Phat Unplugged

I'm working on my health as of late and will not be active as much as I was before, but despite my less than stellar reputation around here, I DO consider constructive criticism around here when it is truly constructive rather than critical. So I took Percy's term which he used to describe my YouTube addiction: ECHO CHAMBER(S). So what does the term mean?

GCF Global:

---

Information can come from many different sources and perspectives. But when you’re only hearing the same perspectives and opinions over and over again, you may be in something called an echo chamber. An echo chamber is an environment where a person only encounters information or opinions that reflect and reinforce their own. Echo chambers can create misinformation and distort a person’s perspective so they have difficulty considering opposing viewpoints and discussing complicated topics. They’re fueled in part by confirmation bias, which is the tendency to favor info that reinforces existing beliefs.

---

I mulled over the definition. You have to understand that I believe in myself and do not often challenge my own perspectives. After all, while the lot of you are convinced that I am misinformed and willfully ignorant, I happen to believe in myself and my ability to be intuitive and discerning. (Admittedly to a limited degree)So I examined two of my echo chambers.
1) Videos and articles that suggest that the US is basically living on fumes financially.
2) Videos, articles and Christian dogma which I have chosen to accept and incorporate into my personal belief system.It goes against my very nature to be critical of myself and my beliefs.Question: Does the very word "critical" suggest a negative outcome? (I was taught that it was during my childhood.) I am re-examining that conclusion.This topic will unfold slowly. In it, I hope to challenge both myself and others as together we arrive at some sort of consensus. Constructive comments are welcome. Please don't hate.

I watched the whole thing. It explains a lot about my own family, particularly my father.Overall, it was a well made documentary and explained a bit of my own behavior also.AZ has a point though. Some of my behavior is bio-chemical.

To: Peanut Gallery
From: Phat
RE: Using words rather than videos
----------------------------------------------
So this morning I'm watching YouTube videos. My apologies for not reading serious material nor acquiring a master's Degree at Age 64, but I feel I am no rube. Right now im watching an interview with Adam Taggert. Earlier I listened to an interview with Jim Rickards. YouTube TV is a giant experiment in freedom of speech. These people are sponsored and have nothing to "sell" more than their reputation and integrity.One of my favorite YouTubers(bear with me ) recently had a talk refarding CBDC's potentially infringing on the First Amendment. Knowing how you chafe at the videos being reposted themselves, I am taking the liberty (and responsibility) to try and frame the points made in my reaction and response. Thus I will only offer quotes from the transcript.Right now as I type this, Taggert is talking about an inevitable decrease in purchasing power of the dollar. Rickards, earlier, was talking also about the CBDC and how every purchase made by Americans can be tracked.Rickards brought up examples of how such tracking could be utilized merely by scanning all transcripts and focusing on certain patterns of human behavior exposed through the receipts.Can we discuss the transcripts?

Why should i give a f*ck what a progressive with a "relevant degree" says?I don't listen based only on credentials or party affiliation. I listen a bit first, decide whether the individual has any insights that I am unaware of or perhaps that I have heard before, and judge them on their merit rather than their degree status. What you don't seem to understand is that having a P.hD does not guarantee wisdom.

A Central Bank Digital Currency. Rickards claims that the banks now have this information but that it can only be accessed by the "government" through Subpheona. Allegedly, he claims that under a CBDC system, the government itself will have the information (or the Federal Reserve) and that the private transaction information can be more easily accessed. Hypothetically, I think that the fear being peddled is that a government could profile its citizens to a degree through such transaction information.

Keyword: *unqualified*Are you qualified? Is AZPaul3?
Is Theodoric?
How about Percy? (Mr.Washington Post himself! )And how about the Washington Post itself?
How about "government officials?"
Powell
Yellin et al. Lets discuss what being qualified really means.

The BRICS nations are maneuvering to someday compete and oust the US Dollar from global currency reserve status. As long as the US Federal Reserve keeps "printing money" (A euphemism nowadays...only 3-5% of total dollars circulate in paper form) the value of the dollar will not continue to hold down stronger forms of wealth.
Our dollar is fiat. (as are many currencies) but is backed by nothing. nada. zero. zilch. The BRICS plan on backing their currencies with hard assets such as gold, oil, lithium, and even copper and steel. Since our greedy industrialists allowed such industries to relocate near areas of cheap labor, we have enjoyed an artificial cheap economy of clothes, shoes,paper products, steel, and electronics. The top 10% own 90% of all wealth (in the form of value of dollars).Meanwhile, the other investors(talk about rubes) trust the products being offered by financial "experts". NVIDIA, for example, is a vastly overvalued stock that anchors many investment portfolios. So is Apple. So is Amazon. Tesla. Etc... In fact, our stock market is arguably propped up by companies that buy their own stocks. How the Fed took control of the economyThe problem is the FED itself. By propping up markets that should be allowed to decline in normal cycles, they have become self appointed financial wizards that manipulate the economy at the expense of valid assets that should be allowed to rise. The US middle class is in for a rude awakening one of these days...and its their own fault for believing what the financial advisors and markets tell them.No, I'm no expert. No, I do not have a crystal ball...I do not know what is going to happen exactly or when, but my only argument is that the US financial system is not sound and is overdue for a correction. A MAJOR correction! What worries me is what will happen to my pension and my social security, but I trust that the government will focus on the needs of the majority rather than be beholden to the top 5%.The top 5% have the liberty to diversify, after all. Not only to they have hard assets, they have rare art, for example. They have real estate (though that market is itself in a bubble and should correct within 2-5 years) and they have patience and the wherewithal to whether the storm. Progressives want to tax the crap out of the wealthy, little realizing that the entire assets of the Forbes 500 would not put a dent in the national debt.
My problem with going fully digital is that the government will tax everything at their discretion. I couldn't even sell my car to a private party without getting taxed on my profit from the sale. And I dont believe that government should be allowed to have their hand in everyone's pocket. You guys sometimes treat them as if they are a giant secular church!And I don't believe that the US should keep debasing our currency and diluting the absolute value of our wealth (expressed through our currency). They better not have secretly sold off our gold reserves, because despite what many think, China has much mor gold than the CCP actually reports. Trust me, they can back their currency with a hard asset. I believe in the rights of the individual over the forced authoritarianism of a government that is desperate itself to become financially sound.

Hopeless? What precisely should I hope for? You and I trust different sources of information to be sure, but I compare 5 or more sources to increase the likelihood of credibility.You quote dry statistics on US government websites. Remember the time we both found out that the US values its gold reserves at $35.00 an ounce to this day?It was you who spotted it and IIRC couldn't explain why.

I do not claim to be any sort of financial guru. I am far from perfect. I have spent far too much money on addictions in the past, and I resisted letting the Bank manage my money which would have earned me a pretty penny as the markets went up for years. So I may be biased and a bit bitter.That being said, I am glad that I am not in any sort of system or party that calls the other guys out for being authoritarians and who committed the unpardonable sin of a tax break for billionaires. Meanwhile, the progressives want to raise taxes and help out the whole globe with our tax dollars, even though we ourselves need help. Is it so unchristian to support the idea of America First? Does not Percy take care of Percy? Does not Omni take care of Omni? I could go on down the peanut gallery roster.This whole idea of a global Western order with the power to weaponize the dollar and impose sanctions on any rogue state who dares fall out of line is authoritarian and requires the cooperation of the American people. Progressive largess created Trump. You have to deal with him because it looks like he will somehow beat the courts. May God help us.

Securing a border does not mean blocking out people. It simply means having a method of screening desirable s from undesirables. There are many terror groups that seek to harm the US. Bring it down. Look what Hamas did to Israel. Trust me, if they had the weapons they would have done worse. (They still would...whats left of them.) We have a lot of shoplifters in our store, and many of them speak no English. They look at us as if we are nothing and walk right out a fire exit loaded with hundreds of dollars worth of goods. What would Jesus do about that? Thou shalt not steal! Now look...im no grinch. If a guy is hungry and grabs a sandwich, I look the other way. But when organized criminal enterprises steal from American businesses and force many locations to either close or employ armed guards then the situation is getting way out of hand. Corporate Loss Prevention spent two weeks at our store all of the way to closing time. They have the authority from Corporate to physically confront people and take back the merchandise. We literally had 6-8 carts full of recovered goods every shift. 20 tide pods. Razors. Wine. Beer. carts of meat. The store loses $4000.00 a day. And yet due to lenient policies on crime, nobody can be charged with a felony as long as the recovered goods do not exceed $2000.00 (In Colorado) Thats according to Alexa. I thought the amount was lower...like $900.00. One guy taunted them, saying he would be back tomorrow. He later came back the same night and stole $200.00 more under their noses, ducking out of a fire escape. Another guy pulled a knife on them. What *would* Jesus do? Arm guards? Taze them? Look the other way? allow them to keep stealing?
Personally I pray for most of them except the repeat offenders who fight the security.We are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves, but that does not mean leaving our doors unlocked and inviting all of the homeless poor disenfranchised masses into our living room. Some of them are on drugs. Some of them have knives and guns. Some of them would hurt you or your children.

One would think it weighs a pound. 16 ounces. Thats 16 one ounce coins worth roughly
$33,000.00 dollars at todays prices.

The gold was too heavy for the Apollo astronauts to carry. Plus it was not on the science agenda. On the moon, 1 pound of gold would be 6 times lighter but would still be one pound.

If so, every president is wrong. One does not weaponize the global reserve currency. It should be neutral. Freezing assets is another issue, but keep in mind that such behavior drives former allies into the BRIC-yard.

You are channeling jar, but I cannot argue with scripture. In addition, your argument makes sense in light of your data regarding the reality of domestic terrorism.
My gripe is in regard to shoplifting...one of my pet peeves. We are too soft on crimes against property.

Thanks for the information. I learned something today. One way that the precious metals dealers verify the real from the fake is by weight. I notice that they always use grams and kilograms. Thus, a Gold i ounce coin should weigh 1.0909 troy ounces or 33.931 grams.If the coin was fake or impure, the weight would be off.
Another method we use to determine authenticity is by using rare earth magnets, which behave a certain way around genuine metals.The third method of verification is visual. There are some clever fakes out there, and unwary buyers are paying too much for some coins.Thanks again for reminding me of the Troy Ounce/Metric system of weight. Using such a system, weight determines volume and purity. a one ounce coin should always weigh 1 troy ounce. If a coin is 90% gold, for example, the weight will reflect the metal mixture.