249 All Saints: Prepare for Battle
“Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let the high praises of God be in their mouth” ~ Psalm 149
Prepare for Battle
The days of lukewarm responses are over. We stand at the brink of a conflict that demands a clarity many are too afraid to acknowledge: the line between the sacred and the profane isn’t just blurred—it’s vanishing. Our culture has ceased to be neutral ground; it’s a battleground. The forces closing in have their sights on our families, our churches, and our faith. No more hiding behind polite masks. The fight for truth, for faith, and for our children’s future is here, and it requires a witness as unyielding as the threats we face.
More so.
Institutions we once trusted are collapsing from within, corrupted beyond recognition. The state, posing as our savior, encroaches upon our homes and churches under the guise of “safety” and “progress.” A new order seeks to uproot faith and demand allegiance on its own terms. For those who see the truth, it’s clear: indifference is not an option. Silence is no longer innocent; it has become complicity.
The ancient powers of Babel have not disappeared; they’ve only changed tactics. In place of idols of wood and stone, they’ve built ideological strongholds that invade our homes, our schools, and our churches. So where are the warriors? Where are those who will rise up, those who will teach us to wield the authority Christ has given us, to confront, defend, and heal?
God has not called us to compliance with the wicked. We are called to expose the works of darkness.
You are not alone. God’s Spirit is living and active, ever bringing life and truth to the remnant who refuse to wallow in the muck admist the ruins of the world.
In the face of a biblically-proportioned flood of (dis)information["news"] is not a time to quiet down. We were created for this moment. Christ’s kingdom advances.
Always.
Hold fast.
Till angel cry and trumpet sound,
R.J.M.F
In this edition:
At the battle box
A transcription bot makes stuff up
The IMF’s handwringing over tariff plans
Recs, minimalism and the art of complimenting and more!
Thunderdome 2024
A round up of election-related headlines and some encouragement too!:
It may be too good to be true, but Donald Trump has promised financial help for homeschooling parents. We feel seen. (Not the Bee)
Politics
Former Trump advisor and podcaster, Steve Bannon has been released from prison after completing a 4 month sentence. Bannon was jailed for “failing to respond to two congressional subpoenas from the Jan. 6 Select Committee” in 2022. (Epoch Times)
Speaker Mike Johnson has said that moving the federal bureaucracy out of Washington DC would save the country lots of money. (Just the News)
The US Navy has apologized to an Alaskan village 142 years after shelling and burning it. (AP)
Academic, Lauren Spohn, has made some thoughtful observations about what she calls the “anti-left”, that loose coalition of liberals and conservatives who are tired of progressive policies ruining things. She points out that neither technological progress nor political reform can really bring about human flourishing if it is not fuelled by a belief in an authority outside ourselves, something beyond the physical universe. As she warns, material and political stagnation are connected to spiritual stagnation. The “anti-left” may hold some attraction as a reactionary movement, but Christians need to see that to be a real alternative and build great things, those who oppose progressive’s vision will need to embrace the reality of the universe as it is – created by our wise God. (New Atlantis)
The Digital Age
OpenAI’s transcription bot, Whisper, is prone to adding stuff that no one said, according to engineers who reviewed it. Although OpenAI has warned not to use Whisper in “high-risk domains”, hospitals and other medical facilities are rushing to utilize it, introducing the possibility of made up diagnoses. (AP)
Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai has claimed during a company call that “more than a quarter of all new code at Google is generated by AI, then reviewed and accepted by engineers”. Commenters on the news were skeptical though, with some saying if that is true, it’s concerning, since AI has not proven to be reliable when writing code. Pichai seemed to acknowledge complaints that Google search has become worse in recent years, stressing that one of their goals with AI products is to improve their Search: “our new AI features are expanding what people can search for and how they search for it.” (The Verge)
Russia has fined Google more money than there is in the whole world for restricting state-run media outlets on YouTube. (BBC)
Straight Outta J-School
A new study shows that fact-checking initiatives have “given rise to an unintended paradox: the very tools used to combat misinformation are fomenting distrust in all news, including from reliable sources.” (Futurity)
Speaking of media trustworthiness… Frisby’s take on recent media fails:
Money, Markets and Jobs
The International Monetary Fund is reportedly concerned about tariff talk. While both Harris and Trump have spoken about imposing various taxes on imports, especially Chinese goods, the IMF warns that “an intensification of protectionist policies would exacerbate trade tensions, reduce market efficiency, and further disrupt supply chains.” However, one market expert suggested that when the options are trying to fix global trade or retreating with some friends, the USA might be opting for the latter. (International Intrigue) Other countries seem to be heading in the same direction. Indonesia is banning the sale of iPhone 16 under new rules requiring that 40% of phone components be made locally. (The Guardian)
The US Labor Department has reported that only 12,000 jobs were added to the economy in October, bad news for the Biden-Harris administration. Modest predictions had the number at least 100,000. (Just the News)
Boeing is selling off around $19 billion in stock to help offset large losses in the wake of strikes and bad press after several high-profile calamities. The company also faces a reduction in its good credit rating if it can’t raise some cash. (Barrons)
Right-to-repair comes for ice cream: McDonalds will have the right to repair its own machines after a ruling from the US Copyright Office. That’s much-needed good news for the Golden Arches – since Donald Trump did some campaigning by the fryer, Democrat senators have accused the chain of price gouging and a whole bunch of customers got food poisoning from contaminated burgers. (CNN, Yahoo)
Urban planners have proposed that America’s cities could convert empty office blocks into a bunch of tiny apartments with common living areas. (The Week)
Births, Deaths and Marriages
If you need a reminder of why surrogacy is a terrible business… (Not the Bee)
Crime and Punishment
David DePape, the man who attacked Paul Pelosi with a hammer, has been sentenced to life in prison. (WNG)
Coming to America
A German family who has been living in America for fifteen years will be allowed to stay here one more year. The Romeike family sought asylum in America in order to homechool their children, which is not allowed in Germany. (WNG)
Religion and the Church
Bill Gates says humanity will need a new religion:
If you tuned in for Starfall last week, you might have heard that Meridith gained encouragement from a new song by contemporary artist, Lauren Daigle:
Arts, History and Sport
An amateur historian and Bram Stoker fan has discovered a lost story from the Dracula author. (New York Post)
Experts are sure that a new waltz found in a museum vault is an undiscovered work by Chopin. (New York Times)
Parallel lives: a neat timeline showing which historical figures lived at the same time. (JanWillemTulp)
A well-preserved Phoenician ship is being raised from the sea floor off the coast of Spain. (Biblical Archaeology)
Last week in history:
1929 Black Tuesday stock market crash kicks off the Great Depression. (History)
2015 China ends one-child policy which had been in place since 1980. (Britannica)
Health, Medicine and Food
The regulation of commercial baby food is a wild, wild west. A new survey of hundreds of products found two-thirds “failed to meet protein and calorie recommendations or have too much sugar and sodium.” (PBS)
New research shows that Parkinson’s disease may begin in the gut. (Futurity)
Deep sleep helps heal after a heart attack. (Nature)
From the Mad☧Tank
Mad☧Mondays is your reliable white noise filtration system. If you like reading news that matters with a Mad quirk, then please show your support! Get early access to Mad☧Tank articles by signing up through Substack. Or support Frisby’s efforts with any amount here.
Great stuff from our archive:
Have you composed a poem? Do you have some local news that our readers would benefit from knowing? A book review? Parenting advice? Theological treatise? Then send it to us! If you would like to submit your writing to be published in our Tank, please reply to this email. We would love to hear from you.
Hearts and Minds
Japan’s reputation for minimalism may be a little overstated. A fascinating article suggests that the clutter/minimalist divide is more likely a reflection of class than an everyday Japanese ethos. While minimalist spaces are a nice reprieve from humdrum and noise of ordinary life, they are not something everyone can achieve: clutter reflects “the inevitable chaos of lives being lived.” We’re not talking about mess, but “cluttered spaces reflect the lifestyles of their occupants…Minimalism, on the other hand, is a way of establishing privacy. You can’t tell what that person wears or eats.” Clutter is human-scale: “Clutter offers an antidote to the stupefying standardisation of so much of modern life.” (Aeon)
The art of the compliment, especially in a low-trust society. Praising someone has lasting affects on the one who is praised as well as the relationship between you. But complimenting can also break cynicism, as is the case with other forms of gratitude. “We pay too much tribute to a few human insects when we let their wrong-doing paralyze our faith in humanity…We must trust humanity if we would get good from humanity. He who thinks all mankind is vile is a pessimist who mistakes his introspection for observation; he looks into his own heart and thinks he sees the world.” (Art of Manliness)
God’s Green Earth
A charity has used AI to pinpoint and triage households most affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The organization used a “machine-based learning tool to narrow down the worst-hit areas by comparing pre- and post-disaster aerial imagery” to determine who to send cash to first. According to CBS’ report, it won’t capture everyone who needs help, but it “removes much of the burden of applying” from folks who have lost everything. (CBS)
Two giant pandas, on loan from China, have settled in to life at Washington’s National Zoo. Qing Bao and Bao Li will spend the next decade in their renovated residence in D.C. Three giant pandas were returned to China last year after a loan agreement expired. (Nice News, Georgetown University)
“Rightwing culture wars” are being blamed for Sweden’s government dropping a tax on plastic bags. (The Guardian)
Johnny Walker has begun trialling its whisky in paper bottles which it says will be lighter for transporting and better for the environment. The bottles are 90% paper with a plastic lining. Sounds good, as long as it doesn’t turn out to be more of a compromise than it appears. You might remember the big plastic straw switcheroo. While paper is seen as more biodegradable and sustainable, paper straws contain lots of “forever chemicals”. If you’re going to contain liquid in paper, it seems inevitable that plastic will be involved at some point. (The Spirits Business, BBC)
A new report says that a third of known tree species are at risk of extinction. (Phys)
Science
An award-winning image which captured the interaction between two different types of brain cells may give insight into mechanisms for neurodegenerative diseases. (Science Alert)
An olfactory start-up says it has digitized scent. The company reduces fragrances to a molecular profile using a mass spectrometer, that can be replicated using special equipment at other locations. (Tech Radar)
Researchers believe dogs can not only react to owners’ posture or tone but that they can also understand language. (Nice News)
War and Rumors of War
Israel’s parliament has voted to ban UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from working in Gaza. Israel says UNRWA is harboring its enemies after claims that Hamas’ infrastructure was found in and under UNRWA facilities. Recently, an UNWRA school teacher was found to be helping hold hostages in tunnels beneath Gaza. UNRWA has denied the accusations and Western authorities say Palestinians will suffer further if the Agency is forced to leave. (CNN, Commentary)
Hezbollah has announced a new boss, after Israel incapacitated or killed much of its leadership. (BBC)
They say there’s no such thing as a retired dictator. North Korea’s Kim Jong Il is increasing his security detail after fears that he will be assassinated. Meanwhile, Japanese and South Korean authorities have tracked a ballistic missile fired by North Korea. The missile flew 86 minutes and reached a possible altitude of 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles) before ditching into the sea off Japan’s coast. Experts say if the rocket had not been launched vertically, it would be capable of reaching the USA. (Newsweek, CNN)
Germany has closed all Iranian consulates and expelled diplomats after the execution of German-Iranian, Jamshid Sharmahd in Tehran. Sharmahd was kidnapped in Dubai and taken to Iran to be tried over terrorism charges. (Die Welt)
Russia’s central bank has raised key interest rate to 21% “in an effort to combat growing inflation as government spending on the military strains the economy.” (EuroNews)
Finland has picked up “constant disturbances to satellite navigation signals in the Baltic Sea” and believes Russia is jamming the system to avoid detection of its embargoed oil tankers. (Reuters)
Stories from Far Away
🇪🇸 Flash flooding has claimed over fifty lives in the Spain’s south-east Valencia region. Meanwhile, Typhoon Trami tore through The Phillipines before hitting Vietnam. As many as 90 people were killed in landslides in Vietnam. (The National News, US and World News)
🇬🇪 The leader of Georgia’s opposition party has said that elections were falsified and the vote "stolen from the Georgian people". The United National Movement lost to the Georgia Dream party, which has been in power for 12 years. The Dream party is seen as pro-Russia whereas UNM was running on a pro-Europe platform. (BBC)
🇯🇵 Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party has lost its parliamentary majority after being in power almost continuously since 1955. Newly-appointed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba may now struggle to form a government, even as the party has vowed to learn lessons and make reforms. (CNN)
🇬🇧 A British man has been jailed for 18 years for making AI-generated child pornographic content. (BBC)
🇲🇾TikTok has fired its Malaysian moderators to replace them with AI. Human moderators catch the worst content before it reaches platform users and the thought that AI won’t need to take medical leave for PTSD from watching violence and extreme cruelty is fair enough. However, Malaysia’s government leads the world in the most take-down requests to TikTok, and the Anwar administration is seen to be waging war against big tech companies, generally. Most of the take-down requests seem to be to do with criticism of the government, so even though TikTok is laying off staff around the world, the larger amount in Malaysia may reflect pushback against the government. (EuroNews, Channel News Asia)
🇳🇴 Norway will randomly select 40,000 citizens to discuss what to do with its $1.8 trillion sovereign wealth fund. The kitty was set up in 1998 to “pool the state’s revenues from oil and gas production into investments abroad, both to avoid overheating the domestic economy and for the benefit of future generations.” (Global Banking and Finance)
🇩🇪 Germany has angered travel influencers by “hiring” an AI creation called Emma as its tourism ambassador. One photographer said humans shouldn’t feel threatened just “because AI can now create the exact content you’re trying to market.” Those creators need to “think and work harder” and bring a human element. We’re pretty confident there will always be a market for humans. (Matador Network)
🏴 British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has joined calls for anyone with information about a truckload of stolen cheese to tell police. Almost 50,000 pounds of aged cheddar was stolen by someone posing as a wholesaler. The haul is worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. (EuroNews)
🇩🇪 The mayor of a German town has banned cacti from schools, nurseries and all municipal spaces. (Sky)
🇲🇽The ruins of a Mayan city have been found “accidentally” in southeast Mexico, by archaeologists from Northern Arizona University. Lidar technology revealed outlines of many buildings in a city capable of housing tens of thousands of people. While archaeologists on the project say they’d love to visit the site, it is unlikely to be excavated: "One of the downsides of discovering lots of new Maya cities in the era of Lidar is that there are more of them than we can ever hope to study." (BBC)
Technology That Honors Tradition
Hello, I'm Mac. With over 20 years of experience in web and app development and a deep love for Lutheran theology, I’ve launched Triglotta—a suite of website tools built specifically and exclusively for Lutheran churches. Triglotta only builds and hosts websites for Lutherans (primarily churches), I personally work with you to integrate our rich Lutheran heritage with modern technology to create a digital masterpiece that's easy to maintain.
Let’s talk. Reach out to me directly—email or call—and we’ll create something that's distinctly Lutheran, easy to manage, and affordable: triglotta.org
🍓 The unique spectacle of cranbrerry harvesting
➡️ Queuing theory: shortest is not always shortest
🇨🇦 Canadian man installs a doggy door in his fence to stop a determined bear from repeadtedly trashing his fence
🌽 What it’s like to get lost in the US’ biggest corn maze
🍫 The complex science of a Snickers bar
🏇Can a man beat a horse in a long-distance race?
🌎 The top three loudest animals
Last week’s Starfall2029, Jonathan spoke about living as if the Bible is true. Meridith pondered dancing with all the saints. Plus heaps of encouragement and some nonsense, too. Watch on YouTube or Rumble, or listen here. Show links:
Skin in the Game by Nassim Taleb
Videos about money and the economy can be found at the YouTube channel of Ray Dalio
Warfighting manual by Marine Corp Doctrine
Making Abortion Unthinkable by Rev Fisk
You can help young men train in righteousness by buying something the Hebron Collegium Wishlist. Choose a book for the library, music for the listening room or something for the tool shop.
If you missed it, Meridith put out a call for anyone who would like to make a quilt for men who stay at the Hebron Collegium. If that is something you would be interested in helping out with, please reply to this email or send a message through madpxm.com/contact.
Our disclaimer: These are some resources the Fisks have found edifying, but when dealing with human-authored texts, apply discernment liberally!
This Week Preached:
Podcast Release:
Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, You knit together Your faithful people of all times and places into one holy communion, the mystical body of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant us so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that, together with them, we may come to the unspeakable joys You have prepared for those who love You; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
You can also make a one-off or recurring donation here. Thank you!