The Pour Over Today - August 18, 2021

Episode Date: August 18, 2021

President Biden defends Afghanistan withdrawal, S&P 500 doubles, Western states face water rations, and other top stories for August 18th. Stay informed, while remaining focused on Christ, with The Pour Over.

Happy Wednesday. It's August 18th and you're listening to The Pour-Over. We aim to keep Christians informed on what's happening in the world while remaining focused on Christ. Here's the quote of the day by Pastor Tim Keller. You are more sinful than you ever thought you were, and you are more loved than you ever dreamed you could be. Now it's time for some espresso shots. President Biden addressed the nation after Afghanistan's stunningly quick fall to the Taliban. He called the situation, quote, gut-wrenching, but he stood squarely behind the decision to withdraw and reiterated that it's not the job of the United States to defend a country that isn't,

quote, willing to fight for itself. Still, both sides of the aisle are baffled at how the U.S. was caught so unprepared. The military is now scrambling to get thousands of people, both U.S. citizens and Afghan allies, out of the country. At least seven people were killed on a tarmac as people clung to a C-17 transport plane in an attempt to escape the country. While the Taliban has said it won't exact revenge on people who aided Western efforts, reports say that they already have been. Here's an eternal perspective. Be quick to point to God and give him the credit for your hope, strength, and love during times that are dominated by uncertainty and fear. Even in the midst of chaos, our eternity is secure. Psalm 121 says, I lift my eyes to the

mountains. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. The S&P 500 has doubled its value since it jumped off the COVID cliff in March 2020. The milestone took just 354 trading days to achieve, roughly one-third of the time it usually takes. The celebration, though, was short-lived. Yesterday, the stock market dropped after reports that retail sales dropped 1.1% in July, significantly more than the 0.3% dip that was expected. Of course, the market may also be reacting to the return of YikYak. Four years after shutting down, the social media app that allows people to anonymously post to anyone within a five-mile radius has returned.

Yik Yak famously brought out the worst in people and was shut down due to constant bullying, prank bomb threats, and general harassment at high schools and colleges. Jesus showed compassion when people expected rejection, gentleness when people expected anger, and love when people expected hate. Whether you're on Yik Yak or in the real world the app, here's a verse to consider. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4.29 Lake Mead has a bathtub ring, and that's bad. Formed by the Hoover Dam and fed by snowmelt through the Colorado River, the lake, which is the country's largest reservoir by volume and supplies water to seven states and parts of Mexico, is just 35% full, the lowest it has been since it was filled in 1930. The reservoir has been consistently declining since 1998, but dropped more starkly after the

Colorado River recorded its driest period on record in the last 12 months. On Monday, the federal government declared a water shortage, meaning some western states will face their first ever water cuts. Arizona will be hit the hardest, losing 18% of its share from the river next year, while Nevada will lose 7% and Mexico 5%. If the drought persists, other states will have to make cuts as well. In other brews, we've got a rapid round of updates. The Biden administration has approved the largest permanent increase to the food stamp program in its history. Starting in October, the average monthly per-person benefit will jump from $121 to $157, impacting roughly 42 million Americans, which is actually 12.5% of the country.

Facebook and Google are teaming up to connect Japan, Singapore, and other Asian Pacific countries with underwater fiber optic cabling. The project is expected to be completed in 2024 and will add to an already extensive ecosystem of subsea cabling. The U.S. is expected to recommend a third COVID booster eight months after the second dose. The FDA has already authorized a third round of arm pricks for immunocompromised individuals. Meanwhile, New Zealand isn't messing around. They announced a nationwide lockdown after a single COVID case. Tesla shares are down over 8% since U.S. regulators announced an investigation into its autopilot system on Monday. Regulators specifically call out the 11 times that Teslas have crashed into

quote first responder scenes, including multiple instances of them running into stationary police vehicles. Yikes. Tesla, on the other hand, maintains that their software makes the roads safer. College football will start with Alabama ranked number one again. The Tide received 47 of 63 first place votes, despite having replaced 11 starters since last season, including Heisman winner Devontae Smith. Oklahoma, fresh off winning their sixth straight Big 12 title, is ranked number two. Thank you so much for joining us today.

We hope you have a great week and we'll see you on Friday.