#tariff-ridden

[xlntwtch2]

ap news 11/12/23 from this article...

Trump would ... strip tens of thousands of career employees of their civil service protections. That way, they could be fired as he seeks to “totally obliterate the deep state.”

... he would ...undertake the largest domestic deportation operation in American history. He would target people who are legally living in the United States but harbor “jihadist sympathies” and revoke the student visas of those who espouse anti-American and antisemitic views.

... U.S.-Mexico border, Trump says he will move thousands of troops currently stationed overseas and shift federal agents, including those at the Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI, to immigration enforcement. ...more border wall.

His aim: bar “dangerous lunatics, haters, bigots, and maniacs,” as well as those who “empathize with radical Islamic terrorists and extremists.”

...he has said he would end birthright citizenship..

...he will institute ... system of tariffs of perhaps 10% on most foreign goods. .... proposed a four-year plan to phase out Chinese imports of essential goods, including electronics, steel and pharmaceuticals. he will force Chinese owners to sell any holdings “that jeopardize America’s national security.”...

...claims .. before he is inaugurated, he will have settled the war between Russia and Ukraine. That includes, he says, ending the “endless flow of American treasure to Ukraine” and asking European allies to reimburse the U.S. for the cost of rebuilding stockpiles.

...he will stand with Israel in its war with Hamas and support Israel’s efforts to “destroy” the militant group. He says he will continue to “fundamentally reevaluate” NATO’s purpose and mission.

..he will ask Congress to pass a bill establishing that “only two genders,” as determined at birth, are recognized by the United States.

...he will declare that hospitals and health care providers that offer transitional hormones or surgery no longer meet federal health and safety standards and will be blocked from receiving federal funds..

Under the mantra “DRILL, BABY, DRILL,” ... he would ramp up oil drilling on public lands and offer tax breaks to oil, gas, and coal producers.

...he will exit the Paris Climate Accords, end wind subsidies and eliminate regulations imposed and proposed by the Biden administration..

...pledged to terminate the Department of Education, ....he would cut funding for any school that has a vaccine or mask mandate ... promote prayer in public schools....“the nuclear family” including “the roles of mothers and fathers”...allow trained teachers to carry concealed weapons. ... federal funding so schools can hire veterans, retired police officers, and other trained gun owners as armed school guards.

...force the homeless off city streets... wants to bring back large mental institutions to reinstitutionalize those who are “severely mentally ill” or “dangerously deranged.”

...use federal government’s funding and prosecution authorities to strong-arm local governments.... use controversial policing measures such as stop-and-frisk ...police should be empowered to shoot suspected shoplifters in the act.

...called for the death penalty for drug smugglers and those who traffic women and children. ..also pledged a federal takeover of the nation’s capital, calling Washington a “dirty, crime-ridden death trap” unbefitting of the country.

[ratnurse]

Me in ten years, leaning over to whisper into the ear of the minister of trade: yes my liege, we must increase the technical non tariffs barriers to trade... the transfer of goods and services across borders must be ridden with friction and red tape... mwahahaha

[lightdancer1]

Wrapped up this book:

In 1846 United States Army soldiers under the command of General Zachary Taylor were parked in the zone between the rivers Nueces and Rio Grande. The Mexican Republic, insofar as the strife-ridden sequence of coups at the top and the long-suffering Mestizos and Indigenous peoples they misruled could be called that, considered this aggression, which it was, and started a war that for all its disadvantages was still its to lose. It had all the advantages of being on the defensive, of outnumbering the US Army in every single major engagement and in most of the minor ones.

By contrast James Polk, elected as the first dark horse candidate in American politics had two goals, the annexation of Oregon, and the annexation of California. He also sought to reduce the tariff in a prototype of modern-day Republican politics and his meddling in the conduct of the war smacks more than a bit of Donald Rumsfeld except that Polk's war was won and the Iraq War was a defeat. Polk was perhaps the most politically effective US President who ever lived, bulldozing his way through multiple points including international law, the concept of separation of powers, any pretense of an all-American versus narrowly politically partisan struggle, and bequeathed to the United States that crisis that erupted in 1860-77 as a result of his victories.

The result of this tectonic collision was an ugly bestial conflict full of massacres between two bitterly divided societies where most of the war was slovenly filthy bad-smelling bearded US troops against equally slovenly filthy vindictive Mexican peasants who hated both the Yanqui and their own government in equal measure as the most common factor and overshadowed by the ultimate clash of Santa Anna's conventional armies against those of Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott's taking the Cortez route to Mexico City.

In its results it represents one of history's most sweeping events, one country annexing half of another to expand its territory by a quarter, at great cost to itself and leaving a tottering neighboring state a war-torn hellhole of ashes and bones and marked by yet another civil war and then a foreign war, out of which finally came the basis of the Mexican identity whose absence in the 1846 war was a very big reason why all the paper advantages of Mexico did not translate into practice.

And yet for all this that it was a blatant land grab and that Mexican politics, insofar as they deserve the term, amount to a witch's brew of a dozen rival movements and multiple coups and civil wars within the bigger war combine to leave it a war even more forgotten than Korea is for the USA, while like the Koreans the Mexicans have a very hard time forgetting one of history's great catastrophes.

9/10.

[40sandfabulousaf]

大家好! Over the weekend, I met Mrs T to settle the paperwork for my annuity plan. After it was done, we celebrated with a delicious dim sum lunch. Mrs T introduced me to a restaurant that packs in the crowds on weekends. I could see why: incredibly fresh ingredients, amazing taste and reasonable prices are a perfect combo!

[虾仁肠粉 xia ren chang fen - shrimp wrapped in silky flour wrapping]

[陈醋泡饺子 chen cu pao jiao zi - steamed chive dumplings in vinegar]

Chi shi fu (to eat is to be blessed), as the saying goes. The chen cu pao jiao zi was so delicious that we ordered another portion and ate to our hearts' content. Whilst devouring our food, we chatted about retirement, investment, the global and local economy, current affairs and Mrs T shared about how convenient, modern and wonderful our MRT (mass rapid transit, our train system) is. I haven't ridden on the MRT for many years, so guess what, after we finished our lunch, we took a ride! I'll share about the experience in my next post.

[烧卖 shao mai - pork and shrimp dumplings topped with roe]

[腐皮虾卷 fu pi xia juan - prawn wrapped in crispy beancurd skin]

Our public transport is so well designed that it's possible to not own a car. Buses and the MRT run like clockwork and link up almost the entire country. Passengers tap credit cards or smart watches at the gantry and voila, the gate opens! I should've taken more photos before and after the ride; it was quite an adventure. I only took 1 shot but never mind, there's always next time!

[炸春卷 zha chun juan - crispy spring rolls]

[香煎萝卜糕 xiang jian luo bo gao - fried radish cake]

With the global economy still unstable and GST set to increase 1% p.a. in 2023 and 2024, travel isn't on the cards at the mo. After rediscovering our modernised MRT, Imma spend part of my block leave playing local tourist. Hopping on the train, appreciating the views of our lovely landscape and uncovering hidden dining gems sounds pretty great! I'll rest and recharge these tired batteries as much as possible, but having some fun activities lined up is something extra to look forward to. Can't wait for December!

[糯米鸡 lor mai gai - glutinous rice filled with chicken wrapped in lotus leaf]

We're officially into 4Q2022 and although news about the global economy are grim, there's still stuff to be grateful for. Electricity tariffs have dropped a smidgen for this quarter, contrary to expectations of an increase, which is a relief. Some local food stalls have adopted an ethical pricing model by serving a base meal at an affordable price and providing the option to add meat, vegetables and eggs at an additional cost. That's preferable to meat shrinkflation cum price hikes! 下次见!

[arcstral]

—  altean retrospective; 490 - 537 a.c.  —

   i .   490 a.c.

At age ten, Marcelus remarked on his desire to learn to read.

Neither Anri nor their father and mother could, though it was not precisely that Marcelus wished to be the difference in their family, the hallmark of scholarly enlightenment in their long and storied line of illiterate to marginally literate fishermen. He expressed this because being able to read the tariffs in the marketplace made things easier. Easier to haggle prices with the upland Archanean traders, easier to know the worth of money, and above all—at that young and impressionable age—easier to know his own worth.

Anri was, after all, not only the elder between them by several years, but also the stronger and more universally useful son.

He knew the patterns of the sea and sky like the back of his hand, he was uncommonly good with a sword, and well-bred even in his features—when looked upon at an angle seemed almost unsuited to the humble roots of privation he came from. One could nearly forget that their father had accumulated a lifetime fortune in debt from failed whaling expeditions to the eastern Pyrathi ocean. One could nearly forget that his second son was born a cripple.

But even in Marcelus’ own desire to improve, Anri had helped in this, too.

Upon noticing the way Marcelus looked at the traders buried in their ledgers, Anri responded in a way that only he could—an action that would carve him into a man of his younger brother’s respect for the entirety of his lifetime.

He approached the company of the traders and sold to them the several chickens they had. He reemerged before supper, arms filled with a mountain of books he couldn’t afford and the prices of which he could read even less. Anri knew only the repercussions and he suffered them well with a beating from their father upon his return home. It was the most horrifying state he had ever seen his brother but Marcelus understood:

There was no extent that Anri would not go to for the people he loved.

It would be the same for a princess as it was for a brother.

   ii .   497 a.c.

“Between the two of us, you were born with a king’s name, Marcelus.”

Without turning eye and heel to the owner of the voice, he knew how he appeared. Sunken into his far too itchy throne, upon a bale of alfalfa that rubbed grass stains across his knees and elbows, all whilst pondering the finer fortunes that glittered beyond the muddy horizon of Altea Town and its crooked hovels. Its shoeless children and hole-ridden roofs. Spurning the sights that reigned true before his eyes, Anri dreamt of the same destinies of wealth and lordship that every peasant man imagined at least once before reality shattered upon their heads a cruel and undeceiving vase.

But the difference between them was that normal peasant men understood the harsh justice of their class. The difference between them was that Marcelus did, too. In reality, disillusionment had primed its gavel over the head of poor Marcelus quite a bit earlier in life, but the other had slipped free from its shadow many a time. He’d even have his moods painted so clearly across his face; a vision that told Marcelus it’d be a few more years before the same lesson successfully caught on for his older brother. Or perhaps it never would.

With great certainty, he knew he would not be the one to tell him. With nothing to lose and even less to gain, a man of common birth could dream so long as it did not affect his work. That the man in question came from the same womb as himself was only named another tall measure of his silence.

“A king’s name and nothing more. I’d prefer a working pair of legs over a name too high and mighty for my rocks,” he laughed instead, dragging his leg with a grunt as he toted the spring harvest from one corner of the granary to the other. As he felt those blue eyes protectively follow him throughout this process.

They both knew it was not the lame leg that barred him from so much as harmlessly dreaming of a kingdom and queen all his own. Not any more than the poor landless debtor of a father they shared at home, or the pail of rotten goat milk that had tossed on him that very morning upon leaving it. Matron Theresa, stumbling more and more towards the pitfalls of geriartic weakness, had lost the grip on her eyesight spectacularly since striking age sixty.

The smell only worsened as the day dragged on. An observation that Marcelus remarked upon to reiterate the point.

Anri, strong and radiant, cheerfully laughed at this.

   iii .   498 a.c.

Princess Artemis, last of her line, proved a breathtakingly beautiful tempest that swept away all surviving notions of normalcy within Altea town. The war with the Dolhr Empire had not touched a region as remote and forgettable as their village until the very fruit it chased landed upon their doorstep. The last hopes of far-off Archanea, she was called, though that climactic nature touched no chord in Anri. Finality did not affect him even when an attachment of Duke Cartas’ knights retrieved her from the island, perhaps because a part of her stayed with his brother.

“Sir Anri, you have shined your kindness and love upon me with great impression,” Artemis said on the very day, tears in her eyes and no mistake in them as to what man she loved—what man she need leave behind.

“I beg that you live happily. You will survive in my thoughts forever.”

Marcelus watched Anri, saw the flicker of steel across his face.

Witnessed how it was love for a princess that strengthened his resolve and squared his shoulders, love that compelled him to take up his armor and untangle himself from the mundane life he knew to follow a voice in his head: retrieve the Falchion from the Ice Dragon Shrine. Destroy Medeus.

Though it was insanity Marcelus could not stop him, and though it was inevitable Marcelus could not go with him. There was nothing that even the younger brother of Anri could do to deter him as he set out on a path of salvation for one woman and her kingdom. I’m leaving, he solemnly declared and within his eyes read a look that no force and no man of earthly nature could deign to stop.

A martyr to love, Anri sailed alone into the sea on a year-long quest for a divine blade. When he next returned with the blood of a dragon on his hands, his brother went by a new name.

‘Hero-King.’

   iv .   499 a.c.

The War of Liberation as it was now called had proven to be a exceedingly difficult war, but even the endless tribulations of recovery that followed held no candle to the heroes. The five who burned even brighter: Cartas, Marlon, Iote, Ordwin—

Anri.

His brother is hailed the crowning hero of an eight-year war, a famous if not base-born youth risen from a region known primarily for its farmlands and fisheries. But the bright celebration of Anri’s glory bore a long shadow, Marcelus knew, and this shadow fell in the form of the troubling news that Princess Artemis had decided to marry Duke Cartas of Archanea.

They would consummate their union within a fortnight, subverting half the expectations that she would marry the war’s messiah. Even more the offense was the fact that she sent no letter of explanation to his brother. It was as if his brother didn’t exist. Or as if she paid greater heed to the blue-blooded snakes in her ear than Anri’s heartfelt whispers of love.

It was certainly no secret now. All the newly liberated peoples of Archanea from the lowest street urchin to the highest commanding officer possessed their likely speculations. That the one thing the Archanean nobility detested more than their subjugation by the hands of a dragon was a peasant for a king.

“Wretched woman,” Marcelus spat in his fury.

Anri, who could not look in him in the eye, spoke steadily even then.

“Artemis must have her reasons.”

Marcelus made no remark of the silent air of tragedy that followed him in the years thereafter. Anri was a hero beloved for his gift of liberation, for his beauty and fairness and bravery. On behest of the Archaneans he fought for, love was a war he had lost.

   v .   500 a.c.

As the second of Archanea’s holdings to gain independence, over the course of a year the tiny agrarian town known as Altea is quickly transformed into a prosperous island kingdom. King Anri, its first anointed sovereign with the divine sword Falchion as his holy relic, is celebrated by all people.

His brother’s rule is even majorly legitimatized. The subsidy of the Archanean crown allowed for the construction of a grand castle and with many knights to outfit it alongside, there remained little to delineate Anri’s former roots as a commoner save for the absence of a royal wife.

A point on which few of their vassals made to fret and even fewer dared to comment.

   vi .   505 a.c.

A life for a life, the crown prince is born in exchange for his own mother.

Artemis dies in the throes of childbirth after the conception of her first and only son.

He suspects that Anri saw something of her in this child—his brother was the first to swear fealty to their newborn suzerain. This little prince of Archanea.

   vii .   537 a.c.

At the somber age of fifty-seven, Marcelus looked into the eyes of his dying older brother and regretted all that he could not do for him throughout his life.

It was a wretched thing to think—but he could not help the thought that it was not Anri who failed others, but rather people who immortally failed him. Anri who walked the difficult pilgrimage to the Ice Dragon Shrine alone, deprived of comfort and air and heat. Anri who founded a kingdom and fed his people on a lifetime of his good deeds. Anri who could not enjoy the love he so arduously fought so.

And that the first king of Altea should die childless not merely by circumstance, but in the protest of his fate... None would know save for Marcelus. His gaze slid to the side and he dismissed his adult son with a jut of his chin.

“Leave me, Marius. I wish to speak with your uncle alone.”

Anri stirred little even at the departure of his beloved nephew, his brother’s son. So far gone he was, but still he smiled for Marcelus. Still his face glowed bright with the bounty of his love.

Still he spoke of one thing:

“Between the two of us, you were born with a king’s name, Marcelus," Anri murmured fondly, pointing him in the direction of the divine blade mounted on the wall with a trembling finger.

“...So be king.”

.

.

.

Anri, king of Altea, dies childless and is succeeded by his younger brother, Marcelus

Due to internal conflict, the Kingdom of Gra splits from Altea and becomes independent.

[swaps55]

Fugue - Update

Pairing: mShenko

Rating: M

Tags: Angst, Grief, Major (Canonical) Character Death

POV Characters: Kaidan, Liara, Joker, Tali, Garrus, David Anderson, Marc Alenko, Lora Alenko, Karin Chakwas

Summary:

A few minutes more and they wouldn’t have even been on the ship. The Mako was scheduled and ready for drop, both of them suited up and ready with the final checklist completed.

A few minutes more, and they would have watched the Normandy burn from the surface of Alchera.

But they didn’t get those minutes.

~

Follow up to Sonata, but user-friendly if you haven’t read it. Major thank you to   @pigeontheoneandonly, who had her work cut out for her helping me with this chapter.

Chapter Summary

Shepard is something different to everyone. (Aka, the chapter with all the POVs)

Chapter 04 – This Hole You Left

2183 – Earth – Vancouver (+39h:21m)

Lora Alenko takes another sip of her tea, fervently wishing for at least the eighth time it was a glass of wine, and nods politely. Lunch with Melia Eccles is a monthly chore she’d love to get out of, but if she wants to keep export prices for the fruit wine under control, nurturing the relationship with Eccles Exports is a necessary evil. Melia isn’t a bad person. Not really. She’s just exhausting.

At least the restaurant is nice. Lora’s been meaning to try this place since it opened a few months ago, the top floor of a new tower near the spaceport with a gorgeous view of the bay and good food, two things that do not necessarily go hand in hand. It’s been ages since she’s had a proper B.C. roll. If nothing else, Melia has excellent taste.

“I don’t know why the proposed tariff reforms haven’t passed,” Melia says before taking a bite of her shrimp. She’s one of those people who doesn’t fear cocktail sauce or red wine while wearing a white dress. It’s like the woman has kinetic shielding specifically calibrated to repel a mess. Lora, on the other hand, has spent so much time around horses there isn’t a single article of white clothing in her closet.

“They hurt small businesses,” Lora replies. She should tread carefully on this one; the meal is about nurturing a relationship, not being right, but she can’t help it sometimes.

“Is there such a thing as a small business in this economy anymore?” Melia asks.

Lora raises an eyebrow. Bridlespur Orchard is perhaps the perfect example of a small business finding success in an intergalactic economy. This is why Melia is so damned exhausting.

But before she can answer, her omnitool flashes. She frowns and looks down at her arm. It’s a message from Marc. SOS. Call now.

A chill runs down her spine. SOS isn’t something Marc throws around lightly. She’d gotten an SOS from him when he’d found Apollo, the warmblood she’d ridden for years, with a leg stuck through the paddock fence, and the day they’d learned about Vyrnnus.

Kaidan.

“Melia,” she murmurs. “Excuse me, I have to take this.” She stands up without waiting for a response and hurries towards the restroom, fishing an earpiece out of her purse.

“Marc?” she asks when the line clicks, heart hammering in her throat. “What’s going on?”

“Lora! Where are you?”

“Still at the restaurant with Melia.” She smooths her dress with a nervous hand. “You know how much she likes to talk.”

“Go home. Not to the condo. Head for the orchard. Right now.”

Her heart beats louder. “Why?” Please don’t say it.

“I got a heads up from Colonel Petrone. The news is about to break, and when it does all the reporters in Vancouver plus everyone in your address book is going to be knocking on our door. Get out to the orchard and don’t look at the feeds. None of them know what’s going on. I’m going to Command right now to get something firsthand and then I’m coming to you. Got it?”

“Marc,” she says, her voice leaden. “It’s Kaidan, isn’t it.”

A pause follows, long enough to confirm her worst fears. “Something happened to the Normandy.”  

Read from the beginning | Read the rest on Ao3 | The Fugue Playlist

[alifeincoffeespoons]

a moony has spawned in the server, chapter twelve

r/collegeadmissions Posted by u/aglowingpinknight 9 hours ago | 3.2k points

Good luck to everyone who has decisions coming out this Friday and Saturday!

Stanford, MIT, Caltech, Johns Hopkins, Amherst, Bowdoin, Rice, Williams, Wellesley, Wesleyan...this weekend’s gonna be a doozy. Good luck to everyone who applied! I believe in you!

----

“Have I ever told you about my problem with pomegranate?” Sirius asks, chewing on the end of a pen. Today, he’s clad in an oversized blue t-shirt and ratty pajama pants. Somehow, he still manages to look perfect.

“Like, the fruit?” Remus replies, furrowing his brow. “I mean, it’s not that good, and the seeds inside are kind of annoying, but I don’t hate it or anything.”

“No, the movie Pomegranate,” Sirius explains. “You know, the one that won a ton of awards at the Oscars and everything?”

“Haven’t heard of it.” Yes, Remus knows that he’s woefully unaware of pop culture, and no, there isn’t really anything he can or wants to do to change that.

“Okay, so it’s this modern adaptation of the myth of Hades and Persephone, except Hades is a girl named Haley and Persephone’s mom’s name is Denise,” Sirius says. “So actually, it’s not really like the myth of Hades and Persephone at all, besides the fact that the main character’s name is Persephone and the director really likes the aesthetic of pomegranates.”

“That’s interesting?”

“I mean, the aesthetic is gorgeous, and the plot is honestly solid, but the ending—I just can’t deal with the ending. Basically, the main conflict in the movie is between Persephone and Denise, because Persephone is a high schooler who realizes that she’s a lesbian and she and her mother live in a small, incredibly conservative town in rural Nebraska.”

Remus winces, reminded of every poorly written episode of Glee. “Please don’t tell me it’s some stereotype-ridden mess.”

“I mean, given how the myth actually goes, it’s surprising that it isn’t. The love story between Persephone and Haley is super wholesome and not unhealthy at all, and Magenta Comstock—that’s the director—actually made an effort to cast queer actors in queer roles,” Sirius replies. “The problem I have with it is Denise.”

“Oh?”

“Denise is just a terrible character. She’s supposed to just be supportive and a little bit overbearing, but it doesn’t come off that way,” Sirius says. “Like, she monitors Persephone’s phone, constantly belittles her, and when she finds out that Persephone is gay, she literally stops speaking to her completely for months. Total silent treatment.”

“That just seems like abuse,” Remus says, raising his eyebrows.

“I mean, I don’t know if I’d go as far as to—”

“It’s abuse,” Remus says, more firmly this time. “That’s controlling, cruel, and abusive.”

Sirius shrugs weakly. “I guess. I don’t know. But anyway, in the end, Persephone keeps dating Haley, goes off to college, gets super into the queer scene at Tufts, and on Christmas Eve, decides to finally call her mom again. And it’s not shown, but it’s implied that Persephone forgives her mom and they make plans to reconcile. And I don’t know, but something about that—it just didn’t sit right with me, you know? And I’m not sure why. It just didn’t.”

“Because Denise was abusive, and it didn’t feel authentic or justifiable for her and Persephone to reconcile in the end?” Remus supplies.

“Maybe. I just hated how the movie also made it seem like it was both Persephone and Denise’s fault for their relationship being bad, you know? Like, sure, maybe Persephone was ‘immature,’ but Denise was just mean. I just—I didn’t like it.”

“And that’s very, very valid,” Remus replies. “That sounds like a terrible way for the movie to end. Well, given that I haven’t seen it and all, of course.”

“I’m glad to hear that I’m not insane for not liking the ending,” Sirius says, a small smile spreading across his face. “Anyway, I think it might also be because of the setting I’m watching it in, you know? I mean, we’re watching it in class, and that never ends well.”

“In class?”

“Yeah, in ‘The Persistence of Mythology.’ It’s my social science senior seminar.”

“Social science senior seminar?” Remus echoes.

“Boarding school,” Sirius says, rolling his eyes. “It’s a cool class, though—we talk about the ways myths have been interpreted in the past and discuss adaptations of them today. Professor Sprout’s super chill, and we don’t really get that much homework either. The real problem is that you just can’t have a good time watching a movie when half the straight guys wolf-whistle every time Persephone and Haley even look at each other.”

“God.” Remus doesn’t enjoy his own history class very much—let’s just say that his interest in learning about the Smoot-Hawley Tariff is minimal at best—but at least he doesn’t have to be subjected to that.

“So yeah, fun times. I mean, I like class still, usually. It’s just that James is also, like, super depressed right now because the girl he really likes turned him down, so we can’t even make fun of those guys together,” Sirius says, grimacing. “It’s been a rough go of it.”

“His crush turned him down?” Remus asks, widening his eyes and trying his best to sound surprised.

“Yeah. They were doing some prefect patrol thing together, he asked her out, and she said no. He’s basically been down ever since,” Sirius replies. “I mean, when I say he’s depressed, he’s seriously depressed. He barely leaves the room except for, like, lacrosse practice and prefect stuff, spends all his time in bed listening to Phoebe Bridgers and Joji, and the other day, he asked me if he was a bad person.”

“Fuck.”

“Yeah. I think it’s mostly because the girl he likes used to date this complete asshole James and I call Snivelly—I think I’ve probably told you about him before—and when I say he’s an asshole, I mean he’s only about 2% less of an asshole than Evan, which doesn’t mean anything at all. Now, because Snivelly’s an asshole, James has decided that this means he must be a worse person than Snivelly, since why else would this girl turn him down?” Sirius lets out a deep sigh. “So that’s where we’re at. Very not fun.”

read more on ao3! 

[alrating7]

10 Largest Hydro Power Plant in India

Hydro Power Plant in India:- India has a total of 4710 dams which makes it the third country with more dams in the world. With a growing population, water sources and electricity get depreciated.  It is necessary to take measures to create water bodies and save water that is already available. While saving water, hydroelectric power plants also generate electricity.  Places which are far away from water bodies depend on such dams and reservoirs for their irrigation and everyday water needs.  Dams are a great asset to the country as it helps develop agriculture, holds flood water, prevent electricity shortage and tend to drought-ridden areas.  Here is a list of the top 10 hydroelectric plants, stations/dams in India. Hydro Power Plant in India 1. Srisailam Dam Srisailam Dam is the third largest dam in India, built over the famous River Krishna. Located in Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh, it is very famous for its hydroelectric power plant and is also a popular tourist spot.  The dam was constructed in the year 1980, and with additional turbines added later, the total cost came up to 10 billion rupees.  The six 150MW turbine on the left side of the bank and seven 110MW Francis type turbines on the right side of the river bank generate a huge electricity output.  The dam is prone to flooding during which times electricity cannot be generated as the water flow is downwards and visitors are not allowed. It is one of the top hydropower plants in India. Height: 476 feetLength: 1680 feetAbove sea level: 300mNo. of gates: 12Total area: 616 sq.kmReservoir capacity: 800sq.kmPower generation capacity: 6x150MW and 7x110MW 2. Nagarjuna Sagar Dam Nagarjuna Sagar dam’s construction began in the year 1955 and took 12 years (1967) for completion. It is built across River Krishna in Nalgonda district, Telangana and Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh in India.  The dam is designed to provide irrigation water to the nearby districts as well as for the generation of hydroelectric power.  The dam’s reservoir is the second largest in the country. During flooding, excess water is sent to the canal which is then released to nearby streams. Height: 490 feetLength: 1.6kmNo. of floodgates: 26Reservoir capacity: 405 TMCPower generation capacity: 1x110MW and 7x100.80MW 3. Idukki Dam Idukki dam was opened in the year 1973, and its construction began in the year 1969 in India.  It is constructed across the Periyar River between Kuravan and Kurathi hills in Kerala. The dam is built in the shape of an arch and is the highest in the country.  The floodgates have been opened twice till now, and the canal takes the excess water for irrigation use.  It is also a popular tourist spot with relaxed rules, and the tourists can enjoy the time there and even go boating. Height: 554 feetLength: 1,200 feetTotal surface area: 60 sq.kmReservoir capacity: 2,000 cubic metrePower generation capacity: 6x130MW 4. Sardar Sarovar dam Sardar Sarovar dam is constructed across River Narmada in Navagam, Gujarat in India.  It is the largest dam in the country. Its size is capable of covering 210 villages during floods.  It was involved in a lot of controversies, and finally, in 2014, the Supreme Court issued an order to raise the height from 260 feet to 535 feet.  The dam is the main source of water to dry areas like Kutch and Saurashtra. Height: 535 feetLength: 3,970 feetReservoir capacity: 9,500,000,000 cubic metrePower generation capacity: 1,450 installed capacity and 6x200MW 5. Mettur dam Mettur dam was constructed across River Kaveri in the year 1934. It is located in Salem and is one of the largest dams in India.  The dam has a reservoir called the Stanley reservoir and is famous for its irrigation and hydroelectric power generation.  The dam provides irrigation water to villages in Salem, Erode, Karur, Namakkal, and Tiruchirapalli. With the Kabini Dam built across River Kaveri in Karnataka, Mettur dam receives very less water.  Sometimes the dam even dries up during summer. The dispute between the two states with regards to the Kaveri River is still ongoing. Height: 120 feetLength: 1,700 mReservoir capacity: 2.64 cubic km 6. Tehri dam Tehri dam was constructed in the year 2006 taking 28 years to complete from when it started in 1978.  It is located in Tehri, Uttarakhand, India and the dam is used for irrigation purposes and for local water supply. Height: 855 feetLength: 1,886 feetWidth: 66 feetReservoir capacity: 3,200,000 acre ftPower generation capacity: 2,400 MW 7. Indravati Dam Located in Odisha, this project has four dams built across the Indravati River and its tributaries forming a single reservoir.  It took 1107 crore rupees however it has generated much more clean energy to meet the cost of building the dams and reservoir. Reservoir capacity: 1435.5 McumPower generation: 2602.30 MU in 2013-14.Power generation capacity: 600 MW 8. Salal Hydroelectric Power Station This hydropower plant is constructed over Chenab River in Jammu & Kashmir, India. Constructed began in the year 1970, and the first stage was commissioned in the year 1987.  The first stage of the second unit began commission in 1993. The project cost 9288.9 million rupees. The tariff rate is Rs. 41.56. It is one of the top hydroelectric power plants in India Height: 113 mLength: 450 mNo. of gates: 12Power generation capacity: 690 MW 9. Hirakud Dam Hirakud dam is located in Sambalpur, Odisha and is built across River Mahanadi in India. Construction of the dam began in the year 1948, and it was completed in 1957.  The upper basin faced droughts, whereas the lower delta region faced problems of flooding. And to eradicate this problem, the dam was built.  It is designed to flow into a reservoir which is used for irrigation and water supply to the locals. Height: 200 feetLength: 16 milesReservoir capacity: 4,779,965 acre-ftPower generation capacity: 2x49.5 MW, 3x37.5 MW and 2x32MW 10. Koyna Hydroelectric Dam Koyna dam is built over River Koyna in Maharastra. Its construction was completed in the year 1964. The reservoir became Lake Shivajinagar.  The dam was built for the purpose of generating hydroelectric power and for irrigation purposes. Height: 339 feetLength: 2,468 feetNo. of gates: 6Reservoir capacity: 2,267,900 acre-ftPower generation capacity: 1,960 MW Lastly These are the top hydroelectric power plants in India. If any of the hydroelectric power plants have been missed will be updated with your comments. So do comment and lets us know what has been skipped. Read the full article

[kainout]

There's more to China's virus story than its statistics -Kainout

NEW DELHI: Chinese information clamp down on Coronavirus early this year is in sharp contrast to this week's surprising admission by the top leadership that China has taken an economic hit because of the virus. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang admitted at the on-going National People's Congress in Beijing: "At present and for some time to come, China will face challenges like never before." “The horizons for China’s development are full of promise,” Li said, to quote the new York Times, but if the 3000-odd delegates to the country's annual meeting of its legislature were impressed, they did not show it. For, they must have realised that their leaders broke away from tradition and did not set any growth target for 2020. Global economics monitoring agencies suggest that China, along with India, may just about survive recessionary trends in 2020 but the rest of the world will not. However, that brings no cheers to China which realises that statistics don't tell the real story. The size tells the real story: Its size, its massive population, the need for massive production, the need for more massive production in order to export, the gigantic material unloading and storage facilities, the loading areas and transportation complexes, the huge labor force, the unimaginably big infrastructure --- even a multi-billion dollar stimulus – a little over 2% of last year's GDP -- will just be a drop in this ocean. That is the task China faces as it limps out of the impact of Coronavirus which, incidentally, returned for a brief second wave even as the lock down was lifted to restart the economy. There was some good news in April, when exports that month rose 3.5%, but it later became clear the spike owed it to demand for health care equipment like PPEs and face masks from abroad. There are reports of large shipments awaiting export clearance in Chinese godowns, but where are the orders? Exports actually dipped 6.6% in March though they were better than the +15% dip in January and February, 2020. Debt propelled China's economic stimulus programs at the turn of the century. Various factors helped surge growth, but the fact remained China was badly debt-ridden. As of this month, Chinese debt is roughly 48% of its GDP. Post-Coronavirus, the Institute of International Finance (IFF) estimates that "China’s total debt hit 317 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter of 2020". In the previous year, the corresponding figure was 245.4 per cent of GDP. On the other hand, China’s foreign debt stood at $2.05 trillion last year. Not so easy to dispose off this debt. Most of the country's domestic debt is held in financial bodies controlled or owned by the government. There are hardly any foreign investor presence in domestic financial or wealth schemes. Now, with its growth slowed thanks to Coronavirus, China fears possible default on debt repayments that can cripple its financial scenario. In April, China resumed production as the lock down was lifted. Workers started returning to factories, but the capacity utilisation is said to be much below 100 per cent. The primary reason is two-fold: Lack of foreign orders and a depleted domestic demand. Retail spending has plunged. Remember, it had alone contributed to 80 per cent of the country's economic growth in 2019. Investments in factories halted too. They in fact went down by more than 15 per cent. Unemployment may soon be touching the 20 per cent mark. People are withdrawn cash from banks and sitting on it. They are not spending, contrary to expectations that consumer spending will revive after the lifting of lock down. There is no shopping spree as the businessmen anticipated. People hardly go out to eat. The people are worried that they may lose their jobs at any time. Thousands have already suffered that fate. The government has been promising sops to factory owners and businessmen provided they pay regular salaries to their staff. But that is not stopping the flood of bankruptcies. On top of it, a second Coronavirus scare has forced people to shut themselves indoors. Local institutions, companies and governments are in a financial mire as well, leading to fears of default on loans. As it is, consumer loan repayments have taken a hit. The bond markets, facing a run through defaults since last year, are braced for worse in 2020. According to one newspaper, "in May 2020, listed oil and gas firm MIE Holdings failed to make a US$17 million interest payment on its US$248 million bond''. On the other hand, the local governments and other bodies are not confident of meeting revenue targets either. They suspect they would be forced to return to debt culture. The Chinese government has already bailed out several local institutions, including small banks. Aware of its unhealthy situation, the Chinese leadership appeared uncharacteristically humble at the National Congress meet. It admitted “many weak links have been exposed in public health emergency management'' it said, in an indirect reference to the global criticism of Coronavirus cover-up, adding that “...the people have expressed their views and suggestions, which deserve our attention''. Premier Li also told the US that China remains committed to the phase 1 trade agreement. Under this, China can once again import American farm products including pork. The US, in return, can continue its tariffs on specified Chinese goods. There is an expression of Chinese concern in this reference to the agreement: The agreement has set targets to be met but after Coronavirus, China has not been able to import targeted quantities from the US. It needs to placate the US in order to improve its export side of its economy. President Donald Trump is waging a literal battle against China at the UN, WHO and other platforms apart from the trade and tariff war with China. Faced with such an unprecedented economic crisis, if one expects China to discontinue its bullying tactics or expansionist programmes, one expects wrong. Amid the economic alarm bells, the National Congress heard the leadership announce stricter laws to quell the Hong Kong protests, so much so that the Hong Kong stock market nose dived after the announcement. China's expansionist priorities have not taken a back seat either. India has reported about increased tension at its borders because of bullying tactics by Chinese troops. It continues its belligerent attitude towards Taiwan. It continues to back its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in spite of lock downs in several BRI partner-countries stalling projects, disrupting supply chains and availability of labour and possible reneging of Chinese loans to these countries. The budget proposals to be announced before the conclusion of the National Congress will indicate if China is willing to learn from its mistakes or it will simply over-burden its debt-ridden public sector with an unrealistic growth target in face of the troika of troubles – shrinking exports, tumbling private investments and drowning consumption levels. if(geolocation && geolocation != 5 && (typeof skip == 'undefined' || typeof skip.fbevents == 'undefined')) { !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=;t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e); s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script', 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); fbq('init', '338698809636220'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); } Source link Read the full article

[newstfionline]

Headlines

More people are traveling the world than ever. But the number coming to America is dropping. (Washington Post) Travelers can’t get enough of globe-trotting. But have they had enough of the United States? According to the World Tourism Organization, a United Nations agency, the number of international tourist arrivals around the world reached 1.4 billion last year. That represented a 6% increase, and the organization forecast the number to grow by another 3 or 4% in 2019. But in the first half of 2019, the number of international visitors coming to America has actually dropped nearly 1.7%. That’s according to preliminary data from the Department of Commerce’s National Travel and Tourism Office, which shows slightly more than 37 million foreign travelers came to the country between January and June.

Has paying for college become a moral obligation for parents? (LI) That’s what New York University’s Caitlin Zaloom has found, after conducting interviews with 160 middle class college students and their parents for her new book, Indebted: How Families Make College Work at Any Cost. A college education is now considered the prime gateway to the middle class, leaving parents with immense pressure to clear the way for their kids to not only attend any university, but the best one possible, no matter the cost. Amid rising tuition and student debt rates, such well-intentioned efforts can yield financial pain and uncertain payoffs.

Dorian topples crane, knocks out power in eastern Canada (AP) Dorian arrived on Canada’s Atlantic coast Saturday with heavy rain and powerful winds, toppling a construction crane in Halifax and knocking out power for more than 300,000 people a day after the storm wreaked havoc on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Residents of Nova Scotia braced for heavy rainfall and potential flooding along the coast, as officials in Halifax urged people to secure heavy objects that might become projectiles.

Stranded North Carolinians take stock of Dorian’s damage (AP) As the sky cleared and floodwaters receded Saturday, residents of North Carolina’s Outer Banks began to assess the damage wrought by Hurricane Dorian. Steve Harris has lived on Ocracoke Island for most of the last 19 years. He’s ridden out eight hurricanes, but he said he’d never seen a storm bring such devastation to his community, which is accessible only by boat or air and is popular with tourists for its undeveloped beaches. “We just thought it was gonna be a normal blow,” Harris, a semi-retired contractor, said Friday. “But the damage is going to be severe this time. This is flooding of biblical proportions.”

Guatemalan Congress Approves Controversial State of Siege Declaration (Reuters) Guatemala’s Congress voted overwhelmingly on Saturday to approve a temporary state of siege in six northeastern provinces, a measure designed to tighten security after several soldiers were killed by suspected drug traffickers.

UK’s Johnson Sticking to Brexit Plans, Says Foreign Minister (Reuters) Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains determined to pull Britain out of the European Union on Oct. 31 come what may, his foreign minister said on Sunday.

Turkey’s Erdogan says will discuss Syria with Trump at U.N. (Reuters) Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday he expects to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the United Nations later this month to discuss military operations in northeast Syria, where Turkey plans to resettle one million Syrian refugees.

Russia and Ukraine trade prisoners, each fly 35 to freedom (AP) Russia and Ukraine conducted a major prisoner exchange that freed 35 people detained in each country and flew them to the other, a deal that could help advance Russia-Ukraine relations and end five years of fighting in Ukraine’s east. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was elected in a landslide in April, has promised new initiatives to resolve the war in eastern Ukraine. The exchange of prisoners also raises hope in Russia for the reduction of European sanctions imposed because of its role in the conflict.

Trump says he canceled peace talks with Taliban over attack (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said he canceled peace talks with Afghanistan’s Taliban leaders after the insurgent group said it was behind an attack in Kabul that killed an American soldier and 11 other people.

Iraqi Official: 4 Blasts Hit Baghdad, 14 Wounded (AP) A senior Iraqi security official says four bombs have exploded in the capital, Baghdad, wounding a total of 14 people.

UN Nuclear Official in Iran as Atomic Accord Unravels (AP) The acting director-general of the United Nations nuclear watchdog is in Tehran for meetings after Iran announced it would begin using advanced centrifuges prohibited by its 2015 atomic deal with world powers.

Typhoon kills 3 in South Korea before moving to North Korea (AP) One of the most powerful typhoons to ever hit South Korea swept along the country’s coast on Saturday, toppling trees, grounding planes and causing at least three deaths before moving on to North Korea. Typhoon Lingling knocked out power to more than 161,000 homes across South Korea, including on the southern island of Jeju. After hitting Jeju, the storm remained offshore as it moved up South Korea’s west coast on Saturday morning before making landfall in North Korea in the afternoon.

Tokyo Cancels Flights, Trains Ahead of Typhoon Faxai (Reuters) Japan braced for Typhoon Faxai on Sunday cancelling trains and flights in Tokyo with destructive winds of up to 216 kph (134 mph) and heavy rain expected to hit the region overnight, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

China’s Trade With US Shrinks as Tariff War Worsens (AP) China’s trade with the United States is falling sharply as the two sides prepare for more negotiations with no sign of progress toward ending a worsening tariff war that threatens global economic growth.

Hong Kong police fire tear gas after fending off airport protest (Reuters) Hong Kong police prevented anti-government protesters from blocking access to the airport on Saturday, but fired tear gas for a second night running in the Chinese-ruled city’s densely populated district of Mong Kok in the 14th week of unrest.

Pope, on Madagascar Visit, Condemns Clan Culture of Privilege, Graft (Reuters) Pope Francis, on a visit to Madagascar, on Sunday condemned what he said was its clan culture of privilege and corruption that allows a very few to live in wealth while the vast majority languish in grinding poverty.

[bountyofbeads]

Trump says he has agreement with Guatemala to help stem flow of migrants at the border

https://wapo.st/2ZdfYKp

Trump says he has agreement with Guatemala to help stem flow of migrants at the border

By Seung Min Kim and Kevin Sieff | Published July 26 at 5:49 PM ET | Washington Post | Posted July 26, 2019

President Trump on Friday said he has struck a deal that would designate Guatemala as a safe third country for those seeking asylum in the United States — a concept that is facing significant legal hurdles in the Central American country as the Trump administration continues to struggle with the high number of migrants arriving at the southern U.S. border. 

The White House did not immediately release details of the agreement and it is unclear how it would be implemented considering Guatemala’s constitutional court has ruled that any safe third country agreement would require legislative approval and the proposal has been widely criticized there. 

Trump announced the arrangement in a previously unscheduled appearance in the Oval Office with Enrique Degenhart, the Guatemalan minister of government, and acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan.

“We've long been working with Guatemala and now we can do it the right way,” Trump said Friday. He said the agreement will put “coyotes and the smugglers out of business. These are bad people.” 

Trump said the agreement will offer safe harbor for asylum applicants deemed legitimate, and that he plans to sign other safe third agreements with other countries soon. 

The announcement comes just days after Trump threatened retaliation against Guatemala as discussions stalled over designating the Central American nation as a safe third country, which means that a migrant traveling through the country on their journey to the United States would be directed to first seek protection there.

On Friday, Guatemala’s only public statement about the agreement did not explicitly say that it would serve as a safe third country, but alluded vaguely to “a plan that will be applied to Salvadorans and Hondurans.”

The statement said the United States would allocate temporary agricultural work visas to Guatemalans, adding that country’s president, Jimmy Morales, negotiated the deal “to counter grave economic and social repercussions”

The deal would force thousands of Hondurans and Salvadorans to apply for asylum in Guatemala, one of the region’s poorest countries, which has in some cities struggled to defeat transnational gangs, including MS-13.

“Guatemala’s asylum system isn’t prepared to increase its capacity to 50,000 in less than a year,” said one United Nations official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which currently supports Guatemala’s fledgling asylum system, was not consulted as part of the negotiations, officials said.

Last year, Guatemala received 259 asylum applications, a tiny number compared to the United States and even Mexico. Of those, not a single application was approved, in part because the country is still building institutions to review those cases.

For months, Morales dispatched members of his administration to Washington to negotiate a safe third country agreement with the United States. But earlier this month, shortly before Morales was scheduled to sign the agreement in the White House, Guatemala’s constitutional court ruled that he didn’t have the authority to sign the deal without congressional approval.

The meeting with Trump was canceled. In a statement, Morales then denied that he had ever attempted to negotiate such an agreement. He is in the twilight of his scandal-ridden presidency, with elections scheduled for August 11.

But when Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Guatemala and tax remittances, Morales resumed negotiations. Members of the country’s business community urged him on, raising alarm about the impact of tariffs, but most Guatemalans believe the country is wildly unprepared to offer asylum to thousands of Central Americans.

This year, for the first time in history, more Guatemalans have been apprehended at the U.S. border than citizens of any other country. It remains one of the region’s poorest countries, where migration is seen by many as the only way into a tiny middle class. In 2017, Guatemalans received a total of $8.2 billion in remittances, 11 percent of Guatemalan GDP.

Guatemalan politicians and analysts were taken aback by the agreement, which most discovered through a White House tweet.

“One characteristic of this government is that it does whatever it wants, in spite of what the law says. This is another example,” said Sandra Morán Reyes, a congresswoman from the Convergencia party.

[bxynjolf]

"heart's day is tomorrow." noted rather blandly, gaze not once straying from the sprawled handwriting that collected on the pages of the ledger. "have any plans? aside from the usual market schemes, i mean." [i don't know what i'm doing but have this]

                    ❝S’pose it all depends, yeah? ❞      In a way, it truly did. What would Brahms, one skeezy bastard of a merchant, allow to pass through the tariff ridden bay of Solstheim to their awaiting mitts? What manner of mischief would their latest bloom of a recruit get up to---would a grave failure be scraped off the stonework or would a smug announcement of success be delivered with gold and a grin to Mercer? 

     What work could be shifted, delayed, or paused for a proper romp in the hay with that darling lass passing through the Bee and Barb? 

     Very little, Brynjolf thought, as brilliant, spring eyes roam idle parchment. So few hands could be spared. Now more than ever, really. Not to mention, their beloved sour-shaft of a cabbage Guildmaster never did seem to permit any recreation with the bonnie babes that passed through the Rift. Not that the Second of Thieves had evidence of this; more so, just a sneaking suspicion. 

                       So, his response is delivered with a prompt smirk. 

                    ❝You treatin’ a lad t'a round or three or what? ❞ 

[doonitedin]

Vodafone Idea hikes mobile call, data rates by 20-25 per cent

Vodafone Idea hikes mobile call, data rates by 20-25 per cent

The announcement from Vodafone Idea comes a day after Bharti Airtel announced hiking tariffs New Delhi: Debt-ridden telecom operator Vodafone Idea on Tuesday announced an increase in mobile call and data tariffs across plans by 20-25 per cent. The higher tariffs will be effective from November 25, it said in a statement.   The company has increased the minimum value of recharge by 25.31 per…

[shlipayadavblog]

Vodafone Idea's Q2 loss narrows to Rs 7,145 cr; ARPU rises 5% qoq to Rs 109

Debt-ridden telecom operator Vodafone Idea Ltd (VIL) on Friday reported narrowing of consolidated loss to Rs 7,144.6 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, on account of an increase in mobile services tariff and cost optimisation.

The company had posted a loss of Rs 7,218.2 crore in the corresponding period of the previous financial year 2020-21.

During the September 2021 quarter, VIL increased the entry-level prepaid pricing plan from Rs 49 to Rs 79, in a phased manner, as well as increased the tariffs in some postpaid plans. Its consolidated revenue during July-September 2021 declined about 13 per cent to Rs 9,406.4 crore, compared with Rs 10,791.2 crore in the year-ago period.

The impact of the government relief package was not visible in the books of VIL as it was announced towards the end of the quarter under review. VIL, however, appreciated the move as it provides immediate relief to the company reeling under the financial stress.

"We welcome the government's landmark reform package that addresses several industry concerns and provides immediate relief to the financial stress in the sector.

"We also appreciate the government's recognition of the telecom sector's contribution in keeping the country connected during the pandemic," VIL Managing Director and CEO Ravinder Takkar said in a statement.

He added that during the last quarter, the company witnessed a recovery in its operating momentum as the economy has started to gradually open up, aided by the ongoing rapid vaccination drive.

The company's subscriber base declined to 25.3 crore during the reported quarter, from 27.18 crore a year ago.

The subscriber base declined on a quarter-on-quarter basis as well.

[zucca101]

Then what's too far to the Right for you? Because any honest person would've decided it's time to start pushing the other way months ago. Many have, even!

I’m not liking the tariffs, as I’ve plainly stated.

And as I’ve also stated, the Democrats need to get people in who actually represent them. Not Socialists.

Unless that truly is the new party line, in which case they can go live in Venezuela and get a good mouthful of dysentery-ridden Socialism there.

[adminnewstrust24]

Imran's new Pakistan is breaking people's back, another mountain of trouble broke on the people facing inflation.

Imran’s new Pakistan is breaking people’s back, another mountain of trouble broke on the people facing inflation.

Pakistan’s awam was already groaning over the hike in oil prices, daily use items and food items, but prime minister Imran Khan’s government, which claims a new Pakistan, has hit another hammer at the people. The price-ridden Pakistani awam suffered another major setback when the federal cabinet decided to hike power tariffs. News agency ANI quoted Pakistani TV channels as saying that the…