Saturday, May 31, 2025

Are we measuring China's GDP wrong?

@phils4634
The big difference between "productive" GDP and "debt services vapourware" GDP.

@redkellyre6568
China's GDP is calculated by factory output. United States GDP is calculated by toll roads, parking meters, late fees on credit cards, car loans, insurance grift, alimony payments, bank bailouts...

@foodparadise5792
Finally this is the video I was waiting for comparing two economies in real sense.

@lincolnteh1963
Very good video. For a long time I've suspected china's real GDP was several times that of USA. Electricity in US was flat for two decades while China's electricity consumption has risen exponentially.



The United States has the largest economy in the world, by traditional GDP measures. But when adjustments are made to account for Purchase Price Parity, and the cost differences for similar products, it is China with the largest economy. The United States has a giant services sector, and includes careers that have no equivalent in other countries. The massive legal, finance, insurance, real estate brokerage, and lobbying industries are far larger in the US than in any other country.

For video transcript and direct links, please visit
https://kdwalmsley.substack.com/p/are-we-measuring-chinas-gdp-wrong

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Elle Reeve x Tim Dillon CNN Interview

@kss9131
This is the longest SNL skit I've ever seen

@mvcharisma
That CNN host would do great working at an insurance company denying claims with a smile and soft voice. It's the perfection of NPR ASMR torture

@defconquell
I have to give Elle Reeve credit tho. She is doing the CNN talking points in the most wonderfully friendly way possible

@malcolmnicoll1165
Are some people annoying? Yes. Should they be shamed into gulags? Oh, sure, that's a very appropriate response

@JamisonRelapse
Tim Dillon looks like he's teaching his niece how the world works.

@DJValor311
I'd be willing to bet Tim Dillon is in the neighborhood of a 130 IQ and they threw this chick at him. Bless her heart.


Wow. Very brave of CNN here. At one point, Reeve asked if Dillon and podcasters are the new establishment in the aftermath of the 2024 election.

"I don't think I'm the new establishment. If you weigh, again, a few comedians with podcasts versus all of the people that supported Kamala Harris. You know, Democrat donors, billionaires, big people. If the idea is me and a few comedians have more power than multi-billionaires, huge media institutions, a whole political party apparatus... I just don't think most people are going to buy that. I think it seems like a great way to excuse running an unpopular candidate on a platform that American people weren't sold on," Dillon awkwardly explained while seemingly amused at what he was sitting through.

At another point, Reeve asked who the liberal comedians were, and Dillon looked quite surprised. He then proceeded to give her a list of a dozen liberal comedians more successful than him. I do think there should be more of these quasi-autistic aristocrat "Paypal Mafia" AI billionaires being held to account on long form podcasts. It's healthy to at least have a polite dialogue as these massive mountains of money are being moved around.

Sunday, May 25, 2025

David Fung x Forrest Lee on Thailand

@sambalmashawi
Fung brothers are awesome and it's so great to hear David's perspective, especially on how Thailand really can shape your attitude toward life.

@baddcheeta
Lived in Asia half of my life and I miss it sooooo much… shoutout to Asian Americans exploring Asia! 😂🎉

@TheProjectMaximus
Going on 3 years now here in Taipei! Wish I'd moved to Asia 15 years ago!

@ytmB4HyU4kUq
Y'all need to treat America for what it really is, a business destination. Conduct your business and make your money in the states for top dollar, and then spend it outside of the country. Make your money here, and export and spend it elsewhere like the big companies do.


00:00 - Intro
01:35 - Struggles of Finding Asian American role models
03:32 - Who is David Fung?
05:30 - FungBros impact on Asian American culture
08:25 - What made David consider living overseas?
09:25 - What is contributing to Western decline?
11:20 - David’s travels so far
12:01 - What is David’s first impressions of Thailand so far
14:00 - Meeting the variety of expats in Thailand
15:17 - Changing archetypes of how we’re suppose to ‘live’ life
16:34 - The ease of modern day global travel
17:54 - Thailand’s acceptance of Asian Americans
19:20 - Thai society generally treats others with respect
19:47 - How Thailand calms your soul
20:43 - What do David’s friends think of his travels?
22:47 - What is changing the public perception of Thailand?
24:57 - What is David Fung’s future plans in Thailand?
25:18 - David’s new mentorship program - TigerClub Elite
27:18 - David’s best advice on living your best life in Thailand
29:36 - Should there be ‘standards’ for foreigners to stay in Thailand?

Saturday, May 24, 2025

Kishore Mahbubani on China

@sweeseng2012
Hopefully all the American people are reading this and face the reality. Please help make the world the safe place to live. Please stop wasting trillions on your bloody wars

@organizer14
Thank you Kishore for your help for mutual understanding.

@jeffreychan1559
If 1.4 billion Chinese decide to make things and become prosperous, the decaying cities of the west are not going to stop them. Not without nuking everything.

@SvayToom
Hawaii is 2000 miles from USA while Taiwan is only 100 miles or 160km from mainland china.


Kishore Mahbubani is a Singaporean diplomat, scholar, and public intellectual known for his incisive commentary on U.S.–China relations. Drawing from decades of experience in international diplomacy, including his tenure as Singapore’s ambassador to the United Nations, Mahbubani argues that the 21st century will be defined by the strategic rivalry between the United States and China. He often critiques Western assumptions about global leadership and advocates for a more pragmatic, multipolar approach to international affairs. Through books like Has China Won?, Mahbubani explores how the U.S. can recalibrate its foreign policy to avoid conflict and coexist with a rising China in a rapidly changing global order.

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Tariff insights by Kevin Walmsley at ICB



Companies with cost-plus contracts are much better off, and the implication here, in all this advice we are linking to, is that a business executive is out of his mind to sign a fixed-price contract, and especially one with the federal government. That’s because any change to the compensation structure of a fixed-price contract needs to meet all three of these requirements in the FAR language involving federal taxes, which tariffs are.

The first two are fairly straightforward, and somewhat easily met. The third one is the problem. The increase in costs must result from a tariff that the contractor is required to pay. Most of the tariff costs are borne by others—subcontractors, customs agents, wholesalers—they’re usually the ones who pay the tariffs, and then pass them down the supply chain. There is precedent in case law, whereby contractors can not recover price increases that are indirectly attributable to the tariffs, even if we all know that higher tariffs caused the costs to go up.

Sunday, May 4, 2025

Welcome to Maycember

@danielleandrist2742
This was so perfect. I’m a parent and a teacher and May is just insanity.

@xtina1610
I love Penn carrying the mike and walking along side Kim. 😂

@TheLauren1113
This 100% captured my current situation. This week one child had 4 exams. One child has both a band concert and a chorus concert on two different nights. The third child is in a musical opening tonight. I have to go three times because she’s in the ensemble opening night but has a lead tomorrow. Sunday is the music department banquet. Next week, more exams!

@lavernejones4471
You’ve done it again! You have taken one of my favorite songs and merged it with my life. The original song brings back memories of high school and the good old days. This one brings back all the parenting memories that you dreaded at the time but wish you could have again now that everyone is all grown up.😭Great stuff as always. 🤗💕


Maycember is a humorous term blending "May" and "December" to describe how the month of May feels as hectic and overwhelming as December — especially for parents, teachers, and anyone involved in school activities in the USA. While December is known for holiday chaos, May often becomes packed with many more events...

School concerts, graduations, awards ceremonies
Final exams and projects
End-of-year parties and field trips
Sports seasons tournaments
Summer planning and transitions