October 15, 2021
"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." 
Galatians 5:1
Market Recap

For the week, the DJIA gained 548.51 points, or 1.58%, closing at 35,294.76. The S&P 500 rose 80.03 points, or 1.8%, to 4,471.37. The Nasdaq gained 317.80 points, or 2.18%, to close at 14,897.34.

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits dropped below 300,000 last week for the first time in 19 months.

U.S. consumer prices increased solidly in September as Americans paid more for food, rent and a range of other goods, putting pressure on the Biden administration to urgently resolve strained supply chains, which are hampering economic growth.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said on Wednesday that COVID-19 cases are dropping overall in North America but remain high in the American Midwest, Alaska, and Canada's Northwest Territories.

The Federal Reserve appears likely to begin curbing the central bank's $120 billion in monthly asset purchases as early as next month with an eye to end the program in mid-2022.

G7 finance leaders are setting guidelines for central bank digital currencies. Global central banks have stepped up efforts to develop their own digital currencies to modernize financial systems and speed up domestic and international payments.

 
***

Friday Recap: Stocks Climb, Driven by Bank Shares

US stocks rose Friday, making their biggest weekly gains in months following a strong streak of earnings reports. Consumer discretionary and financials lead the way as retail sales unexpectedly increased in September and government bond yields advanced.

Advancing issues outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by a 1.74-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.23-to-1 ratio favored advancers.

Most retail categories saw gains, including a small increase in food services spending despite the latest wave of COVID-19 cases. Sales accelerated at gasoline stations and apparel stores and rebounded at sporting goods stores after a decline in August. Online retail sales, measured by the non-store retailers' category, grew less briskly than in August.

The 10-year US Treasury yield jumped 5.7 basis points to almost 1.58%, among the highest levels seen this year.

A market indication of inflation expectations hit the highest since 2005 on Friday as an unexpected increase in U.S. retail sales in September added to bearish bond sentiment about the
path of interest rates.

After this week's data, the Atlanta Fed's Q3 GDP Nowcast growth estimate was revised down to 1.2% from 1.3%, while the St. Louis Fed's measure was revised up to 6.59% from 6.35%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose to a fresh seven-year high on Friday as the market focuses on tight supply even after a day-prior report showed U.S. crude inventories rose for a third-straight week.

US retail sales rose 0.7% in September compared with a 0.2% decline forecast in a survey compiled by Bloomberg. Previous month was upwardly revised to an increase of 0.9%.

The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index fell to 71.4 in a preliminary October reading, from 72.8 in September. The guidance in a Bloomberg survey was for an increase to 73.1.

U.S. stock indexes were set for gains on Friday after Goldman Sachs rounded out a strong earnings season for big banks, while a surprise rise in retail sales strengthened views about economic recovery.

Exports sales of U.S. wheat exceeded the forecasts of grain traders this week. The USDA says that for the week ended Oct. 7, wheat sales totaled 567,600 metric tons. Meanwhile, corn and soybean sales fell within the expectations of grains traders this week--totaling 1.04 million tons and 1.15 million tons, respectively.

The dollar rose following the retail sales report, making gold more expensive for international buyers. The ICE dollar index was last seen up 0.01 to 93.97 points.

Gold prices fell on Friday as the U.S. dollar and bond yields rose after the United States reported September retail sales unexpectedly rose. Silver was slightly down on Friday but higher for the week, while Platinum and Copper were both up.

Shares of Alcoa climbed 15% after the metals producer posted higher third-quarter sales Thursday, boosted by higher aluminum prices.

Moderna Inc (MRNA) shares were down after a Wall Street Journal report said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is delaying its decision on authorizing Moderna's ( MRNA ) COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents to check if the shot could increase the risk of heart inflammation.

Airlines, cruise operators edged higher after the White House announced it will lift travel restrictions for fully vaccinated foreign nationals effective Nov. 8, at land borders and for air travel.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 382.20 points, or 1.09%, closing at 35,294.76. The S&P 500 rose 33.11 points, or 0.75%, to 4,471.37. The Nasdaq Composite was up 73.911 points, or 0.50%, to close at 14,897.34.
 
For the week, the DJIA gained 548.51 points, or 1.58%, closing at 35,294.76. The S&P 500 rose 80.03 points, or 1.8%, to 4,471.37. The Nasdaq gained 317.80 points, or 2.18%, to close at 14,897.34.

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The US Yields to China in Tech Race and Overall Command [Op-Ed]
The Communist Party of China is now 15 to 20 years ahead of us. In the meantime, we have "kindergarten level" security at the Pentagon.
 
Dan Celia, CEO & President of FISM
Among the growing list of critical concerns that Washington and Wall Street are downplaying is the rapid decline of big tech companies. China’s overhaul and intellectual looting in the technology sector should be a priority focus of the media, especially in the finance sector, but once again those responsible in keeping U.S. citizens informed and prepared are either shamefully neglectful or cooperatively misleading.
 
The Pentagon’s very first Chief Software Officer, Nicolas Chaillan, a brilliant young 37-year-old man, resigned his post at the Defense Department last week in protest at the slow pace of technological transformation in the U.S. military. He said “I could not stand to watch as China overtakes America every single day.”
 
In an interview over the weekend with the Financial Times, Chaillan said that he retired due to the failure of the U.S. to respond to Chinese’ cyber and other threats…(READ MORE)
DHS Ordered to End Workplace Raids, Shift Focus to 'Exploitative Employers'
...the latest attempt by the Biden administration to dismantle border protection laws
 
Chris Lange, FISM News
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been ordered to halt workplace sting operations and instead focus on “unscrupulous employers,” in a move that will shield undocumented workers from deportation.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas issued the directive in a Tuesday memo titled “Worksite Enforcement: The Strategy to Protect the American Labor Market, the Conditions of the American Worksite, and the Dignity of the Individual.”

In the document he says that workplace ICE raids are “highly visible operations misallocated enforcement resources while chilling, and even serving as a tool of retaliation for worker cooperation…(READ MORE)

Pompeo Wins Awards for Trump Era Abraham Accords, Says Israel is 'Not an Apartheid Country'
Pompeo, who is a devout Christian, also asserted the Biblical truth that Israel (including the much-disputed Golan Heights) is the historical and rightful homeland of the Jewish people… 
 
Samuel Case, FISM News
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo toured Israel this week in a trip celebrating the one year anniversary of President Trump’s Abraham Accords that normalized peaceful ties between Israel and multiple Arab countries. The visit culminated in a launch of the Friedman Center for Peace Through Strength, which was founded by former US Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman.

At the launch celebration Ambassador Friedmen awarded Pompeo with the very first “Peace Through Strength Award.”

In his acceptance speech the Secretary touted the success of the Trump administration’s peace deals in the Middle East, saying the Arab-Israeli conflict may be coming to an end. (READ MORE)
US to Resume Nonessential Land Border Crossings
The US Travel Association recently announced that the US is losing $439 million each month that travel and tourism is restricted…
 
Lauren Moye, FISM News
More than a year-and-a-half after closing land borders, the US will once again allow “nonessential” travelers to cross over from Mexico and Canada. The Department of Homeland Security announced yesterday that these borders would open in November to fully vaccinated individuals.

US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said that these non-essential purposes would include “to visit friends and family or for tourism, via land and ferry border crossings.”

The borders closed under Trump’s administration to help control the spread of COVID-19. While the actual date that the borders will reopen has not yet been announced, this step will be the first phase…(READ MORE)
Tightening Virginia Governor's Race Considered Bellwether for '22 Midterms
The race will also serve as a litmus test in the national debate over what extent parents should be involved in their children’s education...
 
Chris Lange, FISM News
A tightening, off-year gubernatorial race in Virginia is being closely monitored in and outside of the beltway, with experts saying its outcome will serve as a bellwether for upcoming midterm elections.

As President Biden’s approval ratings have plummeted, Democrats are feeling the heat to maintain their party’s razor-thin majorities in both the House and Senate.

First Lady Jill Biden plans to visit Henrico, Va. this Friday to stump for Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe, who announced yesterday that former president Barack Obama will join him on the campaign trail later this month. President Biden had previously campaigned for McAuliffe in July.

A recent poll by Christopher Newport University shows…(READ MORE)
Two Georgia Election Workers Fired for Shredding Registration Applications
Raffenserger has long been an outspoken critic of Fulton County elections …
 
Willie R. Tubbs, FISM News
In Atlanta, a pair of county employees were fired after their boss said they shredded hundreds of voter applications within the last two weeks.

As first reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Fulton County Director of Registration & Elections Richard L. Barron announced the firings on Monday.

According to a press release from the county, the two employees shredded about 300 applications submitted in advance of the 2021 election cycle, which began today with the first day of early voting. Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts said in the release that he had submitted the matter to the country’s district attorney…(READ MORE)
Hundreds of Thousands in US Military Remain Unvaccinated as Deadlines Loom
It is unclear how the military will proceed should large portions of the troops remain unvaccinated once the deadlines hit.

Chris Lieberman, FISM News
With deadlines quickly approaching, hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops are not yet fully vaccinated against COVID-19, leaving many to wonder how the military will proceed with so many servicemen failing to comply with mandates.

As reported by the Washington Post, 90% of the Navy, 81% of the Army, 81% of the Air Force, and 76.5% of the Marine Corps are currently fully vaccinated. Rates for the Army National Guard and reserves are significantly lower, currently at 38.5% and 40%, respectively.

Each military branch has set its own deadline for vaccination. The Air Force’s Nov. 2 deadline is the earliest and leaves the nearly 60,000 unvaccinated airmen…(READ MORE)

N. Korea Vows to Create an 'Invincible Military,' Calls Us 'Source of Instability' at Weapons Exhibition
…this may be an attempt to use South Korea as a pawn in an attempt to persuade the US to lift sanctions against them.
 
Michael Cardinal, FISM News
At the North Korean weapons exhibit on Tuesday, Communist leader Kim Jong Un blamed the US for being the “source of instability” in the region and also vowed to create an “invincible military” that no one could challenge.

The exhibition displayed many of the weapons that has caused recent concern in the international community, and comes amidst a recent surge in missile testing from North Korea. In the past several weeks Pyonyang has tested at least 4 different types of missiles. The most concerning of these tests were a hypersonic missile that can travel at immense speeds and a cruise missile that has the capability to carry a nuclear bomb.

Kim’s announcement is believed to be an effort to drive a wedge between long-time allies…(READ MORE)
Former Modern-Day Slave Criticizes Black Lives Matter
"The idea of replacing Clark Kent with another straight white savior felt like a missed opportunity," said Tom Taylor, who writes the series.
 
Seth Udinski, FISM News
In a world where slavery is perhaps more rampant than ever before, those on the left have instead largely chosen to focus on social and racial issues that seem to benefit their political agenda.

There are over 40 million enslaved humans in the world today, but sadly the plight of these souls is often ignored.

In an interview last week with Gary Lane of the Christian Broadcast Company (CBN), a former African slave slammed Black Lives Matter, saying the left-leaning social justice organization does not understand the true injustice of modern-day slavery. (READ MORE)
Biden Promises Mandates for Private Sector 'Soon'
On Wednesday the conservative Job Creators Network unveiled a Washington, D.C., billboard critical of the president.
 
Willie R. Tubbs, FISM News
In a Thursday address to the nation, President Joe Biden signaled it was imminent that his COVID-19 vaccine would be officially expanded into the realm of privately held business.
In his speech, Biden said he was encouraged by the steady rise in vaccinations across the nation, but that more would be done to increase the number.
 
“First, we have to do more to vaccinate the 66 million unvaccinated people in America,” Biden said. “It’s essential. The vaccine requirements that we started rolling out in the summer are working. They’re working.”
 
At present, although there are some businesses with vaccine requirements, there is no law requiring any private business to mandate.…(READ MORE)
Texas Governor Bans All Vaccine Mandates, Including from Private Businesses
“The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, & our best defense against the virus, but should always remain voluntary & never forced”
 
Samuel Case, FISM News
Texas Governor Gregg Abbott signed an executive order on Monday banning vaccine mandates, including those for private businesses. This is the Governor’s second order barring vaccine mandates in the state. In August, Abbott had already banned vaccine mandates by state or local government entities.

The latest order says that “no entity in Texas can compel receipt of a COVID-19 vaccination by any individual, including an employee or consumer, who objects to such vaccination for any reason of personal conscience, based on a religious belief, or for medical reasons, including prior…(READ MORE)

School Board Associations Distance Themselves from the NSBA
The Louisiana School Boards Association said the letter “fails to align with the standards of good governance and…discourages active participation in the governance process”
 
Chris Lange, FISM News
At least 11 state-level school boards are now distancing themselves from the National School Boards Association following their call for President Biden to instruct the Justice Department to crack down on parents who voice concerns over school curriculum at school board meetings.

The request was made in a letter sent to the president last month in which the NSBA accuses parents of “threats of violence and acts of intimidation,” arguing that “the classification of these heinous actions could be the equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland issued an expansive memorandum in response to the request, warning of a “disturbing spike…(READ MORE)
SSA Announces Largest Cost-of-Living Adjustment Since Early 1980s
While the extra money will no doubt be welcomed by its recipients, not everyone is celebrating the increase.
 
Willie R. Tubbs, FISM News
The Social Security Administration announced Wednesday that, starting in 2022, people receiving Social Security checks would see their monthly checks increase by 5.9%.

This represents the largest single-year cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) since a 7.4% rise in 1982.
In a press release, Darlynda Bogle, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications at the SSA, said the change would benefit about 70 million Americans, adding that the change was necessitated by inflation.

“The (Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index) rises when inflation increases, leading to a higher cost-of-living,” Bogle said. “This change means prices for goods and services, on average, are…(READ MORE)
Iran Enriched More Uranium than What a UN Watchdog Reported
The international community sees this as a significant concern since the development of uranium brings Iran one step closer to nuclear weapons capabilities. 
 
Ian Patrick, FISM News
Iran’s nuclear chief recently announced that the nation has developed 120 kilograms of 20 percent enriched uranium, which is much more than what the United Nations nuclear watchdog reported for the month of September.

The International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran had made 84.3 kilograms of this specific uranium as of August 31, 2021. During an interview with state TV, Mohammad Eslami who runs the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran reportedly claimed that much more was made compared to the UN estimates.

He reportedly said that they had to produce it themselves because it used to be delivered to them under the Obama-era…(READ HERE)
Annapolis Couple Charged with Espionage, Hide Top-Secret Data in Peanut Butter Sandwich
Toebbe had active national security clearance, giving him access to operation manuals, performance reports, and other restricted data on U.S. Navy warships. 
 
Chris Lange, FISM News
A Maryland-based nuclear engineer and his wife have been arrested for attempting to sell sensitive military data to a foreign government, according to a federal court document.

On Saturday, Jonathan and Diana Toebbe were taken into custody on espionage charges in Jefferson County, West Virginia. They are accused of trying to pass top-secret information about U.S. submarine reactors to an individual they believed to be a foreign agent in exchange for thousands of dollars of cryptocurrency, according to a press release from the Dept. of Justice.

Jonathan Toebbe, 42, was working as a nuclear engineer for the Department of the Navy’s Naval Nuclear Propulsion in April of 2020 when he sent a package to an unnamed foreign government. The package contained...(READ MORE)
NY Federal Judge Upholds Religious Exemption for Health Care Workers
The state vaccine mandate had originally allowed for both religious and medical exemptions but was later reworded to remove religious exemptions.
 
Megan Udinski, FISM News
U.S. District Court Judge David Hurd ruled on Tuesday that the New York health industry must allow a religious exemption for medical workers in light of the state's recent COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Judge Hurd’s decision came after 17 anonymous health care employees filed a lawsuit against the New York Department of Health (DOH), Governor Kathy Hochul, and Attorney General Letitia James. In the lawsuit the plaintiffs argued that the vaccine mandate conflicts with their constitutional rights.

The majority of the plaintiffs are Catholic and desire a religious exemption against being forced to get the COVID vaccine “because they all employ fetal cell lines derived from procured abortion in testing, development or production.”

Those opposed to religious exemptions for vaccinations argue that…(READ MORE)
Facebook Whistleblower was Prepped by Obama-Linked PR Firm, Has Close Ties to Democrat Operatives, According to Bombshell Report
According to Federal Election Commission data, Haugen has also made numerous donations to Democrats, including progressive...
 
Chris Lange, FISM News
Newly-discovered records show that Frances Haugen, the Facebook whistleblower who last week urged Congress to intervene in regulating social media “misinformation,” was prepped for her testimony before the Senate last week by powerful Democratic operatives, leaving many to question her motives in outing the social media giant.

According to an article published in “The Federalist,” Federal Election Commission records reveal that Haugen has been working closely with Democrats to build a case for government oversight of social media censorship.

As it turns out, Haugen leaked Facebook documents to the press with the help of Whistleblower Aid — a group co-founded by the legal team who represented the fake Ukraine whistleblower in Democrats’ sham impeachment of Donald Trump. The “whistleblower” was later revealed to be a top advisor to…(READ MORE)
NCFR Decries 'Privileged' Nuclear Families
The NCFR webinar description defines family privilege is a structural mechanism “hidden” within our White supremacist society” that contributes to societal inequality…
 
Lauren Moye, FISM News

The National Council on Family Relationships, an organization that says it’s purpose is to strengthen families, is actively seeking to deconstruct nuclear families, espousing that families with a mother and father is a part of underlying “white privilege.”
 
The webinar titled “Toward Dismantling Family Privilege and White Supremacy in Family Science” is an approved course that gives attendees 1.5 credits towards Certified Family Life Educator continuing education. The stated learning goals of the webinar are to learn how to “dismantle family privilege in Family Science scholarship, teaching, practice, and policymaking,” recognize family privilege and white supremacy, and reduce the ways in which family privilege manifests.
 
Two college professors, Bethany Letiecq and Antionette Landor, teach the class. Letiecq is a family law and public policy professor at George Mason…(READ MORE)
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