The Pour Over Today - Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Episode Date: December 21, 2022

Today we’re talking about the final January 6th committee hearing, fines for Fortnite, and other top news for Wednesday, December 21st. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Sponsored by For What It's Worth - (By subscribing, you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy)

Today we're talking about the final January 6th committee hearing, fines for Fortnite, and other top news for Wednesday, December 21st. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pullover. Here's the quote of the day. There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind. C.S. Lewis. Let's get started with some espresso shots. C.S. Lewis. Let's get started with some espresso shots.

The January 6th committee has given its final presentation. Here's the latest. On Monday, the House committee, consisting of seven Democrats and two Republicans, made the case that no one would have stormed the Capitol had it not been for then-President Trump's actions, and made headlines by voting unanimously to refer Trump to the Justice Department for four criminal charges, including obstruction of official proceedings and conspiracy to commit insurrection. The committee also referred four Republican Congress members, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, to the House Ethics Committee for refusing to comply with subpoenas. So what does this mean? These referrals are unprecedented but carry little weight. The criminal referrals serve only as a recommendation to the Justice Department,

which is conducting its own investigation, and it's unlikely the Ethics Committee will act on the subpoena-related referrals once Republicans take control of the House in January. So what's next? The January 6th Committee will publish their final report today. Buckle up, the executive summary alone is 156 pages, and is expected to dissolve on January 3rd. Beyond that, decisions are up to the Justice Department and the Court of Public Opinion, which is, as expected, quite divided. Generally, Republicans have criticized the committee and its actions as being politically motivated and incomplete, while Democrats say the evidence gathered points to obvious crimes. unmotivated, and incomplete, while Democrats say the evidence gathered points to obvious crimes.

When discussing divisive topics like the January 6th committee, remember that both your stance and how you take your stance reflect on Christ. Speak with the goal of honoring God. Psalm 19 verse 14 says, May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, Lord, my rock and my redeemer. The FTC just got two kills on Epic Games. You probably can't tell, but I'm doing a Fortnite dance right now. In the first settlement, Epic, the maker of Fortnite, will pay $275 million for allegedly collecting personal information from under-13s without parental consent and allowing children into chats with adults where they could be bullied and harassed. It's the largest FTC penalty ever, topping the $170 million Google paid in 2019 over YouTube allegedly collecting kids' data for ad retargeting. In the second settlement, Epic will refund $245 million for using so-called dark patterns,

like making preview and purchase buttons hard to distinguish between. This resulted in Fortnite players making accidental in-game purchases. Wells Fargo is scoffing at Epic's puny fines. Yesterday, the bank agreed to a $3.7 billion settlement with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over abuses tied to auto loans, mortgages, and overdraft fees. While there's nothing wrong with playing video games, we shouldn't let our hobbies become obsessions. May we always guard our hearts against anything that would take over our first priorities, loving God and loving others. Matthew 22, 37-40 says,

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the prophets depend on these two commands. This episode is sponsored by For What It's Worth. While investing is about getting a financial return, it's not an excuse for supporting,

well, bad companies. For the same non-financial reasons you may choose not to invest in a tobacco company, you may also not want to invest in companies using bad labor practices, polluting the planet, or with questionable corporate governance. At The Pour Over, we sometimes talk about what's happening in the investment world, but if you want to see how it actually applies to you, check out For What It's Worth. Their weekly newsletter is easy to read and applicable to anyone with money. Click the link in the show notes to automatically subscribe to the free newsletter. Seriously, just by clicking.

In other brews, here's a rapid round of updates. In other brews, here's a rapid round of updates. In an 11th-hour gavel drop, SCOTUS Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily extended Title 42, granting a request filed by 19 Republican-led states. The COVID-era rule, which allows migrants to be quickly turned away at the border, was set to expire today. In the worst way to rock around the Christmas tree, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of Northern California yesterday. The quake, considered strong but not major, still injured at least two people, knocking out power for tens of thousands and caused widespread damage to roads and homes. Opening weekend was a little choppy for Avatar The Way of Water, sequel to the 2009 Juggernaut. Though the film pulled in a formidable $435 million globally,

it cost at least $350 million to produce, and millions more to market. Other challenges include zero screenings in Russia, COVID-restricted theaters in China, and the 3-hour and 10-minute runtime, which could leave those wanting to re-watch feeling blue. In news that could change immediately, Elon Musk said he'd use polls to crowdsource all major Twitter decisions, but only those with $8 per month Twitter blue can vote. Users recently voted they'd like someone else to be CEO, and Musk is reportedly searching for a replacement. If only Twitter polls matter, Snoop Dogg may be a frontrunner. It's beginning to look a little like sustainability.

The world's governments have signed a historic agreement to protect 30% of the planet for nature by 2030 and shelter vital ecosystems such as rainforests and wetlands. The agreement was signed by nearly 200 countries at the COP15 UN Biodiversity Summit in Montreal, an event co-hosted by Canada and China. And that's all we have for today. Thank you so much for listening. If you're listening on the Apple Podcast app, give us a 5-star rating and drop a review. If you're listening on Spotify, give us a follow and hit the notification bell to never miss a new episode. We appreciate your support and we hope you have a great day. We'll see you on Friday.