The history of elections spans thousands of years, from early rudimentary forms of communal decision-making to the complex, formalized processes of contemporary representative democracies. Across much of the world today, election systems serve as a cornerstone of political legitimacy and fundamental means through which societies select their leaders. Yet the structure and practice of different election systems vary widely, reflecting the diverse cultural and political landscapes in which they are found. Some, it would appear, are stranger than others.   Confessionalism in Lebanon Alfred Naqqache, Maronite Christian and fourth president of Lebanon, saluting the Lebanese flag during the French colonial mandate, c.1941-3, Source: Wikimedia Commons   Since the creation of Lebanon under the French Mandate in 1920 and the Republic of Lebanon after 1943, the country has been governed by a confessional election system designed to divide power between Maronite Christians and Muslims.    The system was shaped under the orientalist gaze of French colonial rule in the 1920s and 1930s, with the intent of bolstering French interests by promoting their Maronite Christian allies over the region’s Muslim majority.     Although every Lebanese citizen can vote, parliamentary seats and government positions are constitutionally allocated by religious affiliation. The principle behind this power-sharing system is to maintain balance and foster cooperation and stability. The Prime Minister must be a Sunni Muslim the president a Maronite, and the Speaker of Parliament a Shia Muslim.    However, in practice, the confessional system has been widely criticized for fueling political instability, parliamentary deadlock, corruption, and deepening of sectarian divisions, rather than alleviating them.     The French Two-Round System Charles De Gaulle (left) with Chancellor of Germany, Konrad Adenauer. In 1965, De Gaulle became the first French President elected by universal suffrage, through the two-round system, Source: Wikimedia Commons   The title of President of the French Republic was first held by Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte in 1848, during the early years of the Second Republic, before he declared himself Emperor by coup d’état.    Since 1965, France has used a two-round system to elect a president by universal suffrage. Elections are held approximately every five years on a Sunday. The president of the Republic, as head of state, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and ex-officio co-prince of Andorra, is the most powerful politician in France.    In the first round of voting, multiple candidates from various parties run for the presidency. If any one candidate wins more than 50% of the votes, they are elected outright, and no second round is needed.    However, if no candidate reaches an absolute majority, the top two candidates move into a second round run off held two weeks later. The candidate that receives the most votes in the second round wins, and is elected president.    North Korea’s Single-Candidate Ballot “Let’s all vote yes!” North Korean election poster, Pyongyang, North Korea 2009, Source: Wikimedia Commons   North Korea has been ruled by a single family since 1948. The nation’s founder, Kim Il-Sung, skillfully leveraged Soviet and Chinese support during the Cold War, playing off both powers to strengthen his regime. Today, the Kim family has turned into a hereditary dynasty that tightly controls the secretive, nuclear-armed state with absolute authority.    In the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, there is no freedom of the press or freedom of association. However, there are “elections” for the national legislature, the Supreme People’s Assembly, every four to five years. Candidates are preselected by the ruling Worker’s Party of Korea (WPK), with no alternatives allowed to stand.    The two options for the one-man ballot system are either to submit the ballot with the party-approved candidate’s name or cross out the name in front of election officials with the red pen next to the ballot box. Spoiling the ballot is considered an act of treason, and those who do so face severe consequences.     San Marino: The Captains Regent The throne of the Captin’s Regents, within the Basilica di San Marino, 2004, Source: Wikimedia Commons   San Marino, a tiny landlocked republic, surrounded by north-central Italy, is the fifth smallest country in the world. The Italian-speaking Sammarinese number some 33,000, and hold the dubious distinction of having the lowest-ranking national team in world football. San Marino celebrated their first competitive victory in their 20-year history in 2024.    The country’s parliament, The Grand and General Council, consists of 60 members who serve five-year terms. The most distinctive feature is the dual heads of government, the Captain’s Regent, two ceremonial heads of state, who are elected every 6 months on April and October 1st.    The office of the Captains Regent was established in 1243, modeled after the Consul system of the Roman Republic. By the late 13th century, the title “Captain” had replaced “Consul.” To be eligible for the position, candidates must be over 25 years old, native-born, an elected member of parliament, and cannot have held the position in the last three years.    The US Electoral College A comparison of the four US presidential elections in which the Electoral College winner lost the popular vote, Source: Wikimedia Commons   Contrary to popular belief, the President of the United States is not elected directly by the national popular vote. Instead, when the public casts their ballot in a presidential election, they are actually voting for a group of “electors” chosen by the political party they support.    The Electoral College is not a physical place but a process. After the general election, electors from each state cast their official votes for the president. Each state is assigned a certain number of electors based on its representation in Congress (number of Senators + Representatives). To win the presidency a candidate must secure a majority of 270 out of 538 electoral votes.    The strangest aspect of the system is that a candidate can lose the popular vote but still win the presidency through the Electoral College. In recent history, both George W. Bush (2000) and Donald Trump (2016), won the presidency under such circumstances, highlighting how the Electoral College can produce outcomes that diverge from the national popular vote.

    The history of blackface dates back to the American minstrel shows of the 19th century, in which white performers caricatured black characters in a derogatory way, perpetuating harmful racist stereotypes and openly mocking Black culture. Blackface minstrelsy traveled to Britain, was rebooted by Hollywood, and endured to make its mark on 21st-century television. While contemporary society widely condemns blackface as offensive and unacceptable, persistent recent instances of the practice serve as a reminder of the ongoing need for awareness, education — and accountability.   The Social Origins of Blackface  The social relations of the South: Black cotton pickers and a white overseer in Mississippi, 1898. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Between the War of 1812 and the onset of the American Civil War (1861-1865), the Antebellum South was deeply stratified along racial, class, and gender lines. The largely rural economy relied upon slave labor and focused on cultivating and exporting cash crops like cotton, tobacco, and sugar.   Cash crops were exported to industrial economies (textile mills) in Europe and New England in the Northern United States. The result was a significant lag in industrial development between the South and the non-slave states of the North. Unlike the North’s burgeoning urban centers, concentrated urbanization in the South was limited to Baltimore (Maryland) and New Orleans (Louisianna) — social inequality was also far deeper.   The planter elite dominated Southern society, controlling the lion’s share of the land and the vast majority of enslaved labor. Their exploitation of slaves fuelled immense profits and deeply entrenched their power and influence as a political class. Below them were Yeoman farmers, who owned and managed smaller-scale farms, without heavy reliance on slaves.   Beneath these groups lay “poor whites” — economically disadvantaged communities that found sustenance as tenant farmers, squatters, sharecroppers, and day laborers. At the lowest rung, were enslaved Africans and African Americans, who were considered property with no legal rights.   The circumstances of poor whites were deeply intertwined with the institution of slavery. They were marginalized from the economy (due to the elimination of free labor in the South) and hindered by a widespread lack of public education. During the Civil War, many poor whites were enlisted as Confederate soldiers.   In the Reconstruction Era and beyond, Southern politicians exploited and perpetuated conflict and division between poor whites and Blacks. With the collapse of the plantation economy, competition over resources combined with resentment over Reconstruction policies fanned the flames of racial tension. White supremacy, enforced through brutal violence, thrived within a climate of hatred and division. The Birth of Blackface Etching of Jim Crow character published by Hodgson, circa 1835. Source: Library of Congress, Washington DC   According to the African American National Museum of Culture, blackface emerged amid the frustrations of the grievances of working class and poor whites in the Antebellum South, who felt “squeezed politically, economically, and socially from the top, but also from the bottom.”   Blackface minstrelsy—exaggerated highly racist comedic performances of “blackness” by white people in black makeup—allowed working-class and poor whites to codify whiteness as “its antithesis.”   Though its precise origins are unclear, the first blackface performers seem to have emerged in the 1830s. The most famous of all was the so-called “Father of Minstrelsy,” Thomas Dartmouth Rice. Rice’s character, “Jim Crow,” deployed buffoonish behavior, erratic dance moves, and exaggerated Black vernacular speech to establish a wildly popular, racially charged genre of entertainment — the blackface minstrel show.   Blackface minstrelsy quickly became a favored form of family entertainment in Northern and Midwest American cities, where white contact with Black people was limited. Over the next century, blackface minstrel shows codified negative Antebellum stereotypes of Black people as criminal, cowardly, lazy, ignorant, and hypersexual — authenticating whiteness as superior and other in the process.   Writing in 1848, the abolitionist and statesman Frederick Douglass described blackface imitators as having “stolen from us a complexion denied to them by nature, in which to make money, and pander to the corrupt tastes of their fellow white citizens.”    Such was the impact and popularity of blackface minstrel shows on white America that the raft of segregationist laws to restrict the political and civil rights of Black people passed by southern legislatures became collectively known as the “Jim Crow” laws.   Thus, as Black people in America were demanding citizenship and the right to vote in the post-Civil War era, their physical appearance, language, intelligence, and character were being openly ridiculed, denigrated, and stereotyped by white society.   Black Face in Britain  Unknown man in blackface as a minstrel, in typical style, 1890. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Long before the emergence of minstrelsy in the United States, white English men were “blacking up.” Evil in medieval English religious dramas was sometimes portrayed as black, and Shakespearian characters like Aaron the Moor and Othello, who frequently graced the stages of Elizabethan England, were portrayed by white actors in black makeup.   The portrayal of sin and spiritual debasement in medieval times poses its own set of problems. However, it is crucial to distinguish the emergence of blackface in 19th-century Britain as belonging to the development of minstrelsy in the United States.   Blackface performers—including Thomas Dartmouth Rice’s Jim Crow—journeyed to Britain to seek success as early as the 1840s. These performers found a receptive audience in Victorian Britain and swiftly became a cherished element of the British music hall scene. The success of the American acts inspired numerous British imitators. So ingrained was blackface minstrelsy in British popular culture that it remained immensely popular well into the 1950s.   Billy Van, minstrel show poster, 1900. Source: Wikimedia Commons   With the advent of television, blackface took on a disturbing new dimension. Following the success of a one-off special, in 1958, the BBC commissioned a prime-time Saturday evening show. At its peak, The Black and White Minstrel Show was watched by over 20 million people. For 45 minutes every week, white men in black makeup performed Jazz, Dixie, and Big Band songs about the Mason-Dixon line and Mississippi. The show ran continuously from its inception in 1958 until it was finally discontinued in 1978.   In Britain, as in America, the popularity of blackface meant that white people engaged with other whites in blackface, over Black people themselves. On the one hand, minstrelsy framed Black people as something to laugh at — as buffoonish, slap-stick entertainment for white people. On the other hand, it reinforced an idea of Blacks as inferior to whites in character and intellect, which worked to normalize their degraded condition and historical enslavement.   Hollywood Blackface  Lithuanian-American actor, Al Jolson in blackface, 1915. Source: Wikimedia Commons   From the silent blockbuster Birth of a Nation (1915), which depicted blackface characters as rioters, criminals, and rapists, to the films of renowned blackface actor Al Jolson in the 1920s, and Judy Garland in Everybody Sing (1938), Hollywood cinema has cashed in on blackface since its earliest days.   Blackface was family entertainment: Mickey Mouse blacked up in Mickey’s Mellerdrammer (1938), Shirley Temple wore blackface in The Littlest Rebel (1935) and danced alongside blackface actors in Dimples (1936). In a now infamous scene from Mary Poppins (1964), Mary the magical nanny, rather than wipe chimney soot off her face, cheerfully powders her nose with it.   More surprising is that the blackface tradition in cinema continues in the 21st century. In O Brother Where Art Thou? (2000), the white main characters darken their faces to disguise themselves in the dark, only to stumble upon a rally of the Ku Klux Klan. Zoolander (2001) features Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) parodying Al Jolson’s blackface minstrelsy. More recently, Robert Downey Jr blacked up for his role in Tropic Thunder (2008) — another Ben Stiller Film.   Twenty-first-century television is also rife with examples. A whole host of British comedies from Little Britain and Come Fly With Me, to The League of Gentlemen, and The Mighty Boosh, feature white actors in blackface, as do all three of Australian comedian Chris Lilly’s hit shows (We Can Be Heroes, Summer Heights High, and Angry Boys).   In America, long-running comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live (SNL) has been a repeat offender, from Billy Crystal portraying Sammy Davis Jr in 1984, to Jimmy Fallon wearing blackface to “impersonate” Chris Rock in 2000. In the age of web streaming services, many offending sketches and episodes—and even whole shows—have been removed or scrubbed from the internet altogether.   The Legacy of Blackface Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau wearing blackface makeup. Source: Skynews.com   Since the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in the Virginia Colony in 1619, Black people in America have grappled with the dual challenge of “self-conception and self-determination” (West, 1982). Despite the undeniable influence of Black culture on modern society, narratives surrounding Black identity often place it in opposition to the achievements of white civilization.   The tradition of blackface minstrelsy, serving as a set of metaphors and controlling stereotypes, has played a significant and deeply harmful role in perpetuating the notion of Black people as lacking in intelligence, moral characters, and cultural sophistication.   In Spike Lee’s film Bamboozled (2000), a Black TV writer, Pierre Delacroix, becomes embittered by the constant rejection of his scripts by his boorish white boss. In a desperate attempt to get fired—and get free—Delacroix pitches what he considers to be the ultimate outrage: a blackface minstrel show. To his horror, the idea is accepted and the show becomes a hit.   Bamboozled lampoons America’s ease with the racist dehumanization of Black people. A phenomenon evident in twenty-first century film and television, on college campuses, and even within the highest echelons of government. Despite being widely condemned as taboo for several decades, it appears that blackface has never really gone away.   In 2019, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that he could not even remember how many times he has worn blackface, while Virginia Governor Ralph Northam faced scandal after his yearbook photo surfaced depicting a photograph of him and a friend in backface and Ku Klux Klan robes respectively.   The enduring presence of this two-century-long tradition of dehumanizing Black Americans within today’s popular culture serves as a poignant reminder that blackface is not a relic of the past. Instead, it stands as a persistent visible representation of deeply embedded racism and ongoing injustice.

Remember What's Most Important For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures... – 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 A pastor was called to a new church. His first Sunday there, he preached a message from John 3:16 entitled, "How to Be Born Again." The message was well received, but no decisions were made to follow Christ. So the second Sunday, the pastor's message was again taken from John 3:16 and was entitled "How to Be Born Again." Again, no decisions were made. The third Sunday, the sermon was the same. By this time, the other leaders in the church were worried about what was happening – the pastor just kept preaching the same sermon over and over again. So they called a special meeting with him to discuss his sermons. One deacon said, "Don't you have any more sermons you can preach?" The new pastor responded, "Yes, I have plenty of sermons. However, I'm going to keep preaching this one until we get it right!" Understanding a truth often takes repetition. That's why Scripture memorization is so powerful – because by learning the words, we reach new levels of understanding of the truth behind the words. So never feel like you've outgrown your need to know the foundational truths of God. Preach the Gospel to yourself every day! Prayer Challenge: Pray and ask God to remind you daily of the foundational truths of His Word. Questions for Thought: Why do you think many people struggle in their faith when they get away from what's most important in the Bible? What's one thing you can you do to remind yourself of the Bible's foundational truths every day? Visit the Senior Living Ministries website The post Remember What’s Most Important – Senior Living – October 7 appeared first on GodUpdates.

This video is beyond shocking. AND HERE IS THE ?? HAS OFFICIALLY FALLEN VIDEO OFFICER: “You do not recognize Palestine as a state. You are not a supporter of Palestine. You are not permitted [here].” So to be on Parliament Hill you must declare your support for a state — that doesn’t exist.? ?@DaceyMedia pic.twitter.com/DkdGzlgbMR […]

"This kind of rhetoric is not helpful to people" The post With 200+ Dead, FEMA Admin, Media Complain About Disinformation appeared first on Frontpage Mag.

Trading $400,000 in taxpayer money for sex is the new decency. The post “This Is Not the 1950s” Explains Woman Who Got Her Start in Politics by Sleeping With Married Man appeared first on Frontpage Mag.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM World Animal Protection has long been at the forefront of fighting animal cruelty, with initiatives aimed at ending the exploitation of animals in tourism and advocating for better welfare standards globally. In celebration of World Animal Day (October 4th) the organization announced its finalists for the 2024 Wild Animal Unique Personality Award, highlighting remarkable wild animals and the sanctuaries that provide them safe, dignified lives. This prestigious award, created in memory of Audrey Mealia, a respected member of World Animal Protection’s wildlife team who passed away in 2021, is designed to recognize animals whose personalities shine brightly in sanctuaries committed to high standards of animal welfare. Beyond celebrating these creatures, the award also aims to elevate the importance of responsible tourism and education, reminding the public that wild animals are sentient beings, not commodities. As Roberto Vieto, Global Animal Welfare advisor at World Animal Protection, explains, “Recognizing the unique personalities of wild animals is key to understanding their sentience and a powerful reminder of their intrinsic value. This award not only celebrates these remarkable beings but also highlights the tireless efforts of the venues that protect them from exploitation.” Meet the finalists: wild souls with unique personalities These animals have been rescued from situations such as illegal trafficking, the entertainment industry, or the pet trade. Now, they are thriving in spaces that are dedicated to their well-being, where their true personalities can shine.   Courtesy of World Animal Protection and The Elephant Valley Project Darling is a 60-year-old elephant who exudes elegance and grace. Known for her love of hosting mud baths and leafy spa sessions, Darling resides at the Elephant Livelihood Initiative Environment (ELIE) and the Elephant Valley Project (EVP) in Cambodia. She is described as calm, faithful, and a true matriarch of her herd, embodying a serene and nurturing spirit. Courtesy of World Animal Protection and The Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity     Frankie is a 15-year-old crane who loves being the center of attention, often putting on a quirky display, particularly for male visitors. Frankie lives at the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB) in Cambodia and is known for her inquisitive and chatty nature. Her love for interaction makes her one of the standout personalities in her sanctuary. Courtesy of World Animal Protection and The Chimpanzee Conservation Center   Marco is a 4-year-old West African chimpanzee bursting with energy and enthusiasm. He’s always ready to cause a bit of playful chaos and has a mischievous streak that delights his caretakers at the Chimpanzee Conservation Center. His protectors describe him as sassy, empathetic, and a constant source of amusement. Courtesy of World Animal Protection and The Safe Haven Wildlife Sanctuary     Born into the entertainment industry, Sundara the tiger now lives safely at the Safe Haven Wildlife Sanctuary. At seven years old, she is full of beans and endlessly curious about her environment. Sundara is described as both brave and smart, always ready to explore her surroundings and learn new things, traits that have flourished in the peace of her sanctuary. Courtesy of World Animal Protection and Akatia Sanctuary     Akouba, a 7-year-old chimpanzee, is known for his resilient and clumsy nature. Rescued from the illegal wildlife trade, he now resides at Akatia Sanctuary, where he enjoys exploring his habitat and sampling new treats. Akouba’s protectors highlight his mischievous yet gentle personality, making him a beloved figure at the sanctuary.   Promoting responsible tourism and animal welfare Each of the sanctuaries where these finalists live focuses on the conservation of endangered species and the rehabilitation of animals who cannot return to the wild. They maintain strict standards of care, ensuring that the animals’ behaviors are natural and not the result of training or captivity stress. By adhering to responsible tourism standards, they prohibit direct contact with animals, selfies, or the use of animals for entertainment. This ensures that the animals can live with dignity and without exploitation. These facilities also serve as important educational hubs, raising public awareness about the dangers of illegal wildlife trafficking, the entertainment industry, and the pet trade. They demonstrate how it’s possible to give these animals a second chance while respecting their instincts and personalities. The Wild Animal Unique Personality Award, with a prize of USD 10,000 for the winning facility, encourages sanctuaries worldwide to maintain high standards of care and to prioritize the animals’ well-being above all else. It also serves as a reminder that protecting animals from exploitation is an ongoing effort—one that requires both public support and global collaboration. How you can get involved The public has already been invited to vote as of October 4th, World Animal Day, and the opportunity will remain open until October 25th. The winner will be announced on November 8th. By participating, you can lend your voice to celebrate not just these incredible animals, but also the sanctuaries that work tirelessly to ensure their welfare. This award and the ongoing work of World Animal Protection are important reminders that every animal deserves to live free from cruelty and exploitation. As we celebrate the unique personalities of these wild animals, we are also acknowledging the larger movement toward a world where animals are treated with respect, compassion, and care.The post World Animal Protection’s Unique Personality Awards: Celebrating the Sentient Souls of Wildlife first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Britain became the first G7 country to formally eliminate coal-fired power generation last Monday, when it closed its final coal power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire. This historic occasion marks the end of over 140 years of coal power in the United Kingdom and a big step forward in the country’s decarbonization efforts. A decade in the making In 2015, Britain announced its resolve to phase out coal as part of a larger climate change strategy. Coal provided roughly 30 percent of the country’s electricity at the time, but by last year, that ratio had dropped to just over one percent. This strategy concludes with the closure of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant. “The UK has proven that it is possible to phase out coal power at unprecedented speed,” stated Julia Skorupska, Head of the Powering Past Coal Alliance Secretariat. The Alliance, which includes over 60 country governments, has been fighting to stop coal power worldwide. Britain’s quick transformation serves as a source of hope for other countries striving to reach their climate targets. Cutting emissions in half The decline in coal power has helped Britain cut its greenhouse gas emissions by more than half since 1990. Emissions from electricity generation account for around three-quarters of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, making the transition away from coal a critical component of the UK’s ambition to achieve net zero by 2050. Energy Minister Michael Shanks emphasized the broader implications of this transition: “The era of coal might be ending, but a new age of good energy jobs for our country is just beginning.” To reach its aim of decarbonizing the electrical industry by 2030, the UK is now focusing on increasing the use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Global implications While Britain is leading the way, the other G7 countries still confront considerable obstacles. Germany and Japan, in particular, continue to rely extensively on coal, generating more than 25 percent and 30 percent of their electricity, respectively. “There is a lot of work to do to ensure that both the 2035 target is met and brought forward to 2030, particularly in Japan, the US, and Germany,” said Christine Shearer, Research Analyst at Global Energy Monitor. The G7 agreed in April to phase out coal power by 2035, but critics say countries that rely heavily on coal are moving too slowly. Looking ahead As Britain begins a new chapter, the attention switches to expanding renewable energy to satisfy future demands. While achieving a fully decarbonized energy sector would take substantial effort and expenditure, the closing of Ratcliffe-on-Soar represents a historic success in the fight against climate change.The post Britain becomes the first G7 nation to end coal power first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.