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We felt it although we were far away. The friends are ok afaik.

Giving a thumbs up on someone else's comment counts as an interaction. I did that a lot when I first joined just as marker that I had read certain content. I would recommend reading old threads that interest you and giving a thumbs up as you go.

Wednesday, July 29 Wipe away all my errors.—Ps. 51:9. Jehovah uses a word picture to describe how he blots out sins. He declares: “I will blot out your transgressions as with a cloud and your sins as with a thick cloud.” (Isa. 44:22) When Jehovah forgives, it is as if he were using a thick cloud to hide our transgressions so that they disappear from sight altogether. What does this mean for us? When Jehovah forgives our sins, we should not feel that we will bear the stain of such sins for the rest of our life. By means of the blood of Jesus Christ, our debts are completely canceled. Even the record of those debts is no longer discernible. This is what the true forgiveness that comes from Jehovah means for us when we repent of our sins. Jehovah’s mercy also allows us to have a good relationship with him and helps us to avoid being overcome by feelings of guilt. w25.02 10 ¶11-14

Skywatchers will have a chance to see two meteor showers at once when the Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids peak on the night of July 30 into the early hours of July 31. The Southern Delta Aquariids can produce about 25 faint meteors per hour under ideal conditions, while the Alpha Capricornids typically offer fewer meteors but are known for slow-moving, brilliant fireballs. Both showers remain active for weeks around their peak, providing additional viewing opportunities before and after July 30. A nearly full moon will brighten the sky during the peak, potentially hiding many of the fainter streaks, but the Alpha Capricornids’ fireballs may still shine through. Observers should head to the darkest available location after midnight, find a wide and unobstructed view of the sky, and give their eyes at least 20 minutes to adjust. No telescope is needed; patience and a reclining chair may be the best tools for catching the celestial double feature. There once I was had an experience of seeing a meteor shower. and just moments later my family arrived where I was and I said "just a moment ago there was a meteor shower right up there" and I pointed and just as I raised my hand to point a meteor streaked across the sky and it exploded where my finger was pointing to. It was a funny coincidence and amazing at the same time. We heard nothing but it was an awesome sight. The explosion did not fill the sky just in the vicinity of where my finger was pointing to.

Heat Threatens Hard-Won Progress as France and Spain Wildfires Continue Updated 11:19 p.m. CEST, Tuesday, July 28, 2026 — Bordeaux, France, and Madrid, Spain Firefighters in France and Spain gained ground Tuesday, allowing tens of thousands of residents to return home, but renewed heat and fresh flare-ups kept both countries on emergency footing. In France’s Gironde region, approximately 60,000 people were cleared to return to communities near Bordeaux, even as officials ordered another 4,000 people to leave vacation sites around Lacanau. Fresh flames near Grand Crohot prompted an expanded aerial response involving 23 planes and helicopters, while authorities warned that the massive fire remained dangerously unstable. Associated Press Crews are monitoring smoldering vegetation across Gironde as temperatures rise and humidity falls. At least 150 homes have been destroyed in Le Porge, 110 firefighters have been injured, and crews have constructed more than 100 kilometers of firebreaks. About 15,000 evacuees have also returned home in neighboring Landes, where the fire’s advance has stopped, but officials caution that neither blaze is extinguished and that hot spots could reignite for days or weeks. In Spain, evacuation orders were lifted in eight Madrid-region municipalities and five communities in Ávila after officials reported no significant advance by the main fires during the previous 24 hours. Some restrictions remain: Robledo de Chavela, Valdemaqueda and several other communities or residential areas are still evacuated or confined. Madrid’s Sierra Oeste fire has affected roughly 34,000 hectares, while the Ávila blaze—the largest recorded in Spain—has burned more than 50,000 hectares. Community of Madrid El País The improvements may be tested quickly as Spain enters its fourth heat wave of the summer, with temperatures in some areas expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 Fahrenheit. Across France and Spain, the fires have displaced roughly 330,000 people from homes and vacation areas, and smoke continues to affect communities well beyond the burn zones. Authorities are urging residents to avoid fire-affected districts, keep doors and windows closed when smoke is present, and remain ready to leave again if changing winds or renewed flames force emergency orders.

Powerful Earthquake Strikes Southern Japan; One Dead, Dozens Missing 6:14 AM on Wednesday, July 29, 2026 in Japan (JST). KUMAMOTO, Japan — A powerful earthquake struck Japan’s southern island of Kyushu on Tuesday, killing at least one person, injuring more than 80 and leaving at least 19 missing as rescuers searched a collapsed shopping mall and paper mill. The Japan Meteorological Agency measured the shallow quake at magnitude 7.1—while the U.S. Geological Survey put it at 6.8—and recorded the strongest level on Japan’s seismic-intensity scale. About 300,000 people were directed to evacuation centers, nearly 40,000 homes lost power, and a tsunami advisory was issued and later lifted. Japan Meteorological Agency, El País The earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture at 4:27 p.m. local time at a depth of about six miles. One person died after a house collapsed in Yatsushiro. At Aeon Mall Kumamoto, an apparent explosion—possibly caused by a gas leak—brought down part of the second floor; four injured people were rescued, while 10 remained unaccounted for. Nine more people were reported missing at a Nippon Paper Industries plant after a large chimney partially collapsed, and two workers there were recovered in cardiac arrest. Associated Press The quake damaged homes, roads, bridges and sections of Kumamoto Castle, while fires were reported across the region. Rail service, including the Kyushu Shinkansen bullet train, was disrupted, and a freight train derailed in Yatsushiro. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dispatched 300 service members and said rescue operations would receive the government’s highest priority. Prime Minister’s Office of Japan A strong magnitude-6.1 aftershock and numerous smaller tremors followed the main quake, and authorities warned that powerful shaking could continue for about a week. Officials reported no abnormalities at the Sendai or Genkai nuclear power stations, and radiation levels remained unchanged. The full extent of the casualties and destruction was still being assessed late Tuesday as search crews worked through the night.

Similar report https://www.deseret.com/video/2026/07/27/deseret-voices-episode-42-david-wingate/

This is exactly how I feel. I can't help saying everyday to Jehovah I don't know how long I can keep going feeling that life in this system is unbearable. That is partly why I joined this forum in the hope of finding upbuilding content as I've totally backed away from nearly all worldly media now. Unfortunately I feel discouraged that I can't access most content here as I'm new. How long is it going to take for me to become a full access user ... I'm not one to be constantly posting for the sake of it just to score points

Been in that boat before, and I realized it was sinking, no apparent hope of rescue.

Problematic things become when posting we do without following the conventions of the game by skipping back to words already used have been.

In addition to Ramapo, since 2015 we already are remodeling the property at Mt Ebo, New York for Audio/Video use. "In February 2015, the Watchtower purchased the new property [Mt Ebo complex] to support their Audio/Video Center at the Watchtower Educational Center in nearby Patterson, N.Y. " *** hdu article 3 par. 5 Video Production for 2020 “Always Rejoice”! Regional Convention Program *** Many of our videos also call for specialized equipment and sets. For example, sets for Nehemiah: “The Joy of Jehovah Is Your Stronghold” were built inside the Mt. Ebo studio near Patterson, New York, U.S.A. To make the best use of dedicated funds while giving the film a historically accurate appearance, the brothers constructed lightweight set pieces designed to mimic the walls of ancient Jerusalem. Each structure consisted of a six-meter-tall (20 ft) wood frame covered in foam with a faux finish that looked like stone. These “walls” could be moved to fit different scenes, reducing the total number of sets needed. Even so, nearly $100,000 (U.S.) was required to construct sets for the drama alone.

sorry, his bio was on screen (tv around here)

So we can shoot more videos at the same time.

Was the ice age before or after noahs ark, and how old was Adam when noah was born

Major earthquake rocks southern Japan, forcing hundreds of thousands to evacuate https://share.google/kHJpnbKCj4JokJ6V0 A 7.1 magnitude earthquake rocked southern Japan Tuesday, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate and prompting the collapse of several buildings, including a shopping mall. Japanese officials instructed roughly 300,000 people in the country’s southern Kumamoto prefecture to seek shelter at evacuation centers.

Just wondering, if all these awesome videos about the good news, according to Jesus being filmed in Australia, and they’re excellent videos, why do we have to spend millions of dollars to build another studio here in the states?

Too much of what seems to be good can often result in something problematic

This video in Portuguese is so beautiful. At the beginning, the son says to his dad, “Dad, reading the Bible is so boring.” His dad then asks, “Are you sure, son?” And at the end, the son says, “Dad, what an amazing book!” His dad replies, “I told you so, son!” VID-20260728-WA0009.mp4

I recall a time (decades ago) when single brothers used to talk about the CO's list, as if it were the go-to for finding a sister. In more recent times, I have seen a few CO's tremble and err on the side of caution regarding the subject matter.

I suppose the keyword is “recommend,” not “fix” or decide for someone else. It can be terrifying to feel that you may be held responsible for the failure of another person’s marriage if things do not work out. I have seen brothers and sisters blamed outright when relationships they encouraged eventually failed. Therefore, much depends on how the recommendation is made. Anyone making such a recommendation should encourage a thorough background check, remain objective, and acknowledge from the outset that the relationship may not work out. Culturally, I suspect this may be more of a concern in the East than in the West, although that is only my personal observation. We should also ask whether biases are influencing the recommendation. I have seen spousal manipulation interfere with otherwise objective referrals. Some recommendations are presented almost like commands rather than suggestions. Consequently, some people no longer seek this kind of help because it can be difficult to separate the recommender’s personal feelings and preferences from an objective assessment. At the same time, not all men understand women equally well, and the same is true of women. Understanding relationships requires continual study, careful observation, and attentiveness—both within and outside one’s own relationship. My view is simple: recommend where appropriate, assist with an objective investigation, and avoid looming over the person’s final decision. The person making the recommendation must also recognize that, in modern times, relationship chemistry cannot necessarily be determined through step-by-step, algorithmic, or purely logical reasoning. Ultimately, each person must submit personal desires and inclinations to the desire to do God’s will (Ephesians 2:1–3; 5:6). During a recent informal witnessing conversation, a Lyft driver—an Afghan man who had served as a lieutenant colonel in U.S. Army intelligence—told me he was married with three children and had never approached or propositioned a woman in his life. When I asked how that was possible, he explained that while he was working far from home, his father simply called him and said, “You are engaged.” His experience reminded me, in some respects, of the arranged marriage involving Abraham’s servant and Isaac in the Scriptures. Maybe there is a lesson in there somewhere.

One that's on the ball - viligant Green thumb - verdant

It's rated r for Violence and gore so I won't be attending movie theaters for this one