Sunday Psalm

Psalm 65:1-13

What mighty praise, O God,

belongs to you in Zion.

We will fulfill our vows to you,

for you answer our prayers,

and to you all people will come.

Though our hearts are filled with sins,

your forgive them all.

What joy for those you choose to bring near,

those who live in your holy courts.

What joy awaits us

inside your holy Temple.

You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds,

O God our savior.

You are the hope of everyone on earth,

even those who sail on distant seas.

You formed the mountains by your power

and armed yourself with mighty strength.

You quieted the raging oceans

with their pounding waves

and silenced the shouting nations.

Those who live at the end of the earth

stand in awe of your wonders.

From where the sun rises to where is sets,

you inspire shouts of joy.

You take care of the earth and water it,

making it rich and fertile.

The rivers of God will not run dry;

they provide a beautiful harvest of grain,

for you have ordered it so.

You drench the plowed ground with rain,

melting the clods and leveling the ridges.

You soften the earth with showers

and bless it with abundant crops.

You crown the year with a bountiful harvest;

even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.

The wilderness becomes a lush pasture,

and the hillsides blossom with joy.

The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep,

and the valleys are carpeted with grain.

They all shout and sing for joy! 

BREAKING NEWS: Black Man Doesn't Act Violently When Called A Bad Word

What did you call me, cracka?!

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/black-man-goes-viral-keeping-145200292.html

One Texas Dillards employee will be waking up on the unemployment line come Monday after being fired for calling a Black man the n-word. And while news like this rarely shocks any of us anymore, the talking-to the racist received in response just might. The Black man, who has not been identified, was shopping with his 10-year-old son in the Dallas department store and was overheard being called a f—ing ni—. Another unidentified individual captured the aftermath on camera as the father can be seen giving the sales clerk the classiest read you’ve ever heard.

The Dillards employee who is referred to as Homer in the video, but whose name tag cannot be seen, looks on in bewilderment either at the fact that he was caught saying it, or the fact that he was being reprimanded for his racist remarks.

Perhaps even more shocking than the father’s response to the whole ordeal, is that Homer never denies having said it. In fact, he blames what he’d said on having hurt his leg. It’s still unclear as to what one has to do with the other.

“You hurt your leg, so you said f—-ing n——-?” the father questions as his son stands nearby. “Treat human beings with respect and morals and values,” the father says. “Now I have to go home and correct my 10-year-old not to be a damn idiot.”

It's interesting that a black man who doesn't act violently when called a bad name makes national news. 

In civilized societies people don't use violence when called bad words. In fact, one of the first things kids learn growing up is the adage, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." This is to teach kids that when other kids call them names that it's not acceptable to hit them.

However, for some reason, we don't hold black people to that same standard. Isn't that kinda odd? Is it because black people aren't capable of that level of impulse control? Or is it because that word is so bad that it is the exception to the rule?

Violence in response to words is uncivilized behavior. The insinuation in American culture is that black people can't resist violence when called bad words because at one time in America black people were slaves. Or because their great-grandfather had to drink out of a water fountain that was only for black people. I'm not really sure how that is a bad thing, btw. Why wouldn't black people be happy about having their own water fountain? They seem to have their own set of rules for everything else. 

If I was black I would advocate for bringing back "black only" water fountains. Think of how demoralizing it is that blacks in America have to drink out of the same water fountains as the people whose ancestors used them as farm equipment.

 

 

UFC 277 Predictions

MAIN CARD

Julianna Pena vs. Amanda Nunes 

Brandon Moreno vs. Kai Kara-France 

Derrick Lewis vs. Sergei Pavlovich

Alex Perez vs. Alexandre Pantoja

Magomed Ankalaev vs. Anthony Smith

UNDERCARD

Alex Morono vs. Matthew Semelsberger

Drew Dober vs. Rafael Alves

Don'Tale Mayes vs. Hamdy Abdelwahab

Drakkar Klose vs. Rafa Garcia

Michael Morales vs. Adam Fugitt

Joselyne Edwards vs. Ji Yeon Kim

Nicolae Negumereanu vs. Ihor Potieria

Orion Cosce vs. Blood Diamond 

Pretty bunk card, IMO. I don't care to watch women fight. The skill set - and more importantly, the entertainment factor - is drastically inferior. Nonetheless, the fighters in bold are my picks to win.

Exercise Reduces Overall Mortality By 20%

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/study-finds-lowest-risk-death-090000466.html

Research Highlights:

• An analysis of physical activity and medical records for more than 100,000 people over 30 years found that individuals who performed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' currently recommended range of duration of moderate (150-300 minutes/week) or vigorous physical activity (75-150 minutes/week), respectively, had an observed 20-21% and 19% lower risk of mortality from all causes. 

• Individuals who performed two to four times the amount of recommended physical activity (150-600 minutes/week) were observed to have further reductions in mortality from all causes.

Researchers analyzed mortality data and medical records for more than 100,000 adults gathered from two large prospective studies: the all-female Nurses' Health Study and the all-male Health Professionals Follow-up Study from 1988-2018. Participants whose data were examined were 63% female, and more than 96% were white adults. They had an average age of 66 years and an average body mass index (BMI) of 26 kg/m2 over the 30-year follow-up period.

The analysis also found:

• Participants who met the guidelines for vigorous physical activity had an observed 31% lower risk of CVD mortality and 15% lower risk of non-CVD mortality, for an overall 19% lower risk of death from all causes. 

• Participants who met the guidelines for moderate physical activity had an observed 22-25% lower risk of CVD mortality and 19-20% lower risk of non-CVD mortality, for an overall 20-21% lower risk of death from all causes. 

• Participants who performed two to four times above the recommended amount of long-term vigorous physical activity (150-300 min/week) had an observed 27-33% lower risk of CVD mortality and 19% non-CVD mortality, for an overall 21-23% lower risk of death from all causes. 

• Participants who performed two to four times above the recommended amount of moderate physical activity (300-600 min/week) had an observed 28-38% lower risk of CVD mortality and 25-27% non-CVD mortality, for an overall 26-31% lower risk of mortality from all causes.

In addition, no harmful cardiovascular health effects were found among the adults who reported engaging in more than four times the recommended minimum activity levels. Previous studies have found evidence that long-term, high-intensity, endurance exercise, such as marathons, triathlons and long-distance bicycle races, may increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular events, including myocardial fibrosis, coronary artery calcification, atrial fibrillation and sudden cardiac death.

"This finding may reduce the concerns around the potential harmful effect of engaging in high levels of physical activity observed in several previous studies," Lee noted.

In a consumer state, everything is about indulgence. More! More! More!

Effectively, "More!" is the antithesis of common sense: moderation is the key. Thus, we have obesity, laziness, "addiction," preventable health issues, etc. Or, to summarize with one word: gluttony.

There are two trains of thought regarding lifestyle: live for tomorrow or live for now.  

Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Those who perpetually live in the moment don't do it consciously, they just lack impulse control. They justify their lack of impulse control by saying "YOLO!" While they have a point, if they make it to their average life expectancy, they will likely be parasites of society. Meaning they will be indigent and unhealthy.

However, the person who always lives for tomorrow faces a similar existential dilemma: a state of constant self-discipline can result in life passing you by and not enjoying any of the benefits that come from impulse control. So, even though you're in good health, have no debt and sitting on a nice nest egg in your 401K, when are you going to enjoy it? Will you enjoy a nice figure and financial freedom at 70 as much as you would at 40?

Digressing...

Being healthy (i.e., eating good and exercising) is a lifestyle. It's something everyone should strive for. Why? Because your body is a temple. It is a shell that you were given to take care of by God. God entrusted you with life and free will. You didn't do anything to deserve your existence. It's all grace! The way you demonstrate respect to yourself - and more importantly, to God - is by having impulse control and self-discipline. Nobody is perfect. Set attainable goals. Just try to be healthy about 75% of the time. Do some pushups. Do some pullups. Walk a few miles. Better yet, run a few miles. Ride a bicycle. 

Exercising for a couple hours a week isn't that hard. Just do it.

Not only will you be better off physically, but you'll be better off mentally. Exercise releases endorphins that are natural antidepressants. So you will physically look and feel better, but your mental state will be better, too. 

Furthermore, good overall health also enables a buffer for lapses. So it opens the door for you to enjoy a greasy hamburger and 12 pack of beer on the weekend, cause you know you've earned it. And you know Monday you will put in that extra work to detoxify your temple. 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

 

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 67: 1-7

May God be merciful and bless us.

May his face shine with favor upon us.

May your ways be known throughout the earth,

your saving power among people everywhere.

May the nations praise you, O GOD.

Yes, may all the nations praise you.

How glad the nations will be, singing for joy,

because you govern them with justice

and direct the actions of the whole world. 

May the nations praise you, O GOD.

Yes, may all the nations praise you. 

Then the earth will yield its harvests, 

and God, our God, will richly bless us.

Yes, God will bless us,

and people all over the word will fear him.

Beyond Order: Jordan Peterson

Bitcoin's True Value is Less than $1000

https://www.npr.org/2022/07/21/1112689091/bitcoin-tesla-selloff 

What a difference a year makes. After making big plays in Bitcoin in 2021, Tesla jettisoned $936 million worth of the cryptocurrency in the second quarter of 2022, trimming its Bitcoin holdings by 75%, the company said in new investor filings.

Tesla aggressively embraced Bitcoin in 2021, investing $1.5 billion in the currency as CEO Elon Musk touted Bitcoin's advantages over standard fiat currency. For part of the year, Tesla customers could buy cars using Bitcoin.

But in recent months, Tesla's profitability was affected by "Bitcoin impairment," it said in its financial summary of the second quarter.

At the beginning of 2022 I predicted that BTC would drop to $25K and stabilize. Thus far it appears I knew what I was talking about. 

The bigger question is the future of bitcoin: where does it go from here?

Bitcoin was never suppose to become the preposterous ponzi scheme that it became. It was designed to be a revolutionary "currency" for a fringe element of the population (anarchists, criminals, ideologues, etc). 

Theoretically, BTC should have never breached the $1000 threshold. But it got a lot of media play, and it became a "get rich quick" ploy that attracted normies. To the average person, buying crypto was like playing high stakes slots at a virtual casino. To the astute observer, it was clearly tulip mania:

Tulip mania (Dutch: tulpenmanie) was a period during the Dutch Golden Age when contract prices for some bulbs of the recently introduced and fashionable tulip reached extraordinarily high levels. The major acceleration started in 1634 and then dramatically collapsed in February 1637. It is generally considered to have been the first recorded speculative bubble or asset bubble in history. In many ways, the tulip mania was more of a then-unknown socio-economic phenomenon than a significant economic crisis. It had no critical influence on the prosperity of the Dutch Republic, which was one of the world's leading economic and financial powers in the 17th century, with the highest per capita income in the world from about 1600 to about 1720. The term "tulip mania" is now often used metaphorically to refer to any large economic bubble when asset prices deviate from intrinsic values.

It's still very likely that one could make a lot of gains in bitcoin over the next couple of years. It wouldn't totally shock me if it eventually set another high (perhaps $100k, but if I were predicting I would say $50Kish), but after the next big run will come its more permanent downfall. 

While BTC will remain extremely volatile in the foreseeable future, ultimately it will end up stabilizing around $1000 within the next 10 years. Because, according to my calculation all the way back in 2015, bitcoin's true value is $519.32. Adjusted for inflation, that number has risen to $998.14.

While BTC will never completely fizzle out, it will get back to its roots and be a "currency" for internet geeks, revolutionaries, criminals and non-conformists. If you look closely, the signs are pretty obvious that we are already starting to see that.