Kontrarian Korner

Yesterday I had Colonel Towner-Watkins for part 8 of the CIA Files. This week we were talking about the Korean War, and why the unit we got in high school history class was so short. We covered the transition from a Japanese colony before WWII, to the split country that we have today. As you can imagine, there was a false flag to start the Korean War, US involvement and political interference, and the story we were taught is nowhere close to the actual events. We also talked a little bit about the parallels between the Korean War and the conflict between Ukraine and Russia today, and the changing media strategy that more and more people are waking up to. You can find the Colonel on Twitter, Rumble, YouTube, and Substack.

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Yesterday I had Trader Ferg back on the podcast to talk about different opportunities he sees in the market today. We got into the disruptions in the Middle East and which areas of the market might benefit, but we also talked about precious metals, the circular AI spending, and agricultural commodities. You can find Ferg’s Substack below.

Podcast Summary

* Why he favors oil services names with exposure to offshore equipment.

* The circular nature of AI spending and the competition with China on AI.

* Why exchanges are a great way to get exposure to other markets outside of the US.

* His thoughts on inflation and what it means for the dollar.

* Why he is partial to platinum group metals in the precious metals complex.

* Almonds as an interesting place to look inside the agricultural complex.

* The rest of the agricultural commodities, and why it is difficult to play with direct exposure to the commodities.

* Book Recommendation: The Entropy Trap by Mickey Maini.

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On Friday I had Cameron Macgregor on the podcast for the first time. We had a great conversation about recent events in the Middle East, the genesis of the conflict, and the system of influence over foreign policy that is breaking down. We also talked about Europe, financial markets, and the various problems facing Western society. We will be doing a follow up conversation soon, and I’m already looking forward to it. You can find Cameron on YouTube, Substack, and Instagram.

Podcast Summary

* The genesis of the conflict in the Middle East, and the influence of the Zionist lobby on US foreign policy.

* A shifting Overton Window among the broader population and how it contrasts with the Zionist influence on our political class.

* Why he sees a succession to the current system on the horizon, and why the new sovereign will look different.

* The cultural rot in the system and why it doesn’t work anymore.

* His view on inflation, the Fed and the Treasury, and the future for gold and bitcoin.

* The changes in the market over the last several decades and the divergence between paper markets and physical markets.

* Why he doesn’t think a CBDC would be successful in the US.

* His thoughts on Europe, and why they are in dire straits politically and economically.

* How group identity and ethnos shapes a culture and the social contract.

* Why he sees a mass movement coming soon, and the costs of the demographic changes.

* How the lack of elite turnover has prevented Trump from implementing pieces of his agenda, including remigration.

* Why the lack of unique sovereignty makes the social contract invalid.

* Book Recommendations: The Rise and Fall of American Growth by Robert Gordon, End Times by Peter Turchin, The Crowd by Gustav Le Bon & Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck.

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Yesterday I had Rob Connors from The Crude Chronicles back on the podcast. We talked about how recent events have pulled forward the bull cycle for oil. He doesn’t see a large price spike coming from the supply chain disruptions, but he does think oil prices will go higher as the marginal cost of supply increases over time. We also talked about which sectors he prefers and why, and how the changes to executive compensation incentives have changed the spending priorities of energy companies across the energy space. You can find Rob’s Substack below, and you can also find him on Twitter.

Podcast Summary

Yesterday I had Mike Farris back on the podcast to talk about everything going on these days. We talked about the nuances of podcasting, what’s going on in markets and the economy, the state of the US, and a bunch of other topics. Mike has one of the best podcasts out there, so you should definitely go check his stuff out. You can find him on Twitter, YouTube, and all of the main podcast apps. If you want to get his podcasts early and ad-free, you can follow him on his Substack.

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Yesterday I had the Colonel back on for part 7 of our CIA Files series. This week we covered the Philippines, and how we see the same patterns in this part of the world that we have talked about recently in Greece and Italy. We talked about how the American intelligence community paved the way for corporations and their land grab, the election interference, and the involvement of the US trained Philippine soldiers that were involved in Korea, and later in Vietnam and Indonesia. You might be noticing a pattern at this point, but this week’s show will help set the the table for later events in Southeast Asia. You can find Colonel Towner-Watkins on Twitter and Rumble.

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On Thursday I had Matt Warder of The Coal Trader back on the podcast to give us an update on everything going on with coal. We also talked about the Strait of Hormuz, the various ripples in supply chains and the general macro environment, and the impacts of AI on small business and other parts of the corporate world. For anyone interested in commodities and coal specifically, it’s a must listen. You can find The Coal Trader Substack below, but he’s also on Twitter.

Podcast Summary

* An overview of thermal and met coal markets, and how recent events put a floor under the different price benchmarks.

* The inflationary setup that is in the pipeline for the back half of 2026.

* China’s steel market, US tariffs, and how it ties in with coal prices.

* The different opportunities in the coal sector, and the Australian royalty regime that differentiates US producers from Australian producers.

* Fed policy and what Warsh might do as the new chair.

* Why he expects rates to head higher on a long-term basis.

* The impact of AI on small business, and the strengths and weaknesses of the technology.

* Book Recommendation: The Fourth Turning Is Here by Neil Howe.

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Yesterday I had Scott Osheroff back on the podcast to talk about what’s going on in financial markets and where he sees opportunities. We covered the complacency in financial markets and the complicated macro setup with the Strait of Hormuz and the tech IPOs in the pipeline. We also talked about rates heading higher, the commodities complex, and where he sees opportunities today. You can find Scott on Twitter and on Telegram.

Podcast Summary

* The complacency in broader financial markets with a complicated macro backdrop.

* How the global SPR releases have temporarily covered the Strait of Hormuz problem.

* The high profile IPOs in the pipeline, and how his Mongolian stock broker called him asking about the SpaceX IPO.

* The hyperfinancialization of markets and the economy, and why financial markets are just responding to the incentives and regulations in place.

* Why rates will continue to go higher until we get to yield curve control.

* How advances in crypto, stablecoins, and tokenization will change financial flows and potentially lead to T+0 settlement.

* His view on the different commodities, and why he’s expecting a better buying opportunity in the future.

* Why the cannabis sector is an interesting pond to fish in for value investors.

* Book Recommendation: Lords of Finance by Liaquat Ahamed.

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Yesterday I had Dave Collum and John Polomny on the podcast for a great three way conversation about financial markets, the economy, and the future of the US. If you want to hear us rant about the SpaceX bagholders that will be created, or the asset stripping that has been going on in America, or the various problems in the medical and food systems, you will enjoy this one. It was a great combination and one that I hope to do again in the future. You can find Dave on Twitter, or under his desk. You can find John’s Substack below, but you can also find him on Twitter, and his weekly market updates on YouTube are a must watch.

Podcast Summary

* The insanity in financial markets, future SpaceX bagholders, and what Warsh means for the Federal Reserve.

* The asset stripping and rent seeking design of our economy, and how we have moved away from an economy that produces real goods and services.

* How many investors don’t know what they own, and what it means that many investors are now in a position where they can sell their entire portfolio with one click.

* Why college is going out of favor, and some examples of jobs that will be more important in coming years.

* How a secular society led to religious movements around climate change and DEI.

* Why the Strait of Hormuz is going to lead to significant supply chain disruptions after we burn through the inventories.

* The COVID psyop, how it damaged people, and led to an acceleration of the asset stripping of small businesses and the middle class.

* How all vaccines are a scam.

* Why the only way the elites get punished is through frontier justice, outside of the legal system.

* How to survive an American system that could be in the process of breaking apart.

* The data center buildout and if AI is an investable technology.

* Why they are both defensive in this current market environment.

* Book Recommendations: Vaccines, Amen: The Religion of Vaccines by Aaron Siri & The Moth in the Iron Lung: A Biography of Polio by Forrest Maready.

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Yesterday I had Dan Herrin back on the podcast to talk about the insanity going on in financial markets and the insanity going on here in the US. He explained why he is bullish on energy and the pattern recognition on broader markets and the comparisons to 2000. We also covered some of the different problems facing the US and the changes that have happened since COVID. You can find Dan on Twitter, where he’s a very entertaining follow.

Podcast Summary

* Why he’s expecting issues in the oil market and why he’s very bullish on energy for the second half of the year.

* The insider trading, fake headlines, and market manipulation that has become more obvious in recent months.

* Trump’s path out of this mess, and the possibility of an export ban.

* Why the broader stock market reminds him of 2000.

* People acting different since COVID lockdowns here in the US, and how we seem to be fine with memory holing the entire series of events around COVID.

* What Americans actually want from the Federal Government: no more forever wars and dropping the hammer on immigration.

* The corrosive effects of the Kalergi plan and feminism on Western society.

* Book Recommendation: Stranger to the Game by Bob Gibson.

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This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.kontrariankorner.com/subscribe