Words & Numbers
Words & Numbers
Free the People
Episode 473: Blowing Bubbles
50 minutes Posted Nov 18, 2025 at 12:00 pm.
Introduction and Overview
Meta Entertainment and Hot Wheels
The Discontinuation of the Penny
How Eliminating Pennies Would Affect Retailers and Consumers
Who Actually Has the Power to Change U.S. Currency
Reflections on U.S. Currency
Foolishness of the Week: $3 Million Newspaper Raid Settlement
Press Freedom, Accountability, and Government Overreach
Understanding Financial Bubbles
Why the Markets Aren’t Reflecting Economic Reality
The Fed’s Liquidity Regime and Phantom Wealth
Unintended Consequences of Economic Policies
Investing in a Changing Economy
Retirement Planning in a Bubble-Driven Economy
Learning from Historical Economic Events
Personal Anecdotes and Economic Trends
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Show notes
In this episode, we discuss how Meta and its algorithms shape what we see online, why the penny has finally been discontinued, and the legal and economic complications that follow from eliminating small denominations. For the “foolishness of the week,” we highlight a small-town newspaper that was awarded a $3 million settlement stemming from an unlawful raid, and the First Amendment implications it raises. We examine the disconnect between a sluggish economy and soaring asset prices, discuss how Fed policy and excess liquidity fuel inflation in financial markets, and consider what rising bubbles in stocks, housing, gold, and bitcoin mean for retirement planning and long-term investment behavior.
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