On not having stuff

I don't own anything. Not much anyway. I have several pairs of clothes and a cheap laptop. Everything else is fungible. This keeps me limber. It allows me to move quickly and to not have to worry about things. No matter where I live, there is no worry of loss of possessions. I am unattached.

I already know if your marriage will work out

Men and women are different no matter the socio-economic level, in whatever culture you happen to be living in. However, my experience suggests that the further you move away from rich countries with all the creature comforts (not sleeping on the floor, clean air, decent nutrition), the more women want marriage.

In the US, marriage is declining. Under age 35, people see marriage as a scam. They see the rate of divorce over 50% and don't see the point outside of utilitarian purposes. I've seen employees of mine get married and have kids to increase the checks they receive from the government. They hide paychecks and bank accounts and live in big groups to game the system of entitlements. This is the way under 35's are using marriage. The others simply aren't getting married. They see how much better life is in non-married relationships where partners need to put forth effort to keep the relationship together. The tension of lack of permanence is the greatest motivator. In marriage, you're stuck so the incentive to not be selfish or moody is less obvious.

Is Africa's future currency the RMB?

A question of significance regarding the global economy for the next 30 years is how the reserve currency status changes over time. As of Q4 2013, the USD is used for 80% of global trade settlement. However this is changing.

Along with the continued deterioration of respect for America around the world due to war and spying, the USD is becoming less desireable for foreign trade. In Chinese-speaking Asia, the Chinese RMB is increasing in popularity between governments, specifically Hong Kong and Singapore. Asia will become more and more dependent on the RMB for trade, but there are other regions that are up for grabs.

Agony in Transition: From the Third to the First World

I'm a chronic culture swapper. Upon entering a new country and foreign language, a new mind space invades. This requires a bit of processing time. In the first couple of days after a culture switch, I find myself in a quiet phase. I keep my face in a computer to work or escape into a book during the shift. If I'm not with anyone from the previous location, I'll remain almost mute until the shock wears off.

Who will be the next EU?

It's a beautiful time to be alive. The global economy is in an inflated bubblicious state due to excessive money printing by central banks (US, UK, Europe, Japan). People think things are good due to irrational stock prices. Corporate profits are high due to governments giving zero percent interest loans to big businesses. What could be bad?

As a politician looking to shake things up, now is the time. There's instability. Putin, one of the greatest politicians of our generation, is ready to make some bold moves. Putin is trying to make a new EU to compete with Europe, the US and China. He plans to call it the Eurasian Union. The name is a bit silly. Although his goal is to pick up Central Asia, he will not be able to get either of the economic centers of Europe or Asia. The current Eurasian Customs Commission includes Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Candidates to join the Eurasian Union are Armenia, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

Significant land area

Questions from around the world

I split my time between a couple of different cities in SE Asia. One is a major metropolis where no English is spoken, but I get to sleep in an incredibly comfortable bed. I have access to one of the best Crossfit gyms I've ever been to. I can fulfill any desire I can think of. Though the last American I spoke with wouldn't agree with me, I call it the first world due to availability of creature comforts and 50' x 50' TV screens on the sides of buildings selling whatever the advertisers pay for. Oh yeah, and the mass transit elevated train system is awesome.

Bitcoin is completely misunderstood

I've been a Bitcoin advocate for a while now. Yes, the USD value rose 10x in the past two months. However, when Bitcoin goes parabolic, I tend not to report on it. The USD value has been stable for a short while and had a mini-crash today $1150 to $850, so I feel ok writing about it. The mainstream media puts out hundreds of articles when it rises. Much of the information is wrong and the writers lack basic understanding of what Bitcoin is.

Why it's dangerous to outlaw guns

I am not a gun owner or advocate. Frankly, when someone shows me a gun, I ask them to please put it away so I don't have to run for my life. I don't like guns and think they are dangerous, but I feel strongly that you have a right to have one.

It's not my place to bear judgment of what you do with your life for two reasons. (1) I don't care. (2) That would be a lot of worrying if I had to concern myself with everyone else and what they are doing. I guess my election campaign was stillborn before it even started.

Third world rules

The third world plays by different rules than the second or first world. Let's see how...

How to win at life

I heard that the secret to life is balance. This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. If we are to be balanced, what's the the point of living? Balance is boring and leads to mediocrity. If you were born balanced and tend toward the middle, great. You probably have an important role in someone's life. You may have followed the path that society prescribed for you. You probably aren't rustling any feathers. That'll never be me...