Reflecting on the Jenga Tower

Weird stuff has been happening the bond markets, and we try to make sense of it and the downstream effects on the economy and our investments.

Over the course of our podcast, we've talked about all sorts of developing structural weaknesses in the economic picture -- from corruption, to international instability, to AI. Given the benefit of time, what turned out differently than we thought? And what does that mean for the economy?

They've been better than virtually all managed funds for decades -- has the index fund's moment passed, or are they still the best option for most investors?

Keith talks about the logic of constructing his cash-heavy defensive portfolio, how it is designed around his life goals, and the tradeoffs versus traditional investing advice.

What does the SpaceX IPO mean, considering the many ways in which market norms, regulations, and corporate governance standards are being violated?

We're now tracking four portfolios as we invest in a destabilized world. Today, Ethan presents the case for one of his high-conviction stocks -- the New York Times -- while Keith plays the role of the skeptical doubter.

Keith and Ethan tackle an investing landscape that is as confusing and ever. Plus two announcements: Different This Time? is becoming Investing in a Destabilized World, and we're adding an exciting addition to our format for episodes going forward.

Keith and Ethan discuss the investing dynamics of war: oil prices, defense contractors, and the larger global economic picture.

Keith interviews Ethan about the ways climate impacts will transform the housing market, especially the bifurcation of home values based on climate vulnerability. They also discuss how to assess the resilience of a prospective home and Ethan's path to his new career as a real estate agent helping clients evaluate and buy climate resilient homes (https://climateresilienthomes.com/). Related Articles by Ethan:The Climate Repricing of Housing has BegunA Dozen Dangers: The 12 climate risks that threaten our homesHow to buy a home that will hold its valueClimate change and housing bubbles

Recent developments at Waymo have Keith and Ethan convinced that autonomous vehicles are about to start scaling worldwide. Where is this tech going, why is it shockingly under-reported compared to to AI LLMs, and is it possible to invest in this emerging tech?