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WEATHER

Milton

Florida is bracing for another “catastrophic” hurricane two weeks after Helene.

Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified to a Category 5 on Monday before weakening slightly yesterday; it’s expected to make a rare direct hit on Florida’s west coast as a Category 3 hurricane later tonight, bringing a 15+ foot storm surge from Tampa Bay to Fort Myers.

Yesterday was chaotic. Crews worked to clear debris left by Helene in an effort to reduce the number of deadly projectiles, and more than 7 million Floridians rushed to evacuate, leaving motorists waiting in long gas lines and bumper-to-bumper traffic.

To help, Governor DeSantis opened roadway shoulders and suspended tolls, urging everyone in evacuation areas to leave. President Biden suspended overseas travel plans and approved an emergency declaration for Florida, telling regional leaders they’d receive “anything they ask for.”

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BE DOERS
It’s easy to feel helpless in a situation like this, but the Bible promises that prayer is powerful and effective (James 5), causing things to happen that would not have happened otherwise. If you haven’t already, stop and pray.

Please also join us in giving to on-the-ground relief efforts.

“Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.”
Galatians 6:9 (CSB) (read full passage)

U.S. NEWS

Hey Google, Don’t Pass Go

Google keeps landing on the wrong square in Monopoly.

On Monday, a federal district court judge in California ordered Google to open up its lucrative Google Play app store to more competition. Specifically, the judge ordered that, for three years, the search giant:

• Must allow third-party app stores

• Must put its own applications on those third-party app stores

• Cannot pay developers to launch apps on Google Play before other stores

The injunction follows a lawsuit from Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, which accused Google of monopolizing app access and stifling innovation with its 30% commission on all in-app purchases. 

Google isn't thrilled; they plan to appeal the verdict and seek a pause on the order, which they say “will cause a range of unintended consequences that will harm American consumers, developers, and device makers.”

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CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
In a world where competition often leads to greed, Christians should remember the importance of humbly exemplifying Christ, generously giving of our time, money, and talents. 

“Don't neglect to do good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.”
Hebrews 13:16 CSB (read full passage)

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SCOTUS

Back in Session

The Supremes’ summer vacation is over.

Yesterday, the High Court heard oral arguments on a case involving so-called ghost guns––largely untraceable gun parts bought online and assembled into a firearm at home––which have become increasingly popular, particularly in blue states with strict gun laws. In 2022, the Biden Administration enacted rules requiring gun manufacturers and sellers to treat ghost guns like fully completed firearms.

At issue is a 1968 law defining what a firearm is. The plaintiffs argue that a ghost gun isn’t technically a firearm and shouldn’t be subject to regulation, while the defendants say selling components easily assembled into a gun is akin to selling a gun. A majority of the justices, including two conservatives, appeared sympathetic to maintaining Biden’s restrictions. 

Other notable upcoming cases involve transgender rights, DNA testing, and police use of deadly force.

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CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
Debates about controversial topics can turn into distractions from our main job: love the Lord and love our neighbors (Matthew 22:36-39). Keep the big things big and the small things small. 

“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.”
Matthew 22:36-40 (CSB) (read full passage)

The European Space Agency has collabed with NASA to launch Hera, its first planetary defense mission. The goal? To figure out how to “save Earth” from rogue asteroids. Hera’s uncrewed spacecraft is heading over 121 million miles away to investigate the impact of NASA’s 2022 DART mission, which successfully crashed into an asteroid to test deflection capabilities. 
 

They say the honeymoon phase is short… Chicago’s entire seven-member Board of Education resigned after just 15 months. The mass resignation came over a disagreement with Chicago’s Mayor Brandon Johnson, who pressured his hand-picked board to approve a high-interest $300 million loan to cover non-teacher pensions. Mayor Johnson appointed six new members expected to approve the loan.
 

Taylor’s Paper Rings are apparently worth more than Rihanna’s Diamonds. Taylor Swift’s net worth has surged to $1.6B during her Eras Tour (resumes next week in Miami), passing Rihanna’s $1.4B, making Taylor the world’s wealthiest female musician. Rihanna, who last released an album in 2016, has garnered her wealth primarily from businesses Fenty Beauty (cosmetics) and Savage X Fenty (lingerie).
 

It’s not just Amazon Prime Day(s)… it’s also Nobel Prize Week! The Nobel Prize for Medicine was awarded Monday to two U.S. scientists for the discovery of microRNA, while yesterday, the Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded to two men whose discoveries were instrumental in the development of AI. Still to come: Chemistry, Literature, Peace, and Economics.
 

Both ceremonies and protests began in Israel at 6:29 am on Monday, the time one year prior that Hamas-led militants began their attacks. PM Netanyahu lit candles at Jerusalem's Swords of Iron memorial, saying, “we remember our fallen.” At an alternative memorial event, families of hostages and other victims gathered in Tel Aviv to demand government accountability.

WHIPPED CREAM ON TOP

Draw an iceberg, see how it floats…

What We’re Donating To
Hurricane Relief*

We’ve been reporting on it a lot… the Southeastern U.S. is in crisis.

Many great organizations are stepping up to help; one of them is World Concern, which is providing relief through local churches in the impacted areas. These churches know the exact needs of the community and can pivot quickly to help those most in need. 

Right now, any donation you make provides emergency supplies, food, and clean water, supporting families in desperate situations. We’re matching the first $5,000 given through this link. 

(P.S. If you cannot give financially, we’ll donate $2 on your behalf for every referral to TPO this week. No limit.)

How We’re Working Remotely
With Surfshark*

The Pour Over just got an office (yep, finally invested in a home for all those mugs), but our team at large still spends a lot of time working remotely.

We frequent coffee shops, but we’ve been known to (occasionally) create world-class newsletter content from sushi restaurants and the sandy Alabama beaches. No matter where we are, keeping our connection secure and private with Surfshark’s VPN is a good idea.

Connecting via VPN is one of the best ways to keep both your and your company’s private data safe and encrypted. 

Stay guarded online anywhere you’re connected. Try Surfshark for 79% off (plus 3 extra months) at just $3.39 a month!