Podcasts about Skot

In this episode, Skot discusses the critical role of trust in leadership, emphasizing that trust is built through everyday moments of acknowledgment and empathy. He outlines practical steps for leaders to foster trust within their teams, including recognizing effort, showing empathy, and creating a culture where trust is a priority. The conversation highlights the importance of balancing support with challenge to drive engagement and performance. Website: skotwaldron.com

Can You Segway?Book 3 in 18 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels.So exactly who was going to be sympathetic to their plight, who we cared about?Beyond my fevered dream of making a difference there was a pinch of reality. See, the Cabindans and the people of Zaire were both ethnic Bakongo and the Bakongo of Zaire had also once had their own, independent (until 1914) kingdom which was now part of Angola. The Bakongo were major factions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) -(formerly for a short time known as the nation of Zaire, from here on out to be referred to as the DRC and in the running for the most fucked up place on the planet Earth, more on that later)- and Congo (the nation) yet a minority in Angola. Having an independent nation united along ethnic and linguistic lines made sense and could expect support from their confederates across international boundaries.The Liberation Air ForceThe Earth & Sky operated under one constant dilemma ~ when would Temujin make his return? Since they didn't know and it was their job to be prepared for the eventuality if it happened tomorrow, or a century down the line, they 'stockpiled', and 'stockpiled' and 'stockpiled'.That was why they maintained large horse herds and preserved the ancient arts of Asian bowyers, armoring and weapons-craft. That was why they created secret armories, and sulfur and saltpeter sites when musketry and cannons became the new ways of warfare. They secured sources of phosphates and petroleum when they became the new thing, and so on.All of this boiled over to me being shown yet again I worked with clever, creative and under-handed people. The Khanate came up with a plan for a 'Union' Air Force {Union? More on that later} within 24 hours, and it barely touched any of their existing resources. How did they accomplish this miracle? They had stockpiled and maintained earlier generation aircraft because they didn't know when Temujin would make his re-appearance.They'd also trained pilots and ground crews for those aircraft. As you might imagine, those people grew old just as their equipment did. In time, they went into the Earth & Sky's Inactive Reserves ~ the rank & file over the age of 45. You never were 'too old' to serve in some capacity though most combat-support related work ended at 67.When Temujin made his return and the E&S transformed into the Khanate, those people went to work bringing their lovingly cared for, aging equipment up to combat-alert readiness. If the frontline units were decimated, they would have to serve, despite the grim odds of their survival. It was the terrible acceptance the Chinese would simply possess so much more war-making material than they did.Well, the Khanate kicked the PRC's ass in a titanic ass-whooping no one (else) had seen coming, or would soon forget. Factory production and replacement of worn machines was in stride to have the Khanate's Air Force ready for the next round of warfare when the Cease-fire ended and the Reunification War resumed.Always a lower priority, the Khanate military leadership was considering deactivating dozens of these reserve unit when suddenly the (Mongolian) Ikh khaany khairt akh dáé (me) had this hare-brained scheme about helping rebels in Africa, West Africa, along the Gulf of Guinea coast/Atlantic Ocean, far, far away, and it couldn't look like the Khanate was directly involved.They barely knew where Angola was. They had to look up Cabinda to figure out precisely where that was. They brought in some of their 'reservist' air staff to this briefing and one of them, a woman (roughly a third of the E&S 'fighting'/non-frontline forces were female), knew what was going on. Why?She had studied the combat records and performance of the types of aircraft she'd have to utilize... back in the 1980's and 90's and Angola had been a war zone rife with Soviet (aka Khanate) material back then. Since she was both on the ball, bright and knew the score, the War Council put her in overall command. She knew what was expected of her and off she went, new staff in hand. She was 64 years old, yet as ready and willing to serve as any 20 year old believer in the Cause.Subtlety, scarcity and audacity were the watchwords of the day. The Khanate couldn't afford any of their front-line aircraft for this 'expedition'. They really couldn't afford any of their second-rate stuff either. Fortunately, they had some updated third-rate war-fighting gear still capable of putting up an impressive show in combat ~ providing they weren't going up against a top tier opponents.For the 'volunteers' of the Union Air Force, this could very likely to be a one-way trip. They all needed crash courses (not a word any air force loves, I know) in Portuguese though hastily provided iPhones with 'apps' to act as translators were deemed to be an adequate stop-gap measure. Besides, they were advised to avoid getting captured at all cost. The E&S couldn't afford the exposure. Given the opportunity ~ this assignment really was going above and beyond ~ not one of these forty-six to sixty-seven year olds backed out.No, they rolled out fifty of their antiquated aircraft, designs dating back to the 1950's through the mid-70's, and prepared them for the over 10,000 km journey to where they were 'needed most'. 118 pilots would go (72 active plus 46 replacements) along with 400 ground crew and an equally aged air defense battalion (so their air bases didn't get blown up). Security would be provided by 'outsiders' ~ allies already on the ground and whatever rebels could be scrounged up. After the initial insertion, the Indian Air Force would fly in supplies at night into the Cabinda City and Soyo Airports.The composition,14 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 jet fighters ~ though she entered service in 1959, these planes' electronics were late 20th century and she was a renowned dogfighter. 12 were the Mig-21-97 modernized variant and the other two were Mig-21 UM two-seater trainer variants which could double as reconnaissance fighters if needed.14 Sukhoi Su-22 jet fighter-bombers ~ the original design, called the Su-17, came out in 1970, the first 12 were variants with the 22M4 upgrade were an early-80's package. The other 2 were Su-22U two-seat trainers which, like their Mig-21 comrades, doubled as reconnaissance fighters. The Su-22M4's would be doing the majority of the ground attack missions for the Cabindans, though they could defend themselves in aerial combat if necessary.6 Sukhoi Su-24M2 supersonic attack aircraft ~ the first model rolled off the production lines in the Soviet Union back in 1974. By far the heaviest planes in the Cabindan Air Force, the Su-24M2's would act as their 'bomber force' as well as anti-ship deterrence.8 Mil Mi-24 VM combat helicopters ~ introduced in 1972 was still a lethal combat machine today. Unlike the NATO helicopter force, the Mi-24's did double duty as both attack helicopter and assault transports at the same time.4 Mil Mi-8 utility helicopters, first produced in 1967. Three would act as troop/cargo transports (Mi-8 TP) while the fourth was configured as a mobile hospital (the MI-17 1VA).4 Antonov An-26 turboprop aircraft, two to be used as tactical transports to bring in supplies by day and two specializing in electronic intelligence aka listening to what the enemy was up to. Though it entered production in 1969, many still remained flying today.2 Antonov An-71M AEW&C twin-jet engine aircraft. These were an old, abandoned Soviet design the Earth & Sky had continued working on primarily because the current (1970's) Russian Airborne Early Warning and Control bird had been both huge and rather ineffective ~ it couldn't easily identify low-flying planes in the ground clutter so it was mainly only good at sea. Since the E&S planned to mostly fight over the land,They kept working on the An-71 which was basically 1977's popular An-72 with some pertinent design modifications (placing the engines below the wings instead of above them as on the -72 being a big one). To solve their radar problem, they stole some from the Swedish tech firm Ericsson, which hadn't been foreseen to be a problem before now.See, the Russians in the post-Soviet era created a decent AEW&C craft the E&S gladly stole and copied the shit out of for their front line units and it was working quite nicely ~ the Beriev A-50, and wow, were the boys in the Kremlin pissed off about that these days. Whoops, or was that woot?Now, the Khanate was shipping two An-71's down to Cabinda and somewhere along the line someone just might get a 'feel' for the style of radar and jamming the Cabindans were using aka the Swedish stuff in those An-71's. The Erieye radar system could pick out individual planes at 280 miles. The over-all system could track 60 targets and plot out 10 intercepts simultaneously. NATO, they were not, but in sub-Saharan Africa, there were none better.Anyway, so why was any of this important?Why the old folks with their ancient machines? As revealed, since the Earth & Sky had no idea when Temüjin would return, they were constantly squirreling away equipment. World War 2 gave them unequaled access to Soviet military technology and training.Afterwards, under Josef Stalin's direction, thousands of Russian and German engineers and scientists were exiled to Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan who were then snatched up (reportedly died in the gulags/trying to escape) and the E&S began building mirror factories modeled on the 'then current' Soviet production lines.So, by the early 1950's, the E&S was building, flying and maintaining Soviet-style Antonov, Beriev, Ilyushin, Myasishchev, Mikoyan-Gurevich, Sukhoi, Tupolev and Yakovlev airplanes. First in small numbers because their pool of pilots and specialists was so small.The E&S remedied this by creating both their own 'private' flight academies and technical schools. They protected their activities with the judicious use of bribes (they were remarkably successful with their economic endeavors on both side of the Iron Curtain) and murders (including the use of the Ghost Tigers).By 1960, the proto-Khanate had an air force. Through the next two decades they refined and altered their doctrine ~ moving away from the Soviet doctrine to a more pure combined-arms approach (the Soviets divided their air power into four separate arms ~ ADD (Long Range Aviation), FA (Front Aviation), MTA (Military Transport Aviation) and the V-PVO (Soviet Air Defenses ~ which controlled air interceptors).).It wasn't until the collapse of the Soviet Union and the independence of the various former SSR's that the E&S program really began to hit its stride. Still, while Russia faltered, China's PLAAF (Peoples' Liberation Army Air Force) began to take off. Since the Chinese could produce so much more, the E&S felt it had to keep those older planes and crews up to combat readiness. The younger field crews and pilots flew the newer models as they rolled off the secret production lines.Then the Unification War appeared suddenly, the E&S-turned Khanate Air Force skunked their PLAAF rivals due to two factors, a surprise attack on a strategic level and the fatal poisoning of their pilots and ground crews before they even got into the fight. For those Chinese craft not destroyed on the ground, the effects of Anthrax eroded their fighting edge. Comparable technology gave the Khanate their critical victory and Air Supremacy over the most important battlefields.What did this meant for those out-of-date air crews and pilots who had been training to a razor's edge for a month now? Their assignment had been to face down the Russians if they invaded. They would take their planes up into the fight even though this most likely would mean their deaths, but they had to try.When Operation Fun House put Russia in a position where she wasn't likely to jump on the Khanate, this mission's importance faded. The Russian Air Force was far more stretched than the Khanate's between her agitations in the Baltic and her commitments in the Manchurian, Ukrainian, Chechen and Georgian theaters.With more new planes rolling off the production lines, these reservist units began dropping down the fuel priority list, which meant lowering their flight times thus readiness. Only my hare-brained scheme had short-circuited their timely retirement. Had I realized I was getting people's grandparents killed, I would have probably made the same call anyway. We needed them.The KanateThe Khanate's #1 air superiority dogfighter was the Mig-35F. The #2 was the Mig-29. No one was openly discussing the Khanate's super-stealthy "Su-50", if that was what it was, because its existence 'might' suggest the Khanate also stole technology from the Indian defense industry, along with their laundry list of thefts from South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, the PRC, Russia and half of NATO.Her top multi-role fighters were the Su-47, Su-35S and Su-30SM. The Su-30 'Flanker-C/MK2/MKI were their 2nd team with plenty of 3rd team Su-27M's still flying combat missions as well.Strike fighters? There weren't enough Su-34's to go around yet, so the Su-25MS remained the Khanate's dedicated Close Air Assault model.Medium transport aircraft? The An-32RE and An-38. They had small, large and gargantuan transports as well.Bombers? The rather ancient jet-powered Tu-160M2's and Tu-22M2's as well as the even older yet still worthwhile turboprops ~ from 1956's ~ the Tu-95M S16.Helicopters? While they still flew updated variants of the Mil Mi-8/17 as military transports, the more optimized Kamov Ka-52 and Mil Mi-28 had replaced them in the assault role.Bizarrely, the Khanate had overrun several Chinese production lines of the aircraft frames and components ~ enough to complete fairly modern PLAAF (Peoples Liberation Army Air Force) FC-1 and J-10 (both are small multi-role fighter remarkably similar to the US F-16 with the FC-1 being the more advanced model, using shared Chinese-Pakistani technology and was designed for export,).They did have nearly two dozen to send, but they didn't have the pilots and ground crews trained to work with them, plus the FC-1 cost roughly $32 million which wasn't fundage any legitimate Cabindan rebels could get their hands on, much less $768 million (and that would just be for the planes, not the weeks' worth of fuel, parts and munitions necessary for what was forthcoming).Meanwhile, except for the An-26, which you could get for under $700,000 and the An-71, which were only rendered valuable via 'black market tech', none of the turboprop and jet aircraft the Khanate was sending were what any sane military would normally want. The helicopters were expensive ~ the 'new' models Mi-24's cost $32 million while the Mi-17's set you back $17 million. The one's heading to Cabinda didn't look 'new'.The Opposition:In contrast, the Angolan Air Force appeared far larger and more modern. Appearances can be deceptive, and they were. Sure, the models of Russian and Soviet-made aircraft they had in their inventory had the higher numbers ~ the Su-25, -27 and -30 ~ plus they had Mig-21bis's, Mig-23's and Su-22's, but things like training and up-keep didn't appear to be priorities for the Angolans.When you took into account the rampant corruption infecting all levels of Angolan government, the conscript nature of their military, the weakness of their technical educational system, the complexity of any modern combat aircraft and the reality that poor sods forced into being Air Force ground crewmen hardly made the most inspired technicians, or most diligent care-takers of their 'valuable' stockpiles (which their officers all too often sold on the black market anyway), things didn't just look bleak for the Angolan Air Force, they were a tsunami of cumulative factors heading them for an epic disaster.It wasn't only their enemies who derided their Air Force's lack of readiness. Their allies constantly scolded them about it too. Instead of trying to fix their current inventory, the Angolans kept shopping around for new stuff. Since 'new'-new aircraft was beyond what they wanted to spend (aka put too much of a dent in the money they were siphoning off to their private off-shore accounts), they bought 'used' gear from former Soviet states ~ Belarus, Russia and Ukraine ~ who sold them stuff they had left abandoned in revetments (open to the elements to slowly rot) on the cheap.To add to the insanity, the Angolans failed to keep up their maintenance agreements so their newly fixed high-tech machines often either couldn't fly, or flew without critical systems, like radar, avionics and even radios. Maybe that wasn't for the worst because after spending millions on these occasionally-mobile paperweights, the Angolans bought the least technologically advanced missile, gun and rocket systems they could get to put on these flying misfortunes.On the spread sheets, Angola had 18 Su-30K's, 18 Su-27, 12 Su-25's, 14 Su-22's, 22 Mig-23's, 23 Mig-21bis's and 6 Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano (a turboprop aircraft tailor-made for counter-insurgency operations), 105 helicopters with some combative ability and 21 planes with some airlift capacity. That equated to 81 either air superiority, or multi-role jet fighters versus the 12 Union Air Force (actually the Bakongo Uni o de Cabinda e Zaire, For as Armadas de Liberta  o, For a Area ~ Liberation Armed Forces, Air Force (BUCZ-FAL-FA) Mig-21-97's.It would seem lopsided except for the thousands of hours of flight experience the 'Unionists' enjoyed over their Angolan rivals. You also needed to take into account the long training and fanatic dedication of their ground crews to their pilots and their craft. Then you needed to take into account every Unionist aircraft, while an older airframe design, had updated (usually to the year 2000) technology lovingly cared for, as if the survival of their People demanded it.A second and even more critical factor was the element of surprise. At least the PRC and the PLAAF had contingencies for attacks from their neighbors in the forefront of their strategic planning. The Angolans? The only country with ANY air force in the vicinity was the Republic of South Africa (RSA) and they had ceased being a threat with the end of Apartheid and the rise of majority Black rule in that country nearly two decades earlier.In the pre-dawn hours of 'Union Independence Day', the FAL-FA was going to smash every Angolan Air base and air defense facility within 375 miles of Cabinda (the city). Every three hours after that, they would be hitting another target within their designated 'Exclusion Zone'. Yes, this 'Exclusion Zone' included a 'tiny' bit of DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) territory. The DRC didn't have an air force to challenge them though, so,Inside this 'Exclusion Zone', anything moving by sea, river, road, rail, or air without Unionist governmental approval was subject to attack, which would require neutral parties to acknowledge some semblance of a free and independent B U C Z. Worse for Angola, this 'Zone' included Angola's capital and its largest port, Luanda, plus four more of their ten largest urban centers. This could be an economic, military and humanitarian catastrophe if mishandled.The Angolan Army did not have significant anti-aircraft assets. Why would they? Remember, no one around them had much of an air force to worry about. The FAL-FA in turn could hit military convoys with TV-guided munitions 'beyond line of sight', rendering what they did have useless. It got worse for the Army after dark. The FAL-FA could and would fly at night whereas the average Angolan formation had Zip-Zero-Nadda night fighting capacity.Then geography added its own mountain of woes. As far as Cabinda was concerned, there was no direct land line to their border from Angola. Their coastal road only went as far as the port of Soyo where the Congo River hit the South Atlantic Ocean. Across that massive gap was the DRC where the road was not picked back up. Far up the coast was the DRC town of Muanda (with an airport) and though they did have a road which went north, it did not continue to the Cabindan border.Nope. To get at Cabinda from the south meant a long, torturous travel through northeastern Angola, into the heart of the DRC then entailed hooking west to some point 'close' to the Cabindan frontier before finally hoofing it overland through partially cleared farmland and jungle. Mind you, the DRC didn't have a native air force capable of protecting the Angolans in their territory so,In fact the only 'road' to Cabinda came from the Republic of Congo (Congo) to the north and even that was a twisted route along some really bad, swampy terrain. This had been the pathway of conquest the Angolans took 39 years earlier. The difference being the tiny bands of pro-independence Cabindan guerillas back then couldn't hold a candle to the Amazons fighting to free Cabinda this time around in numbers, zeal, training and up-to-date equipment.Next option ~ to come by sea. They would face a few, stiff problems, such as the FAL-FA having ship-killer missiles, the Angolan Navy not being able to defend them and the Unionists having no compunction to not strike Pointe-Noire in the 'not so neutral' Republic of the Congo if they somehow began unloading Angolan troops. It seemed the Republic of the Congo didn't have much of an Air Force either.Before you think the FAL-FA was biting off more than they could chew, Cabinda, the province, was shaped somewhat like the US State of Delaware, was half the size of Connecticut (Cabinda was 2,810 sq. mi. to Conn.'s 5,543 sq. mi.) and only the western 20% was relatively open countryside where the Angolan Army's only advantage ~ they possessed armed fighting vehicles while the 'Unionists' did not (at this stage of planning) ~ could hopefully come into play.Centered at their capital, Cabinda (City), jets could reach any point along their border within eight minutes. Helicopters could make it in fifteen. To be safe, some of the FAL-FA would base at the town of Belize which was in the northern upcountry and much tougher to get at with the added advantage the Angolans wouldn't be expecting the FAL-FA to be using the abandoned airfield there, at least initially.Where they afraid attacking Angolan troops in the DRC would invite war with the DRC? Sure, but letting the Angolans reach the border unscathed was worse. Besides, the DRC was in such a mess it needed 23,000 UN Peacekeepers within her borders just to keep the country from falling apart. Barring outside, read European, intervention, did "Democratically-elected since 2001" President (for Life) Joseph Kabila want the FAL-FA to start dropping bombs on his capital, Kinshasa, which was well within reach of all their aircraft?Congo (the country), to the north, wasn't being propped up by the UN, or anything else except ill intentions. In reality, it hardly had much of a military at all. Its officer corps was chosen for political reliability, not merit, or capability. Their technology was old Cold War stuff with little effort to update anything and, if you suspected corruption might be a problem across all spectrums of life, you would 'probably' be right about that too.If you suspected the current President had been in charge for a while, you would be correct again (1979-1992 then 2001- and the 'whoops' was when he accidently let his country experiment with democracy which led to two civil wars). If you suspected he was a life-long Communist (along with the Presidents of the DRC and Angola), you'd be right about that as well. Somehow their shared Marxist-Leninist-Communist ideology hadn't quite translated over to alleviating the grinding poverty in any of those countries despite their vast mineral wealth,At this point in the region's history, little Cabinda had everything to gain by striving for independence and the vast majority of 'warriors' who could possibly be sent against her had terribly little to gain fighting and dying trying to stop them from achieving her goal. After all, their lives weren't going to get any better and with the Amazons ability ~ nay willingness ~ to commit battlefield atrocities, those leaders were going to find it hard going to keep sending their men off to die.And then, it got even worse.See, what I had pointed out was there were two oil refineries in Angola, and neither was in Cabinda. Cabinda would need a refinery to start making good on their oil wealth ~ aka economically bribe off the Western economies already shaken over the Khanate's first round of aggressions.But wait! There was an oil refinery just across the Congo River from Cabinda ~ which meant it was attached to mainland Angola. That had to be a passel of impossible news, right?Nope. As I said earlier, it seemed the people of northern Angola were the same racial group as the Cabindans AND majority Catholic while the ruling clique wasn't part of their ethnic confederacy plus the farther south and east into Angola you went, the less Catholic it became.But it got better. This province was historically its own little independent kingdom (called the Kingdom of Kongo) to boot! It had been abolished by Portugal back in 1914.The 'good' news didn't end there. Now, it wasn't as if the leadership of Angola was spreading the wealth around to the People much anyway, but these northerners had been particularly left out of this Marxist version of 'Trickle Down' economics.How bad was this? This northwestern province ~ called Zaire ~ didn't have any railroads, or paved roads, linking it to the rest of the freaking country. The 'coastal road' entered the province, but about a third of the way up ran into this river, which they'd failed to bridge (you had to use a single track bridge farther to the northeast, if you can believe it). It wasn't even a big river. It was still an obstacle though.How did the Angolan government and military planned to get around? Why by air and sea, of course. Well, actually by air. Angola didn't have much of a merchant marine, or Navy, to make sealift a serious consideration. Within hours of the 'Union Declaration of Independence' anything flying anywhere north of the Luanda, the capital of Angola, would essentially be asking to be blown out of the sky.Along the border between Zaire province and the rest of Angola were precisely two chokepoints. By 'chokepoints', I meant places where a squad (10 trained, modernly-equipped troopers) could either see everything for miles & miles over pretty much empty space along a river valley and the only bridge separating Zaire province from the south, or overlook a ravine which the only road had to pass through because of otherwise bad-ass, broken terrain.Two.Zaire Province had roughly the same population as Cabinda ~ 600,000. Unlike Cabinda, which consisted of Cabinda City plus a few tiny towns and rugged jungles, Zaire had two cities ~ Soyo, with her seventy thousand souls plus the refinery at the mouth of the Congo River, and M'banza-Kongo, the historical capital of the Kingdom of Kongo, spiritual center of the Bakongo People (who included the Cabindans) and set up in the highlands strategically very reminiscent of Điện Biàn Phủ.Of Zaire's provincial towns, the only other strategic one was N'Zeto with her crappy Atlantic port facility and 2,230 meter grass airport. The town was the northern terminus of the National Road 100 ~ the Coastal Road. It terminated because of the Mebridege River. There wasn't a bridge at N'Zeto though there was a small one several miles upstream. N'Zeto was also where the road from provinces east of Zaire ended up, so you had to have N'Zeto ~ and that tiny bridge ~ to move troops overland anywhere else in Zaire Province.So you would think it would be easy for the Angolan Army to defend then, except of how the Amazons planned to operate. They would infiltrate the area first then 'rise up in rebellion'. Their problem was the scope of the operation had magnified in risk of exposure, duration and forces necessary for success.The serious issue before Saint Marie and the Host in Africa were the first two. They could actually move Amazons from Brazil and North America to bolster their numbers for the upcoming offensive. Even in the short-short term, equipment wouldn't be a serious problem. What the Amazons dreaded was being left in a protracted slugfest with the Angolan Army which the Condottieri could jump in on. The Amazons exceedingly preferred to strike first then vanish.There was reason to believe a tiny number could have stayed behind in Cabinda to help the locals prepare their military until they could defend themselves. They would need more than a hundred Amazons if Cabinda wanted to incorporate Zaire. The answer was to call back their newfound buddy, the Great Khan. While he didn't have much else he could spare (the Khanate was ramping up for their invasion of the Middle East after all, the Kurds needed the help), he had other allies he could call on.India couldn't help initially since they were supposed to supply the 'Peace-keepers' once a cease-fire had been arranged. That left Temujin with his solid ally, Vietnam, and his far shakier allies, the Republic of China and Japan.First off ~ Japan could not help, which meant they couldn't supply troops who might very well end up dead, or far worse, captured.. What they did have was a surplus of older equipment the ROC troops were familiar with, so while the ROC was gearing up for their own invasion of mainland China in February, they were willing to help the Chinese kill Angolans, off the books, of course.The ROC was sending fifteen hundred troops the Khanate's way to help in this West African adventure with the understanding they'd be coming home by year's end. With Vietnam adding over eight hundred of her own Special Forces, the Amazons had the tiny 'allied' army they could leave shielding Cabinda/Zaire once the first round of blood-letting was over.To be 'fair', the Republic of China and Vietnam asked for 'volunteers'. It wasn't like either country was going to declare war on Angola directly. Nearly a thousand members of Vietnam's elite 126th Regiment of the 5th Brigade (Đặc cáng bộ) took early retirement then misplaced their equipment as they went to update their visas and inoculations before heading out for the DRC (some would be slipping over the DRC/Cabindan border).On Taiwan, it was the men and women of the 602nd Air Cavalry Brigade, 871st Special Operations Group and 101st Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion who felt the sudden desire to 'seek enlightenment elsewhere, preferably on another continent'.They too were off to the Democratic Republic of Congo, man that country was a mess and their border security wasn't worth writing home about, that's for damn sure, via multiple Southeast Asian nations. Besides, they were being issued fraudulently visas which showed them to be from the People's Republic of China, not the ROC/Taiwan. If they were captured, they were to pretend to "be working for a Communist Revolution inside Angola and thus to be setting all of Africa on fire!" aka be Mainland Chinese.There, in the DRC, these Chinese stumbled across, some Japanese. These folks hadn't retired. No. They were on an extended assignment for the UN's mission in, the DRC. OH! And look! They'd brought tons of surplus, outdated Japanese Self Defense Forces' equipment with them, and there just so happened to be some Taiwanese who had experience in using such equipment (both used US-style gear).And here was Colonel Yoshihiro Isami of the Chūō Sokuō Shūdan (Japan's Central Readiness Force) wondering why he and his hastily assembled team had just unloaded,18 Fuji/Bell AH-1S Cobra Attack helicopters,6 Kawasaki OH-6D Loach Scout helicopters,12 Fuji-Bell 204-B-2 Hiyodori Utility helicopters,6 Kawasaki/Boeing CH-47JA Chinook Transport helicopters and4 Mitsubishi M U-2L-1 Photo Reconnaissance Aircraft.Yep! 46 more aircraft for the FAL-FA!Oh, and if this wasn't 'bad enough', the Chinese hadn't come alone. They'd brought some old aircraft from their homes to aid in the upcoming struggle. Once more, these things were relics of the Cold War yet both capable fighting machines and, given the sorry state of the opposition, definitely quite deadly. A dozen F-5E Tiger 2000 configured primarily for air superiority plus two RF-5E Tigergazer for reconnaissance, pilots plus ground crews, of course.Thus, on the eve of battle, the FAL-FA had become a true threat. Sure, all of its planes (and half of its pilots) were pretty old, but they were combat-tested and in numbers and experience no other Sub-Saharan African nation could match.The Liberation Ground Forces:But wait, there was still the niggling little problem of what all those fellas were going to fight with once they were on the ground. Assault/Battle rifles, carbines, rifles, pistols, PDW, SMGs as bullets, grenades and RPG's were all terrifyingly easy to obtain. The coast of West Africa was hardly the Port of London as far as customs security went. They were going to need some bigger toys and their host nations were going to need all their native hardware for their upcoming battles at home.And it wasn't like you could advertise for used IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicles), APCs (armored personnel carriers) and tanks on e-Bay, Amazon.com, or Twitter. If something modern US, or NATO, was captured rolling around the beautiful Angolan countryside, shooting up hostile Angolans, all kinds of head would roll in all kinds of countries, unless the country,A) had an Executive Branch and Judiciary who wouldn't ask (or be answering) too many uncomfortable questions,B) wasn't all that vulnerable to international pressure,C) really needed the money and,D) didn't give a fuck their toys would soon be seen on BBC/CNN/Al Jazeera blowing the ever-living crap out of a ton of Africans aka doing what they were advertised to do and doing it very well in the hands of capable professionals.And politics was kind enough to hand the freedom-loving people of Cabinda & Zaire a winner, and it wasn't even from strangers, or at least people all that strange to their part of the Globe. If you would have no idea who to look for, you wouldn't be alone.That was the magic of the choice. See, the last three decades had seen the entire Globe take a colossal dump on them as a Nation and a People. They were highly unpopular for all sorts of things, such as Crimes Against Humanity and 'no', we were not talking about the Khanate.We would be talking about Република Србија / Republika Srbija aka Serbia aka the former Yugoslavia who had watched all their satellite minions (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo and Macedonia) slip away. Despite being reduced to a tiny fraction of their former selves thus fighting two incredibly brutal and bloody World Wars for nothing, Serbia insisted on maintaining a robust armaments industry.Mind you, they didn't make the very best stuff on the planet. That didn't stop them from trying though. Of equal importance was their geographic location and the above mentioned desire for some hard currency without asking too many questions. The geography was simple, you could move even heavy gear unnoticed from central Serbia to the Montenegrin port of Bar by rail and load them up on freighters and off to the Congo you went.The Serbians produced an APC called the BVP M-80A's which weren't blowing anyone's minds away when they started rolling off the production lines back in 1982, plus some over-eager types on the Serbian Army's payroll sweetened the deal by offering 'the rebels' some BVP M-80 KC's and a KB as well.Then they slathered on the sugary-sweet Maple syrup by upgrading a few of the M-80A's to BVP M-98A's. Why would they be so generous? The KC's and KB were the Command & Control variants, so that made sense (C = company & B = battalion commander). The -98A had never been tested in the field before and they were kind of curious how the new turrets (which was the major difference) would behave. 'Our' procurement agents didn't quibble. We needed the gear.Besides, these Slavic entrepreneurs gave them an inside track on some 'disarmed/mothballed' Czech (introduced in 1963) armored mobile ambulances and Polish BWP-1 (first rolled out in 1966) APC's which were either in, or could be quickly configured into, the support variants those ground-fighters would need. The 'disarmed' part was 'fixable', thanks to both the Serbians and Finland. The 'missing' basic weaponry was something the Serbians could replace with virtually identical equipment.It just kept getting better. Unknown to me at the time, the Finnish firm, Patria Hágglunds, had sold twenty-two of their 'most excellent' AMOS turrets ~ they are a twin 120 mm mortar system ~ then the deal fell through. Whoops! Should have guarded that warehouse better. Those bitches were on a cargo plane bound for Albania inside of six hours.The ammunition for them was rather unique. Thankfully, it was uniquely sold by the Swiss, who had no trouble selling it to Serbia, thank you very much! Twenty-two BWP-1's became mobile artillery for the Unionist freedom fighters, though I understood the ship ride with the Serbian and Chinese technicians was loads of fun as they struggled to figured out how to attach those state-of-the-art death-dealing turrets to those ancient contraptions.To compensate, the Serbians added (aka as long as our money was good) two Nora B-52 155 mm 52-calibre mobile artillery pieces and one battery of Orkan CER MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) for long-range artillery, two batteries of their Oganj 2000 ER MRLS for medium range carnage and six batteries of their M-94 MRLS for 'close support' as well. More field-testing new gear for the "freedom fighters" We also managed to 'purchase' ten M-84AS Main Battle tanks plus an M-84A1 armor recovery vehicle. It should have been twelve tanks, but two had 'loading issues'.Not to be deterred, our busy little procurement-beavers discovered four tanks no one was using, in neighboring Croatia. Why wasn't anyone immediately keen on their placement? They were two sets of prototypes, Croatia's improvements on the M-84; the M-95 Degman which was a 'failed redesign' and the M-84D, which was a vast up-grade for the M-84 line which had been sidelined by the 2008 Global economic collapse, after which the project stagnated.It seemed they were all in working order because late one night 'my people' exited a Croatian Army base with them, never to be seen again, until two weeks later when an intrepid news crew caught the distinctive form of the M-95 sending some sweet 125 mm loving the Angolan Army's way. Whoops yet again! At least they hit what they were aiming at and destroyed what they hit, right?By then, millions of other people would be going 'what the fuck?' right along with them as Cabinda's camouflage- and mask-wearing rebel army was laying the smack-down on the Angolans. That was okay; over a million 'free Cabindan Unionists' were in the same boat. Over a thousand Asians with their mostly-female militant translators were right there to prop up their 'Unionist Allies', but then they were the ones with the tanks, armored vehicles, planes and guns, so they were less worried than most.To pilot these tanks, APC, IFV and man this artillery, they had to go back to the Khanate. Sure enough, they had some old tankers used to crewing the T-72 from which the M-84's and -95 Degman were derived. They'd also need drivers for those BVP M-80A's and Polish BWP-1's and OT-64 SKOT's... who were, again, derived from old Soviet tech (just much better). The Serbian artillery was similar enough to Soviet stuff, but with enough new tech to make it 'more fun' for the reservists to 'figure out' how to use.More volunteers for the Liberation Armed Forces! More Apple sales, great apps and voice modulation software so that the vehicle commanders would be heard communicating in Portuguese if someone was eavesdropping. As a final offering the Turkish Navy spontaneously developed some plans to test their long range capabilities by going to, the South Atlantic.On the final leg they would have six frigates and two submarines, enough to give any navy in the region, which wasn't Brazil, something to think about. This was a show of force, not an actual threat though. If anyone called their bluff, the Khanate-Turkish forces would have to pull back. These were not assets my Brother, the Great Khan, could afford to gamble and lose.If someone didn't call that bluff, he was also sending two smaller, older corvettes and three even smaller, but newer, fast attack boats, a "gift" to the Unionists ASAP. The frigates would then race home, they had 'other' issues to deal with while the submarines would hang around for a bit. The naval gift was necessitated by the reality the Unionists would have to press their claim to their off-shore riches and that required a naval force Angola couldn't hope to counter.As things were developing, it was reckoned since a build-up of such momentous land and air power couldn't be disguised, it had to happen in a matter of days ~ four was decided to be the minimum amount of time. More than that and the government of the Democratic Republic might start asking far too many questions our hefty bribes and dubious paperwork couldn't cover. Less than that would leave the task forces launching operations with too little a chance of success.Our biggest advantage was audacity. The buildup would happen 100 km up the Congo River from Soyo, the primary target of the Southern Invasion, in the DRC's second largest port city, Boma. Though across the river was Angolan territory, there was nothing there. The city of roughly 160,000 would provide adequate cover for the initial stage of the invasion.There they grouped their vehicles & Khanate drivers with Amazon and Vietnamese combat teams. The Japanese were doing the same for their 'Chinese' counterparts for their helicopter-borne forces. Getting all their equipment in working order in the short time left was critical as was creating some level of unit dynamic. Things were chaotic. No one was happy. They were all going in anyway.What had gone wrong?While most children her age were texting their schoolmates, or tackling their homework, Aya Ruger ~ the alias of Nasusara Assiyaiá hamai ~ was getting briefings of her global, secret empire worth hundreds of billions and those of her equally nefarious compatriots. She received a very abbreviated version of what the Regents received, delivered by a member of Shawnee Arinniti's staff.When Aya hopped off her chair unexpectedly, everyone tensed. Her bodyguards' hands went to their sidearms and Lorraine (her sister by blood), also in the room on this occasion, stood and prepared to tackle her 'former' sibling to the ground if the situation escalated into an assassination attempt. No such attack was generated, so the security ratcheted down and the attendant returned her focus to her Queen. Aya paced four steps, turned and retraced her way then repeated the action three more times."How many people live in the combined areas?" she asked."The combined areas? Of Cabinda and Zaire?""Yes.""I," the woman referenced her material, "roughly 1.1 million.""What is the yearly value of the offshore oil and natural gas production?""Forty-nine billion, eighty hundred and sixty-seven million by our best estimates at this time,""How many live in Soyo City proper?""Roughly 70,000.""We take Soyo," she spoke in a small yet deliberate voice. "We take and hold Soyo as an independent city-state within the Cabindan-Zaire Union. From the maps it appears Soyo is a series of islands. It has a port and airport. It has an open border to an ocean with weaker neighbors all around.""What of the, Zairians?""Bakongo. As a people they are called the Bakongo," Aya looked up at the briefer. "We relocate those who need to work in Soyo into a new city, built at our expense, beyond the southernmost water barrier. The rest we pay to relocate elsewhere in Zaire, or Cabinda."By the looks of those around her, Aya realized she needed to further explain her decisions."This is more than some concrete home base for our People," she began patiently. "In the same way it gives our enemies a clearly delineated target to attack us, it is a statement to our allies we won't cut and run if things go truly bad.""In the same way it will provide us with diplomatic recognition beyond what tenuous handouts we are getting from Cáel Wakko Ishara's efforts through JIKIT. Also, it is a reminder we are not like the other Secret Societies in one fundamental way, we are not a business concern, or a religion. We are a People and people deserve some sort of homeland. We have gone for so long without.""But Soyo?" the aide protested. "We have no ties to it, and it backs up to, nothing.""Northern Turkey and southern Slovakia mean nothing to us now as well," Aya debated. "No place on Earth is any more precious than another. As for backing up to nothing, no. You are incorrect. It backs into a promise from our allies in the Earth & Sky that if we need support, they know where to park their planes and ships."Aya was surrounded with unhappy, disbelieving looks."The Great Khan is my mamētu meáeda," she reminded them, "and I have every reason to believe he completely grasps the concept's benefits and obligations."The looks confirmed 'but he's a man' to the tiny Queen."Aya, are you sure about this?" Lorraine was the first to break decorum."Absolutely. Do you know what he sent me when he was informed of my, ascension to the Queendom?""No," Lorraine admitted."We must go horse-riding sometime soon, Daughter of Cáel, Queen of the Amazons."More uncertain and unconvinced looks."He didn't congratulate me, or send any gifts. He could have and you would think he would have, but he didn't. He knew the hearts of me & my Atta and we weren't in the celebratory mood. No. The Great Khan sent one sentence which offered solace and quiet, atop a horse on a windswept bit of steppe."Nothing.Sigh. "I know this sounds Cáel-ish," Aya admitted, "but I strongly believe this is what we should do. We are giving the Cabindans and Bakongo in Zaire independence and the promise of a much better life than what they now face. We will be putting thousands of our sisters' lives on the line to accomplish this feat and well over two hundred million dollars.""What about governance of the city ~ Soyo?" the aide forged ahead."Amazon law," Aya didn't hesitate. "We will make allowances for the security forces of visiting dignitaries and specific allied personnel, but otherwise it will be one massive Amazon urban freehold.""I cannot imagine the Golden Mare, or the Regents, will be pleased," the attendant bowed her head."It is a matter of interconnectivity," Aya walked up and touched the woman's cheek with the back of her small hand. "We could liberate then abandon Cabinda with the hope a small band could help them keep their independence. Except we need the refinery at Soyo so the people of Cabinda can truly support that liberty.""So, we must keep Soyo and to keep Soyo, we must keep Zaire province. There is no other lesser border which makes strategic sense ~ a river, highlands, a massive river, an ocean ~ those are sustainable frontiers. You can't simply keep Soyo and not expect the enemy to strike and destroy that refinery, thus we must take Zaire province.""But the Bakongo of Zaire cannot defend themselves and will not be able to do so for at least a year, if not longer. That means we must do so, and for doing so, they will give us Soyo and we will be honest stewards of their oil wealth. We cannot expect any other power to defend this new Union and if we don't have a land stake we will be portrayed as mercenaries and expelled by hostile international forces.""So, for this project to have any chance of success, we must stay, fight and have an acknowledged presence, and if you can think of an alternative, please let me know," she exhaled."What if the Cabindans and Bakongo resist?""It is 'us', or the Angolans and they know how horrible the Angolans can be. Didn't you say the average person their lives on just $2 a day?""Yes.""We can do better than that," Aya insisted."How?" the aide persisted. "I mean, 'how in a way which will be quickly evident and meaningful?'""Oh," Aya's tiny brow furrowed. Her nose twitched as she rummaged through the vast storehouse of her brain."Get me in touch with William A. Miller, Director of the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service. He should be able to help me navigate the pathways toward getting aid and advisors into those two provinces ASAP.""I'll let Katrina know," the attendant made the notation on her pad."No. Contact him directly," Aya intervened. "We established a, rapport when we met. I think he might responded positively to a chance to mentor me in foreign relations.""Really?" Lorraine's brows arched."Yes," Aya chirped."Are you sure, Nasusara?" the attendant stared. She used 'Nasusara' whenever she thought Aya had a 'horrible' idea instead of a merely a 'bad' one."Yes. He owes me. Last time we met I didn't shoot him.""Didn't?" the woman twitched."Yes. I drew down on him with my captured Chinese QSW-06. I didn't want to kill him, but I felt I was about to have to kill Deputy National Security Advisor Blinken and he was the only other person in the room both armed and capable of stopping me.""Why is he still alive?""Cáel Ishara saw through my distraction and then took my gun from me, asked for it actually," she shyly confessed."Would you have shot him?" the aide inquired."What do you think?" Aya smiled.And Then:So, given t

問題千奇百怪， 節目進到後半段下半場， 有更多有趣的問題， 問出更多徂來沒有回答過的故事？！ Ting與Skot的心結？！ Skot竟然本來可以演出蜘蛛人電影？！ Skot作歌竟然很在意他的意見？！ 天啊！ 太有趣了！快來聽聽看吧！ ★ 《我想把你手銬走》杰明新歌，3/31下週一即將首播，聽起來！ ★ 《Didn't we have fun》MV、音檔都已上架，讓這首歌療癒你～～ ★ 充滿希望迎接未來的《每一天》，已經發行囉！ 希望這首歌可以陪你過2025的每一天～ 歡迎可以到YouTube：陶山音樂故事 這一集的底下留言跟我們聊一聊～ 或是IG：SKRpresents 私訊我們～～～ 一起聊起來吧！ === SKR療癒你的心，我們聊起來 === Q：為什麼SKR會在Ting、Skot家舉辦Family Live 將錢用在該用的地方 因為疫情而誕生的直播演出 Q：SKR大家的偶像是誰～ 音樂就是誠實而已。 Q：SKR的隱藏技能～ 奇妙又沒用的技能大公開 來賓居然問出了一個八卦？！ 小孩教你新技能 Q：SKR名字的由來 Q：為什麼Ting、Bruno不會唱歌 （哈哈 Ting與Skot意外爆出心結？！ Q：如果可以回到過去，你會改變什麼？ Skot竟然本來有機會可以演出蜘蛛人電影？！ Q：你最棒的舞蹈動作～ Q：除了自己的歌，你自己最喜歡的一首SKR歌 “他”竟是Skot最嚴格的音樂評論家～

Calum Hill van Skotland het met 'n agt onder baansyfer eindronde van 62 as oorwinnaar ná 'n driehoekige uitspeelstryd die Joburg Ope by die Houghton Gholfklub gewen. Hill en Suid-Afrika se Jacques Kruyswijk en Shaun Norris het baansyfer op die eerste uitspeelputjie behaal. Norris het sy tweede skoot in die water laat beland, Hill het baansyfer behaal, terwyl Kruyswijk een oor baansyfer aangeteken het en die Skot gewen het. Hill, wat nou twee DP World-toertitels gewen het, sê die uitspeelstryd was intens:

There's a small, hobbyist Bitcoin mining unit that's getting Bitcoin plebs fired up. We're learning more on this week's Mining Pod.You're listening to The Mining Pod. Subscribe to the newsletter, trusted by over 7,000 Bitcoiners.: https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.comWelcome back to The Mining Pod! Today, Skot from the Bitaxe project and Econoalchemist from Pod256 join the show to talk about open-source Bitcoin mining hardware.From hitting a Bitcoin block during a mining charity event to developing standardized hashBoards, we talk about Bitcoin mining hardware. Learn about their Skot and Econoalchemsts take on the Bitmain monopoly and attempt to make Bitcoin mining accessible to everyone.Notes:• BitaxeOpen Source Project• 256 Foundation Mission• Breaking Mining Monopolies• Standardized Hash Boards• DIY Mining Innovation• Hardware DemocratizationTimestamps00:00 Start01:59 Telehash & hitting block05:26 Intros12:51 256 Foundation mandate?16:02 BitAxe users18:53 AmberOne project22:08 Designer BitAxe culture27:24 Mining centralization

You're listening to The Mining Pod. Subscribe to the newsletter, trusted by over 7,000 Bitcoiners.: https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com Welcome back to The Mining Pod! Today, Skot from the Bitaxe project and Econoalchemist from Pod256 join the show to talk about open-source Bitcoin mining hardware. From hitting a Bitcoin block during a mining charity event to developing standardized hash Boards, we talk about Bitcoin mining hardware. Learn about their Skot and Econoalchemsts take on the Bitmain monopoly and attempt to make Bitcoin mining accessible to everyone. Notes: • BitaxeOpen Source Project • 256 Foundation Mission • Breaking Mining Monopolies • Standardized Hash Boards • DIY Mining Innovation • Hardware Democratization Timestamps 00:00 Start 01:59 Telehash & hitting block 05:26 Intros 12:51 256 Foundation mandate? 16:02 BitAxe users 18:53 AmberOne project 22:08 Designer BitAxe culture 27:24 Mining centralization

Karlmaður á fertugsaldri skaut minnst níu til bana í skóla í Örebro í Svíþjóð í dag. Ódæðismaðurinn er sá tíundi sem dó, en það hefur ekki verið staðfest hvernig hann lést. Guðmundur Arnarsson hefur verið bústtur í borginni frá 2014 og er frændi Svanfríðar Birgisdóttur sem er einn skólastjóranna í Risbergska skólanum, sem er nokkurs konar símenntunarmiðstöð fyrir fullorðna. Spegillinn ræddi við Guðmund undir kvöld. Íslensk iðnfyrirtæki flytja langmest út til Evrópu en tollastríð milli Bandaríkjanna og Evrópusambandsins og allar hindranir í alþjóðaviðskiptum eru Sigurði Hannessyni framkvæmdastjóra Samtaka iðnaðarins áhyggjuefni. Páll Gunnar Pálsson forstjóri Samkeppniseftirlitsins telur nauðsynlegt að halda dómsmáli um breytingar á búvörulögunum til streitu. Frumvarp atvinnuvegaráðherra breyti engu um það sem þegar hafi gerst en það geti dómur Hæstaréttar gert.

Skotští vědci s pomocí archivních materiálů našli vzorce, které naznačují, že vdechování znečištěného vzduchu v dětském věku může zvýšit pravděpodobnost výskytu demence ve stáří. Britský deník Guardian píše, že výzkumníci zjistili první náznaky negativního vlivu špinavého ovzduší na mozky psů už asi před dvaceti lety v Mexiko City. Toto město dlouhodobě bojuje s výrazným smogovým znečištěním.

Skotští vědci s pomocí archivních materiálů našli vzorce, které naznačují, že vdechování znečištěného vzduchu v dětském věku může zvýšit pravděpodobnost výskytu demence ve stáří. Britský deník Guardian píše, že výzkumníci zjistili první náznaky negativního vlivu špinavého ovzduší na mozky psů už asi před dvaceti lety v Mexiko City. Toto město dlouhodobě bojuje s výrazným smogovým znečištěním.Všechny díly podcastu Svět ve 20 minutách můžete pohodlně poslouchat v mobilní aplikaci mujRozhlas pro Android a iOS nebo na webu mujRozhlas.cz.

In this episode, we sit down with Skot, electrical engineer and creator of Bitaxe, the first open-source ASIC bitcoin miner. Skot shares his journey from IoT hardware development to designing hardware for bitcoin mining, including his early experiments with FPGAs in a university lab. We discuss the significance of open-source mining for bitcoin's future, the challenges of hardware and firmware development, and how Bitaxe compares to industry giants like Bitmain. Skot explains the potential for decentralized mining, the risks of centralization in mining hardware and pools, and why making mining accessible and transparent is critical. We also touch on the concept of incorporating miners into household devices and the role of small-scale miners in bitcoin's long-term resilience.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.com→ Learn more about Unchained: https://unchained.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro01:16 - Meet Skot, the mind behind Bitaxe02:34 - From IoT projects to bitcoin mining innovation05:20 - Skot's bitcoin origin story and the PayPal saga09:35 - Mining bitcoin with university lab FPGAs12:11 - Why Skot started the first open-source ASIC miner14:55 - The challenges of open-source bitcoin mining hardware19:59 - Bitaxe vs. Bitmain: efficiency showdown21:25 - Who's building Bitaxes and why?25:01 - The importance of open-source mining for bitcoin's future28:26 - Can Bitaxe become a significant part of bitcoin's hash rate?33:39 - The dream of decentralized mining in household devices41:02 - The future of bitcoin mining: big grids vs. home miners47:06 - Skot's take on mining centralization risks53:37 - How open-source mining could save bitcoinWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett (Host) on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Skot on Twitter: https://x.com/skot9000

這一集聊到2025， 居然變得好低迷～一片低氣壓！！！ 到底怎麼了？！ 快來聽聽看～～～～～～ ★ 充滿希望迎接未來的《每一天》，下週一要發行啦！希望這首歌可以陪你過2025的每一天～ ★ 《Lonely》MV以及歌曲，已經上架囉！細膩且張力十足的歌曲，歡迎聽起來～ ★ 九九新歌《就算掌聲再大》MV、音檔都上架啦～聽起來！！！ 歡迎可以到YouTube：陶山音樂故事 這一集的底下留言跟我們聊一聊～ 或是IG：SKRpresents 私訊我們～～～ 一起聊起來吧！ === SKR療癒你的心，我們聊起來 === - 最討厭改變的杰明如何面對自己的課題～ - 好想整個爛糊掉的Bruno - 對於未來好迷惘好迷惘啊啊啊啊啊 - 對於大方向，你也會有一種gut feelings嗎？ - 多多練習聽薦骨的聲音～～～ - 我想當一盤散沙！！！！ - 有些事真的不是努力就做得到的（哈） - Skot最期待發她的專輯？！ - 2025其實非常多事值得期待～～～～～

In this episode of the podcast "Unlocking A Little Productivity Hack," host Skot Waldron welcomes Mario Martinez Jr., CEO and founder of Vengreso, to discuss productivity and communication in the workplace. Mario introduces his innovative tool, FlyMSG, a productivity assistant designed to streamline messaging and save users significant time—up to 39 hours a month—by allowing them to quickly access and deploy pre-written messages. The conversation delves into the evolution of FlyMSG, from its roots in sales training to its current application across various sectors, revealing unexpected user demographics such as pharmacists and educators. Skot and Mario explore the concept of "human-assisted AI," emphasizing that the tool aims to enhance communication, preserving the personal touch in digital interactions. Together, they highlight the importance of innovative thinking in entrepreneurship and productivity, inviting listeners to engage with Mario's tool while encouraging a mindset of continuous improvement. Website: www.vengreso.com

In this episode, we dive into our experiences at the Africa Bitcoin Conference, where Skot and Eco were treated like rock stars, especially Eco with his beard, which became a sensation among the locals. We share amusing anecdotes from our travels, including encounters with the Maasai Mara tribesmen and the seamless use of Bitcoin through the Tando app in Kenya.We discuss the utility of Bitcoin in Africa, contrasting it with the speculative nature of American Bitcoin conferences. We also touch on the importance of self-custody and the potential pitfalls of Bitcoin, such as apathy and misuse by influential figures.Our conversation shifts to the upcoming events and projects we're excited about, including the National Energy and Mining Summit, the telehash event, and the ongoing Ember One project. We highlight the grassroots support and the open-source movement in Bitcoin mining, emphasizing the importance of community and collaboration.We also tease upcoming announcements and initiatives, including a new newsletter focused on open-source Bitcoin mining developments and practical guides. We express our excitement for the future and the potential for growth and innovation in the Bitcoin mining space.Finally, we give shout-outs to our supporters and discuss the logistics and excitement surrounding the telehash event, where we aim to make history with a significant mining effort. We end on a light note, discussing potential fun activities like a hot tub and cold plunge at the event.

On this episode of A One Pint Stand, I sit down with Noah Stein and Skot Rieffer to talk about their meadery in Northeast Minneapolis, Bumbling Fools Mead.  I am admittedly very much a novice when it comes to this historic drink.  Noah and Skot answered my questions with passion and excitement.  I had so much fun chatting with them.  Enjoy! This episode is proudly sponsored by ⁠Dual Citizen Brewing Company⁠. I cannot thank them enough for their support! If you like the episode, consider joining the ⁠A One Pint Stand Patreon⁠ to get access to Patreon-only episodes.

FOLLOW TODAY'S PANELISTS: https://x.com/BitcoinErrorLog https://x.com/skot9000 https://x.com/PortlandHODL FOLLOW BTC SESSIONS on X/Nostr: x.com/BTCsessions btcsessions@getalby.com BOOK private one-on-one sessions with BITCOIN MENTOR! Learn self custody, hardware, multisig, lightning, privacy, running a node, and plenty more - all from a team of top notch educators that I've personally vetted. https://bitcoinmentor.io/ JOIN OUR AFFILIATE PROGRAM, EARN BITCOIN FOR REFERRALS! https://bitcoinmentor.io/affiliate-registration/

In this episode of Unlocked, host Skot welcomes business coach Debbie Slesinger Hellman to discuss the transformative power of joy in both personal and professional realms. Drawing on extensive research, Debbie explains the difference between joy—an internal state we can control—and happiness, which is often more circumstantial. She highlights how approximately 40-50% of our joy is within our control through conscious choices. Throughout the conversation, they explore Debbie's four core elements of joy: well-being, belonging, positive impact, and fun, and the significance of building a communal space focused on joy through her initiative, the Year of Joy project. Listeners are encouraged to take part in the free resources available at theartandscienceofjoy.com, so they can work on nurturing their joy and fostering a positive ripple effect in their lives and workplaces. The episode finishes with a reminder that building joy is both an exciting and empowering journey that can lead to greater fulfillment and success. Website: https://theartandscienceofjoy.com/

Summary:This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Bitcoin Park on November 4, 2024. In this episode, we dive into a lively discussion with our guests who have traveled from far and wide, including a memorable visit from Calle from Sweden, who shared his insightful books on Bitcoin. We also engage in a humorous debate about the price of Bitcoin and the lengths one might go to for a million-dollar Bitcoin, including shaving beards and more. The episode is filled with laughter and camaraderie as we explore the dynamics of Bitcoin Park and the vibrant community that surrounds it.We also delve into the exciting world of Bitcoin mining, discussing the innovative projects at the 256 Foundation aimed at making Bitcoin mining more open and accessible. We announce a new supporter, Heatbit and thank them for their generous contribution. We highlight the Ember One project, which seeks to create a fully open-source, 100-watt hash board, and the potential it holds for the future of mining. The conversation touches on the challenges and triumphs of mining, including the recent success of a fully self-sovereign mined block by a Futurebit Apollo miner.Our discussion takes a turn towards the political landscape, contemplating the potential impact of the upcoming election on Bitcoin and the broader cryptocurrency ecosystem. We reflect on the current state of the network, the rising hash rate, and the implications of major players like Core Scientific shifting focus to AI servers.Throughout the episode, we emphasize the importance of community and collaboration, celebrating the contributions of our supporters and the innovative spirit that drives the Bitcoin ecosystem forward. We also share some light-hearted moments, including a humorous mishap with a vacuum cleaner, reminding us of the human side of technology and innovation.Support POD256 with your hashrate:Simply follow these four easy steps!Tier II Supporters:HeatbitHRFFoundry USA

In this episode of "Unlocked," host SKot engages in a conversation with Mamie Kanfer Stewart, a renowned meeting guru and founder of Meteor, as they dive deep into the often-frustrating world of meetings. Mamie sheds light on the common grievances many have with meetings—their perceived lack of purpose, the endless cycle of planning without outcomes, and the overwhelming amount of screen time we've come to accept since the pandemic shifted us to virtual platforms. She emphasizes the importance of understanding not only why we hold meetings but also what we hope to achieve by them. Mamie shares practical tips for effective meeting management and delegation, exploring how the structures of these gatherings reflect the broader culture within organizations. Through her insightful advice, which includes reframing meeting objectives and actively engaging participants, listeners will discover ways to transform their meeting experiences from dreaded obligations to productive conversations. Tune in for actionable insights that promise to make your upcoming meetings more meaningful and enjoyable! Website: https://www.themodernmanager.com

Anton Gildenhuys, uitvoerende hoof van Sanlam lewensversekering en spaarprodukte gesels oor die geskiedenis van Sanlam. Volg RSG Geldsake op Twitter

Want to mine Bitcoin but don't know how to do it from home? Have we got a podcast for you!Welcome back to the Mining Pod! Today we're joined by Skot, the creator of the open source Bitcoin mining project Bitaxe! Launched a bit over a year ago, Bitaxe is a simple way to bring mining back to the household by taking a chip from state of the art Bitcoin miners like the Bitmain S21 and gluing it with a bunch of other parts into a mini-home miner! We talk with Skot about the origin of the idea, why he wanted to make something like the Bitaxe, the value of home mining and the future of mega miners like Riot, Marathon or others.

Welcome back to the Mining Pod! Today we're joined by Skot, the creator of the open source Bitcoin mining project Bitaxe! Launched a bit over a year ago, Bitaxe is a simple way to bring mining back to the household by taking a chip from state of the art Bitcoin miners like the Bitmain S21 and gluing it with a bunch of other parts into a mini-home miner! We talk with Skot about the origin of the idea, why he wanted to make something like the Bitaxe, the value of home mining and the future of mega miners like Riot, Marathon or others.

On this episode, we are in a part 2 discussion with Skot Waldron about Influence and the concept of how to establish trust. Check out  these tools as Tracy and Skot unpack these concepts. This idea of being aware to observe your surroundings and watching and listening to the person on the other side of you is important when establishing trust. When you do, you can pick up on clues as to what a person needs from you. This will allow you to see what is most important to them. Is it Character, Chemistry, Competency or Credibility?This is not manipulation. This is understanding others so you can bend and adjust to meet them where they are so that you can have a healthy relationship with them. Skot says, Influence is "I'm for you. Manipulation is "I'm for myself". Don't be a manipulator.Three questions to ask to ask yourself in terms of walls of self-preservation:1.  What am I afraid of losing2. What am I trying to hide?3. What am I trying to prove?What walls do you need to be sure to come down yourself in order to establish trust with those around you.Would you like to learn more about becoming a GiANT Coach, which we call "Guides"? Here is more information. If you're ready to start getting access to world-class leadership development content for yourself or your team, then check out the Pro Subscription and start learning from the GiANT assessments and courses for the low price of $10 per month or $100 per year per user.If you'd like to discuss your organization's specific needs so we can match you with one of our certified coaches, reach out here:  tracy.rader@giantworldwide.comWe'd love to hear from you: your questions, your comments and your stories about leading.Reach out to tracy.rader@giantworldwide.com 

Duck hunters are obsessive weather watchers, as it influences everything from large-scale migration to local movements and habitat use. In this episode, Dr. Mike Brasher welcomes Skot Covert, chief meteorologist at CBS 5News Fort Smith-Fayetteville, AR, and Chance Gotsch, meteorologist at ABC17 Columbia, MO, to discuss early season forecasts for the upcoming fall and winter. Recorded on September 16, 2024, Skot and Chance provide an education on La Nina, El Nino, and how they influence the weather we experience. Although the outlook isn't great for southern hunters, wild cards in play, so tune in for the details.www.ducks.org/DUPodcast

Summary:In this lively episode, we dive into the spontaneous and community-driven spirit of Bitcoin Park, where the idea of hosting a monthly mining meetup was born. The episode kicks off with a humorous recount of how a simple message about grilling burgers led to acquiring a high-end griddle, setting the tone for the casual yet passionate discussions that follow.We explore the concept of recording POD256 in front of a live audience at the monthly Monday Mining Meetup and how that aligns with the mission of the 256 Foundation to make Bitcoin mining free and open. The hosts discuss the importance of community feedback and highlight the innovative projects within the open-source mining community, including the Bitaxe project, which aims to deliver accessible open-source Bitcoin mining hardware.The conversation takes a deeper dive into the challenges and triumphs of developing open-source mining hardware. We hear from Skot, a key figure in the Bitaxe project, about his journey from electronics design to pioneering open-source Bitcoin miners. The episode also touches on the broader mission of the 256 Foundation and its efforts to challenge the dominance of proprietary mining hardware by fostering open-source alternatives.Listeners are treated to a mix of technical insights and light-hearted banter, with discussions ranging from the logistics of hosting a mining telehash fundraiser to the intricacies of Bitcoin mining development. The episode concludes with exciting announcements, including significant support from the Human Rights Foundation and plans for future events and collaborations.Join us for an engaging discussion that blends technical expertise with community spirit, all in the pursuit of a more open and accessible Bitcoin mining ecosystem.Support POD256 with your hashrate:Simply follow these four easy steps!Tier II Supporters:HRFFoundry USA

Communication is rarely easy, especially when you are speaking across generational divides. In this episode, internal communication strategist and SXSW speaker, Scott Waldron, highlights the importance of communication and building influence within organizations.  We use communication to drive more influence as our companies respond to the fluctuating expansion of the marketplace. We also feel the rising pressure to have influence when very few jobs are considered "safe" any longer. The problem is when companies focus more on external communication and neglect prioritizing internal needs. Skot also shares his insights on generational differences and the benefit to our companies when we can create mutual understanding by bridging the gap to create cultures where people want to work.  In this episode you'll learn:  Communication skills can improve when you start with self-awareness to recognize your strengths and areas for improvement. The reasons behind companies prioritizing external communication over internal and the impact this has on your people. How people are using communication to gain influence Areas in which imposter syndrome shows up The source of generational differences in the workplace and what can be done about it    CONNECT WITH SKOT Get Skot's 5 Voices Assessment: https://skotwaldron.giantos.com/store/5-voices Contact Skot for a free 90-minute 5 Voices Bootcamp with your team. skot@skotwaldron.com Unlocked: The 52-week Guide for the Intentional Leader book : https://skotwaldron.com/unlocked-book/  CONNECT WITH LISA Join the  So Much More Newsletter:  https://www.thediyframework.com/so-much-more-subscribe Lisa's writing a book. Join the waitlist: https://lisamcguire.com/book-waitlist LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mcguire/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlisamcguire/  Website: https://lisamcguire.com 

Gen Z in the workplace, Israeli hostages, and astronauts stuck in space. Find us on Youtube. This week on The Bulletin, we discuss Gen Z in the workplace with Skot Welch (organizational development expert), the deaths of six Israeli hostages with Mona Charen (policy editor at The Bulwark), and the two American astronauts stuck in space with Jeff Williams (former NASA astronaut).  GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: Follow the show in your podcast app of choice. Find us on YouTube. Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. Leave a comment in Spotify with your feedback on the discussion—we may even respond! Check out episode 91 for Mike Cosper's conversation with author Frank Bruni on grievance. Visit former NASA astronaut Jeff Williams's Instagram account for amazing views from the International Space Station. TODAY'S GUESTS:  Skot Welch is the principal/founder of Global Bridgebuilders (GBB), a firm focusing on organizational development, cultural transformation, and inclusion. Prior to the launch of Global Bridgebuilders, Skot served as vice president of business development and benchmarking services for DiversityInc magazine in New Jersey, where he worked with many of the Fortune 500's biggest global brands across a broad range of industries. Skot is the author of Unfractured: A Christ-Centered Action Plan for Cultural Change. Mona Charen is a syndicated columnist, the policy editor of The Bulwark, and the host of the podcast Beg to Differ. Jeff Williams is a retired United States Army officer and a NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of four space flights and formerly held the American record for most days spent in space. Jeff was a two-time station commander for the International Space Station. ABOUT THE BULLETIN: The Bulletin is a weekly (and sometimes more!) current events show from Christianity Today hosted and moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today's editor in chief) and Mike Cosper (director, CT Media). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Role Leadership v. Influence is something leaders may not be aware of and thinking about. The days of employees and teams having respect for or feeling compelled toward their leader just because of their role in title, is no longer the norm. Our Gen Z and Millennials, along with the newest Alpha Generation are wanting leaders who they believe are worthy of being followed because of their engagement with employees, their empathy, their ideas and strategies. Skot Waldron outlines a tool to create self-awareness in leaders so they can determine what areas of trust they are strong in, and what areas need to be developed to make sure they are being a person of influence toward all Voices. The Influence Model  gives four  "C" words as a filter to see what areas a leader must become consciously unconsciously competent in so they can develop the trust needed to help move every team member forward and create an environment that thrives. The areas are: Character, Chemistry, Competency and Credibility.  If you know your leadership Voice (The 5 Voices) that you learned back in the earlier episodes, you will be able to quickly identify which areas are more natural to you and which areas you may need to work on.  As you take inventory of these four C's, be open to taking ownership of the ones that may not be your strengths and then commit to developing these in yourself, even if they don't come natural, for good of everyone within your team.Skot Waldron is passionate about giving people permission to be who they were designed to be. He works with leaders and teams around the world and help them develop their leadership brand. You can find Skot on his website or LinkedIn. Would you like to learn more about becoming a GiANT Coach, which we call "Guides"? Here is more information.  And feel free to reach out to Tracy at tracy.rader@giantworldwide.comAlso, check out our new 5 Voices app in the Apple Store: Download HereWe'd love to hear from you: your questions, your comments and your stories about leading.Reach out to tracy.rader@giantworldwide.com 

On this week's episode of the Free Thought Project Podcast, Jason and Matt sit down with Skot Sheller, a New Hampshire Free State Project advocate with a wealth of knowledge on Argentinian politics, economy, and culture. Skot's wife hails from Argentina, and his father-in-law is a PhD Austrian economist, academic, and author in the country. Skot has been tracking the rise of Javier Milei since 2018, and he's here to give us the lowdown on how Milei's audacious libertarian and anarcho-capitalist stances are shaking things up. During this episode, we dive deep into all things Javier Milei. Jason and Matt don't hold back, throwing some tough, no-holds-barred questions at Skot about the real contradictions in Milei's approach—like how he advocates ending the state while using state mechanisms and coercion to achieve his goals. We also get into Milei's involvement with the WEF and debunk some of the wilder conspiracy theories surrounding his political journey. The conversation explores the tightrope Milei walks as a libertarian anarcho-capitalist in a world dominated by statists. Skot does an outstanding job addressing our challenging questions, providing well-informed counterpoints that will leave our listeners with a deeper understanding of the complexities and controversies surrounding Milei. Tune in for an enlightening and thought-provoking episode that sheds light on one of the most fascinating political figures of our time. (Length: 1:10:03) The Above Phone is the combination of secure hardware and free & open-source software, alongside privacy services and accessories to make it the best end-to-end privacy respecting solution available! Learn More About the Above Phone: https://abovephone.com/?above=thefreethoughtproject  Follow Skot on Twitter: https://x.com/Bangershell11  Skot's Appearance on Tom Woods: https://tomwoods.com/ep-2473-javier-milei-update-how-hes-doing-against-the-bad-guys/ Learn More About the Free State Project: https://www.fsp.org/ Tom Woods on Our Podcast: https://thefreethoughtproject.com/podcast/podcast-tom-woods-is-rfk-jr-the-next-ron-paul-should-we-support-him Spike Cohen Podcast (Mentioned Near the End): https://thefreethoughtproject.com/podcast/podcast-spike-cohen-why-assange-is-free-trumps-5-d-chess-debating-david-hogg

Last week, we witnessed a historic event. Block 853742 was mined by a solo miner using a Bitaxe worth 150 euros. In today's pod, I bring you an interview with Skot, the creator of this open-source miner that is changing what seemed to be the only path of evolution in the mining industry from the ground up. This episode also includes an introduction where you'll learn how Bitcoin mining works. The show can also be seen dubbed in spanish on my youtube channel. LINKS Skot's Twitter: ⁠https://x.com/skot9000⁠ Bitaxe website: ⁠https://bitaxe.org/⁠ Get a Bitaxe: https://bit.ly/bitaxe_luna - get a 3% discount with the code LUNATICOIN Escúchame en Fountain aquí https://fountain.fm/lunaticoin Más información en mi BLOG https://lunaticoin.blog Twitter: https://twitter.com/lunaticoin Canal de Telegram: https://t.me/lunaticoinpodcast Nostr: https://snort.social/p/npub1yn3hc8jmpj963h0zw49ullrrkkefn7qxf78mj29u7v2mn3yktuasx3mzt0 Contenido adicional en mi Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lunaticoin Mención especial a los sponsors de este podcast: Compra bitcoin en HodlHodl: https://bit.ly/hodlhodl-luna Custodia tus bitcoin con Coldcard de Coinkite: https://bit.ly/coinkite-lunaticoin Vive con bitcoin en Bitrefill: https://bit.ly/Luna_Bitrefill Crea, edita y comparte hypertexto sin que nadie te frene en Mintter ⁠https://mintter.com/ Apila dinero duro físico en La Dobla Bullion https://bit.ly/ladoblaluna

Javier Milei has been the talk of freedom-oriented expat circles since the libertarian firebrand was elected president of Argentina last year. Today, I am joined by Skot Sheller, who has been following Milei's work for years and is himself pursuing Argentinian citizenship. Enjoy today's discussion as Skot and I look at what Javier Milei has really accomplished so far, the opposition he faces from within Argentina, and the broader implications for freedom across Latin America and the world. TODAY'S CONVERSATION WITH SKOT SHELLER Discover how Skot first became fascinated not just with Argentina but with its history and politics.  How did Argentina wind up with an anarcho-capitalist as President after decades of socialism? Skot lays out how Milei maneuvered his way into the Presidency.  Learn how the black market completely managed the exchange of dollars and pesos in Argentina when the government proved unreliable.  Uncover the reasons why, despite concerns about de-dollarization, the dollar is still seen as a safe haven compared to many Latin American currencies.  Can Javier Milei really go after the Argentinian central bank? Skot breaks down the odds that he can deliver on his intentions to close the central bank entirely. Find out what departments Milei was able to cut immediately - you won't believe some of the “Ministries” that the Argentine government was funding! Hear Skot break down the challenges Milei faces from within his own government - and why it's not inconceivable that he could even be impeached.  Would I recommend Argentina as a Plan-B location due to Milei's Presidency? Hear what I'm telling my clients who have been asking me about it.  Should people be concerned that Milei has spoken at the World Economic Forum? Skot and I discuss the circumstances and content of his WEF speeches. An Argentinian alliance with NATO? Skot and I look beyond the headlines to decipher what this really means. WHERE TO FIND SKOT SHELLER Follow Skot on X @Bangershell11 SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER Stay in touch with us by signing up for our email newsletter. You'll receive a steady stream of my opinions and plenty of news and updates about the expat community. Sign up now, and you'll also receive my FREE special report, “Plan B Residencies and Instant Citizenships.” RELATED EPISODES

Skot joins me to talk about his project to bring affordable, energy efficient, open source mining to home miners. We discuss: The current state of open source in bitcoin mining Bitaxe overview Why do people do this? Price and how to set one up Mining pools Decentralisation Links: X: @skot9000 Site: Bitaxe.org Sponsors: Swan.com (code LIVERA) CoinKite.com (code LIVERA) Mempool.space Nomadcapitalist.com/apply Stephan Livera links: Follow me on X: @stephanlivera Subscribe to the podcast Subscribe to Substack