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Creatix / February 23, 2026 For every American in their 80s, there are about 4.5 Americans in their 20s. One cohort represents our past and the other our future. They were born in the same country but are not only generations apart, but worlds apart. In some aspects, they can be seen as coming from different planets. To get to know someone, a good technique is to ask what keeps them up at night. That is, what worries them.  In this post we take a quick look at that question. We'll see that even though the generations are so different, and the worries are different, there is an overlap tied to the universality of the human condition. These two generations are as essential to the our country as all others in between. We're all in this together and there is a lot of work to do and there will always be more and more to improve.  We're all fighting the same cosmic enemy, which is entropy. No one gets out of this experience alive, at least not yet. That may change eventually when...

Creatix / February 22, 2026 In 2025, the song " Die With a Smile" by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars  was the most streamed in the world, the #1 song of all. We can use it as a brief case study in how a single creation in the digital economy can generate enormous economic impact—directly, indirectly, and over multiple years. At first glance, it’s “just a song.” But in today’s economy, a song is also intellectual property, a digital asset, a global distribution vehicle, a cultural catalyst, and a recurring revenue stream. It is a living economic engine; it's a small business on its own part of a large industry and a bigger digital economy worldwide. Let’s explore how. 1. The Direct Economic Impact (2025 Alone) Public reports indicate the song accumulated roughly 2.8+ billion global on-demand audio streams in 2025, including over 1.7 billion on Spotify alone. Streaming payouts vary widely by platform and it is not easy to estimate total revenue. Using a simple methodology, we ca...

Creatix / February 21, 2026 There is a persistent myth that the past was gentler, simpler, and morally superior. Many fall for the trap or reminiscing a golden age of strong families, honest labor, and tight-knit communities. We imagine candlelit homes, children playing freely in open fields, neighbors helping neighbors, and life moving at a slower, more meaningful pace. Compared to the noise, speed, and complexity of modern life, the “good old days” can feel comforting. But comfort in imagination is not the same as comfort in reality. For most of human history, life was defined by hunger, disease, violence, and fragility. A bad harvest could mean starvation. A minor infection could mean death. Child mortality was heartbreakingly common. Women routinely died in childbirth. There were no antibiotics, no modern anesthesia, no social safety nets, no reliable sanitation systems, no refrigeration, no vaccines, no public schooling for most, and no meaningful legal protection for children. Th...

Creatix / February 20, 2026 February 20, 2026 was a historic day in our constitutional republic. The Supreme Court invalidated the tariffs imposed by the Executive Power. Regardless of where you may stand on the issue, the decision reinforces the separation of powers under our Constitution.  The decision is known as  Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump (consolidated with Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, Inc. ), delivered February 20, 2026 : ( Supreme Court ) Case Background The Court considered whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) authorizes the President to impose broad tariffs during a declared national emergency. ( Supreme Court ) Former President Trump used IEEPA to impose sweeping import tariffs (“Liberation Day” and other duties) in 2025. ( Wikipedia ) Multiple businesses and states challenged those tariffs as beyond presidential authority. ( Wikipedia ) Issues Before the Court The Supreme Court addressed two consolidated cases: Whether IEEPA autho...

Creatix / February 20, 2026 Social media is here to stay and will most likely continue growing and changing society. From kids to senior citizens on almost every corner of the free world, everyone seems to be glued to social media. For sure, the technology does not sit on the edge; it seems to be at the very center of modern life.  Social media influences both what we think about and how we think about it. Social media platforms and their AI-powered algorithms influence how we behave, how we communicate, and how we participate in the global economy. By now, platforms are part of the "natural" environments where humans live and trade. Like all environments, social media generates its own vocubulary. This is not new. Every major transformative industry produces new terms and new definitions. The industrial age gave us factory , assembly line , and mass production terminology The information era gave us software , network ,  database, and more . The 2020s as the years of feeds, ...

Creatix / February 19, 2026 Best-Performing Stocks YTD in 2026 According to recent market data tracking stock performance from January 1 through mid-February: Top YTD Gainers: KOS (Kosmos Energy Ltd.) — ~+90% (Energy sector) FSLY (Fastly, Inc.) — ~+85% (Tech/Internet) TROX (Tronox Holdings plc) — ~+82% (Basic Materials) DHX (DHI Group, Inc.) — ~+76% (Tech) VAL (Valaris Ltd.) — ~+75% (Energy) … plus others in energy and tech showing strong double-digit gains. ( Stock Titan ) Characteristics of this outperforming cohort: Energy & cyclical sectors lead , unknowns benefiting from higher commodity prices and stronger global demand. Small- and mid-caps are prominent , showing higher volatility and room for large percentage moves. Worst-Performing Stocks YTD in 2026 On the downside, some stocks are lagging significantly: Top YTD Laggards: CCXI (ChemoCentryx) — ~-80% – steep biotech selloff CALY (Topgolf Callaway Brands) – substantial loss U (Unity Software) – tech weakness L...

Creatix / February 19, 2026 Social media scrollers worldwide in early 2026 are noticing the now-familiar combo: animal masks + tails (“gear”) + running/jumping on all fours (“quadrobics”)—and the label "therian" attached to it. This  looks like a sudden bad, but the therian movement is older than the internet. What you’re seeing is a classic pattern: a long-running subculture finally finds a high-visibility format, then splits into identity, aesthetic, and even sports, creating a huge business opportunity field for clever entrepreneurs.  1) What “therian” actually means (and what it doesn’t) A therian (short for therianthrope ) is typically described within the community as a person who identifies as a non-human animal in a deep, integral way, while still understanding they are physically human. ( El País ) What it doesn’t mean (but often gets confused online): Not the same as “furry.” Furry fandom is centered on anthropomorphic animal characters and costuming/art as a hobby;...

Creatix / February 17, 2026 The New Golden Rule: 10% of Your Portfolio in Gold For decades, conventional wisdom suggested keeping a small allocation to gold — maybe 2% to 5% — as “insurance.” But the world has changed. Persistent deficits, geopolitical fragmentation, monetary experimentation, and structurally higher debt levels have altered the macro landscape. In this new era, it may be time for a revised principle: The New Golden Rule: Keep 10% of your portfolio in gold. Not 50%. Not an all-in bet. A disciplined, structural 10%. Let’s explore why. 1. Gold Is Monetary Insurance in an Era of Monetary Experimentation Since 2008, central banks have expanded balance sheets at unprecedented scale. The era of quantitative easing (QE), near-zero rates, and aggressive liquidity injections permanently changed investor psychology. Gold performs one critical function:  It is no one else’s liability. Unlike bonds, it carries no default risk. Unlike cash, it cannot be printed. Unlike equities,...