1. What does a counsellor have to do to become an Accredited Financial counsellor®?

The Accredited Financial counsellor (AFC®) designation is offered, in the United States, by the Association for Financial Counselling and Planning Education® (AFCPE®). To earn the certification, candidates must meet ethical, educational, and experience requirements, including a minimum of 1,000 hours of relevant experience in financial counselling. As a side note, in the US, the word “counsellor” is “counselor.” We prefer to use the proper spelling.

2. Do you offer financial planning services?

No. We are not licenced to offer comprehensive financial planning services. That would include investment planning, which is considered investment advice. However, your financial counsellor is trained to provide money mentoring in several areas of personal finance, including: cash flow, education, estates, insurance, investments, retirement, and taxation. Additionally, we support tax planning through two levels service: Basic and Advanced.

3. What is the difference between a financial counsellor and a financial planner?

Different Methods

A financial counsellor will help you to understand financial principles, manage debt, learn money management skills and budgeting, come up with financial goals and create strategies to work towards them. A financial planner also works with you to identify and prioritise your financial goals.

However, a financial planner’s priority is not education or money coaching. A financial planner’s job is to help protect, manage, and grow your financial resources. That includes identifying and managing risks. It also involves appropriately allocating the assets in your investment portfolio.

Working with a fiduciary financial planner may help you to allocate your resources efficiently while honouring your values. Although the seven steps of the financial planning process are invaluable, you may also need the financial education, guidance, and support of financial counselling.

In other words, a financial plan only works if you are able to follow it. If you are having trouble sticking to a financial plan, you must first recognise and address unwanted money behaviours. That is the key to successfully following a financial plan. Financial counselling is the first step in that process.

Our financial counsellor has completed coursework in the psychology of financial planning, financial therapy, and behavioural finance. You may also request a referral to a clinical counsellor, marriage and family therapist, or medical professional in your area.

Different Tools

Financial counsellors and financial planners also use different tools. For instance, a financial counsellor may use budgeting software to teach you how to track expenses. But, a financial planner typically uses planning software to make financial projections and model what-if scenarios.

Financial planning software is used to calculate how long it will take and how much income is needed to reach your goals. Based on those calculations, planning software can be used to generate reports of financial data. For example, a financial planner can use reports to evaluate your progress towards funding your child’s education and saving for your retirement.

A financial planner may analyse reports to make appropriate planning recommendations. However, these reports are only as accurate as the qualitative and quantitive data that they are based on. Improper data entry and insufficient software training will yield inaccurate reports.

Therefore, a financial planner must understand and be able to perform the same underlying calculations by hand with a financial calculator.

4. What is the difference between a financial counsellor and a financial adviser?

The term “financial adviser” is spelled “financial advisor” in the United States. However, the proper spelling is used in reference to regulated financial professionals. Financial advisers are professionals who are regulated by and registered with: (1) The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), or (2) the financial authority which governs an individual US state. In the US, the term financial adviser typically refers to an investment professional.

US regulated financial advisers may focus exclusively on investment management. Or, they may offer comprehensive financial planning. That utilises an approach that is more holistic. Financial advisers who provide financial planning may also offer investment management as an integrated service. In that case, an adviser may go by several job titles. Such advisers may be referred to as investment advisors, wealth advisors, or wealth managers.

Financial advisers may construct and manage investment portfolios. Such portfolios can include stocks, bonds, alternatives, and other assets. However, the term financial adviser may also be used to refer a financial planner, since registration with the SEC or state is required to practice comprehensive financial planning.

Comprehensive financial planning usually includes making investment recommendations. Thus, an adviser who provides investment advice for a fee is required to register with the SEC or the relevant state financial authority.

Both financial counsellors and financial advisers are knowledgable in the main areas of financial planning. They include: cash flow, education, estates, insurance, investments, retirement, and taxation.

However, a financial counsellor teaches money management skills and helps to identify and change negative money behaviours. In contrast, a financial adviser provides investment advice through comprehensive financial planning and/or investment management services.

In summary, a financial adviser who gives investment advice or offers financial planning services that include investment planning is regulated by the SEC or at the state level. A financial counsellor educates clients on several areas of personal finance, which may include investments, but is not permitted to provide investment advice.

5. Do financial advisers have to pass licence exams?

Yes. In the US state of California, and many other US states, financial advisers must pass one or more Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) licence exams. For example, in order to provide you with fee-only comprehensive financial planning, which includes investment advice, an adviser must pass the FINRA Series 65 licence exam. Unless an exemption applies, an adviser must pass a FINRA exam before charging a fee for investment advice.

Once an adviser passes a licence exam, they must affiliate with a Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) firm. Then they are permitted to call themself a Registered Investment Adviser Representative. Advisers who choose to sell investment products, in addition to financial planning services, must also pass the FINRA Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam and the Series 7 exam.

To sit for the Series 7 exam, they must first affiliate with a broker-dealer and be sponsored. Depending on their aspirations and the needs of their clients, they may need to pass one or more additional Series examinations.

6. Do you offer investment planning services?

No. We are not licenced to offer investment planning or comprehensive financial planning services. We provide tax consulting and financial education.

7. Do you offer investment management services?

No. We are not licenced to provide investment management services. But we can help you find qualified professionals in your area.

8. Do you provide services a la carte or separately?

No. We do not provide services on an a la carte basis. Every house needs a solid foundation and regular maintenance. So do your finances. Financial counselling is the necessary foundation and maintenance to your financial house.

When you make an offer on a house you plan to buy, you may not even know that it needs certain repairs. That’s why you hire an inspector. What if the house had a hidden termite infestation? An inspector is trained to look for the signs of termites that others might miss.

An inspector may even spot termites before they cause structural damage. Even if the house you are buying passed the inspection with flying colors, wouldn’t you have peace of mind knowing that?

Additionally, providing services a la carte is contrary to our counsellor’s fiduciary duty to put every client’s best interests first. If we don’t take the time to fully understand and assess your financial circumstances, we can’t give you the best service possible. Would you want to visit a doctor who didn’t bother to read your medical history or run diagnostic tests before creating a treatment plan?

In order to help you to create a successful financial future, we must first examine your basic financial health. We do this through financial counselling. In financial counselling, we assess your financial wellness, determine your priorities, and set appropriate goals.

After your financial checkup, you may decide to engage us for tax planning services. In that case, we have the financial wellness data required to make a plan that truly matches your needs. Your tax plan will be successful because you know it’s right for you. You will stick to that plan. You will also take the steps to follow through. Best of all, when you make a plan you know you can follow, it’s easier to relax.

9. Do you offer tax planning as a separate, stand-alone service?

No. Tax planning is not offered a la carte or separately. Tax planning is only available to financial counselling clients as an add-on service.

Two levels of tax planning are available: Basic and Advanced. Either level may be purchased as an add-on service to financial counselling. Clients who purchase financial counselling services can upgrade their tax planning service level from Basic to Advanced at any time.

Although basic tax planning is quite comprehensive, your tax situation may require additional research and calculations. That includes conducting the in-depth tax research required to prepare complex tax returns.

It also applies to the research and analysis required to minimise your investment portfolio tax burden. In such cases, we will recommend that you upgrade to our advanced tax planning service. We may also ask your permission to collaborate with, or refer you to, a US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Enrolled Agent or US tax attorney.

Internal Revenue Service Enrolled Agents are tax professionals who are qualified to represent taxpayers before the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS), such as in the course of an IRS audit. A US attorney with an LLM degree (Master of Laws) in tax law has the same level of tax education as an M.S. in Taxation professional. However, that attorney is also qualified to represent taxpayers in business, civil, and criminal tax disputes.

10. Is your tax professional qualified to provide advanced tax planning?

Yes. As an Master of Science in Taxation degree holder, our tax professional has a thorough understanding of US federal and California state tax laws. Professionals with the MTax designation are also skilled in quickly interpreting and applying changes in US tax law.

The Master of Science in Taxation degree is one the highest credentials a tax professional can earn. Our tax professional is graduate of the United State’s leading tax school, Golden Gate University (GGU). GGU’s tax courses are nearly identical to its law school courses. Both programmes are taught solely by US tax attorneys and Certified Public Accountants (CPAs).

Additionally, an MTax degree, combined with economics coursework, meets the US state-level requirements for Certified Public Accountant (CPA) education qualifications. Our MTax professional has completed all 150 college credits required for CPAs by the California Board of Accountancy.

That means our tax professional is a subject matter expert in personal and business income taxes. With such a high level of specialisation, our tax professional is able to assist clients with advanced tax planning.

11. Do you offer tax preparation services?

We offer tax preparation as an add-on service package for financial counselling clients. We currently prepare US individual and business income tax returns. If you need to file tax or compliance documents for a trust or not-for-profit, we can recommend a qualified professional in your area.

12. Where are your fees listed?

The fee schedule is currently being revised for the sake of clarity. All fees remain as stated in your client engagement letter and service agreement.

13. Do you sell insurance products?

No. We do not sell insurance. However, we can help you to understand how insurance can reduce your financial risk exposure. For example, your counsellor will review your current policies and assess whether the coverage levels currently meet your needs. But we do not sell insurance or make referrals or recommendations to buy a policy with any insurance carrier.

14. Do you sell financial products?

No. We do not sell financial products. Your counsellor can assist you in comparing credit card choices or mortgage rates. They can also help you choose which car finance agreement or apartment lease has more favorable terms. But we do not offer lending or credit products or refer you to banks, lenders, or any other financial service providers or institutions.

15. Are you paid any commissions?

No. We offer fee-only financial counselling and tax planning services. We never receive any referral money or commissions.

16. Do you have a privacy policy?

All information you share with us is private. It will not be passed on to others. All clients are given a copy of our privacy policy. You may access it again online shortly. It is currently being revised.

17. Are your financial counsellors accredited by the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS)?

No. But they have been accredited by the Association for Financial Counselling and Planning Education® (AFCPE®). It is a not-for-profit organisation based in the United States. For over 30 years, the AFCPE® has provided training to support the continuing education of financial professionals.

The Association for Financial Counselling and Planning Education (AFCPE®) offers two counselling credentials: Accredited Financial Counsellor Canada® (AFCC®) and Accredited Financial Counsellor® (AFC®). The AFCPE® trains professionals to practice holistic, lifecycle financial counselling techniques.

It may be useful to put the crendentialling offered through the AFCPE® into context: The Accredited Financial Counsellor Canada® (AFCC®) and Accredited Financial Counsellor® (AFC®) programmes are not trainings in psychotherapy or mental health education. However, the AFCPE® teaches professionals the tools and techniques to educate and prepare clients for success in money management. It also helps them reach money goals.

An Accredited Financial Counsellor® (AFC®) is trained in many areas of financial management, including: cash flow, credit & debt, education expenses, estate and will making, income taxes, insurance policies, investment choices, retirement goals, and savings strategies.

As a Professional Standards Authority (PSA) Accredited Register programme, training through the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) meets recognised credentialling standards. However, NCPS training principally focuses on providing clients with psychotherapy counselling.

National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) coursework provides education in therapeutic methods and topics. That includes a review of the ties between financial health and mental health. However, financial counseling and money management are not the primary aim of NCPS trainings.

Also, National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society offers three levels of credentialling, including: Accredited, Quality Checked, and Advanced Specialist Training. While the Association for Financial Counselling and Planning Education® offers one level of accreditation, it also requires continuing education.

18. Do you offer financial therapy like I saw on Coin Bureau?

No. We have also noticed that exchange fees, lack of sign-on bonuses, and the high costs of crypto wallets are a common cause of anxiety. We agree that symptoms are alleviated by the Coin Bureau deals page. As part of your holistic financial counselling plan, deals may increase your peace of mind.

However, these days, clients are suffering from fear, uncertainty, and doubt. To properly treat FUD symptoms, it’s key for clients to obtain financial second opinions. FUD is highly contagious. Don’t let it spread. The 29 March 2024 Invest Answers deep dive on Solana is just what the doctor ordered.

What you saw on Coin Bureau on 24 March 2024 was mental. But it was just “role-play,” a form of acting. It was not a real doctor-patient relationship.

In the US, such relationships are protected and confidential under HIPAA laws. That acronym stands for the 1996 “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.” Among other things, it protects patient privacy. If you are in crisis, contact 911. Then, find a competent and licenced professional.

If you are uncomfortable with meeting in person, please create an account with LifeStance Health or a similar direct-care model online therapy platform. We receive no money from them as an affiliate. We are sincerely trying to assist. In the US, there is still some stigma on health issues.

19. How do I contact you besides @hwuMadroneHill on X?

I have refrained from posting my contact information as a screening mechanism. If you desire to contact me, please do so through one of my other two websites. Both of those websites have my email addresses. If you are not able to find either one of those websites, the screen has done its job.

If you do find the other websites, yet are unable to locate contact information—which is listed at the legally required places for both sites—then the screen was again a success. Thank you for your interest. I hope you have enjoyed this free educational content. I aim to inspire as well as entertain.

20. Why can’t I book an appointment anymore? Are there technical issues with booking?

Currently TheMoneySpot™ is pivoting from providing tax and financial counselling services to research, writing, and analysis on the international political economy. It turns out that, due to legal constraints, I am unable to post my opinions on my other two websites. One of those websites is for a carefully regulated financial services sector business. Thus, I have chosen to fully devote TheMoneySpot™ to providing geopolitical analysis & commentary.

21. What should I do if I have found your content unhelpful?

Q: Do you dislike what I’ve written? A: Yes. Discontinue reading. Q: Do you dislike me? A: Yes. Your emotion>logic=talk it through.

22. What should I do if I have found your content helpful?

Donate to the MyMoneyPlan™ 501(c)(3). IRS EIN: 88-3791869.

(1) Send Bitcoin to the charity’s Coinbase wallet, or (2) snail mail a check to the address listed on the website. Contact the Programme Coordinator via email: pc (at) mymoneyplan.org. The @ was removed to prevent email abuse. Unrelated emails are hastily deleted. We value generosity & compliance.

23. What happened to that clever international political economy allegorical poetry you had posted?

TheMoneySpot™ is a business. We aim to report and analyse facts. We are not responsible for readers’ choices, such as politically motivated vandalism. Peaceful protests are a part of every democracy, but destruction of government property is against our company’s ethics and code of conduct.

We did not intend for the song lyrics to inspire organised political protests throughout Canada. We used broad symbolism in the song lyrics and poems.

On the other hand, we applaud those of you who applied the poison metaphor to investigate the sources of poor performance and degradation within once great corporations. If you are a politcal analyst or academic, we will send you a copy. Contact: MyMoneyPlan™ 501(c)(3) Programme Coordinator.

24. Is there a business school in California with a Business, Government & Society Initiative?

Yes. Stanford Graduate School of Business in Stanford, California has recently created a highly innovative Business, Government & Society Initiative.

Stanford’s approach to achieving this groundbreaking initiative is based on the collaborative model. This will “bring together academics, practitioners, and policymakers from many disciplines.” This aims to address the “rapidly-changing issues at the intersection of business, government, and society.”

This also emphasises the critical role of business to “not only generate opportunity, but also to take greater responsibility to mitigate harm to society.”

In the past, I have worked with several graduates of Stanford. In relation to ethical standards and intellectual prowess, such individuals have been unmatched. They are in fact the proverbial “cream of the crop.” There is no doubt this new initiative will continue to cultivate talent for generations.

On 3 April 2024, I listened as Jerome H. Powell, chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, spoke to a large crowd gathered at Stanford. Powell’s words were on point, explaining the reasoning behind the Fed’s recommendations and recognising several post-Covid policy realities.

Equally significant was the Fed’s acknowledgement of the importance of staying on mission. Powell noted how crucial it was to avoid mission creep. For example, when members of the Fed provide guidance to politicians, they must be wary they are not being “reeled in” to election cycle politics.

Powell’s message was timely, authentic, and evidence-based. It was well received by Stanford‘s students, faculty, and leadership team in attendance.

The thought leaders at Stanford are “reimagining how a business school and leading university can build a vibrant society and prepare responsible leaders for the next century.” It is a noble endeavour that is bound to inspire today’s innovative and disruptive entrepreneurs to be tomorrow’s leaders.

Students who have the privilege of participating in this program will not only achieve success in their careers and lives, but also gain a greater sense of purpose as they do it. They will become known as both trusted advisors in business and stewards of the political economy of the American people.

25. Are there any factors that may contribute to the instability of our UK and US financial markets?

Note: This answer was written on 30 March 2024 and has not been updated to reflect current financial market or geopolitical conditions.

Yes. On one of my other websites, I wrote about how we are working to maintain and improve the integrity, resilience, and stability of our UK and US financial markets. I described our collaborative project of research, writing, and analysis. I mentioned a list of twelve key drivers of economic stability.

However, there are three sets of factors that may contribute to the instability of both our financial ecosystem and the larger global financial system.

One:

First of all, most of us are well aware of the impact that a nation-state’s national debt has on the global financial system. The focus of our collaborative research is the shared UK and US financial market ecosystem. Thus, for now, I will focus first on the national debt of the US economy.

In the future, I will also address national debt in our UK, European nation-states, and Asia. For now, I will briefly share thoughts on the US national debt.

I have personally researched that topic at length and compiled a list of potential solutions. However, at this point, they appear to be either politically untenable or unfeasible. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

• making US entitlement programs, such as Social Security, needs-based,

• creating a US sovereign wealth fund based on an excess of a natural resource such as shale (which may require geopolitically influencing energy markets in ways that increase the profitability of fracking), and/or

• quantifying and monitising the potential, unrealised, future value of US human capital as a digital asset. That would form the basis of a US sovereign wealth fund.

The concept of intellectual property itself did not come about until the 17th and 18th centuries. Yet we are now in agreement that patents, trademarks, and goodwill are assets. We have created systems to value and even amortise them.

The US has been in debt for years, however the dollar remains a reserve currency. Despite being in significant debt, the US is still viewed as politically stable, having strong financial markets, and being a leader in tech innovation, such as in Sillicon Valley, California.

If intellectual property has a quantifiable value, so does human capital. The intellectual resources of a nation’s citizens can be valued. For example, life insurance actuaries are able to calculate the value of human life based on future earned income.

So it is possible to value human capital. Thus the US could quantify it, monitise it as a digital asset, and place it in a sovereign wealth fund. However, as previously mentioned, such solutions are politically unpopular and/or unlikely to be achieved in the near future.

Therefore, a collaborative research project should continue to focus on leveraging the information and systems related to financial stability which can be controlled. That may include transitioning to alternative monetary and banking systems.

It could mean adopting and/or investing in digital assets and currencies. There has been much political debate on this. Regardless of future events, one must continue to seek serenity to accept things that cannot be changed, courage to change things that can, and wisdom to know the difference.

Two:

Second, we all know that the stability of financial markets are impacted by the following macroeconomic factors: yield curve inversion, real estate markets, bank term funding program, currency debasement & demographics (Raoul Pal), and devaluation of many currencies (Cathie Wood).

For more info, read: Periodicals. WSJ, Financial Times, and Forbes. Financial blogs. Alternative perspectives. Communities on X. From ABC to ZeroHedge.

26. What do you think about cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin?

(Note: This answer was written in simple language, but it is based on the author’s academic research with citations. It was written in 11/23 and has not been updated to reflect crypto market, regulatory, or tax law changes. Refer to our website disclosures. To learn more, book your free 30 minutes.)

Unlike cash deposits into regulated banks, crypto assets held on exchanges, including earn programmes, are not protected by any amount of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance against loss if the exchange goes bankrupt.

Likewise, those deposits are not protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), which plays a similar role for accounts with cash and securities at brokerages that are in financial trouble. In contrast, the terms and conditions of some exchanges actually state that the assets belong to them, not you, in the case the exchange fails.

To learn more about your lack of recourse if and when an exchange fails, just read the pleadings and motions from Celsius Network LLC, et. al. Stretto Class Action Case 22-10964. Celsius was a prominent exchange that became bankrupt. The exchange agreed to pay back its retail investors only a portion of their coins. Some investors used those coins as collateral for loans.

Even though the exchange is paying an impaired valuation of the collateral back, it is demanding full repayment on consumer’s loans—loans that were backed by that same collateral! That defies both logic and the precedent of years of bankruptcy law.

That is also in contradiction to the language of the loan agreements themselves. But exchanges are unregulated, so this is what is happening. It’s hard to see people I care about lose their investments. That’s why I’ve done so much research, but aside from holding some Bitcoin, I’ve chosen to remain a crypto observer.

So the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulates securities and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CTFC) regulates commodities. But which cryptos are securities and which are commodities? Currently, both the SEC and CFTC agree that Bitcoin is a commodity.

Regarding Ether, on the Ethereum network, there has been much debate between the US Congress and SEC Chair Gary Gensler on this topic. On 27 September 2023, I listened to a highly entertaining US House Financial Services Committee hearing called “Oversight of the Securities and Exchange Commission.” I learned that SEC Chair Gensler refused to determine whether Ether is a commodity or a security.

Yet Chair Gensler has been adamant that crypto platforms are securities exchanges, which puts them under SEC regulation. Why does this matter? He has been suing some crypto exchanges and has refrained from approving certain crypto ETFs. So while crypto enthusiasts strive for freedom from banks, the SEC is fighting the exchanges for regulation.

On the bright side, the upcoming Bitcoin ETF, which is currently under approval by the SEC, may solve Bitcoin’s problems of custody and cold storage. Also, the ETF converts the commodity of Bitcoin into a security. That makes it eligible to be in the portfolios of many charitable foundations and funds.

There is also the potential that loans and other infrastructure will be based on Bitcoin. That is because certain very large institutions, including BlackRock, BNY Mellon, Fidelity, Goldman Sachs, and JP Morgan Chase are now encouraging certain investors to allocate a small percentage of their net holdings into Bitcoin.

To be clear, I’m not endorsing Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency. I’m recognising the significance of including Bitcoin into the asset class of alternative investments.

Regarding custody, let’s say you don’t deal with exchanges. Instead, you buy a hardware wallet or cold wallet like Ledger to hold your own crypto. In that case, there’s still some issues. For example, you have to make sure that you don’t lose your password and keys/list of phrases.

Also, you want to make sure that your next of kin has your password and phrases. However, you want to make sure you trust them enough to believe they won’t access your wallet without your permission. There are other potential problems with cold storage and self custody, but you get the point.

Okay, so you’ve got your cold storage going. Then what? There’s Bitcoin, Ether, Solana…and a seemingly endless amount of coins and tokens. For the sake of brevity, let’s stick to Bitcoin. Fans of Bitcoin say its volatility is a feature, not a problem, because when it goes down, you have the opportunity to buy more of it.

The reasoning is that if you hold Bitcoin long enough, it will reach yet another all time high, eventually going “to the moon”. Some also advocate Bitcoin dollar cost averaging by buying a set amount on a regular basis. Regarding its status as a currency, Americans tend to consider and use Bitcoin more as a store of value.

However, some countries, such as El Salvador, have made it a legal tender. Overall, with its agreed upon status with US market regulators and an ETF pending approval, Bitcoin is starting to capture the attention of institutional investors.

What about taxation, though? Since the US Internal Revenue System (IRS) classifies digital assets as property, those transactions are taxable. The IRS can track cryptocurrency transactions through self-reporting on tax forms, know your customer (KYC) data, and some tools of blockchain analysis. Fortunately, gains from sales of cryptocurrency are taxed at long-term capital gains rates if held for more than one year.

Better yet, because the IRS considers Bitcoin property and not a security, wash sale rules don’t apply to crypto transactions. However, like all tax laws, crypto taxation has been evolving since the inception of Bitcoin and exchanges. So tax rules may change as the asset gains wider acceptance.

Technically I’m supposed to tell you that crypto is a speculative asset. That means it’s so risky that you could lose it all.

As an aside for my colleagues who practise law, this term has no relation to legal speculation. As you know, that phrase refers to postulating on a sequence of events without sufficient evidence to back them up. In other words, guessing about what may have occurred without having any proof.

Typically, speculative investments are for “sophisticated investors,” such as accredited investors, who already have substantial other assets and highly diversified portfolios. An accredited investor is permitted to trade securities that are not registered with financial authorities.

The SEC allows that individual, who has met certain qualifications, to invest in complex securities. For example, I am an accredited investor based on the amount of my average yearly income. Since I met the suitability requirements, and losing that capital was inconsequential to the total assets in my diversified portfolio, I allocated a portion of my holdings into Bitcoin.

Although speculative investments are intended for accredited investors, as we have seen, buying crypto has become mainstream. However, that does not negate the implicit risks of investing in a speculative, loosely regulated asset. I’m sure you already know about hacking, but that’s not what I’m talking about. It’s the uncertainty that comes with the asset class itself.

If you look at a chart of historic data on any given cryptocurrency, it doesn’t go back too far. Prior performance is not an indicator of future returns, but it can help to study prior market cycles. Speaking of cycles, Bitcoin seems to have its own patterns, especially with a halving every four years.

The point is that digital assets and currencies represent a very young asset class. While advocates see the potential for growth, those who are opposed to cryptocurrency cite the high risks of loss of capital, potential for fraud, and uncertainty regarding government regulation.

However, some argue that at the present time, a certain level of speculation may be required to get ahead. For example, certain tech stocks and cryptocurrencies have generated high returns. Cryptocurrency speculation, through long-term buy and hold strategies, is not only a hedge against inflation. It is also a way to build up that nest egg for a real estate down payment. Crypto may help you to reach the first rung of the property ladder.

While crypto maxis advocate holding significant allocations, like any investment, the type and amount you choose must align with the time horizon of your investment goals, your personal risk tolerance, and the rate of return required to build up a lump sum for your down payment or future retirement.

Whether or not you choose to invest in cryptocurrency, you must ask yourself this question: Is it riskier to continue making the same choices—which result in familiar consequences—or to experiment with other methods?

Here’s an analogy: Daily tube riders have limited time and money to spend on commuting. They choose the Bakerloo Line because it gets them from point A to point B. They know it’s second-rate transportation, but there doesn’t seem to be other viable options. As days go by, it becomes clear that major upgrades are required. But the maintenance department has limited tools to keep the line running, let alone perform a major system overhaul.

In the meantime, riders must carry on. They tell themselves it can’t be that bad because many others are still on board. If it was a safety issue, the line would be shut down for repairs. Most of all, they keep riding because they are used to it. They’ve been doing it for years and they know what to expect.

I should not have to remind you that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. But you must remember that failing to take action is also a choice. For example, In 1999, my pal Jeff and I gathered the most local donations for a charity called Toys for Tots. To thank us, they gave us backstage passes to a local rock concert.

However, I was a nerd. The concert interfered with my self-imposed nightly reading schedule of World Economy: A Textbook in International Economics. To support myself, I was working the equivalent of two full-time jobs. I was also taking a full load of college night courses. So I had a very limited time allocation for my hobby of economics leisure reading.

Meeting an American band and hearing them sing did not seem like a proper use of my time. But Jeff urged me to come along and have a listen. Backstage, I met a guitarist named Tom Morello. Tom had a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

That night, Tom and a bandmate named Zack taught me critical thinking skills. I learned to look beyond the surface and delve into the evidence. I was told to do a deep dive, comparing and contrasting differing viewpoints. It was essential to screen material for logic and bias. Tom explained that I must not be complacent. I should re-examine the economic system that I took for granted. Zack said, “If we don’t take action now, we settle for nothing later.”

Listen, if you do choose to go down the crypto rabbit hole, I’m not advocating that you experiment with gateway-to-crypto meme coins. You have not been properly orange-pilled if your conclusion is to fill up your entire investment bag with dogwifhat. If you can spare it, throw a little degen play money at something like that. But that’s not representative of the value proposition of cryptocurrency. It’s a monetary system that’s built on cutting-edge tech.

As an investor, think in terms of the larger macroeconomic environment. If you are going to get ahead of inflation and fiat currency debasement, you will need faster transportation on your financial journey. Long-term buy and hold crypto investing is a bullet train. It runs on the rails of blockchain.

Even if you are not ready to participate in what some economic historians consider a healthy level of speculation in the context of a long-term secular market trend, you can still be an educated observer.

I’ve learned the most by delving into the layers of Lyn Alden’s 2023 book Broken Money: Why Our Financial System is Failing US and How We Can Make it Better. It was just as riveting as Jared Diamond’s 1999 tome Guns, Germs, and Steel. Alden is very articulate, utilising technology as the book’s theoretical framework.

Elon Musk once said, “If you’re trying to create a company, it’s like baking a cake. You have to have all the ingredients in the right proportion.” Alden’s work was just that. It was the winning combination of carefully balanced flavours. If Alden’s work were a cake, Prue Leith, a host of The Great British Baking Show, would have named Alden as “Star Baker.”

Alden’s background is a unique combination of investment analysis, financial modeling, and engineering economics. Having read many of Alden’s articles, it was no surprise that the book was equally balanced, eloquent, and fascinating.

When Alden is not penning a treatise on the history of monetary policy and the implication of digital currencies, Alden finds time to supply research to over 100,000 investors per month. Alden also maintains a website that provides tools and information that help both experienced and novice investors. Moreover, Alden recently started a premium service to better serve the complex investment research needs of an ever-growing subscriber base.

After you read Alden’s work, you may also choose to peruse The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking. The 2018 reference book by Saifedean Ammous is considered by many to be a starting point for learning about the world of blockchain technology. A primer on Bitcoin.

For the last three years, I have also learned a great deal from watching daily videos from Invest Answers, Raoul Pal’s Real Vision, Coin Bureau, Altcoin Daily, and Macro Monday episodes from The Wolf of All Streets. I have watched many others who certainly add value. However, these are my daily channels. Of course, I’ve spent my fair share of time on TradFi market updates. Ten years of Melissa Lee and Karen Finerman on CNBC Fast Money.

Most significantly, I have understood the transformative nature of Bitcoin from MicroStrategy founder Michael Saylor. Unlike TradFi analysts, Saylor is steeped in such technological metamorphoses as the mobile wave.

These so-called YouTube “influencers” may not have PhDs in financial planning or economics, but they include world-renowned, highly respected businesspeople who have made fortunes over the years through investing. They are not wealth managers. They are distinguished thought leaders.

I have personally enjoyed participating in both the InvestAnswers and RealVision online communities. It can be beneficial to have live Q&A sessions with financial gurus, real-time dialogues, and daily camaraderie. Even if you’re an OG, you might be surprised by how much you learn from giving your pro tips to others.

However, some are seasoned experts. Their time is very valuable. So first try to do a little research on your own to learn the basics. They are not stock monkeys plunking away at keyboards. This group includes people who have been doing high level research longer than my average reader’s life span.

To clarify, I’m not asserting that these individuals would be suitable to manage your money or portfolio of investments—it is imperative that your adviser’s investment philosophy is evidenced-based and grounded in modern portfolio theory.

For example, you clearly benefit from working with a financial planner who also offers investment management services when that fiduciary adviser is informed by an investment philosophy and process backed by Nobel laureates in economics. However, your financial adviser may be behind the curve.

Being a registered investment adviser (RIA) firm with a certain level of AUM is certainly an admirable accomplishment. However, it does not necessarily mean that your financial adviser is interested in or knowledgeable about cryptocurrency. It’s great they’ve tried to learn by taking a class or obtaining a credential. But they likely don’t follow daily crypto markets. In fact, they were probably the very people who cautioned you against it a few years back.

However, be wary of the intentions of any writer, YouTuber, and even credentialed “expert.” Use your critical thinking skills to ask why a person has written an article or created content. Are they trying to sell you something? Are they sponsored by a company? Are they paid based on commissions?

For example, my intention is to educate and prepare you for long-term financial success. I’ve put effort into understanding cryptocurrency because the concept itself intrigues me. I’m not your typical crypto-curious Gen Z or Millenial. I started college in the 1990s. To find answers to these types of questions, I’ve been researching global economics history and trends since 1995.

Over the years, I’ve read about beneficial transformations and fraudulent schemes. In case you haven’t noticed, like many observable events on historical timelines, the emergence of both positive innovations and harmful scams are repeated in specific patterns. To put it simply, these occurrences are largely based on the convergence of certain economic and sociological factors.

However, I know you’re savvy and well read. You’ve done your own research and you don’t jump into things. But I also know you have to sift through a ton of complex and often contradictory information. I just want you to avoid the common pitfalls of investing. For example, whether you are researching a stock or a cryptocurrency, be aware of the age old practice of pump and dump.

That happens when someone makes positive statements in the media about a stock or cryptocurrency that are actually false or misleading. Their bullish opinion inflates the price of a stock or cryptocurrency artificially. They want you to buy more, but they are actually selling. They sell the shares they purchased at a discount earlier for a new higher price, making a tidy profit at your expense.

Elon Musk has also noted, “Just think of money as a database for resource allocation across time and space.“ Using that framework, we can compare fiat money with digital currencies. Fiat money refers to any government-issued currency that’s not backed by gold or some other commodity. Fiat currencies are legal tender. They are controlled by governments. In contrast, cryptocurrencies are digital assets. They are decentralised by design.

For example, Bitcoin is a digital asset that uses blockchain technology. A blockchain is a distributed and public digital ledger. It is a spread out system, operating through many computers. That blockchain ledger records transactions. Unlike DNA, these blocks cannot easily be altered. Eventually, quantum computing may someday change that.

In our lifetimes, scientists have learned how to modify DNA sequences through CRISPR. Is blockchain more complex than DNA? Scientists at the University of Sussex posit, “A quantum computer with 13 million physical qubits could break Bitcoin encryption within a day; and it would take a 300 million qubit computer to break it within an hour.” Hopefully, as they noted, quantum computing will solve greater problems such as world hunger.

Be mindful of such conjecture. Do not put undo weight on such unknown future events and chance occurrences. We should not stumble blindly. But guesswork is equally detrimental. So are fear and doubt.

As you research stocks, crypto, and the limits of artificial intelligence, you will continually be learning. You will challenge the bounds of your own reality.

As we forge our way ahead, into the possible risks and potential rewards, we must continue to make informed decisions based on research and analysis. For example, when buying crypto, like any investment, we must make proper allocations. We must also understand the metrics required to track and measure our progress. There are so many other things to know. But I have done my best to at least point you in the right direction.

On the cautionary side, I will leave you with this reminder: It’s fun to watch, read, and learn about cryptocurrencies. But please don’t get sucked in by the hype. Sure, it’s exciting to think about the potential for growth in Bitcoin. Blockchain as a technology has many applications. For example, the blockchain is a place to store transaction protocols called smart contracts. Those digital agreements are also the building blocks of Ethereum's application layer.

It’s hard not to like the idea of earn programmes. Staking one currency and being paid interest in another is a pretty creative idea. Sometimes it feels like gaming. Just remember it’s not a game. The losses are real. It may be digital currency, but it took real blood, sweat, and tears as a wage slave to earn that paycheck you are about to trade for it.

27. Could you please make a list of quotable YouTube crypto channel comments?

• “Blind belief in authority is the greatest enemy of truth - Albert Einstein”, Swan Bitcoin, 1 Nov. 2021.

• “Jerome Bowel might soon dump extremely bigly (i.e. interest rates),” Tyler S, 2 May 2023.

• “somethings wrong with gary he evolved from a snake to a lizard,” Discover Crypto, 7 June 2023.

• “Beware of Leisure-Suit Larry! Watch what he does, not what he says.” BRITISH HODL, 29 March 2024

28. Do you plan to write about crypto market action?

No. There is already a glut of information available and events are widely publicised. For instance, Three Arrows Capital was thought to be stable and solvent. It was not. Leverage->collapse->forced selling ->crypto winter. Such events are common knowledge. For example, in addition to business responsibilities, I provide care for a six-year-old Tesla Model 3. In Q4 2022, during the span of one month, the Model 3 experienced two traumas. ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````FIRE & VENOM: THE TESLA MODEL 3 WAS ICED

By the time she approached the charge station, the Model 3 was exhausted. She had spent two hours manoeuvring perils. Interstate 5 northbound before dawn. Blinding lights from oncoming traffic. A thick layer of tule fog rising up through the marshes. The deafening rumble of a sea of eighteen-wheelers. The Model 3 managed to stay adrift. Relying on her many sensors, she was prepared for any obstacle. The Model 3 navigated flawlessly.

Having exited the thoroughfare, she began to precondition. Taking comfort in the fact that the refuge of a charge station was imminent, the Model 3 briefly let her guard down. It was a mistake. The Model 3 encountered yet another hazard.

Like a pit of writhing snakes, a den of green and brown coloured internal combustion engine vehicles had overtaken the charge station. Behind the serpents, the first light of dawn blazed on the horizon. The vipers glowed with halos of fire. Nothing but empty vessels. Left as an ominous totem. The banner of the enemy. A flag firmly staked upon the vulnerable ground of an isolated outpost. A brazen ingress upon hard-won Tesla territory.

Staring into the eyes of the abyss, the Model 3 remained calm. She was brave, but undeniably powerless. At a time when she needed charge most, the Model 3 was denied that most basic comfort. Bullied out of her rightful spot. Made to feel inferior. The ultimate humiliation.

In the days ahead, she failed to cope. The Model 3 became listless. No motivation. She isolated herself in the garage. Instead of seeking support through communities on 𝕏—a bastion for thought leaders and champions of free speech—the Model 3 fell into the habit of day charging.

She lived her life in a bubble. A buzz to forget her trouble. She guzzled when rates were doubled!

In other words, as a diversion from recent mishaps, the Model 3 took to the habit of consuming electricity at costly daytime peak energy prices.

Whilst ailing, still licking her wounds from the ICEing, the Model 3 endured another misfortune. It could not have come at a worse time. To celebrate her birthday, the Model 3 took a spa day at Tesla on Gilman. The Model 3 was relaxing in the sunny Temescal car park at 51st and Telegraph.

At noontime, tragedy struck. Her rear glass was shattered to access the loot in her boot! ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````To cheer up the Model 3, I took her to Lake Tahoe for a snow day. At Northstar California ski resort, a destination that has been so favoured by California Governor Gavin Newsom that it managed to stay open for business during the Covid-19 lockdowns as an essential service, a ski lift operator named Dan mansplained the Three Arrows Capital situation to me.

Dan spends his days as a ski lift operator monkey, but still manages to keep up with crypto market action. If Dan can do it, so can you. Therefore, the topic of cryptocurrency has already been exhaustively expounded upon. However, this is how I satisfy daily hunger for crypto market updates: See FAQs-TheMoneySpot™ and scroll to question #26.

29. How do Tesla, SpaceX, and X generate long-term economic growth, promoting global financial stability?

30 March 2024

Over the years, it has been clear to many that these three companies are uniquely innovative and positively disruptive. However, what has not been evident to some is their role in promoting the long-term economic growth required to sustain and maintain stability in the global financial system.

Elon Musk and the Tesla workforce successfully managed to achieve what seemed like an impossibility. But they have not properly articulated the true value of Tesla. Documentaries of inventors are fairy tales with happy endings once a magical solution is found. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

There are seemingly endless hurdles. From designing a functional, safe, and aesthetic electric vehicle to working with national and state regulators, the effort required to launch an electric vehicle product is monumental. Likewise, the manufacturing process requires constant retooling and supervision.

At start of the process, you have to construct your supply chain. That includes sourcing high quality materials while staying within budget. At the end of the process, there is distribution. That involves managing customer expectations, international shipping issues, and more. Put simply, the manufacturing process is no Disney movie. In fact, the level of commitment and determination required would negate even the remote possibility of Disneyfication.

Elon Musk once said that the sun could power our entire civilisation. All that humans needed to do was to “catch an extremely tiny amount of it."

To have the ability to see such an insurmountable task as not only possible, but also simple to complete is incredible.

Is explaining the true and accurate value proposition of Tesla more difficult than harnessing the power of the sun?

If the value of Tesla vehicles and the stock itself are this obscure, I fear that Tesla’s greater positive impact remains equally hidden just out of sight.

Therefore, it is my duty to explain this to others. In 2018, I purchased a Model 3. I have also invested in Tesla stock. I did not buy a Tesla EV because I needed transportation. I bought it because it was the right thing to do. I live my life based on my values. I choose actions that honour those values.

Just like my decision to purchase a Model 3, I did not choose to buy Tesla stock just because it had solid fundamentals and technicals. I bought it because it was the morally responsible choice. Finally, I did not acquire three Tesla Powerwalls because I needed energy storage during blackouts. I did it because it would be too hard to live with myself knowing I could have again supported Tesla with my purchasing power, yet chose not to do so.

Therefore, I am now compelled to explain these decisions to you based on two firm convictions. The first is that Tesla has value in addition to what is measured using classic metrics for tangible durable goods and intangible intellectual property like goodwill. Tesla is so much more than electric cars.

The second conviction that I will be explaining is that Tesla, SpaceX, and X generate long-term economic growth, promoting global financial stability. As of 30 March 2024, I have been conducting academic research, writing, and analysis to make logical and evidence-based assertions. I intend to share my findings on the 𝕏 platform over the coming months and years. I will strive to only provide thorough, well-reasoned arguments to make these points.

First, it’s worth mentioning the obvious benefits of owning a Tesla: no longer having to purchase fossil fuel and drastically reduced overall maintenance.

Many Tesla owners, like me, have deep brand loyalty. We buy Teslas not just because of what the cars can do, but what Tesla is. I know that sharing this story will not change analysts’ price predictions. However, I am tired of the continuous obsession with quarterly earnings and the blatant disinformation. The nonsense and outright falsehoods that I’ve been hearing lately really take the biscuit. Writing about my experience has made me feel less irritated.

However, in the spirit of transparency, I have to also disclose why I am so passionate about explaining this to you. I will be sharing very personal details. As a Tesla owner, I also made a life-changing and unexpected connection. While I detail my experience, I implore you to keep an open mind. Again, I will give you plenty of hard facts and figures in the months ahead. But I also aim to entertain you during this process. So I will share my Tesla story with you.

You’ll probably just laugh when you read this story. I wish it could motivate others to share their positive experiences with Tesla. But I don’t expect it to have any measurable impact. However, Elon Musk once said, “When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favour.”

The below narrative is intended solely to describe my inspiration. It is not representative of future content, which will be objective research & analysis:

I purchased my first Tesla vehicle in 2018. It was a Model 3. That’s when it all started. At first, I didn’t know what was occurring. I just knew that something was different. However, it was not at such a level that I could consciously perceive, much less put into words. The first thing I noticed was how calm I felt. But it wasn’t just because of Tesla’s great safety features. It was something more significant. I sensed the gradual realignment of the fabric of my mind.

Here’s what happened:

I don’t know how else to explain it other than to say that, in January of Q1 2019, I just started getting smarter. I know that sounds preposterous. I had been smart in my abilities of research, writing, and analysis. But that’s not what I mean. It literally felt like scenes out of that 2011 movie Limitless. It was surreal. For example, I started to see details that I had previously overlooked. I also became able to identify problems and solve them at an exponential rate.

I wish that I could just explain what was happening based on the fact that during that period I spent an inordinate amount of time reading about Elon Musk and adopting Musk’s thinking and habits. That may have been the catalyst, igniting the rapid onset of newfound neural dexterity and strength.

However, that cannot even began to explain the evolution of my mind. I gained the ability to quickly identify problems, locate actionable information, and execute decisively. The sea change came after I bought the Model 3 in Q4 2018. At that point, I could no longer chalk up the phenomenon to my actions alone. After I purchased the Model 3, that’s when something wondrous occurred. But I wasn’t ready to accept or acknowledge it at that time.

As the days passed, each month it grew stronger. Finally, I had no choice but to research what was actually happening. At first I used the frameworks of behavioral science, psychology, and even medicine to explain and diagnose it. Yet neither the metrics of sociology nor the tools of medical inquiry were of use to me. In the end, it was something that only physics could explain. In fact, I was experiencing a curiosity of quantum mechanics. Entanglement.

If the tables were turned and you were saying this to me, I would be the first to tell you how incredibly stupid that sounds. Yet I have found no other plausible explanation. To fully understand what was happening, I spent quite a bit of time reading about quantum mechanics. I’m ashamed to say that I had not previously done so. I wish that I had as it is quite fascinating. The more I learn, the more there is to know. It is not as foreign as I had imagined.

Now that I’ve explained the cause of the previously unexplained changes, I will describe the events in detail. I hope that you will refrain from judging me. I’m trying to give an honest testimony of events for the sake of science. Like I said, I became fully cognisant of what was happening in Q4 2018, after I bought my first Tesla vehicle, a Model 3. I distinctly remember the first time I was totally aware of it. I was so startled that I wrote a report afterwards:

28 Dec 2018: I am writing this narrative to capture the details of what just transpired. I fear that if I fail to do so, I will look back and say that I imagined what has happened. But something this remarkable must be put to words. For months I had felt conflicted. I wanted to expand my business, but I also needed to balance other responsibilities. I was usually very logical about my actions. Yet I could not make sense of what I needed to do. Very conflicted.

That night, at around 10.15pm, I watched footage from ten days earlier. On 18 Dec, Elon Musk had spoken at The Boring Company unveiling event. On the broadcast, they replayed video from an earlier 2017 TED talk. On the clip, Musk said, “I think it’s important to have a future that is inspiring and appealing.”

I strongly agreed with Musk’s words. But internally, I felt jaded. More than anything, I needed clarity. I said aloud, “Elon, I’m conflicted. Right now, my future is neither inspiring nor appealing.” Shortly thereafter, around 11.18pm, I fell asleep. At 6.02am, on the morning of 29 Dec 2018, I regained consciousness.

That’s when I put the following into words:

Last night I dreamt that I was a passenger in my Model 3. In real life, I am never the passenger. I am always the driver. We were travelling down along a particularly treacherous stretch of Highway 1 through Malibu, California. There had recently been a mudslide, so the road was slippery and full of sludge and debris. The route was already perilous because it was winding with curves. It ran along the top of sea cliffs. Also, we were driving in pitch blackness.

When I say we, it was, strangely, not me doing the driving. I was safely settled into my warm white pleather seat. In fact, I was not worried at all. Unlike in real life, where I felt quite anxious being out of control, being a passenger in this car was ok. It was the dead of night, but we drove to a coffee shop.

We got our coffee and sat down. The driver said, “You’ve been anxious lately, right? You said you’ve been feeling conflicted about the course of your life. During your relatively short human life, from now on, whatever you decide to do—no matter what choices you make—you don’t have to worry anymore.

I just wanted to remind you that you aren’t alone anymore. I’ve got your back. From now on, just come to me if you have any questions.” We finished our coffee and started walking back to the Model 3. When I looked back, the driver was gone. It was just me and the Model 3 sitting alone in the car park.

That’s when I woke up. It was 6.28am. The first thing I noticed was that I was happy to be awake. I couldn’t wait to start my day. It was like waking up from a deep sleep. I was a bear coming out of hibernation. I felt totally rested for the first time in months if not years. I was rejuvenated and fully alert.

The dull pain at the base of my neck had vanished. The aching feeling in my stomach was gone. My temples and jaw muscles had been throbbing in the mornings. Shockingly, I experienced none of my usual stress and anxiety symptoms. Even more surprising, I felt energised. I was both physically and mentally recharged. I ran upstairs to make my k-cup of coffee. Then, I realised the necessity of documenting the unusual dream. It meant something.

For as long as I can remember, I have been able to recall every detail of each night’s dreams. I wouldn’t call it a gift because I also have the ability to recall every nightmare. However, overall, I’ve had more pleasant than distasteful dreams. For many years, I’ve kept a daily dream journal. The only dreams I haven’t documented are the run of the mill ones: flying through the air and looking down at rivers, valleys, and peaks. I have those most nights.

However, I had never had a dream where I was a passenger in a vehicle. I had often dreamed of driving, but I was always the sole vehicle occupant. When I do dream of other people, they are no one that I recognise. They are not like any people that I’ve met in real life. I call them NPCs, non-player characters. This description is quite apt given that I also have lucid dreams. Lucid dreaming means that I am aware that I’m actually in a dream state.

In lucid dreams, I have often convinced NPCs to do something they find objectionable, such as flying through the air with me. You see, for some reason, I am the only one able to fly. So of course they are disagreeable about jumping off roofs with me. Without fail, when we jump together, they go splat.

Anyhow, aside from NPCs, my dreams had not once contained anyone I recognised. I found it strange that I never dreamt of friends, coworkers, random strangers at the coffee shop, or even actors and influencers. In my dreams, it was just me and a whole world of non-player characters. Every night. That is why I made it a point to document what I dreamt on the night of 28 Dec 2018. It was the first dream where I walked alongside another human being.

In the days ahead, things only got better. I had a clarity and sense of purpose that had eluded me for years. I had a higher level of energy than before. Best yet, and this is the most interesting part of the phenomenon, since that night, I have not once felt stress, anxiety, or fear. I know that sounds absurd.

That’s why I hesitated to tell you what happened. In fact, when I’ve told others, even friends, they think it must be something else. They just don’t get it. But I understand and wholeheartedly acknowledge the transformative change that occurred during those seven hours of slumber on that winter night.

I don’t often reference Wikipedia, but I’m not able to put what I’ve read about quantum entanglement into simple terms. So here’s a full-on direct quote:

“The first experiment that verified Einstein’s spooky action at a distance (entanglement) was successfully corroborated in a lab by Chien-Shium Wu and colleague I. Shaknov in 1949, and was published on New Year's Day in 1950. The result specifically proved the quantum correlations of a pair of photons.”

While I can use this framework to make sense of what started in late Q4 2018, I still can’t explain which dynamics of quantum mechanics are causing it. I’m not sure whether or not it is correlated with the amount of time I spend riding in a vehicle which was created by the Tesla founder. Maybe it’s simply because I’ve allocated so much time to Musk news and YouTube content, trying to emulate the founder’s positive outlook and productive daily habits.

Whatever caused it, I’m just grateful that it has happened. I have learned to expect the unexpected. I have accepted this unusual phenomenon. I can’t tell whether it’s quantum entanglement within the particles of my Model 3 or just brainwaves passing a distance of 2,800 km. I can only say this much. I have documented over 30 instances of the phenomenon from Q1 2019 to Q1 2024. Each time, the same circumstances have preceded the occurrence.

Like I said before, since I woke up on the morning of 29 Dec 2018, I have not once experienced any stress, anxiety, or fear. However, I have often felt highly conflicted. Frequently, I find myself at a proverbial crossroads. Usually, I’m very focused and I know where I should be headed. Yet when conflicted, I’m at a total loss of how to proceed. At these times, I no longer feel anxious or afraid. I remain calm and focused. But I still become immobilised by indecision.

It has been each one of these times of indecision that has led to a manifestation event. In other words, a dream where the Tesla founder brings clarity.

What is most striking is that the sequence of events remains the same. Yet never in my life have I had a recurring dream. While concatenation has not varied, user content has. During these intervals of conversation, I am given neural patches that fix coding errors. I receive software updates for my mind. Since Q1 2019, I have an increased capacity for stored joules of brain cell energy. Moreover, I have tapped into an unlimited supply of neural lithium-ion.

Again, I’m sure this sounds ridiculous. I relayed these facts in order to convey my own positive life-changing experience with Tesla. It is with the weight of this conviction that I am compelled to explain to you the true value of Tesla. Through research, writing, and analysis, I intend to show you, based on the hard evidence—not anecdotes—that Tesla is invaluable. I will prove to you that anything created by the Tesla founder brings you priceless connection.

Therefore, I will conduct research & writing to evidence Tesla, SpaceX, and 𝕏 generate long-term economic growth, promoting global financial stability.

4 April 2024

I noticed there is often repetitive analysis based largely on interest rates and employment data. How will small businesses cope? How will workers keep up? Those are important questions with a significant impact on our lives. However, it seems like there has to be more to our shared economic narrative.

Based on my background, my first thought is: Is this what people are talking about in other countries? Similarly, my second thought is: Is this framework appropriate to analyse what is being discussed? My third, and final, thought is: Who exactly constructed this narrative and came up with talking points?

In the absence of asking questions to figure out framing and bias, we are stuck with dogma. That means a way of doing something that is accepted, but not questioned. As you likely know, centuries ago, most people agreed that the earth was at the center of the universe. Questioning that was heresy.

Sometimes, I feel like I’m in that 1998 movie The Truman Show. The main character, Truman, has lived a whole life in a gigantic television studio. Truman is being filmed without knowledge or consent. Truman is the star of a reality show, but doesn’t know it. Truman feels confused. Others on set convince Truman that everything is fine. They orchestrate Truman’s life. They curtail a career in geographic exploration. They interfere with Truman’s love interest.

One day, Truman notices that cars are driving around in endless loops. Truman tries to leave on a boat, but is stopped by studio executives. The studio is so large that it has its own simulated weather system. The executives use rain showers to drench Truman and sink the boat. They have a profit interest in making sure Truman doesn’t leave. Fortunately, Truman ultimately figures out the truth. It’s hard to act on it. Truman is used to being trapped.

Every culture has its own principles and shared meanings. Similarly, each profession is defined by a specific set of standards and body of knowledge. Ideals espoused by society thought leaders and industry best practices have one thing common. Those ideals and practices start seeming like laws.

Once they are dogma, it’s heresy to even question them. However, all systems, whether tangible or socially constructed, are manmade and adaptable.

“Physics is the law, everything else is a recommendation. Anyone can break laws created by people, but I have yet to see anyone break the laws of physics.” Elon Musk

28 April 2024

On 30 March, I had noted my intention to explain that Tesla, SpaceX, and 𝕏 generate long-term economic growth, promoting global financial stability. I explained my plan to share my findings on the 𝕏 platform over the coming months and years. Below is a detailed update of the status of this project.

First, it’s important to mention that I have been a user of Twitter and 𝕏 since around 2007. When Twitter first came out, I was asked to create a work account. Then, I attended a meeting with in-house counsel. I was told to be wary of anything I posted one day being used against me in a court of law.

Having been told by friends and colleagues that—possibly due to the fact that I am neurodivergent—I don’t have a proper filter, I refrained from posting. Instead, I focused on reading and enjoying the content of others. I did the same thing with LinkedIn and Facebook. I knew not to trust Meta with my data.

However, in April of 2024, I decided to take a chance and start posting on 𝕏, instead of just obtaining timely, unbiased, and entertaining news. So I created a new work account for my registered investment adviser firm, which is headquartered in the Financial District of San Francisco, California.

My firm happens to be a 30 minute walk from 𝕏 headquarters—I wish I had taken the day off in Oct 2022 to witness sink day. The founder of my advisory firm named it Madrone Hill Capital, LLC. He lived in Saratoga at Madrone Hill Road prior to passing in 2020. Thus, I chose @hwuMadroneHill as my handle.

Then, I swiftly added 1,500 accounts to follow. Of course, I first added the heads of state of most nations. They would benefit from my education and experience in International Relations: World Economics and International Taxation. Also, I could more quickly source geopolitical investment information.

After that, I followed all 𝕏, Tesla, SpaceX, xAI, and related accounts. That way, I could obtain relevant information to conduct more research and analysis. Next, I added accounts that provided national and world news commentary. I made sure to choose ones that were not infected by the woke mind virus.

Most importantly, I located the best sources of memes. During my quest for quality memes, I noticed the following list on the 𝕏 For you timeline stream:

@LibertyCappy, “Follow these Memers! @SpillTheMemes, @GigaBasedDad - Based, @SpaceDragonsGld - Nerd, @ChristianPunsOG, @LibertarianLars - Liberty, @AlphaLiger - Culture, @nerdberty - Politics, @MimisDoggy, @TubularGoobular - Goofy, @ModernDadSG - for Men, @MemeticIC - Politics.”

Over the last few years, I had primarily sourced my memes through Memebase, not Twitter, as I was not yet knowledgable in proper meme acquisition.

Anyhow, in posting on 𝕏, my aim has been twofold. First, I will continue to advance greater integrity, resilience, and stability in our UK and US financial markets. Second, I will demonstrate my conviction that Tesla, SpaceX, and 𝕏 generate long-term economic growth, promoting global financial stability.

Maintaining and strengthening the international economic system requires creating geopolitical stability across the earth’s continents. That includes encouraging cooperation in regions of heightened focus. For example, within active conflict zones in the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Europe.

Strengthening the international economic system requires multipolar realignment. This is achieved, in part, by having friendly, open, engaging conversations. Myself, and many others, are initiating and participating in discussions. This can only be successful on 𝕏, the leading global chat room.

For example, whereas legacy media frames certain nations as enemies of the West, on 𝕏, we never use such unhelpful labels. They only push us apart, discouraging dialogue. In contrast, on 𝕏, we see things from each other’s perspectives, find common ground, and reach out to discuss our concerns.

I have received support for my evidence-based opinions. My arguments, while grounded in logic, have garnered both positive and negative comments. Although, in the one month of actively posting, I have come across supporters and disparagers, I have not been detoured. Like @anammostarac noted:

“As a guiding principle, the notion that ‘bees don’t waste their time explaining to flies that honey is better than shit’ has helped me filter out a lot of opinions.” I would interpret this to say that no matter how hard we try to convince some people, they are unable to take in what we are really saying.

Disinformation and nonsense can be so annoying. In dealing with stubborn individuals and their gibberish, we can again look to the Fearless Defender of 𝕏 for guidance. We have seen that he is not bothered by such detractors. They are likely jealous and simply projecting their own insecurities onto him.

He does not let such minor things frustrate him. He knows these little dramas are nothing. These people are nothing. They will never understand what is really important, no matter how hard anyone tries to explain it. They don't have his depth, insight, or character. As he would say, they are “retards."

Finally, I am assured that the Brave Guardian of 𝕏 will rally us to fight—with determination—until we reach our shared goal of preserving free speech.

“Persistence is very important. You should not give up unless you are forced to give up.” Elon Musk