The IRS Is Here to Help With Direct File. Oh No - WSJ Opinion
Sen. Warren is selling Direct File as an alternative to “greedy, reckless” tax preparation firms. It’s a scandal the tax code is so complicated it requires such help, but that’s the fault of Congress.
If you really believe Jesus paid the debt for your sins, you must also believe in paying the tuition for my “cultural experience” semester in Jamaica. It’s as simple as that.
NASA Sends Rover To Search For Intelligent Life On ‘The View’ - Babylon Bee
“So far, our sensors have detected nothing.”
Democrats Play Into Hamas’s Hands - WSJ Opinion
You’d think the U.S. never made a mistake that killed civilians in wartime. They ignore the Hellfire missile attack that killed seven children as the U.S. sought to avenge the deaths of 13 Americans in Kabul as Mr. Biden pulled U.S. forces from Afghanistan in 2021.
Israel has a history of accountability for such mistakes, and officers in charge have already been cashiered. That’s more than can be said for the U.S. failure in Afghanistan.
Biden’s Latest Lawless Student Loan Forgiveness - WSJ Opinion
Mr. Biden’s new loan forgiveness is still illegal. The High Court stressed that student loan forgiveness is a major question that requires clear authorization from Congress. But Mr. Biden seems to believe he can jam the courts by automatically forgiving debt before a judge has time to stop him.
The White House says most borrowers won’t even have to apply for loan relief. Sometime before the November election, Mr. Biden will simply declare their debt forgiven. That means a future Congress and a President Trump might be unable to undo the lawless act. Where are the press scolds who warn about a President who threatens democracy?
Episode 264: Totality
We had a clear view of the total solar eclipse this afternoon. The kids share their observations throughout the experience.
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Biden Exploits a Tragic Israeli Mistake - WSJ Opinion
Mr. Biden also seems to have forgotten his own mistaken missile strike. When the President’s Irish goodbye from Afghanistan was spoiled by a suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. troops, he ordered retaliation against ISIS-K. On Aug. 29, 2021, a U.S. Hellfire missile struck a car at a family home in Kabul in what Gen. Mark Milley called a “righteous strike.”
It turned out the strike killed 10 civilians, including seven children. But the Biden Administration wasn’t quick to apologize. “Almost everything senior defense officials asserted in the hours, days and weeks after it turned out to be false,” the New York Times reported.
The explosives supposedly in the targeted car’s trunk were probably water bottles. The driver, an aid worker, had no ISIS ties. It took weeks for the Pentagon to own up to what it called a “tragic mistake.”
The fog of war is real, and for Mr. Biden this and other U.S. strikes were mistakes. But he now holds Israel to a different standard.
The President’s statements on the Israeli strike have moved from “outrage” to recrimination: “This is a major reason why distributing humanitarian aid in Gaza has been so difficult—because Israel has not done enough to protect aid workers.” Left out is a critical word about Hamas, which started this war, steals aid, and murders Palestinians who facilitate aid.
9 Other Groups That Desperately Need Their Own Day Of Visibility - Babylon Bee
Meghan Markle: Living in relative obscurity as a television actress and member of the British royal family is lonely and heartbreaking and will soon be documented in a heavily promoted Netflix series.
Gone Gray
Over the years, I’ve read many articles and books that discussed strategies for minimizing phone use. Really, to even call them phones today is a disservice. Our cell phones are now computers that also happen to be able to make calls.
Cal Newport, in his book Digital Minimalism discusses a sensible strategy of giving each type of device a particular job. Web surfing goes to the desktop, reading goes to the iPad, mobile needs goes to the iPhone, etc. In this type of system, with each device having a discreet role, the theory is that if keep each device in its lane, you can maintain your technology goals. For instance, you’d stop scrolling on your phone in bed because scrolling is to be done on your desktop.
Any plan to reduce your dependance on your devices will require at least a small degree of buy-in. Most manufacturers are heavily incentivized to keep you plugged in as much as possible, so the tools to create a “healthy relationship,” even the parental controls, are difficult to navigate by design but easy to break.
The device job idea was interesting to me, but the idea that’s stuck even longer is a video that I watched in 2018 from The Wall Street Journal. Personal Technology columnist Joanna Stern did a deep dive on the colors on our phones, and how they use our psychology against us to keep us staring at our screens all day.
After six years of bouncing around in my head, I finally did it. I combined Cal and Joanna’s strategies into one comprehensive iPhone redesign. I deleted most of my apps, only keeping the ones that I need close at hand for short duration use. Gone are the games, news, and reading apps. I then set up a simple Home Screen with nine apps, the remaining accessible from a Spotlight search or the App Library. Finally, I turned on color filters and set the whole operating system to greyscale.
I then took things one step further. I finally sat down to understand the Focus modes, and set up several to match the phases of my day.
The collective impact of these changes is noticeable. I don’t reach for my phone in the idle moments of the day, and when it’s on, the grey is unbelievably uninteresting. There are times, if I am doing some quick online shopping, where I turn back on the color because color is context. When done, the gray is back on and my phone is back to its designated lane.
Technology is a wonderful thing that brings so much convenience to our lives. Regardless of its importance, at the end of the day, it’s just a tool. And it works much better in grayscale.
Trump-Friendly Truth Social Board to Decide When He Can Cash In - WSJ
Shannon Devine, a spokeswoman for Truth Social’s parent, said in a statement that this article is “clearly the latest in a long line of sloppy, poorly researched hit pieces on Truth Social by The Wall Street Journal.” She didn’t say what was misleading or inaccurate in the current or previous articles.
This made me laugh.
At Your Altar - Catholic Husband
Benedict and Felicity have attended Mass weekly and, to varying degrees, participated. But there’s nothing like serving at the Altar and seeing the liturgy up-close, physically participating, to make it all possible. Together, in their ways, using their gifts and talents, they served at the Altar, elevating the solemnity of the Mass.
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I set up a business phone line on my cell phone today.
I bought my number from one company, ported it to a service, and activated in less than 15 minutes, from my desk, without talking to a single person.
Incredible!
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Episode 263: Taekwondo
I catch up with White Belt Benedict to find out what he’s been up to at Taekwondo and the big event tonight.
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Happy 11th birthday to my blog, Catholic Husband!
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Renew, Refresh - Catholic Husband
We are material beings, but we’re also spiritual beings. As the house needs cleaning and refreshing, so too does the soul.
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JetBlue, Spirit Airlines Call Off $3.8 Billion Merger Deal - WSJ
Attorney General Merrick Garland said Monday that the companies’ decision to abandon the deal, instead of trying to appeal their trial loss, further showed the government was right to challenge the transaction.
We’ll see what the AG says when Spirit collapses into bankruptcy and the big 4 pick up all of their planes and slots on the cheap.