On the Fringe

A major shift is happening in key parts of the world as we speak...and another shift may happen at the ballot box in the next few hours.  In this second live episode, Dave and Gavin walk through the Iran War’s effect on the upcoming US midterm election (which is today!) Over the last six months, the boys analyze what they see as the Trump Administration’s use of the war to share an increasingly-co...

The boys are on tour and this week Gav and Dave send their regards from Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, the land of coffee, socialism, capitalism and some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.

(00:00:00) Scam Farms 101: Ponzi Schemes of Suffering (Feat. Erin West of Operation Shamrock) (00:00:52) Podcast Starts (00:02:46) The role and growth of scam farms (00:06:13) The role of violence with coercion (00:10:00) The role of technology in scam farm operations (00:13:31) The evolving workforce in scam farms (00:17:14) Challenges in combatting scam farm operations (00:21:00) Global implicat...

Join us on a wild language adventure on this quick bonus episode! I (Dave) have been studying Mandarin Chinese for about 6 weeks now. One of my first go-to’s when learning a new language is to utilize information I already know to better understand another language's sentence structure and vocabulary. I’ve used maps of the world to learn various scripts and alphabets (Korean, Japanese, Russian, Ba...

Hey On the Fringe Community! Gav + I are both on the move this weekend. We will be posting a bonus episode tomorrow and then will be back like normal next weekend! Listen for a teaser about it. Have a great week + all the best from both of us! Dave + Gav

(00:00:00) Russia in the Rearview Mirror? Author Joe Barnes's Travelogue through the Former Soviet Union (00:00:55) Behind the scenes: technical difficulties (00:01:43) Introduction to Joe Barnes and his new book Farewell to Russia: A Journey Through the Former USSR (00:07:39) Exploring independence in the former Soviet Union (00:14:28) Cultural perspectives and timestamping historic events (00:23...

In this short bonus episode, Dave + Gav conduct a brief and succinct analysis on a recent Singaporean goverment policy to help Singleporeans...ahem Singaporeans find a partner and start a family.  Singapore has one of the lowest birth rates in the world. ( Sorry, I made a mistake 15 seconds in! ) And, the local government, as it has done in the past to stop Singaporeans from doom scrolling, came u...

This a quick bonus episode/update about the current war between Pakistan and the Taliban in Afghanistan. Pakistan has signed on to the Makkah Accord, along with Saudi Arabia and Turkiye to come to one another’s mutual defense. Will this agreement do anything to resolve the tit-for-tat conflict? Here’s our take.

In recent weeks, the Houthi's attacks on Saudi Arabia have exposed a major problem for the kingdom. In this episode, we dive into what the three countries that have signed on the Makkah Agreement (Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan) have to offer one another, and why on paper this looks like an effective deterrence against a group like the Houthis or the Taliban. We also dive into why access does...

According to CSIS, intellectual property losses cost the U.S. economy between $225—$600 billion per year. These come from losing trade secrets, illegal technology transfers, and copyright infringement to name a few. It was recently reported that critical parts to the F-35 fighter jet were shipped commercially between Australia and the U.S. and routed through Hong Kong. Then, China took possession...

Recently, there’s been much talk of the events occurring around Yemen, but less talk about the group at the center of it all, Ansar Allah, generally referred to as the Houthis.  In this episode, Gav and Dave provide insight into the group causing chaos in the Gulf and East Africa. We dive into the origins of the group and what makes them exceptional and dangerous….and such a potentially existentia...

In this episode, we're shining a light on the growing humanitarian crisis on both sides of the Gulf of Aden. To really understand what is happening in Yemen, you also have to look at the ongoing refugee crisis that is too big to no longer be ignored. The impact of the Houthis siezing more terrain and control of Yemen will spillover into an entire region that is currently on edge, and critically, d...

On this bonus episode, the boys talk about Singapore’s novel solution to the problem of constant electronic stimulation...paying people to read books. The country is trialling a program where people will be fiscally rewarded for their reading efforts, another entry in a long history of money-based social engineering out of the island state. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to On the Fr...

While working on another episode, Gavin and Dave ran into a sadly familiar problem, lamenting the absence of a once constant companion, that old fan favorite, the CIA World Factbook. Back in high school, we took the CIA World Factbook for granted as we nerded out learning about flags of the world, populations, and obscure info like how many airports does Ukraine have. Little did we know that there...

(00:00:00) The current crisis in Yemen (00:04:40) Zooming in on Yemen (00:06:12) The Middle East is fracturing (00:07:56) Growing regional alliances? On paper, anyway (00:13:12) The future of Saudi Arabia, the Houthis, and the decade-long conflict (00:16:05) Broader implications around the region In this episode, Gav and Dave dive into the implications of the growing geopolitical crisis in the Gul...

(00:00:00) NYC's AI Moratorium: Creating Space to Think...in the Classroom and in Policy (Feat. Kevin Wong) (00:00:55) Introduction to the AI Moratorium (00:03:32) Challenges of implementing this policy in schools (00:06:22) Pilot programs and curriculum development (00:09:12) The impact of AI on student learning and retention (00:11:59) A key need: Teacher Training and Standardization (00:14:04)...

Last week, the UN General Assembly voted nearly unanimously to utilize maps with the more accurate Equal Earth scale instead of the commonly used Mercator scale. The United States voted against it, and the reason why may surprise you. Listen in to this bonus episode about why the US’s explanation to vote “no” is ironic, especially as President Trump signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario...

(00:00:00) A new dawn for old problems: What Niger's Failed Coup Means for West Africa (00:00:59) An overview of the Coup (00:02:40) Foreign involvement in the coup (00:07:07) Why Algeria demonstrated a show of force (00:10:26) The regional dynamics at play in the Sahel and Sahara (00:12:23) The role of Russia's Africa Corps in the coups (00:18:12) Ongoing internal strife in Niger as the major cau...

(00:00:00) Lowkey...Don't count out Gen Z (Feat. Chauncy Wadsworth) (00:01:01) Intro to Chauncy Wadsworth (00:03:47) Chauncy's journey into politics (00:05:46) Finding common ground in divisive conversations (00:08:29) The effects of social sorting on political perception (00:15:05) Money's role in changing American politics (00:17:24) Exploring Solutions for Political Reform (00:21:17) The import...

(00:00:00) Never Meta anyone who does it better: Who wins in the $17 billion settlement? (00:01:03) Meta's multi billion dollar settlement (00:07:30) BIG changes to teen accounts on Meta's social media platforms (00:10:48) Who really wins from the settlement (00:15:11) key structural issues still in play related to digital literacy and online safety (00:20:10) Tech's swift transformation of person...

On the morning of August 26th, 2026, tragedy struck along the Nepali-Chinese border. A massive deluge of mud and water raced into the Lende Khola at nearly 100 kilometers per hour and washed away everything in its path, including a port of entry, villages, and human lives.  With a death toll currently around 800 and over 3,000 missing, the scale of destruction and devastation seems impossibly larg...

It’s official: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan are on each other's team...on paper, anyway.  In this episode, Dave and Gavin analyze what the new Mecca Joint Defense Agreement (the Mecca Agreement) between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan means for the Middle East and South Asia.  This tripartite security pact outlines that members will come to one another’s aid in the event of an attack. Sau...

(00:00:00) You + random Fred’s Facebook argument = BIG $$$ for an Indonesian villager (00:06:41) The key part of the episode you shouldn't miss Curious about where the fuel for an angry thread or flame war on social media begins? It’ll likely surprise you—like it did us!  Meme and engagement farms are popping up in Indonesia, providing opportunities for locals to earn thanks to YOUR clicks and arg...

In this episode, Dave and Gavin analyze and explore potential ramifications in South Korea (and in the region) due to the Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises being abruptly shortened. Since his first term, President Trump has called out South Korea for not doing enough to bear the costs of U.S. military forces in Korea and supporting the United States. As Trump again signals displeasure with S...

(00:00:00) Run for office like you would a First Down: Sherman's run across Nevada's Second District (00:00:52) Podcast starts (00:01:32) An introduction to Sherman's campaign for Congress (00:08:54) An overview of Nevada's Second District (00:11:13) Challenges of running for office for the first time (00:16:49) Bridging the gap between local and national issues (00:21:46) Finding shared values in...