“Babylonian Captivity” by Antonio Puccinelli, 1851
SERMON: “The Good Thoughts of God to His People” [Listen and be blessed.]
SONG: “God will take care of you”
Day: February 1, 2014
“Country Golden Hits Of The Decades volume 2”
“NJ Senator: If Christie knew…”
MSNBC
CLICK IMAGE
“Seeking edge on voting rules, parties target sec. of state races”
MSNBC
By Zachary Roth
The fierce partisan battle over voting rights has both sides planning to pour massive amounts of money and resources into a handful of key 2014 campaigns for secretary of state.
The new-found attention for these once-obscure races is driven by an awareness on both sides that a state’s top election official can play a critical role in expanding or restricting the right to vote—meaning control of secretary of state offices in swing states could be crucial in the 2016 presidential contest.
On Thursday, a group of high-level Democratic strategists launched iVote, a political action committee that will back Democratic secretary of state candidates in four pivotal 2016 states: Ohio, Colorado, Iowa, and Nevada. All four Democratic candidates are strong advocates of expanding access to the ballot, and all are likely to face Republicans who are looking to make it harder to vote. The initiative is part of a broader move by Democrats and voting-rights advocates to push back against the wave of restrictive voting laws advanced by Republicans in recent years.
Secretaries of state are charged with administering most aspects of their state’s elections, giving them responsibility for everything from maintaining voter rolls to sending out absentee ballots to counting votes.
FULL ARTICLE
“No end to scandal in sight for Chris Christie”
POLITICO
By Elizabeth Titus and Maggie Haberman
Even the best-case scenario for Chris Christie isn’t pretty: It could take weeks or months to sort out new allegations that he knew more about a growing New Jersey traffic scandal than he has let on, casting an even larger pall over a man thought a few weeks ago to have a decent shot at becoming the next president.
Just when the so-called Bridgegate controversy seemed to be receding slightly, and Christie was set to bask in the limelight of his home-state Super Bowl this weekend, a new claim Friday reignited the scandal into a full-blown media firestorm.
Christie’s onetime ally and appointee David Wildstein claimed the governor – contrary to past public assertions – knew about the traffic jam operation in real time. Christie’s office denied it a few hours later, but not before people in both parties were speculating anew about whether Christie’s national ambitions – or for that matter, his governorship – are now in even more serious jeopardy.
BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY
ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION
DEUTERONOMY 6:4-5
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
TODAY IN HISTORY, FEBRUARY 1st
ICYMI: New Delta In-Flight Safety Video Is One Big 80s Party
Every Friday we round up some stories you might have missed this week and publish them in one neat little post. Think of it as our gift to you, only it’s not really free because you’re repaying us in likes and shares. No…thank YOU.
Alf, Atari, and brightly-colored spandex are all featured in Delta’s new 80s-themed in-flight safety video. (Forbes)
Rusty, the red panda at the National Zoo that became famous for running away, is now being sent away to breed. (The Washingtonian)
This timelapse video shows all of the weather in 2013 from a satellite’s point of view. (i09)
Irony alert: medical students who probably use Wikipedia to study are now being asked to edit entries to make them more scientifically accurate. (Quartz)
And the tweet of the week:
[tweet https://twitter.com/PCCS_VA/status/428108394445025280]California Shuts Major Water Supply as Drought Worsens
California announced Friday that a major source of water for areas throughout the state will halt all deliveries for 2014 until further notice, an unprecedented move indicating the ongoing and historic California drought is only getting worse.
The State Water Project, a system of reservoirs and water delivery systems helping supply Northern California, the San Francisco Bay area, the San Joaquin Valley, the Central Coast, and Southern California, had already been distributing water at historically low rates due to several successive years of drought conditions. Friday’s action by the state Department of Water Resources means the 25 million residents and 750,000 acres of farmland that receive water from the system will have to rely more heavily on other sources, including other reservoirs. Many key reservoirs in the state are at levels far below average. A measurement taken Thursday in the Sierra Nevada, a major supplier of water to the state when…
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Violence in Super Bowl Ads and Other Fascinating News on the Web
A Toaster to the Groin
There’s been no shortage of stories about the long term risks associated with violence on the football field. But during this weekend’s Super Bowl, you’re likely to see a fair share of violence somewhere else: In the commercials. It turns out we tend to find a lot of humor in someone getting punched in the face or taking a toaster to the groin. We remember these ads. But do they make us buy whatever is being sold? That’s a more complicated question.
+ It’s a big weekend for players. It’s an equally big weekend for those who bet and play fantasy football. From the NYT Magazine: The Super Bowl of Sports Gambling. Having dabbled at the edges of such degenerate gambling, let me suggest that you treat the addicts at your Super Bowl party with kid gloves. The end of the…
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