Saturday, March 02, 2019

Free Market without the Capitalist

Do we think it possible that capitalism vs. communism might be a false dichotomy?  Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.    America was created on the foundation principle of the separation of powers. Why did America successfully divide political power but accept a gross consolidation of economic power?  How do we have a free-market system without the capitalist?  How to we get billion-dollar Microsoft, without Bill Gates?  (no offense to Bill Gates).  But Bill Gates and the controlling stock holders of Microsoft may have elected power (dollars), but they have no term limits. 


The key is finance/banking reform.  A major issue behind the American Revolution was control over our own credit and currency. Instead of consolidating economic power into the hands of a “robber baron”,  an equitable economic system would grant credit based on the combined credit of all the members of a corporation and all the members of a community and the projected revenue of their venture (projected sales or ear-marked taxes).   Each member of the community or corporation would then become a stock-holder/partner and entitled to benefit from future profits.  


Conspiracy Theory: Patriarchy

https://youtu.be/TmNSlF7lcaw


One side argues that there exists inequality and oppression in the world.  Feminists claim the source of oppression is conspiracy of patriarchy. The other side seems to deny that a men-based conspiracy exists but the results are individual and based on competence.


But this denies that there does exist evil in the world, and that evil does organize and is organized.  Organized evil is the source of much oppression.   That said, despite the organized evil in the world, anyone’s first priority and defense is personal responsibility, virtue and competence.


The feminists cries out against the materialism of the Western culture, but much of what feminists call for is materialistic.  


My wife is very accomplished professionally. However, I will never equal her innate ability to comfort and nurture our children.  This doesn't mean there isn't a dad out there that is better than the mom at nurturing children, but generally speaking, women’s brains and dispositions are wired to be better at these tasks. On the flip side, there are physical tasks that I am generally better at then my wife just based on the fact that I am 6’1”, 220 lbs and she is 5’5” ans 120 lbs. 


Men do generally need to work and provide for their families because they more easily find meaning in this way. I’m nor saying men can’t be a stay-at-home dad and find meaning but its not as easy.  Stay-at-home dads are not just working against arbitary social norms, but also working against biology. 


The feminists talked about being judged on breastfeeding—if at all, how long, how short, etc. But its not men who judge this. Ita other women judging other women.


Apart from the debate about if man-made climate change is real, is responsible for increased erratic weather, and if its affecting a lot of people.  And apart from humans being able be helped to do anything about it unless we adopt BYU cabon-capture technology.  And apart from the economic and liberty consequences of implementing policies to limit CO2 wgich may negatively affect more people more severely than bad weather did. The best thing about being human is our capacity for adaptability. If we develop skills, and virtue and self-mastery we can be better adaptable to changing economic situations, climate, downturns in market, and even war. 


We need to be and can be more resilient and avoid throwing up our gand feeling like helpless bictims to powerful forces that our beyond our control.  Instead of focusing on improving personal skills we are fooled into thinking backing some political movement or internet personality is going to shift the global tide.  The truth is, the best attitude and action plan to addoot is to expect that global tides will likely shift against us at some point and prepare evey day to be ready for it. 

Are you worried about global warming?  What can tou do about it personally?  1. Put solar on your house 2. Drive a used hybrid or LEAF.  3. Don’t live anywhere neer a flood zone or forest fire zone or on a major EQ fault, or in the path of a hurricaine. 


I do agree with Jordan Peterson that people adopt many of these ideologies (climate, PETA, socialism, femanism) as pseudo-morality as a way to find meaning: to feel important, feel like they are a good person and look good to others. 


We live in a very narcissistic society, everyone is playing by different rules.  One side believes the rules of society don’t apply to them because they are better, smarter, richer, G-ds choosen, more connected, etc; and the other side believes the rules don’t apply to them because identity politics tells them they are a victim of oppression.


1.•Lets lay down the rules of social order (virtue)

2. Lets keep them (personal responsibility)

3. Lets all play the same game. (no exceptions)

4. Lets reinforce that social order through our art and media instead of undermining it. 


The argument is made that increased diversity in decision making process in a company leads to greater success. No one is arguing against diversity.  Diversity is good, but diversity is more than just skin color. However, in the quest for greater diversity, destroying company culture will also destroy a company.  Quotas can destroy company culture because it destroys values and promotes favoritism. 


7 favorites that diminish company culture, social capital, cooperation:

1.Sloppy Talent Acquisition Practices (not qualified)

2.Inconsistent Reward Mechanisms (equal pay)

3.Behaviors That are Tolerated

4.Playing Favorites

5.Pulling the "Firing" Trigger to Slowly

6.Ignoring Your Star Players

7.Inauthentic Value Systems


https://www.inc.com/brent-gleeson/7-effective-ways-to-destroy-your-company-culture-without-even-realizing-it.html


Interesting discussion about believing in God and individual value (inherent dignity) and Marxism/Socialism/Social Justice and can you be Christian and trans, or Christian and a Marxist.  I am impressed with Catherine McGregor.  She comes across as very thoughtful, sincere, level-headed, mature, and well-spoken.  But this false dichotomy of socialism is not whether rich have a duty to help the poor or underprivileged (they do), but whether its the government or religions job to administer social justice.  According to James 1:27, the job of social justice is religion and this is because government can’t legislate/mandate positive behavior (accountability).  


Only religion can mandate positive behavior (the government shouldn’t require people buy and eat broccoli).  But this may be the whole point and aim to get us to that point.   Government protects by punishing harmful behavior.  But more and more, government is beginning to punish what it determines to be lack of performing beneficial behavior.  Dictating behavior and enforcing behavior/practice through penalty = fascism. 


1. Obamacare mandates purchase of health insurance and fines lack of purchase.


2. MIPS: fines doctors 10% if they depart from practice guidelines. 


3. Canada tried to fine people who failed to use gender neutral pronouns. 

Friday, February 22, 2019

Folic Acid Toxicity



More and more people are considering themselves glutin intolerate, but these people do not have Celiac disease.  So why are increasingly many people sensitive to wheat products?  It may be the folic acid enrichment.   Active folate is methylfolate. The Europeam study above reveals that a related compound folic acid may interfere with active folate and B12 (methylcobalamin) function.  The study above had to be stopped only after 1 month due to neuro toxicity. 



These studies suggest that folic acid inhibits zinc absorption. 


Zinc deficiency is associated with anxiety.


Maternal zinc deficiency (exacerbated by folic acid supplementation) is associated wity autism.

Saturday, February 16, 2019

Biblical Questions

Question 1: Location of Temple in Jerusalem.

1. I enjoy all the content from Chaim Richman and the Temple Institute. I am excited about all the plans and preparation and progress on the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple. 

2.Couldn't the area of the Haram al Sharif fit the description of the Roman Fortress Antonia which was a Roman Castra for the 10th legion? 

3. I also believe that the place of the temple was not in the City of David. I believe the Haram al Sharif vs City of David is a false dichotomy. Didn't Solomon's millo connect David's palace with the temple? And couldn't the place of the temple have been on the Ophel in between the City of David and the Haram?

4. Okay, so the Ophel was a plowed field, and then a trash dump, and then a parking lot. But doesn't that fit Bible prophecy?

Question 2: 

I have seen quotes and videos of prominent Jews comment of their influence in the media, entertainment, business and government.

The purpose of the Temple and being the choosen people is to spread the light of HaShem to the world. 

Accordingly, do you think Jews are doing enough with their influence to help and the gentiles and the wolrd keep the noahide laws considering the steadily increasing depictions of violence and immorality?

Question 3: 

Is there concern about Israel being led and influenced by leaders that had connection with of sympathies for paramilitary group “Irgun” since Menachem Begin (founder of Lakud party)? This influence would include Rahm Emanuel here in the US.

Question 4: 

Did HaShem or Ataxerxes command Ezra to establish the Jewish rabbinical system and its enforcement? 

Ezra 7:21;25-26

21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree .... 
25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not.
26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

Question 5:

Do you think that Joshua, the son of Nun leading Israel into the promised land be a spiritual and figurative type and foreshadowing of the Messiah, that the Law of Moses could not ultimately lead Israel to realize its fullest potential, that only a future Messiah represented by Joshua the son of Nun (Yeshua) could via a future everlasting covenant (Ezek 37:26)?

Question 6:

When Ezra displaced the priestly line of Joshua, the son of Josedek and Nehemiah displaced Zerubbabel; could Yeshua de Josedek and Zerubbabel have similarly serve as spiritual and figurative types of the Messiah?. When Ezra called the priests to divorce their wives, do you think that Malachi's (a contemporary of Ezra) criticism of divorce have been directed towards Ezra? 

Malachi
11 ¶ Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god. (Irony)
12 The Lord will cut off the man that doeth this, the master (rabbi) and the scholar (scribe), out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the Lord of hosts.
13 And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.
14 ¶ Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
16 For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

Question 7:

Do you think it possible that Ezra could have made an over-interpretation of the Torah command for a priest to marry one from among his own people, to exclude converts/proselytes (like Ruth), and have brought into Judaism and Christianity an unintended racial interpretation?

Question 8: 

It seems to me that biblical  prophets focused criticism for their own people. If something wasn’t right with the biblical people, instead of blaming others, a prophet tended to criticize his own people for their own shortcomings. There is no power on Earth that could frustrate a chosen people from realizing their foreordained purpose. Only the chosen people themselves could stand in their own way.  Instead of propagating a victim/identity politics message, wouldn’t a true prophet call his own people to repentance? 

Saturday, February 09, 2019

Folate, B12 linked to Autism

https://www.statnews.com/2016/05/11/autism-folic-acid-pregnancy/




Autism is a manifestation of severe sulfur deficiency.  DMSA is an effective treatment, not because its a mercury chelator, but because its an excellent source of sulfur.  Homocysteine, is elevated in association with inflammation and low total body sulfur levels.  Homocysteine is also elevated in autism in relation to severity.


Taking regular folate and cyanocobalamin will decrease your SAMe because folic acid must be converted to methylfolate, and B12 to methylcobalamin.  So it may be that methyl folate and methylcobalamin may decrease risk of autism while taking regular folic acid and cyanocobalamine may increase risk by depleting SAMe snd serotonin and dopamine production.  


Folic Acid and Autism