We had never previously spent even two minutes thinking about Turkey or its finances. But then, after the president roused our curiosity, we saw what we think was a glimpse of the future.

In this special coffee shop, the diner decides what level of tax he feels he should pay his government, in accordance with what he feels his government’s contribution has been to his meal.

Facebook: I hope it goes bankrupt. I hate it as an institution. I hate what it does.

It’s a very good thing that coins in the crypto world must sink or swim based on their own merits, that there is no “lender of last resort” on standby to bail them out if they misbehave.

The U.S. exports its inflation…exchanging its major export item – dollars – for cheap Chinese-made goods. This keeps the CPI from rising, which prevents the working stiffs from noticing they’re getting ripped off.

The odds that “I’ll just go to Idaho” might be a workable solution to a crisis, would be unlikely in the extreme.

Even if you are already wealthy, some thought on this topic is worthwhile. What would you do if some act of God or of government, a catastrophic lawsuit, or a really serious misjudgment took you back to square one? One thing about a real depression is that everybody loses. As Richard Russell has quipped, the […]

Musk said that he wants to add 33% more of this metal to each Tesla vehicle battery. The move reduces manufacturing costs overall for its batteries—but creates a huge new source of demand for the commodity. Every company I talk to is following Musk’s lead.

On the one hand you have an enormous, bloated welfare state offering handouts to anyone who crosses their border. On the other, there are desperate people who, while they may well be suffering a real humanitarian crisis, will tend to go to whichever place proffers the richest gifts.

The war on drugs is not going well. Despite decades of counter-drug efforts, at a cost of more than one trillion dollars, illegal drugs are still readily available on the black market. Worse, drug proceeds have become the lifeblood of terrorist groups, transnational criminal organizations, and street gangs. A 2014 Pew poll showed 67% of […]

In recent decades, the US government has been doing its best to find a way to limit the ability of its people to bear arms. And, in turn, the people respond vehemently that their Constitution guarantees them the right to bear arms. Regardless of which side of the argument any particular American is on, I’ve […]

Joel Bowman, writing today from La Condesa, Mexico City… “I’m going to talk about why bitcoin and the crypto revolution is actually going to be very good for gold…” Leave it to Doug Casey to ruffle the feathers of both camps. Recommended Link America’s Third Power Shift The last two power shifts created millions for […]

Do custom-embroidered powder room towels actually make your life better? If you think so, and if you’re not of the very few who care about towels as an art form, you’re getting your kicks from other people being impressed by you. You’re buying the approval of others… and you’re all being foolish together. Quality food […]

The electric vehicle is not the only transformational technology that’s bursting onto the scene. Energy storage is too. This story is just as big and just as ripe with investment potential. A few months ago, for example, Saudi Arabia announced plans to build the biggest-ever solar project, with 200 gigawatts of generating capacity. “The project […]

Ken Evoy is the kind of immigrant that most countries would love. The founder of Internet start-up Solo Build It!, which competes directly with WIX and GoDaddy, works ten-hour days, keeps his fingernails clean and gets along with neighbors. Lately Evoy, a Canadian doctor who resides in the Caribbean, has been shopping to further geo-diversify […]

Since before the days of currencies, people have sought to keep their wealth safe – to store it where it wouldn’t be stolen from others

Yesterday I told you about the unstoppable trend towards more socialism in the US. I think inflation is the primary factor driving this trend. Americans feel squeezed because the cost of rent, medical insurance, and tuition, as well as other basic living expenses, is rising much faster than their wages. This creates very real problems […]

Fight for $15! This was the rallying cry of what eventually became the largest fast-food strike in US history. It all started in late 2012, when over 100 New York City fast-food workers walked off their jobs, demanding higher wages. Many made minimum wage. They were struggling to make ends meet as rent, utilities, medical […]

It’s hard to remember how hard it was to look for work – or leave your current job – before technology changed everything. Consider what LinkedIn does for you. It allows you to have your own identity apart from your current employer, as if you own your labor. You gather your own network and keep […]

We are going through the final stages of the 2018 crypto bear market. That might be hard to believe. The mainstream press loves to spread fear, uncertainty, and doubt whenever a cutting-edge technology surfaces. And that’s exactly what they’re doing with cryptocurrencies. Theirs are not informed opinions. As I’ve mentioned before, I have spent considerable […]