Part 1 -- Paine Uncovers The Strait of Hormuz Hustle (with special guest: oil prices); Plus We Feature Bill Cooper's 'Lost' Series

Thomas Paine kicks off his 10th year in journalism with a fiery, introspective episode blending personal nostalgia, media critique, and geopolitical analysis. He opens with a reflective meditation on classic 80s cinema and the passage of time, using music as a metaphor for the show’s enduring mission. The core of the episode is a blistering indictment of the 'taker' culture in media and politics—those who hoard information, repackage others' insights, and maintain a 'wizard syndrome' to preserve power. Paine contrasts these figures with 'makers' like himself, who create original intelligence and forecast events before they break. He highlights the recent fake airman story from Iran and the suspicious timing of a $52 million oil options bet that netted $180 million in profit just before Trump announced a ceasefire—evidence, he argues, of insider manipulation and market manipulation tied to geopolitical theater. Paine also critiques the FBI’s pre-crime initiative while suggesting the real domestic threat lies in the White House itself. The episode culminates in a call to action: reject passive consumption, develop critical thinking, and become a maker of truth rather than a repeater of lies.