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Reading
Book Review: Atomic Habits đ
July 25,2023With over 112k 5-star rating on Amazon, thereâs clearly something here. James Clear crystalizes his understanding of the psychology of habits into a useful field manual.
The books was thoughtful, logical, and well laid out. Even Clear would admit, thereâs no great secret. Success and failure are built one tiny habit at a time, small bricks in a system that leads you to an ultimate destination. He offers practical ways to reinforce good habits, but in the end, the silver bullet is your personal commitment to taking the steps necessary to win.
Would I recommend: NO
ISBN: 978-0735211292
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July 25,2023
What happens when children are left unattended with the dog.
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Reading
Book Review: Colditz: Prisoners of the Castle đ
July 24,2023Ben Macintyre is my favorite historian/author, and he did not disappoint in this one.
The story of POWs often goes untold, except for a few anecdotes here and there. The entire book focuses on an ancient castle used in Germany for the âworst of the worstâ Allied prisoners. Those of particularly high value, repeated escapees, and those determined to be âunfriendlyâ to Germany spent the war within its gatehouses.
The ingenuity and persistence of escape attempts were impressive, but the book took care to share the perspective of the German army garrison as well. This made the story much more interesting and humanizing.
Would I recommend: YES
ISBN: 978-05931362331
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Catholic Husband
July 24,2023If we want to build a strong habit of prayer, we have to commit and sustain our good works, especially on days when itâs not easy.
â
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Reading
July 23,2023
Currently reading: The Billion Dollar Spy by David E. Hoffman đ
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Reading
July 21,2023
Finished reading: Prisoners of the Castle by Ben Macintyre đ
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July 19,2023
Trump Indicted For Murder Of Tupac - Babylon Bee
Authorities now believe Trump fired a Glock .40-caliber pistol from the backseat of a white Cadillac while also somehow driving it.
Justice never rests.
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July 19,2023
Trump Campaign Hoping To Lock Up GOP Nomination With Third Indictment - Babylon Bee
“KEEP THESE FABRICATED INDICTMENTS COMING,” Trump said in a post to his Truth Social account. “THESE INDICTMENTS GIVE ME STRENGTH. I EAT THEM FOR BREAKFAST WITH MY EGG MCMUFFINS. THEY NOURISH ME. NOM NOM NOM! FEED ME MORE! MAGA!”
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Catholic Husband
July 17,2023The best way to succeed in any plan, program, or life change agenda is to start small, and start today.
â
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July 16,2023
Fertility is a gift, not a disease. Contraceptives exist to suppress the healthy functions of human reproduction. The mounting evidence of the many harmful side effects of hormonal contraceptives demonstrates that they are not good medicine.
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July 16,2023
Paying Student Loans Again Could Feel Like a 5% Pay Cut - WSJ
Yannelis and his co-authors found that from April 2020 to November 2022, borrowers whose payments were paused took on 3%, or $1,200, more in credit-card, mortgage and auto-loan debt than borrowers whose payments werenât on hiatus.
The government is very good at helping people with its brilliant programs and plans.
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July 14,2023
EPA Launches Green Bank for Climate Funding in Low-Income Areas - WSJ
This cash is seen as critical for funding key areas such as battery storage, electric-car charging and building upgrades that often struggle to attract private-sector funding, particularly in low-income areas.
$27B to build EV chargers in poor neighborhoods?
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Reading
July 13,2023
Finished reading: Atomic Habits by James Clear đ
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July 13,2023
“Save yourselves from this crooked generation! Believe in Jesus, the Messiah! And also, I had a dream last week and we can totally eat bacon now!” said Peter in one of his recently discovered early sermons given in a Jewish synagogue.
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July 12,2023
CPI Report Shows Inflation Eased to 3% in June - WSJ
So-called core consumer prices, which excludes volatile food and energy categories, rose 4.8%
Iâve loved this magic! Media and politicos each month review the difference between core and consumer price index inflation, then trumpet whichever value is lower.
How do we measure inflation? By whichever value makes us look the best!
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July 12,2023
They Had Great Credit Scores. Then They Retired - WSJ
living on a fixed income and paying off old loans can lower a score, said Ethan Dornhelm, vice president of scores and analytics at FICO.
Deleveraging is a significant credit risk in the funhouse mirror world of FICO logic.
Income and employment data arenât included in the calculation, but credit scores do reward borrowers for having a mix of different kinds of loans, which can hurt those who have already paid off mortgages and auto loans.
They donât care about your assets, liquidity, or employment status. It only matters that you have a nice, fat portfolio of debt and that you play by their rulebook which, by the way, youâre not allowed to read because itâs âproprietary.â
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Reading
Book Review: Soundtracks đ
July 10,2023This book came out more than two years ago, and I was part of the pre-order. I just got around to reading it. Oops.
I bought the hardcover and listened to the Audiobook. Although I love listening to Jon Acuff and his humor, the book design is so beautiful that I wish Iâd had the tactile experience of holding this book over several reading sessions.
Itâs a fairly quick read, and very well done. Plenty of examples, humor, and practical wisdom for rapid implementation. Essentially, Acuff relies on the science behind neuroplasticity to upgrade the messages that we give ourselves daily.
The thoughts that we have drive our actions. So if you think youâre a bad parent, youâll act like one. By changing the message, you can change your story.
I love Jonâs work and this book is another home run.
Would I recommend: YES
ISBN: 978-1540900807
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Catholic Husband
July 10,2023We all have prayers to which the answer is a resounding, âNo.â Disappointed as we may be, in time, the things that we asked for are forgotten. Itâs prayers that were answered, and the gifts granted to us that are beyond our limited imaginations that matter. Taking a wider view, we see the waypoints, decisions, and impacts in our lives stringing together in a way more beautiful and perfect than we ever couldâve designed.
â
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July 9,2023
Embarrassing: Scientist Invents Lab-Grown Beef Only To Realize Cows Exist - Babylon Bee
“I’m all set to announce to the world that we invented beef, when all of a sudden, it dawns on me - cows are beef. There are literally huge slabs of beef walking all over the place. I’m such an idiot.”
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July 9,2023
Hottest Days Ever? Donât Believe It - WSJ Opinion
It isnât plausible to characterize Earthâs warming in a single average number, especially when we donât really know what that number is today, much less from 125,000 years ago.
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July 9,2023
Millions of People Booted From Medicaid After Pandemic - WSJ
Enrollment in the health program for the low-income and disabled grew to 95 million during the pandemic, as states stopped checking to make sure people were eligible. Now states have started checking again, and more than 1.6 million people have been kicked off the program in the past three months
Um, they werenât eligible, so why the outrage? They maintained benefits that they were not entitled to, and weâre supposed to feel bad for them now that theyâve been caught?
Itâs a safety net, not a hammock.
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July 9,2023
Banksâ Newest Fed Headache: Nonstop Instant Payments - WSJ
Under an existing system called ACH (automated clearinghouse), transactions typically take several days to settle. That can be frustrating for those waiting to receive their funds but often benefits banks that use the money in the interim.
Itâs long past time for instant payments. Rather gouche that we sit around waiting for our money, while the banks get to continue to play with something that isnât theirs.
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Reading
July 8,2023
Finished reading: Soundtracks by Jon Acuff đ
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July 7,2023
Consumers to Face New Limits on Private Short-Term Health Insurance - WSJ
Under a proposed rule, the administration aims to limit short-term health plans to three months, or four months if consumers opt to extend them
Isnât it wonderful when government bureaucrats, who rail in court filings about big corporations limiting âconsumer choice,â who never have to worry about facing a job loss, a gap between jobs, or the spiraling cost of healthcare on their mega Cadillac plans, decide that they know whatâs best for your familyâs healthcare coverage?
Some consumers seek out temporary plans because they are generally less expensive than ACA plans, offer flexible coverage periods such as 30 days or three years, and can be obtained any time of the year rather than just during the once-a-year ACA open-enrollment period.
Huh, thatâs weird. These plans are offering options that consumers actually want, and are willing to pay for without making their neighbors subsidize them via tax credits.
Short-term plans could provide coverage with fewer benefits at premiums 54% lower than ACA-compliant plans
They found this one weird trick online to save you money: they donât charge male subscribers for maternity care.
This younger, healthier demographic is considered important for restraining premiums that could rise if mostly older or sicker people enroll in coverage.
Social Security worked out so well that we decided to bring that successful business model to health insurance!
The Biden administration plans to limit short-term health policies that are typically less comprehensive than Affordable Care Act plans, in part because of concerns the products undercut the Obama-era health law.
This isnât about you, your family, your economic freedom, or your budget. Itâs about them protecting their vanity project.
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July 6,2023
Everyone Wants Interest on Their Deposits. Thatâs Bad for Main Street Banks. - WSJ
The Fedâs hikes and the failures of a trio of midsize banks are prompting once-loyal customers to pull their money out of checking accounts that pay no interest.
Low interest checking accounts are the credit card of deposit accounts. The bank will pay you 0.1% on your deposits, then turn around and loan you money for a car at 6%.
And customers donât like that⊠go figure.