The Pour Over Today - Friday, March 11, 2022

Episode Date: March 11, 2022

Today, we’re talking about VP Harris’ trip to Poland, the pandemic turning 2 years old, the economy’s performance, and other top stories for Friday, March 11th. Stay informed, while remaining focused on Christ, with The Pour Over.Sponsored by OLIPOP. Get 20% off and free shipping with code POUROVER:https://links.thepourover.org/olipop_03_10The Stunning Survival Story of Ernest Shackleton and His Endurance Crew:https://links.thepourover.org/3vXGhI6

Today we're talking about Vice President Harris's trip to Poland, the pandemic's second birthday, the economy's performance, and other top stories for Friday, March 11th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Here's the quote of the day. The Christian life, then, is a battle so sharp and full of danger that effort can nowhere be relaxed without loss. Haldrick Zwingli. Let's get started with some espresso shots.

Vice President Harris landed in Warsaw, Poland to talk about the growing refugee crisis, but her itinerary did require a slight adjustment after Polish leadership revealed their plan to donate 27 MiG-29 fighter jets and have the U.S. deliver them Amazon Prime style to Ukraine. The Pentagon rejected the plan almost immediately for fear it would be seen as an act of war, which left Harris with the awkward task of maintaining harmony between the U.S., Poland, and Ukraine. During her trip, Russian forces bombed a maternity and children's hospital in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol. Harris condemned the attack, which killed two adults and a child, and said it should be investigated as a potential war crime.

Citizens of Mariupol remain under siege without water, food, heat, or evacuation routes. When faced with horrific events like these, it can be difficult to know what we should do or say. While Christians can find comfort in the ultimate restoration promised by Jesus, we are called to mourn alongside those that are hurting. Romans 12.15 says, Weep with those who weep. Happy birthday to the pandemic. Yes, it's been two years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic and you started working from home for probably a couple of weeks. According to the World Health Organization, over the last two years, COVID has infected 450 million people, killed just over 6 million people, and led to the production of 10 WHO-approved vaccines, with 4.9 billion people receiving at least one dose. The U.S.

government alone has spent $3.6 trillion in response to the pandemic, but things are looking up. Cases in the U.S. are down over 95% since peaking in mid-January, and deaths are down 50% since peaking early February. Despite the declines, the ever-cautious TSA announced yesterday that it was extending its mask mandate for airline travel until April 18th. Here's a verse to consider as we approach the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His faithful love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16, 34. We promise we're not recycling stories, but the following economy update might sound a bit familiar. Inflation hit another 40-year high. The consumer price index rose 7.9% compared to last

February, which was the highest point in 40 years and well off the target 2%. Gas, groceries, and shelter were the biggest contributors. People are still quitting their jobs or mostly switching jobs at a record rate, and the Labor Department announced that there are 11.3 million openings. The roller coaster Wall Street is on also feels familiar. The S&P 500 had its best day since June 2020 on Wednesday, jumping 2.5%, but it erased some of those gains yesterday, except for Amazon, whose stock jumped 7% after announcing a $10 billion stock buyback and a 20-for-1 stock split. Here's a verse to consider when times are tough and or monotonous. Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we

do not give up. Galatians 6.9. This podcast is brought to you by Olipop. Here's the pour-over's guide to the evolution of soda. We start with classic, tons of sugar, tastes great. Move on to diet, which has no sugar, but you know, chemicals and stuff. We head to zero, which still replaces sugar with chemicals, but maybe tastes a little more like classic. Then there's sparkling water, which has no sugar, no chemicals, and basically no flavor. And then then due to a massive leap in technology we can't explain, there's Olipop with two to five grams of sugar, prebiotics, 35% of daily fiber, and it tastes great. We have a category for drinks that are good for you, but none of them taste like soda and no soda that tastes this good only has two grams of sugar. For reference, Coca-Cola has 39 grams per can.

It's time for you to try Olipop. You can get 20% off and free shipping with the code POUROVER. Enjoy and click the link in the show notes. In other brews, we've got a rapid round of updates. Finally, America's 20th century pastime is back. After 99 days, MLB owners and players have reached a tentative labor deal that uncancels games and reschedules opening day for April 7th. It'll still be a day or so before the agreement is officially ratified, but players are expected at training camps by Monday. President Biden signed an executive order effectively telling Uncle Sam to do his homework on crypto.

The order was pro-crypto enough to send Bitcoin up 10%. President Biden signed an executive order effectively telling Uncle Sam to do his homework on crypto. The order was pro-crypto enough to send Bitcoin up 10%. It is back down again. Classic Bitcoin. But the order was also directed toward agencies to examine risks and potential regulation. The announcement noted that 16% of American adults have used crypto. The House passed a $1.5 trillion spending bill after Democrats conceded the removal of the $15.6 billion in fresh COVID funding. The bill, which includes $13.6 billion in funding for Ukraine, is expected to gain Senate approval and Biden's signature today, preventing a government shutdown. Smollett, the former Empire actor who was convicted of lying to the police about a staged racist and homophobic attack, was sentenced to 150 days in jail and 30 months of probation,

and he was ordered to pay $120,106 in restitution to the city of Chicago. Smollett maintains his innocence. In 1915, a 28-member crew was forced to abandon their ship, Endurance, as it sank off the Antarctic coast. Remarkably, everyone survived their grueling journey across ice and ocean back to civilization, and 106 years later, Endurance has been found, preserved by the freezing water. You can read the story and see pictures at our link in the show notes. That's all we have for today. Thanks so much for listening. If you're thinking, I want to help more Christians stay informed while remaining focused on Christ, here's a breakdown on how you can best support us. If you're listening on the Apple Podcast app, give us a five-star rating and drop a review. We do actually read

these and take them to heart. Like this review from username Redeemed Mama. I am someone who struggles with anxiety and has always avoided the news as much as possible. Now that I found this podcast, I can stay informed but not go into a tailspin over exaggerated or politically skewed stories. I get the facts three days a week and then scripture that puts everything into perspective. Thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to submit a review. We're so grateful for your feedback. And if you're listening on Spotify, you can give us a follow and hit the notification bell to never miss a new episode. There is also an option to leave a five-star rating, but it's a newer feature and it's only doable on your phone. And finally, the simplest way to help us grow is to send this episode to a friend. We hope you have a great rest of your weekend and we'll see you back here on Monday, March 14th.