JD Vance

JD Vance is an American author, venture capitalist, and politician. He is best known for his 2016 memoir "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis," which explored the struggles of working-class white families in Appalachia. Vance served as a U.S. Senator from Ohio from 2023 to 2025. He was selected by Donald Trump as his running mate in the 2024 presidential election. Vance is a controversial figure, known for his conservative views and his support for Trump.

Wiz

Wiz is a cybersecurity startup that provides cloud security solutions for businesses. Founded in 2020, Wiz has experienced rapid growth and has raised over $1 billion in funding. The company's software is used by 40% of Fortune 500 companies, including Amazon and Microsoft. Google is in advanced talks to acquire Wiz for $23 billion, which would be Alphabet's largest acquisition ever.

Amazon Prime Day

Amazon Prime Day is an annual shopping event held by Amazon, typically in July. It is a 48-hour period where Amazon offers deep discounts on a wide range of products, including electronics, home goods, and clothing. Prime Day is a major sales event for Amazon and is often seen as a bellwether for the holiday shopping season. In recent years, Prime Day has faced increased competition from other retailers, who have launched their own sales events to capitalize on the shopping frenzy.

Doomsday Economy

The Doomsday economy refers to the growing market for products and services related to preparing for a catastrophic event, such as a natural disaster, economic collapse, or societal breakdown. This includes items like survivalist gear, food storage, and emergency preparedness supplies. The Doomsday economy has seen a surge in popularity in recent years, driven by factors such as climate change, geopolitical uncertainty, and the rise of conspiracy theories.

Shorebirds

Shorebirds are a group of birds that live in coastal areas and rely on the shoreline for food and nesting. They are often found on beaches, mudflats, and salt marshes. Shorebirds are important indicators of the health of coastal ecosystems and are often threatened by habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. In Rockaway Beach, New York, shorebirds, particularly the American oystercatcher, have been attacking drones deployed by the city to scan for sharks and pinpoint swimmers in distress.

Drones

Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that can be remotely controlled. They are increasingly being used for a variety of purposes, including surveillance, photography, delivery, and search and rescue. In Rockaway Beach, New York, the city has deployed drones to scan for sharks and pinpoint swimmers in distress. However, the drones have caused unintended consequences, as shorebirds are attacking them, seeing them as a threat to their nests.

Moon Cave

A moon cave is a natural cavity on the moon, often formed by the collapse of a lava tube. Scientists have discovered a moon cave in the Sea of Tranquility, not far from the Apollo 11 landing site. These caves could provide natural shelter for astronauts, protecting them from cosmic rays and radiation. They are being considered as potential abodes for future lunar outposts.

Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley is a region in the San Francisco Bay Area of California that is home to many technology companies, including Google, Apple, and Facebook. It is known for its innovation, entrepreneurship, and high concentration of wealth. In the context of the podcast, Silicon Valley is mentioned in relation to JD Vance's ties to the venture capital industry and the growing coalition of conservative business people supporting Donald Trump.

Antitrust

Antitrust laws are designed to prevent monopolies and promote competition in the marketplace. Antitrust regulators, such as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), have the power to block mergers and acquisitions that they believe would harm competition. In the podcast, the potential acquisition of Wiz by Google is discussed in the context of antitrust concerns, as regulators have been cracking down on tech acquisitions in recent years.

Meta AI

Meta AI is a division of Meta Platforms, Inc. (formerly Facebook), that focuses on artificial intelligence research and development. Meta AI is known for its work on natural language processing, computer vision, and machine learning. In the podcast, Meta AI is mentioned as a sponsor and as a tool that can be used to generate lists of books to read.