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Martin Fey| For The Bulletin

With the traditionally slow summer news cycle upon us, the dust from the controversial 2020 federal election receding in the rearview mirror, and an evenly divided Senate stymying the Democrats dream of Biden administration accomplishments rivalling Franklin Roosevelts New Deal, its time to bring out the political crystal ball and make some 2022 mid-term predictions.

So, for what its worth, heres the vision: If the Democrats dont seriously trim their planned $6 trillion spending spree, and back away from political and ideological positions that the vast majority of Americans instinctively reject, they will lose control of both House and Senate. It will be 2010 all over again, and Bidens term will end by circling the drain for two years until it is flushed for good in 2024.

To start, the GOP has history on its side. The party in the White House typically loses 27 House seats in the midterms, and in 2020 Republicans unexpectedly pulled to within eight seats of the majority. Along with that momentum, the next election will follow redistricting in key states including Texas, North Carolina and Florida, where Republican-controlled legislatures will have redrawn the lines of crucial House districts. It is highly likely that, even without Democrat overreach, Nancy Pelosi will again be handing over the speakers gavel.

Democrats are also defending 23 seats in the Senate this time around, while Republicans only have to worry about 10, almost all of them in red states.

Potential losses for Democrats include Sen Raphael Warnock in traditionally red Georgia. He won a partial term in the January runoff by only 2 points, attributable in part to the negative press given Trumps allegations of Georgia votefraud. Georgia voters are now more upset about the economic impact of Democrat-encouraged boycotts of the state as retaliation for very unremarkable legislative changes in the states voting laws that Biden called Jim Crow 2.0. A solid majority of US voters see voter ID requirements for polls and absentee ballots as a good thing, recognizing that to do otherwise undermines faith in our democratic system.

Arizona Democrat Mark Kelly also won his first term in November by just 2 points and is considered vulnerable if Republicans pick the right candidate, and Nevadas Senate newbie, Catherine Cortez Masto, may face a formidable foe in Republican State Attorney General Adam Laxalt. In New Hampshire, first-term senator Maggie Hassan is likely to face the scion of a formidable Republican family, Gov. Chris Sununu.

If Republicans hold onto what they have and manage to tip even one senate seat, Biden must either go bi-partisan or go home.

Without the great Satan Donald Trump on the 2022 ballot to motivate the Democrat base, there will be no leftist rallying point. Republican voters, many still fuming over Trumps loss, are already aching for revenge. Without Trump as a whipping boy, the Democrats will be judged on not only what they did but also on what they intended to do.

Independent voters, who decide elections, are mostly center-right. Todays Democrats are speaking the language of the left -- Critical Race Theory, reparations, defunding police departments, a porous southern border, downplaying sharply rising urban shootings and murders, and promoting cancel culture, especially the demotion and denigration of American heroes like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt. Americans of all colors are recoiling from the racist notion, promoted by Democrat support groups like BLM, that whiteness is an original sin that cant be cured, and that Whites are intrinsically oppressors.

But the fatal mistake Democrats are making is unprecedented spending plans that would push the national debt over with the $30 trillion mark. Concern over government spending led to the Tea Party movement and cost Democrats 60 seats and control of the House in the 2010 midterms, and that spending was insignificant by todays standards. Most voters, many of whom lived through the rampant inflation of the 1970s, know Democrats cant suspend the economic law of supply and demand. Annual inflation, which was near zero for years, is now near 6 percent and headed higher. When the current federal cornucopia is finally eaten up by the tax we call inflation, they will know who to blame.

Martin Fey is a member of the Quiet Corner tea Party Patriots.

Originally posted here:
View from the right: Democrats' push for progressive change will hurt them in the mid-terms - Norwich Bulletin

When it comes to abandoned things at Disney Parks, there definitely are a few.

From abandoned ideas to fully abandoned theme parks such as Disneys River Country at Disney World, there is a lot to dig into. Although many may associate Japanese Disney Parks with Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, another theme park was meant to become a Disney Park and when then left to rot.

Nara Dreamland opened in 1961 with a heavy Disneyland influence. The park hoped to become a Disney Park after Kunizo Matsuo, a Japanese businessman & president of the Matsuo Entertainment Company, met with Walt Disney to discuss the attraction. Things were going well during the parks development in terms of creating the park in the eye of Disney; however, Walt and Matsuo would then disagree over the license fees for using the Disney characters, which put an end to the idea of Nara Dreamland becoming a Disney Park.

Nara Dreamland stood looking like Disneyland; however, the park would have no affiliation with the park and company. When Guests would enter Nara Dreamland, it was easy to see where the Disney resemblance was held. The park also had a castle as the weenie (as Walt liked to call it), which looked very similar to Sleeping Beauty Castle. The theme park would also have its own version of a Main Street, a Mad Tea Party-Esque ride, a Jungle Cruise-style boat ride, and a Matterhorn-like attraction.

Take a look at the abandoned state of the park after it closed on naradreamlandthemeparks (@naradreamlandthemepark) Instagram.

Shalanski (@shalanski) posted a photo in front of the Nara Dreamland abandoned castle. The area would have been closed off to Guests when this photo was taken.

One of the best days in Japan so far; snuck into and explored the abandoned Nara Dreamland. No Disney theme park will ever amount.

Below is the Mad Tea Party replica attraction posted by Steve (@steveronin).

Nara Dreamland Japan

The theme park remained open for 45 years, but Nara Dreamland suffered greatly when Tokyo Disneyland was built. Attendance dramatically dropped at the theme park as Guests favored the new Disney-affiliated park over Nara Dreamland. In 2006, the theme park closed its doors for good, and not much was done after. The park would be left to decay for 10 years until 2016, when demolition would finally begin.

What do you think about Nara Dreamland? Let us know in the comments below!

See more here:
This Abandoned Theme Park Was Meant to Be a Disney Park Inside the Magic - Inside the Magic

We all love a tea break, but what if you could raise money for an important cause at the same time?

Every year, NHS Charities Together encourages the country to host an afternoon tea party to raise money for healthcare workers, patients and volunteers.

This year, after 15 months of pandemic living that has left few unscathed, a tea party celebrating our tireless NHS heroes seems more important than ever, especially as they continue to battle the Covid crisis and start down the long road to recovery.

The past year has been a tough one for the nation and especially for our amazing NHS staff, who have been working so hard to look after us all, says Nadiya Hussain, who has joined forces with NHS Charities Together to come up with some delicious, easy recipes perfect for the party. The NHS Big Tea is the perfect opportunity for us all to come together with friends and family and raise money to support NHS staff as they keep battling for us.

She adds: What better excuse is there to combine our love of the NHS and baking? It will be great to unite over a cup of tea and a slice of cake or two to show our thanks.

In the time it takes you to brew your morning tea, you can sign up to host a tea party for your friends, family or colleagues on the NHSs birthday, 5 July, here.

So whether youll be raising a cuppa in the office, over Zoom or during a picnic in the park, lets celebrate 73 years of our health service with these delicious recipes from the Bake Off winner.

Chicken, brie, cranberry and pink pepper pithivier

A French classic with a delicious melted centre

(Chris Terry)

A French classic, this beautifully scored, round, puff pastry pie can be filled with all manner of ingredients, sweet or savoury. With such a reliable exterior, the inside is all to play for. Ive filled mine with chicken thats spiced and sweetened with pink peppercorns and cranberries, around a delicious centre of melted brie.

Serves: 6

Prep time: 30 mins, plus chilling | Cook time: 50 mins

Can be assembled up to 1 day in advance and then baked to serve.

Ingredients:

2 x 500g blocks of puff pastry

3 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves of garlic

1 onion

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp pink peppercorns, crushed

300g chicken thighs, cut into cubes

100g dried cranberries

2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

200g brie

Method:

1. Line two baking trays with baking paper.

2. Take the puff pastry blocks and roll them one by one on a floured surface. Roll to a 5mm thickness and cut using a 25cm round, then cut another circle to a 30cm round. Leave both to chill on a tray while you make the filling.

3. Add oil to a non-stick pan. Blitz the garlic and onion to a smooth paste.

4. Add the paste to the hot oil and cook till the mixture is thick and brown this should take about 10 minutes over a medium heat. Now add the salt and peppercorns and mix.

5. Add the chicken along with the cranberries, and mix and cook till you have a dry chicken mix and the chicken is cooked through, which should take around 7 minutes at most. Take off the heat and leave to cool completely.

6. Take the smaller round and lightly brush the edges with egg yolk.

7. Carefully slice off the top and base of the brie, just to make it shorter. Pop the brie in the centre of the round and then add the chicken all around the edge and over the top of the brie, patting it into a mound and avoiding the brushed egg yolk edge.

8. Take the second, larger circle and place on top. Push down over the filling, easing out any air bubbles as you go and sealing all around the edges firmly. Brush the top with the egg yolk and pop into the fridge for 30 minutes.

9. Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 and put a tray in the oven to heat up.

10. Flute the edge using the back of a knife to create a scalloped edge, and score the top. Brush the egg yolk again and bake for 25-30 minutes. If the pastry is looking very dark after 20 minutes, cover loosely with foil and reduce the oven temperature to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Serve straight from the oven.

Ginger and almond florentines

Brandy snap meets biscuit meets toffee

(Chris Terry)

These are delicious to have lying about the house for a sweet treat, but even better wrapped and given away as a present. Laced with chopped crystallised ginger, sliced almonds and a hint of orange zest, theyre finally dipped in chocolate to add to the party in your mouth!

Makes:18

Prep time:25 minutes, plus setting

Cook time:15 minutes

Ingredients:

50g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing the trays

50g soft brown sugar

50g golden syrup

50g plain flour

75g crystallised ginger, finely chopped

50g sliced almonds

1 orange, zest only

200g dark chocolate

65g white chocolate

Method:

1. Start by preheating the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Line and very lightly grease three baking trays.

2. To make the florentines (and these are so easy I think you will be making them again), place the butter and sugar in a medium pan along with the golden syrup and heat until the sugar has dissolved and there are no more granules.

3. Take off the heat and add the flour, ginger, almonds and zest and mix to thoroughly combine.

4. Take teaspoons of the mixture and pop six equal mounds on each tray, leaving plenty of room for them to spread. Bake for 8 minutes. As soon as they are light golden in the centre and just slightly darker on the outside, they are ready to take out. They are still fragile when very hot, so will need to rest for about 5 minutes before you even think about moving them.

5. Have a cooling rack ready and gently, using a palette knife, take them one by one to cool on the rack. Once they have cooled completely they are ready to dip.

6. Now, traditionally they have one side covered in chocolate, but that doesnt agree with me where am I supposed to hold it without getting melted chocolate all over my fingers? So I like to half-dip. No messy fingers and I get to taste the florentines two different ways. So, melt the chocolates in separate bowls. Make sure to put the dark chocolate in a bowl deep enough for dipping the florentines.

7. Add the melted white chocolate directly on top of the melted dark chocolate, then use a skewer to create swirls.

8. Take each round and dip half in, then pop out and leave to set on the tray with the baking paper that they baked on initially. Leave the chocolate to set and they are ready to eat!

Mango and coconut yoghurt cake with German buttercream

Traditional Bangladeshi flavours in a cake!

(Chris Terry)

These flavours are as traditional as they get for me. Theyre the flavours I grew up with, though while mango was cooked in curries, dried, or eaten in the sun under the shade of the tree, it was never put in a cake! The same went for coconut. If it wasnt being eaten dry, it was being stewed or eaten early drinking its sweet water and scooping out its young flesh but it was never ever put in a cake. So, lets fix that, and put all that wonderful stuff straight into a cake, shall we?

Serves: 8-10

Prep time: 35 mins, plus chilling | Cook time: 45 mins

Ingredients

For the cake:

Butter, for greasing the tins

50g desiccated coconut

1 mango, peeled and thinly sliced lengthways

400g Greek yoghurt

300g caster sugar

7 medium eggs, lightly beaten

400g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

For the German buttercream:

150ml whole milk

100g caster sugar

3 egg yolks

1 tbsp cornflour

350g unsalted butter, at room temperature

tsp vanilla extract

For the decoration:

25g coconut chips or desiccated coconut, toasted

150g mango pulp

To serve:

Greek yoghurt and extra mango pulp

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line the bases and grease two 20cm deep round cake tins.

2. Toast the coconut in a small pan until it is golden and sprinkle into the bases of the cake tins, making sure to evenly distribute it. Toasting it will enhance the flavour (untoasted coconut tastes no different to the wood-chip shavings I lay out for my rabbit). Add the mango in some sort of orderly fashion, straight on top of the coconut.

3. The cake is an all-in-one method, so really easy. Pop the yoghurt into a large mixing bowl along with the sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and salt, and mix until you have a smooth, shiny cake batter. Pour the mixture into the tins and tap them a few times on the work surface to level off the top.

4. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden, and a skewer, when inserted, comes out clean. Take the cakes out and leave in the tins to cool for 15 minutes, then turn out and leave to cool completely.

5. Meanwhile, make the buttercream by adding the milk to a saucepan with the sugar. As soon as it has come to the boil, take off the heat and mix, making sure the sugar has melted.

6. Now add the egg yolks to a bowl with the cornflour and whisk. In a steady stream, pour in the hot milk mixture, making sure to stir all the time.

7. Pour the mixture back into the pan and heat gently until it all thickens into a really thick custard that coats the back of the spoon. Transfer to a large bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to cool, then chill in the fridge.

8. When chilled, whisk the custard mix, then add a good tablespoon of butter at a time, whisking after each addition. Keep whisking until you have a really stiff, pipeable buttercream. Pop into a piping bag.

Go here to read the rest:
Celebrate the NHS with Nadiya Hussains perfect tea party recipes - The Independent

Boston ranked 25th out of the 100 best and worst places for Fourth of July celebrations in the United States.

The Massachusetts capital ranked 40th in affordability, 91st in attractions and activities, 14th in safety and accessibility, 23rd in weather, in a recent WalletHub study.

While Fourth of July celebrations were extremely limited last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year states are a lot more open thanks to our vaccination efforts, WalletHub wrote. Americans are already gearing up for this major holiday, too. The National Retail Federation projects that American households this year will spend a collective $7.5 billion on Fourth of July celebrations.

The top five cities on the list are New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Minneapolis and Atlanta. Boston is the highest ranked city in New England.

WalletHub also featured key findings about Independence Day from the survey which include:

Survey Key Findings

Massachusetts has been deemed the birthplace of the American Revolution and is home to the historic events of the Boston Tea Party to the battle of Lexington and Concord. Despite this, Massachusetts didnt crack the top 10 for fourth of July celebrations and was ranked at 39 in WalletHubs list of the most patriotic states earlier this month.

Visit link:
Boston ranked 25th best place for 4th of July celebrations, top city in New England - MassLive.com

In "Imitation" episode 7, Kwon Ryeok (Lee Jun-yeong) and Ma-ha (Jung Ji-so) started dating and went on date to a secret spot only the idols know.

Unfortunately, the paparazzi caught them, and in episode 8 of Imitation, we will see Ma-ha and the Tea Party on the verge of getting caught in a controversy because of their relationship. Shax fandom is extremely possessive of their idols, especially Kwon Ryeok.

If they were to learn of the relationship between Shax and Ma-ha, they would definitely abandon the band and that would bring about a huge loss to the company that manages Shax.

Also read: BTS's V becomes fifth Korean soloist to reach 3 million followers as fans await release of his first mixtape

Until now, the CEO of the company, Park Jin-Man (Kong Jung-hwan) was unaware of their relationship. Kwon Ryeok's manager had tried his best to hide the truth. He had even tried to stop Kwon Ryeok from meeting Ma-ha but that had instead harmed Kwon Ryeok.

So now, they are all collectively in a mess, and the CEO of Shax's managing company is out to get Tea Party. Tea Party's manager, Ji-hak (Danny Ahn), is someone the CEO doesn't like too much, because he was handling Shax when Eun-joo disappeared following the death of his girlfriend.

So there is leftover hatred between Jin-man and Ji-hak, which would also need to be resolved. Based on the promo for Imitation's next episode, Jin-Man will use the former CEO of Tea Party's ex-agency, the same one that handled Ma-ha, Ria and Hyun-ji when they were still Omega 3.

Also read: 'Blackpink disband' trends online, K-Pop group's fifth-anniversary celebrations marred by feud between Blinks and BTS Army

This band also abandoned them after the death of one of its former members. So Jin-man definitely has something evil planned for Ma-ha and her friends. The question now is how they will sidestep this obstacle.

At the moment, the show doesn't follow the comics at all. The webcomic features Kwon Ryeok as powerful enough to control his agency, and the newspapers, as the son of a conglomerate family. So far, there has been no hint of this in the show.

That leaves Ji-hak to deal with the mess that Ma-ha has created in Imitation. Ma-ha will also face opposition from Hyun-ji who, as of now, is unaware of Ma-ha's relationship with Kwon Ryeok.

Tea party manager Ji-hak, in Imitiation episode 8's promo, is seen approaching the journalist who has been following him around. He asks her a favor.

Also read: What is BTS Jimins net worth? Exploring the K-Pop singers wealth as he ranks #1 in individual idol brand reputation

Ji-hak tells her that he wants an article published and in return he will owe her one. The question now is, what exactly will Ji-hak reveal? Will he reveal Ma-ha and Kwon Ryeok's relationship or a scoop about Eun-jo in Imitation? After all, he is the only person from Eun-jo's past who has met him again.

No one from Shax, in Imitation, even knows that Eun-jo is back in Seoul. He seems to have taken up photography, which is much different from the character arc that Eun-jo had in the comic. In the webcomic, Eun-jo was driven away from Shax by Kwon Ryeok's powerful brother.

Will there be a chance for Eun-jo to return to Shax now? There are also chances for Eun-jo to finally open up about why he had to leave the band and his relationship with former member of Omega 3 as well in Imitation.

Imitation episode 8 will air on June 25th at 11.20 on KBS 2 and can be streamed on Viki.

See the rest here:
Imitation episode 8: Can Kwon Ryeok save Ma-ha and Tea Party from his CEO's evil trap? - Sportskeeda