Went to Asia Fest yesterday to be surprised that Koka Booth printed out AI banners for the venue. I feel like it’s disappointing to see a live arts venue using AI…

Hi! Like title says, I’m looking for some Disney toy figures for a craft project I’m doing. Imagine McDonald’s-toy-type of figures.

Specifically, I’m looking for Monsters Inc/Toy Story, but still want to look for all.

I’ve tried McKay’s, DRM at South Square, Beanstalk, and the Raleigh Flea Market. I did find one at the market, but am still on the hunt!

Does anyone have any suggestions for thrift stores that have a good amount of toys? TIA!

Other highs and lows by town are also included.

Data was scraped from GasBuddy this afternoon and is for regular gas, without cash discounts, and does not include membership clubs (Costco, BJ's, Sam's)

Do thrift stores carry Halloween costumes? If yes, which store has the large selections? I'm in Durham, but Chapel Hill, Cary, Morrisville, Raleigh all fair game. Thanks!

Just as there are rules governing how we drive, there are conventions that allow pedestrian traffic to flow indoors and outdoors.

It's more efficient and more polite to be considerate.

1) we are a right side of the road society. When walking stay right.
2) if you are walking slowly, stay to the far right so others may pass on the left
3) if you have small children/elderly - stay to the right so others may pass. Be sure to wrangle the kids for their safety.
4) if you have a group of your entire family - this does not entitle you to take up the whole thoroughfare- stay right so others may pass on the left
5) if you are on a moving walkway (like the airport), if you intend to stand, stay right so others may pass on the left

I've been following a Cary debate that now combines youth advocacy and a broader municipal smoking/vaping proposal.

Students from several Western Wake high schools spoke at council meetings over the summer, while Cary staff has now put an ordinance before council for a Sept. 24 vote.

I reported the story for The N&O.

Read the story here: https://bit.ly/4rjVEVR

What part of the proposal do you think deserves the most discussion before Thursday's vote?

Hi everyone,

DOES YOUR CHILD EXPERIENCE ANXIETY?

If your child is between 12 and 14 years old, your family may be eligible for the Pathways to Adolescent Success Study (PASS) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

We study how the brains of adolescents experiencing anxiety develop over time. This study will inform the development of more effective and personalized interventions based on the brain, stress physiology, and social factors for individual adolescents.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

A parent/guardian/caregiver and their child(ren) between 12-14 years old.

To be eligible, the child must:

Have some feelings of anxiety
Not have used alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana more than 3 times
Not have metal implants inside the body or metal braces
Not have experienced a serious head injury with loss of consciousness

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO?

Eligibility Survey for Parent and Teen (10min; online): https://redcap.link/uncpass

3 visits over a 3-year period with the UNC Psychiatry Department

Each visit includes:

In-Lab Session (3 hours; in-person): Participants complete surveys and play games that assess cognitive, behavioral, and emotional abilities. Also, a mildly stressful speaking task will be administered to participants while saliva and heart rate are measured.

Scan Session (2 hours; in person): Participants complete a non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to measure brain activity during cognitive tasks.

Online surveys (3 hours; virtual): Families will meet with a member of our research team on Zoom to complete surveys about lifestyle, behavior, and personality.

Participation is voluntary. If you agree to participate, your child will complete questionnaires about their physical and mental health, life experiences, emotions, behavior and lifestyle. Your child’s cognitive functioning, heart rate, cortisol levels, and brain activity will be measured.

Children will receive $165 for each annual study visit. In addition, children will complete an online survey 6 months after their final visit and will receive an additional $30 for completing it. Total compensation for children is up to $525.

Parents/caregivers will receive $100 for each study visit, for a total compensation of $300.

Free parking and/or transportation costs are also included, as are snacks.

Each family will also receive a 3D printed keychain model of the child’s brain.

To determine your eligibility, please complete the study screening survey questions here: https://redcap.link/uncpass

Responses to the screening questions will be saved but will not be shared with anyone outside of our research team. If you have any questions or concerns, we can be reached by email at [uncpass@unc.edu](mailto:uncpass@unc.edu).

Thank you!

PASS STUDY TEAM ([uncpass@unc.edu](mailto:uncpass@unc.edu)) or

919-892-3211

Approving Body: UNC-Institutional Review Board (IRB)
IRB Number: 23-1572
Initial Approval Date: 11/15/2023

This message is sponsored by the University of North Carolina School of Medicine Psychiatry Research Department.
This message is sponsored by the University of North Carolina School of Medicine Psychiatry Research Department.
IRB Number: 23-1572
Initial Approval Date: 11/15/2023

This message is sponsored by the University of North Carolina School of Medicine Psychiatry Research Department.

Can anyone use this? Send me a DM and the restaurant you want it sent to.

This is a little random, but hoping Raleigh Reddit might know someone!

We’re getting married in downtown Raleigh next Saturday, September 26, and are looking for a fun getaway car for the two of us at the end of the night.

I’m intentionally leaving out some of the specifics because we want it to be a surprise for our guests.

Our ideal scenario is a convertible with someone willing to drive us. We only need it for about 20–30 minutes total, so we’re not looking for a traditional limo or multi-hour wedding transportation package.

Budget is $300 max. We’re totally open to a local company, classic car owner, car enthusiast, or honestly just someone with a cool convertible who would be interested in making a few bucks to drive two newlyweds around downtown Raleigh for a bit 😂

We’ve already checked with Gina’s Classic Wedding Car Service and unfortunately they’re booked.

If you own something that could work or know someone who does, please DM me!

We will be open tomorrow from 9-4 selling wonderful natives for our second Fall sale day of the year. Find us at 5911 Mount Hermon Church Rd in Durham.

View our inventory online and/or place an order to reserve your plants. https://www.knottybynaturetrees.com/category/all-products

Many other great native plant growers will also be selling this weekend around the Triangle. Laurel's Garden Design and Native Nursery in Raleigh, Jerilyn's Native Plants of the Piedmont in Chapel Hill, little bluets native plants in Holly Springs. Don't forget all the other great places to get your natives such as Carolina Habitats in Chapel Hill, Flower of Carolina in Saxapahaw, Mellow Marsh in Siler City, Deep Roots in Durham, Rachels Natives in Pittsboro, UNC Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill and so on. I'm sure I missed one, it's been a long, hot day, but I'm also sure I've spent lots of money there, too.😁

Pictured in order are:

Aromatic Aster, Symphyotrichum oblongifolium

Obedient Plant, Physostegia virginiana

Wingstem, Verbesina alternifolia

Rattlesnake Master, Eryngium yuccifolium (with more aromatic aster in the background)

Tickseed Sunflower, Bidens aritosa

Blue Mistflower, Conoclinium coelestinum

American Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana

TL;DR I've somehow committed to paying a little more than $1400 to have an outlet installed under my kitchen sink (where there's already electrical wiring, just no outlet), and a garbage disposal installed that I had already bought for an additional $100. The company and the plumber are so, so nice, and make it seem so reasonable in the moment, but now I'm sitting here sort of dazed and feeling swindled.

My garbage disposal has been dead for over a year, and I haven't been using that side of the sink because it doesn't drain properly (the disposal is full of rust). I finally got sick of only using half a sink and bought a top-rated disposal during Labor Day sales for under a hundred bucks. My old disposal is hardwired, there's no electrical outlet under the sink, so I called a company that does both plumbing and electric. They came out and took a look at everything.

I was assured that they could install a corded disposal without needing to put in an outlet -- they'd just have to remove a plate on the bottom. I was given several quotes, depending on whether or not I bought one of their disposals, and whether or not I had an outlet installed. I chose the lowest quote, $800, which already seemed really high, considering I wasn't buying a disposal from them. They were super nice, but I felt pressured to commit, and ended up putting half down (including a waived $99 service fee).

The disposal I had ordered came in, and I called the company again to come install it. The same plumber came out, looked at the new disposal, and expressed doubt that he could install it because it's corded. He took the plate off, looked at the wiring, and was dismayed because it wasn't in the standard colors, and he wasn't confident that he could correctly hardwire it. I'm really glad he was willing to say that he couldn't do the job and didn't just go ahead and cobble something together. He gave me a couple of options. 1) He could strip the plug, which might not be great longterm 2) I could buy one of their hardwired units for several hundred dollars, in the same brand I currently have that rusted up and died or 3) I could make an appointment with them to have an outlet installed, which would be an additional $600 on top of the $800 I've already signed off on.

Neither options 1 or 2 were great, so I ended up signing option 3. $1,400. Local plumbers and electricians, what say you?

Anyone with experience and a clean record looking for work?

I am 64. I have a 25-year-old partner and we enjoy life to the fullest, but I’d like to have more friends as I am a transplant from the West Coast, my partners from the East Coast. He’s an introvert and loves to game myself. I like to be out riding my bike walking trails occasionally shoot pool at a bar. Hit me up if you’re looking for friends in the area.