Send us a text

What if the files everyone wants won’t answer the questions that actually matter? We unpack why a headline-grabbing release rarely delivers systemic truth, and why politicians, media figures, and institutions close ranks when exposure threatens their own incentives. From there, we pivot to power in motion: MBS’s trip to Washington, trillion-dollar investment talk, the quiet erasure of Wahhabism, and the strategic pivot that aims to make Riyadh the next global hub. The Line may be off the table, but the capabilities it built—logistics, know-how, narrative—are very much alive.

Energy runs like a spine through the conversation. We break down how new fracking techniques are squeezing more out of old wells with smarter proppants and refracks, reinforcing the US position as energy independent. Then we stretch the debate: is oil purely biogenic or also abiotic at depth? The answer shapes how we think about scarcity, exploration, and long-term strategy. Meanwhile, labs push plastic-to-fuel pathways that hint at circular hydrocarbon economies. It’s messy, promising, and very real.

We also zoom into the courtroom, where bail reform and slow calendars can quietly punish the innocent long before a verdict. When a “speedy trial” is six months late, plea deals win and justice loses. On the culture side, we challenge the brittle modern instinct to bureaucratize every conflict, arguing that avoiding reality just raises the cost later. Then we scratch the tech itch: Star Citizen’s stunning ship show draws a billion-dollar lesson in hype and restraint, DJI’s little drone punches above its weight, and VR divides between open play and walled gardens. Finally, we step outside the noise with hunting stories, wild game, and a reminder that not everything worth knowing sits behind a screen.

If this mix of geopolitics, energy, law, tech, and real life resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and drop us a review with the one moment you can’t stop thinking about.

Support the show

Want to hear old episodes? All subscribers have access to the full back catalog of episodes and specials! Just Two Good Old Boys (Just Two Good Old Boys +)

Communicate with us directly on x.com by joining the Good Old Boys community! https://x.com/i/communities/1887018898605641825

Can't donate?
Listen to Amy Clare Smith Music

Check out Gene's other podcasts -
podcast.sirgene.com and unrelenting.show

Read Ben's blog and see product links at namedben.com