Grand Funk Railroad is an American rock band that was formed in Flint, Michigan, in 1969. The band achieved massive success throughout the 1970s, with six of their thirteen studio albums reaching the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart. Known for their hit singles like “We’re an American Band” and “Some Kind of Wonderful,” Grand Funk Railroad became one of the most successful and enduring acts in American rock history. Despite numerous lineup changes and periods of inactivity, the band continues to perform, maintaining its legacy in rock music. Mark Farner Mark Farner was the driving force behind Grand The post Complete List Of Grand Funk Railroad Band Members appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

Movies & TV I’m Obsessed With This Cute Time Travel Show “Back to 15” (De Volta Aos 15) offers a fun, sci-fi take on time travel, high school, and past mistakes that everybody should be watching. By Charlie Jane Anders | Published on September 23, 2024 Credit: Glaz Entretenimento / Netflix Comment 0 Share New Share Credit: Glaz Entretenimento / Netflix One thing I appreciate about Netflix is the wealth of Brazilian TV shows and movies—this was super useful when I was learning Brazilian Portuguese. But also, some of my favorite genre shows lately are coming out of Brazil and kind of going under the radar in the United States. One of my favorite Brazilian SF/fantasy shows released its third and final season a couple weeks ago, and I was so happy to get one more chance to bask in its queer brilliance. In Back to 15 (De Volta Aos 15), Anita is a thirty-year-old loser… until she decides to look at her old photoblog from when she was fifteen. (Basically, a photoblog is what people used before Instagram.) Suddenly, Anita is yanked back in time, and finds herself in her 15-year-old body on the first day of high school. She soon discovers that whenever she posts a new teenage photo to her photoblog, she returns to the present—but things have changed drastically, due to her meddling in the past. She starts going back and forth, making tweaks to the past and trying to fix all of her friends’ lives. Yes, it’s very silly. But you know what? Time travel is a concept that lends itself to a lot of silliness. And in many ways, De Volta Aos 15 feels like a throwback to a kind of show that people in the United States don’t make as much anymore. Tonally, it reminds me of an old-school CW or Disney Channel show, or something like Kyle XY. It’s cute and off the chain, while finding ways to comment on issues like bullying, toxic masculinity, and gentrification. And most of all, I love Anita’s best friend, a trans girl named Camila, whose transition is handled with a lot of sensitivity and realness. Nila, who plays the 15-year-old version of Camila, was actually going through her transition while making the show. And trans actor/writer Alice Marcone, who plays the adult Camila, actually wrote two episodes of the show’s first season. In order to find out more about this show, I was stoked to interview both Camila actors, Nila and Alice Marcone, plus one of the show’s writers in seasons two and three, Gautier Lee. Adapting the book series… Credit: Glaz Entretenimento / Netflix Back to 15 was originally based on a series of books by Brazilian author Bruna Viera. Marcone was one of the writers who were involved in developing the show from the beginning. Though Marcone is an actor as well as a writer, she says, “I primarily work as a screenwriter because it’s challenging to find acting roles that suit me.” Camila, the show’s trans character, is a minor supporting character in the books, and is also cisgender. But early on in the adaptation process, Marcone and creator Janaína Tokitaka decided to expand Camila’s role and make her trans. Says Marcone, “Since Netflix wanted to bring contemporary topics into the adaptation, we felt it would be meaningful to reimagine Anita’s best friend as a trans person.” And when casting for the show began, Marcone auditioned for the role of the grown-up Camila, and was “thrilled to get it.” “Camila’s story is deeply personal to me, and much of it is drawn from my own experiences,” says Marcone. Camila is a writer, like Marcone, and also studies psychology in college. Not just “the trans character” Credit: Glaz Entretenimento / Netflix When Nila was cast as the teenage version of Camila, she had a lot of conversations with Marcone, and was happy to hear that they had similar ideas for the character. Since then, Nila says she and Marcone have become inseparable and the two of them have plans to develop projects together. Nila says she started playing Camila “at a time when I was also understanding myself as a trans person.” She changed her name to Nila and started “delving deeper into my transition” while they were filming the second season. Early on, she started having a lot of conversations with Marcone about shaping the character of Camila, and was happy to hear that the ideas she’d come up with were similar to what Marcone was already writing. Marcone says that in the first season, she and the other writers wanted to use the pre-transition Camila to show “how the lack of LGBTQIA+ representation, both in media and society, can make self-discovery and self-recognition difficult for transgender people.” In the first season, Camila is still living as a boy, using an “emo” persona as the only way to express any femininity. In season two, the teenage Camila finally transitions. Says Marcone, “It was essential for us to craft a coming-out arc that was positive and drama-free, showcasing the acceptance from family and friends that many trans people need but rarely see portrayed.” Nila says she was very concerned about “not turning Camila into ‘the trans character of the series.’” And this comes across. Camila isn’t just a trans kid slowly figuring herself out, she’s also an aspiring writer who pens stories about a heroic witch and obsesses about whether her stories will ever be good enough. (Luckily, in most of the future timelines Anita visits, Camila has become a bestselling fantasy author.) “The thing I love most about building this character is the fact that Camila’s conflicts, though influenced by her appearances, are not solely restricted to her experience as a trans woman,” says Nila. Especially in the third season, Nila says, Camila gets to deal with situations that are more complex, including more writing struggles and romantic challenges. “I want people to see her as just another character who, like the others, is going through her own process of maturing.” Adds Nila, “I think Back to 15 is a very pioneering series in this regard.” “Honestly, I believe this character has huge generational appeal,” says Nila, who sees trans teenagers identifying with Camila and sympathizing with her struggles. Camila’s biggest challenges, says Nila, “lie in the realm of loneliness, insecurity and low self-esteem. Seeing Camila overcome these conflicts throughout the three seasons, reconciling with her family, finding love, and feeling sufficient within herself, is something inspiring for any child, teenager, or adult who feels like an outsider.” Time travel as therapy Credit: Glaz Entretenimento / Netflix The notion of traveling back into the past appeals to our sense of nostalgia, says Marcone—until we discover that the past wasn’t as perfect as we thought it was. In De Volta Aos 15, Anita isn’t just using time travel to change her past and get rid of some of her problems as an adult—she’s also confronting the social issues that caused her life to go wrong. “Time travel stories help us reflect on who we are,” says Marcone, and maybe even gain acceptance of the choices that shaped us. “Time travel can function like therapy,” adds Marcone. “In therapy, the idea is that by revisiting and retelling the past, you can reshape your present. This is the core premise behind many time travel stories, including Back to 15. Anita’s journey is about revisiting different moments and helping herself and others become better versions of themselves. The process of healing, growth, and self-improvement is similar to the therapeutic process of examining one’s past to create a better present and future.” “De Volta Aos 15 is completely about self-discovery,” says writer Gautier Lee. “We wanted to show how even in the craziest of timelines, we can still become better people, find our people and grow together.” Lee says Back to 15 was heavily influenced by time travel stories like Back to the Future (which is referenced a lot in season two), but also other time-travel narratives like Happy Death Day and Bryan Lee O’Malley’s comic book Seconds. When the show did an obligatory “Groundhog Day” episode and Lee was co-directing, she made sure to include the “fun montage” that every time-loop story needs. “I actually went back to some superhero shows that I used to watch in my late teen years such as The Flash and my favorite hero show so far: DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Both of them had great ‘fun montages’ that helped me bring an extra dose of fun.” This show keeps getting more gay Credit: Glaz Entretenimento / Netflix Camila appears to be the only queer character in the first season of De Volta Aos 15—but in season two, suddenly Anita’s sister is having an awesome lesbian romance and more queer characters are turning up. Making the show more queer “came naturally to us,” says Lee, who joined the writing staff in season two. Bruna, a musician character, had a guitar she’d stolen from her ex, and the writers decided that the ex could be a girl, making Bruna a lesbian. Later, Anita’s sister Luiza was looking for someone to make out with, and the writers decided this should end up being Bruna. “We tried to build queer stories that felt as natural as any other teenage issue,” says Lee. As for the show’s goofy tone, Marcone says this was driven by Netflix’s desire for a “feel-good” show—but even though Marcone usually writes darker material like horror or thrillers, she’s come to appreciate how humor can help audiences absorb the themes she wants to write about. Lee, a Black non-binary dyke, says that having queer and BIPOC writers in the room “helped us see even clearer the beauty of being young, queer, and a bit confused by life as any teenager is.” The queer teenagers, most of all, needed to be teens first and foremost: screwing up, rebelling against their parents, falling in love and having their hearts broken. Lee says that when De Volta Aos 15 became Netflix’s top non-U.S. show for two weeks in a row, this proved that diversity behind the scenes leads to better outcomes.[end-mark] This article was originally published at Happy Dancing, Charlie Jane Anders’ newsletter, available on Buttondown. The post I’m Obsessed With This Cute Time Travel Show appeared first on Reactor.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Telegram, the messaging app that once positioned itself as the rebel’s answer to Big Tech surveillance, has made a sharp U-turn on the “we protect your data at all costs” highway. On Monday, the company quietly updated its privacy policy to allow for the disclosure of user information—like those precious IP addresses and phone numbers—to law enforcement, but only, of course, if they present a valid legal request. As we all know, no one has ever stretched the definition of “valid” to fit their agenda, right? This revelation comes hot on the heels of a little incident back in August, when Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov found himself in handcuffs, detained by French authorities. What was the crime? Well, it appears Telegram was accused of playing hardball with French law enforcement, refusing to hand over data, leading to Durov’s arrest. It seems law enforcement didn’t take kindly to that level of noncompliance, especially after making 2,460 unanswered requests for information. The Policy Flip-Flop The new policy revision is a complete about-face from the one Telegram’s loyal fans were sold on. The old rules were crystal clear. Telegram might give up your details—your IP address and phone number—but only if you were a suspect in a terror case. The policy even reassured everyone that this kind of handover had never happened. Not anymore. Now, Telegram has widened the net. According to the newly revised policy, if you violate Telegram’s Terms of Service—you know, the thing no one ever reads—they may hand over your info if they get a “valid” order. The language is dripping with corporate hedging: “If Telegram receives a valid order from the relevant judicial authorities that confirms you’re a suspect in a case involving criminal activities that violate the Telegram Terms of Service, we will perform a legal analysis of the request and may disclose your IP address and phone number to the relevant authorities.” Comparison between old and new text of Telegram’s “8.3. Law Enforcement Authorities” policy. Of course, Telegram is still committed to transparency—at least on paper. The company promises to disclose all such incidents in its quarterly transparency reports, which, conveniently, can be accessed via a dedicated bot. Durov’s Declaration: Aimed at Who, Exactly? Durov took to Telegram to tell users, “We have updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, ensuring they are consistent across the world.” He continued, “We’ve made it clear that the IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate our rules can be disclosed to relevant authorities in response to valid legal requests.” Durov further added, “These measures should discourage criminals. Telegram Search is meant for finding friends and discovering news, not for promoting illegal goods. We won’t let bad actors jeopardize the integrity of our platform for almost a billion users.” The French Connection But what really forced Telegram’s hand? Let’s rewind to Durov’s August airport arrest, where things started to get clearer. After allegedly over 2,400 ignored requests for data, French authorities had had enough. They brought in the National Gendarmerie to get to the bottom of Telegram’s refusal to cooperate. Apparently, turning over data wasn’t an option until they started detaining CEOs. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Telegram Will Now Share Users’ IP Addresses and Phone Numbers With Governments in Response to Legal Requests appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. California’s recent legislative move to limit the “addictive” features of social media platforms for minors has been solidified by Governor Gavin Newsom’s endorsement. The move will force platforms to change their social media platforms depending on the age of users – meaning that platforms will likely have to introduce digital ID systems to verify users. The Protecting Our Kids From Social Media Addiction Act, sponsored by state Senator Nancy Skinner, received Governor Newsom’s signature on Friday and is a big push to end online anonymity. We obtained a copy of the bill for you here. The law, backed by figures such as state Attorney General Rob Bonta and supported by various educational and medical groups, aims to curtail the perceived harmful effects of social media on youth. The bill has sparked a spectrum of opposition, with critics such as the ACLU criticizing the move to end online anonymity and making people’s private data more vulnerable. These groups, along with industry leaders that own platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, argue that the measures infringe on free access to lawful content. They also warn of the risks to privacy and First Amendment rights due to required age verification. Related: The history of online ID verification and the First Amendment Set to be enforced from January 1, 2027, the bill mandates a major shift in how social media feeds are presented to minors, advocating for a chronological format to diminish engagement-driven content delivery. This change is intended to combat the addictive nature of algorithmically curated feeds. Additionally, the bill restricts notifications during nighttime and school hours unless parents approve. Governor Newsom highlighted the pervasive issues linked to social media, such as isolation and stress, emphasizing the bill’s role in protecting children from these outcomes. He remarked, “Every parent knows the harm social media addiction can inflict on their children — isolation from human contact, stress and anxiety, and endless hours wasted late into the night,” appreciating the legislative effort aimed at minimizing these impacts. Newsom didn’t comment on the threats to online anonymity. Is it just a coincidence that Apple rolled out its digital ID tech in California in the same week? If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Digital IDs Are Coming to Social Media in California’s Crackdown appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

Biden Administration Proposes Ban on Chinese Cars (To Help Harris Win Michigan)

NPR media reporter David Folkenflik appeared on their “news” show Weekend Edition Saturday to discuss Team Trump-Vance and the eating-pets thing from Springfield, Ohio. Host Scott Simon marveled at how “even after being debunked, fringe ideas and lies can still become major campaign themes.” “Fringe ideas and lies” are only Republican campaign themes. They are never Democrat campaign themes. This is your tax dollars at work in the last weeks of a campaign. Folkenflik suggested Trump's complaints about Jewish voters suggest something "Jews have experienced over the decades and centuries, certain kinds of targeting and pogroms." This segment took a turn when Simon mentioned J.D. Vance was being interviewed by Tucker Carlson, who recently hosted a Holocaust revisionist. Then they aired audio of Donald Trump complaining about Jewish voters still pulling a lever for the Democrats, even as Israel is under attack from two sides. Trump said “If I don't win this election -- and the Jewish people would really have a lot to do with that if that happens because at 40%, that means 60% of the people are voting for the enemy.” FOLKENFLIK: Well, I think about political rhetoric a lot. If you look at this, he's calling the Democratic ticket not his opponent, but the enemy. That's a pretty intense and fraught phrase. Not the first time he's done it -- but he's also singling out a specific ethnic group to blame. He's saying they would have a lot to do with my losing if that happens. This is the sort of thing that, in other countries, Jews have experienced over the decades and centuries, certain kinds of targeting and pogroms. That's kind of a scary overtone for a lot of folks. And for the press, there's something of a challenge, as well because you've got to figure out, do we simply report what he's saying, or do we present the context in which he's done? No, Trump didn't explicitly say there should be violence of any kind. But he is scapegoating Jewish voters who may not agree with him and should have every right not to do so. POGROMS? Trump is talking up an "organized massacre"? Folkenflik is basically spreading the Vanity Fair take on these remarks. Their headline was Donald “America’s Hitler” Trump Gives Supporters the Green Light to Blame Jews If He Loses in November. No one inside the NPR bubble will point out that Trump has been strongly supportive of Israel, which is not exactly suggestive of Hitler. Trump is complaining that Jews would rather stick to voting for Democrats who are currently seeking to curry favor with Hamas supporters. Those voters can sound like the "pogrom" people. Between this, the eating-pets commentary, and the Mark Robinson gloating, Simon nudged Folkenflik to sum up that the conservative media is a blight on the journalism landscape.  SIMON: David, do you see anything in this moment that ties all this stuff together? FOLKENFLIK: Well, I think there's been sort of an absorption into the mainstream -- particularly in the Republican Party, but in political life -- of things that we would have thought were utterly extremist and would be disqualifying. And I think that you've seen, through certain elements of the conservative far-right press - figures like Tucker Carlson, who himself has been exiled from Fox News, but at times, Fox News itself and Newsmax and others but also the former president and his ticket -- an affirming of the idea that these are figures and thoughts that are not verboten but that are at least something that could be entertained. And I think that's a tough moment for America to find its in and a real challenge for the press to report on. For Folkenflik, this doesn't really represent a "challenge." Excoriating and demonizing the conservative media is his bread and butter. Meanwhile, Folkenflik didn't see anything "extremist" or "far-left" in a media-ethics debate piece over leaks to the fiercely anti-Israel website The Intercept, which casually "reports" Israel is committing "genocide" in Gaza. He can "entertain" that idea.  

Whoopi Goldberg Makes the 'Historic Announcement' About Wednesday's Guest on 'The View'

Dems Quietly Freaking Out Behind Closed Doors, Worry That Trump Will Outperform Polls

A week after seeding iOS 18.1 beta 4 to iPhone developers, Apple is releasing a new build to prepare for the official launch of Apple Intelligence next month. Alongside iOS 18.1 beta 5, Apple has also made available iPadOS 18.1 beta 5. With the previous testing version, Apple added new functionalities while making the first public beta available for everyone wanting to try Apple Intelligence. Here's what's changed: Spatial photos support on iPhone 15 Pro: This beta allows iPhone 15 Pro users to finally take Spatial Photos. Record calls: All iOS 18 iPhone models can record calls directly within the Phone app. Still, an iPhone 15 Pro is required to summarize a recording. Type to Siri: The type-to-Siri function has improved for Apple Intelligence devices, as the assistant tries to complete the user’s queries. Besides that, the iOS 18.1 beta brings the following Apple Intelligence features: Writing Tools: Users can rewrite, proofread, and summarize text nearly everywhere they write, including Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps Improved Siri: With a new design, Siri can maintain context between requests. Even if you stumble over words or shift what you’re saying mid-sentence, Siri can understand what you actually want. Priority notifications: They appear at the top of the stack, letting you know what to pay attention to at a glance. Notifications are summarized, so you can scan them faster. Priority messages in Mail: Elevate time-sensitive messages to the top of your inbox, like an invitation that has a deadline today or a check-in reminder for your flight this afternoon. Reduce interruptions: With iOS 18.1 beta 1, an all-new Focus Mode understands the content of your notifications and shows you the ones that might need immediate attention, like a text about picking up your child from daycare later today. Email summarization: Tap to reveal a summary of a long email in the Mail app and cut to the chase. Record and transcribe calls in the Notes app: Just hit record in the Notes or Phone apps to capture audio recordings and transcripts. Apple Intelligence generates summaries of your transcripts, so you can get to the most important information at a glance. Smart Reply in Mail: Quickly draft an email response with all the right details. Apple Intelligence can identify the question you were asked in an email and offer relevant selections to include in your response. Clean Up: This Photos app feature can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo without accidentally altering the subject. Summarization: Apple Intelligence can now summarize more than just Messages and Mail notifications. BGR will let you know if we find anything new in today's iOS 18.1 beta 5. You can learn more about iOS 18 below. Don't Miss: iOS 18: Features, release date, beta, download, Apple Intelligence The post iOS 18.1 beta 5 now available as Apple Intelligence launch nears appeared first on BGR. Today's Top Deals Today’s deals: $129 AirPods 3, Nintendo Switch game sale, $30 Fire TV Stick 4K, $16 TOZO earbuds, more Today’s deals: First Apple Watch Series 10 discount, $20 waterproof speaker, $17 myQ garage controller, more Today’s deals: $449 Apple Watch Ultra, first deal on iPhone 16 Pro official Apple cases, $179 Roomba, more Best Apple deals for September 2024

A week after seeding macOS 15.1 beta 4, Apple is now making available macOS Sequoia 15.1 beta 5 as the company prepares for Apple Intelligence's official launch next month. With the previous testing version, Apple added new functionalities while making the first public beta available for everyone wanting to try Apple Intelligence. Here's what's changed: Type to Siri: The type-to-Siri function has improved for Apple Intelligence devices, as the assistant tries to complete the user’s queries. Besides that, the macOS 15.1 beta brings the following Apple Intelligence features: Writing Tools: Users can rewrite, proofread, and summarize text nearly everywhere they write, including Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps Improved Siri: With a new design, Siri can maintain context between requests. Even if you stumble over words or shift what you’re saying mid-sentence, Siri can understand what you actually want. Priority notifications: They appear at the top of the stack, letting you know what to pay attention to at a glance. Notifications are summarized, so you can scan them faster. Priority messages in Mail: Elevate time-sensitive messages to the top of your inbox, like an invitation that has a deadline today or a check-in reminder for your flight this afternoon. Reduce interruptions: With macOS 15.1 beta, an all-new Focus Mode understands the content of your notifications and shows you the ones that might need immediate attention, like a text about picking up your child from daycare later today. Email summarization: Tap to reveal a summary of a long email in the Mail app and cut to the chase. Record and transcribe calls in the Notes app: Just hit record in the Notes or Phone apps to capture audio recordings and transcripts. Apple Intelligence generates summaries of your transcripts, so you can get to the most important information at a glance. Smart Reply in Mail: Quickly draft an email response with all the right details. Apple Intelligence can identify the question you were asked in an email and offer relevant selections to include in your response. Clean Up: This Photos app feature can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo without accidentally altering the subject. Summarization: Apple Intelligence can now summarize more than just Messages and Mail notifications. BGR will let you know if we find anything new in today's macOS Sequoia 15.1 beta 5. You can learn ore about macOS Sequoia below. Don't Miss: macOS Sequoia 15: Features, Apple Intelligence, download, beta, Mac compatibility The post macOS Sequoia 15.1 beta 5 now available with new Apple Intelligence features appeared first on BGR. Today's Top Deals Best Fire TV Stick deals for September 2024 Best Apple Watch deals for September 2024 Today’s deals: $189 AirPods Pro, $50 DASH air fryer, $4.50 iPhone chargers, $99 DEWALT drill bundle, more Today’s deals: $199 iPad 9, $99 TP-Link WiFi 7 router, $400 off Narwal Freo X Ultra robot vacuum, more