MODERN-DAY PREPPING A new wave of preppers say it’s all about community, not doomsday By Charlotte Cuthbertson
THGIF OR O RP O I TC E N South Africans are clamoring for guns in the midst of soaring violent crime. p.12 JULY 1–7, 2022 | $6.95
‘TRAMPLING’ ON FREEDOMS Nearly 600 service members fight back after being denied vaccine exemptions. p.16
L ‘ TE M E H T ’ K AE P S A social media influencer chooses the Chinese people over the Communist Party. p.38 NO. 26
Editor’s Note
‘Modern-Day Prepping’ p r e p p i n g i s a s ol d a s h u m a n i t y i t s e l f.
In recent years, it’s become less of a fringe, tinfoil hat idea and more of a rational reaction to the vagaries of government overreach and corporate dominance. As volatility in the world increases and more people move toward preparedness, a new wave of preppers is emerging. These preppers believe that the key to preparedness is not only in stockpiling food and supplies—albeit that’s a good idea—but making a shift toward a community-based lifestyle that is more traditional, self-sufficient, and responsible. “I think probably the biggest mistake most preppers are making ... is y’all are full of too much anxiety. Way too much anxiety—you’re worried about everything,” prepper teacher T.J. Morris told an audience during a recent event in Tennessee dedicated to self-reliance. One common mistake preppers make, the experts say, is trying to do everything all at once. Instead, they advocate for a systematic approach of making an inventory of key items and starting to stock up on those while simultaneously expanding connections with your community and decreasing dependency on large corporate systems. “When we talk about underground networking, we’re also talking about ... doing commerce with each other. And you know what happens when this gets bigger and bigger and bigger? Do we care if the economy crashes at that point?” prepper Nicole Sauce said. Read this week’s cover story to learn more about this new wave of preppers. Jasper Fakkert Editor-in-chief
2 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
JASPER FAKKERT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CHANNALY PHILIPP LIFE & TRADITION, TRAVEL EDITOR
ON THE COVER T.J. Morris, also known as Bear Independent, host of “The Prepper Classroom,” says preppers often get too anxious; he advises them to focus on preparing rationally. CHARLOTTE CUTHBERTSON/ THE EPOCH TIMES
CHRISY TRUDEAU MIND & BODY EDITOR CRYSTAL SHI HOME, FOOD EDITOR SHARON KILARSKI ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR BILL LINDSEY LUXURY EDITOR BIBA KAYEWICH ILLUSTRATOR SHANSHAN HU PRODUCTION CONTACT US THE EPOCH TIMES ASSOCIATION INC. 229 W.28TH ST., FL.7 NEW YORK, NY 10001 ADVERTISING ADVERTISENOW@EPOCHTIMES.COM SUBSCRIPTIONS, GENERAL INQUIRIES, LETTERS TO THE EDITOR HELP.THEEPOCHTIMES.COM (USPS21-800)IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE EPOCH MEDIA GROUP, 9550 FLAIR DR. SUITE 411, EL MONTE, CA 91731-2922. PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID AT EL MONTE, CA, AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO THE EPOCH TIMES, 229 W. 28TH STREET, FLOOR 5, NEW YORK, NY 10001.
vol. 2 | no. 26 | july 1–7, 2022
12 | Fighting for
49 | Investment
Gun Rights As violent crime continues to soar, South Africans petition their government to keep self-defense rights.
in China Foreign investors flee as Chinese markets totter.
50 | Think of Others
Consider making being thoughtful of others a regular thing.
22 | Longing
for Closure The family of a missing Utah teen is still looking for her body after 27 years.
52 |Liberalism
Has Failed A bold new proposal to combat the woke left.
28 | Real Estate
Deep pockets full of cash keep fueling the luxury home market.
56 | A Rare
36 | No More Camping
A new Tennessee law puts homeless people at risk of prison time.
44 | Economic Policy
Progressive economist Lawrence Summers has never had Biden’s ear.
45 | Meta-China
A dystopian future may be in store for China’s metaverse.
46 | Inflation
The White House has released its plan for dealing with inflation, but it offers little help.
47 | Recession Fears
The prospects for an economic “soft landing” are getting worse.
48 | Stock Market
Are markets prepared for a 2008-style crisis or a nuclear threat?
Features 16 | Pentagon ‘Trampling’ on Freedoms Nearly 600 service members who refused the vaccine and were denied exemptions are fighting back. 24 | Lifestyle Prepping Modern-day prepping is about building community, not fear. THE LEAD
30 | The Case for Fossil Fuels Author Alex Epstein explains why humankind needs more oil, coal, and natural gas—not less—to flourish. 38 | Speaking Out An American YouTuber banned in China chooses the Chinese people over the Communist Party. The Supreme Court has ruled 6–3 that the Clean Air Act doesn’t give the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) widespread power to regulate carbon dioxide emissions that a popular theory says contribute to global warming. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the court’s majority opinion in West Virginia v. EPA, court file 20-1530. STEFANI REYNOLDS/GETTY IMAGES
Opportunity A luxurious slice of small-town America not far from Chicago.
58 | Delightful Sydney Iconic architecture and 100-plus beaches make Australia’s largest city a must-visit.
60 | Be Adventurous
If you love fishing, consider a unique and exotic angling vacation.
63 | Getting Wet
Is Fun A sampling of exciting ways to enjoy quality time in the water.
66 | Hemingway’s
Favorite? The refreshing mojito dates back to Cuba in the 1500s.
67 | Office Skills
We’re back with more tips on how to avoid at-work faux pas. I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 3
4 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
T H G IL T O P S Hot Summer Day A YOUNG IRAQI SHEPHERDESS COOLS DOWN buffaloes in the largely dried-up Diyala river, an important tributary of the Tigris River, in the Al-Fadiliyah district east of Baghdad on June 26. Iraq is experiencing low water levels due to a lack of rain and lower flows from upstream neighboring countries Iran and Turkey. PHOTO BY AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 5
SHEN YUN SHOP
Great Culture Revived. Fine Jewelry | Italian Scarves | Home Decor
ShenYunShop.com
6 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
Tel: 1.80 0.208.2384
NAT ION • WOR L D • W H AT H A P P E N E D T H I S W E E K
The Week
No. 26
A U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot fastens his breathing mask to his helmet during a training deployment at Souda Bay, Greece. PHOTO BY U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO BY STAFF SGT. JOE W. MCFADDEN/RELEASED
Pentagon ‘Trampling’ on Rights Over Vaccine
16
South Africans Fight to Keep Guns
The Case for Fossil Fuels
Giving a Voice to the Chinese People
As violent crime continues to soar, residents petition their government to keep self-defense rights. 12
Author Alex Epstein explains why humankind needs more oil, coal, and natural gas—not less—to flourish. 30
An American YouTuber banned in China chooses the Chinese people over the Communist Party. 38
INSIDE I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 7
The Week in Short US
s t e vr a h ] k o T k i T [ “ e vit sne f o sht a ws e r a w o h s tr o p e r
$4.5 BILLION
went ahta d des c a gn ieb
” .g n i j eB n i Commissioner Brendan Carr, Federal Communications Commission, calling on Apple and Google to ban TikTok from their app stores.
“No one deserves to die that way.” Tom Homan, former head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, on the deaths of 50 illegal immigrants due to heatstroke while they were being smuggled in the back of a tractor-trailer in San Antonio.
Ghislaine Maxwell, who was once an international jet-setting socialite, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for trafficking young women to be used for the sexual exploits of her employer and onetime romantic partner, Jeffrey Epstein.
$700
MILLION
Private companies, including Volkswagen and Siemens, have pledged to invest more than $700 million to boost U.S. manufacturing capacity for electric vehicle chargers, the White House says.
67%
A Gallup poll found that 67 percent of U.S. respondents said that recent gas price increases were causing them hardship—the highest number of such responses since a May 2011 survey.
2.762 MILLION — Oil stocks fell by 2.762 million barrels in the week ending June 24, the Energy Information Administration reported.
8 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
THIS PAGE FROM TOP: SAMIRA BOUAOU/THE EPOCH TIMES, CHARLOTTE CUTHBERTSON/THE EPOCH TIMES; RIGHT PAGE FROM TOP: ROBERTO SCHMIDT/ AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES, DADO RUVIC/REUTERS
20 YEARS
President Joe Biden and leaders from G-7 nations have pledged to contribute $4.5 billion in aid to address global food security following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Week in Short US US–POLAND
US Ramping Up Military Posture in Europe With Permanent Army Base in Poland THE UNITED STATES will create a
Pro-abortion demonstrators protest in front of the Supreme Court in Washington on June 25, a day after the court struck down Roe v. Wade. TEXAS
Texas Judge Blocks Statewide Ban on Abortions ABORTIONS CAN TEMPORARILY resume in Texas after a judge blocked officials
from enforcing a law passed nearly 100 years ago. Judge Christine Weems in Harris County issued a temporary injunction following a last-ditch lawsuit filed by pro-abortion groups to resume services, after the nation’s highest court struck down the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that argued women have a constitutional right to obtain abortions. After the Supreme Court opinion was handed down, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an advisory that “abortion providers could be criminally liable for providing abortions starting today” based on Texas’s “abortion prohibitions predating Roe.” Weems’s order allows clinics to resume services, for now, in a state where abortion was already restricted to only up to six weeks of pregnancy under state law. A later hearing is scheduled for July 12. VACCINES
Biden Admin Expects to Deploy 1.6 Million Doses of Monkeypox Vaccines THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION announced it will expand access to monkeypox
vaccines in a new “enhanced” national strategy to combat the outbreak, which includes the deployment of 296,000 vaccine doses over the coming weeks and potentially 1.6 million doses over the coming months. The plan seeks to “expand vaccination for individuals at risk and make testing more convenient for healthcare providers and patients across the country,” the White House said in a statement. Under the strategy, the Department of Health and Human Services will immediately allocate 56,000 doses of the two-dose Jynneos vaccine, which are currently in the national stockpile, to states and territories A photo illustration of test tubes labeled “Monkeypox virus positive.” across the United States.
new permanent Army headquarters in Poland and deploy additional land, air, and sea forces across the length and breadth of Europe in response to threats from Russia, President Joe Biden said. “I’m announcing the United States will enhance our force posture in Europe and respond to the changed security environment, as well as strengthening our collective security,” he told reporters during a briefing joined by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Madrid. “We’re going to continue to adjust our posture based on the threat, in close consultation with our allies.”
U.S. Army soldiers in Poland. FLORIDA
Florida Police Will No Longer Turn a Deaf Ear to Loud Music From Cars DRIVERS WON’T BE ALLOWED to
“turn it up” under a new Florida statute that allows police to fine drivers for playing loud music within vehicles. On June 1, the new law makes it a noncriminal traffic violation for drivers whose music is “plainly audible” from a 25-foot distance. An officer can issue either a warning or citation, in which the fine can be as much as $114. The law becomes even stricter if the infraction occurs in “close proximity of churches, schools, and hospitals.” I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 9
The Week in Short World NEW ZEALAND
Almost 30 Percent of Adult New Zealanders Were Victims of Crime in 2021 TWENTY-NINE PERCENT of New
NATO heads of states and governments pose for a photo during a NATO summit in Madrid on June 29. NATO
NATO Invites Sweden and Finland to Join NATO’S LEADERSHIP HAS formally invited Sweden and Finland to become
members of the military bloc after Turkey’s president signaled that he wouldn’t block their bids. “Today we have decided to invite Finland and Sweden to become members of NATO, and agreed to sign Accession Protocols,” NATO said in a declaration following meetings in Madrid. “The accession of Finland and Sweden will make them safer, NATO stronger, and the Euro-Atlantic area more secure.” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wouldn’t block the two nations from joining the alliance if they met his demands. Earlier this year, both Sweden and Finland announced their intentions to join NATO after Russian forces invaded Ukraine.
US–MEXICO
POVERTY IN THE MIGR ANTS’ home countries and the status of the
U.S.–Mexico border contributed to the tragic incident that happened in San Antonio, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said. At least 50 migrants died after being stuck inside a sweltering tractor-trailer, in one of the deadliest human trafficking incidents in recent history, U.S. and Mexican officials said. The Mexican president offered condolences to the relatives of the catastrophe. “These unfortunate events that of course have to do with the situation of desperate poverty of our Central American brothers, and of Mexicans,” he said during his daily briefing. “[It] happens because there is also human trafficking and lack of controls, in this case, on the border with the United States and inside the United States.” 10 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
SOUTH AFRICA
South African Human Fossils More Than a Million Years Older Than Previously Thought FOSSILS OF EARLY HUMAN an-
cestors that were found in a cave in South Africa are now thought to be a million years older than originally estimated, thereby shaking the current scientific understanding of human evolution and its origins. Fossils from the Sterkfontein Cave, belonging to the genus Australopithecus, were initially thought to have been from 2 million to 2.6 million years ago. But researchers who used a new technique to date the fossils found them to be from 3.4 million to 3.6 million years ago, according to a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The new dating makes these fossils older than the famed Lucy fossil from Ethiopia, which was dated to 3.2 million years.
THIS PAGE: SUSANA VERA/REUTERS; RIGHT PAGE FROM TOP: PRAKASH MATHEMA/ AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES, JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES, THOMAS LOHNES/ GETTY IMAGES, CRISTINA VEGA RHOR/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
‘Lack of Controls’ on US Border Contributes to Horrible Migrant Deaths: Mexican President
Zealand adults fell victim to a crime between November 2020 and November 2021, according to a new report by the Ministry of Justice. The fourth annual publication of the New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey reveals that the three most common offenses were harassment and threatening behavior; burglary; and fraud and deception. “Together, these made up more than half of all crimes,” according to the Ministry of Justice. About 2 out of 5 victims experienced two or more crimes during the 12 months.
World in Photos
1. 2.
3.
1. A mud-covered farmer plays in a rice paddy field on National Paddy Day, which marks the start of the annual rice planting season, in the village of Tokha on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal, on June 29. 2. A contestant grabs a flag and dives off the slippery pole during a competition at the St. Peter’s Fiesta in Gloucester, Mass., on June 25. 3. World leaders line up for a group photo on the first day of the G-7 summit at Schloss Elmau near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, on June 26. 4. A demonstrator (bottom L) hides from an armored riot police truck during indigenous-led protests against the government, at El Ejido park, in Quito, Ecuador, on June 24.
4.
I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 11
VIOLENT CRIME
South Africans Fight to Keep Guns As violent crime continues to soar, residents petition their government to keep self-defense rights BY DARREN TAYLOR
A group of armed private security officers position their rifles during clashes at the Wolhuter Men’s Hostel in Jeppestown, Johannesburg, South Africa, on July 12, 2021. PHOTO BY MARCO LONGARI/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
12 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
World South Africa
J
O H A N N E S B U R G —South Africans are clamoring for guns in the midst of soaring violent crime, while their government tries to pass legislation to outlaw ownership of firearms for self-defense. “A government is supposed to protect its people. A government is supposed to care about the welfare of citizens,” Dave Alfonso said outside a firearms dealership in Johannesburg, minutes after his purchase of a 9-mm pistol. “Here we have a government which has established one of the most useless police forces in the world, and under whose watch we are now one of the most dangerous countries on the planet. A government that says South Africa will be safer when private citizens are not allowed to own guns!” There are no official statistics indicating the recent rise in gun demand, but the police confirm burgeoning demand for firearm licenses. Weapons dealerships across South Africa report rising trade since the events of July 2021, when mobs rampaged across several cities, destroying property, looting stores and private homes, and attacking people. HUNDREDS LOST THEIR lives. Law en-
rica ninth on its list of countries with the most murders, with 36 per 100,000 people. But that ranking springs from data prior to 2020. Given that murders have increased exponentially since then, crime analysts say, South Africa’s murders per 100,000 people are now closer to 40, enough to put it on par with Lesotho, the tiny kingdom surrounded by South Africa, and ranked fifth on the World Atlas list. SEVER AL VIOLENCE MONITORING or-
ganizations rank South African cities among the most dangerous, with Cape Town’s homicide rate—currently measured at 62.22 people murdered per 100,000, based on 2021 police statistics—being the highest in the world. The country’s main firearms rights group, Gun Owners of South Africa (GOSA), says weapons sales and license applications spiked again after police released crime statistics in January— numbers that showed increases in all violent crimes, including murder, armed robbery, and rape. The data showed almost 7,000 murders in the last three months of 2021, an increase of almost 9 percent compared to a year earlier. New police information indicates almost 6,100 people murdered between January and March 2022, an increase
A young woman shoots with a CZ Shadow 2 9mm pistol during a gun show event in Bronkhorstspruit, South Africa, on April 2. I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 13
GUILLEM SARTORIO/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
forcement agencies faced extreme public backlash for their initial slow reaction to the violence, with citizens forced to form vigilante militias to defend their families and properties. “I think that opened a lot of eyes as to what this country could look like in the not-too-distant future, and people have been rushing to arm themselves,” said Nick Yale, who’s been selling firearms in Johannesburg for almost 40 years. “The last time I saw demand like this was between 1990 and 1994.” Thousands were killed between 1990 and 1994, as a South Africa transitioning from apartheid to democracy teetered on the brink of civil war, with bombings, assassinations, and security force massacres of protesters. South Africa remains one of the most dangerous places on earth, consistently rated as such by global violence and crime watchdog groups. WorldAtlas, which collates crime data from around the world, places South Af-
There are no official statistics indicating the recent rise in gun demand, but the police confirm burgeoning demand for firearm licenses.
World South Africa
South Africa Police Services clash with looters in central Durban, on July 11, 2021. South Africa remains one of the most dangerous places on earth, constantly rated as such by global violence and crime watchdog groups.
IN E ARLY MAY, the United Nations
Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said that 3,381 civilians had been killed in the first 70 days of the Russian invasion. So, Terblanche said, the civilian death 14 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
toll in a “full-scale war isn’t too different from the death toll of South Africans murdered over a similar period of time, in a so-called peaceful country.” GOSA chairman Paul Oxley told Insight: “In this context, it’s understandable and fair that sensible people want to arm themselves. What’s not understandable is that the government wants to remove citizens’ rights to defend themselves from criminals.” In May 2021, the African National Congress (ANC) government moved to amend the Firearms Control Act. The change, if approved in Parliament, would
“South Africa is at war with itself.” Ockert Terblanche, member of parliament
prohibit the issuing of licenses for firearms bought for self-defense. Following a public outcry and court action, the proposed bill is on hold, but Minister of Police Bheki Cele told Insight that the ANC “remains resolute” in making the amendment, “because it will make South Africa a safer place.” He said, “Our data show that the majority of gun crimes are committed by criminals in possession of weapons stolen from private citizens.” THE COUNTRY’S BIGGEST anti-firearms
lobby group, Gun Free South Africa (GFSA), says reducing the numbers of firearms will mean less violent crime. “We need nonproliferation, in line with international norms and standards. There are too many guns in the country,” GFSA Director Adele Kirsten said. According to international weapons monitoring group Small Arms Survey, there are 5.4 million privately held firearms in the country, which has a population of roughly 60 million.
FROM L: -/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES, JAMES OATWAY/GETTY IMAGES
of 22 percent compared to the same period in 2021. Almost 11,000 rapes were reported during this period, and almost 14,000 attempted murders. “We don’t need [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to invade us and bomb us; South Africa is at war with itself. I’m struggling to decide which place is safer at the moment—South Africa or Ukraine,” said Ockert Terblanche, a member of Parliament for the opposition Democratic Alliance. As flippant as his comment appears to be, a comparison of the numbers of murder victims in South Africa with official civilian deaths in Ukraine gives insight into the scale of horror that Africa’s most industrialized economy is enduring.
World South Africa
That’s enough to place South Africa 20th on its list of nations with the most private guns in circulation, but far away from the 120.5 firearms for every 100 residents in the United States. Oxley points out that the 5.4 million private guns in South Africa are “legal, and registered by responsible people who have to undergo strict competency training and background checks before they’re permitted to take possession of firearms.” He said the government shouldn’t be trying to limit ownership of legal guns, but should focus instead on seizing the many thousands of illicit weapons leftover from the apartheid era. DURING APARTHEID, black people were
prohibited from owning firearms. By contrast, the Nationalist government made it relatively easy for whites to get guns, arguing that they needed to protect themselves from communist liberation movements such as the ANC. But the Soviet Union provided thousands of AK-47 assault rifles and Makarov pistols to the ANC’s armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe, or “Spear of the Nation.” These were smuggled into South Africa through neighboring countries, especially Mozambique. Kirsten said she’d provided the government with “tons” of research showing that limiting legal gun ownership “will lower levels of gun violence and can only do good.” Rubbish, is Oxley’s response. He said: “None of what GFSA presents as credible research is applicable to South Africa. It applies to countries in Europe, which don’t have the levels of violent crime that we have here. Europeans don’t have to defend themselves against the kind and scale of threats that are normal in a traumatized, violent nation such as South Africa. “Our constitution guarantees us the right to life, and if we have that right, then we surely also have the right to protect our lives and to defend the lives of our loved ones. “Until someone, somewhere, comes up with a better way, then the best way to do that is by using firearms, responsibly and safely, but using them when necessary and without hesitation when life is threatened.”
That’s exactly what Ronald Naidoo said he did when he and colleagues from a neighborhood watch group fought off a crowd of people trying to enter the Phoenix suburb of Durban inJuly 2021. He told Insight: “If we didn’t have our firearms, I don’t think I’d be standing here right now. The only reason these guys did not invade our area was because we stood guard at all entrances with firearms. When they approached,
9
th
The World Atlas, based on data before 2020, places South Africa 9th on its list of countries with the most murders, with 36 per 100,000 people. Now, it's closer to 40 per 100,000 people, crime analysts say.
7,000
MURDERS
occurred in the last three months of 2021, data show.
we shot over their heads and they turned back.” GOSA says if weapons for personal protection are banned, South Africa will become even more dangerous than it already is. “Go into any suburb now and you’ll see that it’s protected by private security officers, not the police, because our police service is broken by corruption, mismanagement, lack of training, and lack of funding,” Oxley said. “LIKEWISE, POOR TOWNSHIPS are often
protected by private self-defense units. The new bill, if it becomes law, will mean it’s illegal for private security officers and these units to own firearms. “It’ll be party time for the criminals.” But Cele maintains the self-defense clause must be removed from the Firearms Control Act as soon as possible. “It’s too easy to abuse. Almost everyone registering a gun says they want it for self-defense. We only want police in this country to have guns,” he said. GOSA says if Parliament passes the law, it’ll challenge it before South Africa’s Constitutional Court, the highest in the land. “It can’t be that only police have the right to self-defense using firearms,” Oxley said. “What must citizens use to defend themselves against rampant criminality? Knives? Karate?”
A woman walks past the bodies of two young men who fell into a sewage pit and drowned while fleeing from the police in Vlakfontein, Johannesburg, South Africa, on July 13, 2021. I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 15
POLICY IMPACT
P E N T A G O N
‘TRAMPLING’ ON RIGHTS OVER VACCINE Nearly 600 service members who refused the vaccine and were denied exemptions are fighting back BY J.M. PHELPS
16 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
In Focus Armed Forces
A
Capt. Joshua Hoppe with his wife and their two children in front of an MV-22B Osprey, on the flightline of MCAS Yuma, Ariz. PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. JOSHUA HOPPE
mid -june report is making its way into the hands of U.S. representatives and senators. Titled “Congressional Survey of Accountability, Truth, and Freedom,” the report is the result of a grassroots effort of nearly 600 military service members to fight back against what they allege to be discriminatory treatment they’ve received by the Department of Defense (DOD) for refusing to abide by its vaccine mandate. The final page of the 12-page report includes links to enclosures, with more than 60 pages of testimony from various members of the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Space Force, National Guard, and Coast Guard. Capt. Joshua Hoppe, a Marines Corp MV-22B Osprey pilot, told Insight that he is praying for the report to “bring accountability, truth, and freedom to the many honorable service members who want nothing more than continued service without infringing on their personal beliefs and freedoms.” “This is why I’m speaking up and holding the line like all the other Marines who have requested religious accommodation,” Hoppe said. Ever since the vaccine mandate was imposed, he and others began pushing for political action and compelling others to make a plea to Congress to take action on their behalf. Hoppe said he is “humbled to be part of this grassroots effort,” and he appreciates “everyone willing to stand up and fight.” According to the Osprey pilot of six years, “the mandate violates the Constitution by trampling over our religious freedoms, our medical freedoms, [and] our moral freedoms.” With “thorough documentation,” Hoppe requested religious accommodation on Sept. 8, 2021, but was denied on Oct. 21, 2021. A subsequent appeal made on Nov. 5, 2021, was also denied the following March. Lt. Col. Daniel Lewis, a third-generation Marine with almost 20 years of service, also spoke to Insight. “What I have witnessed [regarding the measures taken against the coronavirus] over the last two years in our country and in our Defense Department is truly soul-crushing,” he said. As with Hoppe, his application and appeal for religious exemption were “speI N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 17
In Focus Armed Forces
cifically and categorically denied.” While Lewis is contemplating the decision to take the vaccine, he believes it’s necessary to continue speaking out against the mandate, whatever his final decision will be. “I’m not being a hypocrite,” he said. “It has to be considered for the sake of my family and our future, and my sacrifice doesn’t change the facts of the case or the debate. “Despite leadership’s direction to provide dignity and respect to those members wishing to stand firm in their first principles and God-given rights,” he said, adding that service members “were treated very poorly—and unnecessarily so—and the survey we conducted clearly demonstrates this.” Both Hoppe and Lewis emphasized that their views don’t reflect the views of the DOD, the Department of the Navy, or the U.S. Marine Corps.
“The [vaccine] mandate violates the Constitution by trampling over our religious freedoms, our medical freedoms, [and] our moral freedoms.” Capt. Joshua Hoppe, Marines Corps pilot
Burden Ignored
18 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
Hoppe said there are more than 27 different federal court cases challenging the mandate. Most of the cases, he said, are making challenges based on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993. However, he pointed to the class action lawsuit by Dale Saran, which challenges the legality of mandating a vaccine by arguing that the COVID-19 treatments are not truly vaccines. “It doesn’t prevent you from getting COVID, nor does it keep you from spreading it,” Hoppe said. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) agreed, stating: “The shot mandate is placing an undue burden on our dedicated service members. “Experienced warriors must face the choice of getting the shot against their personal or religious beliefs to continue their patriotic service in defense of our freedoms, or sacrifice their military career.” The lawmaker also considers it “outrageous,” saying it’s well-known that the vaccine doesn’t prevent infection or spread of the virus.
Grounded and in Limbo Service members who refuse to comply with the mandate for religious or other reasons are now finding themselves facing adverse actions. “While there are challenges in court,
A Future Threatened Lewis indicated that a “certain profile” fits those refusing to take the vaccine. He or she is “likely someone grounded in their faith, someone with a bit of life experience and seniority, and someone who can critically think.” He is gravely concerned that such a profile will “no longer be part of the military or no longer be welcomed in the military.” While he continues to serve in the Marine Corps, his hope is to “continue providing fact-based information and arguments against what is being proven in both the DoD’s administrative proceedings as well as the civilian judicial system proceedings as an unlawful enforcement regime.” It’s startling to Lewis that even people with previous medical exemptions were subsequently denied, as noted in the survey. And several participants in the survey included those “slated for command.” However, he said, he has voluntarily removed himself from consideration to become a commanding officer. “The COVID mitigation and non-pharmaceutical interventions being enforced are things I can’t enforce on others, [as] they’re being enforced on me,” he said.
FROM L: COURTESY OF CAPT. JOSHUA HOPPE, COURTESY OF LT. COL. DANIEL LEWIS
It’s Hoppe’s desire to convince Congress that what the DOD has been doing is unlawful. Lewis hopes that the survey will provide “civilian leadership a fact-based warning about what is happening to their military uniformed members.” “Our elected representation and their constituents need to understand what’s happening as the mandate continues to be enforced,” he said. Both Marine Corps officers are concerned about the legality of mandating the vaccine. Hoppe is particularly concerned about the “blanket denials for the religious accommodation requests,” explaining that “the burden of proof is on the government to prove that there is a compelling governmental interest in order to deny our religious freedoms by forcing us to take a vaccine that we’ve requested not to, based on our sincerely held beliefs.” “This has not been the case,” he said. On Nov. 2, 2021, the commandant and the sergeant major of the Marine Corps released a video message to the force stating: “I know the science behind it. I know how the vaccine was developed. I’m confident in it.” But, as Hoppe notes, Gen. David H. Berger didn’t expound on any of the science in the video or in any of the denial letters Marines have received.
the DOD is continuing full steam ahead with separating individuals and taking other adverse actions, like the grounding of pilots, for example,” Hoppe said. While Hoppe considers himself fortunate to continue flying the MV-22 Osprey, he said, “hundreds of other pilots and aircrew across the DOD have been grounded for the past 10 months.” Since some are grounded and others are not, he doesn’t understand “such a disparity of treatment among service members” by the DOD. “Why are some treated terribly—even to the extent of being sent to mental counseling because they requested a religious accommodation to the vaccine?” Those who have served in the Marine Corps for less than six years and are “in limbo,” waiting for their appeals to be fully adjudicated, he said, “are going to be rapidly pushed out of service within two to four weeks” once the final decision is made. To that end, Stauber said, “Medical decisions are personal and should be made by an individual in consultation with their doctor, not forced by a mandate.”
In Focus Armed Forces
Lewis has no intention of undermining the Marine Corps’ decision, but he can’t see himself forcing others to “get the shot.” More than anything, it’s the end result that has him concerned. “How are we going to become a more lethal, capable, and modern force if people, like those represented in the survey, are being pressured to get out?” he said. “How many people will want to reenlist? How many officers would want to take commanding positions? There’s already a big cost to what they’re enforcing, and it’s going to be unrecoverable— and I don’t think people understand it. “On the aviation side, it is astronomical, [as] pilots are being removed from command positions and instructor pilots are grounded first and then removed.” These losses will hurt aviation training for years to come—at a time when it’s already suffering from shortages, he said.
It’s Not Enough Lewis said, “The military is setting itself up for a massive readiness, capability,
“What I have witnessed [regarding the measures taken against the coronavirus] over the last two years in our country and in our Defense Department is truly soul-crushing.” Lt. Col. Daniel Lewis
[and] lethality shortfall if we continue down this path.” Military leadership is “looking at the pilot production shortfall [and] their ability to produce and retain.” “But they’re not looking at who they’re
pushing out the door,” he said. “How is morale, readiness, lethality, modernization, recruitment, and retention being affected—positive or negative—under this construct? [That] would be a good question to ask, as a starting point, in my humble opinion.” Stauber agreed, saying, “Military readiness has been negatively impacted by this administration’s obsession with COVID-19 being the number one enemy, in lieu of known and sworn enemies worldwide.” He remains concerned that “our national security is more at risk.” “The armed services are no place for political virtue signaling,” the lawmaker said. “Totalitarian states like communist China are more emboldened than ever, and yet the Biden administration decided to force through this shot mandate that weakened—not strengthened—our fighting forces.” Stauber’s congressional office has been contacted by several active-duty military personnel from his district and across the country.
27 CASES
There are over 27 different federal court cases challenging the vaccine mandate, a Marine Corps officer says.
“[They] are pleading with me to do something on this issue,” he said, adding that he strongly opposes President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s “tyrannical” vaccine mandate. In the fiscal year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, Stauber supported a provision to prohibit dishonorable discharges for service members who refuse the vaccine. While he’s glad the provision was included and signed into law, he said “it doesn’t go far enough,” and he has promised to “continue to fight to end this mandate on our brave men and women.” In a response to an inquiry from Insight, the DOD, without replying to any questions posed, pointed to the Aug. 25, 2021, statement announcing the issuance of the Pentagon’s vaccine mandate. Lt. Col. Daniel Lewis with his family. I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 19
20 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
SPOTLIGHT
Where Sacred Rivers Meet PEOPLE WALK AMID A SANDSTORM at Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the sacred rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati, on a summer day in Prayagraj, India, on June 28. PHOTO BY SANJAY KANOJIA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 21
MISSING PERSONS
Family Longs for Closure Nearly three decades after Utah teen goes missing, her family won’t stop looking for her body
S
By Allan Stein
22 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
“She was happy. She had no intention of running away. She always told us where she went.” Richard Davis, father of Kiplyn Davis
Police charged four other men with lying to authorities in connection with Kiplyn’s death. “She knew them. She trusted them. She wouldn’t have gone with them [otherwise],” Davis said. “There was a rumor [Spanish Fork Canyon] is where they took her and left her up there. They did a massive search for her—closed off the road, dug for her, but nothing came forward.” Kiplyn was last seen on May 2, 1995, when she failed to attend her fourth- and fifth-period classes at school. Her parents grew concerned when she didn’t return home by 4 p.m., and they went out looking for her. Early that morning, Davis said Kiplyn was late getting ready for a driver’s education class and didn’t want to go to school. She began to argue with her parents. “You’re going to school. Get your makeup and get to school,’” Davis told her, which made her angry.
(Left) Kiplyn Davis was known as a “bubbly personality” who made friends easily. (Above) Kiplyn Davis (L) with her sisters Karissa (bottom) and Haley (R) and brother Rory.
FROM L: COURTESY OF DAVIS FAMILY, ALLAN STEIN/THE EPOCH TIMES
panish fork, utah—the day that 15-year-old Kiplyn Davis went missing in May 1995, her family turned on the porch light to serve as a beacon of hope. It’s been on ever since. “We’ve gone through a lot of lightbulbs,” Kiplyn’s father, Richard Davis, said. “We won’t turn that lightbulb off until we have her body underneath [her] monument at the cemetery.” Four days before what would have been Kiplyn’s 43rd birthday on July 1, her dad still hopes to locate her remains and finally be at peace. “I don’t care about anything else now. I care about bringing [Kiplyn’s] body home,” Davis said. The worst of it, he says, is knowing that the man who killed his daughter might know where she is but refuses to talk. In 2026, Timmy Brent Olsen, who was convicted in 2011 of Kiplyn’s death, will be released from prison after serving a 15-year sentence for manslaughter. Through his attorney, Olsen claimed he saw an unnamed person hit Kiplyn in the head with a rock, killing her, and that he helped bury her body in Spanish Fork Canyon. Even after a massive search of the remote canyon area, authorities have yet to locate the girl’s remains. “There’s not much more we can do unless someone comes forward and tells us something. We never give up hope,” Davis told Insight. In February 2011, Olsen pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter rather than go on trial for first-degree murder. Prosecutors agreed to the plea bargain provided that Olsen reveal where he buried Kiplyn’s body. Davis said Olsen reneged on the deal even though Davis begged him to honor the agreement. “[Olsen] told [authorities], ‘I don’t have anything to give.’ That’s the way it ended,” Davis said. “You always have things running through your mind. I think [Olsen] is protecting somebody. I don’t think it’s one of the people he was with when he took her. I don’t know why he’d want to stay in jail to protect somebody unless they were close.”
Utah Crime
“It’s not been easy for me knowing what happened. I suffered from depression because of it. It wears on you.” Karissa Lords, younger sister of Kiplyn Davis
Because authorities thought at first that Kiplyn had run away, months went by before the investigation into her whereabouts moved forward with the help of federal investigators. “She was happy. She had no intention of running away. She always told us where she went,” Davis said. “I talk about the last thing I said to my daughter, and I have to live with that.” Karissa Lords was 9 years old when her older sister disappeared. She remembers Kiplyn as a “bubbly person” who made friends quickly. “She made people feel welcome. She was that kind of person who was a social butterfly. I looked up to her,” she said. Lords, now 36, said that when her sister went missing, “I took it pretty hard.” “It’s not been easy for me, knowing what happened. I suffered from depression because of it. It wears on you,” she said. “Christmas comes, and that’s super hard. It’s a hard reality being a little kid thinking maybe, just maybe, you’re going to get this wish, but it’s not going to happen.” Desperate for answers, the family even contacted psychics hoping they might lead them to Kiplyn’s remains. “We followed what we could. You follow that lead. You follow that rumor,” Lords said. “She could be anywhere.”
Kiplyn Davis with her youngest sister, Karissa.
On May 2, 2018, the family held a candlelight vigil in memory of Kiplyn. It was raining, just like the day she went missing. But like her personality, the clouds eventually went away, Lords said. Lords set up a website, “Find Kiplyn Davis,” to keep her sister’s memory alive. She hopes that someday, someone will come forward with information that leads to Kiplyn’s remains. “People ask me questions. ‘Have you looked here?’ I [tell] my dad we should check that out. Mostly nothing,” Lords told Insight. Lords said that in spite of her years of pain and anguish, she’s forgiven her sister’s killer. “It wasn’t easy, but I did it for her,” she said. Her father, however, hasn’t reached that point yet. “There’ll never be any forgiveness. [Olsen] hurt my daughter. But there’s nothing I can do about it,” he said. At Spanish Fork Cemetery, the family has placed a monument to Kiplyn embossed with her picture—her dad’s favorite. Her memory, and his faith, keeps him hopeful. “I know Kiplyn’s OK. She’s happy. She’s not being hurt anymore, [but] there’ll never be peace in our home [nor] any closure until we bring her home,” Davis said.
Karissa Lords kneels beside a monument to her older sister, Kiplyn Davis, who went missing on May 2, 1995, and is presumed dead. I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 23
P R E PA R E D N E S S
MODERN-DAY PREPPING IS ABOUT COM MU N IT Y,
NOT DOOMSDAY It’s much more than frantically squirreling away beans, bullets, and Band-Aids
C
By Charlotte Cuthbertson amden, tenn.—john 2020, and the 2020 election of 750 pounds of dried grains per year. willis spent about 10 spurred a lot of Americans Morris said he worked with the Federal years living in the into making their household Emergency Management Agency for 10 backwoods waiting for more resilient financially, as months after Hurricane Katrina, from society to collapse. well as with food, water, and the Florida Keys up to East Texas. T.J. Morris, who other essentials. It didn’t. “There’s a lot of people right now who goes by Bear “I think a lot of people forget to Since then, a litany of add- think the government’s going to come Independent live because you’re waiting for socied pressures are affecting save you. And there’s a lot of people who online, is ety to collapse,” Willis said during a people’s daily lives, including think the government is going to come the host of “The Prepper Self-Reliance Festival in Tennessee supply chain issues, food crop and enslave you,” he said. “I’m here to tell Classroom.” recently. “I spent a lot of years in losses, food production-plant you, they’re not coming. They’re just not a cave, doing absolutely nothing.” destruction, fertilizer shortag- coming. It’s not happening.” He said he emerged still owing the IRS es, increased gas prices, and inflation. He’s spent the past several years build$3.2 million and ready to try a new ap- Natural disasters, job losses, and health ing his own resilient homestead as well proach to life. Now (after paying the IRS), issues are ongoing potential curveballs as a strong community of people who he’s part of a larger community of people to prepare for. are willing to help each other. in Tennessee and beyond who are moving “I think probably the biggest mistake Spirko’s first piece of advice is for peotoward a lifestyle that can operate mostly most preppers are making ... is y’all are ple to strengthen the financial side of outside of government vagaries. full of too much anxiety. Way their lives. Modern-day prepping builds on a lot too much anxiety—you’re “That’s the thing that’s more than the panicked reaction of iso- worried about everything,” going to hit you first,” he lating yourself or frantically squirreling T.J. Morris, chief operating said. Diversify your money away beans, bullets, and Band-Aids. It’s officer at ProsperReady, said sources, start a side business an intentional shift toward living a more in Tennessee. using social media as an adtraditional, self-sufficient, and responsi“You should let that anxvertising platform, and look FOR ble lifestyle. iety spur you to action, and for bartering options in your PREPARDENESS “Preparedness is not a big pile of stuff then become emotionally community. include food, in the basement. That’s a good piece of detached from the execution “And then as far as food water, power, preparedness. But that’s like, everything portion of it. Just do it.” preparation, get yourself a medical, else has failed, so now I’m going to rely Morris, whose online hansheet of paper ... and keep a transport, travel, on my stockpile,” said Jack Spirko, one of dle is Bear Independent, has food diary,” Spirko said. “Evcommunications, the more well-known preppers. Spirko a 28-episode “Prepper Classerything in there that you can equipment, hosts The Survival Podcast, which has room” series on YouTube that store, start stacking that.”. defense, and the tagline: “Helping you live a better life, logically explains the funAside from increasing pantools. if times get tough or even if they don’t.” damentals of prepping and try size, home gardens have The combination of the govern- provides a how-to guide. His become one of the most popment-imposed lockdowns during the food prepping video details the amounts ular ways people have responded to food COVID-19 pandemic and resultant pan- of food needed based on caloric intake, pressures. ic-buying, the Black Lives Matter riots in including that each adult needs a total Joel Skousen, author of several books
10
CATEGORIES
ALL PHOTOS BY CHARLOTTE CUTHBERTSON/THE EPOCH TIMES
24 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
The Lead Lifestyle
Nicole Sauce, of Living Free in Tennessee, speaks at the Self-Reliance Festival in Camden, Tenn., on June 11. about strategic relocation and securing your home, has published a basic booklet called “10 Packs for Survival,” in which he lists the essential items within the 10 categories of food, water, power, medical, transport, travel, communications, equipment, defense, and tools. Nicole Sauce, who is known for her podcast “Living Free in Tennessee,” has helped bring like-minded people together in their local areas by using networking groups on messaging apps such as Telegram. She’s a big advocate of building community and commerce networks. “Relationships are very commerce-related,” she said, “so when we talk about underground networking, we’re also talking about ... doing commerce with each other. And you know what happens when this gets bigger and bigger and bigger? Do we care if the economy crashes at that point?” Recently, Sauce posted a message in her local Facebook group asking if anyone was interested in going in together to buy and butcher a cow. Within a few days, enough people had joined in, and they filled their freezers with local beef. She works together with her immediate neighbors on “projects like grazing sheep, freezing bunnies, fixing each other’s things that go wrong.” Sauce also advises against pushing people away who don’t share the pre-
“I think probably the biggest mistake most preppers are making ... is y’all are full of too much anxiety.” Bear Independent
paredness mindset. “If your response is to withdraw from your friends and your family who don’t get it—guys, there will always be people in your life who don’t get it—and if you withdraw from them, they’re going to not get it for longer,” she said. “If you are an empowering presence in their life, and if you just model a prepared, logical, stable, ‘building the life I want’ ... every so often, a lightbulb goes on.” Sauce shared a story about her nonprepper sister in California who called her as wildfires threatened to encroach on her home. Sauce said she suggested storing as much water as possible in containers, the bath, and the hot tub, and once the emergency was over, they could discuss a longer-term approach. Adding an extra 5-gallon can of gas to
your inventory each week, or even each month, can help alleviate a situation. A resident in Louisiana last year had her car packed ready to drive to Texas after a hurricane, but the tank was empty, and the gas stations for miles around were either out of gas or had hours-long waits. She was forced to stay in her home with no electricity and no running water. It’s better to make decisions about what you’re preparing for and how to prepare, based on your family, location, and budget, before an emergency hits. Do you need to prepare for electricity outages? Food shortages? A hurricane? Economic collapse? Job loss? Political or civil unrest? Building community and decreasing dependency on large, corporate systems can help to alleviate problems. Suggestions on how to build a community include going to a local farmers market, meeting your neighbors, joining a social media group, and joining or starting a community garden. “People tell me, ‘I’m trying to find people like me in my area,’” Spirko said. “Well, where do you live?” he asks them. “And they may reply: ‘I live in the suburbs.’ “How many people live on your block? About 30? Do you know all of them on a first-name basis? No? Then you have not tried to establish a community.” I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 25
26 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
SPOTLIGHT
Ecstatic Elephants ELEPHANTS DRINK WATER AT A WATER POINT in Selenkay Conservancy, a community-owned conservation area run by a private company, in Amboseli, Kenya, on June 21. Visitors to the conservancy can observe in small groups elephants, giraffes, antelopes, or lions living on 5,000 hectares located on the edge of Amboseli National Park, as well as get a glimpse of the life of the Masai, the owners of the land. PHOTO BY YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 27
R E A L E S TAT E
Wealthy Buyers Keep the Luxury Home Market Going
Some buyers still pay cash, although most finance with 50 percent down By Mary Prenon
28 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
from, and will their deep pockets ever run out of cash? A look at the May luxury listings in Santa Clara County, California, shows an astounding average home price of $6.59 million in Los Altos Hills and a median price of $5.7 million. A close second was Los Altos with a $4.86 million average and $4.57 median sales price. Of the 18 communities listed, there were no homes listed for less than $1 million, and the lowest priced area was Gilroy, with an average listing price of $1.25 million and a median of $1.21 million.
Today’s luxury buyers—many of whom are working at home several days per week—are seeking more space, more property, and more amenities. Sandy Jamison, broker and owner of Tuscana Properties and The Jamison Team in San Jose, California, said finding a move-in-ready single-family home for less than $1 million in their region is becoming very rare. “A lot of people come in and tell me their budget is up to $1 million, and I tell them I don’t think they’ll be happy with what we find,” she told Insight. Jamison recently sold a three-bedroom, two-bath $960,000 single-family home in San Jose, and the clients intend to knock it down and rebuild
on the 10,000 square-foot lot. “I was literally attacked by fleas when I went into the house,” she said. Many of Jamison’s clients are prepared to spend several million dollars to purchase the home of their dreams. Her highest-priced listing to date is an $8 million luxury home and winery with 21 acres in Livermore, California. “This is the Silicon Valley, so most of our buyers are from the technology business or they are business owners or high-level executives,” she said. Some are still paying cash, but a large majority are financing their homes, with typical down payments being 50 percent. “We did have a lot of cash buyers from China, but now it’s mainly local people who have sold homes and want to upgrade,” Jamison said. Typically, these luxury market homes
SUNDRY PHOTOGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK
hile inflation runs rampant and mortgage rates continue to inch upward, many luxury home buyers are apparently unaffected as home prices are still escalating through the roof in affluent communities across the United States. April stats from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) indicate that more than 20 percent of homes priced at $1 million or higher can be found in the West, while 6.7 percent of all sales of more than $1 million were located in the Northeast. More than 4.5 percent of $1 million-plus home sales were in the South, and a mere 1.7 percent were in the Midwest. More than 31 percent of April home sales in the West were listed in the $500,000 to $750,000 range and 15.2 percent of them were in the $750,000 to $1 million range. Only 2.8 percent of Western U.S. home sales were listed in the $100,000 to $250,000 market. Not surprisingly, California continues to lead the luxury bandwagon. NAR’s first quarter 2022 sales report shows California locales topping the charts with the highest median single-family home prices in the nation. Single-family homes in the San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Santa Clara regions garnered an alarming $1.875 million median sales price, and in the San Francisco Bay Area, such homes saw median sales prices of $1.38 million. The Anaheim and Santa Ana area saw median sales prices of $1.26 million, Honolulu saw sales prices of $1.127 million, and San Diego wrapped up the top five priciest areas at $905,000. So where are these buyers coming
Economy Housing Market
A mansion in the hills with Mount Umunhum in the background, in San Jose, Calif. offer pools, Jacuzzis, top-of-the-line appliances, media rooms, extra acreage, and other amenities. While she has seen a slowdown in buyer calls and leads as a result of rising interest rates, there’s still no shortage of consumers who want luxury homes. “If they buy now, it will still be less expensive than five years from now,” Jamison said. On the sellers’ side, a lot of “empty nesters” are putting their homes on the market and moving out of state to be near family or to downsize. “If a property is in excellent condition and priced right, it will sell. There’s still not enough homes to go around,” she said. While her seller appointments have doubled, Jamison said there are still some bidding wars, but now there are
fewer bidders, and properties tend to be on the market a bit longer—two to three weeks instead of just days. John Oliveira is a real estate broker with Douglas Elliman Real Estate with listings in both Scarsdale, New York, and Greenwich, Connecticut—two of the most affluent areas in the New York metro suburbs. The current median listing for a single-family home in Scarsdale is $1.66 million, and the average is $1.885 million. For Greenwich, the median sales price is coming in at $2.45 million, while the average is hovering at $2.935 million. Oliveira, who has been in the residential real estate business for 17 years, told Insight that these are the highest prices he’s ever seen. “I think it has a lot to do with how the pandemic shifted what people are
looking for in a home,” he said. “In preCOVID times, there was actually a lag in the luxury market with a lot of inventory and few buyers. Now that situation has completely flipped, which is driving the prices higher and higher.” Today’s luxury buyers—many of whom are working at home several days per week—are seeking more space, more property, and more amenities. Many of the homes in the $1.5 million to $2 million range offer four bedrooms, two or three bathrooms, at least an acre of land, close to 3,000 square feet, and sometimes a pool. For those “amenity-packed” properties that offer additional comforts, such as home gyms, media rooms, indoor pools, and pool houses, the listing prices can surge to the $4 million to $5 million range. Oliveira also deals with a large number of cash buyers. “Greenwich, in particular, is a big draw to people from New York City, as well as internationally,” he said. Many of Oliveira’s buyers are from Europe and are looking for a spacious home that’s still a good commute to the city. “It’s not uncommon for these families to make their second, third, or even fourth home in Greenwich,” he said. Most of his buyers work in the finance industry, and those with younger children are always focused on the high-ranking school districts in the region. Part of the reason why the luxury market in the New York metro area is still commanding bidding wars is the fact that rising interest rates are discouraging some people from putting their properties on the market. “Most people who have owned a home for the past few years are looking at interest rates of 4 percent or lower and that’s keeping them from making a move, since they’re now facing rates well over 5 percent,” he said. The lagging state of new construction in the Northeast has also contributed to the problem of low inventory, according to Oliveira. “It’s unreal how much money is floating around out there, but I do think we’ll start to see a balance in the market, which could bring all home prices a bit more back to normal,” he said. I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 29
Active pump jacks increase pressure to draw oil toward the surface at the South Belridge Oil Field in unincorporated Kern County, Calif., on Feb. 26. PHOTO BY ROBYN BECK/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
BOOK REVIEW
THE CASE FOR
FOSSIL
FUELS Author Alex Epstein explains why humankind needs more oil, coal, and natural gas— not less—to flourish BY NATHAN WORCESTER
30 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
Global Energy
I
T’S EASY TO SEE WHY THE
legacy media has placed a target on Alex Epstein’s back: The “Fossil Future” author fights to win. In the weeks leading up to the release of his latest book, The Washington Post planned to attack Epstein by labeling him a bigot. When Epstein learned about it beforehand, he struck first. “Instead of doing the conventional thing, which is to wait for a hit-piece to drop and then react with ‘damage control,’ I am doing the just thing and publicly, preemptively attacking The Post for this despicable act of journalist malpractice,” he wrote in a March 29 Substack post. Epstein marshaled support from podcasters, alternative media, and his high-profile allies in the national debate over energy, including ecomodernist Michael Shellenberger. The dust-up is a case study in Epstein’s strengths and strategy, which are both on full display in “Fossil Future.” On June 4, he told Insight that he wants to persuade those who disagree with him and to “give more ammunition to people” who are likely to see things the same way he does.
Forceful Arguments And so, in clear, forceful language, Epstein makes arguments that verge on what Biden administration climate adviser Gina McCarthy might consider “disinformation”: • Fossil fuels are vital—indeed, irreplaceable—to human flourishing, both now and in the future. • Renewables are not enough to meet our needs when it comes to electricity, let alone the remaining four-fifths of energy consumption. • Finally, and most controversially, the sky is not falling, and the world is not about to end. When it comes to human-caused climate change, which Epstein doesn’t dispute, he argues that any of its probable costs must be considered alongside its potential benefits. Even if the costs greatly outweigh the benefits, a one-sided account is neither accurate nor fair. The downsides of fossil fuels must also be weighed against their upsides—upsides such as the dramatic improvements I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 31
Global Energy
in wealth, life expectancy, and other metrics of well-being within what Epstein calls a “human flourishing framework.” Thus, even as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have increased, storm death rates have continued to fall. Similarly, and contrary to what many may assume, wildfires in today’s California are likely far less common than in the pre-Columbian era. Epstein argues that the recent uptick in devastating burns has less to do with greenhouse gases and more to do with poor policy, as people who approach nature with an anti-impact, preservationist mindset have allowed too much fuel to accumulate in wildlands. Fixing that problem is easier than it might otherwise be, thanks in part to mechanical brush clearers and other fossil-fuel-powered technologies that serve as force multipliers of human labor. “You take this idea that the world’s going to get on fire, off the table,” Epstein said.
“From a human flourishing perspective, we embrace massive, pro-human productive impacts on nature, such as building homes, roads, and factories.” Alex Epstein, author
Inexpensive Energy Epstein is most convincing when he shows us the extraordinary advantages of inexpensive, readily available energy—the sort of energy that has, since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, come overwhelmingly from fossil fuels. While he’s optimistic about potential advances in nuclear energy, scalable geothermal energy, and other alternatives to fossil fuels, Epstein concludes that the
Think About It
A view of Manhattan from the Empire State Building. Fossil fuels are vital and irreplaceable to human flourishing, both now and in the future.
Here’s a thought experiment: Imagine if mankind faced an immediate existential threat—say, a huge space rock on course to collide with the Earth in 30 days. Would we be likelier to survive with ample, dispatchable, low-cost energy or with scarce, intermittent energy sold at boutique prices? The question answers itself, though the reader is invited to imagine a ragtag crew of ’90s action movie misfits aiming the world’s largest medieval catapult at an oncoming meteorite. Epstein also scores points against many of the media’s designated experts on global warming. He points out that past predictions from Bill McKibben, James Hansen, and similar figures have overstated the scale and likely effects of climate change. But it seems unlikely that Biden climate adviser McCarthy, Big Tech, and other supposed arbiters of the truth will accuse the McKibbens of the world of spreading disinformation, misinformation, or, most Orwellian of all, “malinformation,” defined by the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency as “based on fact, but used out of context to mislead, harm, or manipulate.” When then-candidate Joe Biden said
CLOCKWISE FROM L: COURTESY OF ALEX EPSTEIN, SAUL LOEB/ AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES, JEWEL SAMAD/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
32 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
natural abundance, natural storage, and natural concentration of hydrocarbons make them uniquely powerful and hard to supplant. On balance, we owe significant health and wealth to fossil fuels. (Though, notwithstanding Ben Franklin’s “healthy, wealthy, and wise” formula, recent events suggest our comfort may have eroded our wisdom; good times make soft targets for Utopian schemers.) Cheap and easy energy has enabled us to realize undreamed-of living standards. The benefits don’t end with humans; in a wealthier world, people can better afford to care for the natural environment than they could at earlier stages of industrialization. The absence of the energy we now take for granted would suppress our potential for further technological advancements. In the ultimate tragic irony, it would leave us much more vulnerable to any rapid shifts in climate, not to mention other unpredictable stressors.
Global Energy
that “we choose truth over facts,” he could have been describing the establishment’s attitude toward its imperfect “climate prophets.” A secularized vision of the apocalypse, blamed entirely on a secularized conception of human sin, seems to be the “truth” after which they eternally seek.
Valuing Nature Epstein’s clarity of vision owes much to his training as a philosopher. He’s a follower of individualist thinker Ayn Rand. She, in turn, was influenced by Aristotle, who introduced the concept of “human flourishing” (eudaimonia) to Western philosophy. Like Epstein, Rand wrote about the potential consequences of extreme, politically motivated environmentalism. Her Activists protest the IMF and World Bank’s investments in fossil fuels and urge them to 1971 essay “The Anti-Industrial Revolu- confront climate change, outside the agencies’ headquarters in Washington, on Oct. 18, 2019. tion” envisions a world in which concerns over pollution lead to massive restrictions on technology, disease runs rampant, eco- oversimplifies. Some who voice concerns Insight in response to these concerns.) nomic opportunity is limited at best, and over animal testing may well be aiming Other traditions seek a different ballife has been reduced to a lower level. for animal equality. That’s more likely ance between nature and humanity. Epstein focuses on what he sees as the case if they oppose all animal testing In Genesis 1:26–28, God grants man the anti-human perspective on principle. But moral con- “dominion over the fish of the sea, and of many fossil fuel critics. He sideration of non-human suf- over the birds of the air, and over the argues that their opposition fering, along with the willing- cattle, and over all the wild animals of stems from resistance to any ness to impose some limits on the earth, and over every creeping thing human impact whatsoever. animal testing, doesn’t always that creeps upon the earth.” That stewIn one subchapter, “Elimreflect some underhanded ardship needn’t imply that nature exists inating Human Impact,” attempt at morally equating solely for the benefit of man. As in all Epstein describes what he humans with animals. just hierarchies, obligation flows both sees as the right orientation Few would argue that kill- downward and upward, and both man toward nature: ing a mildly irritating flea is and the living things for which man is “From a human flourishmorally equivalent to killing responsible are created beings. ing perspective, we embrace a mildly irritating cat. Many Epstein’s rosy picture of the energy “Fossil Future: massive, pro-human producwould agree that chimpan- sources he favors can also raise doubts, Why Global tive impacts on nature, such zees deserve more humane even among those sympathetic to his Human Flourishing as building homes, roads, conditions than laboratory perspective. Thus, while he discusses at Requires More Oil, and factories. We want to mice—though, again, that length the real and significant benefits Coal, and Natural eliminate or minimize only call for humane conditions of nuclear power, he omits some potenGas—Not Less” anti-human, self-destructive doesn’t necessarily imply tial downsides. by Alex Epstein. impacts on nature, such as that they want an end to all One example: the costs of environpollution or the needless detesting on primates, let alone mental remediation at uranium mines, struction of the most beautiful parts of all animal testing as a whole. which have already run into billions of nature.” Likewise, when it comes to valuing na- dollars. (In the Insight interview, Epstein Elsewhere, Epstein suggests that sci- ture, some who voice opposition to fossil argued that the downsides of uranium entists who question the morality of fuels may well oppose human impact, or mining are relatively insignificant.) animal testing are motivated by “the humanity, as such. In the end, however, Epstein’s latest book moral goal and standard of animal Yet an assessment of nature that only stands out more for what it adds than equality,” which, he argues, exceeds considers human impacts and doesn’t for anything it lacks. “Fossil Future” is a the value for those scientists of saving clearly attribute value to nature itself also much-needed corrective to an increasinghuman lives. seems lacking. (“There’s a whole book to ly one-sided debate about how we power In both cases, the value of nature and be written about how to think about na- our world. For those of us on Team Huthe ascription of equality to animals, he ture in a pro-human way,” Epstein told man, its success so far looks like a win. I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 33
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SPOTLIGHT
Drug Trafficking A MEMBER OF SECURITY FORCES LOYAL to Yemen’s Huthi rebels stands guard in front of a bonfire incinerating seized narcotic substances, in the Houthi-held capital of Sanaa on June 26, the U.N.designated International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. PHOTO BY MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 35
HOMELESSNESS
Tennessee Says No Camping on Public Land A new law in Tennessee will put homeless people at risk of getting prison time
T
By Autumn Spredemann ennessee will be the first state in the nation to make camping on public land a felony—punishable by up to six years in prison—when a controversial new law takes effect
Vulnerable to Minor Changes
“Affordable housing doesn’t exist for the people we serve.”
36 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
Broadway Street in Nashville, Tenn. The fallout from the new legislation will put added pressure on the state’s rescue missions, especially in cities with a high volume of destitute people, such as Nashville.
BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES
Presently, there’s a scarcity of 127,102 rental units accessible to extremely low-income (ELI) earners. Within the population of renters in Tenneson July 1. see, 26 percent are classified as ELI households. This creates complications for the unsheltered Further, 67 percent of ELI renters are severely homeless population amid the backdrop of an cost-burdened by housing, leaving them vulneraffordable housing crisis. able to minor economic changes that can easily The fallout from the new legislation also will end in homelessness. put added pressure on the state’s rescue missions, “Right now, housing is a big issue, and there’s especially in cities with a high volume of destitute not enough of it. Affordable housing doesn’t exist people, such as Nashville. for the people we serve,” Gatlin said. Shelters statewide work to provide assistance However, she also made it clear that she wasn’t and housing to a community of 7,256 people who opposing the new law, but rather the felony oflack permanent lodgings. fense attached to it. Gatlin noted most shelters Nearly 35 percent of that number are living already have a love-hate relationship with city unsheltered; that’s the group that stands to be anti-camping ordinances. most affected by the new law. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee declined a direct endorseIn other words, more than 2,500 people could ment of House Bill 0978, but let it become law face time in prison if police catch them setting without his signature on May 3. He told reporters up camp on public or state during a press conference that he property. had concerns over the “unintendThese include popular ared consequences” of the legislaeas for tent camps, such as tion, but was also worried about city parks and green spaces things such as the “issues of peonear bike paths and river ple on public property.” walks. Regarding homeless trends, “It just [aggravates] the some cities in Tennessee have existing challenges for experienced a plateau or decrease people,” Carrie Gatlin told in recent months. Other regions Insight. in the state, particularly KnoxCarrie Gatlin, Gatlin, vice president of ville and southeastern cities such vice president of ministries, Nashville Rescue Mission ministries at Nashville Resas Chattanooga, have seen their cue Mission, says the new numbers surge since last year. law, SB1610/HB0978—which upgrades camping on public land to a class E felony—will make cer- Homeless Rate Soars 153 Percent tain hurdles that the homeless are facing even In Knoxville, the population of homeless people worse. has jumped by 50 percent since 2021, according “Once they have that felony conviction, it makes to a recent report. [finding] housing harder, and it makes getting a That number soars to a 153 percent increase in job harder,” she said. southeastern Tennessee, based on data from the Complicating things further is the dire shortage Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition (CRHC). of affordable and low-income housing in TenIn April, CRHC Executive Director Wendy nessee because of soaring demand and lack of Winters told reporters that homeless numbers construction from the previous decade. increased again this year, illustrating how dev-
Tennessee Legislature
153%
THE POPULATION
of homeless people in southeastern Tennessee has jumped 153 percent since 2021, according to the Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition.
2,500
PEOPLE
MORE THAN 2,500 PEOPLE could face
time in prison under the new law if police catch them setting up camp on public or state property.
astating the affordable housing crisis is in the southeastern region. Nate First, of Knoxville Homeless Management Information System (Knox HMIS), reiterated the need to address those afflicted by all kinds of homelessness, whether chronic or recent, in a May statement from the mayor’s office. “Every community’s response to homelessness must address these events at both ends, by housing people who are already homeless as well as by preventing episodes of homelessness before they start,” First said. He also said one of the primary factors contributing to homeless trends listed on the Knox HMIS dashboard is “no affordable housing.” Although Nashville has experienced an overall 5 percent decline in displaced people since 2020, Cheryl Chunn, vice president of development at the Nashville Rescue Mission, told Insight that a lack of low-income housing keeps shelter beds full.
800 People in Shelters Every Night “We have 800 men, women, and children we take
care of every single night. Certainly, our capacity has grown with the struggling economy and housing shortage here in Nashville,” Chunn said. A 2021 report from the city mayor’s office revealed that the Music City needs to create an additional 18,000 affordable housing units for people earning 80 percent of the area’s median income level or lower to address the current crisis. Yet, when it comes to the logistics of how the new law will be enforced, police departments are still working out the details. “The statute is currently under review by the MNPD,” Metropolitan Nashville Police Department spokesman Don Aaron told Insight. However, a silver lining exists that may help address the need to camp in city parks. There’s an abundance of work opportunities in Tennessee, which is currently hard-pressed for employees in nearly every field. “On the plus side ... there are a ton of jobs out there. And everybody has been raising their wages and adding sign-on bonuses,” Gatlin said. “The job market is plentiful for low wage, medium wage, and skilled people with certifications.” I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 37
GIVING A FREEDOM OF SPEECH
VOICE Alex Farley during “The Party’s MC” music video shoot in 2022. PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEX FARLEY
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AMERICAN YOUTUBER BANNED IN CHINA CHOOSES CHINESE PEOPLE OVER COMMUNIST PARTY BY T ER R I W U
TO CHINESE PEOPLE I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 39
China Entertainment
A
31-YEAR-OLD
American has the perfect arsenal to become a celebrity in China: native-level Mandarin skills, credentials from a Confucius Institute language center and the prestigious Central Academy of Drama in Beijing, and an extroverted, fun personality. That is, if only he could commit to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and be one of the “yang wumao,” or “foreign 50-cent army,” a term Chinese use to describe Westerners who do the CCP’s bidding in the media and online. The 50-cent army is the CCP’s notorious network of online trolls who steer discussion in favor of Beijing’s propaganda points. The name is derived from the half a Chinese yuan they’re reportedly paid for each online post. But being a foreigner doing this work is much more lucrative. “I tried to be like a ‘yang wumao,’” Alex Farley, who goes by the stage name Lele Farley, told Insight. “I tried to be a sellout. I was just really bad at it.” He now thinks of himself as the “facilitator” to bridge between Americans and the Chinese people because of his unique background and his understanding of China. “If you want to sum up my entire political stance when it comes to China in three words, it’s ‘Let them speak,’” he said, referring to the Chinese people.
Stifled Entertainment Industry
40 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
the term “fu er dai,” or “second-generation rich,” referring to offspring of CCP elite or other wealthy families. Farley was working on a talk show at the time. While filming, he was comparing studying as a foreign student in China versus in the United States, and used the word “fu er dai.” “Stop!” The producer immediately paused the filming and ran up to him, “Lele, you cannot say ‘fu er dai.’” “What? Why not?” asked Farley. A “fu er dai” just did a hit-and-run in a luxury car and got away from it, the producer said. The incident got nationwide attention; many Chinese were angry about it. Therefore, the phrase was lousy publicity and might bring trouble to the program. That got Farley thinking. “As a younger man, I was OK with using whataboutism to excuse the atrocities committed by the [Chinese] government,” he said. “I just went, ‘Well, America does this, too.’ Then I wouldn’t think any deeper about it. “But once I started to be in the entertainment industry and see how much the government stifled entertainment, I really started to think, ‘OK, this is kind of bull[expletive].’” That’s when Farley knew he couldn’t last long in the CCP propaganda game. He told himself to endure it for a few years to be-
come famous. Then he could return to the United States to host his own “honesty radio show” or “honesty podcast.” He dropped out of the Central Academy of Drama and took a job at a local Chinese TV station in Los Angeles in the summer of 2017. From the fall of 2017 to the summer of 2018, he hosted a show in Los Angeles, interviewing Hollywood artists for iQIYI, one of the largest Chinese online video platforms.
Returning to China During the program, he realized his Chinese needed to reach another level. So he applied for the Shanghai Theatre Academy’s master’s program in intercultural communications. He got in and went back to Shanghai in the fall of 2018. However, in Farley’s eyes, China had changed even more in the wrong direction. When he was in the central Chinese city of Wuhan hosting an event, he saw a program on cable TV in the hotel room. The hostess read CCP leader Xi Jinping’s letter to his father when he had to miss his father’s birthday party in 2001 due to a business trip. All the students in the audience looked like, “Oh my God. It’s the greatest thing ever,” Farley recalled. “That, with him [Xi] also throwing away Hong Kong law by going after those book
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALEX FARLEY
Farley’s first trip to China was in the summer of 2007 as a part of a student exchange program. He was 16. Two years later, he got an internship in Shanghai. He saw construction projects everywhere in the city and considered China the land of opportunity. After graduating from Emory University in Atlanta with a double major in economics and Chinese studies, he went to the Confucius Institute at eastern China’s Nanjing University to learn Chinese in 2014. A year later, he went to the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing to study performing, broadcasting, and hosting. The first experience that gave him pause about his time in China came in 2016 when he was a student at the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing. It involved the usage of
Alex Farley (C) with friends at the Tiananmen Square in Beijing, in 2010. Some of Farley’s closest friends live in China, and he lived most of his 20s there.
China Entertainment
(Left) Alex Farley at a local farmer’s market in Dali, Yunnan Province, China, in 2015. In 2015, Farley went to the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing to study performing, broadcasting, and hosting. (Right) Alex Farley during the filming of “Behind the Spotlight” in 2017. salesmen,” said Farley, “I was like, ‘This is bad. This is really, really bad.’” During his previous stay in China in 2015, five book salesmen associated with Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay Bookstore—a shop known for selling books banned in the Mainland about the lives of CCP officials—disappeared. In 2016, they were confirmed to be detained in mainland China. This time, China gave Farley more than a pause; he started seeing “commonalities from the Cultural Revolution and what was happening in China.” During his Chinese studies at Emory University, he took a course on the Cultural Revolution, a period of intense social upheaval at the hands of the CCP from 1966 to 1976. His final project was to act in a Cultural Revolution play. One characteristic of plays during that period was the actors’ eyebrows, Farley noted. “Their eyebrows are really tensed. Looking at the eyebrows, it looks like they are angry. But then they are smiling at the same time. “They are pretending to be self-righteous. It’s all a show.” In the TV program he watched in the hotel room in Wuhan, Farley saw the same thing in the hostess and the kids in the audience. Everyone acted as if someone required them to “stand up straight, tuck
your back in, put those eyebrows up, and smile bigger,” he said. “The only reason everybody’s doing it is that they are doing it for the person above them to not get in trouble. It’s systematic. “It’s messed up. It’s really messed up,” he said, “because when you compare that to a genuine Chinese person’s reaction, to a genuine Chinese person’s laughter or anger, it’s very different. “And it steals the human honesty element out of Chinese people, which is one that I’m very familiar with.” Then, the final straw happened. In December 2018, shortly after Canada arrested Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou at the request of U.S. prosecutors, two Canadians were detained in China on spying charges. The businessmen were released in September 2021
“The only reason everybody’s doing it is that they are doing it for the person above them to not get in trouble. It’s systematic.” Alex Farley, YouTuber
right after the U.S. Department of Justice settled its charges with Meng, allowing her to return to China. Farley remembered watching the news on TV in 2018. He said to himself, “That’s it. I’m out.” “It was a very logical decision of, ‘I’m investing my time into this country, which is going down the drain. And if I continue to do this, I will go down with it.’ And then I’m better off to just cut loose now,” he said.
Back in America and Overcoming Fear He returned to the United States before Christmas 2018, after one semester with the Shanghai Theatre Academy. He had sold everything before leaving for China, since he had planned to stay for at least three years. Therefore, when he returned, he had nothing. So he went to his parent’s house in Vermont. One sunny but freezing day in January 2019, he was listening to a Chinese band, and the song was very good. He had a revelation that this was what he wanted to do: bilingual rap and comedy. “I want to rap about the fact that the friends I have, the people that I know, and that I have run into throughout my very long time studying Chinese are so much more similar to my American friends than they are different,” he said in his YouI N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 41
China Entertainment
Tube video “How I Got Banned in China.” “It’s the powers above, the so-called leaders above, telling us to attack each other. When in reality, we all want the same thing. We all want a better world, a better environment, and a better life.” At that time, he was still careful with his word choices so as not to offend the CCP. To him, the costs were too great: Speaking out against the Party would result in him not being able to return to China, which would mean giving up an important part of his life. Some of his closest friends lived in China, and he lived most of his 20s there. He moved back to Los Angeles in February 2019 and made a living there doing stand-up comedies and hosting bilingual events. He had improved his hosting skills and made good money there. At the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020, he lined up about 10 Chinese New Year gala hosting jobs. Then COVID-19 hit. As a result, all his Chinese New Year gala events were canceled, along with his income stream, which would support him most of the year. He saw many Americans confused about what happened in China. Many people didn’t know that the CCP should be the responsible party for the pandemic, given its coverup of the initial outbreak in Wuhan. “I just thought that the world needs someone like me to come out and be like, ‘This is what’s happening. This is who the Chinese government is,’” Farley said. He would know; he had worked at People’s Daily, the CCP’s official mouthpiece, for a year and a half and hosted many events for the Chinese regime agencies in China and Los Angeles. “I’ve always had a deep understanding of the Chinese government, and I’ve always wanted to speak out about it,” he said in his YouTube video. “I was just scared to. I didn’t want to lose China.” Finally, through his family and friends’ encouragement and watching Dave Chappelle, Farley decided to do what he had always wanted: political satire. He thought that as an artist, he had the responsibility to rise up to help people process what was happening because it was so crazy. As soon as he decided to speak out, “the creativity surged through my brain like electrical circuits.” He wrote a song soon after. He thought the song’s release would 42 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
get him banned in China. However, the ban came sooner than that. In one of his “Cold War 2020” videos on June 4, 2020, he wore a Winnie the Pooh onesie and impersonated the CCP leader in “Xi Jinping Finds Hope in America’s Turmoil.” Xi is nicknamed “Winnie the Pooh” among Chinese netizens for his apparent likeness to the cartoon bear. Within a matter of hours, Farley was banned in China. Today, one can’t find his account on Chinese social media platforms. Only one video of his father and uncles commenting on Chinese rock music remains.
CCP’s ‘Holy Trinity’ In Farley’s view, the CCP instills its “holy trinity” into Chinese people’s minds like a “religious doctrine”: the CCP, the Chinese people, and the country of China. To the Party, they are the one and the same. Yet, Farley chose the Chinese people over the CCP. During then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s China policy speech at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in July 2020, Farley spoke with Chinese American attendees outside the venue. “For the first time in my life, I could freely engage with Chinese people in an unrestricted, unfiltered discussion. It was awesome, an incredible time.” “Chinese people do have a thirst for debate and discussion,” Farley said. “I hate when Chinese people tell me, ‘We are not interested in politics.’ It’s like, ‘You don’t even know that.’ If you give them the option to be interested in it, I
guarantee they will be interested.” Since he was banned in China, Farley hasn’t been able to host events for Chinese regime agencies. And the occasional China-related business opportunity also disappeared after recruiters reviewed his YouTube videos. This type of loss was expected. However, he thinks the world is not too far away from seeing large companies running advertising campaigns touting the fact that they don’t bow down to China. To him, the hurdle is that these companies don’t want to be perceived as racists or against the Chinese people. Yet once they know that the CCP isn’t the same as Chinese people and that Chinese people are victims of the CCP, these companies will speak out. Farley makes enough from his bilingual YouTube channel now to cover his monthly expenses, and he just got there two months ago. He’s opening a new English YouTube channel “Farley’s Far East” in early July to expand his English-speaking audience base. He describes himself as a “struggling artist.” However, “I have not regretted it. I would tell you if I regretted it, but—not for a moment.” For Farley, it’s not about going after a big noble cause. “I just get a kick out of honesty,” he said. “I think great comedians through history feel that when you make a joke and someone laughs, there’s a moment there and a connection. “An honest and absolutely visceral reaction, I crave that.”
The thumbnail of Alex Farley’s “Cold War 2020” YouTube video that got him banned in China.
P OL I T IC S • E C ONOM Y • OPI N ION T H AT M AT T E R S
Perspectives
No.26
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris arrive for an event on the South Lawn of the White House on April 8. PHOTO BY ANNA MONEYMAKER/GETTY IMAGES
LITTLE HELP ON INFLATION
ECONOMIC ‘SOFT LANDING’ PROSPECTS ARE FADING
MARKETS ARE NOT PREPARED FOR A CRISIS
The Biden–Harris plan is more rhetorical than real. 46
Businesses and consumers are expected to drastically reduce their spending. 47
Investors hold more cash but remain upbeat about the economic cycle. 48
INSIDE I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 43
THOMAS MCARDLE was a White House speechwriter for President George W. Bush and writes for IssuesInsights.com.
Thomas McArdle
Larry Summers as Biden’s Caulaincourt The president has been giving at least two false impressions
W
hen we hear President Joe Biden name-dropping that “I was talking to Larry Summers this morning and there’s nothing inevitable about a recession,” it might as well be Napoleon announcing to the assembled La Grande Armée that he was talking this morning to Armand de Caulaincourt, the famously close adviser who warned of the folly of invading Russia, and that “there’s nothing inevitable about a half million of you freezing or starving to death over the next month and a half.” Biden is as stubborn in continuing the disastrous policies that are catapulting the country to devastating stagflation as “le petit caporal” was in believing in 1812 that his ill-prepared forces could subdue the Russian bear in its native stomping ground. The president was giving at least two false impressions: that Summers, the progressive economist who was President Barack Obama’s National Economic Council director and President Bill Clinton’s Treasury secretary, is with Biden on economic policy, and that the blame for the impending recession lies somewhere other than at Biden’s feet—or the feet of those who actually run things in this administration; this 79 1/2-yearold president needs crib notes for even the simplest interactions with outside personages. Just days ago, Summers opined before a London audience that “we need two years of 7.5 percent unemployment or five years of 6 percent unemployment or one year of 10 percent unemployment” to conquer inflation. Earlier this month, Summers told CNN, “When inflation is as high as it is right now and unemployment is as low as it is right now, it’s almost
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always been followed, within two years, by recession.” That sounds pretty inevitable. While he may have been on the phone with Summers one fine day, Summers hasn’t ever had this president’s ear. After all, in February, in an interview with the Harvard Gazette, Summers couldn’t have been clearer in blaming Biden and the Democrats’ big-spending ways:
Summers isn’t the only left-leaning economist to recognize that Biden’s big government spending is behind inflation. “I’m not sure that we would have the inflation if there had never been a pandemic and, even if there had been a pandemic, without the overwhelming stimulus that was applied well into recovery—during 2021,” he said. “We had an economy where income was running short by $50 billion a month because of the pandemic, and we injected $150 billion to $200 billion a month into that economy. It’s perhaps not surprising that that’s led to an overflow of demand, which has generated inflation that on the CPI measure has risen to 7 percent. “Bringing about a gentle tap on the brakes that slows the economy enough to substantially reduce inflation without inducing a real economic downturn and without causing significant financial instability is a quite formidable challenge.” Again, recession sounds pretty inevitable. Whatever Summers told Biden on the phone, it’s doubtful it was, “Keep up the good work, Mr. President.” Not to say that Summers always makes sense. In the same interview, he conjectured that “if inflation had better been controlled, there’s a
real possibility that the election of Richard Nixon in 1968 and Ronald Reagan in 1980 would not have happened”—which is kind of like saying that if pigs had wings, they could fly; where are these liberal Democrats who get into the White House and then don’t want to spend billions or trillions on a Great Society or Green New Deal? Even Bill Clinton sought a big-spending fiscal stimulus “jobs bill,” which never became law because of Senate Republicans’ filibustering. The jobs bill lost in Congress, but it didn’t stop him from taking credit for the tech job boom such inflationary legislation would have dampened, a boom that was surely an extension of the Reagan expansion. Summers isn’t the only left-leaning economist to recognize that Biden’s big government spending is behind inflation. Harvard’s Jason Furman, who, like Summers, is an Obama veteran, said in February: “To think $2.5 trillion in fiscal stimulus—amounting to 11 percent of GDP—would not cause inflation required believing either that such a huge adjustment was possible within a matter of months or that fiscal policy is ineffective and does not increase aggregate demand. Both views are implausible.” Another Obama adviser, Steven Rattner, alluding to Biden’s $2 trillion American Rescue Plan, told NBC News at the beginning of this month, “We’re all paying the price for having overstimulated this economy during the pandemic and putting too much money into people’s pockets, which created a lot of this inflation.” No word on whether Furman or Rattner has been on the phone with Biden, but what would it matter when the man on the other end of the line isn’t in charge?
ANDERS CORR is a principal at Corr Analytics Inc., publisher of the Journal of Political Risk. He is an expert in political science and government.
Anders Corr
China’s Metaverse is Dystopia
An $8 trillion market. The sky’s the limit for freedom and slavery.
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he metaverse, that virtual world that teens everywhere are entering with a headset and hand controllers, could eventually pull in $8 trillion. That so enthralls Mark Zuckerberg that he changed the name of Facebook (the parent company) to Meta and is developing haptic gloves that interact and give tactile sensations. Haptic suits that give full-body sensation are also under development. China’s Tencent announced on June 20 that it’s also jumping into the metaverse. A new unit of approximately 300 Tencenters is accelerating software and hardware development for the metaverse. Microsoft, Disney, ByteDance (the owner of TikTok), and Apple are also meta-developing. Eight trillion dollars will get Beijing’s attention. Much of it will come from China’s 1.4 billion consumers. The regime will try to use that market power to influence the content not only in China’s metaverse, but the global market. But while Chinese companies will be neck and neck with the West in hardware and software, they will be at a major disadvantage in developing meta content. Beijing’s censorship rules and banning of cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and nonfungible tokens (NFTs), like “Bored Ape” pics (one whimsically priced at over $99 trillion), will make a thriving and decentralized community of metaverse content producers impossible. Even tattoos are banned for soccer players in China, so don’t expect to buy a Uyghur “Bored Ape” with a mohawk. Given the popular demand for novelty and the Chinese Commu-
nist Party’s (CCP) aversion to diversity, the metaverse is likely to splinter along national lines, at the very least between China and the rest. And China’s metaverse could get dystopic. If you try to say, for example, “Taiwan is an independent country” or “Falun Gong is a protected religion,” a voice-recognition technology matched with artificial intelligence (AI) could make your avatar say the opposite. Nobody, not even you, the user, would necessarily know that what your avatar said in the metaverse has nothing to do with your true beliefs.
You could be forced into hours of virtual sweeping and mopping, all while listening to communist slogans on repeat. Conformity could be terrifyingly total. Haptic suits and goggles that deliver pleasure or pain could be developed to reward or punish behavior based on CCP goals. The state could require citizens to wear them. Hearing and seeing could be entirely mediated by metaverse headphones and goggles. Augmented reality (AR) combined with AI could enable the CCP to make you hear what it wants you to hear, even when speaking to your spouse in your bedroom. Today, that’s science fiction. But China is so “advanced” in the technologies of social control that we should plan on mitigating the risk of a meta-dystopia rather than hoping for the best. Meta-China will almost certainly
include a lot of “Xi Jinping Thought” and Marxism with Chinese characteristics. As a punishment for not memorizing the propaganda, you could be forced into hours of virtual sweeping and mopping, all while listening to communist slogans on repeat. Miss a spot, and your haptic suit gives you a zap. Compare that to the metaphorical “sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll,” along with a liberal helping of violence, already populating the West’s metaverse. For example, see the abovementioned video by TheProGamerJay, who has 2.7 million YouTube followers. It’s near the top of Google hits when searching “haptic suit.” In the West’s metaverse, the sky’s the limit, and everything else is boring, putting Mom, Dad, and Xi at a disadvantage. Take violence, for example. The most popular video and meta-games are full of shooting and knife fights, with “ketchup” spurting liberally around the screen. Not so in China. There, the blood must, by law, be colored green so as not to violate censorship rules against too much gore. Beijing’s attitude toward the metaverse is indicative of its antagonism toward individuals and their idiosyncratic desires. TheProGamerJay, for example, wants to feel pain in his haptic vest. He does so by gluing sandpaper and studs to its inside. Most of us don’t want pain in the metaverse. But we do defend TheProGamerJay’s right to express himself. In that, at least, the regime in Beijing is still at a disadvantage. They don’t understand that popularity requires the acceptance of humanity in all of its diversity. I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 45
Milton Ezrati
MILTON EZRATI is chief economist for Vested, a contributing editor at The National Interest, and author of “Thirty Tomorrows” and “Bite-Sized Investing.”
Little Help on Inflation
The Biden–Harris plan is more rhetoric than real
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ecently, the white House released its plan to deal with inflation. Except for its commitment to offload most of the effort onto the Federal Reserve, it offers little that can help except over the very long run, which means little for people paying to cool their homes this summer, bring home groceries, or fill their car’s gas tank for their daily commute. The plan’s best feature is its acknowledgment of the Fed’s primacy in this matter. Inflation is always and ever a monetary problem. The Fed has begun an anti-inflation effort, but because it must now reverse the effects of years during which easy monetary policies effectively financed huge budget deficits—a classic prescription for inflation—it has a long way to go. The best the White House can do is encourage Fed policymakers in that effort, which the Biden–Harris plan seems to do. President Joe Biden might help by taking steps to narrow budget deficits, and he claims to do that through tax increases on corporations and wealthy Americans. Some economists might dispute whether higher taxes are the best way to narrow deficits. But that debate aside, the rest of the plan would neuter any budgetary relief by offering a phalanx of subsidies, tax credits, and spending initiatives for infrastructure, wind and solar, electric cars and charging stations, and affordable housing, and to encourage people to become truck drivers, presumably to relieve supply chain issues. On balance, the plan offers more immediate inflationary pressure on the budgetary front. Biden is at pains to claim that much of this spending would help
46 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
ease the pressure on oil prices by replacing fossil fuels with alternatives, what he refers to as “real energy independence.” That might be a worthy goal, and, in time, it might even ease the pressure on oil and gas prices.
President Biden might help by taking steps to narrow budget deficits, and he claims to do that through tax hikes on corporations and wealthy Americans. But even the most optimistic estimates indicate that the substitution proposed by the White House would take years, possibly decades, to have an effect. The same is true of the plan’s proposal to relieve oil dependence by imposing new, stricter mileage requirements on new cars and trucks. While the past has shown that such measures can reduce oil use and presumably relieve price pressures, that history also shows that the effects only unfold over the years. The only immediate help comes from releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which involves amounts that are too small to have any substantive effect. Biden–Harris would also penalize companies that refuse to develop what drilling leases they have, even when that lack of development is because Washington has refused permits. Proposals to ease housing prices with tax subsidies that encourage the construction of low-cost housing might help, but only at the margin. The only other real estate proposal would encourage local
governments to change zoning rules and other regulations that present barriers to homebuilding. This has theoretical merit but is politically impractical. Such barriers almost always have the support of powerful local interests that mayors and city councilors will not cross simply because the White House thinks it’s a good idea. Only two other areas have a place in the White House plan—food and pharmaceuticals. On food, it looks to break the power of large wholesalers. There may be antitrust reasons to attack these firms, but there is little evidence that they have caused the recent rise in food prices. After all, they had market power during periods when food prices were much lower. As for proposals to help U.S. farmers, it’s hard to imagine a world in which Washington could give more support to farmers than it already does. The plan would give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices. This idea, floated many times in the past, is hotly debated in economics and policy circles. Whatever its potential merits, it offers little in the fight against today’s inflation. Drug prices in the past year and a half have actually had a moderating influence on inflation. According to the Labor Department’s consumer price index, drug prices have risen 2.5 percent over the past year, compared to 8.3 percent for prices generally. Except for the welcome commitment to the Fed, this plan offers more rhetoric than practical ways to alleviate immediate inflationary pressures on Americans. Those parts that offer practical help would do so only over the longest of time horizons, too long to do much for those suffering today.
Emel Akan
EMEL AKAN is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times in Washington. Previously, she worked in the financial sector as an investment banker at JPMorgan.
Economic ‘Soft Landing’ Prospects Are Fading Businesses and consumers expected to reduce their spending drastically
KEVIN DIETSCH/GETTY IMAGES
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he chance of a “soft landing” for the U.S. economy has come down since the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 75 basis points this month. Recession fears are mounting, and Google Trends data show more Americans are searching for the term “recession” than at any other time since 2004. Because of the failure of both fiscal and monetary policies, a growing number of economists believe that the Fed alone will be unable to address the underlying causes of inflation. However, the belated campaign to curb soaring prices will almost certainly trigger a recession, they say. “We are skating right on the verge of a recession,” economist Steve Moore told Insight. During this time, the Biden administration should prioritize measures that expand the economy, he said, such as investing in oil and gas and coal development, creating employment, reducing business regulations, and encouraging people to go back to work. “With Joe Biden in the White House, we’re going to see a lot of policy blunders that are going to probably cause a recession,” Moore said. “And hopefully, it’ll be a soft recession, not a hard one. But, boy, it’s really looking bad out there.” He cited the significant slowdown in manufacturing and the cooling housing market as warning signs. A moderate economic decline that occurs after a period of expansion is referred to as a “soft landing.” A central bank seeks to raise interest rates just enough to avoid a hard landing or a severe rise in unemployment while preventing an economy from overheating. A recession is “not inevitable,” declared President Joe Biden in a recent interview, adding that “we’re in a stronger position than any nation in the world to overcome this inflation.” However, slowing growth in consumer
Analysts are slashing their growth projections to account for the significant decline in manufacturing and services activity. spending and business investments, according to analysts, will be recession catalysts in the coming months as higher interest rates take their toll on economic activity. Purchasing power has already begun to erode as wage growth fails to keep pace with inflation.
‘Hard Landing’ The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rates by 75 basis points at its June meeting, and the median expectation among policymakers is for rates to end the year at 3.4 percent. According to Desmond Lachman, economist and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, history won’t judge the Fed kindly, as it’s likely to send the economy into a hard landing by slamming on the monetary policy brakes too abruptly. The simultaneous decline in the equity, bond, and cryptocurrency markets since the beginning of the year has
resulted in the evaporation of almost $15 trillion, or 70 percent of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP), in household wealth, Lachman told Insight. The Fed’s rule of thumb suggests families cut spending by 4 cents for every dollar of wealth lost, according to Lachman. In a recent op-ed article in The Hill, he projected that the slump in asset values may cause consumers to reduce their spending by 3 percentage points of GDP. Jim Glassman, head economist for commercial banking at JPMorgan Chase, also says an increase in interest rates wouldn’t fix the inflation problem “without doing harm to the broader economy.” However, he takes a different approach to the inflation problem than many economists, who blame excessive money supply and government stimulus as the primary causes of inflation. According to Glassman, current pricing pressures are mostly the product of supply-side issues rather than demand, and they will subside over time. “We are spending a little more on goods and a little less on services than we were before the pandemic. And that probably is why we’re seeing pressures on the supply chains and shipping system,” he said in a recent podcast. Following the interest rate decision, Fed Chair Jerome Powell repeatedly signaled that crafting a “soft landing” has become increasingly difficult. “What is becoming more clear is that many factors that we don’t control are going to play a very significant role in whether that’s possible or not,” Powell told reporters. While analysts say the economy continues to perform well, they’re slashing their growth projections to account for the significant decline in manufacturing and services activity. They also project that consumer spending, confidence, and business investment will decline sharply as financial conditions tighten. I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 47
DANIEL LACALLE is chief economist at hedge fund Tressis and author of “Freedom or Equality,” “Escape from the Central Bank Trap,” and “Life in the Financial Markets.”
Daniel Lacalle
Markets Are Not Prepared for a Crisis
Investors hold more cash but remain upbeat about the economic cycle
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48 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
What we can safely say is that the market isn't even remotely considering a 2008-style crisis at all and even less a nuclear threat from a prolonged Ukraine war. tral bank action. Sometimes, it looks as if market participants are betting on when central banks will change their policy back to negative rates and money printing rather than the accumulated risks in the economy. Margin debt certainly tells us that we’re very far away from capitulation. It has dropped to $753 billion from an October 2021 peak of $936 billion, according to FINRA— still massive. Consensus estimates (I/B/E/S data by Refinitiv) still show very healthy levels of earnings growth. S&P 500 earnings per share for 2022 remain at plus 10.8 percent, and the expectations for 2023 continue to reflect a probably optimistic plus 8.1 percent growth, with revenues up by 4 percent. Why should we worry? Because almost all the previously mentioned
predictions are based on rapidly falling inflation and a bounce in economic activity in the fourth quarter of 2022. We’ve seen enormous negative revisions in earnings, despite clearly benign macroeconomic assumptions informing those revenues and profits. Imagine if those analysts included a deep recession in their numbers. There are now two generations of portfolio managers that have seen nothing but expansionary monetary policies, so it’s in our nature to expect that central banks will bail us out of poor investment decisions at some point, hopefully before yearend numbers dictate the bonus. That’s why the main question these days is “When will central banks change course?” instead of “What would happen to my portfolio if markets tank due to a severe crisis?” The answer would be too scary. The main challenge I find is that the impact on markets of a central bank change of course may be muted because we’ve also forgotten that multiple expansion needs at least a “next year will be different” macro and earnings view. Guess what? The “next year will be different” multiple expansion call is precisely what we saw in 2020 and 2021. It’s hard to believe that it will work the same way again when growth and profit revisions are consistently negative. A great investor friend of mine reminded me this weekend that “ETF in becomes ETF out.” Years of buying indexed funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to benefit from an ever-rising market may lead to a long period of selling those same products. Heavily directional bets and high beta exposure predicated on the “fear of missing out” can lead quickly to a massive unwind of the largest bullish trade in history. Don’t fight the Fed until the Fed fights against you.
SPENCER PLATT/GETTY IMAGES
he most common question among investors these days is when to buy the dip. Very few market participants seem to be worried about a crisis or deep recession, let alone a nuclear threat. However, those three scenarios aren’t unimaginable. In its June 17 Global Data Watch, JPMorgan stated that its internal model only shows a 25 percent chance of a recession in the next year. They also clarified that the likelihood would rise to 40 percent if credit conditions were updated. Still low, right? Deutsche Bank shows that the market this year has fallen in line with the median of post-war recessions. However, the median correction is diminished by the 1948 to 1980 period. From 2007 to 2009, markets fell by twice that seen in 2022, and we must consider that from 2020 to 2021 was an extraordinary period of massive money printing, with global money supply growth rising by more than 20 percent, which created a subsequent enormous multiple expansion in equities and rising bond prices. What we can safely say is that the market isn’t even remotely considering a 2008-style crisis at all and considering even less a nuclear threat from a prolonged Ukraine war. Those would be catastrophic events that most investors simply don’t want to consider even as a distant option, as it would be too painful. From conversations with colleagues, I get the feeling that market positioning remains exceptionally bullish. Investors have increased exposure to cash, but remain with a positive view of the economic cycle. Market multiples and earnings revisions indicate that the average consensus is expecting a modest reduction of demand coming from inflation and a relatively dovish cen-
Fan Yu
FAN YU is an expert in finance and economics and has contributed analyses on China’s economy since 2015.
Foreign Investors Flee China in Droves Chinese yuan-denominated bonds have suffered continued drawdowns
ISAAC LAWRENCE/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
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oreign investors continued to reduce their holdings of Chinese bonds in May for the fourth consecutive month. The divergent monetary policy between the United States and China, as well as a fundamental economic weakening, has driven foreign investors away from China in droves. And unlike Chinese selloff periods over the past decade-plus, foreign investors no longer deem Chinese investments more attractive on a risk-adjusted basis compared to developed markets. Chinese yuan-denominated bonds have suffered continued drawdowns, according to official data from China Central Depository & Clearing Co. The outflows have also hit the yuan currency, hitting its lowest relative value in almost two years. Since last June, the yuan has lost 3.5 percent versus the dollar. Over the past 10 years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been courting foreign investors by gradually opening up its massive financial markets to overseas investors. This is partially to offset outbound capital flows; Chinese companies and households have sent money abroad to snap up foreign assets such as real estate and business investments. Global investors were happy to oblige. Turning a blind eye to China’s totalitarian regime and its human rights abuses, foreign investors have sent dollars to China to invest in monetary assets as well as to set up local businesses to capture the Chinese market. For some time, Chinese markets provided some diversification, as Chinese bonds offered higher yields during periods of near-zero bond yields in the West. In many ways, foreign investors were there to bail out Chinese markets repeatedly over the past decade. But things have changed quickly.
In this economic environment, investors are pessimistic that the near future will hold different outcomes. Foreign investors are leaving in droves and there’s little reprieve in sight. Driven by an increasingly divergent central bank policy, U.S. Treasurys now provide a higher yield than their Chinese government bond counterparts. China’s economy, roiled by ongoing COVID-related shutdowns, is in its worst shape in decades with consumer and business confidence sagging. And lastly, China’s unflinching support for Russia in its invasion of Ukraine has increased the geopolitical risk of businesses operating in China. Will China attempt to annex Taiwan in the near future? That’s a question that companies investing in China must ponder. There are some signs the selloff is easing, especially in the Chinese stock market. But in this economic environment, with fundamentals far from stable and just a matter of time until the next COVID lockdown is enacted, investors are pessimistic that the near future will hold different outcomes. Just as Beijing and Shanghai begin to emerge from suffocating COVID
lockdowns, the southern economic hotbeds of Shenzhen and Macau may be facing crippling restrictions. The technology hub of Shenzhen has locked down several neighborhoods, and officials are enacting mass testing. Nearby, in the Asian gambling center Macau, a virus outbreak is threatening gaming companies operating in the city. The Financial Times reported that total gaming revenues in Macau for the month of May were $413 million, a 90 percent drop from pre-pandemic levels. Of course, the bonds of Chinese property developers continued to be traded far below par. But recently there were also signs of contagion spreading beyond the usual sectors. For example, the offshore bonds of Chinese conglomerate Fosun International suffered heavy losses in June, a sign that other heavily indebted companies may also be in trouble. Beijing regulators are hoping a new program will help reverse recent trends in foreign fund flows. The People’s Bank of China announced that from June 30, qualified foreign institutional investors, including deep-pocketed foreign banks, sovereign wealth funds, and pension funds, would be allowed to invest in the domestic exchange market. The Chinese exchange market will now grant foreign institutional investors access to certain securities not available on the interbank market, including riskier instruments such as asset-backed securities and derivatives, in addition to bonds. But will it work? Certain intrepid fund managers with a penchant for distressed investing may jump at this opportunity. But for the mainstream, with China’s COVID policy and the dark clouds above its economy, coupled with higher relative fixed-income yields in the United States, the Chinese market simply isn’t very attractive. I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 49
JEFF MINICK lives and writes in Front Royal, Va. He is the author of two novels, “Amanda Bell” and “Dust on Their Wings,” and two works of nonfiction, “Learning as I Go” and “Movies Make the Man.”
Jeff Minick
Giving to Others Benefits Us, Too The action of giving has emotional and physical benefits
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t is more blessed to give than to receive.” That ancient piece of wisdom would probably baffle a 5-year-old. He might enjoy watching his mother open her birthday card and take from a gift box the perfume his father had helped him select, but odds are that tearing into a package on his own birthday and yanking out a Spider-Man outfit or a soccer ball would bring a bigger grin. After all, he’s a kid and, like most preschoolers, is focused on himself. But what about the rest of us? For many, donating our time, treasure, and talent to others brings enormous satisfaction. Let’s say we volunteer once a month to serve meals to the homeless. We dole out soup, casseroles, salad, and other dishes to men, women, and children living in a shelter, in their car, or on the street. The food we offer them is plain and simple—sustenance rather than some meal to delight the taste buds, such as the gazpacho or quiche we might prepare for our own supper. We leave the shelter that evening grateful that we have helped people in need, in fact, feeling pretty satisfied with ourselves. We may not be saints, but we’ve done a good deed and we take a little pride in that accomplishment. We may not feel more blessed, but we’re happier having given than receiving. Some observers might find that sentiment self-serving. “Oh, look at me,” they imagine such folks saying as they pat themselves on the back on the drive home. “I’m wonderful for helping others.” Well, perhaps we do leave that food line with our chest puffed out a bit. But are there benefits, other than self-satisfaction, in giving to others? In her online article “4 Health Benefits of Giving to Others,” nurse Kitty 50 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
These charitable acts, for example, ‘release “good feeling” chemicals.’ Stafford explains that acts of generosity make you feel happy, are good for your health, promote social connections, and are contagious, meaning your deeds of goodwill may prompt others to do the same. According to Stafford, helping those in need can do everything from lowering your blood pressure to promoting joy. These charitable acts, for example, “release ‘good feeling’ chemicals such as endorphins, which give you a sense of euphoria, and oxytocin, which promotes tranquility and inner peace.” Of course, such gift-giving can take all sorts of forms and guises other than public service: the neighbor who helps you load a moving van, an aunt who slips you a few hundred bucks when you’re down on your luck, even a word of encouragement or kindness from a friend. These and a thousand other gestures of love may lift us out of a dark place and return us to the
path of light. For those offering such gifts, however, there are no guarantees of success. That kind word might be wasted breath; that donation of money might just as well have been thrown to the wind. Once our benefactors have made the effort, the matter is out of their hands. Now, let’s return to the matter raised earlier. Is the giver’s motive important? In other words, if a cop offers assistance to a penniless teenager living on the street, does it matter whether he does so out of pure compassion or just to feel good about himself? Perhaps it matters to the policeman. Less so to the boy. Whatever the motive of that officer, his largesse delivers the same result: The boy receives some necessary help. He gets shelter and food, and, if he’s lucky, finds his way off the street and back into school. Neurosurgeon and politician Ben Carson once said, “Happiness doesn’t result from what we get, but from what we give.” In other words, when we give, we get. It’s a paradox, but there it is. Giving means getting.
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THOUGHT LEADERS
Liberalism Has Failed. Now What? A bold new proposal to combat the woke left
conservative,” says Yoram Hazony, “considers national and religious traditions key to strengthening the nation and to maintaining it over time.”
In a recent episode of “American Thought Leaders,” host Jan Jekielek talks with Hazony, chairman of the Edmund Burke Foundation, president of Jerusalem’s Herzl Institute, and author of the new book “Conservatism: A Rediscovery.” Hazony believes that the myopic focus on individual liberties by both old-style liberals and many conservatives has led to the destruction of the family and national cohesion, giving rise to an ever more radical left. JAN JEKIELEK: I’ve
enjoyed your book, “Conservatism: A Rediscovery,” so let’s start off there. Why does conservatism need to be rediscovered? YOR AM HAZONY: A lot of
people associated with the conservative movement for decades have asked themselves exactly that question. As I write in the book, my wife and I, and my friends, were activ52 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
ists and enthusiasts of the conservative movement in the 1980s. President Reagan, Prime Minister Thatcher, and Pope John Paul II were locked in a struggle against communism. Today, there’s a very strong interpretation that the 1980s conservatives were only concerned with individual liberties and the free market. Those of us who were there wouldn’t have recognized this interpretation. Now, liberties are obviously important, but it’s impossible to conserve anything by a movement that’s only interested in individual freedom. Without any other principles, individual freedom isn’t about conserving anything. It’s the opposite. It’s saying, “We don’t owe the past anything.
We don’t have any duty of handing down and transmitting things.” MR . JEKIELEK: I’m going
to read a line from your book: “Five years of political upheaval from 2016 to 2020 was all it took to shatter the hegemony of enlightenment liberalism.” So,
enlightenment liberalism is shattered? MR . HAZONY: Enlighten-
ment liberalism is still alive in the hearts and minds of people who believe in it, but the number of those people is quickly decreasing, and their influence has, in fact, been shattered. When you look at the history of liberalism after World War II, by the 1960s, there was a consensus that the philosophy of the West was liberal democracy, which was a new term. It was based on individual freedom. In 2020, we saw something very different. The New York Times—the
“If you don’t go along, then you’re not going to be a member of society in good standing.” Political theorist Yoram Hazony, chairman of the Edmund Burke Foundation, president of the Herzl Institute in Jerusalem, and author.
Nation Profile
leading exponent for liberalism—dismissed some proponents of liberalism to accommodate a woke neo-Marxism, and that accommodation was then repeated across the United States and Britain. I went to Princeton University, which has now decided to remove Woodrow Wilson’s name from the buildings. You can’t find a more obvious liberal intellectual and political leader, but Wilson was too toxic for Princeton. So they scrubbed his name from the buildings, and Princeton now is under the thumb of woke neo-Marxist ideology. You can repeat that across dozens of major institutions, parts of the U.S. government bureaucracy, and even the military. There’s an attempt by woke neo-Marxists—the progressives—to establish hegemony. If you don’t go along, then you’re not going to be a member of society in good standing. MR . JEKIELEK: In your
FROM L: BAO QIU/THE EPOCH TIMES, MPI/GETTY IMAGES
book, you allude to the confusion, even among conservatives, of what “conservative” actually means and how it’s distinct from liberalism, which you argue is failing. MR . HAZONY: Tradi-
tional Anglo-American conservatism has existed for centuries. It focuses attention on what you need to do to transmit your nation’s values, its identity, from one generation to the next. A conservative considers national and religious traditions key to strengthening the nation
Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy, during his presidential campaign. and to maintaining it over time. What must I do in order that my children, my grandchildren, and my great-grandchildren will have the benefits of this inheritance? That way of thinking was alien to enlightenment liberalism. Enlightenment liberalism was invented mostly during the 1600s and 1700s. It’s a rationalist theory that tries to figure out for human beings of all ages and countries the right form of government. This approach begins with the assumption that there’s a right form of government for all people and that we can figure it out if we reason well enough, if we think properly and clearly. Though liberals and conservatives are concerned about individual liberties, their ideas stand in terrific tension. The conservative asks, “What do we need to do to transmit certain ideas?” To do that, you have to create norms. You have to create guardrails. You say, “This range of behav-
iors and ideas is what we stand for.” Liberals say almost the opposite: “Everybody needs to be free to choose just about anything.” And today, we have a society in which all the guardrails are pretty much gone. Every day, some wild new thing is proposed as to the way society should be structured, and the young people, who have no memory of a society with guardrails, are not happy that they’ve received no usable inheritance. As conservatives, we have to listen to them and explain why they should be conservative. MR . JEKIELEK: You call
this a sort of backlash to the kind of unbridled individualism of the post-World War II years. That’s a fascinating thought. MR . HAZONY: This is
something conservative thinkers were already emphasizing in the 1980s. Irving Kristol wrote a book called “Two Cheers for Cap-
italism.” He basically said, “Look, capitalism is about empowering individuals and giving them the maximum degree of choices as to what business they will go into, what products they’ll make, and where they’ll take employment.” The problem, Kristol said, is that this excessive focus on the individual by the market acts as a solvent to destroy all loyalty to groups, beginning with the family. The bonds of the family are based on a mutual loyalty, which is traditional, backed up by scriptural tradition, and is the way we’ve lived for a couple thousand years. If you bring the liberalism of the market into the family, Kristol says that husbands and wives treat each other like commodities. “I don’t choose to be in this marriage anymore.” That idea of greater loyalty dissolves under the pressure of the market, saying: “No, everything is free choice. You need a maximum of choice.” The same thing happens with the relationship between a people and a nation. The question of what we owe our country becomes an absurdity if we decide we don’t owe anything, if we say, “I have the natural right to choose whatever I want.” I think conservatives are coming to realize that you need some kind of balance among principles. It can’t always be individual liberty on every issue. MR . JEKIELEK: I want to
talk about your vision for conservative democracy, specifically the question of public religion. I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 53
Nation Profile
“You can’t find a more obvious liberal intellectual and political leader, but [Woodrow] Wilson was too toxic for Princeton. So they scrubbed his name from the buildings [at Princeton].” MR . HAZONY: We need
which makes me think this is something very strong in the Jewish tradition. MR . HAZONY: One of the
big differences between ancient Jewish thought and Greek philosophy is that Judaism focuses on family and nation. Obviously there’s a great focus on God and scripture, but socially and anthropologically, the
Bible thinks in terms of families, clans, tribes, and nations. The biblical authors are also constantly concerned with this question of teaching our children. So the idea of intergenerational transmission, righteousness, wisdom, and a God-fearing worldview— and also the reverse—the evil-doing that transmits from one generation to
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
MR . JEKIELEK: Having ef-
fective ways of transmitting historical lessons and culture is critical to this vision, 54 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
Princeton University in Princeton, N.J., on Feb. 4, 2020. The university has decided to remove Woodrow Wilson’s name from the buildings.
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to revert to conservative tradition, which means setting enlightenment liberalism aside and using our inherited traditions as our framework for moving forward. Religion is at the heart of that. A conservative view says, “There’s no such thing as a society without some overarching public religion or public philosophy.” We’ve seen how Christian assumptions were replaced by liberal assumptions after World War II, and now we’re seeing a similar attempt to replace liberal assumptions with neo-Marxist assumptions. If people care for the future, they need to ask what was lost when biblical tradition ceased to be the guardrails—our overarching public philosophy. I think—and I don’t know if it will succeed—that many Christians are going to look at the new woke public religion and say: “This is too far. We need to go back. We need to restore what the country was like before the enlightenment liberal revolution after World War II.”
the next, is at the heart of the way the Bible describes politics. It’s the strangest thing that in America or Britain—which were built on widespread reading of the Old Testament and taking the Bible to heart—today, you can’t find that. Kids go to school; it’s not in school. They go to universities, but you can’t find any discussion of this stuff in almost any academic setting. Instead, everybody’s thinking in terms of enlightenment liberal ideas. The only way we can restore an understanding about the way the world works is by returning to studying the Bible, and I hope that’s still possible.
T R AV E L • F O O D • L U X U R Y L I V I N G
Unwind
No.26
Iconic architecture, plus an eclectic atmosphere, topped by 100-plus beaches makes Sydney a must-visit city. PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER BURNS/UNSPLASH
No Kangaroos, but Tons of Fun MAKE YOUR FISHING VACATION an unforgettable adventure; with seven seas to choose from, there is a vast array of species and places to explore. 60
COME TAKE VIRTUAL RIDES on this collection of cool “water toys” that will let you rule the waves and the depths below like Aquaman and his wife, Mera. 63
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LEGEND HAS IT THE FIRST mojitos were consumed by pirates as a treatment for scurvy. Now, 500 years later, the mojito has become a classic cocktail. 66
INSIDE I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 55
DOWNERS GROVE Victorian Charmer
em o c l w a i s em o h u c r g T t a h d l ro w a n i y t l u q n a r t f o e c i l s c i t e h y l g n a is c r By Phil Butler
56 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
The cozy family room connects effortlessly with the wellequipped kitchen, a welcoming breakfast nook, a formal dining room, and the living spaces on other levels.
Lifestyle Real Estate
W
COURTESY OF BAIRD & WARNER
ho says exclusive features and idyllic aesthetics have to verge on being priceless? A Victorian beauty set in All-American Downers Grove, Illinois, is the antithesis of such wisdom. Listed for $1.095 million, this stunning home is a reborn masterpiece from its 1893 original. Completely restored and recently modernized, this four-bedroom, four-bath family home sits at the top of Fairmount Avenue, a baseball toss from beautiful Randall Park, and a score of other community centers. The upgraded 3,100-square-foot home is a perfect blend of period charm and modern convenience. Entering from the stone porch at the front, the house opens up into a highly livable but ultimately elegant family space, with hardwood floors throughout. The outside wrap-around porches and deck of the home cradle the restored original grand staircase, sumptuous trim and moldings, and brilliant interior design aspects. An expanded gourmet kitchen with a six-burner oven also features a butler pantry, expansive cabinets, and every modern convenience. There’s a breakfast nook, a formal dining room, a cozy family room, and a heated sunroom on the first floor.
On first entering the home, you’re greeted by the restored grand staircase, the gleaming, expansive hardwood floors, and other tasteful accents. The home’s kitchen has been expanded and upgraded to include the latest appliances, a large island, and additional cabinet space.
Upstairs, there are three large bedrooms, an office, a laundry room, a large bath with a walk-in shower, and generous closet space. On the third level, a huge master suite features a stunning bathroom with a walk-in shower, a soaking tub, and double walk-in closets. Remote-controlled skylights bathe the owner’s suite in ambient light, with a walk-in attic area providing additional storage space. Outside, large professionally landscaped lawns have integrated irrigation. In the basement below, a half-bath and a large utility room are connected to a massive three-car garage to finish off this extraordinary home located in one of Chicago’s most popular suburban villages. If your American dream includes a perfect house in a town where they still hold Soap Box Derbies, consider this Victorian stunner set just a few short blocks from downtown Downers Grove. There, you’ll find a score of fabulous shops, boutiques, restaurants, and countless community, nature, and sporting events year-round.
5256 FAIRMONT AVENUE DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS $1,095,000 • 4 BEDROOMS • 3,100 SQUARE FEET • 4 BATHS KEY FEATURES • IDYLLIC NEIGHBORHOOD • ARCHITECTURAL HOME • CUSTOM FEATURES THROUGHOUT • RECENT UPGRADES AGENT BAIRD & WARNER LESLEY GALLIGAN
Phil Butler is a publisher, editor, author, and analyst who is a widely cited expert on subjects ranging from digital and social media to travel technology.
630-899-3631
Located in the heart of one of Chicago’s most coveted suburban villages, this Queen Anne Victorian home enjoys views of nearby Randall Park. I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 57
Travel Down Under
A bird’s eye view of Sydney.
Water World
Exploring Sydney by ferry reveals iconic sights as well as charming beach towns By Tim Johnson
T
58 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
AUSTRALIA Sydney Canberra
Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) has direct flights to/from San Francisco and Los Angeles.
FROM TOP L: JAMIE DAVIES/UNSPLASHED, THE EPCOH TIMES, MADS SCHMIDT RASMUSSEN/UNSPLASHED, STEPHEN BRIDGER/SHUTTERSTOCK
he view just kept getting better. Rumbling back from the dock, the austere little boat cut through the calm, gray waters, the seats inside holding a smattering of work-weary commuters, most of them entranced by their phones. First, the skyline. Above rose the glassy skyscrapers of Australia’s largest city. A little farther from the shore, the next icon came into view: the Sydney Harbor Bridge, its famous steel archway soaring more than 40 stories, its span stretching some 1,650 feet. And finally, the white folds, peaks, and shells of the city’s Opera House—one of the most recognizable places in the world. It’s a view that’s available to anybody with a couple of bucks in their pocket and the wherewithal to navigate down to Circular Quay. Sydney is a famously fun city, and with Aus-
tralia reopening to visitors earlier this year, it’s again possible to explore its wonders. A big place, home to around 5.3 million in the metro area and covering more than 4,700 square miles, it may seem a little intimidating to a first-time visitor. But as more and more travelers return to the land Down Under, they’ll discover that the best place to start is at the waterline, taking a boat ride around town. The first thing you notice upon arrival is that there’s water everywhere. Sydney Harbor is absolutely huge. Approaching from the Tasman Sea on a cruise ship (or any other craft), you’ll proceed past the “Heads”—a series of headlands girding the 1.2-mile entrance to the harbor. From there, you can continue to sail for almost 12 miles until you reach the end of it. Technically a sunken river, Sydney Harbor is surrounded by 150 miles of coastline. It’s jagged, with peninsulas jutting out, along
Travel Down Under
with coves and inlets, many of them filled with sailboats in marinas. The shores are lined with beaches, green spaces, and many different neighborhoods, their streets climbing up and away from the water. Much of this aquatic playground is accessible by public ferry. Circular Quay, in the central business district, feels a little like a busy urban train station, except the locomotives and carriages are replaced by boats of varying sizes. Getting aboard is easy—you don’t even need to line up to buy a ticket. Just scan your credit card at the gate on one of the wharves, and a very modest charge will show up on your account in a few days. You’ll never pay more than $10, and for very short voyages, the fare is often free of charge. One of the best places to go? Manly Beach, which feels like a trip to a charming beach town, is only about 20 minutes from the heart of the city. Pretty much every ferry passes the Harbor Bridge and the Opera House. The former somehow feels even bigger when you see it in person from below. Nicknamed “the coat hanger” by witty locals, this bridge is an absolutely vital link, carrying trains, cars, bicycles, and pedestrians. Workers toiled for eight years to build it, shaping 53,000 tons of steel and driving 6 million rivets before the bridge opened in 1932. Brave visitors can walk along the top spans on guided tours. It’s worth it to gather your courage: The view from the top is truly unforgettable. A minute or two later on the voyage, you’ll pass the Opera House. Snap some fantastic photos while passing by. It’s the one place you can be
assured that nobody will obstruct your picture, and the place is even more brilliant when you see it rising from the water. When you alight in Manly, grab an alfresco lunch at The Corso, which connects the ferry wharf with the main beach. A boardwalk originally constructed in 1855, it’s long been the beating heart of town—for both locals and tourists—and home to shops and theaters. Now, it’s a bustling pedestrian mall lined with cafes and restaurants. Linger over a glass of rosé, then walk to the broad strip of sand nearby. Perhaps a little more tucked away, but definitely worth the trip, Watsons Bay is one of the oldest fishing villages in Australia. Now, it’s a small, mostly residential community with bright cottages, a palm-lined shore, and clear, aquamarine water that feels positively tropical. About 25 minutes from Circular Quay, here you can see all the way back to the central business district. The view of those distant skyscrapers feels a little surreal, with sailboats in the foreground and waves lapping at your feet. Less than a 10-minute walk through a pleasant neighborhood will take you to Camp Cove, a picture-perfect beach that feels like a secret. But you really don’t need to go anywhere at all. Under those uncertain skies, as I passed the Opera House, I was only headed to Neutral Bay, a short round trip, less than half an hour in total. It was all about the ride—just getting out onto the water. A free ride, as it turned out, and a spectacular one, at that.
A kayaker in Sydney Harbor.
Watson’s Bay.
Tim Johnson is based in Toronto. He has visited 140 countries across all seven continents.
5.3
MILLION
people live in the Sydney metro area
If You Go Getting Around: From Circular Quay, trams roll out to other parts of the city, and Sydney also has a fast, clean, efficient metro system. Stay: The Langham Sydney is superposh but still friendly. The service is impeccable, with staff providing a warm, personal welcome and ensuring that both guests’ stay and their time in the city are enjoyable. Take Note: While most ferries are frequent, especially at peak hours, it’s best to double-check the return schedule upon disembarking at your destination.
I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 59
Why just read about trophy gamefish in faraway waters? Go and land one yourself.
CASTING FOR A MEMORABLE VACATION
Adventure fishing in exotic waters is a must for anglers seeking new challenges
By Bill Lindsey 60 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
Lifestyle Adventure Fishing
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ere you born to fish but forced to work? Chasing gamefish or even the evening’s meal requires a lot of time, knowledge, experience, and gear. For this reason alone, if you’re a fishing fanatic, it may make sense to consider making your next vacation a fishing trip. To make it an epic event, consider booking a “bucket list” fishing charter. A charter trip differs from taking a fishing pole and a can of worms to the closest pond in the same way jumping on a trampoline differs from strapping on a jetpack; more equipment, better skills, and a ton of planning make it a wondrous, memorable experience. So, how to choose where to go? There are a few driving forces, including the fish species you’re chasing, the best location to find (and catch) them, and most definitely your budget. To qualify as a bucket list affair, it should focus on fish you don’t normally encounter in your local waters, so look for an exotic location.
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WHILE YOU MOST likely could do a
bucket list fishing trip on your own, the chances of the trip being an unconditional success increase when you use the services of a local guide. The odds continue to rise when that guide has the knowledge and gear required to put you in the right place at the right time to land your catch. The ultimate is to book a charter trip in which your lodging, meals, a guide, a boat, and all required tackle are waiting for you when you arrive. The good news is, fishing charters are available pretty much anywhere on the globe that has water and fish. The bad news is, there are so many amazing choices, it can be difficult to choose, so perhaps pick several, as there’s no rule against making this a multi-year event. While saltwater destinations such as the Bahamas, the waters off Kona, or Australia’s Great Reef may get more attention, there are also many phenomenal freshwater fishing destinations from which to choose, such as Alaska’s Kenai River or the Amazon. Before you lock in on a destination,
do some research to ensure it has the species you seek and determine the best time to go after them. As a few examples, the peak season for King salmon in Alaska runs from May to September, while the Atlantic’s sailfish season runs from November to March.
Rather than spending yet another vacation at a theme park, consider booking a bucket list big game fishing trip to enjoy this view.
THE NEXT TWO steps involve choosing
The good news is, fishing charters are available pretty much anywhere on the globe that has water and fish.
a guide and lodging. In many cases, the two go hand in hand, as many charter operators either have lodging or partner with local hotels. When choosing a guide, look for one that has references on their website. You will be spending a lot of time with the guide, so it’s critical that you do some due diligence to learn what previous clients have to say about him or her (there are many
The waters off Australia abound with exotic gamefish such as black marlin, as well as experienced charter companies that can help you catch—and then release—one.
I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 61
Lifestyle Adventure Fishing
LIFESTYLE
GET HOOKED Fishing for adventure
For the ultimate adventure, consider a place that offers a totally new and challenging fishing experience, such as Mongolia. female guides). It’s also a good idea to actually speak with the guide; schedule a phone call to allow you to get a feel for their style. Experienced anglers may be offended if a guide treats them like their most recent fishing expedition was in a bathtub. It is far better to discover you don’t get along with the guide before you’ve sent a big deposit, or worse, are 35 miles offshore with them. THOSE SEEKING A world-class, once-
62 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
Just Go All-inclusive charters provide lodging, equipment, and meals, so all you need to do is show up ready to catch a trophy fish.
2
Bring a Good Attitude Catching is good, but fishing is not just about putting fish in the cooler, so relax and enjoy meeting interesting people and seeing new scenery. A good attitude is the key to a great adventure.
3 Go North
Choosing a guide who has intimate knowledge of local waters and fish saves you from wondering what tackle to use, increasing the chances your trip will be successful.
Or south or east; fishing charters are available all over the globe, in freshwater rivers and lakes as well as every ocean, so pick a spot. Check references and social media before you book the charter.
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in-a-lifetime fishing trip might want to consider an all-inclusive fishing charter aboard Spirit. Operating in the waters above and around Australia’s Great Reef, Spirit is a 115-foot motoryacht with five guest staterooms and a unique wave-piercing hull. Equipped with every luxury imaginable at sea and staffed by an experienced crew, Spirit can be accompanied by a variety of sportfisherman vessels. Anglers spend the day on open water chasing black marlin or working the reef for snapper and grouper. At the end of the day, they return to the mothership to be fêted by the crew, while the chef prepares the catch for dinner. For a freshwater trip you’ll never forget, consider trekking to Mongolia to chase a gamefish you’ve probably never heard of. Anglers eager to experience the ultimate freshwater challenge
use fly fishing gear attempting to land hucho taimen, also known as the river wolf. These fish are voracious predators, feeding on other fish, ducks, and even prairie dogs. Growing as large as five feet in length, landing one of these monsters is an exceptional feat. Anglers stay in teepees set a few feet from rivers crossed by Genghis Khan for a truly memorable adventure. Regardless of where you go or what fish you seek, now is always the best time to plan and make a journey that will forever change your life and make your heart pound with happiness.
1
Luxury Living Water Toys
INNOVATIVE, FUN WAYS TO PLAY IN THE WAVES Swimming is great exercise and a fun way to beat the summer heat, but we’ve found some other, possibly more compelling reasons to go play in the water By Bill Lindsey
Aquaman’s Scooter
Sailing on Air
SEABOB F5 SR
TIWAL 3 INFLATABLE SAILBOAT
PRICE UPON REQUEST
COURTESY OF SEABOB, TIWAL, BROWNIE'S THIRD LUNG, AWAKE, RED SHARK BIKES
Powered by an electric motor, with run times up to 70 minutes, this unique water toy lets you zip across the water faster than Aquaman and can take you beneath the waves at speeds just over 12 mph.
$6,200
Designed to take up to two people scooting across lakes or the ocean, this sailboat truly harnesses the wind, with an inflatable hull and five-piece mast that makes it easy to transport in a car or small SUV. Ideal for beginners as well as hardcore sailors.
Surf ’s Up!
AWAKE RAVIK S 22 $15,500
Don’t Hold Your Breath
BROWNIES THIRD LUNG $3,295–$4,395
Imagine diving with the mermaids, and spending up to three hours of tank-free diving fun. The small engine and compressor floats on the surface, providing up to four divers with a steady, safe supply of air to depths down to 65 feet.
Surfing is a great sport, unless you live in Kansas or someplace else far from the ocean. The solution is this surfboard, powered by an electric motor that takes you across the water at speeds up to 36 mph. Each charge provides up to 30 minutes of surfing excitement.
Pedal Across the Waves
REDSHARK BIKE ENJOY
$3,899
The biggest complaint about exercise bikes is that the scenery never changes. That’s not a problem with this “bike” that lets you exercise while cruising along the beach or exploring the local lake, river, or bay. The wide hull provides excellent stability for confidence, even for first-time users. I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 63
Epoch Booklist RECOMMENDED READING FICTION
‘River Rising’
By Athol Dickson
An Analogous Thriller Pilotville, Louisiana, becomes a place of miracles when a stranger visits. But the stranger who performs miracles is searching for his earliest roots. He’s also helping to locate a missing young girl, and through her, the mysteries of the town will be revealed. BETHANY HOUSE, 2006 304 PAGES
‘Raymond Chandler’
By Raymond Chandler
Trouble Is My Business Included in this grand collection of Chandler’s writings are all seven novels about Philip Marlowe, the hardboiled detective extraordinaire. There are also 13 short stories, the screenplay for “Double Indemnity,” and many of Chandler’s essays and letters. Mar-
Are there books you’d recommend? We’d love to hear from you. Let us know at features@epochtimes.com
This week, we feature a collection of great mysteries, alongside a discussion of why civilizations fall and a thrilling tale of a boy surviving in the wild.
lowe is the guy you want when evil comes knocking and your world falls apart. He’s, as Chandler wrote in an essay, “a man of honor, by instinct, by inevitability, without thought of it.” Newcomers will delight in the tangled plots and diamond-sharp prose.
ECONOMICS
‘Ten Global Trends Every Smart Person Should Know’
LIBRARY OF AMERICA, 2014 2,275 PAGES
By Ronald Bailey and Marian L. Tupy
HISTORY
How the World Is Becoming Better
‘1177 B.C.’
By Eric H. Cline
When Ancient Worlds Ended Just after the 12th century B.C. started, every civilization around the Mediterranean Sea or Fertile Crescent—Minoans, Mycenaeans, Hittites, Mitanni, Assyrians, Babylonians—vanished. Egypt was plunged into chaos. Cline examines this upheaval, history’s first recorded dark age. The book is a short, comprehensive look at events leading up to the catastrophe. He uses the most recent archeological and historical evidence. While history, it reads like a mystery novel, revealing surprises throughout. PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS, 2021, 304 PAGES
64 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
Is the world getting worse or better? Given the constant barrage of bad news, it’s easy to think things are going from bad to worse. You would be wrong, however, and this book explains why. Using objective data, it shows the ways the world is improving, especially over the past 72 years. This optimistic message bears examination by a wide audience, because even though we have problems, the authors identify areas we needn’t worry about. CATO INSTITUTE, 2020 208 PAGES
BIOGRAPHY
‘Wednesdays With Wally’
By Claude E. Hammond
Waiting for a Friend Wally Carr was a fixture in and around the campus of the University of
Kentucky in the early ’80s. He was elderly, and his appearance was disheveled. Perhaps he was a street person. Claude Hammond was a bright student about to graduate and enter the business world. Theirs was an unlikely friendship, but connecting was a gift to both. INDEPENDENTLY PUBLISHED 2021, 277 PAGES
CLASSICS
‘As a Man Thinketh’
By James Allen
FOR KIDS
‘Hatchet’
By Gary Paulsen
Kid Versus Wilderness Brian, 13 years old, survives a plane crash and faces the Canadian wilderness equipped only with the survival pack he discovers on the downed aircraft and the hatchet given to him by his mother. A great tale of adventure. Ages 9 and up. SIMON & SCHUSTER-REISSUE, 2006, 192 PAGES
‘As a Man Thinketh in His Heart So Is He’ James Allen’s treatise focuses on the power of our thoughts and how they can guide us toward perfection or toward “below the level of the beast.” He discusses the effects of our thinking on our character, circumstances, health, and purpose, and warns against the pursuit of money and worldly goods while neglecting the care of the spirit. He advocates for self-control, noble thoughts, and the pursuit of beauty and truth as the way to a good life. In his words, millions of readers have found hope, healing, and inspiration. INDEPENDENTLY PUBLISHED, 2021, 90 PAGES
‘To Be Like the Sun’
By Susan Marie Swanson
Nature’s Miracles A young girl nourishes a sunflower seed throughout its life cycle on its quest “to be like the sun.” Featuring simple illustrations, the young gardener’s diligence and appreciation for her seedling make this story a real standout. HARCOURT CHILDREN’S BOOKS, 2008, 40 PAGES
Ian Kane is a U.S. Army veteran, filmmaker, and author. He enjoys the great outdoors and volunteering.
MOVIE REVIEWS
Epoch Watchlist
This week, we look at one of Jim Carrey’s most outrageous comedies, as well as a riveting Western about redemption, starring Richard Widmark.
NEW RELEASE
FAMILY PICK
‘Ace Ventura: Pet Detective’ (1994)
‘Hotseat’ (2022)
THRILLER
IT expert and ex-hacker Orlando Friar (Kevin Dillon) finds a hair-trigger bomb strapped to his desk chair. Then a mysterious voice over the intercom demands Friar steal $1 million digitally or be blown up. Bomb expert Wallace Reed (Mel Gibson) soon arrives on the scene, but will he be able to save the day? This serviceable thriller has a decent plot, but suffers from a lack of movement since the storyline is about not being able to move—literally. The performances and cinematography somewhat make up for the film’s shortcomings.
Release Date: July 1, 2022 Director: Cullen Bressack Starring: Mel Gibson, Shannen Doherty, Kevin Dillon Running Time: 1 hour, 39 minutes MPAA Rating: R Where to Watch: Theaters
A WESTERN TALE OF SURVIVAL AND REDEMPTION and redemption, with beautiful scenery, a rousing score, and excellent performances by its supporting cast. ADVENTURE | DRAMA | WESTERN
‘The Last Wagon’ (1956) After a wagon train is ambushed by a band of Apaches, the survivors entrust their lives to Comanche Todd (Richard Widmark), despite his
wanted status. Widmark showcases his versatile acting chops in this outstanding 1950’s Western. It’s a riveting tale of selflessness
Release Date: Sept. 21, 1956 Director: Delmer Daves Starring: Richard Widmark, Felicia Farr, Susan Kohner Running Time: 1 hour, 39 minutes MPAA Rating: Approved Where to Watch: Amazon Prime, DirecTV
When the Miami Dolphins’ mascot gets kidnapped, Melissa (Courteney Cox) hires pet detective Ace Ventura (Jim Carrey) to track down the dolphin before Super Bowl Sunday. This riotous ’90s comedy is a perfect showcase for Carrey’s comedic talents and his unique brand of charisma—attributes that helped catapult him to international stardom. The film’s slightly dark tone makes it better viewing for older
kids. However, it’s still much tamer than more recent comedies, such as 2009’s “The Hangover” or 2011’s “Horrible Bosses.” COMEDY
Release Date: Feb. 4, 1994 Director: Tom Shadyac Starring: Jim Carrey, Courteney Cox, Sean Young Running Time: 1 hour, 26 minutes MPAA Rating: PG-13 Where to Watch: DirecTV, Redbox, Vudu
AN UNCOMPROMISING QUEST FOR JUSTICE
‘Q&A’ (1990) Up-and-coming district attorney Aloysius “Al” Francis Reilly (Timothy Hutton) is out to clean up crime. His crusade soon involves corrupt veteran cop Capt. Mike Brennan (Nick Nolte), whose reputation for utter brutality ensures the silence of any witnesses. This riveting crime thriller is one of celebrated director Sidney Lumet’s most intense films and is filled with many twists and turns. Nolte, in particular, turns
in a mesmerizing performance and makes an unlikeable character unforgettable. CRIME | DR AMA | THRILLER
Release Date: April 27, 1990 Director: Sidney Lumet Starring: Nick Nolte, Timothy Hutton, Armand Assante Running Time: 2 hour, 12 minutes MPAA Rating: R Where to Watch: DirecTV, Starz, Apple TV
I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 65
Food Drinks
ANATOMY OF A CLASSIC COCKTAIL: THE MOJITO Summer calls for the Cuban refresher, featuring mint, lime, rum, and sugar—and a muddled history By Kevin Revolinski
I
f you have mint growing in your garden, you’re likely swimming in it right now. This summery cocktail tops the list of what to do with it. The mojito has uncertain origins, but one of the most popular theories is that in the 1580s, Sir Francis Drake—commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I to plunder the Spanish to try to get at their horde of looted gold—arrived in Havana with an ill crew. His cousin proposed a mix of lime, mint, and cane sugar liquor as medicine, which became known as El Draque. Rum took over the liquor role, and it became the “mojito,” a name with its own share of origin stories. Regardless of whodunnit first, the birthplace is generally reported as La Habana, Cuba.
Put an abundance of summertime mint to good use in a fresh, fizzy, perfectly balanced mojito.
Fresh mint is a must— but not so much that your drink becomes a salad.
Build your cocktail in a solid glass that can withstand some muddling.
Strawberry mojitos are a popular variation, but nothing beats the classic.
Mojito Myths
66 I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022
CLASSIC MOJITO • 5 to 10 mint leaves • 1/2 lime cut into 3 wedges, or 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice • 1 to 2 teaspoons white sugar • ice • 1 1/2 to 2 ounces white rum • 1 to 3 ounces club soda Use a muddler to bruise but not tear the mint leaves in a squeeze of lime juice at the bottom of a Collins glass, or an equivalent glass solid enough to take the muddling. Add the lime wedges and sugar and muddle some more. Fill the glass with ice and add the rum. Then top off with club soda.
book “To Have and Have Another: A Hemingway Cocktail Companion.” Yet he finds not a single mojito mention among the myriad alcohol references (which are abundant enough to fill Greene’s fun and informative book) in the writings of Papa’s drinking.
The Basics The mojito gets all sorts of variations on menus, including strawberry mojitos, but nothing compares to the bright simplicity of the traditional. This drink calls for a muddler (or the wooden handle of a kitchen spoon) and fresh lime
and mint—ideally mojito mint (Mentha x villosa), and not so many leaves that it becomes a salad on ice. Use clear rum, not the amber aged varieties, as lovely as those may be. While powdered sugar mixes in more quickly, the occasional crystal of undissolved white sugar is part of the experience. Simple syrup also works, but add it gradually so the drink isn’t overly sweet. In respect to the varying versions, this recipe leaves wiggle room to taste. Kevin Revolinski is an avid traveler, craft beer enthusiast, and home-cooking fan. He's based in Madison, Wis.
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But other myths spread, much like mint left untended. The mojito’s ingredients—lime, mint, sugar, and rum—are well-suited for island life, but despite common claims, none of them are actually native to Cuba. Limes hail from Asia, mint from the Mediterranean, and sugar cane had been grown for thousands of years in what is now New Guinea before humans carried it around the globe. While rum is fermented and distilled from plantation cane sugar juice and molasses, it can be said to be a Caribbean creation, at least. Hemingway’s favorite drink? Not likely. “If he drank it, he generally wrote about it somewhere,” writes Philip Greene, cocktail historian and one of the founders of the Museum of the American Cocktail in New Orleans, in his
Treating Co-workers With Respect Manners matter, whether you work in an office, a store, or from home Because it can be easy to become engrossed in our work, it’s important to take a moment to evaluate how we interact with our associates. Good manners are a must, even if you’re the only one who has them! By Bill Lindsey
4 Be Generous
1 Be Respectful Even if you work in an office where it’s casual day every day, dogs are allowed, and you can take ping-pong game breaks, you are there to perform specific tasks. Getting too comfortable can negatively affect productivity. If you listen to music, keep it muted to avoid distracting others. Limit the number and length of personal calls each day, stepping away from your desk to take or make them to avoid disturbing others while maintaining your privacy.
CSA IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES
2 Zoom In If your workday involves taking part in virtual meetings, prior to the next call, check to see what the other participants will see in your background. If there is something that could be distracting to others, reposition your camera or move the object. If you work from home, make sure the kids know to stay out of your workspace. Dress appropriately, avoiding T-shirts with questionable graphics or clothing that makes it look like you just fell out of bed.
Every once in a while, bring coffee or danishes for your co-workers. If a co-worker was saddled with a huge project, offer to help, after making sure your boss approves. If you came home from a trade show with swag, share it with co-workers. Generosity extends to being thoughtful; saying “Happy birthday” to a co-worker or giving a dog toy to a co-worker who just adopted a rescue dog can make someone’s day, making them feel liked and appreciated.
3 Be Helpful Without allowing it to negatively impact your duties, be helpful to co-workers. If you are computersavvy and notice a co-worker struggling with—or worse, yelling at—their computer, offer to assist. Sometimes jiggling a loose connection is all that is needed to avoid the wait for IT to arrive. Other nice touches include holding the office or elevator door, and keeping an eyeglass tool kit, a sewing kit, and a small first aid kit in your desk drawer.
5
Admit to Mistakes
Things happen, from a jammed copier to a botched presentation. As soon as you realize something has gone awry, make your boss aware of what happened, as well as how you did—or will—correct it, and how you’ll make sure it never happens again. Be honest; trying to cover up a mistake or offering a weak excuse only makes it worse. Use the mistake as a learning exercise.
I N S I G H T July 1–7, 2022 67
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