BIG BREAKING: CHINA LAUNCHES GLOBAL DIGITAL PAYMENT NETWORK BYPASSING SWIFT The People's Bank of China just connected its digital RMB to 10 ASEAN and 6 Middle Eastern nations, covering *38% of global trade*. This bypasses SWIFT and the US dollar entirely. Payments now clear in 7 seconds, not 3-5 days. Fees slashed by 98%. Middle Eastern energy traders are in. ASEAN’s RMB trade hit 5.8 trillion yuan. Thailand settled oil in digital RMB. While the US debates if digital currency is a threat, China has already built a global network across 200 countries. This isn’t just payments. It’s a Digital Silk Road. It’s de-dollarisatio in action. And it’s happening NOW. Source @AdameMedia

How’s this for a simple approach? We keep 10% across the board tariffs for the special privilege of doing business with the U.S. to compensate us for the investments we have made in global defense, health and otherwise, and to compensate our country for historically unfair trade practices that have contributed to our massive deficits and national debt. We keep the pressure on China to resolve materially unfair trading practices, IP theft, currency manipulation, and other practices that have disadvantaged our nation. We pause reciprocal tariff implementation for 90 days so we have time to engage in private negotiations with other countries, focusing first on those whose tariffs and practices have materially interfered with the competitiveness of U.S. manufactured goods in their markets. Lastly, we consider that: (1) it does not make sense to have balanced trade with countries that are smaller than us and that have fewer resources to spend on US goods, i.e., we will forever be buying more from Madagascar than they will buy from us, (2) attempting to bring back jobs in low-wage manufacturing is not good for America, acknowledging, for example, that Bangladesh and Vietnam are better places to produce textiles and athletic shoes than here, (3) U.S. ‘exports’ of software, IP, finance, and other services are high value and important sources of trade that are not reflected in traditional measures of exports and imports, and if included in the calculations would make the balance of trade statistics look much more balanced, (4) our multinationals’ subsidiaries that sell services in foreign countries that are not counted in the balance of trade calculation, but generate profits, value and future dividends are good for America, (5) a goal of generating a dollar of exports for every dollar of imports is not a useful one, particularly on a country-by-country basis in light of our massively higher standard of living, and having the largest economy in the world. Lastly, the current trading system, while far from perfect or fair to the U.S., has served us extremely well so we need to be prudent in how we change it so as not to upset the world order in such a manner that it disadvantages our country over the long term.

In 2008, Jeff Bezos & Elon Musk attended the same lecture. They walked away with one concept that changed how they viewed the world forever. Here’s the concept (& why everyone needs to understand how it works):

KEEP BOYCOTTING

RFK Jr. Stuns Critics With Masterclass Senate Confirmation Performance Elizabeth Warren tried to put RFK Jr. on the spot. What happened next was priceless. 🧵 THREAD

Carl Sagan predicted the world as we know it today piped.video/shorts/Sn8EkqOxp… via @YouTube

This is extremely concerning. Eleven year olds are being shown cartoon videos in schools which tell them that if they feel uncomfortable when their body begins to change with puberty that they should go to a therapist who may refer them to an endocrinologist who can prescribe drugs which can delay the onset of puberty with no side effects. We are creating a generational nightmare for our children. Watch this video and tell me what I am missing. It doesn’t appear to me like a medical education video. It’s a recruitment film. piped.video/f7VyJKVBt7g?si=2THv…

Affirm this, dear son.

Mastering Time Management:

happy new year 🪩 Book Summary: “Your Best Year Ever”

“If you want to be successful, I would encourage you to grow a tolerance for failure.” — Jensen Huang, Nvidia CEO

Only two things are pursued for their own sake - even if they make you feel worse or make you worse off - truth and love.