Pagan-Roots-Of Christmas-Bob Davis Podcast 887

Christmas Is Indeed A Pagan Holiday

I know there are religious people who don’t want to hear this but Christmas is a pagan holiday. These days we’re disconnected from history and our ancestors. I’ll explain in Pagan-Roots-Of Christmas-Bob Davis Podcast 887.

Winter Solstice

The winter solstice is especially relevant here. The shortest day in the northern hemisphere. December 21st. The next day the sun starts its journey back toward us and the days will start getting longer.

A Time To Rest, Repair And Recharge

Second people have taken this time to hunker down, rest and prepare for the coming brighter and warmer months. This goes back millennia.

The Shortest Darkest Days

In contrast to those in warmer and brighter places those of us who live in the far northern reaches of North America and Northern Europe know only too well how dark it gets. Even more how long those dark and cold nights can be.

Jesus Was Not Born On December 25th

We are told Jesus Christ the bringer of light, was born in December. Truth is the bible doesn’t say when the savior was born.

The Bringer Of Light Was A Summer Baby

Moreover astronomers believe Christ was probably born in the summer, or fall somewhere between 6 or 7 BC, and 3 or 2 BC.

Rome and Saturnalia

Finally it was the Roman Catholic Church that set Christ’s birth on December 25th. Oddly enough, the new celebration would coincide with the celebration of the Roman God Saturn.

Santa IS A Pagan Symbol

Even more, Santa’s origins are rooted both in a Greek Saint in about 300 AD, and the Norse god Odin. Above all once Artist Norman Rockwell and the advertising industry shaped and advanced the idea of Saint Nick as a rosy cheeked white bearded grandfatherly symbol. Our modern Santa. For more on Odin, click here.

Holiday Season

This year I spent a little time and thought about our Winter Holiday Season, which starts with the celebration of the harvest on Thanksgiving, includes a parade of totems in New York City, and ends with New Year’s.

Natural Rhythms

Are we immune to natural human rhythms? Were our ancestors dumb? How has commerce and communication in the modern age obscured the pagan roots of Christmas, and New Year’s? Does this change the nature of Christmas for the faithful? I don’t think so.

Happy Holidays

And of course, Merry Christmas

Sponsored by Reliafund Payment Processors and Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

Pagan-Roots-Of Christmas-Bob Davis Podcast 887

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Living-In-The-Past-Bob Davis Podcast 886

Living In The Past?

These days it sure seems like there’s a lot of people living in the past. Glory Days. Happier Times. Why? We’ll talk about it in Living-In-The-Past-Bob Davis Podcast 886.

Friends Have A Deep Conversation

One of the great things about friendship are the deeper conversation friends often have. Recently a good friend and I had a talk after dinner. The country is changing. There were regrets, a memories of a world that was maybe simpler and more predictable.

Obsession With The Past

Especially relevant is the question of when in life does this obsession with the past begin?

This Time Is The Best Time

I think we’re living in extraordinary times. Despite the difficulties I wake up every day excited about what’s going to happen next.

Where do you live in time?

Certainly children live in the now. Most adolescents probably live in the future. In contrast it seems like people start mentally residing in the past at some point in middle age.

When does the past become an obsession?

Because this is the time when the days are shortest maybe we have time for more reflection. It’s natural we would yearn for the traditions of a bygone age. But I have recently encountered some evidence that suggests we’re doing more than yearning for traditions. For instance…

Losing Trust

First of all a Pew study was released recently which says most of us don’t trust the media. ‘Conservatives’ are much more likely to distrust the media than their so called ‘liberal’ counterparts.

YouTube Is My Bellwether

Second because I watch a lot of YouTube I come across some pretty weird stuff. Moreover my favorite genre are the people who predict the apocalypse.

Three Days Of Darkness

Recently I ran across a vein of gold when it comes to apocalypse videos on YouTube. The three days of darkness people. I’ll tell you all about it in Living-In-The-Past-Bob Davis Podcast 886. However sometimes I think those predicting the end of the world are really seeing their own world end.

A Preoccupation With Death For Boomers

Most noteworthy? We don’t usually want to talk about death but a preoccupation with it can begin pretty early in life. I wonder if the result of that is an increasing reliance on memories of an easier, simpler time.

Avoiding That Mindset

Finally I try to avoid that mindset. I really do think this is an amazing time. Even though we have many challenges today.

We Remember The Good

In conclusion the one truth about the past is, we generally remember only the good things.

Journey Through Time

Furthermore all of us alive today are on a journey together through time. Like a train trip. Some of us will have to get off the train before others. Also new people will get on as we get off. We all have a role to play on this trip, but eventually it dawns on us…No matter how much we might want to, we’re not driving the train.

Living-In-The-Past-Bob Davis Podcast 886

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US-Debt-Kills-Repo-Markets?-Bob Davis Podcast 885

Pay Attention To This Issue

My job is to bring new issues to the attention of subscribers and listeners. That’s why I sat down Saturday and recorded US-Debt-Kills-Repo-Markets?-Bob Davis Podcast 885.

Repo Market Hell

First of all I am not a banker but I stay current on financial news. Especially relevant are the concerns experts are voicing about something called the Repo Markets.

Not Where Your Car Goes When It’s Repossessed

In US-Debt-Kills-Repo-Markets?-Bob Davis Podcast 885 I’ll provide a definition of these markets. I’ll also explain ‘Repurchase Agreements‘.

Key Markets For World Banking Liquidity

Just remember, these markets are instrumental in keeping the world’s banking system afloat on a day to day basis.

Drying Up Like The Dust Bowl

That’s why it’s most noteworthy the repo markets unexpectedly started to dry up in the fall.

Fed Rides To The Rescue…Again

The drought forced the United States Federal Reserve Bank to dump billions into these little known markets.

Billions

More billions than the banking experts expected.

More Billions

320 Billion since last fall.

Even More Billions From The Fed

Even more the Federal Reserve has projected dumping as much as another 500 billion into these markets in 2020.

Whistling Past The Graveyard

Why? According to some, the Fed wants these markets, largely based on United States Treasury Bonds, to stay open and liquid.

Big Federal Deficits Finally Taking Their Toll?

After all, the federal government has ever larger budget deficits and debt to finance.

Trillions of Dollars of Debt Gotta Go Somewhere

Now hold onto your hats. The federal government has been dumping US Treasuries on these markets in 2019, in increasing amounts. After all, they have a now trillion dollar budget deficit to cover.

Rumors Of Bank Failures

Other supposed reasons for the problem include rumors of a big European Bank in trouble.

Could Be The Hedge Funds

Some blame the big hedge funds.

Or, Hedge Funds Are Saving Our Asses

Others say there’s so much federal debt out there, the hedge funds are saving our asses right now.

Regulations

Furthermore it’s suggested post 2008 financial crisis regulations are the culprit.

Too Much US Government Debt

Finally the biggest culprit could be there’s too much US Government debt and it’s draining the banks’ reserve accounts. Imagine that!

Your Broke Ass Uncle Sam

In conclusion can we at long last dispense with the old government-debt-doesn’t-effect-private-credit argument?

Asking A Question

I don’t like to take positions so I’ll ask this as a question.

Drunken Sailors

Isn’t it a travesty that so called conservatives have jumped on the all night drunken binge boat with usually spendthrift democrats?

Thanks Republicans!

As a result we wonder, weren’t Republicans and Tea Party Trumpers for spending less and limiting the power of government?

Nero Fiddled…

Could they be playing Nero while Rome starts burning?

Where’s That Graveyard

Are we whistling past the graveyard again? Only time will tell.

Sponsored by Reliafund Payment Processors and Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

US-Debt-Kills-Repo-Markets?-Bob Davis Podcast 885

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