The Pour Over Today - Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Episode Date: September 1, 2021

Cleanup begins after Hurricane Ida, Elizabeth Holmes faces 20 years in prison, China bans video games on weekdays, and other top news for September 1st. Stay informed, while remaining focused on Christ, with The Pour Over.

Happy Wednesday. It is September 1st, 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. We conceal, but God wants to heal. And to do that, He must first expose. Gary Thomas. Let's get started with some espresso shots. Let's get started with some espresso shots. No power, no water, no gasoline, no clear timeline for recovery. Even hurricane veterans were stunned by Hurricane Ida's power. New Orleans' $14 billion levy system passed its toughest test since being upgraded after Hurricane Katrina,

but Sunday's storm still caused widespread destruction. Energy companies say the hurricane downed eight major transmission lines, impacting one million people that could take weeks to restore, even with over 25,000 utility workers being sent to the area. At the time of recording, there were four reported deaths, two in Louisiana, two in Mississippi, but Governor John Bel Edwards, DLA, warned that he expects that number to rise. Rescue missions continue as others begin the long and painful process of cleaning up. There are very practical needs in Louisiana and Mississippi. If you are able, consider volunteering or donating to organizations on the ground, like Samaritan's Purse. James 2.16 reads, If one of you says to them, go in peace, keep warm and well-fed,

but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? Jury selection began yesterday in the highly anticipated trial of Elizabeth Holmes, a woman whose many impressive titles are now all prefaced formally. Holmes dropped out of Stanford at 19 to find Theranos,

a medical startup that promised comprehensive health diagnostics from just a finger prick. In 2014, the company was valued at over $9 billion, boasted deals with Walgreens and Safeway, and prompted Forbes to name Holmes the, quote, youngest self-made women billionaire. But things began to crumble in 2015. A Wall Street Journal investigation showed the technology didn't work and Theranos was actually running diluted blood samples through the competitor's equipment, delivering inaccurate results, including false positives for HIV. The company closed in 2018 and now Holmes faces 20 years in prison for defrauding investors.

One of the hardest pills to swallow in the Bible is that our sins are no less damning and no easier for God to forgive than anyone else's. Yes, that includes people who became famous and rich off of false HIV results. Gulp. We should love them well, because apart from God's grace, we're no better. Romans 3, 23-24 says, For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ.

China pulled the plug on the country's Nintendo 64. All that unsaved progress. Gone forever. Effective tomorrow, people under 18 in China will be allowed to play video games from 8pm to 9pm on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and national holidays. China's video game regulator, the National Press and Publication Administration, or NPPA, says they're worried about the children's mental and physical health. They're also worried about lenient parents and aren't leaving enforcement up to chance. All online video games will be required to connect to the NPPA's anti-addiction system using real-name registration and, in some cases, facial recognition.

The stock market was not so kind to the Chinese game makers NetEase and Tencent in the wake of China announcing their anti-mush-for-brains campaign, but the stocks rebounded yesterday. In other brews, we have a rapid round of updates for you. America's longest war is over. The Department of Defense tweeted an image of the last soldier leaving Afghanistan ahead of President Biden's unpopular but unwavering August 31st deadline. It is believed 100 to 200 U.S. citizens and tens of thousands of Afghan allies remain in the country. They hope to leave under of Afghan allies remain in the country

they hope to leave under a new evacuation agreement with the Taliban. Tim Cook is getting a $750 million bonus this week as part of the contract he negotiated when he replaced Steve Jobs as Apple's CEO a decade ago. While many question Cook's ability to replace the visionary founder, they're now gawking at Apple's stock's 1,100% return since he took the helm. The Caldor Fire near the California and Nevada border has intensified, prompting mass mandatory evacuation orders around Lake Tahoe. More than 15,000 firefighters are battling blazes across California, including the Dixie Fire, the state's largest ever, which is 48% contained after burning for more than six weeks. Mike Richards is really, really out. Yesterday, a week after Richards stepped down as the host of Jeopardy! following accusations of past racist and sexist comments, the show announced he has

been removed from his role as executive producer. Mayim Bialik, Amy from The Big Bang Theory, is the show's interim host. Thank you so much for joining us today. Have a great day and we will see you on Friday.