Casablanca is one of those movies that need no introduction. The plot explores a panoply of themes such as love, morality, and politics against the backdrop of WWII. An undeniable part of this movie’s charm is its exotic setting. A blend of Moroccan and French colonial architecture dominates most scenes, and the attention to details was painstaking. This is especially impressive if one considers that the entire set was constructed at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. 

In the movie, several iconic scenes unfold at Rick's Café Américain, which featured curved arches, balustrades, fireplaces and a sculpted bar. Beaded and stenciled brass light fixtures cast intriguing shadows on the textured terracotta floors and intricate zellij tiles, evoking an atmosphere that is simultaneously romantic, moody, and sophisticated. Live music elevated the atmosphere, making each scene at the café unforgettable.

Casablanca was released in 1942, and 62 years later Rick's Café Casablanca opened within the walls of the medina in Casablanca, turning the style and ambience of the fictitious locale into reality, including a piano from the 1930s and the live music–including, of course, the classic song “As Time Goes By.”  The menu perfectly complements the ambience, making the most of fresh produce, meat, and fish indigenous to North Africa, offering guests a genuine taste of the region in a unique setting.

"Whenever I say colonialism isn't why Africa is poor today, people rush to say 'but it's neocolonialism.'
    "The truth is we are 'neo-colonised' because we are poor. We are not poor because we are neo-colonised.
    "In today's world, nations either create prosperity or they live under someone else's rules. This is why I focus on prosperity-building instead of complaining all the time about the past.
    "It's the only way out."

~ Magatte Wade from her post 'Why Is Africa Poor?'

In the US the time elapsed between ‘Defund the Police’ Actually Means Defunding the Police, Yes, We Mean Literally Abolish the Police until Ha Ha Of Course We Didn’t Really Mean It Like It Sounded was about a year.

The Green Party of England and Wales leaves lumbering American lefties standing. PoliticsHome reports,

The Green Party has voted to make party policy a motion that seeks to “abolish landlords”.

The motion titled ‘Abolish Landlords’ was supported by a large majority of members at the party’s conference in Bournemouth on Sunday.

The motion has now become party policy, though leader Zack Polanski is not obliged to adopt the specific wording.

On Friday, PoliticsHome reported that the policy motion was being put forward, which sets out five steps the Greens would take to outlaw landlords.

Starting with rent controls and abolishing Right to Buy, a future Green Party-led government would also tax landlords via business rates on Airbnbs and double taxation on empty properties.

Under the proposals, the party would also end Buy to Let mortgages and give councils the Right to Buy when landlords sell properties, when the property doesn’t meet insulation standards, or when a property has been vacant for more than six months.

Carla Denyer, Green MP for Bristol Central, sought to stress that despite the motions “eye-catching” title, “it does not actually ‘abolish’ landlords”.

Neat. If the Greens get into coalition with Labour, they can say while introducing this policy, “Too late to complain now. It was clearly stated to be our policy back in 2025.” And when the policy goes the same way as every other attempt at rent control (as even they have some inkling it will), they can say “Doesn’t count, ‘coz we had our fingers crossed.”