#tax regime changes

[townpostin]

Jamshedpur: Budget 2024-25 Hailed as Catalyst for India's Economic Transformation in CII Jharkhand Session

Industry Leaders Laud Comprehensive Approach to Growth and Development A CII Jharkhand session provided insights into the far-reaching impact of the Union Budget 2024-25 and GST reforms. Business leaders praised the government’s balanced approach to fostering economic growth across various sectors. JAMSHEDPUR – Industry experts convened to analyze the implications of the latest Union Budget and…

[probablyasocialecologist]

“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is not a call for the forced removal of Jews from Palestine or, as it is commonly misconstrued, a call to "throw Jews into the sea;” instead, it is a call for the end to the oppression of all Palestinians — in Gaza, the West Bank and within the Green Line. Liberating all of Palestine requires revolutionary change: not an eradication of Jews from the land, but a total dismantlement of the apartheid regime occupying it. The assumption that this phrase is inherently genocidal falsely conflates liberation with the annihilation of each citizen of the oppressive state and ignores its liberatory intent. Within this conflation, we hear a racist assumption that Palestinians are ruthless "animals” and an intentional obscuring of the violent intent of a neo-fascist government — a characterization shared even by writers in Israel’s newspaper of record. It is not only blatantly false but obscene to frame a call for liberation and justice as genocidal while Israel is carrying out genocide in Gaza funded by billions of American tax dollars. If calling for a future in which Palestinians can live in their homeland unshackled implies an existential threat to the Zionist ideology, it is that ideology that must be called into question — not the call for liberation. 

An open letter from Jewish students

[techminsolutions]

Understanding India's New Tax Regime: Benefits for Earners Above Rs 15 Lakhs

In the past few years, India’s tax laws have changed a lot. These changes were made to make the system easier to understand and to offer lower tax rates and fewer exemptions. According to Nitin Gupta, head of the Central Board of Direct Taxes, the new tax regime, which is now the default option, is expected to provide numerous benefits to individuals earning more than Rs 15 lakhs. In this…

[rockingbytheseaside]

I love your art and headcannons! I was wondering if you can do a headcannon for the harbingers with reader helping them with their work. Like helping pantalone with papers in his office or dottore with experiments or just passing tools to him?

✦ You help them at work (or how they just want you to stay around)

Pierro, Capitano, Dottore, Scaramouche, Pantalone

✧ You felt heartbroken whenever Pierro relentlessly toiled as the Fatui Director. Hours spent at the imposing meeting halls of the Zapolyarny Palace or engaging in arduous negotiations for the organization's cause could hardly be enjoyable. Thus, concerned for your beloved’s well-being, you resolved to take on a more proactive role and assist The Jester on his behalf. 

“Today you will sit back and rest, Pierro. I will conduct your meetings… No buts or ifs.” 

The Harbinger blinked at you in wonder. Not because he disapproved of your presence, but because he vowed to work for your safety and comfort. However, you remained unyielding. Standing defiantly, with your hands on your hips, you announced that his stubborn protectiveness of you won’t change your mind. And who is he to deny you anyway? 

It seems you are the Fatui Director today. 

In his office, you meticulously tended to every minute detail. Whether it's preparing his tea, reorganizing essential documents, or double-checking all the archives and schedules. Any attempts from Pierro to assist would be met with you scolding him. And although he obediently stood back, he couldn’t help but smile fondly at your endearing sternness. If you take the lead, he is your loyal servant. Besides, whenever you conduct business negotiations on his behalf, things would always go accordingly (just don’t mind Pierro looming behind you, his icy glare threatening anyone you are talking with into obedience.) 

Once all was set and done, a sense of pride welled inside you, while Pierro mirrored your warm smile. You worked so hard to aid him… You just don’t have to know that he settled all difficult tasks in advance before you even entered his office. He was several steps ahead in everything, after all. Besides, he won’t argue when the result is him admiring your presence in his workplace. What truly matters now is the luxury of time to savor your love and hold you close without any worries about Fatui duties.

✧ When Il Capitano heard your suggestion to help, he felt worried. His work as a Captain required extreme physical exercise and was bodily taxing, regardless of the slower days when he overlooked the training of his specialized troops. Not only that but training under the strict regime of the 1st Fatui harbinger meant enduring a military-like attitude. And yet here you were, casually waving his worries off, promising to be an additional mentor training his soldiers.

“As long as you don’t wear yourself out, my loved one. It’s not just the fatigue and muscle soreness I worry about, but the attitude of my soldiers. They might not be as… lenient as you.” 

You soothed his concern every time he caressed your shoulder with worry or checked in on you. He was so tender when he was worried, you had to firmly hold his helmeted face and tell him sternly that everything would be alright. And how can he be worried when you smiled so easily at him? 

Thus, on the day of the soldiers’ training, Il Capitano introduced you as his equal and the additional instructor for today’s workout. You were such a stark contrast to the hard-faced troops who got used to battlefields and warfare. But you just stood there, waving casually… Perhaps you would fare well as the “forgiving substitute mentor”.

Alas, that was Capitano’s first mistake. 

Not an hour in, the group of soldiers you overlooked returned with bruises and distressed faces. Their gazes looked as if they saw unfathomable horrors, clutching their newly formed pains within their joints; the once stoic Fatui soldiers now flinched like children. When the Harbinger arrived to inspect, it seemed his worries were misplaced. Instead of you he should’ve been concerned about, he was now witnessing his troop being subjugated to merciless yelling from you as if his men never knew how to hold a weapon. 

That day, The Harbinger’s soldier begged him to never bring you as a substitute trainer again. At the very least, they never slacked off after that, in fear you might be brought back. Although secretly, The Harbinger could not deny his admiration. Who knew someone as cheerful and easygoing as his beloved would turn into a war machine when required? Your prowess never alluded him, but it definitely reminded him of your hidden allure to the smitten Captain.

“My moon and star, I am uncertain whether I can bring you back to my work once more. However, you must display your teaching methods in a spar for me in private, one-on-one.” 

✧ It wasn't at your suggestion that you found yourself in Il Dottore's laboratory, nor did he seek your assistance directly. Instead, it was one of his subordinates who came knocking on your door, bowing low. You were well aware of your beloved's tendency to hyper-fixate on his scientific endeavors, not welcoming any outside help that might divert his attention from his work. Nevertheless, a scowl crossed your face as you observed the desperate plea of the Fatui worker, imploring your aid.

“Please, I know I have no right to ask for anything, but you must help. The Doctor snaps at anyone who even breathes the wrong way. One wrong move and a scalpel will come flying straight at them. There is no other way to persuade our Lord Harbinger!”

You hummed wistfully but nodded - “I mean… I can help. Just bear in mind, I am no lab assistant. My aid will be minimal, but if it’s for Dottore, then I see where the issue lies.”

Thus, you found yourself paying an unexpected visit to your sweet Doctor’s lab. Precisely at the moment when one of his fiery reprimands was being delivered, a series of loud crashes reverberated from the imposing lab gates. Dottore was in the midst of an enraged explanation to his subordinates on why the rare Phlogiston from Natlan must not be wasted in excess when experimenting, his hand crashing on the metallic counter loudly.

“And if I found that any of you fools mishandles the Phlogiston, you will-”

“Will what?” Your voice interrupted, the Fatui assistant saw you approach from behind the Harbinger with your hands clasped behind your back. “What will happen, you said?”

Dottore froze. At your familiar voice, he casually turned to check on you, as if your mere presence in his workplace was an anomaly. Whatever lab tool or flask he was gripping was carefully put in its place. “Nothing. Nothing will happen, dear.” 

Hence, you chose to remain and offer assistance this time. Or rather, you quietly oversaw his laboratory work, providing minimal help without disrupting the actual scientific processes. You might argue that you hardly did anything that day, but the Fatui assistants? They were silently praying to the Tsaritsa’s merciful act of bringing a saint over here. Because the second your presence was known in this bleak, desensitized lab, Il Dottore’s attitude changed by a mile. 

He no longer snapped, slammed his fist onto counters, or even spoke loudly to his underlings. He suddenly turned tame. If he commanded something, and you interfered with his words, he would obediently change his mind as if you were the indisputable superior here.

“This testing is insufficient. We must retry it and double down on the sample for quicker efficiency-”

“Well, no, it's already late and it will be better to revise this experiment tomorrow.” - you stated simply, to which Dottore parroted with no hesitation. 

“You're right. It is late. The experiment will be revised tomorrow.” 

It's safe to say, the Fatui subordinates were left gawking that day. The formerly harsh and impatient doctor had transformed into a compliant child, allowing himself to proceed at a leisurely pace and follow your lead. Moreover, a simple touch on his shoulder from you or a soft smile would swiftly dissipate all his tension whenever he felt agitated. Not to mention you coaxed him to finish shift earlier for everyone. 

You should visit more frequently.

✧ Scaramouche hated having you help around in his work as a Lord Harbinger. Not because of your genuine consideration and effort, but because now he has to witness his foolish Fatui soldiers act all naive and joyous when you were around. 

Amidst a bustling workday of handling documents, gathering information, and conducting training sessions, time flew by effortlessly whenever you took charge. And the rest of the Balladeer’s subordinates adored you. You were easier to talk to, provided clear guidance, and attentively addressed any concerns affecting the mission or the staff. This stood in stark contrast to the Balladeer's snarky commands and derisive demeanor.

Alas, this is not why Scaramouche was standing with crossed arms, clenching his fists. One of the Fatui skirmishers was getting too comfortable with you as commander. Worst of all, your graceful smile was bestowed upon them, not him when he literally stood behind you. 

“Today's work has been completed.” - Lord Harbinger Scaramouche stated to his underlings. “You're dismissed. Now scram before I see any of your faces.” 

As the day progressed, you barely had a second to sit down, before a pair of slim arms encircled your waist tightly. Perhaps too tightly. Scaramouche’s face hung low on the crook of your shoulder, while his body pressed to your back with a mumbled grumble. - “Hm? What is it, Scara? I thought you were satisfied with the work done early.” 

"Don't waste your time helping the lazy fools. You’re supposed to stay with me a little while longer.” 

✧ Upon offering your assistance in advance, Pantalone's joyful grin would expand tenfold, reminiscent of a schoolboy eagerly welcoming his crush into his home. He would excitedly pace around, discussing arrangements to ensure your comfort. He'll bring your favorite beverages, perhaps some snacks, cancel all meetings so you'll have his undivided attention… 

“Pantalone, I said I will be there to help. Not go on a date.” 

But his head is not listening. Because once the day arrives and you begin to stride around in his office, he would remain stationary. Watching you with an adoring smile, hands clasped together. Whatever paperwork he was supposed to analyze was forgotten, and suddenly the 9th of the Fatui Harbingers forgot his own signature when you're around.

“Pantalone, are you listening? I reorganized these financial reports. And don't forget to reread the clauses in these receipts too… Are you still with me?” 

Yet all he could do was sit there and smile at how fondly you looked as a boss in his office. “...Yes dear.” 

You sighed deeply, knowing well he wouldn't accomplish any work today. However, after some gentle persuasion and the passage of time, you miraculously managed to guide your beloved into a state of complete concentration on his work. He sat behind his desk, engrossed in paperwork and skimming over documents. Adjusting his silver glasses, he then beckoned to you.

“Sweetheart? Could you step over here for a moment? I need you to review the numbers on these financial reports before I approve them. And your attention to detail has always been exceptional.”

You casually obliged, stepping next to his mahogany desk to look over the figures in the paper. Leaning over, you began reading, but Pantalone had other ideas. 

“Oh, this might be uncomfortable for you, dear. Come, sit here.”

Before you know it, you're pulled right over his armchair to plop comfortably onto his lap. And while you managed to determine that there was nothing faulty or inconsistent in the financial reports he is holding, you discerned his clever ploy - “Pantalone, these papers are already signed. There's nothing wrong with them.” 

However your beloved only beamed in triumph, his hands putting down the papers and coming to secure your place in his lap. 

“Oh, Is that so? Well, you’re already sitting here and it’s so comfortable. You can’t blame my longing for your continued presence, darling.” 

I’m still alive, I swear! Just busy exploring Natlan. Hope I didn’t sway too far off from the main suggestion with this fanfic. Thank you for reading ❣

[robertreich]

Why Big Money Supports Trump 

Fascism backed by Big Money is one of the most dangerous of all political alliances.

We saw it in 1930s Germany, when industrial giants bailed out a cash-strapped Nazi party right before Hitler’s election, thinking that Hitler would protect their money and power.

We are seeing something similar now. Earlier this year, the GOP was running out of money. So Trump turned to his wealthy backers for help. Many super-rich donors who once criticized Trump for stoking the violence of January 6 have since had a change of heart, deciding their profits are worth more than our democracy.

Trump has promised them that if elected, he’ll extend his 2017 tax cuts that went mainly to the wealthy beyond 2025 when they’re scheduled to expire, and hinting at even more.

He promised oil executives he would scrap regulations favoring electric vehicles and wind energy if they would give his campaign one billion dollars.

The Trump White House is for sale, and the wealthy are buying. 50 billionaire families gave at least $600 million in political donations as of May, with over two thirds going to support GOP candidates and conservative causes.

Elon Musk, one of the world’s richest men, who also controls and manipulates one of the world’s largest communications platforms, has committed to spending millions of dollars to elect Trump.

In previous videos, I’ve highlighted alarming similarities between fascist regimes of the past and Trumpism. The alignment of American billionaires with Trump’s anti-democracy movement is one of the most dangerous parallels.

The billionaires want the rest of us to fight each other so we don’t look up and see where all the wealth and power have gone, so we don’t join together and raise taxes on the super-rich to finance childcare, better schools, our health care system, and everything else we need.

They fear democracy because there are far more of us than there are of them.

We need to see through their fear tactics and vote in overwhelming numbers this November.

We can learn from history and spot the danger. We are not doomed to repeat it.

[unhealthyfanobsession]

The fact that Feyre finds it so absolutely abhorrent that Tamlin would tax citizens of the Spring Court who can’t afford it but sees no issue with Rhys legitimately leaving 90% of his court to rot under oppressive regimes because “change is slow” is absolutely fucking wild.

[reasonandempathy]

The weird radical/revolutionary politic larpers on this site are so allergic to political pragmatism I swear lmao. I am definitely left of the Democratic Party and I am certainly voting for Joe Biden in November. Not because I like him (I don’t). He is absolutely horrific on Gaza and that’s only the top (and priority considering there is a genocide going on there) of a list of complaints I have about him. I even voted uncommitted in my state’s presidential primary (the Pennsylvania one; I had to write it in) to protest. However, I’m still thinking pragmatically. Trump has said things that make me credibly think he will be worse on Gaza (insane that being worse on Gaza than Biden is possible but it is unfortunately), and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Project 2025, the potential for him to appoint more deeply conservative justices, more of his aggressively screwing over poor and middle class people with his tax policies. And does anyone else remember the spike in hate crimes after the race was called for him in 2016? Before he was even inaugurated? Whether people vote or not in November we will still have to deal with one of these two men in office come January unless all of the internet ancom larpers overthrow the government by then (doubt), so I’d rather deal with the one who will be marginally less bad and who didn’t try to overthrow the government. Can’t have your revolution if nobody’s alive cause you kept pushing off politically participating because there was no perfect option. 👍

Political pragmatist anon, sorry for ranting in your askbox but I feel like I lose brain cells watching these people talk. The other day I saw someone say Biden is bad because Roe v. Wade fell under his administration… even though the reason for that was Trump appointed justices. 💀 (2/2)

Fucking insane. Sincerely.

It's a completely, flatly binary choice for anyone with a brain stem and sincerity. It's distilled into the two below images:

Where all major third party candidates are even on the ballot

How many electoral votes the largest of those (green party, a.k.a. Jill Stein) would win if they won every single state they're on the ballot for.

They are literally, legally, incapable of winning the election. They are not on enough state ballots to win and Jill Stein would need to somehow win California and Texas to even "win" all the states they're on the ballot for. Which, again, would still not be enough to win the presidency and throw it to the currently existing Republican House of Representatives. Which would put Trump in office.

It's that straightforward. That simple. That BLARINGLY obvious to literally everyone except these people.

On the one hand you have:

Significant and continuous support for Israel and it's genocide

Record levels of pardons for low-level drug offenses

the gearing up of the strongest anti-trust regime since the early 20th century

the most aggressive NLRB I've seen in my lifetime, with massive wins and institutional changes to help workers

Including getting Rail strike workers a week of sick-leave that gets paid out at the end of the year, which is better than NYC and LA sick leave laws

Millions of people (not enough) getting student debt forgiveness

Some trillion dollars (not enough)of investment in renewable resources and infrastructure

Proposed taxes on unrealized capital gains (a.k.a. how billionaires never have any money but can still buy Kentucky, Iowa, and Twitter)

Effectively an end to overdraft fees

The explicit support of leftist world leaders like Lula de Silva. Who he has explicitly worked with to expand worker rights in South America.

Has capped (some, not enough, only a tiny amount really but it's something) some drug prices, including Insulin.

Reduced disability discrimination in medical treatment

Billions in additional national pre-k funding

Ending federal use of private prisons

Pushing bills to raise Social Security tax thresholds higher to help secure the General Fund

Increasing SSI benefits

and more

vs

Said Israel should just nuke Gaza and "get it over with"

Personally takes pride in and credit for getting Roe v Wade overturned

Is arguing in court that the President should be allowed to assassinate political rivals

Muslim Ban Bullshit, insistently

Actively damages our global standing and diplomatic efforts just by getting obsessed with having a Big Button

Implemented massive tax cuts on ich people, tax hikes on middle class and poor people, and actively wants to do it again

"Only wants to be a dictator for a little bit, guys, what's the big deal"

Is loudly publicly arguing that the US shouldn't honor its military alliances after-the-fact

Tore up an effective and substantial anti-nuclear-proliferation treaty with Iran

Had a DoEd that actively just refused to process student debt forgiveness applications that have been the law of the land for decades now

Has a long record of actively curtailing and weakening the NLRB and labor movement, including allowing managers to retaliate against workers, weakened workplace accommodation requirements for disabled people, and more

Rubber stamped a number of massive mergers building larger, more powerful top companies and increasing monopolistic practices

Fucking COVID Bullshit and hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths

Openly supporting fascists and wannabe-bootlicks ("Very fine people" being only the beginning of it

It's really not fucking close.

[princesschimchim1325]

The Best Way to a Person's Heart is through their Stomach

The Captain of the Silvermane guards is a loyal, dedicated and hardworking man. Gepard barely takes any breaks, always on the look out for anything amiss. Serval knew her little brother often missed meals in the name of keeping Belobog safe, but she can't help but notice a bit of change from him.

Warnings : fem reader, written in 3rd POV, Gepard being a huge SIMP, Serval being the greatest wingwoman, fluff, tooth rotting sweetness, reader is a good cook. I projected a bit into reader-chan :3

Reblogs, likes & comments are welcome! Repost or copying is not! Ai is also not allowed!

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Gepard can often only drink his morning coffee before he went to work, ready to command his guards for any attacks. Lunch usually passed by without him eating a lot, only eating once his shift was over. The amount of times he'd been scolded by Serval cannot be counted on both hands.

He knew that it wasn't healthy to skip any meals but he couldn't help it, he needed to ensure the safety of Belobog, as he'd sworn to do. He couldn't afford to make any mistakes, so sacrifices needed to be made.

At least, that was what he told himself.

°•°•°•°•°

"Woah, have you gotten even beefier, Geppie?" Serval couldn't help but notice the difference in Gepard's appearance as he entered the shop for lunch. Even sitting down, she noticed.

His cheeks were fuller and healthier, he didn't look like he was skipping meals anymore. Because of his work out regime, he usually burned off what he ate. Somehow, he looked healthier and more... buff, essentially.

"Have you been working out like crazy or something, Geppie?" Even so, she'll tease him for just about anything.

Gepard flushed, tugging at his collar as a habit whenever he was flustered. "I-it's not like that! It's just that I haven't been skipping meals. And because lady Bronya assigned me to personally train the new recruits."

Serval raised an eyebrow in suspicion, the story made sense but felt incomplete.

"Is that all?"

"Yes, that's all." Gepard nodded but Serval was still unconvinced. She'll have to resort to using her older sister rights then.

"I feel incredibly sad that you can't even trust me, Geppie. But I get it, you're not little anymore, you're the big and strong captain while I'm just lil' old me." Serval sighed dramatically, she felt a little guilty manipulating her brother like this but, he'll never talk if she didn't.

Gepard, always weak to his sisters' whims, relented with a heavy sigh. There's no point in hiding it, Serval knew him better than anyone.

"Alright, alright, I'll tell you."

Serval leaned forward, resting her arms on the table. Her little Geppie's cheeks were pink and if she looked hard enough, his ears were too.

"It was about a month and a half ago..."

○•○•○•○•○

Another long day, another day with an empty stomach. He knew that this couldn't go on for forever but he needed to get the job done, because who could if he didn't?

Gepard was a big eater and he knew it. For him to not eat the usual amount was pretty taxing but his workload and schedule didn't allow him to make a big lunch in the morning despite waking up at the crack of dawn. He settled on what he could get from the shops when he's on his short break.

He sat down on a bench, burying his face in his hands. Hunger and fatigue were not a good combination and it was starting to manifest in the form of a headache, which will most likely turn into a migraine.

He sighed heavily, not noticing the person sitting next to him on the bench. He suddenly sat up straight when the person next to him tapped his shoulder. His head snapped to the person and he immediately flushed when he realized that he wasn't the only person on the bench.

The person next to him was a young woman, a very pretty young woman, looking at him with concern.

"You don't look too well, captain." She tilted her head as she observed him. He realized he hadn't said a thing at all and stammered a response.

"Ah! Don't mind me please! I-I'll take my leave now, I wouldn't want to bother you." As he stood up to leave, his stomach decided to betray him and growled in hunger. Was it possible to get any redder?

The two of them stared at each other for a moment before the young woman took out a lunch box from her bag and handed it to him. He looked at her and then at the lunch box then back again at her, absolutely dumfounded. She giggled at his expression and opened the lunch box and took his hand and gave it to him.

"It seems Belobog's captain has been neglecting himself as of late, hmm? Well, I wouldn't want anything bad happeing to him just because he forgot to eat lunch." She mused, chuckling at the redness that has spread from Gepard's cheeks to his ears.

He cleared his throat before answering, "I-ahem, I've had worse. To protect Belobog, a few sacrifices are needed." She raised an eyebrow at him, amused but serious at the same time.

"Captain, I understand that what you are doing and know that I and the rest of Belobog appreciate your hardwork. However, if you continue neglecting yourself, how would you be able to protect us if you're about to collapse from hunger and fatigue?" He wanted to argue that it was for Belobog but he knew he was fighting a losing battle. He sighed and sat down again.

"Besides, it's rather counterproductive if you are trying to protect our city on an empty stomach, don't you think?" She smiled, knowing full well that he was starting to see his errors. She gave him a spoon and fork, gently nudging him to start eating.

Gepard shook his head, knowing full well she was right and did as he was told and ate. Her smile grew seeing him eat and enjoy the food as well and prompted her to eat her meal as well. They had small talk, her telling him her name and him telling stories from work. They both learned a few things from eachother. Turns out, she was a medic and would often patch up Silvermane guards, him being the only person that hadn't gone to her clinic.

His blush hadn't dissipated even when he finished his meal and gave the empty lunch box back to her as she finished her own. When she was finally done, he stood up turned to her.

"Thank you for the meal and company, i-it was delicious and I'll keep in mind not to skip any more meals." He bowed and turn to leave. He hadn't gone far when he heard her call out to him, "Come here again tomorrow! I have to make sure you'll actually eat, Captain!" He turned around to see her waving at him and before he can stop himself, waved back at her.

°•°•°•°•°

"And it became a routine from then on." He concluded, the blush from earlier still there on his cheeks and ears. Ah, so that's what it is...

Her little Geppie has a crush.

Gepard thought that was the end of it but suddenly Serval started sniffling and bursted out crying.

"Wha– nee-san?! Why are you crying?!" Gepard stood up, snatched a box of tissues and gave it to his sobbing older sister, patting her back to confort her.

"My little Geppie is all grown up now!" Serval exclaimed, still crying and on her fifth tissue, "I never thought the day would come, but look at you now! Next thing I know, it's your wedding!" Serval sobbed.

Gepard spluttered, "Nee-san! We're not even dating! What are you sayin–" he was cut when Serval suddenly yanked him by the collar, her eyes wide.

"What? Why not!? Wait, you should cook for her! If all ends well, then you guys end up together! If not, then just say it's to thank her!"

Gepard remained silent, weighing his options and how doing what Serval wanted (he wanted it too) will affect his friendship with the object of his affections.

Serval saw the conflict in her little brother's eyes. She smiled softly, reaching to pat his head.

"If you're not ready, then I won't force you. But, wouldn't being honest with your feeling be better? It wouldn't hurt to try. If she feels the same then great, but if not then it's not her fault, your feelings will pass."

"You two started as strangers then friends, and if she's as great as you say she is, then this wouldn't change anything." She pinched his cheek, making him wince but it lightened the mood at least.

"You're right. We're meeting at the same spot tomorrow, so it wouldn't be too strange if I return the favor and give her lunch as well." He smiled.

"Atta boy!"

He'll be sure to text her to not bring any meal.

○•○•○•○

It was a good thing it was his day off, so he was able to prepare a nice lunch. He tried not letting his intrusive thoughts get to him.

Lunch time arrived much faster than he expected and before he knew it, he walking to the bench where they often meet up to have their meals.

From afar, he can see her sillouette, waiting for him. When he was close enough, he saw her wave at him, a smile on her pretty face. He waved back and walked a little faster to get to her.

"I was surprised when you texted me to not bring lunch– you seem to be in a good mood, captain." She teased him when he sat down, he playfully rolled his eyes in response. She laughed before she noticed him holding a paper bag.

"What's in the bag?"she pointed at it, Gepard suddenly looked shy. He took out its contents and laid it down the space between them.

"It's lunch. I-I cooked it, as thanks for all you have done for me." He looked away, flustered but disapointed in himself that he couldn't say what he really wanted to say. When he finally looked back at her, he almost needed to shield his eyes.

She lit up at the sight of his homecooked meal, her smile so bright and happy.

"Wow, these look so good! Can I–?" She asked he nodded at her, pushing the lunch boxes towards her and handing her utensils. She tried an omelette and squealed in joy, a hand on her cheek, making her looked like a chipmunk. He smiled at her happy squeals and moans as she tried more of the dishes he prepared.

"It'sh sho yummy! Why are you a better cook than I am?" her eyes closed in euphoria, as he ate alongside her.

"Don't say that, you're a pretty good cook as well." He chuckled.

"Mmmh, but I can't believe you have so many talents, I wish I had a great husband like you.." she trailed off, not even realizing what she said.

Gepard froze, which led to her freezing as well. They both just looked at each other for a few moments before she became an embarassed bumbling mess, trying to and failing to explain what she said. If anything, she dug herself a deeper hole.

"I-I didn't mean to say that! It's just you're so cool and mature and handsome–the perfect husband material and you're so cute singing Serval's songs..." realizing she was just confessing her inner thoughts, she covered her face with both of her hands, only peeking in between them to see Gepard.

Gepard's face was so red, he almost looked sick.

"...you think so?" He softly asked. She meekly nodded.

He sighed.

"Do you want to make it a reality?" He asked cryptically. She lowered her hands to properly look at him.

"Huh?" She was confused, what did he mean?

He cleared his throat, looking at her with a determined yet shy expression on his handsome face, blue eyes shining.

"Do you want to make it a reality of me being your husband by going on a date with me?"

She mumbled a little yes, but he heard it all the same. He flashed her a shy yet blindingly bright smile as he took her hand and placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles, "Then consider this our first date then, my lady."

Her heart couldn't handle this gorgeous man...

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@teafairyartandmore

[lgbtpopcult]

Lithuania and Estonia move towards expanding rights of same-sex couples - Baltic News Network

Lithuanian parliament’s Committee on Justice and Order supported last September the legislative draft on civil unions. However, until now there was not enough votes to approve it.

Once the law has been passed, partners who enter into a civil union will have joint ownership, but will have the option to establish a different property regime in a separate agreement, inherit under the law and not pay inheritance taxes. They will also have the opportunity to act in each other’s name and interests, to represent each other in the field of health care, to receive health-related information and similar rights and obligations.

ESTONIA’S RIIGIKOGU, MEANWHILE, HAS PASSED IN THE FIRST READING AMENDMENTS THAT PROVIDE SAME-SEX COUPLES EQUAL MARRIAGE RIGHTS STARTING WITH THE 1ST OF JANUARY 2024.

Estonian Minister of Social Protection Signe Riisalo explained that since 2014, when the parliament passed the Registered Partnerships Law, but no other legislative acts received amendments, there have been many residents who live in a state of legal uncertainty, which needs to end.

“Now is the time to provide all people in Estonia equal rights. Social changes do not happen overnight. But with these legal changes, which are technical and very symbolic, will definitely reduce the number of people with hateful voices,” said the minister.

She added that laws provide foundation and influence public opinions. This is why legalisation of equal rights for marriage for all couples is a step towards creating a sense of safety and equal rights for everyone.

The amendments passed in the first reading in the Estonian parliament provides the right for marriage for two adult persons regardless of gender. Alongside marriage, the possibility to enter into a registered partnership will be maintained, which provides for the right of the partners to participate in decisions affecting the partner and to receive compensation and benefits if necessary. Amendments provides a simplified approach to transition from registered partnership to marriage.

Both marriage and registered partnerships provide rights and obligations for couples that are not shared by persons in informal relationships. The rights and obligations relate mainly to the receipt of benefits, the management of property, housing and inheritance.

[pumpacti0n]

Be for real.

Something that continues to vex me is this common presumption from centrist liberals that radicals are demanding strict moral purity or asking for far too much because genocide is an inherently unacceptable consequence for us and we refuse to be complacent about it.

It actually reads as far more "doomeristic" to respond to opposition on these grounds with "oh, here you go getting on your soapbox about genocide again 🙄" as if the scale of these atrocities were some minor issue brought up by a fringe group and not literally millions of people, as if this issue doesn't connect with multiple others. The implications are far-reaching and incredibly serious, yet are dismissed as flippantly as it would be if they were crying over spilled milk.

This is a familiar and predictable pattern with electoralists in general and apologists for imperial regimes, however. There's an obvious biased attitude that shows itself in the overemphasis on the so-called achievements of their favored parties and individual political authorities, while doing their dirty work by minimizing every harm they've committed.

They aren't even fully responsible for these achievements, by the way. Grassroots activists who have sacrificed and dedicated their lives to improving material conditions for the masses are erased while politicians and their constituents are given all the credit for it.

Apologists don't change anything and continue to enable the very fascist tendencies they fearmonger about precisely because they keep painting an incomplete picture of the situation and misrepresent the people calling for actual change instead of a mere changing of the guard. They get mired in futile "harm reduction" rhetoric while the harm only continues to escalate to the point of genocide, then blame the people who consider this escalation a deal-breaker, something that can't be meaningfully compromised with.

Just imagine, being under settler military occupation and bombardment, only be told you must compromise with the very people responsible for it, and that if you don't you'll be threatened with worse occupation and bombardment so you had better show up in support of the "less evil" genociders. This is gaslighting and abuse, plain and simple.

If we were to reduce the scale of this scenario to a violent, power-hungry husband and a wife suffering from domestic abuse, we can't honestly claim to be on the wife's side by telling her to flee to the house of someone who "only" beats her 2 days out of the week and not 5...we'd try to get her out of the situation by any means necessary. We certainly wouldn't be engaging in the dishonest and shameful tactic of bringing up how the husband donates .001% of his income to a local charity on occasion for tax write offs.

From this perspective, we might start to better recognize the apathy and anti-social conditioning it would require in order to tolerate or excuse such behavior, but when it comes to mass-death, it magically transforms into a simple math equation. "100 thousand dead is less than 200 thousand dead, so I guess 100 thousand dead is good" is a bleak and terrible consideration that forces us to view the lives of others as numbers and things whose existence are strictly theoretical and useful only to prove a point. It's repulsive to conflate any ideology that would force you to make such a calculation with the egalitarian worldview.

"Harm reduction" isn't about condemning thousands to death while smugly chastising those who view even one more victim as a cost too great. It reveals a deeply unsavory fact about the values of the people who use these kinds of arguments; that they think of their actions as "progress". Delaying the spread of the disease of fascism and directly opposing it on a conceptual and material basis are not the same thing. "progress" would look like decolonization and actual healing process taking place, where the long-standing grievances are finally addressed and the powers-that-be no longer exist to commit more harm in the first place.

This is not what electoralists want, however, because they lack the imagination, initiative and capacity to struggle and make this a reality. This is evident in the fact that their first impulse is to throw the people with these desires under the bus in favor of more elections and repeating the same debunked clichés about electoral politics ad-nauseam.

There's no honest desire from these administrations to bring about the end of this genocide, and there is no place for decolonization of the land on the ballot, because these things are integral parts of the empire's state mechanism itself. To do away with them would mean they have become obsolete. Acknowledging this isn't moralistic grandstanding, it's a conclusion drawn by analyzing the track record of this country, its various internal structures and its controllers.

Solidarity's foundation is trust, a sense of real interdependence. Neither is possible if someone whose immediate reaction to displeasure about genocidal policy is made out to be a trivial and hypocritical nuisance by their associates. Whose side are y'all on, anyway?

[smytherines]

Oh my god this got so long. I swore to myself that I was going to be normal about this and not just dump all of my headcanon immediately but like

Do you ever think about the fact that in the 1950s & 1960s there just were not that many nuclear weapons blueprints out there (and most of the document stealing was done by long term plants, not high risk guys like Curt & Owen)

If you were a spy during the Cold War you were most likely doing regime change. You were arming, training, and supplying coups. You were helping set the stage for American or UK capital to set up shop and repress and enslave Indigenous populations and export every drop of wealth possible from the global south. You were fighting a proxy war against "communism" (which often just meant workers striking for better conditions, at least intially) all across the globe.

With that context I think a lot about the coup in Guatemala in 1954, where the CIA trained and armed the coup and overthrew the democratically elected president of Guatemala (Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán) at the behest of the United Fruit Company. Árbenz was left of center, and he had land reforms planned that would compensate UFCO for their land, appropriate it, and redistribute it to workers. Guatemala offered to pay the value listed on UFCO tax documents (1.2 million), but UFCO demanded 16 million

If I start talking about this I'll never stop, but long story short UFCO had spent 50+ years gobbling up all the land in Guatemala, grew Bananas and exported them for massive profits, and terrorized or outright massacred Indigenous workers to keep them in line. The 1954 coup and the subsequent I think its 36 years of civil war in Guatemala is all down to the CIA doing a coup because the head of the CIA (Allen Dulles) was on the board of United Fruit and they wanted that blood money baby. It was a genocide.

Hard swerve back into it here: I don't know about Owen, but at least Agent Curt Mega had a *very* good chance of participating in the 1954 coup. In creating a literal Banana Republic (a puppet government controlled by US interests). I tend to think Owen was there too because it's more interesting that way. I think it's a mistake to focus exclusively on the Russian cat vs mouse and ignore the larger geopolitical context of the cold war.

Owen "dies" because of Curt's hubris- not just the drinking and talking him into risks he isn't comfortable with, but with his job at A.S.S., because someone else points and Curt shoots. In my headcanon Curt helped to create a banana republic that harmed and killed an incredible number of people, and he is just as careless when he leaves his banana peel on the stairs and "kills" Owen. Curt is absolutely firm in the belief that he is one of the good guys. And I think Owen was prolly the same way- until his body got wrecked and he got abandoned by the man he loved and he had a long, long time to think about the foreign policy of his government and what he and Curt really *did* on their fun lil spy jaunts.

If Owen was in Honduras (where they staged the Guatemala coup), then he has to reckon with the fact that he "died" due to *his own* hubris as well. He has to process that he joined the intelligence game because he grew up during the Blitz, during WWII, but that post WWII Britain was doing the same imperialist bullshit the US was. That Owen wasn't saving the world, he was destroying it. He was crushing half the planet under the thumb of British power. He was enacting the very genocides he joined up to prevent. That's why he wants a world with "no more agencies, no more spies, no more secrets."

So when Chimera offers Owen the chance to undermine US & UK interests, to take the power out of their hands by using and discarding a ridiculous n*zi, Owen just goes for it. I don't subscribe to the Chimera brainwashing theory, I like to think Owen joined Chimera because post-banana he became ideologically aligned with Chimera.

I imagine Chimera pulled him out of the rubble and got him back on his feet, and whispered in his ear about US/UK imperialism. We can argue about whether the ends justify the means, whether he goes too far, whether Chimera has pure intentions (doubt), but Owen isn't just some nightmare monster. He tells Curt "you've been blind" and "no one's innocent." He calls Curt a "caveman" and what is it, an "arrogant brute?" He has a rationale. He believes he is right. He's kind of a dick about it, but he has radicalized in a way Curt hasn't.

I think Owen sees Curt as clinging to cool guy spy shit (and the macho straight guy facade) instead of seeing the world for what it is. I think he probably also thinks about Alan Turing, about the UK arresting gay men- men who had previously been considered national heroes- for doing what Owen does (loving a man). I think he thinks about the US doing an elaborate and very public witchhunt of communists and gay people and anyone else who doesn't conform to good ol American capitalism. I think he insults Curt because he has been through a lot of shit that has changed his perspective, and he cannot believe that Curt *still doesn't see it*

I know there's the whole "DMA killed 1147 people, mostly girls from ages 14 to 22" kickstarter joke, but I'm sorry as much as I love Cynthia it'll be a cold day in hell before I believe anything the US state department says.

I don't think Agent Curt Mega is a perfect adorable babygirl who has never done anything wrong, I don't think Owen is (and has always been) a cruel and sadistic comic book villain. I think these are two men who loved each other in a time where it was very difficult, in a profession where they are literally the property of their respective governments. Where they could be arrested and forced into conversion therapy if they were discovered.

I think they were flawed (Curt cocky and careless, Owen condescending) but loved and respected each other as best they could, and when a massive trauma hits them they break different ways. Curt remains the lawful good, but Owen reframes his sense of right and wrong. I tend to think he did legit torture a lot of people, and even enjoyed it, but I think it was people related to these proxy wars, people related to these coups. People who could advance Chimera's objectives

I think Owen tortures Curt because he hates him, and he doesn't kill Curt (despite having soooo many chances) because he loves him. Owen has so much hesitation in the staircase scene. When Curt brings up their relationship he wavers and his face softens and his gun drops. He brings the gun back up, but despite having Curt at gunpoint for like 3 minutes he doesn't kill him. He hates him, but he loves him. If Curt takes the chance to talk to Owen, then maybe...

But Curt is convinced he is the good guy, which makes Owen the bad guy. And bad guys get put down like dogs. The ideological split is something Curt can't handle, so he shoots and kills his unarmed ex-lover. He just needs a win. He needs it to be over.

I don't have anything against anyone else's headcanon, I think it's a testament to how good Spies Are Forever really is that nearly 8 years later so many people still spend so much time taking apart this comedy musical about gay spies. But for me, it's more compelling if Owen is traumatized and flawed and ideologically opposed to the heroes of our story. I think it's more interesting that Curt kills the man he spent 4 years pining for because he can't accept the possibility that he could be the baddie.

Oh god I have to stop this is too much. But yeah. I've got feelings.

[mariacallous]

Apple has been ordered to pay €13 billion ($14.4bn) of unpaid taxes to the Irish state, in a court ruling that ended a decade-long fight between Europe and the big tech company.

In a judgment handed down on Tuesday, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) agreed with a European Commission ruling in 2016, which found that for a period of more than 20 years Apple enjoyed illegal tax advantages that constituted state aid from the Irish government.

“The Court of Justice gives final judgment in the matter and confirms the European Commission’s 2016 decision: Ireland granted Apple unlawful aid, which Ireland is required to recover,” the court said in a statement.

“Today is a huge win for European citizens and tax justice,” Margrethe Vestager, the European competition commissioner, said in a statement on X. “Ireland granted illegal aid to Apple.”

The Irish government said that it will respect the decision of the court, and points to it being of “historical relevance only”, claiming that it dates back to revenues in 1991 and 2007 which are “no longer in force,” because it introduced changes to its tax regime. “The Irish position has always been that Ireland does not give preferential tax treatment to any companies or taxpayers,” the government’s statement read.

Dr Stephen Daly, a reader in tax law at King’s College London, says he is “stunned” by the decision, which has come after a lengthy back and forth legal battle that saw the European General Court find in Apple’s favour in 2020.

“I really didn’t see this coming,” Daly says. “I thought the Commission’s path to victory was incredibly narrow because it suffered some big defeats in similar cases against Fiat and Amazon. I thought this would be the same outcome. I’m also stunned because this is the biggest tax case in history: €13bn—which will be more than €14bn when interest is added on—will have to be paid back.”

The case relates to tax deals the Irish authorities struck with Apple in 1991 and 2007 to encourage it to headquarter two European subsidiaries in the country. Other companies were not offered the same favourable terms, leading the European Commission to accuse Ireland of giving Apple a “selective advantage.”

Ireland has long come under scrutiny for allegedly providing a tax haven for US firms. During his last stint in the White House, current presidential hopeful Donald Trump namechecked the country in a speech in which he vowed to bring “trillions of dollars” in tax revenues back to the US.

“For too long our tax code has incentivised companies to leave our country in search of lower tax rates,” he said in 2017. “It happens—many, many companies. They’re going to Ireland. They’re going all over.”

According to Daly, the ECJ decision is “not good for Ireland.” “Ireland has always tried to position itself as a country that provides generous tax rules but rules that are fair,” he says. “This certainly has harmed Ireland Inc.”

Chiara Putaturo, an EU tax policy advisor at the charity Oxfam, which is engaged in a long-running campaign against tax havens, said the judgment “delivers long-overdue justice after over a decade of Ireland standing by and allowing Apple to dodge taxes,” adding that it “‘exposes EU tax havens’ love affair with multinationals.”

However, Putaturo said that while Ireland will be forced to recover the €13bn from Apple, the case has not outlawed the use of so-called “sweetheart tax deals” in the EU. Notably, in the Fiat and Amazon cases, which were decided in 2022 and 2023 respectively, the ECJ ruled that similar deals struck in Luxembourg did not amount to state aid.

[anarchotahdigism]

"At the time I resigned in early March, I was the only staff member of Palestinian descent at World Central Kitchen (WCK).1 I resigned in protest of extensive, unexplained censorship regarding Gaza at the organization. WCK leadership is taking a stand six months too late, only after 7 of its personnel were killed." ..... "Much of the work in a genocide is not pulling the trigger, but instead minimizing and denying that a genocide is going on. Genocide is a phenomenon of gradual boundary pushing. Each increment must be accepted by the parties with agency for the next to be reached. Under the direction of CEO Erin Gore, Linda Roth, and “Chief Feeding Officer” José Andrés, World Central Kitchen recklessly endangered its personnel, selfishly exploited the situation for its own benefit, and actively participated in the normalization of an ongoing genocide." "The way in which WCK writes stories and talks about its work in Ukraine suggests this isn’t principled humanitarian neutrality. In three separate videos, the NGO has highlighted its initiative in rural Ukraine, titled “Seeds of Victory.” It refers to its Ukrainian employees and volunteers as “Food Fighters,” positioning them as part of the war effort. Gaza has had a much higher rate of civilian, especially child, casualties. Andrés is Co-Chair of Biden’s Council on Sports, Fitness, & Nutrition, a member of the State Department’s American Culinary Corps, and has warmly hosted Antony Blinken on his podcast. He has had no issue asserting that Russia was using starvation as a weapon in Ukraine, but has never publicly stated a similar stance on Israel’s policies in Palestine. Until the highly publicized slaughter of its employees forced it to do otherwise, WCK has been towing the Biden admin line regarding Gaza. Despite ridiculous assertions to the contrary, WCK does take political stances, seemingly in line with the privately expressed views of its leadership.

Save the possibility of genuine incompetence, the WCK leadership’s decisions were not made to maintain neutrality, did not increase effectiveness, and, as April 1 demonstrated, did not protect personnel. The leadership’s failure to honestly portray the dire reality in Gaza, and lack of an attempt to influence the genocide in Gaza via its status and close ties with the Biden administration, means that they bear responsibility for its outcomes. Let no one say they did everything they could.

Mine was only one experience. When I resigned, there was a palpable, widespread atmosphere of disappointment and anger among employees, stemming from issues that began long before I signed on. I am calling on current and former World Central Kitchen employees, contractors, and volunteers to publicly share their stories and force accountability and change."

nonprofits/NGOs exist to ensure neoliberal politics continue to apply to those they claim they "help" or "serve." They will never take radical actions, they will never effect systemic change, and they will always be complicit in the sins of the systems they promulgate. They are all tax reliefs for the rich and nearly always follow white supremacist neoliberal policies while presenting themselves as being morally superior to whatever conflicts they are involved in, claiming to be neutral when they consistently work with genocidal regimes & forces to effect whatever projects or goals they decide are best for the most vulnerable people on the planet while laundering, if not enriching, their executives & founders. WCK executives are all absolutely accomplices to genocide and one final note is that they have claimed to have distributed almost as many meals in so-called Israel as they have in besieged Gaza. They are quite literally feeding the genocide of Palestine and Palestinians.

[goodqueenaly]

Hi again! Do you think that if Aegon and Balerion had died in Dorne instead of Rhaenys and Meraxes, his sisters and young Aenys would've been able to secure a Targaryen succession in the (then) Six Kingdoms? Or without the Conqueror himself acting as the figurehead and leader of the new dynasty, it would've crumbled and the kingdoms would try to be independent again?

I think it would have been a very difficult situation - perhaps not completely impossible, but very difficult for the Targaryen dynasty. It was not just the fact that Aegon the Conqueror had IOTL ruled for the better part of four decades after he (and his sisters) finished the actual battles of the Conquest, but also the fact that Aegon spent many of those years solidifying the new governmental system he had introduced with that Conquest. By constantly going on progresses throughout the realm, Aegon was visibly demonstrating his position as supreme Lord of the (not quite yet actualized) Seven Kingdoms, underlining the feudal structure he had created between the Targaryens and the native vassal lords. By holding court across the country and gathering advice on local laws and customs, Aegon was establishing the Targaryen government as one both different from the pre-Conquest structure and amenable to the daily operation of that structure. 

In sum, Aegon put in nearly 40 years of work to make the Targaryen domain in Westeros a practical reality and not just a political theory. While that work certainly did not prevent rebellions against the Targaryen dynasty after his death IOTL, a scenario in which Aenys came to the throne as a three-year-old boy would obviously have not have that same history of personal investment on the part of the monarch. Rather, it might have been far easier for even more rebels to argue, as various rebels did IOTL, that “[t]he chains the Dragon forged can yet be broken … [w]e can win our freedoms back”, precisely because the Targaryens would have had so much less time and opportunity to make themselves known as the indisputable leaders of Westeros. Anyone discontented with the Iron Throne - those "[s]ons ... [who] dreamed of avenging long-dead fathers", those "[k]nights [who] remembered the days when a man with a sword and a horse and a suit of armor could slash his way to riches and glory", those "[l]ords [who] recalled a time when they did not need a king’s leave to tax their smallfolk or kill their enemies" - would instead needed to have exerted very little effort to imagine a world without Targaryen oversight or domination, to turn back the clock a mere 10 years.

Nor can we ignore Aenys as the would-be successor at this moment. Regencies as a general rule are far from easy or stable forms of government, no less so when the child-king in question would have been all of three years old. As much as Aegon’s sister-wives might have IOTL sat the Iron Throne and ruled to some extent almost as co-monarchs, I don’t think they would have been able to escape a struggle over control of or influence over Aenys’ regency from those aristocrats who, while perhaps supportive of the principle of Targaryen rule, may not have believed in widowed women, even Aegon’s widows, solely controlling the government of the new toddler king. Moreover, Aenys would have had at least 13 years of being ruled by adults - a very long time for any one aristocratic faction to keep control of the government, and consequently highly likely a period of multiple regime changes. This chaos might only have been compounded by Aenys, if he shared the weak and indecisive personality of the Aenys of OTL; how could a completely new government barely a decade into its existence cope with an ongoing major war and the stability of the rest of its realm when its ostensible head of state would never be the skilled warrior-king his father had been? Would the realm have been willing to defend a sickly toddler, with little in the way of early dragonrider ability, the only heir this dynasty had? 

(All of this reminds me of the regency of Henry VI of England, a figure I often compare to Baelor but who fits for these purposes here - the (almost) infant king who comes to the throne after the death in battle of his conquering royal father and in the midst of a substantial foreign war. Likewise, just as Henry VI grew up as a peaceful and pious but not particularly capable adult monarch, so Aenys IOTL would grow up to be an amiable but ineffective king. Just as that regency was a time of instability and struggles for power in the English (and technically French) governments, so I could imagine Aenys’ regency in such a scenario would have been a similarly very trying time.)

Now, could Rhaenys and Visenya have tried to rally the vassals of the Iron Throne to continue to support the Targaryen monarchy? Possibly. Both were clearly intelligent, strong, and confident queens and dragonriders (though whether they would have been equally driven to keep Aenys on the Iron Throne is less clear, given that Visenya was not his mother but also did not have a son of her own to back). Would they have encouraged a war of vengeance against Dorne (with perhaps plenty of xenophobic, jingoistic propaganda to back the point) as a means of uniting the realm (again, save Dorne itself) in the wake of Aegon's death, and if so, would the major vassals of the Iron Throne have responded to such encouragement? Who knows what sort of rebellions they might have faced, how they would have responded, and what policies they might have instituted to maintain the Iron Throne?

[six-spot]

United we stand, divided we fall…

I don’t care on which side of the political spectrum you identify. The threat to our democracy is a clear and present danger!

A 🧵 Buckle up it’s a long one.

This is not a fight about 2A, it’s not about abortion, it’s not about education, it’s not about sexual orientation, it’s not about taxes or immigration or about healthcare. This fight comes down to a religious minority, trying to push its narrow views upon our country.

The Heritage Foundation and its Project 2025 threatens to dismantle nearly 250 years of progress toward equality for all. And I for one am not going to stand for it.

We must unite against the GOP with Joe Biden as the nominee. He cannot be replaced on ballots without being challenged. “Protest” voting for other parties will sign the death certificate of our nation. The same thing happened in 2016.

A very brief history. Zoroastrianism was founded around 3500 years ago. “Zoroastrianism…held that a messiah would come at some future date…to redeem humanity in an event known as the Frashokereti which was the end of time and brought reunion with Ahura Mazda…

These concepts would influence the later religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.” https://www.worldhistory.org/religion/

This monotheistic view of religion has existed for less than half of recorded history and many religions still have pluralistic beliefs. #Christianity has done nothing but oppress people since its inception. And now a very narrow interpretation of it is being weaponized against us.

It’s a disease that spread throughout the world, literally killing millions of people as missionaries spread disease from one continent to another. It didn’t matter how many indigenous people died as long as they believed and converted.

Ancient rulers seized upon the opportunity to adopt the religion and thus take power and wealth* from the people. Sound familiar? Wars have been fought for control of territory around the world.

*This was the 2nd goal of missionaries.

And now a sect of ultra-conservative Christian Nationalists threatens to end our constitutional republic in favor of an authoritarian state.

They’re trying to divide us even further so they can win. We CANNOT let that happen. Moderate, Liberal, Progressive, Libertarian, Conservative, it doesn’t matter, we will all suffer equally if Project 2025 succeeds.

They have been chipping away at certain liberties for 8 years already. It’s clear that they only have self-serving goals to make the rich richer and to oppress citizens like in other authoritarian regimes.

It is truly terrifying to see dystopian novels coming to life before my very eyes. These conservatives fear change and clearly believe that liberalism is the root of all evil.

On the contrary, education leads to enlightenment and free thought, so “liberal” thinking is really just how they demonize those who are educated and have opposing opinions or beliefs.

One example from #Project2025 is that “conservative” republicans have been trying to strip funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting since its inception. @NPR & @PBS are run by CPB.

Why? Because they educate people & allows them to adopt beliefs that oppose theirs. They lament that no republican president has been able to do it. They argue that most viewers are liberals & that not enough conservative programming is offered so it should be shut down. Boo hoo😢

How about that educated viewers use their common sense and reasoning to conclude that stories from 2000+ years ago are not fully relevant to modern society? 👩🏼‍🎓👨🏽‍🎓

Science is not theological yet conservatives want to apply theology to everything. The world isn’t flat. Evolution & Climate change are real. Vaccines save lives. The USA was NOT founded as a Christian nation. If not for free thinkers, we’d probably still be living in the Iron Age.

Most people want to be part of a group & religion is the most common way to achieve that goal. We are conditioned from birth to believe what we’re taught and not question it. This is how racism & bigotry continue to thrive along with political ideology.

Morals are morals. They aren’t inherently conservative or liberal. You are either kind to others or not; you follow the rules or don’t; you tell the truth or you’re a narcissistic pathological liar. It’s that simple. That is all that’s required to define a good person.

The notion that sexuality has anything to do with morality is utterly absurd, but this is what conservatives argue. They LIE to justify taking rights from anyone they don’t like. They fear what they don’t understand.

They oppose abortion because it’s a numbers game to them. They think more babies = more followers. Well, we’re already seeing that no abortion = higher infant mortality. So that myth is busted.

Much of the Project 2025 platform directly attacks the Biden administration and seemingly relies on data that is short-sighted at best. I’m sure many of the arguments for or against the many chapter topics are false-flags to make it look balanced.

I hope someone is trying to fact-check the book, as many of the end notes are just commentary or references to current laws. Statistics are cherry picked to support their claims.

Even my 16-year-old understands the implications should departments like education and health & human services get shut down or changed from what they currently are. 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

If you made it all the way through, thanks for reading. Please share because our lives depend on it. We all need to #VoteBlue2024 to put an end to the GOP madness once and for all.

Fin.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Who is brave enough to back Brazil’s global tax on billionaires? The answer will define our future

It would raise $250bn to help offset some of the damage the super-rich cause. Yet they’ll do everything to stop it in its tracks

Who is government for? It’s a question we should never stop asking. The answer that keeps coming back is “not the majority”. For example, the first phase of the Covid-19 pandemic produced remarkably consistent polling results. Repeated surveys showed fewer than 10% of people wished to return to the pre-pandemic economy. The great majority wanted to see one good thing emerging from the trauma of the illness and the measures used to address it: a fairer, greener, kinder economic system.

But the Conservative government had other ideas. It announced what then prime minister Boris Johnson called a “significant return to normality”. His normality, of course. The structure of the Covid bailouts ensured that the big banks gained massively, often at the expense of small businesses. Executive pay and dividends for shareholders soared, while lowlier workers lost incomes and livelihoods.

I think we are all either vaguely or painfully aware that, regardless of changes of government, our needs will be met only if they coincide with the demands of capital. If they run directly counter to those demands, however great and consistent our wishes might be, they scarcely stand a chance.

The response to the pandemic was one test of that proposition. Now the world’s governments face another. Last week, Brazilian climate minister Ana Toni explained a proposal put forward by her government (and now supported by South Africa, Germany and Spain), for a 2% global tax on the wealth of the world’s billionaires. Though it would affect just 3,000 of the super-rich, it would raise around $250bn (£195bn): a significant contribution either to global climate funds or to poverty alleviation.

Radical? Not at all. According to calculations by Oxfam, the wealth of billionaires has been growing so fast in recent years that maintaining it at a constant level would have required an annual tax of 12.8%. Trillions, in other words: enough to address global problems long written off as intractable.

You would need to perform Olympian mental gymnastics to oppose Brazil’s very modest proposal. It addresses, albeit to a tiny extent, one of the great democratic deficits of our time: that capital operates globally, while voting power stops at the national border. Without global measures, in the contest between people and plutocrats, the plutocrats will inevitably win. They can extract vast wealth from the nations in which they operate, often with the help of government subsidies and state contracts, and shift it through opaque networks of shell companies and secrecy regimes, placing it beyond the reach of any tax authority. This is what some of the global “investors” in the UK’s water companies have done. The money they extracted is now gone, and we are left with both the debts they accumulated and the ruins of the system they ransacked. Get tough with capital, or capital will get tough with you.

The Brazilian proposal, which will be put before the G20 summit in Rio in November, has already been dismissed by the US treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, who suggested there was no need for it. On whose behalf does she make this claim? Not ours. Wherever people have been surveyed, including in the US, there is strong support for raising taxes on the rich.

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