#Finance Magnates

[biglisbonnews]

Environmental Concerns and Bitcoin: Exploring Eco-Friendly Solutions The meteoric rise of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies has fascinated the financial world and beyond. However, as cryptocurrencies' popularity has grown, so have concerns about their environmental impact. The energy-intensive process of Bitcoin mining has sparked concerns about its impact on carbon emissions and environmental deterioration. In this in-depth article, we look at the environmental concerns surrounding Bitcoin, the variables that contribute to its carbon footprint, and the inventive solutions being pursued to make cryptocurrency mining more environmentally friendly.Cryptocurrency Mining's Carbon FootprintCryptocurrency mining, the process of creating new coins and verifying transactions, is based on sophisticated mathematical calculations performed by powerful computers. This method necessitates a significant amount of computer power, resulting in high energy usage. As a result, the carbon footprint of cryptocurrency mining has been scrutinized.Factors Influencing Energy ConsumptionSeveral factors contribute to cryptocurrency mining's high energy consumption:PoW (Proof-of-Work) Bitcoin and many other cryptocurrencies use the PoW consensus method, in which miners compete to solve complicated mathematical puzzles. This necessitates massive amounts of computer power, which consumes enormous amounts of energy.Mining Hardware: Using specialized hardware, such as Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), consumes more energy. These machines are geared for mining, but they also consume a lot of power.Mining Pools: To boost their chances of successfully mining a block, miners frequently join forces in mining pools. While this improves efficiency, the combined computational power increases energy consumption.Geographical Distribution: The location of mining operations is important. Cheap electricity, frequently produced from nonrenewable sources, attracts miners but contributes to a larger carbon footprint.Integration of Renewable EnergyThe use of renewable energy sources has gained traction as a solution to the environmental challenges related with bitcoin mining. Renewable energy, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, provides a more environmentally friendly way to power mining operations. Some cryptocurrency miners are shifting their operations to places with ample renewable energy in order to lessen their carbon impact while retaining profitability.Proof-of-Stake (PoS) InnovationsPoS, an alternate consensus process, has developed as a more environmentally friendly choice than PoW. Unlike PoW, PoS does not necessitate miners solving complicated riddles. Instead, validators are chosen based on the number of coins they own and are ready to "stake" as collateral. Because it eliminates the need for resource-intensive computations, this method dramatically reduces energy use.Mining Equipment that Saves EnergyEfforts are being made to create more energy-efficient mining equipment. Some businesses are looking at using graphics processing units (GPUs) instead of power-hungry ASICs. GPUs, which are widely used in gaming and have a lower energy footprint, have the potential to make mining more sustainable.Initiatives for Carbon Offset and SustainabilitySome cryptocurrency initiatives are taking proactive measures to reduce their carbon footprint. They accomplish this by investing in environmental projects or acquiring carbon credits equal to their emissions. These initiatives seek to mitigate the negative environmental impact of their operations.Initiatives Led by the CommunityThe cryptocurrency community is also pushing for environmentally friendly alternatives. Discussions regarding lowering energy consumption and shifting to PoS techniques are becoming more popular. Miners and fans can exchange ideas and work on sustainable mining techniques through online forums and social media platforms.Accountability and Regulations by the GovernmentGrowing environmental concerns have generated ideas about governmental measures to ensure responsible cryptocurrency mining. Governments are looking for measures to encourage miners to use renewable energy sources or to impose energy usage caps.Balancing Responsibility and InnovationAs the bitcoin landscape evolves, it is critical to strike a balance between innovation and environmental responsibility. While cryptocurrencies have the potential to change economics and encourage technological growth, they must not come at the expense of the well-being of the world. The pursuit of environmentally friendly solutions is an important step toward ensuring that the benefits of cryptocurrencies do not jeopardize environmental sustainability.Ethereum's Energy-Efficient Upgrade: A Game Changer for BlockchainAfter much anticipation, Ethereum, a leading cryptocurrency, has successfully implemented a groundbreaking network upgrade, transitioning from a proof-of-work system to proof-of-stake. This transformation has had a significant environmental impact, reducing Ethereum's energy consumption by over 99%.The move towards a proof-of-stake model is in response to growing criticism of the cryptocurrency industry's substantial energy usage. In contrast, Bitcoin, Ethereum's counterpart, is maintaining its proof-of-work system. In this system, highly specialized computers engage in a competitive process to validate transactions and generate new coins, a process commonly known as mining.Notably, the energy-intensive process of mining Bitcoin consumed 75.4 terawatt hours in 2020, surpassing the electricity consumption of entire countries like Austria or Portugal. Ethereum's shift from mining to validation represents a significant shift in its energy consumption model. Validators, responsible for verifying transactions, are rewarded with ether coins for their efforts.To ensure the integrity of the validation process, validators are required to make a security deposit by staking a specified quantity of ether coins within the network. If a validator attempts to compromise the network's security, they risk losing their stake. Ethereum proponents argue that this penalty mechanism enhances the network's security.Bitcoin enthusiasts, however, continue to support the proof-of-work system, viewing it as a tried-and-tested approach to securing the network. Nonetheless, Bitcoin faces mounting scrutiny due to its energy consumption, particularly amidst global climate concerns. Consequently, some prominent Bitcoin miners are turning to renewable energy sources for their operations and attempting to reframe Bitcoin's energy use as a positive force, attracting investments to the aging national power grid.ConclusionThe environmental concerns raised by Bitcoin and cryptocurrency mining highlight the complicated relationship between technology, economics, and the environment. As cryptocurrencies become more widely accepted, the sector is being forced to find innovative and long-term solutions to lessen its carbon footprint. Various paths are being studied, ranging from renewable energy integration to consensus process advances. In a world increasingly concerned with environmental well-being, the convergence of technological ingenuity with environmental consciousness will be critical in determining the future of cryptocurrencies. This article was written by Pedro Ferreira at www.financemagnates.com. https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/environmental-concerns-and-bitcoin-exploring-eco-friendly-solutions/

[vague-humanoid]

A far-right activist group that is doxxing college students who engage in pro-Palestinian protests revealed that it is funded by top Republican political donors and nonprofits backed by wealthy business leaders, a tax return reviewed by CNBC shows.

The group, Accuracy in Media, publicly disclosed on its federal tax return a list of donors who combined to contribute nearly $1.9 million to the tax-exempt nonprofit between May 2022 and April of last year.

The contributors listed on the tax return include billionaire Republican megadonor Jeff Yass, who Accuracy in Media said gave it $1 million.

The family foundation of shipping supply magnate Richard Uihlein is also identified on the tax return, which says the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation gave $10,000. The Milstein Family Foundation, which is run by real estate executive and Republican donor Adam Milstein, gave another $10,000, the group reported to the IRS.

According to its tax return, Accuracy in Media said it received $15,000 from the Coors brewing family’s charitable foundation. The Adolph Coors Foundation is chaired by former Molson Coors executive Peter H. Coors, according to the foundation’s latest tax records.

Yass, Uihlein, Milstein and Coors have all donated regularly to Republican campaigns over the past decade.

But Yass stands apart from the others. The co-founder of options trading powerhouse Susquehanna International Group and his wife Janine are the biggest political donors of the 2024 election. So far, Yass and his wife have contributed $70 million to dozens of Republican candidates and committees, according to the nonpartisan campaign finance database OpenSecrets.

Much of the cardboard and paper goods strewn about our homes — the mail-order boxes and grocery store bags — are sold by a single private company, with its name, Uline, stamped on the bottom. Few Americans know that a multibillion-dollar fortune made on those ubiquitous products is now fueling election deniers and other far-right candidates across the country.

Dick and Liz Uihlein of Illinois are the largest contributors to Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, who attended the Jan. 6 rally and was linked to a prominent antisemite, and have given to Jim Marchant, the Nevada Secretary of State nominee who says he opposed the certification of Joe Biden’s election victory in 2020. They are major funders to groups spreading election falsehoods, including Restoration of America, which, according to an internal document obtained by ProPublica, aims to “get on God’s side of the issues and stay there” and “punish leftists.”

[mistyheart]

THINKING ABOUT… 𝐆𝐎𝐉𝐎 𝐁𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐎𝐒𝐒

You were the assistant to a well-known magnate in Tokyo. You've seen the man on magazines, both as a big-shot business lord and as the wet dream of women all over Japan. When you decided to study business and finance, you never thought you would land an important job in a prestigious company. Sure, you had dreams and what no, but never actually thought you would be accepted as anything more than just another 9-5 office employee. But despite the great salary and the luxuries that surrounded you, the heir to the Gojo clan made it impossible to like your job. He represented everything you loathe in a man; Satoru Gojo is condescending, self-centered, a playboy, and is not ashamed to flaunt his money. He makes sure to annoy you whenever the opportunity present itself, like complaining when you bring him a coffee from his favorite café claiming that “you don’t know how to order it” knowing you use the exact words he gave you. To your experience, he’s insufferable, it’s why you don’t understand why your heart fires up when he looks at you with those majestic eyes for more than a few seconds, or why your hands get clammy at the thought of being stuck in his family private jet when you have to accompany him in a business trip. Even when you went to sleep, flashes of the white-haired man invaded your nights, dreaming about his fingers caressing your body, getting on his knees like you are a goddess worthy of being worshiped, gawking at you like he might get punished for not taking in your essence. And when you wake up at deadly hours of the morning, you might even wish it wasn’t a dream.

[reddest-flower]

The fascist party was one of the first to be financed by the largest industrialist in Germany, Hugo Stinnes. In the period from 1924 to 1927, the Hitlerite party was already supported by a number of major concerns and banks. At that time, the party was financed by the metal industrialist Ernst Borsig, the manufacturer Edwin Bechstein and the head of the Deutsche Bank Emil Kirdorf and others. Starting from 1928, the aces of heavy industry, the Gelsenkirchen concern, the capital magnates Fritz Thyssen, Albert Vögler, the Krupps (Gustav and Alfred Krupp) and others, have been especially strenuously supplying the fascist party with money. Thus, the fascist German party, as they say, was nurtured from birth, nourished and raised by the German secret police and the German imperialists. This party was bought in the bud by the German imperialist bourgeoisie. The whole gang, all these “Führers” and Führerlings, starting with Hitler himself, are people who sold themselves entirely to the imperialists, their faithful dogs and obedient servants unquestioningly fulfilling the will of their masters – the largest bankers, industrialists and landowners of Germany. These ��masters” dreamed of military revenge, dreamed of the seizure and plunder of all countries.

The fact that the Hitlerite party is the party of the largest imperialist predators and the worst enemies of socialism is quite eloquently told by the capitalists themselves. The well-known tycoon of German predatory capital, the owner of the largest metallurgical concern in the Ruhr, Thyssen, says in his letter published in America to the New York Times on June 9, 1940, “For several years, during which I had the opportunity to observe the Hitler regime as a state adviser and industrial leader, I realized with increasing clarity what a grave mistake I made in the summer of 1932 when, together with Krupp, Kirdorf, Schroeder and others who subsidized the National Socialist Party, I took upon myself, so to speak, the guaranteed responsibility for Hitler’s good behavior towards Germany and the whole world and helped him to come to power.” The “socialist” Hitler, along with his entire party, were bought by Thyssen, Krupp, Kirdorf, Schroeder and others. And Thyssen speaks about this with all frankness in the above letter.

In 1932, Hitler spoke at the Industrialists’ Club in Düsseldorf in front of the Ruhr capitalists’ meeting. Before his masters, Hitler spoke frankly, without the usual hysteria of antics and playing at socialism. This is what he told them then: “You, gentlemen, stand on the point of view that the German national economy can be restored exclusively on the basis of private property. But you can only keep the idea of private property if it is logically justified. This idea must be morally grounded. It is necessary to prove to the masses that private property is inherent in the very nature of things. It would be wrong to conclude that we National Socialists are against capitalism. On the contrary, if we were not there, there would be no bourgeoisie in Germany.” Needless to say, Hitler was frank with his masters. And here he is, indeed, right. The Nazis are not against capitalism. They are the real servants of the imperialists. But why do they still call themselves socialists? Hitler gave an answer to this question to his imperialist masters as well. They are called socialists in order to be able to deceive the people. “Do not deprive people of hope,” Hitler said at the same meeting, “for a better future. On the contrary, inflate it. After all, the garrison of the besieged fortress fights only as long as he hopes that he will receive help from somewhere.”

Who are the National Socialists? Pavel Yudin, 1942

[t0talbra1nd3ath]

OMG OMG ISRA AND HAWK LORE PLEASE?? and thank you <3

Thank you for the ask!!! This is going to be a post for Isra, I'll post Hawk separately.

Hope you enjoy!

Isra Lore + Fun Facts

(May contain spoilers for Death by Mixer)

Ok to begin with, let's talk about Isra's family.

His family is anything but average. Isra's full name is Isra Rausin. His father is an oil magnate that comes from old money, his mother was a rising star runway model, but had to quit once she got pregnant with their first child. Isra has an older sister. They have about a 9 year gap between them.

She wants nothing to do with their father, running off to go to film school in California when she was 19. She is now a successful director, using the stage name "Dallas Heaven", and only visits her family to see Isra.

Dallas is quite affectionate towards her younger brother, but Isra approaches her with contempt, seeing her as a traitor to the family.

Now that we got the surface level information on the Rausin family out of the way, let's talk about the less public side.

Although officially the Rausins deal in oil that isn't the full extent of their business. They also have heavy ties with illegal practices such as drug and human trafficking.

That is the main reason Dallas tried to distance herself, but she still ended up being hooked back into the business once she became a director. Isra, on the other hand, never even thought about disobeying his father.

Now it's time to talk about Isra's childhood.

It's safe to say that it wasn't easy. His mother hung herself when Isra was a toddler, barely able to speak, because she could not stomach her husband cheating on her with every single housemaid they employed.

Despite that Isra was a lively, happy kid, at least up until his sister ran off to pursue a life among stars. That incident was the boiling point for their already cruel father. From that point on the head maid of the house was ordered to punish Isra for any minor fault with whipping.

The old head maid was used to dishing out cruel punishments to children as the father of the house often ordered her to punish Dallas by depriving her of food and water.

She continued to carry out Isra's punishments and he quietly endured them until his thirteenth birthday. That day when he was once again dragged off for a whipping he snapped and killed the old maid by crushing her wrinkly neck with his bear hands.

Despite what you might expect, Isra wasn't punished for this, in fact, he was rewarded. The day he first killed was the day when his father first saw Isra as his son.

After that Isra was sent off to Sweden for school while Rausin Senior dealt with covering up the murder. Isra quickly became popular in his new boarding school. He has a silver tongue and a certain aloof charm about him. He graduated a year early and entered university, soon earning a bachelors degree in finance and returning to his family home to learn the ins and outs of the family business.

He still visits Sweden a few times a year to retreat to his very own luxurious cottage in the Alps. Such a quiet place away from prying eyes is perfect for all kinds of fun...

Ok now it's time for fun-fact-rapid-fire-round-up!

Isra is not a natural blonde, he gets his hair done every month.

He showers + washes his hair twice a day always finishing the shower off by wiping himself down with rubbing alcohol and moisturising.

He wears make-up. A little bit of lightweight foundation, tinted eyebrow gel, mascara and a tinted lip balm.

He washes (or if he can't - disinfects) his hands every hour.

He loves alcohol, his favourite drink is whiskey aged at least 15 years.

If he is going out to eat or drink to a place he is not familiar with he will bring his own silverware.

His philosophy is that the body and mind can only either be born pure or be truly purified through pain.

He is incredibly classist, he sees anyone poorer than he is as filthy.

I love all my children equally but good god do I hate Isra.

[reading-writing-revolution]

After Donald Trump won this month’s election, one of the first things he did was to name two unelected male plutocrats, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, to run a new Department of Government Efficiency. The yet-to-be-created entity’s acronym, DOGE, is something of a joke—a reference to a cryptocurrency named for an internet meme involving a Shiba Inu. But its appointed task of reorganizing the federal bureaucracy and slashing its spending heralds a new political arrangement in Washington: a broligarchy, in which tremendous power is flowing to tech and finance magnates, some of whom appear indifferent or even overtly hostile to democratic tradition.

Fuck these asshats! There's way more power in tens of millions of people.

[cantsayidont]

Tel Aviv serves as a coordinating point in a globally-integrated imperial project with dizzying financial and demographic porousness. The money generated from the purchase of settlement feta cheese in a Marina Del Ray Costco helps to finance the dispossession machines of the Jordan Valley, where the Israeli dairy conglomerate Tnuva operates a food processing plant. Former Israeli soldiers recruited into New York private equity firms make tax-deductible contributions to the 501(c)(3)-designated charitable non-profit ‘Friends of the Israeli Defence Forces’ to support the army that protects their second homes. Laundered billions stream in from Zionist mining extraction in Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while the mineral magnates flee to Israel to avoid international sanctions. This is the story of all colonialisms: settlers build their tall, shiny things on the embers of the societies they torch, enlist the dispossessed into production and maintenance, export the spoils and bury their guilt in their families, splaying out on the terraces, declaring themselves home at last.

– Kaleem Hawa

[djeterg19]

Chapter 15? Not much work is done this chapter but lots of progress is made!

They stop at Phaya's house. Tharn doesn't understand why such a rich guy is a cop. His dad is some kind of finance magnate and his mom is of royal blood. The family has lots of impressive cars and Tharn wants to check them out but Phaya tells him it can wait until morning. Tharn wants to greet his parents but Phaya tells him that can wait until morning too.

In Phaya's room, Tharn notices medals and certificates. He studied in France and raced cars. No wonder he drives like a maniac. Phaya tells him he can just ask instead of reading the certificates. Tharn says he can speak English but gets that Phaya wants to tell the story so let's him. Calls him golden boy and asks for his school stories. He was a bad boy drinking and sleeping around and doing drugs. Phaya and his friends were tricked into dealing drugs and one was shot and killed. Tharn is shocked because it's not in his record. He assumes Phaya's father made it hush hush. Phaya says he didn't get along well with his dad. That he joined the Air Force to make him angry but it turns out he enjoyed it.

He wants to know more about Tharn. He says he became a cop because his dad was a cop before he became a monk. That he gave it up because of him. His parents visited a temple before he was born and were told he should be born in Nong Kai because he's a river son and that he should stay close to the river. If he didn't he would die within a year. They didn't believe it and took him home to Chaing Mai. Within three months his heart stopped beating and they used the charm they were given to bring him back. They returned and his dad became a monk to extend his life. His mom returned to Chaing Mai but wouldn't say why no matter how much he asked. He became a cop to find the person who shot and killed his dad.

Phaya hugs him and Tharn tries to pull away. Tharn starts to blush. So Phaya offers to help him shower. Tharn spits out the water he was drinking. Phaya says he can't get his hand wet so he'll need help showering. Tharn insists he doesn't need help so Phaya says his bathroom is large and they can do whatever they want in it. Phaya asks why he's shy they showered together many times during training. And then offers to help undress Tharn. Tharn refuses and locks himself in the bathroom. If he's scared of being turned on.

Except Phaya comes strolling in naked. And Phaya remarks that Tharn isn't lacking in the size department. Tharn tries to go take a bath instead but Phaya insists on them showering together. He grabs the injured hand to make sure it stays dry and pulls Tharn closer. Phaya starts touching his chest and Tharn blushes more. And notes that their groins are nearly touching. Tharn says he doesn't want to shower anymore and tries to push Phaya away. Phaya asks what he's scared of. Tharn tries to turn away and Phaya pushes him against the shower wall. Phaya is touching his "sensual core" and he can't resist returning his kisses. Phaya growls and starts giving him a hickey. Tharn is about to call out Phaya's name when he's kissed again. Their sweat is now mingling with the water from the shower. The kiss breaks apart as they both are close. Or as the author puts it: soon after, the bodies felt like floating on air, splashing love point into that steely hand.

As they catch their breath, Tharn asks what kind of friends do this. Phaya jokes he had a friend like this in France. Tharn doesn't think he's funny. Phaya kisses his forehead and says he did this because he doesn't want to be friends anymore. Tharn thinks Phaya still likes Nong Dao but Phaya tells him.ahe doesn't love him and he doesn't love her anymore. Tharn insists Phaya doesn't like men like this. Phaya thought he told him already that he has slept with me but guesses he forgot. He tells Tharn before it was lust but with him it's love. Tharn calls him a jerk and Phaya offers another one round. Tharn turns him down so they get ready for bed.

Just as Phaya is about to sleep he hears a familiar voice say let's go out to talk shall we? Before Phaya could answer he feels pulled away. It's Chalotorn in Tharn's room or a room just like it. He tells Phaya to stop messing with Tharn. Phaya taunts him that he's friends with Tharn and maybe more than friends already. Chalotorn says that Phaya knows so well how she felt about him and that Vanvisa may have told him all of it. And that he has learned other past stories. That in every live Vassarat must meet her death because of Phaya and Phaya still thinks he deserves the love she gives? Phaya didn't realize that Vassarat dies in every life for him. Chalotorn realizes that Vanvisa couldn't come tell Phaya more. Phaya demands to know what he did to her but Chalotorn doesn't answer.

Chalotorn decides to show Phaya a montage of their former lives and how Tharn/Vassarat always dies indirectly because of him. No matter what shape or form Tharn always dies for Phaya. Chalotorn says: see it with your own eyes and take it into consideration if you still merit her love! Someone like you doesn't deserve it at all. I'll take my woman back and no one can stop me! (bitch she was never your woman? you spurned her for her sister?)

Phaya wakes in his own bed tossing and turning to notice Tharn turn away from the commotion. Phaya is unable to sleep after what he was shown so he watches Tharn sleep all night. Tharn wakes up and wants to meet Phaya's family but they've left for the day already. they have breakfast and leave for work. Phaya asks Tharn if he loves him and Tharn says it's been a long time already since he's been in love with Phaya. Phaya asks Tarn to let him take care of him from now on. Tharn starts crying and Phaya slams on the breaks. Tharn says they are tears of joy. Phaya leans over and kisses his forehead and Tharn tells him to keep driving.

Phaya tells him he's been in love for a while as well and asks Tharn to be his boyfriend. Tharn thinks it's too easy and Phaya says it wasn't easy for long enough so they should make it easy now. Tharn agrees. Phaya holds his hand and says thank you swearing he will never let Tharn go and wouldn't let anyone steal him again.

They arrive at the office. Yai asks how Tharn is. It's announced they got the case from last night and the captain will be in soon. The person who was murdered was a student of the artist Waipoj. The woman from the night before was the deceased's mother. She used to teach martial arts. Both are waiting to be interrogated. The captain splits everyone into teams. Phaya and Tharn are sent to get an update from forensics. The victim had been dead for 51 hours and had lots of defensive wounds on his body. He had a nail in his skull that caused a fracture and brain bleed leading to a lack of oxygen. There were also signs of strangulation. And a large bruise on his hand showing he fought back. There's lots of fingerprints, hair, and footstep traces at the crime scene.

Singh is interrogating Waipoj. He swears he's innocent. Singh shows him evidence of the stolen artwork that he took from the victim and sold under his own name. There were many things used to cover the smell of the body and eyewitnesses that the two had met before the exhibition. Singh is convinced Waipoj is involved somehow.

[mybeingthere]

"What I try to do in my work is mix ideas of attraction and ideas of discomfort – colourful and attractive, but strangely, scarily surreal at the same time". - Hew Locke

Hew Locke: The Procession, Installation in the Tate Britain, 2023.

"The Procession invites visitors to ‘reflect on the cycles of history, and the ebb and flow of cultures, people and finance and power.’ Tate Britain’s founder was art lover and sugar refining magnate Henry Tate. In the installation, Locke says he ‘makes links with the historical after-effects of the sugar business, almost drawing out of the walls of the building,’ also revisiting his artistic journey so far, including for example work with statues, share certificates, cardboard, rising sea levels, Carnival, and the military.

Throughout, visitors will see figures who travel through space and time. Here, they carry historical and cultural baggage, from evidence of global financial and violent colonial control embellished on their clothes and banners, alongside powerful images of some of the disappearing colonial architecture of Locke’s childhood in Guyana. The installation takes inspiration from real events and histories but overall, the figures invite us to walk alongside them, into an enlarged vision of an imagined future."

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Zach Despart at Texas Tribune:

BEAUMONT — Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, the top electoral target for a far-right faction of Republicans intent on controlling the Legislature, emerged victorious Tuesday over a well-funded challenger endorsed by Donald Trump and his allies.

Phelan defeated former Orange County Republican Party chairman David Covey, who also had the backing of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton and former Texas Republican Party Chairman Matt Rinaldi. In doing so, he avoided the ignominious fate of becoming the first House speaker to lose a primary in 52 years. With all precincts reporting, Phelan was up 366 votes — within the margin that Covey can call for a recount. Covey, however, conceded in a speech to supporters at his election night party in Orange shortly after 9:30 p.m. Phelan, 48, who has seen his popularity plummet among Republicans since he backed the impeachment of Paxton on corruption and bribery charges exactly one year and one day ago, was defiant in his victory speech at JW’s Patio in Beaumont. “I will be your state rep for HD 21 and I will be your speaker for the Texas House in 2025,” Phelan said to a raucous crowd of more than 100 supporters. “This was a true grassroots effort — not the fake grassroots.”

Covey, a 34-year-old first-time candidate, not only forced Phelan into a runoff in March but secured more votes than the two-term House speaker. That outcome shocked many in the district, as Phelan was previously reelected four times without Republican opposition and hails from one of the most prominent families in Beaumont. Candidates for the Texas Legislature who trail after the first round rarely win their runoffs. Phelan carried the unique advantage of being a statewide leader with a prolific roster of political donors. Through May 20, his campaign reported spending $3.8 million on the runoff, more than double Covey’s $1.6 million. Their combined hauls amounted to what was almost certainly the most expensive state House race in Texas history. It was also an ugly contest — Phelan accused Covey of running on “lies and deceit” — where the candidates attacked each other in a flood of mailers and television advertisements.

[...] Phelan’s win is a major blow to the party’s ultraconservative faction that is led ideologically by Patrick and Paxton and financed by megadonors like West Texas oil magnate Tim Dunn. It is a group that rejects compromise and bipartisanship, demonizing Democrats and the Republicans willing to work with them. This ascendant wing has supplanted the party’s traditional focus on taxes and regulations with highly divisive social issues like transgender rights and book bans. In defeat, that group did not go quietly. Covey called Phelan an "Austin swamp creature" who only secured reelection through the support of Democrats, which he said was a "brazen act of betrayal." Paxton, an early endorser of Covey who had campaigned for the challenger as late as Tuesday afternoon, echoed the claim. The attorney general, who had vowed revenge against Phelan for supporting his impeachment, said the speaker had "blatantly stolen an election from the hard-working people of his district" by courting Democrats. Paxton said Republicans should move to closed primaries — a priority of the far right — and he issued a warning to members of the House.

[...] But whether Phelan can hold on to the speaker’s gavel is unclear. One of his own committee chairmen, Republican Rep. Tom Oliverson of Cypress, declared his candidacy for speaker in March. But no members have publicly endorsed Oliverson, and while his reelection was in doubt, Phelan was able to keep the rest of his caucus from open rebellion. [...] Attacked by his enemies as a RINO, Phelan was also widely considered more conservative than his predecessors, Phelan secured passage of the state’s near-total ban on abortion, permitless carry of handguns and several first-in-the-nation border security bills. Phelan was easily reelected speaker in January 2023 with all Democrats and almost all Republicans in support; conservative rumblings of dissatisfaction amounted to a paltry three votes for another candidate. And he batted away far-right criticism of the House’s longstanding practice of appointing Democratic committee chairs, appointing them to lead eight of 34 committees.

Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan (R) staves off MAGA wing/Farris Wilks/Tim Dunn-funded candidate David Covey to narrowly keep his seat and his Speakership gavel.

[dailyanarchistposts]

Political Power

Along with economic power goes political power. Firstly, there is the power over working people. 70% of agricultural workers live in tied cottages. Landowners also play an important role in local politics, often having a totally disproportionate share of local council seats. Though they are less than 10% of MPs in the House of Commons, they dominate in the House of Lords. They also appear in a whole range of other capacities: National Park Boards, Countryside Commissions and Nature Conservancy. The political influence of landowners can be seen even more clearly in the farming and forestry lobbies. The main lobbies include the Country Landowners Association (CLA). Most of the CLA’s work is done within ‘the old boy’s network’. To succeed, the CLA doesn’t have to do anything but just stop anyone else from changing the status quo. Examples include removing of taxes on profit-taking, abolition of security for tenants as well as many features (e.g. trespass) of the Criminal Justice Act. There are whole aspects of land owning power that we know nothing about because of the secrecy surrounding information on who owns what. There is no open public land registry, for instance. This secrecy gives enormous power. Rural landowners own many urban properties and have control over the major primary industries that form the basis of any economy. In addition, many landowners are also industrialists or financiers or both. This is not just a matter of high finance, with banks investing in land, media magnates buying up Highland estates etc, but because of the ideological and cultural role that the landowners play in maintaining the coherence of the ruling class.

[antoine-roquentin]

corollary to the prior post:

The New Yorker article notes that William Newsom III, the father of the current governor, was also advisor to the son of the richest man in the world in the 1950s, Gordon Getty. In fact, Gordon and William (and John Paul Getty Jr.) grew up together and went to the same Jesuit prep school, St Ignatius. 4 years above them was future San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, 4 years below was future California governor Jerry Brown. Newsom III owed his appointment as judge to Brown in 1975 a year after Brown’s electoral win, where he quickly made good on the governor’s hippie style by ruling the Bohemian Club in violation of anti-discrimination statutes by not hiring women as employees, calling to mind Nixon’s famous remarks (the Grove is the Club’s yearly camp).

William Newsom III in turn owed his fortunes to his father, William Newsom II’s, patronage of a young Pat Brown, Jerry’s father, whose 1943 run for San Francisco District Attorney he financed to the tune of $5,000 obtained from his construction magnate father. In turn, he was Pat Brown’s campaign manager for his 1962 victory over Richard Nixon. This was a repayment for the 1960 transferal of expensive land in the Squaw Valley from the state to Newsom II, which Brown engineered with his gubernatorial powers.

Another St. Ignatius classmate was Paul Pelosi. His brother Ron ended up marrying Newsom III’s sister, Barbara, while he, of course, married the scion of a prominent Baltimore political family, Nancy D’Alesandro. Over the decades, these families became quite intertwined, sharing board memberships on charities and companies around the state. In turn, Billy Getty, son of Gordon, became quite close with current California governor Gavin, who was his best man at his wedding and opened a wine store with him. The duo are seen here with another Getty grandchild, Peter:

And while Gavin was mayor of San Francisco, he was a patron of then-District Attorney Kamala Harris, godmother of Billy Getty’s son.

Of course lots of people have discussed monopoly capitalism and interlocking boards of governance and how they restrict the functioning of creative destruction. It’s a straightforward contradiction that capital becomes more closely tied in a few hands even as it spreads outwards and decimates traditional social relations. However, I do think it’s important to talk about in the context of an article that gives the impression of the Getty family and the California government as opposed when in fact they are closely aligned in numerous hypocritical ways.

[imb3rs]

⊹₊⟡⋆   kaya   scodelario   +   she/her   ⊹₊⟡⋆   blasting   back   in   black   by   ac/dc   through   their   airpods   is   FREYA   RIBEIRO   .   oh   ,   you   don’t   know   them   ?   they’re   the   thirty2   year   old   executive   (   pr   agent   &   ceo   of   her   own   boutique   agency   )   who   just   went   viral   for   verbally   eviscerating   the   paparazzi   and  successfully   stopping   a   barrage   of   negative   press   for   a   very   high   profile   client   .   yup   ,   the   one   that   drives   a   bmw   m8  competition   convertible   .   i   hear   they’re   pretty   +incisive   ,   but   others   have   claimed   that   they’re   quite   -acerbic   .   that   makes   sense   ,   considering   they’re   often   labeled   as   the   non-idle   rich   .

[  ✰  ]  WANTED  &  ESTABLISHED  CONNECTIONS  (  WIP  ).

penned  by  HECATE  (  she/her  ,  21+  ,  pst  )

001.     ↻     BASICS  .

[  ✰  ]  full  name:  freya  ribeiro  st.  clair

[  ✰  ]  alias  /  nickname(s):  freya  ribeiro

[  ✰  ]  age:  32

[  ✰  ]  date  of  birth:  01/15

[  ✰  ]  place  of  birth:  rio  de  janeiro,  brazil

[  ✰  ]  ethnicity:  white,  brazilian

[  ✰  ]  nationality:  american,  british  (  formerly  )

[  ✰  ]  gender:  cis  woman

[  ✰  ]  pronouns:  she/her

[  ✰  ]  orientation:  bisexual  /  biromantic

[  ✰  ]  language(s)  spoken:  english,  italian,  brazilian  portuguese,  spanish

[  ✰  ]  mbti:  ENTP

[  ✰  ]  element:  water

[  ✰  ]  zodiac:  capricorn

[  ✰  ]  character  inspiration:  nanami  kento  (  jujutsu  kaisen  ),  will  mcavoy  (  newsroom  ),  olivia  pope  (  scandal  ),  jessica  pearson  (  suits  ),  shiv  roy  (  succession  )

002.     ↻     BACKGROUND  .

NOTE:  this  is  a  quick  summary  /  tldr  of  freya's  background  .  for  a  more  detailed  bio  ,  please  CLICK  HERE  !

(  tw:  mentions  of  familial  death  &  infidelity  )  freya  ribeiro  st.  clair  was  born  into  a  life  of  massive  wealth  and  influence  in  rio  de  janeiro  .  the  product  of  two  powerful  families:  the  ribeiros  ,  known  for  their  booming  liquor  business  ,  and  the  st.  clairs  ,  a  family  of  finance  magnates  and  media  moguls  .  freya’s  life  was  shaped  by  high  societal  expectations  ,  all  while  navigating  the  somewhat  complex  dynamic  with  her  family  .  following  the  death  of  her  mother  ,  family  tensions  only  increased  as  the  rivalry  with  her  younger  sister  worsens  and  the  pressure  to  maintain  appearances  becomes  more  apparent  .  she  channels  her  focus  into  a  academics  which  eventually  leads  to  a  thriving  career  in  public  relations  .  and  after  witnessing  her  fiancé’s  infidelity  with  her  sister  ,  freya  leaves  her  family  and  rebrands  herself  in  america  .  all  while  establishing  a  quickly  rising  pr  firm  in  los  angeles  ,  she  resides  in  beverly  park  far  from  the  constraints  of  her  family’s  name  and  legacy  (  or  so  she  hopes  )  . 

003.     ↻     HEADCANONS  .

NOTE:  this  is  a  work  in  progress  so  more  will  be  added  at  a  later  time  !

has  a  european  dobermann  named  titus 

a  workaholic  through  and  through

owner  and  ceo  of  sparrow  pr  ,  her  boutique  pr  agency  that  has  quite  a  roster  of  clients  ranging  from  celebrities  ,  athletes  to  politicians

obtained  degrees  in  digital  media  &  culture  and  international  business management  .  got  her  masters  in  media  ,  culture  &  communications

specializes  in  crisis  management  and  has  an  extensive  background  in  not  only  public  relations  but  communications  as  well

a  fashion  girlie  through  and  through  .  always  dressed  to  impressed  .  even  if  the  fashionable pantsuits  and  structured  jackets  might  make  her  stick  out  more  than  usual  in  certain  situations

[astraearinehart]

— BASICS

name: Astraea 'Stella' Rinehart age / d.o.b.: 49 / 13.09.1975 gender, pronouns & sexuality: cis woman, she/her, bi hometown: Sydney, Australia affiliation: n/a job position: metals & mining magnate education: Bachelor in Economics and Finance relationship status: single children: Elizabeth Beaufort positive traits: charming, intelligent, determined, ambitious, confident negative traits: narcisstic, frivolous, demanding, bitter, selfish

♡ intro. / ♡ about. / ♡ wanted connections. / ♡ musings.

avatars credit x / x

various triggers may apply

born into Australia's wealthiest family, she is the second child and only daughter of James and Summer Rinehart

Stella, or Sterling as her parents referred to her, was always dotted on, had everything she wanted

while her brother was required to meet certain expectations, Stella was treated like the baby of the family

naturally smart and charismatic, she excelled in nearly everything she wanted to do; piano, violin, dancing, learning foreign languages, etc

at eighteen she fell in love with a man who worked for her family, Claude Beaufort, who was ten years her senior. her family disapproved and so Stella, believing they wanted to control her, rebelled against her parents, she followed him to the US the day after her nineteenth birthday 

trouble soon followed though and her happiness was short-lived; Claude did not come from money and her family had completely cut her off. Stella struggled immensely with the financial situation she found herself in

it was not unusual for her to pick fights with Claude over the smallest things, becoming increasingly irritated and frustrated she could no longer afford the luxuries she was used to. when she found out she was pregnant, she was completely devastated. she spent months crying, unable to accept that this was going to be her new life; a broke mother and wife

after her daughter was born, she felt nothing but resentment, for both her and her father; she thought they had destroyed her life

Stella was neither a good wife nor a good mother. in fact, she wanted to be neither. She often left her husband to tend to the baby when she was crying, got annoyed when she was the one who had to look after her when Claude was at work

years passed in misery for her until she met someone, three years later; she hid her family and marital status and began dating him, finally being able to afford some of the luxuries she had been used to all her life, while lying to her husband, claiming she had found a job to help out —though in fact, she really cared so little if he found out

she still loved Claude though, in her own twisted way, and no matter how she tried to feel something other than anger towards her daughter, she failed; looking at her she was reminded she was the reason she lost everything

she had no patience for Elizabeth or Claude, and when one winter morning her brother got in contact with her, she hid it from them. She didn’t tell him of her child, or her husband, only how years had passed and she was tired of being miserable, when her brother organized everything for her to go back home, Stella didn’t hesitate. she said she would only be gone for a short time while looking into her daughter’s eyes knowing it would be the last time she would see her, she felt happy for the first time in years

just like that, Stella up and left and returned back to her family in Australia. There she quickly found her footing, chose to study, and be prepared to take over the family business alongside her older brother

an attack from one of their rivals killed both her mother and older brother, leaving Stella to be the heir. seeking revenge, she got involved with the wrong crowd and became increasingly ruthless, sadistic, maniac. She could sense that everything was going to catch up to her, so in an attempt to have a fallback, she bought a penthouse for her daughter in New York —the child she had not seen or spoken to since the day she left

a recent attack on her, left her scarred and running for her life in order to let things cool down and form a plan; she got on her private jet and flew to New York, thinking she could hide out there for a while

[yatescountyhistorycenter]

The lost village street of Penn Yan

By Jonathan Monfiletto

From the site of a planing mill that produced grape baskets, caskets, and furniture to a short existence as an even shorter Penn Yan village street to a private driveway for a private residence – in a nutshell, that is the story of Hopkins Place.

You probably wouldn’t know it now by looking at the Penn Yan Public Library building, but once upon a time there was a street on the south side of the library – created when the library was built in 1905 – from which sprang a lively neighborhood in the first half of the 20th century. Before the library’s construction, though, the site was not any less lively, as it was the location of the Hopkins brothers’ works.

Elisha G. Hopkins was born in Whitestown, Oneida County, but came to Penn Yan as an adult and established his business along Main Street in 1828 on a parcel near the intersection with Chapel Street. The factory started out manufacturing cabinets and chairs and later produced grape baskets and then caskets for the Hopkins undertaking business.

Hopkins’ sons, Fletcher and Edward, succeeded their father at the helm of the business in 1868, just three years before Elisha died. At age 78, the elder Hopkins apparently died while working at the planing mill in 1871. In 1884, the brothers removed the old shop their father built and erected a new office and warehouse for the undertaking business, with the planing mill and lumber storage at the back of the shop.

Indeed, the 1886 Sanborn map of Penn Yan labels the parcel as the “Hopkins Bro’s Coffin Fac.” and depicts a frame building labeled “undertaker” on Main Street with a larger wooden building – labeled as containing woodworking on the first floor and storage on the second floor, with a stone addition – behind it. A frame dwelling adjacent to the undertaking building on the south side was the home of Elisha Hopkins’ widow until her death in 1894.

Edward Hopkins tore down the home in 1900 and replaced it with the current home, presently addressed as 210 Main Street. In 1903, the undertaking business was sold to the Corcoran brothers, and the planing mill was torn down. In 1904, the site of the undertaking building was chosen as the location for the public library – which steel magnate Andrew Carnegie had agreed to finance the year before – as the community banded together purchase the property and donate it for the library.

During the library’s construction, the undertaking building was moved to the rear of the property and renovated into a home that became addressed as 5 Hopkins Place. Two more homes were built behind the library to create a neighborhood on a street called Hopkins Place. The 1909 Sanborn map of Penn Yan shows the three homes behind the library but not the street; the 1922 Sanborn map appears to be the first to depict Hopkins Place.

All in a line behind the library, the homes were initially addressed as 1, 2, and 3 Hopkins Place, but later the addressed were changed to all odd numbers so the homes became 1, 3, and 5 Hopkins Place. All that remained of the Hopkins brothers’ property was a carpenter shop and a carriage house, but those were torn down in the 1930s to make room for a three-car garage at No. 5.

With the public library opened in 1905, the first newspaper reference to Hopkins Place as a village street comes from the Penn Yan Express of April 22, 1914 with a notice of a meeting of the Flower Committee of Penn Yan First Baptist Church at Mrs. Milton Rapalee’s home on Hopkins Place. The following year, the Loyalty Class of Penn Yan Presbyterian Church held its social and business meeting at Mrs. Clarence Messenger’s home on Hopkins Place. Another time, later in 1915, the Loyalty Class met at Mrs. William Snyder’s home, also on Hopkins Place; yet another time, in 1920, the Loyalty Class gathered on Hopkins Place at the home of Mrs. Titus.

Later on in the 1920s, Mrs. Lucy Price hosted a gathering of the Foreign Missionary Society of Penn Yan Methodist Episcopal Church at her home on Hopkins Place. Mrs. Price hosted several more meetings of the Foreign Missionary Society over the years, and meetings of the Dickens Club also took place in her home. The social and personal sections of the newspapers are sprinkled with references to the happenings on Hopkins Place – who was eating dinner with whom, who was going where on vacation, who was moving to and from the street, and other comings and goings of the people.

In a roundup of the village Christmas decorations in The Chronicle-Express of December 26, 1929, Hopkins Places was highlighted as “among the shorter thoroughfares which are gaily attired for the holidays.” The Dickens Club and the Foreign Missionary Society continued to meet at Mrs. Price’s house during the 1930s, and the Ladies Aid Society from the Methodist Episcopal Church met at Miss Ada Smith’s home on Hopkins Place in 1936.

In the 1940s, two sons from Hopkins Place went overseas for military service during World War II. In February 1940 – before America officially entered the war – 20-year-old Harold Jensen sailed to Hawaii aboard the USS Republic to be stationed at Hickam Field with the Army Air Corps. December 1940 found Fred Goundrey at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina with the Army. Jensen was a witness to the Japanese attack on the Pearl Harbor naval base near Hickam Field. Meanwhile, Goundrey, 28 years old, was killed in action in France on July 17, 1944. 1959, another Hopkins Place resident and fellow service member, Barbara Hoose, joined the Women’s Army Corps.

In 1971, the Penn Yan Pubic Library purchased the homes behind its building in order to demolish them and install a parking lot. At that point, Hopkins Place changed from a residential street to an entryway to the library. In December 1974, the Penn Yan village board announced a public hearing set for the following month to consider discontinuing maintenance on Hopkins Place, which had never been officially dedicated to the village. The library board, however, asked the village to continue maintaining the street since village residents use it to access the library. In April 1975, the library conveyed a strip of its property to the village so the village could widen the street and maintain it.

According to The Chronicle-Express of February 1, 1989, the village board once again set a public hearing to consider discontinuing Hopkins Place, calling it “a village-owned street that is no longer in use” and in fact was blocked off by two adjoining property owners. The village board appears to have succeeded in discontinuing Hopkins Place this time around, as this is the last mention of Hopkins Place in the newspapers and Hopkins Place is no longer a village street nowadays. What once was a village street is now the driveway for the home next door to the library on its south side, where the Hopkins family once lived.

[averymendoza]

“AND I'M SO SICK OF THEM COMING AT ME AGAIN. 'CAUSE IF I WERE A MAN, THEN I'D BE THE MAN”

INTRODUCING…

NAME: Avery Lisette Mendoza

GENDER & PREFERRED PRONOUNS: Cis woman {She/Her}

AGE: 43

BIRTHDAY: April 20, 1981

ZODIAC: Taurus Sun, Aries Moon, Virgo Rising

SEXUALITY: Bisexual

FACE CLAIM: Jessica Alba

LABEL: The Magnate

OCCUPATION: Creative Director/Graphic Designer @ Spark

HOMETOWN: Cole, WY

CURRENT RESIDENCE: Cole, WY

CHARACTER PLAYLIST: HERE.

UP NEXT: “THE MAN” BY TAYLOR SWIFT

BIOGRAPHY: TW ARRANGED MARRIAGE, ILLNESS MENTION

Avery was born a first generation American to parents who wanted a better life for her and themselves. Why they chose Cole, WY? It was the cheapest ticket at the time - and that was that. Avery never asked for anything, growing up. Money was always tight, and she had a bed and food every night - what more could she ask for? One of the luxuries they did have in the Mendoza household was a TV. Though it was an ancient relic that only played black and white film, the moments of watching with her family are highlights of her childhood. That marked her first dream: to be an actress. In school, she actually partook in the theater program and was actually fairly good at it. She was the lead for a couple musicals and plays throughout her elementary, middle school and high school careers. An aspect of school she didn’t like was how everyone was so quick to judge. Having old beat up clothing didn’t really help her, but she managed to make a couple real good friends throughout her schooling years that have stuck by her since. You’d think she would pay for new clothes once she got her first job in high school, but her paychecks went towards helping her parents to replace appliances that went awry within the home. Avery’s helpful nature didn’t end there. She turned down a full rise to Penn State in order to take care of her sick mother. At this time in her life, her father moved to LA and was sending them money as support. It was also at this time that Avery became aware of the arranged marriage that her father set up for her; A nice fellow who was the son of her father’s friend. With him, everything would be set - she wouldn’t have to raise a finger or worry about finances. She was going to go through with it for her father’s sake. He broke his back getting their family a better life in America. Avery couldn’t just walk away. But, that was until she bolted out of the chapel and hailed a cab out of there. It just wasn’t her. She couldn’t live a whatever sort of life just because it was what her family wanted for her. She had to do what she wanted for herself. Avery moved to NYC and worked various jobs to support herself and her tuition at NYU. She graduated with high honors in graphic design with a minor in business studies. It was a night like any other when Avery had an idea for a dating app for middle aged women and older. Being stood up for the umpteenth time was the last straw for the Mendoza woman. She came up with the idea of a referral system for men to join the app - that way they were verified by women utilizing the app that they were looking for the real thing. The app, Spark, took over the internet. The success stories started flooding in of grandmothers, mothers, aunts, all finding love again. It filled Avery’s heart. It also made her feel that much better that it was a company she started with her college roommates - people she trusted and all girl bosses. Recently, Avery came back to Cole to take a break from the fast-paced life in NYC.

EXTRA-EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT HER!

Avery is always looking for her next greatest idea. Currently, she is working on a book centering around empowerment with a friend of hers. She’s always go, go, go, go, go - she sometimes forgets to stop and appreciate where she is in life. Unlucky in love, Avery is usually stood up and isn’t used to genuine people who are interested in her. When she comes across people who are genuinely interested, she tends to write them off as being nice or messing with her. Avery is quick on her feet and there’s nothing she loves more than game nights. Uberly competitive, Avery loves to win and is really good at games - so she’s definitely someone you want on your team if there’s a game night happening. Avery loves to read, and people can easily find her at the bookstore when she isn’t working. It doesn’t take much to get Avery to go out and have fun. She’s always having a margarita or two and then dancing on top of tables at the bar. She’s blunt, but it’s for the best of whoever she’s speaking with. She doesn’t like to beat around the bush. She also loves to play devil’s advocate over situations to help people sort out their own answer. Overall, she’s just by girl boss babe - here for a fun time.

PERSONALITY:

+ Ambitious, Adroit, and Innovative

- Confrontational, Guarded, and Blunt