Posts

Darkest before the sunset

  Darkest before the sunset Why Europe is on the cusp of existential change - and why “wrong” pessimists and optimists are right Europe has been slowly changing allegiance from some kind of “western” value based one to a “China” based system; So far, it has managed to do so without alerting citizens of that ( they are such children ). This is fast becoming untenable, hence the internal and external pushback, see my previous piece ; The Stated EU model , “rule based change from above towards an environmentally friendly and uniform social contract” has its optimists and pessimists, and the same happens for those postulating that it won't work and opposing this; Both positions are based on the unstated assumption that while it's possible to exchange a religious oligarchy for another, religious oligarchy works long term. The assumption is wrong; All else being equal, from this starting point, the continents most likely to become prominent are the Asi...

In Praise of Cash: Paper and Plastic Are Not Equal

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  In Praise of Cash: Paper and Plastic Are Not Equal Giovanni Battista Ponzetto I posted this on Linkedin on August 22, 2018 . Fast forward to October 2025 and the UK Government is infesting the media with Digital ID, and the push for a central bank digital currency hasn't stalled.   Disclaimer : This financial "painter" is strictly without academic qualifications; his opinions are personal and should not be taken as advice to guide anyone in buying or selling anything. Soak overnight in lukewarm water before ingesting. [Update September 14, 2018, Draghi's Communication] [Update February 21, 2019, Zimbabwe] [Update April 22, 2019, IMF] [Update Conte 2 Government]    Dedicated to Carlo Alberto Carnevale Maffè, a good friend when we agree, and an even better one when we don’t. “ Lady Bracknell. Ah! A life full of incidents, I see; perhaps too exciting for a young lady. Personally, I am not in favor of premature experiences. [She rises, looks at her watch] Gwendolen! ...