Welcome back to Between The Lies, where we expose the financial propaganda and give you the real story behind market manipulation. I'm Nicky P, and I'm joined by the money truth-teller at Perfect Spiral Capital - Rob Brayton. This week's headline contradiction: S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit all-time highs while every real economic indicator screams recession. Oracle surges, PPI inflation data fuels Fed rate cut hopes, and somehow we're supposed to celebrate that everything costs more than it's ever cost before. What We Cover: • Why stock market highs just mean everything is more expensive than ever • How government market manipulation creates fake prosperity signals • The pressure campaign from the executive office to force Fed rate cuts • Why gold's continued rise exposes dollar debasement in real time • How they force you into playing a rigged stock market game through 401ks • The difference between price going up and actual economic strength • Why easy money policies hurt regular people while enriching insiders Key Takeaways: Rob breaks down why "up" doesn't necessarily mean "good" when it comes to markets - higher prices just mean things cost more for regular people. He exposes how government intervention in private companies (like the Intel takeover we covered) creates artificial market distortions that benefit cronies while hurting the economy. We also tackle the uncomfortable truth: When you're forced to play in markets you don't understand, through 401ks and money managers, you're basically gambling with your future while people with inside information profit from your ignorance. The Reality Check: Record highs during a recession aren't prosperity - they're manipulation. When gold keeps rising alongside stocks, that's not diversification working, that's your currency dying in real time. But here's the thing - once you see the game, you can stop playing by their rules. Perfect Spiral Capital Insight: Rob emphasizes building foundations that aren't subject to market manipulation or government intervention. While others celebrate temporary gains in rigged markets, smart money builds wealth through systems that compound automatically without depending on Fed policy or earnings reports. Ready to build real wealth instead of gambling in manipulated markets? Visit PerfectSpiralCapital.com/podcast for their free toolkit on taking control of your financial future.