Understanding Mental Models To Improve Your Life And Enhance The Lives Of Others

 

Understanding Mental Models To Improve Your Life And Enhance The Lives Of Others

  • Make more intelligent decisions. 
  • Become a better communicator.
  • Become more instinctive and objective.
  • Think proactively, and react quicker.
  • Increase your self-awareness.

 

We have fitness gyms to improve our physical fitness. But what about a gym for our mental wellness? What would the mental equipment be?  Building your mental gym is essential and mental models are some of the most potent mental tools at your disposal. They may help you think and react quicker.  

We all have mental models, which are the lens through which we see the world that influences our reaction to everything we experience. It is crucial to be aware of your mental models to be objective. 

Mental models are significant and rooted in human nature, and they affect how we see problems and how we see people. Mental models may either be extremely helpful or destructive, depending on how you use them.

 


Source: brainyquote

What Are Mental Models? 

There are many different mental models, and it would take a very long time to study them all in detail. Some mental models are rooted in biological observations, while others have been described in behavioral studies. However, all mental models serve as beliefs or ideas that we form based on our experiences consciously or unconsciously.

Mental models help us understand life by providing a shortcut for reasoning. They guide our thoughts and behaviors and help us make sense of the world around us. By understanding how mental models work, we can improve our thinking and make better decisions.

Mental models are not a new concept; they are essential to understanding how our mind works. Below are 23 of the fundamental mental models that you can start observing in your daily life. They are helpful in understanding everyone’s thought process, and they will help you become a better communicator by considering other people’s mental models when speaking with them. Most importantly, they will help you become a more self-aware person.

 

23 Intrinsic Mental Models 

1. Anchoring
Anchoring is a mental model that refers to the tendency for people to rely too heavily on the first piece of information they receive (the “anchor”). This can lead to bad decision-making because people often fail to adjust their thinking when new information contradicts the original anchor.

2. Bandwagon Effect
The bandwagon effect is a mental model that refers to the tendency for people to do something simply because other people are doing it. This can lead to bad decision-making because people often fail to think for themselves and blindly follow the crowd.

3. Bayesian Reasoning
Bayesian reasoning is a mental model that refers to the process of updating your beliefs in light of new evidence. This is a good way of thinking because it allows you to constantly learn and update your beliefs based on further information.

4. Behavioral Sink
A behavioral sink is a mental model that refers to the tendency for bad behavior to spread in a population of animals or humans. 

This can happen when there is no punishment for bad behavior or when the rewards for bad behavior are more significant than rewards for good behavior. This can lead to disastrous consequences, such as the spread of disease, lowering of society's standard of living, or extinction of a species. A behavioral sink has been applied to many fields, including public health, marketing, and economics.

5. Classical Conditioning:
Pavlov's dog is an excellent example of classical conditioning. A biologically potent stimulus, such as food, is paired with a previously neutral stimulus, such as a bell, to condition response in animals. In this case, saliva is produced due to the neutral stimulus (the bell), just as it does when the biologically potent stimulus (food) is presented.

6. Commitment and Consistency Bias:
The desire to be and appear consistent with what we have already done. 

It prefers consistency over change, maintains current behavior, and avoids discontinuity. Confirmation bias is the tendency to favor information that confirms your existing beliefs, and Conformity bias tends to be more responsive to social pressure when evaluating a decision in the presence of others (e.g., a purchasing decision)

7. Common Knowledge:
It's a wide-accepted truth that everyone or nearly everyone knows. 

While common knowledge does not always signify fact or authenticity, most people will acknowledge it as such. In many cases, common knowledge can change. What was common knowledge in the past may not be common knowledge now. What was common knowledge in your country or society may not be common knowledge in another country or community.

8. Diversification:
The process of allocating your resources to reduce exposure to any particular risk and is essential when it comes to investing. By diversifying your portfolio, you reduce the risk that you might lose everything if one specific investment tanks. It’s also important to diversify when it comes to risk reduction in your life.

9. Game theory:
An umbrella term for the science of logical decision-making in humans, animals, and computers. 

Game theory is a branch of applied mathematics; it explores how we make decisions when faced with rules, rewards, and punishments. It is used in economics, political science, artificial intelligence, and many other fields. In its most common form, the game theory looks at strategic decision-making and its theory. When analyzing a game, we try to find the best strategy to win it. We look at what happens if everyone plays a certain way and what happens if they don’t.

10. Hyperbolic discounting:
A model states that, given two similar rewards, people prefer one that arrives sooner rather than later. 

This is often referred to as ‘discounting the value of each reward according to how soon it arrives.’ Hyperbolic discounting is often thought to be an innate aspect of human nature rather than something that can be changed. It is often applied to explain why people often fail to save enough money for retirement.

11. The illusion of control:
The tendency for people to overestimate their ability to control events. 

This illusion can lead to a false sense of security, a lack of preparedness, and a false sense of confidence in your ability to succeed. Researchers have found that this bias is common in people across cultures, backgrounds, and demographics. People with higher confidence levels seem to be more prone to the illusion of control. And though this bias can be quite beneficial, it can also lead to disastrous consequences.

12. Incentive:
Something that motivates or encourages someone to do something. 

Examples of incentives include financial rewards, prizes, gift cards, and bonuses. Incentives can also be non-financial, such as public recognition, an employee of the month, or a thank you card. Incentives are most often used in marketing to encourage current or potential customers to buy a product or service.

13. Inversion Principle:
The process of looking at a problem backward. For example, imagine everything that could make your project go wrong instead of brainstorming forward ideas. 

The principle can be applied to any situation where you want to develop new solutions to problems. Backward thinking helps you develop new ideas by challenging your current way of thinking. Inversion takes mental flexibility to apply to any situation in your life. 

14. Loss Aversion:
Loss aversion can be observed in various situations, from investment decisions to risk perceptions. People tend to place more value on avoiding losses than on achieving equivalent gains. E.g., Some people are more distressed about losing $10 than pleased to find $10.

15. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs:
A hierarchy of human needs is often represented as a pyramid in which lower-level conditions must be satisfied before higher-level needs can be addressed. 

In this hierarchy, human needs are arranged in five categories: physiological needs, safety needs, needs for love and connection, need for esteem, and self-actualization at the top of the pyramid.

16. Mere-exposure Effect:
It is a psychological phenomenon by which people tend to prefer things merely because they are familiar with them. 

The mere-exposure effect is a bias where people are more likely to select items based on past experience rather than new information. This can lead to confirmation bias, where people seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs and avoid information that conflicts with them.

17. Norm of reciprocity:
It's the expectation that we repay what another has done for us in kind. 

It is a deeply ingrained social norm that is believed to promote a positive cycle of behavior rather than a negative spiral of consequences. This norm inspires us to do good deeds for others, and when we receive a favor, we feel the obligation to pay it forward. When you have been on the receiving end of a good deed, you now have the responsibility to go out and do something nice for someone else.

18. Operant conditioning:
A learning process where the strength of a behavior is modified by reinforcing or punishing it.

Operant conditioning can be used to modify any kind of behavior and is often used to treat problems like ADHD, but it's also used to help people wanting to improve their performance. Operant conditioning often relies on a system of rewards, like a token economy, to reinforce desired behavior. There are many different types of operant conditioning, but they all rely on classical and operant conditioning principles.

19. Scarcity:
An item in limited supply and thus in demand in the market. Also, artificial scarcity is created when the government restricts the amount of a commodity that may be bought. 

People often react to scarcity by stockpiling goods and spending more money. This can be a response to anything from the uncertainty of a political climate to a natural disaster.  In the face of scarcity, people often turn to each other for support, building communities and trust. Scarcity can also lead to conflict, as people fight over resources.

20. Status Quo Bias:
A status quo bias is a preference for the current state of affairs, where the current baseline is taken as a reference point, and any change from that baseline is perceived as a loss. 

Status quo bias can also be understood as a preference for the “devil you know over the devil you don’t know” or inertia. Status quo bias is a common human bias often observed in decision-making. It can be beneficial in certain contexts, such as deciding whether to stay in or move out of a particular investment. However, it can also be very costly.

21. Surfing:
The business principle of “riding the wave” of new technology, a product, or a trend. 

When a new technology, product, or trend has the potential to impact your business significantly, you can ride the wave by exploring how it can be integrated into your existing offerings. Stay ahead of the curve by keeping an eye on cutting-edge technology and monitoring changes in the marketplace. You might discover that new technology has the potential to be adopted by your existing customers or to attract new ones.

22. Survivorship bias:
The logical error of concentrating on the people that made it past some selection process and overlooking those that did not, typically because of their lack of visibility. 

This frequently occurs in entrepreneurship. For example, if you profile successful entrepreneurs, you are unlikely to consider those who tried and failed. Examining the lives of successful entrepreneurs teaches us very little. We would do far better to analyze the causes of failure, then act accordingly. Even better would be learning from both failures and successes.

23. Tribalism:
A way of thinking in which people are loyal to their social group above all else. 

Tribalism is the opposite of individualism; it’s the idea that social status is more important than what you achieve. It’s the idea that your group — your family, friends, and co-workers — is more important than any other group.

 

How To Use Mental Models 

Mental models should not be mechanically applied to enhance your cognitive performance. There is a common misconception that mental models should be rigorously studied and employed. There are several mental models that you should do your best to avoid. For instance, an “illusion of control” can be particularly dangerous in certain situations, and it's good to understand them, so you are aware of the pitfalls.

It is crucial to be able to recognize mental models to grow as a human being, whether you are using them or communicating with someone who is. Ideally, you should decide whether or not to employ them rather than being swept away by our brain's habitual thinking.

 


Source: AZ Quotes

 

How can you master mental models, identify them in others, and beneficially use them? 

Here are a few strategies you may use to master mental models rather than being dominated by them.

● When thinking, ask yourself challenging questions.
● Challenge your thinking with actual facts by gathering information
● Ask others about their thoughts and challenge their opinions.
● Avoid jumping to conclusions and suspend your assumptions. 
● Be on the lookout for habitual thought patterns, and disempower them.

Being aware of your mental models is critical, as a tool is only as good as its user. Once you know your mental models, you can use them effectively to achieve your goals.

 

How To Build Your Mental Models

In a fast-moving environment, mental models can be instrumental in helping you think fast and make decisions. After all, they’re great at giving you a rule of thumb to predict likely outcomes or behaviors if done well. However, to really benefit from mental models, you need to build them actively and put them into practice.

The best way to do this is to constantly challenge your assumptions, actively seek out new information, and work towards testing your mental models through active experimentation. Doing this will help you continuously improve your mental models and make them more accurate, reliable tools for critical thinking.

Begin developing your own mental models by finding inspiration in people. When you read a biography, ask yourself: why did they make this decision? What was the reasoning? What mental model did they employ?

It's not always about famous entrepreneurs or creatives. We all have a friend or colleague whose work we admire. When you see them make a particular choice in a difficult situation, ask them how they arrived at that decision.

Ask for feedback from a friend or colleague to see if you exhibit any undesirable behaviors. It may be difficult and perplexing to self-observe, but it can be incredibly beneficial and enlightening.

It's essential to be aware of undesirable mental models and recognize the positive ones. Instinctively, you'll notice mental models you don't want to replicate. Studying them is also worthwhile because it is easier to avoid a mental pattern when you know how to spot it in yourself and others. Write down your mental models, whether they are constructive or destructive.

To delve deeper and learn more about mental models, visit Farnam Street

 

References: 
Farnam Street 
Anne-Laure Le Cunff 

 

Also published @ BeforeIt’sNews.com: https://beforeitsnews.com/education/2022/05/understanding-mental-models-to-improve-your-life-and-enhance-the-lives-of-others-2461449.html 

 

Tim Moseley

Gold silver see solid gains as USDX slumps

Gold, silver see solid gains as USDX slumps

Gold and silver prices are posting good gains in midday U.S. trading Thursday. The precious metals are boosted by a sharply lower U.S. dollar index and a slight decline in U.S. Treasury yields on this day. A wobbly U.S. stock market is also working in favor of the metals market bulls. June gold futures were last up $25.40 at $1,841.30. July Comex silver futures were last up $0.321 at $21.86 an ounce.

U.S. stock indexes have seen strong selling pressure recently and are near 12-month lows amid heightened worries about corporate earnings after Wal Mart and Target posted dismal results this week. Both companies cited inflation as the main culprit for their dour earnings numbers. An economic recession in the U.S. is now on the minds of traders and investors who were already saddled with other concerns, including the Russia-Ukraine war and Covid cases causing major cities in China to be on lockdown, which is disrupting global trade. Those concerns are also prompting some safe-haven demand for gold and silver.

U.S. dollar will keep gold price under pressure – VanEcK's Foster and Casanova

The key outside markets today see Nymex crude oil futures prices firmer and trading around $110.00 a barrel. Meantime, the U.S. dollar index is sharply lower and hit a two-week low. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note is fetching 2.837%.

Technically, June gold futures see a nine-week-old price downtrend still in place on the daily bar chart. Bears have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. Bulls' next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at $1,900.00. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at the May low of $1,785.00. First resistance is seen at today's high of $1,848.20 and then at $1,875.00. First support is seen at $1,825.00 and then at today's low of $1,808.40. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 3.5

July silver futures prices scored a bullish "outside day" up on the daily bar chart today. A price downtrend is in place on the daily bar chart. The silver bears have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $23.00 an ounce. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at the May low of $20.42. First resistance is seen at $22.25 and then at $22.50. Next support is seen at today's low of $21.25 and then at $21.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 2.5.

July N.Y. copper closed up 1,045 points at 428.30 cents today. Prices closed near the session high today. The copper bears still have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. A price downtrend is still in place on the daily bar chart. However, more gains in the near term would negate the downtrend. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at 445.00 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at the May low of 403.70 cents. First resistance is seen at 430.00 cents and then at 435.00 cents. First support is seen at 420.00 cents and then at this week's low of 413.15 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 2.5.

By Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

 

Tim Moseley

Gold recovers early losses as US stock market melts down

Gold recovers early losses as U.S. stock market melts down

Gold prices are up a bit at midday Wednesday. The yellow metal recovered moderate early losses as some safe-haven demand surfaced amid a big sell off in the U.S. stock market at mid-week. June gold futures were last up $1.40 at $1,820.50. July Comex silver futures were last down $0.11 at $21.64 an ounce.

Global stock markets were mixed overnight. U.S. stock indexes are sharply lower on corrective pullbacks following gains on Tuesday. A big earnings miss from Target help sink the stock market at mid-week. Traders and investors are also tentative on new reports that Covid continues to spread in China, after reports earlier this week that said China's government could ease up on its lockdowns.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Tuesday afternoon reiterated the central bank's main goal is to tamp down inflation, even if it means pushing up the unemployment rate. He said the Fed "has the tools and resolve" to cool inflation. The marketplace read his latest comments as maybe not surprising but certainly hawkish.

2022's $1 trillion crypto wipeout: 'necessary cleansing' of excess speculation just like dot-com bubble – Bloomberg Intelligence

The key outside markets today see Nymex crude oil futures prices lower and trading around $110.00 a barrel. Meantime, the U.S. dollar index is higher in midday trading. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note is fetching around 2.9%.

Technically, June gold futures see a nine-week-old price downtrend in place on the daily bar chart. Bears have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. Bulls' next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at $1,875.00. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,750.00. First resistance is seen at this week's high of $1,834.80 and then at $1,850.00. First support is seen at today's low of $1,805.00 and then at $1,800.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 3.0.

July silver futures see a steep price downtrend in place on the daily bar chart. The silver bears have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $23.00 an ounce. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $20.00. First resistance is seen at this week's high of $21.925 and then at $22.00. Next support is seen at today's low of $21.38 and then at $21.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 2.0.

July N.Y. copper closed down 550 points at 418.25 cents today. Prices closed nearer the session low today. The copper bears have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. A price downtrend is still in place on the daily bar chart. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at 445.00 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at 400.00 cents. First resistance is seen at today's high of 424.80 cents this week's high of 428.25 cents. First support is seen at today's low of 416.10 cents and then at this week's low of 413.35 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 2.0.

By Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

Tim Moseley

World is threatened with famine

World is threatened with famine – warning of German minister

(information on important politics meeting from Czech web)

Russia's invasion of Ukraine threatens the world's biggest famine since World War II. At a press conference on Wednesday18th May 2022 German Development Minister Svenja Schulze said this at the start of a two-day meeting of development ministers from the countries of the group of major world economies of the G7. She said that it was therefore necessary to create an international alliance for food security.
"Food security was a problem before the war, but the Russian invasion of Ukraine dramatically escalated the situation," Mrs.Schulze said. "The world is facing the biggest famine since World War II," she warned.

The G7 food ministers invited as guests Indonesia, which now chairs the G20 group of the world's largest economies, India, Senegal and representatives of the UN development programme and the World Bank. Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal will also participate in the debates via video link.
One of the main topics of the meeting will be ensuring the export of agricultural products from Ukraine. Many countries in North Africa and Asia depend on this land, which is called the breadbasket of Europe.

Due to the Russian blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports, it is impossible to export grain and other food by sea, European states, including Poland and Germany, began to organize export by rail.

Thus, according to the German minister, food security is the most pressing issue that the ministers of the countries of the group will discuss. In Europe, we have too many fields sown with profitable crops, relying on imports from Ukraine, Russia and India. All three countries have enough to worry about.


Many of us can ask how it is possible that Africa, where it is possible to harvest crops twice a year is constantly dependent on food aid?

Global annual wheat production exceeds 700 million tons and is growing every year. The largest wheat producer is the European Union with an annual production of around 150 million tonnes. France and Germany have the largest share here. Only China, with a production of 130 million tonnes a year, can match Europe in wheat production. India ( 90 million tons) is also a major producer.  Russia (70 mil. tonnes) and the USA (60 mil. tons). In the Czech Republic, about 5.5 million tons of wheat are grown annually.
The EU is the largest consumer of wheat, accounting for 18% of global consumption. This is followed by China (17%), India (12%) and Russia (6%). Most of the wheat is consumed in the countries where it is grown, and about a fifth of the production goes to international trade. The largest wheat exporters are the United States (26% of global exports), Canada (14%) and Russia (10%).

Another important agriculture product is sunflower seed for oil production.
The three most important world growers produce 70-75% of the total volume of sunflower seeds. This is on first place  Ukraine (for the marketing year 2021/2022, the production estimate was about 17 million  tons), Russia (15,5 million t) and the European Union ( 10.5 million t).

Not only are food prices in Europe and around the world already rising rapidly, but the situation may get even worse. Let's hope that politicians will find a quick and good solution.

                    Thank you for reading

                                                       Margaret
 

Tim Moseley

Historic Gerrymander Win Could Set National Precedent

Historic Gerrymander Win Could Set National Precedent

by Micah Morrison, chief investigative reporter, Judicial Watch

 

Historic Gerrymander Win Could Set National Precedent

 

The Judge Was Not Pulling Any Punches

Siding with Judicial Watch in a challenge to a congressional redistricting plan cooked up by Democrats dominating the Maryland state legislature, Judge Lynne Battaglia—herself a Democrat—threw haymakers. The Democrat redistricting map was an “extreme partisan gerrymander.” Democrats had attempted to “suppress the voice of Republican voters.” It was drawn up with “partisanship as predominant intent.” It violated state constitutional provisions on equal protection and free speech. It subordinated “constitutional criteria to political consideration.”

Making history—for the first time, a Maryland court ruled that a congressional redistricting plan violated the state constitution—Judge Battaglia banned the use of the gerrymander map and ordered the Maryland General Assembly back to the drawing board.

Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton hailed the decision. “This key court victory against abusive partisan gerrymandering by Democrats in Maryland could set a national precedent,” he said. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan called it “a historic milestone.”

 

 

Judicial Watch filed the lawsuit on behalf of twelve Maryland voters who objected to the state legislature’s plan and was joined at trial by a second set of plaintiffs. The argument? The gerrymandered maps diminished their right to participate in a free and fair election on an equal basis with other Maryland voters. The court agreed.

The March ruling has begun to echo through the national debate. In New York, in April, the state’s highest court rejected a new redistricting map favored by Democrats dominating state politics. The court ruled that the map violated a state prohibition on partisan gerrymandering, saying it was created with “impermissible partisan purpose.” Court observers say the Maryland case was discussed in briefings and oral arguments in New York.

In 2019, the Supreme Court rejected political gerrymandering claims brought solely under the federal Constitution. Since then, the battle over redistricting has spread to state courts throughout the country. According to experts surveyed by Judicial Watch, cases related to gerrymandering and redistricting are underway in nineteen states. Among the states are the electoral powerhouses Texas, Florida, Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio. You can read about some of the upcoming cases here.

Tough anti-gerrymandering measures are one way to start cleaning up dirty election practices, says Robert Popper, Judicial Watch’s director of voting integrity efforts. Gerrymandering is a “method of cheating [that] has been around for 200 years,” Popper told journalist Tim Pool. “If you’re a state that doesn’t have an anti-gerrymandering provision, then suddenly it’s a political issue. Why don’t you? You want districts that are ugly and screwed up for partisan advantage, you want to cheat opponents in state elections.”

In Maryland, the state legislature quickly capitulated in the face of the court ruling and signed on to a new, fairer redistricting map. In New York, redistricting has been turned over to a special master. But Popper warns of trouble in states where political gerrymandering survives, with partisan operatives possibly turning to “new, computer-generated maps” that could become “so convoluted that’s it’s effectively like you don’t have a district at all.” We’re not there yet, says Popper. “But if we don’t deal with gerrymandering, my prediction is, that’s coming.”

 


New Opportunities Are Emerging For Citizens of The World.

Freedom and democracy may appear to be struggling to stay alive in America, but there may be a knock-out punch ready to be released. The evolution of the blockchain-enabled metaverse is going to enable the 'Citizens of the World' to gain their own Freedom by democratizing power and creating a new world with new rules, new players, and new opportunities. For 99.99% of us, the metaverse will improve our real-world lives through the democratization of power and opportunity.

Along with the major long-term trend of society towards decentralization and smaller-scale organizations, there are new opportunities developing to help 'Preparers' in the cryptocurrency sector. Businesses are beginning to issue their own Crypto Coins that can be traded on Cryptocoin Exchanges.

Markethive.com for example will be releasing its HiveCoin (HIV) in the coming weeks. It has tremendous upside potential that is outlined in a Video by Founder Tom Prendergast, "Entrepreneur Advantage…".

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Markethive

Tim Moseley

Gold silver up but gains fade after upbeat US economic data

Gold, silver up, but gains fade after upbeat U.S. economic data

Gold and silver prices are just modestly higher in midday U.S. trading Tuesday and lost solid early gains after some stronger-than-expected U.S. economic data and rising U.S. bond yields. The metals were supported by rising crude oil prices that hit a nine-week high earlier today, and sharp daily losses in the U.S. dollar index. However, crude oil prices did back down as the session progressed. June gold futures were last up $2.50 at $1,816.50. July Comex silver futures were last up $0.134 at $21.685 an ounce.

The U.S. retail sales report for April showed a rise of 0.9%, which was close to market expectations. However, March retail sales were revised up to 1.4%. April U.S. industrial production for March came in strong at up 1.1% versus expectations for a rise of 0.5%. After these reports’ releases the metals started to ratchet down from their overnight highs.

U.S. stock indexes are higher at midday. The marketplace is more upbeat Tuesday on reports China will start to ease its lockdowns in major cities, including Hong Kong and Shanghai.

The marketplace will be watching a scheduled Wall Street Journal interview with Fed Chairman Jerome Powell this afternoon. Traders and investors will be keen to see if Powell remarks on timing aspects of Fed monetary policy and/or inflation, as well as the prospect of the U.S. economy entering a recession.

Gold faces new competition as real yields turn positive – USBWM

The key outside markets today see Nymex crude oil futures prices weaker after hitting a nine-week high early on, and is presently trading around $113.00 a barrel. Meantime, the U.S. dollar index is lower. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note is fetching around 2.9%.

Technically, June gold futures prices see a nine-week-old price downtrend in place on the daily bar chart. Bears have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. Bulls' next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at $1,875.00. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,750.00. First resistance is seen at today’s high of $1,834.80 and then at $1,850.00. First support is seen at $1,800.00 and then at this week’s low of $1,785.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 3.0

July silver futures see a steep price downtrend in place on the daily bar chart. The silver bears have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $23.00 an ounce. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $20.00. First resistance is seen at $22.00 and then at $22.50. Next support is seen at $21.50 and then at $21.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 2.0.

July N.Y. copper closed up 445 points at 423.50 cents today. Prices closed nearer the session low today. The copper bears have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. A price downtrend is still in place on the daily bar chart. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at 445.00 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at 400.00 cents. First resistance is seen at today’s high of 428.35 cents 430.00 cents. First support is seen at today’s low of 420.30 cents and then at this week’s low of 413.35 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 2.5.

By Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

 

Tim Moseley

Madeira embraces’ Bitcoin and how its president met Michael Saylor

Joseph Hall

JOSEPH HALL

Madeira ‘embraces’ Bitcoin, and how its president met Michael Saylor

Here is why the archipelago of Madeira is “adopting” Bitcoin and how its president fell down the BTC rabbit hole.

Madeira ‘embraces' Bitcoin, and how its president met Michael Saylor

The tiny Portuguese archipelago of Madeira has “adopted” Bitcoin (BTC) — but what does that mean? The announcement, made during the Bitcoin 2022 conference in Miami, has spurned confusion and misinformation.

Miguel Albuquerque, the president of the Regional Government of Madeira, hopped on the stage in April to announce: “I believe in the future, and I believe in Bitcoin.” He also said he would work to “create in Madeira a fantastic environment for Bitcoin.” However, the details remained unclear.

Cointelegraph spoke to André Loja, a Madeiran entrepreneur who spearheaded the plan to bring BTC to the archipelago in the Atlantic ocean, to find out how Bitcoin is shaping the islands’ development.

Madeira exploded onto the Bitcoin world map on April 7 when JAN3 CEO Samson Mow proudly announced that it “will be adopting Bitcoin.”

Upon the announcement, news outlets around the world reported that Madeira had adopted Bitcoin as legal tender; however, this was not the case. Loja explained to Cointelegraph that prior to the announcement, he would have preferred to use the phrase “Madeira is embracing Bitcoin.”

“We embrace it, we support it. We are not ‘adopting’ Bitcoin because adopting looks like we were making it legal tender when it’s already de facto legal.”

Indeed, in Madeira and across Portugal — which is around 620 miles to the northeast — there is zero tax on Bitcoin capital gains. That means any time one of Madeira’s residents disposes of, spends or uses BTC, it does not need to be declared to tax authorities.

Loja orange-pilled the president of Madeira just a few weeks prior to the conference, sharing his vision for Bitcoin as not only a means to attract foreign investment but to “protect my island from the fiat system.”

By happenstance, Albuquerque came to visit Loja’s coworking space — one of the few places to accept BTC in Madeira — and Loja jumped at the opportunity to share his passion for Bitcoin. Madeira was kneecapped by the COVID-19 pandemic as critical tourism revenue fell off a cliff. Loja, therefore, presented a Bitcoin future to the president as a means to diversify and restructure Madeira’s economy, among other advantages.

Albuquerque was reportedly open to the idea, so Loja quickly sought the help of Bitcoiners around the world, including Daniel Prince, a renowned Bitcoin podcaster; Jeff Booth, author of The Price of Tomorrow; and even Michael Saylor, CEO of MicroStrategy.

Within weeks, the Bitcoiner all-star team had contacted the organizers of Bitcoin 2022 to organize the president’s appearance on stage. Ultimately, having the head of state of an autonomous region endorse Bitcoin was an opportunity too big to miss.

Upon landing in Miami, Loja and Albuquerque were invited to Saylor’s flashy Miami villa, “with the yachts and everything,” Loja joked. While Loja had already orange-pilled the president, the conversation with Saylor was on another level:

“Michael Saylor sat down with President Albuquerque, and well, […] it was more like he sat down with his head!”

Saylor told Albuquerque that “You need to focus on Bitcoin. Everything else is garbage.” A conversation the president is unlikely to forget, the seminar was sufficient preparation for him to step on stage in front of 25,000 Bitcoin enthusiasts.

Loja explained that the announcement that Madeira is adopting Bitcoin would “kickstart an intention” for Madeira to become an island in which Bitcoin prospers alongside the people. For Loja, who has already translated popular Bitcoin-related books into Portuguese, “It starts with education — the most important thing.”

Loja (far right), President Albuquerque (center with book) and Knut Svanholm (far left) in Madeira in May 2022. Source: Loja

Indeed, Loja cut his teeth during the bear market of 2018. A passionate educator, Loja works closely with other educators in the space, such as Knut Svanholm, author of Bitcoin: Everything Divided by 21 Million, to teach the principles of sound money:

“I have a lot of ideas, from kindergarten to schools to adult workshops — and to bring people from outside the island. The association will have the best people as consultants.”

To this end, Loja is founding the Sound Money Foundation, a Bitcoin education center in Madeira. The center has support from Mow and Booth, among others, and seeks to help locals to better understand cryptocurrency from a young age.

Accompanying the education drive and the focus on improving “financial literacy,” Loja’s hometown also lures Bitcoin companies with attractive fiscal incentives. At the International Business Center, companies pay just 5% business tax, a highly competitive rate. Portugal was already a budding hub for individual Bitcoiners, but companies can now reap the benefits.

Related: Bitcoin, Bukele and a bevy of central bankers meet in El Salvador

Further down the road, Loja plans for the autonomous government of Madeira to mine Bitcoin with leftover renewable energy — as the island has abundant wind and sunlight — and even utilize “a multisignature wallet for the government to work with Bitcoin financially.”

Madeira's International Business Center. Source: IBC

As a result, the government would take full custody of the Bitcoin it mines by taking control of the private keys. Loja highlighted that the electrical power grid is a standalone “public company,” so any Bitcoin mined by the grid would go into government multisig wallets.

In essence, Madeira’s approach to Bitcoin goes above and beyond the lauded legal tender status. From public sector BTC mining and education to state-run multisig wallets and having Saylor on speed dial, the island is slowly steering toward a Bitcoin future.

Unsurprisingly, Loja’s holistic approach to the island “embracing” Bitcoin has a low time preference. 

markethive

Tim Moseley

The James Webb Space Telescope is almost fully calibrated

The James Webb Space Telescope is almost fully calibrated…

by Jeff Brown, editor, The Bleeding Edge

 

The James Webb Space Telescope is almost fully calibrated…

The James Webb Space Telescope

 

Today Another Stunning Update…

We have been tracking the deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) closely this year. The JWST is the most complex telescope ever constructed. What’s more, it was launched to a destination about one million miles from Earth back in February.

We call its destination the LaGrange Point 2 (L2). It’s on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. That makes it incredibly cold, which is great for the telescope’s performance. JWST is currently going through the calibration process. We expect the first fully calibrated images to come back as early as July.

That said, JWST has sent a few images back already. They aren’t as advanced as what we will get once the telescope is fully calibrated. But they are still incredible. We can see just how powerful JWST is by comparing a recent image from the JWST of the same spot in a galaxy to images from older infrared telescopes…

 

The Same Image from Different Telescopes

The Same Image from Different Telescopes

Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech

As we can see, these images are of the same objects. We can see the string of four objects from the lower left to the upper right of the image. The only difference is that different telescopes took them over the last two decades. We are looking at images of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). It’s a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. And get this – LMC is about 160,000 light-years away from Earth.

The image on the left is from the WISE telescope back in 2003. The one in the middle is from Spitzer in 2008. And on the right is an image just sent back by the JWST. We can see just how advanced the JWST is when compared to previous telescopes. The difference in resolution is dramatic. JWST’s images are only going to get clearer with even higher resolution. 

 

Here’s the most exciting part…

NASA hasn’t yet told us what the JWST’s first scientific target will be. It has been very secretive about what the telescope will focus on first. So we can look forward to more information from NASA within the next month or two. It will be very exciting to see the next images that the telescope reveals…

 


New Opportunities Are Emerging For Citizens of The World.

Freedom and democracy may appear to be struggling to stay alive in America, but there may be a knock-out punch ready to be released. The evolution of the blockchain-enabled metaverse is going to enable the 'Citizens of the World' to gain their own Freedom by democratizing power and creating a new world with new rules, new players, and new opportunities. For 99.99% of us, the metaverse will improve our real-world lives through the democratization of power and opportunity.

Along with the major long-term trend of society towards decentralization and smaller-scale organizations, there are new opportunities developing to help 'Preparers' in the cryptocurrency sector. Businesses are beginning to issue their own Crypto Coins that can be traded on Cryptocoin Exchanges.

Markethive.com for example will be releasing its HiveCoin (HIV) in the coming weeks. It has tremendous upside potential that is outlined in a Video by Founder Tom Prendergast, "Entrepreneur Advantage…".

Not only that, if you go to their website and register as a FREE Member, you will be given 500 HiveCoins for "FREE" along with access to several Earning Opportunities and online tools to increase your HiveCoin balance.

Be sure to check it out today – Markethive.com

Markethive

Tim Moseley

Short-covering in gold silver bulls have more heavy lifting ahead

Short-covering in gold silver; bulls have more heavy lifting ahead

Gold and silver prices are higher, with silver sharply up, in midday U.S. trading Monday. Gold hit a nearly four-month low overnight. Short covering by the shorter-term futures traders was featured on this first day of the trading week. A weaker U.S. dollar index, higher crude oil prices and lower bond yields on this day also worked in favor of the metals markets bulls. However, the bulls need to put together some solid price-gain days to begin to repair recent chart damage. June gold futures were last up $4.70 at $1,813.10. July Comex silver futures were last up $0.479 at $21.48 an ounce.

Global stock markets were mixed but mostly lower overnight. U.S. stock indexes are mixed at midday. The S&P 500 stock index last week had its worse week in 11 years. The U.S. index is now flirting with being in a bear market that is defined by the indexes being down 20% from its recent high. The Russia-Ukraine war, Covid lockdowns in China and inflation fears are hitting the equities hard. The risk aversion seen in the marketplace recently is bullish for gold and silver, but bulls have been perplexed their metals have not seen much upside price performance by such.

U.S. dollar could dominate gold price through the summer – analysts

The key outside markets today see Nymex crude oil futures prices higher, at a two-month high and trading around $112.50 a barrel. Meantime, the U.S. dollar index is lower in midday trading. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note is fetching 2.86%.

Technically, June gold futures prices hit a nearly four-month low early on today. A nine-week-old price downtrend is in place on the daily bar chart. Bears have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. Bulls' next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at $1,875.00. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,750.00. First resistance is seen at Friday’s high of $1,827.60 and then at $1,850.00. First support is seen at $1,800.00 and then at today’s low of $1,785.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 3.0

July silver futures saw short covering featured. Prices hit a 22-month low Friday. A steep price downtrend is in place on the daily bar chart. The silver bears have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $23.00 an ounce. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $20.00. First resistance is seen at $21.625 and then at $22.00. Next support is seen at $21.00 and then at today’s low of $20.835. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 1.5.

July N.Y. copper closed up 115 points at 418.65 cents today. Prices closed nearer the session high today. The copper bears have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. A steep price downtrend is in place on the daily bar chart. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at 440.00 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at 400.00 cents. First resistance is seen at today’s high of 420.60 cents 425.00 cents. First support is seen at today’s low of 413.35 cents and then at 410.00 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 2.0.

By Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

 

Tim Moseley

How to Identify a Viable Business Idea

How to Identify a Viable Business Idea

How do you identify a viable business idea

If you want to start your own business, the first step is to generate a business idea. Validate your idea with a paid customer base. You'll get a better idea of which ideas have the highest chance of succeeding if you can generate a profitable income. Then, you can test and validate your idea by conducting a formal investigation and understanding your potential competitors. Then, you can develop your unique selling proposition.

Formal investigation

When identifying a viable business idea, a formal investigation is critical. This research may include a pre-feasibility study or a marketing analysis. Formal investigation involves identifying potential scenarios and reducing them to a few specific models. The results of this step should inform further study, and the next step will be to refine the remaining scenarios. However, it is important to avoid the process of "fluffing up" the analysis.

The most basic concerns when screening a business idea include determining whether the market is large enough to sustain a profitable business. The amount of profit margin, the market size and structure, and the complexity of the distribution system are some basic concerns. If these aspects of the market are not met, the business idea is unlikely to be viable. Formal investigation will help determine if the idea is worth pursuing.

Understanding existing and potential competitors

There are many reasons why you should understand existing and potential competitors before starting a business. The first of these is the fact that you will need to know what their objectives are. The goals of your competitors may vary, but they generally involve profit and growth, being first to market in a new market, or even entering a new international market. To identify the most promising business idea, you should analyze these factors and understand your competitors' objectives and strategies.

You can find information about your competitors through articles published in magazines, newspapers, and online. This will help you determine the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors. You can also visit libraries to find relevant articles. The librarian can help you find relevant articles online or through an archive. It's also helpful to know what types of competition you're up against. Understanding existing and potential competitors will allow you to create a business plan based on information you've gathered.

Gut feeling

Your gut is one of the most powerful signals you can use to determine if your idea for a new business is viable. It's a part of your enteric nervous system, also known as the ENS. It has several parts, including the neurons that line your stomach. These signals can help you identify a viable business idea, as well as indicate a potential threat or strategy pivot. The best way to utilize your gut feelings is to pay close attention to them and follow them.

When you identify a new business idea, your gut feels can be a faint whisper or a very strong feeling of uneasiness. These feelings aren't random, and they're not necessarily true. Your intuition is an important part of your decision making process. This is because your gut feels based on evidence and a deep understanding of the world around you. Developing a strong intuition can lead you to make more informed decisions about what you're doing and how to best utilize it.

TA

Understanding unique selling proposition

It is crucial to understand your unique selling proposition to identify a viable business opportunity. Most businesses are similar in their products and services, but very few are unique. This differentiation is called a USP and is used to set you apart from your competitors. Here are some tips to help you identify a business idea that's worth pursuing. o Understand your target customers and their needs. Then, focus on creating a product or service that helps them solve their problems.

o Create a clear and concise Unique Selling Proposition. Developing an effective one is essential in distinguishing yourself from your competitors. The Unique Selling Proposition can help you set your business apart from competitors by showcasing your product or service. It can be as simple as a clear and concise description of the product or service. Alternatively, you can also use the Unique Selling Proposition to guide your branding decisions.

Tim Moseley

The Artist that came out of the Winter