Juggling Dynamite

I am just finishing Taleb’s fifth book in his Incerto, “Skin in the Game”, which covers key insights on how and why the levered and lawless financial world has become a monster undermining global strength and stability.  Taleb is more articulate on paper than in conversation, but this segment is still worthwhile.  As higher rates and shrinking cash flows swamp the unprepared, the largest casualties-in-waiting remain real estate, corporate debt, and equity prices.  The concerted hit to balance sheet assets will reveal years of mal-investment and insufficient saving rates, and be life-plan altering for many.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb, scientific advisor at Universa Investments, discusses the factors causing global fragility, hidden liabilities in global markets, and what he sees as safe trades in the current market.  Here is a direct video link.

Extremely high shelter prices exact a compound cost for years thereafter in the form of lost discretionary cash flow for other spending, debt servitude and lost savings for other needs.

The US housing bubble that peaked last cycle in 2006 was epic and financially devastating for the masses, the highly levered financial system, the economy and government budgets in the 12 years since and counting.

Unfortunately, over the last decade, Canada has managed to eclipse the U.S in a who has the ‘worst housing market’ contest.

This does not bode well for our economic strength and soundness over the next decade or so.

See more here: Canada v.s. USA:  which housing market has it worse.

The graphic on the left offers a succinct comparative glimpse.

Last weekend we discovered an awesome new Canadian vegan restaurant chain called Copper Branch.  They have locations all across Canada, and you can eat in or take out.  The menu (here) is incredibly diverse, delicious and reasonably priced, with integrity evident across food sourcing, production and packaging choices.   And I repeat, so delicious.

In a world where much of what people are ingesting is making them ill, one feels energy-full, lean and grateful after eating food that supports good health and sustainable life on earth.  This is not about personal sacrifice; it’s about evolution, joy and vitality.  You can see more about the Copper Branch story and locations here. 
They also have the endorsement of some high-profile plant-powered athletes such as figure skater Meagan Duhamel.

Discover Meagan Duhamel -Plant-Powered World Champion Figure Skater. Meagan contributes her athletic excellence to her commitment in training, her passion for skating, and to her pledge toward a 100% Plant-Based diet. Here is a direct video link.

The next time someone talks about plant-based diets lacking protein (or whatever nutrient), you may want to mention the reality that the largest dinosaurs and many of the world’s strongest mammals were and are plant-based eaters.

Education and access to excellent plant-based cooking is a huge first step, and happily, this is spreading. After suffering some of the most health-destructive diets on earth, and having all the obesity, heart disease, cancer, and drug-reliance to show for it, even Brits are starting to see the light.

A report this weeks finds A third of Britons have stopped or reduced eating meat:

Vegan dining out is also booming, the report notes, with the Good Food Guide highlighting restaurants with dedicated vegan menus for the first time this year after many high street chains and pubs increased their non-meat-and-dairy options.

“This year, we’ve seen vegan food go mainstream” said Natalie Mitchell, [supermarket] Waitrose’s head of brand development. “Whether cooking at home, buying prepared food or trying the newly vegan-friendly restaurants, people are discovering that it tastes amazing.”

About 60% of vegans and 40% of vegetarians surveyed said they had adopted the lifestyle over the past five years, with 55% citing animal welfare concerns, 45% health reasons and 38% environmental issues. People in the 18-to-34 age group were more likely to switch to veganism, with much less enthusiasm among the over-55s.