The United States needs a strategic bitcoin reserve, and Senator Cynthia Lummis says that we were going to build a strategic bitcoin reserve for America.

MicroStrategy is a bitcoin treasury company, backed by bitcoin reserves.

So I have a vision, it is titled paradise bitcoin. What is the general idea?

---

First, my first entrepreneurial venture was a one when I was around 15 years old, my friend ERIC Moon just taught me how to build computers, using the thermal pace on the processors and everything, and he gave me a simple idea; I could build a computer super super cheap, buy the parts myself and put the parts together, and then I could sell it for a small profit, like 100 bucks or something. When I registered the eBay seller account, I called it “paradise computers”. I still remember I used Adobe Photoshop, and I used the little icon of the beach palm tree, and I made it bright orange, and I would use all these pictures of babes, two plaster advertisements for my awesome computers.

Why paradise? Simply put, aren’t we all seeking paradise?

For example, in terms of bitcoin, to me it really is kind of a paradise thing; something in which we are seeking some sort of economic paradise.

For example, everyone loves and cares for money, whether it be deep or superficial. But assuming that you own an iPhone, use Wi-Fi, then the truth is ain’t nobody can exist without money.

I think also a sociological intervention that I understand;  money is just human technology. There is nothing on the planet that intrinsically has any words, the worth of something is what society agrees on that has value, so you think of the sociology of money is super fascinating.

For example, why do we value gold? According to Fernand Nagai‘s on money, he says that we prize cold because it is rare, stable, and just has a beautiful color which is very very fitting to adore your children with gold jewelry, also for women. So he thought that it was useful because it was easily transportable, the color in itself was beautiful, and that it was just a beautiful object. But even he knew the rules of monetary inflation, for example when outlining the discovery of the New World, he noted that the price of plummeted, with a huge influx of gold from the Americas. Also he wisely noted that there were many countries in which silver was actually more valued than gold, and he even talks about how gold, at least 10 times as valuable as Bronze, talking about the “bad and portray that one of the heroes did in the Elliot, trading his armor that was worth 100 auction, of gold, for a tin one which is considered a lot  less worth it, about 10 times less.

Anyways, in the world of assets, it is very tricky; you got securities, which aren’t really worth anything in itself, they are predicated on companies, company policies, rules and regulations, the SCC, the rules of the stock market etc.

 to me, the extreme magic of bitcoin is that it is an asset without an issue, which means that it is the world‘s first true digital commodity, which is based in real life physics, as it requires real life analog energy to mine and produce. Not only that, it is now a $1.4 trillion acid class, only worth about 500 billion maybe three or four years ago, so simply put, it is growing at a wonderfully alarming rate.

It’s kind of like iPhone penetration, or social media penetration. For example there is an extreme network effect here; if you are Facebook, and you have a place to post your pictures and your status updates, you get all your friends to join, they get their friends to join, and as a consequence, everyone benefits from this monetary and social network.

Assuming that bitcoin is like the new Facebook or social media of money, which is connected to all 8 billion people on the planet, kind of a big deal.

Why? You could own bitcoin and be in south Sudan, Nigeria, Lagos, Vietnam Sweden or Dubai, and even if you own a few Satoshi‘s or a fraction of a bitcoin, you are my brother!

And not only that, but I was actually thinking about it… bitcoin truly may be the first real perfect property, also a digital property.

For example, one of the major issues and headaches about real property, like real estate, commercial real estate, even owning a single-family home is that you have to deal with property taxes, law law, regulations, politics, local politics, national and federal politics etc. Also you have to make friends with the local politicians the mayor, to slide by regulations etc.

Now I think politics is fine; but, technically the problem about it it is “unfair “; if your best friends with one of the local politicians, you have an edge, but if you don’t know nobody, you are at a slight disadvantage.

---

Economic paradise

So I don’t know any human being who doesn’t want to be rich and have a lot of money, whether they use their wealth for good or bad or whatever… Everyone loves money, everyone loves talking about it etc. But I suppose the difficult thing is how do you approach money in a way That is philosophical meaningful and also good, not superficial but deep, striving to approach it in such a way which is good for you society etc.

Now some thoughts; first, you cannot blame people if the money itself is toxic. For example, assuming that sewage water, you cannot get angry or upset, assuming that it is their fault for getting dysentery; no, the simple causation; the toxic water supply is causing the dysentery, not somehow the moral degeneracies of said individual. 

So take this stuff for dinner, assuming that bitcoin is the world’s first perfect money, which is tamper proof resistant, ethical, and open, then if this is the case, the best way to think and consider things is that maybe half of the world’s problems which are predicated on money is not a moral individualistic problem, but rather, a technological problem.

What if being confrontational were a virtue?

Paradise Bitcoin

So I have a vision, it is titled paradise bitcoin. What is the general idea,?

First, my first entrepreneurial venture was a one when I was around 15 years old, my friend ERIC Moon just taught me how to build computers, using the thermal pace on the processors and everything, and he gave me a simple idea; I could build a computer super super cheap, buy the parts myself and put the parts together, and then I could sell it for a small profit, like 100 bucks or something. When I registered the eBay seller account, I called it “paradise computers”. I still remember I used Adobe Photoshop, and I used the little icon of the beach palm tree, and I made it bright orange, and I would use all these pictures of babes, two plaster advertisements for my awesome computers.

Why paradise? Simply put, aren’t we all seeking paradise?

For example, in terms of bitcoin, to me it really is kind of a paradise thing; something in which we are seeking some sort of economic paradise.

For example, everyone loves and cares for money, whether it be deep or superficial. But assuming that you own an iPhone, use Wi-Fi, then the truth is ain’t nobody can exist without money.

I think also a sociological intervention that I understand;  money is just human technology. There is nothing on the planet that intrinsically has any words, the worth of something is what society agrees on that has value, so you think of the sociology of money is super fascinating.

For example, why do we value gold? According to Fernand Nagai‘s on money, he says that we prize cold because it is rare, stable, and just has a beautiful color which is very very fitting to adore your children with gold jewelry, also for women. So he thought that it was useful because it was easily transportable, the color in itself was beautiful, and that it was just a beautiful object. But even he knew the rules of monetary inflation, for example when outlining the discovery of the New World, he noted that the price of plummeted, with a huge influx of gold from the Americas. Also he wisely noted that there were many countries in which silver was actually more valued than gold, and he even talks about how gold, at least 10 times as valuable as Bronze, talking about the “bad and portray that one of the heroes did in the Elliot, trading his armor that was worth 100 auction, of gold, for a tin one which is considered a lot  less worth it, about 10 times less.

Anyways, in the world of assets, it is very tricky; you got securities, which aren’t really worth anything in itself, they are predicated on companies, company policies, rules and regulations, the SCC, the rules of the stock market etc.

 to me, the extreme magic of bitcoin is that it is an asset without an issue, which means that it is the world‘s first true digital commodity, which is based in real life physics, as it requires real life analog energy to mine and produce. Not only that, it is now a $1.4 trillion acid class, only worth about 500 billion maybe three or four years ago, so simply put, it is growing at a wonderfully alarming rate.

It’s kind of like iPhone penetration, or social media penetration. For example there is an extreme network effect here; if you are Facebook, and you have a place to post your pictures and your status updates, you get all your friends to join, they get their friends to join, and as a consequence, everyone benefits from this monetary and social network.

Assuming that bitcoin is like the new Facebook or social media of money, which is connected to all 8 billion people on the planet, kind of a big deal.

Why? You could own bitcoin and be in south Sudan, Nigeria, Lagos, Vietnam Sweden or Dubai, and even if you own a few Satoshi‘s or a fraction of a bitcoin, you are my brother!

And not only that, but I was actually thinking about it… bitcoin truly may be the first real perfect property, also a digital property.

For example, one of the major issues and headaches about real property, like real estate, commercial real estate, even owning a single-family home is that you have to deal with property taxes, law law, regulations, politics, local politics, national and federal politics etc. Also you have to make friends with the local politicians the mayor, to slide by regulations etc.

Now I think politics is fine; but, technically the problem about it it is “unfair “; if your best friends with one of the local politicians, you have an edge, but if you don’t know nobody, you are at a slight disadvantage.

---

Economic paradise

So I don’t know any human being who doesn’t want to be rich and have a lot of money, whether they use their wealth for good or bad or whatever… Everyone loves money, everyone loves talking about it etc. But I suppose the difficult thing is how do you approach money in a way That is philosophical meaningful and also good, not superficial but deep, striving to approach it in such a way which is good for you society etc.

Now some thoughts; first, you cannot blame people if the money itself is toxic. For example, assuming that sewage water, you cannot get angry or upset, assuming that it is their fault for getting dysentery; no, the simple causation; the toxic water supply is causing the dysentery, not somehow the moral degeneracies of said individual. 

So take this stuff for dinner, assuming that bitcoin is the world’s first perfect money, which is tamper proof resistant, ethical, and open, then if this is the case, the best way to think and consider things is that maybe half of the world’s problems which are predicated on money is not a moral individualistic problem, but rather, a technological problem.

Eric Kim is a prominent street photographer, educator, and blogger known for his contributions to making street photography accessible and engaging for photographers worldwide.

Career and Contributions

• Street Photography Workshops: Eric Kim has conducted numerous workshops globally, teaching techniques and philosophies of street photography. His hands-on approach helps participants overcome the fear of shooting in public and develop their unique styles.

• Educational Content: Through his website, erickimphotography.com, he offers a wealth of resources including blog posts, tutorials, and free e-books. His writings cover a range of topics from technical advice to the psychological aspects of photography.

• Philosophy: Kim emphasizes the importance of personal expression and the human experience in photography. He encourages photographers to find joy in the process rather than focusing solely on the end result.

• Publications: He has authored several books such as “Street Photography 101” and “Learn from the Masters”, where he distills lessons from iconic photographers and shares his insights.

Notable Projects

• Open Source Photography: Advocating for open sharing of knowledge, Kim provides many of his educational materials for free, promoting inclusivity in the photography community.

• Haptic Industries: Co-founded with his partner Cindy Nguyen, Haptic Industries produces photography tools, art, and educational materials, aiming to inspire creativity and mindful living.

Background

• Education: Eric Kim studied sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), which influences his interest in human interactions and social environments within his photography.

Online Presence

• Blog and Social Media: He maintains an active blog and engages with a large audience on platforms like YouTube, where he shares his work, thoughts on photography, and life philosophies.

Influence

Eric Kim’s approachable teaching style and dedication to sharing knowledge have made him a significant figure in contemporary street photography. His work continues to inspire both amateur and professional photographers to explore the streets with confidence and creativity.

So I have a vision, it is titled paradise bitcoin. What is the general idea,?

First, my first entrepreneurial venture was a one when I was around 15 years old, my friend ERIC Moon just taught me how to build computers, using the thermal pace on the processors and everything, and he gave me a simple idea; I could build a computer super super cheap, buy the parts myself and put the parts together, and then I could sell it for a small profit, like 100 bucks or something. When I registered the eBay seller account, I called it “paradise computers”. I still remember I used Adobe Photoshop, and I used the little icon of the beach palm tree, and I made it bright orange, and I would use all these pictures of babes, two plaster advertisements for my awesome computers.

Why paradise? Simply put, aren’t we all seeking paradise?

For example, in terms of bitcoin, to me it really is kind of a paradise thing; something in which we are seeking some sort of economic paradise.

For example, everyone loves and cares for money, whether it be deep or superficial. But assuming that you own an iPhone, use Wi-Fi, then the truth is ain’t nobody can exist without money.

I think also a sociological intervention that I understand;  money is just human technology. There is nothing on the planet that intrinsically has any words, the worth of something is what society agrees on that has value, so you think of the sociology of money is super fascinating.

For example, why do we value gold? According to Fernand Nagai‘s on money, he says that we prize cold because it is rare, stable, and just has a beautiful color which is very very fitting to adore your children with gold jewelry, also for women. So he thought that it was useful because it was easily transportable, the color in itself was beautiful, and that it was just a beautiful object. But even he knew the rules of monetary inflation, for example when outlining the discovery of the New World, he noted that the price of plummeted, with a huge influx of gold from the Americas. Also he wisely noted that there were many countries in which silver was actually more valued than gold, and he even talks about how gold, at least 10 times as valuable as Bronze, talking about the “bad and portray that one of the heroes did in the Elliot, trading his armor that was worth 100 auction, of gold, for a tin one which is considered a lot  less worth it, about 10 times less.

Anyways, in the world of assets, it is very tricky; you got securities, which aren’t really worth anything in itself, they are predicated on companies, company policies, rules and regulations, the SCC, the rules of the stock market etc.

 to me, the extreme magic of bitcoin is that it is an asset without an issue, which means that it is the world‘s first true digital commodity, which is based in real life physics, as it requires real life analog energy to mine and produce. Not only that, it is now a $1.4 trillion acid class, only worth about 500 billion maybe three or four years ago, so simply put, it is growing at a wonderfully alarming rate.

It’s kind of like iPhone penetration, or social media penetration. For example there is an extreme network effect here; if you are Facebook, and you have a place to post your pictures and your status updates, you get all your friends to join, they get their friends to join, and as a consequence, everyone benefits from this monetary and social network.

Assuming that bitcoin is like the new Facebook or social media of money, which is connected to all 8 billion people on the planet, kind of a big deal.

Why? You could own bitcoin and be in south Sudan, Nigeria, Lagos, Vietnam Sweden or Dubai, and even if you own a few Satoshi‘s or a fraction of a bitcoin, you are my brother!

And not only that, but I was actually thinking about it… bitcoin truly may be the first real perfect property, also a digital property.

For example, one of the major issues and headaches about real property, like real estate, commercial real estate, even owning a single-family home is that you have to deal with property taxes, law law, regulations, politics, local politics, national and federal politics etc. Also you have to make friends with the local politicians the mayor, to slide by regulations etc.

Now I think politics is fine; but, technically the problem about it it is “unfair “; if your best friends with one of the local politicians, you have an edge, but if you don’t know nobody, you are at a slight disadvantage.

---

Civility.

So I have a vision, it is titled paradise bitcoin. What is the general idea,?

First, my first entrepreneurial venture was a one when I was around 15 years old, my friend ERIC Moon just taught me how to build computers, using the thermal pace on the processors and everything, and he gave me a simple idea; I could build a computer super super cheap, buy the parts myself and put the parts together, and then I could sell it for a small profit, like 100 bucks or something. When I registered the eBay seller account, I called it “paradise computers”. I still remember I used Adobe Photoshop, and I used the little icon of the beach palm tree, and I made it bright orange, and I would use all these pictures of babes, two plaster advertisements for my awesome computers.

Why paradise? Simply put, aren’t we all seeking paradise?

For example, in terms of bitcoin, to me it really is kind of a paradise thing; something in which we are seeking some sort of economic paradise.

For example, everyone loves and cares for money, whether it be deep or superficial. But assuming that you own an iPhone, use Wi-Fi, then the truth is ain’t nobody can exist without money.

I think also a sociological intervention that I understand;  money is just human technology. There is nothing on the planet that intrinsically has any words, the worth of something is what society agrees on that has value, so you think of the sociology of money is super fascinating.

For example, why do we value gold? According to Fernand Nagai‘s on money, he says that we prize cold because it is rare, stable, and just has a beautiful color which is very very fitting to adore your children with gold jewelry, also for women. So he thought that it was useful because it was easily transportable, the color in itself was beautiful, and that it was just a beautiful object. But even he knew the rules of monetary inflation, for example when outlining the discovery of the New World, he noted that the price of plummeted, with a huge influx of gold from the Americas. Also he wisely noted that there were many countries in which silver was actually more valued than gold, and he even talks about how gold, at least 10 times as valuable as Bronze, talking about the “bad and portray that one of the heroes did in the Elliot, trading his armor that was worth 100 auction, of gold, for a tin one which is considered a lot  less worth it, about 10 times less.

Anyways, in the world of assets, it is very tricky; you got securities, which aren’t really worth anything in itself, they are predicated on companies, company policies, rules and regulations, that cc, the rules of the stock market etc.

Video

I believe the real problematic things here are that everyone wants to turn their ethics into categorical imperative which means that my ethics are right and supreme for all, and cannot be diluted by anybody else.

The reason why this is not a good line of thinking is that it does not permit for subtleties, nuances, differences. For example, the ethics of a Middle Eastern woman in Baghdad will probably be very different from the ethics of a 36-year-old Korean American man living in Los Angeles.

More robust ethics.

I believe that the difficulty when it comes to ethics is that to always create new ethics or different code of ethics or a different approach based on the situation at hand, it’s not only time and energy intensive, it is also very very unethical in some ways. Why? The critical issue in today’s world is that we are all still chained by the traditional laws of ethics in the realm of traditional Judeo-Christian morals ethics and morality. As a consequence, our morals and ethics becomes classified, boring, same same.

Audio

Podcast

Building a more dynamic, better code of ethics.

Facts!

Click and hold to the home screen, to access the customize button. Then click the tinted icon access on the far right, and just make it white!

Just tint your iOS icons into white?

A simple way to do cold training, is to allow yourself to just be a little bit cold when you’re outside, at night or during the winter, assuming that of course you have a warm cozy has to come back to.

Kind of crazy and insane to think about the magic of investing, the wizardry behind it. Just make a good bet, invest in something that you believe in, and care for, and then each share of the thing goes up, , and almost magically, the value of the thing goes up, and as a consequence, you essentially “earn“, money or income, by doing nothing?

If you’re considering a Bitcoin-backed mortgage, Milo stands out as a prominent option. Milo offers a 30-year crypto mortgage that allows you to use Bitcoin, Ethereum, or USDC as collateral, enabling you to finance up to 100% of the property’s value without selling your crypto assets. 

Key Features of Milo’s Crypto Mortgage:

• High Loan Amounts: Borrow up to $5 million, accommodating a wide range of property purchases.

• No Traditional Down Payment: By leveraging your cryptocurrency holdings, there’s no need for a cash down payment.

• Streamlined Application Process: The application is entirely online, designed for efficiency and user-friendliness.

• Secure Collateral Management: Milo partners with reputable custodians like BitGo and Coinbase to ensure the safety of your crypto assets.

Before proceeding, it’s essential to consult with financial and legal advisors to understand the implications and ensure that a Bitcoin-backed mortgage aligns with your financial goals and risk tolerance.

….

Bitcoin-backed mortgages allow you to leverage your cryptocurrency holdings to finance real estate purchases without liquidating your assets. Several financial institutions offer such products, each with unique features:

1. Milo

• Overview: Milo offers a 30-year crypto mortgage, enabling clients to use Bitcoin, Ethereum, or USDC as collateral to purchase property. This approach allows borrowers to finance up to 100% of the property’s value without selling their crypto assets. 

• Key Features:

• Borrow up to $5 million.

• No dollar down payment required.

• Quick online application process.

• Collateral held with reputable custodians like BitGo and Coinbase.

2. Moon Mortgage

• Overview: Moon Mortgage provides mortgage products that enable investors to use Bitcoin as additional collateral for real estate purchases. Their offerings are available in select U.S. states. 

• Key Features:

• Utilize Bitcoin holdings to secure mortgage financing.

• Designed for real estate investors seeking to leverage crypto assets.

• Available in specific U.S. jurisdictions.

3. Unchained Capital

• Overview: Unchained Capital offers Bitcoin-backed loans suitable for various purposes, including real estate investments. While not exclusively a mortgage provider, their loan products can be used to finance property purchases. 

• Key Features:

• Loans secured by Bitcoin collateral.

• Multisignature custody solutions for enhanced security.

• Flexible loan terms tailored to borrower needs.

Considerations When Choosing a Bitcoin-Backed Mortgage:

• Loan-to-Value (LTV) Ratio: Understand the percentage of the property’s value you can borrow against your crypto holdings.

• Interest Rates: Compare rates across providers to ensure competitive terms.

• Collateral Management: Ensure the lender uses secure and reputable custodians for your crypto assets.

• Geographical Availability: Confirm that the lender operates in your state or country.

• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure the lender adheres to local laws and regulations concerning crypto-backed lending.

Before proceeding, consult with financial and legal advisors to understand the implications and ensure that a Bitcoin-backed mortgage aligns with your financial goals and risk tolerance.

Yes, you can withdraw funds from your IRA or Roth IRA to use as a down payment on a house, but the tax implications and penalties vary depending on the type of account and your specific circumstances.

Traditional IRA:

• First-Time Homebuyer Exception: The IRS allows first-time homebuyers to withdraw up to $10,000 from a traditional IRA without incurring the 10% early withdrawal penalty. However, the withdrawn amount is subject to ordinary income tax. 

• Definition of First-Time Homebuyer: For this purpose, a first-time homebuyer is someone who hasn’t owned a principal residence in the two years preceding the home purchase. This exception also applies if the funds are used to help a spouse, child, grandchild, or parent who meets the first-time homebuyer criteria. 

Roth IRA:

• Contributions: You can withdraw your direct contributions to a Roth IRA at any time, tax- and penalty-free, regardless of your age or how long the account has been open. 

• Earnings: To withdraw earnings tax- and penalty-free for a first-time home purchase, the following conditions must be met:

• The Roth IRA must have been open for at least five years.

• You must be a first-time homebuyer, as defined above.

• The withdrawal is limited to a $10,000 lifetime maximum. 

• If the Five-Year Rule Isn’t Met: If your Roth IRA hasn’t been open for five years, you can still withdraw up to $10,000 of earnings for a first-time home purchase without the 10% penalty, but you’ll owe ordinary income tax on the earnings. 

Additional Considerations:

• Lifetime Limit: The $10,000 limit is a lifetime cap for each individual. If both you and your spouse qualify as first-time homebuyers, each can withdraw up to $10,000 from your respective IRAs without penalties, potentially providing $20,000 for a down payment. 

• Qualified Acquisition Costs: The withdrawn funds must be used within 120 days for qualified acquisition costs, which include the purchase, building, or rebuilding of a home, as well as associated settlement, financing, or closing costs. 

Before proceeding, it’s advisable to consult with a tax professional to understand the full implications of withdrawing from your retirement accounts for a home purchase.

Cashing out $300,000 in Bitcoin to fund a house down payment involves careful tax planning to minimize your capital gains tax liability. Here are several strategies to consider:

1. Assess Your Holding Period:

• Short-Term vs. Long-Term Capital Gains: If you’ve held your Bitcoin for more than one year, any gains are considered long-term and are taxed at lower rates (0%, 15%, or 20%) compared to short-term gains, which are taxed as ordinary income. 

2. Utilize Tax-Loss Harvesting:

• Offset Gains with Losses: If you have other investments that are currently at a loss, selling them can offset the gains from your Bitcoin sale, thereby reducing your taxable income. This strategy is known as tax-loss harvesting. 

3. Consider Your Income Bracket:

• Capital Gains Tax Rates: Long-term capital gains tax rates are influenced by your taxable income. For instance, in 2024, single filers with taxable income up to $44,625 may qualify for a 0% capital gains tax rate. If your income is near this threshold, you might benefit from spreading the Bitcoin sale over multiple years to stay within a lower tax bracket. 

4. Explore Like-Kind Exchanges:

• Deferring Taxes: Historically, like-kind exchanges allowed for deferring taxes on certain asset swaps. However, the IRS has clarified that this provision does not apply to cryptocurrency transactions. 

5. Leverage Retirement Accounts:

• Tax-Advantaged Accounts: If you have a self-directed IRA or 401(k) that permits cryptocurrency investments, you could potentially sell Bitcoin within these accounts to defer or avoid immediate taxation. However, these accounts have specific rules and contribution limits. 

6. Consider Relocation:

• State Tax Implications: California imposes state income tax on capital gains, with rates up to 13.3% for high-income earners. Relocating to a state with no state income tax before selling your Bitcoin could reduce your overall tax liability. However, this involves significant personal and financial considerations. 

7. Charitable Donations:

• Donating Appreciated Assets: Donating Bitcoin directly to a qualified charity can provide a charitable deduction equal to the fair market value of the Bitcoin, potentially offsetting other taxable income. Additionally, you avoid paying capital gains tax on the appreciated value. 

8. Stay Informed on Regulatory Changes:

• Upcoming Tax Reporting Requirements: Starting in 2026, cryptocurrency platforms will be required to report users’ transaction details to the IRS, enhancing the agency’s ability to track crypto transactions. Staying informed about such changes can help you plan your transactions more effectively. 

Next Steps:

Given the complexity of cryptocurrency taxation and the significant amount involved, it’s advisable to consult with a tax professional experienced in digital assets. They can provide personalized advice tailored to your financial situation and ensure compliance with all applicable tax laws.

What are the long-term capital gains taxes versus short-term?

Capital gains taxes are levied on the profit from the sale of assets, such as stocks, real estate, or cryptocurrencies. The tax rate depends on how long you’ve held the asset before selling:

Short-Term Capital Gains:

• Definition: Profits from the sale of assets held for one year or less.

• Tax Rate: Taxed as ordinary income, meaning the gains are added to your taxable income for the year and taxed at your applicable federal income tax rate, which ranges from 10% to 37% in 2024. 

Long-Term Capital Gains:

• Definition: Profits from the sale of assets held for more than one year.

• Tax Rate: Subject to reduced tax rates of 0%, 15%, or 20%, depending on your taxable income and filing status. 

For the 2024 tax year, the long-term capital gains tax brackets are as follows:

Filing Status 0% Rate 15% Rate 20% Rate

Single Up to $47,025 $47,026 to $518,900 Over $518,900

Married Filing Jointly Up to $94,050 $94,051 to $583,750 Over $583,750

Married Filing Separately Up to $47,025 $47,026 to $291,850 Over $291,850

Head of Household Up to $63,000 $63,001 to $551,350 Over $551,350

These rates apply to most assets; however, certain types of gains, such as those from collectibles, may be taxed at different rates. 

Understanding the distinction between short-term and long-term capital gains is crucial for tax planning, as holding assets for longer than a year can result in significant tax savings.

Tell me more about potentially instead of selling or cashing out $300,000 in Bitcoin for a down payment, is it possible that I could just throw a Bitcoin back to mortgage or borrow money that way?

Instead of selling $300,000 worth of Bitcoin to fund a down payment, you can leverage your cryptocurrency holdings through Bitcoin-backed mortgages or loans. This approach allows you to use your Bitcoin as collateral, enabling you to access funds without triggering a taxable event.

Bitcoin-Backed Mortgages:

Several financial institutions offer mortgages where your Bitcoin serves as collateral:

• Milo: Offers 30-year crypto mortgages, allowing clients to finance up to 100% of the property’s value without selling their Bitcoin, Ethereum, or USDC. 

• Moon Mortgage: Provides mortgage products enabling investors to use Bitcoin as additional collateral for real estate purchases, available in select U.S. states. 

Bitcoin-Backed Loans:

Alternatively, you can obtain a loan secured by your Bitcoin holdings:

• Unchained Capital: Offers Bitcoin-backed loans, allowing you to borrow against your Bitcoin without selling it. 

• Ledn: Provides Bitcoin-backed loans, enabling access to funds while retaining your Bitcoin exposure. 

Considerations:

• Loan-to-Value (LTV) Ratio: Lenders typically offer loans up to a certain percentage of your Bitcoin’s value. For instance, an LTV of 50% means you can borrow $150,000 against $300,000 worth of Bitcoin.

• Interest Rates: Rates vary based on the lender and the LTV ratio. It’s essential to compare offerings to find favorable terms.

• Volatility: Bitcoin’s price volatility can affect your collateral’s value. Significant drops may require additional collateral or lead to liquidation.

• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure the lender operates within legal frameworks and offers transparent terms.

By utilizing Bitcoin-backed mortgages or loans, you can access necessary funds for a down payment while maintaining your cryptocurrency investment, potentially benefiting from future appreciation.

My general theory and philosophy is that if there’s an opportunity today, right now which seems 80% good enough, fuck it, just go for it and seize it!

Why do people want to make it more complicated than it should be?

So the interesting theory about philosophy or investing is thinking about taking today, current gains, that is 100% secure right now in the moment… vs an uncertain or possible 10 X or 100 X gain, but 20 or 30 years from now?

For example, if you already have a very very good opportunity right now, maybe the best idea is to seize it.

Seize today! Carpe diem!

Real men, we real strong men, we never show or share our emotions, even if we are in the right. Ultimately all of the emotions will be petty, unnecessary, ridiculous.

What I have personally felt about emotions, is that anger, annoyances petty feelings, it takes more courage strength and power to keep them to yourself and repress them, rather than letting it out.

The reason why this theory seems to be a bad one is that the whole general idea of emotions that we liken it to a steam engine; we think that if we repress our anger, it builds up like steam in our engines, and this might cause our engine to explode or break, or our engine framework to explode or whatever. But, isn’t emotions and biology 1 trillion times more complicated than even a simple steam engine?

The paradox of expressing your emotions

And also the big issue is that when you let out your emotions and anger and frustrations, the strange opposite effect; you actually become angrier!

My personal theory is that when you share your emotions, the reason why you become angrier is because you rationalize it and reason with it, and it makes sense that in fact you are in the right and they are in the wrong, and you were wrong. This will actually yield more anger!

Real men — we don’t care whether we are right or wrong, in the just or the knot, not whether we are vindicated or not. We just follow our own aesthetics.

1. Forgive 10x the Bad Things & Remember the Good
2. A REAL STOIC DOESN’T WANT OR NEED APOLOGIES.

STOICISM 101

STOIC VLOG

Introduction to Stoicism 

Something I have been meaning to write or create or do is like some sort of book, ebook, pamphlet, or introductory primer to stoicism. I really think that stoicism is probably one of the most useful and philosophical models to live normal every day real life. Yet, I haven’t really found a good instructional guide on it, especially when I was self teaching it to myself.

Consider this a practical primer, cutting through the BS:

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What does stoicism mean? 

Stoicism, stoic, the stoa in ancient Greece– essentially the stoa was like some sort of portico, patio, pillar, outside, essentially a spot where guys would just hang out, talk shop, talk philosophy, etc.  

I think about the show “Hey Arnold” in which I was raised with… the notion of “stoop kid“, the notion of a stoop is that in a lot of cities, especially the east coast in New York, you have this little stoop or porch, stairs that go outside your front door… and you could just hang out there, engage in social and neighborhood life etc.

The new stoa? 

One of my happiest moments was when I was living in Providence Rhode Island, and then COVID-19 hit. Everything was closed, besides the park. I can still go to the park, hang out, workout, do chin ups– I learned how to do muscle ups, more bodyweight calisthenics stuff, and also… I had a lot of fun with this “rock toss“ challenge and workout… in the middle of the park was a huge ass rock and huge ass stone, and every single day I would go there pick it up, and then eventually work out with it; throwing it around for fun, doing overhead presses with it, clean and jerks, squats, and eventually I would just throw it around for fun. Funny enough it might have been the most fit I was in my life… this was the true “functional” fitness.

The inspiration — Hector lifting an insanely massive stone (barely 2 strong men could lift it)… using it to break down the door of the ships of the other side.

Open air, open sun concept

Anyways, the reason why that period of covid was so good is that it was in the middle of beautiful Providence Rhode Island summer, so nice and bright and warm and lovely… and one of the good things was going to the park was like an open forum, a new anatheum for a lot of really cool guys to come, hang out, talk shop, go topless and shirtless, workout and hang out.

I met some really interesting people during that period of time. I met some guys who were really cool. For example, one guy I met was in the US military Navy, I think he was training to be a Navy seal or Delta force or something. Another guy in some sort of ROTC training, another cool guy from the hood, and also I would say I probably met half a dozen friendly drug dealers there. And of course a lot of people who believed in conspiracy theories; really friendly, a little weird, but overall good guys.

Anyways, one of the biggest benefits of hanging out at that outdoor park, open air, nothing but green grass, the beautiful sun and the fitness equipment was that I think having this sort of open air environment is actually very conducive to socializing, thinking and thought, and pro social behavior. My theory about a lot of modern day antisocial behavior has to do with the structures which enclose us. For example, almost universally most guys at the gym are extremely antisocial. Why? My theory is that because most gyms have closed, cramped narrow ceilings, and do not have access to natural light, or outside space.

Cramped indoor spaces promote antisocial behavior.

The only good gym I went to which was interesting was the golds gym in Venice, which has this really big outdoor workout area. I think this is much more natural and more fun and better; to be able to work out directly outside outdoors, with your shirt off.

Who is this philosophy for?

Stoics, stoicism — it was originally I think codified by this guy named Zeno, and over time he picked up some followers. Essentially the whole thing happened organically; Zeno would first share his thinking on philosophy ethics and pragmatic ways to deal with other people and the downsides of life, he built a following, and then his followers would propagate the thoughts and start their own little schools of thoughts, their own little stoic clubs.

What is “real” stoicism?

Would I like about stoicism is how loosey goosey it is. It is kind of like zen, or taoism… it is not really quantified as a religion, or a strict moral order. In fact, a lot of the ancients stoics would meditate on random stuff like cosmology, natural sciences like Seneca, how volcanoes worked or whatever. I think nowadays in today’s world, we focus primarily on the pragmatic side; how to deal with fear, uncertainty, downsides etc.

So how did I discover stoicism?

I think I might’ve first learned about stoicism from Nassim Taleb and his ANTIFRAGILE book. I was curious, and my curiosity went to deep. To quote NASSIM TALEB and the Venetian saying “The ocean goes deeper, the deeper you wade into it.”

I literally consumed every single book I could find on stoicism, even the obscure ones. Funny enough, a lot of the stoic thinkers tried to claim other philosophers as being stoic, like Seneca did with Diogenes the cynic. 

Cynic, cynicism, actually comes from the word canine, the dog. Diogenes was considered the “dog” philosopher, first used as a pejorative, but ultimately Diogenes reappropriated that title for fun! He saw dogs as tough, almost like wild wolves, rather than seeing them as a negative thing.

Even Achilles when he was raging against king Agamemnon, he called him “dog faced“ as a heaping insult.

Who is worth reading?

First, Seneca. Seneca the younger, his dad was called Seneca the elder.

In fact, this is such a big deal because Cindy and I named our first son, Seneca, directly after the stoic philosopher. This is true soul in the game; if you name your kid after your favorite philosopher, certainly it is a sign that you really liked that philosopher, or found them impactful.

The reason why I really like Seneca the stoic philosopher is because he had real connections to real reality. What that means is he wasn’t just on the sidelines; he actually existed in the real world, engaged in real politics, was even advisor to the emperor Nero, the bad one, who eventually low-key coerced Seneca to commit suicide, in a manly, dignified manner.

I think this was because maybe… there was actually a plan to overthrow Nero, and essentially Nero found out. 

What makes Seneca so good?

I really like Seneca because his writing is accessible, practical and pragmatic, and interesting.

A lot of thinkers tend to lack connections to real reality, I have no tolerance for boring philosophers to talk about metaphysics, which is things which are not physical. Like thoughts ideas, the universe, electricity and energy, strange phenomenon and conspiracy theories on ghosts, “energy” whatever.

For a long time, I would hear the term “metaphysics” being thrown around, and I had zero idea what it actually meant. 

Meta– on top of. Or nestled within.

Physics — the physical, physical phenomenon like gravity, first principles.

The reason why metaphysics philosophers tend to be a bunch of losers is that they are all weak and anemic, nerds or geeks or weaklings who seem to have some sort of physiological degeneracy, which encourages them to opine or talk or think about impractical things, superficial things.

Personally speaking, I think philosophy must be practical. 

Practical, praxis, practice — to do!

The Spartan, Zen Stoic, demigod ideal

I have a very funny ideal; the general idea is that your body looks like a demigod, and your physiology is out of control. The general idea is one must be tall, strong, highly muscular, low body fat percentage, I’m not exactly sure what my body fat percentage is, but maybe it’s around 5%.

Also, physical fitness is critical to any stoic. My ideal is to walk 50 miles a day, eat 20 pounds of meat like Milo of Croton a day. And also, abstinence from silly things like media, alcohol, drugs, marijuana etc.

Trust no thinker who does drugs!

Even our best friend Nietzsche said that coffee was bad, because it would make people dark and gloomy. He encouraged 100% cocoa powder instead. 

You let the drugs talk I let my soul talk ayy! – Kendrick Lamar

Simple technique:

First, look at a picture or a portrait or a full body shot, ideally topless of the artist, philosopher or thinker or individual… then judge their thoughts later.

Why? My theory is this: the thoughts of an individual is hugely affected by their bodily physiology.

For example, an extreme example: if somebody is locked inside a solitary confinement cell, and not permitted to go outside for years, but, he had a pen and pad and would jot down some thoughts… Would be the quality of these thoughts? Certainly dark and morose.

Why does stoicism matter? 

In today’s world, why does it matter, what is the significance of stoicism, etc.?

First and foremost, I think we are living in a troubling time, especially with the advent of modern day internet based media and advertising. I think 99% of what is propagated on the internet is fear mongering, and what is hate? Hate is just fear.

The first thought on stoicism is that it is just fear conquering. What I discovered about street photography, is that 99% of it is conquering your fears. Conquering your fears of upsetting other people, getting in some sort of verbal or physical altercation etc. In fact my bread and butter workshop is my conquering your fears and street photography workshop, the workshop which is still interesting to me even after a decade.

Why is this so important? I think it is rooted in almost everything; conquering your fears is rooted in entrepreneurship, innovation, risktaking and real life.

Even my speculation in crypto. 99.9% of crypto speculation is just balls. Having the balls to make big bets, and when things go south, knowing how to master your emotions.

A simple extra I have is this: just imagine it will all go down to zero.

It was useful because when I was in college, my sophomore year I got really into trading stocks, and I eventually lost my whole life savings, maybe around $3500 USD, and some bad penny stock which I actually misread the financials… the whole time I thought the company was making a profit, but actually it was taking a loss. I actually didn’t know that if profits are written in parentheses, it means a loss.

It was funny because my initial start as an investor was back in high school, I bought some Adobe stock when I was a high school junior, and also some mutual funds, which both went up after about 4-5 years.

Also I remember in elementary school computer class, when I was in the sixth grade in Bayside Queens, there was some sort of stock stimulation trading game, and actually it was funny… the kids who made the most money and were the most successful just put 100% of everything into Apple, note this is when we were only 12 years old, and I was born in 1988.

Stoicism and capitalism?

Funny enough, it seems that stoicism actually plays well with capitalism. Why? According to modern day capitalist thinking, the best way to approach life is to be objective, strong, stoic, unemotional, logical and rational.

Also, with modern day media there is so much fear mongering in the news, about some sort of global armageddon, global financial ruin, etc. I call it “fear porn”.

Therefore stoicism as a mindset is useful to think and position your mind in such a way that you could consider that life is all upside, no downside.

In fact, if I could summarize stoicism in one sentence, it is that life is all upside, no downside. Inspired by NASSIM TALEB.

Sex and Stoicism

So, is stoicism useful to you if you’re a man or a woman? Does it matter?

The good thing is I think it could apply to both sexes. Conquering sexism and social pressures is useful if you’re woman, and also if you’re a man.

Also, gender is social. Lot of the expectations set on us by society is socialized and gamed to a certain degree.

Stoic strategies 

First, we got to unchain ourselves from modern day ethics and morality. I believe that all modern day philosophy and thinking and ethics and religion is bad.

For example, the notion of turning the other cheek is a patently bad one. Why did Jesus turn his cheek? It is because he lacked on army.

Also, philosophically I think we should put no trust in Socrates. I thought which has puzzled me for a long time was this “Why was Socrates so ugly?

Monster in face, monster in soul.

I think Socrates was a degenerate, and he lacked any sort of real power. Therefore he turned logic and rationality into his terrorizing weapon (via Nietzsche). Back in the day, you didn’t need logic or rationality to have things your way, you simply was able to dictate that which you wanted to pause it, because you had a military force behind you. Just think about Machiavelli and IL PRINCIPE– the reality of being a mercurial prince, king, and military leader is hard, stoic, “immoral”. But ultimately it all comes down to war, conquest, the military.

Trust nobody who uses rationality or logic as their tyrannizing weapon. 

In fact, I believe that all should have the body and strength of some sort of super soldier. Essentially look like all the guys from the movie 300, this is our ideal.

Demigod physique. 

What has helped me

1. Allow yourself to be a bad, immortal, “evil” person. When you decide to adopt an unorthodox way of thinking and living, you’re going to rub some feathers the wrong way. And truth be told, even if you act in a strange vibrant way… At worse you’re only “mildly” annoying other people.
2. For good inspirations, I think the best stoic writers and thinkers include Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius and also the humor of the cynic philosopher Diogenes. I would even posit the idea that one could consider Alexander the Great as a stoic. Why? When you’re trying to create an empire, and you always have your life on the line, certainly this takes a stoic mindset. Also, let us think and consider that Alexander the Great had a copy of the Iliad by his bedstand, it was the only book he traveled with during his military tours.
3. Imagine the worst possible case scenario, and backtrack: Apparently even NASSIM TALEB would do this when he was a trader; every single day when he would go to his trading desk, he would assume that his investments would all go to zero, and if that wasn’t the case every single day, it was just upside. Therefore for myself, I just think to myself very simple; imagine like I got zero dollars, zero money, and literally all I need is meat, a Wi-Fi connection and I’m good. 
4. Live like a poor person: The notion of “debasing“ the coin or the currency is the general idea that you are not a coward in regards to money. The best way to think about money is like a social tool; I think money is actually just codified labor. If you want people to clean bathrooms, run the cashiers stand, you have to promise them money. Even Seneca said the upsides of simulated poverty; essentially living like a poor person, or even a homeless person when you don’t need to… is the ultimate position to be in. Why? True freedom of spirit and soul; as a philosopher thinker writer or whatever… you cannot be “canceled”, because there is nothing to cancel. As long as you could pay your rent, buy meat at Costco, and publish your thoughts to your own self hosted website blog, and pay your server fee, you have 100% freedom. And also, still… America is the best place to be because there is true freedom of speech and expression, you don’t want to be a trillionaire but not be able to say what’s really on your mind. And I think this is the big issue with entertainers, actors, media people… as long as you’re signed to a contract, you don’t run your own production company, or, you’re still a slave to money… you’re not really going to see what’s really on your mind. Why is it that the Rock cannot say anything bad about China, or Tibet? Because he is still enslaved by the media corporation. New slaves by Kanye West.

And this is the true courage of Kanye West; he literally put everything on the line, and even lost his spouse and I think maybe his kids? All for the sake of revealing inequities. 

“I throw these Maybach keys fucking c’est la vie! I know that we the new slaves.”- Ye

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Stoic training

The fun thing about stoicism is that you could just make it up as you go, devise your own strategies and whatever.

“Fucking c’est la vie!” My favorite Kanye West line.

Essentially the general idea is that in life, one should not take things too seriously. Laughter is golden, I forget the philosopher who was called the laughing philosopher… Democritus?; better to laugh about the follies of human beings rather than to be dark and morose about it.

Also, thoughts from the Odyssey; if you look far enough  into the future, everything becomes comedic and hilarious.

So when you’re in some sort of bad situation, just think to yourself “Perhaps one day, 20 or 30 years from now… I will look back at this and just laugh!” It will just be humorous.

Honestly, laughter, and kind of being able to joke about things might be the best way to live life and deal with setbacks. 

Modern day ailments

Problems in modern day life:

1. Too much time spent indoors, not enough time out in the sun. Perhaps it is better to be out outside all day, and joyful, even with the risk of getting skin cancer or whatever… rather than to be indoors, scared, weak and anemic. Differences between if you’re a man or a woman, but still… the most beautiful skin has a sunkissed, olive color tone; the true privilege is having a full body tan. 
2. Get chatGPT, the paid premium one. And use the image generation AI art tool DALL-E. People pay therapists to just speak their mind, and get some sort of sounding board. I actually think it’s much better to chat with AI instead; because it will not judge you, and ultimately what is a therapist anyways? A therapist is just a mirror, a sounding board for you to verbalize and flesh out your thoughts. Often when we talk about our problems, 90% of the issues go away because once we verbalize it, we feel much better about ourselves. The next thing I’m going to do is build some sort of therapy bot. 
3. Not enough walking: I have never met anybody who walks 30,000 steps a day and is depressed. Even my friend Jimmy, who works as a US postal worker delivering the mail, he walks around 30,000 steps a day and is always bright cherry and jovial. I think this is also where people who hike a lot or walk a lot in nature are so happy; when you’re able to walk around a lot, and zen out… you just feel much better. My simple suggestion is when you go on a hike or a walk in nature or even in the city… leave your phone at home, or locked inside your glove compartment, and don’t bring any headphones or speakers or Apple watches or whatever. Just bring along your camera, and enjoy. My personal ideal is the bear lifestyle; walking 50 miles a day. 

Real stoics don’t call themselves Stoics?

A funny thing I have learned is that when you call something something, it isn’t that.

For example, if someone calls something a “luxury car”, it ain’t. For example, a true modern day luxury car is maybe a Tesla, but Tesla never calls itself a luxury car. Also the ultimate luxury technology company is probably Apple… but Apple is very intelligent and not calling themselves a luxury brand.

A pro tip is when it comes to websites, read the alternative text, the header text, the stuff that shows up in the tab of your browser window. If the website, the automotive retailer tries to market themselves as a “luxury” brand, typically it is actually a sign that it isn’t a luxury brand it isn’t luxury brand.

Thought: what are some good examples of true luxury brands which don’t overly calls itself luxury? 

In someways, we can think and consider stoicism as our new luxury. In fact, having luxury, luxury of mind and soul… and luxury of freedom of speech, isn’t this the ultimate luxury?

When somebody asked Diogenes the cynic; “What is the best human good”? He said “Freedom of speech, speaking your mind, having the power to see whatever is on your mind.”

In fact, my current joy is becoming more and more free talking, and free riding. What that means is this; I’m ain’t going to censor myself no more, even if I might be politically incorrect insensitive or whatever. 

Also, I would prefer to speak my mind and seriously hurt the feelings of others, rather than soften it for the sake of the other person. 

Similarly speaking, when people call themselves “influencers”, they are not influencers.

Stoicism as a technique and tool, not the end

Ultimately I think we should think of stoicism just like having another tool inside our tool kit. For example, if you’re a chef, you’re going to have different knives for different purposes. If you’re going to cut a big piece of meat, you probably want a big ass meat cutting knife, not something you would use to slice an apple with. Similarly speaking, if you’re going to scoop out the insides of an avocado, better to use a spoon rather than using a fork, or a knife. 

I think the problem is when some people get too into stoicism (I prefer writing stoicism with a lowercase), they think that everything needs to be consistent, and must fit into this nice little neat box of what is considered “stoicism“. This is a bad line of thinking… let us consider that Marcus Aurelius never even mentioned stoicism in his writings, his collections of thoughts, which we moderns call THE MEDITATIONS… it was just essentially his personal diary, to help him conquer his own personal fears and thoughts, I don’t think he ever intended it to be published publicly. I think he just wrote it to himself as self therapy. And I think the only stoic philosopher he even mentions is maybe Epictetus.

The future of stoicism?

For myself, I just come out with certain to work out thoughts and techniques because it helps me, and when I find these tricks or techniques or secret hacks or cheat codes… My passion is to simply share it with others. 

And ultimately, things are ever in flux and evolving and changing and adapting.

For example, I’ve discovered the quality of my thinking is different when I am in Culver City Los Angeles, compared to being in the boring suburbs of Orange County.

Also depending on my social environments… my stoic thoughts are different when I am in a gym, vs just working out by myself in my parking spot in the back of my apartment.

Also, the quality of my thoughts is different when living with family members or other people versus just living with myself Cindy and Seneca.

Stoicism is all about living with other people

Assuming you’re not growing your own vegetables and living in the middle of nowhere… you probably have some interaction with other human beings. As long as you have an iPhone, an Android phone, a smartphone, a 4G or 5G internet connection, wifi, a laptop, have to buy groceries somewhere… you’re still going to have to interact with other human beings.

And this is good. There is no other greater joy than other human beings.

In fact, modern-day society is strange because in someways, the ethos is to be antisocial and to be cowardly. But in fact, the best way to think about things is that real life is interaction with other human beings, and social conquest. One can imagine a lot of modern day entrepreneurship as simply a big dick swinging contest. He who is the most masculine confident tall and strong and stoic shall win.

More ideas

Assume that everyone is mentally insane: Have you ever been out in public, and you see some sort of crackhead or strange homeless person who acts radically, smells terrible, and is obviously mentally ill? Do you hate them for it? When they say something weird to you… do you take it personally? No. Why? They are crazy. Perhaps we should just adopt this stoic mindset towards other people; some people are actually physiologically ill, mentally unwell… don’t trust the opinion of nobody.

A lot of people are trying to actually deal with their own inner demons: For example, becoming the successful photographer and street photographer I am today… I’ve dealt with some individuals who would say anonymous bad things about me, and later I found out that their mom just died or something. I cannot imagine what it feels like losing a mother… therefore if somebody spew some hate on me because something bad happened to them, I’m not gonna take it personally.

Self-flagellation: I think a lot of people who are sick, mentally or physiologically self flagellate themselves. Essentially the way that they deal with other people or themselves is some sort of metaphorical self-flagellation.

For example… you know those strange individuals who have the whip and whip themselves, and inflict pain on themselves? I think some people do this metaphorically to themselves and others.

You just want to stay away from them.

Why so scared?

My personal theory on fear is that a lot of it is tied to morality and ethics. I think the general idea is not necessarily that we are afraid of anything… I think the true fear is that we’re afraid that we are some sort of bad evil unethical immoral person.

For example in street photography, the general ethical thought is that it is immoral to take a photo of somebody without their permission, because there is some sort of it inherent evil behind it. Is this true? No. Taking photos and not really a big deal.

Why do people make such a big deal out of small things?

I think it is because some people are just overly sensitive, which once again comes from some sort of physiological weakness.

For example, if you’re a weightlifter who could lift 1000 pounds, assuming you’re not taking any steroids or anything… are small things going to bother you? No. But let us assume that you are a skinny fat man, all you do is drink alcohol and smoke marijuana and watch Netflix, and you spent too much time on Reddit… you are 40% body fat, and have never lifted in your life. And also your testosterone is low and you never go outside. Certainly the quality of your thoughts is going to be different than if you’re a happy gay monster, lifting weights outside in the direct sun, laughing and having fun. 

In fact, I’ve actually personally discovered that the reason why a lot of people hate me is because I am so happy jovial and gay. They are secretly suspicious or envious of me? 

Weather and mood

Probably one of my worst experiences was this jarring transition; I was super happy insanely happy being in Vietnam in 2017; with a beautiful weather, the beautiful light, the happy people the great amenities etc.… and then that winter Cindy and I went to Europe, in Marseille Berlin and Prague, and maybe London… seriously the worst winter of my life. Why? I wonder if so much miserable feelings and thoughts simply comes from the darkness and lack of light. a lot of Europe is actually quite miserable; dark, unhygienic, morose.

Even Nietzsche had a thought about Schopenhauer; How much of these emo European philosophers came from the fact that it was just complaining about the cold weather in Germany etc.?

For myself, my ideal weather is Southeast Asia; I love being in Phnom Penh Cambodia, Vietnam etc. In the states, am I the only one who loves living in Los Angeles? Dr. Dre and Kendrick Lamar said that LA was the best for women weed and weather… I would definitely say the biggest upside of living in Los Angeles is the light, the sunlight. It actually does get quite cold here, but usually most reliably even in December during the winter time, the sun will always come up. As long as there is bright sunny light, I will be happy. And I think maybe for myself, considering that I am a photographer, and photography means painting with light… light for me is critical.

I also wonder how much of it is a physiological thing and a genetic trait; for example I could even recall being a young child, and my mom telling me that the most critical thing in finding a home or an apartment was light and natural light. Even now… 90% of my happiness comes from being able to have access to natural light, ideally floor to ceiling windows facing directly the sun, having some sort of modern temperature regulated apartment and home. Even living in our tiny studio minimalistic luxury apartment in Providence Rhode Island, where it was always 75° warm and cozy, and not frigid and damp and cold and dark and humid… I was always good. But moving to an older house, where it always felt damp and cold… this literally lowered my happiness by 1000%.

Therefore, if you’re feeling miserable sad or whatever… I say spend three months living in Hanoi or Saigon in Vietnam, or go to Phnom Penh Cambodia. I wonder if 90% of peoples misery is simply due to the weather.

Stoic assignments

”Better to be a gay monster than a sentimental bore!” – Fernandino Galliani, via Nietzsche

My stoic ideal is somebody who is happy, gay, smiling, no headphones or AirPods on, no sunglasses on, no hat, no facial hair, no baggy oversized clothing, no tint in their car. Somebody who makes great eye contact, laughs, stands up upright, jokes, and fools around. Like an overgrown child.

Also, lift weights at least once every day, ideally in the direct sun. Just buy some weightlifting equipment on Titan.fitness, I like the farmers carry handles, the Olympic loadable dumbbell, and also the Texas power squat bar. Just buy some cheap weights, and or buy a heavy 400 pound sandbag, and just have fun throwing it around.

True stoics are masculine

A true stoic should look something like Hercules or Achilles. Or like ERIC KIM; I have the aesthetic and the physique of Brad Pitt in FIGHT CLUB except with a lot more muscle. Like my friend Soren says, the Adonis physique and proportions.

A real stoic is sexy

I think a real stoic is sexy, happy and fun. Who doesn’t take life too seriously; and think of everything like a fun game. A real stoic would be joyful and cheery like three-year-old child without any adulteration from the outside world.

Why do adults become so dark and morose?

I don’t like talking with or hanging out with adults, uninteresting.

At what point or age do people become so emo?

Typically, highschoolers are very optimistic. Even college students. But I think at least in maybe college in high school nowadays… the bad trend is towards “over concern”, about the world the planet ethics animals etc.

I find a lot of this thinking superficial, performative, and uncritical. I think “animal rights“, “saving the planet” is this new pseudo world religion; which is just capitalism 3.0. I find the whole pet industry the whole dog industry to be insanely bizarre, and I trust nobody who talks about “saving the planet“ who owns an iPhone, owns any sort of car, or has an Amazon prime subscription. Certainly not any vegans.

A real stoic is a carnivore 

Animals are animals. They are lower on the hierarchy and totem pole on earth. Man is the apex predator, the apex bully and the apex tyrant.

Should we care for animals or “animal rights”? No. Animals are our slaves.

If you consider even dogs and pets… they are essentially our emotional slaves. People talk a lot about the virtuosity of dogs being loyal or whatever… and giving you unconditional love. This seems like some sort of emotional slavery.

The only dogs I respect are some sort of canine dogs, some sort of attack or defense dogs, or hunting dogs. For example, John Wick 3; Halle Barry and her dogs. An animal should either be a weapon, or nothing.

Why do people care about animals so much?

Essentially it looks like men no longer have a backbone. No more spine.

I trust nobody who owns a dog.

Let us not forget; they call it dog ownership, or “owning a pet”. There is no more concept of “human ownership, or “owning a human.”

End goals 

What is the end goal of humanity? To me it is towards entrepreneurship, innovation, art and aesthetics, philosophy etc. Design.

Stoicism should be considered a tool which could aid you in these things.

For example, I think 99% of entrepreneurship is courage. Stoicism could help you with that.

I also think with design, great design is also 99% courage, having the courage to attempt something that won’t sell or be received well… stoicism is all about practical courage. The only designers with courage include Steve Jobs, Jony Ive, Elon Musk, Kanye West. 

Also, weightlifting. To attempt to lift a certain weight you have never attempted before takes great courage. For example, me atlas lifting 1000 pounds; that is 10 plates and a 25 on each side, this is true stoic training. Why? The fear of injury is what holds most people back; if you had successfully conquered this fear and not injured yourself, this is pure stoic bliss.

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The physical

I think the only and the only proper way to lift weights is one repetition maximum training. That is; what is the maximum amount of weight you’re able to successfully lift or move, even half an inch?

To me, the courage is the success. Even if you had the courage to attempt it… that is what is considered success. 

Simple exercises to do include the atlas lift, innovated by ERIC KIM, or a one repetition max rack pull.

Or, a high trap bar deadlift, heavy Farmer’s walks, or heavy sandbag carries. Or even a simple thing you could do is go to the park or to the local nature center, find the biggest rock there and just see if you could pick it up.

Now what?

If you’re interested in stoicism, and have had some interesting thoughts on stoicism, one of the most noble things you could do is start your own blog. I think blogs are 1000 times more effective than publishing some sort of static printed book; I think the problem in today’s world is that everyone is seeking some sort of legitimacy by being picked up by some sort of legitimate publisher and getting “published“, and seeing your printed book at Barnes & Noble whatever.

I say it is better to be open source, free and permissionless, decentralized. Just publish your thoughts and book as a free PDF, and just host it on dropbox, Google Drive, or your own web server. Share the link freely, and also just publish the raw text as a big blog post. 

Even Sam Bankman-Fried wisely thought; 99.9% of books could just be summarized as big blog posts.

Don’t trust any modern day published book which isn’t free, because… there is some sort of hidden clout chasing somewhere. 

Even one of the worst compromises that led to the demise of Ray Dalio was the fact that he took his Principles book, which was essentially a free ebook PDF on his website, and then took it off, because I think he got a book deal with Simon and Schuster. After he did that, he lost my respect.

If you’re already independently wealthy, and you don’t crowd source your self-esteem… why would you need to externally validate yourself by getting some sort of constipated publisher and annoying editor?

Editors are bad.

Now what?

Start your own blog and start blogging your own thoughts on stoic philosophy, and even start a YouTube channel and start vlogging on it. My generalized thought is simple: if your thought your idea your blog post your video or whatever could even impact the life of one other human being on planet earth… it is worth it.

ERIC

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What is the secret to the maximum amount of happiness in life? The maximum amount of danger. (Nietzsche).

ERIC

FIN

Become invincible:

1. SPARTANISM.
2. Introduction to Stoicism
3. STOIC FLEX.
4. Becoming Spartan
5. MAKE IT ENTERTAINING FOR YOURSELF!
6. Stoic Aesthetics?
7. The Philosophy of Ugliness
8. Bad Stoicism
9. Stoicism 2.0
10. Becoming Stoic
11. LEMONADE.
12. Why Arguments and Confrontations Are Good
13. “I’m Over It”
14. How to Deal With Miserable People
15. How to Become a Stoic
16. How to Ignore
17. Pretend like you didn’t hear them
18. Bad Stoic Strategies
19. The Stoic Way of Dealing With Unpleasant or Miserable People
20. HOW TO BECOME A STOIC
21. Stoicism Stunts Our Power?
22. Stoicism is Mental Resistance Training
23. STOIC STRATEGIES.
24. How to Become Fearless
25. Extreme Stoicism
26. Ethics are Aesthetic
27. Indifference to Pain or Suffering
28. When is Stoicism Good? When is Stoicism Bad?
29. Why Others Criticize or Insult You
30. True Difficulty
31. What if Covid Never Goes Away?
32. SUPER STOIC
33. Anti-Hedonism
34. HOW TO CONQUER FEAR
35. ANTI FEAR
36. It is the Duty of the Strong to Help the Weak
37. The Goal is to Become Stronger
38. HYPER STOICISM
39. HYPER HERO
40. TRANSFORM EVERY DOWNSIDE INTO AN UPSIDE
41. STOICISM x Child’s Mind
42. The Art of Manly Virtue
43. Resistance Makes Us Stronger!
44. DON’T LIVE IN FEAR
45. Emotions are Good
46. Conquer Your Anger
47. BLACK EAGLE
48. DIFFICULTY AWAKENS YOUR INNER-GENIUS.
49. STOICISM IS ARMOR FOR THE MIND
50. The Spartan-Stoic Lifestyle
51. How I Conquered Fear
52. HOW TO CURE FEAR.
53. LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL.
54. The Upside of Poverty
55. How I Became Me
56. THE WILL TO POWER, OR THE WILL TO FEAR?
57. ATTACK REALITY
58. Living *THROUGH* History
59. How to Fear Less
60. Fear is the Ultimate Contagious Disease
61. STOICISM FOR DUMMIES
62. Don’t Be Scared!
63. WHAT CAN YOU CONTROL, WHAT CAN YOU NOT CONTROL?
64. HOW YOU CAN CONQUER FEAR
65. YOU’RE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK YOU ARE.
66. EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
67. WHY AREN’T THINGS WORSE?
68. My Philosophy on Masculinity
69. A Riskier Life is a Better Life #philosophy #stoicism
70. How to Creatively Flourish in Life
71. Introduction to Stoicism
72. How to Become Stronger
73. How to Conquer Depression With Photography
74. What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger
75. How to Respect Yourself
76. How to Believe in Yourself
77. How to Steer Fear
78. How to Conquer Pessimism
79. How to Conquer Anxiety
80. How to Overcome Your Fear of People
81. How to Be Optimistic
82. Why I Don’t Take My Anger Seriously
83. HOW TO BECOME MORE POWERFUL
84. POSITIVITY.
85. HOW TO BECOME SUPERHUMAN
86. How to Give a Fuck Less
87. ALL IN.
88. Why I Cut My Dad Out of My Life.
89. Your iPhone Only Has 5% Battery Left.
90. How not to give a FUCK about your REPUTATION
91. WHAT IS A HUMAN?
92. HAPPINESS.
93. The Regret Minimization Framework in Photography and Life
94. How to Be a HERO
95. Conquer Your Fears by Making Fear Your Slave
96. Rule Circumstances; Don’t Let Your Circumstances Rule You
97. How to Love Yourself
98. How to Turn Shit into Gold
99. Your Parents Fuck You Up
100. Immortality
101. What Kills You Makes You Stronger
102. How to Be Patient
103. How to Conquer Anger
104. How to Bounce Back in Life
105. How to Overcome Resistance
106. Nothing Unlimited is Good; Nothing Good is Unlimited
107. You Have No Limits
108. Can 1’s and 0’s Hurt You?
109. The Envious Moment is Flying Now
110. Tomorrow We’ll Sail the Wide Seas Again
111. How to Forgive Others
112. Focus on Your Actions, Not the Results
113. Everything Will Be Alright
114. How to Be a Stoic Street Photographer
115. How to Be a Spartan Photographer
116. How to Overcome Your Fears in Life
117. How to Stop Worrying in Life
118. How to Use Photography as Self-Therapy
119. How to Free Your Soul From Disturbance
120. 3 Stoic Techniques that Can Help You Gain Tranquility
121. Can People Weaker than You Hurt You?
122. Does a Doctor Get Angry at a Crazy Patient?
123. Own Nothing

The Stoic Masters

Learn from the master stoics:

• Seneca
• Marcus Aurelius
• Epictetus
• Publilius Syrus
• Heraclitus

See all philosophy >

Strong men are hard, strong and severe. Weak men spilled their feelings in the air, speak their mind and emotions. 

Emotions are a female trait.

My thought is that true courage, requires some sort of exposure, being really exposed, making yourself exposed and bare?

Oh yeah feels so fucking good!! Broke $76,000!!

So much of our life is chance and timing and taking and making audacious risks when your gut says it is right! 

The difference between men and women — fat mass distribution? For example, the joy of a man to see a woman with lovely fat mass distribution on her bottom, and also her chest? And also the lips and the face?

The logic and the joy of bitcoin; just from your phone or the Coinbase app on your iPad whatever… the insane and extreme joy of seeing your numbers go up, indefinitely!

To me this is so wonderful and happy because let us say you have a Lamborghini or a Porsche 911 or something, the issue is that it is not going to increase or accrue in value overtime. Certainly,

Also, the issue with a lot of his ass that’s like cars and stuff is that they are diluted. That is, doesn’t matter how rare they are or whatever… Because the maintenance cost and whatever, you are slowly bleeding money instead of gaining money. 

so for a long time, I think I was too much into this idea of losing body fat and increasing muscle mass, but even this is kind of a distraction because once again, the goal is to increase weight, ultimately, by having an ultimate higher weight is considered better.

FACTS!

So I’ve always been a technologist, I’ve always had a passion for technology computers the internet etc. ever since I was 11-year-old 12-year-old kid.

Every single morning without fail I always check out the apple.com website, then the tesla.com website, now the michael.com website, now, Michael Saylor’s Twitter (@saylor)— or https://x.com/saylor

The difficult thing is everyone is always waiting for the next revolutionary Apple product, but now that Steve Jobs is dead and Jony Ive is no longer there… Apple is a slowly sinking ship. I think the only thing we should ever expect from Apple is slightly better iterations of iOS, iPad iPadOS, slightly marginally 3% better iPhones every quarter etc.

Tesla, I love it and I love Elon… But still here, innovation is too difficult too hard, because you’re bound by the laws of physics. Even the other day in San Jose we went to Santana Road, and we saw the new cyber truck with the mat green rep, which is actually super interesting because apparently the vinyl covering is self healing or something? Not 100% sure how the physics or laws of physics works here, but still… Really cool. Anyways, Super excited to actually jump into the cyber truck, and once I got in, it was a bit anticlimactic, a bit underwhelming. In fact I prefer being in the interior of a Tesla model X, the cyber truck just feels like you’re in a sedan, Like a Camry or an accord etc. what is interesting about the cyber truck is that it has such an insanely interesting alert from the outside, but finally when you step inside and you’re actually in the car… Once again, a bit anti-climatic and a bit boring?

So then what becomes fascinating about bitcoin is that it is always the topic on everyone’s radar. Even my uncle, 67 years old, and he was a gold jeweler for almost 35 years, even he is interested in bitcoin! I’ve been spending a lot of time with him this past weekend, teaching him everything about bitcoin, micro strategy, and even coming out with any of the two investing strategies so he could retire and stop working, and also, for him to actually purchase the assets. Signing up Coinbase, buying his first $4500 of bitcoin, which is good because it is already up, and also, helping him set up a normal stock market trading account so we could buy some micro strategy stock. I think with my uncle because he’s trying to look at the 3 to 5 to maybe 10 your time horizon, even he came out with the idea which is pretty smart, half in bitcoin, half micro strategy stock. I think this is a good hedge because it is a combination of high yield, high velocity, And also high volatility which is good. If you want if you want about 75% guaranteed yield, ARR, annual rate of return, having a split of 50% bitcoin and 50% micro strategy stock is the way. If you want a more conservative, risk free return, around 55% ARR, just 100% bitcoin, if you want about 105% AR, go 100% micro strategy, once again, more risk and more volatile, but it will give you superior yield performance because it is a Security, and also the way that micro strategy is structured they are about 150% levered long bitcoin.

Maybe what they really need to talk about is like happiness wellness, a feeling of extreme joy and optimism?

Team bitcoin; we are all the winning team! Everyone else is not.

Podcast

Audio

Video vlog

Consider how it is perfect, flawless property ,,, and only 21 million of them, forever?

The world’s first deflationary asset?

Flawless property

Bitcoin as flawless property!

Strategic bitcoin reserve

The strategic imperative

A simple life strategy is a leapfrog life strategy; that you’re just jumping from one lily pad to the next, shout out to my friend Don Dillon for the idea

If you really want the best investment property, it isn’t a home house or land, but bitcoin, digital cyber property, cyber land!

*

Leapfrog life strategy

I want to start living immediately! 

I prefer having money power and control over happiness?

Never pay for anything straightforward?

The magic of borrowing money st really really low interest rates, assuming that your investments outstrip that?

Real Economics —

What if we lived life and approached it, just assuming like money were free? 

The more nature, the better?

First hear no evil and also speak no evil?

Economics money — not zero sum, — it is infinite sum! I love capitalism! Especially digital capitalism!

BTC POWER!

Doing my mail in ballot, and man this is such a headache.

Suggestions for candidates; you gotta make your website Google search indexable, no stupid social media Facebook Instagram or TikTok.

And also, you gotta make it search ChatGPT indexable, make it simple and clear. Not more than one idea, stick with one central political slogan