Copyright 2020 KJZZ. To see more, visit KJZZ . STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: Hospitals in Arizona are reaching capacity. Coronavirus infections there continue to rise. And the governor, who once pushed ahead with reopening, has now delayed the start of school. Is that enough? From our member station KJZZ, Rocio Hernandez reports. ROCIO HERNANDEZ, BYLINE: Arizona students are some of the first in the nation to go back to school. Some districts opened their doors as early as end of July. But that won't be the case this year. In June, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey issued an executive order pushing back the reopening of brick-and-mortar schools. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) DOUG DUCEY: At this point in time, we are going to delay the first day of school till August 17. HERNANDEZ: That's too soon, says teacher Stacy Brosius at Deer Valley Unified School District in Phoenix. STACY BROSIUS: I don't want to be the teacher that gets COVID and have my third-graders have to attend my funeral. But I

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit SARAH MCCAMMON, HOST: The state of Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the United States, tens of thousands of people, many of whom were refugees from civil war. Today, we're talking with two of them who are making history. Abdirizak Abdi and Akram Osman are the first Somali public school principals in Minnesota. That's according to the Sahan Journal, which reports about immigrants in the state. They both just started on the job, which means first figuring out how to do it in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Principal Abdi, Principal Osman, thanks so much for joining us. ABDIRIZAK ABDI: Thank you very much, Sarah. AKRAM OSMAN: Thank you. MCCAMMON: Abdi, I want to start with you. You, as I understand it, never even attended K-12 schools in the United States. You came to Minnesota when you were 19 years old. Where did your interest in education come from? ABDI: I did my school in Africa, specifically in Kenya. So we lived in

Hidden changes are warping the already broken ecosystem that determines how many citizens—particularly in America—construct their sense of reality. (slSubstack)

Y'all, I know there are folks who don't like Substack/NYT links but here we are and I thought this was worth posting in the aftermath of a disastrous election.

In a place where an act as simple as reading the Quran can be an act of defiance, the Taliban has banned women from hearing other women's voices in its latest attempt to impose their version of Islamic law on Afghanistan, including mandating that women refrain from performing Takbir—an Islamic expression of faith—and from reciting the Quran aloud, even in the presence of other women.

The UN and Amnesty have stated that the oppression of Afghan women, made prisoners in their homes, unable to speak, has erased women from all spheres of life. Girls born in the 20 years free of Taliban rule went to school and learned of their mothers' experience of repression, only to lose the ability to attend school with the Taliban's return in 2021. Women lost their ability to work, learn, travel alone, or receive healthcare and became "faceless, voiceless shadows" in a brutal apartheid against women.

What makes the Taliban's ideology so uniquely repressive of women?

"What sets the Taliban apart from other Islamic groups," Moheq added, "are the tribal codes of Afghanistan also embedded in the Taliban's ideology." A fundamental part of the tribal codes is defining a narrow place for women: They exists as the property of men and for the honor of men. For example, Moheq explained, "the rape of a woman is not seen as wrong because she was raped, but because she represents the honor of a man," and that is what was violated.

The Taliban's ideology was strong enough to draw manpower from the country's tribal areas for long enough to outlast the United States and the Western-backed government in Kabul. In return, as the primary manpower of the Taliban comes from tribal areas of the country, they further reinforce the Taliban's conservative culture, including the continued exclusion of women.

Among more than 7,500 Afghans living in the country with access to mobile and internet services, the survey found, 66% said they agreed or strongly agreed that human rights for women were a top priority for the future of Afghanistan. Nearly half, or 45% of those, strongly supported the Taliban's control of the country.

Washington has a big problem to solve: Can it stop cyber mischief, trolls and disinformation from becoming as much a part of American elections as yard signs, straw hats and robocalls? National security officials warn that unless the United States takes strong steps to prevent or deter meddling, foreign nations — especially Russia — won't quit. "They're going to continue to do it," former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told a Senate subcommittee on Monday. "And why not? It proved successful." Moscow has sown chaos across the West, Clapper and others say, by injecting doubt into elections in the U.S. and Europe. The problem: The breadth and diversity of what makes up "interference" is also what makes it so difficult to combat — from hackers stealing and exposing embarrassing secrets to paid social media "trolls" to the creation of sensational or misleading stories camouflaged as news. "Anyone — not just Russians, anyone — can throw an idea against the Internet wall and

The British duo Autechre traffic in abstract music that veers between abstract sound design and challenging club music, which is to say they record what is known as IDM, and this past week they did what they seem to do every few years, which is to unleash an ungodly amount of their music out of the blue […]

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

Audity Music, LLC is seeking strong pop and R&B music for the Korean pop music market. Audity has close relationships with the major record labels and music publishers in Korea, including S.M. Entertainment, JYP, YG. We receive high value and exclusive leads in the Korean market and have direct access to top A&Rs and decision-makers. If we like your song(s), they will make it to the right hands.

We are pitching music currently for urgent projects, including Girls Generation, SHINee, EXO, f(x), Lee Hi, Taeyeon, Taemin, Super Junior and many more. We offer prime access to these opportunities for our writers and producers as well as co-write opportunities with writers and producers with previous success in the K-pop market.

Please note: Although this DropBox will remain open for a while, we have urgent song leads monthly, so please do not hesitate to submit.

Audity Music, LLC is a progressive and forward-thinking songwriting/production, music publishing, music management and music consulting company. We currently operate out of Los Angeles, California, Tokyo, Japan, and Seoul, South Korea.

Audity Music, LLC is seeking strong pop and R&B-leaning music for the J-Pop music market. Japanese is the second largest music market in the world, and not far behind America in terms of annual revenue. It is a unique and complex market that Audity has been able to explore thanks to our having been on the ground living there and in neighboring Korea. Audity has close relationships with the major record labels and music publishers in Japan, including AVEX, Sony, Fuji Pacific, and others. We receive high value and not easily accessible leads in the Japanese market and have direct access to top A&Rs and decision-makers. If we like your song(s), they will make it to the right hands.

We are pitching music currently for major projects in Japan. We offer prime access to these opportunities for our writers and producers as well as co-write opportunities with writers and producers with previous and current success in the J-pop market. Also, for the right writers/producers with the right credentials and talent, we have access to the largest J-Pop camp in the world which takes place in Sweden. We are looking to hear the best of the best in pop music. And, we are looking to hear your grasp of the J-Pop sound, which many Western writers find difficult to achieve. If you have undeniable Western pop music, it can be adapted for the J-Pop market. So, please just send your best! If we like it, we can discuss next steps and also help you develop your "J-Pop ear".

Note: Although this DropBox will remain open for a while, we have song leads monthly, so do not hesitate to submit through Music Xray. Please do not contact Audity Music directly.

Audity Music, LLC is a progressive and forward-thinking songwriting/production, music publishing, music management and music consulting company. We currently operate out of Los Angeles, California, Tokyo, Japan, and Seoul, South Korea.

Seeking anthemic female vocal pop songs. Tracks with a drive, energy, epic chorus - think Florence, Goldfrapp, Adele, Feist, Lorde, Sia, HAIM.

The songs must be 100% owned by the writer/writers. Pop-Up Music is a PRS registered music library and publisher located in London. We pride ourselves in providing undiscovered music and bespoke music for advertising, film, TV, gaming and corporate. We look forward to your submissions - many thanks.

- Mark Garfield / Pop-Up Music Uk Limited

Deal Type: Catalog Inclusion
Decision Maker: We are the final decision maker
Deal Structure: Non-Exclusive
Compensation: $500+ / TBD based on placement
Song Quality: Fully mastered, Broadcast ready
Similar Sounding Artists: Florence , Goldfrapp , Adele, Feist, Lorde, Sia, HAIM

Major Beer Company Seeks music for advertising campaign 3 Slots $15k

The opp is for several different pieces of music as it will cover 3 major tv / film ads and several web-blog adverts and music to show off a new product. They have asked for intense and dramatic songs, positive songs, friendship songs, and holiday and travel themed songs. Once again they are choosing different songs for different territories so there are many slots they are looking for me to fill.

The videos and ads will be seen by over a million people across the globe.

All styles of music and genres will be considered as the company are looking top quality songs but also lyrical substance and they are also looking for top quality standout attention-grabbing, meaningful songs whether softer emotive ballads or harder more powerful driving tracks as the range covered by the company is huge.

THEY JUST NEED BE TOP SONGS!!

Please submit your best work, radio ready, mastered songs. You must own 100% copyright. Only songs with cleared samples. I will accept demos as I am also a music producer / studio owner so if the song is a 'no brainer' and has enough potential to fit the opp then I would consider re-cutting it for the client.

Grand Northern Sync has worked closely with companies such as: Apple, Honda, Reebok, Samsung, BBC, ABC, New Show Media, Massive Films, Rickety Shack films, Seat, H&M, Busch,

Payouts and rights: If selected you will keep 100% of your rights, royalties and payments dependent on the number of times the tracks are used. Payout is $25k dependent on usage and length of use.

If selected the songs will be passed to the company and they will have the final say, Grand Northern Sync will be on hand to help the artist all the way through the process with chosen artists (at no financial charge).

All songs submitted will be considered for all the other opps we have.

I am looking forward to hearing your music.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND US TRACKS TO OUR SOUNDCLOUD, EMAIL, LINKEDIN OR ANY SOCIAL MEDIA....Please?

- Alexander Johnston / Grand Northern Sync

We are seeking indie rock/pop female vocal songs. A good reference would be in the style of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Big powerful vocals with 'that something really special' quality.

The songs must be 100% owned by the writer/writers.

Pop-Up Music is a PRS registered music library and publisher located in London. We pride ourselves in providing undiscovered music and bespoke music for advertising, film, TV, gaming and corporate.

Thanks, Pop-Up Music.

Deal Type: Catalog Inclusion
Decision Maker: I'm the final decision maker
Deal Structure: Non-Exclusive
Compensation: Negotiable
Song Quality: Rough Mixes, Fully mastered, Broadcast ready
Similar Sounding Artists: Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Looking for commercial hit songs for a host of pop artists in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan etc. We work closely with Universal Music in Hong Kong, giving us direct access to major artists in South East Asia and Japan searching for tracks for their next and current projects.

We are looking for commercial radio tracks which have great beats, memorable hook lines and current styles. Uptempo K-Pop, ballads, R&B/Pop, Rock, Soul and MOR suitable for male, female and boy and girl-bands.

Lyrics may be translated depending on the artist so send in all language demos or masters.

We are looking forward to hearing some great music.

- Dean Hart / Afrikan Cowboy Publishing

Deal Type: Song Placement
Decision Maker: Selected tracks will be pitched for final decision
Deal Structure: Non-Exclusive
Compensation: $1,000+ based on final placement
Song Quality: Rough Demos, Fully mastered, Broadcast ready

I don't want to get hosed buying a pretty label and sales pitch on the bottle. I don't mind buying more than one bottle to get a better price. I don't know what "should be" in good mayo but you do, that's why I came here for guidance. I know we all hate Amazon, plz go to the next question rather than telling me Bezos blows; I am aware.

I often have thoughts or ideas when I'm in the car, but I have no easy way to capture them. I have an iPhone, but I don't want to fiddle with it while I'm driving. I'm seeking an app (or possibly a standalone device) that I can safely use while driving. Is there some app that is voice-activated (i.e., without unlocking the phone) and will transcribe short memos? Ideally, I'd like those transcripts to be available in some cloud site, so I can access them via a web browser on my office computer or home computer.

I'd even consider buying a standalone recorder that I can activate just by pushing a button. I looked on Amazon, but I didn't really see anything that can make transcripts and upload them to a cloud site. Just the audio files might work, but it would be much better for me to have transcripts that I can easily access from a computer.

At the time of Christ, this animosity continued. The Jews avoided Samaria as much as possible. Though commerce may have gone on, other interaction was taboo. The Jews would not borrow from Samaritans or even receive a favor from them. Within this context, John recounts the encounter between Jesus, the woman by the well, and the people of the Samaritan city of Sychar.

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: Here is a very brief history of American testing in the pandemic. The United States started out drastically short of coronavirus tests. The few people who got them had to wait many days for results. Then the United States engaged private companies to make up the difference. Mobile testing centers appeared in parking lots in many cities. Millions of people were tested. But now, as NPR has reported, most states are short of the testing numbers they need, and people getting tested report delays in getting results. Admiral Brett Giroir is on the line. He is an assistant secretary of health, and he has been in charge of the federal testing response. Admiral, welcome to the program. BRETT GIROIR: Thank you. It's good to be here with you this morning, Steve. INSKEEP: I want to quote Mick Mulvaney, President Trump's former chief of staff, who wrote, quote, "it isn't popular to talk about in some Republican circles, but we still have a

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit SARAH MCCAMMON, HOST: California's two largest school districts, Los Angeles and San Diego, both said yesterday that students will not be headed back to school campuses this fall. Instead, classes will be online. But school board leaders in Orange County, which sits between LA and San Diego, have decided the opposite. Last night, the Orange County Board of Education voted to approve recommendations that school campuses reopen in the fall without masks or social distancing. Lisa Sparks is one of the board members who voted in favor of those guidelines, and she joins me now. Welcome, Lisa. LISA SPARKS: Thank you. MCCAMMON: And we should note that your recommendations are not binding recommendations, but they are what your board is advising. They say that masks may be harmful to students and that social distancing causes, quote, "child harm." How so? SPARKS: I think that the data is not completely conclusive. And that is the main point of all of this

Copyright 2020 Georgia Public Broadcasting. To see more, visit Georgia Public Broadcasting .

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

The Michigan fuel tax is no longer sufficient to fund needed road repairs and maintenance. As more electric vehicles hit the streets, the tax will raise less money, but the need for road and bridge revenue will only increase. Conversations are underway about alternative possibilities. WEMU's David Fair talks about what that might look like with Denise Donohue, CEO of the County Road Association of Michigan.

Ann Arbor officials says some of the trees in the city are dying, and they attribute it to leaks in the DTE Energy natural gas infrastructure. The utility says it is not the problem. The city is asking DTE to conduct necessary repairs, while the utility argues it would be cost prohibitive to contract an arborist to evaluate potential methane damage to trees. What comes next? WEMU's David Fair discussed it with Ann Arbor Sustainability and Innovations Director, Missy Stults.

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.

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 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.

WATCH THE ARCHIVES HERE!

When COVID first shuttered churches in 2020, no one but God could have foreseen that it would lead to the largest-ever gathering at the Amazing Facts W.O.R.D. Center. Yet it did precisely that!

From June 12 to 15, 2024, a record number of youth attended Stand: Unshakeable Faith, the 2024 Amazing Facts Youth Conference—including setting a record one-day Sabbath gathering of 1,500 people, who gathered to hear Pastor Doug Batchelor, president of Amazing Facts International, present his message to young people, “Standing on the High Ground.” Watch archives of this and other 2024 AFY Conference presentations by visiting www.afyouth.com.

Many young people traveled long distances to participate in the conference, which was designed to help them develop a resilient faith in the face of secular culture and peer pressure. They were joined by thousands more online! We praise God that the Holy Spirit moved mightily, as hundreds of youth recommitted to living for Jesus in these last days of Earth’s history. 

Said Pastor Doug, “This youth conference gave me such joy and hope for the future of our church. It was absolutely thrilling to see so many young people come to hear the Word.”

Throughout the weekend, speakers explored what it means to stand firm for Jesus. Their messages focused on being filled with the Holy Spirit, watching and praying with Christ, being a part of the remnant, understanding God’s love story for us, and the role of trials in our growth. Along with Pastor Doug, speakers included Anil Kanda, Carlos Muñoz, Diamond Garcia, Anella Poljak, and Darcee Christensen.[PQ-HERE]

AFY: Humble Beginnings

Worried about the church losing youth to the isolation of COVID restrictions and social distancing, Tony Scarpino, a youth leader at the Granite Bay Hilltop Church, took their Sabbath School programs online. Those initial social media broadcasts became the seed of Amazing Facts Youth (AFY), a worldwide ministry that meets online twice weekly, prays earnestly for one another, and leads out in the conference. 

From those humble beginnings, God has worked mightily to grow and prosper the movement, including leading Amazing Facts to present an annual youth conference. “I am in awe of what God did at this year’s conference,” says Tony. “I saw families coming alive together. The little kids were vibrant, the youth were engaged, and the parents were involved. It was incredible!”

Attendees from as far away as Honduras and New York enjoyed the engaging presentations, united prayer, community outreach, and fellowship with like-minded individuals. Evening sessions, free meals served by the local church members, and an afternoon outing to an adventure park provided opportunities for fun and friendship. 

“This was a wonderful weekend for our family,” reflects Tamara from Dayton, Ohio. “As a mom, I’m always looking for ways to get my boys involved in things that will grow their faith.”

For the first time, this year’s conference included presentations designed for kids. Presented by Amazing Facts evangelist Daniel Hudgens, Amazing Adventures introduced younger children at the conference to the importance of the Bible, standing against sin, and walking with Jesus. The kids also enjoyed music and rousing Bible games.

A Place Where Youth Have a Voice

Over the past four years, Tony and others have helped mentor a team of dedicated youth who now run AFY’s weekly meetings. The youth team even chose the theme Stand: Unshakeable Faith for the 2024 conference and organized many aspects of the event. “The youth have a real voice here,” says Tony.

On the final night of this year’s conference, Pastor Anil Kanda urged the youth not to let the enthusiasm they experienced at the conference end with the event. He said, “God is going to need another generation to rise up and stand in the gap. I’m getting a lot of grey hairs, [and] Pastor Doug isn’t always going to be here. God is calling you to share His love with the world. He is not interested in how prepared you are. He is interested in how willing you are. He will open incredible doors if you are willing.”

His message hit especially hard for the youth, who are challenged by worldly entertainment and distractions unlike at any other time in history. Aleah, a teen from California, says, “The meetings explained exactly what I’ve gone through.”

Her friend Marissa was also blessed by the speakers’ messages, saying, “They have been really helpful to me. The speakers have shown me how necessary it is to spend time with God each day and how to make it a priority.” 

Sharing the gospel is an essential part of every AFY conference. On Friday afternoon, after specialized AFCOE training with Carlos Muñoz, AFCOE director, and other staff, over 200 energetic youth went into the community to give out biblical literature and pray with people. 

An hour later, they returned eager to share what God had done. “This was my first time going door-to-door,” said Shivani. “I was very nervous, but we gave out all our books and prayed for seven or eight people. I realized that a lot of people are hurting, so I’m thankful God gave me the courage to go out. It was a good experience.”

Welcome to the AFY Family

Edward, a psychology student, is a leader at AFY who has been an active member ever since the first Zoom meeting. Smiling brightly, he shares, “We’ve built relationships with each other and God here. I want people to know that regardless of who you are or what is going on in your life, you are welcome in the AFY family.”

Like many other members, Kyle wanted to follow God but had little practical experience. All that has changed through his participation in AFY. Today, he is strong in faith and active in ministry. He says, “Being a part of AFY has definitely changed me for the better. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without it. The community, the fellowship, the likemindedness—these people are my family.” 

That’s precisely what the team at AFY has been striving for. “We’ve invested years into these kids,” Tony says. “To see them grow as individuals and leaders is wonderful. And now to see AFY expanding to reach so many more youth—God is doing something really exciting!”

Says Pastor Doug, “I believe in the message of Joel 2:28, which reveals that our sons and daughters will play a vital role in the gospel work in the last days. That’s why I’m so thrilled to see our team training up the youth, these young men and women who will be part of the generation to fulfill this amazing promise.”

Plans are now being made for the 2025 youth conference. Visit afyouth.com to keep up to date. But you don’t have to wait to get involved in AFY. Check out these weekly events:

• Hey, Let’s Pray: Mondays at 6:00 PM ET

• AFY Live: Fridays at 6:00 PM ET

Every five years, the Pathfinder Camporee draws church youth from around the world for an unforgettable time of worship, learning, prayer, and fellowship. This year was no different, with over 55,000 young people and sponsors attending the gathering, which was held in Gillette, Wyoming. 

And for the first time ever, Amazing Facts and Pastor Doug Batchelor, president, attended the weeklong event—which included hosting a booth and offering kids a chance to earn an exclusive honor badge.

Over the first few days, many young people crowded around the Amazing Facts booth and attended a special class called “Preach It!,” taught by Daniel Hudgens, evangelist and assistant director of AFCOE, who taught school-age kids how to share their faith. Says Daniel, “It was a delight to see so many young people realize that they preach a sermon every day by the life they live.” Those who attended received a free book and could get a Preach It! badge after returning home.

Amazing Facts also produced a commemorative puzzle that incorporated this year’s camporee theme, “Believe the Promise.” The colorful artwork consisted of events from the life of Moses and the Exodus.

Later in the week, a storm severe enough to produce a tornado warning doused the camp with rain and even blew down tents. No significant damage was done, but when the chance of more severe weather threatened to strike camp during the final Sabbath, Camporee leaders made the difficult decision to end a day early for everyone’s safety.

Since all official Camporee activities were canceled, most attendees began to pack up. Still, with nowhere else to go, many at camp decided to stay through to the end.

With no Sabbath programs scheduled, Pastor Doug asked Camporee leadership if Amazing Facts could use a tent and microphone to host a worship service for anyone who wanted to attend. He got approval on Sabbath at 8:00 AM! The Amazing Facts team jumped into action, driving through the campground with a megaphone to invite everyone to join in the impromptu Sabbath service.

Says Pastor Doug, “There were only three or four people in the tent when I walked in, but we got started anyway. Someone offered to lead out in a song service. Then, a Pathfinder group showed up and offered to do special music. By the time we finished, 500 people were in the tent worshiping Jesus! There was still time before lunch, so we opened it up for the kids to ask their questions about the Bible.”

[PQ-HERE]People then began asking if there would be a vespers service. “I honestly didn’t know if anyone would come to that since we’d already met in the morning,” Pastor Doug shares. “I guess my faith was small because a thousand people showed up that evening for a message, prayer, and singing.”

Pastor Doug reflects, “It started with an idea Friday night, and by Sabbath evening, a thousand people were worshiping together. The youth there were so hungry for spiritual connection. I believe God worked a little miracle to make it happen.”

By God’s grace, the severe weather never materialized. And for one Amazing Facts worker, the unexpected turn of events pointed to the promise found in Romans 8:28: “God took something the devil had meant for harm and turned it into something good. We serve an amazing God!”

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!

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- twosday by fight or flight
- The story behind and after the photo by brainwane
- lol, buddy, good luck finding the Lincoln tunnel by bondcliff
- "Graham's number is effectively zero compared to TREE(3)" by mubba
- It was a great day for America, everybody by Rhaomi
- Crease and repeat by janell
- Do You Know Who That Worker You Just Hired Really Is? by Toddles
- "Back then longevity itself was a newsworthy topic." by jessamyn
- Thursday! What A Concept! by cortex

Ask MetaFilter
- How cold could I comfortably keep my house if I dress really warmly? by Juffo-Wup
- How can I monitor the temperature over time in several rooms? by unus sum
- Preserving Paper by roue
- Defunct blogging platforms by wesleyac
- Can I kill somebody with a sock and a hockey ball? by Zumbador
- Can you show an Iowa cow at the Illinois State Fair? by Ishbadiddle
- You mean I have to do this every night until I die? by Jubey
- Chronic Fatigue, dealing with by Brandon Blatcher
- Why do (some) people hate athlete profiles? by alex1965

MetaTalk
- Newsletter 6: Happy belated Valentine's Day! by Pronoiac
- Shoutout to Wenestvedt on His 150,000th Favorite Given by theora55
- A Long Bet Pays Off by Rhaomi
- Dearest Reader by the primroses were over
- 22222 by loup with congrats to it takes twototututoo

Belated podcast for August, American summer is just like that. No idea what we talked about, but I know we had a good time.

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Jobs

Transfering faculty profiles (~150) into a new format by Shepherd
UX/UI Design Intern (Sep-Dec 2022) by jchan

Projects

Woefully Neglected by Devils Rancher
Nelson's Linkblog by Nelson
IUDs for All by thandal
Making a watermlon chair from green wood by twirlypen
Every Diner in Whatcom County, WA by cidrab
Latent Space Netsuke by gwint
AUTOEXEC.CAT by oulipian
I... HAVE... THE POWER ️ by Rhaomi
The Kubrick Times by malevolent

Metafilter

"with this sign for beautiful, there is no objection" by jessamyn
You really should watch a manhole entrance get replaced by majick
Nice threads by janell
"Have you ever wondered what happens to the things you leave behind?" by Kattullus
The word on the Bird by storybored
I AM IN SO INTO YOU by MollyRealized
There was good money to be made as a beatnik by wesleyac
Ten Million Power by ThePinkSuperhero
"What's it like to be a girl in a band?" by box

Ask Metafilter

My friends are struggling but I am also struggling. How to balance? by anonymous
When did cars stalling fall off as a movie/TV trope (and in...reality?) by cortex
Out of Sync by invincible summer
Your favorite stars-with-fans videos? by wenestvedt
How do I maintain a happy little kitchen? by pleasebekind
Tell me your one weird trick for loved one caretaking/advocacy by rednikki
Comedy Suggestions to Watch with my 70-year old Mother by pdxhiker
Does anyone else mishear the chorus in "Institutionalized"? by Boxenmacher

Metatalk

Metatalktail Hour: Life's Unwritten Rules by Taz

Miscellaneous

Ronni Solbert, Children's Book Illustrator, Dies at 96
Sign for MA Route 187
Wikipedia's entry on One Eighty Seven
The Untold Story of the Zip Code
zipmap.net
WHAT IS THIS?
Complexity 2022: Innovations in Weaving
Sleater-Kinney (Three Interlinked Wireframe Cubes)

Cortex and I decided to make up for lost time after the delayed previous episode by knocking out another one quick-like, and here it is! Catching up on what we can of the last couple of months of MeFi, and also ranting and philosophizing a little bit about recent seismic changes in the social media sphere and also about design skeuomorphism and the semiotics of interfaces? That last bit is probably overselling it a little? Anyway, runs about 90 minutes.

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Misc
- Do some last minute holiday shopping at The MeFi Mall
- Jessamyn's hone game memory was Kubrix

Jobs
- Setting up and moderating a Mastodon instance (but not hosting) by Shepherd
- Business Process Automation Specialist by chiefthe
- Software development guru by Dansaman

Projects
- Daily MRRP! by ignignokt
- Finishing my grandfather's work: stained glass menorah by cortex (MeFi Post)
- Part I of my graphic memoir "Growing In My Gray" by DMelanogaster (MeFi Post)
- Get Blogging! by bwerdmuller (MeFi Post)
- You've Been Played: How Corporations, Governments, and Schools Use Games to Control Us All by adrianhon
- More "More Info" for Netflix (desktop web) by staggernation

MetaFilter
- Dear Twitter Advertisers by autopilot
- Subterranean birdsite blues by nthdegx
- a comment by mark k
- Cohost, a new social media site by brainwane
- Mastodon is having its moment in the sun by toastyk
- Sick of Musk? by dobbs
- PSA: do not use services that hate the internet by mecran01
- We knew this was coming by May Kasahara
- Advent Incremental by juv3nal
- No, that can't be done.... WHAM!!! by Pendragon
- To a Nacreon in Heaven by Rhaomi
- Yummy: Spammer on Toast! by rcade
- Colonel Mustardle in the Yardle with a Petardle by taz
- The Great Purpling by Etrigan
- Explore Quasi-Periodic Tiling by gwint
- Everything in Conway's Game of Life can be constructed from 15 gliders by automatronic
- "we were, in effect, rewriting our own childhoods" by jessamyn
- The State of Ketchup in 2022 by Fizz

Ask MetaFilter
- What's your Check Please hand signal, and what does it signify? by cortex
- Help me give myself the gift of freedom by rebent
- MeFiGiftGuide2022 - The Metafilter Gift Guide by rebent
- Comparing apples and oranges by Just this guy, y'know
- What is up with these old french cars? by selenized
- Sci-fi Survey Course by darchildre
- Carnivorous Lamp by Just this guy, y'know

MetaTalk
- Mefi Mastodon server? by Pronoiac
- MeFi Posts for "Sale" by jessamyn
- What The MeFi BIPOC Board Does by brainwane

MeFi Music
Snippest of tracks this episode, at the beginning and end respectively:
- Death Scene Music for an Imaginary, Low-Budget Cyberpunk Movie by thatwhichfalls
- 73 Keep It Beautiful by chococat

More or less on time! New theme song! We talk about heating up water and heating up ourselves. cortex read a lot of MetaFilter this month, Jessamyn's still reading old FanFare threads. Runs about 82 minutes.

Helpful Links

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Job
Lead Product Designer by jchan

Projects
Mondrian's Toothpicks by cortex
The On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences®
The Real Problem With the New Dungeons and Dragons License is Capitalism by overglow
Isle of Beasts by Zarkonnen
Dither All the Things - Atkinson Dithering for the Web by AndrewStephens
Rock Scissor Paper Machine by Literaryhero

MeFi
Snail Mail Security by cardioid
A new kind of smartwatch with a special living component by tiny frying pan
10 PRINT "YADA YADA YADA" / 20 GOTO 10 / RUN by Atom Eyes
AV Club: AI Seinfeld show has been given a Twitch suspension
"one of many years of Scrabble that I hold dear" by jessamyn
"...mourning the loss of yet more games that will soon be lost to time," by Fizz
On this website, everyone knows you're a dog by not_on_display
Vacuum Cleaner Defense League
Knolling for fun and profit by Bella Donna
MLTSHP: Dutch emergency services have a gear knolling meme going
The Met: Studley Tool Chest
Instagram: HAIRCUT
Fresh and Full of Life by May Kasahara
The Stink A by Etrigan
Some Days, the Viewing Felt Like a Curse by logicpunk
The Quizzing Equivalent of Holey Moley by Etrigan
Remember Y2K? A similar issue will happen in the year 2038. by buffy12
The Mystery of the Dune Font by cgc373
Making Math into Art by duien

AskMe
ELI5 "Perpetual fireplace" videos by jackbishop
Parents: how do you handle non-negotiable extracurriculars? by malhouse
a comment by Alensin
IRS How? by Alensin
"Ingredients people" citation? by shadygrove
Another Thing For the Book Of Conflicts by EmpressCallipygos
Looking for a sci fi technobabble parody by cheesegrater
What is the musical interval/harmony in this song? by unknowncommand

FanFare
Special Event: The Return of Blaseball by valrus

Featured candidates are Peter Aman, Keisha Bottoms, Vincent Fort, Kwanza Hall, Ceasar Mitchell, Mary Norwood, Michael Sterling, and Cathy Woolard. Moderated by Rickey Bevington of Georgia Public Broadcasting and Denis O’Hayer of Atlanta Public Broadcasting. Recorded January 25, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia.

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.

An Atlanta entrepreneur is the subject of a new documentary television series premiering Tuesday on Viceland. On Sunday, about 100 Atlanta Film Festival audience members gathered at Dad's Garage Theater for a somewhat surprise screening of the Ondi Timoner project. "We planned this 48 hours ago," said Timoner. "It makes perfect sense for us to be here because Jimmy's from Atlanta." Timoner's camera follows Jimmy Stice, a small staff of mostly Americans, and a few hundred millennial interns who are building a sustainable town called Kalu Yala from scratch in the middle of the jungle. Kalu Yala means "sacred village" in the Kuna language. "We're building a town to look for the best ways we can live in terms of compassionately treating each other in a global community. Access to food access to healthcare access to socioeconomic mobility that's actually beneficial to the environment," said Stice in the show’s trailer . The 10-part series promises plenty of drama documenting young Americans

As a child, Welsh actor Matthew Rhys fell in love with old American noir films — so much so that he'd sometimes channel iconic movie stars. "There were moments when I was pulling the last drag on my cigarette and then ... trying to casually throw a one liner," Rhys says. "[Humphrey Bogart] was in my head a lot vocally." Rhys plays the title role in the new HBO series, Perry Mason. His version of the iconic criminal defense attorney is younger and more hardboiled than the one Raymond Burr played in the popular TV show from the '50s and '60s. The new series focuses on Mason as a divorced private investigator in the early 1930s in Los Angeles — before he became a lawyer. "He's a man who kind of lives on whiskey and cigarettes," Rhys says of his version of Mason. "I was getting to fulfill a number of romantic notions in my inner child." Rhys lost weight for the role. He says it wasn't a significant amount — just enough to thin out his face: "It was one of the things I remember seeing a lot

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

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: Seventy five years ago this summer, the United States brought an end to the Second World War. An American battleship anchored in Tokyo Bay in 1945 - Japanese officials and top hats came aboard and formally surrendered to General Douglas MacArthur, who gave a speech. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) DOUGLAS MACARTHUR: It is my earnest hope and, indeed, the hope of all mankind, that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past. INSKEEP: Having invaded China and attacked the U.S., Japan ended the war in ruins. That's the overall story. But what was the experience for people in the wreckage of Japanese cities? Japanese civilians lived and died in U.S. fire bombings, atomic bombings and a years-long U.S. occupation as they rebuilt their devastated country. The writer Asako Serizawa says her parents and grandparents were among those civilians. She imagines the stories of such people

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 SARAH MCCAMMON, HOST: Performing artists are struggling to find ways to reach audiences during the coronavirus lockdown. Musicians are streaming concerts from their homes. Theaters are trying everything from Zoom plays to radio dramas. And one opera company is trying to reach its audience one listener at a time over the telephone. Reporter Jeff Lunden decided to take the call. JEFF LUNDEN, BYLINE: This is a story of love and separation. Two days before my phone rang, I got an email. And it says, my love, I miss you terribly. Each day without you is like... JENNIFER ZETLAN: A day without breathing. I long to see your face, the twinkle of your eyes. LUNDEN: The email is from my beloved. She says she's written some lyrics to songs she wants to sing to me and adds a postscript. ZETLAN: I've taken up learning a new language in quarantine, so all the songs will be in German. Here's the English translation. LUNDEN: I waited. Then the phone rang.

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 MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: The United States set a new record yesterday for the most new coronavirus cases reported in a single day - more than 68,000. The previous high mark was set just the day before. The pandemic is stressing medical resources in several states like California, Arizona, Texas and Florida that have seen dramatic surges in recent days. The country's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, this week referred to this moment as a perfect storm of viral contagion, all of which has intensified the debate about what the country - each of us, really - can do to slow down the spread of the virus, like wearing a face mask. Today President Trump was seen wearing a mask in public during a visit to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. But the president has sent mixed messages about this, refusing for months to wear a mask, as health experts recommend. So to begin tonight, we want to focus on a group of

They fume and rage and demand their rights. Sometimes they even get violent. In the age of COVID-19, most people practice social distancing guidelines when they go into stores and restaurants, putting on masks and standing 6 feet behind other customers. Still, there are the nightmare customers — those who refuse to comply. "I've had a lot of conflict. I've had a lot of pushback from people," says Brenda Leek, owner of Curbside Eatery in La Mesa, Calif. One woman entered Leek's restaurant without a mask, pulling her T-shirt over her face. Leek told her to mask up or leave. "So then she's like, 'This is ridiculous! You're discriminating against me!' Told me I would be hearing from her attorney. And I said, 'That's fine,' " Leek says. Encounters like that are anything but unusual. The Internet is filled with videotaped confrontations involving customers who flout social distancing rules. Sometimes they insist on entering without face coverings. Other times one customer stands too close to

The public funeral for opera star Jessye Norman has been set for Saturday in Georgia and will feature tributes from actor Laurence Fishburne, civil rights activist Vernon Jordan and Tony Award-winner Audra McDonald. The funeral will be at the William B. Bell Auditorium in Augusta. A private interment will follow. There are two public viewings — on Thursday and Friday.

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

There is power in words. Words can bring life, and words can bring death. God wants us to speak words of encouragement.

Continued first forays with the DX7