Counter Markets

Financial Newsletter for Free Marketeers and Libertarian Entrepreneurs

Trends & Strategies for Maximum Freedom

Why Principles Still Matter in a Pandemic

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By Ethan Yang Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Over the course of six months, the United States as well as the entire world has succeeded in bringing itself to its knees, economically, socially, and politically. It may seem like a lifetime ago but we entered the year 2020 not just as a country but as a global civilization: the richest, freest, and healthiest we have … [Read more...] about Why Principles Still Matter in a Pandemic

Back-To-School 2020: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

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By Kerry McDonald September feels a lot different this year, as the usual back-to-school buzz is tainted with uncertainty. Many schools have reopened for in-person learning with social distancing stipulations, although most larger, urban school districts remain remote-only for the foreseeable future. Some schools opened then quickly closed. Pandemic pods continue to … [Read more...] about Back-To-School 2020: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Resilience and Brilliance of the World’s Poorest: The Case of Pagpag

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By Art Carden Global poverty has been falling dramatically over the last few decades, but a lot of people in the world still live in conditions that are absolutely appalling by the standards of the developed world. We insult them, though, by seeing them as mere victims or by blaming them for their plight when, for most of the poor people throughout history, they have been … [Read more...] about The Resilience and Brilliance of the World’s Poorest: The Case of Pagpag

Digital Nomads Will Want to Know About These Two Countries

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By Simon Black, Sovereign Man British Petroleum announced this week that ALL 6,500 employees in its London office will be working from home within the next two years. BP is even going to shut down the office entirely and sell the building. They’re not the only ones. Right now, in fact, only 13% of London office workers are back at the office. And as we’ve been saying, … [Read more...] about Digital Nomads Will Want to Know About These Two Countries

Vegan Butter and the History of Regulatory Capture

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By Vincent Geloso Last week, a California court ruled that a vegan butter producer could use the word “butter” to describe his product. Agricultural regulators had, back in December 2019, claimed that this producer (Miyoko’s Creamery) was attempting to fool consumers by implying that he was producing a dairy food item. In recent years, a wide variety of new food items that … [Read more...] about Vegan Butter and the History of Regulatory Capture

What is The Conscious Agora?

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By The Conscious Resistance Join Derrick Broze as he breaks down his plans for the Mexico Project aka The Conscious Agora. Freedom Cell Network: http://www.freedomcells.org Freedom Cell Network on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreedomCellNetwork/ The Conscious Resistance Network is an independent media organization focused on empowering individuals through … [Read more...] about What is The Conscious Agora?

Gallup Poll: Homeschooling Rate Doubles as School Satisfaction Plummets

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By Kerry McDonald Results of a new Gallup poll released this week may give us the sharpest look yet at how the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted American education and what may lie ahead. According to the poll, parents’ overall satisfaction with their child’s education dropped 10 percent over last year, while at the same time the number of parents saying they will choose … [Read more...] about Gallup Poll: Homeschooling Rate Doubles as School Satisfaction Plummets

Trust The Power Of Markets

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Organizations that use ad hoc groups or committees to make decisions might do better to crowdsource their decisions, says UC Riverside-led research. The study found that people trust groups even though they are susceptible to manipulation and can make poor decisions. Information markets, in which people bet on potential outcomes, tend to make more accurate decisions, but … [Read more...] about Trust The Power Of Markets

Ride Sharing and the Absurdity of “Protecting” Workers Out of a Job

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By Raymond C. Niles Lyft and Uber have gotten a temporary reprieve and have been walked back from the gallows. A California appeals court has issued a temporary restraining order barring enforcement of California law AB5, which would have forced both companies to reclassify their drivers as employees, rather than as independent contractors. Both companies had planned to shut … [Read more...] about Ride Sharing and the Absurdity of “Protecting” Workers Out of a Job

World’s Best Chess Player: Bitcoin Empowers Individuals to Be More Than Just Pawns to Reckless Governments

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By Jeffrey Gogo Bitcoin’s finite supply compares favorably to agenda-driven printing of money by governments, noted the Avast security ambassador, who also chairs the Human Rights Foundation and the Renew Democracy Initiative. Speaking to Forbes on the intersection of human rights and new technologies, Kasparov said cryptocurrencies enable the public to regain control of … [Read more...] about World’s Best Chess Player: Bitcoin Empowers Individuals to Be More Than Just Pawns to Reckless Governments

Uber Warns Of 111% Price Hikes After California Judge Rules Drivers Are Employees

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By Tyler Durden Uber has warned that it may have to hike prices up to 111%, after a San Francisco judge ruled on Monday that the ride-sharing company, as well as its competitor Lyft, must classify their drivers as employees - a move which will disproportionately affect low-income customers. The ruling means that the companies will be required to provide various benefits … [Read more...] about Uber Warns Of 111% Price Hikes After California Judge Rules Drivers Are Employees