Podcast appearances and mentions of bell curve

This week, Mippo, Myles, and Xavier sat down to discuss Anthropic's Fable rollout, and data-collection missteps as catalysts for renewed interest in decentralized AI. They discuss decentralized training, Nous Research, Venice's privacy model, the end of token maxing, upcoming crypto AI token launches, and evolving valuation frameworks across crypto and equities. Thanks for tuning in! Resources L1 Blockchain & AI Lab Comparison: https://x.com/AlokVasudev/status/2066964656598765909 – Follow Myles: https://x.com/MylesOneil Follow Xavier: https://x.com/0xave Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4exDM4U —- Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (04:18) Anthropic's Fable (07:08) Decentralized AI (11:26) Why Open Source AI Matters (17:18) Censorship as Business Risk (22:02) DeAI Going Mainstream (28:00) Thoughts on Venice (33:29) Token Maxing (43:39) Will AI Tokens Return? —-- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

In this episode Phil Vella, founder of Vita Bella, returns to break down the wild west of the gray market peptide industry. He shares new data showing 70 percent of research peptides now fail purity and contamination testing, why so many random people are running peptide side hustles out of their garages, and the real risks of injection site infections and improperly dosed products. They cover why hormone optimization should always come before peptides, the most popular peptides Vita Bella prescribes, the science behind PDE5 inhibitors for both performance and longevity, and the regulatory battle between big pharma and compounding pharmacies over GLP medications. Phil also opens up about a brutal stretch of his life that included losing his father, a double spinal fusion injury, and nine people from his childhood neighborhood dying by suicide within about a year, and how that period reshaped his understanding of money, purpose, and fatherhood. Vita Bella / MP Hormones: https://mphormones.com Go to mphormones.com and BOOK A COMPLIMENTARY 10 minute consultation with a membership specialist to find out if Vita Bella is right for you. Or use code mindpump365 to start your annual membership and get your free blood panel and Gift. Consultation entry: https://meetings-na2.hubspot.com/alever/marketing-membership-consultation?uuid=ff3ae3e9-7828-4d4b-be06-7d8d68ba2929 SPONSORS Troscriptions: https://troscriptions.com/MINDPUMP Code: MINDPUMP for 10% off your first order. Medical grade supplements including methylene blue and Calm. MAPS Anabolic Relaunch: https://mapsanabolic.com Code: ANABOLIC for 50% off through the end of the month. Includes updated female blueprints, updated FAQ and phase overview videos, masterclass videos on the barbell squat, bench press, overhead press, barbell good morning and behind the neck press, and three days of live coaching with one of the Mind Pump coaches. LINKS Mind Pump Store: https://mindpumpstore.com Maps Fitness Products: https://mapsfitnessproducts.com Instagram: @mindpumpmedia 0:00 - Intro 3:07 - Phil Vella returns to talk peptide industry quality and regulation 5:04 - 70 percent of research peptides now fail purity testing 7:26 - Everyday people running peptide side hustles out of their homes 10:39 - Contamination, infection, and dosing risks from research peptides 13:12 - The difference between FDA regulated compounding pharmacies and the gray market 16:23 - Why hormones must be dialed in before starting peptides 19:12 - Testosterone for women and the most prescribed hormones at Vita Bella 22:04 - Recent changes to peptide regulation and the FDA review process 33:06 - Blood Pump and PDE5 inhibitors for performance, pumps, and longevity 38:22 - The Glow and Clo peptide stacks for recovery and skin health 43:15 - Metformin and glutathione as part of a longevity stack 51:11 - Phil's double spinal fusion injury and recovery 52:46 - Losing his father and nine people from his neighborhood to suicide in one year 58:11 - Moving to Bali and rebuilding his sense of purpose 1:00:38 - The Bell Curve of Happiness and why money stops buying happiness 1:09:04 - The membership model behind Vita Bella and future plans for the company

This week, Mippo, and Xavier sat down to discuss emerging optimism in crypto, NEAR's recent momentum, agent adoption timing, privacy use cases, competitive positioning, and long-term outlook. Thanks for tuning in! Resources Venice Usage: https://x.com/KyleSamani/status/2060498893444354270?s=20 – Follow Myles: https://x.com/MylesOneil Follow Xavier: https://x.com/0xave Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH —- Timestamps (00:000 Introduction (00:57) Optimism For Crypto (05:47) Thoughts on NEAR (11:31) Token Value Accrual (15:18) NEAR's Agent Adoption (18:15) The Value of Privacy (22:57) NEAR's Focus Problem (26:06) Sovereign Agents (30:23) Agents Onchain —-- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Mippo, Myles, and Xavier sat down to discuss whether crypto's current slump reflects genuine stagnation or healthy maturation. They also unpack AI's near-term impact on DeFi security, the shifting VC fundraising bar, stablecoins reshaping crypto's original thesis, and the US embracing onchain finance. Thanks for tuning in! Resources David Hoffman: Why I Sold My ETH: https://x.com/TrustlessState/status/2059371247163613489?s=20 OpenZeppelin Co-Founder on DeFi Security: https://x.com/maraoz/status/2059413451265441990?s=20 – Follow Myles: https://x.com/MylesOneil Follow Xavier: https://x.com/0xave Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH —- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:40) Outlook on Crypto (10:22) Stablecoins Hurt L1s (15:47) The VC Bar Has Been Raised (20:17) Where's the Creativity? (26:06) Crypto Needs More Coinbases (32:33) Crypto's Maturation Phase (45:36) Closing Comments —-- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

HELP US IMPROVE THE PODCAST - TAKE THIS 3 MIN SURVEY:https://forms.gle/fRTV2YiJqncKVpFh7WEBINAR LINK:https://shawnmoore.clickfunnels.com/optiniyvvg89sWant to learn more about Vodyssey or start your STR journey. Book a call here:https://meetings.hubspot.com/vodysseystrategysession/booknow?utm_source=vodysseycom&uuid=80fb7859-b8f4-40d1-a31d-15a5caa687b7FOLLOW US:https://www.instagram.com/vodysseyshawnmoorehttps://www.facebook.com/vodysseyshawnmoore/https://www.linkedin.com/company/str-financial-freedomhttps://www.tiktok.com/@vodysseyshawnmooreCONTACT US:support@vodyssey.comSOURCES:1) https://www.rentalscaleup.com/airbnb-ai-strategy-2026-summer-release/2) https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/20/airbnb-gets-into-hotels-expands-ai-for-host-onboarding-and-customer-support/3) https://thenextweb.com/news/airbnb-is-adding-hotels-car-rentals-and-luggage-storage-as-it-evolves-from-a-home-sharing-app-into-a-full-travel-platformPROPERTIES:https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1632746088889966533?unique_share_id=2a1aa537-4be3-432b-a4f6-170610a889a8&viralityEntryPoint=1&s=76&source_impression_id=p3_1779824102_P3NeOUcAUTZ5ElWcChapters00:00:00 Intro00:00:29 Recap of Airbnb's Summer Update and Focus on AI00:01:25 AI Listing Creation and Personalization in Airbnb00:03:02 The Role of AI in Differentiating Professional Hosts00:04:23 Changes in Review Processes and Guest Experience00:06:01 Airbnb Leveling the Playing Field for Mom-and-Pop Hosts00:07:11 The Commoditization of Listings and Differentiation Strategies00:08:37 Airbnb's Focus on Experience Over Price00:09:59 Impact of AI on Property Differentiation and Reviews00:11:25 The Future of Reviews and Guest Feedback00:12:24 Market Positioning and the Bell Curve of Property Quality00:14:23 Expansion of Airbnb to Hotels and Experiences00:15:44 Supply and Entry Barriers in the Market00:16:51 Competitive Dynamics with Hotels and Boutique Properties00:17:23 The Validation Age and Risks of AI Reliance00:19:43 The Importance of Data Validation and Critical Analysis00:21:57 Challenges of AI Hallucinations and Misinformation00:23:37 The Impact of Rising Costs on Furniture and Supplies00:36:39 Rising Raw Material and Fuel Costs in Furniture Industry00:41:00 Effects of Fuel Prices on Freight and Delivery Delays00:43:48 The New Normal: Higher Costs and Market Adaptation00:45:52 Market Outlook and Strategic Adjustments00:47:12 Celebrating Success Stories and Peak Season Preparation00:48:31 The Importance of Realistic Expectations and Numbers00:50:42 Balancing Emotional and Logical Marketing Strategies00:53:07 The Role of Hard Work and Validation in Success00:55:04 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

This week, Mippo, and Myles  sat down to discuss the recent talent exodus from the Ethereum Foundation, and Ethereum's declining market share against Solana and Hyperliquid. They debate the revenue meta, Dankrad Feist's proposal for an economically aligned organization, leadership tensions, and more. Thanks for tuning in! – Follow Myles: https://x.com/MylesOneil Follow Xavier: https://x.com/0xave Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH —- Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (02:31) ETH Foundation Talent Exodus (10:57) Saving Ethereum (15:00) Can ETH Win Without Price Appreciation? (19:41) Building on Ethereum (28:53) Ethereum's Two Paths (32:29) Closing Comments —-- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed. 

This week, Mippo, Myles, and Xavier sat down to discuss Circle's new Arc L1. They cover Arc's competition with Ethereum, Tempo, and Canton, token-versus-equity tensions, fee-based value accrual, US crypto momentum, and more. Thanks for tuning in! Resources Call your Senator: https://www.standwithcrypto.org/ Senate Banking Committee Passes CLARITY: https://x.com/BitcoinMagazine/status/2054968501861851383?s=20 Circle's Arc: https://x.com/arc/status/2053852639943852178?s=20 – Follow Myles: https://x.com/MylesOneil Follow Xavier: https://x.com/0xave Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH —- Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (01:24) US Crypto Dominance (07:30) Circle's Arc L1 (15:34) Leveraging USDC's Distribution (21:14) Token vs Equity Tension (29:54) Where Does Value Come From? (40:50) Arc vs Tempo (47:32) Arc & Circle's Challenge (50:35) Arc's Sleeper Bull Case —-- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed

We open the show on a wiffle ball game in the backyard. Adam's pitching. Jude's at the plate — right-handed, like always. Adam throws a sinker. Jude cranks it. Home run. On dad. In front of the whole family. Adam shakes it off, gets ready to deliver some justice on the next at-bat… and Jude steps over to the left side of the plate. "Jude, what are you doing?" "Dad. Just pitch the ball." Brushback pitch. Second swing — gone. Out of the park. Left-handed. Turns out Jude found out earlier that day he can bat from either side and forgot to mention it. Adam took it like a man — somewhere between humiliated and proud. Dave's response: this is why he still brushes his teeth left-handed. To stay coordinated. (Adam also has four cavities. Unrelated.)This week we're sipping Laphroaig Càirdeas 2024 — Triple Wood & PX Casks. Aged ten years in ex-bourbon and quarter casks, finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. 52.4% ABV. Dark cherry-amber in the glass — uncharacteristic for an Islay. The classic peat smoke is there, then it opens into ginger, fruit, sherry sweetness. Càirdeas means friendship in Gaelic, which is exactly where the episode is headed. About $130-$140. Limited release, every year a little different.Mary update: she's off the paralysis medicine. Still heavily sedated, but her eyes are open. She's looking around. Oxygen, blood pressure, heart rate — all trending in the right direction. More good days than bad right now. Adam and Lady Haylee are grateful. Keep them in your prayers.Then we get into it: spiritual friendship, through St. Aelred of Rievaulx — the 12th-century Cistercian abbot whose book Spiritual Friendship is basically the Catholic doctrine on what a real friend is. He opens it with this line: "Here we are, you and I, and I hope that Christ makes a third with us." That's the whole thing.Adam walks through the bell curve of zeal every man hits when he starts taking his faith seriously. Phase one: you read everything, you want to tell everybody, you should start a podcast. Phase two: you realize you know almost nothing and you go quiet. Phase three is where Aelred meets you — somewhere between "let me lecture you" and "I'm not qualified to say anything." The answer isn't to forfeit the zeal. It's to ground it in humility. You don't have the answers because you are not the answer. Christ is. But you do have your own experience, and what He's done in your life is yours to share.Aelred's rules for friendship cut right through the noise. Spiritual friendship is not a teacher-student relationship — both men give, both men receive. Don't sacrifice your own vocation to be a "spiritual father" to someone else. When you meet, it's not the depth of the conversation that matters most, it's the consistency. And the cheat-code question for getting under the surface: how's your prayer life? Try that on a buddy this week and see what happens.We close on Aristotle and the Eucharist. Nicomachean Ethics lays out hierarchies of friendship — friendship of utility, of pleasure, of virtue — but you can't be an authentic friend if you don't first know the good. And the good, ultimately, is Christ in the Eucharist. If the man you call your friend doesn't live a Eucharistic life, you may have a buddy. You don't yet have a spiritual friend. Make one. Be one. Bring him to Christ.Raise your glass.TOPICS COVEREDJude's ambidextrous wiffle ball ambush and the inevitable day every dad gets cranked onAdam's left-handed toothbrushing regimen and his four cavities (related, probably)Why the Càirdeas release is one of the most interesting Islay bottlings out thereAn update on baby Mary — off the paralytic, eyes open, more wins than lossesThe bell curve of zeal — and why most men quit halfway up the back sideSt. Aelred of Rievaulx, the 12th-century Cistercian abbot the Church basically credits as the doctor of friendship"Here we are, you and I, and I hope that Christ makes a third with us" — the opening line of Spiritual FriendshipWhy spiritual friendship is not a teacher-student relationship and why treating it like one ruins itThe danger of becoming the guy who turns every conversation into a lectureDon't sacrifice your own vocation to play spiritual father to someone else'sConsistency beats intensity — and why a Pelagian attitude toward your men's group will wear you out"How's your prayer life?" — the question that breaks past small talk in under thirty secondsVulnerability as a man's strength, not his concession to a cultural buzzwordWhy one man's honest confession in a group does more for the listeners than the speakerLady Haylee and Lady Pamela both telling their husbands, in different houses, the same thing: you're a better man when you come back from those groupsSubsidiarity in friendship — the smallest circle is always the most important circleAristotle's hierarchy of friendship and why you can't be an authentic friend without knowing the goodThe Eucharist as the prerequisite for real spiritual friendship between menMake a friend. Be a friend. Bring a friend to Christ.Bourbon of the week: Laphroaig Càirdeas 2024, Triple Wood & PX CasksREFERENCED IN THIS EPISODEBooks:Spiritual Friendship by St. Aelred of Rievaulx — be careful of older translations from the 60s and 70s that read sexualization into the text that isn't thereNicomachean Ethics by AristotlePurgatorio by Dante (Adam's office reading group, currently working through it)Saints:St. Aelred of RievaulxSt. Benedict (and the Cistercian reform out of the Benedictine order)St. Peter (the lawn chair analogy)People & references:Lady Haylee MinihanLady Pamela NilesAdam's Substack (where he wrote about the Dante reading group)The friend in Adam's office who told him, "I didn't even realize that friendship like that existed"Concepts & passages:John 15: "I no longer call you slaves, but friends"The three Aristotelian friendships: utility, pleasure, virtueThe four ends of friendship in St. AelredThe "Friends of Laphroaig" plot programThe three TCMS pillars: Protect, Provide, EstablishSPONSOR BLOCKSponsor: Select International Tours — selectinternationaltours.comWhen Adam and Dave decided to lead their first pilgrimage, the same name kept coming up: Select International Tours. Having now used them, we can tell you they're the real deal. Whether you want to lead a pilgrimage or join one, Select has a tour ready for wherever the Lord is calling you. Head to selectinternationaltours.com and take a look.

This week, Mippo, Myles, and Xavier sat down to discuss Stripe Sessions, the merging of fintech and crypto, Tempo's role in agentic commerce, where AI agents will land onchain, sector-specific blockchains, and the rise of stablecoin neobanks. Thanks for tuning in! Resources Xave's Thoughts on Stripe Sessions: https://x.com/0xave/status/2050211034338640091?s=20 Stripe's Link: https://x.com/link/status/2049529099933348041?s=20 – Follow Myles: https://x.com/MylesOneil Follow Xavier: https://x.com/0xave Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH —- Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (01:22) Inside Stripe Sessions (09:21) The Two Sides of Crypto (13:46) The Funding Horse Race (17:57) AIs Impact on Crypto (26:43) Sector Specific Chains (29:20) The Neobank Opportunity —-- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed. 

This week, Mippo, Myles, and Xavier sat down to discuss Blockworks' Token Transparency Framework, exploring why founder accountability and disclosure standards matter now, the relationship between regulatory clarity and token classification, token versus equity value accrual, optimal token launch timing, exchange listing incentives, protocol security, and the potential for onchain, real-time disclosures. Thanks for tuning in! Resources Vlad Tenev on Boring Earnings Calls: https://x.com/sourceryy/status/2049208276873581054?s=20 – Follow Myles: https://x.com/MylesOneil Follow Xavier: https://x.com/0xave Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH —- Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (01:30) The Token Transparency Framework (08:10) Why Disclosures, Why Now? (18:18) Token vs Equity Value Accrual (21:33) When Should You Launch a Token? (34:24) Protocol Security as a Differentiator (39:18) Future of Onchain Disclosures —-- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Mippo, Myles, and Xavier sat down to discuss the brutal month for DeFi, North Korea's growing role in exploits, counterparty risk and curator models, the security-versus-speed tradeoff, and DeFi's path forward through stablecoins, agents, and fintech distribution. Thanks for tuning in! – Follow Myles: https://x.com/MylesOneil Follow Xavier: https://x.com/0xave Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH —- Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (00:32) A Month of DeFi Disasters (05:44) Why Are Hacks Accelerating? (09:53) Lending Models Today (17:22) What Brings Capital Back to DeFi? (24:28) The Overhang From Mythos (28:44) Institutionalization of Crypto (38:51) The Money Legos Thesis (49:15) Closing Comments —-- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're joined by monetsupply and Sam MacPherson to unpack the rsETH exploit, DeFi's sentiment crisis, risk models, and Bitcoin's looming Q-Day decision around Satoshi's wallet. Thanks for tuning in! – Follow Sam: https://x.com/hexonaut Follow monetsupply: https://x.com/MonetSupply Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH —- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:07) The rsETH Exploit (12:04) DeFi's Sentiment Crisis (20:22) Risk Within DeFi (32:15) TradFi vs DeFi Tradeoffs (40:46) Q-Day & Satoshi's Wallet —-- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

We're in our new "month of renewal" format. We're essentially exploring this question throughout the month... what if growth required less effort? This is an encore episode that helps us answer this question. Reminder that we'll be back with new episodes May 1, 2026.  Busyness: society's favorite status symbol and one of resilience's sneakiest enemies. In this episode, Henry Emmons, MD and Aimee Prasek, PhD dig into time poverty — the feeling of having too much to do and never enough time to do it — and unpack why so many of us are stuck in this cycle without even realizing it. Spoiler: it's not just about your calendar. They explore the science of adrenal fatigue, the cultural glorification of overwork, a concept called effort justification, and the fears that keep us moving too fast to feel anything. Plus, a practical, almost embarrassingly simple mindfulness trick to help you wake up to your own life — and a cautionary tale about solitaire. About: The Joy Lab Podcast is an Ambie-nominated podcast that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, ease anxiety, and uplift mood. Join Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek for practical, mindfulness-based tools and positive psychology strategies to build resilience and create lasting joy. Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with the Joy Lab Program.  If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts! And... if you want to spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free, then please join our mission by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible).   Like and follow Joy Lab on Socials:  Instagram Linkedin YouTube   Full transcript here     Sources and Notes: Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life. Episode referenced: Emotional Inertia: Feeling Dull & Disconnected [ep. 207] Annie Dillard's website. Jonathan Gershuny: "Work not leisure, is now the signifier of dominant social status." Closing poem excerpt: Max Ehrmann, "Desiderata"   Key moments: [00:00:00] — Welcome & Episode Introduction Henry and Aimee introduce today's topic: busyness as a resilience-depleting habit and a deeper dive into time poverty. [00:01:00] — What Is Time Poverty? Time poverty defined: the feeling of having too much to do and not enough time to do it. The nuance: it's less about how many activities are on your calendar and more about why you feel so strapped — and what you consider time well spent. [00:02:00] — Stress, Perception, and the Hijacked Sense of Time When we're in a chronic stress state, our nervous system makes it virtually impossible to feel like we have enough time. Aimee sets up a connection to adrenal fatigue and how our perception of time gets distorted under prolonged stress. [00:03:30] — Annie Dillard Quote + The Brick-By-Brick Life Henry brings in writer Annie Dillard: "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." The key insight: the days we fill with unconscious busyness aren't separate from our life — they are our life. [00:05:30] — Adrenal Fatigue Explained Henry breaks down adrenal fatigue in plain language — not a lab result, but a state of physiological depletion from sustained high stress. When the system gets pushed too long, motivation crashes, fatigue sets in, and it can look a lot like depression. The takeaway: don't wait until you're running on empty. [00:09:00] — Waking Up to Your Own Life Aimee connects the Dillard quote to Joy Lab's core practice: seeing what is. The bricks you're laying right now are already your foundation — you can't outsource that awareness to some future version of yourself. [00:10:00] — Two Reasons We Resist Slowing Down Henry and Aimee identify the two forces keeping people stuck in chronic busyness: A cultural shift that glorifies work over leisure as a status symbol Fear of the emotions that surface when we stop moving [00:10:30] — The Cultural Glorification of Overwork Sociologist Jonathan Gershuny: "Work — not leisure — is now the signifier of dominant social status." Not productivity, not meaning, not mastery. Just logged hours. Aimee connects this to the founder-sleeping-at-the-office mythology and the phenomenon of effort justification — the false belief that harder or more work must be more meaningful work. [00:12:00] — The Bell Curve of Busyness Not all busyness is bad — in fact, too little challenge has its own negative health outcomes. Henry and Aimee describe the bell curve: there's a sweet spot of productive challenge that supports joy and wellbeing. Both ends of that curve — too little and too much — lead to worse outcomes. [00:13:30] — Fear #1: If I Stop, I'll Sink Henry draws on clinical experience with patients who've had to take time off work. The fear of going from frantic to flat is real — but the antidote is surprisingly modest: one or two structured, meaningful activities per day is often enough. [00:15:30] — Fear #2: Running From Emotions The deeper fear beneath chronic busyness — staying in motion to avoid feelings. Henry reflects honestly on using busyness as an avoidance strategy in his own life. It works... until it doesn't. The way out: learning to turn toward emotions rather than away from them. [00:17:30] — Aimee's Cross-Country Escape (And What Followed) Aimee shares that she moved across the country partly to run from her problems — only to discover that her feelings were faster than a plane ticket. A lighthearted but real reminder: avoidance is portable. [00:19:00] — What Is Time Well Spent? The missing link in the time poverty conversation: most of us haven't actually defined what time well spent means to us personally. Key questions to sit with: What do I want to learn or experience? Who energizes me? What leaves me feeling depleted? [00:20:00] — The Time Log Practice A practical tool: track how you spend your minutes for at least three days, noting both the activity and how you feel during it. Many people discover they have more agency over their time than they thought — and they're often spending that discretionary time on things they don't even enjoy. [00:21:00] — The Solitaire Saga Aimee's honest story about downloading a solitaire game for the warm, nostalgic reasons and spending five stressed-out weeks in a dopamine feedback loop before finally deleting it. The point: unconscious habits have real costs — and awareness is the first step to changing them. [00:25:00] — Henry's Mindfulness Shortcut: Expand or Contract? A deceptively simple real-time mindfulness practice: in any given moment, pause and notice whether your chest or belly feels expanded, contracted, or neutral. No judgment. Just notice. Then — over time — start making choices that move you toward more expansion. [00:27:00] — Closing Reflection + Desiderata Aimee closes with lines from Max Ehrmann's poem Desiderata — a meditation on self-compassion, presence, and trusting that the universe is unfolding as it should.   Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program. Please see our terms for more information. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at helpline@nami.org. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

This week, Jason and Mippo sat down to discuss the Blockworks rebrand! They examine the trust problem in crypto, onchain capital markets, disclosure frameworks, industry consolidation, and Blockworks' evolution over the years.  Thanks for tuning in! – Follow Blockworks: https://x.com/blockworks Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH —- Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (02:06) The Current State of Crypto (07:04) Crypto's Trust Problem (09:08) Blockworks' Solution (11:58) The Data Behind Tokens (17:07) Blockworks' Evolution (24:56) Issues With Tokens (35:18) The Blockworks Rebrand (39:41) Crypto Sentiment (43:47) Closing Comments —-- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed. 

In this solo episode of Where Work Meets Life, Dr. Laura explores leadership through a bell curve, illustrating the range of leaders found in today's organizations. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience as an organizational psychologist, Dr. Laura explains how leaders often rise not through careful selection, but through promotions based on technical skill or ambition. She outlines the spectrum from toxic bosses to truly great leaders and reflects on how leadership quality shapes culture, employee engagement, and organizational health. She asks us to consider where our own leaders fall on the continuum and what it would take to move leadership from merely adequate to genuinely inspiring. Dr. Laura emphasizes that great leadership is not accidental. It requires intentional hiring and thoughtful promotion processes and involves ongoing development rather than one-time training efforts. She highlights the power of mentorship and self-insight as essential qualities that help leaders grow. In a time marked by burnout, mental health challenges, and global uncertainty, Dr. Laura stresses that organizations need more great leaders who understand that people and culture drive long-term success. She offers a thoughtful reflection on leadership responsibility and a call for both organizations and individuals to invest in developing leaders who bring out the best in others. “Leading human beings is an honor and a privilege, and too often people are promoted into leadership roles without the ingredients that help someone truly thrive as a people leader.” - Dr. Laura About Dr. Laura: Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett is a work and career psychologist and thought leader on the evolution of work. She has always been fascinated by how work intersects with life and loves to use her expertise to improve organizations and help people thrive. Her passion for taking creative ideas and launching them into successful business strategies led her to start three counselling psychology practices (Calgary Career Counselling, Canada Career Counselling, and Synthesis Psychology), as well as six different business brands offering organizational assessment and consulting services. Dr. Laura is honoured to have been selected as a Woman of Distinction in Canada in 2014 and received a Canadian Woman of Inspiration Award as a Global Influencer in 2018. Her new book, I Wish I'd Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss, is available for purchase on Amazon now. Resources: “I Wish I'd Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss” by Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett Dr. Laura on LinkedIn Where Work Meets Life™ on YouTube Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live For more resources, look into Dr. Laura's organizations:  Canada Career Counselling Synthesis Psychology Order Dr. Laura's new book today: I Wish I'd Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating a Toxic Boss Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, we're joined by Marius from Kamino, and Reid from Figure to discuss the growth of RWA lending on Solana, the mechanics of RWA looping, private credit onchain, Figure's Forge platform, risk pricing, fixed rate borrow-lend, and how the composition of onchain credit assets may evolve over time. Thanks for tuning in! – Follow Marius: https://x.com/y2kappa Follow Reid: https://x.com/reidlikeabook Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH —- Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (05:01) Why RWA Deposits Keep Growing (15:44) Thoughts on Private Credit (20:45) What is Forge? (25:11) RWA Looping (34:54) How Rates Impact Onchain Activity (45:33) Fixed Rate Borrow-Lend (49:19) The Next 10 Years For RWAs —-- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Mippo, Myles, and Xavier sat down to discuss the next crypto bull market, covering whether it has started, expected market breadth, rotation patterns, sector winners, the return of retail, the role of regulation, and how crypto's culture is evolving toward institutional maturity. Thanks for tuning in! – Follow Myles: https://x.com/MylesOneil Follow Xavier: https://x.com/0xave Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH —- Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (02:20) Has the Next Bull Market Started? (15:59) Broad Rally or Dispersion? (23:03) What Leads This Cycle? (30:26) Will Retail Come Back? (42:49) Winning Sectors (51:29) How Regulation Shapes This Cycle (57:30) Crypto's New Culture —-- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, we're joined by Sreeram Kannan and Gajesh Naik from EigenCloud to discuss EigenCloud's evolution, the architecture behind Eigen's data, compute, and AI stack, agent property ownership via verifiable compute, and a live demo of Sovra, the first sovereign agent. Thanks for tuning in! Resources Agentkit: https://www.eigencloud.xyz/agentkit Sovra: https://www.sovra.dev/ – Follow Eigen: https://x.com/EigenCloud Follow Sovra: https://x.com/TrulyAutonomous Follow Sreeram: https://x.com/sreeramkannan Follow Gajesh: https://x.com/gajesh Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH —- Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (01:11) Eigen Cloud's Origin Story (13:26) The Future of DA (22:56) Why Build on EigenCloud? (41:52) Agents as the New Companies (57:07) Sovra: The First Sovereign Agent —-- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

This week, Mippo, Myles, and Xavier sat down to discuss the current fundraising landscape for early-stage crypto founders, covering how funding standards have shifted, optimal raise sizing, the inverted risk model of token-era investing, go-to-market strategy, how to run a fundraising process, and when to act on investor feedback. Thanks for tuning in! – Follow Myles: https://x.com/MylesOneil Follow Xavier: https://x.com/0xave Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH —- Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (02:57) The Bar to Raise Has Never Been Higher (10:53) The Impact of Market Cycles (20:36) How Much Should You Actually Raise? (27:51) Blockworks IR (28:39) Telling Your Story (41:02) Running a Fundraise (57:58) Accepting Feedback —-- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed. 

This week, Mippo, Myles, and Xavier sat down to discuss the bull and bear cases for Ethereum. They cover RWA dominance, agentic payments potential, leadership concerns, fee generation challenges, competition from Solana and corp chains, and the eroding network effects of ETH as a base asset. Thanks for tuning in! – Follow Myles: https://x.com/MylesOneil Follow Xavier: https://x.com/0xave Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH —- Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (09:14) Bull Cases For Ethereum (19:12) Bear Cases For Ethereum (30:00) Ethereum's North Star (39:15) Final Verdict —-- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed. 

Live from DAS, we're joined by Tushar Jain and Greg Xethalis from Multicoin to discuss the CLARITY Act's implications for token projects, including disclosure requirements, value accrual mechanisms, the collapse of the token-equity dual structure, founder responsibilities around PMF, and the banking lobby's bad-faith opposition to stablecoin yield. Thanks for tuning in! -- Follow Tushar: https://x.com/tushar_jain Follow Greg: https://x.com/xethalis Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH -- Timestamps (0:00) Introduction (3:33) CLARITY: Where the Bill Stands (4:57) Token Projects & the New Disclosure Era (7:19) End of the Foundation Farce (12:03) Investors Price Uncertainty Into Tokens (18:42) Will CLARITY Fix Token Performance? (25:44) What VCs Expect From Founders Now (35:17) Value Accrual (43:45) Banks vs Stablecoins -- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Producer/Host: R.W. Estela Hi, I'm RW Estela: Since 1991, I've been presenting A Word in Edgewise, WERU's longest-running short feature, a veritable almanac of worldly and heavenly happenings, a confluence of 21st-century life in its myriad manifestations, international and domestic, cosmopolitan and rural, often revealing, as the French say, the more things change, the more they stay the same — though not always! Sometimes in addressing issues affecting our day-to-day lives, in this age of vagary and ambiguity, when chronological time is punctuated elliptically, things can quickly turn edgy and controversial, as we search for understanding amid our dialectic. Tune in Monday mornings at 7:30 a.m. for an exciting journey through space and time with a few notable birthdays thrown in for good measure during A Word in Edgewise . . . About the host: RW Estela was raised as a first-generation American in Colorado by a German mother and a Corsican-Basque father who would become a three-war veteran for the US Army, so RW was naturally a military brat and later engaged in various Vietnam-era civil-service adventures before paying his way through college by skiing for the University of Colorado, playing Boulder coffeehouses, and teaching. He has climbed all of Colorado's Fourteeners; found work as an FAA-certificated commercial pilot, a California-licensed building contractor, a publishing editor, a practitioner of Aikido, and a college professor of English; among his many interdisciplinary pursuits are the design and building of Terrell Residence Library (recently renamed the Terrell House Permaculture Living & Learning Center at the University of Maine), writing Building It In Two Languages (a bilingual dictionary of construction terminology), aerial photo documentation of two dam removals (Great Works and Veazie) on the Penobscot River, and once a week since 1991 drafting an installment of A Word In Edgewise, his essay series addressing issues affecting our day-to-day lives — and WERU's oldest continuous short feature. When pandemics do not interfere, he does the Triple Crown of Maine open-water ocean swims (Peaks to Portland, Islesboro Crossing, and Nubble Light Challenge) and the Whitewater Downriver Point Series of the Maine Canoe and Kayak Racing Organization. RW is the father of two and the grandfather of three and lives with his partner Kathleen of 37 years and their two Maine Coons in Orono. The post A Word in Edgewise 3/30/26: The Bell Curve, a Cracked Tooth, & Paul Verlaine . . . first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Recorded live at Digital Asset Summit 2026, Mippo, Myles, and Xavier discuss the conference's institutional tone, the divergence between crypto's maturing infrastructure and underperforming tokens, the structural problems plaguing token launches, and what conditions might drive the next token bull market. Thanks for tuning in! – Follow Myles: https://x.com/MylesOneil Follow Xavier: https://x.com/0xave Follow Mike: https://twitter.com/MikeIppolito_ Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3R1D1D9 Subscribe on Apple: https://apple.co/3pQTfmD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cpKZXH —- Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (03:07) Are Tokens Dead? (07:17) The Last Five Years (19:55) Blockworks IR Ad (20:43) Will Tokens Make a Comeback? (27:04) The Next Token Bull Market —-- Disclaimer: Nothing said on Bell Curve is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Mike, Xavier, Myles, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

In this episode of Crazy Wisdom, Stewart Alsop sits down with Andre Oliveira, founder of Splash N Color, a bootstrapped 3D printing e-commerce business selling consumer goods on Amazon. The two cover a lot of ground — from how Andre went from running 40 FDM printers out of South Florida to offshoring manufacturing to China, to how he's using Claude Code to automate inventory management and generate supplier RFQs across 200+ SKUs. The conversation stretches into bigger territory too: the San Francisco AI scene, the rise of AI agents and what they mean for the future of the internet, whether local on-device AI will eventually replace cloud-based tools, and why building physical products will stay hard long after software becomes easy. It's a candid, wide-ranging conversation between two self-taught builders figuring things out in real time. Follow Andre on X: @AndreBaach.Timestamps00:00 — Andre introduces Splash N Color, his Amazon-based 3D printing e-commerce business and explains the grind of running 40 FDM machines in South Florida.05:00 — The conversation shifts to Claude Code and how Andre built an inventory automation system to manage sales velocity and RFQs across 200+ SKUs.10:00 — Stewart and Andre compare notes on Opus 4.6, debate Codex vs Claude, and Andre breaks down the new Agent Teams feature in Claude Code.15:00 — Discussion turns to the San Francisco AI scene, the viral OpenClaw launch event that drew 700 people, and what's capturing the city's imagination right now.20:00 — The pair wrestle with data privacy, the illusion of it since 2000, and whether full transparency of personal data might actually serve people better.25:00 — Stewart pitches his vision of local on-device AI replacing cloud tools entirely, and they debate the 10–15 year timeline for mainstream societal adoption.30:00 — Andre traces his origin story: a high school dropout from Brazil who spotted a 3D printing opportunity on Facebook Marketplace and got lucky timing with COVID.35:00 — They explore whether AI-generated 3D models and DfAM will automate physical manufacturing, and why proprietary specs keep the space stubbornly hard.Key InsightsLifestyle businesses deserve more respect. Andre spent months feeling inadequate scrolling through Twitter watching founders announce funding rounds, before realizing his cash-flowing, location-independent business was already the goal. The social media version of entrepreneurial success warped his perception of what he actually had built.Claude Code is becoming an operating system. Stewart describes running Claude Code as having a second OS on top of MacOS — one that makes the underlying machine legible in ways it never was before. Both guests use it not just for coding but as a primary interface for understanding and operating their businesses.Agent Teams changes how work gets done. Andre explains that Claude's new multi-agent feature lets you assign a team lead and specialized roles that communicate with each other in parallel, essentially running an autonomous task force inside your terminal — a meaningful leap beyond single-instance prompting.Physical manufacturing will stay hard. Even as AI-generated 3D models improve, tolerances of 0.5 millimeters can mean the difference between a product working or not. Design for manufacturing is a separate discipline from design itself, and proprietary specs mean open source models rarely hit commercial quality.The internet is heading toward agents. Both guests agree that AI agents will increasingly handle tasks humans currently do manually online — booking services, making payments, coordinating logistics — with the human internet potentially becoming secondary to a machine-to-machine layer.Iteration is the real value of 3D printing. Andre pushes back on 3D printing as a business unto itself, framing it instead as a prototyping tool. The true value is rapid iteration on housing, tolerances, and fit — not the printer, but the speed of the feedback loop it enables.Technology compounds in layers. Andre closes with a tech-tree analogy: each generation normalizes the tools of the previous one and builds the next layer on top. Agentic coding today is what the internet was in the 90s — the foundation for something we can't yet fully see.

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back Mastering Engineering Joe Caithness. Joe has worked on mastering the soundtrack music for games such as Borderlands, and Tekken, the soundtracks for the Netflix movie Close, bands such as Don Martin 3 and Palooka 5. In this episode we discuss Pro Audio Minimalism.In This Episode, We Discuss:Pro audio minimalism focuses on efficiency and workflow.Post-pandemic, many have adapted to home studios.Stripping down gear can lead to better productivity.Quality of work is not determined by the amount of gear.The bell curve illustrates the journey of audio engineers.Social media can exacerbate gear obsession.It's important to focus on skills rather than equipment.Minimalism can reduce stress in the creative process.Finding balance in audio engineering is crucial.Personal interests outside of audio can influence spending. Being debt-free allows for better control over finances.Intentional communication can streamline workflows and reduce confusion.Minimalism in workflow can lead to increased efficiency.Decluttering can help identify unnecessary subscriptions and expenses.Applying minimalism to business practices can enhance focus and productivity.The thrill of the hunt can lead to unnecessary clutter if not managed.Intentional equipment purchases can prevent buyer's remorse.Every purchase has a domino effect on workflow and finances.Embracing whimsy can make minimalism enjoyable and fulfilling.Sharing resources can benefit others and reduce personal clutter.Links and Show Notes:Joe's SiteJoe on WCA #329Matt's Rant: Credits:Guest: Joe CaithnessHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith

In which I mostly talk about the Shroud of Turin. Murray only spends seven pages on the it, so my review is not comprehensive. Actually, never mind. That's what the top sections are for. Taking Religion Seriously By: Charles Murray Published: 2025 152 Pages Briefly, what is this book about? Murray's journey from agnosticism to belief, a journey that is largely intellectual rather than spiritual. Because it was largely intellectual, it's also more explicable. This allows Murray to write a different sort of conversion story, one that's more amenable to being mapped out as a straightforward guide with sources and citations. What authorial biases should I be aware of? Murray has been a libertarian thinker for decades, though he's probably best known for The Bell Curve which he co-authored. So Murray is approaching things from a conservative/libertarian milieu. That said, it's a very balanced book. When he provides his sources for a particular idea he also includes sources that are critical of that idea. Who should read this book? I've read a lot of books that fall in this general area. Too many to list (consider The New Testament in Its World, Modern Physics and Ancient Faith and Believe just in the last six months) I would read Murray before reading any of them. It's clear, comprehensive, short, and meaty. Even if you're a raging atheist I would read this book because it's the quickest way to understand your opponents' best arguments. Specific thoughts: The surprising strength of the Shroud of Turin

Have you been captured by a cause?… GUEST Rev Bill Glaze ... Bethany Baptist Church, Homewood. Becoming Part of God’s Family.… GUEST Carmen Joy Imes … Associate professor of Old Testament at Biola Univ and author, most recently, of “Being God’s Image: Why Creation Still Matters” Taking Religion Seriously (new book) … GUEST Charles Murray … is a policy analyst educated at Harvard and MIT, who has, over his long and distinguished career, been a best-selling author and social scientist … Among his many books are “The Bell Curve, “Human Accomplishment,” and “Coming Apart” … he is currently the Hayek Emeritus Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Book- The Bell Curve. Intelligence and Class Structure in America. Part 2 of 2. 

In today's episode, we're reflecting on 2025.We discuss:- Are blockchains ready for real world adoption?- TPS vs throughput: what matters more?- Solana's pressure test via $TRUMP- Agentic trading platform Hype and AI bots in crypto- Uni unification, Morpho vaults, and the Aave governance controversy- Prediction markets take center stage: Polymarket and Kalshi- Perp DEX explosion post-Hyperliquid- Stablecoin supply: Ethereum still leads- Revenue across chains: Hyperliquid dominates, but Solana and Tron surpriseAnd much more—enjoy!—Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction(01:00) Are blockchains real-world ready?(05:06) TPS vs throughput needs(12:05) Decentralization vs scalability tradeoff(20:06) Solana's $TRUMP stress test(25:25) Agentic trading bots rise(27:34) Uni unification and DeFi(33:02) AAVE front-end fee fight(34:07) Morpho vaults and risks(40:15) Rise of prediction markets(45:10) Stablecoin supply by chain(47:58) Revenue leaders: Hyperliquid, Tron(52:34) Solana app revenue dominance(1:01:31) Outro—Follow the co-hosts:https://x.com/hildobbyhttps://x.com/0xBoxehttps://x.com/sui414Follow the Indexed Podcast:https://x.com/indexed_pod  —The Indexed Podcast discusses hot topics, trendy metrics and chart crimes in the crypto industry, with a new episode every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, brought to you by wizards @hildobby_ @0xBoxer @sui414.Subscribe/follow the show and leave a comment to help us grow the show!—DISCLAIMER: All information presented here should not be relied upon as legal, financial, investment, tax or even life advice. The views expressed in the podcast are not representative of hosts' employers views. We are acting independently of our respective professional roles.

Happy Holidays from In Bed with the Right!!! Unfortunately, the festive season has gotten away from us and the two remaining episodes on our schedule are absolute monsters (the two-hour final (!) installment of Project 1933, and our episode on the media hubbub around "American Canto"), so to tide you over while we record and edit we thought we'd do a re-release of one of our Patreon magna opera from the Patreon. So this week, feast your ears on Part 1 (today) and Part 2 (Thursday) of our deep dive into the life and times of Andrew Sullivan -- editor, blogger, Iraq War hawk, and noted gender conservative! Our deep dive is -- fair warning -- about 3 hours long. But we felt Sullivan -- who is, as Moira put it, sort of "gender conservatism's Forrest Gump" -- was worth spending time with. He intersects with so many strands and trends, so many institutions and pathologies of the last forty years. Specifically, we're going through his complicated work by focusing on specific texts, by situating them in their moment and explaining their legacy. This first episode covers Sullivan's early years, 1980 - 1996: Oxford, Harvard, The New Republic, The Bell Curve, and Virtually Normal.If you like what you've heard, and you haven't already, consider subscribing to our Patreon at patreon.com/InBedWiththeRight! We have a lot of cool episodes coming up, including the aforementioned one on NuzziGate, RFK Jr., and structures of impunity.

What I've learned since my Nana's death...

Bell Curve author joins the intellectual mob (Peter Thiel, Jordan Peterson, Ross Douthat et al) and finds GodCharles Murray, the infamous co-author of the Bell Curve, has joined the crowd and is Taking Religion Seriously. But what if God doesn't take him seriously—or worse, finds his work on cognitive elites sufficiently annoying to sentence him to give powerpoint presentations on IQ for eternity? Murray doesn't seem too stressed by these Dantesque scenarios. Instead, he's eager to keep up with his Quaker wife, Catherine Bly Cox, who has taken religion far more seriously than Murray himself. Even Murray's discovery of God feels slightly detached and skeptical—as if the social scientist is laughing at himself for doing such an unverifiable and perhaps even low IQ thing. So if Murray can't take his own faith seriously, why should God—or fellow skeptics of today's mob fashion for religion—take him any more seriously? 1. The Intellectual Zeitgeist Has Shifted on Religion Twenty years ago, the New Atheists (Dawkins, Dennett, Hitchens) dominated intellectual discourse. Today, figures from Peter Thiel to Jordan Peterson to Ross Douthat are taking religion seriously again. Murray sees this as the West emerging from “intellectual adolescence”—no longer assuming our Enlightenment parents were wrong about everything.2. Science Has Flipped from Religion's Enemy to Its Unexpected Ally For centuries, scientific discoveries (evolution, psychology, astronomy) delivered body blows to religious belief. But Murray argues that 20th-century science—from the Big Bang to near-death experiences to the hard problem of consciousness—has created new mysteries that materialism can't explain but religion can. We've moved from a “god of the gaps” to genuine scientific anomalies that challenge pure materialism.3. Spiritual Sensitivity Is a Trait, Not an Achievement Murray believes sensitivity to spiritual matters is like musical ability or artistic appreciation—a genetically grounded continuum from low to high. His wife has access to spiritual insights he doesn't. This isn't about intelligence (both Christopher Hitchens and Francis Collins are brilliant) but about a distinct cognitive capacity. Smart people at Harvard don't believe because they lack this trait, not because they're smarter.4. Murray Is Chasing His Wife's Faith (and Losing) Catherine Bly Cox began her religious journey after feeling she loved their baby “more than evolution required”—sensing she was a conduit for mysterious, superfluous love. Her faith has slowly evolved “like a light on a rheostat.” Murray, the empiricist, can't access what she experiences. He's stuck investigating historicity and near-death experiences while she explores meaning and the human condition. He's envious but can't catch up.5. Murray Won't Apologize for The Bell Curve—Even to God When pressed about whether guilt over his controversial work might motivate his religious turn, Murray was emphatic: “Not the slightest. I am not only proud of the bell curve, I think that the bell curve contains the germ of a lot of the arguments I've been making to you today.” He insists God cannot be anthropomorphized or placed on an IQ scale. But his refusal to reckon with how his life's work might look from a divine perspective—or from the perspective of Christian love and universal human dignity—suggests his religious journey remains fundamentally intellectual rather than transformative. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Andrew Walworth, Tom Bevan and Carl Cannon discuss President Donald Trump's social media post calling on Senate Republicans to get rid of the filibuster in order to reopen the government. Also, this weekend federal food stamps payments are scheduled to start running out and ACA enrollment begins, which some feel will help spur Senators from both parties to compromise and stop the partial government shutdown. Then, they discuss races in Virginia, New Jersey and New York City as the final weekend of the 2025 election season begins. Plus, a look at Alvin Bragg's campaign for New York District Attorney, where candidates have been largely silent on the unsuccessful outcome of his case against Donald Trump. Next, political scientist and author Charles Murray joins the guys to talk about his new book, Taking Religion Seriously. Murray is best known for thought-provoking political books like Losing Ground, The Bell Curve and Coming Apart. His latest effort is the story of his own faith journey and personal reflection on the nature of God, nature and existence. Then finally, the guys talk up this week's “You Cannot Be Serious” stories. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

At a time when faith and culture are colliding across America, Charles Murray, renowned policy analyst and bestselling author of Coming Apart and The Bell Curve, joins Scot Bertram to discuss his deeply personal new book, Taking Religion Seriously. Murray shares his intellectual and spiritual journey from decades of agnosticism to a thoughtful belief in God and Christianity. He reflects on how science, philosophy, and moral reasoning led him to reconsider faith in a modern, skeptical age, and why religion still holds profound meaning for America's future.

At a time when faith and culture are colliding across America, Charles Murray, renowned policy analyst and bestselling author of Coming Apart and The Bell Curve, joins Scot Bertram to discuss his deeply personal new book, Taking Religion Seriously. Murray shares his intellectual and spiritual journey from decades of agnosticism to a thoughtful belief in God and Christianity. He reflects on how science, philosophy, and moral reasoning led him to reconsider faith in a modern, skeptical age, and why religion still holds profound meaning for America's future.

Political scientist Charles Murray has written many well-known books over the course of his lifetime.Many of his works—including “Losing Ground,” “The Bell Curve,” and “Coming Apart”—have deeply influenced the intellectual discourse and zeitgeist of our times and provoked heated debate about the roots of major social problems in America.His latest book covers a topic that he has never covered deeply before: religion.Murray writes in the foreword of his book “Taking Religion Seriously,” “Millions are like me when it comes to religion: well-educated and successful people for whom religion has been irrelevant. We grew up in secular households or drifted away from the faiths in which we were raised and never looked back. For them, I think I have a story worth telling.”In our conversation, he recounts how he slowly came to question his assumption that there was nothing in religion for him.He began to grapple with questions such as: How did life come to be? Why is there something rather than nothing? What happens to purely secular societies? What happens to art that no longer acknowledges beauty, truth, and the good?He said: “I finished the book by comparing myself to a kid whose nose is pressed against the glass watching a party that's going on inside that he can't join. I have had the good fortune to meet a number of people who have had a very full, rich spiritual experience. ... I look at the kind of people they are, and I say to myself: I want more of that.”Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

Michael Shermer sits down with Charles Murray (author of The Bell Curve, Coming Apart, and now Taking Religion Seriously) for a riveting 100-minute conversation about Murray's late-life turn from Harvard-bred agnosticism (“Smart people don't believe that stuff anymore”) to Bayesian theism (“I put the afterlife at just over 50%”). This wide-ranging discussion explores the evidence for the existence of God and the afterlife, the problem of evil, and the historical growth of Christianity. They also delve into topics such as the nature of consciousness, terminal lucidity, and even evolutionary vs. religious perspectives on love. A thought-provoking exploration for skeptics, seekers, and anyone wondering whether the universe has a purpose. Charles Murray is a policy analyst educated at Harvard and MIT and currently serves as the Hayek Emeritus Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. He is the author of several influential books, including the controversial The Bell Curve, Coming Apart, and Facing Reality. His most recent book is Taking Religion Seriously.

In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett examine the Enlightenment's philosophical transformation from medieval religious to modern mechanistic worldviews, analyzing French rationalist, British empirical, and German romantic traditions that fundamentally shaped contemporary Western civilization and thought. -- SPONSOR: ZCASH | SHOPIFY The right technology reshapes politics and culture toward freedom and prosperity. Zcash—the "machinery of freedom"—delivers unstoppable private money through encryption. When your wealth is unseen, it's unseizable. Download Zashi wallet and follow @genzcash to learn more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/genzcash⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at ⁠⁠https://shopify.com/cognitive⁠⁠ -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (00:15) The Enlightenment (00:50) Defining the Enlightenment - 18th Century Philosophic Breakthrough (01:06) Why the Enlightenment is Hard to Comprehend Today (01:30) Living Off Systems Created by Smarter Earlier Eras (02:37) Living in a World Created by the Enlightenment (03:19) The Enlightenment as an Open Source Toolkit (04:00) Spenglerian Analysis of the Enlightenment (04:30) Ancient World Parallels - Greece and Rome (05:00) Life-Affirming and Life-Denying Phases of Civilization (05:48) The Axial Age - India, China, and Islam (06:52) Every Civilization Doubts Its Old Religion (07:30) Disintegration Since the Enlightenment (17:35) Sponsors Zcash | Shopify (20:18) 17th Century Context & 30 Years War (56:00) British, German & French Enlightenment Discussion (02:05:20) Tolstoy and the Limits of Rationalism (02:06:27) 19th Century Balance - Technology vs Romantic Subjectivism (02:07:15) Transition from French to German Enlightenment (02:08:00) Eastern Europe and Enlightened Despots (02:08:30) Next Video Preview - 18th Century Regime Europe (02:09:00) The Rational Elite Problem (02:10:29) Intelligence vs Character (02:11:00) The Bell Curve and Overproduction of Mids (02:12:18) Wrap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comCharles is a writer, social scientist, and longtime friend. He currently holds the F.A. Hayek Chair Emeritus in Cultural Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. His many books include Losing Ground, The Bell Curve (co-authored with Richard Herrnstein), Coming Apart, Facing Reality, and Human Diversity (which we discussed on the Dishcast in 2021). His new book is Taking Religion Seriously. If you think you know who Charles is from the way the MSM has described him for years, this conversation may surprise.For two clips of our convo — on how science has revived old ideas of God over the past several decades, and the connection between psychedelics and agape — head to our YouTube page. (Charles is the second guest we've had who has come out as an LSD experimenter on the show; Rod Dreher was the other one.)Other topics: how Charles lived for decades without a “God-sized hole”; the security and comfort of modern life; when death and suffering was far more common; the 24/7 distractions of today; meditation retreats; Charles learning TM in Thailand; Quakerism and his wife Catherine's discovery that she loved her child “more than evolution requires”; how religiosity falls on a bell curve; my Irish grandmother's faith; “why is there something rather than nothing?”; the Big Bang and fine-tuning; logos; multiverses; the materialism of Dawkins et al; the evolutionary role of religion; CS Lewis; the Golden Rule; pure altruism; the transcendence in nature; near-death experiences; dementia and terminal lucidity; consciousness outside the brain; the soul; the collective consciousness in Buddhism; the strange details of the Gospels; the feminism of Jesus; the adulteress he saved; how grace is contagious; the Nativity; crucifixion and the Resurrection; the Jefferson Bible; the sacraments; the doubt in faith; Oakeshott; “Why We Should Say Yes to Drugs”; my HIV diagnosis; theodicy; Camus; TS Eliot; transhumanism, and the boredom of too much life.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: Karen Hao on artificial intelligence, Michel Paradis on Eisenhower, David Ignatius on the Trump effect globally, Mark Halperin on the domestic front, and Arthur Brooks on the science of happiness. As always, please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

This episode is the second in our occasional series on important, controversial, or unusually relevant conservative texts from the recent past. Here we take up Charles Murray's 2012 book, Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010. With its focus on the ascendence of a new "cognitive elite," cultural divides, and the pathologies afflicting working and lower class whites, the book might seem prophetic of the Age of Trump — but the reality is more complicated. Murray's oversights, it turns out, are as interesting as his insights. We walk listeners through Murray's account of how America "came apart," take the test he provides to see how thick our class/cultural bubbles are, then rip into the moralizing prescriptions with which he concludes the book. Along the way we discuss Murray as an emblematic success story of the right-wing welfare state and intellectual pipeline, revisit his obsession with race and IQ, and more!Sources:Charles Murray, Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010 (2012)— Human Accomplishment: The Pursuit of Excellence in the Arts and Sciences, 800 B.C. to 1950 (2003)— Losing Ground: American Social Policy, 1950-1980 (1984)Jason DeParle, "Daring Research or 'Social Science Pornography'? Charles Murray," New York Times, Oct 9, 1994Jane Mayer, Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right (2016)Pew Research Center, "Religious Landscape Study," Feb 26, 2025Quinn Slobodian & Stuart Schrader, "The White Man, Unburdened," The Baffler, July 2018"Do you live in a bubble? A quiz." PBS Newshour, Mar 24, 2016. ...and don't forget to subscribe to Know Your Enemy on Patreon for access to all of our bonus episodes!

Brought to you by Diesel David and Main Street Warriors In this episode of Cherokee Business Radio, host Joshua Kornitsky welcomes guests Robert Lee, founder of The Lesix Agency, Tiana Neal, CEO of Transcenders Consulting Group, and Farrell Middleton, Owner of The Bell Curve of Life. The conversation explores each guest's unique journey and insights into business growth […]

Ashley Frawley and Geoff Shullenberger discuss the long afterlife of eugenics, from sociobiology and The Bell Curve to today's online right.This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit compactmag.substack.com/subscribe This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit compactmag.substack.com/subscribe

How do you move people from the middle of the bell curve to the top? Coach and 36-year homebuilding veteran Farrell Middleton breaks down his “A Performer / A Environment” framework: practical ways leaders can create cultures where average performers become exceptional and top performers want to stay.What you'll learn: -The 20-60-20 bell curve (and why the middle matters most)-The 7-part A-Environment Blueprint: Vision, Leadership, Structure, Commitment, Discipline, Communication, Relationships-Soft-skills that drive hard results: defining reality, delegating well, and communicating clearly-How to spot a “C” environment, and actionable steps to turn it into an “A”-Managing up, navigating toxic pockets, and protecting your own attitude and routinesAbout our guest: Farrell is the founder of The Bell Curve of Life, author of A Performer / A Environment, and a longtime Atlanta-area homebuilding leader. Learn more at TheBellCurveOfLife.com and find his book on Amazon/Audible.—

How can individuals “move the needle” on their careers and achieve higher performance at work? Farrell Middleton, president of The Bell Curve of Life, joins Host Carol Morgan on the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss how his new book, A Performer/A Environment, presents working professionals with the tools they need to make meaningful growth in the workplace. The 20-60-20 Principle In A Performer/A Environment, Middleton dives into the “bell curve” pattern that comprises working professionals. The upper category of workers makes up 20%, then 60% is in the middle and 20% are in the lower category. He looks at factors such as behavior, skills, performance and results to empower individuals in the middle 60% and lower 20% to make improvements in life that matter to them. Middleton said, “These [changes] have to make a difference to them and those closest to them.” Through The Bell Curve of Life and the book, Middleton offers a powerful framework for professionals to pinpoint and cultivate the most crucial aspects of their lives. His core mission is to empower individuals to reach the “top 20% of what matters most to them.” Building Industry Reflections “I think everybody has a skill set of some sort,” said Middleton. “They just need to find it.” A Performer/A Environment draws on Middleton's 36-year career in the building industry, and he reflects on several take-aways from his time in the industry, most notably the people he has met and his exposure to customer service. “I've had the privilege of working closely with people of all educational levels, from high-level to master's degrees in finance to people who never graduated from high school and everything in between,” said Middleton. “And every one of them, no matter their station, has stories of success and stories of failure, like we all do.” In the homebuilding industry, customer service is the vital link between a builder and a homebuyer. According to Middleton, this connection is only as strong as a company's internal communication. He argues that seamless and consistent internal communication is the key to effectively selling a product or service. The homebuilding process involves a series of critical handoffs, and each one must be handled with deliberate communication and careful consideration. When these internal transitions are smooth, the customer experience is enhanced and the company's reputation for reliability and quality is strengthened. “We just don't realize the impact that our performance has on other people,” said Middleton. “We can take a step back and everybody can say, ‘Hey, if what I'm doing right now is going to negatively impact somebody down the line, maybe I could do a little bit better?'” Communication and Relationship-Building Middleton says the number one issue he sees through his program is individuals not listening. No one has all of the answers, but communication and building relationships with coworkers and industry peers are great ways to learn new skills. Middleton explains, “If someone becomes a better listener, they can automatically become a better leader.” They can do that tomorrow, without a doubt.” In A Performer/A Environment, professionals access everything they need to elevate their performance, from individual skills such as attitude and communication to the higher-level skills needed in management positions. When leaders adopt better skills, it trickles down to their associates as well. A healthy work environment, built on respect and strong communication, is also key to success. With improvements in these categories, a worker in the middle range can move to the upper, high-achieving tier with time and dedication. Middleton identifies three major characteristics of a “good” leader: A healthy vision for the business Remain approachable Willing to delegate tasks Ability to ID other leaders “Don't be scared of smart people,” said Middleton.

The Fantastic Four: First StepsIt is 1961, two comic creators join forces to make a comic that is free of some of the restrictions they've felt, to tell a story about characters they think they'd enjoy reading about, birthing a fantastic family.In this episode of The 602 Club host Matthew Rushing is joined by Yancy Evans to talk about The Fantastic Four: First Steps. We discuss coming into the movie, the setting, the cast, the action and effects, a question, Galactus, the music, H.E.R.B.I.E., where we stand by the end and our ratings.CHAPTERSComing Into the Film (00:02:24)The Setting (00:07:46)Pedro Pascal (00:23:55)Vanessa Kirby (00:32:46)Ebob Moss-Bachrach (00:35:00)Joseph Quinn (00:37:12)Julia Garner (00:38:58)The Action and Effects (00:40:17)A Question (00:44:17)Galactus As the Villain (00:47:03)The Music (00:53:17)H.E.R.B.I.E. (00:54:36)Where We Stand By the End (00:55:35)Ratings (01:16:02)HOSTMatthew RushingGUESTYancy EvansPRODUCTIONMatthew Rushing (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Associate Producer) Davis Grayson (Associate Producer) Daniel Noa (Associate Producer) Ryan Maillet (Associate Producer)

Join Michale, Mike, Yano and Santi on stage and LIVE from PERMISSIONLESS IV as they break down crypto's breakout moment for this week's roundup! -- Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts -- Follow Michael - https://x.com/im_manderson Follow Mike - https://x.com/MikeIppolito_ Follow Santi - https://x.com/santiagoroel Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod -- Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh -- GEODNET is the world's largest RTK network, delivering real-time, centimeter-level precision for drones, robots, farmers, and first responders. Recognized by the U.S. Congress, this blockchain-powered network supports mission-critical applications across a wide range of industries. Discover how GEODNET is changing the world: [https://geodnet.com] -- Get up to speed on the biggest stories in crypto each week. In five minutes. Get the Bitwise Weekly CIO Memo delivered directly to your inbox at bitwiseinvestments.com/ciomemo/empire -- Ledger, the global leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors Expansion! As Ledger celebrates 10 years of securing 20% of global crypto, it remains the top choice for securing your assets. Buy a LEDGER™ device now, and build confidently, knowing your BTC, ETH, SOL, and more are safe.Buy now on https://shop.ledger.com/?r=1da180a5de00. -- Citrea is the first zero-knowledge rollup to enhance the capabilities of Bitcoin blockspace and enable Bitcoin applications (₿apps). Citrea is optimistically verified by Bitcoin, offering the most Bitcoin-secured and native way to extend BTC's utility to DeFi. Learn more about Citrea: https://citrea.xyz/?utm_source=bellcurve&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=website_promo Follow Citrea on X/Twitter for the latest on its journey to mainnet: https://x.com/citrea_xyz Chapters: (00:00) Intro (01:25) The Growth of Prediction Markets (04:11) Polymarket vs Kalshi's Business Models (09:32) Ads (Geodnet, Bitwise) (11:08) Is Crypto Forming Its Own Mag 7? (19:16) Ads (Geodnet, Bitwise) (20:53) Global Capital Pools and the State of Venture (30:21) Bitcoin Dominance Is Up Only (36:21) Ads (Ledger, Citrea) (37:52) Verifiable Apps and the Effectiveness of the DAO (40:56) How to Play the Stablecoin Boom — Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Cody and Jon take a deep dive and reflect on habits, and how habitual life can be. This includes temporary highs and lows (like instant gratification) and if we are okay with those. As always thanks for listening

Do IQ tests measure your fixed intellect, or is there more to the equation? Despite their dark history, Michael Regilio bears good news on Skeptical Sunday!Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and a guest break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. This time around, we're joined by skeptic, comedian, and podcaster Michael Regilio!Jordan's must reads (including books from this episode): AcceleratEdFull show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1159On This Week's Skeptical Sunday:In 1927, the US Supreme Court supported forced sterilization of "feeble-minded" people based on IQ scores. Over 7,000 were sterilized in North Carolina alone. Nazi war criminals later cited American eugenics programs as inspiration.Early IQ tests asked about Edgar Allan Poe and bowling terminology. These measured cultural knowledge, not intelligence, disadvantaging anyone without specific educational or social backgrounds. This could mean the difference between becoming an officer or cannon fodder in WWI.Researcher James Robert Flynn determined that IQ scores have risen three points per decade throughout the 20th century. But contrary to claims made in the 1994 book The Bell Curve, this "Flynn effect" isn't due to evolution or genetics, but factors like better nutrition, cleaner water, smaller families, and more cognitively demanding environments.ChatGPT scores 99.9th percentile verbally but fails simple logic puzzles humans solve instantly. This demonstrates how intelligence isn't a single number — it's more like a jazz ensemble where mathematical reasoning, emotional intelligence, creativity, and street smarts all play different instruments. Trying to capture that symphony with one test is like describing a rainbow using only numbers.IQ tests aren't worthless — they're just misunderstood. Use them as diagnostic tools, not destiny predictors. Low pattern recognition score? Practice puzzles. Weak verbal reasoning? Read more complex texts. Identify specific cognitive areas to strengthen rather than accepting a single number as your limit. Your IQ isn't your written-in-stone fate — it's your starting coordinates on an infinitely expandable map of human potential.Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know!Connect with Michael Regilio at Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, and make sure to check out the Michael Regilio Plagues Well With Others podcast here or wherever you enjoy listening to fine podcasts!And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!Subscribe to our once-a-week Wee Bit Wiser newsletter today and start filling your Wednesdays with wisdom!Do you even Reddit, bro? Join us at r/JordanHarbinger!This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors:FlyKitt: 15% off: flykitt.com, code JORDANCaldera Lab: 20% off: calderalab.com/jordan, code JORDANHiya: 50% off first order: hiyahealth.com/jordanSimpliSafe: 50% off + 1st month free: simplisafe.com/jordanProgressive: Free online quote: progressive.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we're joined by Santi from Empire! We discuss today's crypto market conditions, stablecoin proliferation, and how long-term allocators are accumulating Bitcoin. We also touch on crypto's data and transparency issues, and the valuation of L1s before wrapping with speculation on alien life. Sponsored by: Crypto Tax Calculator Accurate Crypto Taxes. No Guesswork. Say goodbye to tax season headaches with Crypto Tax Calculator: Generate accurate, CPA-endorsed tax reports fully compliant with IRS rules. Seamlessly integrate with 3000+ wallets, exchanges, and on-chain platforms. Import reports directly into TurboTax or H&R Block, or securely share them with your accountant. Exclusive Offer: Use the code BW2025 to enjoy 30% off all paid plans. Don't miss out - offer expires 15 April 2025! Ledger Ledger, the world leader in digital asset security, proudly sponsors The Breakdown podcast. Celebrating 10 years of protecting over 20% of the world's crypto, Ledger ensures the security of your assets. For the best self-custody solution in the space, buy a LEDGER™ device and secure your crypto today. Buy now on Ledger.com. Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nathanielwhittemorecrypto Subscribe to the newsletter: https://breakdown.beehiiv.com/ Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8 Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownNLW