#supply-chain
75 episodes
#3112: Life on the Logistics Bubble: Supply Chains That Can't Fail
How planners keep Antarctic stations, submarines, and remote outposts alive when resupply is impossible for months.
#3103: Refillable Markers: Industrial Ink Chemistry & Nib Selection
How Molotow's modular marker system saves thousands on factory floors with lacquer and oil-based inks.
#3099: How Car Mechanics Master 50 Vehicles a Week
The hidden systems thinking that lets mechanics fix any car and how you can apply it.
#3094: Surface Prep for Markers That Last
Why 70% isopropyl is the benchmark and what to use when you can't get it in Israel.
#3079: NFC vs UHF RFID: What Actually Works on Fabric
Why NFC tags peel off fabric and how UHF RFID solves it — plus what hardware you actually need.
#3075: Paint Marker vs Alcohol Marker: Which Lasts Longer?
Paint markers chip. Alcohol markers fade. Which one actually survives longer on your inventory?
#3066: Paint Markers That Actually Stick to Oily Steel
Markal, Dykem, Uni Paint — which survives on oily steel vs wet concrete? The chemistry is completely different.
#3047: Frankincense in Your Laundry: Scent Chemistry Explained
How ancient temple resin ended up in detergent, and the chemistry that makes it work.
#3009: How IKEA Decides Where Everything Goes in Its Warehouses
Inside the science of slotting optimization that determines where your BILLY bookcase lives in IKEA's massive warehouses.
#3006: Rail vs. Truck: The Real Modal Split
Why rail carries 50% of freight in China but only 8% in the US — and what that means for logistics.
#2994: Lentils: The 10,000-Year Staple You Don't Know
Brown, green, red, black — and why split lentils aren't "processed" food. A complete tour of the world's most underrated legume.
#2992: The Three Lives of Za'atar: Plant, Spice, Identity
A wild herb became a global spice blend. Now overharvesting threatens the hillsides where it grew for millennia.
#2990: How 20 People Run a 400-Meter Container Ship
Twenty-four thousand containers, twenty crew members. How does global trade actually work at sea?
#2977: Why Bread Costs Triple in Richer Countries
Why do poorer countries like Portugal have cheaper bread than wealthier Israel? It's not price controls vs. free markets—it's market structure.
#2976: Industrial Supply vs Hardware Store Secrets
Why industrial suppliers sell better products for less money than hardware stores — and how anyone can shop there.
#2972: How Pallets Make Global Trade Work
The humble pallet is the unsung hero of global trade. Here’s how consolidation works from factory floor to container ship.
#2966: When Did We Stop Making Our Own Clothes?
Mass-produced clothing is only about 150 years old. Your great-great-grandparents likely wore handmade clothes.
#2963: The Forgotten Grains That Could Feed a Hungry World
Millet, sorghum, and teff feed half a billion people. So why don't we grow more of them?
#2953: Marker Ink vs. Synthetic Fabric: The Real Test
Oil-based vs. water-based markers on neoprene and nylon — which ink actually survives rain, flexing, and UV?
#2917: Decoding the Spec Sheet: MPN vs Model Number
MPN, model number, SKU, GTIN — which identifier actually gets you the right part?
#2915: The Barcode That Changed Everything
MPNs, UPCs, ASINs, and the secret hierarchy of product codes that engineers use to buy the right thing.
#2910: The Quiet Chemistry of Xylene-Free Markers
What’s really in your permanent marker? The hidden chemical revolution happening on the hardware store shelf.
#2874: China's Invisible Megacities: Linyi, Yiwu, and More
Cities larger than London or Paris that most Westerners have never heard of. Meet China's second-tier giants.
#2865: How to Source Goods from China Without Getting Burned
Factories, sourcing agents, and ethical due diligence — what first-timers need to know before stepping off the plane.
#2862: How a $3 Paint Marker Reveals Israel's Import Maze
Why does a $3 German marker cost $6 in Tel Aviv? The answer reveals how Israel's import system really works.
#2861: DIY Customs Clearance vs Hiring a Broker
Can you clear your own imports? Technically yes. Practically? The gap between those two answers is the whole story.
#2859: Life Before Refrigeration: Ice, Salt & Survival
How people preserved food, cooked, and survived for centuries before the icebox existed.
#2851: How a Wax Stick Beats Sharpies on Steel
The industrial marking tool that outlasts Sharpies, survives 2000°F, and sticks to oily steel.
#2820: Your Local Diet Won't Save the Planet
Transport accounts for less than 10% of food emissions. Here’s what actually matters.
#2819: Did China's Wildlife Wet Market Ban Actually Stick?
The COVID origin investigation stalled. But what about China's wildlife wet market ban — did it actually work?
#2812: The Hidden Database of Everything You Own
Is there an API for product specs? Yes, but it's built for engineers, not homeowners — and Israel SKUs make it harder.
#2800: The Two Meanings of Industrial Design
Industrial design is a profession. The "industrial look" is something else entirely. Here's where they split.
#2771: The Hidden Sophistication of Oil Refining
How ancient marine microorganisms become gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel — the complete journey from source rock to pump.
#2761: When a Strong Shekel Rewrites Labor Economics
How a surging shekel is reshaping Israel's labor market, crushing exporters, and creating unexpected winners among foreign workers.
#2716: Myrrh: The Ancient Resin Worth More Than Gold
Myrrh was once worth its weight in gold. Here's the botany, ancient trade, and medicinal chemistry behind it.
#2713: The PT Cruiser: Icon or Punchline?
Was the PT Cruiser a design triumph or a cultural joke? We break down its rise, fall, and strange legacy.
#2712: The Plant Destroyed by Its Own Value
Why Himalayan spikenard oil costs $200/oz—from harvest to adulteration, ecology, and ancient trade.
#2631: How Shelter Became a Speculative Asset
Why are millennials turning to barges, yurts, and shipping containers? A deep dive into the financialization of housing.
#2629: The ADHD Archaeologist of Scent
How a frankincense obsession led to discovering perfume oils — a 4,000-year-old tradition that's being rediscovered today.
#2520: When a Cartel Loses Its Third-Largest Member
The UAE is leaving OPEC. What that means for oil prices, food costs, and global stability.
#2369: Is Protectionism the New Default?
How tariffs are transforming global trade, from consumer prices to supply chains, and why protectionism is now the default strategy.
#2296: When Fleet Size Changes Everything
El Al’s $1.5B Boeing 787 Dreamliner deal highlights the complex logistics of fleet expansion, maintenance, and airline operations at scale.
#2295: Why Taiwan's Automation Strategy Leaves the West Behind
Asus has achieved 85% automation in motherboard production—how did they outpace Western competitors?
#2114: 2026 ERP: From Filing Cabinet to Autonomous Core
In 2026, ERP systems have evolved from digital filing cabinets into autonomous, AI-driven cores that predict and execute business decisions in real...
#2107: The Hidden Bureaucracy of Global Shipping
Why your international package gets stuck for six days, explained by the hidden mechanics of freight forwarders and customs brokers.
#2106: The Hidden Language of Circuit Boards
AI is hoarding all the chips, and your smart toaster is stuck in line. Here’s why the hardware supply chain is breaking down.
#2093: Remote Work Is Not One Thing
The digital nomad is a myth; the real story is hybrid schedules, domestic super-commutes, and the global talent arbitrage.
#2087: Why Refill Stations Haven't Gone Mainstream
We explore the technical and economic friction preventing refill-on-the-go from replacing single-use packaging in Western supermarkets.
#2031: The Jerusalem Falafel Conspiracy
Is the high density of falafel stands in Jerusalem a sign of a secret, centuries-old monopoly?
#1916: The Clerics of the Global Economy
A 7,000km international package beats a 60km local one. How do these invisible architects pull it off?
#1915: Why Cargo Planes Fly at 3 AM
While you sleep, massive freighters land every 90 seconds at secret hubs like Memphis, moving the global economy.
#1902: How a Single Blood Vial Becomes Hundreds of Results
A single vial of blood can yield hundreds of results. Here’s the high-tech industrial process that makes it possible.
#1882: The Hidden Human Labor Behind AI
AI isn't free—it costs billions for humans to label data. See why annotation is the real engine behind models like Gemini.
#1867: The Coiled Spring: Life in a Ceasefire That Never Ends
A ceasefire is signed, but the war machine doesn’t stop—it just shifts gears.
#1845: The Silent Killer of Israel’s Economy
The cost of war isn't just missiles—it's the billions lost when a nation goes into "semi-hibernation."
#1670: The Ever Given: A 400-Meter Time Capsule
One ship blocked a canal for six days, but the ripple effects lasted for months. Here’s what it taught us about global fragility.
#1643: How Ship Type Shapes Geopolitical Risk
It's not just container ships and tankers. Here's the full ecosystem of merchant vessels—and why their differences matter.
#1493: The Invisible Architecture of Global Food Prices
Discover how soybean futures dictate global food prices and reflect high-stakes geopolitical shifts in the modern commodities market.
#1485: Mandatory Scope 3: The End of Voluntary Carbon Reporting
From California mandates to SEC reviews, the era of voluntary green claims is over. Learn why Scope 3 reporting is the new corporate reality.
#1426: The Paper Barrel Economy
Discover the hidden financial machinery of "paper barrels" and how futures and options protect the global economy from oil price shocks.
#1354: Red Sea Siege: How the Houthis Rewrote Global Trade
Discover how a non-state actor in Yemen turned the Red Sea into a permanent toll booth, reshaping global trade and naval warfare by 2026.
#1351: The GDP Mirage: Mapping Real Wealth and Purchasing Power
GDP is a vanity metric. Discover why real income and purchasing power are the true measures of prosperity in the modern global economy.
#1347: The Carbon Math Paradox: Why Climate Accounting is Broken
Why do identical emissions lead to different social costs? Explore the "carbon math paradox" and the messy reality of impact-weighted accounting.
#1115: The Rise of the AI Procurement Officer
Discover how AI is evolving from simple chat to autonomous B2B procurement agents capable of negotiating and executing million-dollar deals.
#906: Coal's Brutal Security Blanket
Think coal is a thing of the past? Discover why global demand is hitting record highs and the devastating health toll on today’s miners.
#852: Beyond the Market: Building a Post-Capitalist Economy
Is it time to move past the stock market? Explore how community wealth building and resource-based models could redefine human value.
#815: The Digital Twin of a $4 Package
How does a $4 item travel across the globe in just eight days? We unpack the high-tech logistics making rapid shipping possible.
#797: The Hidden Hierarchy: Who Really Owns the Cloud?
Explore the hidden hierarchy of the cloud, from massive hyperscalers to the boutique providers and resellers powering our digital world.
#661: Cracking the Global Supply Chain: Why Your Tech Costs More
Why does a $400 switch cost $700 elsewhere? Herman and Corn explore the tools that unmask global pricing and supply chain secrets.
#608: When AI Eats the World's Memory
Why is a 32GB RAM kit now $400? Herman and Corn dive into how OpenAI is gobbling up 40% of the world's memory supply for its "Stargate" project.
#510: The Hidden Costs of the Electric Vehicle Revolution
Are electric vehicles truly green? From 1900s dominance to the ethics of cobalt mining, we explore the complex reality of the EV revolution.
#472: The 500% Markup: Why Israel’s Tech Market is an Island
Why is RAM 5x more expensive in Tel Aviv than New York? Corn and Herman dive into the "Economic Island" effect and the reality of Israeli retail.
#147: The Secret Logic of AliExpress Logistics
Why does your $5 adapter take a detour through Singapore? Discover the hidden logic of global logistics and the art of package consolidation.
#124: How a $15 Radar Reveals the Hidden Economy of Scale
How can a high-tech radar sensor cost less than a sandwich? Explore the hidden machinery of the 2025 global supply chain.
#96: How a Sketch in the Sand Became the World's Supply Chain
Discover the hidden history and complex math behind barcodes, from beach-side sketches to the high-tech future of retail scanning.