The World
“The Era of Global Warming has Ended; the Era Global Boiling has Arrived”.
António Guterres (UN Secretary-General)
Globe /
Atlantic Ocean surface temperature was hottest ever recorded;
Ambient Temp. Semi-Conductor papers set claims to revolutionize energy.
Stem Cell therapies ‘synthetic embryonic’ revolutionize IVF.
Whistleblower, David Grusch tells U.S. Congress non-human ‘biologics’ found in UAP crashes.
India lands on the South Pole of the Moon.
After the 2023 restart of the Large Hardon Collider physicist observe neutrinos.
New global payment method BRICS PAY rolls out.
Africa and Middle East /
Africa Union, all 55 countries join the G20 during recent conference in India.
Disasters flood Libya, rock Morocco with a quake leaving 15,000 North Africans dead and 30,000 displaced.
Niger ousts French military; Surprise military coup in Gabon due post-election results; DRC challenges rumours of a coup.
Israeli passes law of judicial reforms grant elected officials a “reasonableness” power to overturn Supreme Court decisions.
Saudi Arabia thaws relationship with U.S, entertains Israel normalization talks and prepares for Vision 2030.
Europe /
Prigozhin and top Wagner leader die in a plane crash, and been replaced with veteran Andrei Troshev
Ukraine strikes Crimea and leaders in Black Sea, beyond areas where Elon Musk’s Starlink coverage key communications.
Ukraine grain deal renewal stalled by Russia despite Türkiye’s Erodgan trying to broker a deal for the region.
France falls under Marshall law as protests erupt, against police violence, pension reform and corporate greed.
Greek wildfires are the largest ever seen in European recorded history, with 170,000 hectares burnt.
Swedish violence rises as gangs fight over territory, with links new refugees are fueled by Türkish gang leader the ‘Kurdish Fox’.
Asia /
North Korea met Russian delegation to discuss arms, while Chinese New Standard Map claims Russian territory.
China’s Evergrande is now bankrupt, impact China real estate which compromises 25% of China’s GDP.
India presents themselves under Hindu name ‘Bharat’ at their hosted G20 events, while Canada accuses them of assassinating Hardeep Singh Nijjar Sikh independence leader living abroad.
Pakistan received IMF loan after supporting Ukraine with arms and postponing leadership elections to 2024.
Japan will release Fukushima wastewater into the sea, despite concerns.
South & Central America /
Upcoming elections in Argentina’s will be focus on how to address 100%(+) inflation.
U.S. corporation Prospera sues Honduran Gov’t for $11B for backstepping on CAFTA development zones to taxes the citizens.
Ecuadorian Presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated due to anti-corruption tough-on-crime polices.
Guatemala elects Arevalo in landslide to overturn corporate friendly Torres, but U.S. funded AG is making transfer of power difficult.
Brazil faces a drought in the Amazon as the river is the lowest is 20ft lower than last year, impacting 500,000 people food supply.
Bolivia is facing prolonged drought due to extensive winter heat spell.
North America /
Northwest face historic wildfire season, and 80-year storm Hurricane Hilary hits Southwest.
Canadian Parliament host President Zelensky, salute Ukrainian war SS Waffen Nazi veteran. Another blow to Trudeau.
The Big 5 Plantations who mismanaged the Island of Maui set a stage for devastating wildfires in Lahaina. Residents fear they will be displaced due to foul-play.
President Biden linked to Pay-for-Play influence peddling during his time in office, Hunter Biden arrested on weapons charges.
Donald Trump and 18 others are indicted for RICO violations in Georgia for voter fraud in 2020 elections.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. running as an independent against Trump and Biden.
Forecast
The simplest ways to make Passive Income
Toronto, Canada (September 25th 2023)
Passive Income sets a goal is to leverage one’s capital to have it work for and grow the account, noting that it will take an input of time, energy, and start-up funds. In previous editions (e.g., 014-Q4 2019) we focused on various models’ people can develop to diversify their source of funds. However, the initial models did require a fair bit of capital (e.g., buying income properties) or a large social network following (e.g., to become an influencer).
We tested some side hustles floating around TikTok and Instagram to address some digital options that are presented as simple and require little to no income.
Passive Income Opportunities
Publish low-content book on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) - (Step by Step)
o Create a free Canva account.
§ Design an empty journal and design the cover and pages, then download PDF version.
§ Create a technical guide or area of your expertise, then download PDF version.
· Note: Detailed or written content will need a copyright and assigned an ISBN.
o Create a free Amazon KDP account and upload book design and cover.
§ Setting up profile with link Tax information and bank detail (Institution, Transit and Account#)
Design a T-Shirt (or brand item) and sell on Etsy shop - (Step by Step)
o Create a free Canva account and Design a T-shirt then download PNG version.
o Create a free Printful account, upload your design.
§ Set Pricing and Free Shipping settings.
· Customers expect free shipping, review cost tables on Printful to build into your price.
o Create a free Etsy account and create a product page that links to your Printful page.
§ Setting up profile with link Tax information and bank detail (Institution, Transit and Account#)
o Issue: Etsy prefers a Refund Policy of 30 days, Yet Printful will not take back the product.
§ Note: Limit your Product volume so as not to expose yourself to losses.
Affiliate Marketing via your social network platforms, like Pinterest, or a website
o Catch-All Programs – Choose a partnership with an established vendor, e.g., Amazon, and select key products you want to direct your network towards.
o High-Ticket Programs - Choose a Niche, but not a personal hobbyist interest, instead an area highly sought-after expensive market. Find a relationship with re-occurring commissions, and a longer cookie period to allow buyers time to consider their purchase.
§ Luxury Watches – ‘Bob’s Watches’ Second Hand Market administered by PepperJam
Considerations
It will take time to draw attention to your products and social media activity will help drive attention to your stores and listings. Also, keep in mind this is income, so you will need to track and report this as a part of your Income taxes. If you do expect many purchases, it may be beneficial to set up a company with your government (See 019-Q1 2021).
Business
The Times are-a-changing
Toronto, Canada (September 30th 2023)
Legacy Media Struggles and Alternative Media Prevails
Mainstream (MSM) news outlets and cable news audiences plummet as podcasts and social media outlets continue to rise. Resulting in drops for traditional sources with editorial responsibilities towards icons like Joe Rogan and Tucker Carlson, who only need to provide opinion. If one compared the August 23rd GOP Debate, 12.5M viewers tuned in to the Fox broadcast, compared to 74M views for Tucker Carlson’s interview with Donald Trump that was posted to X (Twitter) just 5 minutes before the debate. Although the views are not apples-to-apples in viewers’ attention or experience, but nonetheless things are changing.
Similarly traditional long form television and movies have effectively moved from cable, to one of the plethora of streaming sites. However, the entire industry is set to be disrupted as Gen Z and Millennials gravitate to creator platforms (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram) as their primary media outlets for audiences.
As Meta prepares to release their new Smart Glass Ray-Ban’s in October, and their upgrades to the metaverse avatars change is ripe to continue on how we consume media and get our news.
Gold – saw a downturn at the Fed kept interest rates stable in September, Wall Street is bullish it will gain steam in Q4.
Oil – OPEC+ decided to cut production in July, and revenues in September have paid out for Saudi Arabia and Russia as prime suppliers.
Crypto – the summer activity was quite sluggish, with the primary interest was the outcome of the SEC v. Ripple case, which still drags on.
Highlights
U.S. Auto Workers (UAW) strike with demands of 40% increases, to match those of management, and a 32-hour work week. Ford reacts by temporarily firing 600 workers.
Writer’s Guild of America reach a deal with major studios to increase their royalties from streaming, limits to AI involvement in productions and better health benefits.
FTC continues to block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
Apple will start selling the iPhone 15 with ‘Made in India’ to diversify manufacturing.
Wells Fargo is backs out of the mortgage market, predicts Millennials will be a nation of renters.
Politics & Religion
The Complexities in the Caucasus Region
Toronto, Canada (September 29th 2023)
As Africa is fraught with turmoil through civil wars and military coups tied to international interests and pressures from limited supplies. Similarly in the Caucasus Region, the tension between Azerbaijan and Armenia are at an all time high.
In the last few decades Azerbaijan (predominantly Muslim) and Armenia (predominantly Christian) have been focused on border disputes for key transport routes. There is a segregated region of Azerbaijan, Nahkchivan, that would benefit from building a land corridor, Zangezur. to connect them the rest of the country and ultimately grant access routes to Türkiye. This would allow for a whole new flow of goods through the enclave, Naxcivan. However, this corridor would then block Armenia’s access to Iran and the trade routes with its biggest partner.
Following the 44-day war in 2020, the countries agreed to a ceasefire. However, Azerbaijan have recently rose strikes that threaten the Armenian’s living in Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia has proposed a renewed cease fire, but since their peacekeepers took no action to stop the assaults, Armenia is doubtful. It would appear Russia cannot divide its attention from Ukraine, leaving influence from Iran, U.S. and Türkiye to grow in the Caucasus Region.
In an unusual twist the U.S. supported Armenia in recent war games in August and showcasing a turn away from Iran support.
Within the internationally agreed borders of Azerbaijan, the region of Nagorno-Karabakh has a large citizenship of Armenians (120K). They settled there in 1990 during the collapse of the Soviet Union, when the border was not yet defined. For decades the capitals Yerevan, AM. and Baku, AZ have been disputing control of this region.
On September 19th, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev sent the military to take control of the region and arrest the separatist Ruben Vardanyan who took control of the region from Nov.22 to Feb.23. The actions rose concern with 50K ethnic Armenians who have since begun to flee.
A recent explosion killed 68 and injury 300 in the process, supporting concerns of ethnic cleansing. Germany has called international observation to ensure these concerns are properly monitored.
In next steps, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and President Ilham Aliyev plan to meet in Spain on October 5th, 2023, to discuss a peaceful resolution.
Poetscape
The Most Read Poet Mystic in the World
“Beauty surrounds us, but usually we need to be walking in a garden to know it”.
Toronto, Canada (September 18th 2023)
Rūmī (d. 1273) is the simple name of محمد بن محمد بن الحسين الخطيبي البلخي البكري (Arabic) also known as جلالالدین محمد رومی (Persian) and the honorific Mawlānā. Born in Tajikistan, Rūmī travelled the world as a scholar, a theologian, and a Sufi mystic taking him to the Lands of Rum (Türkiye) where he passed. Leaving behind an order of mystic known as the Mevlevi Order of Sufi mystics and the influence of the whirling dervish.
As the world’s greatest mystic poet, he was able to transcend the differences within the region and appeal to Persians, Ottomans, Kurds, and Greeks alike. His poetry went beyond political life and delved deeper into the human condition, a truly shared experience in all states and borders.
“Eternal Life is gained, by utter abandonment of one’s own life…”.
In his middle life, Rūmī’s path crossed with Shams Tabrizi and over the course of the next 3 year built a relationship and connection with Love that grounded his overall foundational teachings. Rūmī was challenged by his favourite scribe, Hussam-e Chalabi, to chronicle his ideas and aspire to the epics of the day, Ilāhīnāma of Sanai or the Mantiq ut-Tayr of 'Attar, to spread his scholarly genius with the world. Over the course of 12 years Rūmī, and his student who transcribed, created 6 volume masterworks, ‘Masnavi, Masnavi-ye-Ma'navi’ or مثنوی معنوی (Persian).
“Listen to the reed and the tale it tells, How it sings of separation...”.
The uniqueness of the Masnavi is its ability to present fables, moments from daily life, and connect them with the grandeur of the Qur’an and the complexity of large-scale metaphysics. Inherent within Rūmī’s and his work is the awareness that Love permeates throughout the world, and it connects us with the oneness of God (tawhid). Deeper still, Rumi has his audience recognize Love is not a selfish desire, just the opposite, a channel to connect with community, for a greater purpose.
“Inside your face the ancient manuscripts, Seem like rusty mirrors…”.
History collected his artifacts and placed them into two spaces, Poetry, and Prose.
· Poetry
o The odes (ghazal) of the Dīwān-e Shams-e Tabrīzī (The Works of Shams of Tabriz) دیوان شمس تبریزی (Persian)
o The six books of the Masnavi quatrains (rubayāt)
· Prose – dictated lectures and documented letters.
o Fihi Ma Fihi (In It What's in It) فیه ما فیه (Persian)
o Majāles-e Sab'a (Seven Sermons), مجالس سبعه (Persian)
o Maktubat (مکتوبات)
“This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival…”.
Sport & Combat
The Fastest Growing Sport in America
Wiarton, Canada (August 5th 2023)
As legacy sports, like Golf and Football, find themselves being bought up by Saudi Arabia and classified important based on ESPN Ad revenue, new sports are finding ways to create new leagues, and break new records that excited their audience.
The fastest growing sport in America, Pickleball, is one you may have recently heard of as a game for retirees, and that is not just because its origins date back 68 years to 1965 in Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA.
The Hype
Based on the ease of the sport and familiarity through other racquet games, the onset of Pickleball was downplayed by many. It is a simple retirement seniors sport, or ironically it is a basic Gen-Z fad and yet somewhere in the middle the sport found a home. The pace of play and openness to players of all types, that thrust the game to become the fastest growing sport in the last 2 years. Courts are readily available in other racquet ball settings, and its whimsical “Tennis” fashion style is an added attractor for all audiences.
Basics
Modeled off traditional Tennis, with rules akin to Table Tennis and played on a Badminton sized court (44ft X 20ft) court. Players try to win point by point with the first to hit 11 (or 15) classified winner. Games can be played as Singles (1 vs. 1) but more popularly played as a Doubles (2 vs. 2), which each side divided by a net with 3 key zones on each side of the court for players to play within.
A key feature to the court is the 14 ft zone centered by the net, the Kitchen, that is deemed a no-volley zone to ensure for the best and fairest game play.
Equipment
A Paddle, a Pickleball (a bouncy wiffle) and light clothing.
Future and Investment
With interest growing from establish athletes, Hollywood and Hobbyist alike, you can’t be in a better space to support growth
As reported by PopSugar’s Lauren Mazzo “The sport is growing with such fervor, it's even attracting the attention of top-tier athletes from other sports. Most recently, LeBron James and Tom Brady made headlines for their support of Major League Pickleball (MLP), the premier professional pickleball league in the US. James joined as an investor alongside business partner Maverick Carter and fellow NBA champions Draymond Green and Kevin Love, among others. Brady (alongside tennis great Kim Clijsters) joined an ownership group that has bought an MLP expansion team for the 2023 season. Earlier this year, MLP also announced investments from retired NFL quarterback Drew Brees and retired tennis player James Blake”.