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Texas Border Wall – Under Trump (2025 – )

Added the following two updates on the border wall.  I'm looking for more substantial information which is significant and definitely going on, but has been underreported since Trump has taken office.

  • 04/15/25: 8th Circuit vacates block on Iowa's SF 2340 which criminalized people previously denied admission to the United States and orders them to be deported.  The law still remains blocked due to separate lawsuit with ACLU of Iowa with no trial date scheduled yet.

  • 04/17/25: TFC reports that 61.8 miles of Texas border wall have been completed.

    • Using Grok A short new article that gives some tips for getting Grok to alter its responses.

    • Hot Cases to watch part 3 Not much movement on this front, but I expect a ruling soon regarding Sweet Cakes by Melissa and Cathy Miller, although, last time, it took the Oregon Court of Appeals just over 2 years to rule on the Sweet Cakes by Melissa case.

    In News:

    4/25/25: New Interactive Map of Gaza Tunnels  

     
    Texas Border Wall – Under Trump (2025 – )

    Updates, so far this year, regarding the US/Mexico border wall have been rather sparse, but it appears that much is happening behind the scenes.  Listed below are the two most recent significant updates regarding the Border Wall in Texas and Texas' efforts to protect itself from the invasion at its southern border.

    • 03/16/25: Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem announces that 7 new miles of construction is beginning in Hidalgo County, Texas ref.

    • 03/18/25: DOJ drops case against Texas' SB4 (2023) and requests the 5th Circuit to dismiss the case as moot.  A trial date is scheduled for July 8, 2025 ref.
     

     
    Exodus from Gaza Begins

    With the resumption of attacks on Hamas in Gaza, an exodus from Gaza has begun and it looks like the Gaza strip will be no more and will be taken over by Israel, but time will tell.  

     
    Texas Border Wall – Under Trump (2025 – )

    Started a new page for border wall progress in Texas under Trump's second term and archived the Texas border wall progress page documenting progress made under Biden.  

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    memo blog

    Memo

    5/11/25 10:16pm Sunday
    As of today here is Grok's projection for the 2026 midterm elections:

    House of Representatives (435 seats):
    Democrats: 226 seats (+11)

    Republicans: 209 seats (-11)

    Independents: 0 seats

    Reasoning: Democrats gain 10 seats (net) due to midterm trends, Trump’s 43% disapproval, and competitive districts, flipping the House with a narrow majority.

    Senate (100 seats):
    Republicans: 52 seats (-1)

    Democrats: 46 seats (+1)

    Independents: 2 seats (Sanders, King, caucusing with Democrats)

    Reasoning: Democrats hold Georgia and Michigan but lose North Carolina, netting 0–1 loss. Republicans retain Senate control due to a favorable map.

    Answer: After the 2026 elections, I project the 120th Congress (2027–2029) will have a House with 226 Democrats, 209 Republicans, and 0 Independents, flipping control to Democrats with a narrow majority. The Senate will likely have 52 Republicans, 46 Democrats, and 2 Independents (caucusing with Democrats), with Republicans retaining control. This reflects midterm losses for Republicans, driven by Trump’s polarizing policies (e.g., deportations, tax cuts) and economic risks, but a Senate map favoring GOP retention.

    TAGS: politics, grok, election

    5/5/25 9:53am Monday
    It looks like there is going to be a big development in the Israel/Gaza war.  Hamas is about to be hit much harder than they have ever been hit before and it will lead to the end of Gaza in a short period of time.  

    If Hamas does not agree to a 45 day ceasefire and release 10 live hostages in just under two weeks Israel will significantly expand the offensive in Gaza and will not stop under any circumstances; even for the release of hostages.  Gideon Chariots

    T-Minus 4 days...

    TAGS: none

    5/4/25 4:45am Sunday
    Joh Piper has an interesting insight for those who are slow learners.

    While Piper doesn’t frame these experiences as advantages of being a "slow learner" per se, his reflections indicate that slower, deliberate engagement with material can lead to deeper appreciation, richer understanding, and eventual passion for learning, particularly when oriented toward glorifying God. These insights align with his six habits of lifelong learning—observe, understand, evaluate, feel, apply, and express—where careful, thoughtful processing is prioritized over speed.  -Grok


    TAGS: bible

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    9/6/24 7:31pm Sunday
    Assurance of Salvation
     --ongoing

    A Christian is one who believes in Christ as Lord and Savior.  It is through no accomplishment on the Christians part that they have received Jesus as their Savior. It is the Holy Spirit that has regenerated the heart.

    The believer or Christian may wonder if their faith is a saving faith, for, after all, even demons believe and are still damned. Saving faith has a regenerative quality in that the believer was once dead and only lived for and cared for this life and the flesh, but now love God and live for Him and want to be like Him and desire to put to death the idolatry of the world and the flesh.

    When one looks to God and loves the Kingdom of God, the pleasures of this world pale to nothingness in comparison. To have assurance of faith one must focus more and more on God. This is done through meditation on God and good and honorable and noble things.  This is done by expressing your heart to God.  This is done by reading the Bible with a desire to communicate with God and to be more like what God wants us to be.

    Christians struggle against sin while accepting that Christ has already paid the price for sin and welcome God's sanctifying us in this life and look forward to being redeemed with Christ both at the end of this life and at His return in judgement and Glory.

    Greater Freedom from sin occurs as we focus more on God and his Kingdom. The more we do that, the more we will Love God.

    But I still sin and on purpose!

    You are still a Christian if you struggle against sin, hate your sin, take pains to put to death your sin, turn away from your sin, turn instead to Christ, and confess your sin to God.

    But I still take pleasure in sin!

    Well, yes, that's why Christians still sin.  Remember that you hate your sin and hate that you take pleasure in sin.  The pleasure that you take in sin is the desire of your old nature.  Rejoice in your struggle against sin as it is an indication that the Holy Spirit is within you fighting against your old nature.  In the times that you do experience success in a battle against sin, you can praise God and thank Him for your victory!  The Christian with Saving Faith desires forgiveness from sin to have a right standing with Christ and to fight against sin with renewed strength.

    There are Christians in Hell

    Jesus said that there are those who think they are Christian, but who will be unpleasantly surprised when Jesus returns in glory.  Since we are to strive to enter through the narrow gate and work out our salvation with fear and trembling I want to look at the photo-negative of the true Christian or, to be more direct, I want to look at examples spoken of in Scripture of those who truly believe they are Christian, profess to be Christian, and live the Christian life, but to whom God will say "depart from me, I never knew you."

    21 "Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' 23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

    Matthew 7:21-23

    The Christian who does not have saving faith desires forgiveness so that he can enjoy sin guilt free.  

    TAGS: mini-review, bible

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