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President Biden has been using notecards in closed-door fundraisers, calling on prescreened donors and then consulting his notes to provide detailed answers, according to people familiar with the routine. Why it matters: Biden's reliance on notecards to help explain his own policy positions — on questions he knows are coming — is raising concerns among some donors about Biden's age. The president is 81 but claims he feels younger. The staged Q&A sessions have left some donors wondering whether Biden can withstand the rigors of a presidential campaign, let alone potential debates with former President Trump, 77. Biden advisers say the president is given notecards only for very detailed and technical questions, and say he frequently does spontaneous Q&As. Most recent presidents — including Trump, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Barack Obama — have carried crib notes, or used teleprompters, to help guide them through various public events and meetings. In Biden's case, donors have noticed he's also using notecards in private events. Biden's campaign dismissed such concerns. "In news that matters to the American people when it comes to the 2024 election today: Three IVF clinics in Alabama ceased operations out of fear of criminal prosecution by the state — all at the feet of Donald Trump," Biden campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz said, referring to an Alabama court's rulingthat frozen embryos are children, the latest decision to follow the Supreme Court's rejection of abortion rights. What we're hearing: Biden's notecards are partly the result of a detail-oriented staff that wants to ensure his fundraisers are successful. They have been: Biden's robust fundraising schedule has given his campaign and the Democratic National Committee a colossal cash advantage over Republicans with the election less than nine months away. As a senator for 36 years, then vice president for eight years, Biden expects to be prepped by staff for nearly every meeting on his schedule. In those briefings, Biden is demanding, difficult to please — and frequently profane. What they're saying: In some impromptu Q&A sessions, certain donors have been impressed. "He's always been an extemporaneous speaker, and he spoke off-the-cuff. Not scripted at all," said Fred P. Hochberg, a donor who attended a fundraiser in Manhattan earlier this month. "I asked him about immigration and the border, and he talked about what's going on," Hochberg said. Full article: https://www.axios.com/2024/02/23/biden-notecards-fundraisers-donors-age

A police officer The murderer met loads of celebs.

This is ATRL Times reporter Gelato, dispatching from London on this most solemn of days, the second day of February in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and one. In this epoch of unparalleled transformations and the zenith of Britannic power, the Empire has tendered a grave and dignified farewell to its most enduring Sovereign, Her Late Majesty Queen Victoria, who departed this life on the twenty-second day of January, Anno Domini one thousand nine hundred and one, at the advanced age of eighty-one, within the confines of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. Her peaceful demise, in the presence of her esteemed lineage including her grandson, Kaiser Wilhelm II, heralds the close of a chapter that witnessed the British Empire's ascendancy to the pinnacle of global dominion and the flowering of the Victorian epoch. The arrangements for Her Majesty's final rites were, nonetheless, beset by initial disarray and a notable absence of precedent, as recounted by Sir Frederick Ponsonby, the Queen's equerry and assistant private secretary. Given that the last sovereign's death had occurred in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty-seven, the royal household found itself in a quandary to ensure that the funeral observances due such a monumental figure were aptly conducted. This tumult was mirrored across the royal servants and courtiers, showcasing a surprising disaccord with the requisite protocols for a monarch's passing. Despite these early tribulations, the preparations for the Queen's interment advanced with a blend of haste and solemnity. Queen Victoria, distinguished for her unique predilections in life, had bequeathed explicit directives for a funeral that was to be both grand and modest, mirroring her personal tastes and the profundity of her bereavement for her late consort, Prince Albert. Notably, she envisioned a white funeral, a symbol of purity and, perhaps, a final, poignant divergence from the mourning black she had donned for decades. The procession on the Isle of Wight, and subsequently through the thoroughfares of London to Windsor, was an exhibition of national lamentation and reverence. On the first day of February, the Queen's mortal remains were conveyed aboard the royal yacht Alberta, escorted by a splendid armada of British warships, to the mournful strains of Chopin's funeral march. The realm, in deep mourning, adhered to the edicts of sorrow, though the Queen had eschewed the tradition of lying in state, preferring the intimacy of a more secluded adieu. London's avenues were congested with mourners on the second day of February, despite the inclement clime, as the funeral cortege wended its way to Windsor for the concluding rites. The metropolis witnessed an unprecedented effusion of grief, with every echelon of society represented in the vast multitude of spectators. The pathos of the occasion was immortalized by the nascent technology of the moving picture, courtesy of Pathé cameramen, ensuring that this historic event would be etched in the annals for posterity. The funeral service at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle was graced by royalty and luminaries from across the continent, signifying the Queen's international esteem. The procession was not devoid of its vicissitudes; an unfortunate incident with the horses drawing the gun carriage bearing the Queen's coffin necessitated an impromptu resolution that saw naval personnel drawing the carriage, a testament to the adaptability and veneration accorded to the Queen. Queen Victoria's final repose is beside her beloved Albert in the Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore. Her funeral, though executed with meticulous attention to detail, was imbued with a simplicity and decorum that spoke eloquently of her persona and reign. Amidst the complexities and pomp of the ceremonies, the essence of Victoria's wishes was preserved, culminating in a white funeral under the snowfall, a serene and fitting tribute to a monarch whose legacy shall forever remain interwoven with the fabric of British history. As the realm advances under the aegis of King Edward VII, the memory of Queen Victoria's profound influence on Britain and the broader world remains indelible. Her funeral not only marked the conclusion of an era but also underscored the enduring respect and affection harbored for her by her subjects and the international community alike.

https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2012/10/soda-and-violence

A fascist russian senator who was in charge of Roscosmos has just posted this. Elmo's X is yet to delete his tweet despite blatant violations. When will the EU finally ban X? Scott Kelly skulldragging that Nazi

this is gonna make for funny tv ads 💀

This deserves a lot of attention. Chaya sounds like the typical extremist right winger that is currently destroying the US and having negative influence on social media. People like Chaya don't even know what they're talking about and are very dangerous. Just listen how dumb and hypocrite she is. People like her having a huge following shows in what kind of tragic climate we're right now. Taylor smoked her.

https://www.dailydot.com/news/shamed-for-not-leaving-tip-pizza-pickup/

Poilievre backs banning trans women from women's sports, change rooms and bathrooms "Female spaces should be exclusively for females, not for biological males," Poilievre said in Kitchener, Ont. The Conservative leader made the comments after being asked if, as prime minister, he would introduce legislation to prevent "transgender women" or "biological men" from participating in female sports or entering female prisons and shelters. "A lot of the spaces … are provincially and municipally controlled, so it is unclear ... what reach federal legislation would have to change them," Poilievre said. "But obviously female sports, female change rooms, female bathrooms should be for females, not for biological males," he added. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/poilievre-ban-trans-women-sports-bathrooms-1.7120972#:~:text=Facebook-,Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre stepped into the debate over trans,Poilievre said in Kitchener%2C Ont. Conservative government would compel porn websites to verify age of users: Poilievre A future Conservative government would change the law to require that porn websites verify the age of users to prevent minors from accessing the content, Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre signalled on Wednesday. When asked whether his government would require that porn websites verify the age of users, Poilievre gave a one-word answer: "Yes." He didn't offer further explanation and his office quickly followed up with a statement asserting that the Tories don't believe in the imposition of a digital ID. The company that owns ****hub recently told The Canadian Press that blocking access to Canadians is among the options it would consider if the Senate bill passes. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conservatives-age-verification-*****graphy-1.7121219#:~:text=Politics-,Conservative government would compel porn websites to verify age of,Pierre Poilievre signalled on Wednesday. Welp. The next Canadian election is going to be ugly.

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