The Weekly Town Crier (04/30/21)

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All the week’s news that’s fit to cry about (04/30/21).






We’ll Miss You:

Read “Michael Collins, command module pilot on Apollo 11, dies at 90” at 12 News.

Religion and Stuff:

Read “Biden’s Armenian Genocide Stance Pleases Christians, Angers Turkey” at Christianity Today.

Read “Muslim Americans Reflect On Another Ramadan During The Pandemic” at NPR.

Read “Black and Asian Christian leaders discuss role of church in fighting racism” at Religion News Service.

Read “Dave Ramsey’s Bestseller Slips from Top 10 List” at Christianity Today.

Read “Mark Driscoll’s Elderless Church” at Throckmorton. “It should come as little surprise that Mark Driscoll’s new church apparently has solved the elder problem which led to his demise at Mars Hill. Just don’t have any.”

  • Read “A Family is Allegedly Driven From Mark Driscoll’s The Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Arizona” at Wondering Eagle.

Read “Virginia GOP reverses course, will let those with religious obligations cast absentee votes for Saturday convention” at The Hill.

Read “‘If you have eyes, plagiarize’: When borrowing a sermon goes too far” at Religion News Service.

Read “‘Beautiful’ Ramadan returns for Israeli Muslims as restrictions lift” at Religion News Service.

Read “US Catholic bishops may press Biden to stop taking Communion” at Religion News Service. “At issue is a document coming from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Doctrine clarifying the church’s stance on an issue that has repeatedly vexed the bishops.”

Legal/Justice and Social Justice and Race or Gender or Sexism-Related Stuff:

Read “Lindsay Lohan's father arrested for alleged 'patient brokering' in Florida” at The Hill.

Read “Maryland launches review of cases handled by ex-medical chief after Chauvin trial defense” at The Hill.

Read “Montana governor signs bill to protect Second Amendment from federal gun restrictions” at Fox Propaganda Network. “Republicans in the state passed the law amid President Biden’s push for federal gun reform measures.”

Read “NJ Man Charged with Sex Assault after Prior Case Dropped Amid Trooper Protests” at Newsweek. “A New Jersey man is facing new sexual assault charges after a prior case was dropped four years ago amid protests by state police that fueled a corruption probe with far-reaching ramifications, Newsweek has learned.”

Read “Five Myths About Red Flag Laws” at Washington Post.

Read “We all want something done.’ Peace Walk promotes end to gun violence in Lexington” at Lexington Herald Leader.

Read the opinion piece “Why I support reparations — and all conservatives should” at Washington Post.

Read “Erasing The Stain: 15,000 Pardoned Of Marijuana Possession Convictions” at WBHM.

Read “Parents Want Justice for Birth Injuries. Hospitals Want to Strip Them of the Right to Make That Decision” at Pro Publica.

Read “The Department of Homeland Security will undergo an internal review to root out white supremacy and combat extremist ideology in the federal government” at New York Times.

Read “Secret Court Reveals: FBI Hunted for Domestic Terrorists Without a Warrant” at Daily Beast.

Read “3 Indicted On Federal Hate Crime Charges In Ahmaud Arbery Death” at Huff Post.

Read “US Supreme Court hands victory to immigrants facing deportation” at Al Jazeera.

This week in traitorous, white-supremacist Confederate monuments (and/or Columbus monuments // and/or other “American monuments” // Insurrectionists // and/or weird Confederacy stuff):

Watch ‘American Insurrection’ at PBS Frontline.

This Week In Protest-Related News:

Read “Oklahoma passes law protecting drivers who kill or hurt rioters” at NBC News.

This Week With The Police:

Read “1 Verdict, Then 6 Police Killings Across America in 24 Hours” at NBC Washington. “At least six people were fatally shot by officers across the United States in the 24 hours after jurors reached a verdict in the murder case against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.”

Read “Doorbell video captures police officer punching and throwing teen with autism to the ground” at CBS News.

Read “Yes, Black America Fears the Police. Here’s Why: at Pro Publica.

Read “Newark cops, with reform, didn’t fire a single shot in 2020” at NJ.com. “At the same time, crime is dropping, and police recovered almost 500 illegal guns from the street during the year.”

Read “Deputy Shoots Unarmed Man Repeatedly During 911 Call, Officials Say” at New York Times. “Isaiah Brown was on a cordless phone with an emergency dispatcher when he was shot, his lawyer said. His family said he was in intensive care.”

Read “Virginia deputy gave Black man a ride home, then shot him after 911 call” at NBC News. “Brown had a phone in his hand and was speaking to a dispatcher when he was shot, his law firm said.”

Read the opinion piece “The look in Derek Chauvin's eyes was something worse than hate” at CNN.

Read “Baltimore police commissioner expects Minneapolis PD to be placed under federal consent decree” at The Hill.

Read “Judge rules Andrew Brown Jr. bodycam videos will not be released, but will be disclosed to family” at MSNBC.

  • Read “US judge: no immediate release of video of Andrew Brown shooting” at Al Jazeera.

Read “In North Carolina, a Familiar Pattern After the Police Killing of Andrew Brown Jr.” at Slate.

Read “Bodycam Video Released Of California Man Who Died After Police Knelt On Him” at News and Guts.

Read “Justice Department will investigate Louisville police department in aftermath of Breonna Taylor shooting” at NBC News.

Read “Report: Police treatment of African Americans in the US amounts to crimes against humanity” at PRI’s The World.

Read “The World Recognizes Police Violence Against Black Americans as Crimes Against Humanity.” at The North Star.

Education and The Learnings // School Re-Openings

Read “Miami private school won't employ teachers who get the Covid-19 vaccine” at NBC News.

Read “Embattled Florida superintendent pleads not guilty to perjury charge” at The Hill.

Your Weekly Coronavirus Roundup:

Read “How Bill Gates Impeded Global Access to Covid Vaccines” at The New Republic.

Read “U.S. defends restrictions on export of COVID-19 vaccine raw materials amid India's request to lift ban” at The Hindu.

  • Read “U.S. to provide Covid vaccine components, medical supplies to India” at NBC News. “The White House said they will send raw materials required for India to manufacture the Covishield vaccine, as well as therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators and protective equipment.”

Read “Millions Appear to Be Skipping Second COVID-19 Vaccine Shot in the U.S.” at Slate.

Read “Airline Bans Alaska State Senator For Violating COVID-19 Mask Rules” at Huff Post.

Read “West Virginia will offer $100 savings bonds to young people who get vaccinated” at Axios.

Read “French Biotech Firm Has a Weapon for the Mutation War” at Bloomberg.

Read “Washington state poker night linked to nearly 100 COVID-19 cases” at The HillI.

Please Read “Fauci: Joe Rogan's COVID-19 comments 'incorrect” at The Hill.

Miscellany Cultural Items (and some Technology):

Read “The Newest Status Symbol for High-Net Worth Homeowners: Trophy Trees” at Wall Street Journal.

Read “82-Year-Old NFL Alum Arrested, Found With Massive Amount of Cocaine” at Pop Culture.

Read “How Capicola Became Gabagool: The Italian New Jersey Accent, Explained” at Atlas Obscura.

Read “Prancer, The 'Haunted Victorian Child' Dog From Viral Ad, Has Been Adopted” at NPR.

Read “When Ayn Rand Collected Social Security & Medicare, After Years of Opposing Benefit Programs” at Open Culture.

Read “The Problem With Apple’s Plan to Stop Facebook’s Data Collection” at Slate.

Read “It Was Just Thrilling': 2 NPR Founders Remember The First Days, 50 Years Ago” at NPR.

Internationalities:

Read “Food pantries for hungry Filipinos get tagged as communist” at Al Jazeera. “People turn against the Duterte administration after a military-led agency accuses volunteers of a popular feeding initiative of being communist sympathisers.”

Read “Erdogan threatens to recognise killings of Native Americans as genocide in response to Armenia resolution” at Independent.

Read 'I Remember Them Screaming': Afghans Detail Alleged Killings By Australian Military” at NPR.

Read “Filipino investigative journalist to receive UN press freedom prize” at UN News.

Read “U.S. Contractors Are Still Helping Maintain Saudi Warplanes Used in Yemen War” at Democracy Now.

Politics And Sucheries:

Read “Caitlyn Jenner announces run for California governor in recall election” at Los Angeles Times.

Read “Democrats warn Waters censure move opens floodgates” at The Hill.

Read “LinkedIn billionaire: Cut off funding for politicians who limit voting rights” at CNN.

Read “Kerry faces calls to step down over leaked Iran tapes” at The Hill.

Read “Newsom recall effort has enough signatures to make ballot” at The Hill.

Read “Biden to pitch sweeping ‘family plan’ in speech to Congress” at Associated Press.

Read “Biden nominates Texas sheriff to lead ICE” at NBC News.

This Week In Political Corruption:

Read “This family thought Biden would stop Trump's wall. Now his administration is plodding along to seize their land” at Business Insider.

Read “Documents Show Trump Officials Skirted Rules to Reward Politically Connected and Untested Firms With Huge Pandemic Contracts” at Pro Publica.

Read “Marjorie Taylor Greene Dragged After Announcing She'll File Resolution To Expel Maxine Waters From Congress” at Comic Sands.

Music-Related News and Such:

Read “DMX's casket borne through streets of New York on a monster truck, which feels right” at AV Club.

Read “Why Boards of Canada’s Music Has the Right to Children Is the Greatest Psychedelic Album of the ’90s” at Pitchfork. “Unlocking the mysteries behind the Scottish electronic duo’s hallucinatory classic, which turns 20 this month.”

Read “25 Greatest Punk Rock Movies of All Time” at Rolling Stone.

Read “Van Morrison Blames ‘Freedom of Speech’ Over Negative Response to Anti-Lockdown Songs” at Spin.

Read “St. Vincent Told Me To Kill This Interview” by Emma Madden.

Read “Ryley Walker “Course In Fable” at Foxy Digitalis.

Read “Relive being in CBGB via this 360 VR tour” at Brooklyn Vegan.

Read “Arts Coverage Commentary: A Conversation with Ted Gioia About New Approaches to Publishing” at Arts Fuse.

Read “Questlove’s Music Trivia Game at Oscars 2021 Ends With Glenn Close Doing “Da Butt” at Pitchfork.

Read “John Lydon Threatens to Sue Danny Boyle Over “Disrespectful” Sex Pistols TV Series” at Consequence of Sound. "They went to the point to hire an actor to play me but what's the actor working on? Certainly not my character"

Read “Charles Mingus’ Instructions For Toilet Training Your Cat, Read by The Wire’s Reg E. Cathey” at Open Culture.

Read “The Art of Japanese Portable Record Players” at In Sheep’s Clothing Hi Fi.

Read “Kurt Cobain’s ‘The Last Session’ Photoshoot Will Be Sold as an NFT” at Rolling Stone.

Read “Foo Fighters, Radiohead, LCD Soundsystem, and More Design Bikes for Fundraiser” at Pitchfork.

Read “Rig Rundown: Yasmin Williams” at Premier Guitar.

Listen: “The Lumineers And Gregory Alan Isakov Cover Each Other's Songs” at NPR.

Read “How Jamaica shaped the creative spirit and evolution of music production” at Vinyl Factory.

Read “A new Hollywood biopic movie detailing the life of late, great Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister – titled, Simply Lemmy is set to begin production early next year and stars American actor, director and narrator Morgan Freeman” at Vintage Heavy Metal.

Read “Julien Baker Triumphs Over Her Inner Demons” at Spin.

Read “Lady Gaga’s Alleged Dognappers Arrested For Attempted Murder And Robbery” at Huff Post.

Read “Bringin’ it Backwards: Interview with The Mother Hips” at American Songwriter.

Movies/TV/Video Games/Etc.:

Read “Here’s what happens to the extra food in cooking competition shows” at Marketplace.

Read “China censoring reaction to Chloé Zhao's historic Oscar win” at The Hill.

Read “Josh Gad, Isla Fisher to Star in Romantic Comedy Series ‘Wolf Like Me’ at Peacock” at Variety.

Science/Animals/Nature/Environment/Etc.:

Read “Follow-up study finds a single dose of one drug can ease anxiety and depression for five years” at The HIll. “Participants “rated it among the most personally meaningful and spiritually significant experiences of their lives,” according to the study.”

Read “Mars helicopter Ingenuity snapped a fantastic aerial photo of the Perseverance rover” at Boing Boing.

Food Cultures:

Read “The Planet on the Plate: Why Epicurious Left Beef Behind” at Epicurious.

Misc. Oddities:

Read “The Josh Fight is Real and Delightfully Bizarre” at The Big Lead.

Read “Inside the multi-million dollar orgasm cult endorsed by Hollywood” at Cult News 101.

Read “Famed Scots UFO expert returns home after 23 years to crack Bonnybridge 'alien' mystery” at Daily Record.

Local:

Read “Security lapses plague Arizona Senate's election audit at State Fairgrounds” at AZ Family.

  • Read “Experts raise concerns about processes, transparency as election audit begins” at AZ Mirror.

Read “Seller's market in Phoenix real estate is brutal for local buyers” at AZ Family.

The Weekly Town Crier (04/09/21)

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All the week’s news that’s fit to cry about (04/09/21).







We’ll Miss You:

Read “War Bassist B.B. Dickerson Has Died at 71” at Pitchfork.

Read “Küng, original celebrity theologian and liberal muse, dead at 93” at Crux.

Religion and Stuff:

Read “At second Easter under pandemic rules, Christians glimpse church’s future” at Religion News Service. 

ReadBeth Moore left the SBC after the SBC left women to fend for themselves” at Religion News Service.

  • Read “Beth Moore apologizes for her role in elevating ‘complementarian’ theology that limits women leaders” at Religion News Service. “In an email to Religion News Service, Moore didn’t go quite so far as to say she has entirely abandoned complementarianism. But she no longer sees it as essential.”

Read “White Evangelical Resistance Is Obstacle in Vaccination Effort” at New York Times. “Millions of white evangelical adults in the U.S. do not intend to get vaccinated against Covid-19. Tenets of faith and mistrust of science play a role; so does politics.”

Read “Saudi Arabia to Reopen Mecca Holy Site to “Immunized” Pilgrims” at Democracy Now.

Consider “10 Reasons Why Men Should Not be Ordained for Ministry” with Eugene Cho.

Read “Black and Asian Christian leaders discuss role of church in fighting racism” at Religion News Service.

Read “Is the evangelical view of sex at the root of our sex scandals?” at Religion News Service. “It was not celebrity culture that taught Ravi Zacharias, Carl Lentz and countless other pastors to objectify women. Our evangelical culture primed them for it.”

Read “White Evangelical Racism Has Always Been a Political Power Grab” at Medium. “Anthea Butler explains how racism has been essential to growing the power of white evangelical Christians.”

Legal/Justice and Social Justice and Race or Gender or Sexism-Related Stuff:

Read “A spokesman for Matt Gaetz quits, as the Justice Dept. investigates whether his boss violated sex trafficking laws” at New York Times.

Read “Georgia Law Could Seal Trump's and Rudy's Fate in Election Interference Investigation” at Second Nexus.

Read “Elderly Asian woman stabbed in California while walking dogs” at The Hill.

Read “The myth about smart black kids and “acting white” that won’t die” at Vox. “Nerds come in all colors.”

Read “Virginia Latest to Strike ‘Trans Panic’ Defense of Violent Crime” at Bloomberg Law.

Read “Amazon Admits Drivers Sometimes Have to Pee in Bottles While on the Job” at Slate.

Read “Justices dismiss suit over Trump's blocking of critics on Twitter” at The Hill.

Read “Supreme Court nixes Alex Jones' appeal in Newtown shooting case” at NBC News. “Jones was fighting a Connecticut court sanction in a defamation lawsuit brought by relatives of some of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.”

Read “Utah Will Require Fathers to Help With Pregnancy Bills” at New York Times.

Read “Biden to unveil long-awaited executive action on guns” at Politico.

Read “NRA Chief Wayne LaPierre Faces Grilling During Highly Anticipated Bankruptcy Trial Testimony” at Law and Crime.

This week in traitorous, white-supremacist Confederate monuments (and/or Columbus monuments // and/or other “American monuments” // and/or weird Confederacy stuff):

Read “Fears of White People Losing Out Permeate Capitol Rioters’ Towns, Study Finds” at New York Times.

This Week With The Police:

Read “U.S. Capitol locked down after a vehicle plows into officers, police say” at Yahoo.

  • Read “Officer dead after suspect rammed car into police at US Capitol barricade” at Yahoo.

Read “Video Of Chicago Police Killing 13-Year-Old Adam Toledo Will Be Released, Agency Says After Public Pressure” at Book Club Chicago.

Read “DA wants to dismiss 90 convictions tied to ex-NYPD detective accused of perjury” at NBC News.

Read “NYPD ‘Goon Squad’ Manual Teaches Officers To Violate Protesters’ Rights” at The Intercept.

Education and The Learnings // School Re-Openings

Read “Tennessee lawmaker proposes bill to ban LGBTQ history and issues from state curriculum” at UT Daily Beacon.

Your Weekly Coronavirus Roundup:

Read “White Evangelical Resistance Is Obstacle in Vaccination Effort” at New York Times. “Millions of white evangelical adults in the U.S. do not intend to get vaccinated against Covid-19. Tenets of faith and mistrust of science play a role; so does politics.”

Read “Montana Governor Who Rescinded Mask Mandate Now Has COVID” at Daily Beast.

Miscellany Cultural Items (and some Technology):

Read “The Cause of Tiger Woods’ Car Wreck Is No Longer a Mystery” at Yahoo.

Read “Amazon apologizes for tweet denying some workers urinate in bottles” at The Hill.

Read “How Adults with ADHD Can "Manufacture" Motivation” at Psychology Today.

Read “California man sues after father dies during taco eating contest” at The Hill.

Read “Pageant winner has title revoked for twerking” at The Hill.

Read “Pfizer CEO says Trump told him vaccine 'will help me' with election” at The Hill.

Internationalities:

Read “MLB signs deal with China's largest tech company” at CNN.

Read “New Zealand raises minimum wage to $20 an hour” at Independent.

Read “Flash floods in Indonesia and Timor Leste kill more than 50” at BBC.

Read “Unrest in Northern Ireland: 27 police officers injured as riots occur in Belfast and Derry” at Independent.ie

Politics And Sucheries:

Read “Stimulus checks and COVID optimism raise Biden's approval rating to highest level yet” at Yahoo.

Read “Laura Ingraham Warns Corporations of 'Wrath of GOP' Over Georgia Voting Law” at Newsweek.

Read “Democrats Look at Lowering Medicare Eligibility Age in Healthcare Package” at Wall Street Journal.

Read “MLB Moves All-Star Game from Atlanta to Protest Georgia Voter Suppression Law” at Democracy Now.

  • Read “Georgia Governor Criticizes MLB For Buying Into Liberal 'Lies' About New Election Law” at NPR. “Major League Baseball announced it would pull this year's All-Star Game and its draft out of Atlanta after Georgia revamped its voting rules. Gov. Brian Kemp says it's an example of "cancel culture."

Read “Arkansas Governor Vetoes Ban On Gender-Affirming Care For Trans Youth” at NPR.

Read “Republicans rediscover their concern for the national debt” at Washington Post.

This Week In Political Corruption:

Read “How Trump Steered Supporters Into Unwitting Donations” at New York Times. “Online donors were guided into weekly recurring contributions. Demands for refunds spiked.”

Read “Trump May Be Gone, but His Biggest Scam Is Still With Us” at Slate.”There’s a frustrating connection between the Derek Chauvin defense and the Matt Gaetz scandal.”

  • Read “NYT: Matt Gaetz said to have sought blanket pardon” at MSNBC.

  • Read “Matt Gaetz Spent 4 Years Sucking Up to Trump — and Trump Just Abandoned Him” at Vice.

  • Read “Congressman Matt Gaetz to speak at conservative women's summit amid federal investigation into sex trafficking allegations” at CBS News.

Read “Republicans trumpet elements of Covid-19 relief bill they voted against” at NBC News.

Read “Former Trump HUD official fined and barred from federal work over Hatch Act violation” at CNN.

Read “Ethics watchdog group accuses Cruz of using campaign funds to promote book” at The Hill.

Music-Related News and Such:

Read “DMX hospitalised and in critical state after suffering overdose” at NME.

Read “Ever wonder why drums sound the same on many of today’s recordings?” at a Journal of Musical Things.

Read “36 of America’s Best Independent Music Venues on Surviving and What’s Next” at Pitchfork.

Read “Paul Simon Sells His Entire Songwriting Catalog to Sony” at New York Times.

Browse Treble’s picks for “The Best Albums of March 2021.”

Read “Tedeschi Trucks Band Postpone Wheels of Soul Tour to 2022” at Relix.

Read “Ryley Walker: 'Going two days sober was impossible since I was a kid” at The Guardian.

Read “The 49 Most Anticipated Albums of Spring 2021: Taylor Swift, Japanese Breakfast, J Balvin, and More” at Pitchfork.

Read “Brandi Carlile Has Always Seen Herself Clearly. Now It’s Our Turn.” at New York Times.

Read “Hugh Masekela: The Politics Of South Africa’s Famed Trumpeter” at U Discover Music.

Read “Page McConnell Announces Ambient Electronic Solo Record ‘Maybe We’re The Visitors,’ Shares First Single” at Relix.

Listen “to Taylor Swift’s New “From the Vault” Song “Mr. Perfectly Fine” at Pitchfork.

Read “Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson to star in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon” at Consequence of Sound.

Read “Despite Quarantine, Beauty Pill Find New Artistic Paths” at Bandcamp.

Read “So the singers of Led Zeppelin and AC/DC went for a walk in the woods…” at A Journal Of Musical Things.

Read “RSD Drops 2021: Lady Gaga, Oneohtrix Point Never, Freddie Gibbs and Madlib, Shrek, and More” at Pitchfork.

Movies/TV/Video Games/Etc.:

Read “Top CBS Local Station Executives Exit Amid Probe of Racism Allegations” at Variety.

Science/Animals/Nature/Environment/Etc.:

Read “NASA prepares Mars helicopter for first flight on another planet” at The Hill.

Read “Finding From Particle Research Could Break Known Laws of Physics” at New York Times.

Misc. Oddities:

Visit “Cryptozoology & Paranormal Museum Littleton, North Carolina” with Atlas Obscura.

Local:

Read “First Friday Unofficially Reopens On Phoenix's Roosevelt Row” at KJZZ.