#petkovic bottled it :(

[edgerunnerc]

absolutely devastated the croatia nt did not win uefa nations league. luka modric deserves it more than anyone at this point

[beardedmrbean]

Protest in support of the removed chairman of the National Assembly Nikola Minchev last night in front of the parliament. The dissatisfaction was entitled "The Mafia removed  Nikola Minchev." Nikola Minchev, Kiril Petkov and representatives of BSP joined the protesters.

However, there was tension. After shouting: "Toshko, come to us", Toshko Yordanov from “There Is Such a People” went out to the protesters, but was shot with various objects, water bottles and jugs.

Late in the evening, when “Vazrazhdane” deputies left the National Assembly, some of the protesters followed them with shouts. Police were able to calm the situation.

Traffic in front of the parliament building remained blocked until late in the evening. Tensions also arose between the people. Police intervened and used force to break them up. There were no serious accidents or injuries.

"The mafia is trying to regain its state. The first step in this process is the removal of the Speaker of the National Assembly," said one protester, who said he knew Minchev personally and described him as a" consensus person" and a" perfect lawyer. "

"This whole story that is unfolding, with parliamentary tricks that interfere with everything, really infuriates me," said another protester.

"Thank you for this support, we continue to fight, the fight will be successful," said Minchev, who appeared before the protesters.

"Recently, Mr. Tsonev said that protests were overthrowing governments, not supporting them. I think we can refute him," said Finance Minister Asen Vassilev.

Prime Minister Kiril Petkov also came out in support of Minchev.

"We promise that while we are here right and we still have a pulse, we will not give Bulgaria to these mobsters!", Said the Prime Minister. “Change has come! They can't bring them back! You are many, we are together! They have nowhere to go! ”He added.

Protesters chanted "together", "victory" and "Mafia out!".

After Petkov, Minchev also spoke, who was greeted with applause. He promised:

"The next time I am in a position to hold a vote, I will not be afraid of what the choice will be. I will be sure that there will be a stable majority that will elect a stable government that will work only for Bulgaria! ”

"Thank you for being here. Never give up! Together we will succeed ", said BSP leader Kornelia Ninova.

Toshko Yordanov, chairman of the parliamentary group of “There Is Such a People” was called on several times to meet the protesters. They greeted him with bottles of mineral water and other objects.

There was a double cordon of police officers on the scene trying to control the situation.

"We are not afraid of elections," Prime Minister Kiril Petkov told reporters on the sidelines of the National Assembly. "But I still have a glimmer of hope that there are a few people on the scales inside who are struggling with their fears but know the right thing to do. It would be better for Bulgaria not to have elections. 22 laws must be passed by December - that's 12 billion. I rely a lot on the brave people, "Petkov said.

"I am talking to everyone, but I will not stop," the prime minister continued.

"I see the protection of the mafia in Bulgaria, the protection of a foreign government, I see people paid by foreign embassies," said Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of “Vazrazhdane”. “The next government will be independent and lead by ‘Vazrazhdane’. This parliament is over," Kostadinov said.

"We did not organize this protest, it is spontaneous," said Lena Borislavova.

"Usually when people protest, they want resignations. We have given ours ", said Toshko Yordanov.

"Let everyone control their emotions, let the protests be civilized," Kornelia Ninova urged.

"The forces of darkness made their vote, you saw how the chairman of the National Assembly was removed. A new battle is ahead. This is only the first protest," said Daniel Laurer. "Even if the cabinet does not survive, there are 3 mandates in the parliamentary roulette. Then there will be elections, and I hope that all people who want change will vote for ‘We Continue the Change,’" Lorer said.

[weneverlearn]

Death of Samantha, circa 1986

Hey, it’s finally out! The brand new issue #49 of the great, lost-boss music mag, Ugly Things is here -- and this one features my massive missive on 1980s Cleveland glam punks, Death of Samantha! 

I’m really happy to finally get the full story of one of my favorite (and criminally underrated) bands out there, adding in some mid-80s Cleveland atmosphere for yooz. Ugly Things is print-only, so bother your local rack jobber to order some, or get one (or 10) here: http://webstore.ugly-things.com/ugly-things-49-p406.php

It makes a great gift for that young cousin who already knows who the Pagans are! 

Death of Samantha, circa 1986; photo by Steve Wainstead

Death of Samantha, circa 1988

John Petkovic (singer/guitarist, Death of Samantha, second from left, w/ beer bottle) at the Negative Print party, circa 1984. Photo by Steve Wainstead

Invoice for first Death of Samantha 7″ single, circa 1985

[un-enfant-immature]

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian brings Armenian brandy to the US

Brett Moskowitz Contributor

Share on Twitter

Brett Moskowitz writes about cocktails and spirits for a variety of publications, including Food & Wine, Esquire, Saveur, Tasting Table, Liquor.com, Neatpour, and others. He lives in New York City.

When Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, approached the members-only spirits subscription club Flaviar about bringing an Armenian brandy to market, he saw it as a unique opportunity to honor his paternal heritage.

“My father’s side all fled during the genocide,” Ohanian told me in an interview. “He grew up pretty Americanized, but the food and drink were the big parts of the culture that were passed down.”

Ohanian spent some time in Armenia as an adult and became acquainted with the tradition of taking shots of the local brandy, called “konyak,” out of sliced apricots. And he wanted to expose Americans to the highest-quality aged Armenian brandy.

So when he received the investor update about Son of a Peat, a whiskey that Flaviar made for its members, he saw that the company was capable of bringing its own spirits to market. It was a new direction for Flaviar, and he thought it opened the door for him to have his own product. Ohanian decided to pitch his idea to the team.

“For most Americans, this is their first exposure. If we can make it a thing in America, I’d love to pull that off,” Ohanian said. “It’s not often that I do this with one of the companies I invest with; I chatted to Jugo Petkovic and Grisa [Soba], the founders of Flaviar, about creating my own spirit. I proposed the idea of Armenian brandy. They were like, ‘this is weird, but we’ll look into it.’ 

He says that there are not many Armenian exports that people are aware of and has a hunch that more than just Armenians will like the brandy. “I hope I can be a good ambassador for it.”

Flaviar agreed to make the brandy for Ohanian who decided to call it Shakmat — “chess” in Armenian. “Chess is a huge part of the Armenian identity. So is Armenian konyak.”

The launch of Shakmat is an expansion of the relationship between Ohanian and Flaviar, which recently began developing its own spirit brands after initial success building a consumer base with subscription deliveries of spirit-tasting boxes.

Since beginning operations in 2012, Flaviar has grown to include thousands of annual subscribers in the U.S. and Europe. In addition, the $210 yearly fee gets members access to live tastings and discounts on exclusive bottlings and private labels.

After initial funding from a local angel investor, and later one of the first investments from Speedinvest’s first fund, says Petkovic, Flaviar went through Y Combinator in the summer of 2014.

It was there where Petkovic and his co-founder Grisa Soba met Ohanian. “He, among several other YC partners, ended up investing personally, as well. We raised a few undisclosed rounds of funding since then.”

Ohanian says that what drew him to Flaviar was its unique approach to connecting with consumers in the spirits marketplace. “This was before ‘direct to consumer’ was a thing,” Ohanian says. “The state laws around liqueur sales were starting to change, because of e-commerce. And what [Flaviar] realized was that you could build a relationship with customers around liquor. We can focus on curating really great juice. And we have enough credibility now that we can make our own.”

The privately held company purchased competitor Caskers.com earlier this year and has an ambitious vision based on the idea that spirits remain inaccessible to most consumers who are interested in educating themselves about what’s out there.

“We always envisioned Flaviar as a lifestyle club to which members would belong for years,” says Petkovic. “We believe new products are best discovered through curated selection, education and engagement with a community of people who share your passion.”

Shakmat launched in the U.S. on November 12. Ohanian says he was thrilled at the opportunity to provide a platform for a deep cultural tradition and to donate 10 percent of revenues to the community by supporting Armenian reforestation efforts.  (Armenian forests were severely depleted during the Soviet occupation because of the need to use wood as an energy source.)

The first run of Shakmat includes 2,400 bottles of the 80 proof (40% ABV) 23-year-old XO brandy, but don’t be surprised if another run hits the market soon. Bottles can be purchased by Flaviar members for $95 and non-members for $110.

[lionspridetingz]

If I'm taking the pics you'll probably get either extream zooms on Livakovic, Petkovic or olmo (okay maybe stonsey, bernardo or walker 🙄). Won't get pep cause someone will need to hold me not to throw a bottle at him (jk but I can't stand him)

get me some agüero too please😊

💙xx

[theinvinciblenoob]

Brett Moskowitz Contributor

Share on Twitter

Brett Moskowitz writes about cocktails and spirits for a variety of publications, including Food & Wine, Esquire, Saveur, Tasting Table, Liquor.com, Neatpour, and others. He lives in New York City.

When Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, approached the members-only spirits subscription club Flaviar about bringing an Armenian brandy to market, he saw it as a unique opportunity to honor his paternal heritage.

“My father’s side all fled during the genocide,” Ohanian told me in an interview. “He grew up pretty Americanized, but the food and drink were the big parts of the culture that were passed down.”

Ohanian spent some time in Armenia as an adult and became acquainted with the tradition of taking shots of the local brandy, called “konyak,” out of sliced apricots. And he wanted to expose Americans to the highest-quality aged Armenian brandy.

So when he received the investor update about Son of a Peat, a whiskey that Flaviar made for its members, he saw that the company was capable of bringing its own spirits to market. It was a new direction for Flaviar, and he thought it opened the door for him to have his own product. Ohanian decided to pitch his idea to the team.

“For most Americans, this is their first exposure. If we can make it a thing in America, I’d love to pull that off,” Ohanian said. “It’s not often that I do this with one of the companies I invest with; I chatted to Jugo Petkovic and Grisa [Soba], the founders of Flaviar, about creating my own spirit. I proposed the idea of Armenian brandy. They were like, ‘this is weird, but we’ll look into it.’ 

He says that there are not many Armenian exports that people are aware of and has a hunch that more than just Armenians will like the brandy. “I hope I can be a good ambassador for it.”

Flaviar agreed to make the brandy for Ohanian who decided to call it Shakmat — “chess” in Armenian. “Chess is a huge part of the Armenian identity. So is Armenian konyak.”

The launch of Shakmat is an expansion of the relationship between Ohanian and Flaviar, which recently began developing its own spirit brands after initial success building a consumer base with subscription deliveries of spirit-tasting boxes.

Since beginning operations in 2012, Flaviar has grown to include thousands of annual subscribers in the U.S. and Europe. In addition, the $210 yearly fee gets members access to live tastings and discounts on exclusive bottlings and private labels.

After initial funding from a local angel investor, and later one of the first investments from Speedinvest’s first fund, says Petkovic, Flaviar went through Y Combinator in the summer of 2014.

It was there where Petkovic and his co-founder Grisa Soba met Ohanian. “He, among several other YC partners, ended up investing personally, as well. We raised a few undisclosed rounds of funding since then.”

Ohanian says that what drew him to Flaviar was its unique approach to connecting with consumers in the spirits marketplace. “This was before ‘direct to consumer’ was a thing,” Ohanian says. “The state laws around liqueur sales were starting to change, because of e-commerce. And what [Flaviar] realized was that you could build a relationship with customers around liquor. We can focus on curating really great juice. And we have enough credibility now that we can make our own.”

The privately held company purchased competitor Caskers.com earlier this year and has an ambitious vision based on the idea that spirits remain inaccessible to most consumers who are interested in educating themselves about what’s out there.

“We always envisioned Flaviar as a lifestyle club to which members would belong for years,” says Petkovic. “We believe new products are best discovered through curated selection, education and engagement with a community of people who share your passion.”

Shakmat launched in the U.S. on November 12. Ohanian says he was thrilled at the opportunity to provide a platform for a deep cultural tradition and to donate 10 percent of revenues to the community by supporting Armenian reforestation efforts.  (Armenian forests were severely depleted during the Soviet occupation because of the need to use wood as an energy source.)

The first run of Shakmat includes 2,400 bottles of the 80 proof (40% ABV) 23-year-old XO brandy, but don’t be surprised if another run hits the market soon. Bottles can be purchased by Flaviar members for $95 and non-members for $110.

via TechCrunch

[fmservers]

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian brings Armenian brandy to the US

Brett Moskowitz Contributor

Share on Twitter

Brett Moskowitz writes about cocktails and spirits for a variety of publications, including Food & Wine, Esquire, Saveur, Tasting Table, Liquor.com, Neatpour, and others. He lives in New York City.

When Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, approached the members-only spirits subscription club Flaviar about bringing an Armenian brandy to market, he saw it as a unique opportunity to honor his paternal heritage.

“My father’s side all fled during the genocide,” Ohanian told me in an interview. “He grew up pretty Americanized, but the food and drink were the big parts of the culture that were passed down.”

Ohanian spent some time in Armenia as an adult and became acquainted with the tradition of taking shots of the local brandy, called “konyak,” out of sliced apricots. And he wanted to expose Americans to the highest-quality aged Armenian brandy.

So when he received the investor update about Son of a Peat, a whiskey that Flaviar made for its members, he saw that the company was capable of bringing its own spirits to market. It was a new direction for Flaviar, and he thought it opened the door for him to have his own product. Ohanian decided to pitch his idea to the team.

“For most Americans, this is their first exposure. If we can make it a thing in America, I’d love to pull that off,” Ohanian said. “It’s not often that I do this with one of the companies I invest with; I chatted to Jugo Petkovic and Grisa [Soba], the founders of Flaviar, about creating my own spirit. I proposed the idea of Armenian brandy. They were like, ‘this is weird, but we’ll look into it.’ 

He says that there are not many Armenian exports that people are aware of and has a hunch that more than just Armenians will like the brandy. “I hope I can be a good ambassador for it.”

Flaviar agreed to make the brandy for Ohanian who decided to call it Shakmat — “chess” in Armenian. “Chess is a huge part of the Armenian identity. So is Armenian konyak.”

The launch of Shakmat is an expansion of the relationship between Ohanian and Flaviar, which recently began developing its own spirit brands after initial success building a consumer base with subscription deliveries of spirit-tasting boxes.

Since beginning operations in 2012, Flaviar has grown to include thousands of annual subscribers in the U.S. and Europe. In addition, the $210 yearly fee gets members access to live tastings and discounts on exclusive bottlings and private labels.

After initial funding from a local angel investor, and later one of the first investments from Speedinvest’s first fund, says Petkovic, Flaviar went through Y Combinator in the summer of 2014.

It was there where Petkovic and his co-founder Grisa Soba met Ohanian. “He, among several other YC partners, ended up investing personally, as well. We raised a few undisclosed rounds of funding since then.”

Ohanian says that what drew him to Flaviar was its unique approach to connecting with consumers in the spirits marketplace. “This was before ‘direct to consumer’ was a thing,” Ohanian says. “The state laws around liqueur sales were starting to change, because of e-commerce. And what [Flaviar] realized was that you could build a relationship with customers around liquor. We can focus on curating really great juice. And we have enough credibility now that we can make our own.”

The privately held company purchased competitor Caskers.com earlier this year and has an ambitious vision based on the idea that spirits remain inaccessible to most consumers who are interested in educating themselves about what’s out there.

“We always envisioned Flaviar as a lifestyle club to which members would belong for years,” says Petkovic. “We believe new products are best discovered through curated selection, education and engagement with a community of people who share your passion.”

Shakmat launched in the U.S. on November 12. Ohanian says he was thrilled at the opportunity to provide a platform for a deep cultural tradition and to donate 10 percent of revenues to the community by supporting Armenian reforestation efforts.  (Armenian forests were severely depleted during the Soviet occupation because of the need to use wood as an energy source.)

The first run of Shakmat includes 2,400 bottles of the 80 proof (40% ABV) 23-year-old XO brandy, but don’t be surprised if another run hits the market soon. Bottles can be purchased by Flaviar members for $95 and non-members for $110.

Via Henry Pickavet https://techcrunch.com

[blamnews]

Warlord Who Killed Himself 'Easily' Smuggled Poison Into The Hauge

Slobodan Praljak, 72, a Bosnian-Croat war chief, killed himself with poison during his war crimes trial at The Hague. “He was ‘easily’ able to smuggle the deadly liquid into the building,” a prominent lawyer says.

It is unclear how the man obtained the poison while he was serving his 20-year sentence in an undisclosed UN prison cell. Each day he was driven to the court in a secure van for his appeal hearing.

Praljak yelled, “I am not a war criminal!” and drank a dark liquid from a small bottle seconds after losing his appeal. He was up against a 20-year prison sentence at the International Criminal Tribunal in the Netherlands.

“I just drank poison,” he added. “I am not a war criminal. I oppose this conviction.”

Shock: Slobodan Praljak, 72, shouted ‘I am not a war criminal!’ and brought a small bottle to his lips during a Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands

Protest: Fellow convicts Bruno Stojic and Milivoj Petkovic, sitting on either side of the Croat politician, look on in shock and surprise as he downs the contents of the bottle

Prominent Serbian lawyer Toma Fila said  it would be easy to bring poison into the court because security for lawyers and other court staff  “is just like at an airport.”

“Security officers inspect metal objects and confiscate cell phones, but pills and small quantities of liquids would not be registered,” Fila said.

Praljak was one of six Croatian politicians sentenced to jail for their involvement in a campaign to drive Muslims out of a Bosnian Croat mini-state in the early 1990s.

Praljak’s lawyer shouted out “My client has taken poison” before judge Carmel Agius suspended the hearing and closed the courtroom. Moments later, an ambulance crew arrived on the scene and a helicopter began hovering overhead. Emergency rescue workers rushed into the building.

A spokesman confirmed he died after “He drank a liquid while in court and quickly fell ill.”

Nenad Golcevski added: “One of the six defendants… passed away today in the HMC hospital in The Hague” despite efforts to save him in hospital.

Praljak died in hospital in the Netherlands, a statement which was later confirmed by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković as he offered condolences to his family.

Praljak appeared to drink the poison seconds after losing his appeal at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, in The Hague, Netherlands

Praljak’s lawyer shouted out ‘my client has taken poison’ before the courtroom was closed and medical teams rushed to the scene

Several medical vehicles were seen outside the court while a helicopter hovered overhead, but Croatian state TV reported medics were unable to save Praljak

Mr. Plenkovic said at a press conference that “we have all, unfortunately, witnessed his act by which he took his own life.”

“His act mostly speaks about a deep moral injustice towards six Croats from Bosnia and the Croatian people … We voice dissatisfaction and regret about the verdict.”

Judge Agius declared the courtroom a crime scene. Dutch police also said an investigation had been launched. Praljak was sentenced to 20 years in jail along with his co-conspirators in 2013, though it is not clear if he began serving that sentence before his appeal. Bosnian Croats and Muslims were allies against the Serbs and fought each other for 11 months from 1993-1994.

Praljak, a Croatian politician and general in the Croatian Army, commanded Bosnian Croat forces known as the HVO from July to November 1993.

Praljak and his allies were trying to establish the “Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia – an ethnically Croatian enclave, with the city of Mostar as it’s capital.”

Slobodan Praljak, center, enters the Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, to hear the verdict in the appeals case

In 1993, the Herzeg-Bosnia republic was declared by the Bosnian Croats as part of the peace agreement in 1994. They merged with the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina that we know today.

Nearly 80 percent of the city’s east side was destroyed in the fighting. Mostar saw the worst of the Croat-Muslim clashes.

Praljak was specifically charged with ordering the destruction of Mostar’s 16th-century bridge. In November 1993, the judges in the first trial had said he “caused disproportionate damage to the Muslim civilian population.”

As a symbol of Bosnia’s devastation, the Ottoman-era bridge was later rebuilt. In their ruling, the judges allowed part of Praljak’s appeal, saying the bridge had been a legitimate military target during the conflict.

“It’s just an old bridge,” Praljak said in 1993, showing no regard for the emotional effect the destruction had on ordinary Bosnians of all ethnic backgrounds.

Praljak was a Bosnian Croat writer and film and theater director turned wartime general. He also said he worked as a professor of philosophy and sociology.

He was found guilty of crimes including murder, persecution and inhumane treatment as part of the plan to drive Muslims out of a would-be Bosnian Croat territory in Bosnia.

Two Serbs have taken their lives while in the tribunal’s custody.

Praljak, a Croatian politician and general in the Croatian Army, also commanded Bosnian Croat forces known as the HVO from July to November 1993

Praljak and his allies were trying to establish the ‘Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia’ – an ethnically Croatian enclave, with the city of Mostar as it’s ‘capital’, during the Bosnian War

Slavko Dokmanovic, a Croatian Serb, was charged in July 1998, in the deaths of over 200 Croat prisoners of war, was found dead in his prison cell in The Hague.

Milan Babic, a wartime Serbian leader also took his life in a prison tribunal cell in March 2006. Wednesday’s hearing was the final case at the groundbreaking tribunal before it closes its doors next month.

The tribunal which convicted former Bosnian Serb military Chief Gen. Ratko Mladic of genocide and other crimes,  while fighting still raged in the former Yugoslavia. It indicted 161 suspects and convicted 90 of them. The appeals judges upheld the Croatia’s late President Franjo Tudjman, a member of the plot to create a Croat mini-state in Bosnia.

That finding angered Croatian leaders but was largely overshadowed by Praljak. The original trial began in April 2006 and provided a complex web of ethnic tensions that fueled fighting in Bosnia and underlies frictions in the country even today.

Croatian Prime Minister Plenkovic said that his country’s leadership during the Bosnian war could “In no way be connected with the facts and interpretations” in the appeals judgment

WAR CRIMINAL: THE BOSNIAN-BORN CROAT WANTED AND ‘ETHNICALLY PURE’ REPUBLIC

Guilty: Slobodan Praljak was one of the leaders of plot to create a Croatian republic in Bosnia-Herzegovina

Slobodan Praljak, 72, was born in Capljina, a small town in Bosnia-Herzegovina close to the Croatian border. He worked as a film and TV producer as well as a lecturer in Zagreb before he joined the Croatian army in 1991 advancing to Major General.

Croatian Deputy Minister of Defence was later assigned to Croatia’s State Commission for relations with the United Nations Protection Force (‘UNPROFOR’) in March 1992.

Praljak was brought before the Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal accused of establishing and participating in creating an ‘ethnically pure’ Croatian republic within modern Bosnia-Herzegovina between 1991 to 1994.

The UN tribunal eventually found him guilty of the above as well as participating ‘in the ethnic cleansing of the town and municipality of Prozor, of the municipality of Gornji Vakif, of the towns of Sovici and Doljani, and of the municipality of Mostar, notably by attacking Bosnian Muslims, by the pillage and theft of their property, by massive arrests and by inflicting upon them cruel treatment, sexual violence, killings and other forms of persecution.’

He was Head of the Bosnian Croat forces known as the HVO and was responsible for several prison camps where Bosniak Muslims were detained and abused. Some of which was so severe that inmates died in the camps.

On April 5, 2004, Slobodan Praljak voluntarily surrendered to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

He was then charged with nine counts of grave breaches of the Geneva conventions, including wilful killing; inhuman treatment (sexual assault); unlawful deportation and confinements of civilians – nine counts of violations of the laws or customs of war – including cruel treatment unlawful attack on civilians and unlawful infliction of terror on civilians – and eight counts of crimes against humanity – including persecutions on political, racial and religious grounds; murder; rape; deportation; inhumane acts and imprisonment.

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Warlord Who Killed Himself ‘Easily’ Smuggled Poison Into The Hauge was originally published on BlamNews