Odd Lots

Paul Scharre, former Army Ranger and ex-Pentagon official now at CNAS, dives into the Anthropic clash and what autonomous weapons really are. He gets into how AI helps find targets and plan strikes. The conversation explores when human oversight turns into rubber stamping, who should set the rules, and how drones, agents, and battlefield algorithms could change war.

Nicholas Snyder, founder and CEO of North American Helium, joins for a tour of the strange, fragile helium market. They get into why chipmaking, MRIs, rockets, and fiber optics rely on it. They explore how helium forms over geologic time, why shipping and storage are so tricky, and how reserve selloffs and a Qatar disruption helped tighten supply.

Ozan Tarman, Deutsche Bank’s vice chair of global macro, joins for a look at how major investors are navigating the Iran war. He talks about headline whiplash, why equities could squeeze higher, and why gold became a source of liquidation. They also dig into Europe’s energy vulnerability, the gap between paper and physical oil, propaganda-fueled market noise, and private credit risks spilling outward.

Philip Geurts, a BloombergNEF chemicals and oil analyst, traces how turmoil around Hormuz is jolting the plastics chain. They dig into why polyethylene and packaging look especially exposed. There’s also a look at force majeures, murky polymer pricing, Asia’s feedstock dependence, and why China, recycling, coal, and ethane cannot quickly plug a supply gap.

Byrne Hobart, The Diff writer and Anomaly Fund investor, joins David Shor, pollster and founder of Blue Rose Research, for a lively look at AI anxiety. They dig into white-collar job disruption, why adoption feels suddenly real, who is most optimistic or fearful, how hiring and writing are already changing, and which political responses might actually win support.

Hiten Samtani, a Dubai-based journalist and founder of Ten31 Media, maps the forces behind the city’s luxury property boom. He gets into Russian money, soaring land prices, and Gulf wealth reshaping private credit and global finance. He also looks at life in Dubai as drone strikes, information control, and regional tension test the city’s image of safety.

A sharp introduction to candid conversations with top CEOs and global business figures. It tees up big themes like leadership, management, decision-making, strategy, and the future of work. Expect high-level business talk and behind-the-scenes perspectives from influential leaders.

Joe Weisenthal, a Bloomberg markets journalist, breaks down why the Iran war is reshaping the hunt for safety. He looks at what really counts as a safe haven. He digs into why tariffs changed the dollar trade. He also explores Treasuries, inflation fears, and why gold can lose momentum when investors rush to cash.

Gregory Brew, a Eurasia Group analyst focused on Iran and energy, breaks down why the war is lasting longer than expected. He explores damage to Gulf energy infrastructure, the threat around the Strait of Hormuz, and why Washington may be stuck in a strategic trap. The conversation also looks at shaky victory goals, Gulf allies’ fears, and oil market fallout.

Mike Rohlfsen, Agris Academy co-founder and former Cargill trader, joins Jeff Kazin, an ag risk adviser with decades in commodities. They dig into how war in Iran rattles fertilizer and energy costs, why land rents are crushing farm margins, how tariffs boosted Brazil, and why storage, hedging, and planting choices have turned farming into a high-stakes trading game.