Dumbing down

[Bill Bonner’s Diary]( Dumbing Down By Bill Bonner Thursday, February 4, 2021 [Bill Bonner] WEST RIVER, MARYLAND – Bits and bobs, as the English say, while we’re “on the road” again. Today, we ramble… We forget what we were talking about… We get distracted… Our stay in the USA has been enjoyable. We saw a few friends, a few colleagues, and a few family members. But mostly, we kept to ourselves, social distancing – which suits us… and which seems to be “The Way We Live Now.” We’ve been here for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Boxing Day, New Years, Epiphany… We even had a [snow holiday](. The grandchildren came over to go sledding down the hill. And we gathered in front of the kitchen fire for tea and hot chocolate… bouncing children on our knee… Recommended Link [Pre-IPO Buy Alert]( [image]( There is still space in the [pre-IPO tech deal detailed by Teeka Tiwari during his FREEDOM 2021 event](. But that might not be the case tomorrow. As Teeka revealed, things have kicked into high gear… Already, at least [eight venture capitalists have said “YES” to backing this tiny tech company](. And right now, you have the chance to get in for just 50¢ a share. If you want to learn how to join them, and potentially achieve financial freedom in 2021… Hurry, this offer expires midnight tonight. [Click here now]( -- Age of Zoom But what does a Hallmark granddad do in the Age of Zoom? So much of our lives – business and pleasure – now takes place via the internet… A news report this week told us that Santa Fe, New Mexico, had become such a prized “Zoom Land” that the local people were being priced out of the real estate market there. Grandparents are moving in! That may be true of a lot of places. But not where we’re going… The U.S. State Department says to “reconsider” travel plans to Nicaragua. But we’re going anyway. We want to see what happens to a travel resort when nobody is traveling. (For newer readers, every year, we like to spend some time at our holiday home in Rancho Santana, a resort and residential community in Nicaragua.) [Featured: Firm That Predicted 9/11 Issues Urgent Warning: Move Your Money Now]( But what about the people who aren’t traveling – families who want a good place to Zoom from? A young friend framed our research: “I spend $40,000 a year to put my two girls in private schools in Baltimore. I can’t send them to public school because the schools in Baltimore are terrible. “And I live in Baltimore because my job is there. But I don’t go into the office anymore. The company wants me to ‘commute’ via Zoom. I spend almost all day on it… “I could move to Rancho Santana… send my girls to the school on the ranch… keep working as usual… and go surfing in the evening. “We’d save $40,000 a year on school fees. I can rent a house on the beach for less than that.” Hold that thought… We’ll find out what’s going on… and report back… Recommended Link [Elon Musk’s Next Big Bet: S.A.V.]( [image]( He revolutionized online payment processing with PayPal… He is revolutionizing space exploration with SpaceX and the auto industry with Tesla. And now, Elon Musk is getting ready to unveil his next big project. S.A.V. will change everything… and make a lot of people rich. [Click here to watch the demo]( -- Reload Meanwhile, news from Washington tells us that the feds are reloading. They shot the nation in the foot with their [War on Terror]( then in the head with their [Wall Street bailout]( and then in the heart with their [“stimmy” checks]( for everyone. But so long as this economy still has a pulse, they’ll keep shooting. Remember, as we said yesterday, the Big Story of the 21st century is the [grand delusion]( offered by trillions of dollars of fake money… and the subsequent real-world, real-time butt-kicking Americans will get as a result. We’re just in the early stages. But the story is developing as expected. Here’s Business Insider: Senate Democrats on Tuesday took the first step to secure the passage of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion rescue package, advancing a budget resolution in a maneuver that could allow them to approve it without any Republican support. It was a 50-49 party-line vote. Every Democratic senator supported it, and all Republicans were united in their opposition. GOP Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania was absent. “We’re not going to dilute, dither, or delay because the needs of the American people are just too great,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said at a news conference before the vote. “Time is of the essence.” Don’t ask any questions, in other words, just print. But who could believe in such a miracle? That fake dollars, printed up by the Federal Reserve, could somehow transform themselves into new cars, new houses, vacations, gourmet meals, and memberships at the Mar-a-Lago country club? And if this is true, why didn’t somebody think of it sooner? Well, because it’s idiotic. But just because it is stupid doesn’t mean it is unpopular. And there’s a line of research that helps explain why… [Featured: The #1 Tech Stock of 2021]( Outside Brain For many years, psychologists have warned that heavy use of digital media – Facebook, Twitter, etc. – could make people dumber. Now, there’s a French savant, whose name we forgot to memorize, who says that recent testing shows IQ levels are falling in many countries. This will be the first generation ever to test lower on standardized IQ tests than its parents, he says. We thought this was impossible. Reading the news… watching the “insurrection” at the Capitol… listening to the opinions of the “influencers”… and observing the leadership of the politicians – we figured IQs were already at some cyclical bottom. Sad to think that they may go lower still. But a growing number of intelligence testers and psychologists believe that cellphones and iPads actually weaken the brain. One explanation: People just don’t have to think so hard anymore. Every problem has a solution – just a click or a tap away. No need to figure it out yourself. No need to memorize facts, phone numbers, or directions. No need to do math. All you have to do is learn to use your “outside brain” – your enhanced, hand-held telephone. Recommended Link [Former Dock Worker Turns Millionaire… Warns Americans]( [image]( This video is going viral… A former NY loading dock worker – who rose to the top of Wall Street in just 3 years – blasts Congress and reveals nasty truths about America… Now, in his latest video, he shares a fiery warning for all Americans… His videos have often been blacklisted by major networks… But this one is posted for free – on an independent website – so you can make your own decision. Do you think this message should be banned? [Watch Teeka’s Video Now]( -- Cartoon Education We watched our grandson going to “school” online yesterday. The teacher gamely tried to keep the children on the Zoom call focused on their schoolwork. But it was almost impossible to hold a six-year-old’s attention over the internet. He only really paid attention when she put on an “educational” video that looked more like entertainment – or indoctrination – than real education. It featured cartoon figures… and a storyline almost indistinguishable from other kids’ shows. Whatever else may be said about the COVID-19 school shutdowns, it should be added that they have probably taken a few IQ points off the next generation. “The kids only do this for a couple hours a day,” our daughter explained. “They’re supposed to go back to school physically later this month. The school requires masks, of course, and has the kids sitting at desks with plastic barriers between them.” “Sounds like child abuse,” we opined. Regards, [signature] Bill --------------------------------------------------------------- Like what you’re reading? Send your thoughts to [feedback@rogueeconomics.com](mailto:feedback@rogueeconomics.com?subject=Dumbing Down). --------------------------------------------------------------- FEATURED READS [SEC Looks for Signs of Fraud in Social Media Posts About GameStop]( no crime to write on a social media post that you believe a stock will go up or down. But the SEC is now trawling through posts and chat rooms to find out if there was deliberate misinformation to “improperly tilt the market.” [Biden Indicates Flexibility on Some Numbers in Relief Bill]( Biden’s sticking hard to some measures in his $1.9 trillion stimulus package – including direct relief checks. But he has indicated a willingness to negotiate with Republicans on other elements… MAILBAG Dear readers write in with appreciation of Bill’s recent snow day Diary, “[Delivery for Mrs. Bonner!]( Bill is so right – bourgeois materialism! Talk about truth being funnier than fiction. It helps, of course, to have a great storyteller involved. P.S. Bill is going to need that new blanket Mrs. Bonner ordered when he’s sleeping in the dog house. – Frank W. Your story provided a true smile this morning. – Ross W. That was the funniest thing I have read in quite some period of time. It was absolutely delicious. (Bourgeois materialism, indeed.) – Al S. I got a big laugh out of this story this morning. Thank you! You made for a great day! – Janie G. And that’s the state of the U.S. economy in 2021. A young woman, supervisor, tow-truck driver, friend of the family, FedEx driver, Bill, and the big tow-truck driver – all working for an hour, or three, to secure the delivery of a pair of jeans! Ha! – Greg S. Meanwhile, another reader writes in with a question regarding the recent [GameStop story]( I have read quite a few opinions about the GameStop caper. Why is it that the SEC or some other “alpha bit soup” agency doesn’t take a hard look at the hedge funds, when it becomes obvious that there are nowhere near enough shares of a company available to offset the volume of short positions held by a relatively small group of hedge funds that continue to buy shorts until the situation goes awry and blows up in their faces? But we know the reason for that – the small investors don’t stuff enough money into the pockets of the people who make policy and those who enforce policy. A similar game has been played with physical silver for decades. And it now seems that gold is also involved. – Edward P. And another dear reader wonders why Bill doesn’t come down harder on some of the behaviour he writes about… As longtime readers, we very often agree with your point of view. “We” being old-style, actual conservatives, who, much like you, believe all this money hand-out is ultimately destined for doom. The only thing we can’t understand is that when you mention things like Trump (who you, like so many of us, thought was an ignoramus and obvious liar) or the Capitol riots, you seem to leave too much open to question. Regardless of who one votes for or whose policy one agrees with – lies are lies. Obviously unhinged and lying behavior from any public official, from any side of the aisle, has to be exposed for what it is… lies. Sometimes, to us up here at our small mountain ranch, it seems like you correctly gauge what federal monetary policy is doing, but you seem to underplay what role disinformation and the new “there is no reality but my own” insanity contributes to overall ignorance of things like monetary policy to acceptable, sane, non-retributive public behavior. Facts don’t always lead to truth, but they sure are a start. – Jamie L. Do you believe the SEC is turning a blind eye to Wall Street’s tricks, as Edward indicates above? And should Bill be more forceful in calling out wrongdoings, as Jamie believes? Write us at feedback@rogueeconomics.com. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT… [Before the Inauguration, Trump Secured This Walled-Off Island “Base”]( Reports state he’s bought an entrenched complex in foreign territory… But he’s not alone. Something “strange” is happening behind the scenes in America. And it threatens us all. [Click here to learn more.]( [image]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Get Instant Access Click to read these free reports and automatically sign up for daily research. [image]( [An Insider’s Guide to Making a Fortune from Small Tech Stocks]( [image]( [The Gold Investor’s Guide]( [image]( [The Ultimate Guide to Taking Back Your Privacy]( [Rogue Economincs]( Rogue Economics 55 NE 5th Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33483 [www.rogueeconomics.com]( [Share]( [FACEBOOK]( [Tweet]( [TWITTER]( To ensure our emails continue reaching your inbox, please [add our email address]( to your address book. This editorial email containing advertisements was sent to {EMAIL} because you subscribed to this service. To stop receiving these emails, click [here](. Rogue Economics welcomes your feedback and questions. But please note: The law prohibits us from giving personalized advice. 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