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Translate a short flyer to invite Spanish-speakers to join Artisans.coop (NC / USA / anywhere)

I'm posting this as a volunteer activity, but I might be able to pay a ridiculously small amount if necessary. Really, though, it's volunteer, and it's totally fine if nobody volunteers :) That said, if you're fluent, it may take you less than three minutes. The flyer is mainly graphics, URIs, and a scannable code. -- The request is to translate the text on one flyer, accurately but keeping the spirit of the original. I'm not sure if I'll try to make one bilingual flyer or separate Spanish and English flyers. The text is: "We are building a handmade co-op alternative to Etsy!"; "Join our community!"; "ARTISANS.COOP/LINKS or scan QR"; "Follow @COOPARTISANS on [links/icons]"; "Designed by Miss Thera" -- I'm part of the grassroots campaign to built founding membership for Artisans.coop. There are many artisans and many Spanish speakers living near me in the North Carolina Triangle, and I've met spanish-speaking artisans, and I want to help get some diversity into the group ASAP. If someone will help me make a Spanish-language flyer, I can start getting it out into the world, at least here, possibly elsewhere. If you give me your e-mail address I can forward you an original, but the above text is all the text there is. If you are more comfortably staying a MeMail contact, I can send you a link to the folder where the original is, plus the file name. I asked the co-op about it, and no Spanish speaker has volunteered to translate anything so far. The site itself has a machine translation plugin, so a Spanish speaker could navigate it. A co-op is not a nonprofit entity. It is member owned, and anyone can join (even if they do not have cash to make the initial investment, in this co-op). I'd love to get some multicultural voices in immediately so they are heard early and often. Thanks a bunch!




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Boston: AVID Quartet setup instruction (700 Boylston Street, Boston MA)

I am currently trying to start a GarageBand project on a Mac, but am having problems with the AVID Quartet preamp (?) on this computer. (This is a borrowed computer and I can't disconnect the Quartet.) Is there anyone in the Back Bay/Copley area who can come in for an hour or two and help me get this set up so I can record?




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Receive a package in the UK and send to the US (Brooklyn, NY)

I want to buy a supplement that only ships to the UK. So this would entail receiving the package and then sending it to me. I'm buying in bulk bc this is such a hassle, so the box will be sort of medium size but not heavy. I would cover shipping + a fee to you for your time. Can you let me know what you would charge for this?




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Marketing for Online Show/Club (virtual NYC)

New York Stereoscopic Association Presents! is a weekly show about stereoscopic (3D) photography and film/video. It is held on Zoom and in VR, and streamed to Youtube and Roku. web http://www.3dnsa.org/ Sizzle Reel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2D2DCHBx20 We've got the usual social media accounts established but very under utilized as none of us have had time or energy to put more into marketing. Have done a bit of Instagram advertising. Looking for someone to advise on a marketing plan, and weekly do the social media posts and advertising. Possibility of an associated project that would need similar work.




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Comics artist with "cartoon realism" style. (London)

I'm a published writer with a completed script for a non-fiction graphic novel, but no-one to draw it. It's a real-world setting and cast with no fantasy or superhero elements. The story's a serious one, so the art needs to match that tone. Initially, I just need ten pages of finished B&W art (pencils & inks) to use as I pitch the project round suitable publishers. For the right artist this could grow into a paid commission for the full book. I'm happy to agree either a page rate deal or a 50/50 ownership split (including ancillary rights). The story has proven TV/film potential. If you'd like to be considered, please Metamail me with a link where I can find your samples and details of any comics work you've done before. Thank you.




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15 Best Psychedelic Rock Songs of All Time

Psychedelic rock is more than just a genre; it’s an experience—a kaleidoscopic journey that pushes the boundaries of sound, perception, and imagination. Born in the 1960s, this mind-bending fusion of rock, surrealism, and experimentation became the soundtrack to a cultural revolution, forever altering the landscape of modern music. With its swirling guitars, hypnotic rhythms, and […]

The post 15 Best Psychedelic Rock Songs of All Time first appeared on Singersroom.com.



  • Best Songs Guide

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Cinema Chat: 'MaXXXine' and 'Fancy Dance' open downtown, plus a bunch of special screenings throughout July!

When it comes to the 4th of July, fireworks and film go hand-in-hand! Both David Fair and Russ Collins are on vacation this week, so WEMU's Mat Hopson and Marquee Arts cinema programming director Nick Alderink meet up to chat about the newest films and special screenings coming your way this Independence Day weekend!




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Cinema Chat: 'Fly Me to the Moon' and 'Longlegs' open at the Michigan Theater, and 'The Lion King' returns to the multiplex

July is well underway, and more movies keep coming to the big screen! WEMU's David Fair is joined by Marquee Arts cinema programming director, Nick Alderink, to talk about the new films and special screenings coming to downtown Ann Arbor and your favorite multiplex!




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Cinema Chat: Take a trip to Broadway courtesy of Marquee Arts, plus 'The Crow' and 'My Penguin Friend' open downtown

After a week away, WEMU's David Fair returns to chatting about cinema with Marquee Arts executive director Russ Collins. As they do every week, they deliver all of the details on new films and the many special screenings coming to Ann Arbor!




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Cinema Chat: The Michigan Theater celebrates 100 years of 'The Freshman,' and 'Omni Loop' opens downtown

Whether you prefer the modern age of cinema or the silent era, there's plenty of films worth checking out this weekend and beyond! WEMU's Russ Collins from Marquee Arts gives the full cinematic rundown in his conversation with WEMU's David Fair.




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Cinema Chat: 'Saturday Night' and 'The Apprentice' open at the State Theatre, plus a special screening of 'Eno' at the Michigan Theater!

We just wrapped up a fantastic fall fundraiser a few days ago, so let's celebrate with a good movie! WEMU's Mat Hopson steps in for David Fair this week to chat about all of the cinematic offerings coming soon to your favorite movie houses with Marquee Arts executive director, Russ Collins!




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Cinema Chat: 'Conclave' and 'Venom: The Last Dance' open this weekend, plus some spooky classic films in time for Halloween!

Marquee Arts executive director Russ Collins has returned from his vacation, and he's ready to chat about all things cinema! Russ joins WEMU's David Fair to discuss the newest films coming to the big screen and a whole lot of special Halloween screenings happening at the Michigan and State Theatres!




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Cinema Chat: Scary screenings for Halloween Night, plus 'The Goldman Case' and 'My Name is Alfred Hitchcock' open at the Michigan Theater

What's your favorite scary movie? WEMU's David Fair and Marquee Arts executive director Russ Collins meet up to inform you of tonight's special screenings for your Halloween viewing pleasure! Plus, you'll get details on some new films opening downtown and at the multiplex, too!




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For when everything isn't awesome

Mobile Crisis Construction is an Australian initiative to turn rubble back into homes, schools and hospitals in war-torn or disaster-hit countries like Ukraine. Its Lego-like MCC Crisis Blocks "employ simple technology that works with standard brick coursing height and length, and can be laid with unskilled labour due to their interlocking design". They need no mortar and are produced on site with a mobile factory housed in a shipping container, each of which can produce enough bricks for 5-10 homes in a week. The Perth-based charity has been funded by the local Ukrainian community.




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I went away just when you needed me so

"Everlasting Love" is one of two songs to become a Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hit in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s* and the only song to become a UK top 40 hit in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.

Written by Buzz Cason and Mac Gayden, "Everlasting Love" was a hit for Robert Knight in 1967. Love Affair's 1967 cover, the most successful version in the UK, knocked The Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye" off the number one spot on British charts. Singer Steve Ellis was 17 and recorded the song with session musicians after the record label rejected the band's version. Carl Carlton's 1973 cover, the most successful version in the US, was originally the B-side of a single but was made into the A-side. The video for Rex Smith and Rachel Sweet's 1981 cover features them as a couple getting married. Their version includes an additional verse of uncredited authorship that was approved by the song's composers. The video for Sandra's 1987 cover has her and "Austrian model Rupert Weber as lovers in different periods of world history" Eve to 1987. U2 did an acoustic/electric cover in 1989 as the B-side to "All I Want Is You." Gloria Estefan was pregnant when the video for her 1995 cover was filmed, so three male and two female drag performers appeared as Estefan at different stages of her career. Jamie Callum's 2005 cover was featured on the soundtrack to Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason. Other covers of note include Joe Dassin's "Plus Je Te Vois, Plus Je Te Veux" "(The More I See You, The More I Want You)" (1968), Patricia Paay (1977), and Willy Sommer's "Liefde Voor Altijd" (2011). The song was featured in an episode of the BBC One TV series Casualty and the cast later performed it live. Jamie Dornan performed the song in the 1998 movie Belfast. Buzz Cason performing "Everlasting Love" in 2013. The writers of 'Everlasting Love' tell their story:

Mac Gayden started writing "Everlasting Love" when he was 5 years old. Those "oooh" vocals that float in the background of the chorus? It's a melody he came up with at that age. "I just kind of drew it out of the air," he says.
* "The Way You Do the Things You Do" was also a Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hit in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.




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"Never take your accounts department for granted ever again"

Aftermath, the tech and gaming blog founded by webugees from Kotaku, is one year old! In a lengthy post on their site, founders Luke Plunkett, Gita Jackson, Riley McLeod, Nathan Grayson and Chris Person discuss what running their little co-op business is like, and the issues they face in keeping it afloat.




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My-co-lor-ology

The Mushroom Color Atlas is a resource and reference for everyone curious about mushrooms and the beautiful and subtle colors derived from dyeing with mushrooms. But it is also the start of a journey and a point of departure, introducing you to the kaleidoscopic fungi kingdom and our connection to it. My hope is that through this Atlas everyone will be inspired to learn more about the mycological world, and begin to understand the importance of the networks, connections and symbiotic relationships that live in our forests. Most importantly, understanding our impact on these delicate networks and our role as stewards of the land, bringing positive change to our local environments and our planet. [via The Morning News]




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A Narcissist's Prayer. The Trauma Survivor Mantra.

This explains a lot.

A Narcissist's Prayer That didn't happen. And if it did, it wasn't that bad. And if it was, that's not a big deal. And if it is, that's not my fault. And if it was, I didn't mean it. And if I did You deserved it. by Dayna EM Craig The Trauma Survivor Mantra It did happen. It was bad. It was a big deal. It doesn't matter if they meant it. I reject the shame. I didn't deserve it. by Dr. Elayna Fernández ~~~~~ Elayna Fernández is a happy, smiling, festive, wise powerhouse who lives oh so large. A joy to read, I cannot help but smile. I was/am so glad to come across her take on A Narcissists Prayer -- honest, painful, human, smart. A Narcissists Prayer is the best description of the animal I've ever come upon, in six lines (!) no less. Craig gives it to us dead on. Fernández in The Trauma Survivor Mantra nails it, gives us the sane and healthy response to insane unhealthy people.




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ID a Bollywood song

I am trying to find a song from a Bollywood movie. Please hope me if you can, based on the little I remember. Difficulty: I don't speak Hindi. The movie would have come out 2004-2007, and I think I remember it was about a young couple in an arranged marriage getting to know each other over time. The song was an upbeat dance song, but not a bass-heavy club song or anything like that. It had a longish title, 5-7 words, and here's the part that might actually help you help me -- it reminded me of Mere Sarpe Dupatta from Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo -- I had them in the same playlist on my (dead!) iPod.

Thanks for any help you can give me!




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Pomodoro-style apps that are more gamified

I've tried a bunch of pomodoro-style apps that I haven't done well with. I recently found one that's like Pomodoro except there's a growing plant, and if you mess with your phone you'll kill the plant. This works for me for whatever reason. I was wondering if anyone knew of other apps like that; especially ones with more real-world consequences. I guess my will isn't strong enough to not mess with my phone just because some timer is counting down. But the charming messages about the poor little plant and the cute drawings appeal to me apparently.

I saw this app PocketPoints, which would be great except it only works at participating schools.

I'm also not interested in those apps that quantify how often you check your phone.

This is for iOS please.

Thanks!




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"Stranger things have happened, especially in driver's education class."

So I read a children's book as a kid in the 1980s that used the title quote as a running gag. Can anybody identify it? It may or may not have been a guide to surviving school. It was almost certainly a paperback from a Scholastic book order. (I had thought it was by Jovial Bob Stine, but no book of his that the Internet knows of seems to fit. It might have been bundled with one of his books, though?)




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What is Cibo Matto's "Emerald Tuesday" (heavily) sampling?

I'm listening to NPR's streaming "First Listen" of Cibo Matto's "Emerald Tuesday," off the forthcoming Hotel Valentine, and I know this song it's sampling from the first note. (And I think that's the point of the lyrics, that the ghost in the song listened/listens to the sampled song all the time.) I feel like it's also something my husband listens to all the time, or that was in a movie I just saw, but I can't pin it down. My first thought was Curtis Mayfield, but I'm not finding it. I know it's going to seem obvious to me once you tell me, but nonetheless—help! What is that song?




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Iridescent custom die-cut vinyl stickers?

Please share with me your favorite places online to order custom die-cut vinyl stickers, preferably iridescent or glitter or iridescent glitter, using art I provide. I'd ideally like these to be about 2 square inches, and really shiny or sparkly, but with good (outdoor-quality) staying power. I have a few different designs I'd like to have made, in quantities of about 55 each. I put in a bid with diecutstickers.com almost a month ago now and never heard back beyond the initial form response, so I'm looking for other options for quality work with a fast turnaround time. Thank you!




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How do you remove a Facebook post from an album? (part 2)

I asked a similar question a few months ago, but the "best answer" to that question no longer works because Facebook has changed the interface. I recently put a Facebook post (an article) into an album (using the relatively new feature that lets you do this with all kinds of links, not just photos/videos). But I changed my mind — I don't want it to be in any album. How do I remove it? I could use either a browser or the iPhone app.

Note that Facebook's album interface seems to have changed about a month ago, so older Facebook how-to posts might not be relevant.

I don't want to delete the post because it already has comments, etc.




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Desperately Seeking URC-1160 (Sorry, Susan)

My Spectrum (formerly TWC) cable box works via RF with a particular remote that comes with it in some areas. Not mine. I've got the IR remote and need the other sort. Can't find it on Amazon or eBay... I've visited the Spectrum offices in my area (Portland, ME) and have been told that, in my area, the new cable box I have (the Spectrum 201-T, which is actually the Technicolor WorldBox) does not ship with its regular, RF-capable remote, the URC-1160. In some parts of the country, however, it does.

I've searched online to find a replacement--no dice. I've also called Spectrum, to see if they will send me one, and I was told that they can only request a new remote, not specify what sort. They shipped me another IR remote.

How can I get my hands on one of these URC-1160s?




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"The bitten cherry or the apple core"

About a decade ago, an early music group -- possibly the Medieval Baebes -- sang a post-medieval encore that I can't find a whisper of. The line I think I remember is "The orchard didn't know if it was planted for/ The bitten cherry or the apple core." Can anyone identify this?




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Civilian deployment blog?

I'm looking for a blog about a civilian embarking on a short-term deployment to Afghanistan (or Iraq?) in some sort of support role—I think he was involved in engineering or computer modeling or mapping or something similar. I believe he was either a MeFite or was mentioned somewhere on MetaFilter. Anyone have a link? Other things I remember: I believe it was hosted on Blogger, though it also may not have been. I remember the poster being sad to be away from his daughter and wife for six months, but the money was of course enticing. I remember there being a couple of pretty lengthy rundowns of his time traveling and being processed on a couple of bases in the U.S. before deployment, and being concerned that he wouldn't make his deployment window if he missed a flight, and there being some discussion of all the military-issue stuff he was required to buy in order to deploy (and some things I think he deliberately chose not to bring along). All of that is pretty common fodder for deployment blogs, I guess, but maybe it'll ring a bell with someone!

Searching for "civilian deployment blog" and "Afghanistan deployment blog" has brought up a few results, but I don't think they're the blog I'm seeking. This result isn't the right one, as far as I can tell, but it may be using the same template as the one I'm remembering. This is one of the top search results, but it isn't the one I'm looking for. This and this aren't it, either. Most of the ones I'm finding are from a soldier's perspective, rather than a DoD civilian's one—or if they are about deployed DoD civilians, they mostly seem to be ones who've served in the military in other capacities previously, or who are doing multiple-year tours in Afghanistan. This guy was just going for about six months...

Any help would be greatly appreciated!




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Fuck 'Em If They Can't Take A Joke

Where/when did the phrase "Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke" originate? I've seen/heard it in a lot of different places, and associate it with the Church of the SubGenius. The guy in the cubicle next to mine says it originated with Bette Midler. A quick Google finds evidence that she said that 1979ish—but does anyone have an earlier Bette Midler reference for the phrase? Or, alternately, know whether this phrase gained currency anywhere else before that?




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Study proposal: The Effects of Mud Wrestling on the Female Urogenital Tract

How do women who mud wrestle or take regular mud baths (esp. naked, say at a spa) avoid getting mud in their, er, orifices—or do they avoid it? Would tampons be useful in preventing such an occurrence? Or is that even necessary?

And if mud is allowed into the vagina or anus, does that lead to an increased incidence of infection (whether by yeast or bacteria)? How would one go about (or, ladies, how have you gone about) preventing such resultant infections? And do spas have problems with the transmission of such infections in their mud baths?

I've found an abstract from a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association that found a greater incidence of pustular follicular dermatitis outbreaks among mud-wrestling college students (no joke) at the University of Washington in Seattle—but that doesn't speak to the question of vaginal, anal or urethral irritation stemming from prolonged mud exposure.

(And yes, this is a serious question, I promise—the topic came up during a conversation I was party to a while back about, well, vaginal irritation/infections. Fun stuff, huh?)




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What's tiny, brown, lives underwater, and looks like a mushroom?

I went scuba diving at Clear Lake, Oregon today. I saw a ton of tiny, medium-brown unidentified biological-looking... *things* attached to some of the rocks. What were they? Their silhouette was roughly the shape of a fungus growing on a tree -- think a minaturized oyster mushroom or turkey tail mushroom, but with (as far as I could tell) not particularly pronounced gills. They were attached to volcanic rock.

What were they? Eggs sacs of some kind? Actual underwater mushrooms? Some other life form? In case it's relevant, other stuff I saw in the lake included verdant fields of algae growing off the silty bottom (where the volcanic rock isn't exposed), schools of trout (the lake is stocked), plenty of caddisfly larvae in their cases, and cold-water springs feeding the lake from deep potholes. Water temperature was 41 F. We went as deep as 85', but I only remember seeing the brown unidentified objects in shallower areas -- say maybe between 15' to 30'.




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Is there a service that will buy and ship bakery items for me?

I've been missing Miami's Cuban bakeries. My plans to visit have been put on hold indefinitely, so I'm looking for options to have a few items (cuban crackers, cuban bread and pastries) shipped overnight to my house a few states to the north. Does a service that does this exist? I'm willing to put some dollars toward paying for this, but would prefer something established as opposed to posting a Craigslist ad.

I know that Vicky Bakery ships guava pastries and croquetas, but I'm looking for a wider selection. Thanks everyone!




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How can I fix the way Microsoft Zira pronouces certain words?

Is there a way to change the Microsoft voice Zira so she stops saying "Mississippi" when the word miss is used as a title or with a period at the end of it? I found two files (MSTTSLocEnUS.dat and MSTTSLocEnCA.dat) in the folder C:WindowsSpeech_OneCoreEnginesTTS that contain the text "mississippi" but they are both dat files and when I open them in Wordpad or Notepad, I cannot find the text. I looked in Windows Speech options and there is no place to fix pronunciations. I am using Windows 11 and it does not seem to happen when I use the David voice, only the Zira voice.




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Preamble to Deuteronomy (Lesson #1)

Why must love, to be love, be freely given?




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The Stranger in Your Gates (Lesson #5)

Loving your neighbor as yourself is the highest expression of God’s law.




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Kemp Reopens Georgia World Congress Center As Temporary Hospital For COVID-19 Patients

With hospitals facing a surge of coronavirus patients, Gov. Brian Kemp on Friday said the Georgia World Congress Center would again be utilized as an alternate hospital as more people in the state become sick with COVID-19.




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CDC Takes Action After Study Shows Swine Flu Viruses Have Pandemic Potential

A group of H1N1 swine influenza viruses have essential hallmarks of being highly adapted to infect humans and are of potential pandemic concern, health officials say. These viruses — referred to as G4 Eurasian (EA) avian-like H1N1 viruses — have been spreading in pigs in China since 2016 and are now the predominant set of genes that can be passed down from parents to offspring , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.




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Atlanta Mayor Rolls Back Reopening Plan As Coronavirus Cases Soar

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is set to roll back the city's reopening plan back to phase one as COVID-19 continues to spread across the state, a spokesman said Friday. The first phase guidelines include encouraging residents to stay home except for essential trips, wearing a face covering in public and avoid in-person dining at restaurants.




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Person Of Interest Sought By Atlanta Police In Killing Of 8-Year-Old Girl

Atlanta police released images of a second person of interest in the July 4 shooting death of 8-year-old Secoriea Turner. The first person of interest has been cleared, attorneys for the family said. Her parents, Charmaine Turner and Secoriey Williamson, are pleading with the public to provide information about those responsible in the death of their child. The reward is up to $50,000, and anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477.




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Political Rewind: Tension Between Governor and Mayor As Both Lead Through Virus

Monday on Political Rewind , the relationship between Gov. Brian Kemp and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has frayed, as both officials take opposing views on how to govern during the pandemic. A once productive and collegial relationship is now soured by open fighting. What brought us here? Listen here:




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GPB Evening Headlines For July 13, 2020

Federal Judge Blocks Georgia's 2019 "Heartbeat" Abortion Law Family Of Secoriea Turner, 8-Year-Old Shot Near Atlanta Wendy's, Call For Action Augusta Joins List Of Georgia Cities With Mask Mandate, Clashing With Governor's Orders Atlanta Braves Officials Say They Won't Change Their Name June Tax Revenues Down 8.8% From Last Year




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Lawmakers Consider Repealing Citizen’s Arrest Law Used As Defense in Ahmaud Arbery Death

According to Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter, Georgia’s citizen’s arrest law is rooted in medieval times and is an “outmoded concept” in this age of “increased police forces.” Porter made those remarks at a Georgia House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee hearing on Monday.




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Political Rewind: History As Comfort, Teacher In Troubled Times

Tuesday on Political Rewind, conventional wisdom states that we are living through an unprecedented era of crisis in America today. As the country looks to recover and heal through these tough times, does our history have any answers or lessons? We discussed this topic with several top historians. Listen below:




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New York Gov. Cuomo Offers Coronavirus Assistance To Atlanta

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is taking up New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on his offer to send a team to conduct testing and contact tracing of people exposed to the coronavirus. Cuomo announced Monday that New York State will deploy coronavirus assistance to the capital of Georgia as the state continues to experience an increase in COVID-19 cases.




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Michael B. Jordan Wants You To View A Drive-In Movie, On Him

Actor Michael B. Jordan says “timing is everything. ” The SAG award winner marched in a Los Angeles Black Lives Matter protest last month demanding that Hollywood drastically increase its diversity in the executive ranks. Jordan, whose breakout “Fruitvale Station” role followed the events of a young Black man killed by a transit police officer, is channeling an urgency for change and healing into “A Night at the Drive-In.”




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GPB Evening Headlines for July 14, 2020




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Trump's Visit To Atlanta Wednesday: Boost For GOP, Target For Dems

Ahead of President Donald Trump's visit to the Atlanta area on Wednesday, prominent Georgia Democrats have scheduled a news conference to "slam" what they call the president's "failed coronavirus response," the group announced in a press release. For state Republican leaders, the visit offers an opportunity to showcase Trump before the GOP base as the November election approaches.




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By We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese in "Anti-Asian Structural Violence, an Example" on MeFi

Were you really that frozen with fear? Doubtful

There's nothing I can say to this dismissive nonsense that won't get me thrown off Metafilter.




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By capricorn in "Got any good advice for a PoC USian post election?" on Ask MeFi

I keep returning to two things.

1) building on the idea of community, trying to spread as much love as I can in the world. The time for action will be soon but right now is the time to love each other as much as we possibly can.

2) we aren't the only country to have elected a far-right or fascist leader recently. I'm looking to the people I know who live in other countries with leaders like Trump. There is still joy and possibility in their lives, even though their fight is hard, just like ours will be.

Love and joy are exactly what the far right wants to take away from us so let's stick it to them and not let them.




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By fire, water, earth, air in "Coping in a red state" on Ask MeFi

Let me tell you a story about a woman I know who votes conservative. She isn't the type of person I would self-select to be a friend, or even a friendly acquaintance — perhaps to my detriment! — because she's well-to-do, right-leaning, and very Christian. But I see her every week and have talked to her quite a bit because she's one of my medical providers.

Because I'm disabled, she charges me half of what she'd normally charge; every time I thank her, she says it's no big deal, and that, "Disabled people deserve every break they can get!" This saves me something like $3,000 dollars a year: that's an extra $3,000 a year she could be making, and actually now can't be making, because she's using her hours to treat me instead of other patients. She does a lot of volunteering. Donates a lot of money. She talks about how she's disappointed that certain social services, like disabled transit, fail disabled people, and has a fairly robust understanding of how that plays out because she listens carefully to her disabled patients. In her church, she's taken a stand for welcoming gay members of the community into the congregation, and into leadership positions, and was heartbroken and felt powerless and bewildered when the higher-up leadership blocked several of these things.

Whenever I've talked about the difficulties my trans friends are facing, she is genuinely sympathetic to the individual friend, interested in their life, and sad about their suffering, but sometimes expresses the concern-trolling talking points of the right-wing media — I read this as her being very responsive and caring to any unique individual she knows, but not recognizing the perils of the wider systemic discrimination going on.

Last time there was an election, I was talking about how conservative funding cuts impact the disabled community, and she expressed a lot of opinions along the lines of, "Of course I think everyone who needs disability income should have it! But don't you realize that the left-wing government will get us further into debt, whereas the conservatives will improve the economy so that we have more government funds to give social programs?" This coming from a person whose personality is very caring, motherly, and friendly, not at all a combative or hostile "debater:" normal people genuinely believe these things because the right-wing media repeats them over and over again.

I think that you really are right when you say, I truly believe they are good, kind, thoughtful people. Most of them probably are. But they are being lied to and duped by right-wing politicians, and not realizing the extent to which they're being lied to, because they believe we still live in a reasonable society in which no one would actually lie that much ... so some of the things they're saying must be true, right?

They don't realize the extent to which BIPOC, queer, disabled, immigrant, etc. minority groups are in very real danger, and think it must be exaggerated, because they don't really know that many, or the few that they know appear to be doing just fine. And so they vote with their worry and their fear, and their vote does not truly carry through their intentions about the kind of world they wish to live in.

This is not, of course, all people. Some people really are deep into right-wing ideology and have entire groups that they do not see as real people. But I find that most of the people I meet are like her: I could have several conversations with them not knowing they are right-wing, and get along with them just fine, because their day-to-day values of how to treat other human beings really are quite similar to mine. But because of their political/cultural education, their sociological and media literacy, and the demographics of people that make up their workplace, friends, and family, they are being fed a different set of facts, a different "reality."

This all makes me incredibly sad but also gives me bit of hope, and I hope it will bring some peace to you.

I live in Canada, so it's not the same, but I do live in one of the most right-leaning provinces. I really feel what you're going through. I am also surrounded by people I care about — who appear to care about me — who vote in one awful conservative government after another. Stay strong: sending love and sympathy.




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By Faint of Butt in "Our Cockroach Era" on MeFi

I do not want to be alive. This is not a new development; I first voiced this opinion to my mother when I was five years old, and it has persisted through the subsequent four decades despite therapy, a vast array of medications, and multiple forms of invasive treatments that have made my existence even less bearable while having no affect on my depression (or, as I think of it, my identity and most fundamental self). Given the opportunity to press a button and fast-forward to my deathbed, I'd do it without hesitation. But these Nazi motherfuckers will not leave the people I love alone. They are forcing me to stay alive, even though I hate every minute of it, just so I can contribute my meager skills to the war effort against them. You have no idea how furious I am, because all I want is to die, and they won't let me, because if I did I'd be ceding the world to them, and I refuse to do that without exhausting every drop of blood within me. If I can't have a single moment of joy, peace or happiness, then neither can they.