That scheme was allegedly uncovered in 2022 by undercover federal investigators in the case, as FBI agents allegedly spoke with defendants Fred Blakely, 60, and Mary Blakely, 75, in recorded conversations. According to U.S. prosecutors in Pennsylvania’s Eastern District, investigation into the defendants’ potentially fraudulent businesses in multiple states ultimately led federal agents to discover that Fred Blakely worked with his family’s pastor in Havasu (who was not named in U.S. Court documents as of Tuesday) to manufacture firearms on the pastor’s property, and distribute those weapons statewide. Neither U.S. Court documents nor federal authorities have identified that pastor as of Tuesday evening.

In a conversation recorded May 17, 2023, Mary Blakely allegedly described the weapons manufacturing operation to undercover FBI agents.
“(Fred Blakely) and the pastor have been making guns,” Mary Blakely was quoted in Romero’s argument against possible release for the defendants. “Thousands of guns. We’re arming Arizona … They’ve got a big garage. (Fred) and the pastor are making guns for the world…They’re arming America.”

Fred and Mary Blakely were both previously convicted in Nevada’s U.S. District Court in 1997 on charges of conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine. Both have been prohibited from possessing firearms for more than 25 years, according to court documents.

In recorded conversations, Romero says that Fred Blakely detailed “extensive, successful efforts” to straw-purchase firearms through others, acquire firearms through undocumented personal exchanges, and to build firearms himself.

“We’re gonna have to go to war with our own government,” Fred Blakely allegedly told investigators, in a conversation recorded Aug. 11, 2022. “A civil war … we know that from the higher ups. They’re trying to start a civil war … you better arm up good. I’ve got thousands of rounds of ammunition and I’m ready to rock … as a matter of fact, I’m planning on shooting some humans … when this [poop] starts.”

[As for the health fraud:]

Through multiple business operations throughout Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and Utah, federal officials say Mary and Fred Blakely advertised the use of sonic imaging (with the use of “smart chip” technology purportedly invented by Mary Blakely) to diagnose and possibly treat a variety of ailments including kidney stones, cancer and respiratory disorders. The defendants also allegedly prescribed holistic remedies and even veterinary medication to their patients under false labeling.

Not sure whether they should be running ATF or NIH after their pardons.

Austin Rep. Donna Howard gives thanks for 'freedom of and from religion'

A Texas lawmaker whose religious affiliation includes atheists and agnostics suggested all religions pray to the same "God of many names" during an interfaith prayer service at the state capitol.

Democratic Rep. Donna Howard of Austin delivered the opening invocation for the Feb. 11 meeting of the 89th Legislative Session with a prayer for "Texans of every religion and no religion" in which she gave thanks for living in a nation, she said, that protects the "freedom of and from religion."

"I'm grateful to live in a country where we have a constitutional right to no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the full exercise thereof, freedom of and from religion," said Howard, a former nurse who has represented her district since 2006.

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Good! Put an end to this nonsense!

Lord have mercy!

Disgusting! More reasons why drag queens shouldn’t be around minors!

Poor Scotland.

That’s unfortunate.

I ask for his intercession often!

With just under a dozen years on the Chair of Peter, Pope Francis is among a group of 9 other pontiffs to reign as pope for stints of 11-12 years.​

When Jorge Mario Bergoglio was chosen by his fellow cardinals to follow Pope Benedict XVI as the next Successor to St. Peter on March 13, 2013, he was a pope of many “firsts”:

• First member of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) to be elected pope
• First pontiff to hail from the Western Hemisphere and south of the Equator
• First pope in over 1200 years to have been raised outside of Europe (St. Gregory III, elected in the 8th Century, was from modern-day Syria)

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Has anybody out there experienced these promises fulfilled from Father God in your journey, too? Can He get a witness?

Isaiah 43 NIV

"But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.
Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life."

"Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
I will say to the north,
'Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”

"Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,
who have ears but are deaf.
All the nations gather together
and the peoples assemble.
Which of their gods foretold this
and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me."

"I, even I, am the Lord,
and apart from me there is no savior.
"I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God."

"Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?”

John 10:28-29 NIV

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand."

My prayer for those of you on the same journey - do not grow weary! Peaks, valleys, water, fire, trials, tribulations... He's gotcha! All part of His Plan. You... are... appreciated.

Philippians 1:3-6 NIV

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

soldier of light said:

I'm saying that some people do

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Relatively few people, for example, St. Anthony the Great, St. Paul the Hermit, St. Symeon the Stylite or more recently, St. Seraphim of Sarov and Fr. Lazarus el Antony have a vocation as a solitary or anchorite, and even then, usually there is an element of interaction with others, albeit with some degree of separation being common, for example, St. Seraphim of Sarov would visit with people and animals such as bears through the window of his hermitage after retiring to it following several years of service as the presbyter serving the famous convent in Sarov (which unfortunately can no longer be visited by most would-be pilgrims because the USSR decided it would be “cute” to make Sarov the center of their nuclear arms production industry, and thus while the convent has reopened, the town itself is basically like Sandia National Laboratories and the Nevada Test Site and several other US nuclear industries of a sensitive nature rolled into one; I have no doubt the Soviets chose Sarov as the center for their nuclear arms production precisely as a slap in the face to Christians.

This would not be out of character for the ruling CPSU, considering they opted to put science museums in major Orthodox cathedrals as part of a bid to imply Orthodox Christianity was unscientific. They evenaaaaaaa forged the transmission log so that Yuri Gagarin’s first transmission on reaching orbit became the highly improbable “I don’t see God up here”, which becomes even more improbable in light of the fact that Yuri is known to have been secretly baptized and was one of many members of the communist party who secretly practiced Christianity (party members were prohibited from being members of the Church or from engaging in religious worship and were instead required to be atheists, and the best-paying, most interesting, most powerful and otherwise most sought-after jobs, like that of cosmonaut, were only open to Communist Party members).

'Cuts we made at HHS over the weekend did not compromise health and safety of Americans,' official says​

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) still employs more people than it did in 2019, despite "Democrat hysteria" over recent cuts within the department's agencies, Fox News Digital exclusively learned.

A senior Trump administration official told Fox News Digital that there have been 6,000 departures from HHS since Jan. 20, Inauguration Day. The agency, however, still employs nearly 6,000 more people than it did in 2019, including more than 2,000 employees at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) relative to 2019 numbers, and 1,200 employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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Chandelier spent decades on ocean floor after RMS Titanic sank in 1912​

One special item is on display at "Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition" at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, New Jersey, and is capturing the attention of guests.

A chandelier that hung in a smoking lounge for first-class passengers will be on display after sitting at the bottom of the Atlantic for decades, NJ.com reported.

It will be included in an exhibit that has nearly 250 artifacts by RMS Titanic, Inc.

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Transportation Sec Duffy pens letter to Hochul pulling support for NYC congestion pricing​

President Donald Trump's administration has moved to block the New York City congestion pricing toll program.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy penned a letter informing New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday that the Federal Highway Administration's approval of the pilot program was "not authorized by law."

"New York State’s congestion pricing plan is a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners," Duffy also said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. "Commuters using the highway system to enter New York City have already financed the construction and improvement of these highways through the payment of gas taxes and other taxes. But now the toll program leaves drivers without any free highway alternative, and instead, takes more money from working people to pay for a transit system and not highways. It’s backwards and unfair."

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wing2000 said:

Let's see what the Trump administration does in practice.

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Will there be any worker bees to do the work there?

The U.S. Department of Education terminated over $600 million in grants that the agency said were hyper-fixated on race and involved training educators and institutions on "divisive ideologies."

In a Monday announcement, the department asserted that the grants awarded to teacher preparation programs contained "inappropriate and unnecessary topics," such as critical race theory, diversity, equity, and inclusion, social justice activism and anti-racism.

The department also claims that several of the defunded programs included instruction on white privilege and white supremacy. Other defunded programs contained teacher recruitment and staffing strategies based on race.

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Hannah66 said:

I was excited when I learnt a friend from school had become a christian in her 20's.

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Amen. Hi, Hannah >

Hannah66 said:

We are both now, in our fifties.

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So, you've had over thirty years to live, since she became a Christian.

Hannah66 said:

We ran into each other in the shopping centre about 17 years ago and I was anxious to hear about her faith
and testimony but all she seemed to want to focus on was her children and becoming preggnant again.

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Well, it can be good to talk about what someone wants to talk about. Her testimony can include how she has children and how she is bringing them up, plus how she is learning to relate with her husband the way God's word says for us to relate with one another in Jesus.

You can listen and then draw her out to talk about these things. And then maybe bring in your ministerial perspective and ask her about her faith.

And, of course, faith is not only belief, but >

"faith working through love" (in Galatians 5:6)

So, Biblical faith has us growing in God's love and how He has us relating >

"without complaining and disputing" (in Philippians 2:14),

"swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath" (in James 1:19-20).

"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."(Ephesians 4:32)

So, yes we have forgiving to do . . . how God forgives and in us has us forgiving kindly, humbly, generously, praying for someone to do better.

Hannah66 said:

I know the scriptures talk about children and what a blessing they are.
My friend has 11 children and lost twins some years ago.

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I understand that we need to be trusting God so death does not have great power over us to make us suffer.

Jesus died so He could destroy Satan who has had the power of "fear of death" >

"Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." (Hebrews 2:14-15)

From this, I see we are wise to trust our lives to God, and do not fear however there will be deaths and losses in our lives.

With God's blessings do come tests and losses. And as Christians we will adopt more and more people to love dearly as family, and so we also adopt their trials and problems and even tragedies. So, then, we need to become strong and creative in God's love so we are ready to handle well their problems and how ones of them will die before we do. And minister this to others so we all grow strong in Jesus.

Hannah66 said:

She was devastated - naturally
but her whole focus and identity was wrapped up in being a mother.

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Yes, children can be what I call "love idols". And this can make a person deeply weak so the person can suffer much more when things happen to our love idols.

"if you love those who love you, what reward have you" (in Matthew 5:46)

We need to be all-loving in God's love so we are strong about the hard things of this life. This is part of why Paul says,

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." (Ephesians 6:10)

Be strong in how Jesus is in love, so that hard things can not have power over us.

But yes do mourn for ones who die.

Hannah66 said:

I later learnt she was part of the 'quiverful movement'

She has 11 children and I think nearly close to 50 grandchildren.

Her FB posts are always about her family.

I love how she gives glory to God for them but I neverr see any other interaction with other families.

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We need to care about others as ourselves. You can adopt other people's children, by loving them and caring for them in prayer, and supporting those who have children. We have "the Spirit of adoption", right? (Romans 8:15) Though we might not have children, we can be adoptive of others, loving others as our own family in Jesus. We adopt not only children, but all of our brothers and sisters in Jesus.

So, she has a problem, if she does not have tender care and compassion for you.

Be her example of how to love, so she can find out how to love.

Hannah66 said:

I lost a baby and felt that we had something in common but she never recognised the baby I lost

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Be her example. Trust God.for how He is able to succeed in her >

"casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

And **do not let this isolate you**!! Share with your husband and pastoring couple and others worthy of your trust.

Hannah66 said:

She has struggled with some depression, naturally over the loss of her twins

Her and her sisster were in a race to see how many children they could have
Her sister had 14 and she was sad, only 11 for her but 13 including the twins she has lost.

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That could be a pride thing. And pride can help keep us deeply weak so we can suffer much more about loss of children, and suffer about how we see ourselves in comparison with others. So, that does sound like a problem.

If she could even ignore your child who died . . . I understand that with God we feel for and love others. So, forgive her, in prayer of compassion for her. And do not allow her failure to love to have bad power over you >

"And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved." (2 Corinthians 12:15)

There are church people who do not know how to love; and so they can be impossible, inventing horrible ways of seeing you and treating you . . . and suppose they are being smart!!

Be their example and have hope for them > love "hopes all thimgs" (in 1 Corinthians 13:7).

Hannah66 said:

It got me thinking, can we become too obsessed about our families?

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Yes. Above, I offered some things of God's word which could help us, about how to relate with our families.

Hannah66 said:

I know God has blest her with a big family but I would like to relate as a friend but she shuts me out
because I don't have chlldren but doesn't acknowledge the loss of my baby who I lost.

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"'And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in Heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.'" (Mark 11:25)

Hannah66 said:

Just curious about your thoughts. on this

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I need to do what you need to do. I could get very nasty and self-righteous against her. But we can get with God and discover how He has us loving, feeling for others, not allowing wrong and ruined people to have power to make us hurt and unforgiving and self-righteous.

"And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?" (1 Peter 3:13)

With God, we can help impossible people.

Stephen3141 said:

I agree. the high cost of living in a lot of manufacturing areas in America, and the
lack of affordable housing, are why a lot of manufacturing jobs have gone
overseas.

If America wants to bring the MANUFACTURING of high end silicon chips
back to America, politicians will have to practically overcome these American
deficiencies. This is a national security issue. But it is also a generic problem
that America faces, and must overcome, if it wants to bring manufacturing
back to America.

Simplistic "BullSpeak" that blames the other political party of conspiring to
undercut the American economy, is a smokescreen. America has got to rethink
the foundations of its economy, and this may mean leaving behind the model
of "free trade" that the billionaires like, but that cuts out more and more of
the average middle class from getting college degrees, and advanced high
tech jobs that have employment security.

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Agree - it is a complex issue with many parts and problems.

There is enough fault to go around that the political left, the political right, local, state and federal government and big business can all fairly get their share of the blame.

Here is article that talks about the problems TSMC faces in hiring in America.


In short, the article asks. "Why would someone with the degrees TSMC seeks (4year degree + masters in many cases + PHD if you are seeking a higher level role) go to work for TSMC when they can work for a company like Intel who offers better pay, a "kinder" company culture and a far better work/life balance? "

In addition there is the lawsuit TSMC faces over favoritism to Taiwanese employees.


I have to admit, given those hard facts I would pick Intel over TSMC as I am sure most would given the choice.

In addition you have the US college costs of roughly 100k or more for a 4year engineering and probably 60k for the masters to consider. I cannot blame anyone for going for a higher salary, better work / life job.

It is a thorny issue with many components. But, I'll admit that I see news of record company profits and record CEO pay in the billions sometimes and I would how much it would really hurt these big companies to boost the average employee pay a bit?

We do have to make sure of our own salvation anyway, to be sure we are changed showing it, and not having responded with error in understanding what is needed for essential faith that would not be superficial faith. There is God and Jesus saves? The enemy knows this and would tremble for that. Knowing this and saying one's self is Christian is such error, that is not the essential faith, though important in it. Those not one of the people with the essential faith, who God secures with salvation and provides what is needed for growth, are ones that would fall away from them and the true gospel... unless they come to awareness or some give that to them that they yet need what is in the essential faith of the gospel, and they will respond rightly for that.

In Gethsemane, Mk 14:

33 He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”

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Those were overwhelming emotions, but fear was not listed.

Parallel account in Mt 26:

37 Taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”

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Lk 22:

44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

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BDAG ἀγωνία:

apprehensiveness of mind, esp. when faced with impending ills, distress, anguish (anxiety varying in degree of intensity

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Jesus was apprehensive but just short of fear.

Was Jesus afraid in the Garden of Gethsemane?

Some scholars think so but I don't. I'd stick to word precision in answering this question.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is suing the Trump administration over what the bishops say is an unlawful suspension of funding for refugee programs in the United States.

Upon taking office last month, President Donald Trump issued sweeping executive orders that, among other measures, directed a freeze on foreign assistance funds and grants, with the White House seeking to uproot left-wing initiatives in federally funded programs.

The orders have led to a flurry of legal challenges from advocates and nonprofit groups arguing that the funding freeze is unlawful. Other groups such as Catholic Charities have urged the Trump administration to reconsider the freeze, citing the “crucial care” the funding helps provide.

In their lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in U.S. district court in Washington, D.C., the USCCB notes that it has worked with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration for “nearly half a century” in order to assist with refugee resettlement in the U.S.

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saved24 said:

My gallbladder looks healthy despite the stones. I had a really good doctor yesterday, heard a lot of good things about her. There seems to be something else wrong with me and I will have to go for another ultrasound, hopefully soon.

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PrYing they get this resolved ASAP.

I would think with the new Russian American co prosperity sphere we are going to want NATO to cut spending altogether.