Category: Money

Activism, Big Banks, Money, Politics, USALeave a comment

Banks For The People

Fernando Kaskais

Ingo Pohl A movement is growing in the U.S. that seeks alternatives to traditional banks, replacing their total focus on profit with a devotion to community and justice. BY PIPER FRENCH – Piper French is an independent writer based in Los Angeles. Gregory Jost noticed the first two bank branches close in the Bronx about six months before the pandemic. They were right next to each other: a Chase and a Bank of America, about three blocks from his son’s school in Norwood, and one day, he walked by and saw they were gone. When COVID hit, the trend accelerated. “We … Continue reading Banks For The People

Brain, Money, Psychology, TechnologyLeave a comment

“Impulsive psychopaths” are drawn to Bitcoin and other crypto

Fernando Kaskais

Research shows how “dark” Brett Martinpersonality traits affect Bitcoin enthusiasm. Di Wang and Brett Martin and Jun Yao STORY BY The Conversation Since the invention of Bitcoin in 2009 the global cryptocurrency market has grown from nothing to a value of around US$2 trillion. From a price of US$1 in 2011, Bitcoin rose to an all-time high of more than US$63,000 in April 2021, and now hovers around the US$42,000 mark.  Large fluctuations in cryptocurrency prices are common, which makes them a highly speculative investment. What kind of people are willing to take the risk, and what motivates them?  We conducted a survey to find out. In … Continue reading “Impulsive psychopaths” are drawn to Bitcoin and other crypto

Curiositys, Living, Money, PsychologyLeave a comment

How to avoid family fights about money

Fernando Kaskais

No family is immune to money conflicts, no matter how much they love each other. Here’s what to look out for. KEY TAKEAWAYS by David Cotriss If you don’t want money issues to come between you and your family, it’s important to prepare yourself for them ahead of time. We’ll run through the primary ways money causes problems in families, along with strategies to ensure it never becomes an issue in your family. Why money matters to families  You might think that something as seemingly shallow as money wouldn’t affect you and your family. But you’d be surprised. Money can … Continue reading How to avoid family fights about money

Curiositys, Hypocrisy, Living, Money, PsychologyLeave a comment

If we live in a capitalist world, why is it taboo to talk about money?

Fernando Kaskais

The “money taboo” is not a single taboo, but rather an amalgamation of several smaller taboos tied to gender and socioeconomic class. KEY TAKEAWAYS by Tim Brinkhof From weekly episodes of Keeping up with the Kardashians to the outrageously expensive costumes and jewelry displayed at the MET Gala, mainstream media is full of reminders that our culture mostly revolves around money and consumerism. But while we are taught from a young age that one of our primary goals in life is to amass as much wealth as possible, talking about our own income with other people is considered inappropriate.  Before we discuss … Continue reading If we live in a capitalist world, why is it taboo to talk about money?

Corruption, Freak U.S.A, Money, Politics, UnbelievableLeave a comment

Read how much Trump paid — or didn’t pay — in taxes each year

Fernando Kaskais

Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a rally for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) at the Miami-Dade Country Fair and Exposition on November 6, 2022 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images By Dan Mangan KEY POINTS The amount of income, deductions and taxes paid by or refunded to former President Donald Trump while serving in the White House was detailed in a new report released Tuesday night. The report reveals that Trump on his federal tax returns declared negative income in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2020, and that he paid a total of $1,500 in income taxes for the years 2016 and … Continue reading Read how much Trump paid — or didn’t pay — in taxes each year

Curiositys, Europe, History, Money, PoliticsLeave a comment

How the crusades spawned the world’s first financial services company

Fernando Kaskais

The Knights Templar were not only skilled fighters, but also clever bankers who played a crucial role in the development of Europe’s financial systems. KEY TAKEAWAYS by Tim Brinkhof Europeans first began making pilgrimages to Jerusalem after the First Crusade in 1099, which was fought not only to reclaim the Holy Land from the Islamic conquest of the Levant, but also to open up an overland route for Christians looking to visit the birthplace of their faith. Even with this route secured, such visits were filled with danger. If all went well, the journey from Italy to Jerusalem took about … Continue reading How the crusades spawned the world’s first financial services company

Brain, Living, Money, PsychologyLeave a comment

Overspending? Psychological tips to break the cycle

Fernando Kaskais

It’s perhaps never been harder to resist the urge to overspend KEY TAKEAWAYS Elizabeth Gilbert Compulsive buying and overspending can harm one’s financial well-being, but it doesn’t have to be crippling. It also doesn’t have to be a source of shame. Addressing the core reasons for your overspending and learning some basic money management skills can help you get your financial well-being back on track. Why people overspend Impulse purchases can feel great — for a moment. Over time your brain learns to expect that shopping will lead to this short-term pleasure. So simply thinking about shopping induces it to release dopamine, a … Continue reading Overspending? Psychological tips to break the cycle

China, Future, Globalization, Money, PoliticsLeave a comment

Quarterly Capitalism Can’t Compete With China

Fernando Kaskais

Most countries today have some form of national industrial strategy to ensure the well-being of citizens rather than just shareholders, and the United States needs one, too. BY RANA FOROOHAR Rana Foroohar is CNN’s global economic analyst and the global business columnist and associate editor for the Financial Times. This is a modified excerpt from her latest book, “Homecoming: The Path to Prosperity in a Post-Global World” (Crown, October 2022). In the United States, corporations capture the state. In China, the state rules corporations. It’s a One World, Two Systems paradigm that will continue to fundamentally change the global economy — and the … Continue reading Quarterly Capitalism Can’t Compete With China

Ásia, Climate Change, Eco, Money, UnbelievableLeave a comment

‘Dangerous’: Greenpeace slam Saudi Arabia ski resort as Kingdom wins 2029 Asian winter games bid

Fernando Kaskais

By Charlotte Elton  Campaign group Greenpeace has slammed a “dangerous” ski resort being built in Saudi Arabia. The warning comes days after the desert kingdom won its bid to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games. Saudi authorities claim that the new Trojena resort in the country’s north west will operate on “sustainable infrastructure” and renewable energy. But Greenpeace campaigners have questioned the project’s environmental credentials. “You’re changing a natural ecosystem which can have compounding impacts,” says Ahmed El Droubi, regional campaigns manager for Greenpeace. “If you change something in one place, it may change something else in another place, and so on, and it can have impacts … Continue reading ‘Dangerous’: Greenpeace slam Saudi Arabia ski resort as Kingdom wins 2029 Asian winter games bid

Curiositys, Eco, Money, PoliticsLeave a comment

What Is an Old-Growth Tree Actually Worth?

Fernando Kaskais

In setting fines for timber poaching, experts are looking at different ways to calculate the financial value of trees. BY LYNDSIE BOURGON WHEN MARK ANDRE took the stand in a Humboldt County courtroom on a fall afternoon in 2018, he testified to the financial worth of portions of an old-growth redwood. Andre is a registered professional forester with a forestry firm in Arcata, California. In the spring leading up to his appearance on the stand, rangers from Redwood National and State Parks in northern California were deep into a months-long investigation of burl poaching. Burls — the bark-covered growths that can protrude from a tree’s trunk … Continue reading What Is an Old-Growth Tree Actually Worth?