The John Johnston Lounge

John Johnston (JJ) breaks down how Gil Duran’s new book, The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism And The War On Democracy, is now a New York Times Bestseller. In the book, Duran details how Silicon Valley has been “taken over by a cult of radical billionaires, who see the destruction of democracy through technology as their destiny”. However, the more people know about their plans, the more they ha...

John Johnston (JJ) breaks down how tech oligarchs Peter Thiel and Elon Musk have been seeking to influence U.S. politics in a big way. As Gil Duran details, in Peter Thiel’s case, that’s through funding and influencing the rise of JD Vance.. These tech billionaire “broligarchs” have anti-democratic, un-American political intentions.   Referenced video: Trump White House CAPTURED by Tech Oligarchs?...

John Johnston (JJ) breaks down how the tech “broligarchs” or Silicon Valley tech billionaires are starting to panic, as they can see the escalating public backlash about what they have been doing with emerging AI technology, including building numerous data centres and a surveillance network. Related video: Why Elon Musk Is Terrified of This New Book  https://youtu.be/-DD-3OJG2qc Referenced videos...

John Johnston (JJ) breaks down the property market bust that’s been happening in New Zealand, and whether it could now be spreading to Australia, and beyond.  Related epsiode: New Zealand’s Housing Market Crash: A Warning To The World https://open.spotify.com/episode/7uuZ23kRqtEGjAZG9A8VL7 Referenced video clips: People selling up now are losing more on their properties than you think | Stuff NZ h...

John Johnston (JJ) breaks down how his home country of New Zealand is now experiencing a long housing market bust, after a massive bubble that built-up over many years, that most people came to see as “normal”. JJ also looks a possible lessons for other places in the world, including right now “across the ditch” in Australia.  Referenced videos: The Real Reason You Can't Afford a House | Patri...

John Johnston (JJ) breaks down how analysis published by the European Central Bank has made the case this week that a “market correction” to AI investment euphoria is highly probable, and has the potential for far-reaching financial consequences. It’s not the only institution that has recently warned of this. ai bubble, ecb, european central bank, market crash, finance news, tech stocks, economy,...

John Johnston (JJ) breaks down the current controversy surrounding Flock cameras in the US. There’s a massive public backlash from people concerned about mass surveillance and misuse of the technology, and the growing number of Flock cameras all of the country.  Flock Cameras, Mass Surveillance, Privacy Rights, Big Brother, Tech News, JJ Lounge, John Johnston, Police State, ALPR, Civil Liberties,...

John Johnston (JJ) breaks down Gil Durán’s new book, The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy, which is being released today. JJ reacts to part of a Democracy Now interview with Durán, in which he discusses the book, which includes Silicon Valley fascists such as Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Curtis Yarvin and more. Referenced video: "The Nerd Reich": Author Gil Durán on...

John Johnston (JJ) breaks down how more and more Tesla retail investors are getting mad at Elon, as Tesla seems to be languishing, with the stock price going down and underperforming over the past five years, while Elon seems way more excited about SpaceX. Referenced video: I Can't Stay Quiet on Tesla & SpaceX Anymore! https://youtu.be/tfj5RxkKmOw | Hans Nelson and Farzad Tesla, Elon Musk,...

ohn Johnston (JJ) reacts to part of a recent episode of On with Kara Swisher, in which a panel discuses the question: Is SpaceX the next Enron? The panel includes Ed Elson from Prof G Markets, Tim Higgins from The Wall Street Journal, and Bethany McLean, who co-authored the book The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron.  Referenced video: “This is a genuine scan...

John Johnston (JJ) breaks down how journalist Gil Duran has a new book that argues a small circle of Silicon Valery billionaires, including Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and Marc Andreessen, have come to believe that democracy is in their way, and that only they and their technologies should govern in its place.  Referenced channel: The Nerd Reich with Gil Duran https://www.youtube.com/@TheNerdReichNews...

John Johnston (JJ) reacts to Scott Galloway and Ed Elson on Prof G Markets podcast, in which they break down the stock, following the SpaceX first earnings report, and the stock dropping dramatically before the first insider stock-lockup ended. They both think SpaceX stock is being way overvalued by the market. SpaceX, SpaceX stock, Scott Galloway, Prof G Markets, John Johnston, stock market, inve...

John Johnston (JJ) reacts to some of a couple of recent interviews with “The Dean of Valuation”, Prof. Aswath Damodaran, who thinks there will be more market, and specifically AI-related stock corrections to come. Prof. Damodaran thinks the current market situation rhymes with the historic Dot Com Bubble. Aswath Damodaran, Stock Market Correction, AI Bubble, Market Crash, Dot Com Bubble, Stock Val...

John Johnston (JJ) breaks down how SpaceX stock (SPCX) rocketed-up straight after the first stock lock-up ended, becoming a buy-the-news stock market event, which surprised quite a few market observers, including Eli The Computer Guy. JJ reacts to a video from Eli on the subject, and also from Chris Norlund. SpaceX, SpaceX Stock, SPCX, Elon Musk, Stock Market, Investing, Lockup Period, Stock Marke...

John Johnston (JJ) reacts to some clips of some liked-minded podcasters, including House of El: AI, Eli The Computer Guy, Chris Norlund, and The Tech Report. They are similarly skeptical of some AI-related companies and technologies, riding high during the AI Bubble. Referenced YT channels: House of El: AI https://www.youtube.com/@houseofel-ai Eli The Computer Guy https://www.youtube.com/@elitheco...

John Johnston (JJ) reacts to some videos by some liked-minded podcasters, including House of El: AI, Eli The Computer Guy, and Chris Norlund. They are similarly skeptical of Elon Musk and his claims and “predictions” for SpaceX. Referenced YT channels: House of El: AI https://www.youtube.com/@houseofel-ai Eli The Computer Guy https://www.youtube.com/@elithecomputerguy Chris Norlund https://www.you...

John Johnston (JJ) breaks down SpaceX has been crashing on two fronts. SpaceX stock has been crashing since its post-IPO peak, and a SpaceX rocket has accidentally crashed into the Moon, creating a big new crater.  SpaceX, SpaceX Stock, Moon Crash, Elon Musk, Stock Market, SpaceX IPO, Investing, Stock Market News, SpaceX News, Falcon 9, Finance News, Space News, John Johnston, The John Johnston Lo...

John Johnston (JJ) breaks down SpaceX pumpers are out in force after the company’s first earnings report as a public company. SpaceX stock dropped over 13% in reaction to earnings, and is now more than 50% down from its post-IPO peak. SpaceX, SpaceX stock, stock market, Elon Musk, investing, stocks to watch, stock market crash, finance, Starlink, John Johnston, The John Johnston Lounge, stock anal...

John Johnston (JJ) breaks down some of Elon Musk’s grand claims for SpaceX in the coming years, made in the first SpaceX Earnings Call, including reaching $1 trillion in revenue by 2030, and maybe by 2029. SpaceX, Elon Musk, SpaceX Earnings Call, Starlink, John Johnston, The John Johnston Lounge, SpaceX Revenue, SpaceX 1 Trillion, SpaceX News, Tech News, Tesla, Mars Mission, SpaceX Stock, Financia...

John Johnston (JJ) breaks down what happening with SpaceX Earnings and Space Earnings Call with Elon, for the stock to drop nearly 8% after hours. What did investors not like about SpaceX earnings? Referenced video: SpaceX crashes after Elon call | Chris Norlund: https://youtu.be/qm77VRKXdeY SpaceX, SpaceX stock, SpaceX earnings, Elon Musk, why SpaceX stock dropped, SpaceX stock crash, SpaceX earn...

John Johnston (JJ) breaks reacts to Scott Galloway and Ed Elson as they discuss how a crash in the South Korean Kospi was caused by retail investors speculating with leveraged ETFs directly related to the AI bubble.  Referenced video: South Korea’s Crash Is A Warning For U.S. Investors | Prof G Markets https://youtu.be/q77frNeCVc4 AI Bubble, Kospi, South Korea market crash, Scott Galloway, Ed Elso...

John Johnston (JJ) reacts to Ed Zitron on The Tech Report, discussing the state of huge circular financing within the AI bubble, after Nvidia offered a massive $250 loan guarantee to build OpenAI yet another data center, and yet another $350 loan of GPUs to go in the data center.  Referenced videos: Nvidia’s $350bn OpenAI loan is scaring everyone | Ed Zitron | The Tech Report https://youtu.be/B07m...

John Johnston (JJ) reacts to some of a Prof G Markets interview with legendary short seller Jim Chanos, who is calling out an AI Bubble, and shorting it. Chanos was instrumental in uncovering the Enron fraud, and successfully called out and shorted the Dot Com Bubble.  Referenced video: Legendary Short Seller: Fraud Is Hiding Behind Record Highs https://youtu.be/VxpxLIuPxLA | Prof G Markets Jim Ch...

John Johnston (JJ) breaks down how Elon Musk is about to drop over $100 million to support Republicans for the upcoming Mid Term elections, only a week after saying he go too far into politics last year.  Could this again impact his public popularity, and that of the Tesla brand? Referenced videos: Elon Musk Investment Plan REVEALED As Republicans Tank In Polls | The Damage Report https://youtu.be...

John Johnston (JJ) reacts to some a a recent conversation between Investors George Noble, Julien Garran, “Nobody Special”, and independent journalist Ed Zitron, about how the wheels may be starting to fall off the AI boom; that is, the AI Bubble may be showing early signs of bursting. Referenced video: AI: The Wheels Are Coming Off | Julien Garran, Ed Zitron, Nobody Special | Market Talk with Geor...