Centered From Reality

Epic & Ikon: What Price Discrimination in the Ski Industry Tells Us About the US Economy

In this episode, Alex starts by debunking the idea that Donald Trump is an isolationist in foreign policy. He argues that Trump is actually quite involved in foreign policy, he just doesn’t agree with the current alliance-based system. Next, Alex dives into the economic changes happening in the United States’ skiing industries. After boom or bust seasons based on snowpack, large corporations like Vail Resorts ended up learning that they could charge different prices to different customers and make record profits. This led to overselling the Epic Pass (at a decent price), while also rising the average cost of day tickets. In a good season, this can lead to chaos and overcrowding (but profits), and in bad seasons, the passholders still feel obligated to ski. Basically, the ski industry has been able to increase output and demand (which is difficult in economics). Alex argues that this is why skiing feels less accessible than ever before but also more accessible at the same time. At the same time, price discrimination seems to be a new trend in the US economy and shows how the ski industry, the airline industry, and restaurants can make profits. Finally, Alex talks about how the Supreme Court has decided to hear Trump’s immunity case. It seems like SCOTUS is trying to stall a trial and it will help Trump in the election. 

Biden 2024: Warnings Out of Michigan as GOP Turnout Rises (and Some Good News)

In this episode, Alex talks about how the warning calls directed towards the Biden 2024 Campaign are now coming from inside of the party, as well as outside of it. The Michigan Primary has wrapped up and Biden won the vote of 81% of Democrats; however, turnout was down and the “uncommitted” vote came in second with 13.3% of the vote. At the same time, Donald Trump saw higher turnout, even though he only got a bit over 68% against Nikki Haley’s 26%. In a state as crucial as Michigan, Alex worries that the Biden Campaign should be worried about the left’s fracturing politics and the internal opposition to his own presidency that exists within the party.

Chatbot Limbo (with Hallucinations), Taco Bell (the Great Unifier) & IVF Threatened in Alabama (by Pro-Lifers!?)

In this episode, Alex starts by talking about how Taco Bell may be the last great unifier in the United States and how cartwheels are a dangerous abomination. Then he gets into an interesting case surrounding Air Canada, a chatbot that gave a customer false information, and a Canadian court ruling that the airline was responsible for the chatbot’s behavior. Alex argues this is a landmark case. Finally, Alex talks about the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that the embryos used in In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) are a life and harming these embryos is equivalent to taking a life. The GOP is all over the place on responding to this issue and Alex thinks the hypocrisy and ignorance is insane. 

The Slow Motion Murder of Alexei Navalny & Tucker's Potemkin Tour of Moscow

In this episode, Alex talks the death of Alexei Navalny and about his legacy. He discusses why he was such an important opposition figure to Putin that held a mirror up to the Kremlin’s moral hypocrisy. Alex also talks about why Navalny was a complex and controversial figure, and while he was an imperfect opposition figure, he was necessary to unify Russians against Putin’s kleptocratic regime. Later, Alex talks about Tucker Carlson’s insane compliments about Russian infrastructure and supermarkets. He asks why question — is Tucker a useful idiot or a fellow traveler? Or could be be a bit of both?

The Enhanced Games: the Olympics on Steroids & the Nightmarish Mix of Anarcho-Capitalism and Unethical Science

In this episode, Alex starts with a dark rant about the origins of Valentine’s Day. Then he hesitantly celebrates the results of a special election held in New York following the expulsion of George Santos. In the special election, Tom Suozzi (the Democrat) beat Mazi Pilip (the Republican) in a crucial seat that could help Democrats take back the house in the 2024 election. For the rest of the episode, Alex talks about the Enhanced Games. The games have been funded by venture capitalists like Peter Thiel and are arguing that the Olympics is flawed and that performance enhancing drugs should be embraced, not banned. The games also are solely funded through private organizations with questionable motives. Alex finds that the games showcase a nightmarish intersection between ethical issues, anarcho-capitalism, flawed science, reactionary politics, and skepticism of international non-profits. 

Nikki Haley Loses to 'None of the Above' in Nevada & GOP's No Good, Very Bad Week!

In this episode, Alex covers Tucker Carlson’s journey to interview Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Nikki Haley’s loss to “None of the Above” in Nevada’s Primary, and the GOP’s bad week in the House and Senate!

El Salvador's Dilemma: the Allure of Security Over Liberty

In this episode, Alex focuses on the allure that many countries are facing — tradeoffs between security and liberty. The issue has been even more pronounced in a lot of Latin America where failed goverments and rising gang violence have driven the populace to demand security and economic stability. Alex looks at President Nayib Bukele in El Salvador and how he has locked up thousands of potential gang members without due process. The country is safer and the economy is doing better, but Alex worries that these tradeoffs may be appealing in the short term but could help entrench a wannabe-autocrat like Bukele in the longer term. 

Nevada's Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Primary, Tucker Twists Reality & the EU Silences Viktor Orban

In this episode, Alex starts by going through some clips from a recent Tucker Carlson event where he twists himself into a myriad of logical pretzels that he would have been ashamed of several years ago. Next, Alex briefly talks about how the European Union has agreed on giving Ukraine 50 billion euros in aid over the next four years. The EU was even able to get Viktor Orban to fold on his opposition. Finally, Alex dives into the primary/caucus chaos that is unfolding in Nevada less than a week out from its primary and caucus. Basically, there is a Republican primary on February 6th and a Republican caucus on February 8th; the problem is that Nikki Haley is only on the primary ballot and Donald Trump is only in the caucus a few days later. Alex argues this may cause more confusion ahead of the 2024 election and also shows the internal division in the current GOP. 

Fascism Needs a Corporatist Collab & Tensions Spiral Between the US, Iran & its Proxies

In this episode, Alex starts by wishing he never heard a new anti-woke rap song that features Ben Shapiro. Then he gets into the recent deaths of three American soldiers in an isolated part of Jordan that the US military has been using for years. Alex argues that this can be seen as an important moment — the United States should look at its policies towards Iran and its proxies and realize that both deterrence and diplomacy are not working. Finally, Alex argues that Fascism always needs support from the capitalists and monopolists, and visa versa. Last week at Davos, Jamie Dimon, the chief executive of JPMorgan Chase, started to warm up to a Trump 2.0 Administration. He argued similar talking points that were used by elites to justify Mussolini in the 1930s — the economy was good, immigration was quelled, the world was stable, and the trains ran on time. Alex wishes we could learn more from history. 

A Lost Artistic Masterpiece Resurfaces After 100 Years: the Washington Principles to Return Nazi-Looted Art

In this episode, Alex takes a break from politics to get into one of his passions — ART! It was reported over the last few days that a painting by Gustav Klimt, that had been lost since 1925 and assumed destroyed, had been found in Vienna. The painting is called “Portrait of Fräulein Lieser” and belonged to a wealthy Jewish family in Vienna. Alex talks about how the painting will be auctioned off based on agreements made from the Washington Principles. This agreement was designed to return Nazi-looted art to the descendants of those it was taken from. Alex rants about why looting and destruction of great works of art breaks his heart and discusses why movements like fascism and communism are devoid of emotion and warmth.