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A must-read thread shows how assistance programs keep disabled people in poverty

An eye-opening Tumblr thread posted to Reddit shows how federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs designed to help disabled people actually help keep them in poverty.

Reddit user iDogeYT posted this thread that explains how people with disabilities are not allowed to have more than $2,000 to their name or the benefits they depend on are automatically shut off.

This leaves them unable to save for a rainy day, educational opportunities, or to buy a home or car.


via Reddit

According to Disability Secrets, “To be eligible to receive SSI benefits based on disability, an SSI applicant or a current SSI recipient who is single cannot have more than $2,000 in assets.”

If the disabled person is married (even if only one person is eligible for disability), the asset limit is $3,000. The only assets the able-bodied spouse can have are an IRA or pension plan.

If the disabled person has a child under the age of 18, they are only allowed $2,000 in resources.

Resources that are counted in the $2,000 limit, include:

— Money in a checking or savings account

— Cash value in life insurance policies (over $1,500)

— Stocks and bonds

— Household goods and personal effects (over $2,000)

— Motor vehices (except for one), and

— Real estate (other than the home in which a claimant resides)

If a person on disability exceeds their asset limits their benefits can be immediately cancelled.

So, to put it simply, the same program that’s supposed to help disabled people can keep an entire family impoverished and unable to accumulate any assets.

via Alexander Edward / Flickr

There is one way that disabled people can accumulate assets, through the Achieving a Better Life Experience program. This allows people who experienced an “onset of disability” before the age of 26 to put up to $100,000 in tax-advantaged savings without having their disability benefits affected.

Since the act was passed in 2014, over 34,000 people have opened up ABLE accounts and over $171.7 million have been invested. The program is available in 41 states and Washington, D.C.

However, what if you became disabled after the age of 26? What if you were the victim of an accident or had a disease? What if you returned home from war in Iraq with a missing limb? Then sorry, you can’t have more than $2,000 in your bank account.

Democratic Senator Bob Casey from Pennsylvania is trying to change the law so more people with disabilities are eligible for ABLE accounts. He has sponsored the ABLE Age Adjustment Act which would raise the age for the onset of a disability to 46 and allow up to 6 million more people save for the future.

“Sometimes the onset of a disability can occur much later in life,” Casey told a small crowd of individuals with disabilities last year.

Disability programs are designed to give people more independence, not confine them to a life of poverty. In a capitalist society where cash is king and social programs are lean, financial independence is as important as being physically or mentally independent.

The government should reconsider its punitive limits on the assets of disabled people so they can become more independent and and have a greater chance to be fully integrated into society.

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A woman with dementia adored her haircut. Her husband’s letter to the stylist is everything.

Grab a tissue, folks, because this is one of those stories that has so almost too much love and goodness to bear in it.

Sara Verkuilen was working at Hair Cuttery in Round Lake Beach, Illinois last winter when an older couple walked in for a haircut. “I don’t think I had ever done their hair before,” Verkuilen told Upworthy. “They were walkins.”

The man and his wife were “just really cute together,” she recalled. “He was so sweet with her and obviously very in love.”

Little did Verkuilen know how much of an impression her personal service and professional skills would have on both them that day.


The stylist shared a letter she received recently from the husband, signed only as “a grateful customer.” The letter reads:

“Dear Sara,

This is a little bit awkward. But I’ve waited a really long time to pass this on to you.

My wife and I came in for haircuts shortly before Christmas of last year.

My wife was suffering from dementia, and you treated her as if you’d been working with dementia patients all your life. You let us sit next to each other, and when it came time for her cut you turned her chair towards me so I could watch her expression as you cut her hair.

It turned out even better than I thought it would.

Sadly, she died in March. And that haircut was one of the last, best moments of her life. She felt so pretty. She visited the mirror in her bathroom several times during the day and would come out beaming.

To see her so happy was priceless.

Looking back, it was likely dozens of haircuts you gave that day. But one which revitalized a woman’s sense of self and her singular beauty. I. hope you always realize the power of your profession.

It’s so easy to take things like that for granted.

Sincerely,

A grateful customer”

Verkuilen said she wishes she could contact the man. She doesn’t remember the couple’s name and the letter didn’t give any personal information, but it meant a great deal to her to receive it. She says she’d been feeling kind of stuck and bored in her career, which she’s been in about eight years, and this letter gave her the boost she needed.

“Receiving this letter was a huge reminder why I do what I do,” she said. “It’s an amazing feeling seeing someone look in the mirror after a transformation and smiling. Seeing how beautiful they feel, how confidence levels change. But it’s an extremely difficult career. I get burnt out easily. I hope this letter can restore faith in other stylists that are maybe doubting if this career is right for them. We touch more than hair and I hope all the stylists out there realize how important they are and how what we do can have such an impact on our clients.”

She also hopes seeing the letter helps clients understand that stylists don’t “just cut hair.”

What a beautiful reminder to appreciate people who work in service jobs, the little things that make us happy, the “singular beauty” our loved ones, and the time we have with them.

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Elementary teacher explains why we can’t keep using schools as band-aids for society’s ills

Right now, the U.S. is engaged in deep debates about how to handle school re-openings in the fall in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s a question with no good answers, unfortunately. But the question itself is shining a spotlight on the various functions schools serve and what we’ve come to expect out of teachers and schools beyond just teaching kids—expectations that, when you see them all written out, actually seem quite absurd.

An award-winning teacher from Iowa, Allison Hoeman, has beautifully explained how society has dumped most of its failings onto the shoulders of schools and teachers, and now expects them to offer themselves up as tribute during a literal pandemic.


Hoeman wrote on Facebook:

“Society: In the richest country in the world, between 11 and 13 million children live in food insecure homes.

Schools: We can help….. Kids can eat breakfast and lunch at school, and in many places, teachers will spend their own money on snacks. For the most needy, we will send food home for dinner and weekends.

Society: Over 4 million children in the US do not have health insurance or adequate healthcare.

Schools: We can help….. we will bring doctors to do free physicals, eye exams, and dental treatments right at school. In many places, school nurses will spend their own money on sanitary supplies for girls.

Society: Over 17% of US children live without basic necessities.

Schools: We can help…. we will install washers and dryers in schools. We will hand out clothes, school supplies, shoes, and winter coats for free. Many of these items are purchased by school nurses and teachers.

Society: There are 5.5 million reports annually of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect of minors.

Schools: We can help…. schools will be safe places and teachers will be safe people. We will have some counselors, but not enough…. some therapists, but not enough, right in the schools. Teachers with minimal training in trauma will come to school early and stay late to mentor these children. Teachers will spend more time with their students than with their own children. Teachers will cry and sometimes crumble at the thought of not being able to do more for the innocent children in their care.

Society: Almost 25% of US children have parents that work past school hours.

Schools: We can help…. we will install before and after school programs in thousands of schools where kids can get another meal, get help with their homework, and participate in organized activities.

Society: Almost 14 million children in the US are obese.

Schools: we can help… Physical Education classes will be mandatory and we will incorporate lessons about healthy food choices.

Society: The US averages one school shooting every 77 days.

School: We can help… we will do lock down drills and train our students to hide and be quiet. And if need be, teachers will literally die for their students.

Society: We are in the midst of a global pandemic which our government has failed to control. Almost 130,000 Americans are dead and the numbers are rising, not declining, in many places. Because we have chosen to ignore, for decades, the racism, inequality, and discrimination that is at the root of all the aforementioned problems, we now need schools to reopen so that kids can eat, get healthcare, get clothes, shoes, and school supplies, be safe, be healthy, and be supervised. Oh, and so that they can get an education. It appears that COVID doesn’t affect children, so let’s go back to school.

Teachers: We can help…. of course we will help, that’s what we do. We miss our students and want to be back at school with them…. but what about the 25-30% of us that are over the age of 50? What about those of us who are immunocompromised or live with someone who is? What about those of us who are pregnant… we still have very limited data on what COVID does to unborn children. Will you have PPE for us? Will you have hand sanitizer for us? What if we get sick, and don’t have enough sick days to cover the time that we are out? What if a family member gets sick and we need to care for them?

Society: Wow, why are you suddenly being a bunch of crybabies? Before you were always willing to sacrifice your time, your money, your mental health…. and now when we need you, you aren’t willing to sacrifice your health and possibly your life? But 75% of you are women…. and that’s what we, as a society, expect women to do… sacrifice yourself for others.

*For decades, schools and teachers have been the band-aid on society’s failings because we care about children. Schools and teachers are not the ones that can fix our broken America. At the same time, we cannot be the lambs sent to slaughter because no one else cared enough to actually fix the racism, discrimination, and inequality while schools and teachers were holding it all together with said band-aid.”

Since everything is already turned upside down anyway, perhaps now would be a good opportunity for us to reexamine how we as a society—one with a “government of the people, by the people, and for the people”—handles issues like hunger, poverty, child abuse, health and healthcare, working parents balancing childcare, etc. The fact that we’ve tacitly decided to address these problems through underfunded school systems with overworked teachers and school personnel is rather ridiculous. It’s not fair to teachers, parents, or kids to expect schools to fix everything. It’s high time to tackle our ills head on, with resources and experience and expertise that makes sense, and stop treating gaping holes with bandaids that weren’t designed for such a purpose in the first place.

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SUPERHOT Is Giving Away Its ‘Mind Control Delete’ Expansion If You’ve Already Bought The Original

We already got a bit of new SUPERHOT if you played the homage to the brilliant bullet time shooter in What The Golf, but now a true expansion to the title is on the way. The game’s Polish publisher announced on Thursday that SUPERHOT: Mind Control Delete will drop in a matter of days, with more than 2 million free copies going to gamers who have already purchased the original.

SUPERHOT is a first person shooter where time only moves if your character moves, which makes it a fascinating strategy game with endless possibilities. The game’s story is a bit of a weird mix of computer simulation and mind-bending reality questioner, which is why calling an expansion “Mind Control Delete” absolutely makes sense here.

According to its developer, what was originally slated as DLC for the game has turned into a full-blown expansion, but if you’ve recently bought the original you’re going to get the new game for free when it’s released on July 16.

A brief video showing more slow-motion beat-em-up goodness had a very quick scroll of the details about how to get your copy of the expansion, which will drop on the Xbox One, PS4, and PC later in the month. The SUPERHOT Team also has an FAQ to help gamers figure out how to get their copies if they’ve bought the original. The Nintendo Switch version will apparently be released at a later date, which makes sense as the Switch version of the original just came out last year. Still, the company is offering a free PC version if you follow the instructions on the FAQ page. But either way, it means a whole lot more SUPERHOT is on the way. And for some, it will be a real steal.

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Bartenders Name The Best Sipping Whiskeys For Summer 2020

If your whiskey collection contains more than handful of bottles, you likely have brands you use solely for mixing and others that receive the grand title of “sipping whiskey.” These high-quality bourbons, scotches, and ryes are well-aged and free of congeners and other less-than-favorable additives. If you’re an aficionado, you already know what bottles we’re talking about — buttery, complex, flavorful whiskeys, well worth savoring.

Since we eventually get tired of session beers and tiki-style drinks, we tend to spend a fair bit of summer drinking whiskey neat (or on the rocks). So we’re always in search of smooth, sippable whiskeys that aren’t too heavy and don’t conjure the dark days of winter. Bartenders are on this same wave, so we asked a handful of our favorites to name their go-to “sippable” whiskeys for the dog days of summer 2020.

Suntory Toki

Kurt Bellon, general manager and beverage director at Chao Baan in St. Louis

An ice-cold bottle of Suntory Toki, great value and price point to always have in your freezer. Add some ice-cold Topo Chico and you are good to go.

Lagavulin 16

Leo Morjakov, bartender at The Ebbitt Room at The Virginia Hotel in Cape May, New Jersey

My preference to have this summer is Lagavulin 16 year old. This scotch is smoky, smooth, and is great with a few ice cubes.

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask

Thomas Nesselhauf, bartender at Datz in Tampa, Florida

For me, that’s The Balvenie Caribbean Cask, which is aged for 14 years in traditional oak casks and then finished in casks that previously held Caribbean rum. The result is a remarkable single malt Scotch whisky with enough tradition, yet enough distinctiveness due to its aging process, to please both Scotch drinks and rum drinkers. Drink it by itself on the rocks or get it as an old fashioned.

Either way, it’s a sip and savor kind of drink.

Oban Little Bay

Nazar Hrab, beverage director at The Pineapple Club in New York City

Oban is a really good one. I usually use it for my Rob Roy on late nights. I’m going to go with Oban Little Bay. It’s well-rounded with rich chocolate, sweet caramel, and just a hint of warming spice at the end.

Highland Park Valkyrie

Melissa Reigle, beverage manager and head bartender at Byblos in Miami

Highland Park Valkyrie is great for the summer. This unique Orkney distillery produces excellent Scotches and this limited release is no exception. Honoring the deep Viking influence in the north of Scotland (it is said that the red hair originated here, not in Scandinavia). An impressive balancing act of fruit and smoke is perfect for telling tales of courage and honor and the greatest-fishing-trip-ever by the summer campfire.

High West Campfire

Zack Musick, beverage director at Merriman’s in Hawaii

In my opinion, there is only one clear answer to this question and that is High West Campfire out of Park City, Utah. A unique blend of Scotch, bourbon, and rye whiskeys. There is a very delicate smoky quality from the Scotch that compliments the fire without overpowering the bourbon or rye.

Glendronach Revival

Hayden Miller, head bartender at Bodega Taqueria y Tequila in Miami

Glendronach Revival is a silky smooth, darker bodied Scotch with its big sherry finish coming from Spanish sherry casks.

Monkey Shoulder

Evan Hosaka, lead bartender at Electra Cocktail Club inside The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas

Definitely Monkey Shoulder for blended scotch, and Auchentoshan 12 Year for single malt Scotch. Monkey Shoulder was made for mixing in cocktails and is used in our frozen penicillin cocktail at Electra. Auchentoshan 12 is light, smooth and just the right amount of sweetness to end a summer night.

Talisker Storm

Jorge Centeno, chief spirits officer at the Deer Path Inn in Lake Forest, Illinois

Talisker Storm is a great summer Scotch because it has influences of the sea and notes of saltiness. Another great summer Scotch is Glengoyne 15 year, because it’s light — which is nice on a warm night.

Johnnie Walker Gold Label

Frantjasko Laonora, head mixologist at Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort in Curaçao

Johnnie Walker Gold Label. You immediately get delicious a honey and vanilla aroma with the first sip while different fruity notes start to develop on your palate making the Johnnie Walker Gold Label perfect to sip on during summer.

Glenfiddich 12

Sammy Norris, bartender at EVO Entertainment in Schertz, Texas

Glenfiddich is my favorite in mixed cocktail drinks. I am a fan of the classic Scotch whiskey sour. But, Glenfiddich 12 is also perfect, smooth, slow sipping summer Scotch whisky.

Talisker 10

Sondre Kasin, principal bartender at Cote in New York City

My all-time best buy summer whisky is Talisker 10. This is a flavorful single malt with a lot of character and layers. Based in Scotland´s Isle of Skye , this is a distillery with a long history and tradition. Highly considered one of the best scotch distilleries on the market.

Talisker 10 is their intro-level whiskey, but it is still great, and it is not too expensive either. It has notes of smoke, salt, apple, black pepper, and orchard fruit. For me, a lot of scotches are too heavy on the vanilla, cinnamon, and peat. Especially in the summer, this can be too much. Talisker 10 still brings a lot of the classic Scotch qualities but is also light enough to be enjoyed in the heat. That salty quality also makes it perfect for the summer.

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Liz Lemon Is Back And Awkward As Ever In The First Teaser For The ’30 Rock’ Reunion Special

True to their word, the cast of 30 Rock is back in an all-new teaser for a one-hour, one-time reunion special that will arrive one day after the July 15th launch of NBCUniversal’s new streaming service Peacock.

Judging by the teaser, pandemic life will be a constant source of jokes, and fans of the Tina Fey series will expect nothing else. But while the returning stars, which include Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski, and Jack McBrayer, are noticeably not acting in scenes together, but the laughs are still very much in the room. From Liz Lemon’s crash-and-burn attempt to shame a maskless New Yorker to Jack’s assault-happy iPhone, the special still has that classic 30 Rock look and feel — but socially distanced.

Announced last month, the 30 Rock one-time reunion will air the day after Peacock launches and serve as a showcase for the new streaming service’s offerings along with the rest of NBCUniversal’s 2020-21 slate, according to The Wrap:

The special, which comes as part of NBCUniversal’s upfront event, will feature guest appearances from talent from across the company’s portfolio to highlight programming from NBC, Telemundo, USA Network, SYFY, E!, Bravo, etc., including sports, entertainment and news.

The commercial-free broadcast will air Thursday, July 16 at 8/7c and will be rebroadcast across the company’s cable networks and made available to stream on Peacock the following day.

As for which other 30 Rock regulars could show up is a mystery, but with a full hour to kill, we wouldn’t be surprised to see some surprise guests drop in like James Marsden, whose Criss Chros character is married to Liz, and the couple have two adopted children together. Plus, what else does Marsden have to do right now? It’s a quarantine.

(Via NBC)

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Illuminati Hotties Previews Their ‘Free I.H.’ Album With A Cleverly-Titled Lead Single

Illuminati Hotties vocalist Sarah Tudzin was already well-versed in the music industry before breaking ground on her self-described “tender punk” sound. Tudzin, a Berklee College graduate who studied audio engineering, further proved her talents through the group’s 2018 noisy debut record Kiss Yr Frenemies.

The group was slated to begin their sophomore record when their label, Tiny Engines, became embroiled in controversy. Rather than break their contract, Illuminati Hotties came up with a solution. Instead of releasing a full album, they would see their contract through with the tongue-in-cheek mixtape Free I.H.: This Is Not The One You’ve Been Waiting For.

On Friday, Illuminati Hotties gave fans the first taste of the mixtape, which overtly slights Tiny Engines, with the cleverly-titled track “Will I Get Cancelled If I Write A Song Called, ‘If You Were A Man You’d Be So Cancelled.” Unlike the title, the song itself is rather abbreviated and clocks in at just over a minute. Even still, the single is jam-packed with cunning quips and thrashing guitars that initially drew fans to Illuminati Hotties’ sound.

Tudzin said in an interview with Stereogum that the single’s title was born out of a text conversation with Speedy Ortiz’s Sadie Dupuis: “She was like, ‘You should make this whole text the title of the song, not just the part in quotes.’ It mostly felt pretty fun to me, but the whole record revolves around feeling trapped by the forces surrounding me and the emotions I was feeling and it metaphorically adds up to the same sort of things that the rest of the songs are about.”

Watch “Will I Get Cancelled If I Write A Song Called, ‘If You Were A Man You’d Be So Cancelled” above.

Free I.H.: This Is Not The One You’ve Been Waiting For is out 7/17. Pre-order it here.

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Report: The NBA Could Move The 2020-21 Season To March With A Vaccine Or Treatment

Though the NBA’s Orlando clean site is just now seeing liftoff, preparations for the 2020-21 season are underway as well. Initially, NBA owners had proposed a Dec. 1 start date for next season, but a new report from the political publication Morning Consult indicates that if the end of the pandemic is in sight, the NBA could move the calendar back as far as a March start date as a way to accommodate fans in stadiums.

Per Alex Silverman of Morning Consult:

“An internal planning document obtained by Morning Consult outlines four scheduling scenarios the league is considering for next season, including one in which it would push the start of next season back to March if there is a path to a coronavirus vaccine or therapeutic treatment that increases the likelihood that its teams could host fans in their home arenas over the course of an 82-game schedule.”

Among the considerations around this potential plan are a potential overlap with the Tokyo Olympics, currently slated to begin July 23, 2021.

More from Silverman:

“Under the March-October scenario, the league would execute a rolling schedule release as opposed to releasing the entire schedule before the season starts as it would under normal circumstances. It would also aim to hold an All-Star Game at some point during the season.”

The NBA is also, according to the document, still considering the December to July schedule that had been initially announced. Other arrangements such as another quarantine bubble or neutral sites for teams based in cities with bad outbreaks, with Louisville (long considered a possible expansion city) just one option.

With the league taking a bath in terms of revenue for as long as they cannot safely host fans, expect a long delay until plans for next season are formalized. If the NBA and its players can agree on a cap-smoothing plan for this year’s free agency period and hold off on anything official for 2020-21 until there is more clarity surrounding vaccines and treatments for COVID-19, there may yet be a light at the end of the tunnel that allows the NBA to basically have this Orlando bubble be the only impact on the business during the pandemic. Between now and then, it’s a whole lot of ifs and maybes.

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Weekend Preview: It’s An Andy Samberg, Charlize Theron, And Tom Hanks Kind Of Weekend

If nothing below suits your sensibilities, check out our guide to What You Should Watch On Streaming Right Now.

Palm Springs (Hulu, Friday) — This Sundance hit from Andy Samberg and his Lonely Island partners is stylish and silly and absolutely fantastic. It also busted the Sundance acquisition record in a “nice” way, and it’s got a Groundhog Day-esque, summery twist.

The Old Guard (Netflix, Friday) — Charlize Theron kicking butt. What else must you know before checking out what might be the closest thing to a summer blockbuster that we’ll see this year? Well, she’s also an immortal mercenary, who’s leading a group of immortal mercenaries, and they might see their immortal-ness exposed, which means they might no longer be immortal. Sounds like a winner.

Greyhound (Apple TV+, Friday) — Need a little Hanx in your life? The Saving Private Ryan star is doing World War II again, and it’s an exciting ride that puts the sea-pedal to the metal from beginning to end. Turn down the lights and relish this one.

Relic (VOD, Friday) — This critically acclaimed haunted-house movie from IFC and director Natalie Erika James did respectable drive-in business last weekend. Starring Robyn Nevin, Emily Mortimerm and Bella Heathcoate, here’s your chance to receive a fresh bone-chilling experience in the privacy of your own home.

Down to Earth with Zac Efron (Netflix series, Friday) — This is the second travel-related reality show starring the former High School Musical heartthrob, and this time, his focus is not on roughing it but seeking out wellness.

In case you managed to miss this last weekend:

Hamilton (Disney+) — After a bumped-up release date, the cinematic version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original Broadway production (which nearly broke the Tony Award record and fetched a Pulitzer Prize, a Grammy, and an Olivier Award as well) is finally streamable in your living room. The movie version promises to bring “live capture” to viewers in an artistic way, which will harness the power of streaming in an intimate manner, for something that Hamilton fans have never experienced. Read our interview of Okieriete Onaodowan, the longest-tenured original cast member, and enjoy the new behind-the-scenes documentary after the show.

Here’s the rest of this weekend’s notable programming:

Friday Night In With The Morgans (Friday, AMC 10:00 p.m.) — Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton are at it again while hosting celebrity friends to hopefully distract us from reality.

Black Monday (Sunday, Showtime 8:00 p.m.) — It’s amends time (perhaps, if it works out) for Mo, Keith, and Dawn.

Perry Mason (Sunday, HBO 9:00 p.m.) — Extra-legal assistance is the name of the game for Morgan and Strickland in regards to Virgil. Meanwhile, Sister Alice is feeling the pressure about baby Charlie.

The Chi (Sunday, Showtime 9:00 p.m.) — Ronnie’s found a new calling, Emmett’s allowing Darnell to have too much influence and Kevin’s feeling the sharp effects of a lie.

Snowpiercer (Sunday, TNT 9:00 p.m.) — Layton’s attempting to calm the revolution’s survivors while Melanie’s demons rise up, and she’s feeling the threat to her own survival.

I’ll Be Gone In The Dark (Sunday, HBO 10:00 p.m.) — This true-crime docuseries is revolutionary, much like the Michelle McNamara book that fueled it. This is a duel-edged story of obsession and a “portrait of an artist” — one who pursued justice for dozens of survivors and victims’ families, decades after law enforcement let the Golden State Killer case go cold. It’s about those survivors, and it’s about the citizen investigators, including Michelle. She was a wife (to Patton Oswalt), a mother, a friend, and, yes, an obsessive, who was instrumental in solving this case, but not before it consumed her as well.

NOS4A2 (Sunday, AMC & BBC America 10:00 p.m.) — Charlie Manx is hunting for Vic and her family, who go into hiding while Wayne suffers from puzzling nightmares.

Outcry (Sunday, Showtime 10:00 p.m.) — This five-part documentary continues examining the case of high school football star Greg Kelley’s controversial conviction and sentencing for child molestation, along with the subsequent quest for truth and justice.

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Tory Lanez Joins DJDS And Rema For The Uplifting ‘Simple Things’

Electronic duo DJDS has built a following over the past couple of years by contributing funky, upbeat production to collaborations with the likes of Khalid, Empress Of, St. Vincent, and Interpol. Their latest work expands that pool of collaborative talent to include Nigerian pop star Rema and Canadian rapper Tory Lanez on the uplifting “Simple Things,” which the three acts collectively shared today.

The light beat accentuates the song’s encouraging messaging as Rema sings over the chorus, “Simple things are your blessing.” Tory contributes some romantic-leaning bars, telling the object of his affection, “You give me reason / Loving and teasing / Touching and squeezing / When love isn’t easy.”

A press release for the song notes how DJDS’ work with Nigerian star Burna Boy led them to Rema and what the inspiration behind the song ultimately was. “To us ‘Simple Things’ sort of feels like the ultimate DJDS song because it sounds like what we’ve done and where we’re going all at once,” they write. “You hear the sample chops and that’s old school DJDS but the collaborations represent the future. The work we put in with Burna Boy directly lead us to linking with Rema, and Tory is somebody we’ve been waiting years to get in the studio with. These guys are upper echelon so we really had to draw upon all our experience to give them something that felt undeniable.”

Watch the lyrics video for DJDS’ “Simple Things” with Tory Lanez and Rema above.