INSIGHTS
Why are American’s so Uneasy?
Why are Americans uneasy? A year ago, in the spring of 2024, The Chapman University Survey of American Fears, indicated that over 50% of Americans were worried about a third world war, corrupt government officials, and terrorism. Since then, things have gotten worse.
Why? Because the earth seems to be shaking under our feet. And things we once took for granted, things we relied on, are being kicked away.
On February 28th, Donald Trump’s televised humiliation of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky convinced our allies that they could not depend on us. So our allies in Asia and our allies in Europe have begun to turn their backs on us.
Japan is actively pursuing an Asian NATO, recruiting other Asian nations and relying on a security partnership it has signed with, not us, but the European Union. Meanwhile, the Europeans realize they can’t count on us to come to their aid, either. So they are putting together a European military alliance of which we would not be a part.
But this is just foreign policy stuff, right? And foreign policy doesn’t matter to your everyday life and mine. That’s not true.
As you know, we have a new peer competitor, China. A peer competitor very unlike the Soviet Union we faced in the Cold War. China has become the workshop of the world. We have become dependent on Chinese goods
So what happens when our ability to buy cheap iPhones and iPads slips away? What happens when China becomes the leader in biotechnology, medical research, and artificial intelligence?
Nine years ago, China overtook us in the number of scientific papers it published. This month they have claimed to overtake us in artificial intelligence. And China is working hard to lead the world in the next big thing, intelligent robots. Meanwhile, we are hacking our scientific agencies to pieces.
What does any of this have to do with your life and mine? Why does it make us insecure even when we don’t realize it? Until the last few months, we were the one stable nation others could count on. So foreigners parked their money in America. Including the Chinese, who loaned us money by buying close to a trillion dollars in US Treasury securities.
Now we are the most unstable of the superpowers. And China is advertising itself as the only rock-steady superpower on the planet. What will happen when all that money that was once parked here flees our instability and goes to China?
We saw a bit of what will happen in early March. In just nine days, the US stock market lost four trillion dollars in value. That’s the equivalent the entire economic output for a year of Germany.
Now there’s increasing talk of the possibility of recession, or, worse, a depression. Which would mean that many of us would lose our jobs.
And the Federal government, which would at least help give us a weekly unemployment check, is being ripped apart. The irony is that the deepest red states, the most reliably Republican states, are the most dependent on federal support. Republican states are today’s welfare queens.
What’s more, many believe that our constitutional democracy and our balance of powers is being ripped to shreds. Topping even that is the looming possibility that the government could shut down on March 14th.
So why are we uneasy? We’ve given up our position as the leading nation on earth. And as Joni Mitchell said, “you don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone.”
References:
https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Can-Japan-really-trust-America
https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Zelenskyy-Trump-showdown-shows-Asian-allies-can-t-fully-count-on-U.S
https://www.ft.com/content/73aef243-0518-42b5-b732-2e64ace3994c
https://www.chapman.edu/wilkinson/research-centers/babbie-center/survey-american-fears.aspx
https://www.axios.com/2025/03/11/employee-confidence-labor-jobs-doge
https://nypost.com/2025/03/11/lifestyle/quarter-of-americans-experience-burnout-by-30/
https://www.axios.com/2025/01/24/musk-doge-trump-billionaires-disapprove-poll
https://www.investopedia.com/inflation-worries-hit-americans-confidence-about-retirement-11695105
https://www.deseret.com/u-s-world/2025/03/11/most-least-federally-dependant-states/
https://wallethub.com/edu/states-most-least-dependent-on-the-federal-government/2700
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Howard Bloom of the Howard Bloom Institute has been called the Einstein, Newton, Darwin, and Freud of the 21st century by Britain’s Channel 4 TV.
Bloom’s next book, coming out in spring, 2025, is The Case of the Sexual Cosmos: Everything You Know About Nature is Wrong.
Says Harvard’s Ellen Langer of The Case of the Sexual Cosmos, Bloom “argues that we are not savaging the earth as some would have it, but instead are growing the cosmos.
A fascinating read.” One of Bloom’s eight previous books–Global Brain—was the subject of a symposium thrown by the Office of the Secretary of Defense including representatives from the State Department, the Energy Department, DARPA, IBM, and MIT. Bloom’s work has been published in scientific journals, and in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Wired, Psychology Today, and the Scientific American.
Says Joseph Chilton Pearce, author of Evolution’s End and The Crack in the Cosmic Egg, “I have finished Howard Bloom’s [first two] books, The Lucifer Principle and Global Brain, in that order, and am seriously awed, near overwhelmed by the magnitude of what he has done. I never expected to see, in any form, from any sector, such an accomplishment. I doubt there is a stronger intellect than Bloom’s on the planet.”
For more, see http://howardbloom.net
COP must evolve with the times, or go down the abyss of irrelevancy.
COP 30 lands in Belém, a vulnerable Amazon city, Nov 10–21, 2025. The host nation hopes to spotlight deforestation, Indigenous rights, and climate inequity. Brazil plans to launch the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF)—a proposed $125 billion blended‑finance fund to reward forest conservation.
What’s at risk
- Affordability crisis: Belém has ~18,000 hotel beds for ~45,000 expected attendees. Room rates surged to $700–$2,000/night. Developing nations may be shut out.) Brazil has deployed cruise ships and capped rates for poorer countries—but gaps remain.
- Credibility gap: A new highway cutting through protected rainforest (Avenida Liberdade) contradicts the summit’s conservation message—even though officials deny federal involvement.
- Fossil fuel influence: COP media deal awarded to PR firm Edelman, which also represents Shell—sparking conflict concerns.
Why it may just “kick the can”
- Progress stalled in Bonn: Critical texts—like the Just Transition Work Programme and the Gender Action Plan—are underpowered, with weakening language on Indigenous and gender justice. Negotiations postponed to Belém.
- Ambitious goals, low political will: The annual climate finance scale-up roadmap to $1.3 trillion by 2035 lacks binding commitments. Most countries’ updated NDCs remain underwhelming.
- Logistical chaos: Thousands of civil society, women groups, and youth may be excluded by cost and infrastructure constraints, undermining representation.
Why it still matters
- Location is symbolic: Holding COP in the Amazon aims to humanize climate action, not sanitize it in luxury venues.
- TFFF could deliver: If fully funded by COP or 2026, the forest conservation fund could redefine climate finance.
- Health in focus: A WHO-led Climate & Health conference in Brasília is shaping a Health Action Plan for COP, embedding public health in climate policy.
Bottom line
COP 30 has the potential for impact—but so far, optics risk overshadowing outcomes. High costs, diluted ambition, fossil-fuel influence, and delayed mechanisms could make Belém another kickoff, not a game changer. Unless financial pledges and rights-centered action materialize, COP 30 may merely defer real climate solutions to the next summit.
As people in America–and worldwide–are rethinking their residencies, Brazil offers a unique opportunity.
Why it matters
Brazil’s investor visa (VIPER), launched in 2018 and expanded in 2025, offers straight to permanent residency, family inclusion, and a path to citizenship in ~4 years. Designed to attract foreign capital, it’s one of Latin America’s most competitive options.
✅ Pros
- Low investment threshold: BRL 700K (~USD 140K) in the North/Northeast; BRL 1 M (~USD 200K) in other regions.
- Fast processing: Approval typically in 3–6 months.
- Minimal stay requirement: Spend just ~14 days every 2 years in Brazil to maintain residency.(
- Path to citizenship: Apply after 4 years of residency; dual nationality allowed.
- Family included: Spouse and dependents can join under the same investment.
- Access to MERCOSUR: Freedom to live/work across South America and access public services locally.
❌ Cons & caveats
- Capital-intensive: Though cheaper than many EU programs, still requires upfront investment.
- Low liquidity: Must hold qualifying property or business for residency status.
- Complex documentation: Must transfer funds through formal Brazilian banks; property deed must be fully registered.
- Tax implications: Residents become Brazilian tax-liable; must file global income.
- Risk & bureaucracy: Mistakes in property purchase or application can lead to denial.
⚙️ How it works
- Choose investment route:
- Real estate: BRL 1M (~USD 200K), or BRL 700K in North/Northeast.
- Business investment: As low as BRL 150K (~USD 30K) if it creates jobs or invests in tech.
- Acquire property or company with clean title in urban region.
- Transfer funds via central‑bank‑approved channels.
- Apply via MigrantWeb and attend a brief visit (~30 days in-country).
- Receive temp residency (2–4 years), then upgrade to permanent if holding the investment.
- Citizenship after residency plus Portuguese proficiency and clean record.
Real-world impact
- Stimulates foreign investment into Brazilian real estate and startups.
- Helps diversify global mobility: Dual citizens gain visa-free access to ~171 countries.
- Competitive edge: Lower thresholds than Spain, Portugal, and others, with faster timelines and better climate
Who should consider it
- Remote workers or retirees seeking affordable residency in Latin America
- Investors looking for second passports or access to Mercosur markets
- Entrepreneurs or families seeking global mobility and alternate residency options
Bottom line
Brazil’s Golden Visa isn’t just another residency-by-investment program—it’s a strategic gateway to permanent residency, citizenship, and regional access, at competitive cost and with minimal residency obligations.
Whether you’re buying property in Recife or launching a startup in São Paulo, Brazil offers a forward-facing bridge for global citizens—without the EU price tag.
America’s public media system is stuck in a time warp — built for a world that no longer exists.
Back then…
When the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) was founded in 1967, there was:
- ❌ No internet
- ❌ No YouTube
- ❌ No MP3s or MP4s
- ❌ No smartphones
- ❌ No TikTok, file sharing, livestreams, or global DIY distribution
NPR, PBS, and local community stations were born in the age of vinyl and rabbit ears — and many still operate like it’s 1975.
The old model
- Broadcast licenses → transmit radio/TV signals
- Federal subsidies + pledge drives → fund operations
- Audience = passive receivers
All built for one-to-many media when the internet has made everyone a node.
The new reality
Welcome to media in motion:
- Creators self-distribute across platforms
- Real-time news spreads peer-to-peer
- Audiences expect participation, not programming
- Livestreams, podcasts, and video-on-demand rule attention
It’s horse and buggy vs the electric car, and too much of public media is still shoveling hay.
Why it matters
| Then | Now |
|---|---|
| Top-down | Peer-to-peer |
| Static schedules | On-demand, everywhere |
| Centralized stations | Decentralized communities |
| Annual pledge drives | Micro-giving, crowdfunding, subscriptions |
We can’t build the future with our minds in the past. Yet too much of public media clings to legacy systems, dated org charts, and siloed content.
What’s being lost
- Entire generations under 40 have no relationship with public radio or TV
- Community voices, diverse stories, and local impact are drowned out by outdated delivery
- Opportunity for global collaboration, multilingual content, and co-creation is missed
Public media could be a participatory ecosystem — but instead, it’s often a museum exhibit of what media used to be.
What’s next
✅ Shift from broadcast to networked ecosystems
✅ Enable community-owned media nodes
✅ Train creators in digital-first storytelling
✅ Embrace open-source, global collaboration
✅ Reimagine the CPB as a commons infrastructure, not a broadcast subsidy
Bottom line
We don’t do that anymore.
Public media must evolve—or become irrelevant. This is not business as usual. It’s time to flip the script—before the last station fades to static.
