On the Fringe

Dave and Gavin
  • 5.0 (2)
  • NEWS COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

This is the podcast you need to understand under-the-radar big events, major players, technologies, and places that need more light in our rapidly changing world. onthefringepodcast.substack.com Reach out to us with any questions, comments, or if you'd like to be a guest at onthefringe.podcast1@gmail.com

  1. Season 4, Episode 5: Things are heating up in the Gulf, Part 2

    5D AGO

    Season 4, Episode 5: Things are heating up in the Gulf, Part 2

    In this episode, Gavin and Dave move the spotlight to Africa, where the Saudi–UAE rivalry is less than subtle and where a flare-up might have a major impact on your world. As it has played out, the UAE has backed, funded and supplied weapons and mercenaries to the RSF, one of the two competing factions in the Sudanese Civil War; the other faction, the Sudanese Armed Forces, are increasingly dependent on Egyptian and Turkish logistical support and defense platforms paid for with money from Riyadh. In Somalia, this has manifested for Emirati support for Somaliland’s recognition of Israel and Saudi’s backing of the Federal government in Mogadishu (aided by Turkish F-16s and one of the largest military bases in Sub-Saharan Africa). The increasingly fraught relations between the two countries shows no signs of course correcting any time soon….though the Board of Peace might conceivably play some role in whatever comes next. Will the Board of Peace make its first big play and showcase its value? (It is $1 billion to join). Let us know what you think and shoot us an email at onthefringe.podcast1@gmail.com.  We look forward to hearing from you! Dave and Gav

    29 min
  2. Season 4, Episode 4: Things are heating up in the Gulf, Part 1

    5D AGO

    Season 4, Episode 4: Things are heating up in the Gulf, Part 1

    In this episode Dave and Gav dig into the increasingly heated rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two monarchies that once moved in lockstep, but are now violently competing for regional dominance. What began as a strategic partnership, most visibly in Yemen after 2015, has evolved into a contest over leadership of the Gulf, influence in OPEC+, and control of trade routes. Saudi Arabia under MBS is repositioning itself as the political and economic heavyweight of the Middle East, pressuring multinationals to relocate regional headquarters to Riyadh and recalibrating its foreign policy outreach. Meanwhile, the UAE has leveraged its port networks, financial hubs, and interventionist security policies to build influence from the Horn of Africa to the Eastern Mediterranean.This episode lays out how the two countries are increasingly tangled up in all the worst ways. Is this former close relationship a sign of more things to come in geopolitics, or just a quick flash in the pan? Here's that episode about Colombians in Sudan from the archives. We feel like we've improved our delivery since then and hope you enjoy this classic from the vaults. :) All the best, Dave and Gav

    19 min
  3. A casino in Macau cashing in on a golden opportunity

    FEB 9 · BONUS

    A casino in Macau cashing in on a golden opportunity

    The Grand Emperor said it's the literal end of the golden road.  A well-known hotel in Macau just ripped out its iconic showpiece as gold prices are at (nearly) record highs. Learn why this is happening and what this means going forward for the Special Administrative Region of China. If you liked the short, let us know and smash that like button! We appreciate it. All the best from us on the Fringe!

    8 min
  4. The World Factbook has been closed

    FEB 9 · BONUS

    The World Factbook has been closed

    Prepping for the geography part trivia night just got a LOT harder and more cumbersome.  Hey all! In this quick episode we explore what the end of the CIA World Factbook means for inquiring minds. If you enjoy the short episode, don’t forget to like, comment, subscribe or share with your fellow trivia team or geo-bee all stars.

    10 min
  5. Season 4, Episode 3: Cleaning house in Cambodia and China

    FEB 5

    Season 4, Episode 3: Cleaning house in Cambodia and China

    Hey all! We are going back to a topic that we’ve followed since the beginning of On the Fringe—scam farms in Southeast Asia. Some of our first episodes covered these scam farms and organized crime in the region, including the wild tales of Alice Guo, former mayor of Banban in the Philppines. These bad guys are using the latest technology, modern-day slavery, and cunning tactics to get you, the average citizen, to lose trust in society as well as your life savings. Despite the recent crackdown (and Dave and Gavin’s reasoning as to specifically why RIGHT now), we think the problem will get worse. Learn how and why by listening to this episode—and share it with your loved ones, especially if they use social media or are not tech-savvy.  If you’ve ever caught them in their sneaky traps, share your story and shoot us an email!

    28 min
  6. Season 4, Episode 2: What if peace was a literal country club?

    FEB 1

    Season 4, Episode 2: What if peace was a literal country club?

    This week, Dave and Gavin take a look into a new organization, that seems to be a real harbinger of things to come. Initially pitched as a ‘technocratic government’ for Gaza, the initial concept of an executive board has snowballed into an organization with a charter as vague as its members are colorful. United by a vision of governance that is action-oriented and personality-based, the Board of Peace, even if it goes down in flames, is likely to dominate conversations about international relations for years to come. Listen to learn what we think the first real test will be for Trump's new Board of Peace, and who will flying past.  If you enjoyed the episode or learned something, pass it on, shoot us a message, and let us know. We are excited to be back and will be coming out with more on the way.

    18 min

  7. JAN 8

    Season 4, Episode 1: The rule of fang and claw

    (00:00:00) Season 4, Episode 1: The rule of fang and claw (00:00:20) Podcast Starts -- The end of the International Order (00:02:41) Implications of a new world dynamic (00:05:45) What changes for middle / regional powers (00:08:26) Au revoir to liberal institutionalism (00:11:31) Uncertainty is the new name of the game Hey all! We are kicking off season 4 much earlier than we’d thought. Why? Early Saturday morning, the international rules-based order, or what was left of it, expired both painfully and suddenly with the removal of Nicolas Maduro (and his wife) from Caracas to New York City. In this episode, we focus, not on the events of that early morning raid, but of its potential and actual ramifications for international relations. The idea that relations between states are governed by codified, internationally-accepted laws has been the main characteristic of relations between states over the last 75 years. It is no longer the case, and inter-state conflict is about to ramp up in a way that is both predictable and utterly impossible to foresee. If you enjoyed the episode, shoot us a comment, give us some love, and let us know. We appreciate it and will be back again soon! Dave and Gavin

    15 min

  8. JAN 1 · BONUS

    A MASSIVE thank you from Dave and Gavin

    Hey all! Happy 2026! Gavin and I wish you all the best in your endeavors this year—and we would love to hear about them (and how we can help!) We kicked On the Fringe off in the fall of 2024 and posted the first season on our Substack.   Then, we added On the Fringe Podcast on Apple Podcast last January (2025) and have more support, downloads, and interest than we could have imagined. We wouldn’t be here without you guys and can’t thank you enough for your support and the thousands of hours you've listed to our show. We're still figuring all of this out, by the way! Since we started Season 3 in August, We’ve doubled our listeners (and it’s not just Aunt Leena telling Aunt Nelda). We are seeing real listener growth with the show and will keep it going strong for Season 4. Shoot us a message here of your favorite episodes (or total busts) and topics that YOU want to hear more about.  As we keep growing, we want to hear more from y’all! What do you like, what do you NOT like, and where can we get better to provide you a better listener experience. We’re going to keep unraveling geopolitical events and AI as we move forward into season 4, and will be coming at you with more in the coming weeks.  Thanks again! Dave and Gavin

    3 min
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About

This is the podcast you need to understand under-the-radar big events, major players, technologies, and places that need more light in our rapidly changing world. onthefringepodcast.substack.com Reach out to us with any questions, comments, or if you'd like to be a guest at onthefringe.podcast1@gmail.com

Information

  • Creator
    Dave and Gavin
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    124
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright On The Fringe
  • Show Website
    On the Fringe