SKEPTIC’S GUIDE TO INVESTING

Greenland Risk, Market Nerves

Please text and tell us what you likeWe dig into why talk of controlling Greenland jolts markets, how NATO and EU cohesion factor into risk, and why mineral and oil narratives run headlong into cost and time. We weigh realistic outcomes—from free association to sovereign base rights—and what they mean for European equities, oil, and defense plays.• NATO and EU cohesion risk shaping market sentiment• Russia’s hybrid tactics raising European vulnerability• Arctic minerals and hydrocarbons facing high extraction costs• Realistic paths: free association or sovereign base rights• Precedents from Micronesia, Cyprus, Guantanamo informing options• Oil pricing driven by uncertainty, not near-term supply shifts• Defense exposure favoring drones and sensors over moonshots• Portfolio stance: cautious Europe allocation versus buy-the-dip tactics• Timelines and cash flows guiding resource investment decisionsThanks, listeners. This is a quick take, and as such, we don't have a full knowledge and full ability to determine what the best impact is for investors, but thanks for listening, skeptics, and we look forward to serving you and helping you with your portfolios as we unveil more and more of 2026. Stay safe out there and keep your head on the swivel. Straight Talk for All - Nonsense for NonePlease check out our other podcasts:https://skepticsguidetoinvesting.buzzsprout.com Disclaimer - These podcasts are not intended as investment advice. Individuals please consult your own investment, tax and legal advisors. They provide these insights for educational purposes only.

Rethinking Retirement Readiness with Robert Powell

Please text and tell us what you likeWhat if the retirement “crisis” isn’t universal—and the real squeeze is in the middle? We sit down with Robert Powell (aka “Mr. Retirement”) to unpack who’s truly at risk and how to build a plan that survives markets and real life. We start with simple, strong foundations for early savers—why target date funds work when life is straightforward—and when to graduate to a personalized allocation that accounts for human capital, taxable assets, and Social Security as bond-like income.From there, we get candid about product trends and incentives. Should your 401(k) hold private credit or private equity? If you can’t measure the risk, you can’t manage it. We also confront the crypto question: a small experimental slice might be fine for risk capital, but betting core retirement money on an asset with no earnings or valuation anchor is a leap. Along the way, we revisit the active vs passive debate and land on a practical truth: transparent costs and broad passive exposure often beat complex tilts once you factor fees, taxes, and behavior.Behavior may be the biggest driver of outcomes. Overconfidence and recency bias lead investors to chase heat or bail at bottoms. Robert lays out how advisors can add real value with behavioral assessments and coaching that keep clients invested and calm. Then the conversation widens to what most plans miss: elder planning. We cover caregiving, housing decisions, legal documents, fraud risks, and the right time to prepare—ideally by the mid‑60s, before cognitive decline erodes decision quality.Finally, we dig into the spending “smile,” why essential expenses should be covered by guaranteed income, and how to give yourself permission to spend earlier without fearing ruin. The most important lesson: don’t just retire from work—retire to purpose. Define the life you want, automate what you can, build your team, and review your plan annually. If this helped you think differently about retirement, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. Straight Talk for All - Nonsense for NonePlease check out our other podcasts:https://skepticsguidetoinvesting.buzzsprout.com Disclaimer - These podcasts are not intended as investment advice. Individuals please consult your own investment, tax and legal advisors. They provide these insights for educational purposes only.

Fed Fight, Market Nerves

Please text and tell us what you likeWe unpack the fight over Fed independence, the DOJ subpoena, and why politics is pushing into central banking while markets pretend not to care. Then we tie Venezuela, Greenland, and Iran risk back to rates, sectors, and the case for cash, gold, and selective equities.• DOJ subpoena and Powell’s rare response as signals of pressure on the Fed• Supreme Court decision on Cook’s tenure and implications for Board control• Markets’ mixed message: equities resilient, metals bid as risk hedge• Venezuela investment reality after expropriations and boardroom memory• Greenland and Iran talk as alliance and oil risk, not just headlines• AI leadership cooling, sector rotations, and bank sensitivity to rate policy• Portfolio stance: fewer assumed cuts, patience on duration, caution on REITs• Defensive sleeve in cash, gold, and returning to silver exposure• Equity selection via lower beta, low short interest, and sector-neutral tilt• Watchlist: tariff rulings, Cook decision, Powell’s tenure, and election calendarOur next podcast is gonna have Robert Powell. He runs a webpage called retirement.com. He works for Market Watch, and he's considered one of the experts in this field, interviewing some of the best and brightest around the concept of making your retirement great Straight Talk for All - Nonsense for NonePlease check out our other podcasts:https://skepticsguidetoinvesting.buzzsprout.com Disclaimer - These podcasts are not intended as investment advice. Individuals please consult your own investment, tax and legal advisors. They provide these insights for educational purposes only.

From Caracas To Wall Street: Weighing The Real Risks And Rewards

Please text and tell us what you likeWe weigh the lure of Venezuelan oil against hard realities: weak legal protections, heavy crude economics, and tangled geopolitics with Cuba, Russia, and China. The takeaway is prudence—favor diversified proxies over direct country risk and let facts, not headlines, drive allocation.• investment case framed around rule of law and contract security• heavy oil cost structure versus current WTI and breakevens• prospects for subsidies or military support and why they’re unlikely• historical parallels on expropriation and reform cycles• geopolitical constraints from Russia, China, and Cuba ties• time horizon mismatch for real reform and infrastructure rebuild• proxy exposure via diversified majors like Chevron over direct bets• portfolio discipline and checklist for country risk readinessPlease text us or please email us and let us know what you're thinking and what you'd like to talk about Straight Talk for All - Nonsense for NonePlease check out our other podcasts:https://skepticsguidetoinvesting.buzzsprout.com Disclaimer - These podcasts are not intended as investment advice. Individuals please consult your own investment, tax and legal advisors. They provide these insights for educational purposes only.

Venezuela, Power, And The Price Of Oil

Please text and tell us what you likeWe unpack why Venezuela became the target, how “narco-terrorism” frames public consent, and why oil, sanctions, and heavy crude realities complicate every simple story. We weigh competing motives, from regional dominance to distraction at home, and set up part two on investability.• origins and misuse of the term narco-terrorism• Venezuela as transit hub rather than producer• law enforcement pretext versus military reality• sanctions, heavy oil, and broken infrastructure• Monroe Doctrine history versus modern dominance• risks of regime change without institutions• investor pitfalls, nationalization risk, staged capex• competing motives: oil, optics, distraction, deterrence• outlook for governance, social recovery, and timelinesPlease listen to our next podcast, Venezuela 2, the investment Straight Talk for All - Nonsense for NonePlease check out our other podcasts:https://skepticsguidetoinvesting.buzzsprout.com Disclaimer - These podcasts are not intended as investment advice. Individuals please consult your own investment, tax and legal advisors. They provide these insights for educational purposes only.