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☆ Marjorie Taylor Greene says she's 'sure' Instagram's new Twitter alternative will be a 'Marxist style social media experience' used to 'steal elections'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Instagram launched "Threads" — a new alternative to Twitter — on Thursday. But the platform's already drawing criticism from the right, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. She argues that the new platform will be a "Marxist style social media experience." —Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) July 6, 2023The Georgia Republican added that the "Marxist style social media experience" would entail "social experimentation serving Big Pharma, the Intelligence Community, and DEI Initiatives to strengthen corporate stocks supporting garbage DEI issues and steal elections." In criticizing Threads right out of the gate, Greene is drawing on long-standing antipathies on the right towards both Meta and Zuckerberg.

Persons: Instagram, Marjorie Taylor Greene, —, Mark Zuckerberg, Donald Trump Jr, — Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 ( Organizations: Twitter, Service

☆ No One Is Happy About Diversity Efforts at Work
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Te-Ping Chen | Ray A. Smith | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/diversity-workplace-affirmative-action-dei-3646683b

Persons: Dow Jones

☆ Is Your Company’s DEI Program Lawful?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Michael Toth | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Journal Editorial Report: Colleges vow to keep race a factor in admissions. Images: AP/Getty Images/Zuma Press Composite: Mark KellyThe U.S. Supreme Court last week held racial preferences unlawful in college admissions. But executives of U.S. corporations should read Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard closely, because it will likely end up applying to them. Many companies have pushed racial preferences and quotas under the guise of “diversity, equity and inclusion” policies that run contrary to the justices’ warning against choosing “winners and losers based on the color of their skin.”

Persons: Mark Kelly The Organizations: Getty, Mark Kelly The U.S, Supreme, Harvard

☆ Supreme Court's affirmative action decision sets 'race-neutral' standard in college admission decisions
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —When the Supreme Court cut affirmative action out of college admissions programs Thursday, it did not outlaw the goal of achieving diversity, but it set a new “race-neutral” standard for considering applicants. Justice Clarence Thomas, who wrote his own concurring opinion, uses the term “race neutral” repeatedly, offering it as an antidote to affirmative action. For more on this view, read this piece in The Atlantic by scholars Uma Jayakumar and Ibram Kendi: “‘Race Neutral’ Is the New ‘Separate but Equal.’”What have race-neutral admissions policies accomplished? They can, presumably, still utilize affirmative action even though they are the higher learning institutions over which the federal government has the most control. Multiple corporations – from Apple to IKEA – asked the Supreme Court to allow affirmative action to continue so that their potential workforce is more diverse.

Persons: John Roberts, Roberts, they’ve, Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Sonia Sotomayor, ”, Uma Jayakumar, Laura Coates, CNN’s Nicquel Terry Ellis, Zack Mabel, Terry Ellis, CNN’s Leah Asmelash, Ronald Brownstein Organizations: CNN, Public, Institute of California, University of California’s, UC, UC enrollees, UC Berkeley, Harvard University, Georgetown University Center, Education, Workforce, Georgetown’s Center for Education, IKEA –, Republican Locations: California, Michigan, Thomas, California In California, enrollees, UC enrollees, American, America, Apple

☆ Italy's top insurers, banks strike Eurovita rescue deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Valentina Za | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MILAN, June 30 (Reuters) - Italy's top four insurers and Germany's Allianz (ALVG.DE) have agreed a multi-billion euro rescue deal for Eurovita, industry supervisor IVASS said on Friday after months of work to broker an accord which also involves 25 banks. Earlier this year, Eurovita became the first Italian insurance company to be placed under special administration, after running into trouble due to higher interest rates. Insurers Generali (GASI.MI), Intesa Sanpaolo Vita (PST.MI), Poste Vita (PST.MI), UnipolSAI (US.MI) and Allianz will set up a new company that will take on Eurovita life insurance policies. To prevent the five insurers from being hit by redemptions once the ban is lifted, banks that sold Eurovita the products are participating in the rescue. The lenders will provide financing to repay Eurovita customers who redeem their policies, while holding the underlying bonds to maturity and neutralising any losses.

Persons: IVASS, Eurovita, redemptions, Intesa, Vitale &, Gatti Pavesi Bianchi, Valentina Za, Alvise Armellini, Alexander Smith Organizations: MILAN, Germany's Allianz, Allianz, Banco, Credit Agricole, Thomson Locations: Eurovita

☆ Opinion: The Supreme Court rewrites American society once again
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Opinion Cnn Contributors | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +25 min

But learning the facts - that affirmative action is critical for fostering equal access and opportunity in our academic institutions -cemented my belief that affirmative action is necessary if we want to create an equitable nation. The court’s decision Thursday is consistent with its view that race-based preferences should and would have a limited shelf life. Jon Wang, who revealed himself as a plaintiff in this Supreme Court case, was rejected by Harvard but was accepted at and is now attending Georgia Tech. Affirmative action enabled my ability to experience different ways of thinking and to form the lasting friendships I have made. Affirmative action has been a tool used by many countries to ensure underrepresented communities are included in areas they normally are not.

Persons: who’d, Tan, ”, Ana Fernandez, Richard Kahlenberg, Peniel Joseph, Peniel Joseph Kelvin Ma, Kelvin Ma, retrenchment, Bakke, Shelby, Holder, John F, Barry Goldwater, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Peniel, Joseph, Barbara Jordan, “, ” Lanhee Chen, Bollinger, Sandra Day O’Connor, Lanhee Chen Lanhee J . Chen, J, Chen, David, Diane Steffy, Romney, Ryan, Roxanne Jones, Andrew Johnson, Jones, WURD, Richard Sander, –, Richard Sander Fiona Harrison, Jeff Yang, Ed Blum’s, Jon Wang, Michael Wang, Williams, Jian Li, Bruce, Hudson Yang, Natasha Warikoo, Ketanji Brown Jackson, ” Natasha Warikoo Alonso Nichols, John Roberts, Brayden Rothe, Biden, can’t, Joe Biden, Brayden Rothe Patrick O'Leary, Pell Organizations: CNN, Fellows of Harvard College, Harvard, Harvard College, Cuban, American Council, Education, Wellesley College, Renaissance Studies, Black, Tufts University, Blacks, Ivy League, Federalist Society, John Birch Society, Trump, Democratic Party, GOP, Center, LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Texas, Racial Justice, University of North, University of North Carolina Chapel, Public Policy, Hoover Institution, California State, Republican, Democratic, White, Fair, Supreme, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN, New York Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, The University of California, UCLA, University of California, UC, Georgia Tech, Department of Education, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, Princeton University, Institute for, Digital Intelligence, Harvard University, College, Social Sciences, of Sociology, Equity, University of Minnesota Locations: today’s, Philippines, Taiwan, Los Angeles, Portland, White, American, United States, West Linn , Oregon, Cuban American, Miami, Havana, Cuba, Miami , Florida, America, Austin, University of North Carolina, California, lockstep, Berkeley, Asian America, Florida, Texas

☆ Police say tourist filmed allegedly carving ‘Ivan+Hayley’ on Rome’s Colosseum has been identified
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Julia Buckley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —He caused shockwaves around the world when he was filmed apparently carving his name into a wall of Rome’s 2,000-year-old Colosseum – and grinning when he realized he was caught on camera. The visitor who this week allegedly scratched “Ivan+Hayley 23” on a brick wall of one of the world’s most precious buildings, has been identified, according to Italy’s culture minister. Police “identified the main suspect through traditional investigations and photographic comparison,” they wrote. In 2020, an Irish tourist was reported to the police for allegedly carving his initials into a wall. Last August, an American couple were caught carving their initials into the Arch of Augustus, a 2,000-year-old monument beside the Colosseum.

Persons: Ivan, Hayley, ”, Gennaro Sangiuliano, Hayley ”, Sangiuliano, commesso, k2apyx026A — Gennaro Sangiuliano, UK . Police “, “, ” Sangiuliano, Augustus, CNN’s Sharon Braithwaite Organizations: CNN, . Culture, Ministry, Culture, Piazza Venezia, Carabinieri, UK . Police, ” Locations: shockwaves, England, Irish, American

☆ New Madrid gallery brings royal treasures under one roof
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A visitor walks past the sculpture "Felipe II" by artist Pompeo Leon at the Gallery of Royal Collections in Madrid, Spain, June 29, 2023. REUTERS/Juan MedinaMADRID, June 29 (Reuters) - Madrid opened a long-awaited multi-million-dollar gallery on Thursday, bringing hundreds of masterpieces from the royal collection, including works by Caravaggio, Velazquez and Goya, under one roof. A third of the exhibits - themselves just a fraction of the total collection - will continue to move between those institutions, officials said. "The museum is born with the vocation of being a cultural and tourist key point in Madrid, Spain and Europe," Ana de la Cueva, head of National Heritage, the state-owned organization that manages the royal collection, told reporters. She said officials hoped the museum would persuade tourists to extend their stay in the city by at least one day, boosting revenues.

Persons: Felipe, Pompeo Leon, Juan Medina MADRID, Caravaggio, Velazquez, Goya, Prado, Reina, Thyssen, Spanish Habsburg, Bernini, Ana de la Cueva, Emma Pinedo, David Latona, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Royal Collections, REUTERS, Reina Sofia, Fontana, National Heritage, Thomson Locations: Madrid, Spain, Almudena, Spanish, Bourbon, Rome's Piazza Navona, Europe

☆ Stolen 16th century Vasari letter returned to its Italian home
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A handwritten letter by Renaissance artist and historian Giorgio Vasari is returned to its owners during a ceremony at the Uffizi Galleries in Florence, Italy, June 29, 2023. Carabinieri/Handout via REUTERSROME, June 29 (Reuters) - A handwritten letter by Renaissance artist and historian Giorgio Vasari has been returned to its owners in Tuscany more than 20 years after it was stolen, Italian police said on Thursday. The letter was dated March 18, 1566 and is believed to be worth around 20,000 euros ($21,760). Vasari, who is regarded as the first art historian, was born in the central region of Tuscany, where he served the Italian banking family and political dynasty the Medici, in Florence. In the letter, Vasari disclosed the painter's fees as well as commenting on the progress of his works.

Persons: Giorgio Vasari, Vasari, Medici, Jan van der, Giovanni Stradano, Federica, Keith Weir Organizations: Uffizi, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Florence, Italy, REUTERS ROME, Tuscany, Arezzo, London, Brussels, Belgian

☆ Google distanced itself from a drag show it sponsored after staff said it was offensive to Christian workers, a report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Hundreds of Google employees signed a petition opposing a drag show the company sponsored for Pride. Google has since distanced itself from the event, CNBC reported. Google distanced itself from a Pride Month drag show it had sponsored shortly after some employees started a petition claiming it was offensive to Christian staff, CNBC reported. Google's distancing from the drag performance comes as a number of companies have clashed with customers or employees over LGBTQ+ and Pride Month initiatives. And Starbucks workers said that the company wouldn't let them decorate their stores for Pride, prompting some staff to go on strike.

Persons: Peaches, Bud Light, influencer Dylan Mulvaney Organizations: Google, Pride, CNBC, Morning, Christian, Tuesday Locations: San Francisco

☆ How 5 private-credit players, from Apollo to Carlyle, are investing in sports, media, and entertainment as content costs soar and a writers' strike paralyzes Hollywood
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Reed Alexander | Rebecca Ungarino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Asset managers big and small, from Carlyle and Apollo to Serengeti and Shamrock, are pushing into the space. The entertainment industry's love affair with private credit is one of the hottest storylines in Hollywood right now. Credit lenders are saying "lights, camera, action" to the idea of deploying dollars into movies, TV, and live sports. Insider previously reported that analysts were warning of the risks that could mount across private credit as rates rise. Insider gathered details on asset managers' lending strategies in Hollywood, media, and sports.

Persons: Carlyle, Christopher Marinac, Janney Montgomery Scott, Blackstone, Moody's, Marinac, JPMorgan Chase Organizations: Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Locations: Shamrock, Hollywood, Republic

CNN —The Vatican said Thursday it will hand over evidence in the disappearance of a 15-year-old daughter of one of its employees 40 years ago to the Rome city prosecutor. Emanuela Orlandi, who was the daughter of a prominent Vatican employee and lived within the walls of the holy city, disappeared in the summer of 1983 while on her way home from a music lesson in central Rome. Her father, Ercole Orlandi, who died in 2004, worked for the Institute for the Works of Religion in the Holy See. Her mother, Maria Orlandi, still lives in the family apartment in Vatican City. A year later, the Vatican agreed to exhume the tomb of two princesses thought to be buried in the cemetery of the Pontifical Teutonic College inside the Vatican City.

Persons: Emanuela Orlandi, Alessandro Diddi, ” Pietro Orlandi, Antonio Masiello, Diddi, ”, “, Pietro Orlandi Orlandi, Ercole Orlandi, Maria Orlandi, Pietro Orlandi, Castel Sant ’ Angelo, Pope, Angelus, Orlandi, Mark Lewis, Mehmet Ali Agca, John Paul II, ’ Organizations: CNN, Vatican, Dei Catholic, Institute, Religion, Pontifical Teutonic College, Vatican City Locations: Rome, Vatican, St, Piazza Navona, Vatican City, Italy

☆ 6 ways marketing is evolving with current trends and thriving, according to CMOs at Cannes Lions
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Julia Hood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Cannes Lions has been trying to improve diversity, and it seems to be working. Najoh Tita-Reid, global chief marketing officer, Logitech Insider"A couple of things have changed at Cannes. It is wonderful to see Cannes take the time to be intentional about who is here, who gets to create, and whose voices are heard. I am very happy to say one of the things that's changed is that DEI is a much bigger priority." -Najoh Tita-Reid, global chief marketing officer, Logitech

Persons: Najoh Tita, Reid, Tita Organizations: Cannes Lions, Logitech, Cannes

☆ Fernando Machado, CMO of NotCO, talks about what marketers overlook while trying to embed DEI into their campaigns
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Michael Kaminer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Fernando Machado is the CMO of NotCo, formerly of Burger King and Activision Blizzard. This article is part of CMO Insider, a platform that explores how the role of chief marketing officer is evolving. Fernando Machado, CMO of NotCo, a plant-based food company, is known for his bold campaigns at Burger King and Activision Blizzard.His repertoire has often tackled current social issues like LGBTQ rights and representation of other minoritized groups. In an conversation with Insider, Machado explains what most marketers overlook and how they can align their DEI strategies with agency partners. At Burger King, we had agencies sign a pledge to reach certain targets [around diversity], but only because we had targets ourselves.

Persons: Fernando Machado, Burger King, Machado, you've, It's, Burger, victimize Organizations: NotCo, Activision Blizzard, Burger King, Activision Locations: Burger

☆ Black executives see progress since George Floyd, but much work still to be done: CNBC survey
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Frank Holland | In Frank-Holland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The tragedy sparked more awareness and positive change in corporate America, according to a new survey of Black executives conducted by CNBC, but the results from the survey show that there remains much work to be done. The survey, conducted by CNBC in partnership with the Executive Leadership Council, found 74% of Black executives saying they saw a positive change in hiring, retention and promotion of Black employees since Floyd was killed in May 2020. As many Black executives say organizational treatment of Black employees has remained the same (43%) or worsened (9%) since 2020, as those who say it has improved (48%). And exactly half say there are still less opportunities for Black employees than other employees at their organizations. More Black executives said that prior to 2020 their firms were "checking the DEI box" rather than taking a comprehensive approach.

Persons: George Floyd, Kerem Yucel, Floyd, Shundrawn Thomas, George Floyd's, Judy Smith, Smith, Smith & Company . Smith, Thomas, Rashida Jones, Priscilla Sims Brown, Melonie Parker, Johnson Organizations: Afp, Getty, Black, CNBC, Executive, Council, Copia, Smith & Company, Equity, Opportunity, MSNBC, Amalgamated Bank ., Google Locations: Minneapolis , Minnesota, U.S, America, New Orleans

☆ Inside the rise of a Wall Street wunderkind
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Achieving success at an early age is impressive in any industry, but it's particularly awe-inspiring on Wall Street. Kuenzel, who started as an intern at hedge fund Citadel in 2018 and focused on quantitative research, spoke about his rise within Griffin's financial empire. It's a good lesson for how fixing issues at work is a surefire way to supercharge your career. The Fed and the SEC are investigating the work Goldman did with SVB in the lead-up to its failure, The Wall Street Journal reports. If you're suffering from pre-diabetes or obesity, intermittent fasting could be a good way to control your blood sugar.

Persons: Dan DeFrancesco, Wilhelm, we've, Peter Cade, Emmalyse Brownstein, Soeren Kuenzel, Ken Griffin's, Kuenzel, Griffin, Nancy Luna, Goldman Sachs, Adam Dell, Morgan Stanley, Crispin Odey, Goldman, Qi Tom Chen, Horace Mann School, Jeffrey Cane, Nathan Rennolds Organizations: Getty, Citadel Securities, Citadel, Bloomberg, Odey, Management, JPMorgan, SEC, Street, CNBC, Horace Mann, LinkedIn Locations: London, New York

☆ 10 Things in Tech: Oracle rescinds job offers, Twitter is getting evicted, and CEOs predict what’s next
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Big thanks to my amazing colleagues Hallam Bullock, Nathan Rennolds, and Lara O'Reilly for covering the newsletter while I was out. My colleague Sonam Sheth, however, is quite confused as to why hundreds of other people are also watching it. This setup means Amazon gets to list more items as eligible for free Prime shipping without having to significantly expand warehouses. They have to ship over 99% of their orders on time with an order cancellation rate of less than 0.5%. The US gives Russia's nuclear program about $1 billion every year.

Persons: It's, I'm, Siu, Hallam Bullock, Nathan Rennolds, Lara O'Reilly, I've, Sonam Sheth, Scott Olson, Eugene Kim, They've, Read, Elon, Valentina Tereshkova, Con —, Tupac, Diamond Naga Siu, Alistair Barr Organizations: Wall Street, Getty, Oracle, Twitter, Ikea, Benz, Washington Locations: Colorado, Spain, Portugal, Paris, California, San Diego, San Francisco, London

☆ Texas lawmaker says his bill shutting down diversity offices on college campuses will help diversity
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Greg Abbott signed a law shutting down diversity offices at state-funded universities. A GOP lawmaker behind the legislation said the "bold" and "forward-thinking" measure will help Texas focus on the "strength of diversity." Creighton's office did not immediately respond when asked how the law will focus schools on "the strength of diversity." It mandates that beginning in January, all state-funded universities must shut down their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices, mandatory DEI statements, and diversity training. Any public college or university that doesn't shut down those offices loses its access to state funds, according to the law.

Persons: Greg Abbott, —, Sen, Brandon Creighton, Creighton, Paulette Granberry Russell, Pat Heintzelman Organizations: Texas Gov, GOP, Republican, Service, Texas, National Association of Diversity, Higher, Texas Republicans, Texas Faculty Association, Supreme Locations: Texas

☆ CEOs share how rapidly evolving business trends inform their approach to leadership
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Insider asked 33 CEOs of prominent companies across industries for their thoughts on how the rapidly evolving trends in tech, sustainability, DEI, and work culture intersect and influence their approach to leadership. Select a CEO below to read what they had to say about what’s next. Interviews have been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

☆ Texas governor signs law shutting diversity offices at public universities
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 15 (Reuters) - All state-funded colleges and universities in Texas will have to close their diversity, equity and inclusion offices under a measure signed into law by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Under the Texas law, signed by Abbott on Wednesday, any public college or university that does not certify it is in compliance with the measure would not be able to spend state funds allocated to it. But Paulette Granberry Russell, president of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, said in a statement that the bill's signature marked a "sad occasion for all students at Texas' public universities." She said all students, regardless of race, benefit from having a diverse student body, and that her organization would not stop working for Texas universities to be increasingly accessible and inclusive. Reporting by Brad Brooks in Lubbock, Texas; editing by Donna Bryson and Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Greg Abbott, Abbott, Brandon Creighton, Paulette Granberry Russell, Russell, Brad Brooks, Donna Bryson, Leslie Adler Organizations: Texas, U.S, Supreme, Republican, National Association of Diversity, Higher, Thomson Locations: Texas, Lubbock , Texas

☆ What we talk about when we talk about diversity, and CNN
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Trisha Gopal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

This week, CNN CEO Chris Licht was fired after a scathing profile was published in the Atlantic. In the profile, Licht details his own thoughts about how diversity should be defined in the media industry. In Alberta's profile, Licht claimed to be operating under his own idea of "diversity," one that does not include "virtue signaling." "I think 'Defund the police' would've been covered differently if newsrooms were filled with people who had lived in public housing," Licht continued. The diversity Licht did seem to value was geographic diversity, which can be a coded way of saying "not from the liberal coasts."

Persons: Chris Licht, Licht, MAGA, Stephen Gutowski, Trump, Tim Alberta, Jean Carroll, Kevin McCarthy, Rick Scott, Jim Acosta's, Brian Stelter's, Warner, David Zaslav, Franklin Leonard, Washington Post's Perry Bacon Jr, John Miller, Miller, Lehman, Tara Narula, Don Lemon, Reagan, Lisa Ling, Kamau Bell, New York Mondaire Jones, Jones, Kaitlin Collins, Lemon, Poppy Harlow, Collins, Laura Coates Organizations: CNN, NRA, Atlantic, Warner Bros, Discovery, Republicans, Harvard, Insider, NYPD, Stanford, Catholic, LSU, Republican, White House, Daily, White Locations: Alberta, Washington, New York City, Baton Rouge , Louisiana, Birmingham , Alabama, Mobile , Alabama, New York, Alabama, Asia

☆ Cracker Barrel saluted Pride Month, and some people are losing it
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Leslie J. Allen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Cracker Barrel posted a "Happy Pride Month" salute on social media with a rainbow rocking chair. The restaurant chain posted a photo on its Facebook page Thursday showing a rainbow-themed rocking chair on the porch of a Cracker Barrel restaurant. Facebook user Scarlett Wells wrote: "I've literally avoided Cracker Barrel because I was pretty sure y'all weren't inclusive. The backlash against Cracker Barrel is the latest in a wave of anti-LGBTQ protests and boycotts against major businesses, including Target, Bud Light, and Disney. Cracker Barrel also sparked criticism and boycott threats last year when it added vegan sausage to its menu.

Persons: —, Scarlett Wells, I've, Critics, Ronny Jackson, Wu Tang, Bud Light Organizations: Facebook, Service, Pride, Texas Republican, Target, Disney, New York Times Locations: Texas, Tennessee

☆ This Is Ischia’s Moment in the Sun
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Ondine Cohane | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

I fell for Ischia well before I ever visited it in person. The couple’s beautiful, tanned physiques and relaxed smiles, the perfect sand and tranquil sea, were a cinematic ad to move to Italy, and to Ischia, immediately. Ischia is one of a trio of islands (known as the Phlegraeans) off Naples that also includes Capri and Procida. There are simple bars, beach clubs and harbors more likely to dock fishing boats than megayachts. Add in natural thermal spas, lush vineyards and deserted coves, and it’s easy to see why Ischia is quickly become one of Italy’s rising destinations.

Persons: Ripley, Tom, Marge, Dickie, Procida, Marie, Louise Sció Locations: Ischia, Italy, Naples, —

☆ How one DeSantis speech captured the dynamic that could decide 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Ronald Brownstein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

The next 30 minutes of DeSantis’ speech then demonstrated how Biden might survive despite all the doubts about his performance and capabilities. In that way, DeSantis’ first swing through Iowa showed why Republicans are still at risk in 2024 from a key dynamic that dashed their hopes of a sweeping “red wave” in 2022. Many strategists in both parties believe that dynamic is most likely to recur in 2024 if the GOP nominates Trump. One reason, Republicans argue, is that the eventual nominee likely will talk about these issues less in a general election. Beset by all the difficult domestic conditions DeSantis highlighted, Biden will likely struggle straight through November 2024 to affirmatively convince a majority that his performance deserves another term.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Joe Biden, Biden, DeSantis, Donald Trump, ”, Sarah Longwell, MAGA Trump, “, Trump, Chris Wilson, Republican pollster, Jesse Ferguson, SRSS, “ Biden, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W . Bush, “ DeSantis, Ferguson, don’t, –, David Kochel, Kochel, can’t, Mitt Romney, Hillary Clinton’s, suburbanites, Nick Gourevitch, DeSantis ’, dethroning Trump, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Biden “ Organizations: CNN, Florida Gov, Biden’s, Republicans, GOP, Trump, Republican, Longwell, Biden, White House, White, Edison Research, House, Democrats, Senate, Fox News, Walt Disney Co, Democratic, eventual Locations: Iowa, Des Moines, Biden’s America, America, Florida, Arizona , Georgia, Nevada , New Hampshire , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan

☆ Dropping DEI in Texas Schools
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Dow Jones, fe537faa Locations: texas

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