Will Crypto Have “Staying Power?”
The Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) isn’t one of our favorite federal agencies. It’s placed numerous roadblocks in the way of Americans looking to invest overseas. And the agency’s attempt…
Sense and Nonsense about Offshore Investing
We’ve been in the “offshore” business long enough to have some fairly long memories. Thirty or 40 years ago, it was cool to have an offshore bank account. At a…
More Holes in the Dollar’s Reserve Currency Status
Would you put your life savings into this asset? If you’re an American, your life savings probably are overwhelmingly in this asset – the US dollar. Since 1913 – not…
The Only Winner in Afghanistan Was…
I came of age during the War in Vietnam. If I’d been just a year or two older, I would probably have been drafted and sent to Southeast Asia to…
Apple’s Plan to Scan for Child Porn Leaves You Defenseless
We’re proponents of encryption. When you properly encrypt your data, only you and those you intend to share it with listen to your voice calls or read your electronic messages.…
The Truth about the “Climate Emergency”
The scenes are apocalyptic. Smoke-filled skies over a large part of the planet, along with record-breaking floods. Record-breaking heat and a slow, but inexorable rise in sea level. We’re referring,…
“The AI Will See You Now…”
When I purchased my first PC in the early 1980s, I remember encountering a program called “ELIZA” on a bulletin board system. At the time, ELIZA was billed as an…
Ransomware Hits Close(r) to Home
Ransomware is a particularly vicious class of malware that infiltrates a victim’s computer, encrypts their files, and demands a ransom to unlock them. The first ransomware attack occurred in 1989…
Will Automation Fill in the Pandemic Employment Gaps?
As the US economy slowly reopens, unwinding from the COVID-related lockdowns of 2020 and early 2021, employers are facing an unprecedented shortage of available workers. Many reasons have been cited…
“Right to Repair” Is a No-Brainer
Imagine you’re a Marine Corps logistics officer stationed in South Korea. An electrical generator your unit depends on has just broken down. You order one of your subordinates to fix…
“Vaccine Passports” and Your Rights
Our January article on vaccines and “informed consent” was easily one of the most controversial we have ever published. And just as we predicted, “vaccine passports” (or “immunity passports”) showing…
Where’s the Beef?
In the early morning hours of July 1, a handcuffed 73-year-old man was led into a New York courtroom to face a litany of charges, including grand larceny. Detectives were…
Your Property is Guilty Until Proven Innocent
We’ve called civil forfeiture “the beast that won’t die,” characterized it as a “war on your wealth,” and warned that cash is especially vulnerable to this despicable legal process. Police…
Searching for Truth in the Age of Partisanship and Fake News
Last week, I went to dinner with a group of liberty-minded friends to discuss the topic of censorship. One member of our party had recently volunteered to assist in the…
You May Have More in Common with Britney Spears than You Think…
We’re not exactly dedicated followers of pop culture, but it was hard to miss the sensational headlines last week following Britney Spears’ impassioned statement to a probate judge. And while…
Domestic Spying Is Even Worse Than We Feared
We haven’t been shy over the years in highlighting the threat to our privacy and wealth that Uncle Sam’s wars on (some) drugs, (some) terrorists, and (some) money launderers pose.…
Insurance Companies Monitor Your Every Move
I’ve had the same car insurance agent for over 20 years. About five years ago, I called to let him know I had purchased a new vehicle. During the call,…
Another Reason to Keep Wearing Your Mask
Do you have an “expectation of privacy” when it comes to your facial features? That’s an unfounded assumption in the good ol’ USA. . In this “land of the free,”…
The Battle for Electricity
Americans have long been accustomed to reliable and (relatively) affordable electricity. We consume an immense amount of power annually – approximately 3.8 trillion kilowatt-hours (kwh) of electricity in 2020. The…
Is the Crypto Party Over?
Bitcoin, along with other cryptocurrencies have been on an upward tear since the COVID pandemic began. On January 1, 2020, bitcoin traded at $7174.74. By April 15, 2021, its price…
Who’s the Terrorist Now?
It’s been over four months since January 6, 2021, when a mob broke into the national capital in Washington, D.C. Investigating “domestic terrorism” has now become a priority of the…
Identity Theft is Still Ridiculously Easy
Identity theft and the threat it poses to Americans has long been one of our recurring concern here at The Nestmann Group. The first time I mentioned identity theft in…
Biden’s Tax Hikes and You
We’ll say this much for President Joe Biden‘s plan to make the “rich” pay their “fair share”: He’s not subtle about his intentions. In a speech to a joint session…
How Do You Spell B-U-B-B-L-E?
Would you pay $69.3 million for this image? A hedge fund financier who goes by the handle “Metakovan” did last month at a Christie’s auction. In case you’re wondering, the…
US Medical Privacy Laws are Junk
It’s a truism to state that your medical records are extremely sensitive. Health care files could include details of treatment for a sexually transmitted disease, depression, or drug addiction –…
The Next COVID Lockdowns
As we publish this week’s Notes, America is in the process of fully reopening after months of back-and-forth loosening of mandates related to the original COVID-19 lockdowns. Here in my…
What (Other) Wars Will Biden Get Us Into?
At the moment Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th US president on January 20, American military forces were deployed in more than 150 countries. In at least 14…
Defunding the Police: A Bad Catchphrase for a Good Idea
George Floyd’s death at the hands of a Minneapolis cop last May rekindled a debate over policing that’s been simmering for years. And, like everything else in our hyper-partisan society,…
The TSA’s “Mission Creep” Threatens Us All
Shortly after the January 6 attack on the nation’s capital, incoming Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to add those protestors identified as participating…
Is it Time to Break up Big Tech?
A slugfest is underway, with Uncle Sam and the states joined in a rare show of bipartisan unity against “Big Tech.” Both political parties are eager to unleash the government’s…