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🍗 1 for the road: KFC's new concept Photo: Naheed Rajwani-Dharsi/Axios Patio seating, a booth for special celebrations, lobby hosts and expanded menu options are part of a new concept that KFC is testing in McKinney, Texas, Axios Dallas' Naheed Rajwani-Dharsi reports. A host greets visitors as they enter. Customers can order at a kiosk or with an employee. Dine-in orders are brought to the table. Photo: Naheed Rajwani-Dharsi/Axios 🐓 There's also a display case with KFC merch, including socks, sweatshirts, phone cases and water bottles. KFC U.S. president Catherine Tan-Gillespie tells Axios: "We basically imagined, 'If the Colonel was building this restaurant today, what would it look like?'" Dig in ...

🐼 China is sending two pandas to Zoo Atlanta after Beijing reclaimed four of them in 2024 amid diplomatic tensions, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced during his state visit today. Go deeper.

🛰️ Google and SpaceX are set to launch an experimental satellite to test the idea of AI data centers in space, the N.Y. Times reports. Gift link.

🎤 Macklemore announces "Free Palestine" tour Screenshot: @macklemore/X Rapper Macklemore announced a "Free Palestine" tour today, with stops in Dublin, Paris and London. That's after he was dropped from Ed Sheeran's "Loop Tour" after making pro-Palestinian comments during a performance. 🤳 Macklemore wrote on X: "What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage. When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention." "So we're going on tour. All proceeds will benefit organizations supporting the Palestinian people and movement." What's next: Artists and U.S. dates are TBD, the rapper said on Instagram. Go deeper.

Meet Meta's AI handheld Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reveals the Muse Charm at Meta Connect in Menlo Park, Calif., yesterday. Photo: Minh Connors/Bloomberg via Getty Images Meta's new Muse Charm is a keychain-sized AI handheld device to bring the viral Muse assistant to the masses, Axios' Ina Fried reports. The Tamagotchi-like gadget has a screen and a digital avatar representing Muse. Meta says the Muse Charm will be available by December. 🎤 CEO Mark Zuckerberg said during yesterday's Meta Connect keynote: "We've packed a lot of technology in this little guy." "So if you're not wearing [smart] glasses, this is going to be by far the fastest way to talk to your Muse and to show them what's going on around you." 🤖 Meta also announced new Muse capabilities, including live video chat, real-time voice conversations with custom voice options and an email address for each person's agent. Zuckerberg said: "I expect that Muse is going to grow into the personal superintelligence that billions of people around the world are going to use to accomplish their goals and improve their lives." The big picture: Other AI companies, including OpenAI, are also working on hardware based around their digital agents. 🤔 Reality check: Muse is also available through a smartphone app. It's unclear what advantages a dedicated gadget might offer. Go deeper ... Meta's next VR headset.

Excellent article!!

To me the issue is that the GC voted on it 3 times in 3 sessions and it was no. If the Union can do what ever it wants, what was the point of voting on it? And this is clearly a "what ever they wanted". The Union statement is so broad it could cover LGBT, even Trans people. There were no boundaries. It appears to me, that some people don't understand the limits of the Union. Maybe that is how they justify the disobedience. Thank you for your insight Gregory.

What is SSPX?

The General Conference appears to have something similar to SSPX going on - only in this case it's the liberal branch of the SDA Church that is seeking to normalize its agenda.

Stendahl was definitely an interesting man who could argue theology. Many in the Lutheran Church are still trying to sort out how he was able to argue that there were no theological or pastoral reasons standing in the way of practicing homosexuals (either in or outside of committed relationships) being ordained as clergy as the ordinations stood before God in faith be they married heterosexual couples or single practicing homosexuals that churned through same-sex partners. Back in the day this was a big deal and picked up by secular media. Here is one account of Dr. Stendahl's really putting his back into ordination for LGBT folks. Reading that article from the early 90's it's amazing to see how things worked themselves out. It's also amazing to see how the seeds of one particular theological slant can germinate and grow in fertile soil. Church Defied as Three Gays Are Ordained - Los Angeles Times

Gentlekpeopole, You can rant and rave all that you want to. Butl, You do nto ulnderstand that actual issue. Ordilnaltion of women in the North American Division is due to thae fact that in the NAD, lthe legal aulthority to ordain any person rests, it is clailmed, withl the Union Conference and not wiltlh any other SDA organization, including the General Conference.

Stendahl described the introspective conscience as one which asks, "On what basis may I find salvation?" He believed that this inquiry was not present in the Eastern churches. It started in the West with Augustine, according to Stendahl. Luther had an introspective conscience. Paul did not. He possessed a "robust conscience." He had lived with a clear conscience toward God all his life. He did regret persecuting the church of God, prior to his "call." While Luther's conversion approximated that of a down and out sinner, Paul's call was like unto that of an OT prophet. Stendahl described the introspective conscience as unique to the West; however, the 7 penitential Psalms, defined by medieval monk Cassiodorus as Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 130, and 143, describe the sufferings of man troubled by an introspective conscience. Psalm 25 might be included in this number, although it is traditionally not. Thomas Schreiner takes serious issue with Stendahl on a number of points: Thomas Schreiner’s Critique of N.T. Wright’s View of Justification – Debating Justification with N.T. Wright and NPP. Part 7 – Krisis & Praxis Dr. Stendahl disagrees with Luther in several areas. Both agreed, however, that Genesis 15:6 is central to the gospel. Stendahl saw in Genesis 15:6 proof that both Jews and Gentiles could comprise a single church comprised of those justified by faith. Luther saw in the same passage the foundation of his justification gospel: “Hence our doctrine that we are justified before God solely through His accounting mercy has its foundation in this passage ”：“Abraham believed in the Lord and He counted it to him for righteousness."

Is this the same "Krister" Stendahl who championed the idea of soul sleep & LGBT clergy ordination?

What is so puzzling to me, is that the GC has tolerated this in NAD. In the other 11 divisions this would have been dealt with swiftly.

In this episode, John made reference to himself as a type of Elijah. Elijah passed his ministry on to Elisha by tossing him his mantle. John the Baptist passed his ministry to Jesus by baptizing him. Jesus later passed His ministry onto the Apostles at Pentecost. Both Elijah and Elisha raised the dead. Elisha even raised a dead man posthumously. When the dead man's body touched Elisha's bones he came to life. Jesus raised the dead as did both Peter and Paul. The ministry of Elijah and Elisha were were a type. It foreshadowed the ministry of John the Baptist, Jesus and the Apostles. This provides evidence for us to accept both the New Testament and the Old Testament as the inspired Word of God. Types and antitypes tie the two cannons of the Bible together.

Roll out the gay pride welcome mat. That's coming next. The denomination has done little if anything to rein in the rebellion of these conferences. In a recent obituary Pastor Rudy Torres has been lionized as a pioneer for female and homosexual inclusion. No coincidence. Women's ordination is more or less a done deal. Homosexuals are next. Gays hope to hijack the Pathfinders for homosexual advocacy. In the 1990s young men in their early 20s had AIDS. They were infected when they were ~10-12 years old, almost certainly through sodomy. Ellie Nesler murdered the man accused of molesting her son at a church camp. That's the future of Adventism. The church may not be Babylon. It can become worse than that, if there is such a thing.

In clear defiance against GC policy, Oregon has approved to ordain 6 women. This is not a question whether you approve of women's ordination or not. This is an issue of rebellion. There are people in the church who believe we need to push the church into the 21st century.

Powerful Hurricane Polo drenches Mexico’s coast as Nolo takes aim at Hawaii MEXICO CITY (AP) — Residents along Mexico’s west coast stacked sandbags to fortify beachfront shops and evacuated their homes, while Hawaii’s Big Island and Maui braced for potentially catastrophic flooding, as separate hurricanes swirled in the Pacific on Thursday. https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-polo-mexico-nolo-hawaii-a036e08f59c3f3842aaba2ee69bd9d37?

Trump’s push to acquire Greenland almost broke NATO. The winner of it all may be ... Greenland The new defense agreement signed on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday puts an end to the standoff between the United States and one of America’s oldest and closest partners. It also marks a major step forward in Greenland’s push for greater autonomy and a more influential seat at the table. Read more. Why this matters: While the new defense agreement is a bit broader, the United States already had extensive military access under an existing 1951 deal and all the gains laid out in the agreement, ostensibly, have been achieved by asking nicely a year ago. The trans-Atlantic distrust created since the end of 2024 seems a very high price to pay for what may ultimately be a fairly incremental gain. “I cannot stress it enough: This is the first time that we are venturing into a binding agreement as a country,” Naaja Nathanielsen, one of Greenland’s two lawmakers in the Danish parliament and a former government minister in Nuuk, told The Associated Press. “That is a huge step forward in our quest for more self-autonomy.” RELATED COVERAGE ➤ They said it: Leaders at the UN, in their own words Syrian leader lashes out at Israel in UN speech, says Golan is inseparable part of Syria Tech leaders to UN: For the sake of humanity, please control the AI technology we created Zelenskyy, at UN, urges leaders to keep choking Russia’s revenues and impede its war efforts Venezuela’s acting leader, at UN for first address, promises elections at the ‘right moment’

Trump is giving China’s Xi a warm welcome. But criticism is loud on Capitol Hill In speeches, letters, press conferences and hearings, lawmakers from both parties aired criticism of the visit and denounced China's actions on the world stage. Read more. Why this matters: Lawmakers have long found little downside to taking a hawkish tone on China, but the U.S. war with Iran has inflamed tensions. U.S. officials accuse China of propping up Iran's economy and supplying its military with components and intelligence, endangering U.S. service members in the Middle East. Sen. Mitch McConnell and three other Republican senators used Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to press the Trump administration to move ahead with aid and arms sales to Taiwan. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and three other Democratic senators held a press conference to warn against the U.S. weakening export controls for advanced semiconductor chips and equipment. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Pentagon investigates after China obtains parts from F-35 stealth fighter jet Trump welcomes Xi with planeside ceremony and extension of trade truce Trump and Xi Jinping head into Washington summit with both leaders thinking time is on their side Photos of the three-day state visit

FACT FOCUS: No, Biden did not revoke the White House press passes of more than 400 journalists President Donald Trump’s decision to ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters from the White House grounds is leading to claims that then-President Joe Biden revoked White House access to hundreds of journalists in 2023. But the claims online misrepresent the effect that a stricter White House Press Office policy had on the number of journalists holding long-term passes to the complex. https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-white-house-press-ban-776a6619b5a1363c164522495ed638d0?

Judge blocks Trump’s ban and says CNN, MS NOW and Politico must have White House access restored U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly early Thursday ordered the White House to “immediately return, reinstate, and restore” the three outlets’ access. It's the latest development in an escalating showdown between President Donald Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes. Read more. What to know: Trump announced Friday he was banning the outlets, assailing what he called “fake news.” The outlets argued the ban was a blatant First Amendment violation because it singled them out for the content of their coverage. In a filing Tuesday, administration lawyers detailed a list of “reporting incidents including those that have threatened national security and spread falsehoods.” These included: CNN reporting on “‘top-secret’ construction details related to the East Wing bunker”; MS NOW reporting “on an alleged leak investigation”; and Politico publishing “a document detailing funding for the White House ballroom containing intricate descriptions of how the Secret Service would invest in security improvements.” Kelly said the outlets had met the legal thresholds to obtain a temporary restraining order, in effect for 14 days, and were likely to succeed in showing that their press passes were revoked without due process. The White House did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment.  RELATED COVERAGE ➤ FACT FOCUS: No, Biden did not revoke the White House press passes of more than 400 journalists Trump says his ballroom will house a drone port. The Secret Service already has one next door Iowa judge dismisses Trump’s lawsuit against Des Moines Register and pollster State error in Texas creates huge backlog in voter registration applications as midterm voting nears US citizen injured in Illinois after ICE agents mistook him for fugitive and tried to arrest him Federal cuts have deeply impacted residents of the Washington, DC area, a new survey shows Billionaire’s political contributions make the Epstein files a focus of Ohio’s US Senate race Skyrocketing diesel prices rattle Republicans as midterms approach Talarico works to reach Black voters in his bid to win a US Senate seat as a Democrat in Texas Newsom talks climate with world leaders in New York, accuses Trump of abdicating that responsibility Republicans say Democrats are extremists. These Democrats want to convince voters that’s not true Maine Dems hammer Collins over report of pay-to-play probe. GOP senator calls it ‘completely false’ US diplomats told to say ‘super intelligence’ — not ‘artificial intelligence’ — after Trump’s call