4 chapters across the catalog
Hillary Clinton is credited with brokering an oil deal between Sudan and South Sudan, though the hosts remain skeptical of the actual agreement. Meanwhile, a "tax the rich" meme is spreading through Germany, with calls for a wealth tax on the global elite. The hosts note the international coordination of these economic narratives.
Curry recalls a British Airways first-class flight where he learned it takes nine minutes to boil a soft-boiled egg at an 8,000-foot cabin pressure altitude. The conversation shifts to the current economic state of Russia and the "out of control" behavior of the children of Russian oligarchs. Dvorak mentions that some neighborhoods are now conducting character checks on potential residents to avoid the trouble associated with this new generation of wealthy Russians.
Falling Oil Prices and China Inflation Concerns
Crude oil prices are dropping rapidly, leading to a steady decline in gasoline costs at American pumps. Simultaneously, reports suggest China's sovereign wealth fund is depleted, leading to internal discussions about using printing presses to generate cash. This move is considered risky given China's existing 12% inflation rate.
Saudi Arabia is reportedly establishing a trillion-dollar sovereign wealth fund to invest in global banks and domestic infrastructure. With oil prices hovering near $100 a barrel, the move is characterized as a way to recycle petrodollars. A cinematic tangent compares the global obsession with oil to the "go juice" in the film Water World.
