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

Many things are invisible, we can't see them, but they are real. After sin entered the world we lost the ability to see and tune into the spiritual realm. What is the difference between being spiritual or being religious? Why is this important?

I asked for assignments or suggestions and for this one I chose the assignment "hrose".

the melonhead goes to the big town - more ambient, chaotic stuff for the other half of the album

a sea shanty from the New Hampshire Fiddlers' Union

the reverb: friend of mine had an empty room. wood floors, nothing at all in it to obstruct the sound. someday i will live in a house that has just an empty room like this. today is not that day.

My spouse and I recently moved into a lovely big ole house in Amersfoort. We really enjoyed meeting those of you who came to the last meetup (June 2022), and would like to invite you to come join us for a hangout at our new place.

I'm thinking something like this: - A Saturday afternoon / evening in July or August - Food and drink - Patio games, video games setup for folks (we love a structured hangout or activities to have on-hand) thoughts?

With MeFi's 25th anniversary coming up on Sunday July 14, WE'RE ON I'm contemplating Let's celebrate with a BBQ at my house in Seattle that day.

I live in Greenwood, within easy walking distance from either the E or 5 Metro bus lines. There's also plenty of street parking. The house has a large yard and deck (with a propane BBQ). Enter the yard through the gate in the fence in the driveway. Significant others and kids would be welcome, of course. I'll supply plates, cutlery, cups and napkins, and some food and drink. Please bring whatever you'd like to share. If you do know what you're going to bring, mention it in a comment.

Sundays, noon to three Pacific via Roll20 and Discord! Room for up to four players! Swords of the Serpentine is a fantasy role-playing game based on the GUMSHOE engine. It emphasizes investigative play, following leads, unraveling mysteries, and over-the-top swashbuckling action. To quote the blurb on the back of the rulebook: "a game of daring heroism, sly politics, and bloody savagery, set in a fantasy city rife with skullduggery and death". No experience necessary, we're all new to the game and learning together.

We are: two old guys and one of 'em's college-aged kid who have just wrapped up a Blades in the Dark campaign that ran 20-something sessions and are looking for a new game to play. You are: committed to playing weekly familiar with and able to access to both Discord and Roll20 reliably up for a role-playing game that emphasizes world-building through player participation interested in joining a friendly and welcoming table that likes sampling different systems (yeah, we gonna hafta play Eat The Reich pretty soon, I think...) If this sounds like a thing you'd be interested in doing, leave a comment below. I'll follow up with you via MeFi mail and we'll take it from there.

Hi there!

Welcome to this month's Site Update!

You can find the last update here.


Profit & Loss – You can find this month's Profit & Loss report here. The previous reports are here. Admin – I'm working with the mods to make adjustments to the Guidelines and Content Policy based on the feedback from this thread. Our aim is to have clearer policies that allow us to step in and avoid derails and comments aimed at enraging other members and where we can set clear expectations with the members who get moderated. Fundraising – So far, we have raised $5,281.00 in one time contributions (17% of our original goal) and $200.00 in new Subscriptions (8% of our goal). We still have a lot of money in the bank, so while this is not where we wanted to be, there is no imminent emergency. On one hand I'm deeply grateful for the contributions received so far and we'll make the best of it but on the other I know the frustration this generates. We were hoping to have the new entity in place before the fundraising started this year. Since last year's run, we knew we would not be able to spin a full fledged campaign while rebuilding the site; moderation has been busier than usual in the past few months. That being said, we decided to move ahead with the fundraising and do our best. I'm still running to continue with the activities we had planned and we'll keep going with the fundraising activities until we're ready to give access to the new site for testing (more details on that below). Then, we'll put copies of the Pet Tax wall and Cookbook for sale and proceed with the Podcast. Tech – Early access to the new site has been delayed in order to include more complete features and actions that users can test and kirkaracha and I are expecting to make it available by Sunday, September 29. – Added affiliate links to bookshop.org – Fixed multiple errors connecting to external APIs – Server fixes keeping maintenance tasks running without breaking BIPOC Advisory Board – Thyme and I will resume our work with the BIPOC Board this month. Next meeting is scheduled for September 21st. Once the meeting happens we'll report back on our plan to get back on track with the minutes and the cadence of the work with the BIPOC Board. If you have any questions or feedback not related to this particular update, please Contact Us instead. If you want to discuss a particular subject not covered here with the community, you're welcome to open a separate MetaTalk

As part of the events for this year's fundraising we'll have an Ask the Mods Anything Podcast. Drop any burning questions you have below we'll have them answered with an especial podcast.

If you want to know more about the ins and outs of the MeFi team, their philosophy, want to know more about them as humans, or have any burning questions about anything else; you've come to the right place! Just drop your questions here (questions can be anonymous) and wait for the next post to vote for and decide which questions get to be asked during a podcast with Jessamyn and myself. Now, let's take a minute to talk about the fundraiser. You can read more about it and ask any questions you have in this month's update, but so far, we have raised 17% and 8% of our original goals in one time contributions and new subscriptions respectively. Why do we have a Fundraiser? Our community is mostly run by member contributions that help us pay for web hosting, moderators, web developers, and initiatives like rebuilding the website and the work of the BIPOC Board; and, while the site's finances are stable, we want to give better resources to the MetaFilter Community Foundation to help them achieve the goal of becoming a truly member-driven community. How can I help with the fundraiser? – Sign up for a subscription that will give you early access to test the new MeFi Website. – Spread the voice and contribute to our GoFundMe Campaign. – You can invite your friends to join our community.

Both an idea (for outreach/promotion) and a confession. The day before I was set to table at the local zine symposium, I was scrambling for another mini-zine idea, and ended up excerpting some of the answers to an Ask Me I made earlier this year"What's your random (but regular) act of public service?" Here's a link to the one-page mini zine (mod note: link removed, see this note).

In retrospect, this is very much of the "ask for forgiveness not permission" M.O. that I usually hate on. But also it seems like an idea for getting the word out about Metafilter to potential members. My tablemate at the zine fair was all (paraphrase) "oooh, I'll check that out. I love the idea that it is old school." People whose answers I used and MeFi mods, please forgive me for not asking in advance. I didn't use any usernames, but obviously if someone finds the original post there is only the usual level of anonymity. People in general, what do you think about making a Metafilter zine series? I think the DIY ethos of zines is very much in the spirit of MeFi, and zines also spans across the generations (aka gen x-ers, millennials, gen z-ers etc). It could be an internal fundraiser (like stickers and magnets) but I think it would be more fun if it was directed to non-members?

Hello, folks. I would like to know 1) if it's common practice for mods to edit users' comments without any indication of a mod note, 2) when this practice began, and 3) if it's been disclosed as a community practice here. As a member of the mefi community it's certainly something I would like to provide feedback on!

I noticed that a recent dumb joke comment of mine was altered at some point after it was posted. The comment in question:

Where's the mugshot. There are no known photos of this guy after like 2006 Found it. (Content warning: gory image) posted by phunniemee at 3:22 PM on October 22

The bold text--the content warning--was not added by me. There is no mod note either in my comment or elsewhere on the thread indicating that this was edited in any way. Was my comment in poor taste? Yeah sure, many of the things I do are. If a comment picks up flags, please delete it. Or add a content warning that says "MOD NOTE: CONTENT WARNING FOR GORY IMAGE" if you must. That's the community I have been a part of--moderation by deletion with active mod involvement in the thread. I absolutely do not want to be in a community where people's comments are EDITED by a mod without any indication that the text was written by someone other than the poster. My own comment here and the relatively minor edit is about as stupid as it gets in the specific, but I'm feeling genuinely scandalized right now and deeply uncomfortable to find out that our mods are editing users comments in secrecy. I've been on metafilter for a decade and a half, and I know the people here only because of the things that people say online. It's important to me that our names are appended to the things we actually say. This is a staggeringly bad path for metafilter moderation to take and I think the community needs some disclosure on how often this happens. [phunniemee's note: Loup did reach out to me over email to explain that this edit followed the policy from the FAQ to add a content warning where deemed necessary by a mod, but that it was an error to not leave a mod note or to let me know the edit had occurred. That the mod team has discussed and agreed that a mod note will always be included in the future. I appreciate that individual errors happen and I believe it's most likely that this was an edit made in good faith. However. There have been a number of mod calls this year that have eroded the faith that I have in the ongoing moderation of the community I love, and I would like to continue forward with this metatalk to ensure we continue to be a community that's moderated thoughtfully and with active user engagement.]

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MLRv is a great tool for live performance, as proven by a number of talented button mashers such as Galapagoose and Daedelus. It creates an immediate feedback loop between button presses and sounds that audiences just “get”. But if you’re only using MLRv for button mashing, you’re missing out on a ton of potential it has […]

In my last post, I suggested that MLRv could be used to enhance your production workflow, outside of its abilities as a live performance tool.  In this post I’ll cover the configuration necessary to get MLRv set up for automation with Ableton.  In the post following this, I’ll give an example of how this setup […]

In post 1 and post 2 of this series, I talked about why it’s worth trying MLRv as a production tool, as opposed to a live performance tool.  Let’s get to some examples of what this really means. A couple months back, I was approached by Edison to do a remix of his track My […]

I’m moving back to http://www.makingthenoise.com Follow me there!

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

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

Shanna LaFountain has been a nursing assistant in New England for 20 years. About two months ago, in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, she stopped working. "It was an extremely hard decision," she said. LaFountain has three children and made the decision once their schools closed and their learning went online. "My son was not answering teachers, not doing assignments," she said. "I had to be home with my children." Instead of working, she gets state unemployment benefits and receives another $600 each week from the federal government. She is making more money now than when she works. LaFountain is not alone. As part of the CARES Act, the federal government added an extra $600 per week to individuals' unemployment checks. Such benefits may be available not only to those who were let go but also to those who quit their jobs due to the virus. While a Federal Reserve report said the expanded benefits provide a critical lifeline to many individuals, there is concern that the

In which I write about Islam, spirituality, my Hajj pilgrimage in the summer of 2024, living as a USian in southern Spain, and change both voluntary and unwilled.

Example of what I write about: I just added a post about how fear of Satan, which was encouraged by the Catholic church and pop culture, scared me off from belief in ANYTHING Unseen (including God) for decades.

[Link

Stark Raving Mab, the third book in my urban fantasy trilogy Gravity's Daughter is out as of yesterday. If you're intrigued by any of the following: action-heavy urban fantasy, less-traditional faeries, gravity-defying antics on public transit, Canadian settings or in-over-their-heads characters who will not give up sarcasm 'til you pry it from their cold, dead hands, then give the books a look or request them from your local library.

I did a projects post back in 2022 on the first book but I think I forgot to crow about the second last fall, because I have trouble regularly remembering to talk about myself. (Or even, uh, irregularly--like when I publish a literal book.)

[Link

A 6-page guide for research-group leaders in academia, providing concrete suggestions to make labs more welcoming and accessible to autistic students and postdocs. Written by a late-diagnosed autistic academic.

Contents: 1. Dispel your misconceptions. 2. Communicate clearly. 3. Check the sensory environment. 4. Be aware of different cognitive profiles. 5. Model inclusivity to your group.

[Link

Sandhouse’s latest single, “Bite Me Back,” is a strong follow-up to their debut release, “Sick Of Your Face,” and it plunges listeners into an atmosphere of intense, dark allure. With…

Rising indie artist Jacob Reddy released his first EP, 'These Streets Are Ours.' This EP is a powerful tribute to strength and modern-day rebellion. It features five songs that showcase…

Residents in Richmond’s District 5 are calling for investment in arts and culture from their city leaders. And, in a new episode of Book It, the power of stories in medicine.

Today, we hear from unhoused people in the East Bay on their role in the presidential race. Then, photos and voices from the lives that are swept up when an encampment is cleared.

Today, a local Iranian farmer grows the herbs of home. Then, an art exhibit encourages visitors to look inside themselves to feel empowered. And, Bay Poets brings us an oracle.

Many things are invisible, we can't see them, but they are real. After sin entered the world we lost the ability to see and tune into the spiritual realm. What is the difference between being spiritual or being religious? Why is this important?

From cover to cover, the Bible is filled with stories of temptations and attacks, betrayals and losses - Babylon against Israel. Today, the Lord is still watching for signs in us of surrender, signs in us of seriousness and fidelity, signs that we are ready... but our taste for the mundane grows; our worship of the world has barely begun. "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen," and we must leave for it has become a dwelling place of demons. This world rots and strides toward its destruction, yet God's Kingdom has no end. His Kingdom of glory will be forever. Join us now as we learn that understanding God's Word affects our image of Him and our relationship with Him, and that misunderstanding it will change our ability to love Him and reject the devil. Study with us now ! 1.- If we do something wrong but repent, at the time of judgment will God show our sin to everyone ? 2.- Is the recent extreme weather a sign of the tribulation ? 3.- Who is Melchizedek as mentioned in Hebrews 7 verses 1 through 10 ? 4.- What doctrine are the apostles adhering to in Acts 2 verse 42 ? 5.- During the days of Nehemiah, how was the Day of Atonement kept when the Ark of the Covenant was not in the Most Holy Place ? 6.- What do you think about modern praise dancing, and is it biblical ? 7.- What would have happened if Hagar and Abram didn’t have Ishmael ? 8.- Is there a correlation between the closing of probation and the closing of the door on Noah’s ark ? 9.- Who is the “he” spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 7, and when will this verse be fulfilled ? 10.- Does the seven-day weekly cycle have Babylonian roots ? 11.- In Exodus 20 verses 3 through 5, it says God is a jealous God. Isn’t jealousy a sin ? 12.- Does 1 Timothy 2 verse 12 still apply to our day ? 13.- What is the significance of Leviticus 19 verses 23 through 25 ? 14.- Would you speak about the second commandment and how it relates to the images we use in church and Sabbath School ? 15.- Will you please help me understand John 8 verse 56 ? 16.- Does the 7 times 70 mentioned in the book of Matthew relate to the 490-year time period in the book of Daniel ? 17.- How do I explain to other Christians the importance of studying Bible doctrine ? 18.- How do I study the Bible ? 19.- Why does the Bible use symbols in prophecy ? 20.- Where do we go when we die ? 21.- Is it boastful of God to resurrect those who pierced Christ so that they see His return ? 22.- Why do we wear shoes in church if being in the presence of God is being on holy ground ? 23.- Can you explain the rapture of the church ? 24.- Do you think Judas Iscariot would have been forgiven if he repented after the resurrection ?

Pain brings you down. Pain brings you back to reality. Pain brings you back to God... pain means you're on the right path. The clarity you gain through trial is a gift and a blessing. The fact that you are called upon to endure trial shows that the Lord Jesus sees in you something precious which He desires to develop. If he saw nothing whereby He might glorify His name, He would not spend time in refining, (MH, 471). Despite difficulties, having faith in God and in His Word will see you through. He will preserve you through tribulation. He will provide for you through need. "The God who has been sufficient until now, should be trusted to the end," (C.H.S.). Tune in now to learn more. 1.- Are the current events that we are seeing the sign of Jonah, as spoken of in the Bible ? 2.- Does the second beast of Revelation 13 verses 16 and 17 have anything to do with the Christian Nationalist Movement ? 3.- When we die, does it matter where our physical body is buried ? 4.- Will you please explain Revelation 3 verse 10 ? 5.- Are the tares in the parable those who say Jesus is not divine, or who deny that Jesus is God ? 6.- Was the rain cloud that Elijah saw also the chariot coming to pick him up ? 7.- Should we be careful what we pray for ? 8.- Is the Lord going to provide for us in the last days as he did for Elijah ? 9.- Does the Bible say anything about bringing a pet into the Sanctuary ? 10.- Why do some Christians observe Easter on a Monday instead of Sunday ? 11.- Will you please explain Revelation 10 verse 11 ? 12.- What happens to the people that are not raised in the first resurrection ? 13.- Was Satan cast out of Heaven before or after the Earth was created ? 14.- In Genesis 6 verse 6, there seems to be a conflict that questions the omniscience of God. Will you please explain ? 15.- What will happen to babies, born and unborn, when Jesus returns ? 16.- Why is Jesus only in the New Testament ? 17.- Does the principle of tithe apply to gifts received ? 18.- Is it true that the Ten Commandments are written on sapphire stone ? 19.- The Bible says the wages of sin is death. Is it talking about the first or the second death ?

The former White House aide’s appearance before the House Jan. 6 committee raised a host of issues sure to be topics of further inquiry.

Former President Donald J. Trump’s endorsement has helped propel some candidates to victory, but he’s also had some notable defeats.

A new photo ID requirement is the latest in a Republican-controlled state. The law also does away with the state’s presidential primaries in favor of a series of caucuses.

As the chief law enforcement officer of the Senate, he did not seek the National Guard’s help in advance of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

That the House panel did not provide the Justice Department with transcripts of Cassidy Hutchinson’s interviews speaks to the panel’s reluctance to turn over evidence.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden’s top pandemic adviser, sought to discourage doubts about the antiviral drug Paxlovid following what appeared to be a “rebound” of Covid-19 after taking the pills.

Mr. Cipollone, who repeatedly fought extreme plans to overturn the election, had resisted publicly testifying to the panel.

Near-death experiences seem to reinforce the popular belief that the soul goes to heaven or hell as soon as the body dies. But the Bible repeatedly describes death as a dreamless sleep from which we awake at one of two resurrections.

It's a fact of life that people grapple with discouragement, despair, and depression. There are many causes of discouragement. How can we deal with it?

Carolina Urrutia habla sobre el problema de mala calidad de aire

Mario Hernández habla sobre el problema de mala calidad de aire

Sandra Borda habla sobre la problematica ambiental en la Macarena

Roy Barreras habla sobre las precauciones necesarias en torno al Coronavirus

Santamaría habla sobre efectos económicos del Coronavirus

Patricia Linares habla sobre los testimonios presentados ante la JEP

Vallejo habla sobre el informe de la ONU

Claudia habla sobre el informe anual de la ONU