Anton Besenko is worried. He fears all the hard-won progress made in fighting the AIDS epidemic is on a collision course with the urgent needs of the coronavirus pandemic. "For people with HIV, it's double, triple the crisis since the start of the lockdown," says the Ukrainian AIDS advocate . "I have a bad feeling that organizations and governments are so concentrated on COVID that they are completely forgetting about HIV. For marginalized people, it's a question of life and death." Besenko is no stranger to health crises. After years of injection drug use, he contracted HIV (which he now lives with) and hepatitis C (which he's now cured). He got clean in 2004. Today, he works for the International HIV/AIDS Alliance Ukraine as a coordinator for harm reduction programs that help IV drug users get clean needles or safer alternative drugs like methadone. On July 10, he led a session at the 23rd (virtual) International AIDS Conference on the impact of COVID-19 on AIDS. Suddenly, he and

AILSA CHANG, HOST: Two female firsts in the Supreme Court are retiring. We're talking about the marshal of the court and the reporter of decisions. In 2001, Marshal Pamela Talkin became the first woman to oversee security. Christine Luchok Fallon has been at the court for 31 years, the last nine as the reporter of decisions. NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg reports. NINA TOTENBERG, BYLINE: Pam Talkin had been at the Supreme Court in the top security job for less than two months when 9/11 hit. Her first task that morning was to evacuate the building. But Chief Justice Rehnquist was in a conference room conducting his annual meeting with the chief judges from around the country. Talkin sent in a note to no avail. Finally, she walked into the room to get everyone out of there. A month later, the anthrax attack cross-contaminated all the mail in the Capitol complex. And this time, the court had to do something it had never done since the Supreme Court building opened in 1935.

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

Copyright 2020 WYPR - 88.1 FM Baltimore. To see more, visit WYPR - 88.1 FM Baltimore .

PFAS contamination has already been a significant concern. Now, there may be reason to add to the worry. A study funded by the Ann Arbor-based Ecology Center finds there is an array of PFAS chemical profiles in rainwater falling over Ann Arbor and Southeast Michigan. WEMU's David Fair spoke with the center’s Erica Bloom about the findings and what it means to the environment and public health.

We all know that air pollution is bad for the environment and our health. A new study out of the University of Michigan now shows that it is contributing to a loss of independence among older adults. The study also shows that the economic impact of that loss comes in at an estimate of over $11 billion. WEMU's David Fair spoke with the lead author of the study, Dr. Sara Adar, about the findings.

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.

The Ann Arbor School District is transitioning away from the use of fossil fuels. The district was the first to sign up for DTE Energy’s MIGreen Power Program to get to 100% use of renewable energy, and the district will add four more all-electric school buses this academic year. WEMU's David Fair spoke with the Ann Arbor Schools' Director of Capital Programs, Jason Bing, about where the district is today and where it’s headed.

The first frost of the season probably isn’t too far away. Properly preparing the agricultural soil for next spring and summer is a matter of timing. Getting the cover crops in place is essential before a hard freeze occurs. The Washtenaw County Conservation District is working to make it convenient and effective for local farmers. Conservation technician Matt Dejonge explained it all in his conversation with WEMU's David Fair.

The world population is going up, and human-wildlife overlap is increasing. That can lead to negative outcomes, including spread of disease and species extinction. There can be benefits, too, but it will require some planning. That's the focus of a new study out of the University of Michigan. WEMU's David Fair spoke with Associate Professor in Conservation Science Dr. Neil Carter about the study and what can be done right here in Washtenaw County.

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.

In our triumphant return to posting podcasts at the turn of the month, Jess and I talk about time management and reminders, complicated conversational dynamics, the assassination of JFK (but only very briefly), and a bunch of somewhat more MetaFilter-centric things. We time-managed our way up to about 93 minutes. Also I play a euphonium.

Helpful Links

Podcast Feed
Subscribe with iTunes
Direct mp3 download

Misc
- talkin' about fake cash which led to an old MeFi post
- Chicken in the Corn
- hey it's cranberry jelly
- twitter discussion about trauma dumping
- CALENDRICAL
- jessamyn did some filing

Jobs
- Greasemonkey (or other) script to enable downloads by jessamyn
- Shop at arch salvage store in Portland, OR for me by arnicae
- Full Stack Developer by jchan

Projects
- Skittish, a playful space for online events by waxpancake
- The Fucking Bible (warning: 7.5 MB) by ignignokt
- The Stick Princess by Peach
- I finally got my Murder Ballads book back into print! by Paul Slade
- Princess Unlimited by yankeefog
- "How to Sous Vide," a helpful cookbook by veggieboy
- Formula Non (2009 - 2019) An Alternative F1 Photo Project by lawrencium

MetaFilter
- "The real Pacific Princess had a crew of 373, rather than 6" by jessamyn
- a comment by cortex
- a fluegelhorn is probably not a fluegelhorn, and vice versa by cortex
- Film shows McD's trained new staff in proper use of Vulcan death pinch by not_on_display
- Islands in the Stream by dorothy hawk
- Divorced, beheaded, live! by Lorc
- at the world you've left / and the things you know by fight or flight
- Why so many people undercharge for their work by Bella Donna
- Those who exist, have existed, or will exist in the vicinity of Omelas by brainwane
- "the distance between reader and character or narrator" by brainwane

Ask MeFi
- a comment by brainwane
- Where did the "Rock and Roll Ending" come from? by bondcliff
- Why would I use a hot glue gun instead of just glue? by trevor_case
- Tennis Pro decoded opponent's body language and serve? by umber vowel
- How do you manage your time? by unicorn chaser
- Then we'll take it higher - pop songs that are actually protest songs by Frowner
- Waltham, MA ca. 1988 - 1990: Manufacturer of Geiger-Mueller Detectors? by ZenMasterThis
- Seeking reputable carbon offset programs by Osrinith
- Fun classic rock songs (Grateful Dead & more) to walk down the aisle to by Neely O'Hara
- logistics! by everybody had matching towels

MetaTalk
- How MeFi (and other providers) deal with trust & safety issues by brainwane
- Obit post: Speedlime by Pallas Athena
- Newsletter 3: The Handovering by Eyebrows McGee
- MetaFilter Gift Swap 2021 THANK YOU! by mochapickle
- Mefi Art & Makers Group, Update by Glinn

I didn't edit or write this month's podcast (other than this little bit)! Thanks so much to eotvos for all his work on this; note his note at the end of the podcast about other possible contributions as well! In any case, Jessamyn and I talk about MetaFilter as we are wont to do; it runs the usual 90-ish minutes.

Helpful Links

Podcast Feed
Subscribe with iTunes
Direct mp3 download

Projects
- BOKEH game by malevolent
- Reunion Tour by Valrus
- Set Side B by JHarris
- Ancient Animals by moonmilk

Jobs
- Usability and Delops cluster hire by rockindata
- Freelance project uploading to our CMS by Magami (filled)

Metafilter
- Elon Musk wants to buy twitter by joannemerriam
- the fail whale could not be reached for comment by fight or flight
- Harder Drive: Hard drives we didn't want or need by zengargoyle
- Medical Gaslighting by dancing leaves
- Calleafgraphy by curious nu
- I promise you, all of us up here tonight, we WERE that kid! by hippybear
- This is the time, and this is the record of the time by oulipian
- The Onions Has Been Permanently Banned from Twitter by DirtyOldTown
- A LaserWriter dreamscape by furtive
- I'm better at this than you are at everything you do. by Etrigan
- Gonna go down to Black Mesa and get myself a BajaaAAaaAa Blast by cortex
- "...a lot of fuss over a flight with one takeoff and one landing." by jessamyn

Ask Metafilter
- what have you got in your pocketses? by RobinofFrocksley
- Holes found in Net by storybored
- Umbrella/generalist terms for jobs/roles that have distinct subroles? by cortex
- Where is a pot a kettle? by evilmomlady
- Heavy, flat and cheap? by bondcliff
- What media hit you differently the second time around? by jeszac
- Find me gentle, fictional, happy ending TV by rednikki

Fanfare
- Our Flag Means Death: Season 1 by gladly

Metatalk
- Ch-ch-ch-changes! by Eyebrows McGee
- Transition Team Post #1 by warriorqueen
- Transition Team initial discussion summary and kickoff by cortex
- Masto and other accounts by Fiasco da Gama
- https://metatalk.metafilter.com/26053/Four-years-of-Mefi-Card-Club by Sparky Buttons

Music clips
- Hope After Despair by gt2
- Halt to Start by q*ben
- Chase Music for an Imaginary Low Budget Cyberpunk Movie by thatwhichfalls
- The Only Load the Lord Has Given Me, with Thanks for His Grace by youarenothere
- Plumbium by q*ben

Since hip-hop first got its start in 1973, two cities were the main players in driving its style and sound. On the East Coast there was New York, and on the West Coast there was L.A. Atlanta is now home to many of hip-hop’s current and former stars, making it the “third coast” in A3C’s “All Three Coasts” moniker. As the East Coast-West Coast rivalry came to a head in 1995, a duo from Atlanta named OutKast managed to win Best New Rap Group at the Source Awards. While the New York-heavy crowd booed, Andre 3000 grabbed the award and took the audience to task. “I’m tired of folks, you know what I’m saying. The close-minded folks. It’s like we got a demo tape and don’t nobody want to hear it. But it’s like this: The South got something to say, that’s all I got to say.” Hip-hop made its way in Atlanta before then, with artists like Kilo Ali, MC Shy-D and Raheem the Dream producing their own take on popular Miami bass music. And Arrested Development even won two Grammys in 1993 for their song

The Safe Harbor Act is one of the four amendments Georgians will be voting on in next Tuesday's election. If it passes, the state will impose additional fees on those convicted of certain sex trafficking crimes, as well as adult entertainment establishments. That money will fund treatment and resources for victims of child sex trafficking.

We may think about food all the time, but when is the last time you thought about what your food sounded like?

The Georgia Institute of Technology is known for graduating its students from nationally-ranked programs in science, technology, engineering and math. A new class taught by visiting professor Dr. Joyce Wilson is using hip-hop to take those students down a more creative pathway than their STEM studies to learn about issues such as race, poverty and cultural identity. The class is titled “Exploring the Lyrics of OutKast and Trap Music to Explore Politics of Social Justice.” Dr. Wilson joined me in the studio to explain why she’s teaching trap at Tech. INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS On using hip-hop to teach social issues at Georgia Tech I think teaching this at an institute of technology is important. It's an opportunity for them to get technological training but also engage in humanistic perspectives around art and social justice. These are the next generation of leaders doing things with science, technology, engineering and math. I feel at home because I'm kind of a math nerd myself. But I also

Several hundred climate scientists and public health professionals descended on the Carter Center in Atlanta today. It was for a climate and health conference organized by former Vice President Al Gore.

Atlanta’s new MLS team plays Saturday before its seventh straight sold-out home crowd. Atlanta United hosts the Colorado Rapids Saturday at 7 p.m. at Bobby Dodd Stadium, the team's temporary home until Mercedes-Benz Stadium opens in August.

The day Margo Price walked into the studio to start recording her new album, That's How Rumors Get Started , she had butterflies in her stomach, a mixture of excitement, trepidation — and morning sickness. "I definitely was not expecting to be pregnant," she says. "I had planned to go into the studio regardless of what was happening in my personal life." Her daughter Ramona was born last June — and her new album is now out in the world, too. Price says that the two processes, making an album and having a baby, were eerily similar. "I think when you're making art and you're creating something, you have this feeling of protection," she says. "You keep it to yourself at first, and it's evolving and growing and changing. And the same [can be said] when you're carrying a baby. It's such a process that it's really hard to describe either one. I think they're both kind of mysterious in their own way. It's something that's just so personal." NPR's Ailsa Chang spoke to Margo Price about staying

Here, in my neighborhood, life is a mix of re-revised rules for living and reality checks. Every day the local authorities publish new data on the where of illness. Daily a new national atrocity snaps a klieg light on us. Reading these days is a necessary escape from, and immersion into, reckoning. And so it is with Asako Serizawa's stunning and visceral debut, The Inheritors . Every page speaks to our current zeitgeist. Each character in these stories is occupied and occupier, trapped in a moral and existential crisis that's unnerving because it's evergreen, because the nature of human tragedy is our own making and the lessons we keep learning never seem to take. The book is a labyrinth of collected stories which follow a Japanese family's history over 150 years, beginning in 1868 and emerging into a future set in the 2030's, and connecting one family's multi-generational experiences living in a colonial and post-colonial world — in Japan, China, and the United States. The inheritors

Copyright 2020 Fresh Air. To see more, visit Fresh Air . TERRY GROSS, HOST: This is FRESH AIR. At a time when many Americans are still home and life seems to have come to a standstill, our film critic Justin Chang says it could be an especially good time to watch "Palm Springs," a romantic comedy about two people forced to repeat the same day over and over again. It stars Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti. It's streaming on Hulu and playing in some drive-in theaters around the country. JUSTIN CHANG, BYLINE: "Palm Springs" was a hot ticket at this year's Sundance Film Festival, one of the last public events to take place before the movie industry shut down. I didn't see it there, but having caught up with it months later at home, I can't help but feel as though this breezily entertaining movie plays a little differently in the era of COVID-19. It's a comedy about isolation and repetition, which might not sound too appealing at a time when many of us are also leading lives of isolation

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

YouTube This Friday at 2 p.m. ET, join us for an online listening party for Lianne La Havas ' self-titled new album, hosted by World Cafe 's Raina Douris and featuring a live conversation with NPR Music's Suraya Mohamed and Lianne La Havas herself. You can RSVP via NPR Presents and watch via YouTube . The London-based singer-songwriter didn't mean for five years to pass without an album. She toured heavily after 2015's Blood was released, performing at the Tiny Desk and supporting acts like Coldplay and Alicia Keys. And then, as it does, life got in the way — a time that inspired many of the songs on Lianne La Havas about falling in and out of love, and learning to love herself. The music rattles with yearning and urgency, captured by a live-in-the-room sound. When featuring the single "Bittersweet" on Heat Check in March, NPR Music's Sidney Madden wrote that La Havas' voice "pulls you up into the hemisphere with tight strings of levity." So please join us in the chat room to ask

Asterix the Gaul, which kicks off the first volume of Papercutz' new Asterix reissues, doesn't feel like the genesis of an international juggernaut. Sure, the 1959 cartoon is funny: Diminutive-but-crafty Asterix and his towering sidekick Obelix are Laurel and Hardy transplanted to 50 B.C., delivering gonzo comeuppance to the Roman soldiers who hope to bring all of France under Caesar's rule. But nothing about René Goscinny's goofy narrative or Albert Uderzo's hyperactive, deliberately lowbrow drawings portend what the Asterix series became: a half-century-spanning, globally-bestselling, nation-defining phenomenon. Asterix's enduring popularity has puzzled critics for decades, even as the series has racked up sales of 380 million books, been translated into 111 languages and spawned dozens of adaptations in various media. In France, Asterix is a treasured icon, the series' worldwide success a source of national pride. "Asterix is our ego," a Frenchwoman told The New York Times in 1996.

Here's a seemingly simple question: Can musicians in quarantine play music together over an Internet connection? We've migrated birthday parties, happy hours and church services to video calls these days, so couldn't we do the same with band practice? Across ubiquitous video conferencing tools like Zoom, FaceTime and Skype, it takes time for audio data to travel from person to person. That small delay, called latency, is mostly tolerable in conversation — save for a few overlapping stutters — but when it comes to playing music online with any kind of rhythmic integrity, latency quickly becomes a total dealbreaker. This video follows pianist and composer Dan Tepfer down the rabbit hole. Tepfer often occupies the intersection of music and innovative technology (just check out his Tiny Desk concert ), and by proxy has served his fellow musicians as a tech support line of sorts. A public inquiry on Twitter led him to jazz trombonist Michael Dessen, also a researcher at the University of

Copyright 2020 KUNC. To see more, visit KUNC . MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: As cities across the country consider diverting police department dollars into social programs, some are looking at summer jobs for low-income youth. Through these summer youth employment programs, young people can make some money, learn new skills and stay productive. From member station KUNC in northern Colorado, Leigh Paterson reports. LEIGH PATERSON, BYLINE: Last month, New York slashed police spending but did fund its massive summer youth employment program. Cincinnati shifted a million dollars out of its police budget to expand youth employment. Los Angeles did something similar to its $1.8 billion police budget. Here's LA city council member Curren Price. CURREN PRICE: Well, my motion shifted $150 million from the police department budget. PATERSON: Ten million of that will go to the city's summer youth employment program. He said this reallocation is a direct response to recent protests against police violence.

Copyright 2020 KHNS. To see more, visit KHNS . LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST: Southeast Alaska's economy is getting hammered without cruise ship tourists, who stayed home due to the pandemic. So one tiny town is using its federal relief money to write monthly $1,000 checks to every resident, paying them not to move away. Claire Stremple reports from member station KHNS. CLAIRE STREMPLE, BYLINE: The boardwalk-lined streets of Skagway, Alaska, are usually filled with tourists by midsummer. But this year, the streets are quiet. REBECCA HYLTON: I became unemployed March 13. STREMPLE: Like many people in town, Rebecca Hylton has depended on the tourism industry for decades. She ran marketing for a local brewpub. But no cruises means no business. She couldn't pay her mortgage until she and her 7-year-old son got their first $2,000 from the local government. Then she spent a little money downtown. HYLTON: So right away, we bought some new boots for him, whereas before, I definitely would've

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST: Ryan Sutton is chief food critic for New York Eater, and he says he's not going to dine out - inside at tables while apart from each other, outside in the open air, anywhere under any circumstance at all. And he says you shouldn't either. Ryan Sutton joins us now from Long Island, N.Y. Welcome to the program. RYAN SUTTON: Thanks for having me, Lulu. GARCIA-NAVARRO: So tell us why you're taking this position to stick with takeout exclusively. You know, servers, bussers, overnight cleaning services - isn't it good to give the restaurants that employ them the business they need to stay afloat so that these people have jobs and income for their households? SUTTON: There's no denying that we're all in a very difficult situation right now. However, given that we have over, you know, 50,000 new cases, often every day, throughout the country, just from an individual moral standpoint, I simply can't bring myself to eat at a

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

The federal deficit ballooned last month as the U.S. government tried to cushion the blow from the coronavirus pandemic. The red ink in June alone totaled $864 billion . The federal government ran a bigger deficit last month alone than it usually does all year. Washington spent hundreds of billions of dollars trying to prop up small businesses and assist laid-off workers. With three months left in the government's fiscal year, the year's deficit of $2.7 trillion is already nearly twice as large as the previous record of $1.4 trillion, set in 2009 during the Great Recession. While the government is spending heavily on the pandemic , tax collections in June were lower than usual. The filing deadline for 2019 income taxes was postponed until July 15. Congressional forecasters expect the federal deficit for the full year to reach $3.7 trillion. With infections on the rise, Congress is expected to consider additional relief measures this month. Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https:/

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit NOEL KING, HOST: A New Orleans institution is closing. K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen was a temple of Cajun cooking, but after COVID closures and restrictions, it won't reopen. Ian McNulty is on the line with me. He covers New Orleans dining and food culture. Good morning. IAN MCNULTY, BYLINE: Good morning, Noel. KING: Tell me about K-Paul's. Tell me about this restaurant. MCNULTY: This is a restaurant that, in a city famous for restaurants, really stood out as one that sort of vaulted ahead of the ideas that people had for local cuisine in its time and made an impact on, really, the global restaurant scene, the global food world, the ripples of which still end up on your dinner plate today when you dine out in cities across America, not just in New Orleans or Louisiana. KING: How do it manage to do that? I imagine that the food was real good. That's probably the simple answer. But what is Cajun cooking? (LAUGHTER) MCNULTY: Right. Well, you know, New

Updated at 12:45 p.m. ET The dramatic collapse of the U.S. economy from the coronavirus is pummeling America's largest banks, raising new concerns about how much growth is slowing. Wells Fargo lost $2.4 billion in the second quarter — its first quarterly loss since 2008 during the financial crisis — and said it expects to cut its dividend to shareholders by 80%. Citigroup saw its profit drop 73% in the quarter. And JPMorgan Chase, the nation's biggest bank, was forced to set aside billions of dollars more to cover bad loans during the second quarter, although money it made from trading in the frothy financial markets assured it made a profit anyway. The results underscore the toll that the recession is taking on big banks, which serve as a barometer of how the broader U.S. economy is faring. Hopes that the economy will rebound as fast as it declined — a so-called V-shaped recovery — seem increasingly unlikely. "We still face much uncertainty regarding the future path of the economy,"

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

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: A bipartisan delegation of Congresspeople is just back from Ukraine. It was a trip designed to strengthen the U.S.-Ukraine alliance, and it was planned before news broke of the whistleblower complaint against President Trump involving that same country. Congressman John Garamendi led the delegation as a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. And the Democrat from California joins us now. Welcome, Congressman. JOHN GARAMENDI: Good to be with you. SHAPIRO: One central question in the impeachment inquiry is whether President Trump demanded help investigating a political rival in exchange for U.S. aid to Ukraine. And I know that aid was a central topic on your trip, so what did you learn about Ukraine's reliance on American assistance? GARAMENDI: Well, first of all, Ukraine is an extraordinary country. These citizens of that country are determined to be independent. They have been fighting a war against Russia for the last five years. They've lost 13- to 14

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

Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: This month in All Tech Considered, why everyone wants to break up big tech. From federal regulators to Congress to state attorneys general, everyone seems to be trying to figure out whether major tech companies have gotten too big, too powerful and maybe broken antitrust laws. For clues about what Google and Facebook and Amazon and Apple might face, we're going to take a look back at one of the biggest antitrust cases of the past few decades. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST) UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: After weeks of mounting tension, today the Justice Department and a coalition of 20 states filed a pair of broad antitrust lawsuits against the world's leading software company Microsoft. KELLY: Now, that is from our show on May 18, 1998. The case had actually started to take shape almost a decade earlier, and the end of it wouldn't come until years later. Well, here to explain the lessons that today's big tech giants can take

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: A bipartisan delegation of Congresspeople is just back from Ukraine. It was a trip designed to strengthen the U.S.-Ukraine alliance, and it was planned before news broke of the whistleblower complaint against President Trump involving that same country. Congressman John Garamendi led the delegation as a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. And the Democrat from California joins us now. Welcome, Congressman. JOHN GARAMENDI: Good to be with you. SHAPIRO: One central question in the impeachment inquiry is whether President Trump demanded help investigating a political rival in exchange for U.S. aid to Ukraine. And I know that aid was a central topic on your trip, so what did you learn about Ukraine's reliance on American assistance? GARAMENDI: Well, first of all, Ukraine is an extraordinary country. These citizens of that country are determined to be independent. They have been fighting a war against Russia for the last five years. They've lost 13- to 14

One hundred years on from prohibition, Americans are getting their “ claws out ,” shouting “ dilly dilly ” at major golf tournaments and slurping mimosas at brunch. In short, banning alcohol obviously didnt stick. In the face of all of the goofiness of alcohol marketing and culture, it’s tempting to classify the analysis of drinking culture as a fun diversion rather than a serious route of study. However, Theresa McCulla, the brewing historian for the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, would say that you’re missing the bigger picture , especially when it comes to beer: We feel strongly that the history of beer and brewing throughout American history serves as a lens to look at other issues. If you look at beer, you can understand stories of immigration, transportation, changes to our technology, business, as well as consumer culture and how it intertwines with advertising. McCulla joins us to discuss the history of American drinking culture, American brewing and the

Looking back at more than 25 years in public service, Susan Rice — former U.N. ambassador for the United States and national security adviser to President Barack Obama — describes much of her career as a balancing act. Sometimes, that meant toeing the line between her personal and professional life. "My now 22-year-old son, in fact, learned to walk in the halls of the State Department," recalls Rice in an interview with NPR. "And there were those who thought that was a little bit inappropriate for the staid halls of the State Department." But luckily, she says, she had the support of then Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Other times, Rice had to balance her ambition with her identity as a person of color: At the age of 28, having just started her career in government, Rice turned down a position working on African policy for the Clinton administration out of fear of pigeonholing herself. She worried "this predominantly white national security establishment would see [her] as

There was a great battle at the cross. Pastor Doug tells of seven segments of Jesus' suffering and seven of His statements from the cross.

Everything you give to God, you get back. What you keep for yourself, you lose. The key to happiness is sacrifice.

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.

Many MeFites are in the track of this beast, and there's a post on the Blue to share info. I thought we could use a space to check-in and keep each other company, share best wishes, worries, hopes and suggestions for staying safe.

A few updates about the MetaFilter Community Foundation

1) My previous post was mistaken about incorporation. Incorporation is going to happen soon with a boilerplate set of bylaws, and then the first board for the newly incorporated org will adopt the full bylaws after a round community feedback. 2) Some clarifications about the new structure, which came up in the last thread. -MetaFilter.com members Participate on metafilter.com Volunteer on committees and activities for the Website and MeFiCoFo Provide input and feedback via MetaTalk and other channels -MetaFilter Community Foundation fellows Criteria to be a fellow: Time on site (proposal is for 6 months), contributions (A combination of posts/comments) Can be pseudonymous Can vote on MeFiCoFo governance issues, including MeFiCoFo board members -MeFiCoFo Executive Director Responsible for day to day management of MeFiCoFo and staff Execute policy from the Board -MeFiCoFo Board of Directors Manage the ED Set and direct policy with input from members, fellows and staff. Overall governance 3) Incorporation updates: Should be happening very soon We'll post the full initial draft of the bylaws for comments/feedback in the next two to three weeks as well. 4) Assistance we'll need soon -Bylaws feedback (as mentioned above) -Various tasks related to ED search as needed -Assistance with the full board elections (Selecting/implementing voting platform for board elections, Other tasks as needed) If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post here or reach out via memail

As of November 1, 2024 (it took some time for the notice to arrive), the Metafilter Community Foundation exists as an officially registered Delaware nonprofit non-stock corporation.

What this means:
1. We can now get an EIN, apply for a bank account, and apply to the IRS for not-for-profit designation.
2. The interim board of directors can get to work. We will have to adopt bylaws, approve (with community input) a policy and procedures manual, obtain insurance, and transfer the existing LLC and its assets into the new entity, among many other tasks.

We have a lot of work ahead.

Many people have expressed concern about this process, how long it's taking, and the future of the site. We share these concerns, which is why we've been donating so much of our time to this task. It will soon be time for members of our community to run for the Board of Directors, choose officers, join committees, and generally start doing all of the "community" things people have been calling for over the years. Think you know how to improve Metafilter? Now's the time to prove it. Friends, this is a long way from being over, but I believe that our community's best days are ahead of it. I expect that many people are going to be seeking internet communities in the coming months where civility and thoughtful discussion are still the norm, rather than the exception. If ever there were a time to do more outreach for new members and promote our site and what it can do, what it might yet be, this is it. If there's any silver lining to the current tumult in the world, it's that it gives us even more impetus to band together, talk to each other, and over-analyze those plates of beans. Now, let's get organized!

Since the coronavirus pandemic battered China's economy, tens of millions of urban and factory jobs have evaporated. Some workers and business owners have banded together to pressure companies or local governments for subsidies and payouts. But many of the newly unemployed have instead returned to their rural villages. China's vast countryside now serves as an unemployment sponge, soaking up floating migrant workers in temporary agricultural work on small family plots. "Say a factory used to hire 1,000 temporary workers; now, without new orders, these business owners can't afford to hire this many people," Yan Xiyun, a labor intermediary, told NPR. "The factory I usually go to in previous years could easily hire 2,000 people. Now there is scarcely anyone [on the factory floor]." Ten years ago, Yan left her own village near the small city of Zhumadian in Henan province for the first time and joined the migrant workforce. Now, she's a headhunter working on commission, placing thousands