How Payday Lenders Target Consumers Hurt by Coronavirus - WSJ

The CFPB has said it intends to drop a proposed lending requirement that would have been one of the first federal rules to protect borrowers using payday and other high-interest loans.

Governments absolutely should destroy this predatory industry.

In absense of such actions, local community credit unions are uniquely positioned to provide much needed financial services in communities that regional and national banks choose not to serve over concerns of risk and profitability.

Nation’s Racists Repent After Reading Statement On Equality From Hidden Valley Ranch - The Babylon Bee

White supremacists across the country said they were holding out despite hundreds of corporations declaring their support for equality on Blackout Tuesday. But finally, the scales fell from their eyes by the thousands as they saw Hidden Valley Ranch’s powerful statement that they oppose inequality.

Families Will No Longer Accompany U.S. Troops on Mideast Tours - WSJ

U.S. officials determined those families were at risk

This is a substantial policy change. Remote assignments are very rough on military families.

The Science of Prayer - WSJ

the research that has been done on prayer shows it may have similar benefits to meditation: It can calm your nervous system, shutting down your fight or flight response. It can make you less reactive to negative emotions and less angry.

Now is a good time to lean into prayer.

A 2005 study in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine comparing secular and spiritual forms of meditation found spiritual meditation to be more calming. In secular meditation, you focus on something such as your breath or a nonspiritual word. In spiritual meditation, you focus on a spiritual word or text.

I like how spiritual meditiation is “other focused.” It puts my focus back where it should be.

Researchers found that the group that practiced spiritual meditation showed greater decreases in anxiety and stress and more positive mood. They also tolerated pain almost twice as long when asked to put their hand in an ice water bath.

Three months at home made me think about the layout of our physical spaces.

Fresh flowers are an uplifting addition.

Just switched my energy provider to a 100% renewable option. Was actually cheaper than my previous traditional power plan.

It’s great when technology can deliver benefits at a lower cost.

☀️

Episcopalians Confused By Strange Book Trump Brought To Church - The Babylon Bee

Trump visited St. John’s Episcopal Church in Washington to hold up a Bible straight toward the heavens, a completely natural way to hold a Bible, in a clearly authentic demonstration of his faith and definitely not a staged photo op.

The Walmart app ran for 14h52m in the background in the last 24 hours. I’ve disabled Background App Refresh.

How do I get this thing under control?!

Toddler Walks Back Previous Anti-Bath Comments Now That It’s Time To Get Out Of The Bath - The Babylon Bee

The little angel screamed for a whole minute before suddenly having a change of heart, realizing that this was the perfect bath, prepared by the perfect parents, in the most beautiful home one could ever imagine.

Accurate.

Clever Churchgoers Avoid Arrest By Disguising Themselves As Rioters - The Babylon Bee

We found that when we do this, we can meet in large groups without much interference from the local authorities. It’s been a delightful experience.

My new hobby.

The Protest That Ended Social Distancing - WSJ

Still, the carefree encouragement of this state-sanctioned “mass gathering”—which plainly violated all of the pandemic mitigation measures that had been vigorously enforced for the previous 10 weeks—proved that concern for such measures could be summarily discarded the instant a political cause arises that elected officials favor.

Ouch.

Word on Fire announced that since public Masses have resumed in California, they’ll no longer be sharing their daily Mass on YouTube.

This is a disappointment. The new and expanded ministries of the Church should continue, even with things normalizing.

This pandemic has worked wonders for retail curbside pickup. Lowe’s and Best Buy have put a great deal of thought into their process…and it’s excellent!

Perfect start to my Monday!

I wish that the electrician had run power into my closet.

Postal Package Deliveries ‘Bogged Down’ With Delays, Backlogs - WSJ

tracking services have added to the frustrations, with some items appearing to get stuck at certain locations or vanishing altogether.

Yep.

Went to Confession outside for the first time. Incredible view as I waited in line.