Hedgehog 2. The story of the battle between Sonic and Robotnik continued. In this game, there was a player 2 option for a friend of a younger sibling. They introduced Miles "Tails" Prower, a young, yellow fox with a knack for mechanical engineering. He would be considered Sonic’s closest friend, almost like a brother. It was a commercial success as well. It was a good year for both Sonic and the Knicks, even though Sonic many have had a better one.
1993 and 1994 was also a prosperous year for both. For the Knicks, with a 57–25 record, defeating all the other teams in the playoff (including Jordan), and returned to the Eastern Conference finals. They would have made it to the NBA finals if it weren’t for the most hated player in New York at the time, Reggie Miller, and the rest of the Indiana Pacers. With two missed free-throws from Starks, an angry/stubborn Pat Riley, to a missed finger-roll layup by Ewing, the Knicks lost 97–95. But ‘93 and ‘94 was a memorable year for the Knicks, as well as for Sega. In the same year, Sonic CD came out in Japan. In it, they introduced Metal Sonic, a robot made by Robotnik to combat Sonic, and Rosy the Rascal (Amy Rose) a pink hedgehog saved by Sonic who is madly and blindly in love with him. Metal was a great adversary for Sonic because it always kept up with him. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 rolled out in ‘94. In it, they continued the story with the brand-new setting of the Floating Island (later to be named Angel Island). Robotnik goes there to repair his “Death Egg” that was damaged in the last game. He tricks the newly introduced character, “Knuckles the Echidna”, a strong, stubborn, and at times dense, who was the guardian of the Island into thinking the Sonic and Tails were the enemies. Knuckle became a quick and notary rival of the blue hedgehog, until the end of the game where Knuckle learns the truth and is then helps Sonic to defeat Robotnik. The game, including Knuckles, was loved by fans. They found success in the game. Their new console, the “Sega Saturn”, not so much. It was outshined and outsold by Sony’s new console, The PlayStation. It couldn’t meet up to what its predecessor, the Genesis, did in the gaming industry. Funny how the Knicks and Sonic mirrored each other that year. They were both on a fiery trail only to be halted by another. The Pacers for the Knicks, and The PlayStation for Sega. They were so close to ultimate success that year. Nevertheless, a pretty solid year for both. At this point, you can’t talk about the best games without mentioning Sonic. And you can’t talk about the best basketball teams without mentioning the Knicks.
The next couple of years were a stagnant few for the blue hedgehog and the New York team. For the Knicks, Pat Riley resigned and moved on to coach the Miami Heat. After firing the new head coach, Don Nelson, the Knicks gave the position to the assistant coach, Jeff Van Gundy. They acquired the big-man Larry Johnson and pure scorer and Allan Houston. The Knicks were eliminated playoff series after playoff series due to the Bull, Heat, and Pacers. In the ’98-’99 season, things started to get cooking. They traded greats like John Starks and Charles Oakley for Latrell Sprewell and Marcus Camby. While Ewing was aging and having constant injuries, the new players began to step up. They climbed over all the competition and became the first eighth-seeded playoff team to make it to the NBA Finals. Sweat, but short-lived because the powerful San Antonio Spurs beat them to win it all. It proved that the Knicks were still a top caliber NBA team. Being able to dominate the entire East, while striking fear in the West. Sega after 1994 were the same as the Knicks, as they found themselves in the same position and not progressing forward. Making many Sonic titles that felt more like fillers than actual pure Sonic games. The story didn’t progress, and the games were not innovative. New modern technology allowed for new 3D modeled games. The world of 2D was starting to take a seat, and everyone wanted the next best thing. In 1998, they released the “Sega Dreamcast”, in attempts to participate in that year's new upcoming set of consoles that ran 3D games. And with it, the next Sonic title was ready to shake the world, as it did once before. Titled “Sonic Adventures”, it was so critically acclaimed, that 2.5 million copies sold in total, making it the Dreamcast’s bestselling game ever. On Knuckles home of Angel Island, the Master Emerald (one similar to the 7 Chaos Emerald but much bigger and with even greater power and the one he was sworn to protect), is in danger of Dr. Robotnik new plan to release “Chaos”, an immortal and god-like being made out of concentrated energy who was sealed away buy Knuckles ancestors, in order to rule the world. Different characters have different abilities you can play with. We all know Sonic can run fast, but now we can see Tails fly, Knuckles climb, and Amy smash baddies with her large new hammer. It showed the world what Sonic can do in the world of 3D games. Also, the killer original soundtrack to add to the fast-paced excitement, truly made it more memorable. Great level designs mixed with wonderful storytelling and amazing game mechanics, it is widely accepted as one of the greatest Sonic game ever created. The Dreamcast itself didn’t have such a happy ending. Poor manufacturing rates in Japan caused not enough units to be shipped out to please the general public and the massive amounts of orders. Plus, Sony’s new PlayStation 2, Nintendo’s new GameCube, and Microsoft’s first-ever console, the Xbox, crushed the Dreamcast’s chances at full success, despite Sega’s confidence in it. Yet again, Sonic and the Knicks face the mirror and have the similar outcome. In the forms of a superb season with failed Finals expectations, and a stellar game with failed console expectations. So close to a perfect year. It doesn’t really matter now though. Everyone did what Prince said and partied because it was 1999. It was the start of a new decade. Sonic and the Knicks were ready to leave their wonderful pasts in the past. Indicative of an era, preprepared to look ahead into the unknown future. What could possibly go wrong? Oh, just what…...could possibly…… go……. wrong.
The Dark Decade
The year 2000, a brand-new start for all. Forget what happened last year. It now a decade behind you. At the start of a new year, everyone tries to make it his or her own. Before the clock struck 12 on January 1, the Knicks drafted Frédéric Weis from France, instead of the home-grown Ron Arrest. This was done without an official General Manager though. They did hire Scott Layden later on. Charles Dolan, who was the owner of MSG, the Knicks, and Rangers, stepped down. And on November 2nd, 1999, his son James Dolan became the head, a day which will forever live in infamy. 2000, the Knicks are back where they belong in the playoffs. Allen Houston and Latrell Sprewell had amazing seasons. They swept the Toronto Raptors and were quickly denied the chance to go any further, due to nonother than the bane of the Knicks himself, Reggie Miller, and the Indiana Pacers. The Knicks were ready to make improvements. What was their first move? Trading the legendary, home-loved, adored, big man himself Patrick Ewing to (ironically) the Seattle Supersonics. A great start to the new year. Trading away the best player in franchise history, especially after he wanted an extension on his contract. The Ewing Era was officially over. It would have been somewhat reasonable, if it weren’t for the fact that it was a terrible trade deal. Overseas in Japan, despite the Dreamcast launch, it did kinder up some good sales. They did keep up with the other console at first, but the high pre-orders mixed with the poor manufacturing rates made consumers unhappy. Another problem was they were expensive. Many disappointed people traded it in and used the money to buy another console. The delayed (but high selling) Sonic Adventure was good but just couldn’t save it from the slowly declining sales. Sonic himself in 2000 had a quiet year. “Sonic Shuffle”, a board-game-based game similar too Mario Party. It had mixed thoughts. The game was alright, but surely was no Sonic Adventure. Similarly, Sonic and the Knicks’ first year in the 2000s was so-so. Nothing too special but had a slight decrease in shine.
2001: After losing to the Raptors in the playoffs, the Knicks needed some time to regroup. During the offseason, Layden decided it would be a good idea to opt-out of the draft (missing many great players) to resign Allen Houston to a 6 year-100-million-dollar contract. Keep in mind, this was the biggest contract in franchise history at the time. Oh, and he got rid of Glen Rice (one of the guys acquired in the Ewing Trade). He replaced him with guys who also had beefy, long contracts for no reason. Larry Johnson retired, the Knicks new season started badly, and the promising Jeff Van Gundy resigned, and AC Don Chaney was promoted. He didn’t do much to help. To end off on an even worse note, the Knicks had themselves a 30–52 season and missing the playoffs. Fun fact: it was the first time since the 1986–87 season they did not qualify for the playoffs. On Sega’s end, the production for the Dreamcast was discontinued. They took a major step back and became a third-party developer, meaning they will only make games for other consoles and no longer make consoles of their own. They lowered the price of the remaining stock they had, and their net-worth decreased greatly. It just couldn’t keep up and hurt Sega more than it helped it. Just like a dream itself, the Dreamcast was sweet, short-lived, and then faded away. The Sonic game they released, however, would be a fan favorite for generations to come. They released “Sonic Adventure 2”, the official sequel to the first Sonic Adventure. It had extremely high reviews and Sonic fans adored it. It introduced any new characters and innovative game mechanics the series has never seen before. The game can be played more than once, due to it having 2 campaigns that overlap in parts and conclude at the same time. 50 years in the past, Gerald Robotnik (the grandfather of Dr. Robotnik) works on the “Ultimate Life Form” in “Space Colony ARK.” There, his granddaughter, Maria, is born with Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome making her unable to leave the ARK in fears of her dying. Gerald (who is actually a genuinely good soul) tries everything to cure Maria. He creates “Project Shadow”, a powerful hedgehog with immortality. He and Maria bond and become close friends. Then the “Guardian Units of Nations”, or G.U.N for short, saw that Shadow was too dangerous and raided the ARK in attempts to liquefy all information and personnel involved. Instructed to escape, Maria puts Shadow in an escape pod before being gunned down in the crossfire from G.U.N agents to kill Shadow. He escapes, is recovered by the government, put into stasis until Robotnik reawakens him 50 later to use him in his plan for world domination. Shadow, having amnesia, can only remember the last moments with Maria. Filled with hate and anger, he believes Maria’s wishes were to get revenge on humanity. He helps Robotnik acquire the Chaos Emeralds. Sonic is framed for doing so, and thus he and the rest of the team venture out to stop Robotnik once again. The character Rouge the Bat, the independent and flirtatious jewel thief made her first appearance. Playing multiple sides as she helps Shadow acquire the emeralds, works as an undercover agent for G.U.N, and even stealing part of the Master Emerald from Knuckle, making for some interesting and funny interactions. It ended as Shadow realizes that Maria wanted Shadow to give people another chance for a better future. His alignment changes as he and Sonic team up to defeat the final boss and save the day. Shadow was last seen falling to earth after the battle, and the day was saved. A great/complex story and a legendary OST with Crush-40 helping with it. gave the Sonic series a little bit of a mature look. Fans fell in love with Shadow’s serious and edgy personality. Quite possibly, the already amazing Sonic Adventures was matched with an amazing sequel. This year, Sonic and the Knick’s outcomes were quite different. Sonic seemed to get the better end of the stick. But this luck won’t last forever.
2002: an overall poor year for both. The Knicks extended Don Chaney’s contract. They had the seventh pick in the draft (which is solid at most), but instead of rebuilding through the draft, the front office made the terrible decision of packaging the pick the star Marcus Camby and Mark Jackson for veteran Antonio “the-dealing-with-knee-problems” McDyess. Did he play for them during the season? No. He ended up destroying his knee in an exhibition game and missed the entire season. Latrell Sprewell broke his hand on his yacht due to the rough waters. Or he punched a guy, not sure. Doesn’t really matter he missed the beginning of the season. “Fire Layden”, would echo through the garden because of his poor and rash decisions. Their season ended with a 37–45 record, missing the playoffs for the second year in a row. Over in the land of the Rising Sun, Sega executives were comprising a deal with pachinko machine developer, “Sammy Corporation” and Japanese video game company, “Bandai Namco Entertainment.” The president of Sammy had a history with Sega in the past, so it was likely for some agreement to go through. Namco on the other hand withdrew. Sammy was upset with Sega as they attempted to persuade Namco more. This prompted both companies to withdraw, and Sega gained nothing. In the States, some high business workers left Sega due to being unhappy with Japan's refusal to shift with the demand for more mature games. As for Sonic, they had to now make games for companies they once rivaled. They released the “Sonic Advanced” series (from 2001-2003) for the Nintendo “Game Boy Advanced.” It had mixed reviews. Fans enjoyed them while criticizing them for being too short, having imbalanced gameplay, and some bad level designs. The total net-loss even forced them to file for bankruptcy around this time. It could have been all over then. Things are starting to slowly dip for these two. No improvement, no noise in the world of games. The tides are starting to shift.
2003-2009: (let’s just group together these painfully terrible years altogether since they are all painfully terrible) the quicksand has now gotten a firm grip on the iconic red shoes of Sonic and the Nike Air Force 1s of the Knicks and was slowly sinking them down to their necks. Knicks continued to give girthy salaries to C tier players, were bad enough to get to the playoff but good enough to get high draft picks, Sprewell was given up for Keith Van Horn and an old Dikembe Mutombo. This was the last straw for Layden. Retired NBA legend Isiah Thomas became the Knicks president after the chants in the garden have finally been answered. He got right to work. He fired Chaney for Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens. Great. Then made a big move in releasing McDyess, NY legend Charlie Ward, and 2 future first-round picks for all-star Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway. After no real sign of rebuilding and a bad start, the Knicks miraculously snuck into the playoffs. Perfect. Except they got swept by the New Jersey Nets. That season was sort of like the Sega Dreamcast. High expectations and then shockingly short-lived. The newly acquired ball-handling wizard, Jamal Crawford wasn’t enough for the Knicks the next season. Wilkens stepped down and the Knick missed another playoff season. Larry Brown was the new coach, but Isaiah made the best of their draft picks and trades. They fan-favorites like Trevor Ariza, David Lee, and Nate Robinson (who was not fighting Jake Paul yet). They also got Channing Frye, Jerome James, and Eddy Curry, in hopes that they could acquire a reincarnation of Patrick Ewing. This move would have been almost 100 percent perfect. Maybe if they didn’t give them unnecessary contracts and lots of first rounds picks away. Maybe. Allen Houston also finally retired. It was good, since he was washed-up and still had a ridiculous contract, but at the same time sad, since he was the last Knick to come from a beautiful time period in the history of the franchise. So how was the overall team? Pretty trash. They couldn’t rack up a good number of wins, there was that whole feud with Marbury and Brown, the players didn’t form good chemistry, even Isaiah and Brown bumped heads. So much so, Isaiah fired him finishing with a 23–59 record. And then (if this didn’t sound like some crazy written soap opera) he literally hired himself as head coach. Isaiah had a tremendous amount of pressure on him. James Dolan (every time I say his name it just makes me ball my hands into fists) wanted improvement or he was gone. The new season was going well at first until the big brawl that took place against the Denver Nuggets where multiple players received suspensions for it. They did have that one play that David Lee did where he put the ball into the hoop at 0.1 seconds in double overtime, which was one of the most stellar plays in franchise history. It was quickly looked over when a former MSG executive sued Isaiah ad MSG for sexual harassment, which they lost. The old “Fire Layden” chants were turned into “Fire Isiah.” The season once again started terribly, and the Knicks lost to the Boston Celtics in 104–59 game.
Remember that mess of a deal with Sega and Sammy that never happened? Well, Sammy ended up buying 22.4 percent of Sega's shares anyway. That same year Sega shifted all focus on the arcade business side of the company in order to patch up the open wounds that the home-console development left on them. Sammy then completely took over Sega, becoming “Sega Sammy Holdings.” They now split the company into 4 special quadrants, Consumer Business (video games), Amusement Machine Business (arcade games), Amusement Center Business (Sega's theme parks and arcades), and Pachislot and Pachinko Business (Sammy's pachinko and pachislot business). Even though the main focus was on the arcade aspect of Sega, the video game branch was still at work, and so was Sonic. Comic books, TV spinoffs, and of course his favorite platform, games. Only a few really made any real impacts. For example, “Sonic Heroes.” 4 separate and interwoven storylines, the return of lovable and familiar faces, the long return of Team Chaotix (originally from a game back in 1995 which is a surprise), the ability to switch characters mid-level, and the continued story, it had high expectations from the last blockbuster game. Team Sonic races to defeat Robotnik’s new weapon, Rouge finds a though-to-be-dead Shadow and the robot, “E-123 Omega” who form Team Dark who set to defeat Robotnik while Shadow tries to uncover some of his past, Team Rose finds Amy, the comically slow “Big the Cat”, and the sweat young pure-hearted “Cream the Rabbit” who go off in search of Sonic, and Team Chaotix, a band of quirky detectives, “Vector the Crocodile”, “Espio the Chameleon”, and “Charmy Bee” gets a mysterious job offer that they can’t refuse. A fan-favorite for sure, but to the extent of mixed reviews. Fans loved it; others hated it. Overall, it was a serious game in the franchise, but a very, very mediocre one.
After some filler games, Sega saw all the popularity Shadow the Hedgehog has received ever since his debut. He was as famous as Sonic was (maybe even more at the time) and fans loved his personality, as it accompanied a lot of the angsty/emo/goth/rebellious/alternative-punk rock/edgy teen personality of the early 2000s. It supported what was about to come. “Shadow the Hedgehog”, his very own standalone game. Shadow laments his existence, trying to figure out who he really is. An alien armada invades the city. Shadow is confronted by the leader of the “Black Arms” alien forces, “Black Doom” and tells him of some old agreement made to bring him the Chaos Emeralds, in exchange for the truth of his past. Shadow goes on to slowly regain memories. This game is unique in the series, with its branching stories that affect how the game ends through what missions the player chooses. It has a good ending, a bad ending, or a true ending, in which Shadow learns he was created with Black Doom’s blood. Shadow is reminded of Maria to break from Black Doom’s mind-control over him and defeats him. This game is a major addition to the series. Unfortunately, it received a poor review. Some people thought Sega tried too hard to be edgy and dark and ended up making it somewhat cringeworthy. Now Shadow was being made fun of for this reason. They also ruined his character a bit. Going from a broken victim, blinded by hate and anger to realize that his promise to the person he cared about was to protect others and giving them a second chance, to a gun-toting, I-hate-everything-and-everyone-so-don’t-get-in-my-way, anti-hero, edge lord (Oh yeah he uses guns in this game). The next line of titles will be more mediocre than the next. Until one unholy game was created.
Only titled, “Sonic the Hedgehog” (more commonly known as Sonic 06), was the game for the new generation of consoles, the “X-Box 360” and “PlayStation 3”. “Silver the Hedgehog”, a pure, determined young hero is from the doomed future. Engulfed in flames from the monster “Iblis” he, and his close female friend “Blaze the Cat”, try to save their present. A mysterious person gives him the chance to go back in time to stop the sequence of events that will eventually lead to the futures doom. Desperate he is assigned to kill a blue hedgehog from the past in order to stop it. The villain, “Mephalis the Dark” manipulates the many heroes in the story to get to his goal. It turns out that the artifact Rouge steals contained him in it. He is released to get to his godly form of nonother than Iblis and tricks Silver into thinking Sonic was the reason for the future being destroyed. Sonic, Shadow, and Silver then team up to defeat him once and for all. This game……was absolutely horrendous. Buggy glitches, some bad voice acting, a nearly impossible boss fight to beat with Sonic and Silver, and one of the worst chopped up and overly complicated stories with an unbelievable amount of major plot holes and bad story planning. It is easily considered the worst Sonic game ever created. Sega and Sonic’s reputation will forever be stained by this awful game. The good that did come out of it was smothered by how terrible it was. Silver was a good character (and my personal favorite). Mephalis was actually a good villain that used manipulation (who also killed Sonic (he was the only one to do so)). Shadow’s character was fixed a little. But now, this colossal failure will scar the franchise for eternity. It doesn’t matter how fast Sonic runs; he will never live past it.
For the remainder of the decade, Sega put out more either bad or mediocre Sonic games. They go so far as to turn Sonic into a Werehog. A werehog! Literally a werewolf/hedgehog. They have no impact on the gaming world, as for the games during the classic era did. Sonic is drowning (and he actually can’t swim) and Sega is throwing him uninflated floaties in attempts to save their iconic mascot. The Knicks also ended up firing Isaiah Thomas and replacing him with Mike D’Antoni. They made many trades, including traded Jamal Crawford for Al Harrington, and then traded a bunch of guys that barely played or barely made in impact for others who will later do the same. These two failing and failing badly. The Knicks and Sonic are now the laughingstocks of sports and gaming. The once-powerful Knicks who once had a titan-like grip on the East, are now a small, non-serious threat to all. It was once mainstream to be a fan of Sonic, now it's mainstream to point and laugh at the cringy/bad games it produces. There seems to be no let-up. Every time they try to turn it around, they end up 10 feet from where they last were. These two got lost walking down a long dark tunnel and there is no light at the end. What will become of them? Hope is fading away by the second. I’m getting nauseous, I think I’m going to be sick.