Things which take skills but no courage

Clear simple and direct language

new is best

Male vs female anatomy is different 

They not like us!

Finding specific details about the Eagle Scout projects of famous individuals can be challenging since many of these projects were completed decades ago and may not be well-documented. However, here is some available information on the Eagle Scout projects of a few notable Eagle Scouts:

1. Neil Armstrong:

• Neil Armstrong’s Eagle Scout project involved working on an exhibit at a local airport. Unfortunately, specific details about the project are not well-documented.

1. Gerald R. Ford:

• Gerald Ford’s Eagle Scout project was to create a handbook for his troop that included knot-tying and other essential Scouting skills.

1. Steven Spielberg:

• Steven Spielberg’s project involved creating a documentary about his local troop’s history. This early filmmaking experience contributed to his future career as a renowned director.

1. Michael Bloomberg:

• Michael Bloomberg’s Eagle Scout project is not well-documented in public sources.

1. Sam Walton:

• Sam Walton’s Eagle Scout project is not well-documented in public sources.

1. Mike Rowe:

• Mike Rowe’s Eagle Scout project involved cleaning up a cemetery and restoring grave markers.

1. Robert Gates:

• Robert Gates’ Eagle Scout project is not well-documented in public sources.

1. James Lovell:

• James Lovell’s Eagle Scout project is not well-documented in public sources.

1. Lamar Alexander:

• Lamar Alexander’s Eagle Scout project is not well-documented in public sources.

1. William H. Gates Sr.:
   • William H. Gates Sr.’s Eagle Scout project is not well-documented in public sources.

Many Eagle Scout projects from earlier decades were not as extensively recorded or publicized as they are today. Therefore, specific details about the projects of some notable Eagle Scouts might not be readily available.

Some of the most famous Eagle Scouts include:

1. Neil Armstrong – The first man to walk on the moon.
2. Gerald R. Ford – The 38th President of the United States.
3. Steven Spielberg – Renowned film director and producer.
4. Michael Bloomberg – Former mayor of New York City and billionaire businessman.
5. Sam Walton – Founder of Walmart.
6. Mike Rowe – Television host and narrator, known for “Dirty Jobs.”
7. Robert Gates – Former Secretary of Defense and Director of the CIA.
8. James Lovell – Apollo 13 astronaut.
9. Lamar Alexander – U.S. Senator and former Governor of Tennessee.
10. William H. Gates Sr. – Attorney and father of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

These individuals have achieved significant accomplishments in their respective fields, bringing honor and recognition to the Eagle Scout rank.

Other notable Eagle Scouts have made significant contributions across various fields. Here are a few:

1.  Robert Gates - Former U.S. Secretary of Defense and former President of the Boy Scouts of America.
2.  William Bennett - Former U.S. Secretary of Education.
3.  Sam Walton - Founder of Walmart.
4.  J.W. Marriott Jr. - Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board of Marriott International.
5.  Mike Rowe - Host of “Dirty Jobs” on the Discovery Channel.
6.  James Lovell - NASA astronaut, commander of Apollo 13.
7.  Rex Tillerson - Former U.S. Secretary of State and former CEO of ExxonMobil.
8.  Stephen Bechtel Jr. - Chairman Emeritus of the Bechtel Corporation.
9.  James Brady - White House Press Secretary under President Ronald Reagan.
10. Bill Bradley - Former U.S. Senator and NBA Hall of Famer.

These individuals exemplify the leadership, commitment, and community service values that the Eagle Scout rank represents.

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States. It was founded on February 8, 1910, by Chicago publisher W.D. Boyce, after being inspired by the Scouting movement in Britain, established by Robert Baden-Powell. The BSA was incorporated to promote the ability of boys to do things for themselves and others, teach patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred values.

Early Years and Growth

The BSA grew rapidly in its early years, with local councils and troops forming across the country. The organization focused on outdoor activities, community service, and educational programs to build character and leadership skills in young boys.

Programs and Structure

The BSA is divided into various programs based on age groups:

1. Cub Scouts: For boys and girls in grades K-5.
2. Scouts BSA: For boys and girls aged 11-17.
3. Venturing: For young men and women aged 14-20.
4. Sea Scouts: For young men and women aged 14-20, focusing on maritime skills.

The Eagle Scout Rank

The Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program. Since its inception in 1911, the rank of Eagle Scout has been earned by more than 2.5 million youth. The requirements to achieve this rank are rigorous and include:

1. Merit Badges: Earning at least 21 merit badges, including 13 specific required badges (e.g., First Aid, Citizenship in the Nation, Personal Management).
2. Leadership: Serving in a leadership position within the troop.
3. Service Project: Planning, developing, and leading a significant service project that benefits a community organization.
4. Scout Spirit: Demonstrating Scout Spirit by living the Scout Oath and Scout Law in everyday life.
5. Board of Review: Successfully completing a board of review conducted by members of the troop and community leaders.

Notable Eagle Scouts

Eagle Scouts have gone on to become prominent leaders in various fields, including politics, business, and the military. Notable Eagle Scouts include:

• Gerald Ford, 38th President of the United States
• Neil Armstrong, astronaut and first person to walk on the moon
• Steven Spielberg, renowned filmmaker
• Michael Bloomberg, former mayor of New York City and businessman

Impact and Legacy

The BSA and the Eagle Scout program have had a significant impact on American society, instilling values of leadership, service, and community involvement in millions of young people. The skills and experiences gained through Scouting have helped shape the character and careers of many influential figures.

Modern Challenges and Adaptations

In recent years, the BSA has faced challenges, including declining membership and legal issues. However, the organization has made significant changes to adapt to modern times, such as including girls in all its programs and focusing on inclusivity and diversity.

The legacy of the Boy Scouts and the Eagle Scouts continues to be a testament to the enduring values of service, leadership, and personal development.

Being a true American is not having to wave around an American flag, true patriots have the heart embedded in their soul. And they also know how to properly fold an American flag. Boy Scouts, Eagle Scouts.

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States. It was founded on February 8, 1910, by Chicago publisher W.D. Boyce, after being inspired by the Scouting movement in Britain, established by Robert Baden-Powell. The BSA was incorporated to promote the ability of boys to do things for themselves and others, teach patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred values.

Early Years and Growth

The BSA grew rapidly in its early years, with local councils and troops forming across the country. The organization focused on outdoor activities, community service, and educational programs to build character and leadership skills in young boys.

Programs and Structure

The BSA is divided into various programs based on age groups:

1. Cub Scouts: For boys and girls in grades K-5.
2. Scouts BSA: For boys and girls aged 11-17.
3. Venturing: For young men and women aged 14-20.
4. Sea Scouts: For young men and women aged 14-20, focusing on maritime skills.

The Eagle Scout Rank

The Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program. Since its inception in 1911, the rank of Eagle Scout has been earned by more than 2.5 million youth. The requirements to achieve this rank are rigorous and include:

1. Merit Badges: Earning at least 21 merit badges, including 13 specific required badges (e.g., First Aid, Citizenship in the Nation, Personal Management).
2. Leadership: Serving in a leadership position within the troop.
3. Service Project: Planning, developing, and leading a significant service project that benefits a community organization.
4. Scout Spirit: Demonstrating Scout Spirit by living the Scout Oath and Scout Law in everyday life.
5. Board of Review: Successfully completing a board of review conducted by members of the troop and community leaders.

Notable Eagle Scouts

Eagle Scouts have gone on to become prominent leaders in various fields, including politics, business, and the military. Notable Eagle Scouts include:

• Gerald Ford, 38th President of the United States
• Neil Armstrong, astronaut and first person to walk on the moon
• Steven Spielberg, renowned filmmaker
• Michael Bloomberg, former mayor of New York City and businessman

Impact and Legacy

The BSA and the Eagle Scout program have had a significant impact on American society, instilling values of leadership, service, and community involvement in millions of young people. The skills and experiences gained through Scouting have helped shape the character and careers of many influential figures.

Modern Challenges and Adaptations

In recent years, the BSA has faced challenges, including declining membership and legal issues. However, the organization has made significant changes to adapt to modern times, such as including girls in all its programs and focusing on inclusivity and diversity.

The legacy of the Boy Scouts and the Eagle Scouts continues to be a testament to the enduring values of service, leadership, and personal development.

Infinite density —

..

Don’t sell more than 21 million blocks of this in the universe forever —> the icing on the cake.

Zero doubt.

Digital scarcity, the ultimate scarce property *****

…

Life form

Strike

Converting your work into an asset 

We convert our assets ,,,

Type 1 diabetic ,,, we store energy into fat.

Being cold is a sign of poor health?

Think physics:

Some real world thoughts:

First, I still believe infinitely… the best possible place to live is a place where you love to walk! When you pound your morning espresso, hungry and voracious for the adventure of embodied reality.

The problem

I think the sad tragedy here is that truth be told… 99.9% of reality sucks. Especially if you live in America… you’re just stuck in a car 99.9% of your day. Or inside an office building, or inside a crappy school room, University class etc.

In fact, we knew modern day humans, with the new zoo animals. In fact, maybe zoo animals have it better than us; at least they have a little bit more physical space, and also room to spare.

First

I believe the first optimization, at least living in America is deciding which Geo location or space to live. Currently speaking I believe Culver City, downtown Culver City, the Culver City arts district to be the best. The best place to immediately pop out of your apartment, and immediately start walking! 

Or, if you have the option, living in some sort of city in Southeast Asia, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Hanoi, Saigon etc.

The reason why I believe it to be so intelligent to live in Southeast Asia is economic leverage. For example even trolling homes here on Zillow, it is insane; $2.2 million for these half-assed remodeled homes? Things which comes standard in Vietnam or Southeast Asia?

Hardcore economics

I recently re-watched the movie 300 again, some thoughts:

First, I think the best way to live is through extreme economy. What that means is no matter how high or low your income… to hardcore leverage your money seems like a good idea.

For example, it seems human nature that we will typically meet match or perhaps supersede our income. What that means is when it comes to “lifestyle creep”, or “hedonic adaptation”– most people do the foolish thing— when anybody touches any money, the very foolish thing they first do is buy a car, some expensive clothes, jewelry, etc.

What they should do instead is buy bitcoin. And live like a low-key poor person.

Spartan economics

Ever since I was a teenager, and a kid, I’ve always really been into fashion, clothes etc. However, the enlightening thing about watching the movie 300, first, the Spartans are essentially bare chested, no shirt on, and just wearing cod pieces–speedos. The only thing to note is their crimson cape which goes to the floor, and during battle, their bronze Spartan helmets, with the frightening horse hair on top, their spears, swords, battle greaves, forearm armor, shield, … that seems to be about it.

Certainly there are some clothes and accessories which do improve your life. But assuming you’re a man… unless you’re going indoors, a shirt is optional. I say go shirtless as much as humanly possible.

Khalil Gibran on Clothing

At the LA public library, Cindy just picked up paperback of Khalil Gibran the prophet, the classic. I think Cindy and I read it back in college.

What was very interesting was his thoughts on modesty and clothing; essentially back in the day, modesty was just another word to describe hiding the ugliness of your body.

I see today; all these guys who wear trucker hats, fully tinted sunglasses, have beards and lots of facial hair and maybe mustaches … , flannel and trucker jackets, bunch of tattoos, body hair, fat, and drinking beer? Essentially it is to hide the ugliness of their bodies. I still find it very very bizarre that somehow having a strong opinion about craft beer is what makes one manly? 

I find tattoos to be the most ridiculous proposition; it is expensive, takes a long time, and it actually positively makes your body uglier. Even Nietzsche wrote that the trend for people to get bodily tattoos was a march towards barbarism.

I say instead of getting body tattoos, just build bodily muscle. Just buy your own weightlifting equipment – Titan.fitness and workout at home.

Real men have muscle!

Property

I’m currently reading the father of Austrian economics, Karl Menger — and his principles on economics. It is a bit of a dry read, but I enjoy it and so far much as it is simple, clean, and direct, and just like Aristotle, lays the foundation of first principles in economics, talking about goods, needs, human economizing, stock etc.

One of it is property, property accumulation, and connections with human desire to accumulate obtain and hold property.

Karl Menger talks about property almost a bit of a metaphorical sense, it doesn’t have to be physical property, the property in the minds of men?

I think when you go back to first principles thinking for philosophy humans economics etc., things become very interesting.

The first thought I had is maybe the intelligence of buying your own weightlifting or gym equipment is that in technicality, you are accumulating property, weightlifting property, weight property, plates etc.

Also the good thing is that weightlifting will never go out this style, because it is the most OG, original gangster way of getting stronger. A simple barbell and weight plates is all you need. If you want cheap ones, just get some cast-iron plates, in the 45 pound range. Also for a cheap weightlifting squat rack, the Titan.fitness T3 independent squat stand, apparently it could withstand up to 1000 pounds… I’ve already loaded it up with 775 pounds and it seems fine.

I think the problem with going to the gym, is that you’re pissing away your money, especially in Los Angeles where a gym membership could be in the $150 a month to $200 a month range. If you’re on a budget, you could buy a cheap barbell for me about 100 bucks, and two weight plates will only set you back around 150 bucks. If you do the math, within the year, you can invest at least $1000 into weightlifting equipment, which will stay with you forever.

For very very cheap options, just buy sandbags; you could purchase 50 pounds of playground sand for only about three dollars! 

Stainless steel

What is the apex metal? Stainless steel. Stainless steel is what allows us to create 100 story skyscrapers, and also, which creates your beloved Cybertruck. The more I think about cybertruck, the greater it is. At least in terms of material and form, it might last you at least 100 years. Maybe 300 years if you take good care of it.

Also, I think the cybertruck is actually positively bulletproof; just watch the videos with it. If John Wick was alive today, he might drive a cybertruck?  Or some sort of baby sports car muscle car stainless steel cyber truck, imagine if you took a Camaro or a Dodge charger and just outfitted it with stainless steel? 

Make your body like stainless steel

I had the epiphany and the realization that this is why they call Superman the Man of steel; at the time, when Superman was invented, steel, stainless steel was a big deal.

Also, public restrooms and bathrooms etc.… It seems that stainless steel is the way. The easiest to keep clean, maintain etc. Stainless steel toilets, hand washing stations etc.

Also, at Cindy‘s family’s house, Cindy‘s mom has a stainless steel kitchen sink, which I think she’s been using for over 20 years with no problems!

---

The future

First principal is thinking; what is the purpose of saving? For the future.

I think the very clarifying and positive thing is once you have a kid, future becomes a more concrete notion. Your building property and betterment for your child, and their child, and their kids kids kids.

But why? I think a lot of modern day thinking is too focused on the individual; what makes more sense is focusing on beyond the individual– the clan, the tribe, the collective. 

Leaders and followers?

“See there’s leaders and there’s followers but I’d rather be a dick than a swallower”– Ye

Even NASSIM Taleb talks about how there are individuals or academic, intellectual “swallowers“. 

What should be the purpose of education? Critical thinking. To challenge convention, to think first principles etc.

In fact, I think the best thing that Aristotle does when fleshing out some ideas is he first starts off by first principles, by defining things – to challenge things, why they are important, why they are critical etc.

The reason why I find this to be so important is that we spend our whole lives working, and living… but yet we never challenge why we do it, why is important, why is significant etc.

For example, let us say that you are a modern day tech worker, or a banker, and what you’re trying to do is accumulate as much US dollars, currency, the highest salary possible. But towards what ends? Buying a certain car you want, a single-family home, etc.? Having the freedom in the power to travel the world? Before you sacrifice 30 years of your life, maybe a deep critical introspection is needed; thus the Why App?

The upside of sociology 

The more I think about the benefit of studying sociology was simply to challenge all social norms. In fact, the other day we were inside a public library, and Seneca was upset that we had to return the books, in which I cleverly stated and said, no, we are not “returning” the books, we are recirculating them.

Anyways, certainly Seneca was upset, because if you think about it… the notion of checking out a book, and then having to return it is not natural and it doesn’t really make much sense. As a consequence he was crying loud, and this pretentious librarian tell me that “he has to go”, or “he has to go (outside)”.

Like a true mensch, of course I did not forcibly make him exit the library. I calmly stood there, while he was still crying, explaining to him the notion of recirculating over returning the books.

Anyways, the librarian was confused, because I think in the past, whenever the library tells a parent that their kid is being too loud, a parent somehow feels bad, or embarrassed or something and forcibly removes the kid from the library. No. I stood there, taking my sweet time, and explaining to Seneca, and the library being confused came up to me to approach me a second time.

Anyways, thinking back first principles… Why is it that a library should be quiet? Why not loud?

The first line of thinking is that the purpose of a library is for a quiet contemplation. Why not loud contemplation?

Anyways, that loser library and library will no longer get my patronage. Onto the next one.

Society?

Also, even modern day society in today’s world, the law is “thou shall not make eye contact with strangers, engage in small talk, be friendly etc.”

Also, modern day society says that we shall be, antisocial, introspective, cowardly, quietly consume our fake ass plant-based food, and try to minimize our “carbon imprint”, on the planet. 

Says who?

Fuck that!

Seeing humans in the flesh?

Now I have a new rule; before I’m about to read any book, listen to a new podcast or whatever… I want to kind of get a full body glimpse of said individual.

For example, this seems cruel, but I don’t really care for the opinion of anybody who is overfat, skinny fat, physically weak, doesn’t have muscle, doesn’t have strong legs.

The problem in today’s world is that there is a hijacking of knowledge, legitimacy and information towards the nerds, the Shorty guys, the Shorty fat skinny old bald guys, etc.

Only trust thinkers who are also weightlifters. 

So far, modern day times … maybe only NASSIM TALEB? But now he is even too old, and still kind of a fatty guy (his history).

Who else?

They not like us!

Creating your own tribe? All you need is 300?

Let us even think about King Leonidas… Certainly would have been impossible for him to fight back millions of Persians himself. However, him being able to leverage the train, the hot gates and the choke point… Assuming he was not betrayed… He would have probably been able to hold the hot gates, With his Spartan 300. 

Create for yourself

My simple line of thinking is create things, design things as if you were the only end user.

Also, follow your own personal curiosity irregardless of how irrational or impractical or uneconomical it may seem. 

True innovation happens out of pure self curiosity, things which at the time seem very very impractical… But, can create insane value for society and others.

The camera as a self defense weapon?

Looking at cops, one of the interesting things is that they always have some sort of chest mounted video camera that is always recording. I wonder if this is also a good accessory for ourselves. A simple thing is having a GoPro chest mount, and a GoPro mini. 

Also, if you became swat, swat team… How would you look and how would you train?

First, armor. I think my joy of having my 60 pound weight vest on all the time is that is like real world training. If you had a bulletproof, 60 pounds is good.

Also, a bulletproof body.

SWAT TRAINING?

If you are swat team… How do you train?

Once again, 60 pound vest, and also some sort of notion of hunger. And fearlessness.

Also a cool visual I have is from John Wick 4, the all black samurai kabuki guys at the Osaka hotel, trying to kill John Wick.

The ideal form of training would be caring heavy stuff, for relatively short distances. Also if fearlessness. And pure power. Imagine if you were a swat door kicker. 

Unkillable

I think what is so awesome about John Wick is that he is practically invincible, unkillable. All four movies, everyone tries to kill him, and even at the very very end… he allows himself to get killed, in order to get the final sweet sweet revenge on his arch nemesis.

In fact, John Wick is fascinating because he is almost like the modern Achilles; it is his lust for revenge which drives him.

Thought– somebody should reboot the movie Troy, or a film centered around Achilles? 

New ethics and morality


Also, this is where things become interesting to me; for us to think carte blanche, to create new morals and ethics for ourselves. All is permitted, said the famous assassins. This is the real assassin’s Creed.

All is legitimate, all is permitted — as long as it does not disobey the laws of physics.

ERIC

---

Think physics

Ultimately if you want to think about growth, life, things in general… Think physics!

Weight lifting also a fun physics game and experiment?

---

Travel and physics

If you think about reality from a physics or space approach, the logic and the rationale is that when you’re moving your human body across time and space, geo location and climate… having a novel environment changes you.

For example, even a simple weekend getaway to San Diego, the beachfront, the ocean, looking into the infinite sea, and having a different change of climate from LA, it changed my thinking, or allowed the genesis of new and unique thoughts.

I think this upside of traveling to Southeast Asia, ironically enough I think best when it is hot and humid? For myself, I find it very difficult to think well when it is cold and humid and wet. I hate the winter. Even the Los Angeles the winter is not super nice. I wish I could live in Southeast Asia forever.

You know yourself the best

Everybody has different preferences. I find it insanely annoying when people try to “educate” you that somehow your preferences are illegitimate? And they try to tyranny their own preferences upon you?

Fuck that! Become more stoic and staunch in your approach.

so where do you want to travel to?

1. SF BAY AREA, THE MISSION SF — October 26
2. Downtown LA — November 16
3. CAMBODIA, ANGKOR WAT — 2025 Summer Experience the planet with EK > ERIC KIM EXPERIENCES

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Photo assignments

If you want infinite inspiration and motivation to make photos, just have a kid!

If you already have a kid, cross pollinate your passion for street photography photographing your kid!

Also, undefine photography; all photography is legitimate!

Also, delete Instagram, irregardless of how many followers you have. It is like I’m telling you that you had terminal cancer, but, you would be able to magically cure yourself if you justdeleted Instagram. Wouldn’t you do it?

Instagram is cancer for the mind and the soul. 

In fact, the only people I trust in the ERIC KIM clan is those without an Instagram. Also if I had to create an initiation ceremony, the first step for STREET CLUB would be deleting your Instagram. 

Keep stacking those Bitcoin not those followers. 

“You got 1 billion streams, I got $1 billion!” – JAY Z

You got 1 million followers? I got 1 million bitcoin!

---

Think deeper with WHY APP?

---

Also $2T

Shot caller:

Or just live like a poor person!

8 plates soon

“More” important needs?

.

The best way to workout in LA? –> outside, outdoors, in the sun, topless?

How to satisfy your needs

Economizing

Protection of ownership –> basis of property

Human economy and property

Take the riskier option in life?

Non-economic goods

The human desire for property

.

The will to economize

Ordinary car, extraordinary human

Quantities of goods ,,, stocks

Keeping stock

Commodity stocks

Price formation

Proven reliability

quantities of goods expected to be at the disposal of men in future time periods

Human economy, economic goods

Direct the available quantity of goods which way

Consumption goods, means of production

Further insight

.

Thinking Beyond the Rack?

Why is the new Taycan so slow? 4.5 seconds 0-60?

Walking out 8 plates

Bitcoin will usurp all the other cryptos?

Meaningful versus meaningless life?

Human welfare

Civilization and wealth

Single economizing individual

Exchange economy

Property as needs

The stunting of our nature

To live and prosper

Requirements

Goods

Capacity of human needs to grow

Infinite growth

Unlimited progress

Uninterrupted progress

Needs of the future?

Effective requirements

Latent

*

Get back into bodybuilding?

A bodybuilder tries to make a lightweight heavy, a par lifter tries to make a heavy weight light.

.

Compelling, voracious?

The future of family 

Thinking About The Future of Your Family 

I think this is the enlightening thing about having kids or a child, either one kid or several kids or whatever… Starting to plan and think about the future.

The future of family

One of the most interesting things that I learn from the California science center, especially when going to the biology section the circle of life biological ecosystem thing is that ultimately, what is the purpose of life? Simply put, the purpose of life is to procreate, produce offspring, create the next generations forward. 

The funny and strange irony that I see nowadays is this bizarre anti-children movement. Some of these world-weary people say instead:

Nay! Life is all suffering misery and badness. Do not have children, they are the worst thing on the planet, they increase the carbon footprint blah blah blah. More virtuous instead to adopt a rescue dog,  go vegan or plant-based something, and to be antisocial and to just spend the rest of your life being less of a nuisance on others as possible.

I love being a nuisance!

Perhaps one of my funny interventions is that I love being the troll, being loud and ratchet, being annoying and being the nuisance.

I think this is where I have been so disruptive in my life, I have always distain this notion of being same same, being boring, being meek and passive etc.

I think ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to be the most alpha, the most superior, the most supreme.

Now is a adult… This trend is continuing. And now, I am imputing this ethos into Seneca, the next generation.

“So you think you’re so special huh?”

Yes! I also think you’re special! And so is your kids, your friend, your neighbor, the antisocial people around you.

The truth is we are all special! Purely from a biological perspective, even if you wanted to be 100% molecularly similar to people around you, you couldn’t. And I think this is a good thing.

Variety is a spice of life, as is human being! This is where I think that all cultures all peoples all ideas are wonderful; it just comes down to what you decide to choose for yourself.

Superior vs inferior?

Ultimately when it comes down to it… I think it just comes down to military might. Why is it that America reigns supreme? Our military force. I think we have at least 100,000 X the fighting force or the military force on the planet, mainland China China PRC is still about 1000 years behind.

Maybe the primary strength that we got going for us is our control of the seas, the navy. The other day I was in the San Diego waterfront, seeing a massive airplane carrier… It is insane… fighter jets land on this thing? 

Even today, the most effective way to move goods along the planet is the sea. He who controls the sea controls the planet.

Thinking for yourself yourself vs your kids

Being self interested is a good thing as is being self interested in the well-being of your kids, your future family, your wife your spouse your kids, their kids, their kids kids kids.

I think this is the primary way to understand King Leonidas, the valor of the Spartan 300. They were fighting for the freedom of future Spartans, not current Spartans. 

Perhaps this is what we all desire, some sort of mission or impetus to live for some sort of grazier cause, beyond ourselves. Simply live for ourselves is too limiting, and also a bit depressing?

How people do it

“Libri aut libri” once said Nietzsche — which was a Latin pun he made up which meant “either books or children”– talking about women in specific, that typically women only have enough fertility or physiological energy to write books, or to produce children. Cindy defied everything she did both!

I think what a lot of single artists do who decide not to have kids — or philosophers etc. is they think of the future human race as all of their metaphorical children. The same thing with celibate priest; they guide the way for all the young youth and kids inside the parish. 

Ultimately, I think the reality is that your life does matter. What you do, will change the planet. Especially if you have access to an Internet connection, some sort of public facing website or blog etc. Even other simple things like starting your own YouTube channel or podcast uploading it online etc. Not social media.

Already, I am shocked… Instagram, which seemed unstoppable for a long time, is already getting upended by TikTok — a very suspicious entity I think owned by Tencent —  super evil mega corporation based in mainland China, which I also believe runs League of Legends, RIOT games, etc. 

In fact, I think we should have zero concerns about some sort of military battle against mainland China, ain’t gonna happen. America the USA, we have thousands of battle cruisers, all with Yamato canon, siege tanks, bunkers, etc. And all the mainland Chinese have is millions of Zerglings. 

Or another analogy, America is like having 1000 Protas icons, all defending a single chokepoint like the spartan 300 and the hot gates, and once again, all China has is Zerglings. 

Well we have to be concerned instead is how China is Nicoli intercepting the minds of our future youth; I already see it now, I watched the last Pacific Rim fighting movie with robots, the second one, and there was a very strange part of the movie where the mainland Chinese came in, helped invest, and then somehow the North American alliance was able to defeat the kaiju monsters? I’m very certain that the film was funded by some sort of Shanghai mainland Chinese company.

Also an unrelated note… because Apple computer is in bed with Foxconn– mainland Chinese corporation that produces all your lovely iPhone Pros — maybe ultimately, it isn’t even nations or nation states we should be concerned about, but big technology companies that govern our entire existences like Apple computer, Google, Amazon etc.?

For example, Google pretty much owns email at this point. I don’t know a single person who does not have a Gmail account. But also, something that I’ve been learning through some sort of updates on my sendy.co email newsletter platform is that Google and Gmail is rolling out all these new requirements, and if you don’t update or abide by their rules, your emails or your email newsletters will not reach Gmail accounts, which probably accounts for at least 50% of all emails on the Internet.

Imagine if one day it does not like you, and revokes your right to email and Gmail account. Bad news.

 

Seneca really likes the civic type R? 

.

Motor

I wonder… Perhaps movement, is more important than overall power?

Caput, head … decapitate

Hold our gates, we can win

Spectacles

Muscle vs Magic?

100 armies … one narrow corridor ,,, hold!

Numbers count for nothing

…

Aimless violence?

Slippery , clumsy

Cooperation versus solo Hero? 

The best is more difficult; Los Angeles, LA is the best… But the truth is it is much more difficult to live a virtuous life here.

The best still has lots of downsides! In fact, I wonder if things become better, as things become more superior, more “best”– according to law of physics there must be some sort of corresponding expansion of downside.

For example, if you live somewhere which has lots of traffic, perhaps it is a signal that it is the best, because if it is the best, then everyone wants to live there, and no matter how much people complain about traffic, it is because everyone wants to live there because it is the best.

For example; before Brexit, all the Europeans would prefer to immigrate therapy because it is the soul of Europe. I met so many entrepreneurial Russians who moved to London in the UK for greeter opportunities, trying to blend in and camouflage there Russian accent. Apparently being a Russian in London, a new immigrant is almost like being a fresh Mexican immigrant, lots of racism and prejudice.

Christian ethics versus Spartan ethics?

Ignore

free man

Don’t eat until sunset

Unlimited Capital

Economic Energy

Bucket list before I hit 50, next 14 years?

It’s Not a loss it’s a lesson

The greatest of all tragedies

True Power?

True power lies outside of women

Uniform

*

Power accumulation, how to accumulate power?

The more you stack the more power you accumulate?

Power, economic power

“Spending” Power or “Purchasing” Power

Capital Power?

The irony about money and wealth is that when I think a lot of people want $1 million, or want to be a millionaire or whatever… What they want to do is spend $1 million. 

But, the reality is I think the ethos of capital is you want to keep stacking it, never spend it.

For example, as a simple example let us say that I am 165 pounds of pure muscle, with a six pack. 

Each and every bodybuilder or perhaps weightlifter what they desire is to continue to increase their muscle malice or poundage, indefinitely. When we looked at Ronnie Coleman what is it that he did, he kept injecting his eyeballs with steroids, for him to become the 300 pound beast with a 6 pack.

Certainly this is grotesque, I’ll find enough, I kind of like it. When people ask who the greatest bodybuilder of all time was, I still think it is Ronnie Coleman not Arnold Schwarzenegger. Why? I think I do prefer this sort of grotesque uber beast concept – assuming that steroids were not a thing, and this could be done naturally, I would think it is awesome!

You don’t want to lose muscle or muscle mass

Once again, let us say that I am 165 pounds of pure muscle. The greatest tragedy for a weightlifter or a bodybuilder is to lose muscle mass, or to lose weight. For example, if I suddenly went down from 165 pounds to immediately 120 pounds, I would be insanely depressed.

And this is kind of like money; let it say that I had $1 million at my disposal, and then suddenly I saw that shrink to $20,000, certainly I would be very dismayed. I would be much happier to see that $1 million grow $1.2 million, $1.5 million, $1.7 million, $2.5 million, $10, $100 M, $250 M etc.

---

Today is a glorious day to buy bitcoin!

Capital accumulation versus capital spending or getting rid of?

Depletion?

.

Scratch

“ It’s just an eye”

“ prepare for glory! “

Death & Glory –> the way to truly become immortal?

Spartans never retreat, Spartans never surrender

Search your own soul

Don’t upgrade your car, upgrade your muscles And legs!

What is it mean to defend freedom?

Why I love the sun; the ruthless heat scatters everything else away?

The sun is a filter

The sun disperses the weak!

Take on the sun!

Verve ,, vigor. Words

A tale of victory

A modern day helmet, Spartan helmet?

Eat hearty, for tonight we dine in hell! 

Wealth and Powers is not the same thing? 

Holy?

Economic Elitism

why is it that  when we think we want to solution a problem– we think we have to do it by purchasing something?

Fear, pain… Fear of future pain and suffering?

“ May you live forever “

You are the Arcon, everyone else is just drones?

It narrowed his vision… He must see far

his target was far away 

Toughness training?

His roar is long and loud

It was an honor to live aside you

My wife

My love

“Remember us”–> his hope

Ageless stones

Mysticism and tyranny?

Mark, marking your territory

Meaningful versus meaningless life?

Human welfare

Civilization and wealth

Single economizing individual

Exchange economy

Property as needs

The stunting of our nature

To live and prosper

Requirements

Goods

Capacity of human needs to grow

Infinite growth

Unlimited progress

Uninterrupted progress

Needs of the future?

Effective requirements

Latent

*

Get back into bodybuilding?

A bodybuilder tries to make a lightweight heavy, a par lifter tries to make a heavy weight light.

.

Compelling, voracious?

Unlimited Capital

Economic Energy

Bucket list before I hit 50, next 14 years?

It’s Not a loss it’s a lesson

The ocean is infinite– infinite energy, power, waves… forever into the distance:

---

Only Slaves Use Phones

Creating the most sublime human body?

A turbo thought about phones —

Only slaves use phones?

---

Vietnam experiences

Probably the big takeaway point I got from Vietnam, living in Vietnam without a phone, only iPad is this: 

You don’t need a phone.

In fact, let us consider… If you’re walking around in the real world, looking at how big it is, it is such a great tragedy that so much of our human existence is centered around a tiny 4.5 inch screen.

Also, the problem with phones, you can’t be that productive with phones. Most people text with their thumbs, which is maybe 40 words per minute at best. Very slow. On the laptop I can type close to 140 words per minute, and now using iPad Pro with voice dictation, maybe 200 words per minute. 

I think perhaps what is exciting about the new Apple intelligence and AI in the future, is actually ironically not the AI generating text, or giving me information, but the simple thing, which is actually centered more around accurately representing the words I actually want to voice dictate.

For example, often when I’m doing voice dictation with the iPad Pro, the built-in keyboard, the little microphone button… the big issue I have here is that a lot of the typos certain words in the English language which sound like something else, but are not.

Consequence, perhaps the greatest upside of artificial intelligence would be quickly scanning the nuance of the whole sentence, while I am actively voice dictating, and through this process, discover what I am really trying to say. 

AI & photo curation

Another interesting use case for artificial intelligence is simply being able to help me curate my images, help me go through them quicker.

For example, I have lots of visions for image curation; the big issue we are having in todays world is we shoot too many images, too quickly, and we haven’t the time the techniques or the skills to view them quickly enough. 

For example, currently I average 1000 to 2000 photos a day. I think this is generally a good thing, because it signals that I am living a grand life. However the downside is that I seem to have a difficult time finding the opportunity or the time or the chance to review these many photos a day.

The basic person might say, “Shoot less“; but I find this to be too flaccid of a solution. What we need instead is more effective image creation tools, devices, or things.

More convenient film developing, processing etc?

Also as a random nuance, now that Pentax just put out that new film camera, wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was either a free or practically free solution to image processing, etc.?

Or, the upside of film without the downside; perhaps this is the main upside or the intrigue with the new Ricoh HDF camera ? The idea that your digital photos could look like film photos without the hassle of developing film photos? 

Why film?

For example, there is no doubt that film photos, especially color film photos, are far more aesthetically beautiful than the often too perfect digital photos. Yet, at the end of day, the inconvenience of shooting film is what makes it the loser. Sooner or later, no matter how dedicated of a film photographer you are, it still seems that the tide eventually makes its way back into digital. 

Some nuances:

First, if you perhaps live in Vietnam or some sort of developing country, where labor costs are cheap in which you could just give somebody else your film photos, and have them cheaply develop process and scan it for you. However it seems that now in America with the $20 an hour minimum wage at McDonald’s, labor costs in America are too prohibitive.

As an example I remember when living in Hanoi, there were some scrappy kids who would develop a rule of film, and also scan it for you for only five dollars a roll! In America this is almost $20-$30 a roll. 

Convenience is key

Even if you’re stupid rich, millionaire or billionaire level, then once again, the inconvenience is what makes it bad. For example, I still have about 50 rolls of Kodak PORTRA 400, and Kodak Trix which I shot maybe three or four years ago, which I still haven’t yet had the impetus to send it off to go process it, even though I could easily afford it. I just got too many other things on my plate at the moment.

Therefore a consequence, the realization is once you’re very wealthy, costs no longer become a problem, it is more of a time energy mental space, time space thing. 

Elon?

For example, if you’re Elon Musk, do you have the time convenience or the leisure to simply stroll into a Costco, browse the products, and spend about three or four hours checking out? No.

I think this is where Amazon and Amazon prime is so great for people both rich and poor alike; rich people still use Amazon prime because it is so convenient. Once you’re rich, a lot of people don’t have time to go places or to physically purchase the products. They would prefer to order it in just a few seconds from their phone. And then poor people like Amazon prime because they get prices; and end up “saving” money.

Visions for the future

Some simple visions:

First, a phone free future. I think one thing that really annoys me about a lot of these new modern cars is that you somehow need a phone in order to unlock it, to open the door of your car, access it, etc. I think with Tesla cars, as long as you have your Tesla phone in your pocket, you could access your car, but also you could access it if you have the Tesla valet key thing.

Funny enough, one of the upsides of my glorious 2010 Prius is that it still has the key fob; which means when I go to the park with Seneca, I could just lock up my phone inside my glove compartment, just take my keys and Prius car with me, and lock up my car. 

New productivity?

I have some radical new ideas for productivity:

First, it seems like a very very very simple one is ironically “via negativa” approaches and technology. 

For example, ironically one of the best ways you could be more productive is by not having a Wi-Fi enabled device. For example, maybe if you’d like the smaller form factor of an iPhone, just have two phones; one with Internet cellular data, the other as a Wi-Fi only device. Maybe this would be a good idea for who just prefer shooting photos using an iPhone, but don’t like getting interrupted by text messages.

I think the reason why this is such a good idea in Asia, and a lot of the world… many people have multiple devices with them at once. For example my friend Chu Viet Ha, because he is often testing out so many new phones and phone cameras, often has five or six phones with him.

The hybrid approach

In fact, if you really wanted to be the ultimately productive person, having the best world of both android and iPhone iOS is a good idea. 

For example, my friend Darren Wong — impressed me when he had both a Google pixel and an iPhone in each of his front two pockets. Truth be told, almost every single iPhone user I know has a Gmail account. And Gmail works for better on android in Google pixel then on iOS. As a consequence, using a Google pixel, which is the ultimate expression of android, should be optimal for doing Google related things; Google calendar, Gmail etc. Even Google maps.

What is iPhone, iOS good for? FaceTime, iMessage, Apple photos, iA Writer, etc.

Road trip down to San Diego

This weekend had a quick trip to San Diego, and something that was so impressive to me was the upside of having a Prius and a hybrid car:

First, driving from LA to San Diego, only consumed about 3 ticks of gasoline. And the other day we spent all day driving around, going to Torrey Pines and the beach, seeing the ocean and the waves etc.… and in total we have only consumed about 40 to 50% of gas. We’re going to head out later today, and technically I still have half tank of gas and I could make it all the way back to LA if I wanted to.

However if I had a Tesla or a long range Tesla or electric vehicle, maybe even a cyber truck, I would probably have to stop by a supercharger somewhere along the line, or find a supercharger back home in LA… given that my apartment doesn’t have an electric charging port station, so the moral the story is simple:

If you truly do want to live a more adventurous life, Prius and Hybrid is the way. 

Autopilot is the killer app

The only thing I really wished on the drive down is having some sort of auto pilot or at least lane keeping assist distance being; some sort of super basic self driving thing. The future which allows you or allows your car to cruise control itself, but also maintaining the distance with a car in front of it, and also staying within the lane. And the optimal strategy is just having your car drive itself down from LA to San Diego, while staying in the second to left lane. 

I don’t know yet… but certainly there must be gasoline or hybrid cars that already allow this? 

---

The upside of movement

So I’m about eight months in living in Los Angeles, kind of figuring out how to live there. But still not 100% settled yet.

Hitting the road again, just going on a road trip down to San Diego has been great; walking along the downtown San Diego waterfront, going to Torrey Pines State Beach and dipping my legs in the water with Seneca, and staring into the deep ocean, having the waves crashed directly towards me, has been extremely inspiring.

Also even checking out some parts of old San Diego has been super inspirational because it taught me and show me that there is still so much of the world left to explore.

I think this is where I am inspired by my friend Tim Flanagan — he is still traveling the world, nomadically, South America, Asia and beyond; did the wise and brave thing of taking an early retirement. People often tell him that “I wish I could do that, but I cannot because XYZ”. Tim is a good example, because he already has two grown sons, a handful of grandchildren, and some obligations back here in the states, but still… is doing the courageous and wise thing of traveling the globe.

I also think a lot of people often say is that I need more money in order to do that. But Tim, choosing an early retirement certainly does not have a fat pension like a lot of other teachers or administrators; but still… perhaps the best way to travel the world in the globe is through this intelligent frugality time and money leveraging; the wise, hard spartan approach.

---

Capital thoughts 

I think one of the hardest things that people have to do is to think about cyberspace because it is so intangible.

For example, I’m currently 36 years old, and I think most of my technological beliefs have been embedded into me ever since I was 18 years old, maybe 21 years old. So assuming that I graduated from college around 15 years ago, I’m almost 2 decades in the game.

First, maybe this is where I am such a wise bitcoin investor. I know how to think in terms of bitcoin and digital and cyber things, because technically I started all of my capital in my website, which is a cyber digital commodity. Or cyber real estate.

Also, conservation of time energy space and power.

Life leverage

I didn’t the reason why I quit email is because it doesn’t scale well.

For example, now that I am such a notable and famous entity… I simply do not have enough time units in a day or a lifetime to respond or continue any sort of conversations of anything that comes in my inbox.

I also suppose this issue is with generative AI… It is kind of impossible to know whether the email you are receiving is from a real human being or not.

Maybe this could be a great filter in brave new digital world; some sort of “orange check” from a given email address, to prove humanity. A simple thing or more radical thing… Have an email address verified by a certain bitcoin wallet or balance, some sort of cyber digital ation, which could prove that is a human being, and how much worth they have. 

Public bitcoin balances?

Imagine this cyber future world in which you could meet people glance at people, or maybe even ask… making it socially acceptable to ask people how many bitcoins they own. And from this information you could tell how wealthy they really are.

For example, the shortcut we have about this is maybe the car people drive, where they live, their clothes accessories etc. But technically this is not a very good indicator, because every dime you spend on material things is actually capital and money you have invested in something else, or more bitcoins.

For example if I had any financial advice to young rappers, is for them not to buy any car just Uber around everywhere… And all that money they would blow at the strip club or on cars, just buy bitcoin.

Also, instead of them blowing all that money on jewelry, buying bitcoin instead. I wonder if in the near future, instead of wearing diamond chains and necklaces… Young rappers will simply have bitcoin icons tattooed into their body?

Bitcoin on wheels?

For example, whenever you some see somebody pull up in a cybertruck, a Lamborghini Ferrari or Porsche or whatever… Let us say the car is worth $200,000 — irregardless of how rich you are,  assuming you could have 10x’d, 100x’d or even 1,000x’d that money …. anybody who invests money into things which will not accrue and value over time is a fool.

For example, that $200,000 car could be a $2 million investment vehicle, a $20 million investment vehicle, or $200 million investment vehicle. Something that appreciates in time forever!


The true investor and capitalist is actually very frugal and economical?

Once again, if I told you with 100 precision today that any money you put into bitcoin would multiply itself by a factor of 1000… wouldn’t this change your purchasing behaviors today?

Of course! Even if you time-discount things, if you knew your money would 10 X, 100 X, 500 X  within a year, two years, five years, 10 years or 20 years… the most rational or wise people would just put all of that money US dollars or fiat currency into bitcoin. 

For example, if you knew that your $1000 invested in that thing you purchased today might be worth $100,000 10 years from now… then make that decision–

“Is it really that worth it to you?”

---

Now what?

I still believe Zack Snyder‘s magnum opus thus far has been the movie 300. This is when he was still a young scrappy director, still with a limited budget, and made one of the best films of all time. I think in terms of courage, manliness, and overall valor, this film has not yet been reached by any other film. Not even the steroid infused Rock comes close. 

Re-watching the film, now as a 36 year-old adult with a 3 1/2 year-old son,  similar to the fictitious age of King Leonidas, and the movie… some interesting observations: 

1. One of the greatest blessings of man is to beget a son. If you have birth your first born child as a son, consider yourself infinitely blessed. The greatest blessing that reality could bestow you with. For the most part, I think the more kids, the jollier the better. In fact, nowadays whenever I see families with 3 kids, 4 kids, 5 kids… I think “Wow… that family is grand”. Then what that signals is not that the family is “rich“ in the traditional sense, but has their priority in their future generations, and cares more about begetting children than their “career”.
2. The best clothing is no or minimal clothing. The whole film, all of the actors and the Spartan hoplites and King Leonidas are simply wearing loincloths, or reinforced speedo’s. Therefore, the best pants are short shorts. And the best shirt or top is bare chested, no shirt. I suppose the nuance is back then, they wore a cape– a crimson cape. Is there such thing as a modern day cape?
3. Ultimately, it comes down to physical valor and courage. Note, in movie 300… all the Spartan hoplites what they had — their muscles, their courage, their helmets, their sword spear and shield. No vehicles.

The Spartan way

I then suppose if you want to become a true Spartan, have at least one son, to carry on your name. In the movie 300, king Leonidas confirms with all of his 300 Spartan hoplites whether they had at least one son to carry on their name, because they all essentially knew that it would die in combat.

So it seems to me that the logical strategy in life is to beget at least one son, and then direct all your money resources time and power to raise that son with the greatest of benefits. 

Before I had a son, before I had Seneca… I would look at all these guys who looked super rich and drove all these expensive cars as being some sort of “competition” with me. But now, they are all invisible to me. Why? a lot of them are single bachelors not even married, no kids. When they die, their whole lineage is dead. So to me I look at them like the walking (to be) dead.

Then I look at more older richer “successful“ looking parents in LA; and then I look at their kids, and I weigh Seneca against them; Seneca is much stronger, bigger, taller, more handsome, more muscular, more physically adept then them. The Spartan warrior boy who eats picanha at Fogo de Chão, with a carnivorous diet, versus all of these emaciated feeble looking children who are fed on grain and Cheerios.

So now, the only comparisons I do is looking at young boys around Seneca’s age, and looking at Seneca. Everything and everyone else is invisible to me.

The role of a father?

I think the simple role of a father is to simply raise, train, and battle ready your child. 

Simply put, I think the best strategy of raising your son is maximum time outdoors, in the direct elements, maximum time with physical activity exercise and the great outdoors, climbing, being in the water, throwing rocks in the water, eating meat etc. All this nonsense about “education” is overrated.

Just ask yourself:

What would king Leonidas do?

Howard King Leonidas raise his son?

“Education”?

If your kid is born in America, and has two educated parents… certainly whether you like it or not, they will learn how to be fluent in English, learn the English language, without even trying.

In fact, the ultimate education and learning happens in the real world.

I have the ultimate pride in Seneca, from a via negativa perspective:

1. Since he was born, he has never watched any YouTube, Disney+, YouTube kids, Netflix etc.
2. Since he was born he has never been put into preschool, daycare, “Montessori” school etc.
3. He has never eaten candy, ice cream, desserts or cake, etc.
4. He has never been exposed to movies films TV shows Marvel etc.

Then the irony is to privilege your kid, it isn’t about “adding“ activities or extracurricular activities for them; but rather what not to give them or what not to allow them to do.

Life?

I think the ideal life is not being employed, being self-employed and being a sole proprietor. If you see people who have to make zoom calls for a living, go to any office, or send emails for a living… they are not free. Freedom is the goal, not wealth. 

During the day, the ideal is to just be outside all day. If you are worried about the sun, just wear a lot of sunblock, wear a hat, baseball cap, or one of those funny wide brimmed hiking hats. I used to think that they were really lame, those hats which are really really big and long in the front, and really really long in the back to protect your neck. But now, I understand the rationale. And if you want to protect your body just wear long pants and long sleeves. 

An epiphany I also had about weather; even the most glorious of weather, not that the sun is in full blast in Los Angeles, the big issue is now the sun is almost too strong — even wearing SPF 60 sunblock, the UV rays of the sun feels like pins and needles on my shoulders and on top of my forehead. And also watching the Dune movie, all of the fighters of Arrakis essentially look like Middle Eastern people, all covered up, besides the eyes – Paul Atriedes at the very end, full battle gear, head and face covered besides the blue spice-infused eyes.

Then what that also means is when it is cold or the winter… Dress intelligently. Lots of layers. If you get too hot just take off layers. Just like when it is too hot, just keep taking clothes off until there are no more clothes to takeoff. 

---

What else?

If you have the privilege, hit the beach! Just go barefoot in the sand and the water, just dip your feet and your legs and your body into the ocean. And then just stare into the deep ocean, with the waves crashing directly into and at you.

The big epiphany I had about the ocean is this:

Infinite power and horizons, never ending … forever.

I even thought, maybe the best bitcoin mining rig would just be a mega computer in the middle of the ocean, harnessing the forever power of the ocean, gravity and the solar system.

Now what?

If you want a simple trip that is not too difficult, just go on a hike in nature, or just hit the beach! I think there is a grand connection between man his environment and nature; he spent too much time in a cramped city, I think your horizon narrows. Even the simple action of staring into the sea… You know that your future is infinite. 

ERIC

---

INCOMING!

Conquer the planet and beyond at upcoming ERIC KIM WORKSHOP:

1. SF: Conquer your fears, October 26, 2024
2. DOWNTOWN LA– the OG: Conquer your fears in street photography and beyond November 16, 2024

For the insanely bold–

CAMBODIA 2025 ANGKOR WORKSHOP EXPERIENCE

---

Now what?

Never stop shooting!

ERIC

---

Start here, Books, News

Also for fun —

Upload your best photos to arsbeta.com

Upload Your Photos Here >

---

The more you shoot, the happier you will be!

ERIC KIM BLOG

---

Unlimited Capital

Spartan frugality

To conserve — but … towards what ends and for the sake of what?

Advice for Apple; for example, Apple vision pro… don’t put a face behind it, just highlight the product! Old school Steve Jobs and Jony Ive style!

Born into captivity, also, the next generation born will also be born into the next captivity?

Zoo analogy for human beings 

Visited the LA zoo yesterday, great experience, but the interesting thoughts; especially when going to the grill exhibit, briefly making eye contact with the gorilla which is actually very human-esque—

These gorillas want freedom, and they know that they’re enslaved.

Also as a metaphor, humans that essentially live their existence like a zoo exhibit, and also the next generation will also be born into that same captivity? 

Fear is always a constant, but accepting it is what makes you stronger

.

Human economy

Division of labor

Labor in human economy

Timestamp Server

Later Blocks are chained after it

Speak your mind

What should a free man do?

..l

The mind the eyes the soul are sensitive.

The will to win?

Example, cyber property not physical property. Bitcoin over real estate 

For example, ChatGPT which is essentially a large natural language learning model, thrives on text based information. As a consequence, contrary to what people think, blogging is now 1000 times more important with AI 

I just started re-watching the movie 300, and apparently when the film was made, Gerald Butler, a.k.a. King Leonidas was about my age, 36.

And actually critically looking at his physique, very impressive… In fact I have a more jacked impressive physique.

Eric Kim has indeed developed a notably muscular physique, which he attributes to a disciplined lifestyle that includes specific dietary practices and intense exercise routines. Here are some of the key elements he follows:

1. Intermittent Fasting: Kim follows a regimen of not eating breakfast or lunch and instead consuming one large meal in the evening. His diet is 100% carnivore, focusing solely on meat.
2. Strict Dietary Restrictions: He avoids alcohol, weed, starches, vegetables, fiber, fruit, nuts, and sugar. This strict diet aids in maintaining a low body fat percentage and high muscle definition.
3. Heavy Weightlifting: Kim engages in extremely heavy weightlifting exercises such as hypelifting, Atlas lifts, and rack pulls. These exercises are designed to build substantial muscle mass and strength.
4. Calisthenics: In addition to weightlifting, Kim also incorporates calisthenics into his fitness routine, which helps in enhancing his muscular endurance and definition.

These practices reflect Kim’s commitment to building and maintaining a muscular physique, which he views as a status symbol and an essential aspect of his personal brand and lifestyle oai_citation:1,Your Physique – ERIC KIM oai_citation:2,THINK PHYSIQUE – ERIC KIM oai_citation:3,EK PHYSIQUE – ERIC KIM oai_citation:4,PHYSIQUE? – ERIC KIM oai_citation:5,Physique is the new status symbol – ERIC KIM.

Accept fear

Fear is always a constant, but accepting it is what makes you stronger

.

Human economy

Division of labor

Labor in human economy

Timestamp Server

Later Blocks are chained after it

Speak your mind

What should a free man do?

..l

The mind the eyes the soul are sensitive.

Books and reading is for poor people?

..

“Everybody’s telepathically connected to everybody.

But that’s, you know, that telepathic thing, if you ever watch one of those X-Men movies, the teenage girl is a telepath and when her telepathy starts working, she starts hearing the thoughts of everybody around her. And then she starts hearing the thoughts of the serial killers and the criminals. And if she doesn’t figure out how to tune out those thoughts, she goes insane, right?

And it’s an apt metaphor in a world where everybody can talk to everyone instantly via one platform. What happens if the person running the platform goes insane? What happens if they get angry?”

From You’re The Voice | by Efrat Fenigson: Ep. 32: Michael Saylor – The Virtuous Network, Jun 24, 2024
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/youre-the-voice-by-efrat-fenigson/id1692773110?i=1000660029707
This material may be protected by copyright.

“And we’re just getting a lot more feedback in our systems today because all these things are looping into each other. And, you know, I pick up my phone and, you know, and the phone provider can actually put a public service warning on the phone for 400, 1422 days in a row, it’ll tell you you ought to be panicked in order to protect you. But the point is, if I poke you 1400 times in a row, if you were healthy, you won’t be when I finish.”

From You’re The Voice | by Efrat Fenigson: Ep. 32: Michael Saylor – The Virtuous Network, Jun 24, 2024
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/youre-the-voice-by-efrat-fenigson/id1692773110?i=1000660029707
This material may be protected by copyright.

Bitcoin as digital capital

Global capital

“I call it the mycelium, because it’s just like with mushrooms in nature. The trees are benefiting from the other flowers next to them, thanks to this mycelium that connects all of them together.”

From You’re The Voice | by Efrat Fenigson: Ep. 32: Michael Saylor – The Virtuous Network, Jun 24, 2024
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/youre-the-voice-by-efrat-fenigson/id1692773110?i=1000660029707
This material may be protected by copyright

Virtuous network

50% yield

“Their objection is they don’t want people to take more than $50,000 a year in capital outside of China. So if you buy $10 million of Bitcoin, put it in a hardware wallet and leave the country, you violated the capital controls. But if you buy $10 million of Bitcoin via an ETF in Shanghai, and the Bitcoin is then purchased by the exchange and costodied in China, the Chinese banking system benefits, the Chinese currency benefits, the Chinese culture benefits, the Chinese government gets their taxes, the Chinese investors get Bitcoin.”

From You’re The Voice | by Efrat Fenigson: Ep. 32: Michael Saylor – The Virtuous Network, Jun 24, 2024
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/youre-the-voice-by-efrat-fenigson/id1692773110?i=1000660029707
This material may be protected by copyright.

$400 T Capital

$900T wealth in the world

Pure economic energy

Monetary union

Buy levered equity

We are 6 months into year one

“nobody remembers when they were mean to you, right? Except you remember. And if you remember and take it personally, you never make the sale.”

From You’re The Voice | by Efrat Fenigson: Ep. 32: Michael Saylor – The Virtuous Network, Jun 24, 2024
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/youre-the-voice-by-efrat-fenigson/id1692773110?i=1000660029707
This material may be protected by copyright.

Slow is fine!

Slow and forever

Recovery

White is best in LA.

Untameable

What is the role and task of modern day society? To tame the individual, to tame the beast-man. 

For example, if you think about almost all K-12 education, even at the college University level… What does it aim towards? Obedience, ability to sedate children to sit down, be quiet, listen to the teacher etc.

For example, even when I think about traditional elementary school, it seems mostly disturbing that kids only get about 30 minutes or an hour of free play, outside today? There’s too much focus on “education”– this amorphus concept of “education.”

Most books are bad?

Recently, I’ve been taking Seneca a lot to these public libraries. We typically think the following:

More books, more reading … “more” better.

For example, we think about it in simple vector arithmetic forms. The more books you add to your brain, the more words and pages and books you consume, the “more” smart, virtuous, noble, and superior you will become. 

But the issue here, going to the library, honestly 99.99% of these books are bad.

For example, a lot of these books which are made for children are either dumb, or, they encourage strange morality. A lot of these books return for kids now are snarky And mostly written for the shits and giggles for parents.

Weird kids at the park?

Another hesitance and reticence of puddings Seneca in school; most kids at the park or actually really strange? With strange parents?

For example, a lot of these kids who are obviously older than Seneca, because they talk really well and in full sentences etc.… They have strange morality, and also, strange ethics. Strange playground and workflows.

Then you look at the parents… Look a little bit disturbed, all out on their phones, checking dumb Instagram and watching YouTube videos, while their kids are playing at the park, vying for their attention?

iPhones are the new dumbing down tool. 

I have a very simple idea for  parents, children, and adults alike:

Lock up your iPhones in the glove compartment of your car, or just leave it at home when you go out.

It is almost like a metaphorical analogy of tying yourself to the mast a la Odysseus.

For example, if you really really want to be 100%, 1000% present with your child when you’re at the park with them, very very simple, turn off your phone, put inside the glove compartment, close it, then play with your kid at the park!

Another funny workflow or hacks; if your kid wants to play on the iPad, make it a rule that you are not allowed to watch or do anything on the iPad at home, only at the park, or the downtown area.

I even have an idea for adults; perhaps the rule should be you are not allowed to use your phone, laptop, iPad at home endorse; only outside, in the direct sun!

The sun

We checked out this new super space book from the library the other day, and Cindy was reading it to Seneca before sleeping, and an interesting fact:

One second, of the power of the sun could power the entire earth for 27,000 years.

This is insane.

It looks like now, summer is upon us, literally about four days ago, the sun came out in full force! Personally for me, this is my utopia in Paradise being in Los Angeles, but even yesterday… The sun almost became too strong for me. Even with SPF 60 sunblock on, The sunrays on my skin started to feel like pins and needles on my forehead, my forearms, the back of my neck, etc.  it is so strong that I am contemplating on starting to wear a baseball cap more frequently, and also, wearing long sleeved button up, popping the color to protect my neck.

Anyways essentially, I think the new man is the man who best embraces in channels and harnesses and utilizes the environment to his benefit.

Air conditioning weakens you

I think the only legitimate time to use air-conditioning is if you live in a very very hot and humid place, turning it on for sleep. But besides this, air-conditioning I think is positively bad for you. Especially when you pair it with being indoors, and also with the air conditioning on.

For example even being at the public library, which is indoors, dark and air condition… Being outside and being indoors is literally night and day.

When I am outside, either in the shade or the sun, I immediately feel more energy, power, more zest for life. The second that I go indoors, it is dark and cramped, with air conditioning on… It immediately lulls me to sleep,  and also, shuts down my physiology? 

And then I think, essentially the big issue here is adults, maybe even children now have been conditioned to prefer being indoors, like domesticated cattle, or tamed bulls?

The raging bull

Essentially, what is cattle? A male cow? Or whatever? A castrated cow.

For men and for us men… it is obvious that our power comes from our balls. Our testicles. 

A very very simple observation: the genetic difference between men and woman is situated in the issue of testicles or no testicles.

It doesn’t even matter what your sexual orientation is, or your self-professed gender. The better question:

Do you got balls or no balls?

Honestly, all of this debate and politicking  about sex, gender, sexual orientation etc.… It seems here the issue is that people somehow want to deny the scientific laws of physiology?

For example, testes. Or ovaries. If you are a woman with ovaries, or if you experience a sort of menstrual cycle, certainly when you are experiencing hormonal shifts during your menstrual cycle, you will feel act and behaved differently than if you don’t have one. And this is independent whatever your sexual preferences are.

But… I think that women will never understand about men, is that men we have testosterone. How does testosterone manifest itself? Simple: it gives us power and force when we need it, for example, if you want to lift 1000 pounds … you will certainly want to harness and channel your testosterone to your benefit. It seems very foolish too rub one out really quick before lifting 1000 pounds.

Or, I am very dubious that Hafthor rubbed one out really quickly before dead lifting his infamous 502 kg dead lift.

---

These body parts aren’t free

“This dick ain’t free”– Drake

Another funny gendered truism:

More often than not, it seems that the goal is for men to seduce women in order to bed them, and will often spend largest sums of money directly or indirectly to do this… But never never the other way around? 

For example, assuming that man is the world to power, and man desires more power, in theory the optimal strategy is to never release your seminal fluid. Apparently this is called “semen retention”. And also the funny new pseudo masculine walk strategy is to see how long you could retain your semen, before in naturally emissions itself in your sleep.

I think the superstition that boxers should not have sex the night before the big fight is a good one.

Also, ancient Chinese notions of Yang and Yang; apparently one man ejects his semen, it is considered that he is losing his Yang, a bad thing. Therefore as a consequence, the theory for life for a Chinese Emperor was for him to bed as many women virgins as possible, but he was not allowed to ejaculate? Blue balling yourself for immortality.

Science?

Certainly much of science, the scientific method of inquiry is a good one. Cause and effect, experimentation. 

However, often we fall victim to something called “scientism“– the basic ideas that it sounds like signs, but in fact, it is hocus-pocus, uncritical.

For example, this nonsensical notion of “calories“,” burning“ calories. 

The insane idea is that somehow, the average human being “burns” 2000 calories a day, and in order to not get fat, you must “burn” 2000 calories a day. 

My personal theory is that this pseudoscience is promoted by the Coca-Cola corporation, who wants you to “balance“ what you eat consume and how you move. 

For example, the reason why this is so pernicious is that somehow, let us see I drink that mini Coca-Cola can, which has “only” 1000 calories — then the ideas that if I worked out and I’m fit or whatever, or I don’t “consume“ that many calories in a day, I somehow will not get fat and get diabetes.

Then as a consequence, one ends up drinking juice, quinoa salads, and still continues to consume Coca-Cola, and that person ends up getting fat, poor blood sugar levels, and the individuals confused on why this is the case.

Any level of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, Splenda, real or fake sweeteners is toxic.

Or another words, trust no human being who drinks “0 cal“ sweetened beverages, soda or Coca-Cola, even in “moderation”. Also, trust no thinker who smokes marijuana, consumes marijuana, CBD, or alcohol.

Have you ever met a 100% sober academic?

Or–

Have you ever met a vegetarian or vegan who did not drink beer, wine, alcohol or spirits, or partook in marijuana?

I think if alcohol was not vegetarian or vegan, you would see a lot fewer vegetarians and vegans. 

Untaming yourself 

If you are a bull, and let us say that you are a fighting bull, is it a good idea to castrate yourself if your objective is to fight? No.

I think a modern day society, man is metaphorically castrating himself. And also, denying his beast like attributes, as well as lowering his testosterone?

For example, marijuana, alcohol lowers your testosterone. Also, sugar and starches lower your testosterone.

I cannot speak from the female perspective because I am not a woman, but, thinking critically about male things is a good idea. 

So what should I do?

In the realm of photography and street photography, I think one of the critical concerns that people got is photographing children now that I am a parent, and I have a young child, the calculus is simple:

I have zero problems if a photographer or street photographer wants to photograph Seneca. I would just prefer they don’t do it with a telephoto lens hiding behind a bush.

Creepiness is proportional to focal length. 

What that means is this; if you don’t want to look creepy, don’t use a telephoto lens. Only use wide-angle prime lenses. 

And also, no need to be hidden stealth and candid all the time; even Henri Cartier-Breason used to shoot street photography with a handkerchief tied around his Leica camera, and would pretend to sneeze when shooting pictures. I find this a bit creepy. 

“How would you feel if somebody photographed you without your permission“?

I wouldn’t mind. In fact, I would feel flattered.

This is where ethics becomes so interesting;

My ethics don’t need to be proportional to your ethics in order for me to be legitimate.

Now what?

My simple line of ethics is to do things, 100% naked and transparent, which means, never do anything in secret public or private that you wouldn’t be comfortable having your wife or kid know.

For example —  I would not encourage a man or a father to look at certain images or videos that he would not be comfortable having his son know that his father is doing in secret or in Google incognito, with bay browser, with a VPN, or with any sort of “privacy”, preserving tools. Also the issue with privacy is I wonder… how much of this fake privacy stuff has to deal with people watching strange pornography on the Internet?

Don’t watch porn that you would not feel comfortable having your kid know that you’re watching.

---

How to live a virtuous life?

Virtue is what we seek. I think even with our children, the goal is to raise virtuous kids? Even my best man Justin told me in regards to child rearing; he just doesn’t want to raise a degenerate kid.

I wonder if the first thing:

Perhaps good parenting is “via negativa”– what don’t you want your kids to become to grow up.

For example, I don’t want Seneca to become a degenerate, drug consumer, smoke weed etc.

In fact, I recently discovered that a lot of these really rich families, and issue with the children; they get addicted to methamphetamine, partying with women on yachts, blowing through the family wealth.

What I want to teach Seneca to become a Spartan voice; simple, stoic and hard.

What that means is imputing my ethics and morality into him, which is centered around virtue, simplicity, courage and strength. Also, physical valor.

First, seek to become your own ideal

I was talking to a dad the other day about who the greatest basketball player was of all time, and it is either Michael Jordan, LeBron James, or Kobe Bryant. Why? Their will to win.

On one hand, the notion of winning were losing as a bad one because in real life, this notion does not exist, only in games, or sports.

I suppose in ancient Greek times, if you think about the Iliad, the simple calculus was who kills who? 

For example, as long as nobody could kill Achilles in combat, he is the victor. And also, Lee it doesn’t matter your philosophy or worldview, if somebody else kills you in battle, you are the loser.

Don’t get killed

Then perhaps the first notion of success is not getting killed.

Then, if you are babysitting your nieces or nephews for the weekend, the best way to return them to their parents is “alive and intact”.

---

Don’t let your kid die 

Living here in Los Angeles, it seems that the biggest issue here is that  it seems there is actually a very high likelihood of dying in a car accident, getting hit by cars, have your kid die in a car accident, we’re having your kid get killed by a car that runs a red, either by accident or intentionally.

Some thoughts:

1. First, if your child is still young, and you’re living in the city, the rule is they are not allowed to cross the street. It doesn’t matter if your kid is the most intelligent kid in the world. Even a car driving at 15 mph hour or 25 mph could be lethal, especially to a small and young 3 1/2-year-old child.
2. Non-distracted driving? Certainly the change begins with yourself. I made it a rule along time ago to never listen to any music or podcasts when I am driving in my car. I only use my phone for GPS and Google maps, everything else is off. In fact, the critical issue here was that I was listening to a podcast, while in Berkeley, and there was some sort of annoying pre-roll advertisement I think on Tim Farris’s audio podcast, and I was trying to skip it, and while trying to skip it on my smart phone, I almost got into a car accident.

Laser eyes?

Laser eyes are the future. You don’t want to enslave your eyeballs to a foreign screen or device.

For example, when I think about the real world, when I think about embodied reality, the world is like one mega jumbo screen, four dimensions, infinite.

Then I think that people enslaved their eyeballs to a tiny 5 inch screen, this is bad.

Simple thoughts:

1. Get rid of those iPhone Pro’s. Honestly, Apple coming up with the iPhone Pro, a shameless cash grab. If Steve Jobs were still alive I don’t think he would ever let it fly. Also — Jony Ive. I have a theory that even Joni I was reluctant to design and produce the iPhone pro, because he knew that it violated the design ethics of Steve Jobs and Apple.
2. Get outside! Am I the only person on the planet who walks around town, with his iPad Pro, and voice dictates everything?

---

Building the future 

Stop buying those iPhones buy those bitcoins!

Recently my neighbor just bought a brand new Porsche 718 S, and I thought to myself:

Wow, that $80,000 would be a lot better invested into bitcoin.

Assuming that bitcoin 10 X’s, 100 x’s, or even 1000x’s from here…  that means $80,000 will turn into $800,000, turns into $8 million, turns into $80 million.

If your automobile, that money you sink into it would be worth $80 million even 10 years from now… Would you do that trade? No.

Even cybertruck; which I consider the best vehicle created of all time; I would love to have one, but I think the more intelligent strategy is to transform your body into a cybertruck, and just put your moneys into bitcoin instead. 

Why? The simple math is even from a conservative perspective, bitcoin has been going up at least 50 to 55% year over year. What that then means is if you just do a simple calculation or graph using ChatGPT pro , your $1 million in bitcoin today will be worth $57,000,000 10 years from now, $57 million, or $3 billion dollars years from now. 
And in 30 years, your bitcoin will be worth $191 Billion dollars.

Or other maths:

1. 6 years until you hit $10M
2. 12 years until you hit $100M
3. 18 years until you hit $1B– which is not that long that is when Seneca turns 21.

Do you remember when Google first IPOd, when Facebook first IPOd, when Amazon first IPOd and everyone thought that it was stupid? 

Or, do you remember when the first iPhone two came out, and everyone thought it was insane that it had no physical keyboard like a blackberry?

Or, do you remember when Steve Jobs first announce the iPad, and people were angry that it didn’t have any USB ports?

Everyone will always ridicule something until they get one. 

For example, the joke with the iPad is they called it an “I tampon”.

How many people who were die hard blackberry users, now use an iPhone?  And thinking about the future, how many foolish people with a Ford F150, or even worse, an F150 raptor will eventually trade in all their cars just buy a Cybertruck truck? 

Or, all of these early adopters of the Rivian truck, how much of them are secretly jealous or envious or desired that they had a cyber truck instead?

Even myself, I was a diehard user of android phones for a very very long time, even having the original android HTC Evo — but even myself eventually I figured out that iPhone and iOS was 1 trillion times better, and eventually I even switched.

Same thing goes with computers, I was always anti-apple, but once I got my first 11 inch MacBook Air, realized I was a fool for using windows all along.

I wonder if the line of thinking will be for bitcoin; when people finally do get bitcoin, they will think:

Why didn’t I buy bitcoin earlier?

---

Financial thinking

I think the simplest way to become more frugal is assume that the $1,000 you spend today will multiplied by a factor of 10, 100, or 1000 just a few years from now. If this is the case, how would your spending behaviors change? 

The $1000 iPhone Pro you purchase will become 10,000, 100,000, $1 million in 10 years. Then the optimal strategy maximally frugal; the true capitalist just uses an iPhone SE.

Technology x Capitalism

We are the new capitalists. Bitcoin is the way.

ERIC

***

I think we tend to like to make a big ruckus about things; simply put, the best strategy is to just ignore. Turn the blind eye, blind shoulder.

---

Just pretend like you’re a cop

Or just pretend like you’re SWAT? 

---

It doesn’t cost you anything to make your wife happy

Better to have a high maintenance wife than high maintenance car?

---

Cars or humans?

The most interesting newsletter alive?

Non toxic news

.

The irony; on one hand, we like to preach fake notions of “freedom of speech and expression”, especially when it comes to your section gender or whatever.

Yet, somehow, when it comes to our thoughts, we must censor ourselves? 

When somebody asked Diogenes , “what is the greatest human good? He said, freedom of speech.

I suppose the issue here is what if you are racist sexist or bad or evil person?

Ist?

You could be anti-whatever you want. You could be pro whatever you want.

I suppose they should here is are you allowed to be anti-?

For example, in terms of legality or freedom of speech or expression or whatever… Is one permitted to be “anti” transgender – but pro LGBTQ in general?

Or, am I allowed to be anti-transgender, but pro transsexual?

Or, are you allowed to be a Democrat and a liberal and vote for Donald Trump?

The boundaries are becoming strange?

For example, Republicans, right wing conservatives, people who wave around the confederate flag, support Israel? I always thought that the right, the conservative is the Republicans the confederate flag people and the people who like guns and whatever… Are anti-Jewish, anti-Semitic?

I suppose this is also where Kanye was so innovative; being an African-American black man voting Republican? Typically the African-American black community votes Democrat, Barack Obama etc.; are you allowed to change sides? Or are you allowed to just not choose any side?

Not voting?

If you do not agree with any side, is it permitted or virtuous to just not vote?

For example, this upcoming election cycle… I like that Donald Trump is pro bitcoin, but for the most part, Donald Trump is certainly a terrible human being. At least the way he talks with or about women etc.  for example, the fact that he said grabbing women by the pussy and throwing them around is certainly bad. That alone he will not get my vote.

Yet I am not for Joe Biden, it seems that he is secretly funneling money into his family and his son and whatever, and also, promoting war?

Tragedy porn

The problem with virtual reality is that it is not addictive

White and gold, white and bronze

White clothes, gold chains

.

Gay, queer, LGBT, LGBTQ people should have kids ?

Just fix it or repair it or mend it

Eye pollution