In case you were wondering why Bitcoin experienced a crazy spike recently: China's economy is a hyperinflated bubble, poised to burst and the Chinese central bank is depreciating the Renminbi — so China's wealthy are getting their cash out of the country as fast as they can, using any means necessary: suing themselves, spending huge whacks of cash while on vacation, and converting it to Bitcoin (this is especially urgent now that the Canadian real-estate money laundry is shutting down) — this is just the latest salvo in the Chinese capital flight story.
98% of Bitcoin trading volume over the past six months was in Chinese Renminbi
Read ProPublica's excellent work on the IRS's targeting of poor taxpayers
The GOP has long made it their mission to absolutely disable the IRS, thus protecting the wealthiest of the wealthy from any sort of scrutiny. And it's been working: as ProPublica reported in 2019, millionaires in 2018 were about 80% less likely to be audited than they were in 2011; coincidentally (or not), the IRS's… READ THE REST
Play: Dungeons and Deadlines, "an epic game of work-life balance"
Smarter people than me have pointed out that "work-life balance" says the quiet part out loud, implicitly confirming that you stop living when you're at work. Miles Matrix's Dungeons and Deadlines makes all this much realer with acerbic wit and rockin' chiptunes. My spouse left me after five turns. (via Four Short Links) READ THE REST
When contracting with Chinese manufacturers, it's very hard to avoid forced labor
The China Law Blog (previously) is one of my favorite sources of insight into the secret workings of the businesses that produce the majority of the world's daily-use goods. READ THE REST
Take cyberspace back from thieves for just $39.99.
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. The tools to keep yourself safe online are pretty well known: antivirus programs, VPNs, and password managers are all used by millions to protect their data. But what about the data that you've… READ THE REST
Save $130 off this portable heated foot massager that you can take with you everywhere
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Walking around or standing while working all day can be tasking on the feet, but taking care of them can improve blood circulation along with many other health benefits. While investing in some shoe alternatives can be… READ THE REST
Save over $1,000 on this like-new MacBook Air
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Whether you're looking for a low-weight computer to take with you while traveling, work on that novel, or if you just want something fun to read while sipping your morning coffee, you'll… READ THE REST
