#i was trying not to be invested in that poll but the results are starting to make me think we really are watching different shows

[semperama]

Notably absent from the Bad Boyfriend Buck conversation is Natalia, who Buck got way too invested in too fast because he was dealing with the aftermath of his near death experience ("she sees me" after like one date), got freaked out because the woman he cheated on previous girlfriend with showed up on one of their dates, moved in his friend's wife who was pregnant with his baby while he was dating her, then delivered the baby on the couch in front of her, then dumped her for exactly the reason he was interested in her in the first place (her interest in death).

[matan4il]

Im currently doing a simple poll on my other account what Tumblr thinks of a Free Palestine and I say the results so far are a little concerning

And then two comments so far:

ardwolff: That's like saying we give a small chunk of land back to the indigenous American people and keep the rest for ourselves while we "live in peace" -- y'all do realize a Palestine historically was home to Jewish people and can be again if we abolish the Israel - backed apartheid ethnostate. No theocratic ethnostates should exist. They are inherently unjust

beigale-shtuchim: hey buddy what happened to the jewish population in MENA states?

Hi! First off, sorry that it took me so long to reply, I am getting so many asks, and I do not have as much time to reply as I would like, despite doing my best to find it... But I hope you know that I appreciate everything you do!

Thank you so much for doing this poll, and for sharing the temporary results. Do you have the final ones? If so, I hope you consider adding a link to them here.

There are different strategies researched in psychology about how to persuade people to come around to your position. It actually started out with marketing, but can be applied to any campaign aimed to get the public to subscribe to a specific position. One of them is the "foot in the door" strategy, a term that comes from those salespeople who show up on your doorstep, trying to sell you stuff you weren't even looking to buy. Their first challenge is how to keep you from slamming the door in their faces. If they right away offer you to buy something big and expensive, which you don't even need, you're likely to do exactly what they don't want. But if they get you to agree to something small, then they "got their foot in the door," you won't slam it in their faces 'coz you agreed to something small, and now they have you engaged. And the more engaged you are, the more invested you become. If you've already said yes to the small thing, you're now invested, and they can start talking you into why, if you're gonna buy this thing anyway, a bigger and more expensive version makes more sense.

The way it is defined here: "The foot-in-the-door technique (or FITD) is a strategy used to persuade people to agree to a particular action, based on the idea that if a respondent will comply with a small initial request then they will be more likely to agree to a later, more significant, request, which they would not have agreed to had they been asked it outright."

That's what the anti-Israel movement basically did. They started out with a smaller, more reasonable request, for people to care about the "Palestinian problem" (which means they were getting more and more people invested in it), and agree to a Palestinian state alongside a Jewish one. That wouldn't be as hard for people to agree to, especially since Jews themselves had agreed to that notion back in 1947, when they accepted the UN partition plan. Then, once people are invested in caring about the Palestinian problem, the discourse switched to how Israel has no right to exist as a Jewish state, and the only solution is to destroy it. Now all of a sudden, if you really care about Palestinians, then it's not enough to support a two state solution, you have to be against Israel, you have to be against Zionists, you have to be against the Jewish right to self-determination, anything less than that, and you are failing the Palestinians (who by now are depicted as the world's greatest victim, even though there is plenty of comparison data to refute that notion). And you do care about the Palestinians, right? So you gotta be against the Jews. Sorry, Zionists.

Also, I would love to hear what chunk of the land @ardwolff lives on they gave away to native people, while they're so willing to distort the history of Israel and erase the native rights of Jews here, making us the only native nation to have returned to its ancestral land, only to discover the world wants to displace it again. First it was done by the Romans 2,000 years ago through colonialism, now it's "in the name of" anti-colonialism (as its been packaged by your friendly FITD seller), but by punishing a native population, it's playing right into the hands of colonialists still...

I hope you're doing well! xoxox

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

[beloved-calypso]

・ ゜ ʚɞ ゜ ゜𝕳𝖔𝖜 𝖈𝖆𝖓 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖈𝖍𝖎𝖊𝖛𝖊 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖉𝖊𝖘𝖎𝖗𝖊𝖉 𝖇𝖊𝖆𝖚𝖙𝖞? ♡ ・ ゜ ʚɞ ゜ ゜‎♡‧₊˚✧ ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ✧˚₊‧♡

♡ “𝒯𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝒶𝓈 𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓎 𝓈𝓉𝓎𝓁𝑒𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓊𝓉𝓎 𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓋𝒾𝓈𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓅𝒾𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈. ~ 𝒮𝓉𝑒𝓃𝒹𝒽𝒶𝓁" ♡

All pictures and gifs are not mine but belong to their original artists.♡

I. -> II. -> III.

ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴘᴀᴄ ꜰᴏᴄᴜꜱᴇꜱ ᴏɴ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛᴏ ᴀᴄʜɪᴇᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴅᴇꜱɪʀᴇᴅ ᴘʜʏꜱɪᴄᴀʟ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛʏ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇꜱ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛʏ ʀᴏᴜᴛɪɴᴇ. ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ ᴀᴘᴘʟʏ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴʏ ʀᴇᴀʟᴍꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴘʜʏꜱɪᴄᴀʟɪᴛʏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ꜱᴛʀᴜɢɢʟɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ, ꜱᴜᴄʜ ᴀꜱ ʙᴏᴅʏ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ, ᴅɪᴇᴛ, ꜰɪᴛɴᴇꜱꜱ, ꜱᴋɪɴ, ʜᴀɪʀ, ᴛᴇᴇᴛʜ, ᴇᴛᴄ. ♡ ɪ ᴀᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ ᴅᴏᴄᴛᴏʀ ɴᴏʀ ᴅᴏ ɪ ᴄʟᴀɪᴍ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢꜱ ᴄᴀɴ ꜰɪx ᴡʜᴀᴛᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴘʜʏꜱɪᴄᴀʟ ᴀɪʟᴍᴇɴᴛꜱ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ. ꜱᴇᴇᴋ ᴀ ᴘʀᴏꜰꜰᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴍᴇᴅɪᴄᴀʟ ᴘʀᴀᴄᴛɪᴛɪᴏɴᴇʀ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ.

~ XOXO 💋🎀

P.S ✨️Remember to check the collective message AND the poll at the end!✨️

⊰᯽⊱┈───✧

౿૮꒰ྀི collective message◞꒱ა

This is what I channeled. To all my readers, please know that beauty is an INVESTMENT. You must treat it as such! Things like smooth skin and weight loss typically take months to achieve. Be wary of miracle cures, overnight subliminals, or trendy products (even if they are said to be scientifically backed up). I know with subliminals the whole point is to have unfaltering belief, but don't put so much pressure on yourself to where all the time you're listening to subliminals and overloading your brain with them. Everybody's body is different. Everybody's journey of expression is different. Remember that your body loves and supports you. It's the vessel for which we navigate through life and we only have 1 for this current lifetime. I would say with any beauty routine moderation is key (think of the Temperance card). These types of things take just as much mental strength as physical to keep up with, so it's good to treat them with simplicity, not just in consideration for what you physically can do, but what mentally you can handle. ♡

౿૮꒰ྀི pile 1 ๑◞꒱ა

9 wands (rx), 5 of wands (rx), The Lovers (rx), 9 of Swords (rx)

So this pac was supposed to focus on improving your external beauty, but apparently spirit is saying that you need to focus on what's going on internally. The major reason why you haven't achieved your desired beauty results is because you're burnt out. You've overloaded yourself with so much information and recommendations on how to achieve your desired results through the internet (video tutorials, how-to guides, beauty forums, subliminals, product reviews, etc.) that you think you should have had your results by now, and that it's a punishment from the universe that you are stuck in your "ugly duckling phase". This has led you to being perpetually frustrated, underconfident, and jealous of those that fit your beauty ideals. The truth of the matter as to why you haven't seen much results is that you try too hard and you lack the motivation to commit to any of these self-improvement tools. You may have researched so much that now you're confused and intimidated by all the information with some ideas and opinions even overlapping or contradicting thotherser. You may have tried multiple things at once and expected that to accelerate your results. You may also be the type to buy a bunch of recommended products in bulk and so far nothing has been working. Spirit is saying that your body itself is confused and cannot adjust to all these routines you keep trying out. It's like you go through aup-and-downwn cycle: you try one routine for 2-3 weeks and if it doesn't work, you leave it, go through an inactive wallowing stage for the next 2 weeks, and start over with a new routine. Your body cannot support these constant switch-ups and exposure to new chemicals (yes, even 100% natural ingredients). They're taxing your body and you're not giving it the chance to properly process what you've put in/on it. Your body and mind are also in conflict; it's like you've detached yourself from it out of anger and resentment. I have to say it: self-love is VERY much needed here. The Lovers in reverse just emphasizes that you need to compromise your wants and desires with what your body is physically capable of doing. Be patient and gentle with it. A few weeks is not enough time for many products/actions to take effect. When they do, the effects are usually internal first before they show in the external. Your body needs consistency and simplicity. Spirit is saying you only need a few products and to stick to a strict routine for a few months. Extensive routines will do more damage than good. Regarding forming your routines, you need to create solid habits. Your main obstacle is you are impatient. Given for most of you, it's probably been years that you've been working on your body and confidence, but a few months seem little in comparison to those many painstaking years of trial and error. Another obstacle here is you worry excessively and tend to assume the worst. By not caring for your mental and spiritual well beiyou'reyour psyching yourself out from doing the groundwork that's needed to solidify your imaginings into reality. Your moods heavily affect your motivation which is essential in moving your results forward. Know that success is destined for you! You just need to take the long road and to simplify the things carrying you along the journey.

⊰᯽⊱┈───── ✧

౿૮꒰ྀི pile 2 ๑◞꒱ა

9 of Swords, Page of Pentacles, 3 of Pentacles, The Devil (rx), 2 of Swords

Pile 2 you also need hug! I can tell you are overly anxious and stressed out. I think self love is very much needed here as well. In order for you to improve your beauty routine, you need to get out of your toxic headspace and have faith in your ideas. I can see that you suffer from periods of anxiety and isolation. Maybe you avoid going out as much because of your insecurities. You have very low confidence and don't have much faith in your future. I think the main problem stopping you from getting your desired beauty results is low self esteem and an obssessive mentality. You are self sabatoging yourself from taking action. It's like your stuck in a cycle of rumination. Your scared of having to commit to one thing and if that one thing doesn't work out you have to tear down all of what you've built and start over. The process of dissapointment is one you try your hardest to avoid by doing...nothing. Could also be that you do too much but feel you never do enough. Either way, your in your head a lot about what you can do and you don't know how to navigate the wealth of information that's out there, but you are scared on who and what to trust. I think in order for you to get your desires, you first need to ground yourself, start believing that change is possible and you are not stuck in your circumstances. Beauty is an investment, and it's not so much as what you put on that matters as much as how often you do it. Spirit is saying take the time to formulate a plan and stick with it, make sure every moving piece correlates well together. You may be young and fairly new to making routines like this. Take your time and have patience, it's not a race, but you should start making these plans for the longterm future. It can't be something that you quit right after seeing results, these will be things that you will need to give consistent care and attention towards, just so you know how to care for your body and recognize the signs it gives you moving forward. You also need to detach the results from your mind. You need to think clearly and objectively, let the changes come to you and don't try to force it, because I'm getting that some of you will stress so much that your body will have bad physical reactions, like migraines, rashes, breakouts, food cravings, and more. I'm also getting the message that for some of you, ya'll need to go to the doctor (nutritionist, dermatologist, gynecologist, whatever). Everyone needs to visit a doctor if they can, but ya'll especially. I think you would do well to go to professionals and get expert advice rather than trust unknown sources on the web. Some of ya'll maybe even need coaching, like a trainer or life coach. There's a lot of confusion and doubt in this pile. I think a clear, defined path is what you need, so do please be open to seeking help from others. I do think you've been working hard on the spiritual front to manifest your results, but you are constantly being disheartened. I think ya'll need to fix yourselves mentally first because its inhibiting your motivation. For some of you, you have even formed obsessive attachments to your appearance and do things to feel "right" or stable. It's giving me OCD. It's even giving me Cassie from Euphoria's excessive beauty routine (look it up). Like in the TV, it appeared as if she was doing all those things for Nate's attention, but really she did it because it was her way of grounding herself and feeling in control. I think ya'll have an issue with feeling in control and may be prone to acting out of impulse, like buying unnecessary things out of desperation or just simply overinvesting your time and energy in the wrong things. For the others, you lose steam and don't actually do the things you need to do. Be more wise with your money and where your putting it, as well as your energy. Try not to over exert yourself or comit to a bunch of things at once. Your time and energy is precious, and your mental wellbeing comes before all.

(I had a headache while doing this reading, so sorry for the confusion. That 2 of Swords energy was strong, lol)

⊰᯽⊱┈───── ✧

౿૮꒰ྀི pile 3 ๑◞꒱ა

5 of wands, Page of Wands, Ace of Wands (rx), Judgement, The Tower

Oof, all this fire energy Pile 3. So I do sense that ya'll have problems with taking on too much. You have a lot of insecurities you want to tackle, for example, skin, weight, hair, teeth, etc. and you are trying to "fix" all those things at once. Maybe you are around people that make you feel insecure and you're in this unspoken competition with them on who's prettier. There maybe even family members or friends that speak out on your appearance ( I'm so sorry if this resonates) and make you feel insecure and like you have to work on yourself. I think you've been stretching yourself thin, searching for ways to constantly improve all the while you are already trying your hardest, and instead of achieving your desired looks your heading towards a total burn out. The Tower here is telling me loud and clear, you need to slow down and take a deep breath before you crash. What other people's opinions of you don't matter. Like at all. What matters is how comfortable you are in your own skin, and what makes you feel authentic and beautiful. I don't think you are even insecure or underconfident, but rather nitpicky, and those around you are making you so. I see that you're intentions in your beauty routines are either not genuine or are unnecessary, and are forced and uncomfortable. You don't feel motivated enough to keep doing them but you still do it anyway. It maybe compulsive, but you are taking on so much at a time that it's building frustration within. What you need to do to improve your beauty routine and improve your mental health is to do a serious self evaluation. Check that you are doing these things for the right reason and not because of outside influences. Check on whether these things make you feel confident or are downsizing you. Check if your overall happiness and wellbeing is in order, whether you've spent too much money or have invested so much into your routines you've neglected other aspects of your life. I don't think what you've been doing has been necessarily bad, but it is somewhat obssessive and it will eventually backfire if you don't lessen the burden. I think you've once enjoyed doing all these things in your routine; they were fun and kept you on your toes, but now you've fallen out of love with the whole monotony of them. I think you should take a break from your beauty routine, maybe just do the bare minimum if you can't afford to drop everything. Focus on one focal point at a time, like skin and hair, or body and skin, and make sure your setting boundaries and prioritizing your mental and emotional wellbeing. I think your body is currently feeling overloaded with all that your putting in/on it. You may feel low energy and because your neglecting sleep or not staying hydrated. Make sure your also doing these bare basics and not just whats in your itinerary as they can greatly hinder your results if not catered too. Consider changing the direction of your journey or take a momentary break.

⊰᯽⊱┈─── ✧

Put in the comments down below if you would like me to make PACs focusing on specific bodily insecurities, like a pac for how to improve your skincare routine, how can I achieve my desired dream body, and how can I improve my physical health, stuff like that!

⊰᯽⊱┈───── ✧

ᴀɴʏ ᴄʀɪᴛɪᴄɪꜱᴍꜱ ᴏʀ ꜰᴇᴇᴅʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴀʀᴇ ᴡᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇᴅ. ɪ'ᴍ ᴛᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴀ ɴᴇᴡ ᴅɪʀᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙʟᴏɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴍ ᴏᴘᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴʏ ᴏᴘɪɴɪᴏɴꜱ ᴀꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ ɪᴍᴘʀᴏᴠᴇ ɪᴛ. ♡

ᴅɪꜱᴄʟᴀɪᴍᴇʀ

© lolita-bonita — Please do not plagiarize, translate, or repost any of my work on other social media platforms without my permission. This is the only platform that I post this type of content. If you see my work being posted anywhere else, please kindly report them to me. ♡

⊱┈───── ✧

✨️ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: Tarot is not an exact science, nor can it produce information that is factually true. All things posted are alleged and for entertainment purposes only. The future is fluid, and what may happen is based on your choices and actions, not what I and a deck of cards say. You are still the creator of your future. ✨️

⊰᯽⊱┈───── ✧

[szkunas]

i have more than 150 followers now.

i have NO words, absolutely no words. you are all amazing, sweet people who keep supporting me and my work — and i cannot define how happy i am right now. thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for sharing my love for my special interest, dark content and telling stories. <3

in celebration, ill be making a small event! i don't wanna spoil the theme yet, but im invested. it will be dark content. truly, thank you, and i hope you all enjoy it.

it'll be on the masterlist soon + have it's own masterlist, and ill try to write more than one piece before posting it! it'll take a while, so don't expect anything before the true start of July! but, to be sure.

p.s — thank you all in advance for voting and reading <3

i had to erase the last post because i forgot to put toji on the poll lmao

[mysticalcrypt]

how the evan’s react to false accusations/accused of cheating.

poll results for this fic: 63%

•••

evan:

- when you question him, he laughs at first

- he realizes your serious and immediately denies it

- he gets a little nervous when you start talking about breaking up

- shows you his phone

- if you’re still not convinced, he’ll try a little harder.

“Baby, no, I-I I didn’t cheat on you! I promise!” Evan says, genuinely. “Stop lying, Evan! I saw the picture with you and that girl!” He gets confused by your sentence but then soon realizes what you meant by it. “No, no, it was nothing like that! She’s just my friend. I can even show you the texts between us!”

- Once he shows you the texts, you automatically feel embarrassed.

“See? I told you! Nothing happened, Y/n, I would never do that to you. Never.” He reassured. “I..I’m sorry, Evan..I…I’m so sorry..I’m so stupid for believing you ever would do that..” Evan shakes his head. “No, baby, you’re not stupid…I understand I haven’t been around you that much.. it’s just..work is so time consuming..” He explains, “I know, Evan…I..I’m sorry for not trusting you..”

- Afterwards, Evan doesn’t really mention it, he’s just happy you believed him.

•••

pre-death baby tate:

- reassures you that there is no one else.

- he kind of likes that you’re jealous because it really shows you’re invested in him.

- of course he’ll deny it

- he tells you’re the only one he’s been with.

- when you mention breaking up with him, he gets a little scared.

“Wait, Y/n, don’t act crazy, I never cheated on you. Me and her were just talking, nothing else happened, I swear!” Tate comes closer, trying to hold her hands but she refuses. “Don’t touch me, Tate! I don’t believe you! We’re done!”

- his heart drops.

- tries to convince you in every way possible that he wasn’t cheating

- he starts getting emotional.

“Please, y/n, I wouldn’t lie to you about this! I swear I didn’t do anything..p-please…y-you gotta believe me..I didn’t it..please..please..don’t leave..”

- he was practically on his knees.

- he looks at you with those teary eyes and you start to believe him.

“I’m sorry..Tate…I just…I don’t know what gotten into me..I-I should’ve trusted you…”

- he smiles, wiping away his tears

- he pulls you in for a embrace and holds you tightly.

“It’s fine..y/n, it’s fine..you know I would never do that to you, right? You know I love you so much..”

- same with Evan, he’s just glad you believed him and didn’t break up with him just because of a assumption.

•••

A/n: I’m gonna do a part two later or idk we’ll see

[aysekira]

Being a cdrama fan is frankly exhausting, you can't just enjoy the creativity and stories bc there are a 100 behind the scenes considerations and changes happening all the time. I know most industries don't respect writers but chinese dramas take the cake, they're the least respected when their work is the most important, it's why so many dramas end up being horrible. And these new regulations are so frustrating because some shows need 50 or 60 or 70 episodes, nirvana in fire joy of life ming lan, already a lot of shows are cutting their episodes so they air at the same time instead of waiting 12 months, how the hell are you going to tell a 60 or 55 episode story in 40 or less episodes? They keep adding these insane rules as if they're trying to kill the industry outright, you can't make harem shows, you can't make queer shows even if they're sanitized to high heaven, lord forbid couples have sex or sometimes even kiss like normal people, you can't have reincarnation which is why we end up with so many shitty rushed xianxia endings they can't give us more. Sometimes you find something so great it makes all the mess worth it but the way they're going they're not going to leave room for even the tiny tiny slivers, the 0.01% of dramas that are great that somehow manage to make it through the cracks despite their best efforts. It's clear their is something very wrong with the industry when they make 400 dramas a year yet not even 40 of them are good, it's truly the wild west out there bc most of these dramas you'd watch them and think they're money laundering schemes bc no way this actually got made. They need to stop caring about pretty faces and paying them insane amounts of money and start hiring good writers but I'm not going to hold my breath... Sorry for the rant I just had to let this out lmao

let it all out anon: this is a safe space :) i wholly agree with everything you said since i'm a firm believer in that while you could aim for a very tight, cohesive&coherent writings (which i assume would be the aim of this rule); there's only so much you could tell before that compression ceiling hits& all hell broke loose in terms of story telling.

to add more to your examples, i cackled in imagining just how absurd it would be if NEF, rebel princess, secret advisors, three kingdoms cut down to those limits at it might result in qi heng being non existent (minglan), advisors being a singular advisor instead& more. and those, like your examples are the kind of dramas that (similar to the examples mentioned) needed the length to fully flesh out their dimensions.

i do not know what to say to make you feel better about it but my personal approach (esp recently) is just to have no hope about it, zero expectations-- then if it turns out to be good; it'll be a very nice surprise (personal example: currently airing LYF. i expected nothing&even side eyeing it a bit before it airs because well uh the casts&promos shown didn't tickle my fancy one bit back then-- and now it's practically my current obsession)& if it's not then it'll be just a passerby of a show and no investment (time/interest) was made whatsoever :)

or may i suggest venturing more to kdramaland as they have all sorts of good ones recently/currently airing (19th life, my dearest& lovely liar to name a few)& i heard from a very trusted source (@dangermousie) they have quite the stack waiting in line to air some of which you could see from the poll here: https://www.tumblr.com/dangermousie/725177465537003520/the-sageukcostume-kdrama-you-are-most-looking?source=share

you have a good day now anon :)

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Mitt Romney

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

January 25, 2024

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

JAN 26, 2024

Today a report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis showed strong economic growth of 3.3% in the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2023, setting growth for the year at 3.1% (by comparison, in the first three years of Trump’s term, before the pandemic, growth was 2.5%). A year ago, economists projected that the U.S. would have a recession in 2023, and forecast growth of 0.2%. 

Meanwhile, unemployment remains low, wages are high, and inflation is receding. As Gabriel T. Rubin put it in the Wall Street Journal today, “The final three months of the year looked a lot like the soft landing Fed officials are seeking to achieve.” 

There is a major political story behind this impressive economic one. Since 1981, lawmakers have insisted that cutting taxes, regulation, and the social safety net would create much faster and more efficient growth than was possible under the system in place between 1933 and 1981.

In the earlier era, lawmakers regulated business, imposed progressive taxes, and supported workers to make sure that ordinary Americans had the resources to fuel the economy through their desire for homes, consumer goods, and so on. But with the election of Republican president Ronald Reagan, lawmakers claimed that concentrating wealth on the “supply side” of the economy would enable wealthy investors and businessmen to manage the economy more efficiently than was possible when the government meddled, and the resulting economic growth would make the entire country more prosperous. 

The problem was that this system never produced the economic boom it promised. Instead, it moved money dramatically upward and hollowed out the American middle class while leaving poorer Americans significantly worse off. 

When they took office, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris rejected “supply side” economics and vowed to restore buying power to the demand side of the economy: ordinary Americans. They invested in manufacturing, infrastructure, small businesses, and workers’ rights. And now, after years in which pundits said their policies would never work, the numbers are in. The U.S. economy is very strong indeed, and at least some voters who have backed Republicans for a generation are noticing, as United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain made clear yesterday when the union made a strong and early endorsement of President Biden.  

So here is the political story: Republicans cannot run for office in 2024 by attacking the economy, although Trump has tested that message by saying the economy is “so fragile” and “running off the fumes” of his administration and that it will soon crash. He has promised to cut taxes again, which is not likely to impress many voters these days. Media stories are beginning to reflect the reality of the economy, and people are starting to realize that it is strong.

At the same time, the Republicans are in huge trouble over their overturning of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision recognizing the constitutional right to abortion. A poll taken in June 2023, a year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe, showed that 69% of Americans want to see Roe reinstated. But, to appeal to their base, Republican leaders are backing more, rather than less, extreme measures: a federal prohibition of abortion. 

So the MAGA Republicans, who back Trump, need an election issue. They are trying to turn the migration influx at the southern border into an issue that can win for them in November. In December 2023, extremist House Republicans refused to pass a supplementary funding bill that is crucial to Ukraine’s effort to resist Russia’s 2022 invasion, insisting that the “border crisis” must be attended to first, although they refused to participate in the negotiations that Biden and senators promptly began.

Then, after news hit that the negotiators were close to a deal, House speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Fox News Channel personality Laura Ingraham told the television audience that they had both spoken to Trump and he opposed a deal. Negotiations continued, and last night, journalists reported that Trump was pressuring Republican lawmakers to reject any deal because he wants to run on the issue of immigration and “doesn’t want Biden to have a victory.” 

Today, Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) told CNN’s Manu Raju that “the fact that he would communicate to Republican senators and congresspeople that he doesn’t want us to solve the border problem because he wants to blame Biden for it is really appalling.” Attacking Romney on social media, Trump said: "[W]e need a Strong, Powerful, and essentially 'PERFECT' Border and, unless we get that, we are better off not making a Deal, even if that pushes our Country to temporarily 'close up' for a while, because it will end up closing anyway with the unsustainable Invasion that is currently taking place,” which he called “A DEATH WISH for the U.S.A.!...” 

Now, after insisting the border issue must be addressed and riling up their base to believe it is the biggest crisis the U.S. faces, MAGA Republicans are in the position of having to refuse to address the problem. So they are escalating their rhetoric, claiming that the bipartisan deal to address the border is not good enough. 

That dilemma is especially clear in Texas, where voters are very angry over reproductive rights in the face of Texas’s draconian laws, which have produced high-profile cases in which white suburban women—a key voting demographic—have been forced to leave the state to obtain abortions to protect their health. Texas governor Greg Abbott is also searching for a viable political issue since his signature policy, school vouchers, failed late last year. According to Patrick Svitek of the Texas Tribune, money has been pouring into the Texas primaries as Abbott and Texas attorney general Ken Paxton try “to unseat House Republicans who crossed them.” 

When the Supreme Court on Monday permitted the federal government to cut razor wire that was blocking federal agents from reaching parts of the border, including the crossing where three migrants died last week, MAGA Republicans urged Texas to “ignore” the ruling (although it came from a right-wing court), and Abbott launched a war of words against the federal government over management of the border. 

In a construction that appeared to echo Civil War–era declarations of secession, Abbott asserted Texas’s “constitutional authority to defend and protect itself.”

Twenty-five Republican governors have issued a joint statement supporting “Texas’ constitutional right to self-defense.” Their statement accuses Biden of attacking Texas, using the right-wing talking points that the administration is "refusing to enforce immigration laws already on the books" and leaving the country "completely vulnerable to unprecedented illegal immigration pouring across the Southern border."

House speaker Johnson has also posted: “I stand with Governor Abbott. The House will do everything in its power to back him up. The next step: holding Secretary Mayorkas accountable.” (Johnson refers here to the impeachment effort against Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in which the Republicans wrote articles of impeachment before holding any hearings.) Trump called for “all willing States to deploy their [national] guards to Texas.”

But Paxton (whose trial on charges of securities fraud is set to start in April), asserted this right in court last September, and Abbott suggested today that his moves are part of an attempt to create a record for a court case challenging the long-standing precedent that the federal government, not the states, has jurisdiction over border issues. 

Observers worry that Texas’s stance is a modern version of the secession of the American South from the Union in the months before the Civil War, and perhaps in one way, it is. In the 1850s, elite southerners’ management of the South’s economy had thrown huge numbers of poor white southerners off their land and enabled a few men to amass huge wealth and power. As dispossessed white men became restive against the economic policies of human enslavement, southern lawmakers shored up their own slipping popularity by warning of the dangers of federal government meddling in their business. 

Here’s another way in which that era might inform our own. In the 1860s, southern leaders’ posturing took on a momentum of its own, propelling fire-eating southerners into a war. As MAGA Republicans are talking tonight about fighting the federal government and as Trump calls for “all willing States to deploy their guards to Texas,” I think of those elite southerners in 1861 for whom threatening war was all a rhetorical game. 

Meanwhile, Ukraine is running out of ammunition.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[izupie]

💋, ⛔️, and 🍦.

Thank youuuuu for the ask!!! This took a million years to reply to and I'm sorryyyy !!

💋 First kiss fics. Love em or hate em?

OH! this is a good question. I was literally thinking about this a few days ago. I was going to make a poll about it lmao

I kind of hate to write them,,, because I feel so much pressure to get the balance of emotions and imagery and The Moment perfect and somehow still keep everyone in-character. To me it feels virtually impossible to spin that many plates and nail them all. I can never quite write it in a satisfying way (to me)

I just can't reach that perfect balance of all the elements together that make a great written first kiss !! Elusive cryptid I will find you one day.

⛔ Do you have a fic you started, but scrapped?

I have a long list of fics I abandoned, but not necessarily scrapped.

Like, I orphan off a lot of my old stuff, which is usually the result of starting a fic while I'm in a certain fandom, and then falling out of the fandom before I've finished it. oops. I can't bring myself to work on something I'm not actively hyperfixating on invested in, so the poor fic just gathers dust and is abandoned to live in WIP Hell forever. I'm sorry unfinished fics !!

As for scrapped, I very rarely delete a work. I've only ever done it once I think? It was a fantasy Izuocha AU that I wanted to rework into something original, so I removed it from existence before I finished it lmao

But yeah, there are a lot of unfinished fics living in my notebooks honestly ahahaaaaa

🍦 What's the sweetest fic you've created so far?

So I've had a flick through my AO3 and remembered this thing - definitely this one: Green's Your Colour

No contest.

It was one of the first batch of Izuocha fics I wrote when I was still trying to figure out their dynamic and was deep in my fluffy feelings about them and it all came pouring out of me in this very sincere but overly sweet fic lmao

I know I said in a previous ask answer that I love to read my own fics, but this is an exception honestly asdfghjkl;

This one is so so so sweet and fluffy and I literally cannot read it without cringing aaa

I've toyed with the idea of orphaning it a few times, but I can't bring myself to do it!

[straightedgecrf]

Reasons Why Donald Trump Will Win The 2024 Election

Things aren't looking good for Donald Trump with court case after court case,but I think it'll be over by next year and here's why Donald Trump will win the election.

Many 2020 Biden voters regret their vote-Whether you believe the election results of Joe Biden winning the election are real,it will be proven if the next election has the same type of results.Right now as I'm typing and as you're reading,someone is deciding to switch their vote.Biden still has the people who don't regret voting for him,people who still prefer him over Trump,and new voters raised to vote Democrat.Trump on the other hand has his supporters from past election,supporters that were too young to vote before,and 2020 Biden voters who wish they voted for him instead.Other people who regret voting for Biden will vote for a third party candidate like RFK Jr.,or they will just stay home due to Biden giving them no reason to vote for him.So it'll be like 2016 where Bernie Sanders supporters who didn't swallow their pride to vote for Hillary either voted for Trump,third party or not at all.

Biden's first term has destroyed America-Everyone who voted for Biden were convinced that Trump was horrible and wanted him out of office asap.Many people believed it and were scammed because things were much better under Trump to where not only was the economy better,but people weren't around getting people cancelled or fired due to race issues,crime wasn't as bad as it was,men weren't cheating their way into winning awards by competing with the women,women weren't called transphobic for being uncomfortable with a man in their locker room(because it was called the women's locker room for a reason),the border is opened allowing illegal immigrants to get through,and wars weren't going around.I'm not saying things would be back to normal with Trump back in office,but it'd be better than it is now.

The Left are hypocrites-Everything they've said Trump is guilty of is actually something they're guilty of.They said Trump is a racist,but people like Biden have said the most racist things and made racist policies.People say that Trump is a traitor,but yet he's not the one who cares more about other countries than America.Trump is called a cult leader,but you have Biden telling people that MAGA Republicans are a threat to our Democracy,and Hillary saying they need to be reprogrammed.Did Trump have his opponent arrested and put through multiple court cases to try to get him out of the race due to the polls showing him winning most of them?They're having him in court for questioning the election when democrats have been questioning elections they've lost since the 2000s.

The Court Cases Are Bogus-Trump is the first person to run for president and be indicted.While this is causing Trump haters to celebrate,there are many people who are starting to say "there's something that doesn't make sense" and causing them to want to vote for him.That's why the poll numbers have gone up since the indictments.They can continue with these cases,but only the people who want him out of the way actually believe the charges although the case about where the cocaine in the White House came from months ago ended in less than 2 hours to where they say there was no trace,but yet these indictments have been going on for months because they're trying everything they can to find something to cause Trump to actually be guilty of so he'd be removed from the ballot.The truth is that it's not a court trying to find a way to find Trump guilty of something.It's to do whatever it takes to make sure that he doesn't expose what people like the Bidens,Clintons,Obamas,and Pelosis are guilty of.

Trump is America First While Biden is America Last-Haven't you realized by now that there were no wars going on while Trump was president,but there are 2 going on while Biden is president?Our country is in bad shape because Biden would rather invest in other countries to help them win the war than try to end them.Trump's first plan as president is to end the war in 24 hours.The President Of The United States is the most power person in the world and Biden is proving that he doesn't care about peace.He wants destruction.So he plans on send our tax dollars to other countries to help the side he wants to win it.He's going to cause to go into World War 3 which is something that people said Trump was going to do.

So Biden's destruction has caused many people who voted for him to realize that the people who support Trump were never a cult and he didn't win thanks to Russia like the Democrats want you to believe so they can say that evidence of things they've done came from Russia.It's time to make sure that ballot harvesting doesn't happen again.Also if you're complaining about how things are and plan on voting for Biden,I suggest you keep your mouth shut.

[moon-swag-tourney]

judy time :D to be honest vesperia unfortunately is not a sapphic story but the character interactions in the game are still one of the top reasons the game is enjoyed to begin with!

tales of vesperia is a 2008 jrpg that got a remaster on all modern platforms in 2019! by tales of franchise Themes, the theme for this one is "Enforcing One's Justice RPG". the story follows yuri lowell who through a series of wild events ends up going from a trip to saving the water source of his home (the poorest part of the capital) to stumbling into a world-wide corruption and people who suffer as a result of inequality and injustice placed upon them by those who abuse their power. he has a childhood friend who is in the knights, and through that association he meets estelle (moon girl who i like to ship with judith) and makes more friends and expands his world horizon! judith takes some time before making her first formal appearance but she is genuine fun to witness.

People tend to say that the last third of the story isnt like The Best writing and all but in my heart i think its perfect as is especially in the Grand scheme of what the game is trying to say. THAT being said there is a thing abt the game that bothers me a lot that comes with judith sadly :(

a lot of gags with her are also like Haha Sexy Lady gags. while i could Mostly manage through those and enjoy the game despite them, its still a frustrating thing to see especially when you have a guy in the party who is the one enforcing these jokes (literally unfortunate writing choices with him too. hes fine when those jokes are not there)

but when that isnt a thing, judy does end up functioning as a catalyst to helping the party expand their horizons on what truly goes on in the world and all. and of course it goes without saying that her meeting everyone was a very positive thing to happen in her life :)

the game is near and dear to me so when i notice any of these blorbos in a poll i go wild. hence why i was happy to see judy do so well in your poll! whether or not you end up checking out vesperia, i am happy to have piqued your interest! i am always ready to answer any questions

ALSO!!! judy has light novels dedicated to her childhood/growing up before the games events that are translated (dont recall if everything is translated by now though) so this is probably the best way to witness her train of thought as otherwise you see her through yuris perspective

have a good day and thank you for letting me gush :D

oh wow okay, there's a lot to respond here but that makes me all the more happy to see it lsdkjf

It's a bit of a stretch/general thing that a lot of things have, but in fairness the major focus on inequality yet playing up a character for haha sexy laughs (therefore lessening the impact of the focus on inequality) honestly doesn't feel disimilar to the persona series (or at least 5, and its a series I'm a very big fan of,) so my point is that I get it at least and don't judge slkdfj

I'm not really sure what else to comment on tbh but yeah it does pique my interest!! I'm not sure what I'll do about said interest yet but worse comes to worse you might see me contact you off of this account to ask for advice :'D (assuming that's ok!) I do think that if I end up getting super invested in it, I'll probably start with the games before focusing on Judith specifically, to at least get an overview and stuff?

[waheelawhisperer]

Two poll thoughts: (a) though I have a vague impression I'd still love to know precisely WTF 'spread' means and (b) let's face it, the dude pool was cruelly hamstrung by Hound Guy's absence. As Cinder can attest people love some scarring & Grimm bits.

I'll try to keep this simple, but essentially "the spread" or "the line" is a term in sports betting for what is basically the margin of victory in a specific matchup. Let's start with an example from traditional sports:

The Dallas Cowboys NFL team has a matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Since we live in an alternate universe where Jerry Jones isn't a colossal egotistical asshat and so the Cowboys are competently managed and the Eagles aren't Super Bowl runner-ups, the spread is Cowboys -7. What this means in general is that the bettors/sportsbooks favor the Cowboys to win by 7 points (the projected winner is always represented by a minus sign), or a touchdown. What this means for us, the people betting on the matchup, is that we have three relevant outcomes: the Cowboys win by more than 7, they win by less than 7, or they lose outright. Let's say we have bet on them to beat the spread. If they win by more than 7, we win. If they win by less than 7, they still win the game, of course, but we actually lose because they didn't win by enough - they beat their opponents, but didn't beat the spread. If they lose the match outright, we lose too, obviously.

This is different from a moneyline bet, where you just pick who you think will win or lose. In this example, if I picked the Cowboys to win, there would be no difference in my payout if they won by 6 or if they won by 60. They could perform worse than expected and scrape by with a win, and I'd still get my money because I picked the victor correctly. You can lose a spread bet and win a moneyline bet (the winning team performs worse than expected or the losing team performs better than expected, but the expected winner is still victorious) or vice versa (you pick the losing team to win and they don't, but they manage to cover the spread). Hell, you can hedge your bets so that you get paid with either result, though you need to make sure you get a high enough payout from a win to cover your initial investment.

Here's how I've been applying these concepts for the RWBY Hottest Character poll - I am not a Vegas bookie, so I've been just looking at the matchups, deciding who I think should win and by how much, and then checking the actual results and determining who beat the spread based on either how I think the site actually views the characters involved or just what seems funny at the moment. If, say, Blake was matched up against Pyrrha and I expected her to win with 60% of the vote, she beats the spread if she gets more than that. She will still move on if she wins with 55%, of course, but that might cause viewers to reevaluate her odds going forward because she didn't perform as well as she "should've" against her competition, at least for the sake of my shitposting narrative.

Hope this helps! Please let me know if I need to explain more thoroughly. Sports betting can get confusing.

[evisionmediasusanfriesen]

Top Tips on Blogging to Keep Your Audience Engaged and Coming Back for More

Whether you’re a seasoned blogger or you’re just starting out, keeping your audience engaged can be incredibly challenging.

Consistently coming up with fresh ideas can be draining, and even with the best of intentions, blogs can sometimes fall flat, leaving your readers disengaged or worse, clicking away from your website without giving it a second glance.

Moreover, with so many voices competing for attention, standing out requires more than just good writing – it demands creativity, strategy, and a deep understanding of your audience.

Still, even with all these challenges, companies continue to invest in content marketing strategies, like blogging, and that’s because they work.

For example, the results of a recent Bynder survey are very telling.

The vast majority of marketers who responded to this survey, which polled more than 1,200 marketing professionals, have a strategic interest in content marketing, with 86% of CMOs saying they plan to either maintain or increase their investments in it.

What’s more, as you can see from the graph below, even with the economic downturn we’re seeing today, most marketers surveyed said that as a result of these economic conditions, their organizations have actually increased their investments in content.

But of course, if you want to see results from your blogging efforts, you’ve got to understand how to write an engaging blog, and what makes a good blog post.

Even if you think of yourself as a writer, blogging is a very different animal, which requires some special know-how.

With that in mind, I want to offer some tips on blogging to help you give your audience what it wants by consistently creating great content.

So, if you’re wondering how to keep your audience engaged, and want to know how to write better blog posts, keep reading to learn more.

Read: How the Benefits of Blogging Can Seriously Help Your Website and Boost Your Business in 2024

If you’re looking for tips on blogging, chances are you’re well aware of how it can benefit your business.

But maybe you haven’t taken the time to explore this, or you need a reminder of why it’s so important.

Whatever the case, this article explores the benefits of blogging, including better SEO, more website traffic and leads, improved relationships with customers, and more.

Keep reading here.

8 Tips on Blogging to Keep Your Audience Engaged

Whether you consider yourself a writer or not, if you have a website for your business, you should be blogging.

But trying to consistently come up with content that will keep your audience engaged can feel like a losing battle.

With that in mind, below I’ve offered several tips on blogging, so you can make your blogs more engaging and entice people to come back to your website and read more.

1) Update Your Blog Frequently

I know it sounds harsh, but if you’re not going to update your blog frequently, you’re probably just wasting your time.

But why is that?

Well, there are two reasons to add new posts to your blog on a frequent and consistent basis.

The first one being that if someone visits your blog and sees that the last article posted was six months ago or more, then their immediate impression might be that you’re no longer in business, or at least no longer maintaining your website, which is always a bad look.

Believe it or not, people’s reaction can be that drastic!

Most people won’t assume that you’re too busy to tend to your blog, but what they will assume is that you’ve abandoned your website, and therefore your business.

In my experience, most people tend to believe that how you do one thing is how you do everything, so if you’re publishing blogs haphazardly, putting out poorly written content, or not even blogging at all, that will reflect on your business whether you want it to or not.

Plus, if you’re not regularly publishing content, and staying top of mind with your audience, eventually, they’re going to forget about your blog and move on to the next thing.

The other reason to frequently update your blog is for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) purposes.

Because the more you write and post successful blog articles, the more Google and other search engines will see that you’re actively updating your website, and they tend to reward fresh content and websites that stay updated with higher search rankings, which makes it easier for people to find your website.

Now, if you want to stay consistent, you should make a posting schedule and stick to it!

But how often should you post?

Let me put it this way: Once a month is better than every six months, once a week is better than once a month, and multiple times per week is better than once a week.

You get the idea.

2) Provide Quality Over Quantity

As important as it is to post frequently, and regularly, if the content you’re posting isn’t any good, it’s not going to matter when you post it.

Having said that, you should post as much as you possibly can, but the content you post has to be excellent.

The key word here is quality. You want your blog posts to be engaging and valuable to the reader. This isn’t a space to wax poetic or list what you had for dinner last night.

This is your space to showcase your expertise and explain what your offerings can do for potential customers.

So, if you want your blogging efforts to be successful, you’ve got to write about topics that your target audience wants to learn about, and that’s why understanding your audience and knowing who your ideal clients are is critical.

You want to write about things that potential and existing customers will find interesting, valuable, informative, entertaining, and/or captivating.

You should write for your target audience, not for yourself, and not for the sake of having something posted, or to create glorified sales pitches for your products.

In doing so, when you’re writing something, you should always ask yourself what you want your readers to get out of it and what you want them to do or know after they’ve read it.

3) Try to Focus on One Topic Per Post

I get it. You’re passionate about your business, and when you sit down to write, you want to share every thought that comes into your head.

That being said, it’s great that you’re so passionate. And it’s great that you have so many ideas.

But you shouldn’t try to squeeze them all into one post.

In fact, it’s much better to stick to one topic or point for each blog you publish.

For one thing, it’ll help Google understand what your post is about, which makes it easier to connect with the right audience, as they’ll be looking for articles on that topic.

But it’s also easier to keep people engaged and hold their attention when you stick to one topic.

Plus, if the title of your article implies that it’s about one thing, but the reader finds out it’s a meandering mess of disparate topics, you’re going to annoy them, and at that point, they’re probably not going to return to your blog.

This might turn out to be harder than you’d think, and if you’re anything like me, that one specific topic will make you want to explain everything related to it and the next thing you know, you’re going down a massive rabbit hole.

But luckily, you can save all those ideas and rabbit holes as ideas for new blogs!

4) Include Relevant Images

If you want your blog posts to be engaging, images are a must.

Not only do images help your readers get a visual idea of what your article is about, but they also help to break up the text, emphasize important points, and create something that looks more interesting than just a massive wall of text.

But make sure the images you’re using are high-quality, in focus, and relevant to what you’re writing about.

Otherwise, you’re going to confuse or annoy the reader, who’s not going to appreciate looking at pixelated, blurry images that have nothing to do with your article.

Ideally, each article should have an appealing display image (or “hero image” as we call them), which will entice people to click on it, and you should also include a couple more images throughout each article to break up the text.

Using images in your blog posts is also one of the simplest things you can do to make your website more popular – both with users and with search engines, as they both appreciate attractive websites with lots of imagery.

5) Don’t Use Third-Party Blogging Services

Whatever you do, make sure to host your blog on your own website, and avoid using third-party services like Tumblr for your business blog.

Unfortunately, because these services are free and usually easy to set up, they can be very tempting to use.

But what you’re doing when you use these services is sending people to their platforms instead of your website – and at the end of the day, bringing traffic to your website is one of the main reasons why you should be blogging!

So, don’t leave the SEO benefits of blogging on the table.

If you have a blog, it should be housed on your website, and nowhere else.

6) Fix the Spelling and Grammar Mistakes

Honestly, this shouldn’t even have to be said. But, oh my goodness, does it ever need to be said!

I remember once reading someone’s blog post and the grammar mistakes made it so hard to read that I gave up. The irony is, she was a copywriter!

Can you guess what impression her readers have on her ability to write? Probably not so great.

Even if you’re not a writer trying to sell your services, publishing blog posts that are riddled with errors is going to reflect negatively on you and your business, because it looks like you either don’t know or don’t care about this sort of thing.

Understandably, not everyone has a degree in English. I don’t either.

And if you look hard enough, you’ll find mistakes in my writing.

But that’s not the point here, nor the expectation. The goal is to write something that is very readable and not full of obvious mistakes.

So, if you’re one of those people who has great ideas and lots of information to share but you’re terrible in the English department, it might be time to hire someone to help you.

We do this a lot for our clients – they’ll send us a rough draft, and then we’ll edit it, SEO-optimize it, make it look pretty, and add it to their blog.

Easy-peasy for the non-writer.

7) Make Your Blogs Easy to Scan

When you take the time to write a great article for your blog, you want to make sure people actually stick around long enough to read the whole thing, right?

Aside from having a compelling title, beautiful imagery, and a well-written article, another way to keep your audience engaged and coming back for more is to make your blog posts easy to scan.

Like it or not, the reality is very few people read anything online word for word, so it’s critical to ensure your main message comes across, or that there’s at least an indication of the various sections of the article when someone scans it.

To do this, it’s best to break up the text with headings, subheadings, bolding, images, and bullet points. But don’t overdo it on the bullet points!

I’ve come across many people who hear that they should use bullet points in their articles and then end up writing practically the entire thing like that.

Don’t be that person!

8) Create Long-Form Content

How do you truly captivate your audience?

Typically, it’s by connecting with a fascinating story, a personal anecdote, or by impressing with your expertise.

And in all of these cases, a few hundred words probably isn’t going to cut it.

No matter what the topic is, you don’t want to drone on and on, but as long as the level of quality remains the same, your articles will be better if they’re longer, as they’re just offering more value to the reader.

Plus, once you’ve done all that fancy formatting, readers will be able to scan your article, reading only the parts that are relevant to them, and they’re going to appreciate that.

What’s more, they’ll probably remember that, and as a result, they might come back to your blog.

And a word to the wise: when it comes to SEO, the longer the article, the better (assuming, of course, that it’s also well written and interesting).

I know. It’s a big puzzle to put together.

You have to post frequently, and you also have to post long articles, but those articles also have to be nicely formatted, well-written, and appealing to your target audience.

Phew!

Do you need help creating content that will keep your audience engaged? Why not set up a free 30-minute consultation with me to find out how we can help?

To your business success, Susan Friesen

[media-geneous1]

What are the steps to create a social media marketing strategy?

What Are the Steps to Create a Social Media Marketing Strategy?

If you're here, you're probably thinking, “How do I get this social media thing to actually work for my business?” You’re not alone. Every business owner has been there. You know social media is powerful, but without a strategy, it's like throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks.

Let’s get straight to the point. You need a plan—a social media marketing strategy that doesn’t suck and actually gets you results. Here’s how you do it:

Step 1: Set Clear Goals

No goals? No growth. Before you dive in, you’ve got to know what you want out of social media. Do you want more followers? Drive traffic to your website? Boost sales? Get specific.

Define your objectives. Do you want to increase brand awareness by 20% in six months? Gain 1,000 followers in the next quarter? Whatever it is, write it down.

Use SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. These aren’t just buzzwords; they keep you on track.

Step 2: Know Your Audience Inside and Out

You can’t sell to everyone. Trying to market to everyone is the fastest way to get ignored. Dig deep and find out who your ideal customer is.

Create a buyer persona. Who are they? What do they like? Where do they hang out online? Get into their heads.

Understand their pain points. What problems do they have that your product or service can solve? Speak directly to those issues.

Step 3: Choose the Right Platforms

More isn’t always better. You don’t need to be on every social media platform—just the ones where your audience hangs out.

Do your research. Find out where your target audience spends their time. Is it Instagram? LinkedIn? TikTok? Focus your efforts there.

Master one or two platforms. It’s better to be great at one or two platforms than mediocre at five.

Step 4: Create Killer Content

Content is king, but engagement is queen. You need content that grabs attention and keeps people coming back.

Mix up your content. Use a variety of formats: posts, videos, stories, polls, etc.

Tell stories. People connect with stories, not sales pitches. Share behind-the-scenes looks, customer testimonials, and relatable experiences.

Keep it real. Authenticity beats perfection every time. Don’t be afraid to show the human side of your brand.

Step 5: Be Consistent with Your Posting

Out of sight, out of mind. If you’re not consistent, you’ll be forgotten. Period.

Create a content calendar. Plan your posts in advance so you’re not scrambling for content last minute.

Stick to a schedule. Whether it’s three times a week or daily, consistency builds trust and keeps your audience engaged.

Step 6: Engage with Your Audience

It’s not a one-way street. Social media is about building relationships, not just broadcasting your message.

Respond to comments and messages. It’s simple: engage with people who engage with you. Answer questions, thank them for their support, and be a part of the conversation.

Start conversations. Ask questions, create polls, and encourage your audience to share their opinions. The more they engage, the more visible your content becomes.

Step 7: Analyze and Adjust

What gets measured gets improved. You can’t just set it and forget it. Regularly check in to see how your strategy is performing.

Use analytics tools. Track metrics like engagement, reach, and conversions. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram have built-in analytics, but you can also use third-party tools for deeper insights.

Adjust as needed. If something’s not working, don’t be afraid to pivot. Test different content types, posting times, and strategies until you find what clicks.

Step 8: Invest in Paid Advertising

Sometimes organic reach isn’t enough. Paid ads can give you that extra push, especially if you’re just starting out.

Set a budget. Start small and scale up once you see what works.

Target your ads. Use the data you’ve gathered about your audience to create hyper-targeted ads that reach the right people.

FAQs

Q: How often should I post on social media? A: It depends on your audience and platform. Quality trumps quantity, so focus on delivering value rather than just filling up your feed. A good starting point is three to five times a week.

Q: Should I hire a social media manager? A: If you have the budget, yes. Managing social media can be a full-time job. If you’re stretched thin, bringing in a pro can free you up to focus on other areas of your business.

Q: How long does it take to see results? A: Social media is a long game. It can take anywhere from a few months to a year to see significant growth, especially if you’re building from scratch. Stay patient and stay consistent.

Wrapping It Up

Creating a social media marketing strategy is like building a house—you need a solid foundation to support everything else. Set your goals, know your audience, and be consistent with your content. Engage with your followers, keep an eye on your analytics, and don’t be afraid to tweak your approach when necessary.

If you need more help with your social media strategy, platforms like MediaGeneous can help you build a solid presence and grow your brand. Remember, a well-crafted strategy is your roadmap to success, so don’t skip the steps.

So, ready to take your social media game to the next level? Start today, and don’t look back.

[delhinewsinenglish]

UK PM Rishi Sunak declines to rule out July election amid MP defection

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday refused to categorically rule out a July general election amid a damaging defection by one of his Conservative Party MPs to the Opposition Labour Party, just days before local and mayoral elections in the country on May 2.

Dan Poulter, a doctor and Central Suffolk and North Ipswich member of Parliament said he will switch his allegiance to the Opposition benches before standing down as a parliamentarian at the next election because he can no longer defend the Tory government's track record on the National Health Service (NHS).

Against the backdrop of this latest embarrassment, Sunak was asked during a ‘Sky News' interview that his repeated assertion of a general election in the "second half of this year" could also mean July.

"When it comes to a general election, I've been very clear about that multiple times, and again, I'm not going to say anything more than I've already said, I've been very clear about that," said Sunak, who was then pressed five times to rule out an election during what would be a peak summer month for the UK.

"You're going to try and draw whatever conclusion you want from what I say. I'm going to always try and say the same thing. You should just listen to what I said, [the] same thing I've said all year,” he replied.

On the state-funded NHS, Sunak pointed to a drop in the waiting times for patients seeking treatment and pointed to some of his other successes as Prime Minister, such as bringing down inflation, hiking the defence budget and getting the Safety of Rwanda Bill passed through Parliament to start deporting illegal migrants to the east African country from later this year.

"And when the election comes, there'll be a clear choice because the Labour Party has tried to frustrate our Rwanda bill because they don't believe in stopping the boats; their economic plan will put people's taxes up. They haven't said that they will invest more in our defence, and they certainly don't agree with reforming our welfare system to support people into work," said Sunak.

He, however, admitted that “local elections are always difficult for incumbent parties” as the voting patterns on Thursday are widely seen as a precursor to what can be expected from a general election – which legally must take place by January 2025 at the latest.

Meanwhile, some UK media reports suggest that keeping the threat of a summer election on the table – earlier than the expected October/November timeline – is being used as a tactic by Downing Street to deter any internal party rebellion against Sunak's leadership in the wake of potentially disastrous local poll results later this week.

With the governing Tories being forecast for a general election wipe-out by most opinion polls, an early election would not be the preferred timing for most sitting Conservative MPs hoping to save their seats.

Source Link : UK PM Rishi Sunak declines to rule out July election amid MP defection

[theoldhempfarmer]

Dead Man Walking... THC Flower in Tennessee

Dateline 12-19-23

This morning here in Middle Tennessee, The Old Hemp Farmer is contemplating yesterday’s “Call To Action” Cannabis Industry conference call while drinking a rather large, hot cup of organic Indonesian coffee and vaping some of Tennessee homegrown flower that may or may not be legal July 1, 2024. You see 12-14-23, a day after I warned in a previous column that THCa flower could be “toast” the Tennessee Department of Agriculture dropped the hammer on THC by lumping Delta 9 THC and THCa together when testing edibles, tinctures, vapes and most importantly Cannabis Flower. Can’t say that I didn’t see this coming because The Old Hemp Farmer saw this coming. Back in April when HB0403 was passed I immediately saw the flaws in this supposed law that legalized Hemp Derived Recreational Cannabinoids that would be major road hazards when the bill would start to be enforced. First of all, the people that crafted this Recreational Lite law didn’t understand the scope of what Cannabinoids were sold, how much was being sold and where Cannabis was being sold. Even the few Cannabis professionals that advised the politicians on HB0403 didn’t know how big Cannabis sales were because there was no real way to track the Cannabis Industry in Tennessee then and there still isn’t now. So the result was a hastily written ambiguous Cannabis Bill that left the details and enforcement up to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture with no money to accomplish this Herculean task. The other thing that The Old Hemp Farmer noticed in one of the amendments attached to HB0403 was a couple of sentences buried deep in the bill, that basically stated that the tests for THC would be calculated post decarboxylation. My very Cannabis knowledgeable partner Lee Crabtree interpreted this in the same way as I did, if and when TDA decided they wanted to start testing THCa Flower that it would all flunk. I think by now everyone knows THCA flower and marijuana are the same thing but a loophole in the 2018 Farm enabled THCa Hemp flower to become a thing and still is for now. The other major flaw about HB0403 was the fact for that some unknown reason the state of Tennessee decided that the TDA would oversee a Recreational Cannabis program. These folks are great about giving you advice on your orchard and what kind of plant pathogen is threatening your nursery but when it comes to Cannabis there is little knowledge and comfort with the Cannabinoids they produce. The TDA wanted Hemp agriculture to be about food and textiles not CBD and they certainly didn’t want to deal with D8 THC and THCa flower and let that be known to the legislative and executive branches. The TDA still got stuck with a half written law and no money to enforce it.

So why did the TDA make the regulations as stringent as they possible could? Especially when a Tennessean/Siena College Poll published December of this year stated that 62% of Tennesseans think that Recreational Cannabis should be legal? I have bounced a few ideas around in my head and the one that makes the most sense is that this is the TDA’s way saying that if you don’t get us enough money and the people to oversee a large Hemp Derived Cannabis Industry then we will make it a small Hemp Derived Cannabis Industry. Which is how a bureaucracy pushes back when given an unappreciated task. So now the folks that invested heavily into THCa products are “throwing up prayers like Hail Marys”. And unless one of these prayers are answered, sadly The Old Hemp Farmer believes that the THCa industry in Tennessee is a “Dead Man” walking. Anyway as always, Hemp Dawgs and Hemp Puppies keep one eye on the weather and the other eye on the market.

Visit our Tennessee homegrown web site to try our great products: https://www.tnhomegrown.com

The Wife's web site: https://www.theoldhempfarmerswife.com

Our Podcast - Full Contact Cannabis: https://fullcontactcannabis.podbean.com

[leviathan-supersystem]

XD And you believe that?! Yes they would tooooooootally be seperate of russia. Just look at crimea ,north georgia ,and eastern moldava. It’s just full with russian military personel. What a joke.

negotiating for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Donbas region is something which could be achieved during the peace negotiations, but i guess you've decided you'd rather sacrifice more lives instead

Yes and Yanukovich never ever cheated in election because he’s a verry verry good boy and he wouldn’t do anything bad like that

putting words in my mouth- did you miss the part where he got over 80% in eastern ukraine? even if we were to assume a frankly implausible level of fraud the fact remains that eastern Ukraine overwhelmingly supported Yanukovych.

and frankly I have reason to be skeptical of the claims of fraud given that the results of the election were consistent with polling. did he somehow rig every pre-election poll as well?

  “i can't find any confirmation of the supposed first two vetoes “ https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-ukraine-eu-idUKBRE9AS08G20131129 5 second search for at least one of them.

i said i couldn't find the supposed first two vetoes before the one that set off euromaidan, you linked to the one that set off euromaidan, yes, we all know about that veto, where are the other two?

“ there were tens of thousands of protesters who came out to protest against the 2014 euromaidan coup “ Doesn’t mean they want to start a CIVIL WAR

what they wanted was to be permitted to leave the Ukraine NATO puppet government peacefully, and to not have Ukraine shoot missiles at them for trying to leave.

Investment in infrastructure and business that can challenge russian domminence of the market isn’t a loan

if they're expected to pay it back, then yes, it IS a loan.

They never had any subjugation, drama queen. They were lucky they were even ALLOWED to stay there

saying in one breath that there wouldn't be any subjugation of the people of Donbas in your proposal for Donbas to be re-integrated into Ukraine, then the next breath indicating that you want to forcibly deport them from the region. unreal.

Hey that’s nice, one example. here’s my list

i'm not a Russia supporter you dumbfuck, my point has been that I oppose imperialist aggression coming from either Russia or NATO. not to mention I have plenty more examples of Ukrainian attacks on civilians in Donbas- oh, and by the way, let's check the dates on our examples- hey, so weird, it seems that your examples are all from the past year or so, whereas my example was from 2014, almost as if Ukraine has been bombing the Donbas region for 8 fucking years even before Russia's escalation of the conflict.

where do you even start with this. 'USA fears war-weary world may embrace peace' is already so direct. how do people write this and not realise