The Watches 12.04.25
Narco strikes under scrutiny, record spending, and do they [abortionists] know it's Christmas time?
“Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God?” ~ 2 Peter 3
First Watch:
Dell founder Michael Dell and his wife are donating over $6 billion to support President Trump’s proposal to open $1,000 savings accounts for American children. (Not the Bee)
MIT engineers have designed artificial tendons for robots, resulting in the machine pinching “its fingers together three times faster, and with 30 times greater force.” (MIT)
An “inclusive” nativity scene in Brussels—where roughly a quarter of the population is Muslim—gave the Holy Family blank fabric faces so viewers could “project themselves” onto the figures (and no doubt, to avoid depicting prophets). It still didn’t land: the head of baby Jesus was stolen. (Front Page)
The search for Malaysia Airlines MH370 will resume this month, with Malaysia’s government offering U.S. firm Ocean Infinity $70 million if it finds the missing plane. Flight MH370 vanished in 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.(BBC)
A new study links soybean oil consumption to obesity. (Futurity)
Second Watch:
Double Tap Right before Thanksgiving, the Washington Post reported that U.S. forces—allegedly on the orders of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth—killed two survivors from a disabled narco boat. The New York Times challenged WashPo back, saying its own anonymous sources denied Hegseth issued the kill order—the second strike was reportedly ordered by Admiral Frank Bradley who was running the operation. Former Army judge advocate and Cornell law professor Brian Cox added that if the vessel was disabled but not destroyed, it remained a legitimate target. NYT sources also said U.S. forces intercepted radio communications from the boat before the second hit. The news dropped just after six Democrat lawmakers issued an out-of-the-blue public reminder that soldiers must not follow illegal orders. Commentary podcast noted the timing suggested advance leaks; Megyn Kelly wondered whether the Post felt it had “permission” to find a crime, even at the risk of getting the facts wrong. While the White House frames cartel-linked smuggling as a national-security threat, critics like Andrew McCarthy at National Review argue the legal basis for the strikes is shaky. (PJ Media, WNG, National Review, Daily Wire, Brian Cox via X) | Meanwhile, a Colombian family is suing the U.S. government, claiming a man killed by a U.S. strike was a fisherman with no cartel ties. (CBS)
Black Friday Spending Breaks Records Americans spent almost $12 billion online this Black Friday, according to Adobe. The record reflects a mixed economic picture—shoppers are still buying, but with “discipline, not adrenaline,” amid high prices and ongoing uncertainty. Buy-now-pay-later use surged, but the biggest buzz was the news that AI chatbots made a noticeable impact: customers enlisted bots to dig up the bargains. Those who followed a bot’s recommendation were 38% more likely to make a purchase. (Adobe, Newsweek, Inc)
Third Watch:
😍 Watching an electric blue eel wiggle its way underwater is a delight
📻 From a simpler time? A radio toilet paper holder
And…
A group of nuns sends Christmas cards to abortion-clinic workers every year. Abby Johnson—a former abortion nurse who founded And Then There Were None, a pro-life organization and sponsor of the idea—says, “November and December are our busiest months, with our highest volume of calls from abortion workers who just can’t take it anymore.” One Sister said, ‘We pray that our Lord will bless them and get them into the hands that need them.’
Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, You Son Jesus, triumphed over the prince of demons and freed us from bondage to sin. Help us to stand firm against every assault of Satan, and enable us always to do Your will; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God,, now and forever. Amen.
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