The One The Only

[Arnaud Bertrand @RnaudBertrand]

This is extraordinary and profoundly symbolic: Ai Weiwei has returned to China for the first time in 10 years and says he concluded that Beijing is "more humane" than Germany which he describes as "insecure and unfree".

He gave an interview to Germany's Berliner Zeitung after his trip (https://t.co/P0NBgnCTTH) and here is what he said:

- He described feeling that Beijing had become like "a broken jade being perfectly reassembled" and said he felt no fear returning to the country.

- He complained that daily life difficulties in Europe (where he's lived for the past 10 years) are "at least ten times" what they are in China, criticizing European bureaucracy.

- For instance he said he reactivated his dormant Chinese bank account in mere minutes (with "still had a considerable sum of money in it"). He contrasts this with his experience in Europe: "In Germany, my bank accounts were closed twice. And not just mine, but my girlfriend's as well. In Switzerland, I was refused an account at the country's largest bank, and another bank later closed my account there as well. There were other similar incidents, which I won't go into detail about here. These processes are extraordinarily complicated and often irrational."

- He says that "with regard to the political climate, daily life for ordinary people in Beijing feels more natural and humane" than in Germany which "feels cold, rational, and deeply bureaucratic. As an individual, one feels confined and precarious there."

- Stunningly he says that in Germany, over ten years, "almost no one has ever invited me to their home. Neighbors from above or below exchange at most a brief nod." He contrasts this with China where, immediately upon his return, "perfectly ordinary people from at least five different professions lined up, hoping to meet me."

- He concludes that Germany now "plays the role of an insecure and unfree country, struggling to find its position between history and future."

As a European who's lived 8 years in China, I couldn't agree more: life in China is an order of magnitude less cumbersome than in Europe and daily life feels much more humane and warm, contrary to popular belief.

But it's one thing for me to say it, and something else entirely for China's most famous dissident. The man once celebrated throughout the West as the very embodiment of opposition to his country has now concluded that it is in fact Europe that's inhumane and "unfree".

[Katrina (大王）🇺🇸🇨🇳🇲🇽 @zapatas_mom]

If Americans knew how good life is for middle class Chinese people, they would riot.

[hasanabi @hasanthehun]

i am so happy about speeds growth as a content creator, he's entertaining and energetic - but most importantly, curious. its amazing seeing him cut through the noise and show a side of china that is rarely ever seen by american eyes.

[The One The Only @Sunyile250]

@thocpodcast Ling of Han
Eunuch Zhang Rang
Heir Liu Bian

[The One The Only @Sunyile250]

@HubPointless

[Alex Cole @acnewsitics]

Did the former VP speak at the Republican convention? No

Did the former First Lady? No
Did the former Second Lady? No
Did the former presidents? No
Did the former chief of staff? No
The people who knew Trump best didn't speak.
Not even Ivanka.

Hulk Hogan spoke, though.

[Secretary Pete Buttigieg @SecretaryPete]

I am hearing reports of some airlines only offering flight credits to passengers for cancelled flights. 

Let me be clear — you are entitled to get your money back promptly if your flight is cancelled and you don't take a rebooking.

[Headquarters @HQNewsNow]

Republicans lying about wanting to secure the border

A thread

[Daily Roman Updates @UpdatingOnRome]

Stop sending me this

[Joe Biden @JoeBiden]

I approve this message.

[SDL @SocDoneLeft]

@catturd2 That's right. And there's no way out.

[sid 🌹🔆🇨🇦 @lilbabygandhi]

> Be Steven Crowder
> Spend whole career railing against single parent families as the source of all societal evil
> Wife leaves you
> Takes the kids

[FuckCars @FuckCarsReddit]

New ad from the French railway company (SNCF) summing up why trains are better 😎

[Vaush 📺 @VaushV]

@charliekirk11 I admire the confidence it takes to know your audience is so stupid and gullible that none of them will actually go and read the indictment, a sixteen-page document dedicated entirely to specifically listing the crimes he’s been accused of

[Robert Reich @RBReich]

Let this serve as a reminder that poverty is a policy choice.

In the richest country in the world, it is absolutely inexcusable that millions of our children go to school hungry because they are living in poverty.

Kudos to Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota state legislature.

[National Park Service @NatlParkService]

#SpringForward

[David Hogg 🟧 @davidhogg111]

@mtgreenee Man that sucks. I was attacked and screamed at in 2018 by an insane woman named Marjorie Taylor Greene. She had no respect for the privacy of me as an 18 year old school shooting survivor or my staff.
She was self righteous, insane, and completely out of control.

[Secretary Pete Buttigieg @SecretaryPete]

I am alarmed to learn that the Chair of the House Oversight Committee thinks that the NTSB is part of our Department. NTSB is independent (and with good reason). Still, of course, we will fully review this and respond appropriately. https://t.co/beNgtBnHqj