001 Pentecost 9: It's a Start
“The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.” - Psalm 33
Hey Readers!
What did I miss?
Quite a lot has happened since I signed off in May. Never fear, I’ve been taking notes in my absence–this year’s annual edition should be a doozy! But here is the first proper issue of the Cross+Sentinel and I’m excited about how Jesus might use this little venture! I am still tinkering with layout and headings but ultimately, I want this newsletter to help Christians to watch and pray.
For those who are familiar with Mad☧Mondays, you will see stuff you recognize. You probably saw The Watches last week. They are short news summaries, sent once or twice a week with the larger Sentinel scheduled for Fridays. (Well, except this time..) The Mad Tank has become the Black Bag, a place for writing intended to shine light on the lies and equip the saints to think clearly. So send in your writing!
BTW you can subscribe/unsubscribe to any of these emails, just keep the ones you want to receive.
Thanks for sticking around, you’re all awesome!
God’s peace
Frisby
Noise Decoder
Socialism won’t die, it just changes forms
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) held their annual Socialism Conference earlier this year, featuring an all-female panel (notably all in masks) that denounces the family as an “F word”, likening marriage to a form of prostitution and parental authority as tyrannical. The speakers described the family as “an inherently repressive, racist, and hetero-sexist institution that functionally reinforces and reproduces capitalism.” Similar critiques were voiced during the Black Lives Matter protests in recent years, but now the DSA is also playing a role in the New York City mayoral campaign of Zohran Mamdani, an Ugandan-born Muslim and Democrat candidate. Mamdani has proposed policies such as defunding the police in favor of deploying social workers and imposing higher taxes on predominantly white neighborhoods. He has received the endorsement of Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren. Writing at Pirate Wires, Mike Solana cautioned that while socialist ideas may appear clownish, they must be taken seriously and contended against.
Looking to the cross: When the foundations God has established—such as the family—are mocked or undermined, believers are called not to retreat into cynicism or fear, but to stand firm in truth with both conviction and grace. The psalmist laments, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3). But he answers himself: The Lord is in his holy temple. Because Jesus is with us, we cannot abandon the field but can live to expose the lies that wage against the souls of men. God’s design for our homes, churches, and communities, shows a better way by example.
Tariffs are go!
Tariffs are go! For real this time? It would seem so, with President Trump signing an executive order last week to kick “reciprocal” tariffs into action. Several countries have already negotiated deals, including the EU, which bargained rates down to 15% on goods coming from Europe—cars included. In return, Europe agreed to invest hundreds of billions into the U.S. economy and purchase a similar amount of American energy. The trade deficit has shrunk, and new figures put economic growth at 3%. Still, cautious forecasters aren’t celebrating yet, pointing to “subpar growth year to date on an annualized basis”. It is reasonable to consider that the rush to import inventory earlier in the year to avoid tariffs accounts for part of the activity. It also might be too soon to tell what the tariffs will deliver, with some imported goods climbing in price. Analysts also note that mixed signals from the White House about the tariffs’ ultimate purpose are fodder for creating jittery investors. Legal challenges are expected as well, adding another layer of uncertainty to the Trump administration’s global economic shake-up and making long-term business planning a risky bet. The real test will come if early wins meet with pushback—from trading partners abroad and voters at home.
Job boss loses job
The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced amended job numbers for June and July on Friday, with a significant downwards revision. The Wall St Journal believes “Tariffs are weighing on manufacturing. Workplace raids are hurting immigrant-dependent sectors...And cutbacks to the federal workforce are squeezing government hiring.” President Trump fired the Bureau’s head, Erika McEntarfer, after the news, calling her “incompetent”. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has defended the dismissal, asking how the Federal Reserve could possibly know what to do with interest rates when jobs data is so “broken”. Market watchers say that the Bureau has been working with insufficient data, with input from industry reports dropping over the last few years. Although monthly jobs reports are of little significance when considering a longer view, investors demand them anyway. Critics of Trump’s reaction accused him of politicizing the data, but one former White House speech writer said it has been so for some time. Despite assurances that jobs reports are under lock and key to prevent insider trading before their release, presidents often know what’s coming, creating plenty of room for spin.
On the Radar
Life
Birth, Death and Marriage
An Ohio couple welcomed a child conceived from an embryo frozen 30 years ago. John Gordon, who runs the pro-life fertility clinic says his faith drives his actions: “Every embryo deserves a chance at life and that the only embryo that cannot result in a healthy baby is the embryo not given the opportunity to be transferred into a patient.” (The Guardian) | A new study of data from around the world estimates that 13 million people were born using IVF. (Science Alert)
A new report from Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America says that dozens of Planned Parenthood clinics will close this year after President Trump’s budget bill cut off taxpayer funding for organizations that perform abortions. (WNG)
Crime and Punishment
Courts, Law and Policing
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has issued subpoenas to a number of high-profile former government officials–including former Bill and Hillary Clinton–in its investigation around convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. (The Hill)
The FBI has approved the use of its agents to help return Texas’ rogue Democrat lawmakers. But it is not clear whether the Bureau has jurisdiction over the politicians who fled the state to avoid participating in redistricting electorates to favor Republicans. (The Hill)
Treasure
Money, Markets and Jobs
President Trump signed an executive order aimed at curbing the practice known as “debanking”. He recently revealed that JP Morgan Chase canceled his accounts during his 2016 presidential run. (Reclaim the Net)
America’s credit card debt has reached $1.2 trillion. (CNBC) | Check your statement for scam purchases–scams are on the rise. (Pew)
How firetrucks came to cost $2m each. (The Hustle)
Heritage
Arts, History and Sport
The National Parks Service says it is restoring a statue of Confederate Gen. Albert Pike, which was damaged by BLM rioters and then removed in 2020. (Not the Bee)
Oh oh! A teacher’s video claiming that Incan child sacrifice wasn’t really that bad has gone viral. The woman claims sacrifices were voluntary and “kind” since the child was heavily sedated beforehand. Her conclusion is that “white” education only focuses on the bad things ancient people did, not the “wonders”. (Rebel News)
Men shouldn’t dress like boys. (Art of Manliness)
Health
Medicine and Food
A new study has linked children’s heart health to amount of screen time. (CBS)
President Trump has reintroduced the Presidential Fitness Test for school children. The program began under President LBJ but was downgraded during the Obama years. (Newsweek)
Cold sweat vs hot sweat. (The Scientist)
The Elements
The Natural World
Italy and France have fined China’s fast fashion giant Shein millions, claiming the company’s claims about its eco credentials are misleading and confusing. (EuroNews)
Reality Bytes
Digital Technology
An argument against AI-induced psychosis turning people crazy: “As ‘dangerous’ as these tools may be, ChatGPT included, at heart they are aggregators of our best, worst, and weirdest content, where the output is determined by none other than: me and you.” (Pirate Wires)
LLM inflation: do we really need all those words? (Tratt.net)
Knowledge
Science and Data
A vibrating flight suit could help pilots naivgate spatial disorientation. (CBS)
The amazing new observatory in Chile. (Nice News)
War and Rumors of War
Conflict and Weaponry
Israel’s cabinet has approved a plan to occupy Gaza City where it is believed hostages may be being held. Families of hostages who remain imprisoned by Hamas are divided over the plan. (BBC, Jerusalem Post)
President Trump is scheduled to meet with Russia’s President Putin in Alaska later this week to discuss ending its war against Ukraine. (BBC)
Stories From Far Away
World News
🇬🇧 Britain’s long-debated Online Safety Act has gone into effect. The Act was pitched to protect children from horrible material online, but critics say other topics will also be censored from discussion, including immigration debate. (Spiked)
🇨🇦 A very tall statue of the Hindu god of “truth, virtue, and manliness” has been erected in Toronto. (Not the Bee)
🇧🇷 According to Reduxx, a Brazilian feminist activist has been granted refugee status in Europe after she was sentenced to 25 years prison for “misgendering” a transgender politician. (Reduxx)
🇸🇻 El Salvador's congress has approved reforms to its constitution, paving the way for popular president Bukele to rule for quite a while longer. (BBC)
🇨🇱 Five workers trapped in a Chilean copper mine have been confirmed dead. (Die Welt)
🇨🇳 New mosquito-borne illness affecting folks in China. (Not the Bee)
🇨🇳 Yikes! A Danish zoo has asked the public to donate unwanted pets to feed its animals. (AP)
Quick Hits
🌯 How to pronounce “gyro”
🦈 The most dangerous beaches in the US
🇺🇸…And some of the prettiest towns in the US
🧊 When an iceberg comes to town
👂🏼 The phantom sound in an Oregon town
🇿🇦 South Africa’s rhinos go nuclear for their own protection
🌶️ Doritos believes its new flavor will bring the “layers and nuance” that customers want
Something from Rev Fisk to chew over…
Let us pray. Almighty and merciful God, it is by Your grace that we live as Your people who offer acceptable service. Grant that we may walk by faith, and not by sight, in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
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