E114: The California Fires: An Expert's Insight w/ Dr. Mark Schwartz

Retiree Charlie shares his snowbird lifestyle between Wisconsin and The Villages, Florida, offering candid reflections on retirement, community, and how to age actively and meaningfully.Guest Bio: Charlie is a 72-year-old retired journalist and public relations professional from Wisconsin. A seasonal resident of The Villages, Florida—the world’s largest retirement community—Charlie spends four months each year embracing active living through pickleball, biking, live music, and travel with his wife of 45 years.Topics Discussed:Life in The Villages, FL: activities, cost, community culturePros and cons of snowbirding: Florida vs. Alabama, Arizona, HawaiiFinancial planning and budgeting for retirement travelThe importance of social connection and purpose in agingTravel stories, long cruises, national parks, and future dreamsReflections on healthcare, housing, and living within your meansBest Quotes:“We’re the epitome of the definition of snowbird.”— On escaping Wisconsin winters for sunny Florida.“If you're not physically active, it's tough to be mentally sharp.”— On staying engaged and healthy during retirement.“You can't take it with you... so enjoy it.”— On spending money for experiences, not just saving for the future. 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!

23 Nov 20231h 10min

Dr. Ann Schnare breaks down the implications of the $1.8B real estate commission lawsuit, revealing how changes to traditional agent fee structures could make it much harder—especially for first-time and lower-income buyers—to purchase a home.Guest Bio: Dr. Ann Schnare is president of Ann Schnare Associates LLC, a housing and mortgage finance consultancy. With prior leadership roles at Freddie Mac and the Urban Institute, she’s an expert in real estate markets, financial reform, and fair lending. Her career spans decades of research and policy impact in U.S. housing finance.Topics Discussed:The $1.8B Missouri lawsuit against the National Association of RealtorsHow real estate agents are typically paid and how that may changeThe impact of fee restructuring on buyers, sellers, and agentsWhy mortgage rules and down payment hurdles matter more than everThe future of Zillow, MLS, and agent business models in a disrupted marketRacial homeownership gaps and housing access for minority familiesThe importance of zoning reform, affordable housing, and ADUsThe influence of hedge funds, Airbnb, and interest rates on housing supplyBest Quotes:"The short answer is that it would make it much harder to buy a home."— On what happens if sellers can no longer pay buyer agent fees."If it were an all-cash world, none of this would matter. But it’s not."— On why mortgages amplify the impact of agent fee changes."The homeownership gap between white and Black Americans was 30% in 1960—and it’s still 30% today."— On why equity in housing remains an urgent, unfinished task. 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!

18 Nov 202338min

Dr. Zongyuan Zoe Liu explains how China's "sovereign leveraged funds" differ from traditional sovereign wealth funds—and how they’re being used to advance the Communist Party’s global ambitions through strategic investments in high-tech industries, infrastructure, and geopolitics.Guest Bio:Dr. Zongyuan Zoe Liu is a Fellow for China and Indo-Pacific Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and the author of Sovereign Funds: How the Communist Party of China Finances Its Global Ambitions. A fluent Mandarin speaker with a background in finance and energy, she specializes in China's financial markets, foreign exchange reserves, and state-led investment strategies.Topics Covered:The origin and evolution of sovereign wealth funds globallyHow China’s sovereign funds differ—leveraged, opaque, and politically directedThe strategic use of CIC and SAFE to advance China's tech and geopolitical influenceInvestment in semiconductors, high-tech firms, and Belt and Road initiativesThe risks of foreign asset seizure and parallels with Russian sanctionsWhy China won't dethrone the U.S. dollar anytime soonHow domestic crises, not just global ambition, shaped China’s sovereign fundsU.S.-China decoupling, de-risking, and the future of financial powerTop 3 Best Quotes:"Follow the money, find the politics."— Dr. Liu’s guiding principle for uncovering the strategic motives behind China’s sovereign investment strategies."China’s sovereign funds don’t just buy assets—they buy influence, expertise, and access."— On how financial investments serve geopolitical purposes."Despite today’s economic malaise, the Chinese economy has never been better in historical terms—it’s still the world’s second-largest economy."— A nuanced take on China's current strength amid structural challenges.📺Watch the full podcast on YouTube➡️https://youtu.be/QI-_04wyDWc?si=3ke56O0kyQe1cpnU 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!

5 Nov 202352min

Richard Vague explains how money is created through debt, why inflation is usually a supply problem—not “money printing”—and how understanding private debt is the key to avoiding financial crises and economic inequality.👤Guest Bio: Richard Vague is the former Secretary of Banking and Securities for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and currently the managing partner of Gabriel Investments, an early-stage venture capital firm. He is the author of The Paradox of Debt: A New Path to Prosperity Without Crisis, along with several other books on economics, finance, and American history.📚Topics Discussed:How banks create money through lendingThe real meaning behind “printing money” and why the phrase is misleadingQuantitative easing vs. money printingWhy debt growth drives asset prices and widens inequalityThe role of private sector debt in predicting financial crisesChina's economic vulnerabilities and demographic collapseInflation as a supply shock—especially from war and energyThe promise of reshoring high-tech manufacturing to the U.S.CBDCs, Bitcoin, and the future of monetary systemsHow to fix student debt and support sustainable growth💬Top 3 Quotes:“All money is created by debt.”– A foundational truth behind modern monetary systems that Vague stresses must be better understood.“The more debt you have, the higher stock and real estate prices go… but if the wealthy own most of the assets, inequality widens.”– On the mechanics of wealth concentration in debt-driven economies.“If everyone paid off their loans at the same time, there would be no money left in the system.”– A powerful illustration of how debt underpins the entire money supply. 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!

29 Okt 202350min

Dr. Nima Sanandaji challenges the myth of Nordic socialism, explaining how high-tax policies stagnated Sweden’s economy and why true Nordic success stems from deep capitalist roots and cultural norms—not socialism.👤Guest Bio: Dr. Nima Sanandaji is a Kurdish-Swedish author, economist, and president of the European Centre for Entrepreneurship and Policy Reform. He has written over 25 books, including Debunking Utopia, Scandinavian Unexceptionalism, and The Nordic Gender Equality Paradox, focusing on economic history, entrepreneurship, and welfare reform.📚Topics Discussed:The myth of Nordic socialism and its cultural roots in capitalismHow Sweden’s high-tax era led to stagnation despite a strong work ethic and high trust societyComparisons between Sweden, the U.S., and countries like Ireland and Singapore in economic freedom and taxationThe unintended consequences of welfare expansion, particularly on women's labor opportunitiesNordic countries’ fiscal conservatism vs. U.S. debt-driven spendingEntrepreneurship, innovation, and economic growth in Europe and the U.S.Why Sweden may need to further lower taxes to regain global competitiveness💬Top 3 Quotes:“The Nordic countries are very fiscally conservative—I mean, who is the socialist one here? Come on, it's the U.S. right now.”– Sanandaji flipping the common narrative on its head about which country is truly acting like a socialist state.“Sweden’s success is built on 300 years of capitalist norms—not 50 years of high taxes.”– On the deep entrepreneurial history of Sweden that predates and outshines its short socialist experiment.“If you want to argue for socialism, take a country that’s actually socialist—don’t point to the Nordics.”– Challenging the use of Nordic countries as a model for left-wing economic arguments.📺Watch the full pod on YouTube➡️https://youtu.be/_s5OfLPl7NM?si=mPVvU-roh1_gNI9m 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!

21 Okt 202345min

Dr. Emmanuel Maggiori, author of Smart Until It’s Dumb, exposes the myths around artificial intelligence, argues why the AI bubble will burst, and explains how hype, inefficiency, and misplaced incentives are shaping tech and work culture today.👤Guest Bio: Dr. Emmanuel Maggiori is a software engineer and AI consultant with a PhD in machine learning. He has worked for over a decade in tech and finance, including roles at Expedia and investment banks, and is the author of Smart Until It’s Dumb: Why Artificial Intelligence Keeps Making Epic Mistakes and Why the AI Bubble Will Burst. Emmanuel is a vocal critic of inflated AI narratives and advocates for practical, real-world technology solutions.📚Topics Discussed:Why AI systems like ChatGPT and AlphaGo aren’t as “intelligent” as people thinkTech industry idleness, task inflation, and the cult of ScrumThe limits of machine learning, from self-driving cars to Amazon’s “cashierless” storesThe economics behind layoffs, overstaffing, and the illusion of productivity in techAI bias, hallucinations, and the dangers of over-trusting algorithmic decisionsFuture-proofing your job and why “excellent work” will survive AI disruptionInvestment hype cycles, broken VC incentives, and the promise of boring businessesAI girlfriends, Skynet fears, and the difference between science fiction and current reality💬Top 3 Quotes:“If you want to argue that AI is about to change the world, ask yourself: do you actually know what a screenwriter, translator, or consultant does?”— On the disconnect between AI hype and the reality of complex human jobs.“AI is smart until it’s dumb—because it can do something brilliant, and then hallucinate something completely absurd without warning.”— On the core limitation of current machine learning systems.“There’s so much boring work left to do in the world—real innovation will come from solving those problems, not building metaverse goggles or AI girlfriends.”— On what we should actually be investing in and building with technology.📺Watch the full pod on YouTube➡️https://youtu.be/Nd7wrC62LEk?si=zASovHB70EL9Nf_9 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!

13 Okt 20231h 25min

Full-time RVer Mike Mixa shares six years of hard-earned wisdom on the joys, costs, and realities of life on the road.Guest BioMike Mixa is a retired Wisconsin native who, along with his wife Julie, has lived full-time in an RV since 2017. A veteran of campground hosting and cross-country travel, Mike offers practical advice and firsthand experience from nearly a decade of RV living.Topics DiscussedChoosing the right RV (Class A vs. travel trailer vs. diesel pusher)Budgeting for full-time RV life: fuel, maintenance, and campground costsBoondocking vs. resort living: tradeoffs in cost, comfort, and flexibilityRV maintenance issues and the importance of DIY skillsBuilding community on the road and staying socially connectedThe changing demographics of RVers post-pandemicHealth care, prescriptions, and staying active on the roadThe pros and cons of giving up homeownership for full mobilitySeasonal strategies: hosting, long-term stays, and escaping winterBest 3 Quotes“You're going to have issues with your RV — they all do, no matter what you pay for.”“We like to say the longer you can park it, the better your gas mileage.”“Your home is with you — if you don’t like a place, you can change it up next season.” 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!

8 Okt 20231h 4min

Dr. George Sowers explores how space mining—starting with water ice on the Moon—could transform global energy, economics, and the future of humanity.🧑‍🚀 Guest BioDr. George Sowers is a Professor of Practice at the Colorado School of Mines, where he helps lead the world’s first graduate program in space resources. Formerly Chief Scientist and VP of Advanced Programs at United Launch Alliance, he was appointed in 2022 to NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Committee. He is a leading voice in space logistics, lunar mining, and the economics of off-Earth infrastructure.🌌 Topics DiscussedWhy water is "the oil of space" and key to sustainable space explorationThe future of space mining on the Moon and asteroidsLegal and regulatory gaps in off-Earth resource claimsWhy space-based solar power could replace fossil fuelsThe economics and logistics of building a space economyRoles of SpaceX, Blue Origin, and U.S. policy in future space infrastructureDebunking moon landing conspiracies and other space myths💬 Best Quotes“Water equals rocket fuel. If we can extract it from the Moon, we cut the cost of space missions by two-thirds.”“One asteroid contains more metal than humanity has used in all of history—and could supply us for millions of years.”“The future of humans is boundless. Space resources are the next great economic revolution after agriculture and industry.” 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!

30 Sep 202357min