Author: rickrosnerorg

Ask A Genius 1546: Butt Picking, Poop, Dogs, and Longevity Science

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n this candid and darkly funny conversation, Rick Rosner and Scott Douglas Jacobsen navigate topics few would dare mix—bodily quirks, gut biology, aging, and self-improvement. Rosner begins by unpacking his compulsive skin-picking habit and the medical realities of hemorrhoid surgery and anal fissures with clinical precision and self-deprecating humor. The discussion then shifts to the biology of feces, the evolutionary disgust response, and a dog’s poop-eating habits linked to Cushing’s disease. From there, Rosner reflects on moviegoing, Kevin Smith’s unlikely romance, and the virtues of artificial sweeteners. The talk ends with longevity science—fisetin, curcumin, and rapamycin—offered as modern elixirs for an aging body and restless mind.

Ask A Genius 1545: IQ, NASA Layoffs, and Global Economic Power Shifts

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In this reflective conversation, Rick Rosner and Scott Douglas Jacobsen move from aging and personal focus to major global and political issues. Rosner contemplates stepping back from high-range IQ testing at age 65, emphasizing time’s finite nature. The dialogue pivots to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory layoffs, U.S. anti-science politics, and the decline of public enthusiasm for space exploration. Discussion then shifts to JPMorgan Chase’s $1.5 trillion investment pledge and the geopolitical competition between the U.S., China, and India. Rosner criticizes policy failures that stifle innovation and warns that anti-intellectualism threatens America’s scientific and economic competitiveness.

Ask A Genius 1544: ACA Fraud Claims and Debt

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Vice President J.D. Vance argues ACA tax credits invite insurance fraud as Democrats seek an extension to end the shutdown. Rick Rosner counters that Republican leaders increasingly lie, including about federal coverage for undocumented immigrants, which has been barred since the 1996 welfare reform. Scott Douglas Jacobsen raises debt concerns, citing roughly $38 trillion. Rosner says voters care more about inflation and benefits than debt itself. He warns tariffs are inflationary, noting a market drop after a proposed 100% China tariff and harm to soybean exports, notably this year. The dollar’s recent slide is relative; domestically, Americans still meet needs despite turbulence.

Ask A Genius 1543: Ceasefire Uncertainty, ICC Politics, and the AI Arms Race

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Scott Douglas Jacobsen and Rick Rosner range from roof repairs to world repairs. They discuss the fragility of Israel–Hamas ceasefires, contested ICC warrant actions involving Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, and the staggering toll on journalists in Gaza. Jacobsen notes patterns of ceasefire violations and hopes hostages return while Palestinians gain relief. They examine Xi Jinping’s remarks on women in governance, the legacy of the 1995 Beijing Declaration, and gaps between rhetoric and implementation. Finally, they compare today’s AI arms race to nuclear escalation, warning that incentives to accelerate outstrip safety, and leadership competence remains the decisive, missing ingredient today.

Ask A Genius 1542: Loyalty Over Competence and the New American Divide

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Scott Douglas Jacobsen and Rick Rosner discuss the deepening dysfunction in Trump’s second administration, where loyalty eclipses competence. Rosner contrasts the current team of sycophants with earlier figures like Rex Tillerson, who at least understood governance. The dialogue explores the implications of Dan Scavino’s appointment, the government shutdown’s legal tangles, and symbolic flashpoints such as Stone Mountain’s Confederate carving. Rosner criticizes politicized firings, university crackdowns, and misinformation around Trump’s health. Together, they frame a portrait of a nation slipping toward authoritarian theater—where spectacle overtakes substance and institutional trust erodes beneath partisan zeal.

Ask A Genius 1541: YouTube’s Attention Economy: Sex, Politics, and Authenticity in “Naked at Night”

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In this conversation, Rick Rosner discusses the analytics and creative dilemmas behind Naked at Night, his YouTube show featuring artists, musicians, and occasional bikini-clad guests. Despite a surge in male viewers aged 30–40, audience retention remains low—most leave within a minute when the content proves more talk and art than titillation. Rosner and Scott Douglas Jacobsen examine how thumbnails, algorithms, and audience expectations drive misleading clicks and force creators to choose between authenticity, eroticism, and politicization. The discussion reveals the friction between artistic intent and digital attention economics in an age of algorithmic seduction.

Ask A Genius 1540: Trump’s Legal Battles, Peter Thiel’s Hypocrisy, and America’s Fractured Heart

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In this candid exchange, Rick Rosner reflects on Donald Trump’s ongoing legal troubles, alleged corruption, and the normalization of unethical behavior in American politics. He critiques Peter Thiel’s advice to Elon Musk against charitable giving as emblematic of billionaire arrogance and moral emptiness, contrasting it with Bill Gates’s philanthropic pragmatism. Rosner connects these issues to America’s agricultural collapse—where misguided trade policies and blind political loyalty devastate farmers—and to cultural dissonance that fractures the nation’s conscience. His analysis portrays a society seduced by power and spectacle, losing sight of empathy, reason, and accountability.

Ask A Genius 1539: Trump, Antifa, Fires, and Kimmel

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In this conversation, Scott Douglas Jacobsen and Rick Rosner dissect several pressing issues: former President Donald Trump’s request for conservative allies to expose Antifa supporters, the tragic California Palisades fire linked to an arsonist, and the controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel’s remarks about Charlie Kirk. Rosner underscores that Antifa is not an organized group but rather a political stance against autocracy, making Trump’s request absurd. The discussion then shifts to the troubling trend of disturbed young men committing violent acts, before exploring Kimmel’s defence of his comments and the solidarity among late-night hosts like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

Ask A Genius 1538: 12,680 Days of Workouts, Trump’s Chaos, and Nobel Peace Prize Irony

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In this candid exchange, Scott Douglas Jacobsen asks Rick Rosner about his extraordinary 12,680-day workout streak—over 34 years without missing a day. Rosner outlines his routine of push and pull days, daily leg work, and adaptations due to a semi-permanent rotator cuff injury. The conversation shifts to current affairs, where Rosner criticizes Trump’s chaotic style, dishonesty, and lack of accountability in the media. He highlights Trump’s controversial Nobel Peace Prize ambitions amid the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal and domestic militarization. Rosner draws contrasts with Obama’s early prize and reflects on the strangeness of today’s political climate.

Ask A Genius 1537: U.S. Supreme Court Conversion Therapy Debate and AI Energy Demand

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Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy for minors faces a U.S. Supreme Court challenge framed as free-speech, raising tensions between professional standards and religious pseudoscience. Scott Douglas Jacobsen and Rick Rosner argue evidence, ethics, and patient protection should prevail over rights claims. They compare outlawing a dangerous, ineffective “therapy” to banning lessons in flying. In parallel, U.S. power demand is projected to hit new records as AI, cryptocurrency, and electrification expand, potentially eroding emissions gains unless clean generation, storage, and efficiency scale quickly. The pair endorse science-based policy, guardrails on harmful practices, and pragmatic energy planning to align liberty with wellbeing.