Around the Throne: The Heavenly Witness of the Redeemed to the Work of the Lamb (Conrad Mwebe)

Sermon

Around the Throne: The Heavenly Witness of the Redeemed to the Work of the Lamb gracechurch.org v a

Take a peek over John's shoulder and into the throne room of Heaven with Conrad Mwebe conradmbewe. (Rev 4:1-5:14)

Pot Churches; JW's Rushed Out; allah Baby; Bench Press; GM's Lost Plant; Aborting in Missouri; Abortion in Every Campuses; Nanocar Race; Red-eyed Mutants; 3D Fabric; and Brain Drug

Society

Colorado rejects attempt to ban pot churches coloradoan

The International Church of Cannabis is set to open in Denver on April 20th and has been billed as "the first large venue in the world where adults can legally consume cannabis in a social environment.” According to Steve Berke, the 113 year old church's new landlord, “Elevationists believe that one can find the path to spiritual fulfillment through the ritual use of cannabis.” The church doesn't plan on selling marijuana or accessories, but plans to host guest speakers, artists, comedians, musicians, and documentary film screenings. Despite the affiliation with marijuana, Berke insists: “this is not just a bunch of lazy stoners getting together to get high. We really want to impact [the] neighborhood. We want to do great things for the community.”

Hate Crusade; Playgrounds in Court; Russian Intercept Deux; Taking the Fight to Abu; Pact Uncertainty Lingers; and Negative Mass

Society

LGBTQ Advocates Seek to Label Conservative Opponents as Hate Groups reuters

The Eliminate Hate Campaign seeks to draw attention to groups it sees as extreme and hateful against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, accusing them of hiding behind ostensibly Christian or family values.

Russian Intercept; Secessionist Leader Secedes; Ghost Ship in North Korea; Election Spring; and a God in the Machine

Military

US fighter jets intercept Russian bombers near Alaska thehill

The official noted that TU-95s are capable of carrying nuclear weapons, but the planes involved in Monday’s incident did not appear armed. The interception was conducted in a “safe and professional” manner, the official added, as the bombers did not violate U.S. airspace or break international norms.

On the Bench; Defining Discrimination; Burning Hatred of God; Passover Rise; THAAD Time; AI's Heart Check; Robot Warehouse; and One Day Diagnosis

Politics

Gorsuch has busy first day at Supreme Court thehill

Gorsuch, who was confirmed earlier this month after President Trump nominated him to the court, entered the courtroom grinning as he stepped up to his chair — the last on the far right, next to President Obama appointee Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Week Missiles; Erdogan Expands; Getting Kids to Vote; AI Master; M; and Required Editing

North Korea

North Korea 'will test missiles weekly', senior official tells BBC bbc

"We'll be conducting more missile tests on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis," Vice Foreign Minister Han Song-Ryol told the BBC's John Sudworth. He said that an "all-out war" would result if the US took military action.

[OPINION] America Can’t Do Much About North Korea theatlantic

The Heart of the Gospel (Steve Lawson)

Sermon

The Heart of the Gospel sermonaudio

"...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures..." (1 Cor 15:3-4) Have a blessed Easter creation as you listen to Steve Lawson onepassionministries.org remind us that the gospel is not only unto salvation, but it remains "of first importance" in our lives.

Stormy Weather; ty; Inclusion Goes to Camp; Hamas and Ladders; and Seeing Lights

Military Tensions

China Warns of ‘Storm Clouds Gathering’ in U.S.-North Korea Standoff nytimes

China warned on Friday that tensions on the Korean Peninsula could run out of control, after North Korea said it could test a nuclear weapon whenever its top leader, Kim Jong-un, decided, and as an American naval group neared the peninsula in a show of resolve.

Midwife Abortion; Delivering Falafel; Eye See All; Treadmill Legs; and Window Filter

Abortion

Christian midwife must perform abortions or lose job, Swedish court rules washingtontimes

Ellinor Grimmark was blacklisted by the medical community because of her pro-life convictions, despite longstanding Swedish law protecting the conscience rights of medical professionals.

The midwife is now considering whether to appeal the Swedish court’s decision to the European Court of Human Rights echr.coe.int, her lawyers said. A decision there would have major implications for conscience rights across the continent.

Even a UN is Right Twice a Day; Graphene Screen; Data Film; Steam Suit; Foolish AI; Federated Learning; and The Cats Ain't Enough

Israel

Top UN Official Calls Jerusalem the Ancient Capital of Israel israeltoday.co.il

Irina Bokova, the director-general of UNESCO, which last year passed a motion denying the Jewish connection to Jerusalem, shocked many last week when she publicly affirmed the Jews’ historic connection to the Holy City.

Human Rivers; Responsible Human Editing; Relit Street Lights; Duterte's South Sea Dance; Sacrifice in Jerusalem; Tuition-Free in NY; and Waiting for Gorsuch

Worshiping the Creature

Ganges and Yamuna rivers granted same legal rights as human beings theguardian

The court in the Himalayan resort town of Nainital appointed three officials to act as legal custodians responsible for conserving and protecting the rivers and their tributaries. It ordered that a management board be established within three months.

And those rivers weren't even the first. See also This New Zealand River Just Got the Legal Rights of a Person smithsonianmag

Two Paths, One Way (John MacArthur)

Sermon

Two Paths, One Way gty.org v a

The world says, "All paths lead to God", but not so Jesus. In fact, He said that there are only 2 paths and that most people are on the one that leads to destruction. Listen as John MacArthur gty.org speaks on one of the most frightening passages in the NT - one that should cause even the self-identified 'Christian' to pause, testing whether or not he actually is in the faith (2 Cor 13:5), because "the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matt 7:13-27)

Moscow's Capital Suggestion; #SociallyRelevantMatters; Digital Antibodies; Electric Plane; Ray-Bot; and Graphene Water

Israel

Moscow Surprisingly Says West Jerusalem Is Israel's Capital jpost

The statement issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry reads, “We reaffirm our commitment to the UN-approved principles for a Palestinian-Israeli settlement, which include the status of east Jerusalem as the capital of the future Palestinian state. At the same time, we must state that in this context we view west Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.”

The Grand Finale; Sally Salad; 30k Robot Hum; Chatty Warehouse Bots; Easter Egg; and UN Abortion Cuts

Space

NASA spacecraft's fiery finale will give us glimpse of Saturn's rings usatoday

Seasoned NASA spaceship Cassini will dive into the gap later this month for an unparalleled research campaign nicknamed the Grand Finale. The name is not hyperbole: Once it has fulfilled its mission, Cassini will plunge into the heart of Saturn, ending 13 years of unprecedented scientific discoveries.

On April 22, the craft, which launched in 1997, will whip by Saturn’s biggest moon Titan, an encounter that will nudge Cassini onto a path so audacious that prominent planetary-science commentator Emily Lakdawalla once said it seemed “totally crazy.” Cassini will hop over Saturn’s rings, which form a gauzy collar of dust and ice around the giant planet, and begin threading the needle between Saturn’s atmosphere and the D ring, which begins only 1,200 miles from the planet itself.

Fake Accusations; Robot Wife; Video Void; Donating Excuse; Mount Funds; Slavish Occupation; Unilaterally NK; Cow for Life; AI's a Gamer; Guns and Drones; and 3D Rocket

Fake News

ICR Falsely Placed on False News List icr.org

As soon as we learned of it, we contacted the assistant professor behind the list, a Harvard journalism web resource that linked to the list, and the Harvard library harvard.edu that also linked to the list. Our respectful requests for removal from the list—after all, ICR.org icr.org does not report false news, misleading news, clickbait, or satire—brought a variety of results.

The Eternal Word: God the Son in Eternity Past (Michael Reeves)

Shepherd's Conference 2017

The Eternal Word: God the Son in Eternity Past gracechurch.org v a

There are times to take notes, trying to remember a preacher's key points...and then there are times to just sit back and take it all in. This is one of those times. Listen as Michael Revees ust.ac.uk proclaims the glorious, eternal Word who is the eternal Son (John 1:1-3).

Charged Activists; Stripping Funds from PP; Misc Person; Reused Landing; Puddle Shark; Octopus Bot; Tailing Eye; Unparalyzing Thought; and Printed Interior

Abortion

Activists who filmed Planned Parenthood workers charged in California npr.org w!

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced the charges against David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt on Tuesday, saying the state "will not tolerate the criminal recording of confidential conversations."

Israel Pulls Funds; May Encounters Reality; The Uniting Begins; Think Turtle; SAM the Builder; and Memories of AI

Israel

Prime Minister cuts funding to UN israelnationalnews

Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the Foreign Ministry to cut $2 million from Israel's payments to the UN, in light of the hostile proposals adopted by the UN Human Rights Council last week.

Paganland; Genderless; Data Vault; Reused in Orbit; Biocomputer; Another Engine; and 50 Away

Paganism

Iceland's pagans enjoy dramatic rise bbc

National Statistics Bureau figures show that followers of the Asatru Association still lag far behind the established Lutheran Church, which accounts for 237,938 or almost 70% of the population and has remained stable for decades. But the total of Icelanders who revere Odin, Thor and the Goddess Freyja has leapt 50% since 2014 to 3,583, with more than twice as many male as female faithful...

Human AI; Apple's Bubble; Christian Hate Speech; Employing Stay-at-Home Moms; Virtual Ads; Projected Reality; Japan Wants the Bomb; and Russia's Marching

Brain

Elon Musk launches Neuralink, a venture to merge the human brain with AI theverge

The company, which is still in the earliest stages of existence and has no public presence whatsoever, is centered on creating devices that can be implanted in the human brain, with the eventual purpose of helping human beings merge with software and keep pace with advancements in artificial intelligence. These enhancements could improve memory or allow for more direct interfacing with computing devices.

Appointed to Suffer, Resolved to Obey: Christ's Submission to His Father (Mark Jones)

Shepherds' Conference 2017

Appointed to Suffer, Resolved to Obey: Christ's Submission to His Father gracechurch.org

This week's sermon is, again, from the Shepherds' Conference held at the beginning of this month. We often think of the Suffering Servant passage (Isaiah 52:13-53:12) when we think Christ in the OT, but Mark Jones faithvan gave a fascinating reminder of Christ's willing (and eternal) submission to the Father from a couple chapters earlier in Isaiah 50:4-6

Warping Science with Print; Younger DNA; Spinach Heart; Muscle Metal; Printing Human Cartilage; Artificial Sun; Absolutely Not Zero; CC'd Singing; and Real (Scary) Chatbot

Today is an unusual day where almost every article I found of interest was basically just research of something interesting!

Also - I can't believe I forgot to mention it a couple days ago, but this week I've officially been putting up this crazy, text-only blog for a year :) Here's that first post: March 22, 2016

Research

How the media warp science: the case of the sensationalised satnav theguardian

There’s a famous cliché which says “If you like sausage, you should never see one being made”. Well, earlier this week I saw how a science news story occurred, from experiment to media coverage, and I think the same applies here.

Note: the author's almost too casual with some of his language...

The Border Evacuation Plan; Sanhedrin Solicits Iran; NK's Preemptive Strike; Google's Widening Heel; Faster Security; Print Bacteria, Make Graphene; and Synthetic Embryos

Israel

Israel has mass evacuation plan in works should war erupt nydailynews

Israel is drawing up contingency plans to evacuate up to a quarter-million civilians from border communities to protect them from attacks from Hamas, Hezbollah or other Islamic militant groups.

Boycotting Human 'Rights'; Nikki Schools UN; Not Just Evolution; Google's Heel; Smile, You're in Carlsbad; Gorsuch in the Machine; and Robo Cop

UN

Furious, US Boycotts UN Cabal Bashing Israel Over 'Human Rights' breakingisraelnews

Mark Toner, the department’s spokesman, posted a statement state.gov on the department’s website, saying that not only will the US boycott the meeting, but it intends to vote against all five the council intends to pass this week.

Also see Trump Admin To Boycott U.N. Council Over Anti-Israel Agenda freebeacon

Brand Culture; Aborting God's Decision; Brexit Away (Finally?); Viable Target: Air Defenses; Rocket Progress; Those Dancing Feet; and Paperback Not So Dead Afterall

Society

It’s Time for Every Brand to Pick a Side time w!

Five weeks into Donald Trump's Administration, and at a time when expressing cultural values can end decades-long relationships in the time it takes to post 140 characters, consumers and employees are looking for new ways to be heard, represented and served. They’re increasingly voting with their voices, their choices and their wallets. Brands need to take heed, or pay the consequences.

If The World Hates You: Preaching Christ in the Face of Hostility (Albert Mohler)

Shepherds' Conference 2017

If The World Hates You: Preaching Christ in the Face of Hostility gracechurch.org v a

This week's sermon link is from Shepherd's Conference 2017, which I had the opportunity to attend a couple weeks ago. There are few evangelical leaders today who are as much in touch with the current state of changing culture as Albert Mohler albertmohler. Listen (or watch) as he breaks down John 15:18-25, showing that the "if"s are actually "sinces", with the conclusion of expected persecution as our part of the world distances itself from any remaining pretense of Christianity.

Designed Baby; First 3 Parent Embryo; Where Even the Milk is Racist; Banning JWs; UN's Apartheid State; Quran Says Jews Out; BDS in Germany; Israel and Syrian Exchange; Volcano!; Growing Bloom; Water Bear Glass; Store GPS; and Self Driving Doubt

Genetics

Chinese researchers announce designer baby breakthrough foxnews

Chinese researchers used a genome editing technique called CRISPR to rid normal embryos of hereditary diseases that cause blood disorders and other ailments, according to New Scientist. Experts who reviewed the project told the publication that, even though it involved just six embryos, it carries promise.

'Beware of Jews' Retraction; Growing China; Stretching Philippines; AI Audit; Finding Recalled Cars; Brain 10x Faster Than Before; Google Filtering Hate; Sunscope; Third Arm Support; Defending Against the Hurtful; and Texan Bathrooms

Antisemitism

Artist behind 'beware of Jews' sign apologises for causing offence theguardian

Franck Allais, a freelance photographer, said the contentious sign was part of an artistic project, which includes depictions of a woman pulling a shopping trolley, a man pushing his wheelchair and a cat.

Allais said he intended the project to be a comment on identity and that the sign in Stamford Hill, one of the largest Hasidic communities in Europe, was not an antisemitic statement. He said he was left shaken by the offence he had caused.

I posted the original story of this 'antisemetic' act yesterday on the previous blog, but appears that I (as well as several others) jumped to conclusions about the intent. I appologize for my part in passing the original story around.

'Beware of Jews'; I Spied on Your Face; Criminal Intent; Unensuring Abortion; Spider Pigs; and Jacketing in

Antisemitism

'Beware of Jews' sign appears in Stamford Hill bbc

The sign depicts the silhouette of an orthodox Jewish man wearing a traditional Fedora hat and was spotted on a lamppost in Stamford Hill on Tuesday.

The Liberty Stumble; Gorsuch Review; Children Arte Their Future; Apes' Personhood; Child of Three; Pro-Life Scrub; Atom Bit; 3D Skyscraper; Power, 10% Off; and Japan's Tour

Society

WATCH: University Students Stumble over Who Has Freedom to Live and Work According to Beliefs adflegal.org v

Don’t like President Trump? It’s fine to tell people you won’t write a speech supporting him. Muslim singer? No one should force you to perform at an Easter service under threat of government punishment. But for a Christian creative professional, photographer, writer, or artist, it seems they must live by a different standard. To get a sense of just how confusing this issue seems to be for some, we visited the University of Wisconsin-Madison to hear what students have to say.

Denial in Graffiti; Boy Dolls; Garfield's Male???; Eno the Binary Chatbot; Religious Liberty in South Dakota; Calls for Even More Abortion; Muddied god; and 3D Printed Grenade Launcher

I know it has been a couple weeks since my last post! I had the opportunity to attend Shepherds Conference a couple weeks ago, which took all my time (and energy!). Last week I played catch up to make up for being off the previous week, and decided to give myself an extra week off from this blog for some breathing room.

But don't worry: In my absence it appears the world has continued to spin...along with the media, politicians, and even tech gurus :) I'm glad to be back, and look forward to getting back in the swings of things.

BTW: There were several great speakers at Shepherds! I hope to post links to a few of them here once they make the media available.

Antisemitism

Seattle synagogue vandalized with Holocaust denial graffiti cnn

Temple De Hirsch Sinai was spray-painted with graffiti calling the Holocaust "fake history," Rabbi Daniel Weiner said.

A North Korea Deal; Laser Drones; Everybody Only Fraternities; Robot Tax; After Man, Robot; Mind Over Matter; Grave Attack; The Rule of Allah; and Printing Objects with Light

North Korea

Is Kim Jong-un seeking a deal with Donald Trump? Senior North Korean officials prepare to travel to US for talks scmp

Analysts also say they are highly doubtful that Pyongyang, which has insisted on being recognised as a nuclear state, would be willing to moderate its position on its weapons programme. But if the talks do take place, they could offer a glimmer of hope for an already hostile relationship that has only deteriorated as the Kim government works aggressively to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the continental US.

Trump's LGBT Man; Pick a Gender and Vote; UN Hates Israeli Deer; Russia's Ukraine Door; Patrolling the Sea; Pope Terrorism; Dirty Meat; Smart Bug Trap; AI Knows; Self-Crasher; and Sick Watson

Society

Meet the Trump admin official paid to promote LGBT ‘rights’ around the world lifesitenews

The decision to preserve open homosexual Randy Berry as Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons was reported Monday by the homosexual newspaper Washington Blade. It is another blow to pro-family advocates who oppose the LGBT agenda and are counting on Trump to root out homosexual and abortion activists from the foreign affairs bureaucracy after eight years of Obama’s leftist policies.

“The Obama administration has systematically filled the ranks of State with LGBTQ and abortion activists,” Perkins wrote in December. “Unless the next Secretary of State is willing to resist and remove this embedded agenda, the promotion and protection of true human rights, like religious liberty, will continue to languish.”

Trump's Confusing Silence; Bible Class; Defunding Gets the Fed Vote; CA's Continuing Socialist Strain; Mamephant or Elemoth?; Hornless; Bulletproof Origami; Paper Airplane Aid; and Juno Stays Put

Anti-Semitism

Jewish groups ask: Why won’t Trump denounce anti-Semitic attacks? mcclatchydc v

Not only did Trump not condemn the attacks, he also largely ignored the issue and at least once responded as if the accusations were directed at him, which they weren’t. The reaction has left Jewish groups confused and frustrated, especially following the visit this week of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House.

Also see Jewish reporter who clashed with Trump is 'hopeful' for White House outreach in fighting anti-Semitism washingtonexaminer v

Progressive Flowers; All But the Designer Baby; Underwater Bomb Bot; 15:1 Kill Ratio; Russia Coasting By; and Kim's Sword

Society

Washington’s Supreme Court Imposes Its Progressive Faith on a Christian Florist nationalreview

If you care about the Bill of Rights, the rights of conscience, or even the English language, there’s a chance that this morning you felt a disturbance in the Force — as if the Founders cried out in rage and were suddenly silenced. That disturbance was the Washington Supreme Court’s oppressive ruling in State of Washington v. Arlene’s Flowers, a case holding that a florist was bound by state law to use her artistic talents to design floral arrangements to celebrate what she viewed as an immoral event: a gay wedding.

Cooked News; Lying Lily; CO's Aborted Bills; The North Korea Option; Elevated Russia; Oroville; and Passenger Drones

Fake News

Fake news is killing people's minds, says Apple boss Tim Cook telegraph.co.uk

In an impassioned plea, Mr Cook, boss of the world’s largest company, says that the epidemic of false reports “is a big problem in a lot of the world” and necessitates a crackdown by the authorities and technology firms.

But he is optimistic. “In some ways kids will be the easiest to educate. At least before a certain age, they are very much in listen and understand [mode], and they then push their parents to act. We saw this with environmental issues: kids learning at school and coming home and saying why do you have this plastic bottle? Why are you throwing it away?”

Depravity's Religious Tipping Point; MS Firing Squad; Free School for Non-Taxpayers; Snowden Russidout; Missiled Christians; The Amazon in Iran; Hamas Watch; Netanyahu Nears Indictment; Erdogan Forever; Hardy Crop Hope; Pollinating Drones; Medicine Maker; World's Daily Cheese; and Maybe Possibly a Picture of a Secret

Society

Most American Religious Groups Support Same-sex Marriage, Oppose Religiously Based Service Refusals prri.org

Overall, a majority (58 percent) of Americans support allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally. Among religious groups, Unitarian/Universalists (94 percent), Buddhists (85 percent), Jews (73 percent), Hindus (67 percent), white mainline Protestants (63 percent), white Catholics (63 percent), Hispanic Catholics (62 percent), and Orthodox Christians (59 percent) all have majorities supporting same-sex marriage. Black Protestants (45 percent), Muslims (44 percent), and Hispanic Protestants (41 percent) are somewhat divided. Only three religious groups–Mormons (37 percent favor, 55 percent oppose), white evangelical Protestants (31 percent favor, 61 percent oppose), and Jehovah’s Witnesses (25 percent favor, 53 percent oppose)–show majority opposition for same-sex marriage. Combined, these three religious groups comprise only 19 percent of the general population.

With Love from Hitler; Still Some Religious Protection; 3D Printing Funds; Zircon 2017; Metal Prediction; A Human Touch; and Two-Legged Delivery

Anti-Semitism

A Hitler Valentine’s Day card was handed out on campus. University officials want to know why. washingtonpost

The card was in a bag that was handed to the students Wednesday night by a member of the College Republicans at Central Michigan, which immediately apologized while distancing itself from the incident. The card, which the group called “very inappropriate,” shows Adolf Hitler alongside the words “my love 4 u burns like 6,000 jews,” according to Central Michigan Life, a student newspaper.

Church PAC: Leasing from Trump; Iran Cares Less; Bear Eats Kraine; The Grand Bargain; and AI Cam

Politics

Trump Wants to Make Churches the New Super PACs theatlantic

Trump has promised to repeal the so-called Johnson Amendment wikipedia, a 1954 provision that prohibits tax-exempt organizations from participating in political activities. Proposed by then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson and later revised by Congress, it keeps churches and other non-profits from lobbying for specific causes, campaigning on behalf of politicians, and supporting or opposing candidates for office.

Valentine Cards for Your Same Half; Violent Christianity; Pope's Hebrew; ID Chips; The AI Bowl; Red Light in the Morning; Rattling China; Romania Backs Down; Mini-Brain Bleeds; and 12th Cave

Society

Same-sex Valentine's Day cards are on the shelves at Sainsbury's for the first time home.bt w!

The 'cute' cards have a simple design featuring illustrations of a man and a man, and a woman and a woman, along with the words ‘You + Me’.

Canada's Wedding Photographer; A Peace of Bowl; Sanctioning that Old Enemy; Vespa's Bot; and Mindreading Regulations

Society

Montreal photographer allegedly refuses to shoot gay wedding ctvnews.ca

“I mentioned that there’s only going to be one house, since we already live with each other, and I said there is no bride: we’re two guys.”

I haven't yet seen a less biased story, but I believe that this is the company's site: Premiere Production premiereproduction.net

Bio-Hacking Regulators; Communicating Thoughts; Computing Cataracts; I Spy with My Little AI; Free Russian Land; and Detailed Rings

Genetics

The FDA Is Cracking Down On Rogue Genetic Engineers gizmodo

Since the DIY bio community first developed in the early aughts, it has largely avoided government regulation. But in 2017, cheaper equipment and simpler genetic engineering technologies mean that garage scientists can dream much bigger than simply turning yellow yeast red. We now live in a world where anyone can order custom DNA sequences on the internet to tinker with in their home. And the rules that govern genetic engineering today were not written with the foresight that it would one day be possible for 30-year-old hobbyists in Mississippi to try their hand at genetically engineering dogs.

Trans Scouts; Protected LGBTQ; Pregnant People; Young Liberal; Midwife's Battle; Megaphone Executive; Missile Violation; NK Sensors; and Special Service Insects

Society

Boy Scouts of America to welcome transgender youngsters usatoday

The move marks a reversal of a policy in place for a century and is effective for the Boy Scouts scouting.org and the Cub Scouts. The organization vowed to recognize the gender a youngster lists on an application.

The Baptist Mosque; More Lutheran's Embrace Sin; The Other Holocaust Denial; Practical Reality War; Cops Replace Drugs; Cities Against States; and Dreaming of Flying Cars

Apostasy

Southern Baptist Mission Trustee Resigns Rather Than 'Support False Religion' christiantoday

He told Tennessee's Baptist and Reflector baptistandreflector.org: "If we defend the rights of people to construct places of false worship are we not helping them speed down the highway to hell? I want no part in supporting a false religion even if it is in the name of religious freedom."

In a statement to Baptist Press apparently conceding one of Haun's points, IMB president David Platt said: "As a result of discussions among IMB trustees and staff over recent months, we have revised our processes for our legal department filing any future amicus briefs. IMB leaders are committed in the days ahead to speak only into situations that are directly tied to our mission."

Also see SBC Loses Funding Over Mosque-Building Support pulpitandpen.org

Trump's Missing Jew; Three Gender California; Bathroom Bowl Pressure; Scientific Sounding Rant; Pro-Life, Ambivalent-Trump; Sovereign California; and Singled Out in Turkey

Holocaust

Trump fails to mention Jews in Holocaust remembrance statement usatoday

In a departure from predecessors on both sides of the political aisle, President Trump’s statement Friday marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day ushmm.org did not mention the deaths of six million Jews — a lapse the head of the Anti-Defamation League adl.org called “puzzling and troubling.”

Also see Statement by the President on International Holocaust Remembrance Day whitehouse.gov

Mexican Fury; Gorbachev's World View; Eroding North Korea; Russia in Japan's Skies; Allowing Evolutionary Doubt; Frisco Sans Kids; and The Human-Pig

Politics

Mexicans Launch Boycotts of U.S. Companies in Fury at Donald Trump time

The boycotts illustrate the defiant mood brewing in Mexico in reaction to Trump’s tumultuous first week in the White House. President Enrique Pena Nieto canceled a bilateral meeting in Washington on Thursday after Trump insisted Mexico should pay for the border wall. The Mexican government and leading business lobbies have said the country should pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA cnn, rather than accept a bad rewrite. And opposition leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has called for a lawsuit in the United Nations against the planned border wall.

Designing DNA; Scale Wear; Going Dutch on Abortion; Bible Monitor; Orwell's Facts; 20,000 High; and Chinese Border Missiles

Research

New organisms have been formed using the first ever 6-letter genetic code sciencealert

While every living thing on Earth is formed according to a DNA code made up of four bases (represented by the letters G, T, C and A), these modified E. coli carry an entirely new type of DNA, with two additional DNA bases, X and Y, nestled in their genetic code.

Boy Guides; Polygamy Unheard; TPP Down; The Gospel Preserved; Missile Accident; F25 AI; Hard Mining; Bendable Screens; and Memory Block

Society

Boys who think they are girls allowed to join [UK] Guides for first time telegraph.co.uk

Adult men who also identify their gender as female could become leaders too under radical new proposals to the traditional single-sex policy of girlguiding girlguiding.org.uk.

U.S. Supreme Court won’t hear ‘Sister Wives’ polygamy case fox13now

Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes' office had no comment Monday. Polygamists that FOX 13 spoke with were disappointed with the Supreme Court's decision, but vowed to push the Utah State Legislature for decriminalization.

Unifying Away from the Reformation; Disappearing Pastors; Adopting Russia; Superbug Spread; Growing Neurons; The Date Your Heart will Fail; Robot Street; Smiling Venus; Galileo's Time; and 10,000 Quadrillion Asteroid

False Unity

'Unity' call on Reformation anniversary bbc

A statement from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York has said the split caused "lasting damage" to the unity of the Church - something that contradicted the teaching of Jesus and left a "legacy of mistrust and competition".

The Paris Conference, Israel, Palestinians, and the Pope

With the Paris Conference set for tomorrow (Sunday, Jan 15th) in Paris, France, I've decided to only post articles today that revolve loosely around Israel and that conference.

Paris Meeting

Paris meeting marks end to Obama’s failed Mideast diplomacy timesofisrael

At a time when President-elect Donald Trump’s administration is promising a fundamental shift toward Israel, the State Department said Kerry was only participating in the French-hosted event to ensure America’s interest in a two-state solution to the conflict is preserved. The blunt statement reinforced the dwindling hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough.

Little Fake News Detectors; StemExpress Blinks; Rise of the Auroch; 2-State Liquid; Perching a Plane; Sick Sensors; and Deciding Robots' Legal Future

Society

If state lawmakers have their way, California schoolchildren may be taught how to spot ‘fake news’ washingtonpost

California Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez (D) introduced a bill Wednesday that would require the state to establish curriculum standards and frameworks to teach “civic online reasoning” to middle- and high-schoolers. The intention is to help give youngsters “the ability to judge the credibility and quality of information found on Internet Web sites, including social media,” the bill states.

Kentucky Pushes Back; The Very Bad, no Good, Terrible Church; Maximum Wage; Medical Toy; Think it, Shake It, Move it; Carefully Flooding California; and Northern Ireland Earthquake

Abortion

Kentucky abortion bills signed, effective immediately cnn

The first, House Bill 2, now requires a physician or technician to perform an ultrasound, describe and display the ultrasound images to the mother, and provide audio of the fetal heartbeat to the mother before she may have an abortion.

The second measure, Senate Bill 5, prohibits abortions in the state at or after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The bill would not apply in cases where an abortion is required to save the life of the mother or prevent serious risk of bodily harm to the mother, but it does not contain exceptions for cases of rape or incest.

Tanks on a Russian Roll; NK Nuclear; Warning Iran; Forgetting the Dentist; Artificial Leaf; and The Package Sorting Van

NATO

For 1st time since Cold War, U.S. tanks roll into Russia's backyard cbsnews

All the massive hardware of a U.S. combat brigade arrived in Germany over the weekend, and started rolling east toward Poland, where 4,000 American soldiers will be waiting for it.

Down Home Persecution; Dealing With Trump; The 6 Million Dollar Protest; Hope in Bitcoin; Ad Denied for Pricking Consciences; Home, Far Far Away; and Stronger Than Steel and Superman

Christianity

U.S. on List of Christian-Persecuting Nations wnd

The United States, Mexico and Russia were listed as “new and noteworthy” nations in the 2016 “Hall of Shame Report” published by the Washington, D.C., based human rights group International Christian Concern persecution.org, or ICC.

While ICC notes “there is no comparison between the life of a Christian in the U.S. with persecuted believers overseas,” the group noted a number of “worrying trends as an alarming indication of a decline in religious liberty in the United States.”

Here's the ICC report: Hall of Shame pdf

Jordan's Red Line; Signing Off; Self-Balancing Motorcycle; Holo Cube; Testing Your Future; Law Breaking Pollution; Texas Takes on Bathrooms; The Distressing Cross; When Human Remains Aren't People; Zuckerberg for Office; and Where to Stand to Be Left in the Dark

Israel

Jordanian official: Moving US embassy to Jerusalem would be ‘catastrophic’ jta.org

An embassy move would be a “red line” for Jordan, would “inflame the Islamic and Arab streets” and serve as a “gift to extremists,” [Jordanian minister Momani] said, adding that Jordan would use all possible political and diplomatic means to try and prevent such a decision.

Decapitation Speed Up; Greeced Out; UK's Laser Gun; Super Batteries; Light Rack; Handheld Car Lot; More Sight to the Seeing; Nano-Chimney; Magnetic Drug Delivery; The 103 Satellite Launch; Comet in Sight; and Planned Parenthood vs. the Activist

North Korea

South Korea speeds up creation of Kim Jong Un 'decapitation unit' cnn v

The country is speeding up plans to set up what some call a "decapitation unit," a brigade specifically tasked with targeting North Korea's "wartime command," including leader Kim Jong Un, according to a South Korea Defense Ministry official.

The brigade was initially supposed to be ready in 2019, but the Defense Ministry now says it'll be established "by this year."

Russia Visits Philippines; Duterte's ISIS Cousins; Open Seas; 20th, Heresy-Celebration Day; Menorah and Cross Spelunking; New Organ; 'Master' Player; Confusing Computers; Solar Road; Release the Drones; Tractor Beam for Small Things; and Robot Arms and Lemonade

Philippines

Russian warships visit Philippines; admiral suggests wider exercises cnn v

There were differing reports from Russian media as to the exact nature of the visit by the Russian destroyer Admiral Tributs and the sea tanker Boris Butomato, which arrived in Manila on Tuesday.

According to a report from Russia's state-run Sputnik News, Russian Navy Rear Adm. Eduard Mikhailov said the Russian ships would be conducting joint exercises with Philippine forces to fight maritime piracy and terrorism.

A report from the Russian website RT.com however said the "Russian marines are expected to discuss and share tactics to help combat terrorism and piracy in the region" with an eye toward future joint exercises.

Also see Russian warships on five-day visit to Philippines navaltoday

Custom Chaos; Mein Kampf Sellout; Tube of PETA; Planned Parenthood Goes Prime Time; Free Money in Finland; Archaeological Plot; Temple Mount Boot; Pencil Castle; and Kuri

Airlines

Customs outage causes chaos, backups at airports usatoday

People returning home from the New Year's holiday weekend were being processed at international terminals by hand at some airports, resulting in long lines and short tempers. Travelers reported issues in Chicago, Boston, New York City, Baltimore, Miami and Atlanta, among others.The outage lasted for four hours, the Customs agency cbp.gov said in a statement late Monday, before the system was up and running again.

"I've never seen anything like it," [Michelle Sencibaugh, a K-12 teacher in St. Louis] told USA TODAY. "No one was giving us direction. They didn't tell us what was going on. It was just a herd of people."

2016 Failed Predictions; The Plausible ICBM; Attack Without Returns; The Peaceful UN Chief; Ok, Maybe Russia Didn't Do It; CA Exodus; Enabling Promiscuity; The 12-Sided Pound; Bank Oversight; White-Collar AI; Self-Assembled Complexity; and Mars Igloos

End of the World

7 Dumb Predictions For 2016 That Didn't Happen forbes

We broke a lot of new ground in 2016, and whether you think that path is leading us off a cliff or onward to newfound glory, hopefully we can at least agree that it's finally over. Before we start looking forward to 2017 and making all sorts of ridiculous predictions that probably won't come true, let's look back at what some of the more outlandish prognosticating charlatans saw in their crystal balls for the year now ending.

Added as a reminder that Jesus said that the Father alone knows the hour it all ends (Mark 13:32) and that until His final judgement, things will continue on continuing on (Gen 8:22).