The Billionaire Who Wanted To Die Broke . . . Is Now Officially Broke

Exclusive: The Billionaire Who Wanted To Die Broke . . . Is Now Officially Broke

Steven Bertoni Forbes Staff

Forbes VP & Senior Editor: Forbes CEO Network, Tech, Investing

It took decades, but Chuck Feeney, the former billionaire cofounder of retail giant Duty Free Shoppers has finally given all his money away to charity. He has nothing left now—and he couldn’t be happier.

Charles “Chuck” Feeney, 89, who cofounded airport retailer Duty Free Shoppers with Robert Miller in 1960, amassed billions while living a life of monklike frugality. As a philanthropist, he pioneered the idea of Giving While Living—spending most of your fortune on big, hands-on charity bets instead of funding a foundation upon death. Since you can't take it with you—why not give it all away, have control of where it goes and see the results with your own eyes?

“We learned a lot. We would do some things differently, but I am very satisfied. I feel very good about completing this on my watch,” Feeney tells Forbes. “My thanks to all who joined us on this journey. And to those wondering about Giving While Living: Try it, you'll like it.”

Over the last four decades, Feeney has donated more than $8 billion to charities, universities and foundations worldwide through his foundation, the Atlantic Philanthropies. When I first met him in 2012, he estimated he had set aside about $2 million for his and his wife's retirement. In other words, he's given away 375,000% more money than his current net worth. And he gave it away anonymously.

While many wealthy philanthropists enlist an army of publicists to trumpet their donations, Feeney went to great lengths to keep his gifts secret. Because of his clandestine, globe-trotting philanthropy campaign, Forbes called him the  James Bond of Philanthropy.

But Feeney has come in from the cold. The man who amassed a fortune selling luxury goods to tourists, and later launched private equity powerhouse General Atlantic, lives in an apartment in San Francisco that has the austerity of a freshman dorm room.

When I visited a few years ago, inkjet-printed photos of friends and family hung from the walls over a plain, wooden table. On the table sat a small Lucite plaque that read: “Congratulations to Chuck Feeney for $8 billion of philanthropic giving.”

That's Feeney—understated profile, oversize impact. No longer a secret, his extreme charity and big-bet grants have won over the most influential entrepreneurs and philanthropists. His stark generosity and gutsy investments influenced Bill Gates and Warren Buffett when they launched the Giving Pledge in 2010—an aggressive campaign to convince the world’s wealthiest to give away at least half their fortunes before their deaths.

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2020/09/15/exclusive-the-billionaire-who-wanted-to-die-brokeis-now-officially-broke/#353642643a2a 

"The Definition of Insanity" by Dr. Dinar 9-20-2020

The Definition Of Insanity  by Dr. Dinar

As I think back on the show Survivor I can't help but notice the similarities between that "game" and its players and all of us fortunate folks playing the RV/GCR game.

In fact, I was actually astounded by how similar the two endeavors truly are.

Admittedly quite a few of those folks have a huge head start on us.

Most of them claiming to be nearly life-long fans of the show, which, considering how long that show has been on TV, is easy to imagine.

Knowing they've been able to watch numerous seasons, endless episodes, award ceremonies, all helping them gain an edge over us in just how to play the game.

What to do... and what not to do.

And when or when not to do it.

Strangely enough, even with all that prior knowledge at their fingertips, more often than not many of them play as if they've never seen a single episode prior to first jumping ship and swimming to shore.

I mean, how else can you explain people showing up in sport coats and ties, summer dresses and high heels, only to spend the next 39 days (if they're lucky enough to survive) in their underwear.

Who does that! ?

Well, apparently many Survivor contestants do.

I enjoy watching all of the games within the Game play out.

Always amazes me how people won't think twice about saying this and promising that and in the very next breath, grab a bamboo covered felt pen and do exactly what they promised they wouldn't do.

Yes, I'm referring to the good ol' Tribal Council.

My absolute fave part of the show.

I can't help but pick out the many similarities between the two journeys.

For them, it's a trip from Sandville to the CBS studio.

For us, it's from Dinarland to Exchange Center.

Let's delve a bit further into the similarities between the two journeys.

Stranded on a deserted island? Check!

We're basically stranded, sometimes feeling all alone, on RV/GCR Island.

Our family and friends long ago having declared us clinically insane and from there forward choosing to keep their distance, straight-jacket at the ready.

Crazy weather? Check!

The mood-altering, hopium induced "weather" on RV/GCR Island changing just as quickly as the next piece of crazy intel hits all the "boards" and websites throughout Dinarland.

Left with only the clothes on our back? Check!

Sure, we all have a closet full of clothes but chances are, we're all still wearing the same clothes we were wearing when we purchased our first batch of currency a decade ago.

Yes, some of us still have our "Cash Out" bags sitting by the front door, ready to go at a moments notice.

After all, we've gotta be ready to make the mad dash to the Bank Bus as quickly as possible once we receive our notification that it's finally time to bum-rush the Banks and demand the Contract Rates.

But honestly, after sitting next to the front door all these years, chances are the clothes in our Cash Out bags are super crusty and wrinkled beyond repair.

In serious need of a shower, shave and a haircut? Check!

Yeah, we take the random shower when necessary but we simply can't afford to be away from the computer for too long, otherwise we risk missing the "announcement" that the USD has now "officially" become the USN and it's time to start scouring our Inbox's for an email.

And FYI, I've made the mistake on more than one occasion of bringing my phone with me into the shower and trust me on this one, they're not as waterproof as one might think.

Extremely limited food supply? Check!

Unfortunately for many of us our "Menu's" are extremely limited.

Be it because of a low money supply or simply not having any desire for a large meal.

Whatever the case may be, we've long ago given up eating healthy, opting instead for just enough to get by on for now.

Surrounded by people we don't really know? Check!

By now most of our family and friends have made it known they think we've pretty much lost it.

Global lockdown or not, choosing to keep their distance in case whatever it is we have just might be contagious.

Yes, we've basically gravitated to our chosen "Tribes" as it were.

Those believing it's a global thing, those still thinking it's all about Iraq, and those that couldn't care less who or what is responsible for us still waiting, they just wanna cash out!

Not quite sure who our friends are... and aren't? Check!

At this point our only "friends" are people we've never actually met in real life, only online.

Similar to Tom Hanks in "Cast Away", for all we know we're conversing with volleyballs posting as if they're real people.

All we know is that they're currency holders just like we are, all headed in the same direction, with the exact same goal in mind.

To exchange our currency, once and for all.

Limited contact with the outside world? Check!

Pretty much the only contact we have with the outside world is what we read on the boards or hear on the various conference calls.

That's pretty much the extent of our "outside the box" thinking.

As far as "limited" goes, we've been hearing basically the same rumtel for so many years now that what we are hearing is limited at best.

Not sure who we can or can't trust? Check!

All of the people that tend to share their opinions, passing along intel from their "sources", all of which has to be taken with a huge dose of sea salt.

The mis-disinfo is rampant, especially this late in the game.

Very little, if any of it, has ever proven itself to be true.

Not to say that it wasn't true at the time it was posted but there's not much of a chance of proving it, one way or another.

Faced with weekly Challenges? Check!

As every week passes, timelines passing by, more and more "windows" being slammed shut, we face a new challenge.

The challenge of continuing to hang in there, to see this journey through, to make it to the finish line, currency held high in victory.

Those are just a few of the similarities that immediately come to mind.

I'm sure if I thought more about it, there would be quite a few more "links" between the two games.

To be honest, that's more than enough.

The one thing they have going for them that we don't is they have a Back Wall.

Thirty nine days and they're done.

A point that, no matter what, they will know they've reached their finish line.

And whatever the results are, they'll be able to shower, shave, grab a burger and get back to life.

Us Dinarians? Nope.

We don't have that luxury.

We don't have that working in our favor.

Actually, when you really sit back and think about it, that puts us a Tier or two above them.

On an entirely different level.

That's proof positive that we really are the true Survivors.

The one's that will win big time in the end.

And deservedly so.

Thirty-nine little ol' days?

Huh! We could do that standing on our heads.

And at this point, most of us have.

If only to help take the swelling in our ankles down.

Talk about brutal, that's what you get for spending too much time on the computer.

Fat ankles.

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Well, if by doing the same thing, they're referring to giving it all I've got, day in and day out, doing my best to make sure I'm there at the finish line.

Whenever that may come.

Then that's fine. Guilty as charged.

Please feel free to call me insane.

I'll wear that badge with honor.

Hang in there friends.

Every day we survive puts us one day closer to our own version of an Immunity Idol.

All my best,

Dr. Dinar

Disclaimer; I'm not a Wealth Manager, Financial Advisor, CPA, Tax Attorney, RV/GCR Committee member, nor in any way connected with the show Survivor or Hollywood in general. I'm simply someone that chooses to believe in the power of positive thinking and on the odd chance this thing truly is real, I want to make sure I'm there at the finish line to enjoy it.

34 Hard Truths You Should Know Before Becoming “Successful”

34 Hard Truths You Should Know Before Becoming “Successful”

Benjamin Hardy, PhD

​ 1. It’s Never As Good As You Think It Will Be

“One of the enemies of happiness is adaptation,” says Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor at Cornell University who has studied the relationship between money and happiness for over two decades.“We buy things to make us happy, and we succeed. But only for a while. New things are exciting to us at first, but then we adapt to them,” Gilovich further states.

Actually, savoring the anticipation or idea of the desired outcome is generally more satisfying than the outcome itself. Once we get what we want — whether that’s wealth, health, or excellent relationships — we adapt and the excitement fades. Often, the experiences we’re seeking end up being underwhelming and even disappointing.

I love watching this phenomenon in our foster kids. They feel like they need a certain toy or the universe will explode. Their whole world revolves around getting this one thing. Yet, once we buy the toy for them, it’s not long before the joy fades and they want something else.

Until you appreciate what you currently have, more won’t make your life better.

2. It’s Never As Bad As You Think It Will Be

​Just as we deceive ourselves into believing something will make us happier than it will, we also deceive ourselves into believing something will be harder than it will.

The longer you procrastinate or avoid doing something, the more painful (in your head) it becomes. However, once you take action, the discomfort is far less severe than you imagined. Even to extremely difficult things, humans adapt.

I recently sat on a plane with a lady who has 17 kids. Yes, you read that correctly. After having eight of her own, she and her husband felt inspired to foster four siblings whom they later adopted. A few years later, they took on another five foster siblings whom they also adopted.

Of course, the initial shock to the system impacted her entire family. But they’re handling it. And believe it or not, you could handle it too if you had to.

The problem with dread and fear is that it holds people back from taking on big challenges. What you will find — no matter how big or small the challenge — is that you will adapt to it.When you consciously adapt to enormous stress, you evolve.

3. There Is No Way To Happiness

“There is no way to happiness — happiness is the way.”— Thich Nhat Hanh​​

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://benjaminhardy.com/35-hard-truths-you-should-know-before-becoming-successful-2/

20 Thoughtful Quotes to Remember 9/11

20 Thoughtful Quotes to Remember 9/11

By Lydia Sweatt | September 10, 2020

On Sept. 11, 2001, America was forever changed. It has been 19 years since the attacks, but that tragic day, which served as a true test of the American spirit, will be remembered always.

So on this day, we observe Patriot Day and all that it represents—we honor the value of life, those we loved and lost, our country’s resilience, and the strength of the American spirit.

In remembrance of 9/11, here are 20 quotes to honor our country’s patriotism.

1. “The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit. Instead we have emerged stronger and more unified. We feel renewed devotion to the principles of political, economic and religious freedom, the rule of law and respect for human life. We are more determined than ever to live our lives in freedom.” — Rudy Giuliani

2. “If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.” — Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl.

3. “What separates us from the animals, what separates us from the chaos, is our ability to mourn people we’ve never met.” — David Levithan

4. “You can be sure that the American spirit will prevail over this tragedy.” — Colin Powell

5. “For me and my family personally, September 11 was a reminder that life is fleeting, impermanent, and uncertain. Therefore, we must make use of every moment and nurture it with affection, tenderness, beauty, creativity, and laughter.” — Deepak Chopra

6. “True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else.” — Clarence Darrow

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.success.com/13-thoughtful-quotes-to-remember-911/

"Hurry Up and Wait" by Dr. Dinar 9-8-2020

Hurry Up And Wait by Dr. Dinar

You'd think I'd be better at this thing.

And by "thing" I'm referring to this seemingly endless waiting game known as the RV/GCR

Heck, right from the very beginning we've been waiting.

Started off waiting in some wonky dark bubble of some kind.

Finally, after 9 long months, thinking the wait was over, we began to see what we thought was the light at the end of the tunnel.

Sheesh, get us out of this Waiting Room.

We're ready to rock this world!

Unfortunately, as we'd come to find out, there was much more waiting ahead.

Waiting for someone to hold us.

To feed us.

Someone to do whatever else it was we felt needed doing that for some reason or another we hadn't quite yet figured out how to do ourselves.

And so we waited.

And waited some more.

Not much seemed to be happening as far as speeding up the waiting process so we began throwing in a tantrum or two, simply to turn things up a notch.

Sure, we also threw in a bunch of whining as well, for dramatic effect.

Really added to the heightened sense of urgency.

Or so we thought, anyway.

After all, what did we have to lose.

It wasn't like they were gonna put us back in that wonky bubble, right!?!

Amazingly enough, occasionally all of our screaming, crying, and whining actually worked.

We got what we wanted.

Other times, not so much.

So when it comes to waiting, although we don't enjoy it, after a lifetime of perfecting our waiting skills we've pretty much become experts at it.

As time passed, we moved from turtle on its back status to terror on the floor tile mode and everything escalated from there.

We were in essence mobile and that was a complete gamechanger.

No longer were we being held back by our physical limitations.

Suddenly we could scream and shout as well as twist it all about.

And did we ever take advantage of it.

To the point of being such a huge distraction on all levels that they were forced to up their game in accordance.

Hence, our introduction to the Rumor Mill.

All brought to us courtesy of a colorful cast of characters that lived in a box in the family room.

From morning to night, 7 days a week, these fine folks told us everything we ever wanted to know about life.

About reality.

Well, reality from their perspective anyway.

Who were we to say they were wrong.

Who were we to say anything.

At that point, we were pretty much speechless. Literally.

They all seemed so convincing, even if we weren't quite convinced they were real.

After all, most of us had cats & dogs at home and so we knew they were real.

Yet, for some unknown reason, none of them ever took the time to talk to us.

Yeah, they made the occasional weird noise here 'n there but it only seemed to happen when they wanted food.

Or attention.

Come to think of it, I'm beginning to see a pattern there.

Anyway, the one's in the box spent the time to give us the full scoop on everything that was going on.

So it was probably best to listen to them and forget the one's at home.

They obviously had an agenda.

The one's at home only wanted us for food.

We knew it.

They knew it.

Their gig was up.

As time passed, we began to reach new heights, which enabled us a better perspective with which to view the world.

Once again, in an effort to contend with our new & improved viewpoint, they were forced to up their game, reaching new levels of creativity.

Enter fine folks like the Tooth Fairy and Santa Clause and who knows who else in between.

None of them visible, much less verifiable, but believe in them we did.

And as I recall it didn't take a whole lot to get us to believe those stories.

Was it because they came with a built in bribe, a reward of sorts, as proof that they existed?

Perhaps.

I mean, if they didn't exist, how else did those quarters end up under our pillow.

Even better yet, what about all those presents under the Christmas tree.

Who do you think could've managed that.

All overnight, no less.

That was no dream, although it sure felt like it.

And that went on for years.

At least until we were about 7 or 8 years old.

That was about the time we began to notice the first inklings of disinfo floating around the classroom.

Rumors that, not only were they confusing, but they were extremely disappointing as well.

What do you mean the Tooth Fairy isn't real!

Who's gonna make up a story like that.

And if they did make it up, what would be the reason behind it.

Why would they want us to believe in something that wasn't true.

Next thing you know, it was the Easter Bunny.

Say it ain't so.

I mean, some of us have actually seen him in real life.

Even had our photo taken with him.

There's no way he's not real.

And then they really dropped a bombshell on us.

Yep, the jolly guy in the big red suit... was a fraud.

Mind blown.

Almost from day one I'd gone to the Mall to visit with him, convince him of just how nice I'd been, drop off my Must Have list, and go home and wait for that oh so special day.

That's one guy I knew for certain was real.

Now, did I ever actually see him slide down the chimney?

Ummm, that would be a no.

Did I ever see him place all the presents under the tree?

Again, that would be a no.

But how could I.

I was too busy sleeping because I was told that if I went to bed early, I could get up early and open up the presents he'd dropped off overnight.

Made total sense.

And I wasn't about to risk it by testing their story.

I knew that somewhere between the socks, sweaters and underwear was bound to be at least one, if not two things that were actually on my list.

But eventually the rumors became impossible to ignore.

To the point where I finally had to give in.

Sure enough, Santa Clause wasn't real.

Santa was a rumor.

He was a big piece of a huge disinfo campaign, sent to me by the very same people I was supposed to trust the most in life.

Looking back, I guess I can see why they did it.

Their goal was to keep hope alive.

To help us have faith in the unseen.

To believe in better days ahead.

Fast forward to today and it seems as if we're living in the very same scenario.

We're running on rumors, misinfo and disinfo.

We've been down this road a time or two.

We should be experts at this by now.

And at the end of the day, we are.

The hard part is in having the patience to hang in there and remember that.

That's the one life lesson that we never truly master, regardless of how many times we're tested.

We have to know in our hearts that it's a process.

A process that's been in process, in the process of processing, for longer than any process has any right to process processing.

And thankfully, we also know that somewhere along in the world's slowest ongoing process, they will begin to process our exchanges.

And I hope you continue to hang in there until the process reaches our level of processing.

That will make all of this seemingly forever of waiting all worthwhile.

Remember, we were raised on rumors.

We're experts.

We got this!

Kindly,

Dr. Dinar

Disclaimer; I'm not a Wealth Manager, Financial Advisor, CPA, Tax Attorney, RV/GCR Committee member, nor in any way connected with the Cartoon Network. I'm simply someone that chooses to believe in the power of positive thinking and on the odd chance this thing truly is real, I want to make sure I'm there at the finish line to enjoy it.

A Labor Day Lesson... From a 98-Year-Old Bag Boy

A Labor Day Lesson... From a 98-Year-Old Bag Boy

By Andy Snyder, Founder Mayward Digest

Liberty

What's more important... industry or education? Several states have passed laws that prohibit schools from ending summer vacation before Labor Day. Proponents argue that it's important for families to have one more weekend to spend their cash on fun.

In Virginia, it's referred to as the "Kings Dominion Law," after the amusement park that benefits greatly from the rule. Clearly, America has her priorities straight. Right?

 Why in the world do we celebrate work?

That stuff hurts.

What's Labor Day really about, anyway?

For most folks, it's bad news. It means the end of summer... back to school... and the boss is back from vacation.

Are we to think we're really celebrating the little guy today... the guy who gets just a few bucks an hour to do the dirty work nobody else wants to do?

If so, why haven't the social justice warriors caught on? Where's the "woke" crowd taking to the streets begging for more of its fair share?

We figure they're at the beach getting their last bucket of fries and one final stroll down the boardwalk.

That's okay... we don't need them.

Paper or Plastic?

If we really want to learn about work and why it's something that many in our culture treat as though it were a dirty, four-letter word... we need to hear from Bennie Ficeto.

As we continue our series of essays on the World War II generation, we can't help but celebrate the former B-25 pilot's work.

He's a bag boy.

Pardon us... he's a bag man. Or, better, a bag veteran?

It doesn't matter. The point is the 98-year-old still ties his shoes and goes to work twice a week at the local grocery store.

He doesn't have to. Nobody is going to kick him onto the streets.

From what we can tell, he does it merely to prove a point.

He's our kind of man.

To continue reading, please go to the original article at

https://manwardpress.com/topics/liberty/labor-day-lesson-98-year-old-ww2-veteran-bagboy/

"Welcome to the Hotel Dinarland" by Dr. Dinar 8-24-2020

Thank you Dr. Dinar

Welcome To The Hotel Dinarland  by Dr. Dinar

There it sits, like a giant used car lot spotlight shining in the sky. October 1, 2020.

The start of yet another fiscal year.

Okay, so theoretically we're still another month away from the actual new fiscal year start date.

But with the way this year has been going so far, I won't be the least bit surprised to discover they have somehow managed to quarantine the current fiscal year prior to its scheduled closing date, thereby nullifying until further notice any and all upcoming dates of note.

Looking back, it's likely been a decade or more of these fiscal fiascos in the books for me.

But at this point, who's counting.

Well, come to think of it, probably somewhere in the neighborhood of about 5 million or so people are counting.

After all, when you've been held captive in this ludicrous lockdown for the past 6 months, chances are you long ago ran out of sheep to count.

Will this "has to happen by" date be blown by like all the rest?

Another date that's been rumored to be the perfect day for the release of the RV/GCR.

Oh, and don't they have to announce the new budget prior to that date as well.

Talk about pressure.

Honestly, in all the years I've been involved in this RV/GCR shindig, they have yet to show any urgency to the release of the budget, either here or in Iraq, and I don't foresee that changing any time soon.

Which leads me to believe that the rumor of any fiscal year end/start date having anything whatsoever to do with the timing of the release of the RV/GCR is yet another Dinarland fabrication.

Nope, might as well put it in the same "Move along, nothin' to see here" category as all the other blown-by Budgets, Calender cancellations, Blue Moons, Numerical No-Shows and all the other craziness that has been rumored to be THE scheduled release date.

Makes one wonder if there is an actual scheduled release date of any sort on the books.

To be honest, I'm of the opinion that no one has this thing worked out.

Least of all the people rumored to be working on getting this thing worked out.

Meaning, there is no playbook for this "game".

No ready-made recipe for the "how", "what", "where" and "when" of it all.

Hence the very reason that no one, certainly not at our level, can figure this thing out.

Guru's included.

How can anyone be expected to have the answer to a question that even those that are supposedly working diligently to achieve completion have no hope of answering.

As much as I hate to say it, it's a process.

A process that is in the process of processin.

And until that process reaches the point where the process has completed all the necessary processing, thereby reaching the completion of the processing process, no one will be able to process their exchange.

Not the Private's, nor the John Q. Public's, Tiers 1 thru 100, likely none will be made liquid prior to the completion of the processing process.

Any thoughts you ever had of a double-scooping of dinar have been rendered null and void.

I don't know about you, but that kinda drives me up the wall.

I'm a planner, a scheduler.

I wanna know what my next move is going to be, long before I've finished making my last move.

I take huge pride in my preparation skills.

But how can one even begin to prepare for a future something when you have absolutely no idea what it is you're preparing for.

Yes, I still believe this RV/GCR will eventually happen.

Of that I've never wavered.

It's the "when" that has me pulling out what's left of my hair.

Has the thought of selling out and running away from this Dramafest ever occurred to me?

And by that do you mean more than ten times a day?

Why yes, as a matter of fact, it has.

On more than a few occasions no less.

However, similar to the Hotel California (made famous by Don Henley and The Eagles), the last thing I remember I was running for the door.

Desperate to find the passage back to the place I was before I was informed of this "too good to be true, two week maximum timeline" endeavor.

Suddenly, off in the distance, I caught a glimpse of a Broker chillaxin' in an Adirondack chair, selling IQD and VND out of a suitcase on the front porch of the Hotel Dinarland.

It was about that time I heard a faint "Relax, we are programmed to receive. You can check out any time you like... but you can NEVER leave!"

I don't know about you but I took that to be a sign.

A sign I couldn't ignore.

A sign that I must continue to hang in there, more than ever before.

I know this RV/GCR thing is real and I know it's going to happen.

And once it does I'll be able to help my family and friends, as well as myself and many others I've yet to meet live all of our dreams.

So I'm not "checking out" any time soon and I certainly hope you won't either.

Hang on folks, every passing day brings us closer to the finish line.

Kindly,

Dr. Dinar

Disclaimer; I'm not a Wealth Manager, Financial Advisor, CPA, Tax Attorney, RV/GCR Committee member, nor in any way connected with the Hotel Dinarland nor any of its Staff. I'm simply someone that chooses to believe in the power of positive thinking and on the odd chance this thing truly is real, I want to make sure I'm there at the finish line to enjoy it.

"It's Too Late To Turn Back Now" by Dr. Dinar 8-16-2020

Thank you Dr. Dinar

It's Too Late To Turn Back Now by Dr. Dinar

I recently received an email from a friend who, thanks to me, is also involved in this RV/GCR endeavor.

By that I mean she too is anxiously awaiting the release of the GCR.

And by 'thanks to me', I mean that in the most tongue in cheek, be careful what you wish for tone in mind.

She made the decision to get involved many years ago based largely on what I possibly (okay, admittedly) portrayed to be a semi low risk - possible high reward, situation.

Because I believed that to be the case.

And as many of us were led to believe, there wasn't much time to think about it.

The small window of opportunity was closing quickly and it was kind of a now or forever hold your peace kind of thing.

Back then most of us, including myself, were led to believe that we were in a 48 hour window and there simply wasn't any time to overthink it.

Get in or get lost.

Looking back on that high speed scramble a decade or so later, the sheer absurdity of the whole thing still blows my mind.

I willingly admit when I took the plunge, I knew next to absolutely nothing about Iraq other than what I saw in short blurbs on TV.

And I didn't watch the news nor much in the way of regular TV.

Needless to say, that left me knowing pretty much next to nothing about Iraq.

Nor any of the current events taking place there at that time.

This was right around the time of the global markets crashing back in 2009 and unfortunately I was already heavily involved in that debacle.

No need to fill my brain with any extra depressing drama.

So Iraq wasn't in any way included in my "must see TV" schedule.

Simply wasn't on my radar.

And when you add in all the too good to be true, turn a thousand into a million overnight propaganda, the entire deal had shady written all over it.

Not to mention a quick trip to Google was a sure guarantee that the entire prospect of an RV of the Iraqi dinar was nothing short of an outright scam.

It was plastered all over the internet as a scam and as we all know, the internet never fibs.

Right!?!

Basically you'd pretty much have to be an absolute fool to waste one Fil on that endeavor.

So of course, armed with all that knowledge, I WAS IN!

Yep, right after losing everything in the Real Estate market crash and promising myself I'd never take a chance on anything ever again, I exchanged my last few dollars for some foreign funny money and I was in.

All in!

I was one of the chosen few.

The Secret Society of Super Secrecy, no tshirt required.

And just in time too because remember, this thing was about to pop.

And when it did I would instantly be in recovery mode, making up for everything I'd lost over the previous two years.

It was almost too good to be true.

Almost as if it was meant to play out this way.

As if the Universe had already scripted this entire journey, just for me.

Finally the Universe was on my side.

All I had to do was relax and enjoy the ride.

But as the weeks turned to months, this get rich quick scheme was in the process of being anything but quick.

Nor rich, for that matter.

Nope, the more time slid by only forced me to further question my original decision to get involved.

And to add insult to injury, I did what I'm sure many others did.

Call me crazy but in the spirit of wanting others to experience the same excitement, I found myself informing family members, as well as a few close friends, about the upcoming RV.

About how great it was going to be and although it wasn't a 100% sure thing, it was about as close as you could get to one.

And yes, I might have made them aware of the two week window and how it was now or never.

Fortunately, a few decided to take the bait.

I mean, they decided on their own to take a chance.

To risk the risk.

Others however, chose a different direction.

That being to not get involved, claiming everything they read told them the RV of the IQD was a scam.

And Google surely knew more than I did.

They didn't have to say the last thing they were going to do was take a huge chance on some fly by night fluke based on info from someone that recently lost everything in the Real Estate market crash.

That was a given, no need to say a word about it.

So, wishing me the best of luck, they did an instant 180 degree turn and headed the other way.

And might I add, as fast as they could.

Which, although I didn't know it at the time, was a blessing in disguise.

You may be asking yourself how that could be.

Wouldn't I want all my family and friends to share in this wonderful journey.

Of course I did.

How could their refusing to get involved be a blessing.

Well, had it been a two week trip, then sure.

But being it's been a decade and counting, I never would've survived all of the "Did the RV happen yet?" and "When are we gonna be rich?" continual questioning.

While there was a small bit of that at the start, things eventually began to calm down as we all realized this thing was on a completely different schedule.

One that none of us had in our Weekly Planners.

An excruciatingly long, mind blowingly exhausting, mentally draining time frame.

And while I feel fortunate in saying none of those I made aware of this opportunity have chosen to totally bail out, at least not yet anyway, a few have decided to tune out as it were.

Meaning they've kinda lost that believin' feelin', having gone more to the call me when it's over side of things.

And honestly, it's difficult not to blame 'em.

Heck, I've been right there a couple few hundred times myself.

It's only natural.

We all had such high expectations, that we'd be living the Lottery Life faster than we could say Cash Out!

Or was it Cash In.

It's been so long I don't really remember.

Whatever it was, it was good to know the friend who emailed was still interested in the current going's on.

And even better, she wanted to know if I thought she should buy more dinar.

Now, I'm no Wealth Manager, nor am I anything remotely close to a Financial Advisor.

I'm simply one of the millions of Crazy Cats that chose to get involved in this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Therefore I'm not about to suggest to her whether she should or shouldn't buy more.

That's on her and the last thing I want is the guilt of that decision resting on my shoulders if anything were to go sideways from here forward.

Not that I think it will.

But as we've all learned, in this made for TV circus, anything is possible.

And I mean anything.

So as I pondered her question, I began to ask myself that same question.

Hasn't that always been the main goal.

To buy more and buy often. And buy more often.

And if you were around back in the days of the Reserves and Lay-A-Ways, then you'll know exactly what I'm referring to.

And those of us that were there at the time saw how well all that worked out.

One thing in my favor, I don't really have to deal with that situation in real life as I'm not in any sort of position to purchase more currency.

However, this wasn't about me.

It was about her and her situation.

The more I thought about it, it wasn't as much about buying more currency as it was about being fully convinced that the decision she made all those years ago was indeed the right choice.

And if so, shouldn't that be enough of an indicator as far as getting further involved is concerned.

So my reply to her was "Are you in... or are you out?"

Are you fully, 100%, no regrets in it to win it or are you still straddling that barbed wire fence between fear and for sure.

Between the fear that it may never happen or the knowingness that for sure it will happen and it's only a matter of time.

To which she replied, "I'm 100% convinced this thing is real and that it's really going to happen."

And there ya have it.

In not so many words she basically answered her own question.

Will she purchase more currency?

I have no idea.

That's entirely up to her.

She knows what's best for her and her family.

She just needed to see it for herself.

We all need reassurance every now and then.

Myself included.

So next time you find yourself drowning in doubt, reflect back on that feeling you had at the start.

That rush you got upon opening your first envelope full of dinar.

Even if "full" was only one 25K note, I have a feeling it still felt like a million bucks.

Focus on that feeling and allow that tingle to carry you through to the finish line.

As far as I'm concerned, it's too late to turn back now.

Either you're in... or you're out.

At this point, there is no in between.

Hang in there folks, I have a feeling we're getting closer every day.

Kindly,

Dr. Dinar

Disclaimer; I'm not a Wealth Manager, Financial Advisor, CPA, Tax Attorney, RV/GCR Committee member, nor am I in any way involved in the promoting of buying or selling foreign currency. I'm simply someone that chooses to believe in the power of positive thinking and on the odd chance this thing truly is real, I want to make sure I'm there at the finish line to enjoy it.

"Hello RV/GCR Hotline......Please Press..." by Dr. Dinar 8-14-2020

Thank you Dr. Dinar

"Hello, RV/GCR Hotline... Please Press..."by Dr. Dinar

"Thank you for calling the RV/GCR Hotline."

"Please press #1 for the date of the public release of the RV/GCR."

"Please press #2 for the new and improved, continually changing Contract rates."

"Please press #3 if you hold ZIM and think it's a Bond."

"Please press #4 if you hold ZIM and think it's currency."

"Please press #5 if you are in need of your daily rumor fix."

"Please press #6 if you'd like to hear the latest articles out of Iraq on Audio-articles."

"Please press #7 if you want a copy of the Iraq Gazette sent to your email."

"Please press #8 if you would like to set an appointment with one of our Certified Therapists."

"Please press #9 if you believe your Brother in Law is correct and that this whole RV/GCR thing IS a scam."

And so on and so forth, until all the various buttons have all been exhausted.

Not to mention all of your buttons as well.

Even to the point of hitting 0#0#*0#0#**0#* a few hundred times in rapid succession, hoping to crack the code, while screaming SPEAK TO AGENT into your phone!

Don't we all wish it were just that easy.

After all, in today's world of instant auto-gratification, shouldn't it be?

I mean, is that simply too much to ask?

Well, as a matter fact, now that you ask, yes.

That is too much to ask.

At least when it comes to this here RV/GCR thing anyway.

You see, nobody really knows what's going to happen and they surely don't know when.

How could they be expected to know the unknown when even those that are working feverishly behind the scenes (at least we've been told they are anyway) haven't a clue as to when this thing is officially going to pop.

Sure, they have windows.

Small sections of time when they hope to have everything lined up, all pings re-pinged, algorithms ready to roll.

And once having accomplished that relatively simple (in the eyes of many people) set of steps, they can then push the Easy Button, thereby installing the codes and the dominoes begin to fall from there.

Eventually populating all the gray/green/blue/black/purple front & back bank screens across the globe with the new & improved rates, instantly rendering all of Dinarland with an abundance of 800 numbers.

Then, after hearing the wonderful news of the release of the RV/GCR, folks can finally begin to board numerous buses (in an orderly fashion mind you) and make a beeline for the Banks.

Unfortunately, it's more than likely not going to happen that way, despite how much many of us wish it would.

The best we can hope for is just a nugget or two of possibilities here and there along the way that could very well be signs of global progress right before our very eyes.

Whether we are smart enough to see them or not.

Enter the quote-unquote "Guru's" of Dinarland.

The outspoken few that have taken it upon themselves to step up on their soapboxes and post their opinions, pointing out these possibilities, despite the huge amount of flack that comes along with the territory.

Why do they do this?

Why continually put themselves in harms way?

Nobody really knows their motives, what drives them to want to share their opinions at great peril.

Mainly to themselves.

But despite knowing all the pitfalls, they continue to do so.

Well, most of them anyway.

I recently became aware of one of Dinarland's faves that has chosen to bow out, to say goodbye, quickly exiting Stage Left, due to the ungrateful negativity that can become all too consuming in the RV/GCR game.

After all, skin is only so thick and after a while the negativity can become all too overwhelming.

Which I myself find to be truly a shame.

Especially at this stage of the game.

As I mentioned earlier, I don't believe anyone, Guru or not, can state that beyond a shadow of a doubt THIS is the day the RV/GCR will be released and THESE are the guaranteed new rates of the popular currencies you hold.

Nobody.

But what they can (and do) offer is hope.

Yes, hope. A reason to remain in the game, despite all odds.

And at this point in time, hope is a precious and extremely rare commodity.

Difficult to put a price on it, that's for certain.

And I believe hope is different from hopium.

Hopium, to me anyway, connotes a feeling of falseness.

An intention to mislead.

But hope gets people through another day of disappointment.

Which, at this point, I believe is priceless.

After being on this journey for over a decade, the one thing I find most difficult is to keep hope afloat.

And no, it's not because I ride the so called Dinarland roller coaster.

I choose to take the global way around this thing and even then, every time you begin to think there's no way this country or that country's economy can survive a disaster of that proportion, they do.

And they do it time and time again.

Can you spell endless manipulation?

As someone well known in Dinarland used to say, "There are no guarantees in life. None."

Truer words were never spoken.

My point in all of this is that there comes a point where you have to ask yourself, am I in it to win it or not.

If not, there are plenty of ways to sell your currency and simply walk away, stress be gone.

It truly is that easy.

Unfortunately I had to do that very thing a short time ago, selling back a good bit of my currency.

Not as a bail-out, but as a matter of survival.

After all, if I'm not there at the finish line, then all this struggle was for naught.

But you better believe I'm going to be there at the finish line with whatever currency I still hold in my possession.

And I hope all of you will as well.

Forget about how many days/weeks/months/years you've spent grinding, hanging on by your last cuticle, to get where you are now.

Instead choose to focus on the strength it took to get here and celebrate that huge accomplishment.

Remaining grateful that you've made it this far.

Many haven't been as fortunate.

We can only go forward from here.

We do that with hope.

Hope for a better future for us, our family and our friends.

Hope for a better planet for all people of the world to enjoy.

Please continue to hang in there and whatever it takes, find your hope, from wherever it may come.

And continue to hold onto it, no matter what it takes.

We've never been closer than we are right now.

All my best,

Dr. Dinar

Disclaimer; I'm not a Wealth Manager, Financial Advisor, CPA, Tax Attorney, RV/GCR Committee member, nor in any way connected with the RV/GCR Hotline (if in fact one even exists). I'm simply someone that chooses to believe in the power of positive thinking and on the odd chance this thing truly is real, I want to make sure I'm there at the finish line to enjoy it.

"We're All In This Together" by Dr. Dinar 8-8-2020

Thank you Dr. Dinar

We're All In This Together by Dr. Dinar

Okay, so where are we now.

Where exactly do we stand in this seemingly never ending journey to the GCR.

Honestly, I have absolutely no idea.

And as far as I can tell, nobody else really knows either.

Yes, they continually give their best guesses but time and time again, these guesstimations are anything but correct.

Not to fault them.

After all, they're doing the best they can with what they have to work with.

Having said that, and as much as I'd love to know how close to the finish line we truly are, it makes complete sense that nobody knows the date.

Nor the rate.

For some reason that still doesn't prevent me from wanting just an inkling of info in regards to where we are on the Checklist To Completion.

If such a thing exists. Which I highly doubt it does.

Sure, they have things that need to get be accomplished.

But it always seems as if while they're working on one thing, two other must completes pop up in the meantime.

So with the one forward, two back routine always seemingly in play, how are we ever supposed to reach a conclusion.

All we can do is continue to hope that eventually circumstances will dictate that things must make a change, otherwise everybody loses.

And if you're anything like me, that script-flip can't come a minute too soon.

I recently had cause to reflect on a time when things were so much simpler.

A time when all we were dealing with was the RV of the IQD.

It was a two day trip, two weeks at the most.

We'd done the research, endlessly scowered the map, we couldn't have been better prepared.

All of our gear in order, everything laid out in front of us, To Go bag by the door.

What could possibly go wrong.

Well, as it turns out, quite a few things could go wrong. And did.

First of which was getting banned from one of the very few (at the time) reliable RV sites.

For the second time no less.

Why was I banned?

Well, silly me.

Who knew you weren't allowed to speak your mind.

To give your opinion.

To question authority.

After all, it was an open Forum format, was it not.

Apparently, contrary to popular belief, it was not.

So, after experiencing my second banishment, I determined that if I was to remain connected to the going's on in Dinarland, it was I and not them that was going to have to make a few changes.

With that in mind, I decided it was best to take on an entirely new persona, as well as a new demeanor, if I had any hopes at all of staying connected.

And staying connected, for me, was Job #1.

Armed with a new identity, as well as a new email address, I gave it the ol' college try.

Fortunately for me, the third time was the charm.

I was, as they say, in like Flynn. Whomever Flynn is.

Back in the know.

Back in with the in crowd as it were.

Up close and personal with all the best intel.

Or so I was led to believe anyway.

And you better believe I wasn't going to question it.

Nope, not this time.

I quietly sat in the back of the room, training myself to become a great listener.

As time rolled on I did become just a bit more vocal, connecting with those I resonated with, but I also paid more attention to keeping my questions, as well as my opinions, under wraps.

I will add that at the time I was also connected to a couple other private situations which afforded me an even better glimpse into the supposed behind the scenes happenings .

Keeping in mind that this was a decade or so ago and as it turns out we really hadn't a clue as to what was going on.

Not as far as the GCR was concerned anyway.

The GCR was never really spoken of, and if it was, it was only in the context of something else that was in the works but it in no way would have any affect on the RV.

What I will say though is the history lessons I received while attending those other classes was and is something I'll always be grateful for.

They served as the concrete that created my unwavering foundation, solid in the knowing that this entire GCR thing really is real.

Knowing the initial reasoning behind the RV itself, who some of the major players were, and why they were there really helps to make sense of so much of what we see today, all these years later.

Although most of the folks I've connected with throughout the years have chosen their own ways of making it through to the finish line, at the end of the day we're all heading in the same direction.

Not necessarily in the same boat, but most definitely on the same river.

I'm willing to bet that nobody that has been involved in this endeavor over 5 years ever thought things would go this way.

That it would take this long.

With so many crazy twists and turns.

That so many last broke Friday's would fall by the wayside, leaving us with far too many still broke Monday's.

Yet, here we are and it is what it is.

Nothing we can do about all the time that has passed other than cherish the Economics education we've received, as well as the like-minded friends we've made along the way.

At this point in the game, from here on out we're all paddling down the same river, heading for the same destination.

All of us looking forward to the day we can reach the shore, exchange our paddles for Porsche's (or whatever flavor of fun you desire), and move on to the life of our dreams.

Until then, please continue to do your best to hang in there.

And whatever you do... KEEP ON PADDLIN'!

Remember, we're all in this together.

Kindly,

Dr. Dinar

Disclaimer; I'm not a Wealth Manager, Financial Advisor, CPA, Tax Attorney, RV/GCR Committee member, nor am I the owner of a canoe, nor a banjo for that matter. I'm simply someone that chooses to believe in the power of positive thinking and on the odd chance this thing truly is real, I want to make sure I'm there at the finish line to enjoy it.

"You'll See It When You Believe it" by Dr. Dinar 8-4-2020

Thank you Dr. Dinar

You'll See It When You Believe It by Dr. Dinar

Good morning! Well, it is morning.somewhere…….

And it's great to be alive.

Unfortunately, like many of you, my Bank account is still runnin' on empty.

Which isn't so great.

Not that I'm surprised.

Sure, all week long we've been hearing that this is our week.

Actually since last week we've been hearing that THIS will be our week.

What am I thinking.

We've been hearing the very same thing for many many years now.

That we're in the window, it has to happen now, everybody (except of course the Bad Guys) wants it to happen now.

It HAS TO happen now, or else this or that will happen.

And if this or that happens, then that will be really bad and "they" (whomever they are) don't want this or that bad thing to happen, so they will definitely do it this week so this and that doesn't happen.

Well, they didn't do it.

It didn't happen.

So, shockingly enough, this and that IS (are?) happening.

Which makes one wonder, even though we continue to hear they don't want this and that to happen and are supposedly doing everything possible to avoid this and that happening, perhaps they actually do want all this and that bad stuff to happen.

What is this, like Day 5 of the 2008 Stock Market Meltdown Flashback.

Back to a time when the markets crumbled so horribly that many, like myself, still have yet to recover.

Sure, they threw tons of money at the Banks to keep that shaky House of Cards visibly afloat.

And as difficult as it is to believe, they've managed to keep that facade floating for over a decade now.

Perhaps you can get a pig to hold still long enough to apply lipstick to it after all.

Worked for Arnold Ziffel, so why not the entire Banking industry.

In reality, that charade will have to end at some point.

You can only throw so much bad money after bad before you run out bad money to throw.

And what will happen when the smoke dissipates and the entire world finds out that nothing was ever fixed.

Nothing was ever made better.

No problems were ever solved.

They were simply covered in cotton candy and all that candy melted.

And when it melted, it did so in global proportions.

One thing's for certain, it won't be pretty.

And eyes will be opened to the magnitude of all that's been going on for far too long.

Which brings me back to my original thoughts behind this post.

That being the RV/GCR and how it relates to all of this global meltdown stuff.

For better or worse, I'm still a believer.

I believe the GCR will happen.

And when it does, the RV will be included in the soon after.

I have absolutely no idea when but I do believe it will.

The question for me now is when it does happen, will I actually believe it has happened.

And that it's okay to finally get a bit excited.

After hearing that it's about to happen, on the verge of happening and yet nothing ever happens, for far too many years, I'm not so sure I'm gonna believe it when it really does happen for real.

Even if I were to see it.

And that makes me a bit nervous.

Will I miss the Cash-Out... oops, I mean EXCHANGE window?

Or will I sleep right through the entire process, refusing to get duped yet again.

I certainly hope not.

Crazy as it may seem I'm not at all sure of what it's going to take to convince me that the release is real.

Will it be released at night?

Why not during the day?

Are weekends better?

What about during the week when all the Banks are open.

Do all the Banks need to be open?

Or should they be closed during that illustrious Saturday night "all Banks are closed" window.

All we know is that it's always 5:00 somewhere.

And the release will happen on a day ending in "Y".

Beyond that, the release date is anybody's guess.

I don't think even those that are supposedly releasing this thing have any idea of when that will be.

I doubt we'll ever get any sort of advanced notice.

None that we'll ever believe anyway.

Which, on one hand, I completely understand.

If they were to announce anything in advance, that would make this whole thing appear as if it's real.

And they can't have that happening.

And I get that.

People would scurry to buy each and every piece of "basket-worthy" currency available.

But on the other hand, it makes little to no sense at all.

It would seem to me that they'd want to eliminate the pandemonium that's been created by all of the "get to the Bank ASAP so you don't miss out on your 10 day cash-out window" hype that's been floating around Dinarland for far too long.

If you were around maybe 8 or 9 years ago then you'll surely recall all of the trouble caused by the folks stating week after week that beyond a doubt "This will be your LAST BROKE FRIDAY!"

Sure enough, first thing Monday morning numerous Bank parking lots across the country were filled with busloads of folks banging on the glass doors, demanding to be "Cashed Out".

Claiming that a certain well known Guru had promised them on Friday that the RV was going to happen over the weekend and they could simply show up at the Bank first thing Monday morning, dinar in hand.

Needless to say the Banks were on fire!

And rightfully so.

From that point on the Banks started their Recorded Ridiculousness Campaign stating "We never have, never will, not now, not ever, never, have anything to do with the dinar" followed by a loud "Click!".

Only problem with that was many of us had purchased our first dinar from those very same Banks.

So we weren't as easily swayed as others that were to arrive later in the game.

Yet, with the way things are headed, with a long rumored short exchange period looming, seems to me they're heading in the same direction.

Should they clarify things just a bit better, as far as the slowest roll-out in history is to play out.

Not only for our benefit but for theirs as well.

Hmmmm... I'm not sure.

Yes, it would be nice but at the same time, it might open up an entirely new can of worms.

Which at this point would likely be twisted into yet another delay.

The last thing we need right now is another last ditch hitch or glitch to slow this thing down any further..

So I guess all we can do is roll with it.

To wait it out.

I don't believe they think we're simply going to fade away.

It's much too late for them to hope for that at this point.

Even if they do, good luck with that.

No way us Toothless Crackheads are giving up that easily.

Right!?!

We've come much too far to bail out now.

We have to see this thing through 'til the end.

Even if we don't recognize the actual "end" when we see it.

Perhaps it's what Churchill meant when he said "This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning".

Whether it's the end or the beginning or somewhere in between, I only hope that it's closer to the end than it is the beginning because honestly, I'm pretty much done with this thing.

This adventure lost most of its allure many years ago.

At this point it's a seemingly endless, cuticle grinding, uphill marathon and I feel like Forrest Gump in the middle of the desert.

I'm worn out.

I'm tired.

I just want to cross the finish line and get rolling on my new "Pay It Forward" path.

I feel as if I've been in a time loop for the past decade and I'm ready to jump off this mind altering Merry-Go-Round before I lose my cookies.

Please continue to keep your eyes peeled for a sign.

A signal of some sort.

Something that will finally convince us that this part or the journey is over and that we can finally begin our new lives.

Lives filled with hope.

Filled with dreams.

Dreams of enriching the lives of others.

It's gonna happen.

I can only hope we believe it when we see it.

Kindly,

Dr. Dinar

 Disclaimer; I'm not a Wealth Manager, Financial Advisor, CPA, Tax Attorney, RV/GCR Committee member, nor am I the owner of a vintage Bi-Plane, an old Crop Duster, nor a very large "tow-behind" banner. I'm simply someone that chooses to believe in the power of positive thinking and on the odd chance this thing truly is real, I want to make sure I'm there at the finish line to enjoy it.