Podcasts about fight laugh feast conference

In this episode of the Westminster Effects Doxology Podcast, recorded at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference, we welcome Dusty Deevers—pastor and Oklahoma state senator. Dusty shares his insights on how he navigates the demands of ministry and public office while staying rooted in his Christian faith. Listen in as he discusses the intersection of faith and politics, providing encouragement for standing firm in truth in a complex cultural landscape. Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Overcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, and ⁠X⁠. Buy your guitar effects at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠westminstereffects.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/westminsterdoxology/support

Isaac Botkin (TRex Arms) and Logan Reyser (Crux Art) join Will Spencer for a compelling discussion—live at the 2024 Fight Laugh Feast Conference!—that delves into the intersection of faith, creativity, and the evolving landscape of gun culture. The conversation begins with Reyser's journey into glassblowing, where he shares the transformative power of art in glorifying God and engaging with culture. He discusses creating significant pieces like a 30-foot glass oak tree and an eight-foot cross featuring the Gospel of Mark, and explores the challenges and triumphs of being an artist in a modern world.Then, Isaac Botkin of TRex Arms explains how the rise of Gun Culture 2.0 reflects broader societal changes, emphasizing the importance of community and collaboration among diverse groups within the movement. The conversation highlights the need for Christians to engage thoughtfully in cultural conversations around firearms, the significance of maintaining a strong foundation in faith. Takeaways: Isaac Botkin and Logan Ryser discuss the significance of creativity in faith-driven work. The evolution of gun culture is highlighted, showcasing its increasing maturity and diversity. The challenges of rapid growth in a business are explored, emphasizing the importance of relationships. Both guests reflect on how personal experiences shape their perspectives in their respective industries. They emphasize the need for community support and accountability in creative endeavors. The discussion highlights the role of prayer and spiritual guidance in overcoming challenges. CONNECT WITH THE GUESTSLogan RyserWebsiteInstagramIsaac BotkinTRex ArmsTwitter/XYouTubeMy Interview On Isaac's Podcast

TC sits down with Pastor Doug Wilson at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference to discuss his No Quater November and why they left just isn't funny! More From Doug https://canonpress.com/pages/no-quarter-november?srsltid=AfmBOorNzw9UNCMvrIJZHAL308NucupM_-7_CAr-IQDnvrqsd26t4Yi3 Our Sponsors- https://www.zaxcreamery.com/ https://www.raberstoragebarns.com/

Last month at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference, I had the privilege of sitting down with Pastor Doug Wilson and Uriesou Brito. I hope these conversations bring encouragement and blessing to you this week. Doug and I discuss strategies for winning communities to Christ and the significance of Sabbath dinners. In my conversation with Uri, we explore the role of the CREC and the importance of uniting as brothers to "lock shields" and advance the Kingdom within our cities. Sponsors for this episode: Judes Health & Java House Revo Financial Taming the Wilderness Lawn Care **Go support these local businesses who are owned by Christ loving and Christ following men!

Last month at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference, I had the privilege of sitting down with Pastor Doug Wilson and Uriesou Brito. I hope these conversations bring encouragement and blessing to you this week. Doug and I discuss strategies for winning communities to Christ and the significance of Sabbath dinners. In my conversation with Uri, we explore the role of the CREC and the importance of uniting as brothers to "lock shields" and advance the Kingdom within our cities. Sponsors for this episode: Judes Health & Java House Revo Financial Taming the Wilderness Lawn Care **Go support these local businesses who are owned by Christ loving and Christ following men!

In this special episode recorded live at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference, we sit down with Dominion Wealth Strategists to dive into the intersection of faith and finances. Discover a Reformed perspective on wealth stewardship, financial strategies, and how biblical principles can guide your financial decisions. Tune in for practical advice on managing your finances while staying faithful to Christian values. Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Overcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, and ⁠X⁠. Buy your guitar effects at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠westminstereffects.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/westminsterdoxology/support

In this special episode of the Westminster Effects Doxology Podcast, recorded live at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference, we're joined by Keith Foskey, creator of the Bow Tie Dialogues. Keith shares insights on engaging theological discussions, the importance of respectful dialogue across theological divides, and the inspiration behind his popular online series. Tune in for an engaging conversation on navigating deep, sometimes controversial topics with wit and wisdom. Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Overcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, and ⁠X⁠. Buy your guitar effects at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠westminstereffects.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/westminsterdoxology/support

This week you get to sit in on a Livestream about the upcoming Fight Laugh Feast Prodigal America Conference that Greg will be attending in Fort Worth, Texas! Gabe Rench of CrossPolitic jumped on near the end too! They discussed the speakers, the beer and psalm night, after parties, cigar VIP night, the Business Maker Luncheon, and much more. Get your tickets now and stop by and say hello to Greg!

Send us a textThis week you get to sit in on a Livestream about the upcoming Fight Laugh Feast Prodigal America Conference that Greg will be attending in Fort Worth, Texas! Gabe Rench of CrossPolitic jumped on near the end too! They discussed the speakers, the beer and psalm night, after parties, cigar VIP night, the Business Maker Luncheon, and much more. Get your tickets now and stop by and say hello to Greg! Get a free bag of Squirrelly Joe's Coffee HERE! (just cover shipping)Your new favorite podcast is the Rapp Report! Click HERE! Covenant Real Estate: "Confidence from Contract to Close" Facebook: Dead Men Walking PodcastYoutube: Dead Men Walking PodcastInstagram: @DeadMenWalkingPodcastTwitter X: @RealDMWPodcastExclusive Content: PubTV App

This week you get to sit in on a Livestream about the upcoming Fight Laugh Feast Prodigal America Conference that Greg will be attending in Fort Worth, Texas! Gabe Rench of CrossPolitic jumped on near the end too! They discussed the speakers, the beer and psalm night, after parties, cigar VIP night, the Business Maker Luncheon, and much more. Get your tickets now and stop by and say hello to Greg!

Having attended every Fight Laugh Feast Conference over the last four years and talking with "Moscow Leaders" and thousands of conference attendees, I thought it would be prudent to share my personal experiences with the "Moscow Mood", and possibly correct some assumptions Ligon Duncan makes in this video. This response video is based on my interactions, conversations, and dialogue I have had with not only many attendees, but with Pastor Doug Wilson, Pastor Toby Sumpter, Pastor Jared Longshore, and those at @CROSSPOLITIC and @fightlaughfeastexperience8205 This video was recorded in one take, and might have some mistakes, so please forgive me if I've mispronounced a name or inaccurately sighted a fact or stat. Feel free to fact check the video or leave your response below. Facebook Page: Dead Men Walking PodcastInstagram: @deadmenwalkingpodcastThreads: @deadmenwalkingpodcastTwitter: @RealDMWPodcastCheck out our snarky merch HERE

Having attended every Fight Laugh Feast Conference over the last four years and talking with "Moscow Leaders" and thousands of conference attendees, I thought it would be prudent to share my personal experiences with the "Moscow Mood", and possibly correct some assumptions Ligon Duncan makes in this video. This response video is based on my interactions, conversations, and dialogue I have had with not only many attendees, but with Pastor Doug Wilson, Pastor Toby Sumpter, Pastor Jared Longshore, and those at  @CROSSPOLITIC and  @fightlaughfeastexperience8205 This video was recorded in one take, and might have some mistakes, so please forgive me if I've mispronounced a name or inaccurately sighted a fact or stat. Feel free to fact check the video or leave your response below. K&K Furnishings: Providing quality furnishings for business, education, worship, and hospitality for the Glory of God!Jacob's Supply: Quality building materials at wholesale prices! Facebook: Dead Men Walking PodcastYoutube: Dead Men Walking PodcastInstagram: @DeadMenWalkingPodcastTwitter X: @RealDMWPodcastExclusive Content: PubTV App

Having attended every Fight Laugh Feast Conference over the last four years and talking with "Moscow Leaders" and thousands of conference attendees, I thought it would be prudent to share my personal experiences with the "Moscow Mood", and possibly correct some assumptions Ligon Duncan makes in this video. This response video is based on my interactions, conversations, and dialogue I have had with not only many attendees, but with Pastor Doug Wilson, Pastor Toby Sumpter, Pastor Jared Longshore, and those at @CROSSPOLITIC and @fightlaughfeastexperience8205 This video was recorded in one take, and might have some mistakes, so please forgive me if I've mispronounced a name or inaccurately sighted a fact or stat. Feel free to fact check the video or leave your response below. Facebook Page: Dead Men Walking PodcastInstagram: @deadmenwalkingpodcastThreads: @deadmenwalkingpodcastTwitter: @RealDMWPodcastCheck out our snarky merch HERE

Enjoy this talk from our Fight Laugh Feast Conference 2023 at The Ark Encounter. Become an FLF Pub member & catch the rest of the talks from the conference (plus much more!) https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout?offeringIds=1

Enjoy this talk from our Fight Laugh Feast Conference 2023 at The Ark Encounter. Become an FLF Pub member & catch the rest of the talks from the conference (plus much more!) https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout?offeringIds=1

Enjoy this talk from our Fight Laugh Feast Conference 2023 at The Ark Encounter. Become an FLF Pub member & catch the rest of the talks from the conference (plus much more!) https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout?offeringIds=1

This is part two of a two part series of interviews from the Fight Laugh Feast Conference at the Ark Encounter. This episode contains interviews with:1. Marcus Pittman of Lore.tv2. The Page 50 Crew3. Keith Foskey, David from Man Alive Podcast, & Sye Bruggencate4. Gabe Rench of Crosspolitic5. Cody Lawrence of Spare No Arrows Podcast Covenant Real Estate: "Confidence from Contract to Close" Support the showFacebook Page: Dead Men Walking PodcastInstagram: @deadmenwalkingpodcastThreads: @deadmenwalkingpodcastTwitter: @RealDMWPodcastCheck out our snarky merch HERE

Pastors Nate & Chris, The Rebels, have returned from the Fight Laugh Feast conference held at the Ark Encounter. In this episode they give you their thoughts on not only the conference, but the Ark as well. Were they excited to be there? I think so.

Apologist/evangelist Sye Ten Bruggencate and CrossPolitic's Toby Sumpter join the show from this year's Fight Laugh Feast Conference. Subscribe on ⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Google Podcasts⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Stitcher⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Overcast⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. Buy your guitar effects at ⁠⁠westminstereffects.com⁠⁠. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/westminsterdoxology/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/westminsterdoxology/support

Episodes 4 and 5 from the 2023 Fight Laugh Feast Conference feature Rivers Housseal of Nogginnose Press and Marcus Pittman of Loor.TV. Support us ⁠on Anchor!⁠ Subscribe on ⁠iTunes⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Google Podcasts⁠, ⁠Stitcher⁠, ⁠Overcast⁠, and ⁠YouTube⁠. Buy your guitar effects at ⁠westminstereffects.com⁠. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/westminsterdoxology/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/westminsterdoxology/support

This is part one of a two part series of interviews from the Fight Laugh Feast Conference at the Ark Encounter. This episode contains interviews with:1. Keith Foskey of Conversations with a Calvinist & Jason Farley of Loor.tv2. Keith Foskey & Cody Fields of Westminster Effects 3. Davis Younts, Daniel O'Neil, & Caleb Byrd of Stand With Warriors 4. Michael Foster author of "It's Good to be a Man" Covenant Real Estate: "Confidence from Contract to Close" Support the showFacebook Page: Dead Men Walking PodcastInstagram: @deadmenwalkingpodcastThreads: @deadmenwalkingpodcastTwitter: @RealDMWPodcastCheck out our snarky merch HERE

Keith Foskey of interdenominational meetings fame joins us from the 2023 Fight Laugh Feast Conference. Support us on Anchor! Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, and YouTube. Buy your guitar effects at westminstereffects.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/westminsterdoxology/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/westminsterdoxology/support

With the Rebels back home recouperating from the Fight Laugh Feast Conference at the Ark Encounter, Dave the knobs & dials guy presents another look back almost six years to Rebels episode #42 where they discussed the teaching presented the week previous by Dr. Joe Boot. Definitely worth a second listen! You can communicate with the Rebels via email at rebelpodcastflf@gmail.com.

Jason Farley of Loor.TV, Chocolate Knox Unplugged, and some honestly hilarious comments on Baptists joins us from the 2023 Fight Laugh Feast Conference. Support us on Anchor! Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, and YouTube. Buy your guitar effects at westminstereffects.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/westminsterdoxology/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/westminsterdoxology/support

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Tuesday, October 10th, 2023. Gravity Jack: Gravity Jack is a full service digital agency specializing in the development of Virtual & Augmented Reality experiences, mobile apps, blockchain and Web3 projects. Founded in 2009 as the first American agency to offer augmented reality, they even patented it; Gravity Jack's digital experiences have been a source of innovation for small business, Fortune 500 Companies, and the US Military. Get your vision in motion at gravityjack.com https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2023/10/08/100000-israeli-troops-mobilized-for-first-declared-war-since-1973-n2629547 Israel Mobilizes 100,000 Troops for Gaza Incursion It might be the worst intelligence failure since the 1973 Yom Kippur War, a conflict that almost destroyed Israel after a surprise attack from Syria and Egypt. Israel was on the brink as Syrian forces reclaimed the Golan Heights, and it was by sheer luck that this invading force didn’t move further to capture the key bridges along the Jordan River. Israel’s heartland would’ve been wide open. The game could’ve been over, so Israel continues to respond forcefully against incursion by terrorists and its Arab neighbors since it’s a nation with no strategic depth. How Jerusalem was caught sleeping amid this latest assault by Hamas on October 7 must be investigated since Shin Bet and Mossad are some of the most capable agencies in the world. This attack occurred on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, and like that last war, the assault began during a Jewish holiday. Hamas launched thousands of rockets as cover for a land, sea, and air assault that could only have been made possible with outside help, considering its sophisticated nature. Iran has admitted they helped plan the assault. The death toll has risen to 700, with reports of kidnappings, rapes, and murder of Israeli citizens caught in the fighting. Hamas operatives paraglided into Southern Israel, with other terrorists attacking over two dozen areas along the Gaza border. Some Americans were also kidnapped and murdered by these terrorists. The footprint from Hamas was around 1,000 terrorists who stormed the infiltrated Israeli territory. Border Police and other forces are still fighting to restore order to the security situation in the area, but tanks and troops are being mobilized for a ground assault. Around 100,000 Israeli troops are ready to go into Gaza, with more reservists expected to be called up as Israel expects this to erupt into a multi-front war. Hezbollah has already launched rocket and mortar attacks in the northern Israel (via Associated Press): More than 24 hours after Hamas launched its unprecedented incursion out of Gaza, Israeli forces were still battling with militants holed up in several locations Monday morning. At least 700 people have reportedly been killed in Israel — a staggering toll on a scale the country has not experienced in decades — and more than 400 have been killed in Gaza. Israel said it brought in special forces to try to wrest control of four sites from Hamas fighters, including two points that militants entered earlier in their attacks. Meanwhile, Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad group claimed to have taken captive more than 130 people from inside Israel and brought them into Gaza, saying they would be traded for the release of thousands of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The announcement, though unconfirmed, was the first sign of the scope of abductions. The captives are known to include soldiers and civilians, including women, children and older adults — mostly Israelis but also some people of other nationalities. The Israeli military said only that the number of captives is “significant.” As many as 1,000 Hamas fighters were involved in Saturday morning’s assault, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, speaking on ABC’s “This Week.” The high figure underscored the extent of planning by the militant group ruling Gaza, which has said it launched the attack in response to mounting Palestinian suffering under Israel’s occupation and blockade of Gaza. In northern Israel, a brief exchange of strikes with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group fanned fears that the fighting could expand into a wider regional war. Hezbollah fired rockets and shells Sunday at Israeli positions in a disputed area along the border, and Israel fired back using armed drones. The Israeli military said the situation was calm after the exchange. Israelis were still reeling from the breadth, ferocity and surprise of the Hamas assault. The group’s fighters broke through Israel’s security fence surrounding the Gaza Strip early Saturday. Using motorcycles and pickup trucks, even paragliders and speedboats on the coast, they moved into nearby Israeli communities — as many as 22 locations. https://themessenger.com/news/hamas-threatens-to-start-executing-hostages-if-gaza-strikes-continue Hamas Threatens to Start Executing Hostages If Gaza Strikes Continue Hamas on Monday threatened to execute Israeli hostages being held in Gaza if Israel continues to conduct airstrikes without warning. “Any targeting of innocent civilians without warning will be met regretfully by executing one of the captives in our custody, and we will be forced to broadcast this execution,” Abu Obeida, a spokesman for Hamas’ Qassam Brigades, said in a statement to Al Jazeera. Hamas has claimed to be holding more than 100 Israelis prisoner in the Gaza Strip, according to the Qatar-based network. The warning from Hamas came as Israeli Defense Forces intensified a bombardment of Gaza as dusk fell on Monday. Images shown live on CNN showed heavy rocket fire lighting up the sky above Gaza, a Palestinian enclave about the size of Omaha, Nebraska, that's home to some two million people and considered one of the most densely populated places in the world. There are reports that American citizens are among those being held captive in Gaza. The State Dept. said it was working to confirm those reports. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/christian-baker-faces-new-lawsuit-over-gender-transition-cake-after-supreme-court Christian baker faces new lawsuit over gender-transition cake after Supreme Court The Colorado Supreme Court agreed to hear the case against Christian cake baker Jack Phillips, which he says is the "light at the end of the tunnel" after more than 11 years in court. Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado, declined to create a custom cake for a same-sex wedding in a move that sparked a 2012 lawsuit that ultimately landed him at the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2018, the nine justices ruled that the state of Colorado was hostile to Phillip’s religious beliefs and that the government can’t force anyone to create custom works of art that communicate a message. But in 2018, Phillips faced a second lawsuit, this time from a transgender lawyer who requested a cake celebrating a gender transition. When Phillips declined, he was back in court on grounds that he discriminated against the lawyer. The Colorado Supreme Court just agreed to hear his case. "I hope it is the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m pretty excited about it," Phillips told Fox News Digital in an interview. "The state court turned us down in our first case, but I think they realize now that I serve everybody." "This case is not who I serve, but it’s always the what I’m going to create not the who that’s asking for it. And I hope they get that right this time," said Phillips. Jake Warner, attorney for the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) defending Phillips, said that the lawsuit from the beginning was "clearly a set-up" with the intent of "targeting" Phillips and his beliefs. In 2018, Autumn Scardina, who identifies as transgender, asked Phillips to make a cake celebrating a gender transition – pink on the inside, blue on the outside. When Phillips declined, Scardina asked for a cake depicting Satan smoking a marijuana joint – which Phillips also declined. During the trial phase, "Scardina promised Phillips that, were this suit dismissed, Scardina would call Phillips the next day to request another cake and start another lawsuit," legal documents state. Despite being in court for more than a decade, "numerous threatening emails" and death threats, Phillips says the case has helped to "strengthen" his faith. "We just celebrated our 30th anniversary of being in business Labor Day weekend. And so for 30 years we’ve served everybody who’s come into our shop," he said. "But this whole legal battle has helped strengthen my faith in Jesus Christ and strengthen our family, brought us all closer together. It’s brought together a lot of people who have helped support us in so many ways." Phillips mentioned that a gay man testified on his behalf in court "because he understood that I serve everybody, gladly served him, but he knows that I couldn’t create every cake that people would ask me for." "It’s been an encouraging time to see people stand beside us like that," he said. When it comes to this latest challenge, Phillips said Scardina is "not the enemy" and that he has "nothing to forgive." "This person isn’t fighting against me, this case is against the state and my right to express my religious freedom and do so without fear of punishment in the marketplace," said Phillips. Oral arguments for the case have yet to be set but likely will be scheduled for the springtime next year. ADF will argue that because of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Phillip’s previous case and the latest ruling in 303 Creative vs. Elenis involving a website designer, which determined that the government can’t compel an artist to speak a message with which they disagree, that the law is on Phillips’ side. "What's critical now after 303 is the fact that this cake actually does communicate a message. The trial court found that this cake symbolizes the transition from male to female and went into great detail about the symbolism of the cake. The court found that blue represents male and pink represents female and that this cake communicates a message given the context of how cake artists are often asked to create custom cakes," Warner said. "In light of 303 Creative, the Colorado Supreme Court should reverse the decision below and affirm Jack's right to speak consistently with his beliefs. He shouldn't be punished for declining to create a custom cake promoting a message that goes against his beliefs," Warner added. https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/in-depth-us-gives-more-than-4-1-billion-in-grants-for-lgbt-and-transgender-initiatives-worldwide-5498747?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport US Gives More Than $4.1 Billion in Grants for LGBT and Transgender Initiatives Worldwide During the past three fiscal years, $4.1 billion in federal money from taxpayers has been flowing to LGBT initiatives in the United States and around the world, an Epoch Times investigation has revealed. From Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2023, the U.S. government issued more than 1,100 grants to fund LGBT-promoting projects around the world, according to the Epoch Times review of a federal spending website. The scope of projects varies widely. Plans to create a "safe space for LGBTQ youth and adults to seek support and resources" earned a $1.8 million grant from the U.S. government in 2022 for the LGBT Life Center in Norfolk, Virginia. A proposal for encouraging "diversity, equity, and inclusion in Serbia's workplaces and business communities by promoting economic empowerment of and opportunity for LGBTQI+ people in Serbia" also was a winning plan. To fund it, the U.S. government awarded a Serbian activist group a grant of $500,000. An Armenian activist group, the Pink Human Rights Defender, received $1 million from the United States "to empower the LGBTI community" in Armenia, a tiny country next to Turkey. The federal spending website can be filtered to show entries that include specific keywords. A list of payouts filtered by using the keyword "LGBT" included 1,181 grants, 31 loans, and nine direct payments during the past three fiscal years. Overall, during the past fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the government issued 454,821 grants. Government grants provide free money for specific purposes. Federal loans can be repaid over long periods of time at low interest rates. Direct payments from the government give money to groups—they may be unrestricted, or for a specific use. Of grants connected to the keyword "LGBT," individual payouts of at least $1 million totaled more than $3.7 billion combined. Many additional smaller grants also were awarded for LGBT initiatives but were not reviewed. When the list was filtered for grants including the word "transgender," 574 were listed. In that category, grants that paid out at least $1 million totaled nearly $478 million. Seven direct payments and nine loans with the keyword "transgender" also were issued by the U.S. government. Yet money flows to these projects. The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) gave $1.2 million to "LGBTQIA+ pride centers" in the San Diego Community College District. Another DOE grant of almost $1.6 million was awarded for North Dakota's “indigenous, LGBTQIA+, rural and underserved school-based mental health needs.” A DOE grant gave $1.4 million to Boston College to study "mechanisms of health promotion in diverse youth through gay-straight alliances." In plain speak, the grant funded the promotion of gay-straight alliance clubs in Massachusetts middle and high schools. "The federal government thumbs their nose at the American people and continues to push this ideology into our schools," "They're doing it all over the world." And that - is your news for today… this has been your CrossPolitic Daily NewsBrief. Just so y’all are aware - this will be the only newsbrief for the next week or so, as I will be out of town for our Fight Laugh Feast Conference at the Ark Encounter - as well as visiting my brother in North Carolina after that… if you liked the show …..

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Tuesday, October 10th, 2023. Gravity Jack: Gravity Jack is a full service digital agency specializing in the development of Virtual & Augmented Reality experiences, mobile apps, blockchain and Web3 projects. Founded in 2009 as the first American agency to offer augmented reality, they even patented it; Gravity Jack's digital experiences have been a source of innovation for small business, Fortune 500 Companies, and the US Military. Get your vision in motion at gravityjack.com https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2023/10/08/100000-israeli-troops-mobilized-for-first-declared-war-since-1973-n2629547 Israel Mobilizes 100,000 Troops for Gaza Incursion It might be the worst intelligence failure since the 1973 Yom Kippur War, a conflict that almost destroyed Israel after a surprise attack from Syria and Egypt. Israel was on the brink as Syrian forces reclaimed the Golan Heights, and it was by sheer luck that this invading force didn’t move further to capture the key bridges along the Jordan River. Israel’s heartland would’ve been wide open. The game could’ve been over, so Israel continues to respond forcefully against incursion by terrorists and its Arab neighbors since it’s a nation with no strategic depth. How Jerusalem was caught sleeping amid this latest assault by Hamas on October 7 must be investigated since Shin Bet and Mossad are some of the most capable agencies in the world. This attack occurred on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, and like that last war, the assault began during a Jewish holiday. Hamas launched thousands of rockets as cover for a land, sea, and air assault that could only have been made possible with outside help, considering its sophisticated nature. Iran has admitted they helped plan the assault. The death toll has risen to 700, with reports of kidnappings, rapes, and murder of Israeli citizens caught in the fighting. Hamas operatives paraglided into Southern Israel, with other terrorists attacking over two dozen areas along the Gaza border. Some Americans were also kidnapped and murdered by these terrorists. The footprint from Hamas was around 1,000 terrorists who stormed the infiltrated Israeli territory. Border Police and other forces are still fighting to restore order to the security situation in the area, but tanks and troops are being mobilized for a ground assault. Around 100,000 Israeli troops are ready to go into Gaza, with more reservists expected to be called up as Israel expects this to erupt into a multi-front war. Hezbollah has already launched rocket and mortar attacks in the northern Israel (via Associated Press): More than 24 hours after Hamas launched its unprecedented incursion out of Gaza, Israeli forces were still battling with militants holed up in several locations Monday morning. At least 700 people have reportedly been killed in Israel — a staggering toll on a scale the country has not experienced in decades — and more than 400 have been killed in Gaza. Israel said it brought in special forces to try to wrest control of four sites from Hamas fighters, including two points that militants entered earlier in their attacks. Meanwhile, Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad group claimed to have taken captive more than 130 people from inside Israel and brought them into Gaza, saying they would be traded for the release of thousands of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The announcement, though unconfirmed, was the first sign of the scope of abductions. The captives are known to include soldiers and civilians, including women, children and older adults — mostly Israelis but also some people of other nationalities. The Israeli military said only that the number of captives is “significant.” As many as 1,000 Hamas fighters were involved in Saturday morning’s assault, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, speaking on ABC’s “This Week.” The high figure underscored the extent of planning by the militant group ruling Gaza, which has said it launched the attack in response to mounting Palestinian suffering under Israel’s occupation and blockade of Gaza. In northern Israel, a brief exchange of strikes with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group fanned fears that the fighting could expand into a wider regional war. Hezbollah fired rockets and shells Sunday at Israeli positions in a disputed area along the border, and Israel fired back using armed drones. The Israeli military said the situation was calm after the exchange. Israelis were still reeling from the breadth, ferocity and surprise of the Hamas assault. The group’s fighters broke through Israel’s security fence surrounding the Gaza Strip early Saturday. Using motorcycles and pickup trucks, even paragliders and speedboats on the coast, they moved into nearby Israeli communities — as many as 22 locations. https://themessenger.com/news/hamas-threatens-to-start-executing-hostages-if-gaza-strikes-continue Hamas Threatens to Start Executing Hostages If Gaza Strikes Continue Hamas on Monday threatened to execute Israeli hostages being held in Gaza if Israel continues to conduct airstrikes without warning. “Any targeting of innocent civilians without warning will be met regretfully by executing one of the captives in our custody, and we will be forced to broadcast this execution,” Abu Obeida, a spokesman for Hamas’ Qassam Brigades, said in a statement to Al Jazeera. Hamas has claimed to be holding more than 100 Israelis prisoner in the Gaza Strip, according to the Qatar-based network. The warning from Hamas came as Israeli Defense Forces intensified a bombardment of Gaza as dusk fell on Monday. Images shown live on CNN showed heavy rocket fire lighting up the sky above Gaza, a Palestinian enclave about the size of Omaha, Nebraska, that's home to some two million people and considered one of the most densely populated places in the world. There are reports that American citizens are among those being held captive in Gaza. The State Dept. said it was working to confirm those reports. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/christian-baker-faces-new-lawsuit-over-gender-transition-cake-after-supreme-court Christian baker faces new lawsuit over gender-transition cake after Supreme Court The Colorado Supreme Court agreed to hear the case against Christian cake baker Jack Phillips, which he says is the "light at the end of the tunnel" after more than 11 years in court. Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado, declined to create a custom cake for a same-sex wedding in a move that sparked a 2012 lawsuit that ultimately landed him at the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2018, the nine justices ruled that the state of Colorado was hostile to Phillip’s religious beliefs and that the government can’t force anyone to create custom works of art that communicate a message. But in 2018, Phillips faced a second lawsuit, this time from a transgender lawyer who requested a cake celebrating a gender transition. When Phillips declined, he was back in court on grounds that he discriminated against the lawyer. The Colorado Supreme Court just agreed to hear his case. "I hope it is the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m pretty excited about it," Phillips told Fox News Digital in an interview. "The state court turned us down in our first case, but I think they realize now that I serve everybody." "This case is not who I serve, but it’s always the what I’m going to create not the who that’s asking for it. And I hope they get that right this time," said Phillips. Jake Warner, attorney for the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) defending Phillips, said that the lawsuit from the beginning was "clearly a set-up" with the intent of "targeting" Phillips and his beliefs. In 2018, Autumn Scardina, who identifies as transgender, asked Phillips to make a cake celebrating a gender transition – pink on the inside, blue on the outside. When Phillips declined, Scardina asked for a cake depicting Satan smoking a marijuana joint – which Phillips also declined. During the trial phase, "Scardina promised Phillips that, were this suit dismissed, Scardina would call Phillips the next day to request another cake and start another lawsuit," legal documents state. Despite being in court for more than a decade, "numerous threatening emails" and death threats, Phillips says the case has helped to "strengthen" his faith. "We just celebrated our 30th anniversary of being in business Labor Day weekend. And so for 30 years we’ve served everybody who’s come into our shop," he said. "But this whole legal battle has helped strengthen my faith in Jesus Christ and strengthen our family, brought us all closer together. It’s brought together a lot of people who have helped support us in so many ways." Phillips mentioned that a gay man testified on his behalf in court "because he understood that I serve everybody, gladly served him, but he knows that I couldn’t create every cake that people would ask me for." "It’s been an encouraging time to see people stand beside us like that," he said. When it comes to this latest challenge, Phillips said Scardina is "not the enemy" and that he has "nothing to forgive." "This person isn’t fighting against me, this case is against the state and my right to express my religious freedom and do so without fear of punishment in the marketplace," said Phillips. Oral arguments for the case have yet to be set but likely will be scheduled for the springtime next year. ADF will argue that because of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Phillip’s previous case and the latest ruling in 303 Creative vs. Elenis involving a website designer, which determined that the government can’t compel an artist to speak a message with which they disagree, that the law is on Phillips’ side. "What's critical now after 303 is the fact that this cake actually does communicate a message. The trial court found that this cake symbolizes the transition from male to female and went into great detail about the symbolism of the cake. The court found that blue represents male and pink represents female and that this cake communicates a message given the context of how cake artists are often asked to create custom cakes," Warner said. "In light of 303 Creative, the Colorado Supreme Court should reverse the decision below and affirm Jack's right to speak consistently with his beliefs. He shouldn't be punished for declining to create a custom cake promoting a message that goes against his beliefs," Warner added. https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/in-depth-us-gives-more-than-4-1-billion-in-grants-for-lgbt-and-transgender-initiatives-worldwide-5498747?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport US Gives More Than $4.1 Billion in Grants for LGBT and Transgender Initiatives Worldwide During the past three fiscal years, $4.1 billion in federal money from taxpayers has been flowing to LGBT initiatives in the United States and around the world, an Epoch Times investigation has revealed. From Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2023, the U.S. government issued more than 1,100 grants to fund LGBT-promoting projects around the world, according to the Epoch Times review of a federal spending website. The scope of projects varies widely. Plans to create a "safe space for LGBTQ youth and adults to seek support and resources" earned a $1.8 million grant from the U.S. government in 2022 for the LGBT Life Center in Norfolk, Virginia. A proposal for encouraging "diversity, equity, and inclusion in Serbia's workplaces and business communities by promoting economic empowerment of and opportunity for LGBTQI+ people in Serbia" also was a winning plan. To fund it, the U.S. government awarded a Serbian activist group a grant of $500,000. An Armenian activist group, the Pink Human Rights Defender, received $1 million from the United States "to empower the LGBTI community" in Armenia, a tiny country next to Turkey. The federal spending website can be filtered to show entries that include specific keywords. A list of payouts filtered by using the keyword "LGBT" included 1,181 grants, 31 loans, and nine direct payments during the past three fiscal years. Overall, during the past fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the government issued 454,821 grants. Government grants provide free money for specific purposes. Federal loans can be repaid over long periods of time at low interest rates. Direct payments from the government give money to groups—they may be unrestricted, or for a specific use. Of grants connected to the keyword "LGBT," individual payouts of at least $1 million totaled more than $3.7 billion combined. Many additional smaller grants also were awarded for LGBT initiatives but were not reviewed. When the list was filtered for grants including the word "transgender," 574 were listed. In that category, grants that paid out at least $1 million totaled nearly $478 million. Seven direct payments and nine loans with the keyword "transgender" also were issued by the U.S. government. Yet money flows to these projects. The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) gave $1.2 million to "LGBTQIA+ pride centers" in the San Diego Community College District. Another DOE grant of almost $1.6 million was awarded for North Dakota's “indigenous, LGBTQIA+, rural and underserved school-based mental health needs.” A DOE grant gave $1.4 million to Boston College to study "mechanisms of health promotion in diverse youth through gay-straight alliances." In plain speak, the grant funded the promotion of gay-straight alliance clubs in Massachusetts middle and high schools. "The federal government thumbs their nose at the American people and continues to push this ideology into our schools," "They're doing it all over the world." And that - is your news for today… this has been your CrossPolitic Daily NewsBrief. Just so y’all are aware - this will be the only newsbrief for the next week or so, as I will be out of town for our Fight Laugh Feast Conference at the Ark Encounter - as well as visiting my brother in North Carolina after that… if you liked the show …..

This episode of the Comedian Next Door was recorded LIVE with the Starving Comics Quarantine Show audience on October 1st, 2023. Welcome to the "Afert Party." We opened the line to viewer questions and ended up discussing the impact of artificial intelligence on comedy writing. Listen in, as John Branyan and Brian Apprille share their professional opinions about why robots can't be funny on purpose, but they sometimes do it accidentally! Email the Comedian Next Door at nextdoor@johnbranyan.com. Join us at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference in just over ONE WEEK!

This episode of the Comedian Next Door was recorded LIVE with the Starving Comics Quarantine Show audience on October 1st, 2023. Welcome to the "Afert Party." We opened the line to viewer questions and ended up discussing the impact of artificial intelligence on comedy writing. Listen in, as John Branyan and Brian Apprille share their professional opinions about why robots can't be funny on purpose, but they sometimes do it accidentally! Email the Comedian Next Door at nextdoor@johnbranyan.com. Join us at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference in just over ONE WEEK!

Hey, Neighbor! Give us a second to plug in Luke's mic... Today we're talking about popular Relationship Gurus on TikTok--specifically "Jimmy on Relationships," who has amassed a huge following from Divorced (or soon-to-be-divorced) women. What does it take to become a popular content creator "on relationships"? Well, start by having an affair... Then buy yourself a wig... Once again, these videos are being share by PROFESSING CHRISTIANS who lack discernment. Why are Church People struggling to sort out the difference between worldly advice and good biblical Wisdom? Later: John played a Jimmy Video for his men's group, and nobody thought it was important. They'd rather lament the existence of technology than talk about leading their family members who are watching Jimmy Videos. Contact the Comedian by emailing nextdoor@johnbranyan.com . We'll see you at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference next month!!!

Hey, Neighbor! Give us a second to plug in Luke's mic... Today we're talking about popular Relationship Gurus on TikTok--specifically "Jimmy on Relationships," who has amassed a huge following from Divorced (or soon-to-be-divorced) women. What does it take to become a popular content creator "on relationships"? Well, start by having an affair... Then buy yourself a wig... Once again, these videos are being share by PROFESSING CHRISTIANS who lack discernment. Why are Church People struggling to sort out the difference between worldly advice and good biblical Wisdom? Later: John played a Jimmy Video for his men's group, and nobody thought it was important. They'd rather lament the existence of technology than talk about leading their family members who are watching Jimmy Videos. Contact the Comedian by emailing nextdoor@johnbranyan.com . We'll see you at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference next month!!!

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Tuesday, September 12th, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter This year, our Fight Laugh Feast Conference is at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on The Politics of Six Day Creation. The politics of six day creation is the difference between a fixed standard of justice and a careening standard of justice, the difference between the corrosive relativism that creates mobs and anarchy and the freedom of objectivity, truth, and due process. The politics of six day creation establishes the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word for all of life: from what is a man or a woman, when does human life begin, and how is human society best organized? Come hear Ken Ham, Pastor Doug Wilson, Dr. Ben Merkle, Dr. Gordon Wilson, me and more, and of course a live CrossPolitic show! Mark your calendars for October 11th-14th, as we fight, laugh, and feast, with beer & psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our Rowdy Christian Merch, and a Sabbath Feast to wrap up the occasion. Maybe an infant baptism while we’re at it! Visit fightlaughfeast.com for more information! https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2023/09/10/estimated-300000-impacted-by-earthquake-in-morocco-with-at-least-2000-dead/ Estimated 300,000 Impacted by Earthquake in Morocco, with at Least 2,000 Dead A magnitude 3.9 aftershock rattled Moroccans on Sunday as they prayed for victims of the nation’s strongest earthquake in more than a century and worked to rescue survivors while soldiers and workers brought water and supplies to mountain villages in ruins. More than 2,000 people are dead – a number that is expected to rise. The United Nations estimated that 300,000 people were affected by Friday night’s magnitude 6.8 quake and some Moroccans complained on social networks that the government wasn’t allowing more help from outside. International aid crews were prepared to deploy, but remained in limbo waiting for the Morocco government to request their assistance. “We know there is a great urgency to save people and dig under the remains of buildings,” said the, founder of Rescuers Without Borders, who had a team stuck in Paris waiting for the green light. “There are people dying under the rubble, and we cannot do anything to save them.” Those left homeless – or fearing more aftershocks – from Friday night’s earthquake slept outside Saturday, in the streets of the ancient city of Marrakech or under makeshift canopies in Atlas Mountain towns like Moulay Brahim, which were among the hardest-hit. The worst destruction was in small, rural communities that are hard for rescuers to reach because of the mountainous terrain. Those same areas were shaken anew Sunday by a magnitude 3.9 quake, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It wasn’t immediately clear if the temblor caused more damage or casualties, but it was likely strong enough to rattle nerves in areas where damage has left buildings unstable and people have spoken of their fears of aftershocks. The earthquake on Friday toppled buildings not built to withstand such a mighty quake, trapping people in the rubble and sending others fleeing in terror. A total of 2,012 people were confirmed dead and at least 2,059 more people were injured – 1,404 of them critically – Morocco’s Interior Ministry reported Saturday night. Flags were lowered across Morocco, as King Mohammed VI ordered three days of national mourning starting Sunday. The army mobilized specialized search and rescue teams, and the king ordered water, food rations and shelter to be provided to those who lost their homes. Aid offers have poured in from around the world and the U.N. said it had a team in Morocco coordinating with authorities about how international partners can provide support. About 100 teams made up of a total of 3,500 rescuers from around the world are registered with a U.N. platform and ready to deploy in Morocco when asked, Rescuers Without Borders said. In a sign that Morocco may be prepared to accept more help from outside, the Spanish military said it had sent an air force plane carrying an urban search and rescue team of 56 soldiers and four dogs to Marrakech to help. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said in a radio interview that the deployment was in response to a bilateral request for help from Moroccan authorities. Another rescue team from Nice, France, also was on its way. In France, home to many people with links to Morocco, towns and cities have offered more than 2 million euros ($2.1 million) in aid, and popular performers are rallying to collect donations. The Moroccan king ordered the opening of special bank accounts to allow donations to help those in need. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-66771568 Kim Jong Un: North Korea leader's armoured train reportedly heading to meet Putin The armoured train that Mr Kim uses for foreign visits appears to have departed Pyongyang, South Korean media reported citing a government official. The meeting between the two leaders is expected to take place as early as Tuesday local time. The Kremlin has confirmed that Mr Kim will visit Russia "in the coming days". The Pentagon said it believes Mr Kim is travelling to Russia and it expects "some type of meeting", according to the BBC's US partner CBS News. If the summit with Mr Putin goes ahead, it will be the North Korean leader's first international trip in more than four years, and the first since the pandemic. The two leaders will likely discuss the possibility of North Korea providing Moscow with weapons to support its war in Ukraine, a US official earlier told CBS, the BBC's US partner. Mr Kim's last trip abroad was also to Vladivostok in 2019 for his first summit with Mr Putin after the collapse of North Korea's nuclear disarmament talks with then US President Donald Trump. It is rumoured to include at least 20 bulletproof cars, making it heavier than average trains and unable to go beyond 59 km/h (37mph). His journey to Vladivostok is expected to take an entire day. The possible meeting comes after the White House said it had new information that arms negotiations between the two countries were "actively advancing". National Security Council spokesman John Kirby earlier said Russia's Defence Minister, Sergei Shoigu, had tried to "convince Pyongyang to sell artillery ammunition" to Russia during a recent visit to North Korea. The summit comes at a time when both Russia and North Korea have things that the other country wants, according to Ankit Panda from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "What'll matter now is if both sides can find suitable prices they're willing to pay for the other's assistance," he told the BBC. Russia will likely ask North Korea for conventional arms, including artillery shells and rocket artillery munitions in exchange for food and raw materials, and continuing support at international forums like the United Nations, he said. "This could open up the possibility of North Korea transferring more sophisticated weaponry to Russia to allow Moscow to maintain and backfill its own stocks of conventional weapons," he said. It is thought that Russia might need 122mm and 152mm shells because its stocks are running low, but it is not easy to determine North Korea's full artillery inventory, given its secretive nature. Weapons on display at the meeting between Mr Kim and Mr Shoigu in July included the Hwasong intercontinental ballistic missile, believed to be the country's first ICBM to use solid propellants. It was the first time Mr Kim had opened the country's doors to foreign guests since the Covid pandemic. https://thepostmillennial.com/police-budget-cut-in-nyc-as-illegal-immigrant-crisis-forces-women-children-to-sleep-in-tents?utm_campaign=64487 Police budget cut in NYC as illegal immigrant crisis forces women, children to sleep in tents On Saturday, city officials announced that the New York Police Department's budget would be cut, with that money re-allocated to solving the migrant crisis. The move comes as New York City continues to deal with rampant crime and an unprecedented influx of illegal immigrants, many of whom, including women and children, may soon be forced out of shelters and into tents on the street. Budget Director Jacques Jiha revealed in a memo over the weekend explaining that Mayor Eric Adams, who recently said the migrant crisis could "destroy" the city, will soon "issue a directive to implement an overtime reduction initiative for our city's four uniformed agencies." These include the NYPD, the fire department, the corrections department, and the department of sanitation, all of whom provide vital services to the city and its residents. Jiha also asked the agencies to "track overtime spending and their progress in meeting the reduction target," and submit monthly reports to the city. The head of the Police Benevolent Association, Patrick Hendry, slammed the move as out of touch with reality. "It is going to be impossible for the NYPD to significantly reduce overtime unless it fixes its staffing crisis," he said. "We are still thousands of cops short, and we're struggling to drive crime back to pre-2020 levels without adequate personnel." As the Daily Mail reports, New York City is currently spending close to $10 million per day dealing with the surge of migrants, with no end to the crisis in sight. The massive cuts to the budgets of essential city services will only cover two-thirds of the projected costs. As more migrants arrive, shelters and other facilities have reached their breaking point. During an interview with PIX11 on Sunday, Adams said that those who had been given priority for indoor sleeping areas could lose that privilege. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/fauci-federal-recommendations-possible-not-mandates-uptick-covid Fauci says federal mask 'recommendations' are possible amid uptick in COVID Former White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci predicted Sunday that federal recommendations for masking may be given as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, but not federal mandates. In an appearance on ABC's This Week, Fauci told Jon Karl he would be "extremely surprised" if a federal mask mandate were put in place. "I can see that if we get a significant uptick in cases that you may see the recommendation that masks be used under certain circumstances and indoor crowded settings, but I don't see there'd be certainly not federal mandates," he said. "There may be local organizations that may require masks, but I think what we're gonna see mostly are, if the cases go up that there might be recommendations, not mandates. There's a big difference there," Fauci continued. Karl also pressed the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director at the National Institutes of Health on the efficacy of masking in retrospect. Asked about new studies indicating that the practice of masking may not have been effective in containing the COVID-19 virus, Fauci claimed some studies are being misconstrued. https://www.foxnews.com/sports/michigan-state-suspends-mel-tucker-without-pay-sexual-harassment-allegations Michigan State suspends Mel Tucker without pay amid sexual harassment allegations Michigan State suspended football coach Mel Tucker Sunday amid an investigation after he was accused of sexually harassing a rape survivor last year. Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller made the announcement following conflicting reports Tucker was going to be fired and/or suspended. He added that Tucker was suspended without pay. Tucker has been the head coach of the Spartans since 2020 and signed a 10-year, $95 million contract extension in November 2021. The allegations against Tucker surfaced earlier in the day in a USA Today report. According to ESPN, he was under investigation over the allegations. Michigan State secondary coach Harlon Barnett will serve as the interim head coach. Former coach Mark Dantonio is returning as an associate head coach. Brenda Tracy, a sexual assault prevention advocate who was gang raped by four college football players in 1998, filed the complaint against Tucker and alleged the coach had asked whether she would date him if he weren’t already married and gratified himself without her consent during a phone call, according to USA Today. Tucker claims all of this was consensual - stating: "Ms. Tracy’s distortion of our mutually consensual and intimate relationship into allegations of sexual exploitation has really affected me," Tucker wrote to the Title IX investigator in March, according to USA Today. "I am not proud of my judgment and I am having difficulty forgiving myself for getting into this situation, but I did not engage in misconduct by any definition."

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Tuesday, September 12th, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter This year, our Fight Laugh Feast Conference is at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on The Politics of Six Day Creation. The politics of six day creation is the difference between a fixed standard of justice and a careening standard of justice, the difference between the corrosive relativism that creates mobs and anarchy and the freedom of objectivity, truth, and due process. The politics of six day creation establishes the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word for all of life: from what is a man or a woman, when does human life begin, and how is human society best organized? Come hear Ken Ham, Pastor Doug Wilson, Dr. Ben Merkle, Dr. Gordon Wilson, me and more, and of course a live CrossPolitic show! Mark your calendars for October 11th-14th, as we fight, laugh, and feast, with beer & psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our Rowdy Christian Merch, and a Sabbath Feast to wrap up the occasion. Maybe an infant baptism while we’re at it! Visit fightlaughfeast.com for more information! https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2023/09/10/estimated-300000-impacted-by-earthquake-in-morocco-with-at-least-2000-dead/ Estimated 300,000 Impacted by Earthquake in Morocco, with at Least 2,000 Dead A magnitude 3.9 aftershock rattled Moroccans on Sunday as they prayed for victims of the nation’s strongest earthquake in more than a century and worked to rescue survivors while soldiers and workers brought water and supplies to mountain villages in ruins. More than 2,000 people are dead – a number that is expected to rise. The United Nations estimated that 300,000 people were affected by Friday night’s magnitude 6.8 quake and some Moroccans complained on social networks that the government wasn’t allowing more help from outside. International aid crews were prepared to deploy, but remained in limbo waiting for the Morocco government to request their assistance. “We know there is a great urgency to save people and dig under the remains of buildings,” said the, founder of Rescuers Without Borders, who had a team stuck in Paris waiting for the green light. “There are people dying under the rubble, and we cannot do anything to save them.” Those left homeless – or fearing more aftershocks – from Friday night’s earthquake slept outside Saturday, in the streets of the ancient city of Marrakech or under makeshift canopies in Atlas Mountain towns like Moulay Brahim, which were among the hardest-hit. The worst destruction was in small, rural communities that are hard for rescuers to reach because of the mountainous terrain. Those same areas were shaken anew Sunday by a magnitude 3.9 quake, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It wasn’t immediately clear if the temblor caused more damage or casualties, but it was likely strong enough to rattle nerves in areas where damage has left buildings unstable and people have spoken of their fears of aftershocks. The earthquake on Friday toppled buildings not built to withstand such a mighty quake, trapping people in the rubble and sending others fleeing in terror. A total of 2,012 people were confirmed dead and at least 2,059 more people were injured – 1,404 of them critically – Morocco’s Interior Ministry reported Saturday night. Flags were lowered across Morocco, as King Mohammed VI ordered three days of national mourning starting Sunday. The army mobilized specialized search and rescue teams, and the king ordered water, food rations and shelter to be provided to those who lost their homes. Aid offers have poured in from around the world and the U.N. said it had a team in Morocco coordinating with authorities about how international partners can provide support. About 100 teams made up of a total of 3,500 rescuers from around the world are registered with a U.N. platform and ready to deploy in Morocco when asked, Rescuers Without Borders said. In a sign that Morocco may be prepared to accept more help from outside, the Spanish military said it had sent an air force plane carrying an urban search and rescue team of 56 soldiers and four dogs to Marrakech to help. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said in a radio interview that the deployment was in response to a bilateral request for help from Moroccan authorities. Another rescue team from Nice, France, also was on its way. In France, home to many people with links to Morocco, towns and cities have offered more than 2 million euros ($2.1 million) in aid, and popular performers are rallying to collect donations. The Moroccan king ordered the opening of special bank accounts to allow donations to help those in need. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-66771568 Kim Jong Un: North Korea leader's armoured train reportedly heading to meet Putin The armoured train that Mr Kim uses for foreign visits appears to have departed Pyongyang, South Korean media reported citing a government official. The meeting between the two leaders is expected to take place as early as Tuesday local time. The Kremlin has confirmed that Mr Kim will visit Russia "in the coming days". The Pentagon said it believes Mr Kim is travelling to Russia and it expects "some type of meeting", according to the BBC's US partner CBS News. If the summit with Mr Putin goes ahead, it will be the North Korean leader's first international trip in more than four years, and the first since the pandemic. The two leaders will likely discuss the possibility of North Korea providing Moscow with weapons to support its war in Ukraine, a US official earlier told CBS, the BBC's US partner. Mr Kim's last trip abroad was also to Vladivostok in 2019 for his first summit with Mr Putin after the collapse of North Korea's nuclear disarmament talks with then US President Donald Trump. It is rumoured to include at least 20 bulletproof cars, making it heavier than average trains and unable to go beyond 59 km/h (37mph). His journey to Vladivostok is expected to take an entire day. The possible meeting comes after the White House said it had new information that arms negotiations between the two countries were "actively advancing". National Security Council spokesman John Kirby earlier said Russia's Defence Minister, Sergei Shoigu, had tried to "convince Pyongyang to sell artillery ammunition" to Russia during a recent visit to North Korea. The summit comes at a time when both Russia and North Korea have things that the other country wants, according to Ankit Panda from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "What'll matter now is if both sides can find suitable prices they're willing to pay for the other's assistance," he told the BBC. Russia will likely ask North Korea for conventional arms, including artillery shells and rocket artillery munitions in exchange for food and raw materials, and continuing support at international forums like the United Nations, he said. "This could open up the possibility of North Korea transferring more sophisticated weaponry to Russia to allow Moscow to maintain and backfill its own stocks of conventional weapons," he said. It is thought that Russia might need 122mm and 152mm shells because its stocks are running low, but it is not easy to determine North Korea's full artillery inventory, given its secretive nature. Weapons on display at the meeting between Mr Kim and Mr Shoigu in July included the Hwasong intercontinental ballistic missile, believed to be the country's first ICBM to use solid propellants. It was the first time Mr Kim had opened the country's doors to foreign guests since the Covid pandemic. https://thepostmillennial.com/police-budget-cut-in-nyc-as-illegal-immigrant-crisis-forces-women-children-to-sleep-in-tents?utm_campaign=64487 Police budget cut in NYC as illegal immigrant crisis forces women, children to sleep in tents On Saturday, city officials announced that the New York Police Department's budget would be cut, with that money re-allocated to solving the migrant crisis. The move comes as New York City continues to deal with rampant crime and an unprecedented influx of illegal immigrants, many of whom, including women and children, may soon be forced out of shelters and into tents on the street. Budget Director Jacques Jiha revealed in a memo over the weekend explaining that Mayor Eric Adams, who recently said the migrant crisis could "destroy" the city, will soon "issue a directive to implement an overtime reduction initiative for our city's four uniformed agencies." These include the NYPD, the fire department, the corrections department, and the department of sanitation, all of whom provide vital services to the city and its residents. Jiha also asked the agencies to "track overtime spending and their progress in meeting the reduction target," and submit monthly reports to the city. The head of the Police Benevolent Association, Patrick Hendry, slammed the move as out of touch with reality. "It is going to be impossible for the NYPD to significantly reduce overtime unless it fixes its staffing crisis," he said. "We are still thousands of cops short, and we're struggling to drive crime back to pre-2020 levels without adequate personnel." As the Daily Mail reports, New York City is currently spending close to $10 million per day dealing with the surge of migrants, with no end to the crisis in sight. The massive cuts to the budgets of essential city services will only cover two-thirds of the projected costs. As more migrants arrive, shelters and other facilities have reached their breaking point. During an interview with PIX11 on Sunday, Adams said that those who had been given priority for indoor sleeping areas could lose that privilege. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/fauci-federal-recommendations-possible-not-mandates-uptick-covid Fauci says federal mask 'recommendations' are possible amid uptick in COVID Former White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci predicted Sunday that federal recommendations for masking may be given as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, but not federal mandates. In an appearance on ABC's This Week, Fauci told Jon Karl he would be "extremely surprised" if a federal mask mandate were put in place. "I can see that if we get a significant uptick in cases that you may see the recommendation that masks be used under certain circumstances and indoor crowded settings, but I don't see there'd be certainly not federal mandates," he said. "There may be local organizations that may require masks, but I think what we're gonna see mostly are, if the cases go up that there might be recommendations, not mandates. There's a big difference there," Fauci continued. Karl also pressed the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director at the National Institutes of Health on the efficacy of masking in retrospect. Asked about new studies indicating that the practice of masking may not have been effective in containing the COVID-19 virus, Fauci claimed some studies are being misconstrued. https://www.foxnews.com/sports/michigan-state-suspends-mel-tucker-without-pay-sexual-harassment-allegations Michigan State suspends Mel Tucker without pay amid sexual harassment allegations Michigan State suspended football coach Mel Tucker Sunday amid an investigation after he was accused of sexually harassing a rape survivor last year. Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller made the announcement following conflicting reports Tucker was going to be fired and/or suspended. He added that Tucker was suspended without pay. Tucker has been the head coach of the Spartans since 2020 and signed a 10-year, $95 million contract extension in November 2021. The allegations against Tucker surfaced earlier in the day in a USA Today report. According to ESPN, he was under investigation over the allegations. Michigan State secondary coach Harlon Barnett will serve as the interim head coach. Former coach Mark Dantonio is returning as an associate head coach. Brenda Tracy, a sexual assault prevention advocate who was gang raped by four college football players in 1998, filed the complaint against Tucker and alleged the coach had asked whether she would date him if he weren’t already married and gratified himself without her consent during a phone call, according to USA Today. Tucker claims all of this was consensual - stating: "Ms. Tracy’s distortion of our mutually consensual and intimate relationship into allegations of sexual exploitation has really affected me," Tucker wrote to the Title IX investigator in March, according to USA Today. "I am not proud of my judgment and I am having difficulty forgiving myself for getting into this situation, but I did not engage in misconduct by any definition."

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Thursday, August 31st, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter The annual Fight Laugh Feast Conference is a conference like no other… the festivities kick off every year, with beer & Psalms! The Fight Laugh Feast Conference is a gathering of rowdy Christians from all walks of life, and from all over the country, who want to glorify God and build God-honoring families, businesses, and churches. This one-of-a-kind event transcends traditional boundaries, blending faith, culture, and a zest for life into a vibrant tapestry of ideas and interactions. Attendees from all walks of life gather here to engage in spirited discussions, celebrate shared values, and forge connections. From thought-provoking talks to uproarious laughter and CrossPolitic live shows, the Fight Laugh Feast Conference is a celebration of King Jesus. So buckle up as we Fight, Laugh & Feast, with beer & Psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our awesome vendors, and of course, our CrossPolitic Live Shows this october 11-14th. Visit fightlaughfeast.com to sign up today. That’s fightlaughfeast.com. https://www.foxnews.com/us/hurricane-idalia-landfall-florida-big-bend-category-3-tens-thousands-without-power Hurricane Idalia makes landfall over Florida's Big Bend as a Category 3, hundreds of thousands without power Hurricane Idalia made landfall over Florida’s Gulf Coast as a "catastrophic" Category 3 storm Wednesday at 7:45 a.m., leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without power, officials said. It has since been downgraded to a Category 1 storm. Idalia produced storm surges that reached several feet in some areas and brought damaging winds that howled up to 130 miles per hour at one point, according to the National Hurricane Center. It also caused flooding that completely encompassed Floridian roadways when it passed the Apalachee Bay and made landfall over Florida's Big Bend region, where the peninsula merges into the Panhandle. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he had directed law enforcement to "protect people's property. "We are not going to tolerate any looting in the aftermath of a natural disaster. I mean it's just ridiculous that you would try to do something like that on the heels of an almost Category 4 hurricane hitting this community," DeSantis said. He warned would-be looters that they could very well be walking into the home of a Second Amendment advocate. "I've seen signs in people's yards, and I would say it's probably here, ‘You Loot, We Shoot.’ You never know what's behind that door," DeSantis said. President Biden said he had spoken with the governors of states most impacted by the storm and vowed all federal assistance, including 1,500 personnel and 900 Coast Guard personnel throughout the southeast. "Federal teams on the ground are going to continue to work with the first responders in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, to get people to safety," Biden said. At least two people have died in vehicle accidents since the storm made landfall, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. In Pasco County, a 40-year-old male lost control of his Ford Ranger and collided into a tree after driving too fast for the weather conditions, while a 59-year-old male died in Alachua County after his Toyota Tacoma plunged into a ditch and crashed into a nearby tree line, officials said. The storm has been impacting Gainesville, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Dowling Park, Lake City, Cedar Key, Chiefland, Newberry, Cross City, Apalachicola, and Perry. Its impact will also be felt in Orlando, Spring Hill, Bradenton, Bartow, Ocala, Lake Placid, Tampa, Sarasota, and Fort Myers. By 11 a.m. Wednesday, the storm was a Category 1, with sustained winds of 90 mph, and its impact was being felt in Georgia, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Authorities continue to urge caution as, despite the slight decline, the storm remains dangerous and potentially life-threatening. More than 340,000 Americans were without power as Idalia continued to blast Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolina, according to Fox Weather. Further outages are expected as the storm continues pummeling the state as Idalia continues its northeast path to Georgia, the Carolinas and then the Atlantic Ocean. The National Weather Service in Tallahassee had called Idalia "an unprecedented event" as it rapidly intensified over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and obtained Category 4 status within 24 hours. It downgraded slightly, officially becoming a high-end Category 3 storm when it made landfall, before downgrading again. The NWS also said "no one" has witnessed a storm strengthen to such magnitude in such a short time. https://hotair.com/karen-townsend/2023/08/30/trump-raises-more-than-20-million-in-august-n574661#google_vignette’ Trump raises more than $20 million in August Donald Trump has raised $20M in August, according to his campaign. Since he was processed in the Fulton County jail and had a mugshot taken, he has raised more than $9.4M. Despite the multiple indictments and the first-ever presidential mugshot, his contributors continue to send in campaign contributions. The campaign knew the mugshot would be a money-maker and fundraising came swiftly as soon as it was released. The angry scowl seen around the world is marketed on various merchandise on Trump’s website. Trump haters are buying up merchandise on other sites and displaying their purchases on social media like it is a badge of honor. “Since the moment my mugshot was plastered all over the Internet in a vicious attempt to wrongfully turn me into a criminal, our movement has RAISED $9 MILLION from grassroots patriots like YOU,” Trump said in a statement released by the Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee on Tuesday. “In fact, our campaign recorded its SINGLE GREATEST FUNDRAISING DAY EVER,” the 77-year-old said of his Georgia surrender bounty. His fundraising numbers spiked once the mugshot was released – which it immediately was – with supporters particularly pleased with the “never surrender” slogan. Critics noted the irony since the mugshot was taken when he surrendered to authorities to be processed at the jail. The merchandise sales are impressive so far. The totals reported include 36,000 T-shirts, 24,000 coffee mugs and 8,600 posters. One thing that people talk about is the amount of money Trump is spending on legal bills and how a lot of those bills are being paid by campaign donations. It’s being reported that the mugshot merchandise money is being earmarked by the campaign for political and campaign activities and won’t be used to cover legal expense. Trump has spent tens of millions of dollars on legal bills since the season of indictments began. Altogether, Trump is facing 91 counts in all four indictments. Trump raised $5M in the first 48 hours after the indictment in Manhattan and $10M over five days. After the indictment over the mishandling of classified documents, his campaign said it raised $6.6M. Campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said that last Friday was the biggest fundraising day for the Trump campaign so far, with $4.18M raised on the day alone. Trump’s mugshot was taken on Thursday night. https://nypost.com/2023/08/29/chicago-tv-news-reporter-on-assignment-to-cover-thefts-robbed-of-video-camera-at-gunpoint/ Chicago TV news reporter on assignment to cover thefts robbed of video camera at gunpoint A pair of Chicago journalists were held up at gunpoint by three men wearing ski masks — while covering the spate of robberies and carjackings that plagued the Windy City over the weekend, according to local police and news outlets. A Univision Chicago reporter and a cameraman were set to do a live shot in the upscale Wicker Park section at around 4:30 a.m. on Monday when a black SUV and a gray sedan pulled up alongside them, according to the news site CWBChicago. The two male journalists — one 28 and the other 42 — were standing near the 1200 block of North Milwaukee Ave. when “three unknown male offenders exited the vehicles, wearing ski masks and displaying firearms,” Chicago police officials told The Post on Tuesday. The thugs made off with their video camera before fleeing, cops said. No injuries were reported and none of the suspects were in custody as of Tuesday afternoon, police said. The brazen attack was part of a spree that involved at least 30 others who were either robbed or carjacked in the crime-ravaged city on Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, according to local authorities. Luis Godinez, the vice president of Univision Chicago, circulated an email to employees confirming that their colleagues were the ones who were robbed, according to the news site Block Club Chicago. The fact that the news personnel were now part of the story is “total irony,” the Univision reporter, who wished to remain anonymous, told the site. “As a journalist, you never want to be the story, right?” the reporter told Block Club Chicago. Earlier this month, a Chicago TV news videographer had two of his phones robbed while preparing to cover a news conference on the city’s West Side. Law enforcement officials have yet to make arrests in those cases, according to reports. https://beckernews.com/99-of-fatalities-in-united-states-not-primarily-caused-by-covid-19-cdc-data-51670/ 99% of Fatalities in United States Not Primarily Caused by Covid-19: CDC Data Despite the rampant fear being spread in the U.S. media about new Covid subvariants, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Infection cast doubt on any cause for alarm. CDC statistics reveal that only 1% of all weekly deaths across the United States are attributed to Covid-19. For the week ending on August 19, the CDC’s Covid dashboard reports 324 Covid-related fatalities, constituting a mere 1.7% of all deaths during that period. Although the percentage of deaths due to Covid for the week ending August 19 reflects a minor uptick from the prior week, it is substantially lower than the pandemic’s apex, when the CDC cited Covid as the cause of nearly one in three deaths. Data highlights that states such as Washington, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, Maryland, and New York are experiencing higher rates of Covid-induced deaths. Maryland and Florida lead with 3.4%, while Washington, Tennessee, North Carolina, and New York are around the 2% mark. In contrast, more than 24 states recorded between one and nine Covid-related deaths for the week ending August 19. Additional data points out that the fatality rate is marginally higher among women than men, and is most elevated among individuals aged 75 and older. This latest data may offer some comfort at a time when anxieties are escalating across the country due to the spread of highly transmissible new Covid variants, resulting in an increase in infections and hospitalizations, as well as the reintroduction of certain Covid mandates. Recently detected variants like EG.5 (Eris) and BA.8.26 (Pirola) have emerged in multiple countries, including the United States. These variants have undergone extensive mutations, making them potentially more adept at dodging vaccine and natural immunity, and contributing to a rise in infections. Despite the appearance of these variants, infections in the U.S. have doubled and hospital admissions have risen for the fifth consecutive week, but they remain near historical lows. Importantly, Covid-related deaths have not surged. Last week’s concerns over a Covid resurgence led Hollywood’s Lionsgate studio to enforce mask mandates at its Santa Monica, California offices. This decision was later rescinded within days. Similarly, Rutgers University in New Jersey and Morris Brown College in Georgia both declared that face coverings will be mandatory for faculty and students. Medical facilities like Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Santa Rosa, California, and Upstate Community Hospital in Syracuse, New York, have reinstated mask requirements for healthcare workers, patients, and visitors. In Kentucky, the Lee County School District shut down classes less than two weeks after reopening, as nearly 20% of its student body fell ill with a ‘tripledemic’ of illnesses, including Covid, strep throat, and influenza. President Biden indicated on Friday that his administration will “likely” recommend another Covid booster vaccine soon. He also signed a proposal asking Congress for additional funds to modify Covid vaccines to better counteract the new variants. Nevertheless, public interest in booster shots remains tepid, with only 18% of eligible Americans having received any form of booster. As pointed out by the Mayo Clinic, about 81% of Covid-related deaths in the United States have been in people age 65 and older, adding that “risks are even higher for older people when they have other health conditions.” Even when accounting for the difficulty in assessing cause of death in a predominately elderly population with comorbidities, the Covid-19 pandemic nonetheless had a 99.7% survival rate in the United States.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Thursday, August 31st, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter The annual Fight Laugh Feast Conference is a conference like no other… the festivities kick off every year, with beer & Psalms! The Fight Laugh Feast Conference is a gathering of rowdy Christians from all walks of life, and from all over the country, who want to glorify God and build God-honoring families, businesses, and churches. This one-of-a-kind event transcends traditional boundaries, blending faith, culture, and a zest for life into a vibrant tapestry of ideas and interactions. Attendees from all walks of life gather here to engage in spirited discussions, celebrate shared values, and forge connections. From thought-provoking talks to uproarious laughter and CrossPolitic live shows, the Fight Laugh Feast Conference is a celebration of King Jesus. So buckle up as we Fight, Laugh & Feast, with beer & Psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our awesome vendors, and of course, our CrossPolitic Live Shows this october 11-14th. Visit fightlaughfeast.com to sign up today. That’s fightlaughfeast.com. https://www.foxnews.com/us/hurricane-idalia-landfall-florida-big-bend-category-3-tens-thousands-without-power Hurricane Idalia makes landfall over Florida's Big Bend as a Category 3, hundreds of thousands without power Hurricane Idalia made landfall over Florida’s Gulf Coast as a "catastrophic" Category 3 storm Wednesday at 7:45 a.m., leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without power, officials said. It has since been downgraded to a Category 1 storm. Idalia produced storm surges that reached several feet in some areas and brought damaging winds that howled up to 130 miles per hour at one point, according to the National Hurricane Center. It also caused flooding that completely encompassed Floridian roadways when it passed the Apalachee Bay and made landfall over Florida's Big Bend region, where the peninsula merges into the Panhandle. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he had directed law enforcement to "protect people's property. "We are not going to tolerate any looting in the aftermath of a natural disaster. I mean it's just ridiculous that you would try to do something like that on the heels of an almost Category 4 hurricane hitting this community," DeSantis said. He warned would-be looters that they could very well be walking into the home of a Second Amendment advocate. "I've seen signs in people's yards, and I would say it's probably here, ‘You Loot, We Shoot.’ You never know what's behind that door," DeSantis said. President Biden said he had spoken with the governors of states most impacted by the storm and vowed all federal assistance, including 1,500 personnel and 900 Coast Guard personnel throughout the southeast. "Federal teams on the ground are going to continue to work with the first responders in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, to get people to safety," Biden said. At least two people have died in vehicle accidents since the storm made landfall, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. In Pasco County, a 40-year-old male lost control of his Ford Ranger and collided into a tree after driving too fast for the weather conditions, while a 59-year-old male died in Alachua County after his Toyota Tacoma plunged into a ditch and crashed into a nearby tree line, officials said. The storm has been impacting Gainesville, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Dowling Park, Lake City, Cedar Key, Chiefland, Newberry, Cross City, Apalachicola, and Perry. Its impact will also be felt in Orlando, Spring Hill, Bradenton, Bartow, Ocala, Lake Placid, Tampa, Sarasota, and Fort Myers. By 11 a.m. Wednesday, the storm was a Category 1, with sustained winds of 90 mph, and its impact was being felt in Georgia, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Authorities continue to urge caution as, despite the slight decline, the storm remains dangerous and potentially life-threatening. More than 340,000 Americans were without power as Idalia continued to blast Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolina, according to Fox Weather. Further outages are expected as the storm continues pummeling the state as Idalia continues its northeast path to Georgia, the Carolinas and then the Atlantic Ocean. The National Weather Service in Tallahassee had called Idalia "an unprecedented event" as it rapidly intensified over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and obtained Category 4 status within 24 hours. It downgraded slightly, officially becoming a high-end Category 3 storm when it made landfall, before downgrading again. The NWS also said "no one" has witnessed a storm strengthen to such magnitude in such a short time. https://hotair.com/karen-townsend/2023/08/30/trump-raises-more-than-20-million-in-august-n574661#google_vignette’ Trump raises more than $20 million in August Donald Trump has raised $20M in August, according to his campaign. Since he was processed in the Fulton County jail and had a mugshot taken, he has raised more than $9.4M. Despite the multiple indictments and the first-ever presidential mugshot, his contributors continue to send in campaign contributions. The campaign knew the mugshot would be a money-maker and fundraising came swiftly as soon as it was released. The angry scowl seen around the world is marketed on various merchandise on Trump’s website. Trump haters are buying up merchandise on other sites and displaying their purchases on social media like it is a badge of honor. “Since the moment my mugshot was plastered all over the Internet in a vicious attempt to wrongfully turn me into a criminal, our movement has RAISED $9 MILLION from grassroots patriots like YOU,” Trump said in a statement released by the Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee on Tuesday. “In fact, our campaign recorded its SINGLE GREATEST FUNDRAISING DAY EVER,” the 77-year-old said of his Georgia surrender bounty. His fundraising numbers spiked once the mugshot was released – which it immediately was – with supporters particularly pleased with the “never surrender” slogan. Critics noted the irony since the mugshot was taken when he surrendered to authorities to be processed at the jail. The merchandise sales are impressive so far. The totals reported include 36,000 T-shirts, 24,000 coffee mugs and 8,600 posters. One thing that people talk about is the amount of money Trump is spending on legal bills and how a lot of those bills are being paid by campaign donations. It’s being reported that the mugshot merchandise money is being earmarked by the campaign for political and campaign activities and won’t be used to cover legal expense. Trump has spent tens of millions of dollars on legal bills since the season of indictments began. Altogether, Trump is facing 91 counts in all four indictments. Trump raised $5M in the first 48 hours after the indictment in Manhattan and $10M over five days. After the indictment over the mishandling of classified documents, his campaign said it raised $6.6M. Campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said that last Friday was the biggest fundraising day for the Trump campaign so far, with $4.18M raised on the day alone. Trump’s mugshot was taken on Thursday night. https://nypost.com/2023/08/29/chicago-tv-news-reporter-on-assignment-to-cover-thefts-robbed-of-video-camera-at-gunpoint/ Chicago TV news reporter on assignment to cover thefts robbed of video camera at gunpoint A pair of Chicago journalists were held up at gunpoint by three men wearing ski masks — while covering the spate of robberies and carjackings that plagued the Windy City over the weekend, according to local police and news outlets. A Univision Chicago reporter and a cameraman were set to do a live shot in the upscale Wicker Park section at around 4:30 a.m. on Monday when a black SUV and a gray sedan pulled up alongside them, according to the news site CWBChicago. The two male journalists — one 28 and the other 42 — were standing near the 1200 block of North Milwaukee Ave. when “three unknown male offenders exited the vehicles, wearing ski masks and displaying firearms,” Chicago police officials told The Post on Tuesday. The thugs made off with their video camera before fleeing, cops said. No injuries were reported and none of the suspects were in custody as of Tuesday afternoon, police said. The brazen attack was part of a spree that involved at least 30 others who were either robbed or carjacked in the crime-ravaged city on Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, according to local authorities. Luis Godinez, the vice president of Univision Chicago, circulated an email to employees confirming that their colleagues were the ones who were robbed, according to the news site Block Club Chicago. The fact that the news personnel were now part of the story is “total irony,” the Univision reporter, who wished to remain anonymous, told the site. “As a journalist, you never want to be the story, right?” the reporter told Block Club Chicago. Earlier this month, a Chicago TV news videographer had two of his phones robbed while preparing to cover a news conference on the city’s West Side. Law enforcement officials have yet to make arrests in those cases, according to reports. https://beckernews.com/99-of-fatalities-in-united-states-not-primarily-caused-by-covid-19-cdc-data-51670/ 99% of Fatalities in United States Not Primarily Caused by Covid-19: CDC Data Despite the rampant fear being spread in the U.S. media about new Covid subvariants, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Infection cast doubt on any cause for alarm. CDC statistics reveal that only 1% of all weekly deaths across the United States are attributed to Covid-19. For the week ending on August 19, the CDC’s Covid dashboard reports 324 Covid-related fatalities, constituting a mere 1.7% of all deaths during that period. Although the percentage of deaths due to Covid for the week ending August 19 reflects a minor uptick from the prior week, it is substantially lower than the pandemic’s apex, when the CDC cited Covid as the cause of nearly one in three deaths. Data highlights that states such as Washington, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, Maryland, and New York are experiencing higher rates of Covid-induced deaths. Maryland and Florida lead with 3.4%, while Washington, Tennessee, North Carolina, and New York are around the 2% mark. In contrast, more than 24 states recorded between one and nine Covid-related deaths for the week ending August 19. Additional data points out that the fatality rate is marginally higher among women than men, and is most elevated among individuals aged 75 and older. This latest data may offer some comfort at a time when anxieties are escalating across the country due to the spread of highly transmissible new Covid variants, resulting in an increase in infections and hospitalizations, as well as the reintroduction of certain Covid mandates. Recently detected variants like EG.5 (Eris) and BA.8.26 (Pirola) have emerged in multiple countries, including the United States. These variants have undergone extensive mutations, making them potentially more adept at dodging vaccine and natural immunity, and contributing to a rise in infections. Despite the appearance of these variants, infections in the U.S. have doubled and hospital admissions have risen for the fifth consecutive week, but they remain near historical lows. Importantly, Covid-related deaths have not surged. Last week’s concerns over a Covid resurgence led Hollywood’s Lionsgate studio to enforce mask mandates at its Santa Monica, California offices. This decision was later rescinded within days. Similarly, Rutgers University in New Jersey and Morris Brown College in Georgia both declared that face coverings will be mandatory for faculty and students. Medical facilities like Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Santa Rosa, California, and Upstate Community Hospital in Syracuse, New York, have reinstated mask requirements for healthcare workers, patients, and visitors. In Kentucky, the Lee County School District shut down classes less than two weeks after reopening, as nearly 20% of its student body fell ill with a ‘tripledemic’ of illnesses, including Covid, strep throat, and influenza. President Biden indicated on Friday that his administration will “likely” recommend another Covid booster vaccine soon. He also signed a proposal asking Congress for additional funds to modify Covid vaccines to better counteract the new variants. Nevertheless, public interest in booster shots remains tepid, with only 18% of eligible Americans having received any form of booster. As pointed out by the Mayo Clinic, about 81% of Covid-related deaths in the United States have been in people age 65 and older, adding that “risks are even higher for older people when they have other health conditions.” Even when accounting for the difficulty in assessing cause of death in a predominately elderly population with comorbidities, the Covid-19 pandemic nonetheless had a 99.7% survival rate in the United States.

Hi, Neighbor! It's The Comedian (John), The Peaches (Amanda), and The Ninja (Luke). Don't take it personally that Luke would rather be out building a shed than sitting here talking with us... John is a little sour today because he wasn't invited to be the Funny Guy at a certain Christian Convention. (Don't worry. He just needs to be reminded that he wouldn't have enjoyed it anyway.) Speaking of conferences we actually DO want to be part of because we actually DO like the people involved... join us at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference, October 11-14th, at the Ark Encounter. Details at flfnetwork.com. Contact the Comedian's family by emailing nextdoor@johnbranyan.com

Hi, Neighbor! It's The Comedian (John), The Peaches (Amanda), and The Ninja (Luke). Don't take it personally that Luke would rather be out building a shed than sitting here talking with us... John is a little sour today because he wasn't invited to be the Funny Guy at a certain Christian Convention. (Don't worry. He just needs to be reminded that he wouldn't have enjoyed it anyway.) Speaking of conferences we actually DO want to be part of because we actually DO like the people involved... join us at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference, October 11-14th, at the Ark Encounter. Details at flfnetwork.com. Contact the Comedian's family by emailing nextdoor@johnbranyan.com

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Friday, August 18th, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter This year, our Fight Laugh Feast Conference is at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on The Politics of Six Day Creation. The politics of six day creation is the difference between a fixed standard of justice and a careening standard of justice, the difference between the corrosive relativism that creates mobs and anarchy and the freedom of objectivity, truth, and due process. The politics of six day creation establishes the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word for all of life: from what is a man or a woman, when does human life begin, and how is human society best organized? Come hear Ken Ham, Pastor Doug Wilson, Dr. Ben Merkle, Dr. Gordon Wilson, me and more, and of course a live CrossPolitic show! Mark your calendars for October 11th-14th, as we fight, laugh, and feast, with beer & psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our Rowdy Christian Merch, and a Sabbath Feast to wrap up the occasion. Maybe an infant baptism while we’re at it! Visit fightlaughfeast.com for more information! https://www.dailywire.com/news/mayor-blindsided-after-entire-police-force-resigns-in-minnesota-town Mayor ‘Blindsided’ After Entire Police Force Resigns In Minnesota Town Every police officer, including the chief of police, has stepped down from the force in a Minnesota town after they say complaints of low pay and long hours were left unresolved. Goodhue, a city about 65 miles southeast of Minneapolis with just over 1,000 residents, could be without police officers by August 23. It has struggled to attract new police recruits and give competitive pay to officers. The nonpartisan mayor said she was “blindsided” by the resignations and promised that the city would be protected. “I want to reiterate that we will have police coverage in the city of Goodhue,” Mayor Ellen Anderson Buck told Fox 9. “That is not an issue.” Police Chief Josh Smith said the force had trouble getting anyone interested in police work. Smith, another full-time employee, and five part-time employees all announced their resignations last week. “This has been three weeks now, we have zero applicants, and I have zero prospects,” Smith said in July. “I’ve called every PD around for the youngest guys out there, getting into the game. There’s nobody getting into the game.” “Not that I’m leaving you guys, because I told you I’m in it,” he said at a meeting on July 26. “But the harsh reality is, I don’t want to be the guy working 80 hours a week just running this PD, being on call 24 hours a day, which I already am, and leaving no time for my family.” According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Goodhue City Council raised Smith’s salary by $13,000 and the other officers by 5% this year. “Right now … trying to hire at $22 an hour, you’re never going to see another person again walk through those doors,” Smith said, noting that cities could frequently give more benefits and higher pay. After all the officers leave, the town is set to contract with the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office to provide law enforcement services. The police department in Morris, another Minnesota town, was disbanded last year after it could not retain staffers. Police departments across the U.S. have struggled to attract recruits in urban and rural areas. The shortage of officers comes following a wave of anti-police sentiment after the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody in 2020. https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2023/08/16/pakistan-muslim-mob-of-10000-people-burns-down-hundreds-of-christian-homes-churches-over-blasphemy/ Muslim Mob of 10,000 People Burns Down Hundreds of Christian Homes, Churches, over ‘Blasphemy’ A mob reportedly made of up as many as 10,000 men began burning down, looting, and otherwise violently assaulting Christian communities in Jaranwala, Pakistan, on Wednesday in response to reports that a Christian man had allegedly desecrated a Quran. The Pakistani newspaper Dawn, citing local Christians in the northern Pakistani region of Punjab, documented the burning down or otherwise complete destruction of at least five churches. The British Asian Christian Association, an international aid group that serves persecuted Christians in Pakistan, reported that the mob destroyed over 500 homes and left “tens of thousands” of Christians homeless. Muslim mob violence in Pakistan, an officially Islamic state, is common. Islamist mobs often riot when rumors spread of a Christian allegedly desecrating a Quran, insulting the Islamic figure Muhammad, or otherwise offending the religion. Islamists have also rioted over international news, such as riots in support of the Charlie Hebdo massacre of 2015 or riots against France following the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty, which the French government condemned. Christians are often the targets of such violence and local police rarely intervene effectively, particularly when the mob attacks are triggered by allegations of blasphemy. “Blasphemy” is a crime in the Pakistani penal code, punishable by death when directed at Muhammad personally. Pakistan has never in its history executed a person for blasphemy, but mobs have “extra-judicially” killed or severely injured untold numbers over the alleged crime. Many of those killed for “blasphemy” are not charged with the crime and little evidence exists that the blasphemy occurred. Christians in Pakistan are disproportionately poor and some accused of “crimes” such as writing on a Quran are illiterate, making the accusations impossible. The incidents triggered on Wednesday reportedly began when Muslims in Jaranwala began accusing Saleem Masih, a Christian man believed to work as a cleaner, of desecrating a copy of the Quran, the Islamic holy book. According to the British Asian Christian Association, the violence began when Islamic officials used mosques to make community announcements demanding that mobs organize and begin destroying Christian communities in response. “The affected regions, including Cinema Basti, Christian Town, and Esa Nagar, have witnessed the destruction of over 500 houses,” the organization detailed. “According to reports provided by on-ground volunteers, Pastors Muratib and Moon, a tumultuous mob of approximately 10,000 individuals has wreaked havoc within the Christian towns.” The Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported that pastors had confirmed the burning down and looting of at least five churches in the community throughout Wednesday. “Images on social media showed smoke rising from the church buildings and people setting fire to furniture that had been dragged from them. A Christian cemetery was also vandalised, as well as the local government office,” Dawn documented. Videos from the greater fay-sala-bad area showed large crowds of men starting fires around churches, looting the homes of Christians, and chanting anti-Christian slogans. In one such video, one police officer appears in front of a crowd of what appears to be hundreds of people, calmly attempting to address the men and being ignored as they continue ransacking what appears to be a residential community. Bishop Azad Marshall, the president bishop of the Church of Pakistan, posted a message on Twitter on Wednesday stating that churches were burning as he was writing and demanding police take action. The mob attacks appear to be ongoing at press time, though local police claim they are organizing a response. Pakistan’s Geo TV cited the information minister for Punjab, Amir Mir, claiming “dozens” of people had been arrested for their participation in the mob attacks and that police believed the eruption of violence was not spontaneous. “There was a plan to disturb the peace by inciting public sentiments. After the desecration of the Holy Quran, the angry protesters reacted strongly,” Mir claimed, apparently accepting the alleged blasphemy as a fact. Geo TV added that Mir claimed police were working swiftly to investigate “the tragic incident of the desecration of the holy book” – the Quran, presumably, though Mir did not clarify if he was also investigating Bishop Marshall’s report of desecrations of Bibles. Mir also astoundingly claimed “no one was injured nor was there any loss of life” in the riots, contradicting the on-the-ground reports from the British Asian Christian Association, which alleged thousands of injuries. https://www.witn.com/2023/08/16/north-carolina-house-overrides-multiple-vetoes/?fbclid=IwAR2myIPVYdQ3mhoinGOu-CMbUkNH8KnFZEFCOYQ4KaxoBq9BV0JmYywKkpI North Carolina legislature overrides Governor’s vetoes on transgender and charter school bills The North Carolina House of Representatives and Senate voted along party lines to override several of Governor Roy Cooper’s vetoes on Wednesday afternoon. All of the bills that had their vetoes overridden now become law. House and Senate members first voted to override House Bill 574, which is better known as the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act. The bill would ban all transgender girls and women (biological boys or men) from competing in women’s athletics at the middle school, high school, and college levels in North Carolina. After passing the House, the Senate then overrode the governor’s veto as well along party lines.. Also on the calendar Wednesday was House Bill 808, a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for children. This bill prohibits doctors in North Carolina from treating any child under 18 years old with drugs associated with gender transitioning. The House overrode the Governor’s veto of that bill by a vote of 73-46. The NC Senate then voted to override the veto by a vote of 27-18. Senate Bill 49, also known as the Parents Bill of Rights or also by the nickname “Don’t Say Gay bill” is a bill that would force educators from kindergarten through high school to notify parents if a child asked school personnel to use other pronouns or other names for them. Senate Bill 49′s veto was also overridden in both chambers of the General Assembly Wednesday as well. The House and Senate also voted to override House Bill 219, known as the Charter School Omnibus Bill, by a House vote of 74-45 and a Senate vote of 27-18. House Bill 219 allows charter schools in the state to expand without seeking permission as long as they’re not considered low-performing. It would also allow them to give preferential treatment to applicants instead of using the lottery system as well as begin to allow enrollment and charge tuition for out-of-state and foreign exchange students. House Bill 219 would also allow county governments to use funds collected from property taxes to pay for charter school buildings and other capital projects, under current law using public funds for this reason is not possible. Both chambers also voted along party lines to override Governor Cooper’s veto of HB618 dealing with charter school review boards. House Bill 488, a bill allowing for Code Council Reorganization and various code amendments was also overridden in both chambers on Wednesday along party lines. Upon adjournment, House Speaker Tim Moore (R - Cleveland County) told members that there would be no legislative votes for the rest of this week or next, and possibly the week beyond that, meaning that the General Assembly will not be taking up a state budget until at least September, well after the start of the new year for North Carolina’s public schools. Now it’s time for my favorite topic, sports! https://www.boundingintosports.com/2023/08/tuohy-family-from-the-blind-side-responds-to-accusations-from-nfl-vet-michael-oher-as-he-seeks-film-royalties/ Tuohy Family From ‘The Blind Side’ Responds To Accusations From NFL Vet Michael Oher As He Seeks Film Royalties Former NFL player Michael Oher, who was the focus of the 2009 blockbuster film The Blind Side, has filed a lawsuit in a Shelby County, Tennessee court against Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, the people who took him into their home and raised him as a wayward teenager. Oher accuses them of misleading him intentionally regarding his ‘adoption,’ which he claims was a conservatorship instead. Needless to say, this revelation has completely altered the images of Oher and the Tuohy’s portrayed in the popular film, suggesting that this Christian, kind family may have had other motives for taking Oher into their home. Oher, now 37 years old, had his attorney file a 14-page document to the court alleging that as a teenager, the Tuohy’s convinced him to sign a document back in 2004 giving them full legal authority over any business decisions he could potentially be involved in, rather than what he believed was an adoption by the family. Sean Tuohy said in an interview with The Daily Memphis that the accusations of ill-intent and that his family simply wanted to profit off of Oher were ridiculous. “I sat Michael down and told him, ‘If you’re planning to go to Ole Miss — or even considering Ole Miss — we think you have to be part of the family. This would do that legally,’” he said at the time when Oher believed they were legally adopting him. “We contacted lawyers who had told us that we couldn’t adopt over the age of 18; the only thing we could do was to have a conservatorship. We were so concerned it was on the up-and-up that we made sure the biological mother came to court.” Tuohy also stated that the family did not earn the sizable amount of money Oher’s attorneys believe they did. Touhy, who is already wealthy himself from owning and selling a chain of fast food franchises for upwards of $200 million, claimed that those saying it was all about the money should think again. https://twitter.com/i/status/1691179803821359105 - Play Video The lawsuit being brought by Oher, paints a vastly different picture… if you want more information on that lawsuit, go listen to my newsbrief from yesterday.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Friday, August 18th, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter This year, our Fight Laugh Feast Conference is at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on The Politics of Six Day Creation. The politics of six day creation is the difference between a fixed standard of justice and a careening standard of justice, the difference between the corrosive relativism that creates mobs and anarchy and the freedom of objectivity, truth, and due process. The politics of six day creation establishes the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word for all of life: from what is a man or a woman, when does human life begin, and how is human society best organized? Come hear Ken Ham, Pastor Doug Wilson, Dr. Ben Merkle, Dr. Gordon Wilson, me and more, and of course a live CrossPolitic show! Mark your calendars for October 11th-14th, as we fight, laugh, and feast, with beer & psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our Rowdy Christian Merch, and a Sabbath Feast to wrap up the occasion. Maybe an infant baptism while we’re at it! Visit fightlaughfeast.com for more information! https://www.dailywire.com/news/mayor-blindsided-after-entire-police-force-resigns-in-minnesota-town Mayor ‘Blindsided’ After Entire Police Force Resigns In Minnesota Town Every police officer, including the chief of police, has stepped down from the force in a Minnesota town after they say complaints of low pay and long hours were left unresolved. Goodhue, a city about 65 miles southeast of Minneapolis with just over 1,000 residents, could be without police officers by August 23. It has struggled to attract new police recruits and give competitive pay to officers. The nonpartisan mayor said she was “blindsided” by the resignations and promised that the city would be protected. “I want to reiterate that we will have police coverage in the city of Goodhue,” Mayor Ellen Anderson Buck told Fox 9. “That is not an issue.” Police Chief Josh Smith said the force had trouble getting anyone interested in police work. Smith, another full-time employee, and five part-time employees all announced their resignations last week. “This has been three weeks now, we have zero applicants, and I have zero prospects,” Smith said in July. “I’ve called every PD around for the youngest guys out there, getting into the game. There’s nobody getting into the game.” “Not that I’m leaving you guys, because I told you I’m in it,” he said at a meeting on July 26. “But the harsh reality is, I don’t want to be the guy working 80 hours a week just running this PD, being on call 24 hours a day, which I already am, and leaving no time for my family.” According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Goodhue City Council raised Smith’s salary by $13,000 and the other officers by 5% this year. “Right now … trying to hire at $22 an hour, you’re never going to see another person again walk through those doors,” Smith said, noting that cities could frequently give more benefits and higher pay. After all the officers leave, the town is set to contract with the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office to provide law enforcement services. The police department in Morris, another Minnesota town, was disbanded last year after it could not retain staffers. Police departments across the U.S. have struggled to attract recruits in urban and rural areas. The shortage of officers comes following a wave of anti-police sentiment after the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody in 2020. https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2023/08/16/pakistan-muslim-mob-of-10000-people-burns-down-hundreds-of-christian-homes-churches-over-blasphemy/ Muslim Mob of 10,000 People Burns Down Hundreds of Christian Homes, Churches, over ‘Blasphemy’ A mob reportedly made of up as many as 10,000 men began burning down, looting, and otherwise violently assaulting Christian communities in Jaranwala, Pakistan, on Wednesday in response to reports that a Christian man had allegedly desecrated a Quran. The Pakistani newspaper Dawn, citing local Christians in the northern Pakistani region of Punjab, documented the burning down or otherwise complete destruction of at least five churches. The British Asian Christian Association, an international aid group that serves persecuted Christians in Pakistan, reported that the mob destroyed over 500 homes and left “tens of thousands” of Christians homeless. Muslim mob violence in Pakistan, an officially Islamic state, is common. Islamist mobs often riot when rumors spread of a Christian allegedly desecrating a Quran, insulting the Islamic figure Muhammad, or otherwise offending the religion. Islamists have also rioted over international news, such as riots in support of the Charlie Hebdo massacre of 2015 or riots against France following the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty, which the French government condemned. Christians are often the targets of such violence and local police rarely intervene effectively, particularly when the mob attacks are triggered by allegations of blasphemy. “Blasphemy” is a crime in the Pakistani penal code, punishable by death when directed at Muhammad personally. Pakistan has never in its history executed a person for blasphemy, but mobs have “extra-judicially” killed or severely injured untold numbers over the alleged crime. Many of those killed for “blasphemy” are not charged with the crime and little evidence exists that the blasphemy occurred. Christians in Pakistan are disproportionately poor and some accused of “crimes” such as writing on a Quran are illiterate, making the accusations impossible. The incidents triggered on Wednesday reportedly began when Muslims in Jaranwala began accusing Saleem Masih, a Christian man believed to work as a cleaner, of desecrating a copy of the Quran, the Islamic holy book. According to the British Asian Christian Association, the violence began when Islamic officials used mosques to make community announcements demanding that mobs organize and begin destroying Christian communities in response. “The affected regions, including Cinema Basti, Christian Town, and Esa Nagar, have witnessed the destruction of over 500 houses,” the organization detailed. “According to reports provided by on-ground volunteers, Pastors Muratib and Moon, a tumultuous mob of approximately 10,000 individuals has wreaked havoc within the Christian towns.” The Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported that pastors had confirmed the burning down and looting of at least five churches in the community throughout Wednesday. “Images on social media showed smoke rising from the church buildings and people setting fire to furniture that had been dragged from them. A Christian cemetery was also vandalised, as well as the local government office,” Dawn documented. Videos from the greater fay-sala-bad area showed large crowds of men starting fires around churches, looting the homes of Christians, and chanting anti-Christian slogans. In one such video, one police officer appears in front of a crowd of what appears to be hundreds of people, calmly attempting to address the men and being ignored as they continue ransacking what appears to be a residential community. Bishop Azad Marshall, the president bishop of the Church of Pakistan, posted a message on Twitter on Wednesday stating that churches were burning as he was writing and demanding police take action. The mob attacks appear to be ongoing at press time, though local police claim they are organizing a response. Pakistan’s Geo TV cited the information minister for Punjab, Amir Mir, claiming “dozens” of people had been arrested for their participation in the mob attacks and that police believed the eruption of violence was not spontaneous. “There was a plan to disturb the peace by inciting public sentiments. After the desecration of the Holy Quran, the angry protesters reacted strongly,” Mir claimed, apparently accepting the alleged blasphemy as a fact. Geo TV added that Mir claimed police were working swiftly to investigate “the tragic incident of the desecration of the holy book” – the Quran, presumably, though Mir did not clarify if he was also investigating Bishop Marshall’s report of desecrations of Bibles. Mir also astoundingly claimed “no one was injured nor was there any loss of life” in the riots, contradicting the on-the-ground reports from the British Asian Christian Association, which alleged thousands of injuries. https://www.witn.com/2023/08/16/north-carolina-house-overrides-multiple-vetoes/?fbclid=IwAR2myIPVYdQ3mhoinGOu-CMbUkNH8KnFZEFCOYQ4KaxoBq9BV0JmYywKkpI North Carolina legislature overrides Governor’s vetoes on transgender and charter school bills The North Carolina House of Representatives and Senate voted along party lines to override several of Governor Roy Cooper’s vetoes on Wednesday afternoon. All of the bills that had their vetoes overridden now become law. House and Senate members first voted to override House Bill 574, which is better known as the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act. The bill would ban all transgender girls and women (biological boys or men) from competing in women’s athletics at the middle school, high school, and college levels in North Carolina. After passing the House, the Senate then overrode the governor’s veto as well along party lines.. Also on the calendar Wednesday was House Bill 808, a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for children. This bill prohibits doctors in North Carolina from treating any child under 18 years old with drugs associated with gender transitioning. The House overrode the Governor’s veto of that bill by a vote of 73-46. The NC Senate then voted to override the veto by a vote of 27-18. Senate Bill 49, also known as the Parents Bill of Rights or also by the nickname “Don’t Say Gay bill” is a bill that would force educators from kindergarten through high school to notify parents if a child asked school personnel to use other pronouns or other names for them. Senate Bill 49′s veto was also overridden in both chambers of the General Assembly Wednesday as well. The House and Senate also voted to override House Bill 219, known as the Charter School Omnibus Bill, by a House vote of 74-45 and a Senate vote of 27-18. House Bill 219 allows charter schools in the state to expand without seeking permission as long as they’re not considered low-performing. It would also allow them to give preferential treatment to applicants instead of using the lottery system as well as begin to allow enrollment and charge tuition for out-of-state and foreign exchange students. House Bill 219 would also allow county governments to use funds collected from property taxes to pay for charter school buildings and other capital projects, under current law using public funds for this reason is not possible. Both chambers also voted along party lines to override Governor Cooper’s veto of HB618 dealing with charter school review boards. House Bill 488, a bill allowing for Code Council Reorganization and various code amendments was also overridden in both chambers on Wednesday along party lines. Upon adjournment, House Speaker Tim Moore (R - Cleveland County) told members that there would be no legislative votes for the rest of this week or next, and possibly the week beyond that, meaning that the General Assembly will not be taking up a state budget until at least September, well after the start of the new year for North Carolina’s public schools. Now it’s time for my favorite topic, sports! https://www.boundingintosports.com/2023/08/tuohy-family-from-the-blind-side-responds-to-accusations-from-nfl-vet-michael-oher-as-he-seeks-film-royalties/ Tuohy Family From ‘The Blind Side’ Responds To Accusations From NFL Vet Michael Oher As He Seeks Film Royalties Former NFL player Michael Oher, who was the focus of the 2009 blockbuster film The Blind Side, has filed a lawsuit in a Shelby County, Tennessee court against Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, the people who took him into their home and raised him as a wayward teenager. Oher accuses them of misleading him intentionally regarding his ‘adoption,’ which he claims was a conservatorship instead. Needless to say, this revelation has completely altered the images of Oher and the Tuohy’s portrayed in the popular film, suggesting that this Christian, kind family may have had other motives for taking Oher into their home. Oher, now 37 years old, had his attorney file a 14-page document to the court alleging that as a teenager, the Tuohy’s convinced him to sign a document back in 2004 giving them full legal authority over any business decisions he could potentially be involved in, rather than what he believed was an adoption by the family. Sean Tuohy said in an interview with The Daily Memphis that the accusations of ill-intent and that his family simply wanted to profit off of Oher were ridiculous. “I sat Michael down and told him, ‘If you’re planning to go to Ole Miss — or even considering Ole Miss — we think you have to be part of the family. This would do that legally,’” he said at the time when Oher believed they were legally adopting him. “We contacted lawyers who had told us that we couldn’t adopt over the age of 18; the only thing we could do was to have a conservatorship. We were so concerned it was on the up-and-up that we made sure the biological mother came to court.” Tuohy also stated that the family did not earn the sizable amount of money Oher’s attorneys believe they did. Touhy, who is already wealthy himself from owning and selling a chain of fast food franchises for upwards of $200 million, claimed that those saying it was all about the money should think again. https://twitter.com/i/status/1691179803821359105 - Play Video The lawsuit being brought by Oher, paints a vastly different picture… if you want more information on that lawsuit, go listen to my newsbrief from yesterday.

This is an extended episode because we have a lot to say about manipulative non-believers who take advantage of the "nice" Christians... But first, we chat for about Grandma Turbo's upcoming nuptials, yard work, and taking responsibility. Later: -"Kind" and "intelligent" and "friendly" non-believers are even more dangerous than the militant jerks. This is especially true when this is their brand. -We often teach Christians that they OWE IT to non-believers to reward their so-called friendliness. ("You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.") This makes people more vulnerable to narcissists and other predators who try very hard to be likeable. -Here's a story about Tabby being manipulated by a royal jerk in college. ("You're not being very Christlike...") -Moms often feel mean when they take authority in a particular situation--especially when the toddler or child says "I just want a hug!" or "I just want to snuggle." Finally: -WOULD YOU TURN DOWN A CHANCE TO HAVE PIZZA WITH RICKY GERVAIS??? Contact the Comedian, John Branyan by emailing nextdoor@johnbranyan.com Join us at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference, October 11th-14th at the Ark. Details at flfnetwork.com.

This is an extended episode because we have a lot to say about manipulative non-believers who take advantage of the "nice" Christians... But first, we chat for about Grandma Turbo's upcoming nuptials, yard work, and taking responsibility. Later: -"Kind" and "intelligent" and "friendly" non-believers are even more dangerous than the militant jerks. This is especially true when this is their brand. -We often teach Christians that they OWE IT to non-believers to reward their so-called friendliness. ("You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.") This makes people more vulnerable to narcissists and other predators who try very hard to be likeable. -Here's a story about Tabby being manipulated by a royal jerk in college. ("You're not being very Christlike...") -Moms often feel mean when they take authority in a particular situation--especially when the toddler or child says "I just want a hug!" or "I just want to snuggle." Finally: -WOULD YOU TURN DOWN A CHANCE TO HAVE PIZZA WITH RICKY GERVAIS??? Contact the Comedian, John Branyan by emailing nextdoor@johnbranyan.com Join us at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference, October 11th-14th at the Ark. Details at flfnetwork.com.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Tuesday, July 25th, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter This year, our Fight Laugh Feast Conference is at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on The Politics of Six Day Creation. The politics of six day creation is the difference between a fixed standard of justice and a careening standard of justice, the difference between the corrosive relativism that creates mobs and anarchy and the freedom of objectivity, truth, and due process. The politics of six day creation establishes the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word for all of life: from what is a man or a woman, when does human life begin, and how is human society best organized? Come hear Ken Ham, Pastor Doug Wilson, Dr. Ben Merkle, Dr. Gordon Wilson, me and more, and of course a live CrossPolitic show! Mark your calendars for October 11th-14th, as we fight, laugh, and feast, with beer & psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our Rowdy Christian Merch, and a Sabbath Feast to wrap up the occasion. Maybe an infant baptism while we’re at it! Visit fightlaughfeast.com for more information! We start today at the southern border… https://justthenews.com/government/security/biden-has-border-terrorism-problem-encounters-flagged-aliens-explode-nine-fold Biden has a border terrorism problem as encounters with flagged aliens explode ninefold The number of foreigners on the U.S. terrorist screening list who have tried illegally crossing into the United States has exploded ninefold since President Joe Biden took office, an alarming increase that experts say puts national security at risk. So far in fiscal 2023, 140 people on the terror list have been apprehended between ports of entry, already crushing last year’s record of 98. There were only three such crossings in the last year of Donald Trump’s presidency, and 16 in Biden’s first year. The rapid growth in crossings by illegal aliens with terror ties is a warning sign that countries with bad intent may be trying to sneak potential terror cells into the United States, experts told Just the News. Added Mark Morgan, the former acting commissioner of the Customs Border Protection agency: “We literally could have the next terrorist sleeper cell in United States planning a terrorist attack, and we would have no idea.” The pattern also has alarmed Congress, which began an investigation earlier this summer. Lawmakers said they are particularly concerned that there have been 1.5 million gotaways who have never been encountered illegally crossing the border, raising the possibility there are many more potential terrorists already in the country. “These ‘known gotaways’ do not provide biometric or biographic information to USBP agents and continue their journey into the interior of the country without background checks against law enforcement databases,” Reps. Jim Jordan, James Comer and Mark Green wrote in a recent letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Jordan, Comer and Green chair three of the most powerful committees in Congress: Judiciary, Oversight and Homeland Security. The lawmakers also cited a recent change in language by the Homeland Security Department, raising concerns that some illegal aliens with terror ties may not have been deported. Concerns have been exacerbated by the recent revelation the Biden released an illegal alien with known terrorism ties, and it took two weeks to apprehend him. https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/coronavirus/china-publishes-then-deletes-official-covid-data-indicating-over-1 China publishes then deletes official COVID data indicating over 1 million more deaths than reported While Beijing has claimed about 83,700 people have died in China since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Zhejiang provincial government published and quickly deleted official data indicating the true death toll is significantly higher. The Zhejiang government deleted the data last week just days after it was published, but epidemiologists who reviewed the information said it was the latest indication that China's official death toll is vastly undercounted, according to The New York Times. Provincial data shows that the number of cremations rose to 171,000 in the first quarter of 2023, which is 72,000 more cremations than the same period last year when China's stringent COVID mandates were still in place. China has only acknowledged about 83,700 deaths in total. An analysis earlier this year from the New York paper estimated that China's most recent wave of COVID, which started late last year, may have resulted in between one million and 1.5 million deaths. Experts say the data from Zhejiang, which has a population of 65.8 million people, when extrapolated to China's population of 1.4 billion, is consistent with earlier mortality estimates. "I’m not sure the impact would have been exactly the same in every province, but I think it would be useful for a rough extrapolation," University of Hong Kong epidemiologist Ben Cowling said. "It’s consistent with the estimates of around 1.5 million." Over to Portland we go… https://thepostmillennial.com/former-kmart-in-portland-that-became-a-homeless-squat-burns-down-in-huge-fire?utm_campaign=64487 Former Kmart in Portland that became a homeless squat burns down in huge fire An abandoned Kmart store that homeless vagrants have been using as their temporary home in Portland, Oregon was riddled by a massive fire on Wednesday, authorities say. Portland Fire Bureau spokesperson Rick Graves told The Oregonian that it was only a matter of time before the site was set ablaze. "We know this structure," Graves asserted. "We've known this has been vacant for some time … [with] people gaining occupancy and using it as their home." Several complaints from nearby residents have recently been made towards the city over the building's accessibility and draw for homeless individuals, trash, and debris. The most recent complaint, filed on July 6, prompted a city inspection, which is currently ongoing. It is unknown at this moment if anyone was trapped inside the structure when the fire broke out on Wednesday morning. No known injuries exist, authorities say. Firefighters were able to gain control of the blaze on Wednesday morning, with Graves explaining that the "major challenge" in controlling the fire was a lack of water supply due to a lack of water hydrants in the area, according to the outlet. A nearby resident, 67-year-old Laurel McAfee, told reporters that huge bunches of ash were scattered throughout the yard of her home. McAfee said the initial "boom" was so loud she had "thought maybe a car had hit a building or something." The cause of Wednesday’s fire has not yet been identified. So while Portland is continuing it’s decent into Mordor status, Disney does the same! https://notthebee.com/article/disneys-new-snow-white-its-not-1937-shes-not-gonna-be-saved-by-the-prince-and-shes-not-going-to-be-dreaming-about-true-love-shes-dreaming-about-becoming-the-leader-she-knows-she-can-be?fbclid=IwAR1-Lnh2oHRUkC7B62wlOx4v6tQukl3sn81zXp26vGDGzM5Ct6Uazpd4UJg Disney's new Snow White: "It's not 1937. She’s not gonna be saved by the prince and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love. She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be." Another remake that's here to smash the patriarchy. https://twitter.com/i/status/1683121280390660097 - Play Video How many billions will this Snow White remake cost Disney? Good luck with that Disney! In other entertainment news… https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2023/07/20/nolte-sound-of-freedom-crosses-100-million-mark/ ‘Sound of Freedom’ Crosses $100 Million Mark Thanks to a Wednesday haul of another $4.5 million, Angel Studios’ Sound of Freedom has crossed the magic $100 million mark at the domestic box office. “Angel Studios, the platform empowering filmmakers with full creative control to crowdfund and create, has reached a new theatrical milestone,” the studio said in a statement released Thursday. “Its independent summer hit, SOUND of FREEDOM. has now sold over 8.9 million tickets, and the film has now passed $100M in box office revenue.” “Since the films’ July 4 release, SOUND of FREEDOM has never left the top 3 positions on the charts[.]” On Wednesday, after 16 days of release, Sound of Freedom also managed to nearly top Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One once again, which is only in its eighth day of release — $4.37 million for Dead Reckoning’s Wednesday haul compared to Sound of Freedom’s $4.5 million. As Breitbart News reported Tuesday, Tom Cruise’s seventh outing as Ethan Hunt enjoys the advantage of playing in 1,000+ more screens—4,327 to 3,265. So, as far as packing in the crowds on a per-screen average, Jim Caviezel’s $14.5 million movie is beating Tom Cruise’s $250 to $300 million blockbuster, and doing so after being in wide release a week longer. Currently, Sound of Freedom is the second most popular movie in the country and there are no signs it will slow down. Barbie and Oppenheimer open this weekend, but just as we saw with Dead Reckoning the previous weekend, Sound of Freedom is operating in a lane all of its own. The anti-child trafficking movie (a topic the pro-grooming left finds offensive and controversial) is bringing normal people back to movie theaters. all kinds of people who long ago divorced mainstream Hollywood and have or intend to see Sound of Freedom. Top Gun: Maverick did the same last year. Normal people are craving normal entertainment. No gay sex. No smug lectures about the patriarchy. No deconstructing our heroes. No Mary Sues. Normal people want good stories created around interesting and complicated characters. Hollywood did this without breaking a sweat for a hundred years. Now a normal movie is an exception in an ocean of woketardery, shaming, and the normalization of destructive perversions. By all accounts, Sound of Freedom is a quality movie about an important subject that’s making a fortune and driving the left-wing establishment crazy. It doesn’t get any better than that. I suspect Disney will soon produce a remake where the sex traffickers are the heroes rescuing children from their traditional parents. Yes, the liberation of gay sex to unshackle the suffocating tenets of the Christian Faith. Coming soon to an empty theater near you.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Tuesday, July 25th, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter This year, our Fight Laugh Feast Conference is at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on The Politics of Six Day Creation. The politics of six day creation is the difference between a fixed standard of justice and a careening standard of justice, the difference between the corrosive relativism that creates mobs and anarchy and the freedom of objectivity, truth, and due process. The politics of six day creation establishes the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word for all of life: from what is a man or a woman, when does human life begin, and how is human society best organized? Come hear Ken Ham, Pastor Doug Wilson, Dr. Ben Merkle, Dr. Gordon Wilson, me and more, and of course a live CrossPolitic show! Mark your calendars for October 11th-14th, as we fight, laugh, and feast, with beer & psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our Rowdy Christian Merch, and a Sabbath Feast to wrap up the occasion. Maybe an infant baptism while we’re at it! Visit fightlaughfeast.com for more information! We start today at the southern border… https://justthenews.com/government/security/biden-has-border-terrorism-problem-encounters-flagged-aliens-explode-nine-fold Biden has a border terrorism problem as encounters with flagged aliens explode ninefold The number of foreigners on the U.S. terrorist screening list who have tried illegally crossing into the United States has exploded ninefold since President Joe Biden took office, an alarming increase that experts say puts national security at risk. So far in fiscal 2023, 140 people on the terror list have been apprehended between ports of entry, already crushing last year’s record of 98. There were only three such crossings in the last year of Donald Trump’s presidency, and 16 in Biden’s first year. The rapid growth in crossings by illegal aliens with terror ties is a warning sign that countries with bad intent may be trying to sneak potential terror cells into the United States, experts told Just the News. Added Mark Morgan, the former acting commissioner of the Customs Border Protection agency: “We literally could have the next terrorist sleeper cell in United States planning a terrorist attack, and we would have no idea.” The pattern also has alarmed Congress, which began an investigation earlier this summer. Lawmakers said they are particularly concerned that there have been 1.5 million gotaways who have never been encountered illegally crossing the border, raising the possibility there are many more potential terrorists already in the country. “These ‘known gotaways’ do not provide biometric or biographic information to USBP agents and continue their journey into the interior of the country without background checks against law enforcement databases,” Reps. Jim Jordan, James Comer and Mark Green wrote in a recent letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Jordan, Comer and Green chair three of the most powerful committees in Congress: Judiciary, Oversight and Homeland Security. The lawmakers also cited a recent change in language by the Homeland Security Department, raising concerns that some illegal aliens with terror ties may not have been deported. Concerns have been exacerbated by the recent revelation the Biden released an illegal alien with known terrorism ties, and it took two weeks to apprehend him. https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/coronavirus/china-publishes-then-deletes-official-covid-data-indicating-over-1 China publishes then deletes official COVID data indicating over 1 million more deaths than reported While Beijing has claimed about 83,700 people have died in China since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Zhejiang provincial government published and quickly deleted official data indicating the true death toll is significantly higher. The Zhejiang government deleted the data last week just days after it was published, but epidemiologists who reviewed the information said it was the latest indication that China's official death toll is vastly undercounted, according to The New York Times. Provincial data shows that the number of cremations rose to 171,000 in the first quarter of 2023, which is 72,000 more cremations than the same period last year when China's stringent COVID mandates were still in place. China has only acknowledged about 83,700 deaths in total. An analysis earlier this year from the New York paper estimated that China's most recent wave of COVID, which started late last year, may have resulted in between one million and 1.5 million deaths. Experts say the data from Zhejiang, which has a population of 65.8 million people, when extrapolated to China's population of 1.4 billion, is consistent with earlier mortality estimates. "I’m not sure the impact would have been exactly the same in every province, but I think it would be useful for a rough extrapolation," University of Hong Kong epidemiologist Ben Cowling said. "It’s consistent with the estimates of around 1.5 million." Over to Portland we go… https://thepostmillennial.com/former-kmart-in-portland-that-became-a-homeless-squat-burns-down-in-huge-fire?utm_campaign=64487 Former Kmart in Portland that became a homeless squat burns down in huge fire An abandoned Kmart store that homeless vagrants have been using as their temporary home in Portland, Oregon was riddled by a massive fire on Wednesday, authorities say. Portland Fire Bureau spokesperson Rick Graves told The Oregonian that it was only a matter of time before the site was set ablaze. "We know this structure," Graves asserted. "We've known this has been vacant for some time … [with] people gaining occupancy and using it as their home." Several complaints from nearby residents have recently been made towards the city over the building's accessibility and draw for homeless individuals, trash, and debris. The most recent complaint, filed on July 6, prompted a city inspection, which is currently ongoing. It is unknown at this moment if anyone was trapped inside the structure when the fire broke out on Wednesday morning. No known injuries exist, authorities say. Firefighters were able to gain control of the blaze on Wednesday morning, with Graves explaining that the "major challenge" in controlling the fire was a lack of water supply due to a lack of water hydrants in the area, according to the outlet. A nearby resident, 67-year-old Laurel McAfee, told reporters that huge bunches of ash were scattered throughout the yard of her home. McAfee said the initial "boom" was so loud she had "thought maybe a car had hit a building or something." The cause of Wednesday’s fire has not yet been identified. So while Portland is continuing it’s decent into Mordor status, Disney does the same! https://notthebee.com/article/disneys-new-snow-white-its-not-1937-shes-not-gonna-be-saved-by-the-prince-and-shes-not-going-to-be-dreaming-about-true-love-shes-dreaming-about-becoming-the-leader-she-knows-she-can-be?fbclid=IwAR1-Lnh2oHRUkC7B62wlOx4v6tQukl3sn81zXp26vGDGzM5Ct6Uazpd4UJg Disney's new Snow White: "It's not 1937. She’s not gonna be saved by the prince and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love. She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be." Another remake that's here to smash the patriarchy. https://twitter.com/i/status/1683121280390660097 - Play Video How many billions will this Snow White remake cost Disney? Good luck with that Disney! In other entertainment news… https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2023/07/20/nolte-sound-of-freedom-crosses-100-million-mark/ ‘Sound of Freedom’ Crosses $100 Million Mark Thanks to a Wednesday haul of another $4.5 million, Angel Studios’ Sound of Freedom has crossed the magic $100 million mark at the domestic box office. “Angel Studios, the platform empowering filmmakers with full creative control to crowdfund and create, has reached a new theatrical milestone,” the studio said in a statement released Thursday. “Its independent summer hit, SOUND of FREEDOM. has now sold over 8.9 million tickets, and the film has now passed $100M in box office revenue.” “Since the films’ July 4 release, SOUND of FREEDOM has never left the top 3 positions on the charts[.]” On Wednesday, after 16 days of release, Sound of Freedom also managed to nearly top Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One once again, which is only in its eighth day of release — $4.37 million for Dead Reckoning’s Wednesday haul compared to Sound of Freedom’s $4.5 million. As Breitbart News reported Tuesday, Tom Cruise’s seventh outing as Ethan Hunt enjoys the advantage of playing in 1,000+ more screens—4,327 to 3,265. So, as far as packing in the crowds on a per-screen average, Jim Caviezel’s $14.5 million movie is beating Tom Cruise’s $250 to $300 million blockbuster, and doing so after being in wide release a week longer. Currently, Sound of Freedom is the second most popular movie in the country and there are no signs it will slow down. Barbie and Oppenheimer open this weekend, but just as we saw with Dead Reckoning the previous weekend, Sound of Freedom is operating in a lane all of its own. The anti-child trafficking movie (a topic the pro-grooming left finds offensive and controversial) is bringing normal people back to movie theaters. all kinds of people who long ago divorced mainstream Hollywood and have or intend to see Sound of Freedom. Top Gun: Maverick did the same last year. Normal people are craving normal entertainment. No gay sex. No smug lectures about the patriarchy. No deconstructing our heroes. No Mary Sues. Normal people want good stories created around interesting and complicated characters. Hollywood did this without breaking a sweat for a hundred years. Now a normal movie is an exception in an ocean of woketardery, shaming, and the normalization of destructive perversions. By all accounts, Sound of Freedom is a quality movie about an important subject that’s making a fortune and driving the left-wing establishment crazy. It doesn’t get any better than that. I suspect Disney will soon produce a remake where the sex traffickers are the heroes rescuing children from their traditional parents. Yes, the liberation of gay sex to unshackle the suffocating tenets of the Christian Faith. Coming soon to an empty theater near you.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Tuesday, July 11th, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter This year, our Fight Laugh Feast Conference is at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on The Politics of Six Day Creation. The politics of six day creation is the difference between a fixed standard of justice and a careening standard of justice, the difference between the corrosive relativism that creates mobs and anarchy and the freedom of objectivity, truth, and due process. The politics of six day creation establishes the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word for all of life: from what is a man or a woman, when does human life begin, and how is human society best organized? Come hear Ken Ham, Pastor Doug Wilson, Dr. Ben Merkle, Dr. Gordon Wilson, me and more, and of course a live CrossPolitic show! Mark your calendars for October 11th-14th, as we fight, laugh, and feast, with beer & psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our Rowdy Christian Merch, and a Sabbath Feast to wrap up the occasion. Maybe an infant baptism while we’re at it! Visit fightlaughfeast.com for more information! https://www.theblaze.com/news/ban-on-transgender-surgery-for-tennessee-children-goes-into-effect Tennessee's ban on transgender surgery for kids goes into effect immediately, federal appeals court rules Tennessee can implement its ban on transgender surgery and related medical interventions for minors as a case challenging the law works its way through the court, a divided federal appeals court panel ruled Saturday. Tennessee's 44th House District Representative William Lamberth (R) wrote on Twitter Saturday: "I am thankful to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals for confirming what Tennesseans already know: Children cannot give consent to experimental medical procedures or drugs that destroy their healthy bodies," The Tennessee law now in effect, at least temporarily, prohibits surgical procedures and administration of hormones or puberty blockers for the purpose of gender transition, as Reason explains. Judge Thapar joined Sutton, concluding that the lower court had wrongly stopped the law's implementation. Judge White delivered a separate opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part. The ban, originally set to take effect July 1, will now take effect immediately. The ban was held up when a lower court sided with the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee. ACLU-TN argued that the law interfered with parental rights and was unconstitutional, as The Hill reported. This is the first federal court to allow such a ban, with other courts unanimously blocking similar bans in Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Indiana, and Kentucky, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee. ACLU-TN brought the suit on behalf of Samantha and Brian Williams of Nashville and their 15-year-old daughter, as well as two other anonymous families and Dr. Susan N. Lac. https://dailycaller.com/2023/07/09/portland-distribute-foil-straws-snorting-kits-paraphernalia-drug-addicts/ City To Distribute Foil, Straws, Snorting Kits To Drug Addicts Health officials in Portland, Oregon announced last week they will begin handing out tin foil, straws and snorting kits to drug addicts throughout the city. As part of its “Harm Reduction Program,” the Multnomah County Health Department announced Friday that drug paraphernalia will be offered to those using fentanyl and other hard drugs, KOIN 6 reported. The rise of fentanyl has decreased the need for needle-focused “harm reduction” services, Department spokeswoman Sarah Dean told the Willamette Week. Since fentanyl is smoked rather than injected, clinic visits have dropped 60% since 2019, Dean said. The program is backed by Multnomah County’s Public Health Director, Jessica Guernsey, who says, “The new part of the program is that we’re adding supplies for people who smoke drugs.” Others are not happy with the move. “This misguided approach also results in greater risk to public safety for those who simply want to enjoy our city without walking through a cloud of toxic smoke,” Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said. “Our community would benefit more from the County using its funding to urgently increase treatment and sobering facilities rather than actively enabling this deadly epidemic.” Dean countered the mayor’s statement by claiming providing drug paraphernalia does not increase drug use but encourages addicts to visit clinics where they can get access to fentanyl test strips and the overdose antidote, Narcan, KOIN 6 reported. The Oregon Legislative Assembly recently passed a bill decriminalizing the distribution of “drug paraphernalia” for harm reduction purposes, according to the Willamette Week. Similar programs have been launched in Washington and California. In New York City, vending machines with smoking kits and bubble pipes have recently been installed, the outlet reported. The Oregon bill to decriminalize distribution of drug paraphernalia sits on Governor Tina Kotek’s desk awaiting signature before going into law, the New York Post reported. https://hotair.com/karen-townsend/2023/07/09/the-winner-of-miss-netherlands-2023-is-a-man-n563401 The winner of Miss Netherlands 2023 is a man Transgender activism marches on. The newly crowned Miss Universe Netherlands is a man. The runner-up is a woman. Rikkie Valerie Kollé was crowned Miss Universe Netherlands 2023 on Saturday. Rikkie is 22 years old, a Dutch-Moluccan model and actress in Leusden. He will represent the Netherlands at the 2023 Miss Universe pageant in El Salvador. The first runner-up is Nathalie Mogbelzada, 26, from Amsterdam. The reigning Miss Universe, R’Bonney Gabriel of Houston, Texas, was a special guest at the pageant. He makes history as the first transgender woman to win the national title. In 2018, Angele Ponce, Miss Universe Spain, was the first transgender to participate in the Miss Universe pageant. The question of having a transgender competitor in the Miss Universe pageant goes back to 2012. That is when Trump owned it and he overturned a decision by the Miss Universe organization to disqualify a Canadian model. Jenna Talackova was not being allowed to compete because “she was not a naturally born female.” Trump bowed to the laws of Canada and allowed Jenna to compete. The LGBTQ community applauded Trump. Now he’s running against a very socially conservative Republican, Ron DeSantis, among others, and Trump has flipped on the issue. The Miss America pageant is also having its share of problems. Ever since former Fox anchor Gretchen Carlson came out as super woke and joined the organization, internal battles have leaked into the press. One big issue is that when Carlson joined the organization in 2018, she made the decision to ban the swimsuit segment. Now a former Miss America, Caressa Cameron, says that the pageant feels like a Ted Talk. There is a new docuseries on A&E that exposes scandals, misogyny, and racism in the Miss America competitions. Now in world news: https://www.foxnews.com/us/us-centcom-says-killed-isis-leader-syria-airstrike-no-civilian-casualties US CENTCOM says it killed ISIS leader in Syria airstrike, no civilian casualties U.S. forces killed ISIS leader Usamah al-Muhajir in an airstrike in eastern Syria on Friday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced in a Sunday statement. Al-Muhajir was killed by the same MQ-9 reaper drones that had been harassed by Russian aircraft in the region. The two incidents occurred the same day, the U.S. says, with the drones carrying out the strike after the interaction with Russian craft. "We have made it clear that we remain committed to the defeat of ISIS throughout the region," said CENTCOM commander Gen. Michael Kurilla. "ISIS remains a threat, not only to the region but well beyond." CENTCOM clarified that there were no indications that any civilians were killed in the strike, but the U.S. and allies were assessing reports of a civilian injury. The U.S. and allied forces in the region have carried out a consistent campaign against remaining ISIS leaders operating in Syria. The U.S. killed the head of the organization, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in a 2019 raid. Since then, ISIS forces have operated as cells. The MQ-9 drones used in the attack had earlier interactions with Russian SU-35 fighter jets throughout last week. The Russian craft have repeatedly flown into the path of the drones, forcing them to take evasive action to avoid a collision. "Russian military aircraft engaged in unsafe and unprofessional behavior Thursday, 9:30 a.m. local time, while interacting with U.S. MQ-9 drones carrying out our D-ISIS mission in Syria," said Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, commander, 9th AF and CFACC for CENTCOM. "Russian aircraft dropped flares in front of the drones and flew dangerously close, endangering the safety of all aircraft involved." "This is the second instance of dangerous behaviors by Russian pilots within the past 24 hours, with the first happening Wednesday at approximately 10:40 a.m. local time," he added. The U.S. military has also urged Russian forces in Syria to "cease this reckless behavior and adhere to the standards of behavior expected of a professional air force, so we can resume our focus on the enduring defeat of ISIS," he said. The U.S. maintains a force of about 900 troops deployed in Syria. They primarily work with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in their struggle against Islamic State militants. Now in entertainment… https://thepostmillennial.com/cnn-discourages-viewers-from-watching-anti-pedophile-movie-sound-of-freedom?utm_campaign=64487 CNN discourages viewers from watching anti-pedophile movie, Sound of Freedom In a clip from CNN, network host Abby Phillip brought on an author named Mike Rothschild to talk about the new and popular anti-child sex trafficking film, Sound of Freedom. Rothschild charged the film is created out of a "moral panic" and "QAnon concepts." Sound of Freedom is based on the adventures of Tim Ballard, who started an organization known as Operation Underground Railroad (OUR). OUR's mission is to save children from human trafficking. Rothschild wrote a book titled, "The Storm is Upon Us," which details many QAnon conspiracy theories such as the idea that the Democratic Party elites are part of a cabal of Satanic worshippers that drink the blood of children. Rothschild targeted said the film is "being marketed to either specific QAnon believers or to people who believe all of the same tenets as QAnon, but claim they don't know what it is." https://rumble.com/v2yw470-cnn-encourages-viewers-not-to-see-anti-pedophile-movie-sound-of-freedom.html - Play Video CNN has had its own problems with employees being involved in child sex crimes. One former producer at the network, John Griffin, was sentenced to 19 years in prison. Griffin coerced a woman online to bring her nine-year-old daughter to Vermont to engage in illicit acts. The story depicted in the film is of Ballard, played by Caviezel, rescuing children. After much strife with working in the US government, he bumps up against bureaucracy in his position as an agent. He had to quit his job to rescue the kids in the film and did so in reality as well. This was the beginning of OUR as a non-government organization. The movie focuses on Ballard's mission to save the two children and reunite a family torn apart by child sex trafficking. At the end of the movie, Caviezel appears on screen with a special message to share and urges people to "pay it forward" and donate to allow others to see the film. Caviezel says, "Steve Jobs once said, 'The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller.' Abraham Lincoln credited Harriet Stowe when she wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin. This powerful story inspired millions to rise up and fight against slavery. I think we can make Sound of Freedom the Uncle Tom's Cabin of modern-day slavery." "Sound of Freedom is a hero's tale, but I'm not talking about the character I play. It's the heroic brother and sister in this film that work to save each other." Caviezel added, "Together, we have a chance to make these two kids, and the countless children that they represent, the most powerful people in the world by telling their story in a way only the cinema can do." Before we wrap up today’s show, let’s talk about on this day in history! On this day in history, July 11th: 138 Antoninus Pius succeeds Hadrian as Emperor of Rome 1302 Battle of the Golden Spurs (Guldensporenslag in Dutch) near Kortrijk (cor-tray), Belgium: Flemish coalition defeat the French army of Philip IV 1405 Chinese fleet commander Zheng He sets sail on his first major expedition, to the Spice Islands, leading 208 vessels, including 62 treasure ships with 27,800 sailors 1533 Pope Clement VII excommunicates England's King Henry VIII On 11th July 1533, the Pope declared that Henry VIII’s marriage to Anne Boleyn was null and void, as was the annulment declared by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in May 1533, and he restored Catherine of Aragon to her “royal state”. He ordered the wayward king to abandon the newly crowned and pregnant Anne Boleyn and return to Catherine of Aragon. If the king refused then the Pope would issue the bull of excommunication that he had drawn up. He’d give Henry until September to sort himself out, but if he didn’t heed the Pope’s warning then he’d be excommunicated, the most severe punishment that the Church could inflict. Of course, Henry took absolutely no notice of the Pope, but he escaped excommunication until 17th December 1538 when Pope Paul III excommunicated him following his break with Rome, his persecution of those who did not accept his supremacy, the dissolution of the monasteries and Henry’s desecration of religious shrines including that of Thomas Becket. 1576 English explorer Martin Frobisher sights Greenland 1740 Jews are expelled from Little Russia by order of Tsarina Anne 1781 Thomas Hutchins designated Geographer of US By the age of 30, the remarkable Thomas Hutchins (1730?-1789) was an experienced frontiersman, a veteran of the French and Indian War, and a skilled Indian agent. He was best known, however, as a formidable surveyor, cartographer, and geographer. A native of New Jersey, the particular combination of skills made Hutchins the perfect candidate for surveying the vast western regions of the British North American empire. In 1766, he was officially assigned to duty as an engineer in the British army, gradually becoming the most respected surveyor and map maker in the colonies. From 1764 through 1768, he took part in expeditions spanning the west from the northern reaches of the Mississippi Valley to New Orleans, and in 1770, was transferred from the Illinois territory to Pensacola, where he was charged with reorganizing the provincial defenses and mapping. 1798 US Marine Corps established by an act of Congress 1801 French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons discovers his 1st comet 1882 British fleet bombards Alexandria, Egypt 1906 The Gillette-Brown murder inspires Theodore Dreiser's "An American Tragedy" 1960 "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is first published by J. B. Lippincott & Co. 1984 Government orders air bags or seat belts would be required in cars by 1989 1988 Mike Tyson hires Donald Trump as an advisor

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Tuesday, June 27th, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter This year, our Fight Laugh Feast Conference is at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on The Politics of Six Day Creation. The politics of six day creation is the difference between a fixed standard of justice and a careening standard of justice, the difference between the corrosive relativism that creates mobs and anarchy and the freedom of objectivity, truth, and due process. The politics of six day creation establishes the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word for all of life: from what is a man or a woman, when does human life begin, and how is human society best organized? Come hear Ken Ham, Pastor Doug Wilson, Dr. Ben Merkle, Dr. Gordon Wilson, me and more, and of course a live CrossPolitic show! Mark your calendars for October 11th-14th, as we fight, laugh, and feast, with beer & psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our Rowdy Christian Merch, and a Sabbath Feast to wrap up the occasion. Maybe an infant baptism while we’re at it! Visit fightlaughfeast.com for more information! https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/anniversary-roe-v-wade-being-overturned-gop-rep-promotes-bill-help-expectant On anniversary of Roe v. Wade being overturned, GOP Rep. promotes bill to help expectant mothers On the anniversary of Roe v. Wade being overturned, Minnesota Republican Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach promoted a proposed bill titled "The HOPE Act" that promotes helping expectant mothers. "It is crucial that women are supported when facing an unexpected pregnancy, which is why I have introduced The Health, Opportunity, Protecting Life, Education (HOPE) Act, which improves access to prenatal telehealth care, supports positive alternatives to abortion, and improves access to information for expectant mothers, providing tangible ways to help women feel confident during and beyond their pregnancy," Fischbach wrote in an opinion piece published by The Hill. On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade, ending the constitutional right to abortion and allowing individual states to decide for themselves on whether to restrict or allow abortions. The HOPE Act would provide funding for grants and other activities related to maternal care. It would also establish informed consent and parental notification requirements for abortion providers. "The HOPE Act creates a pilot grant program to provide support and equipment like blood pressure monitors, scales, and portable fetal heart rate monitors to community health providers," Fischbach wrote. "Increasing telehealth options gives expectant mothers the flexibility they need to receive the care they deserve." It would also prohibit any government funding going to Planned Parenthood. https://www.foxnews.com/media/bud-light-sponsors-toronto-pride-parade-naked-men-children Bud Light sponsors Toronto Pride parade attended by naked men, children Bud Light is serving as an official sponsor of the Toronto Pride parade, where video footage shows naked men standing around and riding bicycles in clear view of children attending the event. The footage, captured by Beth Baisch of the Post Millennial, shows dozens of attendees riding past a large cheering crowd. The fully naked bikers, some covered in paint or tattoos, wave back at the crowd. One naked man high-fives an onlooker while another peddles a recumbent bike with a gold blow-up swan adorned around his neck. A second video shows a group of naked men with hats standing in a circle amidst the crowd. Several children walk past the group of men with their families. Another clip shows a person wearing a giant penis costume that covers his entire head. The camera captures a young girl sitting in a stroller and staring toward the phallic-costumed individual. Other videos show a group of naked men playing and rinsing themselves off alongside a fountain surrounded by kids. Meanwhile, a stage, clearly adorned with Bud Light branding, featured scantily clad dancers wearing fishnets, nipple stickers and strange sock-like masks. The company's website notes that this year's sponsorship is representative of a longstanding partnership with the Pride event. "Bud Light Canada has been a proud partner of Pride Toronto for the last 10 years. This year, we're commemorating this milestone with Pride Toronto by featuring them on our can design, as well as continuing as the official beer sponsor of the festival," the beer brand's website states. According to the website, Bud Light Canada also provides $100,000 to various organizations that support the LGBTQUA2S+ community across Canada and has created a range of commemorative Pride beer cans to celebrate the collaboration. The partnership comes nearly three months after Bud Light received massive backlash for partnering with trans activist Dylan Mulvaney. The decision angered consumers and the brand saw a significant decrease in sales, resulting in billions of dollars in lost market value. In early April, Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth attempted to douse the flames with a lengthy statement to customers. "We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer," he said in part. "My time serving this country taught me the importance of accountability and the values upon which America was founded: freedom, hard work and respect for one another. As CEO of Anheuser-Busch, I am focused on building and protecting our remarkable history and heritage." Despite losing business, Bud Light continued to anger customers for co-sponsoring an "all-ages Pride event" in Flagstaff, Arizona, on June 17. The party, called "Pride in the Pines," included drag queens and other performers, and listed Bud Light as one of the companies sponsoring the June 17 event. (Bud Light was initially mentioned prominently in one of the posters.) The event is listed as a "family festival event" and a family-friendly, "safe space" for all visitors. https://www.foxnews.com/us/colorado-springs-club-q-nonbinary-shooting-suspect-pleads-guilty-murder-charges Colorado Club Q 'nonbinary' shooter sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to murder Club Q shooting suspect Anderson Lee Aldrich was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to murder and attempted murder charges during an arraignment hearing Monday morning, avoiding the prospect of a public trail just seven months after the deadly Colorado attack. Aldrich, who public defenders have said identifies as nonbinary and prefers to be described using they/them pronouns, is accused of fatally shooting five people and wounding 17 others at the LGBTQ+ nightclub Club Q in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Nov. 19, 2022. The suspect, whom the judge referred to as "Mx. Aldrich" during Monday’s arraignment hearing, accepted a plea agreement for a life sentence without the possibility of parole in exchange for pleading guilty to five counts of first-degree murder. Aldrich also pleaded guilty Monday to 46 counts of attempted murder in the first degree. The suspect pleaded no contest to felony and misdemeanor charges of bias-motivated crimes. "Because of the evidence presented I believe there is a high probability of being convicted at trial to those counts, and so I am pleading no contest or nolo contendere," Aldrich told the court Monday, explaining the no contest plea. In an interview from jail, Aldrich reportedly admitted to The Associated Press to being on a "very large plethora of drugs" and abusing steroids at the time, expressing regret for the attack and adding that suggesting the shooting was motivated by hate was "completely off base." In court hearings earlier this year, law enforcement testified that Aldrich ran a neo-Nazi website and used gay and racial slurs while gaming online, while the defense countered that Aldrich's sometimes abusive mother forced the suspect to frequent LGBTQ+ clubs. Two veterans out at Club Q reportedly helped thwart the attack by disarming Aldrich, who was beaten by patrons and displayed a bruised and bloodied face in his initial mugshot and court appearance. Aldrich was facing more than 300 state counts, including murder and hate crimes. The Justice Department is also considering pursuing federal hate crime charges, according to a senior law enforcement official who spoke to the AP. However, the charges against Aldrich were thrown out in July 2022 after Aldrich's mother and grandparents, the victims in the case, refused to cooperate with prosecutors, evading efforts to serve them with subpoenas to testify, according to court documents unsealed after the shooting. Other relatives told a judge they feared Aldrich would hurt the grandparents if released, painting a picture of an isolated, violent person who did not have a job and was given $30,000 that was spent largely on the purchase of 3D printers to make guns, the records showed. Aldrich was released from jail then and authorities kept two guns -- a ghost gun pistol and an MM15 rifle – seized in the arrest. But there was nothing to stop Aldrich from legally purchasing more firearms, raising questions immediately after the shooting about whether authorities should have sought a red flag order to prevent such purchases. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/nearly-half-bee-colonies-died-2023 Nearly half of honey bee colonies died in 2023 after three tumultuous years From April of last year to April of this year, 48% of honey bee colonies prematurely died off. University of Maryland and Auburn University have collaborated with nonprofit Bee Informed to track and report on managed bee colonies every year since 2007. Last year saw losses of 48%, the previous year’s loss was 39%, and the year before that, it was 50.8%. The average loss over the last 12 years is 39.6%. The cause of these losses is a mix of the parasitic mite, varroa destructor, which helps spread viruses between bees, increased use of pesticides, which inhibit the bee's ability to stave off diseases, and dramatic changes in the environment. When it becomes warmer than usual during the winter, bees will leave their colonies to begin pollinating many of the crops we eat, as well as other plants, but when the weather chills again, the bees die off. Still, the most commonly reported cause of death during the winter was the varroa. During the rest of the year, the most common report revolved around issues with the queen bee. "High levels of losses do not necessarily result in a decrease in the total number of colonies managed in the United States because beekeepers can replace lost colonies throughout the year," the report read. This report comes from a self-reported survey of 3,006 beekeepers from across the United States who collectively manage 314,360 colonies, the majority of which are commercially operated. This is only 12% of the estimated 2.70 million managed honey-producing colonies in the country in 2022, per the report. The collaboration, known as "the Bee Informed Partnership," is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving honey bee colony health in particular. https://www.conservativereview.com/unable-to-rely-on-wind-and-solar-sweden-ditches-100-renewable-target-and-bets-big-on-nuclear-power-2661896744.html Unable to rely on wind and solar, Sweden ditches 100% renewable target and bets big on nuclear power The Swedish parliament determined last week that in order to ensure the country has a "stable energy system," it will have to abandon its goal of "100 per cent renewable electricity production by 2040." To satisfy electricity demand, which is set to double to around 300 TwH by 2040, Sweden's right-of-center government announced June 20 that it would instead lean more heavily on nuclear energy and subsidize the construction of new nuclear plants — plants green-lit in 2016 but sidelined for fear they would be too expensive, reported Reuters. The country, home to just over 10.5 million people, presently has three nuclear plants with six nuclear reactors in commercial operation. The state-owned Vattenfall aims to bring the tally up to eight reactors and refurbish extant facilities. While Sweden's heightened nuclear focus is consistent with the country's commitment to shifting entirely off fossil fuels in a way that doesn't altogether cripple the nation, this bullishness on carbon-free nuclear power represents a significant about-face on atomic energy, which the country decided in a 1980 referendum to phase out. Swedish support for nuclear energy is presently at a record high of 56%, up from 42% in 2022, reported Bloomberg. The jump in support has been attributed in part to the energy crisis that overwhelmed Europe in concert with the invasion of Ukraine and the revelation that renewable energies are not tenable as alternatives. A 2021 study published in the journal Nature Communications indicated, "If future net-zero emissions energy systems rely heavily on solar and wind resources, spatial and temporal mismatches between resource availability and electricity demand may challenge system reliability." The researchers indicated that "the most reliable renewable electricity systems are wind-heavy and satisfy countries' electricity demand in 72-91% of hours ... Yet even in systems which meet >90% o demand, hundreds of hours of unmet demand may occur annually." These lost hours could prove too dear in a country where temperatures routinely drop below freezing several months out of every year. Even the former energy minister for the defeated leftist Social Democratic Party, was cognizant of the country's strained energy situation, warning last August of "strains on the power system this winter," both in terms of outages and high prices. The U.S. Department of Energy indicated that nuclear energy is the most reliable energy source on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Each nuclear reactor typically produces the same amount of power as 431 utility-scale wind turbines or 3.1 million solar panels. According to the Swedish government, roughly 75% of its electricity comes from hydroelectric (43%) and nuclear (31%) power. 16% of the electricity comes from wind power. Approximately 9% comes from combined heat and power plants, largely powered by biofuels. Solar energy has yet to crack 1% of total supply. Finance Minister Elisabeth Svan-tesson of the Moderate Party said, "We need more electricity production, we need clean electricity and we need a stable energy system." Since wind and solar won't cut it, "This creates the conditions for nuclear power," said Svantesson.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Tuesday, May 30th, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter This year, our Fight Laugh Feast Conference is at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on The Politics of Six Day Creation. The politics of six day creation is the difference between a fixed standard of justice and a careening standard of justice, the difference between the corrosive relativism that creates mobs and anarchy and the freedom of objectivity, truth, and due process. The politics of six day creation establishes the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word for all of life: from what is a man or a woman, when does human life begin, and how is human society best organized? Come hear Ken Ham, Pastor Doug Wilson, Dr. Ben Merkle, Dr. Gordon Wilson, me and more, and of course a live CrossPolitic show! Mark your calendars for October 11th-14th, as we fight, laugh, and feast, with beer & psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our Rowdy Christian Merch, and a Sabbath Feast to wrap up the occasion. Maybe an infant baptism while we’re at it! Visit fightlaughfeast.com for more information! https://nypost.com/2023/05/28/mccarthys-debt-ceiling-deal-with-biden-comes-up-short-on-vow-to-reign-in-irs/ McCarthy’s debt-ceiling deal with Biden comes up short on his vow to rein in IRS It struck a chord with voters, wary of funding a new “army” of armed IRS agents to harass middle-class families and small business owners and abuse their powers to target political dissidents, Soviet-style. “Our very first bill will repeal the funding for 87,000 new IRS agents,” McCarthy vowed. “You see, we believe government should be to help you, not go after you.” Sure enough, the House voted 221-210 to repeal the extra IRS funding. “Promises made,” the newly minted speaker said Jan. 9, banging the gavel on the first bill of the Republican-controlled House. What about promises kept? In the debt-ceiling deal outlined Sunday and due to be inked later this week, McCarthy has allowed the lion’s share of that extra IRS funding to remain unmolested: preserving $78.1 billion of the $80 billion. As rebel GOP Rep Dan Bishop put it: “So there will be 85,260 more IRS agents rather than 87,000 to eat you alive. Big win.” Overpromising and underdelivering is what turns voters off the GOP. You don’t mount a powerful six-month fear campaign about 87,000 new, armed IRS agents ready to break down people’s doors, and then meekly capitulate at the first sign of resistance. Even if those fears were exaggerated, your credibility rests on delivering a lot more than 2% of what you promised. In any case the fears about a weaponized IRS targeting Biden’s opponents are very real. If anything, the IRS is worse today than it was during the Obama administration, when Lois Lerner presided over the targeted harassment of Tea Party groups and other conservatives. Not a single IRS employee was held accountable for the scandal. Lerner retired on a full pension without even a slap on the wrist. This is the same IRS which went after journalist Matt Taibbi last December, three weeks after he started reporting on the so-called “Twitter Files,” which revealed that censorship on the social-media platform had been coordinated by federal government agencies such as the FBI and CIA. On March 9, when Taibbi was testifying in Congress about, ironically enough, the weaponization of the federal government, IRS agents showed up unannounced at his New Jersey home. The IRS file on Taibbi was opened the day he posted his ninth and most explosive Twitter file, detailing how agencies including the Pentagon and the State Department had colluded with Twitter to stifle dissent. It was Christmas Eve, a Saturday, which shows what an unusual priority it was for an agency that normally goes to sleep for two weeks over Christmas and whose standard work week is Monday through Friday. Under questioning from Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, the IRS has claimed it had concerns about “identity fraud” with Taibbi’s 2018 and 2021 tax returns, and that he was sent two letters before the home visit. Yet Taibbi says he and his accountant never received any letters. Even more “unnerving” as Taibbi puts it, was the fact that an IRS case agent had compiled a dossier on him which included personal information such as his voter registration records and whether he had a concealed-weapons permit or a hunting or fishing license. Unlike Hunter Biden, Taibbi didn’t owe the IRS any taxes and in fact was due a refund. And yes, this is the same IRS which removed its entire investigative team from the Hunter Biden case on DOJ orders after two senior agents complained about DOJ interference. https://thepostmillennial.com/blm-co-founder-loses-multi-platform-warner-brothers-deal-after-delivering-no-content-on-contract?utm_campaign=64487 BLM co-founder loses multi-platform Warner Brothers deal after delivering no content on contract In October 2020, 39-year-old Black Lives Matter co-founder and former leader Patrisse Cullors signed a multi-year contract with Warner Bros Television Group to create content for the entertainment giant, but the studio quietly ended then relationship last year with no material produced, reports the New York Post. On Friday, a source familiar with the situation told the outlet, "The studio signed an overall deal with BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors at some point in 2020" but the "Deal expired at end of October 2022." "The deal unfortunately did not result in any produced shows," the source added. The agreement was a multi-year, multi-platform deal in which Cullors would produce original material, including scripted comedies and dramas, animated shows, and documentary series, that would focus on black stories. The content would go out on the distributor's broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms. Variety first reported on the deal in 2020 but did not disclose its value. Previously, Cullors said in an interview that she was working on material for Warner Bros, including documentaries focused on reparations and social mobility of black Americans as well as a scripted program on marijuana. Patrisse Cullors, who helped found BLM in 2013, stepped down from the organization after a real-estate scandal emerged in May 2021 when it was revealed she spent $3.2 million on four different homes in Georgia and California. Soon after more reports started to emerge of Black Lives Matter leadership using company funds for personal luxury. Upon stepping down, Cullors claimed she was doing so in order to focus on her book and TV deal. In April 2022, Cullors said that 990 tax forms required for charities were "triggering" and that the forms were being "weaponized" against organizations like hers. The IRS 990 is a routine document charities must fill out annually to disclose their financial activities. Now this!!! https://www.theepochtimes.com/eu-issues-waring-after-elon-musk-pulls-twitter-out-of-anti-disinformation-agreement_5296657.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport EU Issues Warning After Elon Musk Pulls Twitter Out of Anti-‘Disinformation’ Agreement Senior European Union officials were furious over the weekend after Twitter owner Elon Musk pulled the social media platform out of the bloc’s “Code of Practice,” which critics say is tantamount to a censorship regime. The EU’s internal market commissioner, Thierry Breton, wrote that Twitter left the bloc’s Code of Practice, after reports claimed the platform would do so. Breton warned that Twitter would face some legal liabilities. “Twitter leaves EU voluntary Code of Practice against disinformation. But obligations remain. You can run, but you can’t hide,” Breton wrote. “Beyond voluntary commitments, fighting disinformation will be legal obligation under #DSA as of August 25. Our teams will be ready for enforcement.” An EU official also told Euractiv that the bloc is “waiting for this,” and “it was purely a matter of time” before reports surfaced that Musk would withdraw. The rules known as the Digital Services Act (DSA) require companies to do risk management, conduct external and independent auditing, share data with authorities and researchers, and adopt a code of conduct by August. The 19 companies that are subject to the rules include Alphabet’s Google Maps, Google Play, Google Search, Google Shopping, YouTube, Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, Amazon’s Marketplace, Apple’s App Store, and Twitter. The others are Microsoft’s two units LinkedIn and Bing, booking.com, Pinterest, Snap Inc’s Snapchat, TikTok, Wikipedia, Zalando, and Alibaba’s AliExpress. Breton said he was checking to see whether another four to five companies fall under the DSA, with a decision expected in the next few weeks. Breton singled out Facebook’s content moderation system for criticism because of its role in building opinions on key issues. Twitter had agreed earlier to a stress test, and Breton said he and his team would travel to the company’s headquarters in San Francisco at the end of June of this year to carry out the voluntary mock exercise. Breton didn’t detail what the test would entail. There are guardrails for content generated by artificial intelligence, like deep fake videos and synthetic images, which will have to be clearly labeled when they come up in search results, Breton said. He’s also said that under the Digital Services Act, violations could be punished with hefty fines of up to 6 percent of a company’s annual revenue. Platforms will have to “completely redesign” their systems to ensure a high level of privacy and safety for children, including verifying users’ ages, Breton said. Big Tech companies also will have to revamp their systems to “prevent algorithmic amplification of disinformation,” he said, saying he was particularly concerned about Facebook’s content moderation systems ahead of September elections in Slovakia. Now for my favorite topic… sports! https://www.foxnews.com/sports/actor-will-ferrell-to-portray-nfl-legend-john-madden-in-upcoming-feature-film-report Actor Will Ferrell to portray NFL legend John Madden in upcoming feature film Actor and comedian Will Ferrell will play the lead role of an upcoming film about NFL icon John Madden, according a report from Deadline. The movie "Madden" will be directed by five-time Oscar nominee David O. Russell, who previously served as director of the critically acclaimed film "Silver Linings Playbook," among others. The film is expected to touch on Madden's time as head coach of the Raiders, his television broadcasting career and how he became the creative force behind one of the most popular video game franchises of all-time. This project is independent of a separate limited series about Madden's life, with Tom Brady as executive producer, Deadline previously reported. It remains unclear when filming on "Madden" will begin. An official release date for the film has not been announced. New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch is listed as one of the "Madden" producers. It is widely expected the NFL "will embrace the feature film on one of the sport's most beloved figures," according to Deadline. Ferrell is a California native and attended the University of Southern California, where he studied sports information. He makes frequent appearances at USC Trojans football games and is a diehard Los Angeles Kings fan.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter This year, our Fight Laugh Feast Conference is at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on The Politics of Six Day Creation. The politics of six day creation is the difference between a fixed standard of justice and a careening standard of justice, the difference between the corrosive relativism that creates mobs and anarchy and the freedom of objectivity, truth, and due process. The politics of six day creation establishes the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word for all of life: from what is a man or a woman, when does human life begin, and how is human society best organized? Come hear Ken Ham, Pastor Doug Wilson, Dr. Ben Merkle, Dr. Gordon Wilson, me and more, and of course a live CrossPolitic show! Mark your calendars for October 11th-14th, as we fight, laugh, and feast, with beer & psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our Rowdy Christian Merch, and a Sabbath Feast to wrap up the occasion. Maybe an infant baptism while we’re at it! Visit fightlaughfeast.com for more information! https://www.financialexpress.com/world-news/us-says-chinese-coast-guard-harassing-philippine-vessels/3069316/ US says Chinese coast guard harassing Philippine vessels The United States urged China on Saturday to stop harassing Philippine vessels in the South China Sea, pledging to stand with the Philippines after another maritime confrontation between the two Asian countries. “We call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement. The Philippines on Friday accused China’s coast guard of “aggressive tactics” following an incident during a Philippine coast guard patrol close to the Philippines-held Second Thomas Shoal, a flashpoint for previous altercations located 105 nautical miles (195 km) off its coast. China on Sunday said it was willing to handle maritime differences with countries of concern in the South China Sea through friendly consultations and warned the United States against interference. “The U.S., as a country outside of the region, must not interfere with the South China Sea matter or use the South China Sea matter to sow discord among regional countries,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said in a written statement. The Second Thomas Shoal is home to a small military contingent aboard a rusty World War Two-era U.S. ship that was intentionally grounded in 1999 to reinforce the Philippines’ territorial claims. In February, the Philippines said a Chinese ship had directed a “military-grade laser” at one of its resupply vessels. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, with a “nine-dash line” on maps that stretches more than 1,500 km off its mainland and cuts into the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. An international arbitral ruling in 2016 dismissed that line as having no legal basis. China’s foreign ministry on Friday said the Philippine vessels had intruded into Chinese waters and made deliberate provocative moves. The State Department said Washington “stands with our Philippine allies in upholding the rules-based international maritime order.” https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/01/us/politics/debt-limit-date-janet-yellen.html#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20%E2%80%94%20Treasury%20Secretary%20Janet%20L,defaulting%20on%20the%20nation's%20debt.’ U.S. Could Run Out of Cash by June 1, Yellen Warns Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen said on Monday that the United States could run out of money to pay its bills by June 1 if Congress does not raise or suspend the debt limit, putting pressure on President Biden and lawmakers to reach a swift agreement to avoid defaulting on the nation’s debt. The more precise warning over when the United States could hit the so-called X-date dramatically reduces the projected amount of time lawmakers have to reach a deal before the government runs out of money to pay all of its bills on time. The new timeline could force a flurry of negotiations between the House, Senate and Mr. Biden over government spending — or a high-stakes standoff between the president and the House Republicans who have refused to raise the limit without deep spending cuts attached. Economists have warned that failure to raise the debt limit, which caps the total amount of money the United States can borrow, threatens to rock financial markets and throw the global economy into a financial crisis. Because the United States runs a budget deficit — meaning it spends more money than it takes in — it must borrow huge sums of money to pay its bills. In addition to paying Social Security benefits, along with salaries for the military and government workers, the United States is also required to make interest and other payments to the bondholders who own its debt. White House officials had not expected the date of possible default to arrive so soon, and the accelerated timetable could scramble the president’s approach to the potential crisis. The newly compressed calendar leaves little time for the president and congressional leaders to find agreement on raising the limit. Mr. McCarthy is traveling in the Middle East this week. Later this month, Mr. Biden is scheduled to attend the Group of 7 nations leaders’ summit in Japan, then travel on to Australia for a summit with the leaders of Japan, India and Australia. House Republicans passed legislation in April that would raise the debt limit in exchange for deep spending cuts and roll back recent climate legislation that Democrats passed along party lines. Mr. Biden has blasted that bill, saying it would hurt working families while benefiting the oil and gas industry, and he has accused Republicans of putting America’s economy on the line. On Monday, the president called on Republicans “to make sure the threat by the Speaker of the House to default on the national debt is off the table.” Mr. Biden has said he will meet with Mr. McCarthy to discuss government spending and the budget. But he has insisted that raising the debt limit is not negotiable and has urged Republicans to lift the borrowing cap without strings attached. https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-05-01/biden-administration-to-end-many-covid-19-vaccine-mandates-next-week#:~:text=The%20Biden%20administration%20will%20also%20end%20the%20controversial%20Title%2019%20travel%20restrictions.&text=May%201%2C%202023%2C%20at%205%3A43%20p.m.&text=The%20Biden%20administration%20on%20Monday,international%20air%20travelers%20next%20week. Biden Administration to End Many COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements Next Week The Biden administration on Monday announced that it will end its COVID-19 vaccine requirements for federal workers, federal contractors and international air travelers next week. “While vaccination remains one of the most important tools in advancing the health and safety of employees and promoting the efficiency of workplaces, we are now in a different phase of our response when these measures are no longer necessary,” the White House said in a statement. The mandates will end May 11, the same day the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration is set to expire. The Biden administration will also begin the process to end coronavirus vaccine requirements for “Head Start educators, CMS-certified healthcare facilities, and certain noncitizens at the land border.” Additional details on the process will be available in the coming days, according to the White House. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security on Monday said it would end its Title 19 travel restrictions on May 12. The agency will “no longer require non-U.S. travelers entering the United States via land ports of entry and ferry terminals to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide related proof of vaccination upon request.” Coronavirus vaccine requirements were among the most controversial decisions from the Biden administration during the pandemic. As coronavirus cases, deaths and hospitalizations have declined, the administration rolled back nearly all of its COVID-19 mitigation measures. The Pentagon in January dropped its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for troops after President Joe Biden signed into law a massive defense spending bill that required the measure’s termination, bringing a close to the contentious issue that drew considerable ire from Republicans. https://www.theepochtimes.com/bernie-sanders-calls-for-confiscation-of-wealth-above-999-million_5232590.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport Bernie Sanders Calls for Confiscation of Wealth Above $999 Million Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called for the U.S. government to confiscate assets over $999 million, and also announced his support for President Joe Biden. The senator spoke with CNN anchor Chris Wallace last week for an interview when he declared that billionaires should not exist. Sanders said he believes that the government should seize personal assets over his suggested limit before any American could become a billionaire. He appeared on Wallace’s show to talk about his new book, “It’s OK to Be Angry About Capitalism.” A former Democratic party presidential candidate, in 2016 and 2020, the senator amassed huge support in the primaries and raised large amounts of money, but failed to secure the nomination each time. The CNN host questioned Sanders about a statement in his book that called for the government to prevent the creation of new billionaires. “So are you basically saying that once you get to $999 million, that the government should confiscate all the rest?” Wallace asked. “Yeah, I think people can make it on $999 million,” Bernie responded. “Which would mean that all these billion dollars, basically, it all goes to the government,” said Wallace. Sanders recently got into an exchange during a contentious Senate hearing over Starbuck’s labor practices, with a not too subtle remark on the billionaire status of the company’s former CEO, Howard Schultz. Bernie, who is himself worth $3 million, according to GoBankingRates, previously criticized both millionaires and billionaires, but now only opposes those worth over a billion dollars. The Vermont senator said that a return to the 90 percent top marginal tax rate of the Eisenhower administration was a way to accomplish that. The proposed legislation calls for wealthy heirs to pay more on their inheritances by expanding the estate tax to 45 percent on estates worth at least $3.5 million. It will also impose a 65 percent tax—a so-called “billionaire’s tax”—on estates worth over $1 billion. The amount of inheritances exempt from the estate tax has gradually increased over the last two decades, according to the Tax Policy Center. As of 2023, the estate tax exemption stands at just under $13 million, a rise from around $12 million the previous year. The bill also targets loopholes that the very wealthy can exploit to shield their assets from taxation such as trusts that do not incur estate or gift taxes when money is doled out from an inherited trust. However, any legislation to hike tax rates would be dead on arrival due to the Republican-controlled House. https://www.foxnews.com/us/new-mexico-mom-sentenced-18-years-tossing-baby-trash-bin New Mexico mom sentenced to 18 years for tossing baby in trash bin A New Mexico teenage mother was sentenced Monday to a mandatory 18 years in prison for tossing her newborn son into a trash bin behind a shopping center, but a state district judge cited mental health concerns and the defendant's age in suspending two years of the punishment. Jurors convicted Alexis Avila, 19, of child abuse involving great bodily harm following a days-long trial last month in which her public defender argued her actions were not premeditated and that a previously undiagnosed mental health disorder played a role. Judge William Shoobridge told Avila that had it not been for luck and the grace of God he would have been deliberating a sentence in a murder case as there was a high probability the child would have died had it not been found by three people looking through the dumpster that winter day in Hobbs, near the Texas border. He ordered that Avila continue with treatment, medication and her higher education while serving her sentence. Avila told the judge she wants to learn how to deal with stress and anxiety so she can handle her emotions in a healthier way. She also said she regrets missing out on her son's first milestones and that she denied him motherly love. Police said a group of people were looking through the dumpster when they heard what they thought was a dog or kitten. They moved a trash bag and found a baby inside, wrapped in a towel with its umbilical cord still attached. They tried to keep the boy warm until police and paramedics arrived. Prosecutors argued during trial that Avila made a choice to ignore her pregnancy and place her newborn son into two trash bags, secure them with a hair tie and toss the boy into the bin. They told jurors the boy had been in the cold for over six hours. The judge told Avila that she had the opportunity to correct her actions within in that time but did not. Her Public defender disputed that Avila made a premeditated attempt to kill her baby. He said while Avila's actions were wrong, they were the result of her bipolar disorder and that she was disassociated and detached from her feelings. Her defender told the judge Avila did not pose a threat to the public, has made progress with her therapy and does not take lightly what she did to her child. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2023-04-26/fox-news-ratings-plummet-without-tucker-carlson Fox News prime-time ratings plummet after Tucker Carlson firing as Newsmax sees boost Fox News is feeling the effects of life without Tucker Carlson. “Fox News Tonight” — the program temporarily filling the slot long occupied by Carlson — pulled in 1.7 million viewers with “Fox & Friends” host Brian Kilmeade, according to Nielsen data. The number is 47% below what “Tucker Carlson Tonight” delivered in the 8 p.m. Eastern hour a week earlier on April 16. Carlson averaged 3.2 million viewers in the first quarter of 2023. Fox News now is faced with replacing a top-rated prime-time star, a situation it has dealt with successfully in the past. But in the short term, the network may be in for a rocky ride from a ratings standpoint. CNN’s Anderson Cooper won the hour in the demo with 163,000 viewers, with MSNBC’s “All in With Chris Hayes” close behind at 162,000. Kilmeade scored 149,000 in the category. The ratings indicate Kilmeade won’t be giving up the morning shift anytime soon. Without the tentpole that Carlson’s program provided, the ratings for other Fox News shows were down as well. “Hannity” averaged 2 million viewers, a decline of 20% from the previous week. “The Ingraham Angle” scored 1.56 million, down 12%. Fox News will be tested again, as the sharp decline in Tuesday’s ratings is a clear sign that the audience is upset. One possible fix is moving Fox News fan favorite Jesse Watters into Carlson’s time slot while auditioning hosts an hour earlier.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Thursday, April 20th, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter This year, our Fight Laugh Feast Conference is at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on The Politics of Six Day Creation. The politics of six day creation is the difference between a fixed standard of justice and a careening standard of justice, the difference between the corrosive relativism that creates mobs and anarchy and the freedom of objectivity, truth, and due process. The politics of six day creation establishes the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word for all of life: from what is a man or a woman, when does human life begin, and how is human society best organized? Come hear Ken Ham, Pastor Doug Wilson, Dr. Ben Merkle, Dr. Gordon Wilson, me and more, and of course a live CrossPolitic show! Mark your calendars for October 11th-14th, as we fight, laugh, and feast, with beer & psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our Rowdy Christian Merch, and a Sabbath Feast to wrap up the occasion. Maybe an infant baptism while we’re at it! Visit fightlaughfeast.com for more information! We start this off with some somber news coming out of Alabama. https://www.foxnews.com/us/two-teens-charged-dadeville-alabama-mass-shooting-sweet-16-birthday-party Two teens charged in Dadeville, Alabama, mass shooting at Sweet 16 birthday party Alabama authorities announced Wednesday that two teenagers have been arrested and charged in the Dadeville mass shooting at a Sweet 16 birthday party last weekend. Four people were killed, and another 32 people were injured when gunfire erupted at approximately 10:34 p.m. Saturday at the Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio, located in the 200 Block of Broadnax Street in Dadeville, a sleepy town of just 3,200 people in Tallapoosa County, about 62 miles northeast of the state capital of Montgomery. Days later, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency announced Ty Reik McCullough, 17, and Travis McCullough, 16, were both formally charged with four counts of reckless murder. The teens from Tuskegee were arrested by Special Agents with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). "These individuals have been charged after a complex and thorough investigation was conducted with assistance from a multitude of law enforcement agencies," the ALEA said in a statement. At a press conference Wednesday, District Attorney Mike Segrest said the pair would be charged as adults and that prosecutors would ask a judge to hold them without bail. A bond hearing must be held by Friday under Alabama law. He said four people remain in the hospital in critical condition and that more charges would be coming. The gunfire broke out Saturday at a 16th birthday party for Alexis Dowdell, which was being held at the dance studio just off the town’s courthouse square. Witnesses have said multiple people began shooting some time after Dowdell’s mother paused the celebration to ask people with guns to leave. The birthday girl’s brother, Philstavious "Phil" Dowdell, reportedly died in his sister’s arms. Besides Phil Dowdell, a star wide receiver with plans to play college football at Jacksonville State this fall, those killed were fellow Dadeville High senior Shaunkivia Nicole "KeKe" Smith, 17, an athlete-turned-team manager; 2022 Opelika High School graduate Marsiah Emmanuel "Siah" Collins, 19, an aspiring singer who planned to start college this fall; and 2018 Dadeville High graduate Corbin Dahmontrey Holston, 23, another former athlete at the school. Holston had gone to the party to check on a younger family member who feared trouble, Holston’s mother Janett Heard told AL.com. Relatives told the news outlet that the shooting began shortly after Holston arrived, and that he pulled his younger relative to safety. https://nypost.com/2023/04/18/chinese-police-stations-allegedly-spying-on-nyc-la-more/ After FBI busts Chinese ‘police station’ in NYC, six more exposed in US The FBI helped shut down a clandestine Chinese “police station” in Manhattan after the arrest of two alleged operatives earlier this week — but The Post is told that there are several more of these illegal organizations scattered across the US. In addition to the Chinese police station above a noodle restaurant in Manhattan’s Chinatown, there is another station at an undisclosed address in New York City, as well as an outpost in Los Angeles, according to a new report by Safeguard Defenders. The Madrid-based human rights group initially published a report last year detailing 100 clandestine Chinese police stations around the world. In addition to Los Angeles and New York, the nonprofit has found so-called “overseas service stations” in San Francisco and Houston as well as in cities in Nebraska and Minnesota. These law enforcement organizations, operated by the Chinese Communist Party, are tasked with spying on Chinese nationals around the world. UFWD is an acronym for United Front Work Department, a Chinese government agency that controls overseas ethnic and religious affairs. Often, the police stations — whose operatives allegedly spy on dissidents and others — hide behind nonprofits and community associations, according to Safeguard Defenders’ reports. In Chinatown, the police station was run by the America ChangLe Association NY Inc., which owns the building at 107 East Broadway where the operation was located, The Post revealed in October. The nonprofit, which listed its charitable mission as a “social gathering place for Fujianese people,” paid $1.3 million in 2016 for the suite of offices that houses the Fuzhou Police Overseas Chinese Affairs bureau at the East Broadway location, filings show. Last year, the group held its annual gala dinner, featuring New York City Mayor Eric Adams as the guest of honor — an event that was not disclosed on the mayor’s official agenda. On Monday, federal agents arrested “Harry” Lu Jianwang, 61, of the Bronx, and Chen Jinping, 59, of Manhattan for allegedly establishing the East Broadway station, known as the Fuzhou branch of the Ministry of Public Security in China. The men allegedly shut down the station last year when they became aware of a federal investigation, according to a statement from the Department of Justice. According to the criminal complaint, Lu also helped track down dissidents who were living in the city. Chinese officials also requested that he participate in demonstrations against Falun Gong, a religious movement subject to crackdown across the globe by the Chinese Communist Party, the complaint said. Lu and Chen also tried to obstruct the DOJ’s investigation by deleting their communications with an official of MPS after finding out about the FBI investigation, federal prosecutors said. The criminal complaint against Lu and Chen was unsealed Monday at the same time that 44 other defendants were charged, in two separate complaints in Brooklyn federal court, for various crimes related to illegally acting on behalf of China in the US. Speaking of China, "PrayforChina.us is a nationwide initiative helping Christians pray more strategically for China by matching up every state (and eventually every county) with their own Chinese province (and county) to adopt for prayer! Learn more at Pray for China dot us." https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/19/meta-started-latest-round-of-layoffs-focusing-on-technical-employees.html Meta has started its latest round of layoffs, focusing on technical employees As part of Meta’s latest round of job cuts announced in March, the company on Wednesday started laying off employees in technical roles. Employees with technical backgrounds like user experience, software engineering, graphics programming and other roles announced on LinkedIn that they had been let go by the company on Wednesday morning. A Meta spokesperson confirmed to CNBC the cuts had started. One employee impacted by the moves told CNBC that Wednesday’s layoffs also hit product-facing teams and that Meta plans to cut business-facing roles, such as finance, legal and HR, beginning in May. The employee, who discussed the layoffs under condition of a-nuh-ni-muh-tee to speak freely, said Meta suggested tech teams who weren’t impacted by Wednesday’s cuts may also be included in layoffs next month. LinkedIn posts indicated that multiple people who worked as gameplay programmers were also affected by the layoffs. Gameplay engineers work on virtual and augmented reality products, according to a Meta job listing. With ad revenue slumping last year and its stock price in free-fall, Facebook’s parent announced its first round of layoffs in November, affecting some 11,000 workers. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg then declared 2023 the “year of efficiency,” and proceeded with a plan of an additional 10,000 job cuts in March, resulting in restructuring costs of between $3 billion and $5 billion. As Zuckerberg said at the time, the new round of April layoffs targets technical workers. He said cuts in the business groups would take place in late May. Wall Street has applauded the downsizing. Meta shares have soared 81% this year after losing about two-thirds of their value last year. Revenue has declined for three straight quarters, and analysts are projecting another quarterly sales drop when Meta reports its first-quarter earnings next week. The company’s previous guidance called for sales of between $26 billion and $28.5 billion, which means the streak of revenue declines could end if Meta reaches the top end of the range. https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2023/04/18/bidens-border-roughly-180000-more-migrants-in-march/ Biden’s Border Flood: 180,000 More Migrants in March President Joe Biden’s deputies accepted roughly 180,000 more illegal migrants in March to take jobs and homes that would otherwise go to better-paid Americans. The March inflow brings Biden’s total southern inflow to roughly 4.3 million — or more than one migrant for every American born in 2022. That massive inflow spikes Wall Street by cutting Americans’ wages, inflating housing prices, and shifting new jobs and wealth to the coastal states. The two leading GOP candidates for 2024 — Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — are promising to end the illegal migrant inflow. Federal data released on April 17 shows that 162,317 illegal migrants were arrested at the border in March by the border agents. Biden’s deputies rejected 90,000 of the migrants under the Title 42 border barrier, which is due to expire on May 11. They allowed 104,238 migrants into the United States to take jobs while they plead for asylum. The 104,238 accepted migrants include roughly 80,000 people admitted after they were arrested along the borders, plus 26,583 people who used the agency’s “CBP One” to get an appointment inside the United States for the catch-and-release process. But federal officials also allowed in another 30,000 migrants via quasi-legal loopholes cut by Biden’s pro-migration, Cuban-born border chief, Alejandro Mayorkas. These Cuban, Haitian, Venezuelan, and Nicaraguan migrants fly into the United States by aircraft and are not recorded in the border arrest data. This legal trick allows Mayorkas to claim that he is managing the border chaos created by Biden’s welcome for migrants, despite a judge’s order barring the process. But the monthly data also excludes the so-called “gotaways” who sneak past the half-built wall, decommissioned sensor networks, and diminished border patrol. This “gotaway” population added roughly 50,000 more job-seeking illegal migrants in March. These gotaways are quasi-legal because Mayorkas has announced he will not deport them unless they commit a violent crime. So the total inflow in March was about 180,000 — 104,238 let through the border, 30,000 lets in via Mayorkas’ pathway, plus 50,000 gotaways. Biden’s policies have allowed entry by roughly 4.3 million illegal migrants since January 2021 — or roughly one migrant for every two births in the United States during his tenure. In their press release on the monthly numbers, GOP leaders touted the bigger number of migrants who arrived at the border, not the smaller number of migrants who were actually admitted by Mayorkas. Donor-backed GOP officials rarely mention the huge economic impact of Biden’s migration on voters — or even on swing voters. Roughly 75 percent of the welcomed migrants in March are working-age job-seekers who need to pay their high-interest smuggling debts by working even tough jobs at low wages. That makes them attractive hires for U.S. employers who do not want to hire the roughly six million Americans who have been sidelined by age, criminal records, drugs, laziness, obesity, disability, or reluctance to take jobs for wages below what they have been paid before. The federal government annually admits about 1 million temporary workers — many of whom never go home — plus about 1 million legal immigrants. Those numbers were largely set by Congress in 1990. All told the combination of legal and illegal immigrants delivers roughly one migrant for every American birth each year. And now this! Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis released a parody of the old Bud Light "Real Men of Genius" commercials taking aim at transgender female athletes, including Lia Thomas and CeCé Telfer among others. Instead of Bud Light, which has been involved in a massive controversy over the brand’s partnership with Dylan Mulvaney, the ad introduces Freedom Heavy and "real men of women’s sports." https://twitter.com/i/status/16481268 78207680513 - Play Video 0:00-0:30

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Thursday, April 13th, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter This year, our Fight Laugh Feast Conference is at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on The Politics of Six Day Creation. The politics of six day creation is the difference between a fixed standard of justice and a careening standard of justice, the difference between the corrosive relativism that creates mobs and anarchy and the freedom of objectivity, truth, and due process. The politics of six day creation establishes the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word for all of life: from what is a man or a woman, when does human life begin, and how is human society best organized? Come hear Ken Ham, Pastor Doug Wilson, Dr. Ben Merkle, Dr. Gordon Wilson, me and more, and of course a live CrossPolitic show! Mark your calendars for October 11th-14th, as we fight, laugh, and feast, with beer & psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our Rowdy Christian Merch, and a Sabbath Feast to wrap up the occasion. Maybe an infant baptism while we’re at it! Visit fightlaughfeast.com for more information! Now ladies and gentleman… I have some audio for you to listen to. Listen to this exchange between Elon Musk, and a BBC reporter. A warning… Elon slaughters this “journalist”. Seeing as this is audio, just know I use air quotes when I say journalist. 'You Just Lied': Elon Musk Slaughters BBC Reporter In Live Interview-Play Video That ladies and gentleman, is the state of journalism these days. Now, let’s get to the news: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/farmers-score-victory-biden-admin-judge-pauses-controversial-eco-rules Farmers score victory over Biden admin as judge pauses controversial eco rules A federal judge granted a request Wednesday from a coalition of 24 states and several industry groups to block environmental regulations redefining how water sources are protected. Judge Daniel Hovland of the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota ruled that the so-called Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule announced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in late December poses "great" risks to states. The judge also ruled that the federal government should wait until the Supreme Court soon rules on a related case pending before it. On Dec. 30, the final working day of 2022, the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers quietly announced they had approved the WOTUS regulation and that it would be implemented in March. After announcing it, EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the rule "safeguards our nation’s waters." The rule ultimately opens the door for the federal government to regulate wetlands, lakes, ponds, streams and "relatively permanent" waterways, largely mimicking a pre-2015 environmental rule set during the Obama administration which implemented the changes in an effort to curb water pollution. The regulation is a broad interpretation of which water sources require protection under the Clean Water Act. However, in its lawsuit filed in February, the 24-state coalition — led by West Virginia, Georgia, Iowa and North Dakota — argued the regulations were an example of federal overreach and an attack on their sovereign authority regulating bodies of water and surrounding land. A series of industry groups — including the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Petroleum Institute, National Association of Realtors, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Corn Growers Association and National Mining Association — also entered the lawsuit as intervenor-plaintiffs. Meanwhile, the Senate and House both passed a bipartisan resolution earlier this year overturning the WOTUS regulation. President Biden vetoed the bill on April 6. https://www.theepochtimes.com/biden-admin-unveils-rule-to-force-67-percent-of-cars-sold-to-be-electric-by-2032_5189758.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport US Unveils Toughest-Ever Car Emissions Rule in Bid to Force Surge in EV Purchases President Joe Biden further accelerated the nation’s switch to electric vehicles by announcing two proposed federal rule changes aimed at reducing greenhouse gases and other pollutants in motor vehicle emissions. The changes, announced on April 12, would affect virtually all gasoline-powered vehicles on U.S. highways, save consumers an estimated $12,000 in fuel and maintenance costs over the life of a vehicle, and avoid almost 10 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions through 2055, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The move aims to further the president’s goal of having 50 percent of all new cars and light trucks and 30 percent of new medium- and heavy-duty trucks sold in 2030 be zero-emission vehicles. Electric vehicles (EVs) are considered zero-emission vehicles. The EPA estimates that approval of these rules would result in 67 percent of new passenger vehicles and light trucks being EVs by 2032, along with 50 percent of buses, 35 percent of short-haul freight tractors, and 25 percent of long-haul freight tractors. Critics have claimed that the move, which will increase the price of new cars, was made without consideration of the ability of the nation’s supply chain to meet the demand. The Biden administration has spent roughly $31 billion on the development of so-called clean transportation over the past two years, including the development of a network of EV charging stations, improving the supply chain for materials needed to produce EV batteries, and making loans to companies that manufacture EVs and EV components in the United States. General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis—the maker of Chrysler, Fiat, Ram, and Jeep brands—stated in 2021 that they would aim to reach EV sales of at least 40 percent of all their new vehicle sales by 2030. The rule change comes 10 months after six major automakers pledged to stop selling gas and diesel-powered cars worldwide by 2040. Speaking of hemoraging money… https://thepoliticalinsider.com/federal-government-borrowing-astronomical-6-billion-per-day/ Federal Government Borrowing Astronomical $6 Billion Per Day The U.S. Congressional Budget Office said Monday the federal government has accumulated more than a trillion dollars in debt only six months into the fiscal year. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget released a report pointing out that those figures amount to an average of $6 billion per day so far in fiscal year 2023. The data figures come as Republicans and Democrats approach a deadline to raise the debt ceiling or face defaulting on the national debt, an unprecedented event that would have huge ramifications for the U.S. and global economy. Republicans have pointed to those figures as proof of the need for spending cuts. President Joe Biden, though, has shown no interest in negotiating. Democrats argue the fiscal deadline is too risky to play with in negotiations. The CRFB said if nothing changes, the annual deficit will hit $3 trillion by the end of this decade. Down to Florida we go… https://www.dailyfetched.com/florida-lawmakers-prepare-to-pass-measure-to-permit-death-penalty-for-pedophiles/ Florida Lawmakers Prepare to Pass Measure to Permit DEATH PENALTY for Pedophiles The House will consider its version of the bill (HB 1297) after (SB 1342) was cleared on Tuesday by the Rules Committee, as it readies for the bill to be presented to the full Senate. For decades, the U.S. Supreme Court and Florida Supreme Court rulings have prohibited the execution of child rapists and sexual abuse cases. The last time someone was executed for a non-murder offense in the U.S. was 1964, according to a Senate staff analysis. However, the House and Senate bills argue that a Florida Supreme Court case in1981 and a U.S. Supreme Court case in 2008 were both “wrongly decided.” The Senate version declared the cases represent an “egregious infringement of the state’s power to punish the most heinous of crimes.” The bill’s sponsor, former prosecutor turned Republican state senator Jonathan Martin, said the legislation would allow for “constitutional boundaries by providing a sentencing procedure for those heinous crimes.” “If an individual rapes an 11-year-old, a 10-year-old, a 2-year-old or a 5-year-old, they should be subject to the death penalty,” Martin said Tuesday. As Red State reports: The legislation inevitably has drawn criticism, with Aaron Wyat of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers pointing out that although people want “vengeance” against pedophiles, the death penalty would represent an overturning of decades of legal precedent. “This bill invites a longer, costlier (legal) process for the victim and their family that they will endure,” Wayt said. “While this crime, anyone convicted of it is vile, heinous, the Constitution itself, the case law, the Supreme Court demands a maximum of life in prison. And so while it’s not the vengeance we all want, it’s the justice that the Constitution demands,” Wayt added. Meanwhile, left-leaning Slate Magazine argued a “sentence of life without parole is a harsh and severe punishment,” even for pedophiles. Despite the media pushback, the bill has attracted support from some Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, who suffered sexual abuse as a child and founded the advocacy organization Lauren’s Kids. Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to sign off on this legislation after voicing support for the death penalty for pedophiles. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-sues-michael-cohen-for-500-million Trump sues former attorney Michael Cohen for $500 million Former President Donald Trump is suing his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen for more than $500 million, alleging a breach of his attorney-client relationship, unjust enrichment, and more, Fox News Digital has learned. Trump’s legal team filed the more-than 30-page federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Wednesday. The lawsuit alleges Cohen breached his attorney-client relationship by "spreading falsehoods" about Trump that were "likely to be embarrassing or detrimental, and partook in other misconduct," while also breaching contractual terms of a confidentiality agreement he signed as a condition of employment with Trump. The lawsuit alleges Cohen spread falsehoods about Trump "with malicious intent and to wholly self-serving ends." The lawsuit details Cohen’s "myriad of public statements, including the publication of two books, a podcast series, and innumerable mainstream media appearances," while ignoring "cease and desist" orders. It claims Cohen has, in recent months, "increased the frequency and hostility of the illicit acts" and "appears to have become emboldened and repeatedly continues to make wrongful and false statements" about Trump through various platforms. The lawsuit comes a week after the former president pleaded not guilty in Manhattan court to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in New York, related to alleged hush money payments made ahead of the 2016 presidential election. https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2023/04/11/nc-state-senator-moves-to-ban-participation-trophies/ NC State Senator Moves to Ban Participation Trophies Coffee is for closers, and if a state senator in North Carolina has his way, trophies at state-sponsored events will be for winners and winners only. North Carolina State Senator Timothy Moffitt (R) introduced the “Eliminate Participation Trophies Act” on Thursday, known in the legislature as SB 430. If passed, the bill would ban the awarding of trophies to children at state-sponsored athletic events simply for participating in the event. “Youth sports or other youth recreation activities operated under the authority of a local government shall not include awards for participants based solely on their participation in the sport or other activity,” the proposed law states. “Awards provided in connection with the activity, if any, shall be based on identified performance achievements.” Moffitt and the bill’s co-sponsors, Republican Senators Bobby Hanig and Eddie Settle say the bill will apply only to state-sponsored youth events. Though, no ages are listed explicitly in the bill. Many argue that participation trophies aren’t that big of a deal. After all, awarding trophies for merely showing up tends to fade out once kids progress past pee-wees and enter the junior high ranks. However, proponents of laws such as Moffitt’s will point to things like the Colts’ 2014 AFC Finalist Banner: Clearly, the participation trophy culture has made its way past pee-wees. Is it worth passing a law? The North Carolina legislature will soon decide.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Tuesday, March 7th, 2023. I hope you all had a fantastic weekend with you and yours! Before we get to the news… Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter This year, our Fight Laugh Feast Conference is at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on The Politics of Six Day Creation. The politics of six day creation is the difference between a fixed standard of justice and a careening standard of justice, the difference between the corrosive relativism that creates mobs and anarchy and the freedom of objectivity, truth, and due process. The politics of six day creation establishes the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word for all of life: from what is a man or a woman, when does human life begin, and how is human society best organized? Come hear Ken Ham, Pastor Doug Wilson, Dr. Ben Merkle, Dr. Gordon Wilson, me and more, and of course a live CrossPolitic show! Mark your calendars for October 11th-14th, as we fight, laugh, and feast, with beer & psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our Rowdy Christian Merch, and a Sabbath Feast to wrap up the occasion. Maybe an infant baptism while we’re at it! Visit fightlaughfeast.com for more information! In world news, we visit Greece. https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2023-03-05/thousands-protest-in-athens-after-greeces-deadly-train-crash Greeks Protest Over Deadly Train Crash, Station Master Jailed Pending Trial ATHENS (Reuters) -A Greek railway employee was jailed on Sunday pending trial over a deadly train crash that killed at least 57 people, as Greeks seethed with anger over the worst rail disaster in living memory. Protests continued to reverberate days after a head-on collision of a passenger train and a freight carrier on the Athens-Thessaloniki route late in the evening of Feb. 28. Clashes erupted between police and demonstrators in Athens on Sunday, after thousands rallied to protest over the crash. The 59-year-old Larissa station master faces multiple charges of disrupting transport and putting lives at risk. The man, who cannot be named under Greek law, was questioned for seven hours before a magistrate on Sunday before being detained. "For about 20 cursed minutes he was responsible for the safety of the whole of central Greece," his lawyer said. On Thursday, his lawyer said that his client was devastated and had assumed responsibility "proportionate to him" but other factors were also at play, without elaborating. Railway workers say the country's rail network has been creaking under cost-cutting and underinvestment, a legacy of Greece's debilitating debt crisis from 2010 to 2018. The Prime Minister of transportation, who blamed the crash on human error, acknowledged that decades of neglect could have contributed to the disaster. "As prime minister, I owe everyone, but most of all the relatives of the victims, an apology," he wrote on his Facebook account. "Justice will very fast investigate the tragedy and determine liabilities." After protests over the past three days across the country, some 10,000 people gathered in an Athens square on Sunday to express sympathy for the lives lost and to demand better safety standards on the rail network. "That crime won't be forgotten," protesters shouted as they released black balloons into the sky. A placard read: "Their policies cost human lives." Railway workers' unions say safety systems throughout the rail network have been deficient for years as a remote surveillance and signalling system has not been delivered on time. They have called on the government to provide a timetable for the implementation of safety protocols. The prime minister of transportation said on Sunday that if there had been a remote system in place throughout the rail network "it would have been, in practice, impossible for the accident to happen". https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/06/us/boston-flight-exit-door-arrest/index.html Man arrested after allegedly trying to open emergency door on plane and stabbing flight attendant A Massachusetts man was arrested for allegedly attempting to stab a flight attendant in the neck with a broken metal spoon three times during a flight from Los Angeles to Boston on Monday, after attempting to open an emergency exit door, according to the Justice Department. Francisco Severo Torres, 33, faces one charge of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon. Torres was arrested at Boston Logan International Airport Monday and will remain detained pending a hearing set for Thursday. During a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston, the flight crew saw an alarm that a door in the plane had been disarmed and, after inspection, a flight attendant saw the door’s locking handle had been pushed out of the fully locked position and an emergency slide arming lever had been disarmed, according to the Justice Department. A flight attendant who saw Torres near the door went to talk to Torres about the door, according to the department, who asked if there were cameras showing he had tampered with the door. “According to court documents, the flight attendant then notified the captain that they believed Torres posed a threat to the aircraft and that the captain needed to land the aircraft as soon as possible,” the Justice Department said. Soon after, Torres allegedly got out of his seat, mouthing something, before thrusting “towards one of the flight attendants in a stabbing motion with a broken metal spoon, hitting the flight attendant on the neck area three times,” the department said. Torres was then tackled by other passengers on the flight and was immediately taken into custody after the flight landed. According to a criminal complaint, Torres told investigators he broke a spoon in half a bathroom on the airplane to use as a weapon. He also told law enforcement that he tried to open the emergency door and “had gotten the idea” to jump out of the plane, according to the complaint. Torres told investigators he was trying to defend himself and tried to stab the flight attendant because he believed they were trying to kill him, the complaint states. The flight attendant felt the object Torres was holding in his hand “hit him on his shirt collar and tie three times,” according to the complaint. United Airlines says it has banned Torres from flying on future flights following this incident. https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/03/06/one-third-biden-2020-voters-do-not-want-him-run-again/ Poll: One-Third of Biden 2020 Voters Do Not Want Him to Run Again More than one-third of Biden 2020 voters do not want him to run for reelection in 2024, a recent survey from YouGov/The Economist revealed. The survey found 58 percent, overall, revealing they do not want President Joe Biden to run for office again in 2024, while 24 percent said they do. Another 18 percent remain unsure. Predictably, opinions are divided along party lines, as 83 percent of Republicans and 59 percent of independents do not want him to run. Less than a majority of Democrats, 43 percent, believe Biden should run in 2024, while more than one-third, 34 percent, said he should not. Another 23 percent of Democrats remain unsure. Notably, over one-third of Biden 2020 voters, 36 percent, do not want him to run in the next presidential race, while less than a majority, 39 percent, said he should. One-quarter of Biden 2020 voters remain unsure. For further comparison, most Trump 2020 voters, 55 percent, want former President Donald Trump to run in 2024, and 53 percent of Republicans across the board say the same. The survey was taken February 25-28, 2023, among 1,500 U.S. adult citizens. It coincides with other polls showing Biden’s inability to win over a majority of Democrats to support his potential 2024 presidential bid. A recent Fox News survey, for instance, found 53 percent of Democrat voters asserting that “someone else” should be their nominee in the forthcoming presidential election, compared to 37 percent who said “keep Biden” as the nominee. As Breitbart News reported: The article added further perspective to Biden’s figures among the Democrat base, noting that Trump saw far more support from his Republican base at the same point in his presidency, as 72 percent of Republican voters wanted to see him as the GOP nominee again in 2020. Similarly, a McLaughlin & Associates survey released last month found just more than a quarter, 26 percent, supporting Biden in a crowded Democrat field. https://www.theblaze.com/news/bob-ferguson-ministry-of-truth AG pushes state level 'Ministry of Truth' critics say could jail conservatives who express mainstream views A state attorney general is advocating for a bill some critics argue could punish outspoken conservatives as domestic extremists, KTTH's Jason Rantz reported Wednesday. "Some conservative views, or anything [Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson] deems as 'misinformation,' are examples of 'domestic extremism,'" Rantz said. It's the "most dangerous bill in legislative history," the Seattle radio host added. Washington is creating a state version of the ill-fated "Ministry of Truth," according to Rantz and others who have analyzed the bill. The controversial bill proposes the establishment of a commission on domestic violence extremism. Rep. Bill Ramos, a Democrat, sponsored the bill which would create the 13-member commission. HB 1333 describes the duties of the proposed commission as involving efforts to "combat disinformation and misinformation" and collecting data on incidents of "domestic violent extremism," the Center Square explains. Though DVE is not explicitly defined in the bill, Ferguson has described the term as including noncriminal activities or speech, the outlet also says. The legislation was spawned by the Attorney General's 2022 "Domestic Terrorism" study, according to Center Square. That study warned that "effective State intervention to address these threats has the potential to implicate speech or association that may be protected by the First Amendment, or the individual right to bear arms protected by the Second Amendment." Further, the commission, though charged with examining ways to treat DVE as a public health issue through the state's Department of Health, would have only one member required to be an expert in public health. The basic idea is to "take preemptive measures to stop actual domestic terrorist acts through community intervention." Such "community intervention" could include, for example, compelling people identified as "extremists" to undergo counseling, according to Rantz's interpretation of comments Ferguson made in an interview with PBS in January. How a Washington state plan to fight domestic extremism could be a model for the nation- Play Video 3:13-5:46 Rantz went on to explain that opposing critical race theory, mask mandates, and radical gender ideology could all be seen by the commission as tied to "white supremacy." Now lastly, let’s end on some good news: https://www.dailywire.com/news/walgreens-wont-distribute-abortion-pill-in-21-states-spokesperson-says Walgreens Won’t Distribute Abortion Pill In 21 States, Spokesperson Says American pharmacy chain Walgreens faced backlash over the weekend after announcing it would not sell abortion pills in states where the drugs remain legal after nearly two dozen Republican state attorney generals threatened legal action against the company. Walgreens, the second-largest pharmaceutical chain in the United States, told Politico last week they would not dispense abortion pills either by mail or at locations in 21 states, including Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, and Montana, where the drug is legal. The decision followed a letter from 20 Republican attorneys general last month, who warned of violating state laws if the company mailed out abortion pills. Several other pharmacies, including CVS, Walmart, and Costco, also received a similar letter from those state officials. Following the announcement, Business Insider reported the phrases “Walgreens” and “#BoycottWalgreens” trended on Twitter as critics called on consumers to stop supporting the pharmacy — which cited tweets from one of President Joe Biden’s aides, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) — all calling on the pharmacy to reverse its decision. Kristi Hamrick, a spokesperson for Students for Life, praised Walgreens’ decision. Students for Life and other pro-life groups have also written to Walgreens and CVS, threatening “legal ramifications” for the pharmacies if they begin filling prescriptions for abortion pills, Politico reported. Other states Walgreens included in the announcement were those that made it illegal to dispense the abortion pill through mail such as Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Wednesday, March 1st, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter This year, our Fight Laugh Feast Conference is at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on The Politics of Six Day Creation. The politics of six day creation is the difference between a fixed standard of justice and a careening standard of justice, the difference between the corrosive relativism that creates mobs and anarchy and the freedom of objectivity, truth, and due process. The politics of six day creation establishes the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word for all of life: from what is a man or a woman, when does human life begin, and how is human society best organized? Come hear Ken Ham, Pastor Doug Wilson, Dr. Ben Merkle, Dr. Gordon Wilson, me and more, and of course a live CrossPolitic show! Mark your calendars for October 11th-14th, as we fight, laugh, and feast, with beer & psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our Rowdy Christian Merch, and a Sabbath Feast to wrap up the occasion. Maybe an infant baptism while we’re at it! Visit fightlaughfeast.com for more information! https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/education/price-tag-biden-loan-forgiveness-plan-supreme-court $500 billion question: The real cost of Supreme Court decision on Biden student loan plan The gargantuan price tag for President Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness plan is garnering renewed scrutiny as the Supreme Court prepares to hear oral arguments on the constitutionality of the policy Tuesday. In August, Biden announced a plan to eliminate $10,000 in student loan debt to borrowers who make less than $125,000 a year and $20,000 in loan forgiveness to Pell Grant recipients. The policy, which has been blocked by federal courts prior to the Supreme Court's review, would cost $400 billion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office, which said it was "highly uncertain" about the estimate. Meanwhile, a study from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business said the cost could easily exceed $500 billion. In January, Biden’s Department of Education unveiled new proposed regulations that substantially overhauled the department’s income-driven repayment program, which allows low-income borrowers to make lower monthly payments than their loan would otherwise provide. The Penn-Wharton model estimated that the total cost of the proposed changes to the income-driven repayment program, coupled with the widespread forgiveness plan, could push the cost beyond $1 trillion. The plan, despite its eye-popping price tag, has drawn praise from members of the president's party, who blasted Republicans for attempting to block the policy. In contrast, Republican politicians have blasted the policy as an unfair redistribution of wealth from noncollege-educated workers to educated elites and raised alarms about the policy's cost to the taxpayer. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) noted in a statement to the Washington Examiner the plan's accompanying price tag and added that the administration's continued extension of a pause on collecting payments had cost "taxpayers $195 billion.” House Education and Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) told the Washington Examiner that she was optimistic that the court would strike down the administration's policy and called on the president to work with Congress to reform the federal student loan program. https://www.forbes.com/sites/markjoyella/2023/02/28/cnn-hits-10-year-low-in-prime-time-as-fox-news-glides-to-victory-in-february-cable-news-ratings/?sh=580e7cfa7d09 CNN Hits 10-Year Low As Fox News Glides To Victory In Cable News Ratings February marked CNN’s lowest-rated month in a decade, with the network’s prime time lineup dropping 42% among viewers 25-54—the key demographic group valued by advertisers—compared to the same month one year ago. CNN drew an average prime time audience of 122,000 viewers in the key demo, compared to Fox News Channel’s 299,000 viewers (down 33%). MSNBC was third overall with 119,000 viewers (down 15%). Among total viewers, Fox News dominated prime time with 2.262 million viewers, followed by MSNBC (1.165 million viewers) and CNN (587,000 viewers). All of the networks saw year-over-year declines, with CNN down the most at 24%. Fox News was down 14% and MSNBC declined the least, down 2%. Fox News had 94 of the 100 most-watched telecasts in February, which marked two consecutive years as the highest-rated network in cable news, among both total viewers and viewers in the key demo. The most-watched show in cable news for the month was FNC’s The Five, which drew an average total audience of 3.310 million viewers, followed by Tucker Carlson Tonight (3.303 million viewers), Jesse Watters Primetime (2.833 million viewers), Hannity (2.684 million viewers), and Special Report with Bret Baier (2.439 million viewers)—all airing on the Fox News Channel. In the key demo, Tucker Carlson Tonight finished the month in first place with an average audience of 461,000 viewers, followed by The Five (371,000 viewers), Hannity (355,000 viewers), Gutfeld! (322,000 viewers), and Jesse Watters Primetime (314,000 viewers)—all airing on Fox News. https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admin-asks-congress-to-reauthorize-fisa-surveillance-powers Biden Admin Asks Congress To Reauthorize FISA Surveillance Powers Ahead of an expiration date at the end of the year, the Biden administration formally requested on Tuesday that Congress reauthorize Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a controversial spy program used to combat threats around the world. Attorney General Merrick Garland and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines sent a letter to congressional leaders arguing that maintaining Title VII is a “top legislative priority” for the Biden administration. The letter places particular emphasis on Section 702, which was enacted in 2008 and is used to monitor non-U.S. citizens abroad, but Title VII also contains other sections that concern procedures and protections for surveillance of U.S. persons abroad. Garland and Haines argue Section 702 has been critical in identifying and protecting against national security threats to the United States and its allies, including “conventional and cyber threats” posed by China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. They listed some examples touting Section 702’s usefulness, including noting that it contributed to the operation that led to a CIA drone strike in Afghanistan killing Al Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri in 2022. Privacy and civil liberty advocates have raised concerns about warrantless surveillance due to the mass incidental collection of data, including the communications of Americans in contact with a foreign target, and the mishandling of surveillance powers, such as the FBI’s targeting of a Trump 2016 campaign aide using an unverified dossier. Some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have already signaled opposition to FISA as it stands. Among them are Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), who this month called for “meaningful reforms” to protect Fourth Amendment rights, and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), who sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray two weeks ago demanding answers about “backdoor searches” sifting through FISA data that appear to have targeted politicians. Members of Congress will have a chance to grill the Biden administration about the FISA program, as Garland and Haines are set to appear before key committees in the coming days. https://www.dailyfetched.com/toxic-chemical-waste-from-ohio-is-now-headed-to-other-states/ Toxic Chemical Waste from Ohio Now Headed to Other States Contaminated waste from the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, is being shipped to Indiana and could also be heading to other states in the wake of the ongoing cleanup. There have already been fifteen truckloads of toxic waste disposed of in Michigan, while five truckloads carrying 280 tons had been in East Palestine, according to an update from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s office. The report added that liquid waste had been disposed of at a Texas treatment site, while 02,000 gallons of liquid waste remains in East Palestine. EPA’s regional administrator, Debra Shore, said that solid waste would be sent to an incinerator operated by Ross Environmental Services in Grafton, Ohio, and also a Heritage hazardous waste landfill in Roachdale, Indiana, which also operates the facility in East Liverpool. The two facilities in Ohio, which began taking in shipments on Monday, “don’t have enough capacity to handle all the liquid and solid waste from this cleanup,” Shore explained. This means the agency had to look for other disposal locations. Meanwhile, a demonstration held by local Republicans and residents in Michigan said: “Stop these shipments. Do not bring these shipments to Michigan.” Texas officals said they were unaware that toxic materials from the crash were being sent to a site near them until they heard about it from the press. “That’s unacceptable,” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said. “I know our community was taken aback by the news just as much as I was.” The Ohio derailment saw 38 rail cars containing hazardous material go off the tracks earlier this month. Ohio residents have since complained of mysterious symptoms after being exposed to the toxic chemicals Officials have since discovered toxic chemicals in the soil surrounding the derailment site and in nearby waterways. Last week, an attorney representing more than 30,000 people impacted by 9/11, warned East Palestine residents not to trust what the EPA says about water quality. Accountable2You Jesus is Lord. In public and in private, every area of life must be subject to his Lordship—and our use of technology is no exception. What captures our attention on the screen either glorifies or dishonors our Lord. That’s why Accountable2You is committed to promoting biblical accountability in our families and churches. Their monitoring and reporting software makes transparency easy on all of your devices, so you can say with the Psalmist, “I will not set anything worthless before my eyes.” Guard against temptation with Accountable2You, and live for God’s glory! Learn more and try it for free at Accountable2You.com/FLF https://www.boundingintosports.com/2023/02/after-being-removed-from-super-bowl-coverage-michael-irvin-and-attorneys-demand-marriott-release-super-bowl-surveillance-video/ After Being Removed From Super Bowl Coverage, Michael Irvin and Attorneys DEMAND Marriott Release Super Bowl Surveillance Video Throughout his Hall of Fame playing career with the Dallas Cowboys and even since Michael Irvin has been no stranger to controversy. Or, for that matter? Brushes with the law here and there. Irvin has been arrested multiple times over the years for everything from drug possession charges to assault. Always volatile, the former University of Miami Hurricane has been known to display an explosive temper. One that he displayed quite often. In an incident that took place at the Cowboys’ training facility in 1998, he stabbed teammate Everett McIver in the neck with a pair of scissors when the younger player refused to get up from a barber chair. Though McIver survived the attack, the wound could have been fatal. Irvin’s checkered history also includes multiple allegations of sexual misconduct that date back to the early days of his playing career. In 1996, a woman alleged that she was sexually assaulted by Irvin and his Cowboys teammate Erik Williams. Authorities concluded that her allegations were fabricated. The accuser later recanted her story. In 2007, Irvin was accused of sexual battery by a woman who said he got her drunk and raped her at a Florida hotel. Criminal charges were never filed, but she filed a civil lawsuit in 2010. Fort Lauderdale, Florida, police investigated Irvin for an alleged sexual assault on March 22, 2017. Then, on July 24, the Broward County State Attorney’s Office announced they had closed the investigation and would not charge Irvin in the case. Flash forward to 2023. Prior to this year’s Super Bowl coverage, Irvin was pulled from his duties as a commentator for the NFL Network, due to more allegations. This time, it was for an exchange at a Marriott hotel between the Hall of Famer and the accuser. However, details both then and now regarding their interaction remains unclear. Irvin immediately denied any wrongdoing, saying that his only interaction with the woman included nothing more than a mere handshake. “We shook hands. Then, I left. … That’s all I know,” Irvin explained to The Dallas Morning News when the story broke. From the beginning, Irvin has professed his innocence, and he is now asking for surveillance video to be released to clear him of any wrongdoing. The Playmaker is also now pursuing legal action against the woman and the hotel chain, and he got a big win in the matter late last week. Irvin’s lawyers had been arguing that he had the right to view the video, as the accusations involved could jeopardize not only his public persona but his potential to earn millions as a television personality, as well. In essence, they are looking to clear the star’s name completely. It must have worked because it appears now that Marriott hotels and their parent company won’t have much choice in the matter. A federal judge ordered Marriott to release the Michael Irvin security video. On Friday, things came to a head in the matter when Judge Amos Mazzant III ruled in the East District of Texas that Marriott has until 5 p.m. on Tuesday to answer the request for “any and all video recordings, written reports, and/or witness statements gathered that pertain to Michael Irvin’s stay at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel in February 2023.” This is not a notice to produce the video and other materials, it’s merely setting a deadline for Marriott’s response. It’s still not clear how this will all play out. And unless someone decides to fold, this could be a long standoff between the parties involved. In most legal situations such as these, it is essentially the ‘smoking gun,’ the evidence that will make or break a case. Marriott’s only argument here could be claiming that the footage is private property. However, it’s looking more and more like the corporation will be forced to give up any pertinent material they have in relation to the complaint.