I love the way the tops of the trees are stretching to grab the last few rays of sunlight.

Apple Wins Temporary Reprieve as U.S. Court Pauses Watch Ban - WSJ

Apple won a temporary reprieve for its $18 billion smartwatch business after a U.S. appeals court on Wednesday paused a federal agency’s import ban on most of its watch models.

We must protect the world’s most valuable company from the consequences of pretending like they’re going to buy a company, stealing their ideas and monetizing the stolen IP for their sole benefit! It’s not like Apple can pay license fees or royalities to their victim for the IP that they stole.

It looks like my end of year web design project for 2023 is adding a color nav bar to my website!

Where Americans Invested Their Money in 2023, in Six Charts - WSJ

Investors have piled into far-reaching corners of global markets, driving a rally spanning stocks, bonds, gold and even cryptocurrencies. Yields on risky corporate bonds have fallen to some of the lowest levels of the past year, while bond prices have rallied.

It’s incredible to me how many articles WSJ puts out on investment trends. I guess it fills pages and sells papers, but the trends are almost always short-lived.

All is calm, all is bright. Merry Christmas!

What my daughter does when I tell her to put away her shoes. 🥿

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care 🎅🏻

We Aren’t Posting on Social Media as Much Anymore. Will We Ever? - WSJ

The reasons are varied: People say they feel they can’t control the content they see. They have become more protective about sharing their lives online. They also say the fun of social media has fizzled.

Thanks, ads.

First day of winter. ❄️

Conservative Bishops Push Back Against Pope Francis on Same-Sex Blessings - WSJ

Francis didn’t mention the policy on blessings, but called for vigilance “against rigid ideological positions that often, under the guise of good intentions, separate us from reality and prevent us from moving forward.”

The smartest guy in the room. Smarter than Aquinas, Ambrose, and Gregory… combined!

“Here in the Archdiocese of Chicago, we welcome this declaration, which will help many more in our community feel the closeness and compassion of God.”

The Archdiocese will also offer pastoral blessings for street gangs that they may be protected by God’s hand from a hail of bullets as they gun down their rivals on the streets of Chicago.

Statement of USCCB on Vatican’s Document Addressing Pastoral Blessings - USCCB

“The Declaration issued today by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) articulated a distinction between liturgical (sacramental) blessings, and pastoral blessings, which may be given to persons who desire God’s loving grace in their lives. The Church’s teaching on marriage has not changed, and this declaration affirms that, while also making an effort to accompany people through the imparting of pastoral blessings because each of us needs God’s healing love and mercy in our lives.”

Inane.

I love the look of contrails at sunrise.

Vatican Issues Guidelines for Same-Sex Blessings - WSJ

The pope’s letter and Monday’s guidelines supersede a 2021 Vatican statement that prohibited blessings for gay couples on the grounds that God “cannot bless sin.”

God is always changing His mind on what is sinful and what isn’t.

Catholic clergy may “join in the prayer of those persons who, although in a union that cannot be compared in any way to a marriage, desire to entrust themselves to the Lord and his mercy, to invoke his help, and to be guided to a greater understanding of his plan of love and of truth,” said the document, signed by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, head of the doctrinal office.

The big lie.