Hello C3 Family!

Weekly Rant

Obesogenic - Tending to cause obesity. What do you think causes obesity? Poor food choices? Binge Eating? Lack of exercise? Well, according to Ivy league doctors, the smartest dumb people on the planet, if you answered with any of those statements you would be dead wrong. 

Doctors from Harvard, Yale, and Rutgers got together and have devised a plan to make us believe that the only way to solve the US's obesity problem (40% of adults are obese in the US) is via continuous and lifelong drug intervention. These doctors claim that eating less and exercising more had no effect on reversing or preventing obesity. Yup, that is a real sentence you just read, and it came from doctors who work at the most prestigious universities in the country.

Since eating less, and moving more doesn't help us lose weight, what will? Drugs! Lots of drugs for the rest of your life, that is the cure! Harvard Medical School Professor David Ludwig says obesity is more about biology than behavior. Yale Medical Professor Ania Jasterboff says obesity is not a personal choice.

So, what are these drugs? and what do they do? Semaglutide and Tirzepatide are the miracle drugs and they are, wait for it...appetite suppressants. Let's recap shall we...Eating less doesn't work to cure obesity, but taking drugs that make you eat less will work. 

These doctors are telling us that we do not have will power, we are not capable of practicing the virtue of temperance and are self-discipline is non-existent. Looking around our society, they are probably right.

Of course, Novo Nordisk, one of the major publicly traded companies that owns and distributes these weight loss drugs probably have no influence on these universities at all (Sarcasm intended).

There are of course some genetic factors that may make you more prone to obesity than someone with a naturally good metabolism, but let's not be sold the lie that we are in capable of having will power. Because if we believe that lie for long enough, it will become a reality. The less confidence we have in ourselves and our Lord, then the more reliant we will be on the Devil.

Top Stories of the Week

• The S&P 500 gained 2.5% last week as it continues to enjoy its best longest win streak since 2017. The inflation numbers came up from October but are still down when compared to last year. Some are even hopeful that the Fed will have rate cuts in the not-so-distant future. 7 tech mega cap stocks now make up 30% of the entire S&P 500's value. Can you name all 7?

• Congress, specifically democrat members of congress, is looking to bar hedge funds from owning single family homes. If passed this bill would force a massive sell-off of homes as the hedge funds would have to offload all of their properties within 10 years. Another bill would impose a $10K annual fee per home on owners of 75+ single-family homes.

• If the two bills above are not passed it is estimated that corporate ownership could control up to 40% of the housing market by 2030. Also, these big hedge funds would take a sizable hit. The only downside is that the bill is unlikely to pass because congress cannot agree on anything. Also, if big corporations are pushed out many thinks new housing projects will take a nosedive since no big money would be behind them.

• Nike and Adidas and footwear companies around the US are hitting a tough patch. Demand is just not there. Consumer preferences are to spend money elsewhere or not at all. Nike missed its sales estimates for the first time in 2 years.

• The FDA approved the first therapy using gene-editing technology Crispr. Exa-cel is a treatment that can potentially be a one and done cure for sickle cell, diabetes, and even Cancer. but it racks up a $2.2 million bill per patient.

• The Catholic Church found Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu guilty of embezzlement and fraud in the Church's criminal court. The verdict came in light of a real estate deal in London from 2013 and 2014.

• Harvard has experienced a lot of woe these past few weeks, and rightfully so given their president Claudine Gay is under fire for testimonies before congress about antisemitism and her history of alleged plagiarism. Now Harvard is experiencing a 17% drop in early admission applications. Since applications were due before November 1st, that means the debacle in front of congress had no effect on Harvard's loss of luster.

• Airline travel demand is up, and costs are down for this holiday season. Most airlines are on a hiring spree and Southwest Airlines has said it is completely prepared for the surge in travel this year (remember last year they left 2 million passengers stranded or delayed due to a major meltdown).

• Coinbase and other major Crypto companies have given $78 million to Crypto friendly super PACs. The crypto world is looking for crypto friendly candidates in a big way.

• US Steel is being bought by Japan's Nippon Steel. Nippon is paying over $14 billion for the US steel giant that will no longer be US owned.

• Jimmy Lai, a 76-yeal-old Catholic who is an advocate for democracy in Hong Kong and an outspoken opponent of the Chinese Communist Party, could face life in prison. Lai is being charged with allegedly violating a controversial Chinese law that CCP officials have used to say Lai colluded with foreign powers. This story is a big deal because both sides of the aisle here in the states have called on the Biden administration to sanction the judges and prosecutors in the case if officials refuse to release Lai.

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