2023: Year of the Dad

December 31, 2023

Hello everybody, I hope you enjoyed the holiday season. Let’s get ready for 2024!

Looking back, 2023 was a remarkable year. We were alive to attend a best friend’s wedding, hosted family and friends in Cleveland, had the best trading month of my career, interviewed and met so many legendary traders and great people. We (finally) caught covid. We created a new baby girl.

Spent my 40th birthday surrounded by family. Celebrated Sebastian’s 1st birthday a few days later. We took our first road trip north to Buffalo & Niagara Falls with his grandparents to visit his Great Uncle Frank. Heck, the Browns even made the playoffs with Joe Flacco at QB.

Most of all, I am humbled that Wife and I were here, physically and mentally, for every milestone moment in Sebastian’s life. Not everybody has this luxury; we will not always have this luxury; we did not want to waste it. Together, we helped him learn to crawl, flip onto his stomach, form his first words and sentences, take the first steps and run in the rain, snow, and sand.

We taught him to play drums and guitar and growl like Godzilla. We learned to read books, understand complex emotions and work through them. We took long walks in the woods, met Santa, and made Costco family lunch a routine. It won’t always be this fun or simple and we fully understand and acknowledge it.

Now we prepare to meet our little girl and add to the joys of parenthood & marriage.

Thousands of miles away, families are being torn apart, literally and figuratively. We fully understand the good fortune bestowed upon us. We do not take any of it for granted. Life is short; go live it!

I wish you all a safe and happy 2024.

Peace & Love, Worldwide ✌🏼❤️🌍

-anthony

November Notes

November 30, 2023

Hello Everybody, I hope you’re all doing well out there. Snow & Sweater weather season has arrived in Ohio.

Las Vegas: In Year One: A Trader’s Journey, I dedicated a chapter to one annual conference in Las Vegas. The conference is hosted by a non-profit organization started by some of the best traders in the world. The idea is for the trading community to unite by taking a portion of their profits and donating to causes beyond themselves. These include fighting breast cancer, feeding those less fortunate around the globe, assisting military veterans, and so forth. This year, I was fortunate to attend and facilitate a number of round table discussions with some of the best retail traders in the world.

Israeli-Hamas Truce: Following the horrors the world witnessed in both Israel and Gaza for the past two months, a temporary truce has been reached between the Israel Government and Hamas. One positive result of the truce has been the release of many Israeli hostages taken from their homes by Hamas. No hostages have directly spoken to the media, yet, although their family members have shared second-hand stories about hostage experiences during their captivity.

Henry Kissinger: The infamous American political figure who served as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State under Presidents Nixon and Ford died this month at the age of 100. Kissinger was a key architect of U.S. foreign policy in the 1970s. Specifically, he was instrumental in the détente with the Soviet Union and opening relations with China. His post was mired in controversy, particularly for his role in the Vietnam War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and covert coup operations in countries including Chile. Kissinger's policies sparked global debate, balancing strategic successes with moral questions.

Charlie Munger: The prominent investor, businessman, and philanthropist, known as the Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and Warren Buffett's partner died this month at age 99. He was world-renowned for his investment approach which emphasized long-term value and deep business understanding. Beyond business, Munger was famous for his intellectual wit and life insights. He was a passionate supporter of education, who made substantial donations to universities including the University of Michigan and Stanford Law School. His contributions often focused on improving student housing and facilities, reflecting his belief in creating optimal environments for learning and development.

We wish you a safe and happy holiday season!

Peace & Love, Worldwide ✌🏼❤️🌍

-anthony

Halloween 2023 🎃

October 31, 2023

Hello everybody! I hope you are all doing well out there. October was both beautiful and tragic for the world at large. Let us begin with a happy personal update.

Trick or Treat: Happy Halloween to all who celebrate. We walked Sebastian around the block for his first ever trick or treat experience — He loved it! Experienced our first snowflakes of the winter season tonight, too. A great night for making memories.

Baby Girl!: We can finally share the exciting news that Sebastian will be a big brother. We are overjoyed to have a little girl on the way early next year. Fully preparing as parents to join the two-under-two club.

Israel-Hamas War: It pains me to write about Hamas’ brutal terrorist attack on Israeli citizens on October 7th. It is equally painful to watch Israel retaliate by bombing hospitals in Gaza. The history of this ongoing violence is convoluted to anybody outside the region, so I wrote a historical primer about the ongoing conflict, with major emphasis on the failed colonial ambitions of Britain which set forth this entire conflict for generations to come.

Interest Rates / Inflation: Despite the global events, my social feeds are filling-up with tone deaf complaints about interest rate hikes. Let me reiterate, as I’ve done in previous posts, that in full anticipation of politicians, particularly the self-proclaimed ‘fiscal conservatives’ out there, who will blame future administrations for high inflation and rate hikes, like we see today, I wrote in great detail about the weekend when America spent $6 Trillion. It happens while the general public snoozed on it, or didn’t even know what the repercussions would be. I invite you all to re-read a piece entitled, Pajama Republic (March 2020).

Let's do all we can to support one another.

Peace & Love, Worldwide ✌🏼❤️🌍

-anthony

Autumn Prelude

September 30, 2023

Hello everybody, I hope you’re all doing well. First blog post to combine months. How’d that happen? Well, in the best possible way, life has been busy on my end. Plenty to mention, so I’ll offer two versions. Enjoy!

The short version:

Leaders commit crimes, Justice moves slowly.

Happiness is art, Time is canvas, wield your Paintbrush.

Be the fire that illuminates the darkness.

The long version:

A strong argument can be made for the creation of laws to codify ways to solidify and protect the integrity of American Democracy across all three branches of Government. Specifically, there is a need to strongly consider Congressional and Supreme Court term limits and ineligibility laws for candidates running for President. Consider the following:

Executive: On August 1st, Donald Trump was indicted for a fourth time. The full document is available to read and highly recommended. Despite all evidence against him, the disgraced former President continues to evade prison, for now. In fact, he is on the campaign trail seeking a second term in 2024. Critics argue that he’s running to stay out of prison rather than effecting positive change for America. One cannot disagree.

Currently no laws prohibit Trump from seeking a second term. Meanwhile, in Brazil, the highest court ruled Trump’s ally and far right former president Jair Bolsonaro is ineligible to run for President for 8 years. Unfortunately, I’ll discuss briefly later, Americans can no longer depend on the U.S. Supreme Court Justices to reach such a common sense parallel ruling. For this reason, we may need a codified law or Constitutional Amendment to protect the Executive branch.

Congress: Diane Feinstein recently passed at 90 years of age. She was a tremendous pioneer for her dedication to a lifetime of public service. One asterisk on her record will forever be her failure to retire sooner and allow the younger generation to proceed her sooner. Similarly, Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed while in office. She was eventually replaced by Amy Coney Barrett, whose vote in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization struck a critical blow to women’s rights in America. Meanwhile, the Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, literally glitched least twice in recent months, literally unable to move or speak. With so many congressional leaders not only out-of-touch with constituents but, more importantly, out of touch with mortality and consciousness itself, we need to discuss congressional term limits.

Supreme Court: The goal of the US Supreme Court, clearly outlined by the founding fathers, was to seat Justices of the highest legal caliber who also possess sufficiently high moral and ethical standards such that they would not be swayed, persuaded, or otherwise tainted by the influence of money or power; commonly understood shortcomings of traditional politicians. Unfortunately, the recent report into the life of Justice Clarence Thomas shows a history of flagrant bribery. While it is possible for a Supreme Court Justice to be impeached, this has not occurred since Associate Justice Samuel Chase in 1804-105.

Inflection Point: There is no shortage of instances around the globe of leaders engaging in objectionable acts without facing legal consequences. It's also important to recognize and applaud the positive and proactive measures taken by some politicians and leaders worldwide. The analysis and discussion of these acts are crucial for political scientists, philosophers, and legal scholars. It is vital work. However, we need to also discuss happiness and balance.

Happiness: Ultimately, we need to balance observing others with self-reflection while working to create our own happiness. Happiness is art and time is its canvas. Each day is a chance to live a more joyful and harmonious life than the day before, making progress one step at a time.

Humans will pursue wealth, power, or other distractions even at the expense of others. Let them. We will focus on enhancing our life and the lives of those around us. We will take a walk with nature, smile at a stranger, assist an elder, donate possessions to those in need, create beauty. Aim to do these acts daily, at our own pace. Work to craft our happiness in this world.

In other words…

Actively embody Yang to balance the Yin. Be the water that nourishes others. Be the fire that illuminates the darkness. Be the earth that provides stability. Be the metal that reflects clarity. Don’t simply be water, my friend; be the water in which wisdom flows.

Peace & Love, Worldwide ✌🏼❤️🌍

-anthony

July Recap

July 31, 2023

Hello Everybody! I hope you’re all doing well!

July was full of celebration. I flew to Vegas to watch our best pal’s wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony. It's great to see old friends doing well.

Parents flew out to celebrate Sebastian’s 1st birthday. Made a slideshow to celebrate his first year. We celebrated my over-the-hill birthday then drove out to visit Buffalo and Niagara Falls. Sebastian met his great uncle Frank!

For others, July wasn’t so pleasant. 80 Million Americans in the southeast United States and Europe were affected by a summer heatwave in July. The summer of accountability for many perpetuators of The Big Lie is just getting started.

Twitter was officially killed in an attempt to rebrand as ‘X’. The iconic bird logo was removed from Twitter HQ. Feels like I’m a parent of an angsty teenager with Twitter. I keep my Twitter account mostly due to nostalgia and parental supervision, for now. But geez, talk about an awkward phase in the company's adolescence. You can find me posting more frequently on Meta’s Instagram, Threads, and here.

We currently live in a hilariously strange timeline. Stay aware, focused, think hard, call out the bad actors, write, and keep rockin’ your life!

Peace & Love, Worldwide ✌🏼❤️🌍

-anthony

Politics & War and Reflection

June 30, 2023

Hello Everybody! I hope you’re all doing well out there.

From a political and legal perspective, June was a fascinating month. Positivity exists at the end of this post. So, grab a drink. Let’s catch up.

Trump Indictment: June marks another significant development in Donald Trump’s ongoing legal issues. This time, an indictment was filed in the State of Florida, where Trump currently resides. The complete text of the indictment (U.S. vs Trump and Nauta) charges Trump with conspiracy, alleging his involvement in obstructing FBI and grand jury investigations and concealing classified documents. The indictment specifically accuses Trump of unlawfully obtaining over 30 national security documents. A subsequent audio recording later surfaced, wherein the former U.S President casually discusses classified information with guests who lacked the necessary security clearance. This latest indictment elevates the gravity of Trump's ongoing legal issues and adds complexity to Trump's future political aspirations.

Russia Mutiny: A private military unit known as Wagner Group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, initiated a mutiny against high-ranking members at the top of Russia's military chain. On June 24 2023, in what is now known as the 'march of justice', the Wagner group halted its fighting in Ukraine and marched back into Russia toward Moscow. The rebellion resulted in the loss of Russian military personnel. In a bizarre ending, Prigozhin declared its end through negotiations for his exile to Belarus. It remains unclear whether we will see Prigozhin return to Russia.

For the United States, the march of justice is significant for many reasons.

First, the substantial financial aid package of approximately $75 billion provided to Ukraine has now yielded undeniable, tangible results. Expect to see a shift in the political discourse of both major parties as they approach the 2024 election. Secondly, Putin's strongman image has further been diminished, introducing a conceivable potential for either a Russian revolution or civil war. Third, the achievements of this U.S. proxy war against Russia will capture the attention of historians, economists, and military leaders alike in the years ahead. The context and strategy for every war varies widely. However, it is worth noting the remarkable cost-to-benefit ratio compared to the United States' expenditure of $3 trillion on the Iraq War. In a single day, the world witnessed Vladimir Putin nearly lose all political power. Miraculously, The United States did not fire a single shot nor deploy troops. It is a truly noteworthy accomplishment.

Summer Reflection: If we focus exclusively on all the political and legal events that unfolded so far in 2023, it would be easy to feel jaded, fearful, and/or uncertain about the state of the world. However, amidst the complexities of modern life, let's not forget the importance of finding and prioritizing the moments of joy and positivity.

Now is a perfect time to find ways to apply the lessons learned from tragic and frustrating world events. By staying informed and engaging in constructive thought, we can navigate the challenges ahead while we make a positive impact on the world.

Peace & Love, Worldwide ✌🏼❤️🌍

-anthony

AI Mania

May 31, 2023

Hello Everybody! I hope you’re all doing well out there. Grab a drink, let’s catch up.

Regional Bank Meltdown: May began with a bang! The US Government, acting via the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), seized First Republic Corporation and sold it for relative pennies to JP Morgan. This is not not an uncommon practice. During the 2008 financial crisis, FDIC did the same to failed investment bank Bear Stearns and distressed regional bank Washington Mutual.

AI Mania: Stocks have been running higher in May 2023 on the theme of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The promise of AI has been a common topic of discussion here over the past twelve months. Last month, I wrote about some of the practical misuses of AI; particularly for political misinformation. Weeks later, we saw one concrete example when a deep fake photo of an alleged fire in the U.S. Pentagon building spread via Twitter. The photo caused a momentary dip in the stock market. The photo was quickly debunked and the market continued to rally; paradoxically on the promise of AI.

AI Dangers: This month, top researchers and CEOs, including those at Google and OpenAI, signed the following 22-word warning statement on AI:

“Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.”

The dangers of AI have long been discussed, both here and elsewhere. One of the most notable resources is the industry white paper entitled, The Malicious Use of Artificial Intelligence: Forecasting, Prevention, and Mitigation. Half a decade old by now, it remains a great launching point for anybody interested in the future dangers of AI.

Meanwhile, Humans: As AI continues to become commonplace in our world, let’s remember that humans remain, by an overwhelmingly large margin, the most damaging and reckless species on the planet. Let us consider some recent events, committed by humans in leadership positions; presented in no particular order:

One can strongly make the case that AI has not (yet, at least) caused the levels of atrocities which humans have already committed multiple times throughout history. Whether we fear economic deline, war, genocide, slavery, famine, identity theft and/or nuclear annihilation, the foundation of AI-based fears arise from projection; the fear that AI will do what humans do. We worry that humans will automate AI to mimic the worst parts of our own human history. Paradoxically, humans continue to ignore history's lessons and repeat each mistake.

Thinkers Renaissance: Perhaps AI will spark a renaissance in the foundation of knowledge — philosophy. After all, the branches of metaphysics, epistemology, and political philosophy ask what is real, How do we know, and How should societies be governed? These questions are growing mainstream with regard to AI. If such a rational thinking renaissance does emerge, those with a solid grasp in these areas wield tremendous edge in discussions with, and debunking of, those who do not.

Fatherhood: Sebastian’s front teeth arrived! He’s standing, semi-walking and talking. I took most of the month off trading to focus on editing videos and spend time with the family. Have a feeling most of the summer will follow this pattern.

Let’s continue to remain humble, happy, honest, and kindly human to one another.

Peace & Love, Worldwide ✌🏼❤️🌍

-anthony

California Adventure

April 30, 2023

Hello Everybody! I hope you’re all doing well out there. Grab a drink. Let’s discuss April.

California: We took our first family adventure to California in April. Sebastian met both great-grandmothers, both sets of grandparents, his cousins, and many friends! We are forever grateful to everybody who stopped by to see us. Thank you! While we were visiting, I was lucky enough to attend a meet-up with some awesome traders. Thanks to everybody who came out to discuss the ups-and-downs of trading.

Fox News settled its $1.6 Billion defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems over the cable network’s criminal allegations regarding the 2020 election. In total, the settlement cost Fox $787 Million. This is the lesser of two major lawsuits Fox faces.

Rupert Murdoch, who holds the title of Chair of Fox Corporation and Executive Chairman of News Corp, admitted privately in his legal deposition that he was aware that several of the network's hosts knowingly, repeatedly, broadcasted false claims. In the days following the legal settlement, Fox terminated its contract with Tucker Carlson, perhaps the loudest propagandist leading the charge of 2020 election denial conspiracies. The tipping point leading to Tucker's dismissal allegedly had little to do with his legal liabilities or routine on-air lies regarding election denial or great replacement conspiracy theory, or even subverting democracy, but rather some unsavory text messages wherein the primetime host insulted Fox management.

Paradoxically, where the law punishes, the current U.S. tax code offers salvation; arguably even a reward. Thanks to America’s bloated and business-friendly tax code, Fox’s $787 Million settlement qualifies as a tax write off for Fox News; specifically for expenses incurred during normal the course of business. The settlement does not require Fox to display or otherwise make any on-air apology for its criminal lies about the 2020 election.

For the rest of us who want to see justice prevail, Fox still faces a much larger defamation lawsuit by election software company Smartmatic, which is requesting $2.7 Billion. Smartmatic, at least for now, claims they will not settle for anything near $787 Million and requests additional demands, including “full and complete retraction of the disinformation on all of Fox’s platforms.”.

2024 Election: The 2024 election is just beginning and things are heating up very quickly. One can only hope Democracy doesn’t suffer too much this time around.

President Joe Biden recently announced his re-election candidacy for 2024. His job approval currently sits at 42%, down significantly from 56% at the start of 2023. It's not uncommon for political parties to criticize their opponents. The Republican Party has been masterful in amplifying its many concerns, some of which are objectively warranted and it would be disingenuous for me to ignore saying so, with the current administration's performance.

Meanwhile, the Republican Party’s current frontrunner, Donald J. Trump received a 34-count felony indictment in his home State of New York. It's worth noting that Trump, as well as several other Trump administration members, have all been under investigation or imprisoned for various allegations; racking up a minimum of 30 year prison sentences so far. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis remains a contender in-waiting for the GOP nomination.

It will be fascinating to observe how each major cable news channel adapts, if at all, in how it covers the 2024 election compared to 2020. Fox News fired its primetime host Tucker Carlson and CNN fired one of its hosts in Don Lemon.

AI and the 2024 Election: Regardless of our political party preferences, it is crucial for Americans to seek common ground in preserving American democracy. The upcoming election will once again provide fertile ground for foreign actors, specifically Russia and China, to deploy their latest state-sponsored political propaganda campaigns. These foreign adversaries will undoubtedly leverage recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to amplify their political propaganda.

Russia's primary social network, VKontakte, has long been inundated with state-sponsored AI-generated content aimed at manipulating public opinion, particularly regarding the War in Ukraine. This phenomenon extends to platforms like Twitter and Facebook as well. It is important to be prepared for a surge of misinformation through videos, images, news stories, and sound bites that will flood your social media feeds.

American citizens (legal or otherwise) would be wise to reach-out across the political aisle to find common ground with one another; prioritize Country above Political Party. America is only as great as the most disenfranchised among us. When we strip one another of dignity, rights, and/or humanity, all of America suffers. If the warning is not clear enough — America remains one misguided election away from transfering power to an individual seeking a prolonged term limit; whose administration is comfortable to replace our centuries-old democratic principles with actual authoritarianism.

Peace & Love, Worldwide ✌🏼❤️🌍

-anthony

AI Wows & Banks Woes

March 31, 2023

Hello everybody, I hope you’re all doing well.

AI Wows: Back in December 2021, I shared a basic generative art origami coding project. It implements random functions to generate art. Since then, I have been hooked on this concept: letting go of the need to personally write the end code and enjoy the end product. In December 2022, I wrote about my experience with OpenAI’s ChatGPT with enthusiasm for the future of artificial intelligence (AI). What I did not share were all the lines of code it helped me create; both for professional and private use; even here on this blog.

I have wanted to add a light and dark mode feature to this blog for literally years, but never found the time or energy. One hour with ChatGPT and now the blog now offers a dark & light mode. To use it, click the emoji icon in the upper right hand corner. So, I stand by my statement: AI has arrived for the masses.

Google recently launched their new AI chatbot Bard. Unsurprisingly, I have been using it daily. Bard excels in some areas and falls flat in others. Judgements aside, AI assistants remain in their infancy. In fact, software itself still remains in its infancy. We now enter a new era in software development; away from the ‘incantation’ era, wherein engineers memorized obscure Harry Potter-esque functions and obscure syntax just to complete code and into a ‘natural language code assistant’ era. These are also known as Large Language Models (LLMs).

Our human ability to communicate effectively, understand code and software engineering concepts will likely emerge (quickly!) as a new workplace skill. It begs the question of not if, but rather when (and to what level), computer science programs will allow, or even embrace, tools like Chat GPT. The technology allows students a new level of abstraction wherein they can focus on high-level ideas, rather than low level semantics. Students can still discuss memory allocation and pointers in C. With Chat GPT this mundane and tricky task becomes obsolete to some degree. If you were ever thinking about learning to code, now is a great opportunity to jump in!

There is lots more to discuss regarding AI. In fact, it is worth an entire blog post, for perhaps a book, on its own. I will state publicly that in my lifetime, I place AI in the basket of technological milestones alongside video game consoles, personal computers, the world wide web, and cellular phones. All these technologies sparked creativity and improved society but also eroded our social norms and spawned new types of crime. Like all new technology, AI will face critics; especially in Government. Some criticism will even be warranted. For now, one can only strongly recommend we move in the same direction as technology, stay on your toes; familiarize yourself immediately. Meanwhile, embrace the edge humans still hold over AI: critical thinking, analytical skills, and emotional intelligence — all of which remain in short supply and especially valuable these days.

Bank Woes: On March 10, 2023, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapsed. First, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) took control of the bank. Nearly three weeks later, First Citizens bank agreed to buy approximately $72 billion worth of Silicon Valley Bank's assets at a discount of $16.5 billion. About $90 billion in assets remain in FDIC's receivership. The FDIC also received rights related to First Citizen BancShares stock that could be worth up to $500 million.

SVB's collapse was caused by a combination of factors, including risky lending practices, including a sharp increase in interest rates, and a decline in its assets value. The bank notoriously lent heavily to technology companies, which are particularly vulnerable to economic downturn. SVB had also been investing heavily in high-risk assets, including mortgage-backed securities. As interest rates rose and the housing market collapsed, these investments lost value. One member of the Federal Reserve claimed SVB’s collapse was 'textbook mismanagement’. However, it is worth pondering whether SVB engaged in significantly different practices than many other banks. If SVB was the lone bad actor, then it would be reasonable to expect SVB to be the only bank taken over like this. So, were they? So far, the answer is No.

Credit Suisse and UBS also agreed on a deal on March 19, 2023, in which UBS would acquire Credit Suisse for approximately 3.2 billion Swiss francs ($3.2 billion). This deal was yet another in a series of consolidations in the global banking industry. The deal was brokered by the Swiss government, which was concerned about the stability of the Swiss financial system. Credit Suisse had been struggling for several years, and its stock price had fallen sharply. The deal would allow UBS to absorb Credit Suisse's assets and liabilities, which would help to stabilize the Swiss financial system.

The collapse of SVB and Credit Suisse had a significant impact on both the technology industry and the broader economy in March. In addition to many companies and even individuals losing access to some funds, regional banks trading on the public market took major hits to their stock price. In just one example, First Republic Corporation (FRC) lost nearly 90%, trading at $121 in early March and currently at $12. Editor’s Note: the last section regarding ‘Bank Woes’ was originally drafted by Google Bard. I have edited significant portions for the purpose of this blog.

POTUS Indictment: In a historical first for the United States, former U.S. President Donald J. Trump has been indicted by a New York Grand Jury (16-23 persons) for some of his crimes.

The upcoming trial in New York will focus (mainly) on crimes related to illegal use of campaign funds to pay for cheating on his pregnant wife with an adult actress. Additional crimes could include the subsequent attempts to cover up the alleged crimes from the IRS. There will be additional lawsuits and lots of political theater connected to this trial for years to follow. We know in Georgia alone, there are attempts to circumvent law by jamming through legislation (Full text of SB 92) which would allow politicians to conveniently fire prosecutors. Reminder: neither the legal system nor democracy function without the rule of law.

Reminder: Don’t fall for tricks tomorrow (April Fools Day) and Tax Day is April 18th.

Peace & Love, Worldwide ✌🏼❤️🌍

-anthony

Happiness in a MAD World

February 28, 2023

Hello everybody, I hope you’re all doing well.

New baby milestones each month. Sebastian bought flowers for his mom on Valentine's Day. Two bottom teeth have arrived. He's vocalizing more. Celebrated mommy's birthday. Trips to the parks, zoo, and forest. Happy times every day.

Looking out the window at the world around us, it's approaching MAD out there. There will be no shortage of monumental challenges that our little one will inherit. We look 70 miles southeast of Cleveland, in East Palestine, where a derailed train carrying toxic materials caused likely one of the most catastrophic environmental disasters of our generation (so far). We will eventually learn about all the harmful effects of the spilled and burned chemicals. What we unequivocally know right now is that those 'Great Again' transportation policies which were rolled-back by the prior administration are directly correlated to creating the perfect environment for this disaster to unfold. The Norfolk Southern Corporation initially refused to set foot in the city and lowballed the citizens with settlement amounts. It's about time they make a true & good-faith attempt to make a broken community whole again.

February marks the one year anniversary of Russia's unilateral blitzkrieg on Ukraine. Painful to watch human rights abuses against Ukraine's citizens, while many Americans view Ukraine as little more than an expense. There is nothing patriotic about sitting back to watch humans be bullied by a tiny would-be dictator with a small-man disorder and thirst to re-write history. Not now, not ever. Unfortunately, the importance of backing (financially and otherwise) any-and-all democracies is an advanced concept that clearly flies over the heads of many citizens. But God Bless 'em anyways.

Looking back at the Covid pandemic, it is important (for me) to highlight one person yet to be mentioned on this blog: Dr. Li Wenliang. If anybody deserves spotlight for being censored and facing political pressure while attempting to shine light on an important matter for the good of humanity, it is Dr. Wenliang. The Covid Mortality Rate chart remains available.

Finally, as a student of history, one cannot help but marvel at the eerily striking similarities between the 1920s and 2020s: Pandemic, Financial market turmoil, and a slow-moving collision course to potential World War. The details will never be identical, but the broad strokes of both decades a century apart is noteworthy.

Ending on a lighter, happier note, February was one of the best ever trading months for me. Nothing life-changing, but I battled and did okay. The new video editing rig is perfect. Preparing a fresh set of videos. Lots of editing hours required to create something to truly be proud of.

Be safe out there and take care of one another.

Peace & Love, Worldwide ✌🏼❤️🌍

-anthony

One of Twelve

January 31, 2023

Hello everybody, I hope you’re all doing well. Happy New Year! Quick update this month.

We celebrated Sebastian’s 6 month birthday! Can confirm the cliché — time indeed flies from newborn to infant. He reached the milestone of eating solid foods. He loves butternut squash, blueberries, and bananas. Now working on crawling, vocalizing, and (thankfully!) 8+ hours of sleep per night.

New video editing rig, new music gear, and interviews with four awesome traders — On track to reach 2023 goals! One of twelve months down; eleven remain. Stay safe out there and take care of each other!

Peace & Love, Worldwide ✌🏼❤️🌍

-anthony

Anthony Nieto | 2023