9-1-1: Lone Star, la serie è stata cancellata dopo 5 stagioni BadTaste
Source link
PADUCAH — Feel free to wag your tail, it’s a fine day for a walk!
Today’s going to be mainly cloudy, with a small chance for afternoon rain in the south of the Local 6 region. Temperatures will be starting the day in the upper 60s to low 70s, rising to a muggy mid to upper 80s.
In the fight against climate change, humanity finds itself at a critical crossroads. The planet is warming, glaciers are melting, and extreme weather events are becoming the new normal. With every passing year, the urgency to combat this global crisis intensifies. But what if the key to saving our planet lies not in politics, but in the silicon circuits of Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Can technology, the very invention that has driven our industrial revolutions, now be our savior?
Imagine a world where AI-powered systems can predict climate disasters before they happen, optimize energy use in real-time, and even suck carbon out of the atmosphere. This isn’t science fiction—it’s happening right now. AI is rapidly emerging as a powerful tool in the battle against climate change, with applications that span across multiple sectors.
Energy consumption is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. AI is stepping in to make our energy use smarter and more efficient. For example, AI algorithms are now being used to optimize the operation of wind farms, ensuring that turbines are operating at peak efficiency based on real-time weather conditions. In smart cities, AI helps manage electricity grids, balancing supply and demand more effectively than humans ever could. The result? Less energy wasted, lower emissions, and a smaller carbon footprint.
But the real kicker? AI doesn’t just optimize—it learns. These systems get smarter over time, continuously improving their efficiency. It’s like having a thermostat that not only adjusts your home’s temperature but also predicts the weather, understands your habits, and ensures you’re using energy in the most efficient way possible. The potential impact on global emissions is staggering.
AI’s predictive power is another game-changer in the fight against climate change. Machine learning models are now capable of analyzing vast amounts of environmental data to predict changes in climate patterns, sea levels, and even the occurrence of natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires. This allows governments, NGOs, and communities to prepare and respond more effectively, potentially saving countless lives and mitigating damage.
For example, Google’s AI division, DeepMind, has developed algorithms that can predict the energy output of wind farms 36 hours in advance. This level of foresight enables better planning and integration of renewable energy into the grid, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
And it’s not just about energy. AI is also being used to track deforestation, monitor biodiversity, and even model the impacts of various climate policies. By providing a clearer picture of the future, AI is helping humanity make more informed decisions today.
One of the most intriguing applications of AI is in the realm of carbon capture and storage (CCS). AI algorithms are being used to design more efficient systems for capturing carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and other industrial sources. In some cases, AI is even helping to develop new materials that can absorb CO2 from the air, effectively scrubbing our atmosphere of the very gases driving climate change.
But here’s where things get a bit controversial: Can AI actually reverse the damage we’ve done? Some experts believe that with the right advances, AI could help us achieve “negative emissions,” where we’re removing more CO2 from the atmosphere than we’re putting in. It sounds like a dream, but with AI’s rapid advancement, it might just become reality.
As promising as AI is, it’s important to remember that technology alone cannot solve the climate crisis. AI can optimize energy use, predict environmental changes, and even capture carbon, but it can’t change human behavior. The root cause of climate change is our unsustainable lifestyle—our reliance on fossil fuels, our deforestation of the world’s lungs, our rampant consumerism.
AI is a tool, a powerful one, but it’s not a magic bullet. It can guide us, warn us, and help us manage the crisis more effectively. However, without a global commitment to reducing emissions, protecting our natural resources, and transitioning to sustainable practices, AI’s impact will be limited.
The potential of AI in combating climate change is nothing short of revolutionary. It offers a glimmer of hope in what often feels like an overwhelming battle. But let’s be clear: AI can’t save the planet on its own. It’s a tool that we must wield wisely, in concert with broader systemic changes and a collective shift in our global priorities.
In the end, the question is not just whether AI can save the planet, but whether we are willing to do what it takes to make that a reality. Are we ready to embrace the changes needed to avert disaster, or will we continue to gamble with the only home we have? The choice is ours, but the clock is ticking. And AI? It’s ready when we are.
… is almost as difficult as empathy up close.
That person that’s not like you, from way over there, the one that’s on the other team–it’s hard to imagine what they’re dealing with. They don’t believe what you believe, they haven’t experienced what you’ve experienced.
And the person right next to you, the one you’re sure you know so well–they are also dealing with a story and a situation that you can only guess at.
Empathy is really difficult. It’s generally worth it. Because empathy is the key to connection, trust and community.
The vivo Y300 Pro was just announced in China, adding to the company’s mid-range portfolio. It’s a direct successor to the Y200 Pro from earlier this year, but the upgrades are quite significant, despite the short time passed.
The new Y300 Pro runs on a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset, paired with 8 GB/128 GB of memory by default and configurations go up to 12 GB/512 GB. The display has also improved is now 6.77″ in diagonal and offers 120Hz refresh rate, 10-bit color depth and up to 5,000 nits of peak brightness. That refers to a small patch on the screen, probably during HDR content playback.
The main camera has been swapped out for a nicer 50 MP f/1.8, 1/1.95″ unit, but the 2MP depth sensor remains. The selfie shooter has also been upgraded from 16 MP to 32 MP with f/2.0 aperture.
Impressively, the battery capacity has increased from 5,000 mAh to a whopping 6,500 mAh with support for 80W wired charging. Maybe that’s why the Y300 Pro weighs about 20 grams more than the Y200 Pro.
Oh, and the ingress protection is now IP65, better than the IP54 on the Y200 Pro.
The available colors are Black, Ocean Blue, Titanium and White. The entry price is CNY 1,799 ($250) for the standard 8GB/128GB version and goes up to CNY 2,499 ($350) for the beefed-up 12GB/512GB configuration. The phone is still in its pre-order stage, and we don’t know whether it will make it to the international market, but the Y200 Pro is available for purchase in India, so we might see the Y300 Pro outside Chinese borders as well.
The hacker responsible for stealing over $235 million from the Indian crypto exchange WazirX has transferred around $10 million through sanctioned Tornado Cash in the past 24 hours, according to blockchain security firm Cyvers.
In a Sept. 5 message to CryptoSlate, Cyvers reported that the hacker had begun moving assets the previous day. So far, $10 million in Ethereum (ETH) has been laundered through Tornado Cash, including deposits of about $2 million in ETH.
Cyvers also noted that the hacker moved approximately 5,000 ETH (valued at $12 million) to a new wallet address, “0x2…968.”
Market analysts observed that the WazirX hacker’s laundering tactics resemble those employed by the North Korea-backed Lazarus Group. This group is reportedly behind more than $2 billion in crypto thefts and allegedly funds North Korean government activities.
Lazarus Group often uses Tornado Cash to obscure its transactions as part of a sophisticated laundering process, which sometimes involves chain-hopping.
These laundering activities come as WazirX announced an early withdrawal window for users to access 66% of their Indian rupee (INR) token balances. Initially set for Sept. 9, the exchange moved the withdrawal date forward, allowing users to access funds sooner.
On Sept. 3, Nischal Shetty, the co-founder of the Indian crypto trading platform, stated:
“Phase 2 of INR withdrawals is live ahead of schedule. We’re working tirelessly to deliver even faster results. Our objective is to be ahead of schedule for all the timelines we share. We will try our level best to make it happen.”
However, some users expressed dissatisfaction with partial access and questioned when crypto withdrawals would resume. WazirX’s legal team has reportedly indicated that users might recover only 55% to 57% of their crypto holdings.
Meanwhile, the exchange has since filed for restructuring in Singapore to address its liabilities.
Also known as “Akiba,” Liam is a reporter, editor and podcast producer at CryptoSlate. He believes that decentralized technology has the potential to make widespread positive change.
UTSA Career Center helps Roadrunners stand out in the job market The University of Texas at San Antonio
Source link
Ocean cruises are ideal family vacations, with kids clubs, all-ages activities on and off the ship and lots of family-friendly dining options. If you’ve enjoyed a Mediterranean cruise with your kids, you might think a European river cruise would be equally great for a school break trip.
It makes sense. On a river cruise, like an ocean cruise, you have the ease of unpacking once while visiting multiple destinations in a short span of time. Someone else has planned the itinerary and arranged tours for you to choose from, so busy parents have fewer logistics to figure out. Meals are served on board, so you don’t need to stress about making restaurant reservations in foreign cities.
There’s just one problem. Traditional river cruises, in Europe and other destinations like Egypt and Asia, target older travelers, especially retirees. Middle-aged couples might also enjoy food- and wine-themed sailings or guided tours in European cities, but river ships and river cruise itineraries were decidedly not created with kids and teens in mind.
In fact, some river cruise lines have age minimums to sail. On Avalon Waterways, it’s 8 years old; on Viking, it’s 18.
If you’ve been dreaming of river cruising with your kids, don’t despair. Certain lines offer European river cruises for families, with meals and activities designed for an intergenerational crowd. The experience is different from an ocean cruise, but for the right family on the right trip, it can be a great way to introduce your kids to European destinations they’d never visit on a Mediterranean or Baltic cruise.
As you decide what type of cruise best suits your travel preferences, here’s what you need to know about regular European river cruises, the pros and cons of family sailings, and the top choices for river cruises with kids.
Beyond the age restrictions, there are a few other reasons why a typical river cruise is not ideal for families with younger kids and teens.
River ships are built assuming two to a room. Cabins offered on river cruises, even suites, usually lack pull-down berths, sofa beds and bunks in which kids can share a room with their family. Select ships might offer a few cabins with a third berth or connecting rooms, but you’ll need to choose the right ship and book early to lock in a special cabin. Be prepared to book two separate cabins if you’re a family of four.
River ships must be small to fit through locks and under bridges on Europe’s rivers. They typically feature only four decks, including a sun deck on the top. The smaller ships save all of their space for cabins, adult lounges and dining rooms. Not only are there no physical kids clubs, but save for the upper deck, there simply isn’t a lot of space for kids to run around.
Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
Only a few river ships have a “pool.” That’s in quotation marks because the pools are often so small they aren’t bigger than a large hot tub. You might find a putting green or giant chess on the sun deck, but mainly, you’ll find chairs and a short walking track. Adults might find the options limiting, too, especially on a hot summer day in Europe, but the cruise line expects passengers to spend the day exploring quaint villages.
River cruises are great for offering bicycles for passengers to enjoy along paved river paths. Alas, these don’t come with infant or toddler seats, and kid-size bikes are a rarity. Also a rarity: foods kids can easily enjoy at dinner if they prefer chicken nuggets and pizza. Excursions offered to passengers are also designed for adults rather than kids, with lots of walking tours to historic sites or museums. You won’t find kid-focused activities like crafts or movie nights either.
Even if all of the above doesn’t bother you, you’ll have to be OK with being the lone family in a sea of couples. Your kids likely won’t find peers to play with on a regular European river cruise. You might even get some side-eye from cruisers who chose a river cruise instead of an ocean cruise to avoid children.
Related: Best cruise lines for families
River cruise providers have realized that families do want to explore Europe’s rivers together. Often, grandparents who have become fans of this style of travel want to take their grandkids, but they need a more family-friendly option. So select lines such as AmaWaterways (in conjunction with Adventures by Disney), Tauck and Uniworld open up select departures to families with kids and teens. Multigenerational groups and travelers without children are also welcome.
For these sailings, the lines tailor the activities in port, food options and onboard programming to a broader audience, with kid-friendly additions. These European river cruises can make fabulous family vacations for the following reasons.
If you’re used to 4,000-person ships or larger, a 200-person river cruise is a big change. What’s nice about a smaller passenger count is that you quickly meet your shipmates at communal dinner tables, excursions or happy hour in the lounge. And you’ll definitely see those people again, as opposed to on an ocean cruise where you might never see the nice family you met on tour out and about on the ship.
On my family river cruise, I found that the relatively small number of kids and teens on board meant that same-aged kids would hang out all together, even if they wouldn’t be fast friends in a larger setting. My son is not super-social, but the other teens would always bang on his door and ask him to join them playing Roblox on their devices in the lounge or giant chess on the sun deck. And with just a few hangouts (sun deck, lounge, dining room), I could let my younger daughter run off with her buddies and not worry about finding her again. (We did set up ground rules regardless.)
Related: Why it’s easier to meet new people on a smaller cruise ship
Several river cruise lines that host family cruises will bring on extra staff to help out with kids and families. Called Family Hosts or Adventure Guides, these crew members will organize special dinners and activities for the younger cruisers, give suggestions about the best snacks and activities to discover during free time ashore and generally assist families with their travel needs.
Because the lines dedicate certain ships to the family sailings, they make sure the regular crew are fans of kids, as well. On my AmaWaterways sailing, the hotel director and the cruise manager clearly loved having young cruisers on board. Waiters made paper masks and napkin dolls to entertain the littlest sailors at dinner.
You can be sure that the river ship chosen for the family sailings will be the most family-friendly of the bunch. That means you’re likely to be on a ship with cabins featuring a third berth, connecting rooms or a pool. The cruise line might bring aboard kid-size bikes and helmets for these sailings or dedicate part of the lounge as a kids club or hangout. Menus will be tweaked to offer kid-friendly options, such as hot dogs or mac and cheese.
River cruise lines pay as much attention to off-ship activities as onboard ones on family sailings. You might find more active options like canoeing, trips to amusement parks or visits to open-air museums with hands-on activities or crafts. We even visited a chocolate museum.
But it’s not all junior fun. The lines will still offer wine-tasting tours, pub crawls, museum visits, and slower-paced activities for child-free adults or families who want to split up for the day to pursue different interests. Just know that you can’t leave your child on the ship while you head off to a winery.
Related: Best river cruise lines around the world
Even when offering a family voyage, the boat often houses kids’ programs in spaces originally intended for adults. You won’t find video games, movie nights, craft making or fun character interactions — even on an Adventures by Disney river cruise.
Fitting three or four to a room on a river ship will be incredibly tight, and you all will have to manage a single small bathroom. Even if you’re sailing on a ship that can fit your entire family in one room, you might be more comfortable booking two rooms. On my family river cruise, that meant my daughter and I shared one room and my husband and son another.
Related: The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin
You won’t find the abundance of dining venues on a river cruise that you do on a big (or even a small!) oceangoing ship. On our AmaWaterways cruise, we ate nearly all of our meals in the main dining room (waiter-served at dinner, a mix of waiter-served and buffet at breakfast and lunch). A small breakfast buffet was set out in the lounge each morning, and occasionally, a casual waiter-served lunch was available there. Our ship had one specialty restaurant with a set menu but no room service. Between meals, you could order a set tapas plate or afternoon tea service (with little pastries and finger sandwiches) or grab a cookie, but that was it.
A perk of ocean cruises is the option to use a babysitter, so mom and dad can enjoy a quiet, romantic dinner on their vacation every once in a while. Even on family river cruises in Europe, couple time is limited. There were kid dinners supervised by crew members on two nights of our trip, but the supervision didn’t extend beyond 8 p.m. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but know that you will be spending nearly all your time as a family.
Family river cruises tend to include tours in their fares, which makes planning easy but doesn’t always lend itself to a leisurely schedule. Morning tours often require meetups at 7:30 or 8 a.m., and these might be followed by a similarly structured tour after lunch. In many destinations, you might have post-tour free time in the city but only two or three options for when you can return to the ship. Don’t expect days of sleeping in and lazing around the sun deck; you will be exploring a new port daily.
European river cruises for families are generally offered by the higher-end cruise lines and will generally cost thousands of dollars per person. Do not expect discounted fares for children. The value is high, with tours, meals, some or all alcoholic drinks, gratuities, airport transfers and/or Wi-Fi included in the price, but even in the lowest-category cabins, a river cruise is a pricy vacation for a family with kids. A family of four can easily pay upward of $20,000 for a weeklong cruise — and that’s just the cruise fare.
You don’t have many options to offset cruise fares with points and miles; you could pay for a river cruise with a card like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and then use points from the card to offset the charge, but you might get better value transferring your points to pay for a precruise hotel or flight.
Related: Kids cruise free: 7 cruise lines offering family deals
Adventures by Disney cruises provide bubbly, family-friendly Disney employees to serve as your own tour guides through the sites along the cruise route. Disney has set up some special excursions on each cruise (like strudel making in Vienna and alpine toboggan rides in Germany’s Black Forest), and you’ll find that extra-special Disney touch accounting for every last detail. Trips are all-inclusive; fares cover excursions, Wi-Fi, gratuities, airport transfers and wine, beer and soda at mealtime.
The AmaWaterways ships used by Disney feature connecting rooms, as well as triples and quads, and have small pools on the sun deck. Cruises take place on the Seine, Rhine and Danube rivers.
Related: I thought river cruises were just for retirees, but a Disney river cruise proved me wrong
Don’t let the Disney name fool you: Some Adventures by Disney sailings are adults-only. The rest have a minimum age of 5 years old (though the recommended age is 8-plus), a big difference from Disney Cruise Line. All have subtle Disney touches, but you won’t get character appearances or a theme park atmosphere.
If you want that immersive Disney experience with characters galore and a kid-first atmosphere, Disney Cruise Line offers European itineraries every summer on its oceangoing ships.
Tauck was the river line that invented the family-focused cruise back in 2010 with its Tauck Bridges sailings. These special departures are designed specifically for families and are led by a Tauck Director with a proven track record of catering to families. They’re offered on select sailings on the Danube, Douro, Rhine, Rhone and Seine rivers.
Tauck will take kids as young as 4 but believes that children ages 8 and up will get the most from excursions such as a geocaching scavenger hunt in Passau, Germany; a ride on the world’s steepest cogwheel train above Lake Lucerne, Switzerland; or a cowboy demonstration and lunch at a ranch near Provence, France. The ship does not carry child-size bikes but ensures that smaller bikes are available on cycling excursions operated by local providers.
Each of Tauck’s river ships features an entire deck of roomy suites that can sleep four with a pullout sofa. All have plunge pools, putting greens and top-deck grills for cookouts on select evenings (a family favorite).
Tauck recognizes that in multigenerational groups, you don’t always get an even number of travelers. Therefore, it waives the single supplement on every Category 1 cabin, so a solo grandparent, relative, nanny or young adult can join the fun without paying double.
Uniworld’s luxury cruises open up on select summer dates for eight-day Danube and Rhine River itineraries for families. These Generations Collection cruises work well for multigenerational groups, offering a little something for everyone during excursions. Options might include a visit to the “Schloss Schonbrunn Experience” Children’s Museum Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna; a cycling excursion on the Danube Bike Trail; or fun in the Bavarian Forest, Germany’s largest national park.
Two Family Hosts plan activities for Junior Cruisers (ages 4 to 12) and teens (ages 13 to 17), including kids-only dinners, cooking classes with the chef, craft workshops and movie nights complete with popcorn. A special space is set up on board for kids and teens with board and video games, movies and treats.
The all-inclusive sailings include kid-friendly menus and complimentary beverages not just at meals, as well as Wi-Fi, gratuities and the use of kid-size and adult bikes and walking sticks ashore. Many of the ships offering family sailings have pools, as well as three-person rooms and connecting cabins.
Beyond Europe, Uniworld offers its family-friendly Generations cruises on Nile River cruises in Egypt in December.
A-Rosa is a European river cruise line that offers family cruises for an international clientele, especially during summer break and the winter holidays. The main languages on board are German and English, so your family will get European immersion on board and ashore.
The line stands out for its dedicated kids club activities on board, including movie nights, scavenger hunts and pizza baking with the ship’s chef. These are led by bilingual youth staff and cater to kids ages 4 to 15 (though there is no minimum age to sail). Additionally, the line offers family discounts; children up to 15 years old can cruise free when sharing a Deck 1 cabin with an adult. Off the ship, families can become history detectives in Vienna, meet camels and ostriches on a farm in Germany, and visit zoos, amusement parks and chocolate museums in multiple destinations.
For the best family experience, book a cruise on A-Rosa Sena, a river ship built with multigenerational travel in mind. It features a dedicated kids club space on board (plus a large spa for adults), family cabins that sleep up to five in a room with bunk beds, a shallow kids pool and a regular pool with onboard swimming lessons for an extra fee, and a kids buffet.
Traditional river cruises are not geared for families with young kids, but families looking for a European river cruise do have options with family-friendly sailings from lines like Tauck, Uniworld and AmaWaterways (run by Adventures by Disney). The smaller ships and busy schedule might not be every family’s cup of tea, but they can be a wonderful way to introduce kids to a handful of European countries, cities and towns on one trip.
As a busy working parent, I can say that perhaps the most compelling reason to take a European river cruise is to have someone else plan the itinerary, scout out fun-for-kids activities in port and be ready to offer you a choice of tasty meals when you return. Your kids will enjoy making friends on board, and you can relax without having to navigate a giant megaship.
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
Parenting in this culture is fraught with challenges that our parents did not encounter when we were kids. Our parents took certain things for granted that our generation of parenting no longer can. For example, the idea of “pronoun preference” was inconceivable twenty or thirty years ago.
Parenting in today’s culture can make you feel like you’re in a boat headed out into uncharted waters. The good news is that even though the culture may throw new challenges in the face of Christian parents, we believe that Scripture speaks a better, inspired, and authoritative word in which to anchor our parenting.
What’s fascinating in the current cultural moment is that even non-Christians agree that many of the biggest changes in our culture are posing massive threats to childhood well-being. This means that parenting is growing more difficult because it requires living in a culture that actively undermines, among other things, the innocence and mental health of children. We should also be encouraged that despite what seems to be very strong headwinds that cause challenges for parents today, the formula for parenting remains fairly simple: intentional engagement, tender-hearted love, and godly authority.
Andrew T. Walker,
Christian Walker
In a world filled with cultural confusion, this book provides busy Christian parents with quick and trustworthy answers to questions their children may ask about life’s toughest topics, including abortion, sexuality, technology, political engagement, and more.
That raises an important question: What in America’s cultural landscape has changed that requires more intentionality on the part of Christian parents? Many topics could be discussed related to this issue, but here are four unique pressure points that have changed the landscape for Christian parenting in this generation, requiring us to have a strategy for how to remain faithful.
Without a doubt, what has changed most dramatically over the past few decades is the scope of the moral revolution that has taken place concerning sexuality. Many of the sexual norms that we all grew up with and took for granted are now not only disagreed with and despised but are instead seen as attacks on a person’s understanding of their identity. In many parts of the country, to openly declare a Christian ethic about sexuality is equated with racism. Western culture has displaced the Christian concept of godly sexual ethics as the overarching moral guardrail to guide society and put subjectively defined sexuality in its place. While Christians can affirm the inherent goodness of our sexual design, when society pursues sexuality apart from God’s will and God’s word, despair and hurt will be the inevitable consequence.
Christian parents need to actively confront the sexual confusion of our age with a biblical worldview. We should understand our culture’s departure from biblical sexuality as a tragic social collapse. Christians are not motivated by self-righteousness when we state our biblical convictions on sexuality. No, we are motivated to tell the truth about God’s design for sexuality, marriage, and children’s welfare in hopes that all individuals would know what it means to thrive and prosper.
Tied to sexuality is the modern notion of identity. Identity language is everywhere. On the one hand, we can affirm the impulse to ground one’s identity in hopes of having a sense of self-worth and purpose. But on the other hand, when individuals go searching for an identity that is built on human-centered understandings of happiness and fulfillment, sin’s impact on our perception and our will ensures that we will try to ground our identity in places that are not ultimately fulfilling. Some identities are legitimate. For example, it is good to claim a national and ethnic identity since Scripture sees no inherent contradiction with those and their understanding of human dignity. But when we ground our identity in ways of living in the world that Scripture views as sinful, we will only be left with despair. Whether grounding our identity in a sexual orientation, a gender identity, or maybe some identity that is good but not ultimate, we need to understand that we are missing what it means to be truly human.
There is no better place to ground one’s identity than in being God’s image bearer. That identity is objective, universal, and equal. While it does not call us to neglect legitimate earthly identities, it does call us to reject any identity grounded in sin.
Technology is by far the greatest social force shaping modern parenting. If you are like us, what is available today to the average kid with a tablet or smartphone is unimaginable from the vantage point of our childhood. Whereas our days were spent riding bikes around town, now it is common to see teenagers exchange in-person interactions for digital interactions. Over-exposure to social media, alongside the algorithmic manipulation that is built in to apps, is causing a generational crisis when it comes to mental health.
There is no better place to ground one’s identity than in being God’s image bearer.
We believe that technology is something that can be harnessed for great good. We are not Luddites, and we welcome technology in our home. But technology is not simply a value-neutral resource. It is constantly shaping us, forming us, and training us in its image. If Christian parents are not intentional about having a technology policy in their home, a go-with-the-flow attitude will necessarily result in your home being inundated with thoughtless and harmful technological consumption.
As American culture has grown more secular, society has removed Christianity from the center of cultural self-understanding. Yes, we celebrate Christmas in America, but if one were to state the Bible’s teaching on marriage, he would find himself facing incredible hostility. This puts Christians in the United States in the uncomfortable position of trying to hold on to both their Christian identity and their American identity. Can the two co-exist? We think they can, but it will require Christian parents to lean into their Christian identity and to disciple their children with ever greater intentionality. This also puts strain on Christian families as they consider how to educate their children. While public schools are the most affordable, in many places in the United States, public schools are dominated by secular forces that are hostile to biblical Christianity. Christians must be very discerning about how their children are educated. Public schools can no longer be counted on as an institution that broadly reflects a culture that aligns with Christian values—just the opposite, in fact.
While it may seem inconceivable from how we grew up, being a Christian parent in America today will require us to have a “theology of persecution” for our children. Of course, not all persecution is the same. Christians overseas are persecuted far more than Christians in America. But however it is spun, hostility is still hostility. In these moments, we must teach our children what it means to bear the reproach of Christ with joy in the face of daunting cultural pressure.
Andrew T. Walker and Christian Walker are the authors of What Do I Say When . . . ?: A Parent’s Guide to Navigating Cultural Chaos for Children and Teens.
5 Myths about Gender Identity
Samuel D. Ferguson
While we should be careful not to reduce gender to cultural stereotypes, we must realize that uprooting gender from biology effectively kills it. If gender can be anything, it ends up being nothing.
Does the Bible Speak to Today’s Struggle with Personal Identity?
Brian S. Rosner
The Bible does actually address many of the questions of identity that we’re asking today—in really profound, beautiful, and true ways.
Does God Care about Gender Identity?
Samuel D. Ferguson
In this video, Samuel D. Ferguson carefully walks through the core beliefs of the transgender movement, comparing them with fundamental truths expressed in Scripture.
Podcast: We’re in a Strange New World. Now What? (Carl Trueman)
Carl Trueman explores the history of Western thought with the view of answering two simple questions. How did we get here? How should the church respond?
Are you ready to take control of your financial future? Yes! Now let’s develop that personal financial plan to make it happen.
You don’t need a financial advisor to develop your own financial plan. In fact, YOU are the best person to put one together.
When you’re directly involved in mapping out your finances you’ll be more likely to actually stick with your goals. Plus, you’ll have a keen awareness of where you stand financially and what it’s going to take to get you to the next level.
Here are six elements of a strong financial plan.
What’s the point of even having a financial plan if you don’t have any goals? There isn’t one.
If you want to make headway financially you need goals that are strong enough to inspire you to action. Goals are what allow you to practice delayed gratification.
For instance, if you have a goal of paying off $3,000 worth of credit card debt in six months, you know that if you spend $30 on a new shirt that you don’t really need, you’re robbing yourself of debt freedom.
Strong goals are what keep me in check. Once I am committed to a particular goal, short term sacrifices are pretty easy to make.
Start with strong goals. It’s near impossible to map out a personal financial plan if you don’t have a strong goal to begin with.
Here’s how to put goals into motion: How To Create A Budget
Next comes either the fun, or horrid part, depending on your personality.
I’ll go ahead and be the first to admit: I don’t like strict budgeting. However, I am very aware of what I spend my money on.
There’s no right or wrong way to budget. You need to find what works the best for you.
Common ways to budget:
The Zero Based Budget – A Zero Based Budget is where you map out where your money is going before you even get it. You’re essentially “spending” your money before it even hits your bank account. With a zero based budget every dollar has a purpose.
Saving From the Top – Another way to budget, which works wonderfully for those of us who don’t like the zero based budget, is to skim from the top. With this style you meet all of your financial goals before you spend any money on bills or other expenses.
For instance, you’ll have money automatically put in your investing, savings, or debt pay off accounts. You’re allowed to spend everything else.
This method is also great if you lack discipline. You’ll automatically meet your financial goals without ever having to lift a finger.
Bottom line: There are a ton of different ways to budget. The method you use doesn’t really matter. What matters is that you’re hyper aware of your income and expenses and are able to trim the fat where necessary and move those savings toward your goals.
If you want a FREE tool to help, we suggest Empower to keep track of all your income and expenses.
You need a decent emergency fund before starting on other goals like accelerating your debt payoff, saving for a house, or saving for retirement.
Emergency funds come in handy and will prevent you from paycheck to paycheck living.
Most financial experts recommend that you have at least 3-6 months’ worth of cash set aside for emergencies. I agree, but ultimately, your emergency fund needs to be whatever makes you feel comfortable.
When saving an emergency fund you can also factor that if you did lose your income your expenses would probably be a lot lower. I know I would be slashing expenses like crazy if I didn’t have any income coming in.
After you’ve reached your desired emergency fund amount it’s time to really accelerate your financial goals.
This is the fun part!
If you have high interest debt, like credit card debt, paying that off should be your main focus. Once that’s done you can choose to pay off lower interest rate debt or move onto saving and investing.
We all live different lives and have different mindsets. I can’t tell you what you should be working on. You need to figure out what means the most to you and then go all in on it.
However, one thing you need to be aware of, is retirement savings. You should have a retirement savings plan as one of your goals.
You can take all that cash you’ve been funneling toward your emergency fund and spread it between your financial goals.
Related: Best High Yield Savings Accounts
Insurance is often overlooked in a strong financial plan. The truth is, without the right type of insurance all of your hard work could go down the drain with one accident.
Don’t skimp on insurance!
Some insurances that you absolutely need:
Auto Insurance – Obviously, if you have a car you shouldn’t go without auto insurance. If you have a lot of assets make sure that you have high liability limits on your auto policy.
Homeowner’s Insurance – If you own a home you already know how important homeowner’s insurance is. Once again, your liability limits need to be high enough to protect you should someone get injured on your property.
Health Insurance – A major health problem could bankrupt you. This is one insurance that you do not want to be without. If you’re without health insurance I’d recommend that you look into getting an inexpensive, high deductible plan. You’ll pay a lot upfront with a high deductible health plan but in the event of a major medical issue your insurance will save you from financial catastrophe.
Life Insurance – For some reason, it seems that life insurance is the most skipped over insurance out there. If you have a family that you want to protect then you absolutely need life insurance.
Everyone’s situation is different. When factoring how much life insurance you need think of how your spouse/kids would be impacted financially if something happened to you. At the very least you should get enough coverage to pay off your mortgage.
Thanks to technology buying life insurance has become much easier. And as a side note, I would highly recommend that you get a term policy over a whole life policy. It’s hard to beat the price and protection that terms policies offer.
Last, but certainly not least, is a strategy for increasing your income.
For a lot of people, expenses aren’t the problem – its income. If you’re making $20,000 per year you’re never going to get ahead. You need to get creative and actively look to increase your income.
It takes hard work and hustle but anyone can do it. You just have to have the right attitude.
Here are 50+ side hustles to get you thinking.
As time goes by your financial goals and insurance needs will change. Review your financial plan often and readjust whenever necessary.
Do you have your own personal financial plan?
