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Thousands of monuments in the Czech Republic fell into ruin during the five decades of Communist rule. Many of them were left abandoned, deteriorating beyond repair, while others were simply razed to the ground.

Although the devastation of historical monuments was mapped quite thoroughly in the past, comprehensive research focusing on Communist-era heritage conservation was never carried out.

Historians from the Academy of Sciences and other institutions, including the Institute for the Study of the Totalitarian Regimes, have now started to examine the topic in greater detail. The first step in their research was a conference, which took place in Prague this week.

Kristina Uhlkov from the Academys Institute of Art History, one of the co-organizers of the conference, says the devastation of historical monuments was a result of several factors. One of the main ones was the nationalization of private-owned property shortly after the end of the Second World War:

Uherice chateau|Photo: Podzemnik, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported

The state wanted to look after the monuments, at least to some extent. But the task was too much to handle, especially for a centrally managed economy.

Only in Bohemia, there were over a thousand castles and chateaux, mostly private-owned, and suddenly, within just five years, they were taken over by the state, which was supposed to look after them.

Another problem was that there were not enough skilled people to look after the monuments, says Professor Milena Hauserov, who teaches heritage conservation at Czech Technical Universitys Faculty of Architecture:

Shortly after the war, even before the 1950s, the regime started to promote industrialization of the construction sector. As a result, private artisans started to be eliminated.

Many professions, that were common until then, ceased to exist. All the capacity went into construction of prefabricated buildings and many bricklayers no longer even knew what a brick was.

The neglected monuments reflected negatively on the Communist regime. Since the authorities had no means or will to preserve them, they were ordered to be torn down, says Mrs Hauserov:

There was a strong tendency to destroy the dilapidated monuments. Thats why so many abandoned churches and castles were blown up, so that they wouldnt be seen. Many of them could have been saved and could have served some purpose. But the feeling of failure played a significant role.

Mrs Hauserov points out that ideology also played a significant role on monument preservation during Communism. For instance, greater care was given to the preservation of Hussite monuments. Historic sites from the Baroque period were often neglected, since they presented what the Communist regime regarded as a dark era in the countrys history.

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Communist-era heritage conservation focus of new research - Radio Prague

For the most part, President Joe Biden has begun his term as a relatively popular leader. FiveThirtyEight's averages of the latest national surveys show the Democrat with a 54% approval rating -- a level of support his immediate predecessor never reached during his White House tenure.

In theory, Biden's support would be even higher, but in a time of intense political polarization, so many Republican voters reflexively oppose a Democratic president that more robust poll numbers are nearly impossible. That said, as HuffPost noted in an interesting item, "a mass movement in opposition" to Biden simply hasn't materialized yet.

At this point in his presidency, Obama faced the Tea Party revolt. On April 15, 2009 Tax Day thousands of protesters took to the streets in cities across the U.S. to demonstrate against high taxes and increased government spending following the Great Recession. In Washington, D.C., a crowd even forced a temporary shutdown of the White House after they hurled tea bags onto the executive mansion's lawn. Republicans insist the same type of backlash is coming for Biden if he continues down the path he's on.

Maybe. But it's worth pausing to appreciate the qualitative and quantitative differences between 2021 and 2009.

NBC News has been conducting national polling for many years, asking Americans whether they believe government should be doing more to solve problems, or whether they believe government is doing too many things that should be left to the private sector and individuals. In the mid-1990s -- around the time then-President Bill Clinton said the "era of big government is over" -- most of the public said it wanted the public sector to do less, not more.

At this point 12 years ago, meanwhile, NBC News found the public largely divided on the issue -- 47% wanted government to do more, while 46% wanted the opposite -- and in the months that followed, opponents of government activism gradually built an enduring advantage.

But in the latest national poll, released last week, NBC News found 55% of the public wants government to do more, not less. This is hardly the basis for a Tea Party-style backlash.

Similarly, Gallup released a report in March that explained, "The latest update shows that 54% of Americans say the government should do more to solve our country's problems, while 41% say the government is trying to do too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses. This is the highest percentage choosing the 'government should do more option since Gallup began asking the question in 1992."

It's against this backdrop that the latest surveys pointed to roughly two-thirds support for the White House's American Relief Plan, American Jobs Plan, and American Families Plan.

Republicans may be waiting for a broad national backlash to Biden's popular proposals, but given public attitudes, such a reaction appears unlikely to grow organically.

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Why Biden hasn't seen a Tea Party-style backlash (so far) - MSNBC

Lola's Traveling Tea Party in Seattle delivers English or Filipino-inspired tea boxes to doorsteps. #k5evening

SEATTLE If you want to have a traditional tea party without leaving your house, a family-run business in Seattle has just what you need.

Lolas Traveling Tea Party offers English and Filipino-style tea menus, and delivers to doorsteps.

"Lola means 'grandmother' in tagalog, and she's actually our mom. She's the inspiration for us and it sort of was a passion project for her, said CEO and Culinary Director Annaliza Valdez. "We have the traditional English menu which is just your classic tea sandwiches and scones, and then we also wanted to incorporate our heritage and infuse Filipino flavors.

She operates the business with three other women, connected by family, friendship, and a shared love of laughter.

"I think it's a natural Filipino thing to just have jokes at the ready, said Creative Director Michelle Trenter.

Each box is stocked with handmade delicacies, meticulously decorated and presented with coordinating napkins, flatware, flowers and tea.

What makes the experience truly unique is the selection of island flavors.

"Longganisa is a sweet sausage for the Filipino community, Trenter said.

There are also ube scones, Filipino steam buns, pandan shortbread cookies, and coconut cakes dipped in white chocolate and covered with toasted coconut.

"We enjoy baking the desserts and making the savory goods and being able to share it with everyone, said Procurement Director Marivic Quintanilla.

Just as carefully as they are prepared, each tea box is also personally delivered to customers doorsteps.

"I think it's important for us to celebrate who we are, Valdez said. "Part of Filipino culture is sharing food. The first thing a family member will ask you when you visit is, 'Have you eaten yet?' That is what we want to give to everybody - that feeling of giving love through food."

Lola's tea boxes are available for holidays and during pop-ups. The next one is scheduled for May 15th.

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Celebrate tea time infused with Filipino flavors - KING5.com

Dear Editor,

In his speech to Congress on April 28, President Biden asserted that we the people are the government. You and I.

With this proclamation, he intends for the nation to turn away from the course it adopted when Ronald Reagan declared government the problem at our doorstep. Biden reminds us that the people have powerthat government can be good or bad, effective or ineffective, according to the choices the people make in their votes for representation.

We the people never united in our views, of course allowed the Reaganite standards to dominate economic and political life until the hint of a course correction in Obamas 2008 election, which produced the significant Tea Party backlash two years later. Trumps election and the unification of a radical Republican party generated a surge of counter-activism that led the country to a different choice.

People power, ever stirring and always in tension with its differences, now pushes President Biden to think big.

Bidens ambitious agendathe passed COVID relief bill, the proposed American Jobs and Families Plans aims to harness government to meet peoples essential needs, neglected far too long: new jobs built on a response to climate change; economic equality that restores a thriving and broad-based middle class; racial justice that creates equal opportunities for building wealth and lives lived in safety and respect; subsidies for health care, child care, and education that give everyone a better chance to lead healthy, happy, productive lives.

If Bidens proposed legislation passes, even in part, radical Republicans in Congress will find it difficult to convince Americans that government cannot work to serve the peoples needs.

We the people do have the power and the instrument if we speak up, speak out, act. Pressure our representatives, campaign, vote. We can make our government work for us, the people.

Tom Denton

Highland, N.Y.

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Letter: We, the Government | Opinion | dailyfreeman.com - The Daily Freeman

A renowned UK-wide coffee shop chain is gearing up to open a massive new caf in the city it was founded in .

Boston Tea Party has recently closed its branches on Whiteladies Road and in Clifton Village so it can amalgamate the two sites and move to a larger home.

The company - which is "on a mission to prove that doing good is good for business" - is taking over the building formerly home to River Cottage Canteen, also on Whiteladies Road, which closed in February 2020.

With space for around 140 customers, the new venue will employ the staff from the former Clifton Village and Whiteladies Road branches.

Brand Director Anita Atkins said: "The team is busy putting the finishing touches to the new caf. We are incredibly lucky to have had the chance to take on such a beautiful building, full of original features, it already feels like home.

"It is a great time to be doing something positive and were more than ready to get serving the local community brilliant breakfast, lunch and coffee."

The caf - which is due to open on June 3 - will be fully accessible as well as feeding friendly and dog friendly, as all other BTP cafes up and down the country are.

It will serve ethically sourced food and drink, including its award-winning all-day breakfasts and lunches alongside specialty coffees, loose-leaf teas and homemade smoothies and juices.

In addition, it will "continue the business pledge to the planet," which includes no single use coffee cups, continuing to remove single use plastic from the supply chain and an upcoming carbon audit.

The Bristol-founded company reported a loss of a quarter of a million pounds in 2019 after becoming the first UK caf chain to ban single use cups in June 2018.

More information about the company can be found on its website.

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Boston Tea Party's massive new Bristol caf to open in summer - Bristol Live