#european investment opportunities

[intertaxtrade]

Website : https://en.intertaxtrade.com

Intertaxtrade, established in the Netherlands, excels in facilitating international business and assisting individuals in Europe with integrated solutions in tax, finance, and legal aspects. Registered with the Chamber of Commerce, they offer services like company management in the Netherlands, Dutch company accounting, tax intermediation, international tax planning, business law consulting, EU trademark and intellectual property registration, international trade advice, and GDPR compliance. Their expertise in financial and accounting services ensures clients have a clear financial overview, aiding in business success.

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/intertaxtrade

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[doodlboy]

Oc dressed as royalty for the doodle ask thing?

Specs in a traditional 곤룡포 [Kings Suit] ^^

#sorry this took a bit i was doing some research abt this ^^' #i was initially going to go for the european route with royalty but i thought it'd be a good opportunity to #invest some time in learning more about other culture's royal traditions #and specs is a second generation korean-american so i figured it'd be fun and look really nice on him ^^ #i learned a lot of neat stuff about traditional hanboks and their structure too! ^^ #ksdhsk sorry 4 nerding out #specs oc #oc asks #traditional art #elliot doodles #anon asks #thank you for the ask #scopo cw #forgor thats his thing i gotta tag 4 sometimes

[trivialchapter1]

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[eeitonline]

Unlocking Foreign Investment: Building a Bridge to Economic Growth in the Black Sea Region

by Eastern European Institute for Trade

The Black Sea region represents a diverse collection of nations teeming with untapped economic potential. However, attracting foreign investment remains a challenge, largely due to geopolitical tensions, underdeveloped infrastructure, and a lack of regulatory harmonization. To foster economic growth and stability, the countries in the region must prioritize policy reforms and build a strong foundation that encourages foreign investment.

First and foremost, improving the business climate is essential. By streamlining bureaucratic processes and enhancing transparency, the region can attract global investors eager to capitalize on its resources and strategic location (Dutz & Vagliasindi, 2000). Moreover, efforts should focus on creating a stable legal and regulatory framework, which is crucial for fostering investor confidence (Kaminski, 2001).

Infrastructure development, particularly in transportation and logistics, is another key factor in unlocking foreign investment. By investing in modern ports, railways, and highways, the Black Sea countries can facilitate trade and integrate their economies with regional and global markets (Limão & Venables, 2001). This will, in turn, make the region more attractive to foreign investors and promote cross-border cooperation (World Bank, 2009).

In addition, fostering innovation and technological development can significantly contribute to economic growth in the region. By investing in education, research, and development, the Black Sea countries can create a skilled workforce and promote an entrepreneurial culture (Romer, 1990). This approach can help the region transition from a reliance on traditional industries to a knowledge-based economy, attracting high-value-added investments and boosting productivity (Aghion & Howitt, 1998).

Lastly, regional collaboration and political stability are essential for attracting foreign investment. By adopting a cooperative approach, the Black Sea countries can mitigate geopolitical risks, reduce trade barriers, and create a more favorable environment for investors (Gligorov et al., 2008). Additionally, increased regional cooperation can enhance the effectiveness of policy reforms and foster an atmosphere of trust among foreign investors.

In conclusion, the Black Sea region offers ample opportunities for economic growth, but unlocking foreign investment requires concerted efforts in policy reform, infrastructure development, innovation promotion, and regional cooperation. By addressing these challenges, the countries in the region can build a bridge to prosperity and ensure long-term stability.

References:

Aghion, P., & Howitt, P. (1998). Endogenous Growth Theory. MIT Press.

Dutz, M., & Vagliasindi, M. (2000). Competition policy implementation in transition economies: An empirical assessment. European Economic Review, 44(4–6), 762–772.

Gligorov, V., Holzner, M., & Landesmann, M. (2008). Prospects for further (South) Eastern EU enlargement: From divergence to convergence? wiiw Research Reports, №352.

Kaminski, B. (2001). How accession to the European Union has affected external trade and foreign direct investment in Central European economies. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper, №2578.

Limão, N., & Venables, A. J. (2001). Infrastructure, geographical disadvantage, transport costs, and trade. The World Bank Economic Review, 15(3), 451–479.

Romer, P. M. (1990). Endogenous Technological Change. Journal of Political Economy, 98(5), S71-S102.

World Bank. (2009). World Development Report 2009: Reshaping Economic Geography. Washington, DC: World Bank.

Read more at Eastern European Institute for Trade.

#EEIT #Eastern European Institute For Trade #Black Sea region investment #Economic growth strategies #Foreign investment opportunities #Infrastructure development Black Sea #Policy reform Eastern Europe #Business climate improvement

[jokeroutsubs]

📝 ENG Translation: European Tours in Times of Inflation

💬Kris Guštin shares some insight into the organization of Joker Out's recent See You Soon tour.

Article written by Gašper Završnik and published in Delo on 03.04.2024, English translation by a member of JOS and @kurooscoffee, Proofread by IG GBoleyn123.

Coping with rising costs and crowded markets is a challenge for the whole industry.

The concert part of the music industry in the post-Covid era is characterised by the expansion of live performance. The long-suppressed desire to tour, to perform in front of audiences in as many countries as possible, is only this year being fully realised.

We took a look at how European touring is going in the new inflation-driven reality. This was one of the themes of the conference part of this year's Ment¹. The European concert market is facing many challenges, such as the rising costs of touring, organising concerts and festivals, increasing musician fees and, as a consequence, more and more expensive tickets. There is also the question of how to manage the concentration and congestion of concert venues and balancing the availability of the most sought-after artists. An additional problem is finding opportunities for new performers in such a competitive environment.

¹Ment is a showcase festival and music conference that happens every year in Ljubljana.

We also enquired about the European tours of Slovenian performers, two groups that have a different style and a different audience, Joker Out and Širom².

²We translated only the part of the article that was relevant to Joker Out.

Joker Out recently returned from a European Tour. As Kris Guštin told us, it was organised by “a booking agent from the Wasserman agency and our manager. The booking agent arranges the concerts, the conditions, and the dates, and then the manager comes up with all the logistics, that is, he arranges the transport, the accommodation, puts together a team and everything that needs to be done.” He says that tours have always been a big financial investment for performers. “Especially for performers of our size, who have only just started breaking into the European market, where the ticket sales often don’t make up for the costs of transit, accommodation, and the salaries of the performers and the team. The inflation over the past few years is of course making that even harder, but the musical market has slowly adapted to that with higher ticket prices.”

Joker Out had 19 concerts in 18 cities in 12 countries this year, and they have three more coming up in Great Britain. The ticket price for each concert is determined based on the size of the venue, how in-demand the artist is, the local standard, and the overall concert-going culture in a certain place.

Joker Out are very happy with how many people came to their concerts. “The turnout differed across Europe. In the countries we’re strong in, like Finland and the Netherlands, we played for crowds from 1500 to 2000 people, and for countries we haven't played in a lot yet, like Germany and France, we performed for 500 to 1000 people. The venues were always nicely filled and the audience was excited.”

We asked Guštin what they base the length of the tour on. “The length of the tour is based on demand, territory strategy, and how busy the performer is. In our case, we decided for a month-long tour, in which we covered a lot of countries that we couldn’t do last year,” he added.

#joker out #kris guštin #bojan cvjetićanin #jan peteh #jure maček #nace jordan #jokeroutsubs #delo

[growingstories]

The X-factor

Once upon a time in a small village in Croatia, there lived a talented and popular 21-year-old singer named Miho. Known for his handsome looks and captivating voice, he would perform shirtless and impress the crowds, especially the girls of his town. Although he loved going to the gym and taking care of his body, he wasn't very ambitious and hadn't finished university. Miho lived with his strict mother, who insisted on him paying rent.

One day, an opportunity knocked on Miho's door when he was given a chance to audition for the popular TV show, X-Factor. Excited yet nervous, he gave his best performance. While the jury was impressed with his voice, two of them remained unconvinced due to his arrogance. However, Miho was granted the benefit of the doubt and advanced to the next round.

With each passing round, Miho wowed the audiences and eventually reached the finale, where he won the entire competition. As a reward, he embarked on a tour across Croatia for a whole season. The journey was tough, and the contract demanded countless shows without much monetary compensation.

When his contract ended, Miho decided to hire a manager named Vlad, who was experienced in dealing with young and arrogant stars. Vlad dedicated himself to making Miho famous. He orchestrated his appearances on various shows and magazines, ensuring that Miho earned a considerable amount of money. The following year was incredibly busy for Miho, with him being literally everywhere.

As New Year's Eve approached, Vlad approached Miho with a proposal to participate in Eurovision. Although Miho was initially unimpressed, believing it wouldn't be worth the investment, he eventually accepted the offer. Much to his surprise, he won Eurovision, with his performance being adored by the LGBTQ+ community. He was then scheduled to perform in major European cities during their gay pride celebrations.

The attention and fame started to go to Miho's head, making him more vain and arrogant. Working with him became increasingly challenging, prompting Vlad to come up with a plan to humble Miho. He pitched a short Netflix series to him, supposedly about a young soccer player. Intrigued, Miho signed the deals right away, and the press and fans went wild with excitement over his upcoming role as a Netflix star across Europe.

However, when Miho received the script, he was furious and immediately called Vlad. The story revolved around a soccer player who retired and fell into a life of partying, gambling, dealing with the mafia, and ultimately gaining weight. Miho asked Vlad to request changes to the script, particularly removing the part about the character gaining weight. But Vlad refused, stating that Miho had become impossible to work with. He presented Miho with a choice: accept the deal and continue being successful or decline and risk fading into obscurity.

Confused and torn, Miho considered his options. With the Netflix deal, he could potentially stop working within a few years and maintain his fame and wealth. Reluctantly, he chose to accept the deal, much to Vlad's satisfaction.

Miho started indulging in larger portions of his mother's cooking, opting to skip the gym as the compliments about his newfound body became more frequent. He began gaining weight, and soon his little pudgy belly became a recognizable feature in the media. Insecure about his changing appearance, Miho decided to stop performing shirtless.

Surprisingly, his fans loved him even more in his new body, finding him more huggable and relatable. He attracted more attention and found himself with more female admirers, leading to more intimate encounters. Miho's eating continued to escalate, and he even made appearances on cooking shows. The filming of the Netflix series proceeded smoothly, and he quickly achieved his goal weight thanks to his mother's generous portions.

Once the filming was completed, Vlad assigned a trainer and implemented a rigorous workout regime for Miho. However, Miho found it challenging to control his eating habits. The food his mother prepared was simply too delicious. Vlad grew strict and instructed the trainer to focus on bulking up Miho's muscles rather than helping him lose weight. When progress seemed too slow, Miho was given steroids, resulting in increased muscle growth. He relished in his new appearance, and his fans went wild over his transformed look. Unfortunately, the steroids also brought along anger issues.

The Netflix series became a massive success, prompting the announcement of a second season. Miho was hesitant due to the weight gain involved, as he felt unfit. However, the thought of the incredible compensation made him reconsider. He decided to proceed with the second season, much to his own dismay.

Once again, Angela, Miho's co-star in the series, embraced her role as the catalyst for his weight gain. She not only supported his eating habits but also sparked a romantic relationship with him. They moved in together, which made filming more convenient. Angela cooked large Italian dinners and even hand-fed him tiramisu on the sofa after their meals, resulting in Miho rapidly gaining weight. Their love life was remarkable, filled with passion and desire.

When filming is over Vlad orders him to get in shape again. Angela dislikes it as she is very jealous. She does everything she can to not let hem lose weight. She even stops the sex until he eats. Vlad is annoyed, he gives Miho another steroid program. Miho is getting anger issues again but he gets in shape. Cant get thin like he was but bigger muscle, absoute beast.

Netflix offers season 3, Angela really wants it as he would get fat again. Miho dislikes the thought, he was too heavy. Unfit, lazy, slow, out of breath. But again, the money is so much better. He decides to do it. The fat cells immediately fill up again and he reaches his goal weight very fast.

When the third season concluded, Vlad proposed another opportunity for Miho to get dit. A Men's Health cover shoot and a significant sum of money. Angela strongly opposed it, fueling her jealousy. She did everything in her power to prevent Miho from losing weight, even withholding sex until he ate more. Vlad grew frustrated, but Miho ultimately agreed to the offer. He returned to taking steroids, despite his own misery, and posed as a muscular beast for the photoshoot.

Angela moved out, she couldn't handle the anger issues from the steroids and she really wanted Miho fat.

Although Miho received immense praise, he yearned for Angela's presence. As soon as the shoot was over, he abandoned the steroids and workout routine, pleading for Angela to come back. She returned bearing food, and within weeks, Miho regained his weight, surpassing his previous size. He aimed to keep Angela happy, believing that a happy wife meant a happy life

#fictionalweightgain #maleweightgain #maleweightgainstories #weightgain #weightgainstories #fictionalstories

[moirtre]

do the members have backstory’s ? if they do what are they ?

yes they do! here's a very very quick rundown, i'm not sure if i'll do a little drabble series on their family dynamics but here's their backstories so they're out there!

 ‎ ‎ ┉       *       ﹙ㅤʬ              ›             NAIRA LIESE CHRISTIANSEN.

naira is a norweigian singer and actress born to norweigian investment banker, jesper christiansen and his wife, former miss universe, dauenphen prempree on december 2, 1993. naira was raised alongside her older brother, lukas, between her parents' two native countries. though most of her schooling took place at the top private schools in oslo, naira has publicly acknowledged chiang mai, thailand as her true hometown.

hailing from a very well-off family, naira was forced to grow up quicker than most. notably, the others often voice their irritation with naira's composure as it is quite unclear what she thinks or feels at any given moment. this trait is attributed to her mother who suffered through years of racial abuse at the hands of the european media without the defense of her husband or his family.

naira's interest in music never truly took off until she was in high school. after coming across a video of apricus culture soloist allison nam in 2008, naira grew fond of the korean music industry, secretly convincing her older brother to take her to auditions while in chaing mai. after being accepted into several companies, naira decided to join gemini entertainment's trainee program in 2010, hoping later to be matched with apricus.

after training for three years, naira was the fifth member chosen for letalis' final lineup. despite being offered the leader position, naira turned it down claiming, "she wasn't ready to be tied to the group's reputation." currently, naira is a SUB VOCALIST and official VISUAL of the group, occasionally taking part in thai and norweigian-language melodramas and soap operas under her birth name.

 ‎ ‎ ┉       *       ﹙ㅤʬ              ›             MELANIE BAE.

melanie is an australian singer-songwriter born in brisbane on june 12, 1994. her parents, jason and marissa, are working-class korean-australians who raised melanie and her older sister, madison, quite comfortably along the australian west coast. melanie is very close to her family who all frequently appear on her social media and are always acknowledged in her album dedications.

the two bae sisters found a love for performing quite early on with melanie following in her sister's footsteps participating in dance competitions across the country. though madison would give up dance to pursue a fashion design degree in europe after graduating from high school in 2008, melanie would continue to work towards what she planned to be a professional career in dance.

while at a mall with friends, melanie would be approached by an apricus culture talent scout who persuaded her to audition for the company in july of 2010. during her time as a trainee, melanie would be given several opportunities to stir up attention for the company's planned girl group. after being featured on a title track for soloist, lastdraw, in 2013, apricus would announce melanie as the central member of their upcoming girl group, letalis.

as the MAIN VOCALIST, LEAD DANCER, CENTER, and FACE of letalis, melanie is without a doubt the group's most popular member. finding success as a global ambassador for vivienne westwood in addition to popular appearances on korean variety shows and a stellar solo career, melanie is easily the modern face of apricus culture following allison nam's retirement in 2018.

 ‎ ‎ ┉       *       ﹙ㅤʬ              ›             YANG YEEUN.

better known by her stage name, juniper, yang yeeun is a south korean singer born in suwon on december 11, 1994 to yang dae and eom youngmi. raised alongside her brothers, hyunwoo and sanghun, the three yang siblings were encouraged to engage in creative pursuits from a young age. their mother, youngmi, specifically made sure to throw her full support behind her childrens' dreams, regardless of the strain it would often place on the family's finances.

ultimately, those financial strains would eventually lead to an episode of psychosis in juniper's father who was institutionalized in 2007. being unable to work for an extended period of time forced the family to move in with juniper's grandparents who lived just outside of seoul that same year.

the move proved to be especially tough on juniper's younger brother, sanghun, who experienced extensive bullying at his new school. despite this, sanghun would go on to audition for gemini entertainment in 2007 before being matched to apricus culture. seeing sanghun's success as a trainee prompted juniper to try her luck and audition for the company in late 2008. during the audition however, juniper proved too shy to sing and was instead chosen to debut as a model under apricus in 2011.

while she earned money modeling to help support her family, juniper would continue to receive vocal and dance lessons. following sanghun's debut as a soloist under the stage name ophion in 2011, juniper would make her way through the trainee ranks to be the final member picked for letalis' final lineup. famously, juniper claims she was chosen to join letalis on the condition that she accept the role of leader.

 ‎ ‎ ┉       *       ﹙ㅤʬ              ›             EMIYA UENO.

better known by her stage name, emmy, emiya ueno is a japanese singer born in okayama on may 25, 1995 to kisho ueno and himeko chiura. raised as an only child, the marital strife between kisho and himeko would eventually force the parents to send emmy off to a prep boarding school in bristol, england while they endured a toxic divorce in japan. kisho would later be granted custody of a six-year-old emmy in 2001 after himeko failed to appear in court and forfeited her maternal rights.

after kisho arrived in england, he would go on to raise emmy as a single parent while working as an archeologist. emmy had an extremely happy childhood, made possible by her incredibly supportive father who made it a point to encourage emmy to dream as big as possible. kisho would go on to marry emmy's stepfather, otis matthews, in 2015. together, kisho and otis would adopt emmy's stepsiblings, sasha and travis.

emmy quickly found comfort in the spotlight after being scouted by a talent agent who managed to secure emmy a role in several west end productions as an ensemble member during her teenage years. her big break finally arrived in 2011 after being invited to debut in a short-lived j-pop girl group, x-sys. the group was active for less than a year before their company would go bankrupt. after their contracts were bought out by apricus culture, emmy would be chosen as the second member to debut in letalis.

currently, emmy is the MAIN RAPPER, MAIN DANCER, and SUB VOCALIST of the girl group. in addition to her roles in the group, emmy is an acclaimed solo rapper in japan, occasionally taking on dramatic stage roles in both japan and england.

 ‎ ‎ ┉       *       ﹙ㅤʬ              ›             SOHN NARYUN.

naryun is a south korean singer-songwriter and producer born in daegu on september 1, 1995 to famed prima ballerina min kyunghee and her husband, professional soccer player sohn namkyu. alongside her older sister, narim, and twin sister, narae, the sohn sisters were expected to follow in their mother's poised footsteps. being placed in prestigious ballet conservatories from young ages, the girls quickly proved themselves to be worthy of their mother's reputation.

despite their immense talent, naryun and narae were often subjected to demeaning comparisons where naryun was often left trailing behind her twin sister. early on, it became evident that despite naryun obvious greater affinity for the art, narae would be shown favoritism by the instructors at their conservatory and later at their company.

naryun's distaste for the favoritism shown for her sister over her and narae's general distaste for ballet in general led to a divide between the twins that would last until narae announced her decision to forefeit her position as principal dancer at the korean national ballet. following her twin sister's lead, naryun would give up her position as well in 2012 out of solidarity.

finding herself lost without direction, naryun was approached by apricus culture ceo at the time jeong karin in a bid to bring legitimacy to apricus' trainee program. naryun agreed to train, initially believing it to be a short break to allow her to gain perspective. she soon fell in love with the prospect of becoming an idol and was the third member to be announced for letalis' final lineup in 2013.

currently, naryun is the group's MAIN DANCER and LEAD VOCALIST. despite efforts to separate herself from her time as a principal dancer for the korean national ballet, naryun cannot escape the shadow of disappointment that industry snobs continue to cast upon her. regardless, she has found immense success as a producer and solo artist as well as the opening of her own pilates studio in collaboration with former apricus ceo, jeong karin in 2022.

 ‎ ‎ ┉       *       ﹙ㅤʬ              ›             JADEN KIM.

better known by her stage name, jiseo, jaden kim is an american idol born in san diego on january 14, 1996 to siwoo kim and andrea jeong. raised as an only child, jiseo was notably incredibly shy growing up. her parents, worrying their daughter would be socially stunted by her bashfulness, would take initiative to enroll her in choir lessons hoping it would draw her out of her shell.

falling in love with being on stage, jiseo would go on to beg her parents for violin lessons, landing her a firm position on a children's orchestra by age 12. as she continued to grow out of her shell, jiseo would begin to seek the approval of older, more reckless upperclassmen. after being escorted home in a cop car after her 15th birthday, jiseo's parents decided to send her to live with her grandparents in gwangju for the summer.

while in gwangju, jiseo was exposed to k-pop by her cousins who found a way to persuade her to join them in auditioning for apricus culture in 2011. though her parents were unsure if they were ready to part with their only child, they would support the structure provided by the trainee atmosphere, hoping it would settle their daughter's learned tendencies. though it did nothing but increase her reckless decisions after finding a solid friend group through avos' ian, jiseo would be a successful trainee.

after being chosen to debut in letalis, jiseo would assume the LEAD RAPPER and SUB VOCALIST positions upon the group's debut in 2013. currently, jiseo also promotes as a solo artist under the stage name, oisa.

 ‎ ‎ ┉       *       ﹙ㅤʬ              ›             MIN HERI.

heri is a south korean singer, songwriter, and producer born in seoul, south korea on november 19, 1996 to choi haeun and min kyungjae. raised alongside her younger brother, junyoung, heri was always a positive, bright child.

often the smartest child in the room, heri's parents would eventually realize that her brilliant mind needed more stimulation than the books they stocked in her room. through the recommendation of a teacher, they would decide to enroll heri in acting and piano lesson, hoping she'd grow attached to one of the two to keep her busy.

landing lead roles in school plays soon proved to be too easy to 10-year-old heri who craved another challenge. after being encouraged by her drama teacher, heri found entertainment in poem writing, submitting her work to local contests anonymously. her writing soon caught the attention of hayden beom, a member of apricus culture boy group, nyx in 2009. the company later tracked down the young 13-year-old who was later invited to join the company as trainee in hopes of developing her as a singer-songwriter.

although heri was initially planned to debut as a soloist, the company decided to she would be better suited for a group environment, allowing her time to gain better confidence in the industry. as the sixth member chosen for letalis, heri is the group's LEAD VOCALIST and second VISUAL. though heri has decided to take a more understated role as a producer and songwriter under the name CARRÉ, she is the most credited member of the groups and has been acknowledged for her work outside of the group by the recording academy.

#‎ ⋆⠀⠀ʬ.ʬ.⠀⠀٬⠀⠀(⠀⠀&.⠀⠀)⠀...⠀DEVELOPMENT. #‎ ‎ ⋆⠀⠀ʬ.ʬ.⠀⠀٬⠀⠀(⠀⠀&.⠀⠀)⠀...⠀INQUIRY. #ficnetfairy #fictional kpop company #fictional kpop idol #fictional idol community #fictional kpop oc #fictional idol group #fictional characters #fake kpop group #fake kpop girl group #fake kpop idol #fake oc #fictional idol company #fictional idol addition #fictional idol oc #fictional kpop community #fictional kpop soloist #fake kpop gg #fake idol group #fake kpop oc #idol au #idol kpop #idol oc #idol #kpop au #kpop #kpopidol #kpop gg

[garbagepapi]

I saw a tik tok last night encouraging people to branch out the media they consume now that there's a strike going on in the states, and I'm honestly surprised I haven't seen more people talking about it. It may be because I'm european and don't consume american media as much, but I feel like this can be a great chance for a lot of people to find new great shows and movies that they might not have discovered otherwise.

The nordics for example have some incredible crime and murder shows and movies, which are on bar with if not even better than the ones coming from hollywood. There are some absolutely incredible K-dramas. Some of the best comedies I've ever watched come from the united kingdom, and I'm not talking about the ones that are mainstream.

Sometimes I feel like a lot of people tend to overlook these amazing stories, just because they're not produced in hollywood. Part of the reason may be that they're not as easily accesssed. But if you haven't already, and if you can afford it, investing in a good VPN is one way you can easily find new media to consume (VPN is something that you should invest in for security reasons also, but they can be quite expensive, so). Changing your location to norway, japan, belgium, anywhere in the world when watching netflix for example can introduce you to some amazing stories. By changing your location to finland / sweden, you can access yle areena, a sort of streaming sitr by the finnish national broadcasting station, where you can watch media from all over europe, and it's free as well.

Long story short, take this opportunity to discover new media and stories, you might be surprised.

#wga strike #writers guild of america

[gingerylangylang1979]

The representation debate.. yes, this is all over the place.

I don't even know if I'm the most intelligent person to start this discussion nor do I have answers. What I do know is there is a debate brewing surrounding Bottoms and queer representation that got me thinking about representation in entertainment in general. I'm not queer but I am a black woman, so that is my frame of reference. I will also preface by saying I haven't seen the film.

Apparently some people are mad that Rachel isn't a lesbian or Jewish but has played multiple characters with those identities. In a plot twist, Emma, a Jewish lesbian cast Rachel in Jewish lesbian roles twice, so she's unbothered. Ayo has played a few queer roles and has been consistently vague about her identity but one could assume from her interviews that she is possibly bi or pansexual. Anyways, it came out that Rachel has/had? a boyfriend and Ayo has/had (maybe they broke up?) a boyfriend and people have been up and arms. Like Ayo's dude/ex-dude? was getting harassed to the point a mutual friend stepped in. I think part of this is people just mad because these women maybe are taken and they can't date them but also mad because they feel the roles should have gone to women who are 100% lesbians. I've read some people mad that they think it's a cop out for the actresses to not be transparent because they are in possibly the biggest lesbian movie for this generation. So I guess the question is what do they owe that community, if anything? Not my community, so I dunno but fascinating to think about what this means culturally.

I get that a community can feel that actors who get roles representing them should be cast with people from that marginalized group being prioritized. It took years for things like black, brown, and yellow face to become taboo, for queer characters to even be a thing, and actors allowed to be out. So it does seem like that work should be graciously granted to people who fit those demographics. Like, all of this is still new and messy in Hollywood so I do feel like some reparations as far as opportunity are due. And Hollywood has failed hard even recently. We've just a few years ago had cases of white actors being greenlit to play Asian characters. And I don't care if the characters were bi-racial, most mixed race Asian people look identifiable as being of Asian ancestry and are viewed as non-white. Like, I don't want to see a white person play a bi-racial black woman. Nope. And don't even get me started on how colorist the industry still is. In 2023 black entertainers still feel the need to bleach their skin, only wear European looking hair, and get nose jobs to get ahead. And the sad thing is, it often works. Even Erykah Badu gave in. So we need more black women who look straight up black to not be sidelined... STILL.

So my next thought is people who would say, but, but POC are playing traditionally white characters. To me it doesn't make a difference if the OG character is white if their specific heritage had nothing to do with the character. And even then, exceptions can be made. British, doesn't have to mean white, for instance, etc., etc. And Hamilton subversively cast POC as American founding fathers.

But anyways, back to Bottoms. Again, I don't have a true dog in this fight except to say I'll just focus on Ayo, because she's a black woman. Honestly, I'm just happy to see her get good roles. I don't care if she is personally queer, if she personally isn't queer as long as she is representing an interesting black woman. I do have stakes in her being into men on The Bear because that's the romance I see brewing regardless of what people think representation wise. Her character could be bi or pan and I would be fine with that but sorry, I can't dismiss what I see as her into Carmy. Not to derail this with my shipper goggles but there is a strong contingent of people deeply invested in seeing Syd be a lesbian and I get it but I think if that's not what is written, it isn't what's written regardless of what representation people want to see.

I dunno, my opinions aren't coherent nor do I think I've figured anything out and am not trying to speak for other communities. I'm just sharing passing thoughts and wanted to get other people's opinions in hopefully a civil discussion.

#ayo edebiri #rachel sennott #emma seligman #bottoms movie 2023 #the bear #sydney adamu #carmy x sydney

[meademalove]

Okay here's my rant about the Arsenal in Australia situation.

I fully understand there're health concerns around this. It's a massive problem. But, I also do believe that Arsenal have a team of medical professionals who know what they're doing and will put players ahead of other gains. Also, Arsenal have players who will absolutely tell that if they think this is not the time or whatever other concerns they may have.

But what I find so hypocritical are the European fans complaints about this trip. It is as if fans here don't deserve to see the girls play, but they are also equally invested in this team. Some of these players are their role models as well. Most European fans get to go to games whenever they want, and the games are played in their time zones. Fans here lose sleep if they want to watch them play, every single time.

Yet, these people are acting like the fans here are somehow lesser than the fans there. (If anything, fans here are more invested than fans in Europe because they ruin their day to day life for the team). But when the opportunity comes around for all of them to get tickets to this ONE game played here, it's all so very concerning).

Some flights in Australia are more expensive than some transport from mainland Europe to England. There will be people spending way more money for this one game than some Europeans spend all season. This could also be their one chance to see this team play.

I just think, as a fan, don't criticise someone else's chance to see the team they also love. If the club thinks it is the right choice, let it play out because these fans also very much deserve the opportunity. If the national teams think it's unsafe for them to go, they won't let them go (I do think national teams have no control over what hapoens outside international windows).

For once, keep your opinions to yourself. If it happens, it happens. If not, it doesn't. Don't shit on someone else's dream.

As to why it was scheduled for the end of May, there's nowhere else to fit it in. I believe they considered after the Olympics as well, but there's no space in the calendar, or there're other issues.

#meademalove #ask meademalove #arsenal women #arsenal #awfc #arsenal wfc #australia

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Unveiling Jupiter’s upper atmosphere A North East planetary astronomer has been granted rare access to the world’s largest deep-space telescope, providing him with a unique opportunity to discover more about the largest planet in our solar system – Jupiter. Launched in December 2021, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) uses infrared radiation to look deep into space, meaning it can observe the first stars and even the formation of the first galaxies. Now Professor Tom Stallard, of Northumbria University, has been awarded a highly sought after opportunity to use the JWST later this year, allowing him to further his research into Jupiter’s atmosphere. This is only the second year scientists have been given the chance to request access to the telescope, and with fierce competition from across the world, Professor Stallard’s observation is the only one chosen this year which will focus on a planet within our solar system. He and his co-investigator Dr Henrik Melin, of the University of Leicester, will use their time to examine Jupiter’s ionosphere – the planet’s upper atmosphere – and how it is impacted by the space environment above it, and Jupiter’s lower atmosphere below. As Professor Stallard explains: “The ionosphere is a very interesting layer because it is buffeted by massive systems surrounding it – with energy pushed up from below and solar winds and volcanic activity from Jupiter’s moons affecting it from above. “We have some existing images and data of the bright aurora at Jupiter’s poles, captured through ground-based observation from here on Earth, but data and images of the equatorial region are much harder to achieve. “Although Jupiter appears very different to Earth there is actually much we can learn about our own planet by studying Jupiter. The processes going on are very similar, but Jupiter’s magnetic field is much stronger, and stranger. “Time on the James Webb Space Telescope is rare – and time to study planets within our solar system is even rarer, so to be given this opportunity is incredibly exciting.” Professor Stallard’s access to the JWST will take place on 7 September and has been timed perfectly to coincide with the positioning of the Juno NASA space probe, which orbits Jupiter. This means he will be able to compare the images taken from the JWST, which is positioned between the Earth and the Sun looking towards Jupiter, with measurements from Juno, positioned behind Jupiter and looking back at Earth. Professor Stallard added: “The images we are going to get from the James Webb Space Telescope will be profoundly wonderful, I’m sure. “We’ve already had a taster of what to expect following an early observation by my colleague Dr Melin, which suggests there is science going on within Jupiter’s atmosphere which we simply don’t have any understanding about yet, and there is a lot of excitement within the community of scientists studying upper atmospheres about what the images we get from the telescope will tell us.” Professor Stallard’s success in being awarded time with the JWST during this latest cycle, helps secure the North East region’s reputation as a hub for space technology research and innovation. Members of Northumbria University’s Solar and Space Physics research group collaborate extensively with partners including UK Research and Innovation, the UK Space Agency, the European Space Agency, the UK Met Office, and over 40 industrial partners. And last year global aerospace and security company, Lockheed Martin, announced a collaboration with Northumbria University that includes a £630,000 investment to support the development of skills, research and technology across the region. Speaking about Professor Stallard’s success, Professor Louise Bracken, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Knowledge Exchange) at Northumbria University commented: “Securing access to the James Webb Space Telescope is a highly competitive process and is a testament to the quality and timeliness of the research that Professor Stallard undertakes. “This award underlines and builds on the existing work of our Solar and Space Physics researchers at Northumbria University and cements the North East’s reputation as a centre of excellence in this field.”

#space #science #Astronomy #physics #news #Jupiter #nasa #esa #james webb space telescope

[chemicallywrit]

I’m terribly inconsistent with audio drama sunday but there are so many stand-out eps this week that i HAVE to

@eelerschoice holy HECK, what a fantastic move with a blind protagonist, taking it as an opportunity to describe the world. Malevolent does it, but i think i like the way eeler’s choice does it better. Wonderful.

My beloved Steeplechase ended this week, and what a good ending. Endings are hard, and I know Justin wasn’t super thrilled about DMing, but he did such a fantastic job. I love these old man criminals so much. If you’re looking for Balance from the adventure zone, i’m not sure that’ll ever be recaptured, but if you want a good story, please listen to Steeplechase.

I am OBSESSED with the @kingmakerpod’s synechdekey (sp? i know it’s a synecdoche reference). What a fantastic plot device. This week’s ep was, as always, lovely and hilarious.

Forgive Me! was incredible. Yeah Father Ben, you punch out that scumbag misogynist. I’m so…proud of him? Yeah, proud of him.

I have a weird relationship with Leaving Corvat, because I like it, but it’s really clear to me that it’s American horror written by a European. It maybe actually adds to the horror, because everything feels very slightly…off? You know? However, this week’s episode had me feeling for Sleeper like I never have before, like he actually wants to be a good person, and suddenly I’m much more invested in his double who is married and expecting a kid. It took a very cool turn.

I’ve been catching up with four podcasts at once, as is my wont, and I just finished up Madame Magenta: Sonos Mystica. I. Love her. She’s so good. I can’t wait to start Madame Magenta Presents.

I’ve also been listening through Fall of the House of Sunshine, and if you told me which characters would survive to season three, I don’t think i would have believed you. A dozen of the songs of this show are ending up on my spotify playlists. They’re just so. So! You know? I’m on 3.8 and I’m wondering when the next cringy gross song will happen. We’ve had too many heartfelt ones lately. This is the one i keep thinking about this week:

I also just started Gastronaut! And i didn’t know what I was expecting, but I think I’m in love? More on that another day, I expect.

For personal news, I am hype for the last few weeks of Re: Dracula, especially with the miniseries we’re planning soon. We’re halfway through recording season five of Inn Between, with recording on hold for a bit while I sort job stuff. Gotta make sure you can pay people. I’m also HYPE OUT OF MY MIND for the premier of The Dead, a zombie project I’ve been working on with Bloody FM that premiers on Halloween. Keep an eye out, i’m going to show it off all over.

Speaking of job stuff, I’m currently trying to make rent before i get my first paycheck from my new job! If you liked this or like the other things I do, i’d really appreciate a stop by my ko-fi. Get a sticker while you’re there!

Until next week!

#audio drama sunday #freaking podcasts #audio drama #audio fiction #fiction podcast #Spotify

[spunchthegoblin]

Review of each IB class as an international baccalaureate diploma haver (IB is just AP but more european)

HL English - One of the less stressful classes. I like reading and writing, I remember finishing assignments earlier than expected. I got a 5

Oral exam - Did this in junior year, I did it on V for Vendetta (the movie) and Small Gods by Terry Pratchett because I was smoking fucking crack apparently

Paper - I barely remember this one, I think I did it on Ajax. Easy

Exams - Easy shit. I even had time to draw on the back

HL History - Having a good teacher helped. Not caring about WW1 did not help. I got a 5

Paper - Actual garbage. Worst thing I've ever written. Wrote it in junior year then had to edit it a year later and it was so bad

Exams - More stressful than the english ones, my hand fucking hurt, still had time to draw on the back because I'm the goat

SL Biology - Yayy :3 aminals and cell :3 slime :3 (I got a 5)

Paper - did it on slime mold hehe. Make sure you have your plan together early on in this assignment in case you need to order materials

Exams - If you make up enough things about science you might accidentally stumble into the right answer!

SL Math - I'm one of those sick fucks who like math. If you're a normal person then I'd consider getting a tutor to lessen the stress. I got a 5

Paper - finished this in like 2 days easy

Exam - Literally fuck my entire life

HL Theatre - If you're willing to embarrass yourself, lie, cheat, and steal, then this is an easy HL class. I got a 5

Papers - there's no exam for this class, only papers and recorded performances. The directors notebook was fun (didn't require any acting, I could draw pretty pictures). The research project was ok, make sure that your subject has more than one source describing it (I did mine on Kabuki theater so pretty easy). The group project... I don't want to think about that. The solo project was almost fun I got to writhe on the floor like a worm.

SL Spanish - literal dante's inferno type journey. I got a 4

Oral exam - on GOD don't be autistic

Exams - If I had a gun I'd kill myself

Extended Essay - don't forget to have fun and be yourself :) I got a D. If I could pass with that dogshit essay then SO CAN YOU!!

CAS - If you're bad at lying on IB assignments at this point I don't know how to help you. I actually don't know if they grade this? I'm not checking

CAS project - Make sure to do this completely last minute ok? :3

CAS presentation? - The thing you record all your CAS stuff on. People say that the Service part was the most difficult but that was easy for me since my town has a lot of volunteer opportunities, yours does too if you look hard enough. I had trouble on the Active because I do not go outside.

Ok I think that's everything but just make sure that you get deeply invested into a new video game two weeks before the exam this step is crucial also make sure you get into a college that only accepts 45 of your IB credits even though you got 55 LITERALLY KILL YOURSELF WESTERN WASHINGTON SUCK MY BALLS

#IB student #studyblr #international baccalaureate #ib diploma #high school

[zvaigzdelasas]

[Atlantic Council is NATOs think tank]

Relations between the United States and Azerbaijan have historically centered on energy transit, most significantly the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Southern Gas Corridor. In July 2022, Baku signed a new memorandum of understanding with the European Union (EU) to increase Azerbaijani gas exports to the EU from 12 billion cubic meters (bcm) per year to 20 bcm by 2027. Officials in Brussels certainly see the importance of diversifying energy imports away from Russia—European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called Azerbaijan a “reliable” partner in the bloc’s renewed emphasis on energy security.

But Azerbaijan’s geography means it is also a gateway to the countries of Central Asia and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, that connects Europe with China via Central Asia and the South Caucasus. The Middle Corridor provides Europe with a critical alternative to trade routes that pass through Russia and Belarus, the so-called Northern Corridor. At the same time, the Middle Corridor provides the inverse opportunity for Central Asian countries to reduce dependency on transit through Russia to the European market. It is in Washington’s strategic interest to help develop alternative trade routes between Europe and Central Asia that minimize opportunities for Russian malign interference along the way.

Moreover, Azerbaijan and the United States share a set of strategic interests that may only grow in the coming years. Washington should resist the calls from some commentators to distance itself from Baku. Russia’s war on Ukraine has shaken stability in the South Caucasus, and Moscow may try to claw back influence in the region at the expense of regional peace and security. Greater US engagement with Baku should reinforce a platform for peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Stronger US-Azerbaijan ties can also help counter threats to shared interests emanating from Moscow and Tehran.[...]

The turning point came in May, when Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recognized Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan in the EU-mediated summit in Brussels, following US-mediated talks weeks earlier between the two countries’ foreign ministers in Washington.[...]

Some political groups in Armenia and in the diaspora continue to pressure the Pashinyan government against acknowledging Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized sovereignty over Karabakh. Separatist leadership in Karabakh refuses to integrate the region into Azerbaijan and recently undertook unrecognized “elections.” These authorities also receive financial and diplomatic support from Kremlin-connected individuals. A peace treaty signed via Western mediation and built upon the recognition of Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan would deal a severe blow to Russia’s influence in the region. Such a treaty would create preconditions for the withdrawal of Russia’s peacekeeping mission from the Karabakh region where it was deployed after the 2020 war and, generally, deprive Moscow of one lever of influence against Baku.[...]

By voicing a plan not to extend the Russian peacekeeping mission beyond 2025 and by investing more in the Western-mediated track of negotiations, Baku regularly challenges Russia’s policies vis-à-vis the peace process. Azerbaijan stands out as a rare post-Soviet state that has provided humanitarian and political support to Ukraine in the context of the country’s fight against Russian aggression.[...]

The Azerbaijani government’s stance on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine contrasts with the policies of two of its neighbors, Armenia and Iran. [...]

Baku has long opposed Tehran’s brazenly aggressive foreign policy, even as Iran’s ties with Armenia and Russia may be growing. Significantly, Baku has also redoubled its support for Israel—a major US ally—despite Iran’s anti-Israel threats and increasingly militaristic posture in the region. The time is right for the United States to strengthen its relationship with Azerbaijan and take the historic opportunity to pursue peace and break ground on a new template for regional stability.

Vasif Huseynov is the head of the Western Studies department at the Center for Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center), a think tank founded by the government of Azerbaijan. He is also a lecturer at Khazar and ADA universities in Baku, Azerbaijan.

15 Sep 23

[armoricaroyalty]

what's something you'd like to see more of on royal simblr?

Great question, me! There's a number of things I'd love to see more often in the royal simblr community, such as:

More non-western influences and royals. European monarchies are the most accessible to English-speaking westerners, but in the modern day, most monarchical systems exist in Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. I can only think of a few royal Simblrs that are meant to have non-Western settings--I'm sure there are more that I'm not aware of, so I'd love recommendations on that front!

More stylistic diversity. @warwickroyals touched on this in her answer to this question, but there is a prevailing style for women on royal simblr, which is very classically feminine with a lot of dainty features and soft pastels. I'd love to see more people try to differentiate their characters a bit more in terms of silhouette and personal style. I think there were some royal simblr fashion police a few years ago who sent rude messages to people who broke "the rules" of royal dress, and I think that's had a bit of a stifling effect on the community. Even if you give your royals strict dress codes, I think there's a lot of room to play around and experiment within those parameters. For example, I was actually watching that Prince Philip doc produced by the royal family after his death, and I was struck by how distinctly all the women dressed. Princess Anne was in jeans and a blazer, Zara Tindall was wearing a sleek skirt suit, Beatrice and Eugenie were wearing flowy floral dresses...there's a lot of ways to be polished and stylish while still expressing individual style, so I'd love to see some of that on simblr.

More diversity, just in general. I'm not going to pretend I'm not also guilty of this, but royal simblr is very white, very able-bodied, very cisgender and heterosexual, very thin, and very conventionally beautiful by western standards. There's no reason why made-up countries with made-up histories should follow all the patterns and prejudices of the real world, so it'd be nice to see more of a range of types. I love my beautiful, icy brunettes as much as the next person (you will pry Rosalind from my cold, dead hands) but it'd be great to see more representation of different types of people.

More interesting men. This is one that's a lot more subjective, but I feel like there is a general tendency toward blandness when it comes to male characters on royal simblr. Speaking very broadly, the menfolk tend to be either irredeemable dumpster creatures OR perfect husbands and fathers who wait patiently for their "messy" love interests to realize that he's the man of their dreams. I don't think there's anything wrong with either of these things in a vacuum (and there's tons of stories that I really enjoy that make use of those archetypes), but I feel like there are some missed opportunities for more interesting and dynamic male characters, especially as love interests. For me personally, it's hard to get invested in a romance where one or both parties is certifiably Nice (tm) without any other defining character traits.

Anyway, all this to say that these are really broad trends, and I'm sure you could cite strong counterexamples for each OR point out places where I've fallen into the same patterns. But in general, those are the community-wide tropes that I think could use the most refreshing.

#armorica asks #hormelfoods #is it corny to send yourself asks? #probably! consider: i dont care

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

December 30, 2023

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

DEC 31, 2023

One day short of his first 100 days in the White House, on April 28, 2021, President Joe Biden spoke to a joint session of Congress, where he outlined an ambitious vision for the nation. In a time of rising autocrats who believed democracy was failing, he asked, could the United States demonstrate that democracy is still vital?

“Can our democracy deliver on its promise that all of us, created equal in the image of God, have a chance to lead lives of dignity, respect, and possibility? Can our democracy deliver…to the most pressing needs of our people? Can our democracy overcome the lies, anger, hate, and fears that have pulled us apart?”

America’s adversaries were betting that the U.S. was so full of anger and division that it could not. “But they are wrong,” Biden said. “You know it; I know it. But we have to prove them wrong.”

“We have to prove democracy still works—that our government still works and we can deliver for our people.”

In that speech, Biden outlined a plan to begin investing in the nation again as well as to rebuild the country’s neglected infrastructure. “Throughout our history,” he noted, “public investment and infrastructure has literally transformed America—our attitudes, as well as our opportunities.” 

In the first two years of his administration, when Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress, lawmakers set out to do what Biden asked. They passed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan to help restart the nation’s economy after the pandemic-induced crash; the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (better known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) to repair roads, bridges, and waterlines, extend broadband, and build infrastructure for electric vehicles; the roughly $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act to promote scientific research and manufacturing of semiconductors; and the Inflation Reduction Act, which sought to curb inflation by lowering prescription drug prices, promoting domestic renewable energy production, and investing in measures to combat climate change.

This was a dramatic shift from the previous 40 years of U.S. policy, when lawmakers maintained that slashing the government would stimulate economic growth, and pundits widely predicted that the Democrats’ policies would create a recession. 

But in 2023, with the results of the investment in the United States falling into place, it is clear that those policies justified Biden’s faith in them. The U.S. economy is stronger than that of any other country in the Group of Seven (G7)—a political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with the European Union—with higher growth and faster drops in inflation than any other G7 country over the past three years. 

Heather Long of the Washington Post said yesterday there was only one word for the U.S. economy in 2023, and that word is “miracle.” 

Rather than cooling over the course of the year, growth accelerated to an astonishing 4.9% annualized rate in the third quarter of the year while inflation cooled from 6.4% to 3.1% and the economy added more than 2.5 million jobs. The S&P 500, which is a stock market index of 500 of the largest companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges, ended this year up 24%. The Nasdaq composite index, which focuses on technology stocks, gained more than 40%. Noah Berlatsky, writing for Public Notice yesterday, pointed out that new businesses are starting up at a near-record pace, and that holiday sales this year were up 3.1%. 

Unemployment has remained below 4% for 22 months in a row for the first time since the late 1960s. That low unemployment has enabled labor to make significant gains, with unionized workers in the automobile industry, UPS, Hollywood, railroads, and service industries winning higher wages and other benefits. Real wages have risen faster than inflation, especially for those at the bottom of the economy, whose wages have risen by 4.5% after inflation between 2020 and 2023. 

Meanwhile, perhaps as a reflection of better economic conditions in the wake of the pandemic, the nation has had a record drop in homicides and other categories of violent crime. The only crime that has risen in 2023 is vehicle theft.  

While Biden has focused on making the economy deliver for ordinary Americans, Vice President Kamala Harris has emphasized protecting the right of all Americans to be treated equally before the law. 

In April 2023, when the Republican-dominated Tennessee legislature expelled two young Black legislators, Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson, for participating in a call for gun safety legislation after a mass shooting at a school in Nashville, Harris traveled to Nashville’s historically Black Fisk University to support them and their cause. 

In the wake of the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Supreme Court decision overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that recognized the constitutional right to abortion, Harris became the administration’s most vocal advocate for abortion rights. “How dare they?” she demanded. “How dare they tell a woman what she can and cannot do with her own body?... How dare they try to stop her from determining her own future? How dare they try to deny women their rights and their freedoms?” She brought together civil rights leaders and reproductive rights advocates to work together to defend Americans’ civil and human rights. 

In fall 2023, Harris traveled around the nation’s colleges to urge students to unite behind issues that disproportionately affect younger Americans: “reproductive freedom, common sense gun safety laws, climate action, voting rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and teaching America’s full history.” 

“Opening doors of opportunity, guaranteeing some more fairness and justice—that’s the essence of America,” Biden said when he spoke to Congress in April 2021. “That’s democracy in action.”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

#Letters from An American #Heather Cox Richardson #Biden Administration #Biden's accomplishments #Election 2024 #Mike Luckovich