Like much of the world, entrepreneur Mark Barnes and journalist Tim Cohen were mesmerised by the Oval Office showdown between US president Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy which ended in name-calling, finger pointing, and no deal. It's tempting to extrapolate too far, but it's clear a rift has developed between the post-war diplomatic reality. In this podcast we discuss this issue and how it affects South Africa, particularly our delayed budget discussions. TL;DR - self-sufficiency is the new global watchword.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro.

Music & Design by Bernard Kotze.

Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

What was that phrase, “Vat hom!”? Well, I think we can all agree that suggesting a two percentage point increase in VAT, was really going for it. The budget and the proposed VAT increase was, somewhat inevitably, the main topic of conversation between entrepreneur Mark Barnes and Daily Maverick editor at large Tim Cohen. One question remains: what about looking at a few savings here and there? Just asking. We also cover other issues of national and global importance, like investments, sovereign wealth funds and smelly feet.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro.

Music & Design by Bernard Kotze.

Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

It's budget week, which means it's a period of festivity and celebration as we all look forward to higher taxes. Not necessarily. We will see on Wednesday. In the meantime, entrepreneur Mark Barnes and Daily Maverick Editor at Large Tim Cohen discuss the budget this week among many other topics, somewhat in trepidation. And we reach the conclusion that the country needs to confront its weaknesses head-on and not keep looking for incremental improvements. Will that happen? Not sure. And will there be peace in Ukraine? And who drilled a hole in the Gautrain tunnel? These are things we need to know.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro.

Music & Design by Bernard Kotze.

Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

When you turn your friends into your enemies, don’t all your enemies suddenly become friends - with each other? There is an intrinsic design flaw when it comes to alienating your friends, but US President Donald Trump doesn’t seem to care. But hey, he’s not totally friendless - Trump has reached out to Afrikaners and initiated a new great trek. It sticks in the craw that it takes someone like Trump to point out weaknesses in local legislation like the Expropriation Act, but that’s what entrepreneur Mark Barnes and Daily Maverick Editor at Large Tim Cohen discuss. “When you apply force to achieve an objective, and not persuasion, you end up with a fight and not a result,” says Barns. Listen up.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro.

Music & Design by Bernard Kotze.

Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

There are few things more fun than buying a new car, and few things more boring than taking it in for regular and expensive services. But the utility of making regular repairs can extend the life of everything, including as it happens, your own life. In South Africa, repair culture is in urgent need of repair. Entrepreneur Mark Barnes and journalist Tim Cohen try to keep their sagacity in repair by talking through the latest Trump Tantrum, the state of mining in South Africa and the news of the week. By all means, join us.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro.

Music & Design by Bernard Kotze.

Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

Slightly inevitably, the GNU is going through a bout of indigestion. How serious is it? Should we be buying gold, selling the rand and stocking up on loo paper? Entrepreneur Mark Barnes and financial journalist Tim Cohen discuss why it is that political parties seem to be more interested in their internal battles than they are in the problems of the SA population at large. Somewhat appropriately, we are about to go into the year of the snake according to the Chinese lunar system. And while we are on the subject of slithering, how was US President Donald Trump’s first week in office? Busy, it turns out.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro.

Music & Design by Bernard Kotze.

Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

There is no escape. This week's news is going to be dominated by the inauguration of The Donald. Entrepreneur Mark Barnes and journalist Tim Cohen discuss how the world will change from this week - and how it won't. All of a sudden, the world itself seems to be a different place, and we will all need to look to our laurels - if we have them. And SA's 2024 crop of matriculants seems to have laurels in huge quantities with pass rates increasing impressively. That means applications at SA's universities are now overwhelming. But is a university degree the be-all and end-all of education and training? This and other stuff; take a listen.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro.

Music & Design by Bernard Kotze.

Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

What is the difference between being adaptable and actually adapting? Entrepreneur Mark Barnes and journalist Tim Cohen discuss this and other important Darwinian questions, including the relationship between humans and yachts. And that raises the question, is Africa adapting or is it just adaptable? Are names of oceans adapting, like the African Ocean for example, formally known (somewhat unfairly) as the Indian Ocean. Its a wild start to Januworry, and we are only half way through!Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro.

Music & Design by Bernard Kotze.

Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

Entrepreneur Mark Barnes and financial journalist Tim Cohen discuss the new year, and what we can expect, coming to the conclusion that we don't actually know what to expect because, well, global uncertainty. But we do discuss ways to operate in an uncertain world, and strategies you might use. Security threats are also part of uncertainty, so the question arrises, how many members of a personal security detail does, say, the mayor of Johannesburg actually need? And lots of crucial, large numbers.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro.

Music & Design by Bernard Kotze.

Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

Remember when Christmas was a day? Then it became a season. Black Friday, you would think, would forever be a day, that day being, you guessed it, Friday. Turns out, Black Friday is now fast becoming a week, and will inevitably soon become a season. And talking of seasons, it has been the season of gambling, dubious state financing, election upsets, struggling governments and regime change. Entrepreneur Mark Barnes and business editor Tim Cohen discuss all of the above, and more in this, our final podcast for the year.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro.

Music & Design by Bernard Kotze.

Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.