We almost always boil the questions of human behavior down to “Is it in the genes, or is it conditioned by society?” This is the common ‘nature-nurture’ debate. We seldom pause to think that there is a third way that human behavior can be explained: what happens in the womb between conception and birth. Here’s […]
Author: whatimnothearing
DATs and SUBPRIME LOANS
DATs are companies whose business is hoarding cryptocurrencies The more I delve into the intricacies of cryptocurrency, the more I am struck by its complexity. Like any other asset, there are all sorts of derivatives: funds of crypto, ETFs, futures contracts and on and on. As I pointed out last week, this complexity is far […]
STABLECOIN TETHER INVESTING IN RISKY ASSETS
Last week I wrote about the danger of Stablecoin, a variety of cryptocurrency that guarantees a base return of $1 for every dollar invested. I pointed out that they re-invest your dollars in high-risk assets which can make enormous profits for the issuer, but are protected by the Genius Act’s guarantee of a bailout in […]
ACADEMIC CONFERENCES AND GIRLY BARS
I recently attended an academic conference on English teaching in Phnom Penh. It was the stereotype of academic conferences: plenary sessions by imported invited experts, parallel session by local presenters, panel discussions, etc. Participants know exactly what to expect. I’m not knocking it – there were some interesting and thought-provoking sessions, and I came away […]
I DON’T UNDERSTAND CRYPTO. I FEAR IT.
I do not fully understand the whole cryptocurrency phenomenon. And what I do not understand, I tend to fear. As a result, I have not jumped into the crypto market. My wife, on the other hand, has read the glowing descriptions of crypto benefits, and has taken the plunge. I think that my wife is […]
AM I A TEAM PLAYER?
Another birthday passes. (Actually, as I write, it’s still my birthday in the US, as the US is 12 hours behind us.) Time to reminisce on my life and evaluate where I went right or wrong. One tends to ask oneself, “What was my greatest achievement?” My thoughts turned to being a ‘team player’, and […]
THE THAI-CAMBODIA BORDER – WHAT’S GOING ON?
Thailand announced on Monday (Nov 10) it was suspending the implementation of a peace agreement with neighboring Cambodia after a landmine blast injured two Thai soldiers near the border. The Peace Agreement had been widely praised, not least because of the involvement of U.S. President Donald Trump. (In fact, Trump had nothing to do with the Agreement.) […]
TRUMP’S T.I.A.?
I’m not hearing the expression TIA on TV, probably because most people have never heard of it. My uneducated opinion is that TIA could be Trump’s problem. TIA stands for transient ischemic attack. It is often called a ‘mini-stroke’, as it displays stroke-like symptoms for a temporary (transient) period. An ischemic stroke is a blockage […]
MAGA and the Psychology of Spite
You don’t hear the word ‘spite’ much in the media these days. But I think it might be the most important descriptor of the mood of the MAGA cultists. I’m taking a lot of this material from Neurolink.com. Spiteful Behavior: Causes, Consequences, and Coping Strategies It’s a unique beast that sets itself apart from other […]
HOW WILL CAMBODIA HANDLE THE CYBERSLAVERY SCANDAL?
Recent events have beamed the spotlight on Cambodia’s massive ‘pig-butchering’ scams. Cambodia is in the international news, especially in Korea (a Korean student was tortured to death) and the United States (the leader of Prince Group had 15 billion dollars in illegal money confiscated). Prince Bank is undergoing a huge bank run, as investors try […]