Guys the Bitcoin price is crashing and it's becoming a problem. I'm running out of fiat to buy any more.

"It is a striking likeness when he compares faith leaning on God’s word to an anchor; for doubtless, as long as we sojourn in this world, we stand not on firm ground, but are tossed here and there as it were in the midst of the sea, and that indeed very turbulent; for Satan is incessantly stirring up innumerable storms, which would immediately upset and sink our vessel, were we not to cast our anchor fast in the deep. For nowhere a haven appears to our eyes, but wherever we look water alone is in view; yea, waves also arise and threaten us; but as the anchor is cast through the waters into a dark and unseen place, and while it lies hid there, keeps the vessel beaten by the waves from being overwhelmed; so must our hope be fixed on the invisible God. There is this difference, — the anchor is cast downwards into the sea, for it has the earth as its bottom; but our hope rises upwards and soars aloft, for in the world it finds nothing on which it can stand, nor ought it to cleave to created things, but to rest on God alone. As the cable also by which the anchor is suspended joins the vessel with the earth through a long and dark intermediate space, so the truth of God is a bond to connect us with himself, so that no distance of place and no darkness can prevent us from cleaving to him. Thus when united to God, though we must struggle with continual storms, we are yet beyond the peril of shipwreck. Hence he says, that this anchor is sure and steadfast, or safe and firm." Calvin on Hebrews 6:19

"Bitcoin imports the integrity of the laws of physics into the socioeconomic domain."

"As our island of knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance." John Archibald Wheeler

Random morning takeaways from 2x speed podcasts during workout 😂: 1. Paper gold rehypothecation market is worth paying attention to. Big moves happening. China driving some of them. Zero trust in faith and credit of USG apparent. UK implosion coming and US not far behind. Liquidity injection inevitable and while DOGE is a transparency win, it can't stop this train. 2. Obscura VPN and their two-hop partnership with Mullvad looks legit. Will likely switch over once they release on proper freedom operating systems.

"“You ought,” he says, “to have been the instructors of others, but ye are not even disciples capable of comprehending an ordinary truth; for ye do not as yet understand the first rudiments of Christianity.” That he might, however, make them the more ashamed of themselves, he mentions the “first principles,” or the elements of the beginning of God’s words, as though he had said, You do not know the alphabet. We must, indeed, learn through life; for he alone is truly wise who owns that he is very far from perfect knowledge; but we ought still to profit so much by learning as not to continue always in the first principles... but we ought, on the contrary, so to exert ourselves, that our progress may correspond tothe time allowed us. Doubtless, not only years, but days also, must be accounted for; so that every one ought to strive to make progress; but few there are who summon themselves to an account as to past time, or who show any concern for the future. We are, therefore, justly punished for our sloth, for most of us remain in elements fitted for children." Calvin on Hebrews 5:12

Can we just take a second to appreciate how crazy just January has been. Started off with a terror attack in New Orleans and a Tesla exploding in Vegas and did. not. stop. What a wild time.

The constitution is not a permission slip for citizens. It is a list of restrictions on the government.

Hospitals and insurance agencies put on a show of being enemies while working together behind the scenes to game the system for their advantage, using lobbying and federal overreach as their primary tools of control. The healthcare equivalent of the deep state. *Insert change my mind meme here*

This was a very interesting conversation. I disagree with their presuppositions about healthcare as a right or that the government needs to step in and mop up the failings of a private system, and their characterization of the US system as a free market system (thought Peter would know better by now). That said, the discussion around the 33 minute mark or so of WHY healthcare in particular is subjected to inflation secondary to fiat inputs is very good. They end with proffering mixed public/private system that can compete while bemoaning advocating for a governmental role here. I think a more interesting solution is 1) fix the money 2) root out corruption 3) and correct systemic incentives. Once that is done, a true free market healthcare system would actually be able to function and my personal thought is then the Church may actually have a role in the support of those who fall through the cracks (analogous to Paul's argument regarding the support of widows in 1 Tim 5).

Public health is weaponized, politicized medicine in the form of a dictatorship without judicial restraint.

Galations 6:1 "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted." In my "best" moments, I recognize the glory of God's plan and pattern for life, and praise Him for saving even me - the foremost of sinners (come at me, Paul). But lest I rise up in the pride of my flesh, it's never long before, however briefly, I find my mind wandering to "But has God really said..." and am driven back in weakness and absolute reliance to the hand of the One who has promised to lose none of whom the Father has given. "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

Any privacy-focused laptop recommendations? Trying to decide between going through something like System76 or similar vs. just getting a dell/Lenovo and installing a Linux distro.