Hello, Advisors. A friend of mine thinks he's a girl. He's not. He's a guy. I feel uncomfortable around him, but really want to help him out and remain friends, as guys. Our relationship has become strained. I want to hit the clubs and meet chicks. He's not so interested. Any ideas?

Confused in Cairo

Thank you for your question, Confused in Cairo.

I'm not sure my answer will be the "Politically Correct" answer, but here it is. According to my Good Book (The BIBLE), there are ONLY 2 genders, male and female. I do not believe that God makes mistakes. On the contrary, God is the Creator of perfectionism. We, as humans, create flaws and imperfections as we live our lives.

The best I can advise, according to my personal beliefs, is to pray that your friend will come to know Christ as his Savior and Christ will show HIM where he is misinformed. I would also encourage you to keep your friendship with him, but on your terms. Perhaps you could suggest some other activities that the two of you would enjoy that won't need to be "gender" specific, but just to pal around together. Many people have lost friends and relatives in this same respect and I find this to be just about the saddest statement of the times we are living in.

I do wish you the best in all you do, and I hope that your friendship with this man will stand the test of time.

Ciao,
Vicky

Dear Confused,

You're not confused, but your friend is. While the current cultural climate consists of deliberate bowing to the gods or goddesses of diversity and inclusion, trans people happen to be delusional, especially those that haven't cut off their dicks yet.

Oddly enough, you don't see many women trying to become men. Why is that? Probably because most women have an innate appreciation for their own bodies. At worst, they'll become lesbians because they enjoy the feminine features and wonderful couture.

You might lose a friend here, but you'll likely retain your sanity. Slowly back away from the crazy person.

Gently engendered,
Fearless Rick

Dear Advisors,

I'm very concerned about the prospects for war worldwide and the spillover effects like inflation, social dislocation, random violence. I'm an American, in a red state, so I feel somewhat safe, but the government is kind of insane, so I'm wondering if I think I should head for safer shores. Where should I go to get away from what looks like World War III?

Arnie in Arkansas

Hello Arnie in Arkansas!

Thank you for reaching out to me. I, too, live in a red state and I am feeling somewhat the same as you.

I am not fearful, I know that this whole mess is in the hands of our Creator. This is a battle of good and evil. I have faith in my God, and in our true and real military (not the fake ones who are following the current administration), and the Patriots behind the scenes working to dispose of the evil-doers worldwide.

Also, this whole mess is a worldwide situation so I do not believe that going anywhere else will do you any better. If World War III actually breaks out, do you truly think that anywhere will be safe???? I think even the neutral countries will end up getting somewhat involved.

The best we can all do is get reacquainted with God and stay close to your family and friends. TURN OFF YOUR TELEVISION!

I do hope this helps, if only just a bit.

Regards,
Vicky

Arnie,

US, UK, and EU leadership hasn't a clue about how the world works, so, it may be a best practice to begin looking around for relocation. For what it's worth, Mexico actually is quite nice once off the beaten path. Americans are fed propaganda about the drug cartels in Mexico, but, in general, the crime levels, even in Mexico's big cities, are lower than those in the US, so it's probably a good bet that moving south of the border will turn out to be a wise decision.

If Mexico isn't to your liking, much of Central and South America is probably going to avoid being dragged into global conflict. Most of these countries - thanks largely to American interventionism - are rather poor, so real estate or accommodation prices are likely to remain well below those in the US, a nice bonus. Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, offer plenty of space and peaceful living. Further along, countries like Peru, Bolivia, and Columbia might offer some safety. My personal favorite is Uruguay, which is very far removed but also quite cosmopolitan. If Argentina ever figures out how to not destroy its own currency, it could be a safe place with plenty of attractiveness.

Southeast Asia would be another area to explore. Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore are not likely to get involved to any great degree in militarism. The culture shock may be profound, but these are beautiful countries with good people.

War sucks, and the current idiots in charge have pushed the neocon narrative quite far enough. Let's work for change.

Good luck,
Rick

Hello, Advisors,

I've read articles and seen videos about how much you need to retire in the US, ranging from $1 million up to $5 million. I'm a divorced male, 44 years old, with no kids (wife got them), but visitation rights and a reasonable support payment monthly of $350. I'm gainfully employed, making $65,000 a year, but my investments are only worth about $45,000 and I still have 12 years of payments on my mortgage.

Getting to $1 million seems a stretch, $5 million an impossibility. Retirement is about 20 years away for me, so, it's on my radar. What would be the best investments or plans for me.

Working in Wabash

Dear Working in Wabash,

First of all, wow, you are looking ahead in your finances, and some of us should do that more often (speaking about myself!) to get a handle on where to go next. I truly do not believe I am the best person to answer this. You are in a much better position financially than I, and that is good.

That being said, all you can do is keep on keeping on (oh that is such a crock of sh**) and plug away paying down that mortgage debt. You did not mention any other significant debt to deal with, so if I was to just spit ball a solution, with the economy going to hell in a hand basket any day, a good investment would be gold and silver. I have never played with the stock market, and I never plan to as I see it as part of the government. To me it looks like they control a huge portion of what happens there. Gold and silver, God's money.

I don't know that this will help at all, but it is an investment strategy to consider.

Wishing you the best always,
Vicky

Working,

If you own your home free and clear and have a steady income from a pension, social security and/or investments, you don't actually need any savings to retire, just the willingness to cut the cord and step away from the grind, which, for most people, is pretty difficult, given obligations, kids, expenses, inflation, etc.

As far as investments are concerned, the stock market has, admittedly, done quite well over the years, though it can be nerve-wracking in times of turmoil. What works, always and everywhere, are gold and silver. Allocating a larger share of your portfolio to physical precious metals may not be the most exciting investment in the world, but those hard assets, which have been money for thousands of years, are as good as it gets.

Most gold bugs and silver stackers report zero sleepless nights worrying about their money. These are long-term investments, 10-20-30 years or more, which you're likely to never need to sell. Most precious metals investors pass them along to their heirs, which is why gold and silver are also known as legacy assets.

Good luck,
Rick