The last time I made lasagna was when I was here on Mar. 18. Today I made two with the same vegetables. I added ground turkey to one but not to the other.
At one point, I was talking on the phone and got distracted. In the lasagna with the ground turkey, I put all of it on the bottom section and no turkey on the top section.
So in the photos below, which show ingredients in the layers of the top section of that lasagna, I have no photo of ground turkey. I also forgot to take pics after I added onions/garlic and broccoli. Oops.
Here are the vegetables I used: mushrooms, spinach, collard greens, jalapeños, zucchini squash, Mexican squash, onions, garlic and broccoli. I also used a few spices in my friend’s cabinet that I hadn’t used before.
Both lasagnas turned out great. Even though they were very time-consuming to make, it was worth the time and effort. I’ll be eating these the rest of the time I’m here, at least until my friend returns from the Philippines.
Today is National Coffee Day in the USA. I bought a bag of Starbucks Mocha Flavored Coffee and am drinking a cup of it as I am typing this. I’ve never tried it before, and it’s pretty good.
I am not a coffee fanatic, but I do like to have one cup a day. Sometimes I drink less than that but rarely more.
I found a page that lists deals on coffee today, including free coffee at some places. I see that Krispy Kreme is offering a free 12-ounce coffee and also a free original glazed doughnut.
Since I’m always up for a free deal, I may go out and find some free coffee. If so, it will be one of those rare times that I drink more than one cup in a day.
I drove my friend to the San Francisco airport (SFO) this morning. He is flying to the Philippines to go scuba diving for 2 weeks.
The commute down the 101 Freeway was slow because there was a truck fire on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, which was closed. Fortunately, we didn’t need to go on that bridge.
On the way there, the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay were cloaked in fog, but the city was clear. On the way back, I drove through the city and snapped some photos. I also pulled off at a viewpoint near the north end of the bridge, and the view was awesome.
The first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton was televised tonight. Lester Holt of NBC was the moderator.
The debate took place at Hofstra University on New York’s Long Island. It lasted over 90 minutes with no commercial breaks and can be viewed here in its entirety, beginning at the 3:10 point:
I watched all of it live. Neither candidate impressed me too much.
In other news, I flew up to San Francisco (SFO) this morning. My friend Barry in Marin County paid for my round-trip airfare. He is leaving for the Philippines tomorrow to go scuba diving for two weeks, and he wants me to watch his dog and his house while he’s gone.
At the Los Angeles airport (LAX), I noticed that my computer’s power level was decreasing, even though it was plugged in. Then I discovered that the a/c adapter was failing, so I had to turn off my computer. Now I am using Barry’s computer.
I ordered an a/c adapter for a reasonable price on EBay. Hopefully, it will arrive by the end of the week.
The Sharia is considered to be the sacred law of Allah. It is the legal system of Islam. Iran is governed by a constitution that is governed by the Sharia. The most important book dealing with the Sharia is the Reliance of the Traveller, an accumulation of more than 1,000 years of Islamic case law. There are three levels of authority in Islam:
Allah and his prophet, Muhammad,
interpretation and practice, and
commentaries.
The notes and audio recording of both Fortress of Faith programs are here:
The Sources of Islamic Doctrine, Part 1: PDF | Audio
The Sources of Islamic Doctrine, Part 2: PDF | Audio
The Sources of Islamic Doctrine, Part 3: PDF | Audio
Barack Obama gave his eighth and final address to the United Nations General Assembly in NYC this morning. I listened to most of it live, over 47 minutes in length, as I was doing other things. In case you would like to hear it, you can click on it below.
It seemed that his main message was one of globalism and multiculturism. He continues to think that diplomacy, coexistence and simply “getting along” are the main solutions to the world’s problems. This might be true if it weren’t for incorrigible nations like North Korea and inveterate groups like ISIL/ISIS, whose goal to dominate the world drives them to harm and kill others. They will not be stopped without firm, unyielding force against them.
Obama urged nations, “particularly those blessed with wealth and the benefits of geography,” to take in refugees fleeing the brutal conflict in their own nations. He did not mention that the USA is planning to accept 110,000 refugees next year, which is a 30% increase from the 85,000 welcomed this year. Many of these will be from Syria and other Middle Eastern nations where radical Islam fourishes.
After the Islamic jihadi attacks on the U.S. during the past year, including this past weekend, many Americans are wary of those who come here who, as Obama stated, “have to do more to adapt to the customs and conventions of the communities that are now providing them a home.” A major example of this is in Germany, where Syrian refugees have performed many violent acts and have created numerous other problems.
As a result, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party suffered a big setback in German state elections two days ago. Election results showed that this was due to a wave of anger at Merkel’s open-door refugee policy allowing more than 1 million refugees to come to Germany last year, mainly from Syria and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
Merkel has acknowledged mistakes and shortcomings with controversial refugee immigration policies. Similar policies also influenced the affirmative Brexit vote in the U.K. on June 23 which, basically, was a referendum on Great Britain’s opposition to Islamic immigration.
Overall, I am glad that this was Obama’s final speech to the U.N. This is assuming that he does not become the next U.N. Secretary-General, as many have suggested might happen next year.
The Islamic terrorist who allegedly set off bombs two days ago in Seaside Park, NJ, and in Manhattan, NY, has been apprehended by police in Linden, NJ. The bomb explosion in Manhattan injured 29 people.
During that shootout, the suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami, 28, was shot in an arm and a leg. He wounded two police officers and has been charged with five counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer.
Rahami was identified as a suspect after a fingerprint was found on one of the devices that failed to detonate. Law enforcement officials also found more information that pointed to Rahami on cell phones that were wired to the unexploded bombs.
Federal charges are still pending. U.S. attorneys in New York and New Jersey likely will charge him with terrorism in the coming days.
Rahami is a naturalized U.S. citizen from Afghanistan, living in Elizabeth, NJ. He has made trips to Afghanistan and Pakistan a few times in the past 10 years. People who know him have said that his demeanor changed after one of those visits. He became more stern and an increasingly devout Muslim, grew a beard, shaved off his moustache, traded his jeans and T-shirts for robes and began to pray in the back of the family’s restaurant.
Pipe bombs and pressure cooker bombs also were placed at other locations in NJ and NY. One of them, which was in a backpack with other bombs, exploded last night in Elizabeth, NJ, when a bomb squad robot tried to disarm it.
It is unknown whether he acted alone or is part of a terrorist cell. Several law enforcement officials have said they are concerned that an active terrorism cell, with multiple players, could be at work in the New York and New Jersey area.
The United Nations General Assembly, which will host leaders from all over the world, began today in NYC. Needless to say, the high amount of security in the city has been increased even more for this event. This NYPD presence is the biggest ever.
Besides all of this, another Islamic terrorist in St. Cloud, MN, stabbed 9 innocent victims at the Crossroads Center Mall two days ago. None of the victims have died from their injuries.
Dahir Adan, 22 (some reports say 20), reportedly asked at least one victim if he was a Muslim before assaulting him, and he referred to Allah during the attacks. He was shot dead by an off-duty police officer, Jason Falconer.
Adan was a Kenya-born Somali immigrant who had lived in the U.S. for 15 years. He was a member of Minnesota’s Somali refugee community, the nation’s largest. In July three Somali immigrants were convicted in Minnesota of plotting to join ISIL.
About 12 hours after the stabbings, a news agency said to speak for ISIL went on Twitter to claim credit for the mall violence. The posting read this way: “The executor of the stabbing attacks in Minnesota yesterday was a soldier of the Islamic State and carried out the operation in response to the citizens of countries belonging to the crusader coalition.”
Late last night, I went to see the movie Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party. It was quite interesting and informative, and I recommend that every one planning to vote in the general election on Nov. 8 would see this movie.
For decades, I have known about the deception and corruption of the Democratic Party in the past, which began in the early 1800s. This movie provides a very good sequential description of their activities including removal of Indians from their land, slavery, segregation, white supremacy, eugenics and patriarchy.
Although I have not read the book of the same name, I understand that it is even more detailed, comprehensive and detailed than the movie. This article provides a comprehensive description of the movie:
There are numerous contradictions and abrogations in the Qur´an. For a Muslim trying to understand Islam, this can be confusing. Therefore, the Sunna is an important source in attempting to see how Muhammad—who is considered to be the “perfect man” within Islam—understood the Qur´an. The Sunna also helps explain to non-Muslims why Muslims, including the violent jihadists, do what they do.
The notes and audio recording of both Fortress of Faith programs are here:
The Sources of Islamic Doctrine, Part 1: PDF | Audio
The Sources of Islamic Doctrine, Part 2: PDF | Audio
At the beginning of the Democratic National Convention on July 25, Debbie Wasserman Schultz resigned her position as head of the Democratic National Committee. Some of her emails, which had been hacked, were found to be inappropriate and were very embarrassing. The emails of other Democrats also have been hacked.
Suspicions of who has been doing the hacking range from WikiLeaks to the Russian government. More hacks are continuing. An assurance has been made by Julian Assange, head of WikiLeaks, that hacked emails of Hillary Clinton will be revealed before the presidential election.
Most recently, it has been discovered that the emails of former Secretary of State Colin Powell have been hacked. It was discovered that, in the emails, Powell said numerous negative and disparaging things about both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Incidentally, Powell, who is a Republican, is supporting Clinton for president.
Clinton’s traveling press secretary, Nick Merrill, said that she had “overheated” at the event. Yet, the outside temperature was only about 77°, and many said there was a slight breeze and low humidity.
Rather than being transported to a hospital, Hillary was taken to her daughter Chelsea’s place in Manhattan. From there, she emerged at 11:45 a.m., claiming that she was “feeling great.” Then she spun around a little girl who had approached her and placed her hands on the girl’s shoulders.
The public was told that Hillary had been diagnosed with pneumonia a few days beforehand. If that was the case, was it wise to touch that little girl, especially if she had been coughing into at least one of her hands, since bacterial and viral pneumonia can be contagious?
In the past few years, Mrs. Clinton has fallen and has had a concussion and at least three blood clots. She also has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and hypothyroidism. Furthermore, she has had incessant coughing spells and frequent balance problems.
Since Hillary was taken to her daughter Chelsea’s rather than to a hospital after she collapsed, it makes me think that her health problems are commonplace to her staff. It seems like her symptoms appear so frequently that they are reluctant to rush her to a hospital everytime something happens.
Considering all of this, in addition to her countless scandals and extremely liberal policies, I feel very apprehensive for someone like her to become President of the U.S. I am not yet certain for whom I will vote, but it definitely will not be for Hillary Clinton.
Today is the fifteenth anniversary of the horrific, ghastly and deadly September 11 attacks by radical Islam on the USA. Let us keep in our minds and hearts the great sacrifice that 2,977 innocent victims made with their lives on that day.
Anyone who thinks that the core precepts of Islam are “peaceful” should think twice about this. For instance, look at Some Tenets of Sharia Law.
Yes, there are “peaceful” Muslims in America who have no intention of doing harm to others. But many of them have not even read all of their Qur’an, just as many Christians have not read all of their Bible. Muslims and non-Muslims, alike, have been told that the Qur´an complements and sychronizes with the Bible.
Yet, those who have read both books all the way through, which I strongly recommend doing, have seen that this is an erroneous assumption; the two books are incompatible in countless ways. Some ways are demonstrated in this section: Gabriel’s messages.
Here are two email responses that I have written about some of Islam’s beliefs, mostly pertaining to Christians and their beliefs, included in the Qur’an:
There most likely will be future terrorist attacks, globally and in the U.S., and I expect them to be widespread and overwhelming. When that happens, law-abiding Muslims who are threatened by radical Muslims to join them or else be beheaded may think twice about whether their allegiance is to their own country or to Allah.
On September 11, 2001, one of the planes hijacked by Al-Qaeda terrorists was United Airlines Flight 93. The plane crashed into the ground near Shanksville and Indian Lake, Pennsylvania, at 10:03 a.m. EDT. Flight 93’s cockpit voice recorder revealed that the crew and passengers had tried to seize control of the plane from the hijackers.
The crew and passengers had learned, through phone calls, that Flights 11, 175 and 77 had been crashed into the Twin Tower buildings in NYC and into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. They prevented their plane from reaching its ultimate destination, which most likely was either the White House or the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
Dana Perino, former Press Secretary for President George W. Bush, visited the Flight 93 Memorial near Shanksville, PA, this week. This 9½-minute video shows that interesting and emotional visit.
Today is the 68th anniversary of the founding of North Korea, with Pyongyang as its capital, in 1948. Since that time, it has called itself the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The regime celebrated today by performing its fifth and largest nuclear bomb test.
The explosion registered as a 5.3 on the Richter scale. It is estimated to have been at least as powerful as the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945. The DPRK’s first nuclear test in 2006 yielded less than one kiloton of TNT, while the yield of today’s blast was about 10 kilotons.
Looking at the map to the left (click on it to see a larger view), it can be seen how close this radioactive detonation was to China (on the north and west) and to Russia (on the northeast). One might think that there would be major pushbacks by both of these countries.
Yet, all I have heard is that “diplomatic protests” will be registered by China and Russia. I’d be surprised if they do anything more than that.
Despite U.N. sanctions, 32-year-old dictator Kim Jong Un has accelerated the development of North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes over the past few years. The sanctions have further isolated the extremely impoverished country, but this seems to have made no difference to its dictator.
Barack Obama indicated that this nuclear test demands “serious consequences.” That sounds sort of like the “red line” that he drew in 2012 for Syria’s use of chemical weapons. I will believe it when I see it.
An anchor on North Korea’s state television announced today (as translated to English), “We will continue to strengthen our nuclear capabilities to protect our sovereignty. We have now standardized and minimized nuclear warheads. ... We can now produce small nuclear warheads any time we desire.” That should be extremely concerning to every world government.
North Korea has conducted numerous long-range and medium-range ballistic missile tests this year, showing that they are improving their missile capabilities. Many feel that if North Korea’s testing of missiles and nukes is not stopped, they will develop a nuclear arsenal that is capable of hitting other countries, including the United States. That would not surprise me in the least.
This is 4 days before the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. A Commander in Chief Forum was held in NYC on NBC News, hosted by Matt Lauer.
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were questioned about why they would be better for U.S. national security. The entire session lasted about 57 minutes and can be viewed below.
Today is Labor Day in the United States. It always is the first Monday in September, and it is the last national holiday during the summer season. In Canada, Labour Day also is celebrated on the first Monday in September.
The New York legislature was the first state legislature to introduce a Labor Day bill. However, Oregon was the first state to make Labor Day an official public holiday in 1887.
By the time it became an official federal holiday in 1894, thirty U.S. states observed Labor Day. More information about this day can be found at the United States Department of Labor website here:
On the Hebraic calendar, this is the first full day of the month of Elul, which began yesterday at sunset. It begins a 40-day period known as Teshuvah. This period includes Rosh haShanah (Tishri 1 or October 3) and ends on Yom Kippur (Tishri 10 or October 12).
This 40-day season of Teshuvah is a time of repentance and return back to God. Most likely, this was the period of forty days and nights that Jesus was tempted in the desert by the devil. Yet, he resisted every temptation.
Ideally, we should strive to do the same. We also should take the time to restore broken relationships with others.
On American Family Radio (AFR) this morning, Pastor Tom Wallace of Fortress of Faith and Dr. Bill Warner of Political Islam talked about the effect that Islam is having on modern civilizations. Islam is not as much a “religion” as it is an ideology and a complete way of life with the intent of spreading itself throughout the entire world.
Many who used to live in central Europe behind the “iron curtain” remember the totalitarian and tyrannical system of the Soviet Union. They view Islam as worse that Communism. That call it “Communism with a god.”
The notes and audio recording of today’s Fortress of Faith program are here:
Donald Trump traveled to Mexico City today to meet with Mexico President Enrique Peña Nieto. After talking privately for awhile, they appeared together and spoke at a press conference for about 26 minutes. Here is a video of that:
Today is National Dog Day in the U.S. I’ve taken care of dogs before, but they’ve always belonged to other people. I like dogs (and cats), but I’d rather not have any of my own. I’m too busy to commit to taking care of any pets on a long-term basis.
My friend has four dogs and a cat, all males. The biggest dog goes after the cat sometimes, but the cat is really fast and always knows where to hide.
Whenever I go over there, they all love me because I pet, rub and scratch them into a state of total bliss. I also give them doggy and kitty treats.
Here is a short video that includes a “Man’s Best Friend” quiz, consisting of five questions. After the lady asks each question, click on one of the answers and then the video will continue. I got the first four correct but missed the last one.
Jean-Claude Juncker is the President of the European Commission, which is the executive branch of the European Union (EU). He is the EU’s most powerful official.
The EU Chief detests nationalism and believes that there should be no borders between nations. He also wants to show solidarity with countless refugees who have been pouring into Europe from Syria and other Islamic nations. Today, Juncker made the following statements:
Borders are the worst invention ever produced by politicians. ... We have to fight against nationalism. ... In the concentration of globalisation and European problems, we must not lose our way.
Juncker's remarks come at a time when public angst about immigration and security across the continent is high, particularly in light of recent terrorist attacks in France, Belgium, and Germany. The affirmative Brexit vote on June 23, basically, was a referendum on Great Britain’s opposition to Islamic immigration.
Some now suspect that President Jean Claude Juncker, a globalist, could turn out to be the Antichrist. I have my doubts about that, although the two probably will share some common values.
We’ve heard of “one in a million” situations, and I think one happened last night. In a minor league baseball game in Sauget, IL, the Gateway Grizzlies played the Slammers from Joliet. Brandon Thomas hit a grand-slam home run over the left field fence.
Later, it was discovered that the ball had soared out into the parking lot and shattered the windshield of a 2008 black Toyota Tundra truck. Incredibly, the truck belonged to the batter, Brandon Thomas. Wow!
Thomas said that he has a $1,000 deductible on his car insurance. Fortunately, Lou Fusz Automotive Group in St. Louis has offered to fix his windshield for free!
In other news, near the eastbound I-10 highway in Phoenix, an anti-ISIS billboard has been put up. It was put up by Muslims as an attempt to show other Americans that ISIS does not represent their Islamic faith.
The sign reads, “HEY ISIS, YOU SUCK!!!” Among other things is also included a statement, “Life is Sacred.” The reference for the latter is “Quran 5:32.” The latter refers to surah 5 verse 32 in the Qur´an.
It is nice for these Muslims to distance themselves from radical Islam and to say that life is sacred. However, according to the Qur´an Sahih International English Translation, surah 5 verse 32 reads this way:
We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land — it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one — it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.
This is a very indirect and roundabout way of saying that “life is sacred.” Furthermore, Israel is bashed constantly throughout the Qur´an. Here, those in Israel are called “transgressors.”
Upon the return of Israel’s Messiah, Yeshua/Jesus, the first thing He will do is to obliterate the transgressors of Israel. Then He will rule and reign in perfect righteousness, justice and fairness, and Israel will be at peace from its forevermore.
The closing ceremony took place tonight. There were periods of rain that poured down on thousands of athletes and spectators in attendance from around the world. Nonetheless, the event was spectacular.
Olympic gold medals were won by Americans in five events today.
Gwen Jorgensen: women’s triathon (1:56:16)
women’s basketball (101 to 72: Spain)
Matthew Centrowitz: men’s 1500m track (3:50.00)
women’s 4 x 400m relay, including Allyson Felix, Natasha Hastings, Courtney Okolo and Phyllis Francis (3:19.06)
men’s 4 x 400m relay, including LaShawn Merritt, Gil Roberts, Tony McQuay and Arman Hall (2:57.30)
This is the sixth straight Olympic victory for the U.S. women’s basketball team and for the women’s 4 x 400m relay team. The first golds for each was at the Atlanta games back in 1996. Also, Matthew Centrowitz is the first American Olympic gold medalist in the men’s 1500m track event since 1908.
Today’s program was a condensed version of Islamic terms. In the PDF of today’s program is a table showing a more comprehensive list of terms, how they are pronounced, brief definitions and comments about the terms.
The notes and audio recording of today’s Fortress of Faith program are here:
American women gained more Olympic gold medals today. In the women’s 100m hurdles event, the gold, silver and bronze medals went to the United States. This was the first medal sweep for American women in track and field in Olympic history. Two American women also won gold and silver in the women’s long jump event.
Brianna Rollins (gold), Nia Ali (silver) and Kristi Castlin (bronze): women’s 100m hurdles (12.48, 12.59, 12.61)
Four more Olympic gold medals were added today to the American athletes’ collection. This includes the 1,000th gold medal earned by the United States in Summer Olympic history.
men’s 4x100m freestyle medley relay, including Ryan Murphy, Cody Miller, Michael Phelps and Nathan Adrian (3:27.95, Olympic record)
women’s 4x100m freestyle medley relay, including Kathleen Baker, Lilly King, Dana Vollmer and Simone Manuel (3:53.13)
Jeff Henderson: men’s long jump (8.38)
Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, has won Olympic gold medal number 23. His total Olympic medal count is 28. He insists that these are his last Olympic games, but that’s also what he said at the London games four years ago. We’ll see.
Today, the U.S. women’s Olympic swimming team earned the gold medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay event with a time of 7:43.03. They included Katie Ledecky, Allison Schmitt, Leah Smith and Maya DiRado. This is Ledecky’s third gold medal of these games.
The gold medal in women’s individual road cycling went to U.S cycler Kristin Armstrong, 42. Her winning time was 44:26.42. Today’s win was the perfect gift for her birthday, which is tomorrow.
Armstrong also won gold in this event in the past two Olympic games (Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012). She now is the oldest female Olympic cycling champion. Furthermore, she and legendary speed skater Bonnie Blair now are the only two American women ever to win three gold medals at the Olympics in the same event.
At the end of the race, Kristin’s 5-year-old son. Lucas, was lifted over the fence, and he sprinted into her arms. He asked her, “Momma, why are you crying? Didn’t you win?” She responded, “That’s what we do. We cry when we’re happy.”
Lily King, 19, from the U.S. has won the Olympic women’s 100m breaststroke competition. Her time was 1:04.93, which is an Olympic record.
Yesterday, King had called out Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova, 24, for a failed drug test for meldonium in the past. This resulted in a 16-month suspension. Efimova took the silver medal in the event with a time of 1:05.50.
The winner of the men’s 100m backstroke competition is American Ryan Murphy, 21. The U.S. has won six straight Olympic gold medals in this event. His time was 51.97, another Olympic record.
At age 8, for a school project, Ryan wrote a little book, which his mom came across last year. On the final page were some ambitious words, which are on their way to being fulfilled:
I hope my swimming life continues, and I become an Olympian when I grow up. I hope I will break world records. I want to be the best swimmer in the world.
I had no idea whatsoever what I wanted to do or be at age 8. So Ryan gets a thumbs up from me for sticking to his dream.
In other news, on the 700 Club this morning, a segment included information about the attempted coup in Turkey on July 15. Thousands of soldiers, judges and teachers have been dismissed or arrested, and the government has shut down more than 130 media outlets.
It seems that President would like to revive the Ottoman Empire and move Turkey toward an Islamic state rather than a secular state. Pat Robertson discussed the idea that the events of Ezekiel 38, with a league of nations coming against Israel, may be near.
In case you want to watch the segment, a little over 7 minutes in length, click on the video and move your arrow along the timeline at the bottom. The segment begins at 10:38 (click there) and ends at 17:44.
The first gold medal of the 2016 Olympics was won by American Ginny Thrasher, 19, in the women’s air rifle competition. Yesterday, after being one of eight competitors to emerge from the 50-woman qualification round, she ended up winning the event.
In her younger years, Ginny had wanted to be a figure skater. However, after trying it, she felt that she was not any good at that sport.
At age 14, she went hunting with her grandfather. She never had fired a gun before, yet she felled a whitetail deer. That gave her an interest in shooting, and she obviously has excelled at it by earning an Olympic gold medal.
Michael Phelps, 31, the greatest Olympian of all time, has earned his 19th Olympic gold medal and his 23rd overall Olympic medal today. This is four years after winning his last gold medal in the London Olympics on Aug. 4, 2012. At that time, he said that it would be his last Olympics, but obviously he changed his mind since then.
Phelps was part of the U.S. men’s 4x100m freestyle relay team who won the event today with a total time of 3:09.92. The other three gold-medal winners on the team were Caeleb Dressel, Ryan Held and Nathan Adrian. Phelps carried the American flag at the opening ceremonies on Aug. 5.
In the women’s 400m freestyle competition, the gold medalist was American Katie Ledecky, 19. Her time was 3:56.46. She knocked almost 2 seconds off of her own world record to gain another world record today.
For instance, connections with certain Islamic organizations may be suspect. The Muslim Brotherhood comes out of Egypt, it is involved in terrorism and it birthed Hamas and other terror organizations. This organization’s stated goals include eliminating Western civilization from within by using our own laws and institutions against us. Groups that it has established in the USA are the Muslim Student Association (MSA), the Counsel on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).
Certain questions can be asked of someone who seems suspicious:
• Was there really a Holocaust? • Was Hitler justified in killing the Jews? • Do you like dogs or have a dog? • Do you eat or avoid any special types of food? • Do you pray 5 times a day? • Have you been to Mecca? • How do you feel about Jews in Palestine? • Do you denounce the killing of apostates? • Do you denounce Jihad (not do you denounce terrorism)? • What should happen to someone who draws an image of Muhammad? • Should Muslims live under the Sharia? • Should Sharia law be implemented in America?
A poll was taken by The Center For Security Policy, and Muslims in America were asked a few telling questions. In response, 51% felt that America should be governed by Sharia law; 50% said they should have the choice between American courts and Sharia courts; 25% agreed that it is permissible to use violence against those who give offense to Islam; and 20% said that violence is permissible in the United States to bring this nation under Sharia law.
The notes and audio recording of today’s Fortress of Faith program are here:
How to Know If Your Muslim Friend Is A Jihadi: PDF | Audio
The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will begin in two days. Some of the best athletes from most of the countries around the world will be attending and participating in countless sports events.
For months, though, there have been concerning reports from Brazil. Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who became a socialist in her youth, presently is in the midst of an impeachment trial, due to accusations of corruption. Her presidential powers and duties have been suspended until her Senate trial ends.
Brazil is having an economic meltdown. Its deep financial crisis is due to the worst recession in a century. Last month, after declaring a state of “public calamity” over its finances, the state government in Rio received an $87m emergency bailout from Brazil’s federal government.
In Rio de Janeiro, mosquitos carrying the Zika virus continue spreading the disease. Other viruses, along with antibiotic-resistant super-bacteria, are swarming in waters where Olympic events will be held. Raw sewage has been pouring into Guanabara Bay, which also has loads of trash and human body parts floating in the water.
Construction in some of the Olympic venues is not quite finished. In many of the buildings, there are exposed wires, blocked toilets, water running down the walls and rooms smelling of gas. Many athletes have chosen to stay in hotels or on a cruise ship in the bay instead.
ISIS has encouraged attacks on the Olympics. Furthermore, there are fears of Rio’s extraordinarily high levels of violent crime with a worryingly low security presence. Many police and fire-fighters are going unpaid. This could result in less resistance by law enforcement to potential attackers and thieves.
Many athletes who have trained for the Olympics for years have decided not to attend, due to the less-than-optimal conditions. Presumably, the audiences at various events also will be smaller than usual. Even if I had planned to attend, I probably would be backing out at this point.
An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is a high-intensity burst of electromagnetic energy caused by the rapid acceleration of charged particles. A powerful EMP can cause physical damage (such as to trees, buildings and aircraft), and/or it can disrupt electronic and communication systems.
An EMP often has a natural cause, such as lightning or a solar magnetic flare. However, it also can have a man-made cause, such as a nuclear or non-nuclear weapon.
It has been feared, for years, that an EMP attack could be initiated upon the United States by exploding a nuclear bomb in the atmosphere. Such an explosion could disrupt power grids on the ground over a very large area, leaving tens of millions of people without power for years.
On the 700 Club this morning, a clip (almost 22 minutes in length) was played. Pat Robertson interviewed Peter Pry, author of Blackout Wars, who provided information about EMPs and what a potential EMP attack might be like.
In case you want to watch the segment, click on the video and move your arrow along the timeline at the bottom. The segment begins at 12:15 (click there) and ends at 34:03. More information can be found at SecuretheGrid.com.
On American Family Radio (AFR) this morning, Pastors Tom Wallace and Shahram Hadian of Fortress of Faith discussed how Islamic terrorists are being radicalized in the first place. They also talked about whether or not the things these terrorists are doing are consistent with the fundamental teachings of Islam.
Jihadis are “fundamentalizing” Muslims, not “radicalizing” them. Violent Islamists are “militants” rather than “radicals” because it is militant Muslims who are being devout and are adhering to the teachings of Islam. Fundamental Muslims (mistakenly) believe that Muhammad was the final prophet, that he was the perfect man and that what he said is final and must be followed.
The purpose of jihad is to establish Islamic “peace” by eliminating all unbelievers in Allah and establishing Shariah law everywhere. 10 Precepts of Scripturally Based, Militant Islam were discussed that make an individual into a scripturally based, militant Muslim.
The notes and audio recording of today’s Fortress of Faith program are here:
Two San Diego police gang-detail officers, making a traffic stop in Southcrest late last night, were shot several times. Both officers were rushed to a hospital, where Officer Jonathan “J.D.” DeGuzman, 43, died. The other, Officer Wade Irwin, 32, has undergone surgery and is expected to make a full recovery.
One suspect, Jesse Gomez, 52, was shot and is being treated at a hospital. A second suspect, Marcus Antonio Cassani, 42, was arrested on an unrelated outstanding warrant in Anaheim, and police were investigating whether or not he was involved in the shooting.
This attack on police in “America’s Finest City” is very upsetting to me. It took place near the intersection of the I-15 and I-5 freeways and was not too far from two of my favorite places: Seaport Village and Balboa Park.
San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer released this statement:
Last night we lost one of San Diego’s finest. We grieve for our fallen officer and stand with his family during this very difficult time. We also pray for the second officer shot last night as he recovers from surgery. Violence against the men and women who wear the badge is violence against us all. I ask all San Diegans and all people across our nation to join together in support of our officers who courageously protect our communities. We need them and they need us.
I agree with the mayor. The overall law and order in the United States is threatened each time a police officer is killed, especialy since this activity is on the increase. The war on law enforcement is a war on citizens, since the police protect us.
Police officers’ shooting deaths are up 79% from this time last year. This statistic is as frightening as it is tragic.
Venezuela is a socialist nation. In 2014, Venezuela entered an economic recession. In 2015, Venezuela had the world’s highest inflation rate with the rate surpassing 100%, becoming the highest in the country’s history.
People are starving due to lack of food, and civil unrest is everywhere. Caracas, the capital, is the most violent city in the world.
People are swarming into the border city of Cucuta, Columbia, to purchase basic necessities, including food. However, these things are being depleted there, and jobs are scarce.
The hyperinflation in Venezuela has escalated out of control this year, making its currency virtually worthless. The inflation rate next year is expected to be about 1,600%.
On the 700 Club this morning, a short clip (3 minutes 40 seconds) was played giving an idea of the dire economic situation in Venezuela. In case you want to watch the segment, click on the video and move your arrow along the timeline at the bottom. The segment begins at 13:13 (click there) and ends at 16:53.
The U.S. National Debt is almost $19.5 trillion and increasing rapidly. It does not matter who becomes the next president; there is no way to dig ourselves out of the debt hole we are in. At some point, it has to have disastrous consequences.
It always is a good idea, in case of an emergency, to have a supply of non-perishable food, water and other basic necessities. At this point, it might be a good idea to think about doing it for economic reasons.
I have recommended to friends in California to stock up on various supplies, including water and food, in case a major earthquake, a calamitous economic decline or some other disaster occurs. Most of them are aware of my Adversity Supplies Basic Check List.
Furthermore, several months worth of water and dehyrated food, which can stay good for up to 25 years, can be purchased at Wise Food Storage, as well as other places online. Another suggestion is Soylent, a liquid drink that can provide ample daily nutrients for months.
Two Islamist extremists, armed with knives, entered a church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, Normandy, this morning. One assailant killed Father Jacques Hamel, 86, by slitting his throat. The attackers, both 19, were identified as Adel Kermiche and Abdel Malik P.
They also took two nuns and two churchgoers hostage. One man was severely injured and is in stable condition. As the two thugs left the church, one of them shouted “Allahu Akbar” — Arabic for “Allah is the greatest.” Both of them were killed by police.
President Francois Hollande said the two attackers identified themselves as Islamic State operatives. He described the assault as "an ignoble terrorist attack" and a "cowardly assassination."
There have been countless attacks on Christians by Islamic radicals in the Middle East for years. Now, it looks like these attacks are moving further into the West. Most likely, they will continue and escalate. It reminds me of this Bible passage:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” [Psalm 44:22] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:35-37)
The Democratic National Convention has begun today in Philadelphia, PA. The process to designate Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee for president will take place this week.
The head of the Democratic National Committee, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, was scheduled to “gavel in” the convention. However, after embarrassing emails were revealed by WikiLeaks, Schultz resigned her position. Vice-chairwoman Donna Brazile will be taking over as chairwoman.
Some of the leaked emails evidently criticized and mocked Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders during the primary campaign. Sanders claims this shows that the DNC was behind Hillary Clinton the entire time, so he never had a chance of obtaining the nomination.
They continued by talking about the refugee situation in the USA. President Obama has set a deadline of Sep. 30, 2016, to bring in 10,000 Syrian refugees. Most likely, more than that will come in. A chart giving an indication of where they are going can be viewed here. It is doubtful that they are being screened and vetted adequately enough to be certain that none of them means us any harm.
The notes and audio recording of today’s Fortress of Faith program are here:
Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic candidate for president, has named Senator Tim Kaine as her vice-presidential running mate. Clinton tweeted out the announcement late this afternoon.
Kaine was the mayor of Richmond, VA, from 1998 to 2001, and the Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010. He was the Chairperson of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011, and he has been a U.S. Senator from Virginia from 2013 to the present.
Southwest Airlines is my preferred airline; I have flown on it for over 40 years. Today I have tried to access the Southwest.com website numerous times, each time unsuccessfully. I’ve never had that problem before.
I did a web search and discovered that Southwest was experiencing major technical problems today. Flights were being grounded across the country, and their website was down. Some type of glitch was causing intermittent problems with several systems after an unspecified outage.
Many passengers were stuck in airports because their flights were delayed. Other customers were unable to buy tickets, check in for flights or check the status of their flights.
Although I’m glad I am not flying today nor need to check in for a flight tomorrow, I’m sorry for all the people who are being inconvenienced. This is a rare occurrence for Southwest Airlines.
Donald Trump, officially, is the 2016 presidential nominee for the Republican Party. Tonight, his son Donald Jr. announced the votes for the New York delegation that put Trump over the required 1,237 delegates to win.
The Republican National Convention has begun today in Cleveland, OH. The process to designate Donald Trump as the Republican nominee for president will take place this week.
Yet another assault on police officers has taken place, this time in Baton Rouge, LA. Three law enforcement officers are dead, and three others are injured.
The shooter, Gavin Eugene Long from Kansas City, Mo, was shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire with the police. He was a member of the Nation of Islam. Today is/was his 29th birthday.
In a news conference, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards called the deadly shooting “an absolutely unspeakable heinous attack” and added that “the violence, the hatred just has to stop.”
Governor Edwards also stated, “To me, this is not so much about gun control as it is about what’s in men’s hearts.” Then he added a statement that sounded eerily prophetic to me: “And until we come together as a nation, as a people, to heal as a people, if we don’t do that and this madness continues, we will surely perish as a people.”
In other news, Israel seems to have given its approval of the Turkish government’s triumph over the coup attempt on July 15. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that the reconciliation process between Israel and Turkey would continue, regardless of the events related to the attempted coup.
Israel’s approval occurs after Israel and Turkey agreed, on June 28, to restore relations between the two nations. The latter may have paved the way for an eventual accord where Israel will export natural gas to Turkey. This would alleviate Turkey’s dependency on Russia for its gas, so it would be significantly advantageous for Turkey.
Some are questioning the wisdom in Israel’s pursuit of a mutual relationship with Turkey. I tend to be in that boat. It may be that Gog, who eventually will invade Israel (Ezekiel 38:1-16), will be from Turkey, as described in my Gog and Magog section. Some have suggested that may turn out to be Gog.
They also talked about Black liberation theology preached by Louis Farrakhan, who is leader of the Nation of Islam in America. This also was preached by Jeremiah Wright, who was Barack Obama’s preacher for 20 years. They also made connections between the Black Panther movement, the Black Lives Matter movement and Islamic fundamentalism.
Babu Omowale, the national minister of defense for the People’s New Black Panther Party, is calling for blacks to migrate to five southern states: Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. The goal is to force whites out of these states and to form a new “Black Nation” there.
I have been asked what I think about the Black Lives Matter movement in the U.S. I would have to say that my thoughts are summed up well in an article by David A. Clarke Jr.
Clarke is the black Sheriff of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. He has served in that capacity since 2002, having been re-elected to that office in 2006, 2010 and 2014 on the Democratic ticket.
Incidentally, I am not racist or prejudiced against anyone, and I have enjoyed friendships with people of all skin colors. On a lighter note, this image gave me a chuckle and I couldn’t resist posting it:
Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican candidate for president, has named Mike Pence as his vice-presidential running mate. Trump tweeted out the announcement this morning.
Trump delayed a formal annoucement today due to the terror attack in Nice, France, yesterday. He officially will make an announcement at a news conference tomorrow.
Pence was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana from 2003 to 2013. He has been the Governor of Indiana since 2013.
In other news, Turkey is in chaos after a coup attempt tonight erupted in violence. There was gunfire and explosions in Ankara (the capital) and in Istanbul (the largest city), as the Turkish military claimed that it had taken over the country.
President Recep Tayyip was out of the country at the time, but he returned during the turmoil. He urged the citizens to resist the coup. Several senior military officials also spoke out against the coup, predicting that it would fail. Indeed, it appears that the coup has failed.
Martial law has been declared across Turkey, and the situation is extremely unstable. Even though the coup seems to have been quelled by ’s forces, I feel that it is a precursor of much more widespread instability to come. This is yet an added level of confusion to a world stage in disarray and disorder. I think these levels are going to continue piling up.
is pointing his finger at Fethullah Gülen, a Muslim cleric in Pennsylvania, as the instigator of the coup. He is demanding the extradition of Gülen from the USA back to Turkey, but so far U.S. officials have not complied.
Many feel, however, that the coup may have been staged by to make it look like his enemies were trying to take over the government. If so, it would enable him to become much stronger, giving him the power to do away with his political rivals and to expose those who oppose the move toward more fundamental Islam in Turkey, which has wanted for years.
A deadly terror attack has taken place tonight in Nice, France. This happened amongst a great deal of joy and celebration on Bastille Day. It is the third major terror attack in France in 18 months (including the Charlie Hebdo attack on Jan. 7, 2015 and the attacks at various locations in Paris on Nov. 13, 2015).
At about 10:30 p.m. local time, French-Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31, barreled a 19-ton white truck full-speed through a large crowd of people. They had gathered for a Bastille Day fireworks show along the Promenade des Anglais seafront.
The truck zig-zagged through the crowd for well over a mile, evidently to hit as many people as possible. After an exchange of gunfire, police killed Bouhlel.
At least 84, including 10 children, are dead and over 200 people are injured. Lifeless bodies, body parts and blood could be seen all along the road. Victims include visitors from Armenia, Germany, Morocco, Russia, Switzerlans, Tunisia, Ukraine and the United States.
Prime Minister David Cameron was against the Brexit vote for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. On June 24, the day after the vote, he announced that he would resign in a few months.
That resignation took place today, though, less than three weeks after the vote took place. After accepting his resignation this afternoon, Queen Elizabeth II met with Theresa May and invited her to form a government.
Besides Theresa May, there had been several Conservative Party candidates who were expected to run for the prime minister position. But one after the other, all but May dropped out of the running, leaving her as the sole candidate. So, as leader of the Conservative Party, she automatically has become the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
However, there is growing pressure, by some members of Parliament, for a snap election. They insist that if May is going to serve for the next four years, she needs to have the authority of a public vote. Yet, May has stated that there will not be an election until the next one that has been scheduled, in 2020.
Prime Minister Theresa May is the second female leader of Great Britain, the first being Margaret Thatcher, who served from 1979 to 1990. Presumably, May will negotiate the U.K.’s exit from the European Union.
There were record highs in the U.S. stock market today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was up 0.66% to 18,347.67, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index was up 0.70% to 2,152.14.
All of the losses on June 24, the day after the Brexit vote, have been more than wiped out. I know that countless Americans who have stock market investments are ecstatic, and the market very well may keep rising.
I feel that it is vitally important to communicate with God, each day. This can be thought of as a conversation or a prayer with Him. It is important to thank Him for our many blessings and to ask Him for guidance to know how to obey and please Him.
Some pray to God, some pray to the Father and some pray to the Son, Jesus. Someone asked me to whom we should pray and develop a relationship, and here is my reponse:
Last night in Dallas, TX, five police officers were killed and seven other officers were wounded. This followed a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Dallas.
This was a protest against the police, but the police were protecting the protesters. Yet, the Dallas police were not wearing riot and protective gear because they wanted to send a positive message to the protesters.
The main suspect was Micah Xavier Johnson, 25, who lived in the Dallas area. After being cornered by police in a parking structure, Johnson told police that he was upset with white people and wanted to kill white people, especially white officers.
Another thing that Johnson told police officers was that “the end is coming.” Whether or not he was referring to the end of the age, I think that he probably was right.
In any case, I do feel very strongly that factions of lawlessness and evil will increase and spread rampantly, throughout the U.S. and the world, over the next several months. This may include during the Republican Convention in Cleveland, OH, July 18-21 and during the Democratic convention in Philadelphia, PA, July 25-28.
Realistically, no amount of “conversations” about the topics of “racial unfairness” and so-called “police injustice” is going to stop the chaos and violence. Postings on various types of social media will continue to aggravate and escalate the problem.
The only remedy for such problems is a widespread turning to God and a collective plea for mercy. But even Christian cultures have strayed far from God, and His mercy has limitations. Unfortunately, America and the world as a whole is nearing the end of His tolerance and leniency.
FBI Director James Comey spoke at the FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC, this morning. He announced that the FBI will not recommend criminal charges in its investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was Secretary of State.
Hillary Clinton did intend to keep many of her emails private. So not only is she guilty of gross negligence and carelessness, she also was guilty of intent. Failure to recommend criminal charges against Clinton makes no sense. Yet, most likely, no charges will be brought against her by the Department of Justice.
There is no doubt in my mind that this case should have been given to a Grand Jury to decide, lawfully, what to do with Hillary Clinton’s unmistakable breaking of the law. Now it appears that “crooked Hillary” will skate, free and clear, to the presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, July 25-28.
Is is not uncommon in Islamic countries for those who mock or speak out against Islam to be beheaded. I wonder if and when that will become the law in Western nations.
Being beheaded by a sword reminds me of a few verses in the book of Revelation, which I believe will take place near the end of this age:
When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword. (Revelation 6:3,4)
When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:7,8)
If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints. (Revelation 13:10)
I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)
In the world, economies are failing and violence is escalating. The unique presidential race in the U.S. is getting crazier, and the percentages of Americans who view both Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton unfavorably are very high.
More than anything, I look forward to the time when Jesus, the Lord of lords and King of kings (Revelation 17:14), will return to earth. He will reign over the whole earth (Zechariah 14:9) with absolute fairness, justice and righteousness. He is the only one who is capable of doing this, since He is God.
This will take place during a future 1,000-year period, commonly referred to as the Millennium. There never has been total peace on earth, but there will be during that glorious period. Hopefully, it will begin sooner rather than later.
Someone asked me a few questions about this millennial period. My brief responses are here:
would like to revive the Ottoman Empire and move Turkey toward an Islamic state rather than a secular state. Pat Robertson discussed the idea that the events of Ezekiel 38, with a league of nations coming against Israel, may be near.
In other news, Turkey is in chaos after a coup attempt tonight erupted in violence. There was gunfire and explosions in Ankara (the capital) and in Istanbul (the largest city), as the Turkish military claimed that it had taken over the country.
Today is the fifteenth anniversary of the horrific, ghastly and deadly 
