98% Right 7/11/2025

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by Staci Stallings.

Narrated by Artificial Intelligence, Jenny.

Click Above to Read/Listen to the Devotional

First, I was a student back in the day, and back then, I got a variety of grades. Most of my grades were in the A-range—90 and above.  Not all. Just most.

While my grades were 90 and above, I was still often disappointed when they weren’t a 100%. And if I didn’t get a 100, I knew two things—one, I should have worked or studied harder, and two, the 90 or above grade would average out high enough that I would be okay.  It worked. I eventually graduated at the top of my class.

Fast-forward a few years and I became a teacher. For many of my students, they were not interested in getting grades at the 90-or-above level.  They were simply interested in passing (70%) or passing high enough to play sports (75%). This drove me a little nuts because, honestly, I knew most of them were capable of much higher levels of work, but they were simply not willing to put in the effort.

However, their mindset wasn’t something I could fix, and although it did make me feel less-than-100%, without an actual grade to go by, I didn’t have a scale-measure of just how far from 100% I was or how to increase my “grade” to a higher level.  Oh, I tried, but I don’t know how successful I was.

The other day, now being an author, I realized something about myself and particularly my writing.  While I strive for that 100%, it is nearly impossible to reach.  And a “grade” in the 90’s doesn’t feel like an A.  If it’s not 100%, it feels like the readers think I’m not even trying.

Think about it.  Out here in the writing world, to get a 100%, I have to write a 400+ page book with no errors or even perceived errors (you see, not all readers are English majors, and some have actually been *gasp* taught wrong themselves!).  Some of those readers who are “grading” my work are those 70% students I had in high school.

That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with that.  In fact, I’m quite glad they are reading. But one of the most frustrating things is writing with no good way to have a conversation afterward. Because some of them decide to write reviews, and some of them decide to mark a book down, sometimes way down, and they write things like, “This book was filled with erors.”  (sic)  They get the names of characters wrong. They complain there were “so many” errors, but at times you are left with the impression that the errors they “found” weren’t errors at all.

This is not to say my books are 100% right.  A long time ago, God (thankfully!) freed me from my obsessive need to always be 100% right (i.e. perfectionism syndrome).  He very graciously explained to me that my worth with Him is not predicated upon how perfect I am.  It is merely a reflection of how perfect He is.

However, I’m not going to say these reviews never hurt. Unfortunately, I cannot go back to the reviewer as I could a teacher and ask why.  I cannot go back and explain or even ask for clarification so I can “fix it” next time. Worse, very often what one reviewer will mark me down for is in direct contradiction to what another praises.

All I get is the feedback that the book wasn’t perfect, and everyone moves on.

I will tell you that even an author whose aim is 98% accuracy, it’s not always easy to deal with not being completely perfect.

Interestingly, I am coming to learn in the last week or so how well my characters reflect this very dynamic.  Not all of them are still in school. Many are years removed from it.  Not all were stellar students, but all are dealing with a world that “grades” them and always finds them lacking.

For example, Sage Wentworth in “Mirror Mirror” is the golden girl who is the envy of all the girls in a small town. So envied, in fact, that the others see no harm in tearing her down. Why? Because she’s perfect, and they can’t stand how “close to perfection” she is.

Of course, Sage isn’t perfect although she’s desperately trying to be. Worse, the barbs and criticisms go far, far deeper than anyone knows. Oh, she’s learned to smile through them and put on a good face, but behind closed doors, it is a very different story.

And now, at the end of August, “When I’m Weak” will debut, featuring Sage’s sister, Jaycee who has grown up now but is still fighting those same demons.  Funny how when I think about this book now about to go out in the world, I get a little trepidation in my chest.  Readers liked Sage so much, will they like Jaycee?  Will they even give her a chance? Will they like that we leap forward in time?  Will they judge her as harshly as she is judging herself?  Will they be upset that the story isn’t quite as long as the first one or that…? Okay, you can fill in the blank.

Maybe I’m a weird author, but every time I put out a new book, I get that same “have to breathe it down” trepidation. This isn’t about some math formulas that I don’t really care about. It’s not about some names and dates of long ago happenings.  For me, this is right here and right now. Important on an eternal scale of hoping readers get what I’m trying to say, and important on a 98% right isn’t perfection scale.

Letting go of the second doesn’t always make dealing with it easier. It is a step-for-step process—remembering to keep my eyes on Him and not on the “erors.”

How about you, in your life?  Does getting life 98% right bother you too? I know it does Sage and Jaycee, and I feel like they can’t be the only ones.  I guess in that way, they are a reflection of the author whose name is on the cover of their stories.  I don’t know that to always be the case, but I suspect it is more times than not.

So, dear readers, I do hope you like my stories. Just know, they came from someone who wanted a 100% but probably didn’t get there.  That’s the “other side of the conversation” you probably don’t hear very often and the one I’ve been wanting to say for a while now.  Now, maybe that I’ve said it, I can move on and just write.  That would be nice.

About the Author:

Staci StallingsA stay-at-home mom with a husband, three kids and a writing addiction on the side, Staci Stallings has numerous titles for readers to choose from. Not content to stay in one genre and write it to death, Staci’s stories run the gamut from young adult to adult, from motivational and inspirational to full-out Christian and back again. Every title is a new adventure! That’s what keeps Staci writing and you reading. Although she lives in Amarillo, Texas and her main career right now is her family, Staci touches the lives of people across the globe with her various Internet and writing endeavors.

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The Thursday Flyover Replay : Nvidia Hits $4T, Flag Football, and a Radioactive Ring

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“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

The Thursday Flyover Replay : Nvidia Hits $4T, Flag Football, and a Radioactive Ring.

Presented by Russell Sherrard.

Narrated by Artificial Intelligence, Our Hosts are Christopher and Jenny.

THE FLYOVER REPLAY.

We are also a Podcast, if you want to listen there instead. Plus current and all previous episodes. Go to The Thursday Flyover Replay and search for The Thursday Flyover Replay. Choose episode you want to listen to.

Thursday, July 10, 2025.

Good Morning! On this day in 1850, Vice President Millard Fillmore became the second man to inherit the presidency after President Zachary Taylor died from a severe intestinal illness contracted on the Fourth of July.

In today’s edition, we unbox a forgotten piece of Cold War childhood: a 1947 cereal-box prize that let kids literally play with radioactivity. It makes us wonder: What are the things we take for granted today that might horrify future generations?

We hope you enjoyed reading today’s Flyover. Let us know how we’re doing by replying to Russell Sherrard at russellsherrard@reagan.com.

The sponsors keep the tanks full around here. Be sure to check out today’s sponsors.

TAKEOFF.

Nvidia First to Hit $4 Trillion Valuation.

Nvidia briefly became the world’s first public company to top a $4 trillion valuation Wednesday, driven by soaring demand for its AI chips.

Though the stock closed slightly below the mark, the Santa Clara firm is now more valuable than Apple and Microsoft, reflecting Wall Street’s deep confidence in the AI boom.

Analysts expect Nvidia’s stock to keep climbing, with earnings set to hit another record in August, when it’s scheduled to release its next quarterly earnings report.

Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth in House Probe.

Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Joe Biden’s longtime physician, refused to answer House Oversight questions Wednesday about whether he misled the public on the former president’s mental fitness or health, invoking his Fifth Amendment rights.

Republicans called it a smoking gun in their probe of a possible cover-up surrounding Biden’s decline, while Democrats defended the move as standard legal protection.

O’Connor was reportedly asked point-blank if he was ever told to lie about Biden’s health—and declined to answer.

List: Best Major Airports in US.

Tampa International Airport ranked first in a list of the top 10 U.S. airports for traveler experience, followed by Phoenix Sky Harbor and Minneapolis-Saint Paul at second and third.

The study analyzed 31 of the busiest U.S. airports using a traveler-focused index, including Google ratings, amenities, and lost luggage per 100,000 passengers. Tampa earned the highest overall score of 71 out of 100 and received the most five-star reviews.

Phoenix ranked second with a score of 63.9 thanks to a strong performance in luggage handling, while Minneapolis-Saint Paul placed third with a score of 62.4 and the second-best Google ratings.

The latest ranking reflects a resurgence in global air travel, with experts reporting an 8% increase in passenger demand for April 2025 compared to the previous year.

POLITICS.

President Trump announced a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports Wednesday, citing Brazil’s prosecution of former president Jair Bolsonaro and what he called an “unfair” trade relationship.

The Senate confirmed Republic Airways CEO Bryan Bedford as FAA administrator Wednesday in a 53–43 vote.

The FBI has opened criminal investigations into former intelligence chiefs James Comey and John Brennan over their roles in the 2016 Trump-Russia probe, including Brennan’s push to include the discredited Steele dossier in U.S. intelligence assessments.

A Democratic super PAC is spending $20 million on ads to boost Rep. Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey’s governor race, as the party fights to keep the seat against Trump-backed Republican Jack Ciattarelli.

After a word from one of our sponsors Jenny will be Narrating the last half of the news.

And Now, A word From one of Our Sponsors.

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Are you someone with a blog and wonder if it is being effective? I have added audio to my blog posts and am getting good comments. I can add voice to your blog posts. You choose Male/Female. $10 per post. Direct your inquiries to russellsherrard@reagan.com

Thanks Christopher.

Now, back to the News.

SPORTS.

President Trump announced he’ll attend the FIFA Club World Cup Final on Sunday, just days after FIFA revealed its plans to open an office in Trump Tower in New York.

Average ticket prices for Cooper Flagg’s NBA summer league debut tonight are $223, the second-highest in the event’s history. He’ll be playing against Bronny James and the LA Lakers.

Ben Shelton lost to No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner yesterday in Wimbledon’s quarterfinals, leaving Taylor Fritz as the lone American left in the tournament. Fritz plays against Carlos Alcaraz on Friday.

ESPN built a hypothetical roster of NFL players to participate in the 2028 Olympics, where flag football is now an official sport. Commanders Jayden Daniels was named the team’s best option at quarterback.

FINANCE.

Big Stock Move: BitMine Immersion Technologies shares plunged more than 40% Tuesday after the company announced a $250 million plan to make Ethereum its primary treasury asset, shaking investor confidence.

Linda Yaccarino announced Wednesday she’s stepping down as CEO of X after two years—hinting she may take on a new role at Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI.

Tether, the issuer of the USDT stablecoin, has stockpiled 80 tons of gold—worth $8 billion—in a private Swiss vault as part of a long-term hedge against currency instability.

Amazon’s expanded four-day Prime Day got off to a rocky start, with first-day sales down 41% compared to last year as shoppers wait to see if better deals emerge, according to a brand advisor.

SCIENCE AND TECH.

Neanderthals may have crafted cave lion bones into multipurpose tools—a kind of prehistoric Swiss Army Knife, scientists say, based on artifacts uncovered in Belgium’s Scladina Cave.

Filmmaker Peter Jackson has teamed with a biotech company to revive the South Island giant moa, a 3.6-meter-tall flightless bird that vanished from New Zealand 600 years ago.

The Royal Observatory Greenwich named 30 finalists in its Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest, featuring images of supernovas, the Northern Lights, solar flares, and other celestial phenomena.

THE ROTATOR.
THROWBACK THURSDAY.

To celebrate Pamela Anderson’s 58th birthday, Vogue shared 17 vintage photos honoring the iconic bombshell’s decades-long impact on pop culture.

After 50 years underground, the world’s largest time capsule was opened in Seward, Nebraska, revealing thousands of 1975 artifacts—including letters, a yellow Chevy Vega, and a groovy teal suit.

In 1947, Kix cereal offered a Lone Ranger Atomic Bomb ring with real Polonium-210, letting kids watch tiny nuclear flashes through a spinthariscope. Touted as safe then, it’s now a radioactive relic of Cold War wonder.

Strikingly colorized historical photos transform everything from WWI trenches to Monet’s garden into vivid, lifelike scenes.

ET CETERA.

Social media star and former LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne says she was denied by a New York co-op board despite an all-cash offer on Babe Ruth’s former $1.6 million apartment, likely due to her celebrity status.

Mattel has introduced its first Barbie with Type 1 diabetes, complete with a glucose monitor and insulin pump.

Thousands of thrill-seekers dashed through the streets of Pamplona, Spain, on Monday as the annual San Fermín festival’s iconic running of the bulls got underway.

A video captured a rebellious duckling zooming in circles in a Texas backyard pool while its siblings and duck parents looked on in disbelief.

Daily Quote.

“Don’t try to live in a co-op, you might get denied, and you won’t get Babe Ruth’s apartment.”

— Olivia Dunne, on being rejected by a New York co-op board after making an all-cash offer on Babe Ruth’s former apartment

Inspirational Verse of the Day.

Proverbs Chapter 2 Verse 8. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. KJV

And thats the news for today. Thanks for listening.

 

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CrossReads Book Spotlight: The Elite of the Weak 7/10/2025

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CrossReads Book Spotlight

CrossReads Book Spotlight

The Elite of the Weak

by Precarious Yates

The Elite of the Weak

Book 1 of Revelation Special Ops

How far will teen spy Hadassah Michelman go to free kids from modern slavery? Will she stake out all night in a West African Jungle?

Swim through a polluted river in The Philippines?

Climb through abandoned sewers in Rome?

At least the organization she wants to work for, RSO, supplies handy espionage gadgets. She hopes they’re enough to get her out of a thousand impossible situations.

She never imagined anyone from her team would encounter dinosaurs. Terrorists with biochemical weapons. Earthquakes in every corner of the globe.

Will she still rescue kids from traffickers when disasters surround?

Will she have strength enough to be the elite of the weak?

And if not, where will she find it?

https://a.co/d/aFhEuuH

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The Wednesday Flyover Replay : Airport Shoe Rule Ends, Tough Love Coach, and Firework Donuts.

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“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

The Wednesday Flyover Replay : Airport Shoe Rule Ends, Tough Love Coach, and Firework Donuts.

Presented by Russell Sherrard.

Narrated by Artificial Intelligence, Our Hosts are Christopher and Jenny.

THE FLYOVER REPLAY.

We are also a Podcast, if you want to listen there instead. Plus current and all previous episodes. Go to The Wednesday Flyover Replay and search for The Wednesday Flyover Replay. Choose episode you want to listen to.

Wednesday, July 9, 2025.

Good Morning! On this day in 1846, during the Mexican-American War, U.S. forces raised the American flag over Yerba Buena (now San Francisco), marking the beginning of U.S. control over the area, which had previously been part of Mexico.

After nearly 20 years of barefoot shuffles through airport security, the TSA is finally phasing out its shoes-off rule. Read more below.

We hope you enjoyed reading today’s Flyover. Let us know how we’re doing by replying to Russell Sherrard at russellsherrard@reagan.com.

The sponsors keep the tanks full around here. Be sure to check out today’s sponsors.

TAKEOFF.

Supreme Court Greenlights Federal Layoffs.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave the green light for President Trump to proceed with mass layoffs and a sweeping reorganization of federal agencies.

In a brief, unsigned order, the justices lifted a lower court’s block, saying the administration is likely within its legal rights to move forward, though individual agency plans can still be challenged later.

The move clears the path to overhaul 21 agencies, including Commerce, Energy, and HHS.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, calling the decision “senseless” and warning of unchecked executive power.

AI Voice Mimics Marco Rubio in Global Scam.

A fake voice generated by AI was used to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio in calls and messages to at least three foreign ministers and two U.S. officials, according to a State Department cable seen by the media.

The imposter used the Signal app in mid-June, leaving voicemails and texts in an apparent effort to extract sensitive information.

Officials believe the actor had detailed knowledge of State Department protocols and warned diplomatic posts to stay alert for similar hoaxes.

Homeland Security Ends Shoes-Off Airport Rule.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Tuesday that air travelers in the U.S. will no longer be required to remove their shoes at TSA checkpoints, a rule that has been in place since 2006.

“We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience,” Noem said.

The policy is already active at major airports like LAX and LaGuardia, with full rollout expected soon.

The move follows years of criticism over the effectiveness and inconvenience of the “shoes-off” mandate, first imposed after the 2001 shoe bombing attempt.

POLITICS.

President Trump has pledged to send 10 Patriot missiles to Ukraine and urged Germany to sell a Patriot battery, according to reports.

The IRS announced on Tuesday that churches can endorse political candidates during services without losing their tax-exempt status.

New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is facing backlash after visiting a Brooklyn mosque whose imam previously called for the annihilation of Israel and which has a history of militant rhetoric and pro-Hezbollah vigils.

President Trump on Tuesday threatened to assert federal control over New York City if Mamdani is elected, calling him a “communist” and a “disaster.”

Tim Myers, a founding member of the rock band OneRepublic, is shifting gears from a congressional bid to run for California lieutenant governor.

After a word from one of our sponsors Jenny will be Narrating the last half of the news.

And Now, A word From one of Our Sponsors.

Add Audio to your blog posts.

Are you someone with a blog and wonder if it is being effective? I have added audio to my blog posts and am getting good comments. I can add voice to your blog posts. You choose Male/Female. $10 per post. Direct your inquiries to russellsherrard@reagan.com

Thanks Christopher.

Now, back to the News.

SPORTS.

The Athletic released its list of the top rivalries in college football history, with Michigan-Ohio State taking the top spot.

Stanford is investigating whether head water polo coach Brian Flacks’ intense coaching style qualifies as “tough love” or abuse, sparking a national conversation about how coaching functions in 2025.

Mets superstar Pete Alonso has declined an invitation to the MLB’s Home Run Derby for the first time in his career, opting to rest his body for the second half of the season instead.

Inter Miami star player Lionel Messi is being pursued by Saudi Arabian football club Al Ahli, which is willing to do “whatever it takes” to convince the Argentine legend to sign with it.

FINANCE.

Big Stock Move: QuantumScape, a developer of next-gen solid-state batteries, got a bump Monday after an investment bank upgraded the stock to “Hold,” helping it rally almost 17%.

Delistings surged 47% in May as more home sellers, unwilling to lower prices, pulled their listings and chose to wait out a cooling market, according to reports.

Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner will become the new chief executive of The Hershey Company on Aug. 18. Tanner will replace longtime CEO Michele Buck, who is retiring after nearly two decades with the company.

Amazon kicked off its longest-ever Prime Day on Tuesday, a four-day sale with deals every five minutes aimed at boosting summer spending amid inflation fatigue and tariff concerns, though most sellers have held prices steady thanks to early stockpiling.

SCIENCE AND TECH.

Researchers discovered that a DNA sugar gel can trigger thick, rapid hair regrowth in bald mice, raising hopes for a simple, natural treatment for human hair loss.

Twitter founder Jack Dorsey has launched Bitchat, a Bluetooth-based messaging app that works without internet or cell service, by using encrypted, peer-to-peer communication.

A delicate jawbone found in Arizona has been confirmed as North America’s oldest known pterosaur, a tiny flying reptile from 209 million years ago that could’ve perched on your shoulder.

THE ROTATOR.
WISDOM WEDNESDAY.

Couples in strong, emotionally secure relationships tend to use these seven key phrases daily, according to a psychologist.

This article highlights how our friendships change with age, noting that while our circle of friends often shrinks after 25, deeper connections can still flourish if we’re intentional about maintaining them.

“Bathroom camping,” a growing habit among young people, is sparking debate online. Supporters say it’s a way to cope with anxiety, while critics argue it unfairly ties up restrooms.

ET CETERA.

Brigitte Macron brushed off French President Emmanuel Macron’s offer of help while stepping off a plane in Britain Tuesday, just weeks after shoving him during a trip to Vietnam.

A stretch of highway in the United Arab Emirates now plays Beethoven’s Ode to Joy through rumble strips, using road grooves to create music when cars travel around 60 mph.

In other traffic news, Florida Highway Patrol arrested four men on July 4 in Orlando after a car was seen doing donuts and firing fireworks from the passenger seat.

Watch a video of a baby burrowing owl, eyes wide and body stiff, as it’s gently weighed and placed in a bucket with its siblings as part of licensed research.

Daily Quote.

“Historically, coaches were very much more dictatorial: You do this because I told you. Now this generation of athletes does not necessarily respond well to that kind of instruction.”

— Tim Baghurst, director of Florida State’s Interdisciplinary Center for Athletic Coaching, on concerns over Stanford’s water polo coaching style

Inspirational Verse of the Day.

Proverbs Chapter 2 Verse 7. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

And thats the news for today. Thanks for listening.

 

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The Tuesday Flyover Replay : Border Shootout, AI Band, and the Shortest Day.

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“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

The Tuesday Flyover Replay : Border Shootout, AI Band, and the Shortest Day.

Presented by Russell Sherrard.

Narrated by Artificial Intelligence, Our Hosts are Christopher and Jenny.

THE FLYOVER REPLAY.

We are also a Podcast, if you want to listen there instead. Plus current and all previous episodes. Go to The Tuesday Flyover Replay and search for The Tuesday Flyover Replay. Choose episode you want to listen to.

Tuesday, July 8, 2025.

Good Morning! On this day in 1889, The Wall Street Journal published its first issue: a four-page paper costing two cents, launched by Charles Dow, Edward Jones, and Charles Bergstresser to deliver trustworthy financial news to investors and the public.

A forest hike, no phones, and dinner by open flame—today’s Travel Tuesday features a luxury cave restaurant where guests ditch utensils and go fully analog. Would you trek into the wild for an experience like this, or is your speed more booth-at-the-diner-with-bottomless-coffee?

We hope you enjoyed reading today’s Flyover. Let us know how we’re doing by replying to Russell Sherrard at russellsherrard@reagan.com.

The sponsors keep the tanks full around here. Be sure to check out today’s sponsors.

TAKEOFF.

Gunman Killed in Shootout at Border Station.

A Michigan man was shot and killed after opening fire outside a U.S. Border Patrol facility in McAllen, Texas, early Monday morning.

The suspect, 27-year-old Ryan Louis Mosqueda, exchanged gunfire with agents and local police, injuring a border patrol employee and two officers, one of whom was shot in the knee.

Hours before the attack, Mosqueda’s father was pulled over by police 20 miles away in Weslaco. He told officers he was looking for his son, who was psychologically distressed and armed. The FBI is leading the investigation.

Trump Announces Tariffs, Posts Letters Online.

President Trump announced new tariffs of up to 40% on goods from 14 countries, set to take effect Aug. 1, as part of his push for reciprocal trade terms.

Trump posted letters on Truth Social addressed to the affected countries announcing steep new tariffs—ranging from 25% to 40%—on imports from countries including Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia, warning that any retaliation would trigger even higher rates.

He left room for future adjustments based on diplomatic ties. U.S. markets closed modestly down on the news, with the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all falling under 1%.

Popular New Band Admits It’s Completely AI.

After racking up over a million monthly listeners, viral band The Velvet Sundown has confirmed it’s an AI-generated project, calling itself a “provocation” challenging music’s creative boundaries.

The group, which debuted in early June with a blend of ’70s-style rock and modern indie pop, quickly hit 400,000 listeners on Spotify and released two albums within two weeks, with a third due July 14.

But fans noticed red flags—no live shows, no digital footprint, and band photos looked too polished to be real. See the photos here. (Though this doesn’t seem to be their real Instagram account.)

The band updated their Spotify bio in early July, stating: “The Velvet Sundown is a synthetic music project guided by human creative direction, and composed, voiced, and visualized with the support of artificial intelligence.” Who is behind the band remains a mystery.

POLITICS.

Elon Musk’s newly formed America Party positioned itself around core themes of free speech, gun rights, and a tech-forward economy. The party backs Bitcoin, supports AI-driven military modernization, and calls for slashing regulations.

Backed by the newly signed Big Beautiful Bill, ICE aims to ramp up to 7,000 illegal immigrant arrests per day—more than double its current rate. Border czar Tom Homan says the increase is needed to account for migrant releases during the Biden years.

A newly released memo shows former President Biden’s top advisers urged an early 2024 debate with President Trump to highlight Biden’s leadership, but the plan backfired, prompting him to exit the race after a poor performance.

President Trump said that in addition to the reported $16 million settlement from Paramount Global over a CBS lawsuit, he secured an additional $16–$20 million in pro-Trump ad commitments tied to the company’s merger with Skydance.

After a word from one of our sponsors Jenny will be Narrating the last half of the news.

And Now, A word From one of Our Sponsors.

Add Audio to your blog posts.

Are you someone with a blog and wonder if it is being effective? I have added audio to my blog posts and am getting good comments. I can add voice to your blog posts. You choose Male/Female. $10 per post. Direct your inquiries to russellsherrard@reagan.com

Thanks Christopher.

Now, back to the News.

SPORTS.

The Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, and NFL have pledged a combined $1.5 million to support flood relief efforts in Kerr County, Texas.

The MLB’s official All-Star Rosters are set, with the LA Dodgers sending a league-high five players to the event. See a team-by-team breakdown of the entire event at the following link.

Shane van Gisbergen won Sunday’s NASCAR action with a first-place finish in the Chicago Street Race. Overall points leader William Byron finished 40th in the race, narrowing his lead over the rest of the field.

CBS Sports released their list of the 25 worst college football hires since the year 2000, with an unexpected Alabama coach sharing the No. 1 spot.

FINANCE.

Big Stock Move: Enovix Corp. stock rose over 14% Monday after the company announced a special dividend of stock warrants to shareholders, following the launch of its new AI-1 silicon-anode smartphone battery.

Trump Media & Technology Group rolled out its new streaming service, Truth+, worldwide on Monday.

Spirit Airlines pulled three planes from service on July 4 after a fire suppression system accidentally discharged foam at its Detroit Metro Airport maintenance facility. No fire or injuries were reported.

ByteDance is developing a new U.S.-specific TikTok app as the company faces a Sept. 17 deadline to divest its American operations or face a nationwide ban. President Trump said a deal with non-Chinese investors is “pretty much” done, though Chinese approval is still pending.

SCIENCE AND TECH.

Dyson has unveiled a futuristic vertical farm in Lincolnshire, UK, featuring 1,000-pound rotating rigs, UV robots, and 16 robotic arms that recently picked 200,000 strawberries in a month.

This Wednesday will be one of the shortest days of 2025, with Earth completing its rotation about 1.6 milliseconds faster than the usual 24-hour mark. The exact cause of this remains unclear.

This Thursday’s full moon, dubbed the Thunder Moon, will light up skies across the country. It will peak in the southeast before setting in the southwest.

THE ROTATOR.
TRAVEL TUESDAY.

From the Grand Canyon to Mount McKinley, a new roundup highlights 20 iconic American destinations every traveler should visit at least once.

A luxury resort in Italy’s Dolomites has launched a high-end restaurant built inside a cave. Guests hike through the forest to reach Yera, a phone-free venue where meals are cooked over open flame and eaten without utensils.

El Zonte, a sleepy surf town on El Salvador’s Pacific coast, has become a global crypto curiosity after embracing Bitcoin as a grassroots economic experiment in 2019.

ET CETERA.

A three-car crash ruptured a gas line and triggered a fiery explosion at a Herriman, Utah strip mall Saturday night, injuring three and engulfing a Domino’s in flames. The blast, caught on video, blew through the roof and damaged nearby businesses.

Brooklyn hosted the nation’s first competitive “show aufguss” last month, drawing over 1,200 sauna fans to the Bathhouse for a steamy spectacle of towel-whipping, scent-blasting, and performance art.

An Australian woman was convicted Monday of murdering three of her estranged husband’s relatives and attempting to kill a fourth by serving them Beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms.

Ben Shelton’s sister Emma, a former college tennis player turned Morgan Stanley employee, stole the show at Wimbledon after her brother dubbed her his “lucky charm” and joked she needed more time off to keep his winning streak alive.

Daily Quote.

“Backing a candidate for president is not out of the question, but the focus for the next 12 months is on the House and the Senate.”

— Elon Musk, on launching the America Party

Inspirational Verse of the Day.

Proverbs Chapter 2 Verse 6. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

And thats the news for today. Thanks for listening.

 

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The Monday Flyover Replay : Most Reliable Cars, Weather Modification Bill, and Crying at Work

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“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

The Monday Flyover Replay : Most Reliable Cars, Weather Modification Bill, and Crying at Work

Presented by Russell Sherrard.

Narrated by Artificial Intelligence, Our Hosts are Christopher and Jenny.

THE FLYOVER REPLAY.

We are also a Podcast, if you want to listen there instead. Plus current and all previous episodes. Go to The Monday Flyover Replay and search for The Monday Flyover Replay. Choose episode you want to listen to.

Monday, July 7, 2025.

Good Morning! On this day in 1898, the United States formally annexed the Hawaiian Islands through the Newlands Resolution, a joint congressional measure signed into law by President William McKinley.

Consumer Reports just released its annual rankings of the most reliable car brands, as we report below.

We hope you enjoyed reading today’s Flyover. Let us know how we’re doing by replying to Russell Sherrard at russellsherrard@reagan.com.

The sponsors keep the tanks full around here. Be sure to check out today’s sponsors.

TAKEOFF.

Texas Flooding Kills 70, Dozens Still Missing.

At least 70 people are confirmed dead as of Sunday afternoon after catastrophic flooding tore through central Texas, with the majority in Kerr County, including 21 children.

President Trump, who is expected to visit the state on Friday, signed a major disaster declaration, and FEMA is on the ground alongside local crews handling rescues and recovery.

Survivors described waking to water rushing through homes—a woman and her son clung to a tree, a man escaped through a window and stood for hours on a narrow box above the flood.

At Camp Mystic, five young girls died, and at least a dozen more remain missing. One father searching for his daughter instead found the body of another child.

Here’s a list of reputable places where you can donate to help flood victims in central Texas. Every bit helps. The Flyover is making a donation too.

Bitcoin Whale Moves $8.6 Billion in Single Day.

July 4 saw the largest single-day transfer of decades-old bitcoin in history, as a wallet that had been dormant for 14 years transferred 80,000 bitcoin, worth about $8.6 billion, to new addresses.

The bitcoin was purchased for less than $210,000 in 2011, during bitcoin’s early-adopter timeframe known as the Satoshi era. Large, early investments like this are known as whales.

The transfer went to eight addresses with a modernized format—10,000 bitcoin each—presumably as a security measure against future computing attacks.

The owner of the bitcoin is unknown, spurring speculation that it could even belong to Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious creator of bitcoin who has never revealed his or her identity.

Most Reliable Car Brands of 2025.

Subaru has emerged as the most reliable car brand for 2025, according to Consumer Reports, taking the honors that usually go to Toyota or Lexus.

Consumer Reports ranked 22 brands based on survey data on issues drivers have faced over the last year.

Japanese automakers commanded all six top ratings and eight of the top 10, with Subaru, Lexus, and Toyota scoring above 60 on the 100-point rating system.

Experts credit Subaru’s conservative redesigns and smaller model lineup for its high rating, while other brands trying to implement cutting-edge technology put themselves at risk of increased issues.

POLITICS.

Rep. Marjorie Greene (R-Ga.) announced Saturday that she will introduce a federal bill that would ban weather modification practices such as cloud seeding, in which scientists release chemicals into the atmosphere to increase precipitation.

Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) has resigned from Congress to start his own business, days after voting in favor of the Big, Beautiful Bill. His absence will shrink the GOP’s narrow majority in the House.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads to the White House this week to meet with President Trump to discuss a ceasefire proposal with Hamas.

President Trump’s longtime wish to add his face to Mount Rushmore has resurfaced with support from allies and a new House bill, but the National Park Service says it’s physically impossible.

After a word from one of our sponsors Jenny will be Narrating the last half of the news.

And Now, A word From one of Our Sponsors.

Add Audio to your blog posts.

Are you someone with a blog and wonder if it is being effective? I have added audio to my blog posts and am getting good comments. I can add voice to your blog posts. You choose Male/Female. $10 per post. Direct your inquiries to russellsherrard@reagan.com

Thanks Christopher.

Now, back to the News.

SPORTS.

USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino criticized officials after a 2-1 loss to Mexico in Sunday night’s Gold Cup Final. A key moment came in the 66th minute when no penalty was called despite Mexico’s Jorge Sanchez handling the ball in the box.

The 2025 Subway Series wrapped up Sunday at Citi Field with the Yankees avoiding a sweep, edging the Mets 6–4 behind Aaron Judge’s 33rd homer and a sharp bullpen effort. The Mets had taken the first two games, including a 12–6 rout Saturday powered by Pete Alonso’s two homers, but couldn’t complete the sweep despite a late rally.

On Sunday at Wimbledon, American Taylor Fritz advanced to the quarterfinals after Australia’s Jordan Thompson retired with an injury. Fellow American Amanda Anisimova moved into the women’s quarterfinals with a gritty three-set win over Czech player Linda Nosková.

The full terms of the Houston Rockets’ acquisition of Kevin Durant were revealed on Sunday to be the first-ever seven-team trade in NBA history.

Bobby Jenks, who recorded the final out of the 2005 World Series with the Chicago White Sox, passed away Friday at the age of 44 after a battle with stomach cancer.

FINANCE.

urassic World Rebirth stormed into theaters this Fourth of July weekend with a $147 million domestic debut and $318 million globally, marking a major comeback for the dino franchise.

The labor union representing grocery store workers in Colorado says they have reached a tentative deal to end the Safeway grocery strike impacting about 50 locations.

Eight members of OPEC+ have pledged to increase oil production by 548,000 barrels per day in August, citing a “steady global economic outlook” and low oil inventories.

SCIENCE AND TECH.

New research connects the buildup of glucose in the brain to diseases like Alzheimer’s, potentially suggesting new treatment paths for degenerative brain conditions.

A San Diego startup is seeking FDA approval for ready-made stem cell therapy for pets, using cells from donor animals for veterinary treatment.

MIT researchers have developed a robotic probe that can measure the semiconducting properties of materials, potentially speeding up the development of more efficient solar panels, among other electronics.

THE ROTATOR.
BEYOND OUR BORDERS.

Thousands gathered in Dharamshala, India, to celebrate the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, braving heavy monsoon rains for the Tibetan spiritual leader’s rare public appearance.

Japan awoke to a calm Saturday after a viral manga prophecy predicting a catastrophic July 5 earthquake failed to materialize, ending weeks of panic tied to a 1999 comic by Ryo Tatsuki that eerily referenced the 2011 tsunami.

Paris reopened the Seine River Saturday for public swimming for the first time since 1923, turning a long-polluted waterway into a symbol of Olympic legacy and urban renewal after a $1.6 billion cleanup.

China’s first Legoland opened Saturday in Shanghai, unveiling an 85-million-brick resort developers claim is the largest in the global network. The $1.6 billion complex features eight themed zones, over 75 attractions, and a Lego-built “Miniland” of Chinese landmarks.

ET CETERA.

Historian Ron Chernow dives deep into the life of Mark Twain in a new biography, portraying the Missouri-born writer as both a reflection and critic of American culture.

A Nantucket man is facing a $1.4 million lawsuit for allegedly trespassing and cutting down 16 mature trees on his neighbor’s property to create a better ocean view for his now-$10 million listing.

Two young brown bears at a zoo in the U.K. briefly escaped their enclosure and raided a staff-only food store, devouring a week’s worth of honey and snacks before calmly returning.

Daily Quote.

“Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest.”

— Mark Twain, on moral integrity and personal conduct

Inspirational Verse of the Day.

Proverbs Chapter 2 Verse 5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

And thats the news for today. Thanks for listening.

 

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CrossReads Weekly Devotional: Make His Face Shine 7/7/2025

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by Precarious Yates

Narrated by Artificial Intelligence, Jenny,

Click Above  to Read/Listen to the Devotional

Tucked in the book of Numbers, toward the end of chapter 6, God tells Moses the blessing He wants the priests to speak over the people:

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:

“The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”’

“So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”

Jesus, our Great High Priest, put His name and the name of His Father on us by declaring that we are part of His family. Behold what manner of love the Father has lavished upon us that we should be called children of God (1 John 3:1, emphasis mine). When Jesus walked on the earth, He declared the Father’s name to us, and the Holy Spirit continues to declare it: “That the love with which You loved me may be in them and I in them” (John 17:26). God wants to give us the ability to love with His love and to declare to the world what He has declared to us: His name and His blessing.

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. He is the one who gives us exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or even imagine through Christ Jesus. God shows us in Isaiah 25 a glimpse of what it will be like:

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
    a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
    the best of meats and the finest of wines.

There is a banquet awaiting us that we can’t even imagine, a banquet filled with the fellowship that our hearts desire so completely that we’re constantly homesick for it: fellowship with God and unhindered fellowship with one another.

On this mountain he will destroy
    the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;

That shroud over us all is shame, and the sin that causes shame. God, through Christ Jesus destroys that. That sheet that covers all nations is death, and the sin that causes death. God the Father destroys that through the work of the cross. 

he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
    from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.

The words of the priestly prayer are a foretaste of all of this.

May the Lord bless you:

This is the great desire of the Lord’s heart: to speak blessing over you; to declare who you’re intended to be, who He made you to be; He who causes the sun to shine and rains to fall on the righteous and unrighteous also speaks blessing over you—He has so many good thoughts about you and life-giving words to say to you. He doesn’t just bless us with material goods, He blesses us to be able to love, to know we’re received as beloved children, to know that we are washed clean in the blood of the Lamb, and we’re invited to eternal fellowship with Him and with others.

The Lord bless you and keep you:

This is more than just having a possession. The word “keep” means to guard over. God is your rear guard. He is a wall of fire around us and a pillar of fire within us. He is with us through the valley of the shadow of death with His rod and His staff as comfort to us. 

Make His face shine upon you.

The word for ‘face’ is panim which is a plural. God makes His faces to shine upon us. All the expressions of love and care are turned toward us because of what Christ did for us. 

God will cause His shekinah, the manifest glory of God, to shine on you. When people encountered the shekinah glory of God, they fell on their faces. He wants this shekinah glory to shine on us and also through us.

The Lord be gracious to you:

God’s grace is so profound—it’s part of His name. “The Lord, the Lord Gracious and Compassionate…” Grace has the element of mercy. It’s also the empowerment to do what we’ve been asked to do. Through Jesus, we have access to grace upon grace. He is merciful to us, so very kind to us, and gives us what we need for all godliness. He wants us to enter into that grace and abide there. He made a way for that to be possible through Jesus.

The Lord lift up the light of His countenance upon you:

This is almost like the line before it, because the Hebrew for ‘countenance’ is panim, faces! One way this line of the blessing can be understood is to imagine when a parent of an infant tries to get the baby to smile. That is the way God causes the light of His face to be lifted up upon us. 

This is something we should be reminding people around us regularly. This is how much God loves you! God wants to transform us with His love.

This blessing is not only something we can speak over one another, we can also speak it over ourselves.

The last line of the priestly blessing is:

“and give you peace,”

Through Christ, we have peace with Him. We can have peace with one another. He gives us peace so that we can be peacemakers wherever we go.

In Matthew 5:9 Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.” He gives us peace so that we can give it away everywhere we go. “Peace I leave you, My peace I give to you …” 

We can find echoes of this priestly blessing throughout scripture, because that is what God wants us to remember. He wants us to receive blessings so we are in the habit of giving them. He wants us to know how much He guards us because He wants us to guard one another. He wants us to know show faces of kindness and favor, so He does this first. The Lord’s very name—His reputation—is gracious, and He wants us to live in that grace and to extend it to others. The Lord wants to fill us with His light, His joy, and His peace. This is for us, and for us to share.

There was a song with the words of the priestly blessing that came out during the pandemic that has a chorus which says, “may His blessing be upon you and a thousand generations, and your family, and your children, and their children, and their children.”

This is what our today and our future look like because of Jesus.

May the Lord bless you and keep you …

Precarious Yates

About the Author:

Precarious YatesPrecarious Yates has lived in 8 different states of the Union and 3 different countries, but currently lives in Texas with her husband, her daughter and their big dogs. When she’s not writing, she enjoys music, teaching, playing on jungle gyms, praying and reading. She holds a Masters in the art of making tea and coffee and a PhD in Slinky® disentangling.

Links:

Facebook Amazon Author Page

 

The Captives

The Captives

The captives will only be free when Shunda loses his fears about who he is. Yet what Shunda fears more than anything is loneliness.

Qoshonni figures she has become too violent and will never come back from the brink that the MerKing has pushed her to.

Mookori knows his father loves him best, but this has no consolation as war invades the shores of his father’s kingdom.

The Heart of the Caveat Whale is an epic trilogy that takes place both under water and on land. Book 1, The Captives, in the beginning of a journey into joy and terror. Sea monsters abound, as does the valor of both simple folk and nobles alike.

https://a.co/d/2CkDP7N 

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The Friday Flyover Replay : Happy Fourth, Big Beautiful Bill Passes, and the Best Ice Cream

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“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

The Friday Flyover Replay : Happy Fourth, Big Beautiful Bill Passes, and the Best Ice Cream.

Presented by Russell Sherrard.

Narrated by Artificial Intelligence, Our Hosts are Christopher and Jenny.

THE FLYOVER REPLAY.

We are also a Podcast, if you want to listen there instead. Plus current and all previous episodes. Go to The Friday Flyover Replay and search for The Friday Flyover Replay. Choose episode you want to listen to.

Friday, July 4, 2025.

Good Morning! On this day in 1776, the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, announcing the American colonies’ separation from Great Britain and giving birth to a new nation.

Happy Independence Day! As we celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, here’s your Fourth of July edition—perfect reading between parades, cookouts, and fireworks.

As our team spends the holiday with their families, today’s edition is abbreviated. We’ll be back to the full lineup on Monday.

We hope you enjoyed reading today’s Flyover. Let us know how we’re doing by replying to Russell Sherrard at russellsherrard@reagan.com.

The sponsors keep the tanks full around here. Be sure to check out today’s sponsors.

TAKEOFF.

House Passes ‘Big Beautiful Bill’.

The House approved the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on Thursday by a 218-214 vote, advancing a broad legislative package to President Trump’s desk.

The measure includes extensions to the 2017 tax law, new funding for defense and border initiatives, and changes to federal benefit programs.

The final vote followed a record-breaking 8-hour, 44-minute speech by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who criticized the bill’s impact.

The passage meets a key July 4 target for the administration and cements a central piece of Trump’s second-term agenda.

Hiring Surges, Unemployment Near Record Low.

The U.S. added 147,000 jobs in June, surpassing expectations and showing a slight increase from May’s 139,000 gain.

The unemployment rate fell to 4.1%, near historic lows, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

U.S. jobless claims dropped to 233,000 for the week ending June 28, beating analyst forecasts and signaling continued low layoff levels. The four-week average also declined, falling to 241,500.

Chestnut Returns to Defend Hot Dog Crown.

The Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest will once again feature Major League Eating legend Joey Chestnut this year. Chestnut was banned from the competition in 2024 due to sponsorship deals he’d signed with Impossible Foods, a plant-based brand.

Chestnut is widely regarded as the greatest professional eater ever, securing 15 hot dog titles since 2007. On the Fourth of July in 2021, he set the all-time record by consuming 76 Nathan’s Famous hot dogs in just 10 minutes.

Last year’s winner, Patrick “Deep Dish” Bertoletti, sees Chestnut’s return as an advantage. “All eyes on him,” Bertoletti said, “I can just roll in and do my best, and that’s all I’m hoping for.”

You can watch the full event live today on ESPN. The women’s contest begins at 10:45 a.m. ET, while the men take center stage at noon.

QUICK HITS

Former boxing champion Julio César Chávez Jr. was arrested by ICE on Wednesday in California for overstaying a U.S. tourist visa and now faces deportation to Mexico. Officials say Chávez, who fought Jake Paul just days earlier, has an active warrant in Mexico on organized crime and weapons trafficking charges linked to the Sinaloa Cartel.

Actor Michael Madsen, 67, known for roles in Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, died July 3 at his home in Malibu, California, of apparent cardiac arrest.

American tennis player Frances Tiafoe faced an upset at Wimbledon on Wednesday, losing to Britain’s Cameron Norrie in four sets. It’s Tiafoe’s earliest Wimbledon exit since 2019.

More than 160 people who paid to have their ashes launched into orbit as a final resting place instead had their ashes lost at sea after the Nyx capsule’s parachutes failed and it crashed into the Pacific.

A man casually filmed himself with a massive tornado swirling behind him in Gary, South Dakota, last week, as severe storms tore through the state’s northeast.

A 19-year-old pilot from Memphis, Tennessee, was detained in Antarctica after Chilean authorities said he filed a false flight plan and landed without permission during his solo attempt to fly to all seven continents.

After a word from one of our sponsors Jenny will be Narrating the last half of the news.

And Now, A word From one of Our Sponsors.

Add Audio to your blog posts.

Are you someone with a blog and wonder if it is being effective? I have added audio to my blog posts and am getting good comments. I can add voice to your blog posts. You choose Male/Female. $10 per post. Direct your inquiries to russellsherrard@reagan.com

Thanks Christopher.

Now, back to the News.

The 4th of July.

Here’s a guide to deep cleaning your grill grates safely and effectively, using pantry staples and a few simple steps.

When a cooking site asked three chefs to name the best store-bought chocolate ice cream, they all picked the same $12 pint.

Amazon’s Fourth of July sale is serving up major discounts on travel gear, with deals up to 77% off across luggage, tech, clothing, and outdoor essentials.

Daily Quote.

“My favorite thing about the United States? Lots of Americans live there.”

— Robert Frost, a poet known for his dry wit and deep appreciation for the American people.

Inspirational Verse of the Day.

Proverbs Chapter 2 Verse 4. If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

And thats the news for today. Thanks for listening.

 

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Falling Down and Getting Back Up 7/4/2025

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by Staci Stallings.

Narrated by Artificial Intelligence, Jenny.

Click Above to Read/Listen to the Devotional.

by Staci Stallings

One of the things I find interesting from an omniscient point of view is being able to take a step back and see trends in my writing. I know there are other authors who plot out ideas. I’m not one of them. I write where the Spirit leads me, and it’s often only when I go back and look at where I’ve been and the ground I’ve trod in my writing that themes begin to take shape.

A theme that’s recently been spinning through me and my writing is the idea of what happens when life really takes a hard whack at you. I’m talking about when you have a dream burning inside of you, and then something happens to take that dream away… forever.

What happens to your life?  What happens to your choices?  What happens to your relationship with God? What happens with you?

Do you shut down? Find a new dream? Do you change, and how do you change?

Recently I met a young cousin of mine who was incredibly good at soccer. She loved soccer. Her mom was her coach. They are an athletic family already, and soccer was one of their outlets. And then the accident. The ball went one way, her knee went the other.

And life would never be the same.

I had a chance to sit and talk with her for a while at a family reunion, and it was interesting to hear from a 12-year-old’s perspective this life-dynamic of how do you deal with life when it changes so drastically? As I listened to her story, I couldn’t help but remember some of my characters who had also gone through life-altering injuries.

One of the things I think is completely strange is how in my head, there are memories of scenes, memories of feelings, of raw emotion that I never actually lived through.  One of them is a scene from my newest release, that comes out tomorrow, “When I’m Weak.”

The basic story picks up fourteen years after “Mirror Mirror” left off. We are plunged into Jaycee’s world (you know Jaycee, the one you couldn’t STAND in Mirror Mirror?).  Well, 14 years later, Jaycee is still as hard-charging and stubborn as ever. Her outside world has changed. She’s moved on from her small town upbringing. But inside, she’s still just as Jaycee as ever.

However, one thing readers of Mirror Mirror will notice instantly is that Jaycee hasn’t ended up where we might have thought she was going, and the central question of “why” begins to snake around the corners.

In the midst of her “now” story, there are flashbacks to how she got where she is today, and it is one of those flashbacks that is as real to me as if I had lived it. Funny, how life works like that. Bringing past and present, real life and imagined life altogether in me in ways I cannot put into words nor explain.

What I do know is I have learned and I’m learning that one of the most central issues of our lives is this idea of what do we choose to do when we get knocked down, how do we get up, do we get up, who helps us along the way, and who loves us long after our life has been altered from its previous state?

I can’t explain any of that, but I’m learning that I write about it every day. I love my job!

About the Author:

Staci StallingsA stay-at-home mom with a husband, three kids and a writing addiction on the side, Staci Stallings has numerous titles for readers to choose from. Not content to stay in one genre and write it to death, Staci’s stories run the gamut from young adult to adult, from motivational and inspirational to full-out Christian and back again. Every title is a new adventure! That’s what keeps Staci writing and you reading. Although she lives in Amarillo, Texas and her main career right now is her family, Staci touches the lives of people across the globe with her various Internet and writing endeavors.

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The Thursday Flyover Replay : Paramount-Trump Settlement, a Brain Computer, and an Iconic Side-Eye.

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“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

The Thursday Flyover Replay : Paramount-Trump Settlement, a Brain Computer, and an Iconic Side-Eye.

Presented by Russell Sherrard.

Narrated by Artificial Intelligence, Our Hosts are Christopher and Jenny.

THE FLYOVER REPLAY.

Thursday, July 3, 2025.

Good Morning! On this day in 1775, George Washington formally assumed command of the Continental Army in Cambridge, Massachusetts, taking charge of an untrained, underequipped militia and beginning his role as commander-in-chief in the fight for American independence.

We hope you enjoyed reading today’s Flyover. Let us know how we’re doing by replying to Russell Sherrard at russellsherrard@reagan.com.

The sponsors keep the tanks full around here. Be sure to check out today’s sponsors.

TAKEOFF.

Paramount Settles Trump Lawsuit for $16M.

Paramount Global has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit filed by President Trump over a 2024 60 Minutes interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump alleged the interview was deceptively edited to favor Harris during the presidential campaign.

The settlement funds will go to Trump’s future presidential library, not to him personally, and Paramount will not issue an apology.

As part of the agreement, 60 Minutes will release transcripts of future interviews with presidential candidates after they air, with necessary redactions

Rapper Diddy Convicted on Two Counts.

Rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs was convicted Wednesday on two counts of interstate prostitution, capping a high-stakes, seven-week federal trial in New York that featured graphic testimony from ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.

A jury cleared him of the more severe charges—racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking—thereby avoiding a potential life sentence.

Prosecutors alleged Combs ran a coercive criminal enterprise, but jurors weren’t persuaded he trafficked women.

He now faces up to 20 years behind bars and remains entangled in multiple civil lawsuits over alleged sexual misconduct.

Stocks Reach Record High on Vietnam Deal.

The S&P 500 hit a record high Wednesday after Trump unveiled a trade deal with Vietnam, imposing a 20% tariff on imports while giving U.S. goods zero-tariff access to Vietnamese markets.

The deal also includes a 40% tariff on transshipped goods, targeting trade route abuses by countries like China.

Nike shares jumped 4% on the news, given its deep manufacturing ties to Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Trump ruled out a deal with what he called “spoiled” Japan, citing its refusal to import U.S. rice and cars, setting the stage for tariffs up to 35% when a temporary pause expires July 8.

POLITICS.

Iran suspended cooperation with the UN’s nuclear watchdog Wednesday, claiming its program is peaceful and demanding safety guarantees before allowing inspections to resume.

Federal officials are warning of potential “lone wolf” terror threats targeting July 4th events as the tensions with Iran rise. Authorities are urging the public to stay alert and have emergency plans ready during holiday festivities.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth paused a major weapons shipment to Ukraine over concerns about depleted U.S. munitions, following a review of stockpiles strained by aid to Ukraine and Middle East operations.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s liberal majority ruled 4-3 that the state’s 1849 abortion law is unenforceable, saying modern laws passed over the past 50 years have effectively replaced it.

After a word from one of our sponsors Jenny will be Narrating the last half of the news.

And Now, A word From one of Our Sponsors.

Add Audio to your blog posts.

Are you someone with a blog and wonder if it is being effective? I have added audio to my blog posts and am getting good comments. I can add voice to your blog posts. You choose Male/Female. $10 per post. Direct your inquiries to russellsherrard@reagan.com

Thanks Christopher.

Now, back to the News.

SPORTS.

NBA All-Star Damian Lillard was reportedly “elated” when the Milwaukee Bucks waived and stretched his contract. Lillard is now garnering interest from the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors as he enters free agency.

The Women’s Professional Baseball League will hold tryouts in Washington, D.C., next month, with the top 150 players receiving invites to the draft in October. Over 600 players have already signed up for the four-day talent showcase.

The New York Knicks hired Mike Brown to be their next head coach after striking out on multiple other options.

The Indiana Fever overcame the Minnesota Lynx to win the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup on Tuesday, despite missing their best player, Caitlin Clark.

FINANCE.

Big Stock Move: Shares of health insurer Centene Corp, a major player in government-backed coverage, dropped over 40% Wednesday after the company scrapped its 2025 earnings forecast, citing a $1.8 billion shortfall.

Tesla reported a second consecutive quarterly drop, with vehicle deliveries down 14% as analysts cite Chinese competition and political backlash for the decline.

Del Monte, a 139-year-old American food distributor, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Tuesday and secured $912.5 million in financing to support operations while seeking a buyer.

Microsoft officials confirmed on Wednesday that it will lay off about 9,000 employees, continuing to “implement organizational changes necessary to best position the company.”

SCIENCE AND TECH.

University researchers developed a brain-computer interface that lets people who can’t speak convert thoughts into speech and song through a computer almost instantly.

A new alloy that shrinks when it’s heated and expands when it’s cooled could help with the search for habitable planets, NASA says.

Several nighttime events are available for sky watchers this month, including a meteor shower, a glimpse of the Buck Moon, the Scorpius constellation, and Mercury.

THE ROTATOR.
THROWBACK THURSDAY.

A new photo spread showcases 32 vintage snapshots from the early 1980s, featuring everything from barefoot kids on bikes to John Lennon’s final months, the eruption of Mount St. Helens, and the rise of MTV.

Read the story behind a 1957 photo of Sophia Loren giving a now-iconic side-eye to Jayne Mansfield’s revealing dress at a Hollywood dinner.

A photo roundup compares celebrity mothers and daughters at the same age, spotlighting just how strong the family resemblance can be in Hollywood and beyond.

ET CETERA.

ICEBlock, an iOS app that lets users mark recent ICE agent sightings, has shot to No. 1 on Apple’s U.S. social networking chart after federal officials condemned it.

A Hamptons restaurant is serving an $8,000 martini that comes with a 5-carat diamond necklace and a $1,000 charity donation built into the tab.

Bentley has unveiled the fifth iteration of its logo in 106 years, featuring sharper, falcon-inspired wings in a refined design meant to modernize the emblem without losing its heritage.

This recipe collection rounds up classic American pies—fruity, creamy, nutty, and nostalgic—that still deserve a spot on every table.

Daily Quote.

“That Combs’ lawyers could frame this as a ‘great modern love story’ and be rewarded for it speaks volumes. We’re now told that a love story can include brutal beatings, sexual humiliation, blackmail, stalking, and that the woman should feel lucky to be part of it.”

— Dr. Ann Olivarius, women’s rights attorney, on the verdict in Sean Combs’ trial and its implications for survivors

Inspirational Verse of the Day.

Proverbs Chapter 2 Verse 3. Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

And thats the news for today. Thanks for listening.

 

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