bauhauswerk

Dear Coilers, I guess the big majority of you are here as you got aware of Coil as XRP community members, and joined whether as readers or content makers.

If you are a member of XRP community you are XRP holder so you had to invest some in it. So you are an investor.

There are some who say they are here for the technology but that is a filthy lie. All are here for the money, for the earning. Return on investment is what bothers every single investor!

Anyway, investing is a process, it is not just buying something with cash and selling for more (or less in most cases). It is a long term process of growing a portfolio till the moment it will be inherited by your successors. Successful investor will never (or rarely) make unintelligent moves to ruin portfolio to the point that there’s nothing to be left to grandchildren...

The intelligent investor is a realist who sells to optimists and buys from pessimists – Benjamin Graham

Benjamin Graham was a British-American investor, economist, and professor. He is the father of value investing and was Warren Buffett’s mentor. In 1949. he wrote a capital work “The Intelligent Investor”. His investment philosophy stressed investor psychology, minimal debt, buy-and-hold investing, fundamental analysis, concentrated diversification, buying within the margin of safety, activist investing, and contrarian mindsets. Graham’s influence is still present and there is probably not a single investor who wasn’t, more or less, influenced by his work.

I’m not going to review his book here but I highly recommend it to every single person who wants to understand investing. It should even be on the “must read” list of every high school student...

But the reason why I decided to write this essay is the talk we had on CBC. Ok maybe it was more of a monologue of mine but anyway...

These days crypto Twitter is burning in negativity. The biggest part of the XRP community is in despair because the price is falling from the cliff and the bear market is like a 2 years long now.

The problem is that most of the people in the XRP community are of NO KNOWLEDGE, people who think that a 100$ investment will make them rich tomorrow, and if not tomorrow then the next tomorrow must be the day.

They kept listening to shillers who pumped their expectations, people of no experience nor knowledge. If I told to my long term investor friends that literally thousands of people are listening to a 18 year old kid who even doesn’t know the difference between “their and they’re” they would say “WOW, great, that is the pool to fish big game from! Tell us where, so we can ripp them off”

The price of XRP had its ups and downs, every market fluctuates so this one does as well. Big majority called every dip a bottom, small minority was laughed at when warning them they will get burnt!

Almost a year ago I was peacefull in my thoughts about where the market goes. I knew I am not going to buy the dips but will buy bottom. (Ofcourse, I am not an “all in” player, I just have a plan.)

Even few months ago the same situation. People screaming it’s a bottom it’s a bottom... Not a single person asked them to elaborate why would that be The bottom?!

At the moment of writing this article, the price is just a cent above my upper called price. And the XRP community cries they have no cash to buy the dip/bottom...

Will I be right in the end is what I cannot say. My orders were placed long ago and I am in peace... the time will show.

I just want to appeal to the XRP community that you have to swallow the truth in the end, no matter how bitter is it. And is not bitter from hops but from the tears of people who overinvested, who are in gigantic debts because of it, who can’t manage everyday life because they were listening to “Gurus” who have earned a nice pile of money from the tips from those who they’ve taken to misery.

Dear Coilers, THIS IS A FINANTIAL ADVICE, don’t listen to people, listen to yourself. Don’t dream too big as it can turn into a nightmare! DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH! Take the responsibility, you have partners, children, yourself...

The only thing that matters is your life and lives of those you care for. Money will not make you happy if you loose them because of the hunt for that money. Even worse, if you come into the situation of thinking that there is no exit and that ending your life is a solution...

A suicide IS NEVER A SOLUTION!!!!!!!

If you, God keep us all from it, ever come to a situation to think about it call the emergency line who gives support in those situations. Do it as well if you recognise the situation in people close to you...

Dear Coilers, have you ever been thinking about bars and their importance in social life? When you travel to other countries with different culture and heritage, where you go to learn about them?

Don’t bother with churches, government buildings or city squares. If you want to know about a culture, spend a night in its bars. –Ernest Hemingway

Ok, Hemingway was maybe living by his quote too radically but he wasn’t wrong. Bars can make you feel being a part of any place on Earth. If you want to meet or just observe the locals, go to a local bar. Even if you visit the places which are more of tourists gathering place than locals, you’ll still be able to learn much from bartenders.

I was lucky to be able to feel the atmosphere in all kind of bars, from western through arabian to the asian. No matter do they serve mostly wine, beer, mint tea, whisky, whiskey, or rice based spirits... they all have something in common, local atmosphere and stories.

If you are lost in a city you’ve visit for the first time, just enter a local bar and, without an exception, you will find people who will do anything to help you. Many of them will not understand you nor speak any language but their own (which ofcourse you cant speak) but they will find a contact in their mobile phone who does, just to help a stranger. Locals who attend local bars are the real soul of the place...

In my country, Croatia, bars are the way of life. A bar every 10 steps, every day new are opened. There is around 1 bar per less than 100 citizens. My city, Zagreb, the capital, has only 1 bar per 177 citizens. Bjelovar has 1 per 33,3 citizens. Ok, Bjelovar is Croatian recorder in broken marriages and problems with alcohol (but thats just an interesting statistical fact which doesn’t have anything to do with the number of bars)... Bjelovar is, as well, a place which has given probably the most of actors and other artists per capita in Croatia.

I am not a writer with drinking problem, I am a drinker with writing problem. – Brendan Behan

I live in Jarun, the part of Zagreb which is one of the most desirable parts to live in apart from the very city center. Our average is probably 1 bar per 50. And I know them all. But I really love just few of them. One of them is Revan, a bar attended by the absolute average citizen. There are university professors, politicians, journalists, entrepreneurs, students, manual workers, junkies, alcoholics... well settled and unemployed, people who know what blockchain is and people who “know” that blockchain is fraud...

A lot of my Coil articles are writen there (this one as well) as that is a place i get an inspiration from. Listening people talking and discussing different topics is great well to draw inspiration from. If you really want to know what people think, don’t listen to the news nor read the papers, go to a bar.

As old Romans would say: “In vino veritas” (in wine lies the truth).

I should make a point in this article I guess?! But there is not any. Or maybe I should stick to the topic of this article... I love bars as they are the mirror of the community the bar is placed in. They are places to find the truth about what people think. The places to feel the soul of the community.

Or simply, Bars are the essence of the culture itself!

Dear Coilers, today is the anniversary of one of the most tragic days in the modern history of my country, Croatia, the day on which the city of Vukovar, in 1991. has fallen into the hands of the occupiers.

It was the largest massacre of the war and the worst war crime in Europe since World War II up until that point.

One of the numerous heroes of the defence of the city was Siniša Glavašević, a journalist who decided to stay in his city and spread the truth thru radio till the very end...

On October 16th 1991. Glavašević said on Croatian Radio:

“Vukovar submits to Croatia, Europe and the world – either the Croatian authorities will do everything to obtain a permanent cease-fire, or they will send the necessary and efficient assistance, of the military kind, or they will evacuate the entire civilian population of this area. There is another option, and that is the complete and final destruction of the city and a massacre of the population, as well as two hundred and fifty heavily wounded. However, that option isn't on anyone's mind here. The heroes of this city are necessary for some time yet, as living witnesses of this war. Thank you Zagreb. Don't cut this part...”

(photo: Matko Biljak)

On November 18th 1991. Glavašević sent in his last report, which ended with:

“The picture of Vukovar at the 22nd hour of the 87th day [of the siege] will remain forever in the memory of the witnesses of this time. There are infinite spooky sights, and you can smell the burning. We walk over bodies, building material, glass, detritus and the gruesome silence. ... We hope that the torments of Vukovar are over.“....

Vukovar was bombed with up to 11000 shells daily!

.....The Vukovar massacre ended in the killing of Croatian prisoners of war and civilians by Serb paramilitaries, to whom they had been turned over by the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), at the Ovčara farm southeast of Vukovar on 20th of November 1991. The massacre occurred shortly after Vukovar's capture by the JNA, Territorial Defence (TO), and paramilitaries from neighbouring Serbia. Again, it was the largest massacre of the war and the worst war crime in Europe since World War II up until that point.

Glavašević disappeared during the fall of Vukovar. It was later found that he was executed by the Serbian paramilitary forces along with hundreds of others in the Vukovar massacre. Between November 18 – 20th in 1997. his body was exhumed from a mass grave in the nearby Ovčara farm.

TO FORGIVE – NEVER TO FORGET!

DISCLAIMER: in this article I will use the term Soccer for Football so readers who don’t know what real football is can understand...

(Header photo screenshot/WSJ)

Dear Coilers, I’d like to ask you just one question, think about it and answer honestly. Do you think that you and a 9 year old kid in Pakistan who stitches soccer balls are the same?

If your answer was NO you are honest.

Take a ball from world known brands, on many of them you can read “Made in Pakistan” and thou companies like saying they are rigorously controlling that no child labour is used, every person in the business knows it is not tru.

Children have small hands and are perfect for the job.

In the city of Sialkot, Pakistan, more than 100 businesses make balls for different brands, and the most work for the biggest.

Over 75% of all soccer balls are made in Pakistan, most in the Sialkot region. Over 70% of balls imported in the States come from there. And yes, if you buy a ball to your kid, you probably buy your kid other kid’s work.

Some 20 years ago International Labour Rights Fund tried to make a program together with big names who “supported” it, Nike and Adidas among them. The program had the stated goal of eliminating child labor from the soccer ball industry in Pakistan within 18 months.

A year into the program, independent researchers have discovered that child labor persists in the Sialkot soccer ball industry. Moreover, the program itself was beset with a number of problems. These included, from their own paper;

Many manufacturers who signed onto the program have not paid dues or provided any details about their stitching centers.

Even participating employers are still using children in their stitching centers, and in home-based employment; the International Labour Organization is not empowered to apply any sanctions to these employers.

Soccer ball production may be shifting from Sialkot to nearby, unregulated regions of Pakistan, and some children may be moving from production of soccer balls to production of surgical instruments.

Schools established for soccer-stitching children may instead be serving other children, while former soccer stitchers are employed in other work.

In short, big names entered the program not so stop child labour but to be able to put “Child Labour Free” badge on their balls...

So why I have told you this ball stitching thing? I’ve told you with intention to DISTURB you. So that every time you see a happy kids playing with the ball you see poor children slaves stitching that ball and that you reassess your belief that we are all the same!

No we are not the same!

If we were the same there would be no wars ever.

It is easy to preach about being the same and having the same opportunities from a leather sofa in well heated livingroom full of books while sipping a single malt whisky from the Island of Islay.

Every person who says we are the same and buys a soccer ball is nothing but an ignorant hypocrite.

After my Avocado article I got more than a few angry comments and DMs saying how could I say that by eating avocado we finance criminal activities... but we do.

Ok, if you rather want to think that your ball is not stitched by a kid and find yourself not to be a child labour financier thats your choice.

I do not fool myself. I do play footy and played it all my life. I know that the balls I kick(ed) are made by children 5-11 years old. I will never be a hypocrite saying we are all the same as we are not. No matter what I want. Facts are facts, unfortunately.

I have ripped dozens of those balls, theose children will probably never in their life be able to buy themselves even the cheapest of those balls. Because we are not the same.

I write on Coil and you read this meaning we both have phones/tablets/laptops... and internet connection to be able to do so. And those children will never read this as they don’t have nor laptop nor internet nor any education with possibility to learn the language I (do my best to) write in. Do you know why? Yes, because we are NOT the same.

What every person who lives a good life in own comfort zone needs is to be disturbed with the plain facts every now and then.

Only that can make one ACT and not just talk empty words.

Unfortunately disturbing asks for political incorrectness. So I’ll say this again, all who bought soccer balls from Pakistan are supporting child labour! Me included.

I hope this will make all of us think about being different and not having the same opportunities. As well as trying to find the way to improve things. To make us at least a bit less different.

(header pic not by Wassily Kandinsky)

Dear Coilers, I’ve finished 2 weeks of Brew! series marathon and took a day off... the series will continue, hopefully weekly, to present you bottled gold but that isn’t a topic I wanted to talk about here...

What I wanted to talk about is the thing that I see on Twitter daily. It’s about XRP and it’s price and Ripple and people constantly bitching about not becoming millionaires with 100$ investments.

You read this on Coil, one of many entities which utilise XRP. Many more are there already and most probably many more are to come.

And I see many blame them for not being able to buy Lambo, yellow one (second hand as they are too cheap to buy new one).

Do people really think others are here to make them rich? Without those people giving any effort in the XRP thing.

Does Ripple owe you anything? Does Coil? Or Master Wietse or any of geniuses who work hard to develop their business which they’ve decided to build utilising XRP?!

I myself am technical noob, programming I was close to were only games developed by my friends from CroTeam. So watching Serious Sam development is my closest connection to coding...

Would it be fair if I blamed CroTeam for me not being able to sell my 15 years old PC for 11482$ because I’ve planned them to make such a big game that the hardware it was played on is sought after in 2019?!...

...And then I’ve discovered Coil and started contributing. My articles are the way they are, but I give my time to write them and I do it with all my heart.

As well there are others who do it as well. I’ve met a few of dear people from around the world joined in CBC who give a piece of their talent to make the platform grow... ...and what have YOU done?

People blame Ripple and its employees suppressing the price by selling their OWN coins?! Would you like if you wasn’t allowed to sell your own whenever you want to?

People blame Coil for boosting content makers who do their best to make a content exclusively for Coil?! Would you like not to be able to tip the waiter who served you well?

And then the same people tip and pay many of those who just retweet other peoples articles and news about XRP. Who give them hope they’ll become wealthy tomorrow without any effort, who tell them to hold and buy more as it will pay them 10X in a week time...

And they never blame those for their portfolio being worth less then when they’ve invested... they blame Ripple, Coil, David, Jed, ..., you name it,... one crook even blamed me...

Dear Coilers, in previous article I’ve talked about Belgian Ale sub styles. This one will cover the styles mentioned in the topic. Coil’s taproom for the subscribers will pour a Tripel so subscribe if you still haven’t.

As every beer lover knows, Belgium is a place in which beer is incorporated in tradition and everyday life. Thru long years, centuries, they’ve been brewing and perfecting their beers.

There are plenty of styles they make but the border between them is blurry. What they all have is complexity of flavours and with each brew you will discover a new world in the Belgian beer planet.

Very common terms connected to Belgian beers are “Trappist” and “Abbey”. Trappist beers are brewed by Trappist monks from one of the eleven abbeys in which beer is brewed. Abbey should mean that the beer is brewed in association with an abbey but these days it doesn’t have to be a fact but more of a marketing move...

Anyway, let’s learn some styles.

BELGIAN DUBBEL – was created by monks from the Westmalle Monastery in the end of 19th century. They’ve made a stronger brew from the one they’ve been brewing and drinking themselves so they’ve named it Dubbel (double) and it made it’s way into history.

It is deep in colour, complex in flavour and high in alcohol. The colour doesnt come from the roasted malts like in English and American brews but from the caramelized sugar which brewers originally used. It brings dark caramel, chocolate and dried fruits notes. Hops aren’t strong and the bitterness is low to moderate. Malt and Belgian yeasts play the main role here. As all Belgian beers it is spicy and fruity.

BELGIAN TRIPEL – would make people think, because of the name, as just a boosted Doubel but it is everything but that. Tripel is lighter in colour as there is no caramelized sugar used to give it darker one and Pilsner malt in it doesn’t help it either. Westmalle Monastery made it popular as well as Dubbel but the Tripel name comes from the amount of malt used in brew which is three times a normal amount.

It is a beer high in alcohol with all the desirable flavours of fruit, spices, citrus, banana... nice sweetness and mouthfeel. So well rounded that high alcohol is not noticed and the finished product is very drinkable.

BELGIAN QUADRUPEL- is the strong heavyweight brother in this family. It can be put in the Belgian Strong Dark Ales sub style. It is strong in alcohol, it goes over 10%. Malt and spicy yeasts are here as expected. It is deep because of the caramelized sugar and Munich malts but no roasty flavours. Here you’ll get, with high alcohol, spices, dried fruit, molasses... with dry to medium sweet finish.

So let’s try one now...

Dear Coilers, as you have probably noticed, no Belgian beer was mentioned during this series of articles. Thats because Belgian beers deserve special category.

Belgium, a kingdom which is more of an unstable federation than a real country, a kingdom without own language and nation, even without a government more often than with one... And it is a beer paradise. This article will cover Belgian ales but some other styles will come as well. Coil’s taproom for subscribers will pour Belgian Brown...

BELGIAN PALE ALE – is relatively new style created by Belgian brewers who wanted it to compete with Pilsners. It is of higher alcohol content with Belgian Pils malts which give sweetness which is balanced by spiciness and citrusy notes. Hops are earthy and herbal, carbonation is high and the finish is dry. This style is less intense than...

BELGIAN STRONG PALE ALE – shares the same history as Belgian Pale Ale but this Strong version was created by Moortgat Brewery and got known thruout the world as Duvel. Just like Pale Ales and Belgian Tripels (will be covered in future), they’re at the lighter end of the color spectrum, with refreshing flavors of fruit and spice in a lighter, well carbonated body with a nice backbone of hops. This one is not to be drunk too fast. Enjoy it slowly and feel the richness it shows both in flavours and alcohol content.

BELGIAN INDIA PALE ALE – is a brew inspired by American IPA but made in Belgian way. Heavy in hops which very often are American hops to give effect similar to American IPA. The use of Belgian yeasts makes this brew more special, like a hybrid from Belgian traditional and American craft brewing. Mostly a cloudy brew, dry and bitter.

BELGIAN BROWN ALE – is typically a Brown Ale with Belgian yeast used in fermentation. As a standard of most Belgian yeasts, this usually lends a slightly more pronounced spice note or sometimes a fruity ester to the finished beer. The Belgian Brown Ale has minimal of the hop notes and the malts are dominating both aroma and flavor. Spice notes are apparent in both aroma and flavor.

FLANDERS RED ALE – originates from the West Flanders region. It’s ruby to burgundy red and the complex flavours of fruit like black cherries, currants and agrumes follow the colour. Aging in oak barrels gives it vanilla and some chocolate notes and addition of Lactobacillus and Brettanomyces gives it some sourness. This style is for those who want a beer which is the most similar to wine.

SAISON ALE – is the one which originates from Wallonia. The brew was made to be high in alcohol so that beer can survive thru the hot summer months (in the years before refrigerators were available). Wild Brettanomyces yeast is used but the beer isnt too sour. Different spices and herbs may be added in the brew for the more complex flavours, but that’s the philosophy in most of Belgian beers.

BELGIAN DARK ALE – is a style between Belgian Dubbel and Belgian Strong Dark Ale. It is high in alcohol and malt presence is strong, all balanced by yeasts and spices.

BELGIAN STRONG DARK ALE – Is like Belgian Dark Ale, but with stronger impact in both flavor and alcohol. It can go from malty and fruity to drier, hoppier, and spicier, or somewhere in between. The final flavor profile of the beer is up to master brewers will. You might get some dark fruit, rich strong malt, and peppery spice, and depending on the style and brewery, you’ll get a drier or sweeter finish. Very complex and high in alcohol. The choice for beer geeks who know what are they ordering.

Dear Coilers, Ale trilogy part 3 is here. In previous two parts I have covered the best known sub styles of Ale, Pale Ale and India Pale Ale. Coil’s taproom for subscribers purs Blonde in this article.

So let’s continue with Ales...

AMERICAN BLONDE ALE – is a new sub style created by craft brewers. They’ve tried to make a brew which would transfer customers from the Lagers produced by Big players into craft beer territory offering them something similar but with more flavour and overall complexity. So they’ve made ABA. Nothing is too strong here. Mostly low malts and hops, fresh and crispy like Lagers, some sweetness from malts and citrusy hops to make it more mainstream. Alcohol is low, carbonation is high, made for refreshment and drinking sessions.

BROWN ALE – is a brew darker than Pale Ale due to some darker malts used. Flavour is more malty but not too much roasted malts are in so don’t expect much of chocolate and coffee in it. Fruity flavour from esters is present and hops are supporting and rounding it.

ENGLISH BROWN ALE – have more malty character; bread, toast, toffee with some chocolate and coffee... This brew is low in hops thou Northern EBA is more hoppy than Southern EBA.

AMERICAN BROWN ALE – is, as most of American craft brews, ispired by English original. So it is malty oriented but as all American brews it is extra hoppy. Expect citrusy flavours from hops and stronger bitterness with less fruity esters than in English Brown. Americans can raise the alcohol level as well..

AMERICAN CREAM ALE – is a sub style which is not that common these days but is is a part of American brewing history. It was made and an answer to the popularity of German Lagers. Using grains like corn and even lager yeasts brewers tried to get lager style brew moderate in hops and malts. It is one of the rare beer styles which is originally American.

PUMPKIN ALE - (I’m not going to say a word about this American provocation.)

There are some more sub styles under the Ale style but those do enter other styles so I’m going to cover them separately as the “Brew!” series will continue...

Dear Coilers, in previous article Pale Ale was covered so now it is time for its younger but stronger brother IPA. In Coil’s taproom for subscribers brew from the European trendsetter brewery is poured...

INDIA PALE ALE or IPA, three letters which became a synonym for craft beer. Some people love it, some find it too “strong and bitter” but there is no beer geek who hasn’t tasted at least a coupe of dozen from this style. Hops are the heart of a beer and India Pale Ale is all about hops. Hops in it are strong, even very aggressive and with bitterness they give all kind of flavour notes. Deep earthy, woody and piney or fruity, citrusy, floral or grassy, you name it, hops have it. It is bitter and its full of flavour, what else can you want in a brew?

With the growth of the craft beer movement many variations of IPA were made and it the field, together with Pale Ale, on which you can see the most experimentation in brewing.

ENGLISH INDIA PALE ALE – For beer to survive the journey from England to India in 18th century, extra hops and malt was added in the brew resulting in higher alcohol and bitterness to preserve it. And the new style was born.

Today English IPAs is not too intensely hoppy. Malt and hop flavor and bitterness are well balanced. English malt can show some bready and toasty notes and English yeast produces more esters which give more fruitiness.

AMERICAN INDIA PALE ALE – Brew famous by intensive hoppy taste. American IPA has two lines, East Coast and West Coast.

East Coast IPA is more balanced with stronger malts to match strong hops. Bitterness is present but much more rounded with sweet malt.

West Coast IPA is known by aggressive hoppy flavour with citrus and floral notes and it is bitter. Very bitter.

As the craft brewing developed, line between East and West Coast IPA smoothed and blured. what you can expect from both of them is pure power of hops.

IMPERIAL INDIA PALE ALE (DOUBLE) – is more hoppier and stronger IPA. Imperial in beer world means strong, Double comes from extra hops added in the brew.

So simply add more hops and more malts for extra power, like an IPA on steroids. If any brew shows full power of hops, both in flavour and in bitterness it’s Double IPA.

BLACK INDIA PALE ALE- is a new sub style born out of experimental brewing in craft movement. Roasted malts are added in the brew ending in dark colour with dark notes like chocolate and coffee. As it still is an IPA, hops are strong and the most important part of the brew. Strong and bitter with American hops notes in contrast with deep dark flavours of roasted malts.

There are several other sub styles of IPA like Triple, Session, Belgian, Grapefruit, Rye... but I’ll cover them during beer reviews when the beer of the style will be tasted in the “Brew!” series of articles on Coil.

(TO BE CONTINUED)