Manhattan Reborn 1978

early morning.

Blue Crystal Hotel.

Giles, in his pajamas, sleepily brushing his teeth in the bathroom.

Pine was neatly dressed and sitting at the breakfast table, flipping through today's newspaper and drinking coffee.

The Wall Street Journal’s front-page headline: “The yen’s appreciation! The rice dollar’s ​​depreciation?”

"Since August 1971, 8, former US President Richard Nixon gave a televised speech announcing the New Economic Policy and the closure of the gold exchange window. The dollar was effectively decoupled from gold, marking the beginning of the collapse of the Bretton Woods system."

"Following this televised speech, in order to stabilize the operation of the international monetary system."

"On December 1971, 12, the "Group of Ten" led by the United States reached the Smithsonian Agreement in Washington, D.C., re-establishing a fixed exchange rate system without gold support and still centered on the U.S. dollar."

“The U.S. government lowered the official price of the rice dollar against gold from 1 troy ounce to US$35 to US$38, but it still does not promise that the rice dollar can be converted into gold (that is, the rice dollar is not backed by gold).”

"At the same time, the currencies of other countries have appreciated and adjusted the exchange rate of the rice dollar, and fixed the exchange rate again, and expanded the floating range from the original ±1% to a floating range of ±2.25%."

"According to the Smithsonian Agreement, the benchmark exchange rate of the Japanese yen against the US dollar was adjusted to 308:1, with a floating range of ±2.25% on this benchmark. Since then, the fixed exchange rate of 308:1 has been maintained for more than a year."

"On February 1973, 2, due to the renewed dollar crisis, the U.S. government unilaterally announced that the dollar would depreciate again against gold, from US$12 to US$38."

"This once again triggered a huge shock in the international financial market. In the following more than a month, Japan and European countries gave up the fixed exchange rate between their national currencies and the rice dollar. The international monetary system officially entered a disorderly free floating exchange rate system, and the Japanese yen The exchange rate of the dollar also appreciated sharply to 265:1 (March 1973)."

"In April 1973, Japan officially adopted a floating exchange rate system. Since then, the Japanese yen has entered a period of free floating exchange rate, which continues to this day."

“Since the Japanese yen exchange rate began to float freely, the Japanese yen has entered a general trend of appreciation against the US dollar.”

“从1976年至1978年，这段时间里，日元－米元有了一个明显剧烈的升值期：汇率从300：1到175：1左右。”

"I believe that after everyone sees the above data, we can't help but want to ask: After the disintegration of the Bretton Woods system and the complete separation of the relationship between the dollar and gold, can the dollar still occupy the position of the central currency in the international financial market?"

“After our series of analysis and compilation, we think the answer should be as follows!”

"The U.S. dollar is still able to occupy the most important central currency position in the international currency market. This is because the United States has always maintained the strongest military and economic strength, and has always dominated a series of institutional arrangements in the international community."

"Since 1971, the United States still has absolute say in global politics and military affairs."

"The United States is still the world's largest economy, largest trading country, and the world's financial center."

"The United States still dominates the international community's trading system arrangements, international financial system arrangements, and other diplomatic and political arrangements."

"Next, we will use four logical lines to demonstrate specifically why the rice dollar can still maintain its central position in the international monetary system after the decoupling of gold."

"The four logical lines are: the currency value of the rice dollar; the inertial advantage of the rice dollar (oil-meter dollar system); the United States' foreign economic relations and financial markets; and the lack of substitutes for the rice dollar."

"First of all, let's compare the above data and talk about: Is the rice dollar really depreciating?"

"In fact, each of us has a different understanding of the concept of rice dollar depreciation, because in different historical periods and different application scenarios, the value of the rice dollar has different expression methods."

“It can be the gold content of the rice dollar, the purchasing power of the rice dollar, or the exchange rate of the rice dollar.”

“According to the theoretical logic of the Triffin Dilemma: If the value of a sovereign currency declines and cannot remain strong, then other countries will have less confidence in its reserves and will no longer be willing to continue to use it as a reserve currency, and will gradually sell or reduce its value. The preparation of this currency weakens its international currency status."

"Based on the above theoretical logic, between 1971 and 1973, the academic and media circles at that time generally expected that due to the damage to the currency value of the rice dollar, the ready status of the rice dollar would have a clear downward trend, and it would gradually lose its status as an international central currency. status, and countries preparing currencies will show a more diversified trend."

"However, the reality was completely different from what people generally expected at the time!"

"The Triffin problem seems to be out of order!"

"After 1973, the status of the rice dollar as the international central currency has not been affected at all, but has been strengthened!"

"Before the 1976 "Jamaica Agreement", gold was still the standard of value for currencies of various countries, and the rice dollar was no exception!"

"The currency value of the rice dollar is the gold content of the rice dollar (1 US dollar = 1/35 troy ounce of gold)."

"The depreciation of the rice dollar means that the gold content of the rice dollar begins to decline."

"After 1976, the world entered the era of pure legal credit banknotes."

"The relationship between the rice dollar and gold is completely severed. The value of the rice dollar is no longer expressed in gold, but in terms of purchasing power and exchange rate."

"So, in the United States, the value of the rice dollar is expressed by the purchasing power of the rice dollar, and the purchasing power of the rice dollar is obtained by calculating the domestic inflation rate (CPI)."

"Due to the passage of our new bill, domestic prices have once again ushered in a new round of rise in recent days, and at the same time, the purchasing power of the rice dollar in the country has further declined."

"However, internationally, the value of the rice dollar is expressed in terms of the rice dollar exchange rate!"

"The depreciation of the rice dollar refers to the decline in the exchange rate of the rice dollar against other currencies in terms of exchange rate!"

"The exchange rate of the rice dollar is determined by many factors, including: the surplus or deficit of domestic foreign trade, the flow of international capital, the government's diplomatic intentions, speculation, etc., and is not determined by the circulation of rice knives. It’s up to you to decide.”

"The rice dollar has always been the most important international reserve currency of all countries in the world, and has always been the most important currency for the valuation and settlement of international trade, as well as international lending and financing!"

"Therefore, this round of large-scale additional currency issuance in our country will not necessarily cause the exchange rate of the rice dollar to fall!"

See here.

Pine had already put down the coffee cup in his hand and handed it to Giles who had just sat down with a serious face: "Look at this news in the newspaper!"

Giles took the newspaper, stuffed an egg into his mouth with a fork, and read the newspaper while chewing.

ten minutes later.

Giles frowned and looked up at Pine: "This news... seems to be a little different from what David told us a few days ago?"

"David told us that day that the exchange rate of the dollar might fluctuate downward because of the war that was about to happen at the end of the year."

"Look carefully!"

"In this news, it was mentioned in the article about the depreciation of the rice dollar that because Congress passed President Warren White's bill on "Increasing the Amount of Benefits for the Unemployed," the Federal Reserve Bank of America began to issue a large amount of rice dollars in the country. , used for domestic circulation, increasing the currency circulation of rice dollars in the country, in the hope of alleviating the increasingly serious stagflation in the country."

"At the end of this article, they used the purchasing power of the rice dollar and the international exchange rate of the rice dollar to define whether the rice dollar has depreciated. It does not depend on its purchasing power in the United States, but on a global scale. As the legal credit currency of the U.S. government, the U.S. dollar is guaranteed by the credit of the U.S. government. The recent round of large-scale currency issuance in China will not necessarily cause the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar to fall."

"Giles, there is a possibility of additional issuance and excessive printing of legal credit banknotes in various countries. Their issuance and circulation are completely dependent on the government credit of the country where they are issued."

"The rice dollar is like this, the Japanese yen is like this, and the banknotes of other countries are like this."

"Therefore, when each country chooses a reserve currency, there are the same risks in reserve dollars and in reserves of other countries' currencies."

"If you were the leader of these countries, let me give you a choice. Will you... choose to continue to ignore the possible depreciation risk of the rice dollar and continue to reserve the rice dollar as the country's foreign currency reserve?"

"I..?"

Giles frowned and re-read the paragraph that Pine mentioned just now.

After a few minutes.

He raised his head as if he had figured something out, and said with wide eyes: "You mean... the dollar may experience a downward trend due to the oil crisis caused by the war at the end of the year."

"Then after various countries discover that the rice dollar is still the legal currency with the best credibility among all countries in the world, they will definitely choose to continue to reserve the rice dollar, so that the exchange rate quotation of the rice dollar in the international currency market will follow a V-shaped trend, upward. appreciation?!"

"That's right, Giles!"

“This is the difference between the nominal rice dollar trade-weighted index and the real rice dollar trade-weighted index.”

“Among them, the nominal rice dollar index reflects the exchange rate of the rice dollar against other currencies in the market.”

"The real dollar index reflects the exchange rate after excluding the inflation factors of various countries based on the nominal index."

"It seems that you really understood this report!"

A bright smile appeared on Pine's face, like an old father seeing his stupid son finally become smart.

Giles looked at Pine's smile with a look of "what?"expression.

"You guy, why do you think I can't understand the news?"

"Am I a fool?"

"I am a student of Professor Bartlett of Harvard Business School!"

"Hahaha~"

"Okay~!"

"If you are able to apply what you have learned, it means that you have not wasted your time in the past few years at Harvard, and you have really learned something useful."

"Forehead..."

"So you've always viewed me studying at Harvard this way?"

"you you...!"

Giles picked up the fork in front of him with some shame and anger, and was about to give Pine one. .Giles flying fork~!

Pine stood up with a smile, took a few steps back, straightened his shirt and tie, picked up his briefcase, and said to Giles as he walked out.

"You can go to Stanley later. I'm going to Goldman Sachs today."

"Why go to Goldman Sachs?" Giles curled his lips, sat down again, holding a glass of juice, and asked with some confusion.

"Of course...haha~ I'll tell you when I'm done!"

"You~!"

"Asshole! You're half-talking again!"

Giles sat at the breakfast table, mumbling to himself.

Outside, Pine got on the elevator, and there was a sound of walking in high heels from the direction of the stairs.

Lilith was dressed in a women's professional suit, her hair was tied high on her head, and she had light makeup on her face as she quickly walked into the room.

"Giles!"

"Have you finished eating?"

Giles stopped chewing in his mouth, picked up the juice and took a swig, swallowed the food in his mouth, blinked his big innocent eyes and replied: "Well, I'm done!"

The corners of Lilith's lips curled up slightly, and she whispered softly: "Then... come with me for a walk!"

"where to?"

"Go find...Leslie!"

"Why are you looking for him?"

"I'll tell you on the way."

"Well... okay~ shall we set off now?"

"What? Do you have other things to do?"

"No, no! Your matter is important, let's go find Leslie now."

"This guy should be sleeping in right now! Haha~"

"Well... stop talking nonsense! I'll wait for you downstairs!"

"Okay, okay! I'll be down right away!"

Giles watched Lilith nod, then turned and walked towards the elevator outside, silently praying for Leslie in his heart for two seconds.

"Well... God bless you Leslie, Amen~!"

After making a sign of the cross with his hand, Giles quickly trotted to his wardrobe and hurriedly finished getting dressed.

After a few minutes.

Giles, who was neatly dressed, sat next to Lilith, told the driver an address, and then turned to look at Lilith, waiting for her answer.

Lilith watched the car start to move, took out several documents from a large file bag she carried with her, and handed them to Giles.

"I plan to find Leslie and use these real estate properties as collateral to get a loan from Citibank."

"Loan?" Giles took the document and looked through it briefly.

These are real estate deeds that the family has allocated to Laura and Lilith in recent years.

"Are you short of money? If necessary, Pine and I still have some here that we can lend to you first!~"

Lilith narrowed her eyes with a smile and nodded: "You have a conscience!"

"But... no need!"

"Laura and I don't want to owe you anything anymore! Including you and Pine, including Panaris and Cheryl!"

"you.."

Giles choked as he looked at the documents in his hand and gently placed them next to Lilith: "Do you want to... use these loans to cooperate with David's plan and make a fortune?"

"Yes, that's the plan!"

"Then if you use these real estate properties to borrow money, the amount won't be too much!"

"Well, I have already estimated that according to the normal loan ratio, the maximum I can get is 600 million knives."

"If David's plan can be realized smoothly, the 600 million dollars should be doubled or even more."

"With this money, after Laura graduates from college, we can use it to realize Laura's entrepreneurial plan and realize our..."

Lilith's voice became smaller and smaller. She tilted her head and looked out the car window, pursed her lips, and her eyes were full of longing.

Giles rubbed his cheeks silently with both hands, turned his head and looked out the car window on the other side, his expression a little complicated. .

About half an hour later.

Leslie was holding a chicken coop on his head, with sleepy eyes open, hugging the quilt and pillow, and sitting on the sofa in the living room. After listening to Lilith and Giles' intentions, his face was full of confusion!

"Lilith, are you going to use the property in your and Laura's names to get a loan from Citibank?"

Lilith looked serious and nodded: "Yes."

"then you.."

"How much money do you need? I still have more than 300 million in my account..."

Lilith tilted her head and her eyes began to turn cold: "I don't need your money!"

"I...I~I just mean well!"

"Don't get me wrong! Don't get me wrong!"

"Stop talking nonsense! The documents are all here. Let's see if Citibank can lend me 600 million!"

"Well... okay! I just read your documents, 600 million is no problem."

"But...Lilith, I still have to ask, what do you want to do with this money?"

"If you encounter any difficulties, I can definitely help you raise 600 million dollars!"

Lilith didn't answer his question. She stretched out her hand to sort out the documents, put them neatly into the large file bag, stood up and walked out.

Leslie stared with big innocent eyes and looked at Giles, who was sitting beside him: "What's going on with her?"

Giles shook his head and waved his hands: "Just say you will help, or not!"

Leslie glared at Giles fiercely, turned to look at Lilith who was about to walk out of the room, and hurriedly shouted: "Help! I helped!"

"Just leave the documents. I will find someone to send them to you for the subsequent signing of the loan documents!"

Lilith stopped and stood still, threw the file bag on a low cabinet at the door, and said without looking back: "I will leave New York tomorrow, and when I come back in a few days, Giles will contact you! "

After saying that, Lilith quickly walked out of the room and disappeared from the sight of the two people.

inside the room.

Giles also stood up, adjusted his suit, took a few deep breaths, and made a decision.

"Leslie, I... you know the Blue Crystal Hotel under my name, right?"

"Help me take it and get a mortgage with Citibank with Lilith."

"what?"

Leslie looked at his future brother-in-law with a question mark on his face and asked with confusion: "What are you two doing?"

"Us? Haha~"

"Stop asking, knowing too much will not do you any good!"

"But~"

"Don't do it!"

"I will find someone to deliver the documents of the Blue Crystal Hotel to you later. You'd better get this done before Lilith returns to New York, otherwise... you know!"

"What the fuck!~ I know shit!"

"Hahaha~"

"Okay, I won't disturb you and continue sleeping~ Lilith should still be waiting for me downstairs."

"Let's... call us~!"

After saying that, Giles stopped paying attention to the nonsense that Leslie spewed and shook it off. .Little Long Legs walked out of the room, leaving a somewhat depressed Leslie sitting on the sofa scratching his scalp. .

----

The company's small building.

After Polly came out of the Blue Crystal Hotel in the morning, she went home and changed her clothes, then hurried to the company's office on the fifth floor, ready to start today's work.

Sally, who came out of the Blue Crystal with her, came to the company earlier than Polly.

At this time, she was holding a pile of documents and placing them on Polly's desk in categories.

"Hi~ Sally~ I didn't expect you to be faster than me~!"

"Where's Andy? Didn't he come to the company with you?"

"Haha~ When I went back, Andy smelled of alcohol and was sleeping soundly. He must have been drunk by David and the others last night."

"Haha~ Andy... he also gets drunk sometimes?"

"It seems that he, David and the others were very drunk last night~!"

Sally smiled and didn't answer, silently complaining to Polly: You were even more drunk last night!I was so excited that I was so excited!

Polly hung up her small bag, walked behind the desk and sat down, looking through the papers Sally had laid out.

A small yellow paper bag caught her attention.

The paper bag had Polly's name written on it, along with a phone number.

Polly reached for it, glanced up at Sally, and put it quietly into the second drawer on the left.

"Okay Sally, let's do this for now. If I need anything, I will come to you!"

"Okay, then you get busy first, I'll go..."

Wait until Sally left the office and closed the door.

Polly opened the drawer, took out the small paper bag, hesitated, opened it, and looked through the contents. .

After a few minutes.

Polly slowly arranged the paper bag, opened the drawer, and put it in.

In the drawer, there were still two identical small yellow paper bags lying quietly. Plus the one Polly had just put in, there were exactly three.

Polly folded her arms on her chest, stood up and walked to the window, opened the window, blew in the wind, and looked out the window quietly at the street, her eyes slowly becoming empty.

Another ten minutes later.

She let out a long sigh, turned back behind her desk, picked up the phone, and dialed.

"du~du~"

"Hey~ Is Ludy here?"

"Oh, did he go to a nightclub?"

"OK, thanks!"

"goodbye!"

Polly put down the phone, put her right hand on the phone, raised her head and closed her eyes, then slowly shook her head and picked up the phone again.

----

Harvey Studios.

Oliver Stone stood on the street, checked the house number against the note in his hand, and after making sure it was correct, he opened the door and walked in.

After a few minutes.

He sat in the office and introduced himself to Harvey and Tangtang: "My name is Oliver Stone, I am..."

After introducing myself.

Harvey and Tangtang looked at each other in surprise, then both nodded secretly.

This boy named Oliver, like Harvey, both graduated from regular professional schools.

And Oliver was much luckier than Harvey. He had a good teacher, Martin Scorsese, who was famous, capable, and willing to sincerely help him.

"cough~"

Harvey cleared his throat, held up a pen and asked, "Let me introduce you to the crew."

"This TV series of ours..."

Twenty minutes later.

Harvey and Tangtang answered some of Oliver's questions and were very happy to invite him to join the crew as a screenwriter.

Oliver lowered his head and considered it, then stood up with a smile, shook hands with Harvey and agreed.

After a lot of hard work going through the process.

Tangtang took the contract that Oliver had signed, handed it to Harvey, and sent Oliver to the elevator with a smile.

While waiting for the elevator, Tangtang asked curiously: "Oliver, have you not only been a screenwriter in these years?"

"Haha~ Of course!"

"I have worked as a photographer, screenwriter, editor, props, lighting, etc. on many production crews."

"When I just graduated, props and lighting were the most important work I did."

"Later, because Martin had the opportunity to direct and shoot a movie, I came into contact with photography and screenwriting."

"Wow! From your experience, you have done almost every job in the crew?"

"Yes ~ these jobs are very important to me!"

"Martin often told me that they are all necessary courses for me to have the opportunity to be a director in the future!"

"So, when I do each of their tasks, I complete them very seriously. I hope to accumulate more experience and knowledge and accumulate strength for me to be a director in the future."

Tangtang walked out of the elevator first, stood at the door with Oliver, and gave him a thumbs up: "You will definitely become a director!"

"Similarly, I also believe that your joining will make our future filming work smoother!"

"Thank you, Tangtang~!"

"Haha~ You're welcome~!"

"I will call you in advance to inform you of the follow-up work arrangements! Remember to listen to the phone recording!"

"Telephone recording? Um... My phone at home does not automatically record..."

"However, my girlfriend is often at home. If you call me, someone should answer."

"Okay~"

"So...see you later?" Tangtang nodded with a smile and stretched out her hand to say goodbye.

"Goodbye~"

Oliver smiled and shook hands with Tangtang as he said goodbye, then carried his shoulder bag and walked to his car.

Tangtang stood at the door, watching him go away, and secretly made up her mind to learn from Oliver. During the filming of this TV series, she would participate more in various tasks of the crew and accumulate more experience!

Just when she pointed her chin with her finger and was lost in thought, someone tapped her shoulder lightly, and a voice sounded behind her.

"Tangtang? Why are you...standing here in a daze?"

"Zina?" Tangtang turned around and saw the person coming, smiled and hugged her.

"You are this?"

"I'm here to talk to you about the brokerage company. I have a few friends here..."

As they talked, the two walked into the elevator and arrived at Harvey's office.

After more than an hour.

Zina dialed the number of an old friend in Harvey's office.

"Hello~"

"Yes, I'm Xena."

"Haha~ Do you have time now? Can we meet?"

"Yes, something happened! I want to ask you to help register the company."

"Well, yes, it is a brokerage company, mainly engaged in the brokerage business of models, actors, singers, etc."

"Oh? And...is this a rule?"

"Okay, I get it ~ I'll prepare the documents!"

"By the way! Are you free at noon? We haven't seen each other for a long time. I know a restaurant. Their..."

"Okay, let's meet at noon!"

Putting down the phone, Zina looked at Harvey and Tangtang sitting on the sofa, tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said with a smile: "We may need to... register a few more brokerage companies!"

"what?"

----

In David's apartment.

He slowly opened his eyes in confusion, raised his hand to scratch his new chicken coop-style hair style, and glanced at the watch on his wrist. It was already past 10 o'clock. .

I don’t know if it’s because of my habit of staying up late and going to bed late in the past few days.

Last night, David tossed and turned in bed for a long time before he managed to fall asleep.

Um. .

This night, he had several dreams, and now he felt that the quality of his sleep was very poor, and his eyes were very dry and uncomfortable.

David rubbed his eyes and yawned, while enduring the signal sent by his bladder, he got out of bed and prepared to go to the bathroom for a convenience.

When he walked to the living room, he glanced at it with squinted eyes, and then. .He just grabbed his shorts tightly and kept opening his mouth. .

"Susan? Miranla?"

"Why are you two here?"