I’ve made it no secret – I think the banking and financial systems of every country on the planet are corrupt and need to be replaced. The problem, of course, is that whatever you replace them with has the potential to also be corrupt as long as you are relying on trust. This is why…
The Housing Meltdown and Shadow Banking
In the year 2000, I worked as a community organizer for ACORN. I spent my days in the poorest Seattle neighborhoods talking with the poorest residents about their biggest problems. I thought drugs and crime would be the issues – but instead it was predatory lending and gentrification. Predatory lending- led by Countrywide – worked…
Fictional Markets and Snakeoil Salesmen
Imagine this scenario – I have a substandard product and I want to sell a lot of it at an inflated price. The problem is that no one will buy my useless thing because no one actually needs it. So I go to my bank and I say – I’m not going to be able…
Trade War, NATO, and WTO Disputes are Excuse to Enact Totalitarian Controls
If you think that the current disputes with NATO, WTO, NAFTA, and the trade war with China are efforts to make the United States a great country, you are sadly delusional and obviously a sapiens. The current policies of the US Government are all designed to isolate and separate the United States from the governing power…
Bitcoin – Get Rich or At Least Have Fun Watching the Ride
A few years ago – I set up a bitcoin wallet, but I didn’t really have $100 to spend on something that was probably going to be replaced by something else – I saw the value proposition of Bitcoin, but the interface and use was too clunky. I set up my antique shop to accept…
The Problem with Everything
The problem with everything is that human beings have a tendency to take the short term self-interest choice over the long terms self interest choice. We are, for some reason, wired for it. I understand this, but I’m having a hard time explaining it in words. Let’s say there is an apple tree next to…
Homeless People Living Like Pigs in Hawai’i
I have as much compassion and understanding for homeless people as anyone, but one thing bothers me. Why do they have to live like fucking pigs? Why is it that they have to have shit scattered all over an acre of park or abandoned land? I respect the ones who build tidy little shelters, clean…
My First Day Driving for Lyft
Day before yesterday was my last day working as an underpaid contract archaeologist. The good news is that I’m still an archaeologist – but not employed as one. Maybe there are archaeology jobs out there that wouldn’t make me scramble to pay my bills or question my self worth with fry-cook pay on job sites…
Bad Capitalism
First of all, let me start by saying that I believe there really is good capitalism. I’ve never seen it, but I think it is possible. Good capitalism encourages innovation, promotes the well being of society across all classes, and has built in safe-guards to prevent worker exploitation, obscene hoarding of resources, and most importantly…
The Death of Affordability in Hawaii
Coming back to Hawaii – there are lots of obvious changes – there are now lots of really expensive trendy shops. Whole Foods is here and you can spend a fortune on groceries if you choose to, Bed Bath and Beyond, Gucci, Saks Fifth Avenue, etc – the list goes on and on. There is…