So now that I've given the listeners a little snippet into what the Balance Box can do, I would love to hear the background behind what inspired the origin story and how it's impacted, you know, physical therapy and your practice today.

Yeah.

So I'm a two and military wife.

And so I will never forget the day I was in the kitchen.

And, you know, I'm trying to cook dinner and little sisters chasing big sister with we had the push rocker with wheels.

And every single time she went from carpet to tile, she would face plant because the change in the surface and she would just move too fast.

So, you know, turn off the stove, run over, pick her up and like go through the whole circus every single time.

which I'm

... everything, right? And you-- It's so easy to buy in, like, "Oh yeah, that-- I, I need that because this ad told me." So what, [laughs] what are some tools or some baby gear that really is like, hmm, maybe reconsider?

So the way that I like to talk about baby gear is understanding the whys behind the baby gear.

And so we hear the words thrown around about container syndrome and container baby gear and stuff like that, and those devices tend to be things that hold or support a child so they don't move around or limit their movement, which if we go back to the 3,000 to 5,000 repetitions, that's where that becomes a problem, right? Because if a child's contained, then they're not getting the opportunity to practice all of those motor skills.

And we like to talk about it being what's called a whole body movement because our bodies move forward, backwards, side to side, and then they also move in a rotation basis, right? So if a child's in any type of baby gear that's hindering any of those planes of motion, they're not able to put all of these experiences together to regulate their developmental system.

So when you're choosing baby gear, yes, there's times where, okay, maybe we have to have those seated items or those contained items because the reality is we need to keep our kids safe and things need to be done.

Bottom line, happens to all of us.

However, the reality is, is we need to be aware of those five, 10 different items that we're using, the car seat, the high chair, the swing, the jumper, the seater.

So we're not at the point of walking yet, but can you tell us with... about the Little Balance Box, what it is, and how it's different in design?

Exactly.

I do think this idea of, um, understanding where something comes from and how it's made and what it's made of, I think there's a little bit of a responsibility in terms of being a consumer of either vintage products or newly made products.

Just understanding a little bit of y- you know, their provenance.

What sort of materials are used in making them? Um, what is the craft associated with them? Um, and that can be true with, obviously, woven pieces, but...

And not brand Woven, but actual woven.

Um, or, you know, wood crafted pieces.

It, it all comes with a bit of a story.

It always comes back to people

... what do you mean when you say retirement is trapped in a collapsing system? What does that mean?

Yeah.

Well, I think, like, just, just reading a n- uh, a report this morning that I got up in front of me.

I, I mean, we've got 16- $616 billion in, in interest payments that we...

It hit an all-time record.

So, you know, our debt is unsustainable.

You know, Michael, when, when you're talking about a, a debt system like that, that's what we're talking about.

Do they keep it in their house or their bank?

Yeah

... diesels.

Tractors run on diesel.

Pro- uh, produce that gets shipped to every grocery store, uh, it's gotta get there on a diesel truck.

Crops are being cropped by diesel equipment.

So i- it really hits everybody.

I mean, it's hitting even fertilized real products.

Uh, what happens to the market, what happens to investments when there's a long tail to a sudden, um, in, uh, burst of inflation on gas?

We're starting to see downstream effects in the economy, right?

Yeah, I mean, well, you nailed it.

I mean, this is the average now.

I mean, this isn't just California, almost $4.50. And that's just the part you can see.

That's up 40% from last year.

But diesel is the one people should really be watching.

Diesel hit $5.65 a gallon.

What happens to the market? What happens to investments when there's a long tail to a sudden burst of inflation on gas?

So what, what can people do? What can they do to protect and to hedge against that?

Yeah, it's a, a great question, Amanda, and, and here's the straight answer, and we've talked about it a few times.

I mean, we're, we're, we're talking the last 50 years, the US dollar has had a massive advantage over every currency on earth, um, and it's called oil.

Uh, the entire global oil market, every barrel bought, sold, uh, in, in today's was priced in US dollars.

So, you know, there was an artificial demand, uh, giving the dollar some, some, some power.

Um, inflation has, has always been, um, neglegated from it, um, but that's turning now.

It's allowed us to run up our debt to $39 trillion, um, without collapsing, which it's just a phenomenal number, and, um, here's what's changed though.

Yeah

Walk us through what's going on with those Arab nations, why they're doubting whether they want to do the petrodollar dance with America anymore.

Yeah, I mean, Iran is selling oil to China, India, not in dollars anymore, in the Chinese yen, via ICICI.

I know it's kind of tricky.

It's a specific bank, but that's how they're purchasing their oil.

It takes the yuan.

They buy Chinese goods, Chinese infrastructure, Chinese technology.

They've completely cut the dollar out of the equation.

So I know we're winning

Please tell us what's happening in the private credit markets.

Yeah.

Yeah, definitely.

You know, we were just talking about it.

Cheap money, right? 2008, 0% interest rates, pumped our, our economy and our markets full of money, and it's not that cheap anymore.

Um, and Mike, w- we believe, and so do market, uh, market, you know, experts, uh, they're warning that we're seeing a slow-motion bank run again.

Uh, experts say firms like, we talked about it last time we were on the show, BlackRock, uh, Blackstone, Morgan Stanley's in this bunch now, uh, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, they're facing massive redemption requests.

But they should do some of it, is what I think.

Obviously, we don't know how it will pan out this time, but that's kind of the scariest part about it, is the unknowns.

Yeah, the uncertainty.

We, we were just chatting about it before jumping on, is that's the only thing I'm certain about, is the uncertainty.

Um, yeah, Amanda, John, this is what Wall Street doesn't want us talking about.

You know, when i- investors try and pull their money out of these funds, we're talking billions of dollars, they're being told they can't or they're being restricted.

Um, they're capping the amount that they can give out.

Um, you know, i- this isn't 2008 all over again.

How does that factor into this bigger picture with the hedge funds, uh, having some liquidity issues, uh, and just general uncertainty in the financial markets?

How does that factor into this bigger picture with the hedge funds having some liquidity issues? And just general uncertainty in the financial markets.

Yeah, it's huge.

Inflation has always been sticky.

I think that's the word that they use, sticky.

But things are getting more expensive.

We'll never go back to pre-COVID pricing, I think, in today's times.

our dollar bill just does not buy what it used to buy.

Do you have a preference of physical gold versus something in an IRA? Do you think one is better than the other when it comes to security?

Yeah.

Yeah, like we said, gold dropped, uh, drops on that type of news.

But, you know, ask yourself, you just mentioned it, did our $38 trillion of debt, national debt disappear? Uh, did the, the global tension in the Middle East, uh, Eastern Europe, and, and Asia suddenly vanish? Did our banking system magically become more stable? You know, the oil shock is why things are dropping right now.

Um, Asian nations are facing huge financial pressures as soaring oil, uh, oil prices force massive asset liquidation.

So countries depend-Heavily, as we know, on oil imports, um, and they're being forced to dump government bonds, copper, aluminum, I think at, at, at the highest liquidation since two thousand and eighteen.

It's been on a really good run.

Gold and silver are in that basket, um, and it's critical that they were able to liquidate that to meet their energy supply.

... who do feel like they are in a position to buy, do you recommend having the physical gold in a safe at home, or is it better to have it in the form of IRAs? What do you recommend?

The underlying fundamentals of what makes our economy better make everyone nervous are still exactly where they were a few weeks ago, right?

Yeah, exactly.

And that, John, that's exactly what I'm talking about being reactive versus proactive.

Yes.

Yeah.

Like we said, gold dropped, drops on that type of news.

But, you know, ask yourself, you just mentioned it.

For people out there who do feel like they are in a position to buy, do you recommend having the physical gold in a safe at home or is it better to have it in the form of IRAs? What do you recommend?

... doesn't sound like the strong economy they keep selling us on the evening news, does it?

100%.

No, no it doesn't.

Um, not at all.

You know, obviously there's a lot going on right now.

Um, y- we're at war, uh, with Iran.

Um, that's huge, and there's a lot of, a lot of pressure being put, um, on our energy markets because of that.

Wow.

Yeah.

The costs are rising much faster than the 2.8%.

So every month the check buys less and less, and, uh, the savings are starting to reduce more and more.

So 65-year-old individuals don't have 20 years, uh, to keep fighting this battle or make-

Describe that gap and what it means for us.

Yeah, uh, John, it, it, h- here's why.

So COLA, right, cost-of-living adjustments, is based on something called CPI-W. That's consumer price index for urban wage earners.

And so it tracks what working-age people spend money on.

We should be a little nervous, shouldn't we?

Yeah, definitely.

I think, um, when you have uncertainty like this, when there's a lot of unknowns around the corner, you, you, you just want to be cautious more than anything.

And, you know, with the reports we just got, you know, it's squeezing the dollar from both sides.

Uh, one hand social security is using a formula that under counts what retirees are actually spending money on, you know, then you mentioned it, healthcare.

prescription drugs, housing, the costs are rising much faster than the 2.8%.

So every month the check buys less and less and the savings are starting to reduce more and more.

Describe that gap and what it means for us.

I have full confidence that this is going to disrupt what's happening in our money system, particularly physical assets like gold.

Definitely.

Yeah, this is exactly the kind of crisis most people aren't prepared for, John.

And Amanda, you know, you mentioned that we've got the U.S. and Israel forces striking targets in Iran.

Iran's firing back on bases in Kuwait and the U.A. And what people have to understand, the oil, the Strait of Hormuz, that is a choke point for oil.

And when they choke point and they suffocate that oil from coming in, What people feel is higher costs.

They explode.

And then two, if I've already maxed out on my 401k contribution or my IRA competition, is there a way to develop gold into the non-tax-free but retirement strategy?

What should we know, and what should retirees, people preparing for their retirement, see and be concerned about or be happy about with Warsh?

[chuckles] Yeah, it's always a mixed bag of emotions, for sure, but, um, absolutely not being talked about.

Um, most financial pundits aren't mentioning it, but, you know, Kevin Warsh isn't a, a typical central banker.

Uh, he served on the Fed board from 2006 to 2011, uh, earned a reputation as a strong inflation fighter, but in recent years, he's engaged with the crypto world, including early, uh, advisory, you know, with crypto, um, investment firms, digital asset firms, uh, and all particularly around the stablecoin, um, and crypto indexing.

You know, that matters for people because the regulatory tide in the US has shifted.

Um-

Right

... that these changes are happening and understand how digital money differs from bank deposits you control.

What should we know and what should retirees, people preparing for the retirement, see and be concerned about or be happy about with Warsh?

Yeah, it's always a mixed bag of emotions for sure, but absolutely not being talked about.

Most financial pundits aren't mentioning it, but Kevin Warsh isn't a typical central banker.

He served on the Fed board from 2006 to 2011, earned a reputation as a strong inflation fighter, but in recent years, he's engaged with the crypto world, including early advisory with crypto investment firms, digital asset firms, and all particularly around the stable coin and crypto indexing.

That matters.

for people because the regulatory tide in the U.S. has shifted.

You just mentioned it.

Talk a little bit about the privacy erosion that occurs in a digital dollar economy.

How long has this trend been happening? Because I feel like I was seeing it in Los Angeles seven, eight years ago.

Yeah, I mean, really, it really started happening post-COVID, right? And a lot of things have happened post-COVID that we still haven't recovered from.

You know, it's eye-opening, really, to see the stats up close.

And, you know, that's what we've been digging into.

And we're going to obviously offer that to your viewers after this.

But it means that... to be positioned before this type of panic is really where we're focusing and why we want to educate people out there.

Because when banks start to wobble, so do markets.

But what does it mean for regular Americans who are just trying to keep their finances in check and protect their retirement?

You've got deficits exploding, gold, new height, height, height, height, height every time we talk.

Oh, yeah.

Every time.

It's a common thread these days.

Silver, like I've been saying, and platinum to you guys as well, absolutely on a launching pad.

But, yeah, the pressure's on.

Look, his job's coming due here, what, May 15th? So Trump's putting some pressure on it.

no no it's essential to anyone who's in the market i mean even people that are in their 60s and 70s that think they're getting their retirement like oh i'm getting gold uh it is a remarkable moment give us some advice all right um i'm nearing retirement what should i do i'm starting my retirement plan my young guy young gal what would you suggest doing in this environment where that gold revaluation is really becoming a topic

You've got deficits exploding, gold, new height, height, height, height, height every time we talk.

Oh, yeah.

Every time.

It's a common thread these days.

Silver, like I've been saying, and platinum to you guys as well, absolutely on a launching pad.

But, yeah, the pressure's on.

Look, his job's coming due here, what, May 15th? So Trump's putting some pressure on it.

My young guy, young gal, what would you suggest doing in this environment where that gold revaluation is really becoming a topic?

Help me reconcile those things.

Yeah, I mean, I guess I must live in the cuts because I don't see it personally.

I was out on Black Friday.

I was at Kohl's myself personally, and it was not jamming.

I think the numbers, to me, I think are always misguided.

We did have on paper, I guess, a record Black Friday, but at the end of the day, the consumer confidence has been shaken for a long time, and If you continue just to pay attention to where our job market is and the thousands of jobs that are being lost, which no one's talking about, I think that's probably the biggest concern.

If everything's so hunky-dory, then why are they lowering rates? That's a signal of stress, not strength.

Why, and if you're trying to protect the retirement, why is this a good time to be thinking about gold?

Tell us what concerns you the last few weeks, what you've been seeing there.

Well, yeah, we've been talking about this.

It's been happening for a long time, well before we started talking about it.

It really comes down to what we were just talking about.

We have $37 trillion of debt.

It's unsustainable, and we don't have the ability – to continue to print money.

They don't want to borrow money, and that's what's going on with our Treasury market.

How much is the Fed contributing to all of our agita?

But there, as we were just discussing, is this a big wad of bazooka that is about to blow up?

yeah we were just discussing i mean google and we're talking about google the biggest search engine in the entire world um is talking about ai over inflated not working um we're in a bubble investors and central banks are now raising red flags uh ai related valuations are at levels we haven't seen since the dot-com era And yet, like you said, most businesses that are deploying AR aren't seeing business results from it.

When the hype meets reality, the fallout tends to spread and spread fast.

And that's what we've seen in the market.

I think what a lot of people don't understand is Thirty three plus percent, give or take, of the S&P 500 is being held up by AI stock driven companies, Nvidia, Microsoft, Alphabet.

These are the companies propping up the market and they're starting to see some some bad times here.

That's what we've seen over the last week or two.

I don't want this to hit my account and wipe out all the hard work I did investing the last 10 years.