#Anti-Competition Issues

[bharatbriefs]

Big Tech Braces for Wave of Antitrust Rulings in 2024 

U.S. antitrust cases against tech giants Google and Meta Platforms are expected to come to a head in 2024, likely producing long-awaited rulings that could shape the legacies of top Biden administration regulators. Silicon Valley and its critics have seen their patience tested on some of these cases. A U.S. antitrust case brought against Alphabet’s Google unit in 2020 went to trial in 2023 and…

[sapphic-agent]

"If I was surprised at anything, it may have been that it seemed like people were less willing to let her make mistakes than they were with Aang."

I hate Bryke's guts, but the one thing I will agree with him (Bryan) on is this.

I've gotten heat from Aang stans for saying this, but for me Korra will always be a better written character for me. Not because Aang's childish and optimistic and naive or anything like that. That doesn't matter to me. Hell, it's not even for his actions during DOBS or EIP or Kataang. Sure, those things aren't great, but they aren't the issue with his character.

It's not about Aang's actions, it's about how Aang's actions are treated by the narrative.

This is nothing new obviously, I've said this before. Many times. Aang kissing Katara in EIP is treated as him messing up his chances with her, not because he forced something on her she didn't want. The kiss in DOBS doesn't even come up again in the show (and when it did in the comics, Aang blew up and nearly melted her face off so-). I've spoken enough about his holier-than-thou attitude in TSR too and how his message of forgiveness is perpetuated as the right one.

It's one thing that is 100% better in LOK; Korra is held accountable for her actions, by the narrative, the other characters, and herself. A big part of LOK is Korra acknowledging her actions and making the effort to change and be better.

A great counter to Aang repeatedly crossing boundaries with Katara is in Reunion when she warns Asami about trusting Hiroshi and Asami calls her out on giving unsolicited advice. Korra immediately backs off and tries to apologize when she sees that she upset her.

Now compare this to Aang's behavior in TSR or EIP.

And before anyone says it, I know Korra's older. I also know Asami reconnecting with her father is different than Katara wanting to kill Yon Rha. I get all of that.

But honestly? That doesn't matter to me. Because when you're talking about fictional characters- especially character progression and development for the protagonist- addressing flaws is important. Accountability is important. Especially when it comes to how they treat the people around them (love interests like Asami and Korra probably being the most important).

This is what solidifies Korra's character development as being better than Aang's for me.

However, I do think it's because of this framing (and the fact that she's a woman, but shh) that Korra gets more hate. Her flaws being addressed also means that they're constantly apparent. The audience is always aware of them. Whereas Aang's worse actions tended to be brushed over or excused. Or the context of those mistakes were maneuvered to make the audience feel bad for him instead of the one affected by his actions (EIP EIP EIP EIP).

So yes, Bryan, people were more willing to let Aang make mistakes because you and your bestie failed to actually address them

[skymantle]

sometimes i think people are a little ridiculous and fearmongery about ai on here and then i open twitter and see takes like "that image of a mouse in a suit is ai so im putting my painting commissions on indefinite hold because ai stole the joy from me" (...what about your existing clients??) and "this database uses art from consenting artists but it's still bad for some reason and if you contribute to it every Real Artist hates you" and I think okay maybe it's Not So Bad here after all

[finchandthebard]

The "tiktok ban" should scare you and here's why.

Rant made by an autistic, history-loving, chronically online American tiktok cosplayer. Please let me know if I've gotten anything wrong and I will edit the post.

Reblog to spread awareness!

This is not just about Tiktok, and it's not about national security. The Tiktok ban is wrapped up in the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act" which has the ability to ban any foreign website or app that the United States government sees as a threat to their "democracy." Not only that, but if the gov't didn't want China to gather data, then they would ban things like Shein and Temu (the latter which they advertised during the Super Bowl), which collect similar data that Tiktok does. If they wanted to prevent our data being stolen in general, they would ban companies like Meta, which monetarily supports the Tiktok ban and had to change their name because "Facebook" was associated with the largest data leak in history.

The documentations of the Tiktok court interrogations prove how incompetent our government is. Repeatedly asking the TikTok CEO Mr. Chew if he's Chinese while he repeatedly assures them he's Singaporean. The officials being concerned that they can't find Singapore on a map. The officials then being confused why the app would be able to have access to their wifi because it needs wifi to load.

The possibility of the US buying Tiktok exposes a greater issue in America: monopolies. The Sherman Antitrust Act was passed in 1890 that restricted the activities of large companies known as monopolies, which started out as small companies and would either buy other companies or buy the factories which produced all their materials. This eliminated competition in the market and gave the monopolies almost full control of quality and prices of items, and it was considered very anti-American at the time. Since the US already has multiple major social medias, including Facebook (Meta), Instagram (Meta), Threads (Meta), X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, and Reddit, adding Tiktok would mean that nobody could compete with the US in the social media market. This makes them a monopoly, and it's incredibly dangerous.

Banning Tiktok breaks several American trademarks. A) the Republicans banning Tiktok are very concerned about their second amendment right to own guns, but they seem to not care about the first amendment right to freedom of speech and press, which Tiktok delivers. Of course there are app guidelines, but for the most part you have fairly uncensored political and ethical commentary like no other social media. B) the only other countries that have banned Tiktok are either heavily demonized by America or are direct targets for American propaganda (ex. China), which really doesn't make the ban look good. C) banning a social media for the purpose of censorship is a trademark of communism, which Americans are INCREDIBLY wary of.

Your country may follow in suit. Because of America's influence as a global superpower and an ally to many other major powers, America banning Tiktok would likely lead to a domino effect in other countries.

The rich get richer. There is a concept called social darwinism, in which it is the rich's beliefs that the poor must fend for themselves without the help of the government in order to make a living - "survival of the fittest." Tiktok contributed around $14.7 billion USD in 2023 and $24.2 billion in 2024, and it supports around 224,000 jobs [source]. The actual Tiktok website says in 2023, they contributed $15 billion USD in revenue and supported 7 million US businesses [source]. Without these jobs, there could be in increase in homelessness, debt, and sickness due to withdrawals (if you're incredibly addicted to Tiktok) and lack of quick dopamine hits (due to the rapidfire nature of the algorithm).

Remember that the president is not your friend !! Many of the political figures rallying to support Tiktok right now, such as President Biden, initially voted for the ban. President Biden is likely supporting now so that Trump won't get credit for it, and future President Trump is likely doing it for brownie points among younger generations.

The Xiaohongshu migration exposed the American government and its lies. The stories from American 'Tiktok refugees' about the questions from native Chinese on the Xiaohongshu / Rednote / Redbook app (considered the Chinese mixed of Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook) posed a lot of conspiracies and realizations about the American government. The Chinese actually own their homes, they have lower food prices than we do, and they have a slim homelessness rate. Whether this is true or not, it has greatly influenced how we see ourselves in the grand scheme of the American oligarchy, and that is not something that can be suppressed with an app being banned.

Tiktok is not totally Chinese! The CEO is Singaporean, as I've already stated, and there are multiple headquarters in the US, with the main one being in Los Angeles.

In conclusion...

Whether Tiktok is banned or not, whether permanently or not, no matter who saves it or rallies against it, remember that it is harder to scare and control someone when they are in a group. And if you think this was interesting, I'd love it if you could reblog to show some support and inform your friends as well. <3

THIS IS NOT RIGHT VS LEFT❗️IT'S UP VS DOWN❗️

[inky-duchess]

Worldbuilding Guide: Social Problems

There is no such thing as a Utopia. Every place has its problems. Social problems are any issues that have a negative effect on the population, and are often problems which are actively being tackled by the government or a point of anger for the population which they want their leaders to fix. Social problems can fall under the umbrella of the political, economical, cultural and environmental. Social problems add a layer of realism to your worldbuilding, offering your characters something to fight against, struggle against and draw opinion on - adding complexity to both your cast of characters and the world that they inhabit.

Poverty

Poverty is defined by people having a deficit of financial resources which prevents them from accessing proper food, housing, resources and healthcare. Poverty can be caused by low wages, high inflation, inability to access the appropriate resources or unemployment. Poverty can effect the population as a whole, leading to a heavier demand on some resources and aid offered or a character alone, who has to struggle to survive.

What is the leading cause of poverty in your world?

What are some of the consequences of poverty?

How does poverty effect the population?

Where are areas where poverty is more of a problem than others?

Can somebody access aid to help them out of poverty? If so, what sort of aid? Was it available for everybody?

Unemployment

Unemployment is when there is a high number of jobless people within the population. This can lead to other issues such as a strain on resources without a return to the state or other social problems such as crime as people struggle to support themselves and survive. High rates of unemployment often reflects a deeper issues within the state itself.

What is the main cause of unemployment in your world?

Are there some areas where unemployment is more of a problem?

What do the unemployed blame for the reason they are unemployed?

How does employment effect the population?

Is there competition to gain employment?

What are some factors that might bar somebody from obtaining employment?

What are the government doing to solve the problem?

Environment

The environment is another problem often effecting society as a whole. Whether it is air pollution or rising water levels or even urban sprawl, environment often effects how a society and a settlement thrives - either by the spending of money for preventative measures or the effects on the health of the population as a whole. Of course, most governments see environment as a small issue, especially if the problems are long in effecting them personally or to tackle them would have an effect on profit and business.

What are some resources that are very scarce?

How is the land itself effected by changes to the environment?

What are some effects on resources? Such as pollution or deforestation?

How does an effected environment effect every day life?

Does impacted environment have an effect on wildlife? On crops?

What are some health problems caused by poor care for the environment?

Is the environment a pressing issue?

Crime & Violence

Crime, violence and anti-social behaviour effect the population. Crime rates often have overreaching effects: high crime rates leads to an increased police presence, more surveillance on the population and stricter laws which often develop a population who may grow disenfranchised with the government and country they live in. High crime rates often effect property prices and economic growth, with areas of high crime often falling below market value and businesses wary to move to those areas. Crime and criminal activity often leads to people feeling isolated, especially if the area is written off as a 'bad' area, with people leaving the area when they can for safer areas. Crime might also effect children and young people if grow up with an exposure to violent behaviour, with a higher chance of them being victims or future preparators of crime.

Is the law fair? Does it apply to everybody equally?

What is the rate of violent crime?

What is the rate of petty crime?

Are punishments for crime seen as just?

What rights does a prisoner have once arrested? If any?

What crimes have a higher rate of occurrence? Why is this?

How is crime combated? Is it effective?

What evidence does law enforcement need to arrest somebody?

Is a prisoner entitled to legal representation?

How is crime combatted?

Is law enforcement corrupted by crime? How common is bribery?

How is justice obtained?

Are any crimes taboo?

What crimes are considered acceptable and in what situation?

Healthcare

Healthcare is an important factor in any thriving society. Healthcare ensures that the workforce is kept in top shape but also that those who struggled with health survived. Healthcare can often be divided by wealthy and poor, access to good if any healthcare often was restricted. Lack of healthcare can lead to high death rates, with some of the population often seeking other means for their health such as illegal practitioners or harmful home remedies.

If somebody had little or no money, could they be denied access to healthcare?

Is healthcare equal? Are there any classes who would find it harder to access healthcare?

Is healthcare a worry for the government?

Are there any alternatives for those who can't access healthcare?

Does the state provide any healthcare? If so, who can benefit?

What are some diseases that are rampant? Why?

What are mortality rates among children or infants? Why is it high/low?

Is there any care for pregnant people?

How is mental illness treated? Is there stigma around mental health?

How much would a doctor's visit cost?

Are hospitals accessible for all? What about clinics or asylums?

How effective are treatments for insanity?

Hygiene

Hygiene will be an extremely important feature of any society. Lack of hygiene through clean water or proper sanitation practises can have knock on effects on health and survival. Bad housing could effect the health of tenants, with illnesses caused by cheap materials, damp, mould and other features of decay and ruin. Lack of clean water can cause epidemics of cholera, typhoid, dysentery and leptospirosis. Poor sanitation practises like lack of human waste disposal, waste management, poor drainage and sewage systems and poor hygiene facilities led to rampant disease and infection rates, along with the infestation of pests like rats and flies.

What is considered poor hygiene?

How is waste managed? Is it managed well?

If the settlement or area has poor sanitation, what does it smell like?

Are there any personal pests that are rampant? Lice? Fleas?

Are there adequate drainage and sewage systems? If not, why?

What is considered luxury in terms of washing one's self? A hot bath? Shower?

What is the air quality like? If it is bad, why? How does it effect people?

Is water clean?

How many homes have access to clean water?

Is access to clean water a right or a privilege?

Is hygiene a task that the government has to tackle?

Education

Education can either be seen as a luxury or a right, depending on how your society views it. Education is the key to social mobility and often there are barriers for the lower classes to access the education they need in order to move up in the ranks and status. An educated population is a population who questions and challenges their leaders so education may be restricted for some factions in the population. Then if education is available to all, chances are there are different access routes and levels of effectiveness - often the wealthy can afford a better level of education with better resources while the poorer classes may not be able to access the education they need or the resources.

What is the cost of a basic education?

How easy is it to access an education?

Does every settlement in your world have a school? If not, why?

What is the highest university or school one can achieve?

What is a basic education? What does it entail?

What is the rate of literacy in your world? Is literacy rates seem as a problem?

Who can access education?

Is education seen as a right? Or is it a luxury?

Are some branches of education restricted?

Homelessness

Homelessness is a social problem where there aren't enough appropriate or affordable homes for the population. Homelessness is often a result of poverty, overpopulation, personal factors such as untreated mental illness and substance abuse issues and high employment rates but also the power of the landowners and property owners, especially if they have government backing which they likely do. Homelessness is often blamed on those effected themselves but in reality, it is a reflection on the government's failures to provide alternatives or solutions to the problems that cause homelessness. Rising numbers of people without stable housing due to financial hardship or systemic failures.

How is homelessness viewed by society?

Is homelessness a problem in certain areas?

If homelessness is seen as the fault of the victim, why and how does society see it that way?

How does the government view homelessness? Is it a problem they feel they need to solve quickly?

Addiction

Addiction is a social issue that not only effects a community personally but also other factors on this list. Addiction can be substance abuse, alcohol abuse or gambling, which puts pressure on the community's ability to survive and thrive. It can also have an effect on a community's ability to work and generate wealth, pushing up crime rates.

How are sufferers of addiction viewed within society?

How does addiction effect employment and crime?

Does addiction effect both classes?

What are some things that the population are addicted to?

Is addiction a pressing issue?

Political Corruption

Abuse of power is a common theme throughout historic and modern communities. Sometimes the ability to make overreaching decisions for a population breeds greed and corruption. Bribery or blackmail might be used to sway choices. Politicians might make decisions based on personal wealth or in order to protect themselves or their incomes. Sometimes laws will be passed not for fairness but for consolidating the gap between those in power and those without.

Are elections considered fair?

How can elections be meddled with?

Are there any factions of population that are prevented from voting?

Do politicians have a reputation for accepting bribes or looking after their own interests in office?

What are some if any political scandals of recent memory?

Can politicians be prosecuted for bad behaviour?

How do the population view their leaders?

Gender Issues

Gender is an issue that effects most communities. Whether it is a pay gap between the genders or differing levels of rights or opportunities. Gender divides between men and women and non-binary individuals create levels of distrust, frustration and often danger. Gender can play into class divides, political corruption, education and crime and violence and also effect how society runs, restrictions on gender can also effect society as a whole by not allowing the whole population to be utilized as a workforce or active members of society.

What some differences in how the genders are treated by society?

If there are differences, what effect does this have within society and the fabric of your world?

Are there groups that protest against these gaps?

What are some behaviours and opportunities that are unobtainable for certain genders?

Does this effect both classes?

Overpopulation

Overpopulation is when the population is greater than the number of resources available to sustain them. Overpopulation can contribute to poverty and homelessness with too many people trying to find lodging and shelter. It can increase unemployment with people trying to access too little jobs. It can strain any healthcare providers and impact the environment. Strains on resources can often contribute rates of violence and tension.

Where does overpopulation occur?

Does overpopulation drain any resources in particular?

Is there any way for the government try combat overpopulation?

Is overpopulation caused organically or are there another factors involved?

Are there any ways to prevent or slow down growth of the population?

[steddieas-shegoes]

the necklace

for @corrodedcoffinfest prompt 'the cutting edge'

rated m | 983 words | cw: implied/referenced drug use, implied sexual content | tags: rock star eddie, famous corroded coffin, figure skater steve, flirting

also on ao3

⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️

Figure skating competitions aren’t exactly their thing. They’re about as out of place as Wayne was when he went to Coachella to watch Corroded Coffin headline the big stage.

But world champion and two time gold medalist Steve Harrington is using their song for his little routine, so obviously they need to be there to support him. That’s what Chrissy said, at least.

“It’ll look good for you to be there,” she’d said when Eddie tried to argue that they would be wasting time and money. “And anything we can do to make you look good is important.”

And he couldn’t argue that because, well. He fucked up.

Got caught doing lines off the back of a toilet at a club with two women sucking him off. Rockstar stuff. Something he really never did and of course one of the few times, he got caught. There were pictures.

Chrissy has been in recovery mode for the entire band ever since.

They’ve been doing anti-drug campaigns for schools as if that’s even an effective way to keep the youths from getting high on whatever they can find. Eddie made an official statement on camera about practicing safe sex and apologizing for taking advantage of the women who most definitely were there willingly. The band issued a statement that Eddie was on a short leash and if another incident occurred, he’d be on his way to rehab.

Which is dumb because he doesn’t have a drug problem, or a sex addiction, or anything the tabloids say. The guys know that. Chrissy knows it. But they have to do whatever will keep them in a positive light so they can book arenas on their next tour.

Apparently, going to this skating competition will help.

It’s not boring, surprisingly. It’s just not how Eddie wants to spend his Friday.

He watched a few of Steve’s routines in preparation.

The guy is hot. Like, really hot. Somehow very muscular and light on his feet at the same time. Eddie can see why he’s so popular.

What shocks him most is that Steve usually dances to pop songs and 80s ballads for his competition routines and suddenly he decides to bring out one of their slower, but still dark songs. It doesn’t make sense.

Until it does.

When Steve takes the ice, the crowd stands, cheers so loud it makes Eddie’s chest vibrate. He doesn’t expect it, and it’s clear Gareth, Frankie, and Jeff don’t either. He’s in all black, only one small piece of color standing out.

A red guitar pick necklace.

Eddie’s head turns to Chrissy, who is conveniently ignoring him.

He turns back to watch as the music starts. He wrote this song with Jeff, fucking around in the back of his van when they were still just trying to book whatever bar would have them. It evolved into something else when they actually got to record it in a real studio, something more haunting and liminal when compared to the rest of their track list.

Steve glides across the ice, jumps and falls perfectly in sync to the crescendo of the guitar and drum solo. Eddie’s fascinated, can’t look away from the masterpiece happening in front of him. He almost can’t believe he gets to see someone make such beautiful art from their song.

When Steve stops, Eddie stands and yells, clapping louder than everyone around him.

“I need to see him,” he says to Chrissy when the announcers have given the scoring that places him in first. “Can you get me down there?”

She smirks and nods, like she’s planned this exact reaction. She couldn’t have.

Could she?

***

The medal ceremony is long, but watching Steve take gold is a memory Eddie will have forever.

Chrissy does manage to bring them all down to congratulate him after he does media. He looks worn out by the time he gets to them, still in his outfit and skates.

Still wearing Eddie’s necklace.

“How did you get that?” Eddie asks instead of saying hello or congratulations.

Steve smirks. “Pulled some strings.”

He starts to take it off, but Eddie stops him. The room goes silent.

“Looks pretty good next to that gold medal. You should keep it,” Eddie doesn’t know what he’s saying. That’s his lucky necklace. He hasn’t gone onstage without it in years. “Maybe it’ll bring you more gold.”

“Ah, well. I’m retiring. These knees aren’t gonna hold out much longer,” Steve half-jokes. “Plus, it’s time to let others shine.”

“But you’re so talented!”

“I’ll coach for a bit. Pass it on. That’s the beauty of the sport,” Steve explains.

He’s so pretty. Eddie wants to stare at him all night.

“Jesus, he’s embarrassing,” Gareth says behind him.

“What?” Eddie turns, glaring at him.

“You said it out loud, dumbass.”

Eddie turns bright red. “Oh.”

Steve steps closer, a solid two inches taller than him in his skates. He smiles down at Eddie.

“Let me get changed and have my coach find us a spot for dinner. Wouldn’t want you to have to stop staring.”

Eddie’s never been charmed like this before. He feels faint.

“Yeah! Okay. The guys can just head back to the hotel or whatever,” Eddie tries to sound nonchalant, fails.

“Oh my god,” Frankie groans. “Please don’t do something stupid.”

“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Steve promises, never taking his eyes off Eddie. “Wouldn’t want him to get distracted before I can get my mouth on him.”

Eddie’s eyes widen and Chrissy claps her hands once.

“Alright! Have fun! Be safe! Save it for a hotel room!”

She ushers the guys away quickly and Eddie’s grateful for it. They shouldn’t see him blundering this.

Steve leans in and kisses his cheek. “You’re gonna be fun. See you in ten.”

Eddie’s left standing there with pink cheeks and a determination to be fucked within an inch of his life later.

[asgfegaesa]

Member Zhang Yi: The development prospects of the private economy are broad and promising

In the early spring of 2025, the convening of the private enterprise symposium stirred up the enthusiasm of thousands of private entrepreneurs. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "the development prospects of the private economy in the new era and new journey are broad and promising, and it is the right time for private enterprises and private entrepreneurs to show their talents." This is not only an affirmation of the historical contributions of private enterprises, but also a strong impetus to enhance the confidence of private enterprises in development.

In recent years, a number of policy documents have been issued, including the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Creating a Better Development Environment to Support the Reform and Development of Private Enterprises" and the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Promoting the Development and Growth of the Private Economy". The policy warm wind demonstrates the firm determination of "two unshakable". At the same time, the legislative process of the law to promote the private economy has accelerated. From property rights protection to market access, from fair competition to rights and interests relief, the legal framework has been continuously improved, giving private enterprises and private entrepreneurs a "reassurance" of the rule of law.

The rule of law is the cornerstone of the healthy development of private enterprises. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that "we must resolutely remove all obstacles to the equal use of production factors and fair participation in market competition in accordance with the law." The Central Economic Work Conference proposed that we must "maintain a fair and just market environment and a clean business environment." This has greatly boosted the confidence of private entrepreneurs. In order to implement the spirit of the central government's instructions, it is imperative to improve and implement market-related legal systems. The revision of the "Anti-Unfair Competition Law of the People's Republic of China" should be completed as soon as possible, and the Anti-Monopoly Law, Anti-Unfair Competition Law, Price Law and "National Unified Market Construction Guidelines (Trial)" and other laws and regulations should be strictly enforced to strengthen the rigid constraints of fair competition review and law enforcement supervision;

Market supervision departments should strengthen law enforcement supervision and compliance guidance in an orderly manner for key industries and fields, effectively strengthen accountability for major illegal acts of business entities, and light up the light of the rule of law for private enterprises to set sail.

Innovation-driven, a new engine for high-quality development of private enterprises. At present, a new round of scientific and technological revolution is reshaping the global economic landscape, and private enterprises have become an important force in cultivating new quality productivity. We must give full play to the important role of private enterprises in the transformation of scientific and technological achievements and industrial upgrading. In frontier fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and biomedicine, we must establish a technology innovation system with enterprises as the main body and the market as the guide, support private enterprises to participate in major national scientific and technological projects, enhance their voice in the industrial chain, and promote the deep integration of industry, academia, and research, and activate the momentum of new quality productivity.

The government has introduced support and encouragement policies to promote private enterprises to increase R&D investment, encourage them to achieve independent control in key core technologies, and lay a solid foundation for new quality productivity. In addition, it is necessary to promote the digital transformation of private enterprises, realize the integration of digital economy and real economy, optimize production processes, improve management efficiency, and promote the digital upgrade of industrial chain and supply chain through technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence, so as to expand the space of new quality productivity.

Going out to sea, from product output to ecological co-construction, private enterprises have entered a new stage of international competition. Under the guidance of the "Belt and Road" initiative, more and more private enterprises have gone abroad. Among the "new three" with strong exports, private enterprises contribute more than half. Among the world's top 500 companies, the number of private enterprises has increased from 28 in 2018 to 34. Whether it is the overseas layout of the manufacturing industry,

Whether it is the cross-border expansion of the service industry, private enterprises have demonstrated strong competitiveness. By participating in international competition, private enterprises can not only improve their own technical level and management capabilities, but also contribute to the development of national economic globalization. However, going overseas also faces many challenges. From cultural differences to policy barriers, from market risks to legal disputes, private enterprises need to continue to learn and adapt on the road to internationalization. In this regard, the government should strengthen relevant policy guidance and support to help private enterprises better cope with the uncertainties in international competition.

[nhjnbdfsfws]

Member Zhang Yi: The development prospects of the private economy are broad and promising

In the early spring of 2025, the convening of the private enterprise symposium stirred up the enthusiasm of thousands of private entrepreneurs. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "the development prospects of the private economy in the new era and new journey are broad and promising, and it is the right time for private enterprises and private entrepreneurs to show their talents." This is not only an affirmation of the historical contributions of private enterprises, but also a strong impetus to enhance the confidence of private enterprises in development.

In recent years, a number of policy documents have been issued, including the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Creating a Better Development Environment to Support the Reform and Development of Private Enterprises" and the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Promoting the Development and Growth of the Private Economy". The policy warm wind demonstrates the firm determination of "two unshakable". At the same time, the legislative process of the law to promote the private economy has accelerated. From property rights protection to market access, from fair competition to rights and interests relief, the legal framework has been continuously improved, giving private enterprises and private entrepreneurs a "reassurance" of the rule of law.

The rule of law is the cornerstone of the healthy development of private enterprises. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that "we must resolutely remove all obstacles to the equal use of production factors and fair participation in market competition in accordance with the law." The Central Economic Work Conference proposed that we must "maintain a fair and just market environment and a clean business environment." This has greatly boosted the confidence of private entrepreneurs. In order to implement the spirit of the central government's instructions, it is imperative to improve and implement market-related legal systems. The revision of the "Anti-Unfair Competition Law of the People's Republic of China" should be completed as soon as possible, and the Anti-Monopoly Law, Anti-Unfair Competition Law, Price Law and "National Unified Market Construction Guidelines (Trial)" and other laws and regulations should be strictly enforced to strengthen the rigid constraints of fair competition review and law enforcement supervision;

Market supervision departments should strengthen law enforcement supervision and compliance guidance in an orderly manner for key industries and fields, effectively strengthen accountability for major illegal acts of business entities, and light up the light of the rule of law for private enterprises to set sail.

Innovation-driven, a new engine for high-quality development of private enterprises. At present, a new round of scientific and technological revolution is reshaping the global economic landscape, and private enterprises have become an important force in cultivating new quality productivity. We must give full play to the important role of private enterprises in the transformation of scientific and technological achievements and industrial upgrading. In frontier fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and biomedicine, we must establish a technology innovation system with enterprises as the main body and the market as the guide, support private enterprises to participate in major national scientific and technological projects, enhance their voice in the industrial chain, and promote the deep integration of industry, academia, and research, and activate the momentum of new quality productivity.

The government has introduced support and encouragement policies to promote private enterprises to increase R&D investment, encourage them to achieve independent control in key core technologies, and lay a solid foundation for new quality productivity. In addition, it is necessary to promote the digital transformation of private enterprises, realize the integration of digital economy and real economy, optimize production processes, improve management efficiency, and promote the digital upgrade of industrial chain and supply chain through technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence, so as to expand the space of new quality productivity.

Going out to sea, from product output to ecological co-construction, private enterprises have entered a new stage of international competition. Under the guidance of the "Belt and Road" initiative, more and more private enterprises have gone abroad. Among the "new three" with strong exports, private enterprises contribute more than half. Among the world's top 500 companies, the number of private enterprises has increased from 28 in 2018 to 34. Whether it is the overseas layout of the manufacturing industry,

Whether it is the cross-border expansion of the service industry, private enterprises have demonstrated strong competitiveness. By participating in international competition, private enterprises can not only improve their own technical level and management capabilities, but also contribute to the development of national economic globalization. However, going overseas also faces many challenges. From cultural differences to policy barriers, from market risks to legal disputes, private enterprises need to continue to learn and adapt on the road to internationalization. In this regard, the government should strengthen relevant policy guidance and support to help private enterprises better cope with the uncertainties in international competition.

[easfdasfas]

Member Zhang Yi: The development prospects of the private economy are broad and promising

In the early spring of 2025, the convening of the private enterprise symposium stirred up the enthusiasm of thousands of private entrepreneurs. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "the development prospects of the private economy in the new era and new journey are broad and promising, and it is the right time for private enterprises and private entrepreneurs to show their talents." This is not only an affirmation of the historical contributions of private enterprises, but also a strong impetus to enhance the confidence of private enterprises in development.

In recent years, a number of policy documents have been issued, including the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Creating a Better Development Environment to Support the Reform and Development of Private Enterprises" and the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Promoting the Development and Growth of the Private Economy". The policy warm wind demonstrates the firm determination of "two unshakable". At the same time, the legislative process of the law to promote the private economy has accelerated. From property rights protection to market access, from fair competition to rights and interests relief, the legal framework has been continuously improved, giving private enterprises and private entrepreneurs a "reassurance" of the rule of law.

The rule of law is the cornerstone of the healthy development of private enterprises. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that "we must resolutely remove all obstacles to the equal use of production factors and fair participation in market competition in accordance with the law." The Central Economic Work Conference proposed that we must "maintain a fair and just market environment and a clean business environment." This has greatly boosted the confidence of private entrepreneurs. In order to implement the spirit of the central government's instructions, it is imperative to improve and implement market-related legal systems. The revision of the "Anti-Unfair Competition Law of the People's Republic of China" should be completed as soon as possible, and the Anti-Monopoly Law, Anti-Unfair Competition Law, Price Law and "National Unified Market Construction Guidelines (Trial)" and other laws and regulations should be strictly enforced to strengthen the rigid constraints of fair competition review and law enforcement supervision;

Market supervision departments should strengthen law enforcement supervision and compliance guidance in an orderly manner for key industries and fields, effectively strengthen accountability for major illegal acts of business entities, and light up the light of the rule of law for private enterprises to set sail.

Innovation-driven, a new engine for high-quality development of private enterprises. At present, a new round of scientific and technological revolution is reshaping the global economic landscape, and private enterprises have become an important force in cultivating new quality productivity. We must give full play to the important role of private enterprises in the transformation of scientific and technological achievements and industrial upgrading. In frontier fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and biomedicine, we must establish a technology innovation system with enterprises as the main body and the market as the guide, support private enterprises to participate in major national scientific and technological projects, enhance their voice in the industrial chain, and promote the deep integration of industry, academia, and research, and activate the momentum of new quality productivity.

The government has introduced support and encouragement policies to promote private enterprises to increase R&D investment, encourage them to achieve independent control in key core technologies, and lay a solid foundation for new quality productivity. In addition, it is necessary to promote the digital transformation of private enterprises, realize the integration of digital economy and real economy, optimize production processes, improve management efficiency, and promote the digital upgrade of industrial chain and supply chain through technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence, so as to expand the space of new quality productivity.

Going out to sea, from product output to ecological co-construction, private enterprises have entered a new stage of international competition. Under the guidance of the "Belt and Road" initiative, more and more private enterprises have gone abroad. Among the "new three" with strong exports, private enterprises contribute more than half. Among the world's top 500 companies, the number of private enterprises has increased from 28 in 2018 to 34. Whether it is the overseas layout of the manufacturing industry,

Whether it is the cross-border expansion of the service industry, private enterprises have demonstrated strong competitiveness. By participating in international competition, private enterprises can not only improve their own technical level and management capabilities, but also contribute to the development of national economic globalization. However, going overseas also faces many challenges. From cultural differences to policy barriers, from market risks to legal disputes, private enterprises need to continue to learn and adapt on the road to internationalization. In this regard, the government should strengthen relevant policy guidance and support to help private enterprises better cope with the uncertainties in international competition.

[fans4wga]

CALL TO ACTION to support WGA/SAG-AFTRA: Submit a comment about the corporate monopoly crisis.

August 18, 2023: You can personalize the template message included in the above link, or simply just add your name & email. Seems like it's US only; please boost if you can't sign yourself.

From the WGA:

"More than 100 days into our strike, as we continue to fight for the sustainability of our profession, events in Washington, D.C. provide an opportunity for writers to shine a light on one of the root causes of the strike: media consolidation. For decades, the WGA has advocated for stronger antitrust oversight, bringing attention to the ways that mergers and vertical integration in our industry – from AT&T-Time Warner to Warner Bros.-Discovery to Amazon-MGM to Disney-Fox – have consolidated the power of our employers and harmed writers as well as the diversity of content. In numerous reports and policy filings – including a new report called The New Gatekeepers: How Disney, Amazon and Netflix Will Take Over Media, released yesterday – the WGA has documented the threat to our industry from past and future consolidation and called for more aggressive antitrust enforcement. Our current strike highlights the urgency of the issue; studios gained power through anti-competitive consolidation and vertical integration and then used that power to push down wages and impose more precarious working conditions for writers while profiting off of their work, and currently – together – refuse to bargain a fair contract for writers to mitigate those harms. Last month, the FTC and DOJ jointly released proposed revisions to their Merger Guidelines, a policy document designed to guide law enforcement around consolidation. These new Draft Guidelines are part of an effort by these agencies to reinvigorate antitrust enforcement. Compared with prior versions of Merger Guidelines, they give significantly more weight to the ways that mergers can be harmful and, for the first time, explicitly direct agencies and courts to consider how mergers can hurt workers. The Draft Guidelines have been released for public comment, and the FTC and DOJ want to hear from people who have been affected by consolidation – people like you.”

The FTC and DOJ are accepting comments on their revisions of the Merger Guidelines until September 18.

[tranquilreign]

jungkook masterlist

- © tranquilreign - all rights reserved | DO NOT STEAL, TAKE or COPY any of MY WORK without MY PERMISSION.

➛ masterlist ➛ request ➛ request rules

♡ - fluff ♤ - smut ♢ - angst ♧ - hiatus ✓ - completed

🗒 oneshots

⤷ pure intentions | fluff ♡ -  completed ✓ oneshot  ❥ acquaintances to lovers(?) au! ✒ word count: 3.4k

summary. popular boy jungkook can have any girl he wants. but all he wants is you. issue is, he's too damn shy to talk to you.

𓂃🖊

⤷ competitive much? | fluff ♡, angst ♢ - completed ✓ oneshot ❥ rivals to lovers au! ✒ word count: 2.9k

summary. nothing boils your blood more than your co-worker jeon jungkook. both of you competing to be the best, and he always comes out on top. but this time, he takes it too far.

𓂃🖊

⤷ the next step | 18+ | fluff ♡, smut ♤ - completed ✓ oneshot ❥ established relationship au! ✒ word count: 5.4k 

summary. you and jungkook have been dating for nearly four months, yet have never taken it to the next step. with valentine's day on the way, you try to fight your nerves and make an attempt to seduce him.

𓂃🖊

⤷ without you | angst ♢, fluff ♡ - completed ✓ requested oneshot ❥ ceo au! arranged marriage au! ✒ word count: 4.2k

summary. when jungkook's image begins to crumble due to the loss of his wife, his family force him into an arranged marriage to keep their strong influence.

𓂃🖊

⤷ seven | 18+ | fluff ♡, smut ♤ - completed ✓ oneshot ❥ rivals to lovers au! college au! f!boy au! ✒ word count: 14.5k

summary. seven days a week, seven locations, plenty of positions. when you lose a bet to infamous playboy jeon jungkook, you can't help but feel as if you lost on purpose.

𓂃🖊

⤷ indelible | 18+ | fluff ♡, smut ♤, angst ♢ - coming soon... oneshot ❥ roommates au! ✒ word count: n/a

indelible (adj.) uhn·deh·luh·bl impossible to erase or forget. summary. when jungkook overhears yoongi fucking you he realises he want you more than he thought. what he doesn't realise, though, is that you want him too.

🗒 mini series

⤷ at arms length I. | at arms length II. - angst ♢ - completed ✓ mini series ❥ ex best friends au! college au! ✒ word count: 1.7k | 2.4k

𓂃🖊

🗒 series

⤷ superhuman | 18+ | fluff ♡ angst ♢ smut ♤ - hiatus ♧... series ❥ mafia au! tattoo artist au! dystopian au! ✒ word count: n/a

summary. the year 2107, seven years after the first superhuman was confirmed. Though few in numbers, they are dangerous. deadly. as their appearances have become more frequent, you have your identity hidden for your own safety. but the superhumans seem to be one step ahead.

𓂃🖊

⤷ bamboo and ginger lily | 18+ | fluff ♡ angst ♢ smut ♤ - in progress... series ❥ smau! college au! ✒ word count: n/a

bamboo (n.) bam-bu a giant woody grass which is grown chiefly in the tropics. summary. when you're paired with cold-hearted, heartthrob jeon jungkook, you're surprised to see that under all the tattoos and piercings, he's gentle and kind.

𓂃🖊

⤷ enigma | 18+ | angst, fluff, smut - coming soon... series ❥ spider! kook, anti-hero! reader, superhero au! college au, mystery/crime au! ✒ word count: n/a

enigma (n.) uh·nig·ma a person or thing that is mysterious or difficult to understand. summary. friendly neighbourhood spider-man has a spidey friend. except she enjoys sabotaging his plans at every given moment.when police come forward stating the increase of missing persons, spider-man seeks help from you, another spider-person, but who doesn't enjoy the hero lifestyle

𓂃🖊

⤷ lovely | 18+ | fluff ♡ angst ♢ smut ♤ - hiatus... series ❥ established relationship au! ✒ word count: n/a

synopsis: thanatophobia (n.): than·​a·​to·​pho·​bia an abnormal fear of death. summary. l/n y/n. the girl who has suffered from thanatophobia for as long as she can remember. with no traumatic memories to cause the phobia, she lives in fear inside her home, her only comfort being her husband, who never leaves her side. jeon jungkook.

𓂃🖊

⤷ serendipity | 18+ | fluff ♡, angst ♢ smut ♤ - coming soon... series ❥ neighbour au! strangers to lovers au! ✒ word count: n/a

serendipity (n.) seh-ruhn-di-puh-tee the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. summary. when you catch your boyfriend cheating on you, you move away to the other side of seoul. what you don't expect is to take interest in your cute neighbour.

𓂃🖊

⤷ saudade | 18+ | fluff ♡, angst ♢, smut ♤ - coming soon... series ❥ exes to lovers au! holiday au! ✒ word count: n/a

saudade (n.) saw-day-deh a nostalgic longing to be near again to something or someone that is distant, or that has been loved then lost; "the love that remains." summary. a planned couples' holiday seems like a great idea! except for the fact that you and jungkook broke up a month ago.

𓂃🖊

🗒 drabbles

⤷ indelible | fluff ♡, smut ♤ angst ♢ - coming soon... drabble ❥ roommates au! ✒ word count: n/a

indelible (adj.) uhn·deh·luh·bl impossible to erase or forget. summary. you and yoongi's point of view when you're "getting it on."

𓂃🖊

[mariacallous]

How a Gen Z gender divide is reshaping democracy

SEOUL/LONDON/BERLIN, May 29 (Reuters) - South Korea's young women are expected to lead a broad political backlash against the main conservative party at presidential elections on June 3, punishing it for months of chaos.

Multitudes of young men, though, are unlikely to join them.

In democracies worldwide, a political gender divide is intensifying among Gen Z voters, with young men voting for right-wing parties and young women leaning left, a break from pre-pandemic years when both tended to vote for progressives.

Recent elections spanning North America, Europe and Asia show this trend is either consolidating or accelerating, with angry, frustrated men in their 20s breaking to the right.

First-time South Korean voter Lee Jeong-min is one of them.

He says he will vote for the right-wing Reform Party's candidate, Lee Jun-seok, on June 3. Lee, the candidate, vows to shut down the ministry of gender equality, speaking to an issue that resonates with men like Lee, the voter, who particularly resents that only men have to do military service.

"As a young man, I find this to be one of the most unfair realities of living in Korea. At the prime of their youth — at 21 or 22 years old — young men, unlike their female peers, are unable to fully engage in various activities in society because they have to serve 18 months in the military."

In South Korea, almost 30% of men aged 18-29 plan to back the Reform Party compared with just 3% of young women, according to a Gallup Korea poll this month.

Overall, more than half of the men back right-wing parties while almost half the women want the left-wing Democratic Party candidate to win. The divergence shrinks for older age groups.

Political economist Soohyun Lee, of King's College London, said many young South Korean men felt unable to meet society's expectations: find a good job, get married, buy a home and start a family.

And they blame feminism, many believing that women are preferred for jobs. With negligible immigration in South Korea, Lee said, "women become the convenient scapegoat".

ANGRY YOUNG MEN

In South Korea and other democracies, Gen Z men are seeing an erosion of their relative advantage, especially since the pandemic -- to the point where in a few countries the gender pay gap among 20-somethings favours young women.

EU data shows one of them is France, where men aged 18-34 voted in larger numbers for Marine le Pen's far-right party than women in last year's legislative elections.

In the UK, where more young men than women vote conservative, males aged 16-24 are more likely to be neither employed, nor in education than female counterparts, official data shows.

In the West, young men blame immigration as well as diversity programmes for competition for jobs.

In Germany's general election in February, the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a record 20.8% of the vote, tugged along by an undercurrent of support from young men -- though the leader of the party is a woman.

Men aged 18-24 voted 27% for the AfD while young women ran to the other end of the political spectrum, voting 35% for the far-left Linke party, according to official voting data.

"A lot of young men are falling for right-wing propaganda because they're upset, they have the feeling they're losing power," said Molly Lynch, 18, a Berliner who voted for Linke, drawn by its stand on climate change and economic inequality.

"But it's actually losing power over women that wasn't actually equal in the first place."

[qqueenofhades]

The 2025 project seems to reflect that the Republican Party is becoming more and more fascism, but it actually reflects the growing number of extreme nationalists, misogynists, and racists among ordinary Americans. US is a democracy, and politicians rely on votes to stay in power. The fact that the Republicans dare to draft such a project shows that they are confident it will gain significant public support. Politicians aren’t fools; they wouldn’t pursue something that only a small group agrees with while the majority opposes it. The global rightward shift is evident, and though I’m not American, my country is also deteriorating in many ways. Why is this happening? Because the economic base determines the superstructure?and in recent years, the global economy has been in decline?

Mmmm, I'm gonna have to challenge you here.

First of all, it's just flatly not true that there's a "growing number of extreme nationalists, misogynists, and racists among ordinary Americans." That movement has become more vocal and visible in post-2016 America, but there's absolutely no evidence -- and indeed, a lot of evidence to the contrary -- that their numbers are growing instead of shrinking. The Republicans got lucky with Trump's win in 2016 thanks to a combination of decades of anti-Hillary smears, extensive Russian interference/psyops, the anti-democratic Electoral College, and general misplaced complacence that he was never going to win and people didn't need to bother voting for two disliked candidates. They've flatly lost every competitive nationwide election since then -- 2018, 2020, 2022, and very probably 2024. In between, their hand-picked Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade (guaranteeing the right to an abortion in all 50 states) and set off a titanic tidal wave of voter support for abortion rights, even in very dark red states like Kansas and Kentucky (which are not liberal by any stretch of the word). In fact, the Republicans' (flatly false) excuse that they just wanted to "return [abortion rights to the states]" has been unveiled as another lie due to their desperate attempts in this election cycle to ratfuck voter-approved abortion questions off the ballot in Arkansas, Missouri, Florida, and elsewhere. This is a badly losing issue for them, even in deep red states, and they don't want people to vote on it, because they hate democracy. We'll get to that.

Likewise, polls of "culture war" issues like LGBTQ+ rights, abortion rights, immigrants' rights, etc., consistently get much more support among ordinary Americans than not. The ordinary public is becoming more liberal, not less, even in the face of constant aggressive and reactionary attempts to undo the sum total of social and civil rights movements from the 20th century. Republicans' views are getting less popular, not more, and this is also driven by the ongoing demographic change in America. Within a generation or two, whites may be in the statistical minority, and that deeply terrifies people whose entire political and social identity is built on ethnostate white supremacism. The reason Republicans are getting so extreme and antidemocratic now is because the electorate is getting younger and younger, more diverse, more accepting, and less tolerant of their age-old bullshit. As such, there is a very visible window of time outside which the Republicans will not be able to win competitive nationwide elections, even despite all the advantages they're building into the system and have always had. That terrifies them. It is also why they have decided to destroy democracy.

Which leads us into your next assertion that "US is a democracy, and politicians rely on votes to stay in power. The fact that the Republicans dare to draft such a project shows that they are confident it will gain significant public support. Politicians aren’t fools; they wouldn’t pursue something that only a small group agrees with while the majority opposes it." Yes, maybe, in some exceedingly generic logic that doesn't take any account of the actual situation in the US and the fact that the Republicans have made their hatred for democratic free and fair elections very, very clear. This is why Trump pushed the "election fraud" Big Lie in 2020 and sent a mob to attack the Capitol in an attempt to prevent the certification of Biden's win. This is why states controlled by Republicans have frantically enacted as many voter suppression and voter-removal laws as possible and conducted constant purges to get voters (especially the mysteriously missing 1 million Democrats in Florida) off the rolls. This is why they talk approvingly about Trump being "a dictator on day one." This is why they have pursued a decades-long strategy to capture the federal judiciary (by installing extreme right-wing hacks to the bench and then funneling extreme-right legislation into their courts to get a favorable ruling and/or send it to the extreme-right Supreme Court). And on, and on, and on. The Republicans are explicitly aware that their ideas cannot win in a free and fair election, because their ideas are terrible, and as such have been taking massive, ongoing, and coordinated efforts to disenfranchise American voters, expose them to lakes of sordid Russian propaganda/psyops in favor of Trump, double down on the xenophobia and white nationalism to stoke Fear Of The Other, and everything else they possibly can to prevent voters from voting for their opponents. They hate democracy and they are not counting on democratic methods to implement Project 2025. They intend to do it by secretive oligarch methods funded by right-wing billionaire dark money and their Russian friends. That's the whole point.

Indeed, you can see that in the fact that as soon as Project 2025 became widely known and therefore widely hated, the Republicans were thrown into a panicked fluster of disavowing it and insisting that Trump didn't actually know about it (which is a lie, but that's all the day). Because it is electoral kryptonite, they are trying every single method they can to lie to voters long enough to get into power and do it anyway. Authoritarians can often come to power through democratic elections, but once there, they do their utmost to degrade, erode, or otherwise destroy the institutional safeguards that prevent them from keeping power forever. Trump is a literally textbook example of this and he has made his intentions very clear. He flat-out told a group of Republicans at an event earlier this year that "we'll fix it so you won't have to vote again." He already tried a coup and somehow the Republicans nominated him again, because of the deep corruption of the party on every level, but the Republicans are not doing Project 2025 because they think it will organically generate popular support (and they know it doesn't.) It's a blueprint for a tiny group of extreme right-wing theocrats and fascists to get their way regardless of what the broader public says about it, and represents the culmination of decades of far-right power-play strategies related to exploiting economic, racial, social, and cultural grievances. They're doing this now in order to lock in their power before long-term demographic changes make it impossible for them to win another democratic American election. So their solution is to get rid of democratic American elections, the end. This is explicitly a project for permanent minority rule. They know that and that's what's driving their strategic choices here.

As such, essentially saying that the Republicans aren't really fascist, and/or the real problem and/or are just giving an increasingly fascist American population what they want, removes any moral responsibility for their deliberate choices and legitimizes the populist claim to be acting "for the people" instead of a corrupt institutional system. Everyone knows the many, MANY problems with American politics and government; we don't need to go through them again. But even if they were "just giving the people what they want," which as noted above they're not, it still wouldn't make it okay or defensible. To use the obvious example, just because Hitler was popular and democratically elected in 1933 doesn't make what he did right, and the social forces that propelled him to power weren't just a passive "reflection" of The People's Will but were shaped by the larger fascist-curious interwar 1930s. In fact, America also had a burgeoning fascist movement in the 1930s, driven by WWI and Great Depression fallout, but Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal explicitly created extensive government mechanisms to support society, provide new jobs and welfare, and other integrative and restorative economic methods. This crucial difference in approaches -- the New Deal vs. the Nazis -- is why America remained democratic despite the challenges and Germany fell into autocratic genocidal fascism.

This is because populism and dissatisfaction with democracy rises when people feel that the government is not listening to them, is not responsive to their needs, is ignoring them, or otherwise not doing what they want. It is driven by multiple factors, primarily but not only economic, and it is stoked by powerful interest groups who have a vested interest in using the fissures to discredit democratic governments and movements. It is also by no means limited to America, as you note at the end. Think of the decades-long campaign by the British media against the EU, driven by British isolationism and exceptionalism and a sense that the petty bureaucrats in Brussels had no right to be telling the almighty British Empire what to do. This created and stoked existing social grievances which were often domestically caused (since as Margaret Thatcher destroying the British social-welfare state in the 1980s) and turned that grievance against an external opponent who was easier to blame. As such, as we know, it led to the country voting for Brexit in 2016 despite what a whopping, overwhelming, incredible own goal that was and continues to be for the UK, especially economically and socially. It was obviously dependent on many contextual factors from British history, politics, and culture, and there were certainly many people who actually thought it was the right thing to do (and not just about racism, which uh, hmmm), but it's very difficult to think that this organically or naturally came about without a direct and extensive popular-pressure campaign designed to do just that.

People often vote against their own interests because they have been convinced that democracy is corrupt or ineffective or "just as bad" as authoritarianism, which allows illiberal populists to rise to power. These populists often use racial, religious, or cultural grievances, especially against perceived "outsiders," to artificially stoke existing prejudice and justify crackdowns and/or consolidations of their own personal power and destruction of institutional systems and safeguards meant to stop them from doing that. That's how we got Erdogan in Turkey, Bolsonaro in Brazil, Orban in Hungary, and Trump in the US. Other authoritarian movements around the world are also driven implicitly or explicitly by the massive autocratic and antidemocratic global influence disinformation machine headed by Putin in Russia. As such, it's not accurate to insist that this just represents a simple passive "rightward shift" among the global population overall. It is happening because it has been designed and manipulated and pressed into happening. It can still be electorally resisted, which is also the most effective strategy for removing authoritarians, but if we fail to vote out Trump once and for all in 2024, it will be MUCH harder and much more deadly.

Overall, to simplistically claim that the Republican party is just giving the increasingly fascist Americans what they want and expect it to derive broad popular support is, as I have demonstrated above, a diametrically backward conception of the problem. The Republicans are deliberately and increasingly fascist because they realize that very soon, if allowed to continue operating in its accustomed fashion, the American democratic system and American public opinion is going to make them obsolete. They're racing the clock to cement permanent super-minority rule, and to change the rules overall, before America's shifting demographic composition and ideological mindset locks them out. That is why they are throwing so much misinformation, fearmongering, lies, Russian propaganda, and everything else that they can think of at this election, to get Trump and loyal Project 2025 footsoldier Vance into the door before the door slams shut for a long time. That is why this election is so fucking existentially important and why it is so crucial to accurately conceptualize and describe the problem, what it is, and how to respond to it. As such, while I otherwise don't do this much anymore because I no longer have the desire to argue with the people who are likewise brainwashed in the opposite direction and insist it's a Pure Leftist Moral Duty not to vote against fascist authoritarianism (as, uh, also happened with the fragmented and infighting German left-wing opposition in 1932 and good thing nothing bad happened next):

The end.

[basshole-astard]

so Trump's big "beautiful" budget bill that [cuts Medicaid], [raises ICE budget], and allows him [to ignore contempt of court] just passed the House

what can you do?

Call your reps. 5calls.org.

okay. calling your reps can be scary. let me walk you thru the details + some actionable steps

first of all - some facts. the bill passed basically just because there are more republicans in the house than democrats - and it was a 50/50 vote, with one vote yes tipping them over a tie. [check out the stats here]

keyly: a few republicans voted no. so, for the senate, we need only four senate republicans to also vote no, and here's a list of the most vulnerable ones to target. [source, thank you robert reich, who i copy+pasted from]

-

[italic emphasis = mine]

Collins (ME) - blue state, voted against April Senate budget resolution over Medicaid cuts.

Tillis (NC) - faces competitive reelection bid and has spurned Trump on U.S. attorney nomination.

Sullivan (AK) - race could become competitive because of Alaska’s ranked-choice system and the impact of Medicaid/SNAP cuts, and if former Rep. Mary Peltola runs.

Husted (OH) - replaced Vance, has to win a special election to finish term in 2026. Race could become highly competitive if Sherrod Brown runs.

Moody (FL) - replaced Rubio, has to win a special election to finish term in 2026. Same factors as Husted (though FL is a longer shot than OH).

Cornyn (TX) - facing a tough right-wing primary challenge from Ken Paxton, who could put the seat in play if he wins.

Ernst (IA) - race has the potential to be competitive in an anti-GOP cycle without Trump at the top of the ballot.

-

If they are up for re-election soon, it's simple. you call, you tell them "if you vote for this bill, I am not voting for you". done.

"but what if I'm not republican??" i don't know if they know that/can check that. irregardless, they're your senator. your vote matters to them. tell them you won't vote for them if they pass this bill.

-

"what if my rep isn't on that list?"

Call them anyway. Make noise. They might not be convinced, but you might as well make your displeasure known.

-

"what if my rep is a democrat?"

Call them anyway. They will probably vote no, but I think it's better to send them the message that it's unacceptable, just in case they were thinking they might vote yes.

-

"Okay. How do I call?"

[ 5calls.org ]

5calls is great. They have an app, if you want. You have to set your location with them - a zip code will do. This is how they know which senator is yours.

From there, pick an issue (on desktop, there is a list on the left side of the screen) (on mobile, the list is the main feature) - after clicking on your issue, it will give you a phone number and a script at the bottom. Call the phone number, read the script. The script is even tailored based on whether your senator is red or blue!

Obviously, you don't have to read the script, but it takes the thought out of it. If one of your reps is a rep who's due for re-election, ALSO tell them you won't vote for them if they vote yes on this bill.

Be polite, be courteous. Also: you will need to leave your street address if you're leaving a voicemail. That's how they confirm you're actually one of their constituents and not some rando from another state making a call - That's how they confirm your opinion is worth listening to. "I don't want to give them that information?" They already have it. This is just you confirming it.

-

Leave a voice mall!

>Nervous about phonecalls? Call after hours or on the weekend. It sure is a long weekend right now, with memorial day, and all. That way you get sent straight to the answering machine and can leave a voicemail.

>I usually open my voicemail messages with Hi I'm [NAME] and I'm a constituent of [SENATOR], my phone number is [NUMBER] and my street address is [BLAH], zip code [BLAH], just to get that out of the way. And then I read the script that 5calls has given to me.

>Calling during office hours? Just say "Hi, my name is [NAME], I'm a constituent of [SENATOR], and I have a comment about a legislative issue." When they give you the go-ahead, read the 5calls script.

>Do they have multiple numbers? A DC office, and a local office? Calling multiple times a day might make them wary of taking you seriously, but calling your local office as well as their main DC office....

-

"Okay, which issue do I pick?"

5calls.org sure has like five billion different links regarding the "Big Beautiful Bill" aka H.R.1 - but [here's] the one with a general overview.

Of course, your republican senator might not care much about slashes to [Medicaid] or increased budget for [ICE] - they CERTAINLY won't care about cuts to [planned parenthood] and [transgender care]. But your democratic senator probably does care. Also, those cuts to [Federal Employee Retirement] sound pretty bad.

Play-act, if you can. A concerned "we're planning to put America in HOW much debt?" might do more than you think. "I'm just really worried about how my Grandma is going to afford her healthcare if Medicare gets cut..."

Put in a little research. Does your senator care about [education]? Do they [hate Elon Musk]? Maybe they're not too fond of Trump, and would love to be remindeed that this bill is trying to give him the ability to [ignore contempt of court.]

Usually they have a website, usually that website tells you what issues they ran on. If any one of those issues is threatened by this bill - [climate change, maybe?] - remind them.

-

Byrd Rule

Or maybe just call your democratic senator and tell them to invoke [Byrd Rule], which allows them to call certain parts of the bill extraneous (the contempt of court thing, anyone!??) (or the [ban on A.I. regulation]???) and irrelevant to the overall goal of the budget reconciliation; furthermore insisting the bill cannot be passed without those sections removed/edited.

-

What are my options other than phonecalls?

You can send emails, you can send faxes.

[ faxzero.com ] - lets you send a handful of free faxes a day. Just copy+paste the 5calls script, and maybe some relevant supporting evidence from the 5calls page, and send it off. likely best to include your name phone number and zipcode as well.

Same goes for emails. Your sentators almost always have a contact form on their website. Do the same there.

You can find all the ways to contact your senators - including their websites - at [ this source ], just enter your state.

Or you can try [ Resist Bot ], which you can use in Messenger and Telegram, and it looks like even normal SMS. Signing up with this takes the hard part out of it - it can handle all the email logistics for you; slap in your message, let it do the rest.

-

Other options?

Whew, this list is getting long, but here's two more things I thought of.

1) [ Here's more info about attending town halls. ]

2) Contact your House reps. See how they voted on HR1 [ here ]. Either thank them for voting no (it's important for them to know!) or say you're disappointed in them for voting yes. Your opinion still matters. That vote is done, but it matters that they held the line. Or, it matters that they didn't represent your opinions - which is what their job is to do.

And if they're one of the two republicans who abstained from voting, call them out on it. "If you didn't feel strongly enough to vote yes on this bill, maybe you should have just voted no, especially due to [cause you care about/think they care about]."

-

Thanks for your time. Hope this tutorial/info sheet helps anyone. Steal and repost it to other sites as much as you want.

🫡

[cressidagrey]

C's thoughts: Silverstone 2024

Okay, so I want to preface this by saying that I have no skin in this game, because I don’t really consider myself a “fan” of any driver but more the sport itself? 

Like there are drivers I like more than others, which I feel like everybody has, but I usually consider myself pretty level-headed and able to realise that everything you see from a driver is the image their PR Firm dreamt up.

Also, I am not passionate enough to hate on any drivers, because I have a real life with real issues and like… I just don’t have the energy for it. I also don’t think I care enough?  I wish them all to live their nice little millionaire lifestyles and be happy. 

So this is just me prattling on because I have been thinking about this for the last 24 hours and I still am not really sure I can put my thoughts into proper words, so this is just me venting.)

What in the world was going on at Silverstone 2025?

(I should probably mention that I have like no competitive spirit at all.  Also I haven’t tagged this anything, because this is just me writing down my thoughts but like… warning for McLaren Bashing I guess? Anti Oscar? Anti Lando? Anti everybody?) 

(Also you have a different opinion that me? TOTALLY VALID. Don’t sent me hate over it, please.)

So I am gonna start with this:  

Oscar's radio message where he wants the team to give team orders to get Lando to give him the position back is giving me the ick. 

If the roles were reversed and Lando would have been the one to do it, I think Lando would have gotten absolutely skewered for it online. (Which imo, rightly so)

I haven’t been a decade long fan, but   I can't think of another situation where another driver asked for something similar. 

 Oscar breaking behind the safety car that got him the 10 second penalty which yes, was, in my opinion, harsh and I don't think it was fair but he was the one braking “erratically” and there were literally no mitigating circumstances. 

So for me, him asking that, left that bad taste in my mouth of Oscar wanting McLaren to prioritise him, while he’s literally in the lead of the driver championship with “only” 15 points. We are halfway through the season, Lando has every chance to still win the WDC as well.  

(Also,  the WDC will be with 99% certainty be decided between Oscar and Lando. Nobody else is even in the conversation anymore. Unless RedBull suddenly becomes a rocket ship overnight and somehow also somehow make the McLaren become undriveable, it will go to one McLaren driver. And they have the constructors in the bag as well. ) 

Anyway, it gave me spoiled only child and I say that as a spoiled only child. 

And then that podium… Like can both McLaren driver be an adult for 5 minutes?

Max and George, two drivers that literally have more than one reason to have beef with each other, managed to put their differences aside for ten minutes to drench Kimi in Champagne in Canada because they both know what it means to get that first podium. 

But Lando and Oscar can’t manage that for Nico. 

Really? Seriously? 

They are paid literally millions to drive around in circles. Can they just plaster on a smile for 5 minute and pour champagne all over their colleague that has waited a really long time for this moment? 

(Yeah, I saw that Lando went to do that at the very end, kinda half heartedly, props for trying, I guess.) 

Anyway. 

Rant Over. 

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Getting hot under the collar and in the kitchen and on the pool table and...

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

Aug 2024 Week 3

Ongoing Series - Thai

Monster Next Door (Thai Thurs Gaga ) eps 3-4 of 12 - one of the things I'm enjoying about this show is the fact that the introverted super shy uke is having hot fantasies, and the extroverted seme is having the sweet fantasies. It's another way this show is highlighting God being the world's greenest flagged seme BL has ever produced. (And he's being given stiff competition this year - trend alert.)

Anygay: God is so cute and so not cool and so in love and all the consent asking word salad coming out of this boy. I LOVE him. 

Diew: It’s ep 4 so I’ve decided we can talk face-to-face.  God: So how many children do you want? 

The teaching him to play basketball bit, where God politely asks to hold his hand, is so freaking adorable I can’t.

I'm thinking of calling this show the anti-Mame pill.

Blue pill? Red pill? GREEN pill!

My Love Mix-Up Th (Fri YT) ep 11 of 12 - We gotta talk. I do like this version, but it’s starting to feel lackluster. Perhaps it always was by comparison to the bright sparkle uniqueness of the original. Perhaps I didn't notice because I was distracted by G4. But now I gotta say it's become a bit disappointing and even my love for G4 can’t seem to bind me to this. Frankly, this show is making me want to watch either the Japanese version, or My School President. It’s never a good sign when a currently airing BL makes me want to stop that and go rewatch an old one I’ve already seen.

NO SINGING.

Meanwhile, the "locked on the rooftop" trope! I haven’t seen that one in years. Cool. Also cute kisses. They learning. 

This Love Doesn't Have Long Beans (Fri iQIYI) ep 7 of 8 - I can’t believe this is ending next week. But also I can. And I have thoughts.

I really love SailubPon. They might be one of my favorite newer pairs on the scene right now. But I just don’t believe in these characters or this couple. I don’t feel like they are going to have a lasting relationship. It feels like they’re just using each other for sex and distraction, and that’s how the script to set it up, and as a result they’re never gonna make it as a couple. As soon as the sexual fire between them burns out, what do they have to build a relationship on? Frankly? That would be fine if this were a modern love drama, and not a BL. But this IS a BL.

Putting the health code violators aside, I really do believe in the secondary pair, but they haven’t been given enough bandwidth to develop as a couple. There’s no way they’re going to adequately resolve Methas and JJ in the final episode.

At this juncture, I’m mostly finding this show annoying. Which in itself is annoying, because I wanted to love it.

Why is it that Thailand, the land of the best food in the world, king of BLs, struggles so hard to produce the restaurant set BL of my dreams? I’m really pissed about this.

That said, the Methas & JJ stuff is killer. Loved JJ running away. So good. Plus the age old decision - love or money? 

Battle of the Writers (Sun YT) ep 2-3 of 12 - The issue was me and I've managed to get hold of this show again. The story within the story is so ridiculously badly written I'm going spare. I’m not sure if the outside show is not ALSO badly written. That said, I do love how the 3 writer friends are all shipping our leads. It’s VERY silly. Meanwhile, cohabitation trope is a go. 

I like the side couple too. Stern Daddy + lost puppy is a very cute dynamic, I hope we get more than just crumbs. I actually am enjoying this show now. Ep 3 kinda derailed into this weird chimera novel that they’re all writing together and I’m finding that bit the least interesting, but I adore the domestic components which I think may turn out to be TutorYim's strength (if they're allowed to lean into it). 

Addicted Heroin (Thai Tues WeTV) ep 1 of 10 - Man I hope this gets some kind of distribution at some point. It was a pain to find and watch. But I enjoyed it. The focus is more on the seme in Thailand’s version. Which I don’t mind since that's rare in BL, and it’s more August on my screen. It’s all round softer than China’s version but still feels very familiar. I know some fans are struggling with it, but not me.

Sunset X Vibes (Sat iQIYI) ep 10 of 12 - I like that Sam’s crafty business espionage has paid off. Them teasing Sam & Yo really had me belly laughing. It was so funny.

Legitimate question. Would one put perfume on one’s cheeks in Thailand, as one does on wrist or sternum? Because of the sniff cheek thing? Scented face powders?

I do feel like with MosBank & SailubPon scorching up our screens, we’re being spoiled by some of Thailand‘s best high heat pairs at the moment.

I Saw You in My Dream (Weds Gaga) ep 5 of 12 - It remains kind of sweet and cute. It's also calm and slow moving. Oddly it reminds me of La Cuisine in its style and execution (if not content). I’m enjoying it more than I thought I would.

The Trainee (Sun YouTube) ep 7 of 12 - I don’t know. I’m getting bored.

Love Sea (Sun iQIYI) ep 10fin - Fort’s acting during the break-up was truly great. But I feel for Rak. It’s rough to learn that someone else is playing a long game with feelings while you were playing a short game with d**k.

Ultimately this is probably a solid 8/10 show but I’m mad I wasn’t madder at it, and I'm mad I was so bored throughout. So it gets a 7/10 and let us not speak of this again. I’d like to simply forget about it. Trash watch.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Sugar Dog Life (Japan Sun grey) ep 1-2 of 10 - OMG a uni student who looks young and a... COP! GAH. The subversion and kink of it all. I had to go grey to get it and I hate everything about what I had to do. But ya know what? Fucking worth every single repeated crash-causing advertisement.

I love it. The grumpy lonely little student cook and the cheerful mature police officer. What a fabulous dynamic. Is the cook looking for a boyfriend or a Daddy, and do we care if it has the same result? It is filmed VERY manga style camp. I’m a little nervous about that, but this means it’s also very fluffy and so damn sweet. It made me squeak with the cute. I’m gutted this didn’t get distribution.

Ironic that Tawada Hideya is in a new BL while Sunspot is re-airing.

Cosmetic Playlover (Japan Tues Gaga) eps 3-4 of 8 - Ah, the gays are doubting the bisexual again. How familiar. I like how this one is paced and moving through time, even if the relationship seems to be going comparatively slowly by contrast. I love the way Sahashi is always looking at Natsume, even when they’re in conversation with someone else. Ah yearning. I think the conflict was kind of inevitable, given the two personalities of the protagonists, and I like that. (No manufactured angst here.) But I still hope they can repair the breach and I’m still interested. Frankly this is so classically Japan - I don’t know what story beats it’s following and I’m not entirely sure where it’s going, but I kinda like that unpredictability. Makes me think it could go into "must you, Japan?" territory but fingers crossed.

I Hear the Sunspot AKA Hidamari ga Kikoeru (Japan Weds Gaga) ep 9 of 10 - I'm enjoying it very much. I could do without the girl character. I know she’s more interesting than most (this is Japan after all), but she’s not really for me. It’s the complexity of the connection between the leads (and why they like each other) that’s being executed so brilliantly in this show (and in the manga, FYI). Both actors are so on point with their roles and the nuanced emotions required of these characters that every time it’s only them interacting I'm riveted. I could do without the rest of the cast tho.

Seoul Blues (Korea Fri? YouTube) ep 1 of 8 - I have a confession to make, I’ve been watching this whole series as it goes along. But this is the pair I absolutely like the most. I’m not sure I would necessarily recommend any of the installments, and I’m not sure how this one is going to go, but I’m VERY invested in this particular couple. They are so pretty!!!! This is a true friends-to-lovers struggle. I like that a lot. (Reminds me of I Cannot Reach You but a different dynamic.) Did I mention how pretty they are? And we already know they gonna kiss well. I bet the uncut version is stellar.

Meet You at the Blossom (China) - It's no one's funeral, turns out! Reports are in - not only are there kisses but it ends happily with wedding plans. So I'm eating crow, binging the fucker, and live blogging. I'm enjoying it. Ya'll know I adored Chinese BL before censorship. It has a certain unhinged quality I very much apreciate (and is the reason I'm so tolerant of the Thai pulps) that I think will marry well with Wuxia's effervescent and ever-present tropes. Watch me suffer here.

First Note Of Love (Taiwan Mon Gaga) eps 1-2 of 12 - About a singer with stage fright and his timid fan starring Charles (H4 the puppy one) and Michael Chang (the youngster in My Tooth Your Love), plus side couple featuring a Thai actor Jame (Koh in Gen Y) and Liu Min Ting (of Guardian fame). What a damn team. With their powers combined they are...

fine.

This is a fine BL. The fight scene was fun and I like the meet cute. I’m not sure about the chemistry of the leads, but I think they’ll probably do okay. I admit I’m struggling a bit with a singing and the music. Are you surprised? I think I like it enough, but I’m not wowed.

Takara's Treasure AKA Takara No Vidro (Japan Mon Gaga) ep 7 of 10 - Oh! Out of the blue attack kiss. What IS this show? I don’t get it at all. Bah. I guess they’re dating now. It’s… so odd...

It's airing but...

4 Minutes (Thai Netflix/Grey) - A rich boy at uni suddenly gains the supernatural power to see four minutes into the future. I have a source, but I've decided to hold off and binge if it ends okay, since it's only 8 eps. I depend upon y'all to tell me if it's safe.

8/16 The Last Time (Thai Fri YT) ? eps - Convoluted story of loss and possible reincarnation or something. Again delayed? Not sure what's going on with this one but the continued push-backs do not bode well.

In case you missed it

The Time of Fever AKA Unintentional Love Story 2 (Korea movie) trailer IS COMING IN SEPTEMBER!!!! (Yeah this is gonna sit here until then).

Next Week Looks Like This:

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

Still Coming This Month!

8/22 The On1y One (Taiwan Thurs Gaga) 12 eps - announced in 2023 this one has a high school set stepbrothers trope and is reputed to be high heat. From Taiwan! It's made for me. Based on a novel Mou Mou from the Your Name Engraved Herein folks, so it could go dark. Still, I'm very excited.

8/22 The Paradise of Thorns (Thai movie) theater release - Jeff Satur is back but this does not look like a BL (the gay lover's death is the inciting event). More in Goodbye Mother vein. Looks dark and dramatic. He opposite and extremely well known actor Toey Pongsakorn who has never done gay before.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

WHY IS HE SO FINE?

I truly belly laughed. Sam & Yo did not go in the direction I expected, but this scene alone made me not mind that they curtailed the suffering Sam was rightfully due. (SunsetXVibes)

Tall boyfriend armpit, anyone? (Monster Next Door)

The two extremes of BL in one show (Long Beans indeed).

(Last week)

Streaming services are listed by how I (usually) watch, which is with a USA based IP, and often offset by a day because time zones are a pain.

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

Sigh, Tumblr in its infinite wisdom doesn't like too many tags.