Odd Lots

Alison Roman, cookbook author and founder of A Very Good Sauce, talks about launching a jarred tomato sauce and why she left market sauces behind. She explains scaling home recipes for co-packers and the logistics of production and DTC fulfillment. She covers sourcing tradeoffs, pricing versus artisanal quality, and how her media reach shapes demand and product trust.

Jamee Moudud, a Sarah Lawrence economics professor who studies law and political economy. He traces how neoclassical economics rose and heterodox views were sidelined. He links economic ideas to legal and institutional choices. He discusses housing policy, rent control debates, postwar state roles, and how policy design can reflect democratic priorities.

David George, general partner and head of the Growth Fund at Andreessen Horowitz, explains how private markets grew deeper and more liquid. He contrasts private vs public paths for big tech and why firms delay IPOs. He also talks about employee liquidity alternatives, valuation trade-offs, and how AI’s capital needs could reshape when companies go public.

Jared Sleeper, a growth investor and partner at Avenir with deep SaaS and AI investing experience. He discusses why software stocks are plunging and investor panic. He explains which SaaS models are most exposed to AI, how customer data and integration protect vendors, and why pricing and workforce changes may reshape the industry.

Ray Wang, analyst at SemiAnalysis and author of Memory Mania, breaks down the sudden DRAM and HBM rush sparked by AI. He explains why AI workloads slurp memory, how HBM differs from commodity DRAM, and why suppliers are struggling to scale. Short-term fixes, supplier incentives, and whether Chinese makers can close the gap are all explored in lively, technical detail.

A deep dive into a clandestine intelligence operation that targeted American aerospace secrets. A covert meeting staged as a friendly contact leads to surveillance, planted cameras, and a two-hour monitored encounter. Unearthed records reveal terabytes of material and a focused effort to steal jet engine technology. The story explores the mechanics and wider reach of an international espionage campaign.

Adam Posen, president of the Peterson Institute and former central banker, presents a non-consensus forecast that inflation could hit 4% by year-end. He explains why tariffs, migration policy, fiscal easing and weakening Fed credibility could reaccelerate prices. They also discuss labor-market quirks, AI’s macro role, and how US policy shifts are reshaping Europe’s strategic choices.

Michael Selig, newly sworn CFTC chairman who oversees derivatives and prediction markets. He discusses why oddball Super Bowl bets are regulated as financial contracts. He talks about age limits, market integrity, crypto risks like perpetual futures, and how the agency balances tradition with fast‑moving innovation.

Ricardo Hausmann, Harvard professor and former Venezuelan policymaker, explains Venezuela's fall from oil superpower to economic ruin. He traces policy shifts, institutional erosion, mass loss of human capital and the collapse of oil production. He outlines the political and legal barriers to recovery and what a viable transition might require.

Scott Lucas, Head of Markets, Digital Assets at J.P. Morgan, shares how the bank is testing tokenized instruments on public blockchains. Rick Edelman, financial advisor and founder of the Digital Assets Council, makes a case for broad consumer and institutional adoption. They discuss rapid tokenization growth, tokenized funds and real estate fractionalization, operational savings, settlement models, and timelines for mainstream uptake.