A computer server crucial to a lawsuit against Georgia election officials was quietly wiped clean by its custodians just after the suit was filed, The Associated Press has learned.

Updated at 3:36 p.m. E.D.T. on December 4. President Trump may have been involved with a change to the Republican Party campaign platform last year that watered down support for U.S. assistance to Ukraine, according to new information from someone who was involved. Diana Denman, a Republican delegate who supported arming U.S. allies in Ukraine, has told people that Trump aide J.D. Gordon said at the Republican Convention in 2016 that Trump directed him to support weakening that position in the official platform. Ultimately, the softer position was adopted. Denman is scheduled to meet this week with the House and Senate Intelligence committees to discuss what she saw, said two sources familiar with the briefings. Investigators in Congress and elsewhere want to ask the San Antonio-area woman about how her proposal supporting Ukraine changed in the course of last year's convention. People familiar with the story described it to NPR. Robert N. Driscoll, a Washington-based lawyer for Denman

Publisher urgently seeking songs for film and television placement. All styles. No demos. No samples. Must control composition and master rights. If your song is selected you will be offered an exclusive publishing agreement. Please submit through Music Xray.

Expressive Artists is a music publishing company with an emphasis on film and television placement. In the past year we've placed hundreds of songs in feature films, major network TV shows including, "S.W.A.T.," "No Activity," "What We Do In The Shadows", documentaries, podcasts and apps. Two of our Music Xray artists songs are featured in the upcoming major motion picture, "The Comeback Trail," starring Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Tommy Lee Jones.

We at Pop-Up Music are seeking Electronic music in all genres. Ideally tracks that were created at the time and geographically genre specific. Late 80's Chicago House to contemporary Eletro Pop.

Ambient, Ambient dub, Breakbeat, Baltimore Club, IDM, House Music, Chicago House, Electro Swing, Bitpop (Video Game Music), Trap, 1980's Hip Hop - Break Dance, Electronic pop, Indie electronica, Dream Pop... and all the other forms of Electronic music - if it's good we'll take it!

This opportunity is for an exclusive contract with a term - all submissions must be 100% owned by the writer/writers.

The Pop-Up Music team looks forward to your submissions!

Many thanks,
The Pop-Up Music Team.

Robomagic is seeking charismatic, amazing new acts (solo or groups) with infectious music people want to hear. Acts should have an eye toward working hard to make it in the music business and come to the table ready to get involved with experienced teams that know how to make it happen.

Acts can be based anywhere but relocation to London may be necessary, depending upon a range of variables and circumstances. But if you've got the goods, we'd got the team, the know-how, and the resources to help make it happen.

We look forward to hearing your best material.

- Rob Hallett - Founder / President - Robomagic

We're looking for new dance music artists to sign on Meska Music record label. If you produce house music - progressive, techno, deep house, you are welcome to submit your production for this opportunity!

Meska Music is record label with the goal of spreading the vibration of electronic dance music. After a good start in 2013, the company now is looking for new artists, producers and singers. Genres: House, Deep House, Tech House, Indie Dance / Nu Disco, Electronica, Progressive.

- Kathy Tom - A&R - Meska Music

Deal Type: Collaboration/Song Placement
Decision Maker: I'm the final decision maker
Deal Structure: Exclusive
Compensation: Negotiable
Song Quality: Rough Mixes, Fully mastered, Broadcast ready
Similar Sounding Artists: Mark Knight, David Guetta, Deadmau5

Pop-Up Music is seeking songs/instrumentals recorded in the 80's or with a retro 80's vibe. All genres welcome - New Wave, New Romantic, instrumental Hip Hop, Pop, Rock, Power Ballads, TV Themes, Synth pop and so on.

This opportunity is for an exclusive contract with a term - all submissions must be 100% owned by the writer/writers. No samples please.

Thanks the Pop-Up Music Team!

Label/Publisher is seeking songs for release, publishing, sync placement opportunities, and promotion. We have a proven record of placing songs with major networks and brands such as FOX, ABC, Roxy, Forever 21, Specialized, etc.

We are specifically seeking music from artists that have a timeless sound. The overall vibe of the label is one of honest music with warm vintage emotion. We are looking for Singer-Songwriter, Folk, Americana, Indie, and Alternative Country that evokes emotion. We lean toward a more melancholy sound so please no “fun” or overly “happy” songs. At the moment we are only seeking single unreleased songs by active artists or bands. By focusing on singles we can target specific markets when promoting and seeking sync placements. This also allows us to craft the labels’ “sound” while acting as a discovery vehicle for new and emerging artists.

Please DO NOT Submit more than one song. If I like what I hear I will dig around and find more of your material or contact you for additional music.

IMPORTANT: Artists must be willing to sign the master & publishing rights to the selected song over to the label and publisher. The songwriter/writers will retain 100% of the writing credit and will receive all royalties for their share. In addition, an advance will be paid to the writer/performer for the song in an amount to be determined. The advance then becomes a recoupable expense. After the advance is recouped, all income generated by the song will be split 50/50.

Our label is distributed by our digital aggregator, The Orchard, and releases will be available on every major retailer and streaming service including iTunes, Spotify, IHeartRadio, Amazon, YouTube, Google Music, rDio, Shazam, Flipagram, etc.

- Jason Currie / Dog Bites Wolf

Deal Type: Catalog Inclusion
Decision Maker: We are the final decision maker
Deal Structure: Exclusive
Compensation: $251 - $500
Song Quality: Rough Mixes, Fully mastered, Broadcast ready
Similar Sounding Artists: First Aid Kit, William Fitzsimmons, Gregory Alan Isakov, Nikki Lane, Molly Tuttle, Father John Misty

We are looking to expand our catalog with hot new Jazz music. We are huge fans of jazz in all its forms, from be-bop to the new, electronica infused tendencies. Please send what you think is the strongest part of your material and if hear something we like, we will ask for more. Please don't submit covers of standards or other people's music. No knock-offs! No demos! No concert recordings! We can only accept professionally recorded, produced and mastered music.

Below are a few examples of the type of music that would be a perfect fit for our catalog:

- Goce Stevkovski Septet - Monday
- Drew Paralic - Down In Soho
- Redman Mehldau McBride Blade - Right Back Round Again
- Nubya Garcia - The Message Continues

We are proud to have a unique business model and an artist-friendly agreement. The music released on Filter Label is instantly included in our catalog for sync licensing which is available to our network of contacts in the film, TV and advertising industry.

Songs by our talented artists can be heard in Legacies, Shameless, The OA, Exatlon, The Matrix Revisited, CSI: Las Vegas, Nikita, in commercials for Samsung, McDonald's, Nike, Masterclass, Philip Morris, Nestle, Alkaloid, Bank Millennium, in shows on MTV, CNN, National Geographic, NBC, NBA TV, Al Jazeera, Esquire, Channel 4 and almost every major TV network in the world.

- Emil Hadji Panzov - Founder / CEO - Filter Label

We are seeking to expand our catalog with hot new Soul, Funk and R'n'B music. We are huge fans of The Heavy, Charles Bradley, Leon Bridges, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Michael Kiwanuka, Lee Fields... If you have anything similar, please send immediately. No knock-offs! No demos! Only professionally recorded, produced and mastered music will be accepted.

We are proud to have a unique business model and an artist-friendly agreement. The music released on Filter Label is instantly included in our catalog for licensing which is available to our network of contacts in the film, TV and advertising industry.

Songs by our talented artists can be heard in Legacies, Shameless, The OA, Exatlon, The Matrix Revisited, CSI: Las Vegas, Nikita, in commercials for Samsung, McDonald's, Nike, Philip Morris, Nestle Wagner, Alkaloid, Bank Millennium, in shows on MTV, CNN, National Geographic, NBC, NBA TV, Al Jazeera, Esquire, Channel 4 and almost every major TV network in the world.

- Emil Hadji Panzov - Founder / CEO - Filter Label

We need more Singer Songwriter material in our catalog. We are seeking intelligent storytelling backed with masterful instrumentation. Something along the sound of Elbow, Fink, Feist or Bon Iver would be perfect. Please DON'T SUBMIT UNFINISHED DEMOS. We accept only professionally recorded and fully mastered material.

We are proud to have a unique business model and an artist-friendly agreement. The music released on Filter Label is instantly included in our catalog for licensing placements which is sent out to top music supervisors and agents.

We have hundreds of songs placed in ad campaigns (McDonald's, Nike, Bank Millennium, Nestle, Philip Morris), TV series (The OA, Exatlon, CSI: Las Vegas, Nikita, Top Boy), films (Loneliness, Sex and Compassion, The Matrix Revisited, Cherie, Mission: Wolf), and on network television (CNN, MTV, Channel 5, National Geographic, NBA, UFC), etc.

- Emil Hadji Panzov / Filter Label

We have noticed a repeating trend in the music requests we receive from our partners in the advertising world and therefor we would like to enrich our catalog with more electronic pop songs.

The songs should be driving, dynamic and memorable. Changes, interesting build-ups and drops which could provide great edit points are most welcome. A mixture of electronic quirkiness and pop accessibility is a big plus.

Here are three examples of the type of songs we are seeking:

- Sofi Tukker - Best Friend
- Jaim - Makeba
- The Knocks - New York Luau

Please submit only professionally recorded and mastered songs. The best submissions will be included in our catalog for licensing which is available to our network of contacts in the film, TV and advertising industry.

As an added bonus, if your song is Selected, we will offer to release your music on Filter Label. The songs by our talented artists can be heard in Shameless, Legacies, The OA, Exatlon, The Matrix Revisited, CSI: Las Vegas, Nikita, in commercials for Samsung, McDonald's, Nike, Mytheresa, Philip Morris, Nestle Wagner, Bank Millennium, in shows on MTV, CNN, Nat Geo, NBC, Al Jazeera, Esquire, Channel 4 and almost every major TV network in the world.

- Emil Hadji Panzov - Founder / CEO - Filter Label

We are looking to add some cross-genre material to our catalog. We are hoping to find brave compositions combining two or more genres, like in the following examples:

- Jazz meets Hip-Hop
Guru ft. Donald Byrd - Loungin’
- Rock meets Electronica
The Prodigy & Tom Morello - One Man Army
- Classical meets Pop
Woodkid - Run Boy Run
- Electronica meets Classical
The Glitch Mob - Fortune Days

Please note that we are not looking for copies of the referenced tracks, they are listed only as great examples of combinations of two or more genres. Filter Label is notorious for discovering new talent and setting new music trends, so please submit your best material and surprise us with what could be the next big thing. Songs with uncleared samples WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Please submit only professionally recorded and mastered songs.

We are proud to have a unique business model and an artist-friendly agreement. The music released on Filter Label is instantly included in our catalog for licensing placements which is sent out to top music supervisors and agents.

The songs by our talented artists can be heard in The OA, Exatlon, The Matrix Revisited, CSI, Nikita, on ads for McDonald's, Nike, Philip Morris, Nestle Wagner, Bank Millennium, in shows on MTV, CNN, Nat Geo, NBC, Al Jazeera, Esquire, Channel 4 and almost every major TV network in the world.

I'm in the US PNW. I have to use or lose a week of PTO. I'd like to go to warm. I'm 50s, widowed, a people person who values awe, adventure and connection. Hiking in the SW? Snorkeling in Mexico? An organized tour? And are there cool online communities to find like-minded travel buddies? I don't love that I'm alone now, but it is what it is. I have many awesome people in my life, but like me they work. In my youth, I didn't hesitate to travel solo and I would often end up connecting with cool people at hostels, and then we would set out together on hikes or city explorations. In my 50s, I don't imagine that going the same way.

Ideas on my radar right now:
-fly into Phoenix and rent an equipped camper for eight days of driving and hiking in the vicinity of Sedona and Grand Canyon. I am hyper aware that 30 years ago I would have done this without any worries regarding personal safety. I'm less carefree/more aware now, and I do have some concerns about boondock camping alone...so may compromise with traditional campgrounds. Apart from that, I don't at all mind hiking alone, but I do wonder if I will get lonely.
-some sort of organized tour to guarantee not so alone... possibly to Mexico, and possibly to swim and snorkel. I do like good food and cultural experiences. My Spanish is terrible, but it will get me to the baño.
-some kind of... Dance camp? Craft camp?

I'm not a cruise person.
I do want to spend at least part of the time moving my body.
The best time for this is in October after the 20th.

This week's first step will be to learn about Mark as reported in Scripture, to see his early failure and eventual recovery. Then the study will turn to the opening section of Mark with a look forward to where the story is headed and a look backward at why a failed and then restored missionary would write such a text.

Throughout his Gospel, John has a diversity of people—people with different backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences—all testifying to who Jesus was. Who were some of these people, and why did they testify as they did to the identity of Jesus?

Public health experts generally agree that, in spite of improvements, the U.S. still falls short on the testing needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The official who oversees the country's testing efforts, however, maintains the U.S. is doing well on testing now and will soon be able to expand testing greatly using newer, point-of-care tests that deliver quick results. In an interview with NPR's Morning Edition , Adm. Brett Giroir pointed out the U.S. is currently conducting more than 700,000 tests a day. He argued that some parts of the country are already conducting enough tests to contain outbreaks. "We know that in areas of the country right now that have appropriate mitigation, that the testing we have is sufficient. We know right now that the testing we have is dense enough that we can detect very sensitively where there's going to be a problem," the assistant secretary for health in the Department of Health and Human Services told NPR. A recent analysis for NPR by Harvard

When COVID-19 barreled into the U.S. this year the predominant public health advice for avoiding infection focused on physical isolation: No parties, concerts, or sports events. No congregating inside in bars or restaurants. No on-site family reunions. No play dates for kids. Just keep away from other people. Meanwhile, although social scientists supported that medical advice, they feared the required physical distancing would spark another epidemic — one of loneliness, which was already at a high level in the U.S. "You might expect this would make things much worse," says Julianne Holt-Lunstad , a neuroscientist and social psychologist at Brigham Young University. But several new studies suggest that huge increase in loneliness hasn't come to pass — at least, not yet. And the researchers studying the pandemic's emotional fallout say we humans may have ourselves to thank. "That sense of solidarity that people are feeling when they ... are collectively going through a challenge together

America sure loves its electronics! The technologies continue to improve and there can be no question; it has made life more convenient. However, these items contain a number of contaminants and are an environmental hazard. WEMU's David Fair talked with Washtenaw County’s Director of Public Works, Theo Eggermont about increased efforts to recycle used electronics.

You may not have noticed, but the Ann Arbor Climate Corps has been quietly working this year to combat the affects of climate change and help the city achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2030. The program is designed to increase the Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability’s outreach capacity and help residents take action toward that end. WEMU's David Fair talked it over with Ann Arbor Climate Corps program manager, Maggie Halpern.

Over the summer, the Huron River Watershed Council conducted an extensive survey of freshwater mussels in the Huron River to determine potential impacts when the Peninsular Paper Dam is removed. It found that removing the Pen Dam could release sediment, potentially smothering downstream mussel populations. Once the dam is removed, though, the river will return to a more natural state, benefiting mussel species over time. WEMU's David Fair looked at the research and its implications with Huron River Watershed Council Ecologist Dr. Paul Steen.

The University of Michigan is forging ahead and working towards being a leader in generative artificial intelligence with its U-M-GPT program. As it does, there are environmental concerns to be addressed. The initiative is part of Michigan’s broader effort to integrate AI into its academic and administrative infrastructure, enhancing learning, teaching, and research. But, AI consumes a great deal of energy. WEMU's David Fair spoke with the Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer at U-M, Dr. Ravi Pendse, about how U-M is dealing with the environmental ramifications of AI.

Washtenaw County has elected its next Water Resources Commissioner. Evan Pratt decided against running for re-election after serving four terms. Former Saline Mayor and State Representative Gretchen Driskell won the race. She joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss the priorities and challenges of the new job.

In August 2021, Amazing Facts International took a significant step in live evangelism when it turned Bible Answers Live, its flagship radio program hosted by Pastor Doug Batchelor, president, into a format that people could watch on television. 

Three years later, the video broadcast is still increasing in popularity and reaching thousands more for Jesus Christ. It has quickly gained an audience on AFTV, YouTube, the Good News Network (based in Phoenix, Arizona), and a variety of other local stations.

The radio version of the program, which has been providing Bible answers for 29 consecutive years, is heard on more than 400 stations—including SiriusXM, LifeTalk, 3ABN Radio, Strong Tower, and the Salem Radio Network.

People all around the world tune in to Bible Answers Live every week—including inmates across the United States. Pastor Doug and co-host Jëan Ross, vice president of evangelism, have received calls from Canada, Mexico, Australia, Dubai, Brazil, Europe, the United Kingdom, the Caribbean, Africa, and more! Callers have ranged from 4 to 90 years of age.

Beginning August 4, Bible Answers Live will air live on Hope TV on Sundays at 7:00 pm Pacific, reaching a new audience with its interactive format. (Previous episodes on Hope have been reruns.) Says Pastor Doug, “We are grateful for the opportunity to air live on Hope TV. We praise God for using the program to reach people across the globe!” 

Like Sitting Down With Listeners

Transforming a radio program into a television broadcast did not happen without some misgivings. 

Pastor Doug shares, “We never thought people would want to watch a radio program, but it turns out people love the video broadcast! Our calls have increased so much since we started airing on TV. Sometimes, we really had to encourage people to call in with their questions. Now we just mention the phone number once or twice, and the phones immediately light up.

“The visual program communicates even more,” Pastor Doug adds. “On the radio, we can only read the amazing fact that starts the program. But now, we can show eye-catching pictures of the fact and put Bible verses on the screen. There is a downside, though,” he says with a wry smile. “Now we have to dress up and look respectable.”

One 16-year-old girl was transformed by her experience with Bible Answers Live. She writes, “I grew up being taught that the wicked burn in hell forever.” She told us about her panic attacks when thinking about dying lost and burning eternally. But then she started listening to Bible Answers Live and learned that God will not torture unrepentant sinners forever. She says, “I started to realize that I could now love God. Listening to your program changed my whole perspective. I now have peace.” [PQ-HERE]

A Beacon of Hope

Pastors Doug and Jëan typically take about 15 calls from viewers and answer them directly from the Bible during each dynamic 60-minute program. This format has engaged radio listeners for almost three decades, opening up the mysteries of Scripture to thousands of searching hearts.

Pastor Doug says, “I first realized how many people have Bible questions when I began doing public evangelism years ago. There was never enough time to cover all the subjects, so I added time in my programs for people to ask questions from anywhere in the Scriptures. It turned out to be the most popular part of the program!”

Bible Answers Live also serves as a powerful gateway that leads open-hearted listeners to a vast array of Bible resources on our website, YouTube, TV, social media, and more. Over 800 callers receive live answers to their questions each year, and nearly 2,000 people requested the free offers made available during the program in 2023.

Janet, a listener from Jamaica, says, “Bible Answers Live has been a beacon of hope for me. I have learned so much through the program.”

Bill, another caller, says, “Before I get to my Bible question, I just want to say that I was once an atheist, but then I started listening to your program out of curiosity. And then I got hooked—now I’m a baptized believer!

Do You Have a Bible Question?

Call 1-800-GOD-SAYS during the broadcast to have your question answered live on the air! Watch Bible Answers Live each Sunday at 7:00 pm Pacific on AFTV, YouTube, and Hope TV. Or listen on over 400 stations, including SiriusXM, LifeTalk, 3ABN Radio, Strong Tower, and the Salem Radio Network.

Program archives are also available 24/7 on YouTube and here at this link. 

In 1994, Doug Batchelor took the reins at Amazing Facts International—and for the past three decades, God has blessed his bold yet down-to-earth leadership and preaching. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the ministry has grown exponentially and tens of thousands have been baptized globally.

Says Pastor Doug, “Over the past 30 years, I’ve seen God expand this ministry’s kaleidoscope of outreach in such amazing ways. We do so many different things in ministry now—it boggles my mind! We’re training people to share the gospel, printing truth-filled literature, producing TV and radio broadcasts, and conducting public evangelism. We are trying to do everything we can to help as many people as possible meet Jesus before He comes back.”

From “No” to “Yes”

Pastor Doug had never planned to lead an international media ministry. In fact, in 1993, he and his wife Karen turned down the first invitation to join Amazing Facts.

Just a year before, he had become the pastor of a church in Sacramento. Right away, God opened the doors for media evangelism, and the church began broadcasting its services on several local television stations. Attendance soon doubled, and the Batchelors were certain they should not leave. 

However, they did agree to pray about the call to Amazing Facts. “We were so blessed and inspired by Pastor Crews,” Karen remembers. “We did not feel capable of following in his footsteps.”

Then, in 1994, everything changed. Pastor Joe Crews, whose vision and leadership had grown Amazing Facts from a fledgling radio program into a full-fledged media ministry, had a heart attack. “Get Doug!” he said.

When the Amazing Facts board reached out again, the Batchelors accepted. Not long after Pastor Doug joined Amazing Facts, the church next to Amazing Facts’ headquarters in Maryland burned down, and the ministry needed to move. After much prayer, leadership voted to move the ministry to California. 

Thirty Years of Growth

God has blessed in incredible ways since Pastor Doug joined Amazing Facts. The ministry has grown from broadcasting on just a few television stations to over 100 in the United States alone. Worldwide broadcast reach exceeds two billion. Radio programming now airs on well over 400 stations. AFCOE training centers spread God’s light in Oceania, Indonesia, the Philippines, Africa, and Europe. 

[PQ-HERE]Along with his many regular speaking engagements, Pastor Doug has preached at least one major evangelistic series every year. His easy-to-understand and engaging sermons reach people from all walks of life. Recorded and prepped for television, these series have brought the light of truth to tens of thousands of seekers. Prophecy Odyssey and the Net ’99 series, which was held 25 years ago at the same location in Manhattan, have been broadcast live around the world.

Additionally, the development of the W.O.R.D. Center (World, Outreach, Revival, and Discipleship), Amazing Facts’ headquarters and church building in Granite Bay, California, has been a great help to the ministry. Begun as a church plant in 2007, the facilities were completed debt-free in 2021. The active church, for which Pastor Doug serves as senior pastor, partners with Amazing Facts in local outreach and hosts regular summits on various biblical topics. These series, such as The Glory of the Cross, are filmed in the media-equipped church and broadcast globally.

Worldwide Impact

The Batchelors have traveled extensively to spread the gospel since joining Amazing Facts. “I’ve preached in at least 30 countries since I’ve been here,” says Pastor Doug. “It’s such a wonderful thing to see people’s lives changed through the gospel.”

Adds Karen, “We’ve been blessed to travel to so many places and meet so many wonderful people. Our trip to Papua New Guinea several years ago was especially memorable. About 80,000 people gathered for Doug’s preaching. It was amazing to see their hunger for truth. They stood in the rain for hours to listen to God’s Word.”

That spiritual hunger is increasingly mirrored in people all around the world. One of our viewers, Yasmin, says, “I love listening to Pastor Doug preach! I was rebaptized thanks to watching your programs. You inspire me with the work you do. Our Lord is coming soon, and we must tell the world!”

Pastor Doug and Karen feel deeply responsible for sharing the gospel in the roles God has entrusted them. “Amazing Facts strives to be genuinely true to the Bible,” Karen reflects. “That encourages us to be faithful as His witnesses. It has been a very humbling experience for us.”

Pastor Doug puts it simply. “God must have been desperate to choose me.” 

Thank you, Pastor Doug and Karen Batchelor, for 30 years of faithful service to Amazing Facts. Your dedication and service have touched countless souls for the kingdom!

It's only the first day of August, but the weather in Portland is such that it already feeling like plural dog days have elapsed. And yet, through it all, a podcast episode drags itself through the sun-baked streets to appear, sweating and winded, on your doorstep. Come along with Jessamyn and I as we...chatter about MetaFilter? Basically what we normally do. This one's about an hour and 45.

Helpful Links

Podcast Feed
Subscribe with iTunes
Direct mp3 download

Misc
- the wikipedia article on 175 has, since recording, lost the specific nag it had when we were discussing it!
- jessamyn has been catsitting
- more like the hooey decimal system
- wellllll, Godot? We're WAAAAAAITTIiiiing!
- freedom to tinker
- you ever (Stevie) Wonder about the clavinet?
- it's a BEACH that makes you OLD
- jessamyn's maple dealer


Projects
- Quarantine Happy Hour concert archive by hades
- Recollections Of A Summer by dng
- The Sound of the Far Future by ignignokt


MetaFilter
- Patterns by They sucked his brains out!
- A unanimous vote for the right to repair. by mhoye
- Nikole Hannah-Jones and Ta-Nehisi Coates joining Howard University by Nelson
- Whammy Clavinet by Harald74
- His last purchases—beer, cigarettes, pot—occurred 18 years ago. by Grandysaur
- Happy birthday, Metafilter! by Melismata
- Shawty Got Low in Those Apple Bottom Memes by jonp72
- All mountains are old, but the Appalachians are incomprehensibly old by Karmakaze
- The world's first 1541 disk drive graphics demo by JHarris


Ask MetaFilter
- What to do in Vermont when traveling companion has mobility issues? by The Pluto Gangsta
- How does MetaFilter have such a high user engagement compared to others? by oracleia
- Nouns that you would never say "the" before? by ftm
- Library book with potentially valuable author's signature by clair-de-lune
- What song is this? by Trespassers William
- Songs with radio clips? by ftm
- Voices coming out of my iPad in the middle of the night by squink
- Why is my gas bill so high? by artificialard
- Friends' anxiety makes me angry/anxious by unicorn chaser
- Dating Failure by Aranquis
- How commonplace is crossing one's arms at Catholic communion? by Charity Garfein


MetaTalk
- Metatalktail Hour: Sneaky pet/kid stories by LobsterMitten
- MetaFilter's new Privacy Policy document by cortex
- A change in moderator coverage of the site by cortex
- 1. money 2. budget 3. ??? 4. profit!! by bendy
- Donated By "Anonymous" by cursed


MeFi Music
Featured in this episode:
- Car Music by gt2
- You Should Eat Your Yellow Vegetables by not_on_display
- Brazilian Brooks by CarrotAdventure
- Signal Tower by edlundart

We got a rootin' tootin' podcast here. Darn tootin'. Can you both rootin'- and darn'- something that's tootin' in the same paragraph like this? I don't know. I really don't know. I might be going to podcast jail. Before that happens, though, here's me and jessamyn chattering about MetaFilter, the nature of daylight, representation vs. allusion in crappy old Sierra erotic comedy adventures, MetaFilter, the concept of (for some reason) No Nut November, "Meta", and who knows what else because we're both still getting used to the time change. It runs exactly, precisely, to the second 90 minutes.

Helpful Links

Podcast Feed
Subscribe with iTunes
Direct mp3 download

Misc
- Jessamyn is a bee
- I got a tattoo and literally everyone guessed right
- remember, remember, the No Nut November, the Poe's Law'd Sienfeldian plot
- Jess recently enjoyed reading Finna
- I recently enjoyed rereading Dune, I don't have a link or anything, I just did is all
- also Sierpinski Triangles
- okay, on review I totally recognize that yodel breakdown in Focus' Hocus Pocus

Jobs
- Property project management and maintenance by Barbara Spitzer
- Drop off a document at the PA Secretary of State in Harrisburg by Sheydem-tants

Projects
- The Worst House On The Internet by missjenny (MeFi Post)
- Are You a Clickbait Genius? by malevolent
- Saturday Afternoon Ikea Trip Simulator by dng (MeFi Post)
- Mini-Project: Convert exported Metafilter comments to HTML, JSON, or MBOX by Kadin2048
- Mystic Paths - A new word board game! by meinvt

MetaFilter
- anyone who enjoys wild birds is a birder! birding is for everyone! by jessamyn
- Aspirational rhetorical loquaciousness by simmering octagon
- The United States Postal Service: "Non oficialis motto!" by not_on_display
- Uh oh by Cookiebastard
- Fractal vise by clawsoon
- Welp, there goes my evening ... by dancestoblue
- Off, dud, over, under, upon, hot, ono, oof, hi, lo, etc. by tss

Ask MetaFilter
- help me find more podcasts by jessamyn
- HBTY HBTY HBD* HBTY by QuakerMel
- How fast/reliable is TSA's lost and found? by LSK
- What's a good name for an office can crusher? by box
- Programming/computer science/IT terms that refer to obsolete tech? by potrzebie
- Burying ethernet cable (or wireless??) by wenestvedt
- I want to learn art by Brittanie
- Donated to take a campaign over its goal. Goal changed afterwards. wtf? by scruss
- Have Jazz Hands, Will Jazzercize by meese

MetaTalk
- MeFi Mall 2021 by hippybear
- MetaFilter Gift Swap 2021 Signups by curious nu
- MeFi Holiday Card Exchange by needlegrrl
- NaNoWriMo 2021 by womb of things to be and tomb of things that were
- Roll, Truck, Roll by lauranesson

Sophie Mackintosh wrote her first novel, The Water Cure , while she was also working a full time office job. It was a success — longlisted for the Man Booker prize in 2018. So she left the day job to write her second novel, Blue Ticket. And as she did in her first book, Mackintosh has created a world in Blue Ticket that explores themes of gender, power and family. "On the day of the first period, teenage girls are assigned a blue ticket or white ticket through a lottery system," Mackintosh says. "The blue ticket means you can't have children and a white ticket means that you can. And this one decision that they make very early on in their lives kind of dictates the rest of their life and follows them around." Interview Highlights On the protagonist, Calla, a blue-ticket woman So I had decided — for a long time I decided I wasn't going to have children, and I was very firm on this. And then when I kind of reached my late 20s, I found myself experiencing something which I imagine a lot

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit NOEL KING, HOST: There's something happening in the U.K. right now that is reminiscent of Prohibition in the United States. You remember those old pictures of bar owners pouring out gallons and gallons of booze? STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: Oh, yeah. Well, British pub owners today are dumping all the beer that's gone bad during the months they were in lockdown. DUNCAN SMITH: During the 14-week shutdown, a significant amount of our beers and lagers became out of date. KING: That's Duncan Smith (ph). He's been a bartender for 33 years, and one of the pubs that he operates has been around for 250 years. SMITH: It's been serving the community for that long and, you know, been through world wars and all the rest of it and, obviously, very different times that long ago. And something comes along like this, which could wipe it out, and we've got to take any benefit we possibly can, thrown out by the government and the suppliers, in order to survive. INSKEEP: The

For years, Matt Harris dreamed about building a treehouse out behind his back fence in Knoxville, Tenn. He never got around to it, though, until the pandemic hit. "It was just a matter of finding time," Harris says. "And that didn't come until everything kind of shut down for a little bit." When the coronavirus canceled youth sports for the season, Harris suddenly found his weekends free. And his children — ages 8, 7 and 4 — made a willing construction crew. "They were good measurers and markers of the wood," Harris says. "You don't let small children use power tools, necessarily. But in terms of things they could help [with], they were enthusiastic about it." As he set about buying supplies, Harris noticed a lot of other housebound families seemed to be working on their own projects. "There were definitely some days when we went to Lowe's where it looked like a swarm of locusts had come through," says Harris, an economist at the University of Tennessee. "I think the lumber industry

Over the last three months, Delta Air Lines lost nearly $6 billion as the company's CEO said a slow, brief recovery in air travel has now stalled amid a big resurgence in coronavirus infections. Delta is the first U.S. airline to report second-quarter financial results; it is the first full quarter since the pandemic began, and the results are worse than anticipated. Delta flew 93% percent fewer passengers in April, May and June than it did in the second quarter last year. Revenue fell 91% compared with the same three-month period last year as the airline said it was losing close to $100 million a day at the start of the pandemic. Atlanta-based Delta said it is still burning about $27 million a day. Delta CEO Ed Bastian called the losses "staggering," adding that "it could be two years or more before we see a sustainable recovery." Bastian noted that in June and early July, there was "a small but welcome uptick in passenger volume, driven almost entirely by domestic leisure travelers

What does the Bible really teach about angels? In this eye-opening article about the spiritual realm, Pastor Doug reveals amazing facts about these heavenly messengers, facts that will inspire you about God’s love and that will help you avoid falling into dangerous spiritual traps.

Where is the best place to hide from destruction in these last days? Will an underground bunker keep you safe from the wrath to come? Pastor Doug examines when we should seek shelter during earth’s final events.

It’s a simple fact that many Christians have been living far beyond our means and are now saddled with debilitating debt. Pastor Doug provides a biblical perspective about the dangers of debt and practical steps to get free from financial bondage.

Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: When William Kaelin was a pre-med student, one professor suggested he get a taste for laboratory research. It did not go well. WILLIAM KAELIN: It turns out in hindsight that virtually everything that could have been wrong in a laboratory was wrong in this laboratory. And I remember getting a C-minus, which for a pre-med is like having a wooden stake driven through your heart. SHAPIRO: Safe to say William Kaelin overcame that C-minus just fine. Not only did he make it through medical school and launch a career in research, today it was announced he will be awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. NPR science correspondent Richard Harris picks up the story. RICHARD HARRIS, BYLINE: After his disastrous start in the lab, William Kaelin figured he would focus his attention on treating patients. And indeed, he started down that path, settling into a job at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. KAELIN: And it

Old Scottish ballad.

also known as Tam Lin. D minor slaps.

this is a long, chaotic, dissonant track that just goes and goes into space

supposedly this is some kind of creature that lurks around southern ottawa county and likes to stalk windmills and howl a lot - or is it northern allegan county? sagautuck? macatawa, where in the early 20th century, mr baum took dictation of their legends to create the oz series? they're out there fortunately, i'm only close enough to transcribe their radio transmissions

The last piece from 12 Minute Travelogues, an ambient music collection of twelve twelve-minute pieces about travel, being elsewhere, and daydreaming.

12 Minute Travelogues started out in 2008 as an ambient podcast of music made on the road, in hotel rooms, cabins in the woods, laundromats, and while roaming or reflecting on trips taken. There are twelve pieces, each twelve minutes long, miniatures as in "minute," taken from longer improvisations, but edited mainly for time and dialing in the right sound, to assemble a little collection of moments that happened on the roadside, to be released under my ambient monicker, Kantoendrato (Esperanto for "a song in a wire"). I was in a funk yesterday, so called out of work sick, sat out in the yard, and plugged in a synth and a looper to make something as a counter to all the tsunami of unmaking that's coming. I assembled all my various pieces, did some mixing and remastering, put it all together, got it all set up on Bandcamp, and wrapped up what I started back in 2008. I think it stands up as a good work. With the last piece, "Jaunt 12 - Miles To Go," I've covered 144 minutes of slow listening territory between 2008-2024, and there are miles to go before I sleep.

I know a lot of us are in the path of Helene in Florida and Georgia (Alabama, Tennessee, SC, NC, too! It's a big storm!). I thought it might be nice to have a (text-based, low bandwidth) place to check in and provide information updates as it moves ashore this afternoon and across the Southeast overnight and through tomorrow.

For those able to do so, donating or fundraising for charities seems like a good idea, especially with the holidays coming up. For USAmericans, this has the dual function of denying your tax $$ to the incoming government and helping the people that government wishes to harm. I thought it might be nice to crowdsource a thread of charities which do useful work for the communities under threat. Below are a few to start us off:

RAICES - Texas-based group helping immigrants and refugees United We Dream - working for immigrant youth Trans Lifeline - phone hotline, microgrants and legal help for trans folk The Trevor Project - helping LGBTQ+ youth NAACP legal defense fund - among other things, very useful for arrested racial justice protesters Southern Poverty Law Center - social, racial and economic justice National Network of Abortion Funds A couple of election integrity charities, since that will be crucial in the near future: Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law - civil rights, election integrity, voting rights VoteRiders - Election integrity, voting rights But that's just a few! Please post the orgs you know of doing good and useful work.

Updated at 8:47 a.m. ET The coronavirus pandemic has pushed unemployment to its highest level since the Great Depression, but the pace of layoffs has been easing. And there are now some signs that the job market could slowly start to recover. The Labor Department says another 1.87 million people filed claims for unemployment insurance last week. That's down 249,000 from the previous week. While still very high by historical standards, the number has been declining steadily from a peak of 6.8 million the week ending March 28. In the past 11 weeks, 42.6 million new claims have been filed. Continued claims for unemployment went up 649,000, to 21.5 million, in the week ending May 23, the latest week for which data was available, after dropping the prior week. While some workers continue to get pink slips, others have started going back to work. The payroll processor ADP reported Wednesday that private-sector employers cut just under 2.8 million jobs between April and May. That's a much

Editor's note: This is an excerpt of Planet Money 's newsletter. You can sign up here . In summer of 1967, African Americans protested, marched, and rioted in cities across the country. The unrest convinced President Lyndon Johnson to set up the Kerner Commission, which spent about six months doing research, visiting slums, and holding hearings. In 1968, they published a provocative report that civil rights leader Jesse Jackson recently called "the last attempt to address honestly and seriously the structural inequalities that plague African Americans." "Segregation and poverty have created in the racial ghetto a destructive environment totally unknown to most white Americans," the Kerner report said. "What white Americans have never fully understood — but what the Negro can never forget — is that white society is deeply implicated in the ghetto. White institutions created it, white institutions maintain it, and white society condones it." Fifty years later, Americans are taking to the

After the coronavirus lockdowns forced it to shut down its 345 U.S. theaters, Texas-based Cinemark in April decided to do what a lot of companies have done: borrow money by selling bonds. The sale was made easier by the fact that the Federal Reserve was lending out trillions of dollars to businesses and governments, providing a much-needed boost to the corporate debt market in an effort to prop up the economy. Even as it was borrowing money, Cinemark also announced a number of steps "to endure a prolonged period of no revenue." They included laying off 17,500 workers with no guarantee when they'll be rehired. During the current crisis, the Fed, which began a two-day meeting on Tuesday, has pulled out all the stops to keep the economy afloat, lowering interest rates to zero and starting a series of unprecedented and historic new lending facilities practically overnight. "It has taken what were already extraordinary, exceptional, unusual, unconventional tools and has expanded them even

Updated at 4:12 p.m. ET The Federal Reserve left interest rates near zero Wednesday and once again promised to deliver whatever monetary medicine it can to an economy that's badly ailing from the coronavirus pandemic. "The Federal Reserve is committed to using its full range of tools to support the U.S. economy in this challenging time," the central bank said in a statement . While noting that "financial conditions have improved, in part reflecting policy measures to support the economy," the Fed's rate-setting committee reiterated its intent to leave interest rates at rock-bottom levels, "until it is confident that the economy has weathered recent events and is on track to achieve its maximum employment and price stability goals." Notes released along with the committee's statement suggest no rate increases are expected at least through 2022. "We're not thinking about raising rates," Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said at a news conference. "We're not even thinking about thinking about

Editor's note: This is an excerpt of Planet Money 's newsletter. You can sign up here . Johannes Eisele / AFP via Getty Images The United States has been grappling with a global pandemic, an economic meltdown and massive protests — and yet, until recently, the stock market basically shrugged it all off. Between March 23 and late last week, the market surged 45% , erasing the drop it had seen at the start of the pandemic. That is, until last week, when apparently the market rediscovered that there's a freaking pandemic still going on. Public health experts have been warning for months now about the dangers of reopening without a solid plan for testing and tracing. But they're just uptight nerds, right? Economists consider the stock market a "leading indicator" of the economy, meaning it often signals where the real economy is headed. But it's a notoriously faulty signal. The MIT economist Paul Samuelson famously joked that big drops of the stock market had predicted nine out of the last

Jerome Powell has thrown himself, all guns blazing, into saving the nation's economy from the grips of the coronavirus recession. And yet the White House heaps ridicule on him. Last week, top White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said Powell had "probably the worst bedside manner of any Fed chairman in history. ... The old joke in the marketing thing is, if Jay Powell was going to market sushi, he'd sell it as cold, dead fish." And top White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Powell needed to lighten up a little: "You know, a smile now and then. ... I'll talk with him, and we'll have some media training at some point." The scornful comments came after the stock market went into a tailspin last week when Powell shared his view on where the U.S. economy is heading. He pointed out that even as people were returning to their jobs, the country is "still going to face, probably, an extended period where it will be difficult for many people to find work." His warning, combined with

Many people with underlying medical conditions are worried about what's going to happen at the end of the month. It's not currently safe for many of them to go back to work. The COVID-19 death rate is 12 times higher for people with underlying conditions. But an extra $600 a week in federal unemployment benefits, which has been enabling them to pay their rent and other bills, will stop coming at the end of July. "We don't have a whole lot of options that don't involve risking our lives," Lauren Van Netta says. "We need help. We really do." Van Netta lost her job at a perfume store in New Orleans during the outbreak. She says she's had serious bacterial infections that have damaged her lungs and compromised her immune system. And she has asthma. So even if she could find another job in retail, she says her doctors have told her it would be risky. She says even wearing a mask and trying to keep social distancing in a workplace, "it's like the fear of, you know, I could make a mistake.