Let's Know Things
ລາຍລະອຽດຊ່ອງທາງ
Let's Know Things
A calm, non-shouty, non-polemical, weekly news analysis podcast for folks of all stripes and leanings who want to know more about what's happening in the world around them. Hosted by analytic journalist Colin Wright since 2016. letsknowthings.substack.com
ຕອນລ່າສຸດ
511 ຕອນ
Better Batteries
This week we talk about BYD, Tesla, and the Blade Battery 2.0.
We also discuss EVs, internal-combustion engines, and autonomous vehicles.
...
2026 Iran War
This week we talk about Khamenei, Trump, and Netanyahu.
We also discuss Venezuela, Cuba, and cartels.
Recommended Book: Plagues upon the E...
Killer Robots and Mass Surveillance
This week we talk about Anthropic, the Department of Defense, and OpenAI.
We also discuss red lines, contracts, and lethal autonomous systems.
Tariff Ruling
This week we talk about Trump’s tariffs, the Supreme Court, and negotiating leverage.
We also discuss trade wars, Greenland, and the IEEPA.
Ring and Flock
This week we talk about mass surveillance, smart doorbells, and the Patriot Stack.
We also discuss Amazon, Alexa, and the Super Bowl.
Reco...
Grok's Scandals
This week we talk about OpenAI, nudify apps, and CSAM.
We also discuss Elon Musk, SpaceX, and humanistic technology.
Recommended Book: Who...
Mother of All Deals
This week we talk about the European Union, India, and tariffs.
We also discuss trade barriers, free trade, and dumping.
Recommended Book:...
TikTok Deal
This week we talk about social networks, propaganda, and Oracle.
We also discuss foreign adversaries, ByteDance, and X.
Recommended Book:...
Venezuelan Protests
This week we talk about war, inflation, and currency devaluation.
We also discuss tyrants, police violence, and social media threats.
Reco...
Operation Absolute Resolve
This week we talk about Venezuela, Maduro, and international law.
We also discuss sour crude, extrajudicial killings, and Greenland.
Recom...
Sports Betting
This week we talk about prediction markets, incentives, and gambling addiction.
We also discuss insider trading, spot-fixing, and Gatorade.
Data Center Politics
This week we talk about energy consumption, pollution, and bipartisan issues.
We also discuss local politics, data center costs, and the Magnifi...
Chip Exports
This week we talk about NVIDIA, AI companies, and the US economy.
We also discuss the US-China chip-gap, mixed-use technologies, and export bans...
Digital Asset Markets
This week we talk about in-game skins, investment portfolios, and Counter-Strike 2.
We also discuss ebooks, Steam, and digital licenses.
R...
Climate Risk
This week we talk about floods, wildfires, and reinsurance companies.
We also discuss the COP meetings, government capture, and air pollution.
Thorium Reactors
This week we talk about radioactive waste, neutrons, and burn while breeding cycles.
We also discuss dry casks, radioactive decay, and uranium.<...
Extrajudicial Killing
This week we talk about Venezuela, casus belli, and drug smuggling.
We also discuss oil reserves, Maduro, and Machado.
Recommended Book: D...
Nitazenes
This week we talk about OxyContin, opium, and the British East India Company.
We also discuss isotonitazene, fentanyl, and Perdue.
Recomme...
Supersonic Flight
This week we talk about Mach 1, the Bell X-1, and the Concorde.
We also discuss the X-59, the Tu-144, and Boom Supersonic.
Recommended Boo...
Workplace Automation
This week we talk about robots, call center workers, and convenience stores.
We also discuss investors, chatbots, and job markets.
Recomme...
Circular Finance
This week we talk about entanglements, monopolies, and illusory money.
We also discuss electrification, LLMs, and data centers.
Recommende...
Tariff Leverage
This week we talk about trade wars, TACO theory, and Chinese imports.
We also discuss negotiation, protectionism, and threat spirals.
Reco...
Gamewashing
This week we talk about Electronic Arts, 3DO, and the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.
We also discuss Jared Kushner, leveraged buyouts, an...
NATO and Russia
This week we talk about Article 4, big sticks, and spheres of influence.
We also discuss Moldova, super powers, and new fronts.
Recommende...
Nepal Gen Z Protests
This week we talk about corruption, influencers, and pro-monarchy protests.
We also discuss Nepalese modern history, Gen Z, and kings.
Rec...
GENIUS Act
This week we talk about stablecoins, crypto assets, and conflicts of interest.
We also discuss the crypto industry, political contributions, and...
Salt Typhoon
This week we talk about cyberespionage, China, and asymmetrical leverage.
We also discuss political firings, hardware infiltration, and Five Eye...
Sudan's Civil War
This week we talk about the RSF, coups, and the liberal world order.
We also discuss humanitarian aid, foreign conflicts, and genocide.
Re...
Intel Bailout
This week we talk about General Motors, the Great Recession, and semiconductors.
We also discuss Goldman Sachs, US Steel, and nationalization.
Sterile Insect Technique
This week we talk about flesh-eating screwworms, weeds, and the US cattle industry.
We also discuss genetic modification, procreation, and tsets...
AI CapEx
This week we talk about tech bubbles, building moats, and infrastructure investment.
We also discuss capital expenditure, data centers, and empl...
Dynamic Pricing
This week we talk about surge pricing, Walmart, and the Robinson-Patman Act.
We also discuss personal data, AC settings, and Delta’s earnings ca...
Age-Gating
This week we talk about lobbying, Steam, and adult-themed games.
We also discuss cultural influence, extreme ideologies, and itch.io.
Reco...
Kurdistan Workers' Party
This week we talk about the PKK, Turkey, and the DEM Party.
We also discuss terrorism, discrimination, and stateless nations.
Recommended...
AI-Associated Delusions
This week we talk about AI therapy chatbots, delusions of grandeur, and sycophancy.
We also discuss tech-triggered psychosis, AI partners, and c...
Pay Per Crawl
This week we talk about crawling, scraping, and DDoS attacks.
We also discuss Cloudflare, the AI gold rush, and automated robots.
Recommen...
Hurricane Tracking
This week we talk about the NOAA, FEMA, and the SSMIS.
We also discuss Arctic ice, satellite resolution, and automated weather observation stati...
The Strait of Hormuz
This week we talk about OPEC, the Seven Sisters, and the price of oil.
We also discuss fracking, Israel and Iran’s ongoing conflict, and energy...
Operation Rising Lion
This week we talk about tit-for-tat warfare, conflict off-ramps, and Israel’s renewed attacks on Iran’s nuclear program.
We also discuss the Iro...
Operation Spider's Web
This week we talk about drone warfare, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and total war.
We also discuss casualty numbers, population superiority, an...