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Posted: Dec 24, 2019 12:01 AM

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

Kwanzaa, celebrated exclusively by white liberals, is a fake holiday invented in 1966 by black radical/FBI stooge Ron Karenga -- aka Dr. Maulana Karenga, founder of United Slaves, the violent nationalist rival to the Black Panthers. Liberals have become so mesmerized by multicultural gibberish that they have forgotten the real history of Kwanzaa and Karenga's United Slaves.

In what was ultimately a foolish gambit, during the madness of the '60s, the FBI encouraged the most extreme black nationalist organizations in order to discredit and split the left. The more preposterous the group, the better. (It's the same function MSNBC serves today.)

By that criterion, Karenga's United Slaves was perfect.

Despite modern perceptions that blend all the black activists of the '60s, the Black Panthers did not hate whites. Although some of their most high-profile leaders were drug dealers and murderers, they did not seek armed revolution.

Those were the precepts of Karenga's United Slaves. The United Slaves were proto-fascists, walking around in dashikis, gunning down Black Panthers and adopting invented "African" names. (I will not be shooting any Black Panthers this week because I am Kwanzaa-reform, and we are not that observant.)

It's as if David Duke invented a holiday called "Anglika," which he based on the philosophy of "Mein Kampf" -- and clueless public schoolteachers began celebrating the made-up, racist holiday.

In the category of the-gentleman-doth-protest-too-much, back in the '70s, Karenga was quick to criticize Nigerian newspapers that claimed that certain American black radicals were CIA operatives.

Now we know the truth: The FBI fueled the bloody rivalry between the Panthers and United Slaves. In the annals of the American '60s, Karenga was the Father Gapon, stooge of the czarist police. Whether Karenga was a willing FBI dupe, or just a dupe, remains unclear.

But the left has forgotten the FBI's tacit encouragement of this murderous black nationalist cult founded by the father of Kwanzaa.

In one barbarous outburst, Karenga's United Slaves shot two Black Panthers to death on the UCLA campus: Al "Bunchy" Carter and John Huggins. Karenga himself served time -- a useful stepping-stone for his current position as the chair of the Africana Studies Department at California State University at Long Beach.

(Speaking of which, the cheap labor lobby certainly was right about how the GOP could easily win over "socially conservative" minorities. Look at how California has swung decisively to the right since whites became a minority there. Good luck winning California now, Democrats!)

Back to the esteemed Cal State professor: Karenga's invented holiday is a nutty blend of schmaltzy '60s rhetoric, black racism and Marxism. The seven principles of Kwanzaa are the very same seven principles of the Symbionese Liberation Army, another invention of The Worst Generation.

In 1974, Patty Hearst, kidnap victim-cum-SLA revolutionary, famously posed next to the banner of her alleged captors, a seven-headed cobra. Each snakehead stood for one of the SLA's revolutionary principles: Umoja, Kujichagulia, Ujima, Ujamaa, Nia, Kuumba and Imani. These are the exact same seven "principles" of Kwanzaa, or "Kawaida," as Karenga calls them. (And here's something interesting: Kawaida, Kwanzaa and Kuumba are also the only three Kardashian sisters not to have their own shows on the E! network.)

Kwanzaa praises collectivism in every possible area of life. It takes a village to raise a police snitch.

When Karenga was asked to distinguish Kawaida, the philosophy underlying Kwanzaa, from "classical Marxism," he essentially said that, under Kawaida, we also hate whites.

While taking the "best of early Chinese and Cuban socialism" (is that the mass murder, the imprisonment of homosexuals or the forced labor?), Karenga said Kawaida practitioners believe one's racial identity "determines life conditions, life chances and self-understanding."

There's an inclusive philosophy for you!

Sing to "Jingle Bells":

Kwanzaa bells, dashikis sell

Whitey has to pay;

Burning, shooting, oh what fun

On this made-up holiday!

Kwanzaa emerged not from Africa, but from the FBI's COINTELPRO. It is a holiday celebrated exclusively by idiot white liberals. Black people celebrate Christmas.

Merry Christmas, fellow Christians!

Leah Barkoukis

Read this article:

Happy Kwanzaa! The Holiday Brought to You By the FBI - Townhall

Conservative columnist Ann Coulter and Breitbart Border and Cartel Chronicles Director Brandon Darby spoke on an immigration panel moderated byOANN host Jack Posobiec at Turning Point USAs fifth annual Student Action Summit.

In West Palm Beach, Florida on Friday, the three discussed the various factors involving the crisis on the southern border of theUnited States.

I think what people in Washington, New York, L.A., and San Francisco dont understand is how the country is being so slammed with drugs, said Coulter. Ordinary, sweet little towns out in rural America in fact, I think a lot of the people in L.A., San Francisco, New York, and Washington are happy to know that Americans out in the middle of the country are dying off of overdoses.

Coulter added that 90 percent of the drugs coming into the U.S. are coming from the cartels operating south of the unsecured U.S. border.

This is what Mexico does all the time and the U.S. State Department does this all the time, added Darby. Theyre like, Look, we caught this cartel boss.'

The cartel boss is part of the problem, but the cartel boss is not the problem, he explained.

Theres a cartel boss, and then around that cartel boss, theres this circle of power. Theres politicians, bankers, financiers, lawyers, diplomats those are the real problem. Theyre very happy if you take El Chapo. They dont care, they just replace that part of the pie. They dont care, its this circle. And so, if we cant go after the circle, if we cant go after the people who launder the money, who give the money, who work with them, and meet with them, and give them material support, were never going to actually address the problem.

And if we dont actually address that problem, were never going to do anything about the immigration problem we have in this country, and were going to lose our country, said Darby. So if we want to stop that, yes, we need to change policies here yes, we need to build the wall.

But all of those things are treatments for an underlying problem, he added, and that underlying problem is a nation that is led byparamilitary cartels south of our border. If people from El Salvador wanted to come north to work and Mexico had jobs, they would just stay in Mexico, which would be fine with me thats the kind of thing we have to start looking at.

The Democrats a lot of them think theyre helping other places in the world by allowing everyone to come here, but theyre not helping them, theyre actually hurting those places, and theyre hurting us in the process, said Darby.

Posobiec noted how the U.S. engages in nation-building in other countries but doesnt appear to give Mexico the same attention, despite the nation being so much closer to home.

Howridiculous is it that well do these nation-building projects in Afghanistan, and Botswana, and Burundi, [but] the one where you could at least make the argument that theres a direct benefit to the American citizens is just south of our border? asked Posobiec.

Coulter offered her response.

Its like youre reading my mind, she said. Whenever I see Brandons articles, I want to tweet them out and say, You know, this is two miles from where Americans live. This is 20 miles from where Americans live, not 7,000. Why isnt the media talking about it? I mean, other than Brandon Darby at Breitbart.

Its very, very strange this is happening right on our border, continued Coulter. Its as if you haveISIS andal-Qaeda together, doing their beheadings and mass murders, and itscheek by jowl with us, with no border in between, but no, no, no, tell me whats going on in China. Tell me whats going on in East Timor.

Of course this influences us, added Coulter of the Mexican drug cartels. Why cant we bring the military back and send them to Mexico?

This portion of the panel begins at timecode 08:33 in the video above.

You can follow AlanaMastrangelo on Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.

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Read more:

WatchPanel Featuring Ann Coulter, Brandon Darby: A Nation Led by Paramilitary Cartels Is at Our Southern Border - Breitbart

Last week, thousands of conservative high school and college students gathered for the annual Turning Point USA (TPUSA) Student Leadership Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida. The summit was held near Mar-a-Lago, and Donald Trump showed up himself for a last-minute talk on the conferences third day, during which he launched into a weird diatribe against wind power that went viral.

The event consisted of talks, networking events, and workshops, all of which were pretty much what you would expect at a gathering of the right that included Ben Shapiro, Sarah Sanders, and the president: Capitalism is good. Impeachment is a sham. The left wants to take your guns and turn the country into Venezuela. Antifa are the real fascists. Blah blah blah something to do with how referring to trans people by their correct pronouns is the same as 1984. Someone would say that socialism is bad and the crowd would cheer. Then someone would say "AOC" and the crowd would boo.

A few times speakers said something so wild it stopped me dead in my tracks. Like when Ann Coulter compared Ilhan Omar to Josef Mengele. Or when Dinesh Dsouza said, "To me democratic socialism differs from socialism kind of in the way that gang rape differs from individual rape."

At the networking events, I chatted to students who told me their views havent made them super popular on their college campuses, so it was nice for them to be around like-minded people. One student told me she was too scared to tell her roommates that shes a conservative because she was worried they wouldnt want to be her friends anymore.

The organizers seemed to have made a few attempts to make the conservative messaging more appealing to young people. There were a bunch of selfie stations dotted around, and the Ayn Rand booth had graphic novels and a downloadable emoji keyboard. Sean Hannity was wearing a hoodie.

The talk I saw that seemed to be the most explicitly crafted towards young people was one by disgraced BuzzFeed editor and current TPUSA employee Benny Johnson, who talked about the lefts inability to meme. Johnson came out on stage accompanied by someone dressed as "Left Shark," firing a T-shirt cannon into the crowd and screaming, "Whos ready for some memes?"

"The left can't meme," he said. "We're having more fun than them. We're way funnier. We're more awesome."

On big screens at the side of the stage was a slideshow of conservative memes to underline Johnsons point. The memes included:

More than once, Johnson paused mid sentence because he was laughing at the memes too hard.

"They dont want to speak your language, they dont understand you." Johnson, 32, said. "They dont understand us. The way that we communicate."

Here are some other things I saw while wandering around the event:

Rudy Giuliani

A crowd of excited young conservatives.

A proud author.

Dinesh D'Souza signs a book for a fan.

This article originally appeared on VICE US.

See the rest here:

12 Unsettling Photos from the Young Conservative Convention Near Mar-a-Lago - VICE

London'sSchool of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) has distanced itself from comments made by one of its academics who criticisedStormzy after theGrime artist said Britain had a problem with racism.

Paul Stott, a tutor at the world-leading institution for Middle Eastern affairs at the University of London, asked the rapper to instead say "thank you" to the country that"helpedbring him up".

Stott made the comments after Stormzy, whose real name is Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo, said people in the UK weren't aware of racism and that it remained "under the skin".

'We fully understand why SOAS staff and students, and the wider community, are deeply concerned about statements such as this being made.'

- SOASUniversity of London

Speaking to Italian newspaper La Repubblica last week, Stormzy said the UK was "definitely" racist when asked if racism was still present in British society.

"It's like: 'Oh no, we're not racist'.But there's a lot of racism in the country,"he said.

"The difficult thing with the UK is, as you said, in Italy it's a clear problem, whereas trying to explain that Britain is a racist country [to a British person] is the most difficult thing ever. They think: 'No, it's not. Stormzy you're successful. Look at London, there's loads of black people.' It's a more difficult case to fight."

A number of news outlets picked up on the rapper's comments and misconstrued what he said to imply that Britain is 100 percent racist.

Stottwas among those who tookoffence and took his view to Twitter.

"If there's one thing the British are rubbish at, it's racism. After Stormzy's dad did a runner, our welfare state helped bring him up. It may not have been perfect, but it was better than what was on offer in Ghana," he tweeted.

The academics remarks drew scorn on social media, namely because Stormzy was born in the UK, not Ghana, and because statics from the Home Office have shown that hate crimes havesurged by at least 123 percent in the last five years, with a large spikereported after the Brexit referendum.

According to the Home Office, there were 103,379 hate crimes recorded in England and Wales between 2018-19, with just under half of all religious hate crime offences targeting Muslims.

Stott, who is also a researcher at the Henry Jackson Society, faced criticism for exceptionalising Stormzy in an attempt to validate his argument.

The Henry Jackson Society is rightwing think-tank, and has faced repeated accusations of pushing an anti-Muslim agenda. Its members have shared the same platform asRichard Spencer, Steve Bannon, Ann Coulter and Milo Yiannopoulos, who are all considered key figures in the "alt-right"American white nationalist movement.

"Although he does not realise it, half the world would swap places with Stormzy in a shot, if they could. If there's one thing we need to hear from this young man in 2020, it is surely thank you Great Britain," Stott said.

REVEALED: How SOAS is facing growing pressure to comply with Prevent

In a statement released on Tuesday, SOASsaid: "These comments certainly do not accord with the values of SOAS as an institution.

"We agree with the criticism that has been expressed that these comments are ill-informed and extremely offensive. We fully understand why SOAS staff and students, and the wider community, are deeply concerned about statements such as this being made.

"SOAS is currently closed for the Christmas period, but we will take this matter up in detail when the school re-opens on 2 January."

Stormzy has been a vocal critic of the Conservative party, and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in particular.

His single Vossi Bop contained the line "F**k the government, and f**k Boris", which became the slogan of a campaign aimed at unseating Johnson inthe general election earlier this month.

In the interview with La Republica, Stormzy added that Johnson was a "figurehead"whose actions had made it more acceptable to say racist things.

"If the top person can openly say this racist thing the 'piccaninnies' remarks, 'watermelon smiles', comparing Muslim women to a letter box if that is our figurehead, the top man, the leader we have to follow, and he openly says these things, he encourages hate among others."

View original post here:

SOAS to take action against 'ill-informed' academic who criticised Stormzy - Middle East Eye

What ever happened to Kwanzaa? Its almost like its disappeared from the radar.

Unless Kim Jung Un launches a balllistic missile or does something else dramatic today, its likely to be a slow news day.

So use this post to wish each other well, argue, or post things of interest in the comments. As long as you keep it clean, there is nothing off topic.

Some quick thoughts from me.

We havent published reader-submitted bumper sticker photos in a long time. For a reminder, scroll through our Bumper Sticker Tag,all 58 pages of them dating back to 2010, totaling over 500 in all. Check out Best Bumper Stickers of 2012.It seems that bumper stickers in the anti-Obama era were so much more fun. Anti-Trump bumper stickers lack humor and are just angry. But a small number of readers have sent me images recently. Should we resume?

What ever happened to Kwanzaa? It used to be it was all over the news, now you hardly hear anything about it. Of course, it was a recently invented holiday meant to take away from Christmas. Now that Christmas is *legal* again under Trump, maybe Kwanzaa has lost its purpose.

What are Democrats praying for this Christmas? Heres a partial list, all of which involve some dramatic harm to the U.S. that will hurt Trumps chances of reelection:

1. North Korea: Democrats precarious electoral situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebodys part, and Kim Jung Un may be just the guy to do it. A long-range missile here, a boom there, come on Kim, Democrats need you.

2. The economy, boy theyre stupid: The media tried this year to talk us into a recession. They could taste it and they were salivating. But it didnt happen. Not even close. Guess what? The economy is so strong, it has only once place to go: DOWN!

3. Conflict with Iran: Mullah, Mullah on the wall, what have you got in store to help Democrats win? Sink a tanker? Shoot down another drone. Drag the region into conflict with U.S. troops in the middle of it all? Trump will be blamed by the media, so for Democrats, its all upside.

This meme sums it up.

Thats it from me for the moment.

Merry Christmas to our readers, and even to the commenters.

[Featured image via Linda in Tennessee]

Original post:

Christmas Day Open Thread - legal Insurrection

Weve all been theretrying to remember an actors name, which is right on the tip of your tongue, only to hopelessly give in to Googles promise of a quick, correct answer. What about pacing around the house in a hurry, desperately trying to remember where you left your keys? Its incredibly frustrating to feel like your brain isnt working to its fullest potential. Luckily, there are ways to keep the mind sharp and strong, improving things like memory and recall speedsomething that becomes increasingly vital as we age.

Meditation is often referred to as exercise for the brain, training your focus and attention to be more present and mindful of tasks. Doctors have found that routinely engaging in meditation may help to reduce the thinning of the prefrontal cortex, which can keep memory loss and impaired concentration at bay.

After pulling an all-nighter or spending a night tossing and turning, trying to function quickly and effectively the following day is always difficult. Thats because sleep helps your brain work faster and more accurately, giving your neurons a break from the activities of yesterday, and preparing them for the stimuli of tomorrow. One City University of New York study showed that students who got inadequate sleep chose simpler math problems than those who slept well, meaning they were more likely to pass up difficult tasks, which is not exactly a promising way to get ahead. Sleep also improves memory attention, and the brain is actually better at establishing memories when youre not awake.

Weve all heard the phrase brain food or been urged to eat a balanced breakfast before a big meeting or exam. While theres no single food that holds the key to a strong mind, nutritionists urge that one of the most important strategies for maintaining a sharp brain is to follow a nutrition plan filled with fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Certain foods, like berries, fatty fish, and leafy greens, are particularly helpful in improving overall brain health and cultivating mental function. To reap the full brain-powering benefits of a healthy diet, stay consistentthis will ensure the memory and mood boost that nourishing foods promise.

As kids and young adults, school requires us to continually develop our brain and improve the critical thinking skills required to expand brain power. But, as we age, were often less exposed to the kind of cognitive tasks that we encounter in school. This can make us more susceptible to conditions like dementia, making consistent brain stimulation as important as physical health. Many adults choose to continue their education in order to both develop their academic abilities and keep their minds sharp. Scientists have called it a fantastic tool for overall health and consider it a primary factor for brain health specifically. Consider joining a book club, taking classes at your local community college, or signing up for a foreign language course.

Though its recent popularity in the self-improvement field has positioned brain training as another fad, its fundamental to the maintenance of cognitive skills throughout life. Brain training helps with skills like attention, memory, problem solving, reading, and psychosocial functioning. Often used by psychologists and occupational therapists, the exercises include puzzle games like crosswords and sudoku, reading, writing, playing an instrument, and cooking a new recipe.

Our minds are the most powerful tool we have, deserving of respect and proper care. Prioritizing our brain power ensures we honor our greatest asset, helping us to stay sharp, clever, and high-functioning.

Read more:
Five ways to improve brain power - PhillyVoice.com

As we close out 2019, Latter-day Saints the world over are scratching our heads about what the heck to do with the Book of Revelation, which is our scripture topic for December.

As you read Revelation 1222, look for parallels between what John saw and what you see in todays world, says this weeks curriculum for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Seek spiritual guidance to help you find personal lessons as you immerse yourself in Johns symbolic language.

According to biblical scholar Timothy Beal in "The Book of Revelation: A Biography," this confusion makes contemporary Latter-day Saints pretty much like all Christians everywhere in every age. And yet despite our inability to fathom pictorial images of red dragons and women clothed with the sun, Christians have tended to find in Revelation whatever we want, based on the biases of our own time and place. What makes Revelation successful for this purpose is also what makes it bewildering to read: Its so fragmented and heavily symbolic that wildly divergent groups in every age can read themselves into the text.

We seem to use it for two basic purposes.

First, we position our own particular religious stories in the text and place ourselves in the tiny minority of the human race who are depicted in Revelation as doing stuff right. Somehow, the readers who claim to have unlocked the Book of Revelation are always among the 144,000 elect people who get saved, not the other 108 billion or so hoi polloi who have ever walked the earth. For Latter-day Saints, this tendency also means that we interpret the angel in Revelation 14 as referring to Moroni unveiling the truth to Joseph Smith, and we see Revelation 7 as prophesying the restoration of the gospel (to us, conveniently enough!) in the latter days. We become the heroes of the text. And, in doing this, we are utterly typical of Revelations other readers throughout history.

The second thing is that people weaponize Revelation to other the groups that disagree with us, whether its Luther pinning a papal tiara on the unidentified whore of Babylon or Americans in the 1980s noting with glee that Ronald plus Wilson plus Reagan evoked the number 666. Im glad to see that the Latter-day Saint curriculum doesnt fully go there there are no attempts to pinpoint the identity of the beast or call out the deficiencies of other churches. But it does leave the door open for Sunday school classes and families to have that conversation, as the curriculum asks, What thoughts do your family members have about the deceiving beast? How do we detect and avoid deceptions we see in the world today?

What the church curriculum generally attempts to do with Revelation is a fascinating reflection of our own me-centered, therapeutic era: the Bibles most controversial book becomes a road map for each persons own spiritual growth. This approach manifestly does not work, but I have to admire the attempt, given how disastrous some of the other interpretive directions could have been.

For example, the section discussing the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 23 is headlined Jesus Christ knows me personally and will help me overcome my challenges. Instead of those chapters narrating a cosmic good-and-evil throwdown about which churches are bad and which are beloved, per the original, this regards the letters as self-improvement vehicles along the lines of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Its all about the individual believer pluckily trying to become a better person. (The curriculum also claims that the seven individual churches represented each branch of the church in Johns day, reflecting a centralized and thereby anachronistic misunderstanding of the autonomous chaos that was first-century Christianity, but ... whatever. Thats hardly the only historical issue here, since the curriculum also conflates the author of Revelation, John of Patmos, with the person who wrote the Gospel of John and the three letters of John.)

To transform Revelation from apocalyptic literature to self-help, the curriculum needs to defang the violence of the text, and it does this quite successfully. Here there be no dragons. The lessons do not talk about how God deploys angels to wipe out humans in new and ever-more-creative ways. The curriculums version of Revelation has no beheadings, no lake of fire, no plagues, no moon turned to blood, no rivers poisoned by God in order to kill us, no giant locusts with the tails of scorpions and the hair of women. In fact there are few references to Revelations many terrifying, lethal hybrid monsters. That whole petrifying section around Revelation 9 or so is dispatched in one summary paragraph that once again brings our focus back to individual self-improvement: As you read about the events John prophesied and watch some of them unfold, what are you inspired to do to better prepare yourself and your family for the Second Coming?

In other words, add more pinto beans to your years supply of food storage.

Like I said, Im actually grateful that the curriculum writers chose to go in this gently domesticated direction given the other possibilities at their disposal. (Whom do you think the Lord should consign to the Lake of Fire? Why or why not? is not a conversation Id like to have with fellow church members.)

There is more ink given here to the new heaven and the new earth of Revelation 2122 than there is attention to the disquieting chapters that lead up to it, which are largely about how God scorched the original earth beyond recognition in the first place. The curriculum offers material about God wiping every tear from our eyes but is silent about the earlier chapters in which God is the one who gave us every reason to weep when he sent, for example, a plague to wipe out all creatures in the sea or commissioned his angels to cut down human beings in our tracks with giant sickles. Its hard to know what to do with that.

So, how might we teach and think about this strange, dangerous book? Heres one strategy the Latter-day Saint curriculum suggests trying that Beal has experimented with profitably with his university students: Draw pictures of what you read about in Revelation.

I like this idea. This particular book of the Bible is not merely a text, Beal says, and thats not just because there were more than 300 manuscript versions of Revelation floating around in the first few centuries of Christianity before the canon was fixed and this book quite improbably, given its unveiled and totally impolitic criticisms of the Roman Empire that gathered the canon squeaked into place as the New Testaments culminating book. Its because Revelation is highly visual and experiential, a multimedia constellation of images and stories that are intended to evoke feelings more than to explicate doctrine.

A Gospel Doctrine class in which 20 people drew their interpretation of the same passage of this book would yield 20 completely different artistic understandings. And they would all be, in their own ways, correct. What could possibly be more reflective of our own era?

The views expressed in this opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.

See more here:
Jana Riess: What do Latter-day Saints do with the Book of Revelation? - Salt Lake Tribune

What are the market pressures investors need to be ready for in the new year, and how can they improve their portfolios while at the same time possibly improve the world?

By Will Lofland, Director and Head of Intermediary Distribution | GuideStone Funds December 20, 2019 Contact Me

As we near the new year, setting resolutions will be on the minds of many. Feeling in need of a fresh start, many individuals create goals for themselves centered around weight loss, self-improvement and making better financial decisions.

Making better financial decisions sounds like a wise thing to do in theory, but what all does that actually entail?

For many, one of the most overlooked resolutions within that bucket revolves around investing. When it comes to your portfolio and investing techniques, its easy to set it and forget it in a sense, but its a missed opportunity not to take advantage of aligning ones resolutions with changes in your portfolio.

While investors dont need to make tweaks constantly, the new year can serve as a reminder to check in with your approach, where you are today and where you want to be over the short and long term.

As we head into 2020, here are three resolutions to consider specific to your investment portfolio:

Its no secret that 2019 saw its fair share of market volatility. In fact, many in the industry are saying that we are in the ninth inning of this bull market, so a downturn to some extent is inevitable.

While we are cautiously optimistic, there are market concerns at play including the Fed cutting rates again, geopolitical turmoil and the upcoming political season expected to dominate the headlines for the next 12 months.

While we dont recommend taking the chips off the table heading into 2020, we do recognize where the markets may go. Implementing a defensive strategy can reduce portfolio volatility while still providing long-term capital appreciation. For example, the health care and utilities sectors have a defensive nature and may be worth working into an overall allocation in the new year.

The beauty of todays market environment is that there are new ways individuals can approach their investments. For example, five to 10 years ago, investing philosophies such as SRI (socially responsible investing), ESG (environment, social and government) and faith- or values-based investing were in their infancy stages with only one or two fund families that offered niche products.

Now, with hundreds of products on the market within these arenas, investors have easier access and the ability to truly align their values with their portfolio. According to a survey conducted by Bank of America, 82% of high-net-worth investors who align with ESG portfolio choices ones backing companies that are good corporate citizens see investing as a way to directly express their personal values.

At the start of the new year, take time to determine what values define or matter to you. Are you anti-tobacco? Do you support water-preservation efforts? Do you want to avoid companies that align with gambling? Have an open dialogue with your financial professional and highlight what matters to you, and he/she can identify appropriate solutions to weave into your portfolio.

Every company has room for growth and room to make an impact. Understand that as an investor, you have the power to do more. For example, there are faith-based investment companies like GuideStone with shareholder advocacy programs that work to encourage other companies to evolve based on community and consumer preference (e.g., CVS opting to take tobacco off their shelves). The goal is to take your investing habits to the next level by engaging with companies to communicate why your values matter in your investment decisions.

With 2020 right around the corner, remember that setting resolutions for the new year is about taking a specific interest in amplifying your portfolio and making the intentional effort to adopt those changes. Over the coming weeks, work closely with your adviser to implement these resolutions and others that may be important to you.

As with any resolution, the road to success begins with the desire to change and the thoughtfulness to create a solid plan.

Will Lofland is director and head of intermediary distribution at GuideStone Funds based in Dallas, Texas. In addition, Will oversees GuideStone's shareholder advocacy strategy and represents the firm as a participant in the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility.

Comments are suppressed in compliance with industry guidelines. Click here to learn more and read more articles from the author.

This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA.

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3 Resolutions for Investing in 2020: How to Make the Most of Your Portfolio - Kiplinger's Personal Finance

Clean eating is more than a movement. Its a holistic approach to food that can lead to a tougher immune system, increased energy levels, a stronger heart, improved brain health and more. So what does eating clean for beginners look like in practiceand what does it take to reap the benefits?

Getty

What is clean eating?

According to the Mayo Clinic, clean eating describes following a whole food diet, which consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats, while limiting the consumption of processed snack foods, sweets and other packaged goods.

Healthy eating benefits

This season, you should think French green beans over French friesand for a variety of reasons. Medical News Today reports that clean eating can deliver significant health benefits, including:

Food blogger and author of Anti-Inflammatory Drinks For Health Maryea Flaherty knows quite a bit about the upside of clean eating. After her mother was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic cancer, Flaherty began researching the relationship between nutrition and diseasewhich ultimately inspired her to rework her approach to food and start a blog focused on nutrition and natural living. Today, Flaherty writes on a variety of food and wellness topics via Happy Healthy Mama.

While in the past she never made the connection between food and health, Flaherty says she now credits clean eating for contributing to the overall health of her family, including her two young children.

I have healthy kids because they have a nutrient-dense diet, says Flaherty. When you eat a lot of processed foods, you eat fewer fruits and vegetables because theres less room in your diet. Her regular family meals now include eggs, oatmeal, chicken and vegetables.

Getting started with healthy diet changes

It may be the season for eggnog, latkes and a slew of other seasonal sweets, but Flaherty has guidance for those aiming to eat clean during the holidays, and perhaps adjust their habits more permanently. Consider these quick tips if youre looking for healthy lifestyle diet changes.

Think delicious with your clean eating diet

People have preconceived notions that eating a healthy diet cant be tasty, says Flaherty. But for the healthy food advocate, nutritious combinations can please the palate, too.

Many of her featured recipes include items such as pitted dates, nuts, cocoa powder, raw honey and unsweetened shredded coconut, for instanceingredients that pack a flavorful punch without the added sugar and calories. For Flaherty, the trick is to dedicate some time to educate yourself about healthy alternatives to anything thats fried, high in sugar or packed with trans fats. Incorporate those still-tasty alternatives into your daily diet, and the easier it could be to commit long-term to a clean eating regimen.

Shop smart for your whole food diet

Clean eating begins in the grocery store, not your fridge. Consider these tips when youre shopping:

Eat organic when you meal plan for clean eating

There are plenty of advantages to eating organic foodsproducts that dont contain any pesticides, fertilizers, solvents or additives. USDA-certified organic foods are grown and processed according to strict federal guidelines that cover everything from soil quality and pest control to animal raising practices. While not everyone can afford to limit their diet to organic food, it doesnt need to limit healthier choices.

If you can afford organic, thats fantastic. Then youre getting less pesticides in your food, says Flaherty. But non-organic foods are still nutritious. So if you cant afford them, dont let that stop you from eating fresh produce.

Be kind to yourself with healthy eating lifestyle changes

Clean eating should be a life goal, not a daily obsession, says Flaherty. Theres a fine line between being conscious and trying to eat clean and becoming obsessed with healthy eating.

Cutting out sugar-laden and fatty foods can certainly improve your mood and boost your energy levels. But eliminating entire categories of food, such as carbs or grains, can be counter-productive. I try not to demonize any food groups, says Flaherty. I just eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains rather than foods that are processed.

Identifying how to start a whole food diet is all about finding balance: making smart, thoughtful choices about what to purchase and prepare while educating yourself and prioritizing self-improvementnot perfection.

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A Guide To A Clean Eating Diet Over The HolidaysAnd Why A Year-Round Regimen Makes A Difference - Forbes

The holidays are all about being kind and generous to those around you, and its definitely a vibe thats holly jolly for humanity. But this year, the universe is doubling down on all those warm, fuzzy feelings with a new moon in Capricorn.

Its all happening on December 26, and its going to draw out your holiday spirit a liiittle bit longer, says Donna Page, a certified astrologer in Atlanta. Of course, its a little more complicated than that. Heres what your sign can expect:

Backing up a sec: A new moon happens when the earth lines up with the sun, making the moon all but invisible from Earth. There are 12 new moons a year, and each is linked with a different astrological sign.

This particular new moon is vibrating with Jupiter, basically turning you into a cooler version of Santa Claus, Page says. Jupiter likes to do things up right, so youll find yourself going big on late holiday gifts (those post-Christmas discounts can be pretty deep...) for other people and, ya know, yourself.

FYI: Your Zodiac Sign Changes Every 30 Years

The new moon in Capricorn is also going to fill you up with some serious optimism. "Theres a huge feeling of expanding possibilities and hope, and a sense that you can accomplish your dreams," Page says. So, maybe 2019 wasnt your year, but 2020 can will be.

While musing on that kickass future, youre going to want to spend some solid time with your best buds. You might even start up your own Friendsmas tradition to help celebrate the people who make up your chosen family. (Come to think of it, December 26 seems like a pretty perfect day to start such an awesome tradition, right?)

To top off the cherry on that new moon sundae is a huge humanitarian vibe. Youll take a beat to think about how you can make the world a better placeand then actually do something about it. Whether that means volunteering at your local soup kitchen, fostering a shelter dog, or carrying your elderly neighbor's groceries for her, you'll be all about lending a helping hand.

The new moon in Capricorn will affect every zodiac sign, but Capricorn and Cancer will feel it the most, Page says.

Here's what your sign says about what you like in the bedroom:

Since the New Moon is sending all kinds of do-gooder energy your way, you have two options: You can roll your eyes at it and keep doing your own thing, or you can take a sec to actually think about what positive changes you can bring about.

Take option A, and life will continue on pretty much as usual. Go for option B andnot to be totally sappy, butyoull feel really, really good about where youre headed in life, and what youre contributing to the world. Tbh, neither choice is wrong, but one def gives you the chance to do a lil' self-improvementjust in time for your 2020 New Year's resolutions.

The next new moon is happening on January 24, 2020 in the sign of Aquarius. When it goes down, you might be dealing with some complicated emotions but, dont stress, its not necessarily a bad thing (maybe a slightly weird thing, because Aquarians, but not "bad").

Until then, soak up the sweet vibes of the new moon in Capricornand pay it forward.

Read more from the original source:
Decembers New Moon In Capricorn Is The Last Of The Decade And It's Bringing Good Vibes - Women's Health