james22

I believe Ridley really underestimates genetics and culture in favor of his interpretation, but it's good.

Thanks for the recommendation. Just arrived and it's in the line-up. Post a review in the Book forum?

In a bold and provocative interpretation of economic history, Matt Ridley, the New York Times-bestselling author of Genome and The Red Queen, makes the case for an economics of hope, arguing that the benefits of commerce, technology, innovation, and change—what Ridley calls cultural evolution—will inevitably increase human prosperity. Fans of the works of Jared Diamond (Guns, Germs, and Steel), Niall Ferguson (The Ascent of Money), and Thomas Friedman (The World Is Flat) will find much to ponder and enjoy in The Rational Optimist. For two hundred years the pessimists have dominated public discourse, insisting that things will soon be getting much worse. But in fact, life is getting better—and at an accelerating rate. Food availability, income, and life span are up; disease, child mortality, and violence are down all across the globe. Africa is following Asia out of poverty; the Internet, the mobile phone, and container shipping are enriching people's lives as never before. An astute, refreshing, and revelatory work that covers the entire sweep of human history—from the Stone Age to the Internet—The Rational Optimist will change your way of thinking about the world for the better. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0061452068?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details Well-written, encouraging.

I'm keeping a close eye on waitresses and hemlines.

Brooks is, of course, horrified at Trump and his supporters, whom he finds childish, thuggish and contemptuous of the things that David Brooks likes about today’s America. It’s clear that he’d like a social/political revolution that was more refined, better-mannered, more focused on the Constitution and, well, more bourgeois as opposed to in-your-face and working class. The thing is, we had that movement. It was the Tea Party movement. When politeness and orderliness are met with contempt and betrayal, do not be surprised if the response is something less polite, and less orderly. https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/03/20/donald-trump-political-establishment-elites-tea-party-bourgeois-working-class-column/82047484/ I still hear the Tea Party invoked by liberal friends as an example of extremism, despite how calm and collected they were. So few of them even knew that it started in Chicago, on the trading floor, with people upset that they were forced to subsidize failure. It was hopeful and enthusiastic, open to anyone – and the Left treated it like the KKK merged with radical anarchists. The Republicans took their support and generally did nothing. So, people tried something different. Romney was the ultimate nice-guy candidate. Unimpeachable ethics, a proven record of success, and moderate credentials. The Left chewed him up and spat him out. If Abe Lincoln or George Washington rose from the grave and ran for president, they would get the same treatment. Thus, after you send in friendly folks with SUV and pickups, then a philanthropist in a limo, might as well send in a tank. Trump refuses to just take it like a proper Republican; he’s not a model of civility and noble citizenship, he’s a brawler. This is why Tea Party conservatives are flocking to his banner. https://ricochet.com/683441/quote-of-the-day-the-tea-party-movement/

If BTC is a new asset class, it cannot also be cash.

This is actually really interesting.

It's not unsophisticated or naive to side with the Western democracy here, guys.

Yeesh.

Yeesh.

https://apnews.com/article/army-air-force-recruiting-shortfall-immigrants-citizenship-2cd690352210606945010d1800c5bdbe

VDE 15.6% YTD I'll take it.

There is a great deal of ruin in a nation, sure, but a "great stagnation" seems possible.

Small Value, International

The first ~8min are on-topic: We're on the confluence of two huge forces that are butting up against each other. The free market which is increasingly deflationary opposing another one that is a controlled market that is increasingly inflationary to protect the existing system from failing.

Ha, no I agree with it all (and ValueArb, Eldad, vinod1, and rohitc99's posts as well).

Agree.

Exactly. When your strength is finding patterns, you find them everywhere.