On this day, in 1956, Elvis Presley reached number 1 in the United States, when Heartbreak Hotel It reached the top of the charts.
The single topped the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks, then became the first million-selling single from “King” and reached the Top 5 of the Country and R&B charts simultaneously.
Heartbreak Hotel was included in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1995.
Written by Mae Boren Axton and Tommy Durden, Heartbreak Hotel tells the story of a lonely man who seeks refuge in a hotel for a broken heart. The song’s lyrics are a mix of melancholy and despair, and it became an anthem for young people who felt lost and confused.
The song, released in January 1956, was notable for its innovative use of echo, something that was unusual for the time. The echo was used to give a spatial effect to the voice of Elvis Presleywhich created a powerful, immersive sound that captivated the audience.
The success of Heartbreak Hotel
Heartbreak Hotel He was also notable for his musical style, which fused country and blues to create a new and distinctive sound. The song was produced by the legendary Sam Phillips at Sun Records studios, which became a cradle of rock and roll in the 1950s.
The song was an immediate hit, reaching number one on the Billboard charts in its first month of release. It became Elvis’s first song to reach number one in the United States and was a turning point in his career, catapulting him to global stardom.
The song was also noted for its influence on popular culture of the time. Heartbreak Hotel It inspired a film of the same name starring Elvis in 1988, and became a reference in rock music and youth fashion of the 50s.
68 years ago he reached number 1 with “Heartbreak Hotel” — Radio Concierto Chile
Referendum on green plans is imminent, but what are we voting on?
#Referendum #green #plans #imminent #voting
‘Are you for or against the proposed decision on the Main Green Structure?’ Amsterdam residents will be asked this question when they go to the polls on June 6. In addition to the fact that a vote can be cast for the European Parliament, you can also check whether you agree with the new green plans of councilor Reinier van Dantzig (D66). But what is that referendum actually about?
The Main Green Structure, a document of almost 90 pages that describes which green areas in the city are protected. For example, no houses may be built at those locations. This concerns, for example, city parks, such as the Vondelpark or the Gaasperpark, and ‘wandering nature’, such as the Oeverlanden and the WH Vliegenbos. But the document also mentions sports parks, allotment parks, cemeteries and ‘curiosities’ – Artis, Hortus and Het Stenenhoofd.
Criticism of plans
At the end of October 2022, responsible councilor Van Dantzig came out with the adjustments to the Main Green Structure. In the new plans, the protected greenery is expanded by adding more parks and water. “We are going to protect the existing greenery even better,” Van Dantzig said at the time.
But the alderman’s plans received quite a bit of criticism. According to the critics, there are too many grounds for exception in the plans. This means that building in protected green areas could still be done in some ways. For example, it states that wind turbines may not be built in nature unless they have been designated as search areas for wind energy by, among other things, a municipal decision. According to critics, this paves the way for wind turbines in areas such as the Gaasperplas.
‘Sjoemelgreen’
There is also criticism of what is included in the policy as green. For example, artificial grass fields at sports parks count, as do highway verges. According to the initiators of the referendum, this is ‘cheesy green’ for achieving the green standards, the number of square meters of green per home. The organizers want the municipality to take a closer look at whether these green standards are really being achieved and what is counted as green.
In addition, there was criticism of the way in which the new plans came about. Van Dantzig adapted the plans of his predecessor’s Main Green Structure after he was installed as alderman. A consultation round had already taken place for the earlier version, which meant that Van Dantzig’s version would only be discussed by the municipal council. The initiators argue that this prevented Amsterdam residents from making their voices heard.
Demonstration of the organization of the referendum for the consultation evening on January 11 – AT5
Due to the criticism of the plans, a specially scheduled consultation evening was organized on January 11 of last year. 35 speakers had registered and about a hundred people were present for one protest. Responsible councilor Reinier van Dantzig was not present himself, but said a day later that he wants to protect more greenery with the new plans and that municipal councilors can always vote against the construction plans.
First citywide referendum since 2002
The plan was on the city council agenda so it could be voted on. The organizers therefore started the process for the referendum. “If more time and space had been offered, we would have talked to the councilor. But that time was not available,” the organizer explained. Sonja Brilman out earlier. “So then we kind of had to pull the emergency brake.”
Since 2022, the rules for setting up referenda relaxed. This means that fewer signatures are needed, no longer 30,000 but 10,000, and applicants are given ten instead of four weeks to collect them. The 20 percent turnout threshold also no longer applies. The first step for Amsterdam residents who want a referendum is to submit an introductory request to the chairman of the municipal council. This requires 1,000 signatures from people who are eligible to vote.
AT5
The introductory request from the organizers was signed en masse. The counter was up within a day 18,000 people. The request to set up the referendum was subsequently accepted by the entire council and the organizers were allowed to look for 10,000 signatures from Amsterdam residents.
That number became well before expiration from the collection period. It is the first referendum to be held citywide. The last time was in 2002, about the privatization of the GVB. In the past, referendums were also held on the arrival of the North/South line and the construction of IJburg. In Weesp a referendum was held in 2018 on the connection with Amsterdam. The Weespers may also cast a vote on the Main Green Structure, but the city area is not included in the policy.
Question difficult
The organizers therefore disagree with the Main Green Structure on many points: too many grounds for exceptions, the green standards and the city’s vision of greenery. But what question do you ask during the referendum? Since the official rules state that Amsterdam residents must vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on whether they are in favor of a plan by the council or the council.
‘Are you for or against the proposed decision on the Main Green Structure?’
The question asked during the referendum
That was also the problem referendum committee of the community struggled with. Because wasn’t such a yes/no question too simplistic? According to some council members, perhaps yes, and the initiators agreed. They believed that there should be sub-questions in the referendum. However, this is not possible due to the regulation.
Ultimately, the referendum committee chose the question: ‘are you for or against the proposed decision on the Main Green Structure?’ You could also describe this as: ‘may the municipality’s plans for the Main Green Structure be continued, taking all the pros and cons into account’.
Ultimately, it is an advisory referendum, the result is not binding. Council members may decide for themselves during the vote on the Main Green Structure whether they want to comply with the referendum result.
Campaign time
With one month to go until Amsterdam residents can answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ in the voting booth, the question is what will happen next. Campaigning for the referendum is allowed, just like during elections. But we will not see a debate in De Balie or in Pakhuis de Zwijger between Van Dantzig and the initiators.
“The council would like to see proponents and opponents of the policy conduct this debate”
Reinier van Dantzig – councilor for Housing and Urban Development
The councilor wrote in a letter a few weeks ago letter to the city council that he will adopt a ‘restraint’ attitude and will not use the campaign budget. In principle, an amount of 15,000 euros is available for Van Dantzig to persuade the people of Amsterdam to support his plans, but at the request of former JA21 councilor Annabel Nanninga, the councilor is not allowed to use the official apparatus and communication channels of the council during the campaign period. local authority.
There are even signs in English – Marcel Antonisse
According to the housing councilor, it is not possible to campaign without the involvement of civil servants and it is also not possible to do it alone with the budget, he would then have to hire external people. The city council plans to only explain ‘factually’ what the plans entail, for example to the press, council members or in the referendum newspaper.
Van Dantzig writes that he would like to see proponents and opponents of the policy conducting the debate. It remains to be seen whether that will happen. Since the end of last year, subsidies have also been available for Amsterdam residents who want to campaign. However, this was requested in eight cases by opponents of the green plans and in five cases for a neutral campaign. There are no applications for the subsidy from a party that is in favor of the Main Green Structure.
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Referendum on green plans is imminent, but what are we voting on?
Macron denounces “the new imperialism” in the Pacific
During his visit to Vanuatu, French President Emmanuel Macron denounced this Thursday the “new imperialism” in the Pacific, a region where the United States and China compete for influence, reports AFP.
“In the Indo-Pacific, and particularly in Oceania, a new imperialism and a logic of power is emerging that threatens the sovereignty of several States, the smallest, often the most fragile,” declared the president during his speech.
Speaking about France’s strategy in the region, Macron emphasized that Paris’ highest priority focuses on “defending through partnerships the independence and sovereignty of all countries in the region” that are willing to collaborate.
China and the US face each other in the Indo-Pacific in a struggle for influence, seeking to expand their military and strategic presence. At the beginning of July, the Asian giant signed an agreement to intensify interaction with the Solomon Islands in areas such as security, trade and internal politics.
For its part, the United States drafted a security pact with Papua New Guinea in May that provides for the increase of Washington’s military ties in the South Pacific. Meanwhile, China’s Foreign Ministry stated that it is not opposed to normal exchanges and equal and mutually beneficial cooperation, but warned against “geopolitical games.”
Regarding the ‘war of influence’, the French president indicated that he felt free to warn the island countries about the ambitions of the great powers, recognizing his country’s “colonial past here in Vanuatu.” Furthermore, Macron intends to reaffirm the importance of France as a “balancing power” in the region, although the realization of the Paris strategy was hampered by Australia’s refusal to buy French diesel submarines, opting for US nuclear submersibles. and the United Kingdom under the AUKUS agreement. With RT
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