Doug Casey's Take

Find us at www.crisisinvesting.com Read Dr. Danger Zone by Kolja Spöri at https://www.amazon.com/dp/3903713023 Doug and Matt interview elite traveler Kolja Spöri about his new book, Dr. Danger Zone, a collection of 25 highlight stories from a lifetime of travel to remote and dangerous places, paired with his on-the-ground conclusions that often contradict mainstream narratives. Kolja recounts driving Russia's northern ice roads in extreme cold, visiting conflict zones and politically sensitive regions, and seeking out famous "watering hole" hotels, including Haiti's Hotel Oloffson. The conversation shifts to his views on Turkey's development under Erdoğan, increasing surveillance and political repression in Western Europe—especially Germany—and his belief that Europe is being pushed toward a wider war with Russia while migration is used as a weapon against European civilization. They also discuss his Libya trip during the Arab Spring, his connections that enabled access to places like Chechnya, the FARC, and Mindanao, a rap song made about his life, and his Formula 1 sponsorship career. 00:00 Meet Kolja Spöri 01:09 Inside Dr Danger Zone 04:33 Languages and Turkey 07:48 Europe Turning Point 10:24 War With Russia Fears 15:10 Migration and Culture Clash 21:32 Ice Road Adventure 25:17 Haiti Hotel Legends 27:41 Goma Danger Factors 30:22 Entering Libya During Spring 32:11 Armed Kids Reality 32:51 Planning Warzone Access 33:36 Libya Benghazi Insights 35:16 Borders And Breakups 36:40 Chechnya To FARC 39:00 Mindanao And Militants 41:20 Rap Tribute Breakdown 45:31 Karabakh And Azerbaijan 47:15 Formula One Backstory 49:05 Next Chapter Reflections 50:13 Book Plug And Farewell

Find us at www.crisisinvesting.com Doug and Matt answer viewer questions on which dystopian story best fits the West today, focusing on expanding surveillance tech and a drift toward "1984," plus a nod to a second dystopia involving "Soma." They discuss the U.S. pressuring the Netherlands via the MATCH Act to curb ASML chip-tool sales to China, arguing there's no legitimate state role and warning it could damage ASML and supply chains. On reserve currency, Doug says paper currency is a government substitute for money and predicts a return to gold. They debate China's "communist" label, claiming the party intervenes less than often assumed and noting high Chinese savings versus low U.S. savings. They cover the Japanese carry trade, U.S. debt, depression risk, preparation advice for a 31-year-old leaving the military and a 44-year-old permaculture worker, draft speculation, Cyprus investing timing, AI/AGI risks, retirement income strategies, and priorities for small monthly investing, ending with an Einstein interest-rate joke and a teaser for an upcoming Bill Buppert interview. 00:00 Viewer Questions Return 01:11 Surveillance State Fears 03:58 Chip War and ASML 06:53 Reserve Currency and Gold 09:08 Is China Really Communist 11:50 Japan Carry Trade Risks 14:17 Starting Prep at 31 17:14 Generalist or Specialist 19:02 Draft Anxiety and Independence 22:29 Cyprus Investing Outlook 24:15 AI Agents Gone Rogue 25:21 Is AI Becoming Life 27:14 Investing Around AI Risk 28:39 Boats Planes And Expat Taxes 30:29 Critical Metals Watchlist 31:56 Retirement Income Portfolio 33:35 Small Budget Priorities 35:54 Robot Liability Questions 38:32 Antifragile Society Debate 42:06 Wrap Up And Interest Rates Joke 44:14 Next Guest Announcement

Find us at www.crisisinvesting.com Find Col. Douglas MacGregor at www.macgregorwarrior.substack.com https://www.youtube.com/@macgregorwarriordiplomacy and https://nationalconversation.org/ No Existential Threat from China/Russia—America's Real Crisis Is Internal In a wide-ranging discussion, Col. Douglas MacGregor argues there are no existential military threats to the United States from China or Russia, contending the most serious dangers come from instability and organized crime in Mexico and the Caribbean Basin, weakened social cohesion, mass migration, and loss of American identity. He criticizes U.S. and NATO leadership over Ukraine, predicts Russia will ultimately defeat Ukraine, and calls Ukraine a "zombie state," while disputing portrayals of Putin as Hitler. MacGregor says defending U.S. borders and reducing overseas "forward presence" are essential in an age of precision missiles, and warns financial manipulation is postponing an inevitable economic reckoning driven by massive public and private debt. He claims the U.S. government is acting against Americans' interests, describes "Israel first" influence in Washington, and expects renewed action against Iran that could exhaust remaining U.S. capacity, while forecasting major geopolitical realignments in the Middle East. 00:00 Biggest Threats Today 01:40 No Military Existential Threat 04:17 Ukraine War Reality Check 05:34 Putin Hitler Narrative 06:14 Son Visits Russia 08:22 Why Russia Moves Slowly 11:30 Ukraine as Zombie State 12:49 Border Security Focus 15:15 End Expeditionary Warfare 17:33 Demographics and Migration 18:19 Army on the Border 20:30 American Identity Erosion 23:08 Immigration and Prosperity 24:46 Europe Identity Rebound 30:35 Assimilation or Collapse 31:55 Scarcity and Education 40:29 Government Not Ours 41:12 Israel First Policies 45:19 Rural Urban Civil Strife 48:20 Hybrid American Identity 49:20 Executive Power Creep 50:01 Historic Strongmen Examples 52:48 Trump and Donor Control 55:04 Corruption and Cromwell Fix 56:12 Midterms and ICE Backlash 58:10 Scarcity and Revolution Risks 01:00:52 Institutional Decay and Youth 01:05:31 Debt Reckoning and Vacuum 01:10:40 Iran War Paths and Alliances 01:17:02 Gaza as Regional Catalyst 01:18:02 Where to Follow MacGregor 01:19:08 Military Reform and Four Stars 01:24:57 National Conversation Closing

Find us at www.crisisinvesting.com Doug and Matt discuss headlines and subscriber questions, starting with a survey claiming 30% of Americans admit to shoplifting and what that says about social trust, morality, and societal decline. They talk about New York's worsening conditions, Trump's announced Saudi nuclear deal and subsequent reversal, and a House-passed NDAA provision (Section 219) calling for deeper US-Israel military/intelligence integration, which they argue signals late-stage empire and foreign influence via AIPAC. They critique Trump's "golden age" claims, note rising yields and escalating Middle East and Ukraine-Russia risks, and comment on Trump family wealth. Q&A topics include Doug's favorite opera (Wagner, Gershwin), sci-fi recommendations (golden-age authors; The Diamond Age), whether digital assets/stablecoins can prolong the debt cycle, a film about vigilantism and mass migration, coal markets and coal's importance, Israel's actions and Gaza/Lebanon, and the possibility of deflation alongside inflation using entropy concepts. 00:00 Shoplifting Shock Stat 01:17 Thieves and Morality 03:58 Luxury Beliefs Debate 04:57 New York Backslide 06:53 Saudi Nuclear Deal 10:05 Israel Military Merger 14:17 America as an Idea 14:59 Trump Golden Age Clip 17:05 War Fears and Disillusion 19:27 Trump Family Windfall 20:30 Subscriber Opera Question 21:16 Wagner and Gershwin 22:33 Sci Fi Reading Picks 24:59 Debt Bubble and Stablecoins 30:19 Vigilante Citizen Talk 33:15 Coal Markets Explained 36:33 Israel Influence and Gaza 40:58 Econophysics and Deflation 45:19 Weekend Sign Off

Matt and Doug discuss signs of consumer strain in the U.S.—record-low sentiment, rising delinquencies, and high prices—alongside a stock market at all-time highs, comparing the disconnect to historical episodes like Germany's 1923 hyperinflation. They argue official inflation measures are unreliable, deficits and money printing persist, foreign holders are cutting U.S. Treasuries, and gold benefits while mining stocks remain cheap; Doug remains long gold, oil, and commodities and warns the AI/data-center boom may be a debt-fueled bubble. The conversation turns to widening inequality, debt-based consumption tools, weaker job prospects even for top graduates, and fears of social unrest and potential civil conflict. They criticize what they describe as escalating corruption under Trump, including a DOJ settlement structure and extensive trading disclosures suggesting insider activity, then discuss elections, AIPAC/Israel influence, speech taboos, and rising generational and ethnic tensions. 00:00 Everybody Wants Love 00:08 Economy vs Market Highs 01:34 Sticker Shock in America 04:28 Inflation Numbers Doubt 05:57 Treasuries to Gold Rush 07:12 Mining Stocks and ESG 08:36 AI Data Center Bubble 10:32 Haves and Have Nots 12:08 Buy Now Pay Later Living 13:23 Decades of Debt Warnings 17:10 Trump Corruption Claims 17:50 DOJ Settlement Slush Fund 24:25 Insider Trading Allegations 25:50 Epstein and Ukraine Talk 28:59 Elections and Voter Trust 32:17 Israel Influence and AIPAC 36:38 Hate Speech and Taboo Topics 40:32 Tribalism and Protected Classes 44:22 Civil War and Generational Rift 47:22 Wrap Up and Next Guest