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Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Capitalism Analysis, Religion 23, and More

- I obviously like to look at the finance and economic sector from time to time. This is the latest from this series of posts:
- I've been looking at some of those from Soro's stable of late. They tend to outperform the market and my guess it's a combination of them looking hard for opportunities and them also speculating/manipulating...
- what's become obvious to me is that free market capitalism is scam-like? It's very difficult to build a 'fair system' that relies of 'free market capitalism' at it's very core especially one that allows for unlimited wealth buildup for any single individual or group. Moreover, a lot of the mechanisms used to calculate inequality are actually flawed as well? If the top eight billionaires own as much combined wealth as "half the human race" then surely the methodology of calculating inequality is one of the core problems?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gini_coefficient
total number billionaires worldwide trends
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_the_number_of_billionaires
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/flat-wages-to-worsen-intergenerational-inequality-thinktank-20180115-h0ig95.html
total number billionaires worldwide trends
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_the_number_of_billionaires
The World's Billionaires is an annual ranking by documented net worth of the world's wealthiest billionaires compiled and published in March annually by the American business magazine Forbes. The list was first published in March 1987.[1] The total net worth of each individual on the list is estimated and is cited in United States dollars, based on their documented assets and accounting for debt. Royalty and dictators whose wealth comes from their positions are excluded from these lists.[3] This ranking is an index of the wealthiest documented individuals, excluding and ranking against those with wealth that is not able to be completely ascertained.[4]

In 2017, there was a record of 2,043 people on the list, which is the first time over 2,000 people were listed, that included 195 newcomers that included 76 from China and 25 from the U.S.; there were 56 people under 40 and it had a record of 227 women.[5] The average net worth of the list came in at US$3.75 billion, down US$110 million from 2015. Added together, the total net worth for 2017's billionaires was US$7.67 trillion, up from US$7.1 trillion in 2015.[2][6] In 2017, 500 of the richest people in the world became richer by $1 trillion, according to a report by Bloomberg News.[7][8] As of 2017, Microsoft founder Bill Gates has topped the list 18 of the past 23 years.[2]

According to a 2017 Oxfam report, the top eight billionaires own as much combined wealth as "half the human race".[9][10]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World's_Billionaires
https://www.statista.com/statistics/220093/number-of-billionaires-in-the-united-states/
- unlimited wealth for any single individual or group is 'sustainable' in a system where there are 'finite resources' leads to an enormous contradiction that needs to be dealt with from time to time. The reality is that it's easier for the rich to get richer because they have savings which can be invested. Investments tend to out run inflation. Since the rich are already at an advantage then technically it's the poor who end up in greater and greater trouble in each 'boom and bust cycle'. This is where things get interesting. As we saw in the 30s and 60s crises in the US and the 2008/2009 banking crises in Europe and the United States when rich can no longer exploit the rich they have to exploit one another and the rules of the previous game no longer apply. This leads to a recession, depression, complete freeze, wars, etc... This is essence is the reason why 'systemic crashes and freezes occur'. They need to exploit one another and since they aren't that much different it can lead to confusion and consolidation of economic regions. This is the reason why all economic theories fail and even algorithmic trading would fail as well during such periods of time? Either way the rich get richer? The irony is that technically, 'bust cycles' are sort of supposed to reset things but in certain situations and given the amount of risk, exposure many financial institutions have engaged in bankruptcy of certain key institutions leads to a complete 'freeze' of the entire financial system. Outs such as creation of new banks are of course possible but this retains the same flaws that were present in the previous system, centralisation which leads to systemic risk over and over again...
Keiser Report - Trillion Dollars for World's Wealthiest in 2017 (E1173)
A Ponzi scheme (/ˈpɒn.zi/; also a Ponzi game)[1] is a fraudulent investment operation where the operator generates returns for older investors through revenue paid by new investors, rather than from legitimate business activities or profit of financial trading. Operators of Ponzi schemes can be either individuals or corporations, and grab the attention of new investors by offering short-term returns that are either abnormally high or unusually consistent.

Companies that engage in Ponzi schemes focus all of their energy into attracting new clients to make investments. Ponzi schemes rely on a constant flow of new investments to continue to provide returns to older investors. When this flow runs out, the scheme falls apart.[2]

The scheme is named after Charles Ponzi,[3] who became notorious for using the technique in the 1920s.[4] The idea, present in novels (for example, Charles Dickens' 1844 novel Martin Chuzzlewit and 1857 novel Little Dorrit each described such a scheme),[5] was performed in real life by Ponzi, and became well known throughout the United States because of the huge amount of money he took in. Ponzi's original scheme was based on the arbitrage of international reply coupons for postage stamps; however, he soon diverted investors' money to make payments to earlier investors and himself.[6]
- the interesting thing about the Marxists-Leninists and religions thought that they could break the cycle by changing the system entirely. Everyone sort of shares things and the 'state or head of religion' would handle allocation of goods and services
- let's say you completely and utterly believe in what some of the religions and Marxists-Leninists advocate, it's very difficult to change it and live according to that particular way. The current system (in many countries) make a hyprocrite out of everyone? You'd have to build a parallel society of some sort? The primary problem is that in most societies the 'safety net' isn't that great or non-existent... Moreover, there is a continual theme of parallel societies being broken up by covert agencies (COINTELPRO and it's variants)? At the end of the day everyone has their own agenda, no one cares to look beneath the surface, the public have no real idea what's going on, we've just found more subtle means of competing for limited resources, etc...
http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/8334/pope-francis-don-t-confess-the-faults-of-others
- there is no way China (or Vietnam) is as capitalist as Westerners think they are. Look at the way they structure their society. Single party which effectively has complete control? They compete with others (who may be smaller and more flexible) through sheer blunt force (same with with India now). By remaining agile at scale they can beat all of their competition (especially if they're willing to work for more for less)
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/01/xi-jinping-china-background-and-more.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2017/04/life-in-vietnam-2-data-recovery-work.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2017/04/life-in-vietnam-prophetspre-cogs-12-and.html
- there are many enormous lies that lie at the centre of free market capitalism. One is that everyone has a fair chance. Think about the poor child versus wealthy child background. Poor child has enormous difficulty vs the wealthy child. Poor child has little chance of gaining attendance at a 'good school' unless parents can afford higher school fees or else they receive a scholarship/bursary which ironically requires them to have to know things that would generally only be available to those of a better/higher socio-economic background. Theme continues after school when certain companies select based on which school/s someone may have attended. Larger company has more reserves to draw upon in competing against smaller companies so they have genuinely a far smaller likelihood of being able to compete fairly. Higher wage in larger company continues/extends familial class advantage over generations. Moreover, access to better financing and advice compounds wealth gap/equality issue within society further over the space of a lifetime (especially with no genuine enforcement of 'upper limits' for wealth buildup). If the switch from feudalism to capitalism was a part scam being pulled over the eyes of the working class you have to say 'Bravo'... Much the same but with a completely different face (it ingrains past injustices such as slavery, colonialism, racism, wealth inequality, etc... but most people can't see through it?)?
https://www.rt.com/uk/408326-public-schools-elite-education/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_school_%28United_Kingdom%29
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/4190728/Frances-educational-elite.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandes_%C3%A9coles
http://www.france24.com/en/20130521-france24-interview-french-education-elite-schools
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/fury-over-frances-new-pseudo-phds
Marcus Aurelius: Commodus is not a moral man. You have known that since you were young. Commodus cannot rule. He must not rule.
https://www.moviequotesandmore.com/gladiator-quotes/
- another lie is that some humans are that much different from others. If you examine whole of human history and the work that each person plays without society then you'll realise that overall things are that much different. Even in the upper tiers of society in elite sport or academia people aren't all that much different. In the educational system you'll notice that a few kids tend to 'pull out' from the rest but most of the rest are 'much of a muchness'? This theme seems to continue in professional sports as well with a few people 'pulling out' and most of the upper end being extremely competitive?
- the fairness issue is another fallacy. A good example of this is the hard work phenomenon. For the most part, within a local area the definition of what it means to 'work hard' is somewhat similar. Change countries or regions and things change entirely... In certain Asian and African countries such as China, Japan, India, Afghanistan, etc.. it's not unknown for people to literally work themselves to death (often ends up via heart attack, stroke, exhaustion, etc...). There's not much of a parallel in Western society? Moreover, there' s another strange dimension to all this. Most of the US/West are wealthier by virtue of the fact that they engaged in colonialism, neo-colonialism, slavery, not being as greatly involved in the World Wars, etc... (check over thousands of years). Moreover, the 'Cold War' was not really fair since the USSR started on well off the back foot... It wasn't a genuine test between Capitalism Vs Communism
https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/38487128/doctor-suffers-stroke-dies-after-working-18-hours-straight-china/
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2017/02/life-in-afghanistan-random-stuff-and.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2017/02/life-in-india-prophetspre-cogsstargate_82.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/08/neo-colonialism-and-neo-liberalism.html
President Franklin D. Roosevelt: How long is America going to pretend, that the world is not at war? From Berlin, Rome and Tokyo, were have been described as a nation of weaklings and playboys who hire British or Russian, or Chinese soldiers, to do our fighting for us. We've been trained to think we're invincible, and our people think Hitler and his Nazi thugs are Europe's problem. Pearl Harbor [2001] http://www.quotes.net/movies/8687
Pearl Harbor (2001) Quotes
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0213149/quotes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2017/01/saving-capitalist-democracy-2-random.html
- the future is obvious. Watch enough Hollywood movies and it becomes obvious that people want to 'corporatise' humanity's future. A strange version of Repo-Men, Elysium, Passengers, etc...
- at times, you wonder whether or not capitalism itself is a kind of scam? It sort of fits many of the characteristics of a 'long con'. Most people believe in the idea. It takes a long time for them to catch on to the idea that it's unfair and by the time they realise it it's too late?
Confidence tricks exploit typical human characteristics such as greed, dishonesty, vanity, opportunism, lust, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility, desperation, and naïvety. As such, there is no consistent profile of a confidence trick victim; the common factor is simply that the victim relies on the good faith of the con artist. Victims of investment scams tend to show an incautious level of greed and gullibility, and many con artists target the elderly, but even alert and educated people may be taken in by other forms of a confidence trick.[7]

Accomplices, also known as shills, help manipulate the mark into accepting the perpetrator's plan. In a traditional confidence trick, the mark is led to believe that he will be able to win money or some other prize by doing some task. The accomplices may pretend to be strangers who have benefited from performing the task in the past.
- the only type of investment that can beat the market in the long term seems to be a labour and research intensive value type investment according to some people? Other alternative is maxing out on leverage? Other alternative is use of speculation/manipulation? Other method is contrarian. Other method is front running. Other method is momentum but you have to get a good read/be an insider. Ironically, there aren't too many genuine practitioners of these methods out there and those who purport to be aren't generally well known? A lot of the classic books out there are so old now that they've become free and are no longer being sold (really)?
The book represents the genesis of financial analysis and corporate finance. However, by the 1970s, Graham stopped advocating a careful use of the techniques described in his text for security analysts in selecting individual stock investments, citing that "in the light of the enormous amount of research now being carried on, I doubt whether in most cases such extensive efforts will generate sufficiently superior selections to justify their cost. To that very limited extent I'm on the side of the "efficient market" school of thought now generally accepted by the professors."[4] Graham stated that the average manager of institutional funds could not obtain better results than stock market indexes, since "that would mean that the stock market experts as a whole could beat themselves — a logical contradiction."[4] Regarding portfolio formation, Graham suggested that investors use "a highly simplified" approach that applies one or two criteria to security prices "to assure that full value is present," relying on the portfolio as a whole rather than on individual securities.[4]
- the following elements are critical to capitalism but are effectively lies? Price discovery/market efficiency (if everyone converged on a single correct value for an asset at any one time there would be no volatility which is required for a financial sector), hedging theory (self fulfilling prophecy which makes the future act like the past by creating a theory based on past predicting the future), etc...
Mark Baum: ...is not so enjoyable. We live in an era of fraud in America. Not just in banking, but in government, education, religion, food, even baseball. What bothers me isn't that fraud is not nice or that fraud is mean. It's that, for 15,000 years, fraud and short-sighted thinking have never, ever worked. Not once.
...
Mark Baum: When the hell did we forget all that? I thought we were better than this, I really did. And the fact that we're not doesn't make me feel alright and superior. It makes me feel...sad.
...
Mark Baum: And as much fun as it is to watch pompous, dumb Wall Streeters be wildly wrong, [To Miller] and you are wrong, sir, I just know, that at the end of the day, average people are going to be the ones that are going to have to pay for all this. Because they always, always do.
[Final letter to his investors] I met my wife through Match.com. My profile said, "I am a medical student with only one eye, an awkward social manner, and $145,000 in student loans." She wrote back, "You're just what I've been looking for." She meant "honest", so let me be honest. Making money is not like what I thought it would be. This business kills the part of life that is essential, the part that has nothing to do with business. For the past two years, my insides have felt like they've been eating themselves. All the people that I respected won't talk to me anymore, except through lawyers. People want an authority to tell them how to value things, but they choose this authority not based on facts or results. They choose it because it feels authoritative and familiar. And I am not, nor ever have been, "familiar." So...so I have come to the sullen realization that I must close down the fund. Sincerely, Michael J. Burry, M.D.
- only real way to create a 'fair system' would be an alternative cryptocoin/currency that is mined based on your work? Perhaps based on core survival first and then who knows what next?
- wouldn't this include the entire financial sector as well? Casinos not much different from trading?
- if you think about the nature of free market capitalism it's extremely funny and de-moralising. There are conflicts of interest everywhere? Note that many of the opportunities for rapid returns on investments are only available to the wealthy, credit and interest rate opportunities for the wealthy are better, fees and taxes for the wealthy are actually lower, etc... The elite think that by creating mutual interest relationships everywhere throughout the system it maintains stabiliity. They've made it so opaque and clandestine that most people don't realise how flawed the system actually is? It's effectively about people screwing one another over until a part of society 'breaks' (which leads to boom and bust cycles). Obvious what was done... 
- the elite have boxed themselves in or else created a box to box others in? It's almost laughable. If they let the system crash it implodes? Think of Japan, Europe, US and other cases of large scale economic crises?
- the elite think that they can manage things through behavioural mechanisms when over thousands and thousands of years it has never worked? Watch the way 'Big Short' movie plays out and how it works and how they keep things afloat... When all else fails lie... That's all they have if they want to maintain the existing system. In a way things are funny, it's a cycle of hyprocrisy? Everyone's basically lying to one another or hiding core facts that that allow them to compete ?
Overheard at a Washington, D.C. bar: "Truth is like poetry. And most people fucking hate poetry." 
- if you examine some things it's almost impossible to justify the current system in question. If you watch and understand the financial system as it currently stands (just watch 'Big Short' and understand it) and you'll realise how inherently nonsensical things are?
- here's where it becomes even more interesting from a socio-economic perspective. Currently, a lot of people struggle. Lower class and middle class people are often operating with minimal savings while the upper class take most of it. Let's say that we use something else as the basis for our society? If I'm reading things correctly then humans have 'enough' natural resources available to them. It's just that they waste a lot of it. In the Western world food wastage alone is somewhere in the region of 40-60% By abandoning capitalism/materialism outright then it opens up a lot of different opportunities. It makes things easier to manage. Market pricing becomes easier if capitalism remains in place but is fine tuned?
- here's some realities that humans need to face. Mass scale change is impossible without a massive global type event (good or bad). At the moment, giving something away is very easy. People will take advantage of that each and every time. As for a donation and it's much the same. Try selling something and it's much more difficult unless it's something they very much require
- everything in this system involves trying to avoid re-distribution? Note, that during the Asian Financial Crisis wealthy people actually gave money/goods back which helped to reduce the amount of time in stagnation/recession?
John Henry: For forty-one million, you built a playoff team. You lost Damon, Giambi, Isringhausen, Pena and you won more games without them than you did with them. You won the exact same number of games that the Yankees won, but the Yankees spent one point four million per win and you paid two hundred and sixty thousand. I know you've taken it in the teeth out there, but the first guy through the wall. It always gets bloody, always. It's the threat of not just the way of doing business, but in their minds it's threatening the game. But really what it's threatening is their livelihoods, it's threatening their jobs, it's threatening the way that they do things. And every time that happens, whether it's the government or a way of doing business or whatever it is, the people are holding the reins, have their hands on the switch. They go bat shit crazy. I mean, anybody who's not building a team right and rebuilding it using your model, they're dinosaurs. They'll be sitting on their ass on the sofa in October, watching the Boston Red Sox win the World Series.
Kirk: What happened to you out there, Edison?
Edison: Edison? I have to say, Kirk, I missed being me. We lost ourselves, but gained a purpose! A means to bring the galaxy back to the struggle that made humanity strong.
Kirk: I think you underestimate humanity.
Edison: I fought for humanity! Lost millions to the Xindi and Romulan wars. And for what? For the Federation?! To sit me in a captain's chair and break bread with the enemy!
Kirk: We change. We have to. Or we spend the rest of our lives fighting the same battles.
- inherent inbalances and injustices in the system haven't really been dealt with over time?
- this system is much about about being able to recognise lies and truth in time? The system seems to reward those who are best able to follow instructions not those able to think critically?
The Big Short (2015) - Mark Baum (Steve Eisman) Meets a CDO Manager [HD 1080p]
- the remarkable thing is that the a culture of celebrity has been used in order to justify the elite's own extravagance? The remarkable thing about this is that most people don't really question it? Most people realised that they're strugglomg but they don't mind?
- what's really interesting is that given the difficulty in managing free market capitalism why don't more people question it?
- peace and free market capitalism (this particular version) are impossible to reconcile without an upper limit to make things fair? Presently, we're stuck though because the elite have too much influence, power, money, etc?
Diana Prince: A hundred years ago I walked away from mankind, from a century of horrors. Man made a world where standing together is impossible. 
If we're right, people lose homes. People lose jobs. People lose retirement savings, people lose pensions. You know what I hate about fucking banking? It reduces people to numbers. Here's a number - every 1% unemployment goes up, 40,000 people die, did you know that?
[Final letter to his investors] I met my wife through Match.com. My profile said, "I am a medical student with only one eye, an awkward social manner, and $145,000 in student loans." She wrote back, "You're just what I've been looking for." She meant "honest", so let me be honest. Making money is not like what I thought it would be. This business kills the part of life that is essential, the part that has nothing to do with business. For the past two years, my insides have felt like they've been eating themselves. All the people that I respected won't talk to me anymore, except through lawyers. People want an authority to tell them how to value things, but they choose this authority not based on facts or results. They choose it because it feels authoritative and familiar. And I am not, nor ever have been, "familiar." So...so I have come to the sullen realization that I must close down the fund. Sincerely, Michael J. Burry, M.D.
- if they've using artificial supply and demand (think of the amount/volume of algorithmic trade going through markets now through institutional investors as well as the level of QE) to fake market activity it would make a lot of sense. It's just another way of rigging markets to keep everything going?
- here's another lie. People say that their empire (currently the US is in the one in question) will always last for eternity but they keep on doing the exact same thing as the previous empires. It's a Jenga tower of mutually beneficial relationships for those at the top? The ability ability of humans to believe in bizarre concepts and self deception is remarkable? Also note another thing, people say the military industrial complex is the best mechanism for innovation but it's the opposite? Track the background of those scientists who likely doubled as pre-cogs/prophets and it becomes startlingly obvious that their contribution to society will effectively last for all eternity (unlike many others)?
- here's the problem, the entire social system falls apart if there is a patter of people at the top are consistently of a certain type. If they're always smart, dumb, shonky/shifty, etc... People seem to want to enjoy a combination of smart, dumb, shony/shifty, etc... people in their leaders? We effectively have who we prefer? The reason why countries have 'security clearances' is because they're more then likely engaging in 'shonky/shifty activity' from time to time? Note the by implication the very requirement for security clearances implies hyprocrisy? Truth is literally 'very bad' for this system. The whole system literally collapses because so many people are dependent on lies and hyprocrisy. Most people simply aren't able to overcome this issue through other means?
A security clearance is a status granted to individuals allowing them access to classified information (state or organizational secrets) or to restricted areas, after completion of a thorough background check. The term "security clearance" is also sometimes used in private organizations that have a formal process to vet employees for access to sensitive information. A clearance by itself is normally not sufficient to gain access; the organization must also determine that the cleared individual needs to know specific information. No one is supposed to be granted automatic access to classified information solely because of rank, position, or a security clearance.[1]
- one of the funny things about inequality is that it's so high that professional sportsmen, actors, financiers, give money away to those lower down the chain? It doesn't make any sense at times? Only form of 'fair capitalism' places an upper limit on things? In current situation, basically the rich will get richer and it will cycle forever until neo-feudalism (we'll call it corporatism/facism though) locks itself in as our new way of 'life'? Only other way, is to enforce holidays, shorter hours, job sharing, etc... Capitalism in it's current form (the concept is good. The implementation is flawed?) needs to fall? Once you have enough you're 'removed' (perhaps keep it to a time cycle of some sort)? Provides opportunities for others. Reduces social cohesion issues
White House spokesman - 'No Democrats voted' for middle-class tax cut
- the obvious plan forward by governments (if they continue with this particular of pathway) will be negative interest rates, increased control of financial system, etc... Similar to Japan. In reality, it sound crazy? You're trying to support asset prices by forcing people who mightn't want to to invest?
- much of the system in place is about getting what you want in secret?
This approach appears to be in keeping with the AFR's general method of going easy on corporates. Many reporters argue that asking hard questions will cut off access. But a soft piece ends up achieving the opposite effect – it paints a villain in rosy hues.
This is typical Bloomberg, I mean, this is Bloomberg representing the voice of financial investors. So obviously they are going to be antithetical to anything [related] to socialism, because socialism means social ownership, collective ownership and Bloomberg and the private sector are based on private ownership, they are based on a private rule of gains. But, of course, when you see the financial system crashing, they want to socialize all of the losses. So, they socialize the losses, but privatize the gains. That's what Bloomberg stands for. One reaction to that is the rise of left-wing socialist movements. You have lots of examples of this, of people saying: "We've had enough of neo-liberalism, we want a much fairer system."
His signature on the portentous document testified: “Our founding principles have made the United States of America among the greatest forces for good in history… Around the world, nations and individuals admire what America stands for. We treat people equally and value and uphold the rule of law.”

Such lofty claims seem to be only true in the febrile imagination of American officialdom.
In reality, America’s virtuous pretensions are seen increasingly to be a ridiculous sham, flagrantly contradicted by its boorish, thuggish behavior.

There was a time perhaps when the US could command global leadership. That self-declared global authority was always over-rated, but there was a veneer of plausible appearance and credibility in Washington’s claims.

Now, Washington sounds like a pathetic, deluded narcissist, exposed by its own blatant contempt for the very principles it espouses to uphold: democratic rights, free speech, the rule of law.

This week at the UN General Assembly, the United States is no longer a world leader. It is more like a rogue state whose delusional greatness is belied by sordid acts of bribery, bullying, and intimidation. A tyrant whose time is over.

Most telling is that Washington’s threats of intimidation and “name taking” no longer have power. The threats are seen as just more bluffing and puffing by a washed-up superpower.
- can't seek it 'locking in' unless science is used as basis for currency/socio-economic setup? At the moment we use KPI's and other mechanisms to measure how people stack up against one another so we wouldn't be changing things all that much? That said, I've heard stats about valuing oil properly. If it were done that way then technically no one could really afford regular or long distance travel?
- most of modern economics and finance is a scam designed to send most people in the opposite direction to what those at the top want? Professional trader turnover (we're talking about those at Arbitratge, Investment Bank, HFT, and other firms...) wouldn't be as high as it should be if they all had perfect information though? Basically, most people are wrong/trained to believe in the wrong thing? Those who can see through it all 'make it'... 
- one thing is interesting about the people who have possibly doubled as pre-cogs/prophets. Many of them sort of overcame 'materialism' in their own way? Money buys you everything on 'Earth'. It doesn't gain you anything in more advanced societies? Reminds me of what happened with US tried to engage with the Japanese. The US had nothing that the Japanese wanted so the US came back their armed forces and forced them trade? Same theme with the British and the Chinese during the Opium Wars
- note that many of the traders who may have been in trouble with regulators have gone down completely different tracks at times?
Chat With Traders
Optiver Sydney
Richard Hart
- many are saying that there isn't much difference between professional gambling and financial trading? Edward Thorpe is a well known proponent of this. Effectively trading strategically, when the odds/probability are in your favour
- would be interesting to do a SWOT analysis on many trading firms. Most of them (arbitrage, hedge, HFT, proprietary, investment, etc...) have an edge of some sort of the belief that they have an edge of some sort?
- it's interesting because if I'm reading things correctly most people have given up working on the longer term issues? Most are trying to 'get by' and work on those issues that they are able to fix themselves?
- risk and exposure levels are at nonsensical. We're trying to support a system that is fundamentally 'unsound'?
- the irony is that if you combine some of the ideas over the years then technically we could have the basis for a sound financial or socio-economic system that scales up and out forever. It's that people just don't want it?
- the answers to making it 'fair and just' seem within reach? It's just that people at the top don't realise how far out of whack things are?

I guess this is a continuation on my previous religious research?
- Ascension style technology leads to all sorts of extra bonuses. It makes automated/universal translation much easier (Star Trek style technology). Effectively, download contents of brain into computer. Then run neural net/AI and image/video/sound recognition technology over it (similar to the way Google Translate and various other translation products work within textual format). 
- another bous is that it allows you to replicate core function of an individual. This means that you can test how things would play out on an individual without having to run on a test on the individual in question. A good example of this is the following. We know that certain acts impact upon people in particular and often highly individualistic ways. The reason why this is important isn't immediately obvious unless you know that core science. Drugs and a lot of pleasurable activity changes a  person's neurochemistry over time. What's worse is that saturation/engaging in pleasurable activities actually makes them more susceptible and increases a person's immunity to it. A good example of this is drug addiction. The need to increase the drug dose and move on to more hard drugs over time is caused by over saturation of the brains existing circuitry which leads to addiction. In theory, this technology should stop politicians getting a 'big head', kids from becoming 'spoilt', religious officials from engaging in 'untoward behaviour', etc... or at least detect or reduce the incidence of them engaging in it. Basically, we take them to a particular threshold but never allow them to exceed it which means they don't push on to more 'extreme behaviour'...
- the interesting thing about this is that addiction appears to act on in the same way no matter what the core thing/sin being involved? It's possible that we could measure the susceptibility of a person to a drug abuse, violence, greed, gluttony, lust, pride, etc... The key different here is that conventional genetic testing only factors in a person's genes and doesn't factor in environmental changes. This is much more accurate? In reality, what it also means is that 
- the unfortunate thing is that if you read between the lines the true pre-cogs/prophets were correct in prioritising what they wanted. What society values doesn't really make sense in this particular context. Genuine space faring capability, new socio-economic system, enforcement mechanims, babysitters (pre-cogs/prophets and/or 'Ascended Beings' (if they exist)) are required etc...
- if you understand or think about FTL capability it implies a lot of huge jumps. It's not just a single piece of science or technology or theory we're dealing with. It's a huge number of steps no matter how you decide to pursue FTL capability (there's heaps of ways to achieve it at a particle level. Will go through more options and perhaps something more 'practical' (spacecraft) in future?). Here's the other strange/funny thing. There's also huge problems that people need to face in detection of alien life. If they don't have FTL capability they're stuck in the same position. Can't communicate with Earth in a timely fashion.
p=mv
I=1/r^2
- fascinating how they've tried to spread capitalism throughout the world? Lot's of rigging. Tax havens started as means of increasing profits but also allows countries with limited or no natural resources to have an alternative in the world... Effectively, countries currently taking it in turns to deplete natural resources...
- multiple types who can be invited into 'Ascension' process. People who are naturally inclined, those who are born/trained into it, etc...
- if pre-cogs/prophets are real then it would be interesting if some of them were to meet? 'Abilities' are supposed to be used to identify one another and to humans? Worried that there may be some truth to religions?
Joe McMoneagle,  Remote  Viewing Workshop
- ironically, advanced 'Ascension' style technology clearly takes you down this route... Note, continued underlying theme of elite using ideology/religion to control masses?
Creation myths often share a number of features. They often are considered sacred accounts and can be found in nearly all known religious traditions.[9] They are all stories with a plot and characters who are either deities, human-like figures, or animals, who often speak and transform easily.[10] They are often set in a dim and nonspecific past that historian of religion Mircea Eliade termed in illo tempore ("at that time").[9][11] Creation myths address questions deeply meaningful to the society that shares them, revealing their central worldview and the framework for the self-identity of the culture and individual in a universal context.[12]
- even if there was a 'Final Group' it would take a lifetime to fix Earth (if 'Ascended Beings' are actually real and even if they could extend their life expectancy out to hundreds or thousands of years)? It would take multiple of them (especially if there is no genuine approval/support from Heaven/Nirvana (if it exists)), etc... They would need to be exceedingly wealthy or else well connected? What's interesting is that those who likely doubled as pre-cogs/prophets (such as Einstein, Bohr, Newton, Galileo, Da Vinci, Ramanujan, Edison, Mendel, etc...) and/or on their way to 'Ascension' (if it exists) had work that will echo perhaps for all eternity? These guys will likely require minimal to no supervision, take care of things by themselves, and will likely recognise one another (through abilities, background, knowledge, etc...)? Others are auxilliary...
Maximus: What we do in life echoes in eternity.
http://quotegeek.com/quotes-from-movies/gladiator/2696/
- the interesting about humanity is that no social system has really scaled? Nothing has genuinelly proved universally acceptable? In a way, it's funny. Technically, none of the religions really work out 100% which means that could possibly be based on unsual/awkward pre-cogs/prophets. It could go on for all eternity?
- the impression of Ex-Nihilo can be provided especially if a civilisation is less advanced then others? Nuclear and thermobaric weapons simply convey a advanced version of using energy/matter. Think of nature of dark matter. If 'Ascended Being' (if they exist) or human can some day explain this then does that change things in any way? It only really changes 'perspective'?
- each of the religions says the sinners/non-believers (what's the correct definition though) will perish in the end? Technically already being done? Voluntary military service (examine the people who tend to go into military service. They tend to be of lower education and socio-demographic classes, etc...), celibacy (people who enter religious service but aren't suitable), professional life (people who focus on their career tend to have less or no children), etc... Technically, gene pool is sort of being 'cut back'? Cuts back both good and bad though? Either way, the way it's supposed to be intended to work is a lethal targeted weapon against sinners en-masse?
- does divide and conquer scale forever? Think of it terms of a chess game? Heads of state (such as presidents, prime ministers, monarchs, etc...) are the Kings. Average people are pawns. The rest are 'active pieces' (knights correspond with secret service. Bishops, rooks, and queen are ). Technically, if the 'active pieces' are occupied working on Earthly projects then they can't shoot for more interesting projects which would allow them to overcome 'Empire Paradox' (US/West is on target for collapse as well if you examine all numbers). Let's say greatest scientists, doctors, etc... in human history 'are taken off the board' then technically the whole thing slows down? This is why the structure of the various religions are interesting. They could they could scale 'up and out' (up means internally people are happy. Out means others are happy to adopt that philosophy outside of the existing local system) but clearly they didn't? It would clearly take an AWT style technology to overcome this paradox?
- if your read through everything (all of the religious texts) and see through the obvious lies it's really interesting. Even if it's just a bunch of really smart people (and not genuine pre-cogs/prophet or 'Ascended Beings' (if they exist) who decided to take human form) who sat around trying to figure out how to create a 'perfect society' it's pretty obvious how cynical they were of humanity as a whole (think about the story of Adam and Eve and how they were thrown out of Heaven/Nirvana (if it exists). Also, think about the 'Revelantions' and equivalent...)? They didn't think too much of humans as a whole and maybe even themselves (look in the 'Revelations' and 'equivalent')? That said if part of it is even true then if there is a 'Final Group' then my guess is that things should ultimately 'lock themselves' into place. Curious which religion this may fall in favour of? Suspect it may end up being a kludgy mix but one of them may 'stand out'? What's also interesting is that they technically gave us everything the whole time? Minimal 'encoding' if you see through/past everything?
Karim Younis, a Palestinian, marks 36 years in Israeli jails
- if you think about it then Earth isn't really 'worth it' for an advanced alien civilisations? Even friendship is a potentially dangerous prospect for any significantly more advanced alien civilisation? If they are advanced and peaceful then Earth is just trouble because humans will inevitably want to drag them into local conflicts? If they are advanced and non-peaceful then Earth is only worth it for it's resources... Humans want the 'power of God' but they don't really, genuinely, want to take responsibility? It's easy to see why if 'Ascended Beings' existed they would want to maintain their distance? No incentive to help... You can prove science but without a group simultaneously on Earth from Heaven/Nirvana (if it exists) you can't really categorically prove anything? Earth feels like a bastardised version of Heaven and a variation of Hell?
if god is all powerful he can't be all good
if he is all good he can't be all powerful
Lex Luthor: Do you know the oldest lie in America, Senator? It's that power can be innocent. 
Martha Kent: Be their hero, Clark. Be their angel, be their monument, be anything they need you to be... or be none of it. You don't owe this world a thing. You never did.
- you have to admit that some of the shenanigans that the elite pull is funny and rediculous at times? If movement is against the general what the elite wants they change the wording or interpretation. Populism surely is democracy at work (majority rules)? So many jokes possible sometimes? Can you not see that these people are incompetant to rule?
- wonder why they didn't do this earlier? Technically, the sun and many other large objects are effectively 'massive natural particle accelerators'. By definintion, we should be seeing all sorts of exotic particles coming from them (safer/cheaper then a man made one?) from them. If mass particles are somehow stripped from other particles would actually make sense how some particles are able to go FTL?
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is being hailed as the first spacecraft that will “touch” the Sun, though it won’t actually plunge into the Sun’s surface. Instead, it’ll be a mere 3.9 million miles away from the solar surface, flying through the outer edges of the Sun’s atmosphere.

That will allow the spacecraft to study the origins of something called solar wind, streams of highly energetic particles that are ejected from the Sun’s atmosphere at super high speeds. Solar wind often zooms past Earth and can mess with our planet’s magnetic field, causing interference with our satellites and even our electrical grid. The Parker Solar Probe is meant to tell NASA how these particles get so sped up — a question that scientists have had for decades.
- really cool if some of the weather control myths were in fact true? Note that if you examine things 500 hundred millions years things seem to getting cooler/stabilising? Technically, by heating up the planet humans are sort saving themselves from another ice age type event?
average climate thousands of years trend
weather anomalies
Extreme weather events tied conclusively to humans
- there has been a history of people trying to 'force' prophecies to come true in spite of the pre-cog/prophet in question not necessarily being the right one? Do humans deserve this for trying to force the issue? Get desperate and people go towards false pre-cogs/prophets and Gods? Same theme through many religions. Myths and stories used to support inequalities... Interesting thing about the Inca stories is whether any of them have any basis in truth? Would provide for a 'mapping' of how things are organised?
inca god
Mythology served many purposes within the Inka Empire. While mythology could often be used to explain natural phenomena, or to give the many denizens of the empire a way of thinking about the world, it was also utilized to support the social inequalities of the elite over the commoners within the empire. For example, there is a well-known origin myth that describes how the Inka Empire began at its center in Cusco. In this origin myth, four men and women emerged from a cave near Cusco, and began to settle within the Valley of Cusco, much to the chagrin of the Hualla people who had already been inhabiting the land[11]. The Hualla subsided by growing coca and chili peppers, which the Inka associated with the peoples of the Amazon, whom were perceived to be inferior and wild[11]. The Inka engaged in battle with the Hualla, fighting quite viciously, and eventually the Inka emerged victorious. Interestingly, the myth alleges these first Inka people would plant corn, a mainstay of the Inka diet, on the location where they viciously defeated the Hualla[11]. Thus, the myth continues, the Inka came to rule over the entire Cusco Valley, before eventually going on to conquer much of the Andean world[11]. While this mythical account of the settlement of the Cusco Valley may seem like an innocuous tall tale, myths like these reinforced social inequalities throughout the Inka Empire.
- wonder whether it's a sub-concious method of telling some people to take their medication more regularly? LOL That said, if there are aliens out there capable of FTL travel then surely, it wouldn't be out of the question that their alloys/materials may have a completely different structure? They could be sub-atomically constructed from the ground up? It doesn't matter what you believe, it matters only what's real and what's not?
As for whether there's an explanation at least for the metals themselves, Sachleben said: "There's not as many mysteries in science as people like to think. It's not like we know everything - we don't know everything. But most things we know enough about to know what we don't know."
- the reason why the US/West is so interesting is that technically if you examine all of the likely  true pre-cogs/prophets they sort of 'stood out'. They weren't just smart. They were likely to be on their way to 'Ascension' as well (if it even exists). That's why the notion of neo-liberalism/neo-colonialism is so interesting. It brings all of the worlds best people to them? At the same time, they seem to be incredibly insecure? What's also interesting is that given this situation their Empire should 'scale up (take care of themselves) and out (take care of others)'. At the moment they're struggling even with their own internal problems on top of religious differences?
Obama: 'We need to make clear to people that the cancer is in Pakistan'
Countries that depend on brainpower to drive their economies will generally overtake those dependant on natural resources, with China tipped to replace the US as the world's biggest economy in 2030, the centre says.
- in the absence of AWT style technology it's a piecemeal fight that continues almost forever? Without a set/group of 'true pre-cogs/prophets' from a bunch of religions it's impossible to verify certain things without some sort of reasonable certainty (to deal with pseudo-religious conflicts)? It's clear that there's shenanigans occcuring so truth is a 'bad thing'?
- the way in which the elite control the world nowadays is extremely interesting. They seem to rely on FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) and general fear mongering in order to get their way. Since the public are mostly oblivious to these techniques they just sort of go along with it. By the time, they sort of figure things out it's 'too late'
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/07/social-engineeringmanipulation-rigging.html
- can't tell whether US is paranoid or whether allies are 'slackish'? Another interesting lie is that the military industrial complex helps an empire to grow? As a share of global GDP pie, US weakens with each military intervention in spite of it's GDP going upwards? Many statistics added up together lead to gibberish? Namely, they don't even match up or make sense a lot of the time? How can dissatisfaction be at record highs but people get wealthier? Makes no sense... The 'Revelations' and their equivalent actually makes a lot of sense here. Technically, offensive nature of modern military leads to collapse of empires because guerilla style warfare can still be performed. This means best people end up working on weapons which means that they aren't working on 'core science, engineering, etc...' which would allow their empire to scale 'up and out' which is what's supposed to happen if the prophecies of 'New Earth' are to come true? Notice how much of the data regarding human progress seems to contradict itself (especially if you examine from multiple angles and from a broader perspective)?
poverty levels global trends
violence trends globally
defense spending trends
us military injuries trends
- one of the great ironies is that the current form of free market capitalism that is in place is sort of self destructive? Think about many large companies who want to maintain their monopoly or those who want to pursue profits for the sake of profits. I'm obviously interested in the religious component of this. In the past, pre-cogs/prophets were supposed to be an indicator that they were 'good people' on the pathway to 'Ascension' (if it exists)? Now, people religious aspect has sort of been removed from the table?
Professor Norman: [as Lucy prepares to inject herself with all the remaining CPH4] All this knowledge, Lucy — I'm not even sure that mankind is ready for it. We're so driven by power and profit. Given man's nature, it might bring us only instability and chaos.
Lucy: Ignorance brings chaos, not knowledge. I'll build a computer and download my knowledge in it. I'll find a way for you to have access to it.
Professor Norman: Yeah … I just hope … we will be worthy of your sacrifice. 
life expectancy trends by country
great hindu scientists
great jewish scientists
great buddhist scientists
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_science
- ironically, the science/technology/miracle stuff is much easier then the political stuff? Given the state of the world now it's not really obvious question is who is the 'good side'?
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201801151060752271-abbas-says-usa-not-israel-mediator/
http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/01/15/548953/donald-trump-jim-carrey-ballistic-missile-Hawaii
http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/01/14/548885/Saudi-Arabia-Waleed-bin-Talal
http://www.dw.com/en/qatari-royal-says-hes-being-held-against-his-will-in-uae/a-42144568
http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/01/14/548949/palestine-israel-us-trump-slap
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201801151060754063-afghanistan-us-support/
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201801151060754122-suicide-attack-baghdad/
- as I've said previously my plan is to make sense of this all somehow and publish a book sometime down the track?

Random Stuff:
- as usual thanks to all of the individuals and groups who purchase and use my goods and services
- I've actually done stuff like this in the past. Ironically, the most interesting projects are those that are 'smaller though'. It's much more interesting to do more with less then to do more with more?
- latest in science and technology
App Inventor 2 with Hash and Encryption support
open source android development
- latest in finance and politics
- latest in defense and intelligence
Turkey bought four S-400 divisions from Russia for $ 2.5 billion 
Grunts in the Sky
Pak-India NSAs met in Bangkok on Dec 26: report
- latest in animal news
Those turtles and iguanas aren't dead. They're just really cold.
- latest in music and entertainment

Random Quotes:
- "It does not need to be this way."

It comes as new research shows that almost one in three students with a disability have been refused enrolment or discouraged from enrolling at a mainstream school.

The paper, by University of Melbourne, Macquarie University and Curtin University academics, revealed that 70 per cent of Australian students with a disability have experienced gatekeeping or restrictive practices at schools including being refused enrolment, excluded from activities and only being enrolled part-time.

There was no significant difference between state, independent and Catholic sectors, according to the survey of 745 families, students and advocates.  

Co-author Robert Jackson, an adjunct associate professor at Curtin University, said schools needed a major shake-up.

"It needs to change from a situation where teachers think 'how is this child going to fit in my classroom?' to 'how do I organise my environment so all children belong and are challenged by the curriculum?' "
- MELBOURNE, Australia — China has reportedly achieved a breakthrough on a conventional propulsion system for its next carrier, which would allow it to operate advanced catapults for launching aircraft without necessitating the use of nuclear propulsion.

Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post newspaper, quoting sources close to China’s People’s Liberation Army, reported that a team led by China’s top naval engineer, Rear Adm. Ma Weiming, has developed a medium-voltage, direct-current transmission network to replace an earlier system based on alternating current.

Forming part of an integrated propulsion system, the new system would allow a conventionally powered aircraft carrier to operate an Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, or EMALS, which conveys a number of advantages over traditional steam catapults that include increased efficiency, precision and shortening aircraft launch cycles.

The source also said the Central Military Commission, chaired by President Xi Jinping, had wanted China’s next aircraft carrier to be fitted with EMALS, but designers had up to now been stymied by the power requirements of the system and whether a non-nuclear-powered ship will be able to generate enough power to operate it.

With this breakthrough, China will now be able to proceed with plans to build its third aircraft carrier, which is expected to be in the 80,000-ton range and capable of carrying a more well-rounded air group if it is fitted with catapults as planned.
- At the time, well-known British security researcher Kevin Beaumont expressed scepticism about this claim, saying, "There's so much b***shit in the briefings being given to press. AV uploading every document with term 'top secret' would fry networks."

Buried in the report, was this response from Kaspersky: "We have done a thorough search for keywords and classification markings in our signature databases. The result was negative: we never created any signatures on known classification markings."

It said that it had used "wildcard string pattern based on keywords in the file names, such as *pass*, *secret*, *saidumlo* (meaning 'secret' in Georgian) and others. These patterns were hardcoded into the malware that we discovered earlier, and could be used to detect similar malware samples".

The NSA has not publicly reacted to any of Kaspersky's claims. One American publication that did approach the NSA was referred to the FBI but there was no reaction forthcoming from the latter agency either.
- The United States invaded Afghanistan largely to restore the heroin industry and it is now making about $1.5 trillion every year from this business, according to Dr. Kevin Barrett, an American academic and political analyst.

US Army General John Nicholson, the commander of Resolute Support forces and US forces in Afghanistan, on Monday announced that American jets targeted drug producing facilities in Afghanistan for the first time under a new strategy aimed at cutting off Taliban funding.

He said that the air strikes were carried out on Sunday in the southern Helmand province, adding that Taliban militants generate about $200 million per year from poppy cultivation and opium production.

The general said that the US military carried out the raids under a new war strategy for Afghanistan announced by President Donald Trump in August.
- American troops deploying to Afghanistan were told that sexual abuse is a “culturally accepted practice” in the country and that it “was not a priority for the command,” according to a Pentagon report.

“In some cases, the interviewees explained that they, or someone whom they knew, were told that nothing could be done about child sexual abuse because of Afghanistan’s status as a sovereign nation, that it was not a priority for the command,” the report said.

Soldiers who reported cases of sexual misconduct to their superior officers were told that “this is Afghanistan” and “there’s nothing we can do about it.”

The 106-page report was issued in response to a complaint by Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter of California about child sexual abuse in Afghanistan's armed forces.

“We determined that the DoD [Department of Defense] did not conduct training for personnel on identifying, responding to, or reporting instances of child sexual abuse involving ANDSF personnel before 2015,” the report said.
- "Halo 1 was developed I think by 35-50 people. That's tiny. Paying those people, making sure development is paid, is a lot easier than paying 300 people. That's eight, 10 times the cost. That's a big deal, that's a big change for a company. When you put something out and the world looks at it and the internet is filled with vitriol, if it's not good, you just took an enormous bet, and you just failed. And people end up losing their jobs."
http://www.pcgamer.com/the-case-for-and-against-loot-boxes-according-to-developers/
Political leaders are desperate to show voters they are regular, everyday people. But the truth is, by definition they aren't. They do extremely irregular, un-everyday jobs. And while this requires them to understand the needs and concerns of "ordinary Australians", it doesn't mean they have to be one of them as well.

The simple fact that they are responsible 24/7 for the wellbeing, prosperity and security of the nation means they live in a different world. Turnbull hasn't seen as many movies as you have recently, because when you're at home watching Netflix, he's at work doing prime minister stuff.

So if a song title from an iconic Australian band doesn't immediately spring to mind, we should all be at peace with that. If his head is full of economic data, intelligence about North Korea and cabinet decisions instead, well, that's actually the way it should be.
at
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Saving Money (without Sacrificing), Random Stuff, and More

- use price matching when you can to get an extra discount. Note, a lot of companies advertise low prices just to get you through the door. ...