This Week in Review ☕️: Political Theatre will have ad breaks | Millionaires on the move | Major Spoilers for Brigerton new season | Places for best new Rose Wine
Quick Bites:
Politics ✌🏻: No props, No notes, No audience – but Trump-Biden debate will have ad breaks 🎥
After chaos in 2020, the switch from non-partisan overseer to commercial TV has some critics fearing a slippery slope 🎢
“Will you shut up, man?” It was hardly oratory worthy of Abraham Lincoln, but Joe Biden’s primal plea in the face of relentless interruptions and heckling from Donald Trump provided a defining soundbite of the 2020 presidential debates.
The two will face each other again on Thursday for the first of two head-to-head debates for the 2024 campaign, under new rules designed to prevent matters degenerating as they did four years ago. The US president and the former president will meet in a TV studio without the presence of a partisan audience, which some saw as an essential ingredient of Trump’s rabble-rousing approach. And to counteract the repeated butting-in that so irked Biden, the candidates will have their microphones muted when they are not speaking.
But the debates are also the first in decades to be held entirely by commercial TV networks – including two advertising breaks – and without the oversight of the Commission on Presidential Debates, the long-established, independent, non-partisan body that has long governed the debate rules. Some critics say they fear that commercialising the process could lead to less substantive, shorter answers, geared more to generating conflict and soundbites than enlightening voters.
Our Thoughts 💭:
💡Even though there will be only two commercial breaks this time, once we deem them acceptable it’s a classic slippery slope; how many will there be next time, and the time after that? 🤯
Ps. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall……. 🤭😂
💡“Candidates’ arguments will have to be shorter, truncated for the commercial clock, and will result in more outrageous interactions to bump ratings.” Without the presence of an independent broker it would lead to “pure political theatre”.
💡It will reduce significantly the chances that the focus of the debate will be not on what is actually said, but on all this stuff around it – the reaction of the audience and playing to the audience.
Ps; Joe Biden to Trump; How dare you 😡 let me speak………
💡It also changes what the audience at home takes away from the debate, what they remember, what plays the news the next day – all based on the audience reaction. Because the audience reaction may or may not be valid.
💡I think that will improve the overall feel of the debate for television viewers because it’ll feel like the candidates are speaking more directly to them.
Business 🔍: Millionaires on the move: Where are the world’s rich migrating to in 2024? 💵
For the third year running, the UAE looks set to take first place as the world’s leading wealth magnet, with a record-breaking 6,700 moneyed migrants expected to make the Emirates home by the end of the year, significantly boosted by large inflows from the UK and Europe.
The UK is expected to see an unprecedented net loss of 9,500 millionaires in 2024 — second only to China worldwide, and more than double the 4,200 who left the country last year, which was itself record-breaking following the exodus of 1,600 high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) in 2022.
Top 10 countries or territories globally in terms of projected net outflows of millionaires for 2024
India continues to lose large numbers of millionaires, especially to the UAE. However,these outflows are not particularly concerning as India continues to produce far more new HNWIs than it loses to emigration. Furthermore, the bulk of the millionaires who leave India tend to retain business interests and second homes in the country, which is a positive sign.
Where are the wealthy migrating to? 🤓
High-net-worth families see certain global cities, such as London, New York, Singapore, and Dubai, as attractive places to settle in for reasons such as legal and regulatory access, quality of life, healthcare, education, and safety and security, and the countries in which they are situated reap the benefits. Unsurprisingly, the list of stable countries with a high quality of life, which see inflows of the rich, especially if there is instability elsewhere, also features Canada, Australia, and Italy.
Top 10 countries globally in terms of projected net inflows of millionaires for 2024
Ps; UAE remains world’s leading millionaire magnet 😎🇦🇪
With its zero income tax, golden visas, luxury lifestyle, and strategic location, the UAE has entrenched itself as the world’s number one destination for migrating millionaires and is poised to welcome a record net inflow of 6,700 this year alone. With consistent high inflows from India, the wider Middle East region, Russia, and Africa, the anticipated influx of larger numbers of Brits and Europeans looks set to see the Emirates attract nearly twice as many millionaires as its nearest rival, the US, which is projected to benefit from a net inflow of 3,800 millionaires in 2024.
Our Thoughts 💭:
💡Both China and India are seeing high net outflows because of the success of their sizeable economies in generating new millionaires, although slowing wealth growth in China in recent years could mean sustained losses become more damaging over time.
💡As do those from many other developing nations, including notably Brazil, Vietnam, South Africa, and Nigeria, Indian millionaires often depart the sub-continent in search of a better lifestyle, safer and cleaner environments, and access to more premium health and education services.
💡Elsewhere, regional threats and uncertainty over the security stance of America following a potential Trump victory in the 2024 US presidential election in November mean that South Korea and Taiwan are continuing to see net outflows.
Ps; If you are a millionaire, you get a free pass to run 🏃🏻✈️
Entertainment 🎺 : 10 burning questions we still have after watching the season 3 finale of ‘Bridgerton’ 👰🏻♀️
Season three of “Bridgerton” wrapped up Colin and Penelope’s story, but left fans with even more questions.
Despite resolving major conflicts, several loose threads remain left to be addressed on season four.
Warning: There are major spoilers ahead for season three of “Bridgerton.” 🙋🏻♀️
Season three of “Bridgerton” is over, but there’s plenty of fresh gossip and drama to come when the show returns for season four.
The latest season of Netflix’s hit drama series concluded on June 13, wrapping up Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington’s (Nicola Coughlan) friends-to-lovers romance and appearing to set up Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) as the next leading man.
Even though part two resolved the biggest conflicts of the season, several loose threads remain to be addressed.
Here are all the burning questions we had after watching the season three finale of “Bridgerton.”
💡Will we see Kanthony in India in season four?
After hearing how much Kate (Simone Ashley) misses India, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) decides that he’d like to visit her home country and wants their future child to grow up knowing their identity as a Sharma. Anthony then suggests that they head to India immediately so that they can arrive in time for the birth of their first baby.
Kanthony doesn’t stick around for Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd) and John Sterling’s (Victor Alli) wedding, nor do they get a proper send-off before leaving for India.
Details about season four of “Bridgerton” are sparse, so it’s unclear if Bailey and Ashley will return in any capacity next time. However, at a special screening of part two in London, Ashley told reporter Josh Romthat she’ll be back for season four.
“Absolutely,” she said. “Kate Sharma is here to stay.”
💡Who’s going to be head of the Bridgerton house now that Anthony and Kate are moving to India?
It’s unlikely that the viscount and viscountess will be able to run the Bridgerton household from India, which means another sibling will have to step up and take on the responsibilities.
Benedict is the most obvious choice, considering that he took care of the estate while Anthony was on his honeymoon and apparently did a good job.
💡Who did Edwina Sharma marry?
Charithra Chandran doesn’t return as Edwina on season three, but the show hints at her whereabouts.
During episode two, Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) tells Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh), “I hear my choice last year, Miss Edwina, has made a splendid match abroad.”
Then during episode seven, Anthony asks Kate about the last letter she received from her younger sister.
“She writes that her new husband is not only a reader but has cultivated in her a love for the outdoors,” Kate says. “She’s even been riding with him.”
💡Now that Lady Whistledown has been unmasked, what is Queen Charlotte going to be up to during season four?
Most of her storyline so far has revolved around her games with Lady Whistledown and trying to figure out who the writer is. Now that Penelope has come forward and spilled her secret to the town, Queen Charlotte will have to find some other source of entertainment.
Season three of “Bridgerton” is set in 1815 and in real life, Queen Charlotte died in 1818. When it comes to the Netflix version of Queen Charlotte, creative liberties are taken. But fans have been theorizing that perhaps the show may kill off the queen.
💡Is Cressida Cowper gone for good?
Cressida (Jessica Madsen), the town’s resident mean girl, is shown to be a complex antagonist that fans could feel sympathy for.
Initially, Cressida comes forward claiming to be Lady Whistledown because she’s desperate to avoid being forced into marriage with an old, repugnant man named Lord Greer. However, he rescinds the offer because of her tarnished reputation. As punishment, Cressida’s cruel father Lord Cowper says he’s going to send her to live in Wales with her Aunt Joanna.
Eventually, Cressida learns that Penelope is Lady Whistledown and attempts to blackmail her so she can use the money to set up a better life for herself abroad. Cressida’s plan doesn’t work, and instead, she’s last seen reluctantly being sent away in a carriage.
Ps; It would be strange for “Bridgerton” to write the character off after she played such a pivotal role in this season’s events. Perhaps there’s hope for Cressida to return to town once the drama and controversy has died down.
Showrunner Jess Brownell has said that it’s her intention to bring the character back.
💡Are we going to see Francesca and John’s life in Scotland during season four?
When Francesca decides to move to Scotland with John after their wedding, she reassures Lady Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) that she’ll return to town; she just needs space to learn more about who she is.
In Julia Quinn’s “Bridgerton” book series, Francesca’s love story is the focal point of the sixth installment, “When He Was Wicked.” Fans who read the book (or looked up the spoilers) already know that John dies two years into their marriage and his cousin Michael becomes the new Earl of Kilmartin. Years later, Francesca and Michael reconnect and get married.
The show has already made a huge change in Franceca’s story by introducing a gender-flipped version of John’s cousin, named Michaela (played by Masali Baduza).
Season four is expected to focus on Benedict (though there hasn’t been an official lead announcement yet), so it remains to be seen how heavily the episodes will show the development between Francesca, John, and Michaela in Scotland.
💡While we’re at it, how is the show going to deal with Michaela’s story?
In “When He Was Wicked,” Michael is extremely reluctant to take over his cousin’s title as the Earl of Kilmartin. But now that Michael is Michaela, there’s another concern to contend with: She can’t assume his title at all because she is a woman.
In the book, Francesca is pregnant with her and John’s first child when he dies, but the title passes to Michael after she miscarries. Four years later, she only pursues a second marriage so that she can have children.
Of course, nothing is set in stone: “Bridgerton” could decide not to kill John after all. But the finale fairly plainly set up a romance between Francesca and Michaela, so it’s safe to assume we’ll see more of them in the future. What remains is to see how the show handles the details of their story.
💡How quickly is Benedict going to renounce his newfound drive for sexual exploration?
“Bridgerton” finally established Benedict’s long-hinted-at queerness by setting him up in an apparently very long threesome with Lady Tilley Arnold (Hannah New) and her other friend with benefits, Paul. The encounter — specifically, seeing Benedict with another person — made Lady Tilley realize her true feelings for him. Unfortunately for her, it makes Benedict realize that he’s not ready to commit to a serious relationship.
That’s all well and good, but a bit inconvenient when it’s probably about to be Benedict’s turn to get married. His story — and that of his wife, Sophie — would have occurred in season three if the show had followed the books. But show runner Jess Brownell told Entertainment Weekly that the show’s team didn’t feel like it was Benedict’s time yet.
“He’s such a fun character and such a fan favorite that we are really excited to play with him for a little bit more and let him have more fun before he settles down,” Brownell said.
Ps; Benedict definitely did have fun in season three. But we’re curious to see how his approach to romance has changed by the time season four rolls around. 🤓
💡Will we finally get a full love story for Violet Bridgerton in season four?
In “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story,” Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) says she is ready to find a new lover after conversing with Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh). Her first husband, Edmund, died before the series began.
In season three, Violet meets Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis), Lady Danbury’s widowed younger brother. They bond over losing a partner. Marcus tries to court Violet, but obstacles keep getting in their way.
Lady Danbury and Marcus must first settle a family dispute. Violet is too busy solving her children’s love lives. The pair don’t even get a chance to dance together before the season ends.
Although we will likely have another Bridgerton on the marriage mart in season four, there might be more space for Violet to sort out her own love life, too.
💡How prominent will Penelope’s column be on the show now that her main arc has been completed?
In the epilogue, Penelope retires her literary persona but continues her work as a columnist under her own name.
“And hopefully, dear reader, you will stay on to enjoy them with me as we begin the next part of our journey,” she writes, as Coughlan takes over the narration from Andrews.
Lady Whistledown has always been a key component of the series, even before Penelope’s storyline took the spotlight on season three. But with another character leading season four, Polin will likely have less screen time, as is the pattern for all the main couples once they’ve completed their seasons.
Coughlan and Newton already confirmed that they’ll return next season. Fans will probably have to wait a while before getting any solid details about what the future holds for Polin, but Newton told Teen Vogue that he’s sticking around because “there’s still stuff to get sorted in season four.”
Our Thoughts 💭:
As captivating “Bridgerton” season 3 has been, we do look forward to new plot and twist in upcoming season 4.
Drinks 🍷: The Best New Rosé Wines Aren’t From France 🇫🇷
Chilled pink wine on a hot summer night is still the Instagram symbol of summer—and winemakers in every region on the planet are launching new ones to fill your glass.
Yes, France’s Provence—and its yacht-and-beach luxury lifestyle—have long been at the center of rosé’s glamorous image.
The rest come from other parts of France and from countries around the globe. In Chile and New Zealand and Eastern Europe, for example, pink winemaking has grown more than 50% over the past decade or so. That’s according to the 2023 Rosé Wines Tracking Report, a collaboration between the Provence Wine Council and France AgriMer that covers 45 countries.
Among them were fascinating new bottlings from New Mexico and Japan, Barolo country in Italy, Lebanon, islands in Greece, and tiny wineries in Oregon and California.
Ps; Today’s wide range of hues, grape varieties and winemaking techniques mean bigger choices in style than ever.
The new pricing sweet spot roughly hovers from $20 to $35, which shows that most pink wines aim to be more than vin piscine, those swimming pool quaffers served in large glasses with lots of ice. There’s a surge in pink sparkling wines, $50-and-up luxury Napa rosés and serious oak-aged examples—which are not always so appealing.
By the way, don’t shun the premium rosés showing up in dark glass bottles instead of clear glass that shows off the lusciously pink color. The reason is “light strike.”
Ps, Rosé is particularly susceptible to damage from exposure to sunlight; it can cause the wine to end up smelling like wet dog or old cabbage. 🤯
Our Thoughts 💭:
💡I know that general wine consumption has been shrinking, particularly for red wines.
💡The fate of rosé doesn’t need rose colored glasses: Production is growing and more than one in every 10 bottles consumed globally now is pink, with the popularity of premium, high-quality bottles unabating, especially members of Gen X and Gen Z.
💡CGA’s 2023 Wine Insights Reports revealed that 21% of British consumers were drinking rosé more often than a year earlier. In May, the Santa Margherita wine brand unveiled a survey of 2,000 Americans nationwide, undertaken by Talker Research, that found rosé the favorite wine for celebrations.
💡Still, a caution: A lot of new, boring rosés are out there.
Quicker Bites 🍿:
- US stocks slip as Nvidia sell-off drags tech lower.
- China Premier Warns Decoupling Will Lead to ‘Destructive Spiral’- Li Qiang defends his nation against overcapacity criticisms & Canada the latest nation to target imports of Chinese EVs.
- Astronomers Witness ‘Sudden Awakening’ of Massive Black Hole in Far-Away Galaxy.
- Myanmar Junta Chief Makes Rare Apology for Senior Monk’s Killing.
- Zurich Insurance Adding 600 People in India Following Kotak Deal.
- Barcelona to Ban All Short-Term Rentals to Fight Housing Crisis.
- Tokyo Marathon to Recognize Non-Binary Runners Starting in 2025.
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