Is Your Country a Balding Disaster or a Hair-Raising Success?Welcome to the follicular freak show you never knew you needed.

In this episode, Max and Lisa go bald—or at least mentally bald—as they dive into the worldwide crisis of male pattern baldness, where 45% of Spanish men are waving goodbye to their hairlines and clinging to their dignity like a few stubborn strands on the crown.

Why are European men’s scalps looking like they just survived a forest fire? And why are Argentine men apparently immune? (What’s in their yerba mate—Minoxidil?)

Lisa dishes the genetics, Max rants about the hair loss-industrial complex, and together they question if baldness is a silent epidemic… or just a European aesthetic.

Note: This project explores the new creative potential unlocked by generative AI, showcasing how a single person, in just two hours, can curate (not create, but curate) a polished podcast series. I recognize the critiques around AI-generated content and the potential for digital clutter but invite you to take a listen on your next walk or drive and see what you think. Audio is AI-generated by Google's NotebookLM. Images by Grok-3 and Magic Studio.

Chocolate Capitalism: Sweet for Some, Bitter for OthersWelcome to a ruthless, no-mercy roast of humanity’s chocolate obsession—where the rich drown in cocoa while others barely get a whiff. Armed with 2017 data from FAOSTAT, Statista, and Rational Stat, Max Bennett and Lisa Vega shred the delusions of chocoholics and expose the absurd divide: Switzerland’s munching through 8.8 kg per person, while Nigeria barely scrapes 0.03 kg.

Is this just another case of economic inequality dipped in sugar, or is there something deeper behind the great chocolate divide? With dark humor, biting sarcasm, and zero sacred cows, we unwrap the bitter truths behind the world’s sweetest addiction. Grab a bar (if you can afford it) and prepare for some unapologetic analysis—this one’s gonna melt your brain.

Note: This project explores the new creative potential unlocked by generative AI, showcasing how a single person, in just two hours, can curate (not create, but curate) a polished podcast series. I recognize the critiques around AI-generated content and the potential for digital clutter but invite you to take a listen on your next walk or drive and see what you think. Audio is AI-generated by Google's NotebookLM. Images by Grok-3 and Magic Studio.

Billionaire Tax Yoga: How the Top 1% Bends the System and Still Says Namaste

Let’s talk about the $2.14 trillion elephant in the IRS’s room.

In 2022, the top 1% paid $855 billion in income taxes—and yet the bottom 50% got stuck with $64B and a “Thank you, come again.” Are we witnessing tax justice, or just America’s favorite illusion: Wealthy people paying their fair share™?

Max breaks down the smoke-and-mirrors math of how the top 5% shoulder 61% of the tax burden—while still somehow getting richer, dodging property taxes, hiding cash in trusts, and sipping chianti in Wyoming LLCs.

Lisa exposes the bottom 50%'s grim reality: a group working 3 jobs, paying more in payroll taxes, and still getting blamed for national debt like it’s their side hustle.

Note: This project explores the new creative potential unlocked by generative AI, showcasing how a single person, in just two hours, can curate (not create, but curate) a polished podcast series. I recognize the critiques around AI-generated content and the potential for digital clutter but invite you to take a listen on your next walk or drive and see what you think. Audio is AI-generated by Google's NotebookLM. Images by Grok-3 and Magic Studio.

Social Safety Nets or National Gaslighting?Austria Spends, America Pretends...Ever wonder what happens when you pit countries in a Hunger Games of public social spending? Well, spoiler alert: Austria wins, the U.S. brings a plastic fork, and Mexico’s chilling in the corner wondering if anyone brought snacks.

In this episode, Max and Lisa dive into the OECD’s latest data on social protection spending as a % of GDP, and trust us – the disparity is not just embarrassing, it's morally offensive. Austria, Finland, and France are dishing out nearly 30% of their GDP for public social welfare. Meanwhile, the U.S. is busy writing checks to defense contractors and calling it “freedom.”

Max calls out the capitalist cosplay of countries that claim to be "developed" while treating social spending like a swear word. Lisa unpacks how social spending (or the lack thereof) reveals national priorities, from healthcare and pensions to “you’re-on-your-own-ism.”

Note: This project explores the new creative potential unlocked by generative AI, showcasing how a single person, in just two hours, can curate (not create, but curate) a polished podcast series. I recognize the critiques around AI-generated content and the potential for digital clutter but invite you to take a listen on your next walk or drive and see what you think. Audio is AI-generated by Google's NotebookLM. Images by Grok-3 and Magic Studio.

Ever wondered how a house that costs $428K to build magically sells for $665K? Welcome to the wonderful world of American real estate—where drywall is gold-plated, marketing costs more than your therapy, and your dream home comes with a complimentary financial crisis.

Max and Lisa dissect the blueprint of BS behind new home pricing in 2024: from $73K in profit to $91K for a lot you can barely picnic on. And yeah, they’re not letting that $6K marketing tag slide either—unless it includes skywriting and a TikTok dance campaign by Beyoncé.

Note: This project explores the new creative potential unlocked by generative AI, showcasing how a single person, in just two hours, can curate (not create, but curate) a polished podcast series. I recognize the critiques around AI-generated content and the potential for digital clutter but invite you to take a listen on your next walk or drive and see what you think. Audio is AI-generated by Google's NotebookLM. Images by Grok-3 and Magic Studio.

Welcome to the latest episode of our "let's see what people are Googling this time" series, where we break down how your desperate search for the "cost of living" is turning into a national obsession. From 2004 to 2024, Google has been tracking the rise of the cost of living—and let's just say, it’s a hot topic in every election year. But what does it all mean? And why does it spike when the election year rolls around?

In this episode, Max and Lisa delve into this bizarre phenomenon, showing you the sharp geographical divide and how the cost of living is now more polarized than ever. From skyrocketing rent in San Francisco to the constant cringe of grocery store prices, we’ll take you on a dark, cynical journey through the real cost of living—and why your search history might be the best indicator of America’s deepening economic divide.

So, buckle up, because the cost of living isn’t just a number—it’s a damn national crisis.

Note: This project explores the new creative potential unlocked by generative AI, showcasing how a single person, in just two hours, can curate (not create, but curate) a polished podcast series. I recognize the critiques around AI-generated content and the potential for digital clutter but invite you to take a listen on your next walk or drive and see what you think. Audio is AI-generated by Google's NotebookLM. Images by Grok-3 and Magic Studio.

Welcome to the $3 Trillion ThreesomeIt’s 2025. If you’re not a trillion-dollar company, are you even trying?

In this episode, Max and Lisa dissect the elite boy band of corporate domination—the companies so absurdly rich, they make Scrooge McDuck look like he's on food stamps.

From PetroChina’s brief 2007 flex, to Apple’s throuple with Microsoft and NVIDIA at the $3 trillion club, we break down the timeline of trillionaires who don’t own yachts—they own oceans.

Max asks: Are we witnessing the Olympics of Obscene Wealth, or just late-stage capitalism with better branding?

Lisa counters with a reality check: What happens when your favorite cloud provider has more power than your government? (Spoiler: They already do.)

Note: This project explores the new creative potential unlocked by generative AI, showcasing how a single person, in just two hours, can curate (not create, but curate) a polished podcast series. I recognize the critiques around AI-generated content and the potential for digital clutter but invite you to take a listen on your next walk or drive and see what you think. Audio is AI-generated by Google's NotebookLM. Images by Grok-3 and Magic Studio.

DeepSeek R1: The AI That Kicked OpenAI in the Shins

DeepSeek R1 just crashed the AI party, stole OpenAI’s drink, and might’ve set the whole industry on fire. While Silicon Valley was busy gatekeeping artificial intelligence behind corporate firewalls, China just threw a grenade into the room with an open-source power move that’s got tech giants sweating.

Max Bennett and Lisa Vega tear into the fallout: Is OpenAI freaking out behind closed doors? Did China just take the lead in the AI arms race? And most importantly—does this mean we’re heading toward an AI future that isn’t controlled by a handful of billionaires? Buckle up for sharp analysis, savage laughs, and absolutely no corporate PR nonsense.

Note: This project explores the new creative potential unlocked by generative AI, showcasing how a single person, in just two hours, can curate (not create, but curate) a polished podcast series. I recognize the critiques around AI-generated content and the potential for digital clutter but invite you to take a listen on your next walk or drive and see what you think. Audio is AI-generated by Google's NotebookLM. Images by Grok-3 and Magic Studio.

What do you get when you mix taxpayer money with government priorities? A hot plate of inequality and a side of ‘WTF.’ In this episode, Max and Lisa unpack the total government spending per person in 2023, and the results are more revealing than a politician’s burner phone.

Norway’s tossing out $46K per person like it’s Mardi Gras. Meanwhile, Indonesia’s government spending looks like it came from a GoFundMe campaign. The U.S. spends $32K per person — which sounds impressive — until you realize half of it disappears into defense contractors’ yachts and overpriced prescription drugs.

Max asks: is government spending really about the people, or is it just a very expensive illusion of democracy? Lisa brings receipts (and OECD data) to dissect what this means for public trust, services, and how some countries buy dignity, while others just rent outrage.

Note: This project explores the new creative potential unlocked by generative AI, showcasing how a single person, in just two hours, can curate (not create, but curate) a polished podcast series. I recognize the critiques around AI-generated content and the potential for digital clutter but invite you to take a listen on your next walk or drive and see what you think. Audio is AI-generated by Google's NotebookLM. Images by Grok-3 and Magic Studio.

From TGI Fridays to Goodbye Fridays: Casual Dining Is DeadStrip malls are bleeding orange and white. Hooters, the breastaurant that defined frat-boy fine dining, just shuttered dozens of locations faster than a 2-for-1 happy hour check. Bankrupt? Technically. Dying? Not according to corporate. They’re calling it a “strategic franchise optimization”—which is rich coming from a brand whose strategy once involved tank tops and tangy wings.

This week, we pull apart the greasy layers of why Hooters, Bahama Breeze, and even TGI Fridays are going the way of Blockbuster: inflation, broke millennials, and a culture no longer thirsting for faux sports bar cleavage. Tune in for a deep-fried, darkly funny look at America’s economic gut-punch—served with sarcasm and blue cheese.

Note: This project explores the new creative potential unlocked by generative AI, showcasing how a single person, in just two hours, can curate (not create, but curate) a polished podcast series. I recognize the critiques around AI-generated content and the potential for digital clutter but invite you to take a listen on your next walk or drive and see what you think. Audio is AI-generated by Google's NotebookLM. Images by Grok-3 and Magic Studio.