Fingers crossed I guess that militarized violence really does de-escalate.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/08/politics/trump-iran-speech/index.html
Flanked by the Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a legion of high-ranking military officers, Trump spoke carefully from two teleprompters set up in the back of the room – delivering the message that, despite Iran launching more than a dozen missile strikes at two sites in Iraq less than 24 hours ago, he was comfortable with calling an end to the outright hostilities.
Delayed until closer to the election. They’ll want to make sure that it doesn’t have time to start falling apart before polling day.
I only got 45. Swore that I was going to get all of them.
File under things I learned in 5th grade and was never asked about again till 30 years later on some quiz.
41 out of 50… the midwest ALWAYS trips me up, as does the south west a bit. And for some reason, I mix up Rhodes Island and Delaware! 
maybe part of it is having some sort of connection, outside of the most recognizable states (Texas, Alaska, Hawaii, California, etc). I have no problem remembering states I’ve been too (even MA, which I’ve only been to once for my aunt’s funeral since I was a baby). And if I know someone who lives there or has spent time there, I can remember them (my cousin is out in Oregon, and my bestie lived there for years).
Some of the middle and mid southern states messed me up. And a western that I knew - but just fucked up somehow.
The mid Atlantic and New England states were a gimme; having lived in NY, MA & PA.
Perfect score. But I had no idea that the island of Alaska was so small and so far south!
In the light of recent events regarding Iran, a reminder for the goldfish:
I technically aced it, but only because the click region for Delaware was so big that it thwarted my attempt to click on New Jersey, with which I had momentarily confused it. I almost got Wyoming and Colorado backwards too, but having had to drive through WY and not CO to get from Kentucky to Washington, I managed to catch myself before I actually goofed it.
I credit most of my success in the field of US map reading to the cardboard puzzle of states I had growing up, with a large dose of “being the navigator” on family vacations as backup.
#VichyDems
“vOte bluE nO MAttEr wHo”
Ugh, he’s not dead yet??
Something like 8 Dems voted with Republicans tonight. WTF?
Some general notes on the USA/Iran relationship:
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Despite how it is presented in Western media, the root of American hostility towards Iran has nothing to do with human rights, democracy, terrorism or theocracy. On every one of these considerations, the close US ally Saudi Arabia is an obviously much greater offender. As are many other countries.
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The root of American hostility towards Iran is instead based in the overthrow of the Shah. Any imperial puppet that escapes domination must be forced back into submission or destroyed. No liberation struggle can be permitted to succeed, lest it set an example for the others. This effort will be pursued for as long as it takes; the empire never forgives “disloyalty”.
Is Iran a perfect model of mythical liberal capitalist democracy? Obviously not. Neither is anywhere else.
Are the imperfections of Iranian society aggravated, entrenched and intensified by the constant imperial aggression they face? Yup.
Does the decades-long Western effort to destroy Iran have anything to do with alleviating those imperfections? Nope.
Would an American invasion of Iran make life better for the Iranian people? Of course not.
Only his soul.
