Podcasts about Zcash

Helius CEO Mert Mumtaz joins "Markets Outlook" to break down the catalysts behind the recent rally in Zcash. Plus, why he believes crypto is currently "more public" than TradFi and the significance of privacy on chain. - Break the cycle of exploitation. Break down the barriers to truth. Break into the next generation of privacy. Break Free. Free to scroll without being monetized. Free from censorship. Freedom without fear. We deserve more when it comes to privacy. Experience the next generation of blockchain that is private and inclusive by design. Break free with Midnight, visit ⁠https://midnight.network/break-free⁠ - Bridge simplifies global money movement. As the leading stablecoin issuance and orchestration platform, Bridge abstracts away blockchain complexity so businesses can seamlessly move between fiat and stablecoins. From payroll providers and remittance companies to neobanks and treasury teams, Bridge powers payments, savings, and stablecoin issuance for thousands – like Shopify, Metamask, Remitly, and more. URL: ⁠⁠https://hubs.ly/Q03KGbRK0⁠ - OwlTing (Nasdaq: OWLS) is building invisible rails for global payments. With OwlPay, businesses and users can bridge fiat and stablecoins, send money instantly across borders, and access stablecoin checkout at lower costs. Licensed worldwide, OwlTing delivers secure, compliant, and regulated infrastructure for the digital economy. Learn more at ⁠https://www.owlting.com/portal/?lang=en&utm_source=CoinDesk&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=CoinDesk_Banner⁠. - This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie and Sam Ewen.

While the Bitcoin Core v30 vs Knots debate went on, Paul Sztorc was hard at work building the Drivechains software. However, this doesn't meant that he doesn't have any opinions about the recent events and their greater significance. Time stamps: 00:01:30 - Welcome to the Bitcoin Takeover Podcast and Paul's Second Appearance This Season 00:02:28 - Bitcoin Civil War: Core v30 vs Knots Debate 00:03:02 - Nick Szabo Joining the Debate and Ties to Samson Mow's Company 00:04:11 - Op Return Limit Silliness and Historical Bitcoin Uncensored Humor 00:05:21 - Shift in Bitcoin Community: From Subversive to Suit Coiner Route 00:06:02 - Resistance Money, Privacy, and Black/Gray Markets 00:09:18 - Rambling Due to Sickness/Jetlag and Software Demo Tease 00:09:29 - LayerTwo Labs Software Overview and Download Instructions 00:11:55 - Tweet on Turning Transactions into JPEGs 00:13:00 - Bit Window Software Explanation vs Bitcoin Knots 00:15:31 - Bit 300 Activator vs Bitcoin Core Pull Requests 00:17:25 - No More Soft Forks in Bitcoin and Activation Challenges 00:18:23 - CTV Almost Activated, Shift to Filter Debates 00:19:10 - Bitcoin's Potential Death from Complacency 00:19:36 - Derangements of Bitcoin Post and Lightning as Sacred Cow 00:20:02 - Tabconf Presentation on Lightning Network Issues 00:22:52 - Lightning Network Blackpill Article and Updates 00:24:40 - Lightning Cult and Misunderstandings 00:26:24 - Promoting Chaumian Ecash and Human Rights Foundation 00:27:03 - Funding R&D: Ecological Impacts and Bad Ideas 00:29:02 - Maginot Line Example: Funding Bad Defenses 00:30:16 - Drivechains Activation on Litecoin Progress 00:31:58 - Next Tests: Testnet 4 and Forknet Realism 00:32:58 - Litecoin Activation Process and Differences 00:34:49 - Dogecoin Merged Mining and Potential Activation 00:35:26 - Sky Doge as First Drivechain Chain 00:36:50 - Bit Window Advantages Over Knots 00:37:25 - Views on Mining Pools and Game Theory 00:40:05 - Critique of Luke Dash Jr.'s Ideas on Pools 00:41:05 - Transaction Relay Policies and Miner Incentives 00:41:47 - Emotional Manipulation in Debates 00:43:13 - Raising Funding and Different Approaches vs Luke 00:44:02 - Marketing: Funny Videos and Memes 00:45:05 - Luke Dash Jr.'s Character and Expertise 00:46:05 - Experts vs Elites in Bitcoin 00:48:08 - Testing LayerTwo Labs Software on OSes 00:48:38 - Windows/Linux Discussion and Preferences 00:59:30 - ZK Rollups and Data Availability on Bitcoin (Post-Truncation) 01:00:06 - Non-Miner L2s Have No Future 01:01:47 - Drivechain as Minimal, Optional Soft Fork 01:02:55 - Tom Cruise Party Analogy for Bitcoin Upgrades 01:03:08 - Derangements of Bitcoin Post Recommendation 01:03:50 - Viewer Comment: Layer 2s Bad, More Altcoins Needed 01:04:03 - Importance of Competition in Crypto 01:07:02 - Altcoins as Regression Due to Switching Costs 01:08:33 - Sponsor Plugs: LayerTwo Labs, SideShift, Bitcoin.com, NoOnes 01:09:07 - Questions: Why Zcash for Fungibility Sidechain? DAGs? 01:13:35 - Prediction Market L2 and Ambitious Design 01:14:24 - Truthcoin History and Inspiration for Others 01:16:34 - Robin Hanson as Prediction Market OG 01:17:23 - Zcash vs Monero: Code Forks and Privacy Comparison 01:21:30 - Privacy via Decoys vs Pools in Zcash/Monero 01:24:10 - Zcash Advantages for Sidechains 01:26:30 - Zcash Drawbacks Ideal for Sidechain Rollovers 01:27:42 - Zcash as Research Lab for Bitcoin/Ethereum 01:28:07 - R&D as Creative Endeavor Over Funding 01:30:19 - Zcash Launch Story and Roger Ver's Influence 01:31:08 - Truthcoin Parallels and Sidechain Intent 01:32:03 - Maximalist Sacrifices for Bitcoin 01:32:31 - Blockstream's Failure and Altcoin Rise 01:34:29 - Thoughts on DAGs (e.g., Kaspa, Quai) 01:36:20 - SPV Importance and Satoshi's Vision 01:39:05 - SPV Balances Security and Convenience 01:39:59 - DAGs Not Solving Key Scaling Problems 01:42:42 - Shitcoin Definition: Outdated Dichotomy 01:43:53 - Optimism for Bitcoin's Future Choice 01:45:32 - One Coin to Rule Them All Analogy 01:45:38 - Thanks, Wrap-Up, and Jay Berg Recommendation 01:46:54 - Future Live Demo Tease 01:47:16 - Join Drivechain Insiders Telegram Group 01:48:41 - Closing and Thanks

Boys Club Live from Menlo Park: Peptides, Crypto Privacy, and Poshmark Insights | Special Guests Claire Kart, Jill Gunter, Gloria Allorbi, Zara Stone, and Adi Thacker   Tune in for a packed show full of intriguing conversations, industry insights, and more!   Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to Boys Club Live 01:15 Shoutout to A16Z and Polygon 03:36 Bitcoin Hits All-Time High 04:56 Interview with Gloria from Gloria's Chito 23:09 Poshmark Insights with Addie Thacker 41:54 Technical Difficulties and Halloween Planning 42:39 Google's Halloween Insights 43:17 Spooky Season and Costume Trends 45:41 Pinterest Trends and Halloween Spending 53:05 Privacy in the Digital Age 01:02:29 Crypto Marketing Hits and Misses 01:06:46 Anti-Gatekeeping in Tech 01:17:00 Espresso: Solving Interoperability in Crypto 01:21:40 Centralized Infrastructure in Blockchain 01:22:28 Ethereum and the Challenges of Bridging 01:24:10 The Rise and Resurgence of Zcash 01:30:38 Taylor Swift and the Double Spend Problem 01:36:05 Poly Market's Strategic Investment 01:39:27 The Peptide Craze in Silicon Valley 01:59:59 Concluding Thoughts and Final Remarks   Join our newsletters:    https://boysclub.beehiiv.com/ https://tooonline.beehiiv.com/  

Any donation is greatly appreciated! 47e6GvjL4in5Zy5vVHMb9PQtGXQAcFvWSCQn2fuwDYZoZRk3oFjefr51WBNDGG9EjF1YDavg7pwGDFSAVWC5K42CBcLLv5U OR DONATE HERE: https://www.monerotalk.live/donate TODAY'S SHOW: In this episode of Monero Talk, Douglas Tuman talks with JP from THORChain to discuss the project's renewed effort to integrate Monero (XMR) into its decentralized cross-chain liquidity protocol. JP explains why an earlier 2022–2023 integration attempt stalled due to limitations in Monero's old multisig system and security concerns, and reveals THORChain is now developing a new threshold signature scheme to make Monero swaps trust-minimized and scalable. He outlines an expected rollout through the Vultisig wallet, stagenet, and finally mainnet by Q1 2025. The conversation explores the role of privacy in crypto, competition and collaboration with projects like Serai and Haven, and THORChain's return to its core mission as a decentralized custodian network. JP emphasizes Monero's importance for financial sovereignty and future AI-driven economies, and invites the Monero community to contribute to the integration effort. TIMESTAMPS: (01:15:00) - Guest introduction and discussion about Monero and Thorchain. (02:18:00) - Thorchain's development and multi-sig technology. (05:00:00) - Discussion on Thorchain's decentralized liquidity pool network. (08:50:00) - The Haven team and potential Monero integration with Thorchain. (10:49:00) - Updates on the threshold signature scheme for Monero. (12:07:00) - Timeline for implementing Monero on Thorchain. (13:24:00) - Monero as digital cash and its privacy benefits over Bitcoin and Zcash. (16:51:00) - Zcash's privacy model compared to Monero's. (18:25:00) - Monero's place in decentralized exchange systems. (19:28:00) - How decentralized exchanges like Thorchain compare with centralized ones. (21:02:00) - Monero's liquidity challenges and efforts to improve. (23:21:00) - Competition between Thorchain and Serai (Luke Parker's project). (26:36:00) - Encouragement for more people to contribute to Monero's ecosystem. (29:39:00) - Shift from private key-based wallets to threshold signature wallets. (32:15:00) - Open-source commitment and possible collaboration with Sarai on threshold signature schemes. (35:00:00) - Building for Monero: Threshold signature libraries and their future. (38:28:00) - Making Thorchain more accessible for Monero integration. (39:01:00) - Current progress on Monero integration and Thorchain's roadmap. (42:42:00) - Monero's potential future with decentralized exchanges. (45:58:00) - Thorchain's liquidity model and rebuilding after setbacks. (49:36:00) - Thorchain's expansion and lending features. (51:33:00) - The future of Thorchain and its role in the decentralized finance space. (54:29:00) - Deflationary mechanics of Thorchain's native token, Rune. (57:33:00) - Building a seamless wallet experience for Monero users within Thorchain. (01:00:29) - The resilience of Thorchain and Monero's synergy. (01:02:09) - Onboarding new users and the balance between decentralization and user accessibility. (01:05:55) - Closing remarks: Cypherpunk roots and the future of Monero and Thorchain. GUEST LINKS: https://x.com/jpthor Purchase Cafe & tip the farmers w/ XMR! https://gratuitas.org/ SPONSORS: Cakewallet.com, the first open-source Monero wallet for iOS. You can even exchange between XMR, BTC, LTC & more in the app! Monero.com by Cake Wallet - ONLY Monero wallet (https://monero.com/) StealthEX, an instant exchange. Go to (https://stealthex.io) to instantly exchange between Monero and 450 plus assets, w/o having to create an account or register & with no limits. WEBSITE: https://www.monerotopia.com CONTACT: monerotalk@protonmail.com ODYSEE: https://odysee.com/@MoneroTalk:8 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/monerotalk FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/MoneroTalk HOST: https://twitter.com/douglastuman INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/monerotalk TELEGRAM: https://t.me/monerotopia MATRIX: https://matrix.to/#/%23monerotopia%3Amonero.social MASTODON: @Monerotalk@mastodon.social MONERO.TOWN: https://monero.town/u/monerotalkAny donation is greatly appreciated!Any donation is greatly appreciated!

Welcome to The Chopping Block — where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. This week, Helius's Mert returns to defend Zcash's ~400% run and the “encrypted Bitcoin” framing, digging into anonymity sets, privacy UX, and why Bitcoiners are so riled up. We then tackle the Tempo bombshell — a ~$500M raise at a ~$5B pre, Stripe/Paradigm ties, Dankrad's move from the EF — alongside Péter Szilágyi's letter on EF culture and compensation: public goods priesthood vs. market incentives. Next up: Mert's “USD Manlet” rethink (why coordinating Solana around one stable is hard, and why pushing USDT to compete with USDC may be the sharper play) plus a gripe-fueled tour of today's DeFi trading UX. Finally, an AWS-outage autopsy: Coinbase downtime, Base sequencer hiccups, Infura/MetaMask ripple effects, and the case for multi-region/multi-cloud redundancy when real money — and sometimes safety — are on the line. And no, despite the memes, Mert is not launching a DEX. For more links and Show Hilights - https://unchainedcrypto.com/podcast-chopping-block/the-chopping-block-zcash-400-tempos-500m-shock-ef-pay-firestorm-aws-base-meltdown-feat-mert/ ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly  Guest ⭐️ Mert, Co-founder & CEO at Helius Hosts ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly  Guest ⭐️ Mert, Co-founder & CEO at Helius “One Long Memo” [A Letter To The EF] by Péter Szilágyi https://gist.github.com/karalabe/a2bc53436f29e0711fe680d59e180f6c  Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:22 Mert a Madman of Solana and now Zcash 05:20 Bitcoin vs. Zcash: A Philosophical Clash 14:35 Tempo Fundraise and Ethereum's Talent Exodus 33:05 Ethereum's Social Layer & Public Goods 34:45 The Importance of Religious Priesthood in Crypto 41:01 The USD Manlet Proposal & Stablecoin Coordination 49:32 AWS Outage & Its Impact on Crypto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The Chopping Block — where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. This week, Helius's Mert returns to defend Zcash's ~400% run and the “encrypted Bitcoin” framing, digging into anonymity sets, privacy UX, and why Bitcoiners are so riled up. We then tackle the Tempo bombshell — a ~$500M raise at a ~$5B pre, Stripe/Paradigm ties, Dankrad's move from the EF — alongside Péter Szilágyi's letter on EF culture and compensation: public goods priesthood vs. market incentives. Next up: Mert's “USD Manlet” rethink (why coordinating Solana around one stable is hard, and why pushing USDT to compete with USDC may be the sharper play) plus a gripe-fueled tour of today's DeFi trading UX. Finally, an AWS-outage autopsy: Coinbase downtime, Base sequencer hiccups, Infura/MetaMask ripple effects, and the case for multi-region/multi-cloud redundancy when real money — and sometimes safety — are on the line. And no, despite the memes, Mert is not launching a DEX. For more links and Show Hilights - https://unchainedcrypto.com/podcast-chopping-block/the-chopping-block-zcash-400-tempos-500m-shock-ef-pay-firestorm-aws-base-meltdown-feat-mert/ ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate ⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly  Guest ⭐️ Mert, Co-founder & CEO at Helius Hosts ⭐️Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly ⭐️Robert Leshner, CEO & Co-founder of Superstate⭐️Tom Schmidt, General Partner at Dragonfly  Guest ⭐️ Mert, Co-founder & CEO at Helius “One Long Memo” [A Letter To The EF] by Péter Szilágyi https://gist.github.com/karalabe/a2bc53436f29e0711fe680d59e180f6c  Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:22 Mert a Madman of Solana and now Zcash 05:20 Bitcoin vs. Zcash: A Philosophical Clash 14:35 Tempo Fundraise and Ethereum's Talent Exodus 33:05 Ethereum's Social Layer & Public Goods 34:45 The Importance of Religious Priesthood in Crypto 41:01 The USD Manlet Proposal & Stablecoin Coordination 49:32 AWS Outage & Its Impact on Crypto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we dig into whether there's more downside ahead or if the worst is now behind us following the leverage flush on October 10. We discuss how elevated altcoin open interest set up cascading liquidations and why the reset cleans up positioning but doesn't guarantee direction. Flows remain mixed with limited BTC dip‑buying, a concentrated ETH bid, and some ETF outflows—so we prefer reactive over anticipatory positioning until breadth improves. Finally, a growing privacy theme centers on Zcash, with momentum holding even through the drawdown. Into next week, a 25bps Fed cut is the base case, though a dovish Beige Book is increasing the odds of the board front loading the easing cycle into early next year.Speakers:David Duong, CFA - Global Head of Investment ResearchGeorg Toropov - Senior CES Sales TraderColin Basco - Research Associate Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sean Bowe is a cryptographer and engineer who is best known for revolutionizing Zcash. After cooperating to fix the inflation bug in the first version of the network, he built Halo to remove the trusted setup – basically obliterating the main reason why Bitcoin did not activate the Zerocash soft fork in 2013. More recently, Sean Bowe announced project Tachyon: an ambitious initiative to scale ZK SNARKs (the technology enabling shielded transactions) to billions of users. Time stamps: 00:01:19 - Sean Bowe's Work on Zcash and Hidden Inflation Bug Fix 00:01:36 - Introduction to Halo and Halo 2: Eliminating Trusted Setup 00:01:51 - Overview of Project Tachyon for Scaling ZK-SNARKs 00:02:43 - Zcash Price Pump and Dance Celebration 00:04:48 - Using Zcash for Encrypted Messages via Zashi Wallet 00:05:42 - Comparing Zcash Messaging to Signal 00:07:17 - Sean Bowe's Early Involvement in Zcash and Bitcoin 00:10:34 - Sean Bowe's Age and Start in Cryptography at 21 00:11:13 - Discovering Bitcoin in 2011 and Privacy Needs 00:13:42 - Contributing to BIP 39 with Slush and Trezor 00:14:19 - Realizing Bitcoin's Lack of Privacy 00:17:50 - Privacy vs. Deniability in Bitcoin and Banks 00:20:23 - Wasabi Wallet and CoinJoins Limitations 00:21:46 - Optional Privacy in Zcash and Wallet Defaults 00:23:16 - Viewer Question: Source of Sean Bowe's Smartness 00:24:47 - Viewer Question: Ideas from Scaling Bottlenecks 00:27:09 - Viewer Quote from Oscar Wilde on Privacy 00:28:07 - Viewer Question: Zcash Network State Meaning 00:30:00 - Viewer Question: Timeline for Tachyon Success 00:33:15 - Chronological Approach to Interview and Tachyon 00:37:33 - Differences Between Zerocoin (Firo) and Zerocash (Zcash) 00:39:55 - Greg Maxwell's CoinJoin and Zerocoin Views 00:42:57 - Moon Math and Cryptographic Assumptions 00:46:33 - Sponsor: Citrea ZK Rollup with BitVM 00:47:19 - Sponsor: Layer2 Labs ZSide Drive Chain 00:49:01 - Sponsor: Bitcoin.com News 00:50:16 - Zcash Leads Crypto Rally News 00:58:49 - Bitcoin's Constraints and Creativity like BitVM 01:05:00 - Zcash Contributors and Zebra Rust Node 01:14:00 - Friendly Forks in Zcash 01:31:00 - Monero Hater Comments and Zcash Anonymity 02:23:00 - Superhero Backstory Tease 02:26:14 - Bitcoin Talk Username and Early ASIC Mining 02:28:35 - Pessimism on Bitcoin Development Speed 02:50:41 - Shielded Zcash Dust Problem 02:52:11 - Quantum Resistance and Self-Transfers 02:53:00 - Long-Term Storage Pool for Quantum Safety 02:54:56 - Avalanche Pre-Consensus like eCash 02:55:04 - Tachyon and Oblivious Synchronization 02:58:56 - Scaling to Billions: Math and No Bottlenecks 03:02:12 - Solving Privacy-Scaling Trilemma 03:04:51 - Off-Chain Secrets and Payment Protocols 03:06:24 - Tachyon as New Privacy Pool 03:12:56 - Wallet Syncing with Tachyon Servers 03:14:50 - Shielded Aggregation in Tachyon 03:17:00 - Tachyon Team Size and Hiring Rust Engineers 03:18:41 - ETA for Tachyon: Next Year 03:23:15 - Greg Maxwell Paper Citation Story 03:25:11 - Explaining ZK-SNARKs to Polkadot Cryptographers 03:31:01 - Zcash Governance and No Benevolent Dictator 03:35:06 - Memos Bloating Blockchain and Anonymity Boost 03:38:06 - Zcash Compatibility with Bitcoin Privacy 03:39:01 - Following Sean Bowe: X Account and Blog

Any donation is greatly appreciated! 47e6GvjL4in5Zy5vVHMb9PQtGXQAcFvWSCQn2fuwDYZoZRk3oFjefr51WBNDGG9EjF1YDavg7pwGDFSAVWC5K42CBcLLv5U OR DONATE HERE: https://www.monerotalk.live/donate TODAY'S SHOW: In this episode of Monero Talk, host Douglas Tuman speaks with Juraj, a self-described “shaman” of the crypto world who bridges different blockchain communities. Together, they dive into the contrasts and common ground between Monero and Zcash, exploring both the technical and cultural dynamics of the leading privacy coins. Juraj discusses Zcash's growing DEX integrations through Zashi Wallet and Near Intents, while Doug shares his experience with a failed swap attempt. They compare this with Monero's ongoing DEX efforts like Sarai and potential Thorchain integration, highlighting the shared goal of improving usability and interoperability. The two also unpack each project's funding models, mining approaches, and community cultures, debating decentralization, security, and the future of privacy in crypto. Juraj emphasizes that real adoption often depends more on social dynamics than technical merit, and that long-term holders give privacy coins their true value. TIMESTAMPS: Coming soon! GUEST LINKS: https://x.com/@jurbed Purchase Cafe & tip the farmers w/ XMR! https://gratuitas.org/ SPONSORS: Cakewallet.com, the first open-source Monero wallet for iOS. You can even exchange between XMR, BTC, LTC & more in the app! Monero.com by Cake Wallet - ONLY Monero wallet (https://monero.com/) StealthEX, an instant exchange. Go to (https://stealthex.io) to instantly exchange between Monero and 450 plus assets, w/o having to create an account or register & with no limits. WEBSITE: https://www.monerotopia.com CONTACT: monerotalk@protonmail.com ODYSEE: https://odysee.com/@MoneroTalk:8 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/monerotalk FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/MoneroTalk HOST: https://twitter.com/douglastuman INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/monerotalk TELEGRAM: https://t.me/monerotopia MATRIX: https://matrix.to/#/%23monerotopia%3Amonero.social MASTODON: @Monerotalk@mastodon.social MONERO.TOWN: https://monero.town/u/monerotalkAny donation is greatly appreciated!Any donation is greatly appreciated!

"History 102" with WhatifAltHist's Rudyard Lynch and Erik Torenberg: Read the notes at at podcastnotes.org. Don't forget to subscribe for free to our newsletter, the top 10 ideas of the week, every Monday --------- In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett analyze capitalism's cycles across civilizations, examining how free markets emerged from feudalism, their conflict with monarchies and socialism, and regulatory capture's impact on economic development. -- 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) Introduction: The Rise and History of Capitalism (01:00) Personal Bias in Scholarship & Marxist Economics (04:30) Cognitive Biases in American Institutions (07:30) Sponsors: Zcash | Spotify (10:12) Medieval Europe: Capitalism's Emergence from Feudalism (33:00) Third World Examples & The Reality of Bureaucracy (46:00) Victorian Britain & Why Classical Liberalism Failed (59:00) Cold War Lessons: Capitalism vs. Socialism (1:10:00) The Meaning Crisis & Psychological Critiques of Capitalism (1:28:00) Ancient & Asian Capitalism: Bronze Age to Silk Road (1:47:00) Medieval European Banking: Templars, Jews & Monasteries (2:00:00) Regulatory Capture Myths: Snake Oil, Standard Oil & The FDA (2:12:00) Immigration's Role in American Socialism (2:19:00) Complete Historical Chronology & Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crypto News: Will Bitcoin and Altcoins see a recovery in October or will it take longer and extend the cryptocurrency bull market into 2026?Brought to you by

47e6GvjL4in5Zy5vVHMb9PQtGXQAcFvWSCQn2fuwDYZoZRk3oFjefr51WBNDGG9EjF1YDavg7pwGDFSAVWC5K42CBcLLv5U OR DONATE HERE: https://www.monerotalk.live/donate GUEST LINKS: https://xmrbazaar.com/user/HappyLanding25/ TIMESTAMPS (00:00:00) Monerotopia Introduction. (00:38:55) Monerotopia Price Report Segment w/ bawdyanarchist. (01:32:08) Monerotopia Guest Segment w/ K. (02:13:52) Monerotopia News Segment w/ Tony. (02:16:07) JapanLand.net (02:16:59) Zcash stats. (02:17:12) Naval post. (02:17:45) Is MiningPoolStats trying to hide XMR? (02:18:40) XMR in Berlin. (02:19:32) Jacob King post. (02:22:00) Bitcoin Jesus (02:24:23) XMR. (02:25:50) Odysee Blockchain. (02:28:19) Thorchain and XMR. (02:28:34) John Foss post. (02:31:28) Cake Wallet. (02:33:07) September payment statistics. (02:33:51) Erik post. (02:40:40) Monerotopia Viewers on Stage. (02:57:12) Monerotopia Finalization. NEWS SEGMENT LINKS: https://x.com/xmrchat/status/1974546610899374086?s=46 https://x.com/jasonbassler1/status/1974623479304687699?s=46 https://x.com/donttracemebruh/status/1975119462136156233?s=46 https://x.com/oceriketh/status/1975010279110136220?s=46 https://x.com/nanogptcom/status/1974791291767775347?s=46 https://x.com/cakewallet/status/1975269593557205057?s=46 https://x.com/jacobkinge/status/1976785691838165435?s=46 https://x.com/johnfoss69/status/1976511463947894790?s=46 https://x.com/0xturbamulta/status/1976382494862868715?s=46 https://x.com/doingfedtime/status/1975625958909739177?s=46 https://x.com/monero/status/1975634238159642815?s=46 https://x.com/agoristn/status/1976641716104180171?s=46&t=WeY1AyuT6Ir1FNBKKqBeg SPONSORS: PRICE REPORT: https://exolix.com/ GUEST SEGMENT: https://cakewallet.com & https://monero.com NEWS SEGMENT: https://www.wizardswap.io XMR.BAR: https://xmr.bar Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE! The more subscribers, the more we can help Monero grow! XMRtopia TELEGRAM: https://t.me/monerotopia XMRtopia MATRIX: https://matrix.to/#/%23monerotopia%3Amonero.social ODYSEE: https://bit.ly/3bMaFtE WEBSITE: monerotopia.com CONTACT: monerotopia@protonmail.com MASTADON: @Monerotopia@mastodon.social MONERO.TOWN https://monero.town/u/monerotopia Get Social with us: X: https://twitter.com/monerotopia INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/monerotopia DOUGLAS: https://twitter.com/douglastuman SUNITA: https://twitter.com/sunchakr TUX: https://twitter.com/tuxpizza

Polymarket scales with Wall Street's blessing, Kalshi fires up KOLs, and BNB chain melts down as fast as it ran. We dissect Aster's data drama, the new privacy wave lifting Zcash, and Galaxy One's glossy yields—what's smart strategy vs. old mistakes in new clothes? Welcome to The Chopping Block — where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. This week, we unpack Polymarket's jaw-dropper: a $2B raise at a $9B valuation led by ICE (parent of the NYSE), the token tease, and whether prediction markets will eat sportsbooks. We get into the KOL wars (Kalshi vs. Polymarket), the line between paid shilling and product marketing, and what “parlays” look like on prediction platforms. Then: Aster vs. Hyperliquid and DeFiLlama's delist sparks transparency questions, while BNB Chain's 72-hour meme-coin supercycle goes boom→bust. Privacy takes center stage as Zcash rips and the “privacy meta” returns. We close with Galaxy One's 8% yield pitch — BlockFi déjà vu or smarter risk management in a post-CeFi world? Show highlights

In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett analyze the Catholic Church's 2000-year evolution from Constantine through modernity, examining its role in shaping Western civilization amid profound historical transformations. -- 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 (00:39) The Catholic Church's 2000-Year Legacy (13:52) Sponsors: Zcash | Shopify (17:53) Constantine and the Christianization of Rome (32:00) St. Augustine and the Fall of Rome (37:00) The Dark Ages: Fathers of the Church (59:53) The High Middle Ages Renaissance (73:49) The Papal-Imperial Conflict (82:06) The Babylonian Captivity and Italian Renaissance (86:27) Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation (94:00) Counter-Reformation and the Turn Against Science (102:00) Descartes, Enlightenment, and the Death of the Mystic (107:00) Napoleon, 19th Century, and Modernity (114:27) The Future: Third World Growth and Protestant vs. Catholic (123:00) Wrap-Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Polymarket scales with Wall Street's blessing, Kalshi fires up KOLs, and BNB chain melts down as fast as it ran. We dissect Aster's data drama, the new privacy wave lifting Zcash, and Galaxy One's glossy yields—what's smart strategy vs. old mistakes in new clothes? Welcome to The Chopping Block — where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. This week, we unpack Polymarket's jaw-dropper: a $2B raise at a $9B valuation led by ICE (parent of the NYSE), the token tease, and whether prediction markets will eat sportsbooks. We get into the KOL wars (Kalshi vs. Polymarket), the line between paid shilling and product marketing, and what “parlays” look like on prediction platforms. Then: Aster vs. Hyperliquid and DeFiLlama's delist sparks transparency questions, while BNB Chain's 72-hour meme-coin supercycle goes boom→bust. Privacy takes center stage as Zcash rips and the “privacy meta” returns. We close with Galaxy One's 8% yield pitch — BlockFi déjà vu or smarter risk management in a post-CeFi world? Show highlights

In this episode of Crazy Wisdom, host Stewart Alsop speaks with Paul Sztorc, CEO of Layer2 Labs, about Bitcoin's evolution, the limitations of the Lightning Network, and how his ideas for drivechains and merge-mined sidechains could transform scalability and privacy on the Bitcoin network. They cover everything from Zcash's zero-knowledge proofs and “moon math” to the block size wars, sound money, and the economic realities behind crypto hype cycles. Paul also explains his projects like Zside and Thunder, which aim to bring features like Zcash-style privacy and high-speed transactions to Bitcoin. Listeners can try Layer2 Labs' software or learn more at layer2labs.com/download.Check out this GPT we trained on the conversationTimestamps00:00 Stewart Alsop opens with Paul Sztorc from Layer2 Labs, discussing the connection between Bitcoin and Zcash and how privacy could be added through zero-knowledge proofs.05:00 Paul critiques early Layer 2s like Rootstock and Lightning, calling many “not real” or custodial, and compares the current scene to the .com bubble.10:00 They explore media hype, Silicon Valley culture, and crypto's cycles of optimism and collapse, mentioning Theranos, FTX, and fake-it-till-you-make-it culture.15:00 Conversation shifts to sound money, government spending, and how Bitcoin could improve fiscal responsibility, referencing Milton Friedman's ideas.20:00 Paul questions Bitcoin treasury companies like MicroStrategy, explaining flawed incentives and better direct ownership logic.25:00 They move into geopolitics and The Sovereign Individual, discussing borders, state control, and the future of digital sovereignty.30:00 Paul explains zero-knowledge proofs, Zcash's “moon math,” and the evolution from sapling to Halo 2 for better privacy.35:00 The topic turns to drivechains, BIP300, and Layer2 Labs' projects like Zside and Thunder, built for real Bitcoin scalability.40:00 Paul explains why Lightning fails, liquidity limits, and why true scaling requires optional L2s with large block capacity.45:00 They discuss the block size war, merge mining, and how miners and nodes interact in Bitcoin's structure.50:00 Paul breaks down the Merkle tree, block headers, and SHA-256 puzzles miners race to solve for proof-of-work.55:00 The episode closes with how L1–L2 coordination works, the mechanics of slow withdrawals, and secondary markets in drivechains.Key InsightsBitcoin's privacy gap and Zcash's influence: Paul Sztorc begins by explaining how Bitcoin lacks true privacy since senders, receivers, and amounts are visible on-chain. He describes Zcash as a model for achieving anonymity through zero-knowledge proofs and explains how Layer2 Labs aims to bring that same level of privacy to Bitcoin without introducing a new altcoin or token.The failure of current Layer 2 solutions: Paul argues that existing Bitcoin Layer 2s like Lightning and Rootstock are flawed—either custodial, inefficient, or deceptive. He compares today's crypto landscape to the dot-com bubble, full of overhyped projects and scams that will collapse before the genuine solutions survive.Sound money and political accountability: The discussion expands beyond technology to economics, as Paul highlights how unsustainable government debt and spending distort incentives. He believes Bitcoin could restore discipline to fiscal systems by forcing real accounting and limiting the political capacity to inflate or borrow endlessly.Corporate Bitcoin strategies are often misguided: Paul criticizes companies like MicroStrategy for treating Bitcoin as a speculative treasury asset instead of using it for real utility. He argues that investors should just buy Bitcoin directly rather than buy shares in companies that hold it, since intermediaries introduce unnecessary risk, fees, and opacity.Drivechains as Bitcoin's missing scalability link: Sztorc presents drivechains, outlined in his proposal BIP300, as the practical way to scale Bitcoin. Drivechains allow multiple Layer 2s to exist simultaneously, each optimized for specific features like privacy, larger blocks, or smart contracts, all while using the same 21 million BTC.Lightning Network's structural limitations: Paul dismantles Lightning's core assumptions, pointing out that it cannot scale globally because each channel requires on-chain transactions and constant liquidity maintenance. He calls Lightning a “Theranos of Bitcoin,” arguing that it distracts the community from genuine, scalable innovation.Merge mining and the path to Bitcoin's future: The episode concludes with Paul describing merge mining as the mechanism that unites L1 and L2 securely, letting miners earn more revenue without extra work. He envisions a Bitcoin ecosystem where optional, diverse L2s provide privacy, speed, and flexibility—anchored by a lean, reliable L1 base.

Jay Berg joined Bitcoin in 2010 and became the first person to tweet about BTCUSD when the price hit a new high of $12. In this episode, he talks about why most Bitcoiners are wrong in their recent filter debate and how SidePit aims to fix trading. Time stamps: 00:01:57 - Hot take: Maxis wrong, shitcoining new Bitcoining 00:03:00 - Bitcoin kernel: Litecoin, Ethereum, Zcash, Lightning, Liquid 00:03:23 - Bitcoin failed as P2P cash 00:04:09 - Filters vs. OP_RETURN debate 00:05:18 - Luke Dash Jr. fork prediction 00:05:45 - Original sin: No OP_CTV (BIP 119) 00:06:47 - 2017 civil war: Gavin Andresen, Mike Hearn 00:07:45 - Craig Wright conspiracy 00:08:42 - Wright intro: Bitcoin Belle, Gavin signing (2015) 00:09:32 - Debate with Nick Szabo 00:10:02 - Szabo denies Satoshi; Hal Finney, John Nash possibles 00:11:05 - Civil war apology 00:12:08 - Shitcoiner as new maxi 00:12:42 - Code over 21M meme 00:13:58 - Jay's background: Bloomberg, EURUSD 00:14:49 - 1998 digital cash, double spend 00:15:39 - Fortress HFT 00:17:03 - Bitcoin discovery (2009) 00:18:36 - BTCUSD tweets: Newberg Consulting 00:20:00 - 2010-2014 decentralized era 00:21:10 - Roger Ver adoption (2011) 00:21:30 - BitMEX on 2010 data debates 00:22:01 - OP_RETURN war: Counterparty, Omni 00:22:34 - Ethereum rise 00:23:13 - CP FUD on chain 00:23:36 - Cognitive dissonance 00:24:30 - Ethereum wars: Jimmy Song, Samson Mow 00:25:01 - Ethereum scales Bitcoin tweet 00:27:11 - Plebs control post-2017 00:28:05 - 21M changeable 00:29:06 - BIP 42: Pieter Wuille 00:30:23 - Security budget FUD 00:30:57 - Ethereum VM anti-pattern 00:32:25 - Rock-paper-scissors example 00:35:03 - MEV in DeFi 00:38:12 - Ethereum scales post-war 00:38:45 - Roger Ver buy Core attempt 00:38:52 - Luke Jr. block increase 00:39:38 - OP_CTV from no two-way peg 00:40:05 - Blocked by Adam Back 00:41:36 - Full RBF issue 00:42:10 - Sponsor: Layer2 Labs, Paul Sztorc, Drivechain (BIP 300) 00:42:35 - Sidechains: Thunder, Zside, BitAsset, EthSide 00:43:45 - Litecoin BIP 300 test 00:44:26 - Lightning not Bitcoin 00:45:44 - Sponsor: Citrea ZK rollup 00:46:02 - DeFi, Tornado Cash on Bitcoin 00:47:29 - OP_RETURN bytes need 00:50:02 - Lightning custodians 00:50:58 - Lightning as Bitcoin how? 03:26:01 - Zcash soft fork (2013) 03:26:42 - Trump Ethereum: World Liberty 03:27:50 - BIP 300, OP_CTV excitement 03:28:38 - Stubborn fork potential 03:28:49 - Stamp JPEG issue 03:29:11 - Luke Jr. denial 03:30:28 - No real JPEGs 03:32:24 - Gloria Zhao attack 03:32:54 - Matthew Kratter channel 03:33:21 - Mechanic handler theory 03:34:38 - Luke lost Bitcoin 03:35:48 - Richard Heart Hex debate 03:37:20 - Maxi used ETH 03:37:51 - Gresham's law 03:38:56 - Jason Lowery defense 03:40:31 - Naka, David Bailey 03:41:34 - Maxi cycle 03:42:23 - Cult elements 03:42:52 - Hypocrisy: Dogecoin, Litecoin 03:43:30 - Freedom Index: Monero, Zcash, Pirate, Zano, Nym 03:45:43 - Nym mixnet 03:46:44 - Zano tokens, FUSD 03:48:23 - Roger Ver Zano 03:49:40 - Saberhagen Cryptonote 03:51:55 - Alpha vs beta 03:55:10 - Ethereum leveraged BTC 03:56:21 - Opportunity 03:58:21 - Dorsey funding 03:58:51 - Renaissance or burn 03:59:30 - Number up vs fundamentals 04:00:28 - Success/failure 04:02:17 - Laszlo Pizza fear 04:03:00 - Swaps 04:03:24 - Lightning failure 04:04:30 - Platforms differences 04:05:56 - Shitcoiners new 04:07:20 - No blockchain solve? 04:08:49 - 2010-14 decentralized 04:09:40 - Mt. Gox exchanges 04:10:59 - SidePit swaps 04:11:18 - Follow: sidpit.com, JAYBNY 04:11:51 - Launch Q404:15:01 - Next: Sean Bowe Tachyon 04:15:13 - Sponsors: SideShift, Citrea, LayerTwo Labs, Bitcoin dot com News, Noones

Bitcoin auf All-Time-High, MSTR mit mNAV-Drama und kontroverse LGBTQ-Diskussionen: In dieser Episode geht es um Marktüberhitzung, Risiken bei Krypto-Treasury-Firmen, häufige Investmentfehler, Unternehmertum, Fitness & Regeneration sowie gesellschaftliche Themen, die polarisieren. Direkt, ehrlich und ohne Filter.   Links aus dem Video: Investieren auf X https://x.com/julianhosp - Folge Julian dort für Finanz Insights! Shutdown Party: https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1975426107207000485  AMD: https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1975329808642105355 Wie viele BTC? https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1975478646359068986 MSTR Underperformance: https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1976519632602505484  Krypto Asset Firmen implodieren: https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1974819195469881737 Fees: https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1975482066344235031 BNB: https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1974807919074984400 Bitcoin Memecoin: https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1974393080850837661 Bitcoin Blöcke leer: https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1975175958652178755 Zcash: https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1974800541332262915 Strategic Kupfer Reserve: https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1975442968120086915 Net Worth und Alter: https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1975122607256002768 100mil+ https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1975499307676811602 Fehler: https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1975478493891985740 Dips: https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1974111107637039470 Korrelation: https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1974777442381504808 Lotto Rune 2: https://x.com/julianhosp/status/1975204648484008301   Unternehmertum auf LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianhosp/ - Folge Julian dort für Business Insights! Produkt bei Startups: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7381233081564774401/  KI Bubble? https://www.linkedin.com/posts/julianhosp_ki-ist-eine-bubble-stimmt-aber-ich-sehe-activity-7380580027328806912-RNdO/  Arbeitslosigkeit: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7380874562973908992/  KI LinkedInGruppe: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7376558366963359744  KI Facebook Gruppe: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kimotor  Julian's Blog: https://www.julianhosp.com/de/blog/die-10-tipps-fuer-2025    Privates auf Instagram https://www.instagram.com/julianhosp - Folge Julian dort für Fitness Insights! Laufverletzungen: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPc8UVvkmza/ Alkohol: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPijkvfgeLx/  Zone5 auf Instagram: https://instagram.com/zonefuenf  Zone5 auf YouTube: http://youtube.com/@zonefuenf?sub_confirmation=1    Trigger Posts auf Threads https://www.threads.com/@julianhosp/ - Folge Julian dort für seine political Takes! Falscher Feminismus: https://www.threads.com/@julianhosp/post/DPjQL6DEZ3W  LGBTQ: https://www.threads.com/@julianhosp/post/DPbTBcwEpvW  Problem mit Grünen: https://www.threads.com/@julianhosp/post/DPgyOKtE7Uf Rentenproblem: https://www.threads.com/@julianhosp/post/DPiZTUDk6KC    Erwähnte Produkte, Kurse, Tools: Investments per KI analysieren: https://julianhosp.de/KI-FamilyOffice  Kostenloser Business Start Guide: https://julianhosp.de/kostenloser-mvp-guide  Kostenloses 14-Tage Energie Booser: https://julianhosp.de/14-Tages-Reboot  Kostenpflichtige Daily Updates von Julian: https://products.i-unlimited.de/ic-daily    Folge Julian hier auf YouTube: http://youtube.com/@julianhosp?sub_confirmation=1  Bleib mit meinem Newsletter Up to Date für nächste Dinge: https://bit.ly/newsletter_JH   Oder höre die Show als Podcast auf Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3FqYrO3r7aLvTsmZxAy4NY

Bitcoin is hitting new all-time highs—but is this real euphoria, or just a prelude to it? In this double-header episode, we bring you a Bits + Bips roundtable and an in-depth interview on the five companies best positioned to bring crypto onchain. First, the Bits + Bips crew, Lumida's Ram Ahluwalia, FalconX's Joshua Lim, and NYU professor Austin Campbell, break down what's really driving this crypto rally. Is it dollar debasement, asset revaluation, or just pure animal spirits?  They debate how close we are to a true blow-off top, how to spot a real market peak, and what shocks could shelve bitcoin in an instant. Plus, their takes on Zcash, Japan, Coinbase's banking ambitions, and more. Then, Unchained's Steven Ehrlich sits down with Ryan Yi, author of the Onchain 5 series, to discuss the five companies that are leading crypto's push into real-world adoption.  From Coinbase's Base app and token plans, to Robinhood's play for tokenized assets, Stripe's all-in crypto tech stack, Telegram's TON-powered mini-app ecosystem, and Binance's BNB-based loyalty empire, this is the playbook for what going onchain really looks like. Thank you to our sponsor, Aptos! Hosts: Steve Ehrlich, Executive Editor at Unchained Ram Ahluwalia, CFA, CEO and Founder of Lumida Guests: Joshua Lim, Co-Head of Markets at FalconX Austin Campbell, NYU Stern professor and founder and managing partner of Zero Knowledge Consulting Ryan Yi, Ex Coinbase, Coinbase Ventures, and CoinFund For links to all the amazing articles, visit https://unchainedcrypto.com/bits-bips/bits-bips-whats-really-driving-bitcoin-and-whos-driving-crypto-onchain/ Timestamps:  0:00 Intro  4:38 What Josh learned at Token2049 about what's really moving the market  10:12 How the options market is quietly driving bitcoin's price  13:25 Why Ram says this isn't a “debasement trade,” despite what everyone thinks  20:29 Whether we've hit peak euphoria—or not even close  23:54 Why Zcash suddenly exploded in price  26:45 How political changes in Japan are shaping markets  30:30 How to spot the real market top—and why Austin challenges Ram's call on stocks beating gold  35:41 How CME's 24/7 futures could change crypto trading  39:20 The signs Ram thinks would signal when the top is in  43:43 How bitcoin, altcoins, and tech stocks trade together and how they don't  47:59 What kind of shock could finally take bitcoin down  51:34 What to make of Coinbase applying for a banking license  53:34 Whether Galaxy is trying to become the next crypto super app  57:59 Why this cycle might play out completely differently  1:02:04 Why Ram believes banks are about to crush earnings  1:03:03 The biggest risks investors still aren't paying attention to  1:07:56 Meet 5 The Firms Poised to Drive the Next Wave of Crypto Adoption  1:08:53 Why distribution is the key battleground for the next wave of crypto adoption  1:12:24 How Coinbase is rearchitecting its platform around Base  1:15:42 What the upcoming Base token and Base app could unlock for users  1:19:13 How Robinhood is competing in crypto—and why it might have an edge  1:25:56 What the tokenization trend means for Robinhood's future  1:27:52 Why Stripe is building a crypto tech stack of its own  1:35:02 Why Telegram's TON token is central to its survival and growth  1:41:40 What's behind TON's lagging price performance  1:45:13 How Binance uses the BNB token as a cornerstone of its entire ecosystem  1:52:43 Why going fully onchain could be the defining strategy for the next generation of companies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett analyze capitalism's cycles across civilizations, examining how free markets emerged from feudalism, their conflict with monarchies and socialism, and regulatory capture's impact on economic development. -- 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) Introduction: The Rise and History of Capitalism (01:00) Personal Bias in Scholarship & Marxist Economics (04:30) Cognitive Biases in American Institutions (07:30) Sponsors: Zcash | Spotify (10:12) Medieval Europe: Capitalism's Emergence from Feudalism (33:00) Third World Examples & The Reality of Bureaucracy (46:00) Victorian Britain & Why Classical Liberalism Failed (59:00) Cold War Lessons: Capitalism vs. Socialism (1:10:00) The Meaning Crisis & Psychological Critiques of Capitalism (1:28:00) Ancient & Asian Capitalism: Bronze Age to Silk Road (1:47:00) Medieval European Banking: Templars, Jews & Monasteries (2:00:00) Regulatory Capture Myths: Snake Oil, Standard Oil & The FDA (2:12:00) Immigration's Role in American Socialism (2:19:00) Complete Historical Chronology & Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bitcoin is hitting new all-time highs—but is this real euphoria, or just a prelude to it? In this double-header episode, we bring you a Bits + Bips roundtable and an in-depth interview on the five companies best positioned to bring crypto onchain. First, the Bits + Bips crew, Lumida's Ram Ahluwalia, FalconX's Joshua Lim, and NYU professor Austin Campbell, break down what's really driving this crypto rally. Is it dollar debasement, asset revaluation, or just pure animal spirits?  They debate how close we are to a true blow-off top, how to spot a real market peak, and what shocks could shelve bitcoin in an instant. Plus, their takes on Zcash, Japan, Coinbase's banking ambitions, and more. Then, Unchained's Steven Ehrlich sits down with Ryan Yi, author of the Onchain 5 series, to discuss the five companies that are leading crypto's push into real-world adoption.  From Coinbase's Base app and token plans, to Robinhood's play for tokenized assets, Stripe's all-in crypto tech stack, Telegram's TON-powered mini-app ecosystem, and Binance's BNB-based loyalty empire, this is the playbook for what going onchain really looks like. Thank you to our sponsor, Aptos! Hosts: Steve Ehrlich, Executive Editor at Unchained Ram Ahluwalia, CFA, CEO and Founder of Lumida Guests: Joshua Lim, Co-Head of Markets at FalconX Austin Campbell, NYU Stern professor and founder and managing partner of Zero Knowledge Consulting Ryan Yi, Ex Coinbase, Coinbase Ventures, and CoinFund For links to all the amazing articles, visit https://unchainedcrypto.com/bits-bips/bits-bips-whats-really-driving-bitcoin-and-whos-driving-crypto-onchain/ Timestamps:  0:00 Intro  4:38 What Josh learned at Token2049 about what's really moving the market  10:12 How the options market is quietly driving bitcoin's price  13:25 Why Ram says this isn't a “debasement trade,” despite what everyone thinks  20:29 Whether we've hit peak euphoria—or not even close  23:54 Why Zcash suddenly exploded in price  26:45 How political changes in Japan are shaping markets  30:30 How to spot the real market top—and why Austin challenges Ram's call on stocks beating gold  35:41 How CME's 24/7 futures could change crypto trading  39:20 The signs Ram thinks would signal when the top is in  43:43 How bitcoin, altcoins, and tech stocks trade together and how they don't  47:59 What kind of shock could finally take bitcoin down  51:34 What to make of Coinbase applying for a banking license  53:34 Whether Galaxy is trying to become the next crypto super app  57:59 Why this cycle might play out completely differently  1:02:04 Why Ram believes banks are about to crush earnings  1:03:03 The biggest risks investors still aren't paying attention to  1:07:56 Meet 5 The Firms Poised to Drive the Next Wave of Crypto Adoption  1:08:53 Why distribution is the key battleground for the next wave of crypto adoption  1:12:24 How Coinbase is rearchitecting its platform around Base  1:15:42 What the upcoming Base token and Base app could unlock for users  1:19:13 How Robinhood is competing in crypto—and why it might have an edge  1:25:56 What the tokenization trend means for Robinhood's future  1:27:52 Why Stripe is building a crypto tech stack of its own  1:35:02 Why Telegram's TON token is central to its survival and growth  1:41:40 What's behind TON's lagging price performance  1:45:13 How Binance uses the BNB token as a cornerstone of its entire ecosystem  1:52:43 Why going fully onchain could be the defining strategy for the next generation of companies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christopher Smith (aka Yuvi Lightman, aka Ganesha 1024) is the founder of the Quantus network: an mbitious quantum-zk blockchain which he proudly built with his team in just 6 months, with a budget of $500k. In this episode we talk about the threat of quantum computing, how quantum resistant cryptography works, and how Bitcoin can be saved from a potential disaster. Time stamps: 00:01:31 - Introducing Christopher Smith (Yuvi Lightman), known on Soundcloud Music as Ganesha1024 00:02:22 - Quantis: Zero-Knowledge Quantum-Resistant Blockchain 00:02:39 - Christopher's Background, Early Bitcoin Involvement 00:03:41 - Current Views on Bitcoin, All-Time High at $125K 00:04:19 - Discovering Bitcoin in 2012, Contributions to BitcoinJ 00:04:36 - Founding BitMesh: Micropayments via Payment Channels 00:04:42 - Mike Hearn and Payment Channels 00:05:17 - Bitcoin Whitepaper Praise, Satoshi's Genius 00:05:55 - Essence of Money, Overcomplication Critique 00:06:49 - Bitcoin's Corporate Takeover, Cultural Ethos 00:08:38 - SegWit Changes, Big Block Debate 00:09:45 - Bitcoin Cash Sympathy, Shift to Ethereum 00:10:41 - Vitalik Buterin and Gavin Wood as Geniuses 00:10:53 - Lunar Startup: Blockchain Wikipedia with ICO 00:11:08 - Bitcoin Threats: Throughput, Privacy, Quantum Security 00:11:29 - Child Porn Blackmail Tactics in Debates 00:12:18 - Social Bottlenecks in Coordination 00:13:09 - BTC Token vs Network Separation via ETFs 00:14:06 - Proof of Keys Day by Trace Mayer 00:15:23 - No Trusted Third Parties Philosophy 00:16:04 - Cryptography as Military Tech 00:18:04 - Open Source Importance, ERC20 Simplicity 00:19:21 - BlackRock as Central Bank, Cult of Saturn Symbolism 00:20:17 - Bitcoin Threats: Throughput with Shai Reference 00:22:50 - Privacy and Zcash Praise 00:23:32 - Quantus as Bitcoin Fork with Falcon Signatures 00:24:50 - Solana as Big Blocker Inheritor 00:25:04 - Overton Window Constraints 00:26:41 - Quantus Timelines Skepticism, PsiQuantum Investment 00:28:14 - Ethereum Proof of Stake, Stablecoin Control 00:29:27 - Catholic Church Analogy, Satoshi's Time-Buying Quote 00:30:04 - Weaponized Schizophrenia Concept 00:31:09 - Schizophrenia as Catch-All, LSD Benefits 00:32:21 - False Positives/Negatives in Machine Learning 00:33:34 - Arbitrary Thresholds in Science/Medicine/Physics 00:34:46 - Autistic Definitions, Bitcoin Redefinition 00:36:25 - Douglas Hofstadter's Godel Escher Bach Inspiration 00:37:32 - Ads: Bitcoin.com News 00:38:39 - Citrea: ZK Rollup on Bitcoin 00:40:21 - BIP300 Drivechains by Paul Sztorc 00:41:53 - Hacker Ethos, L2 Complexity Critique 00:43:27 - Lightning Network Failures 00:44:22 - Open Source vs Closed Source Thought Experiment 00:47:00 - Check Phrase for Security 01:00:00 - Quantum Mechanics Wave Function Collapse 02:02:17 - Chris Doesn't Sound Like Typical Founder 02:02:50 - Quantus Features: Reversible Transactions 02:05:23 - Check Phrase Innovation 02:07:29 - HD Wallets for Lattice Cryptography, QIPs 02:08:46 - Pro-Social to Industry, Ethereum Ethos 02:09:00 - Ross Ulbricht on Blockchain Decentralization 02:10:00 - Bitcoin Maximalism Critique 02:10:34 - Satoshi on ZK Proofs Efficiency 02:11:01 - Grin Fair Launch, Kaspa DAG Innovation 02:12:16 - Zcash Innovations, ZK Snarks 02:13:25 - Libraries from Zcash, Fluffy Pony Dismissal 02:14:07 - Zcash Made ZK Practical 02:15:36 - Ethereum Net Positive Despite Mess 02:16:04 - Stablecoins as Freezable CBDCs 02:18:19 - Eye-Openers: Iran Banking Struggles, Argentina Tether Use 02:20:40 - COVID Psychology Lessons 02:22:27 - QE Money Printing Realization 02:23:33 - Legal vs Moral, COVID Non-Compliance 02:25:13 - Forgetting COVID Coercion 02:26:36 - Psychedelic Community Enforcement 02:27:47 - Nature's Cruelty 02:28:55 - Vaccine Divisions 02:30:02 - Each Vaccine Unique, Pavlov's Association 02:31:03 - Freedom License Concept 02:32:01 - Agency and Responsibility 02:34:05 - Frustrated Developers, Utility Missed 02:35:07 - User Adoption Challenges 02:36:01 - Funnel for Adoption, Co-Founder Complement 02:37:38 - Check Phrase for Wallets 02:39:04 - Plato on Politics 02:39:46 - Habeas Corpus History 02:40:40 - Optimism: Sunlight, World Complexity 02:41:36 - Manifesting Intentions 02:42:28 - Soundcloud Recommendation, Quantus Docs 02:43:02 - Music Like Pink Floyd's Great Gig in the Sky 02:44:47 - Amir Taaki 7-Hour Record 02:45:43 - Zooko's 6-Hour Interview 02:46:47 - WeaponizedSchizophrenia.com Blog 02:47:00 - Closing Words

47e6GvjL4in5Zy5vVHMb9PQtGXQAcFvWSCQn2fuwDYZoZRk3oFjefr51WBNDGG9EjF1YDavg7pwGDFSAVWC5K42CBcLLv5U OR DONATE HERE: https://www.monerotalk.live/donate GUEST LINKS: https://x.com/repeal19thUSA https://x.com/iMichaelTen TIMESTAMPS (00:00:00) Monerotopia Introduciton. (00:25:53) Monerotopia Price Report Segment. (01:14:39) Monerotopia News Segment w/ Tux. (01:15:02) Untraceable post. (01:15:55) Digital ID + DNA sequenced at birht. (01:16:45) LNVPN (01:17:37) Exitnode thread. (01:18:35) Roman Storm files motion for acquittal on all counts. (01:19:21) NY launches pilot program. (01:20:25) Steven Pruitt. (01:23:32) Monerotopia Viewers on Stage Segment. (01:44:09) Monerotopia Guest Segment w/ Alaskanon and shortwavesurfer. (03:37:03) Monerotopia Finalization. NEWS SEGMENT LINKS: https://x.com/donttracemebruh/status/1972652279380509005?s=46 https://x.com/aillialink/status/1973080698425860526?s=46 https://x.com/orangefren/status/1973160436444049443?s=46 https://x.com/exitnode/status/1929933714953253275?s=46 https://x.com/theragetech/status/1973374506262536554?s=46 https://x.com/btcarchive/status/1973430066404049060?s=46 https://x.com/boweschay/status/1973167140904771719?s=46 SPONSORS: PRICE REPORT: https://exolix.com/ GUEST SEGMENT: https://cakewallet.com & https://monero.com NEWS SEGMENT: https://www.wizardswap.io XMR.BAR: https://xmr.bar Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE! The more subscribers, the more we can help Monero grow! XMRtopia TELEGRAM: https://t.me/monerotopia XMRtopia MATRIX: https://matrix.to/#/%23monerotopia%3Amonero.social ODYSEE: https://bit.ly/3bMaFtE WEBSITE: monerotopia.com CONTACT: monerotopia@protonmail.com MASTADON: @Monerotopia@mastodon.social MONERO.TOWN https://monero.town/u/monerotopia Get Social with us: X: https://twitter.com/monerotopia INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/monerotopia DOUGLAS: https://twitter.com/douglastuman SUNITA: https://twitter.com/sunchakr TUX: https://twitter.com/tuxpizza

Arthur Hayes & Tom Lee map the new crypto arms race—Hyperliquid vs Aster, Plasma's stablecoin rails, and ETH's DAT-fueled supercycle. Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. Live at Token2049 Singapore, we're joined by Arthur Hayes (Maelstrom) and Tom Lee (Bitmine) to map two battles shaping the next cycle: the Perp DEX war—Hyperliquid's moat vs. CZ-linked Aster, zero-fee experiments like Lighter, and whether ~$500M/year token unlocks can stay “bullish”—and the race to own stablecoin rails, from Tether-affiliated Plasma's zero-fee USDT chain to distribution plays like Tempo and Codex. We dig into DATs, mNAV compression, and Tom's “ETH supercycle,” plus prediction markets (Polymarket vs. Kalshi) crossing into the mainstream and a surprise Zcash revival. If crypto's future is being decided in trading venues and in money itself, this is where the battle lines get drawn.  Show highlights

Arthur Hayes & Tom Lee map the new crypto arms race—Hyperliquid vs Aster, Plasma's stablecoin rails, and ETH's DAT-fueled supercycle. Welcome to The Chopping Block – where crypto insiders Haseeb Qureshi, Tom Schmidt, Tarun Chitra, and Robert Leshner chop it up about the latest in crypto. Live at Token2049 Singapore, we're joined by Arthur Hayes (Maelstrom) and Tom Lee (Bitmine) to map two battles shaping the next cycle: the Perp DEX war—Hyperliquid's moat vs. CZ-linked Aster, zero-fee experiments like Lighter, and whether ~$500M/year token unlocks can stay “bullish”—and the race to own stablecoin rails, from Tether-affiliated Plasma's zero-fee USDT chain to distribution plays like Tempo and Codex. We dig into DATs, mNAV compression, and Tom's “ETH supercycle,” plus prediction markets (Polymarket vs. Kalshi) crossing into the mainstream and a surprise Zcash revival. If crypto's future is being decided in trading venues and in money itself, this is where the battle lines get drawn.  Show highlights

In this week's Weekly Rollup, Uptober kicks off with Bitcoin and Ethereum surging toward all-time highs as Tom Lee drops another $1B into ETH and Vanguard finally opens its doors to crypto ETFs. We cover Stripe's push to break the Tether–Circle duopoly with its new stablecoin platform, Cloudflare's surprising entry into onchain payments, and Swift teaming up with Consensys on blockchain rails. Plus, Zcash rockets 200%, Ethereum's Lighter perps exchange goes live, and Circle sparks debate with plans for reversible USDC. ---

Any donation is greatly appreciated! 47e6GvjL4in5Zy5vVHMb9PQtGXQAcFvWSCQn2fuwDYZoZRk3oFjefr51WBNDGG9EjF1YDavg7pwGDFSAVWC5K42CBcLLv5U OR DONATE HERE: https://www.monerotalk.live/donate TODAY'S SHOW: In this episode of Monero Talk, host Douglas Tuman interviews Monero developer Jeffro256. They dive into Monero's upcoming Carrot protocol upgrade and Full Chain Membership Proofs (FCMP++), two major advancements in privacy and security. Jeff shares his path into Monero, from early mining experiments in 2017 to contributing as a developer. He explains how Carrot fixes vulnerabilities like the burning bug and Janus attack, while adding features such as outgoing view keys and offline address generation. The conversation then shifts to FCMP++, with a stress test network launching soon. This upgrade will expand Monero's anonymity set from 16 to around 150 million—an unprecedented leap in privacy. They also cover Monero's response to recent Qubic mining attacks, Tevador's “publish or perish” proposal, comparisons with other privacy coins like Zcash, and future directions including quantum resistance and confidential assets. TIMESTAMPS: Coming soon! GUEST LINKS: Purchase Cafe & tip the farmers w/ XMR! https://gratuitas.org/ SPONSORS: Cakewallet.com, the first open-source Monero wallet for iOS. You can even exchange between XMR, BTC, LTC & more in the app! Monero.com by Cake Wallet - ONLY Monero wallet (https://monero.com/) StealthEX, an instant exchange. Go to (https://stealthex.io) to instantly exchange between Monero and 450 plus assets, w/o having to create an account or register & with no limits. WEBSITE: https://www.monerotopia.com CONTACT: monerotalk@protonmail.com ODYSEE: https://odysee.com/@MoneroTalk:8 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/monerotalk FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/MoneroTalk HOST: https://twitter.com/douglastuman INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/monerotalk TELEGRAM: https://t.me/monerotopia MATRIX: https://matrix.to/#/%23monerotopia%3Amonero.social MASTODON: @Monerotalk@mastodon.social MONERO.TOWN: https://monero.town/u/monerotalkAny donation is greatly appreciated!Any donation is greatly appreciated!

Max Hillebrand makes his 8th appearance on the Bitcoin Takeover Podcast in order to talk about his latest project: White Noise, a private messaging application for Nostr. We also talk about Core v30 vs Knots, Bitcoin layer 2s & other bull market topics. Time stamps: 00:01:07 - Max Hillebrand's Background 00:02:47 - Post-Wasabi Wallet Era and Privacy Challenges 00:04:28 - Nostr Protocol Overview 00:05:58 - Early Nostr Experiences and Key Loss 00:08:51 - Nostr Client Progress and Edge Cases 00:09:58 - Nostr's Relation to Bitcoin 00:13:53 - Hardware Wallets for Nostr Keys 00:18:06 - Nostr Key Backups and Security 00:21:53 - Nostr Search and Web of Trust 00:24:21 - Ads: Bitcoin.com News and NoOnes.com 00:26:12 - White Noise Protocol Introduction 00:27:52 - NIP 44 and Gift Wraps for Encryption 00:30:20 - Signal Protocol and MLS Evolution 00:32:16 - MLS Protocol Details 00:33:23 - Nostr Privacy Limitations 00:35:17 - Trusted Relays and Metadata 00:37:25 - Nostr as Data Delivery Layer 00:38:41 - Self-Authentication in MLS 00:40:02 - Group Creation and Key Packages 00:42:38 - MLS vs. Major League Soccer Joke 00:42:53 - Diffie-Hellman and Scaling to Millions 00:44:24 - MLS Key Tree Structure 00:46:59 - Scalability Benefits of MLS 01:18:00 - Marmot and Nostr Tools 01:25:30 - The Zcash Pump Dance 03:09:25 - Angor Protocol for Recurring Payments 03:14:02 - Bitcoin Script and Smart Contracts 03:15:32 - Great Script Restoration Proposal 03:21:03 - Builder Spirit in Bitcoin vs. Ethereum 03:25:19 - Bills of Exchange and Peer-to-Peer Credit 03:33:09 - Historical Finance and Farming 03:38:35 - Starting Bitcoin Meetups 03:41:43 - Localizing Bitcoin Content 03:44:17 - Recommended Podcasts 03:47:48 - Podcast Benefits and Guest Interactions 03:54:39 - Audience Quality and Impact 03:55:36 - White Noise Future and Building Freedom Tech 03:58:51 - AI Coding and Proof of Concepts 04:00:38 - Nym Mixnet Integration 04:01:54 - Closing Remarks and Future Sessions

Eli Ben-Sasson announces StarkNet's Bitcoin initiative: native BTC staking, 100M STRK token allocation for lending, and why zero-knowledge proofs are essential for Bitcoin to achieve Satoshi's original vision of peer-to-peer transactions without intermediaries. Eli Ben-Sasson, co-founder of StarkNet and Zcash, announces StarkNet's major Bitcoin news: native Bitcoin staking on StarkNet. Starknet has 100 million STRK tokens allocated for competitive Bitcoin lending rates and Bitcoin yield strategies. Eli explains why zero-knowledge proofs are the scalability solution Bitcoin needs, how StarkNet enables self-custodial Bitcoin DeFi, and why OP_CAT could be the nine lines of code that save Bitcoin from becoming just another store-of-value asset for the wealthy. Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com # Notes: • Bitcoin staking now live on StarkNet • 100M STRK tokens for Bitcoin lending incentives • 500M+ STRK already staked in protocol • 21-day unstaking period for Bitcoin • $1M research fund for OP_CAT development • ZK-STARKs verify million transactions for one cost • RS7 launching Bitcoin yield strategies 00:00 Start 01:46 Bitcoin staking is now live 03:08 What is Bitcoin Staking? 06:07 History of Zero Knowledge Proofs 08:00 ZK & scaling 09:05 How scaling would work 10:57 Covenants (OPCAT, CTV) 11:55 STRK token 14:12 PoW vs PoS 16:09 Practical benefits from staking 20:26 Staking curve & rates 21:57 100M STRK tokens 24:14 Why start with lending? 25:29 Re7 Capital 28:31 Re7 function 36:08 Consensus for covenants -

Back in 2013, former WWE Intercontinental Champion Val Venis bought 24 bitcoins for $80 each. Today, he is a big advocate for freedom, privacy, and the right to benefit from the product of your own labor without extortion. In this episode, we talk about libertarianism, his love for private internet money, and his WWE stories. Time stamps: 00:00:00 - Intro: Val Venis Entrance & Attitude Era Reflections 00:01:51 - Hello Biological Ladies: Modern PC Culture & Twitter Feuds 00:02:46 - Wrestling Eras: From Attitude to Ruthless Aggression & PG Shift 00:03:30 - Political Outspokenness: Why No Hall of Fame Yet? 00:04:35 - Importance of Politics: Social & Financial Impacts on Society 00:05:13 - Val Venis Character: Porn Star Gimmick Ahead of Its Time 00:05:36 - Right to Censor Storyline: Mocking the PTC & Censorship Trends 00:09:51 - Libertarian Roots: Pro-Free Speech Evolution in Wrestling 00:10:03 - Early Political Views: From Socialist Leanings to Awakening 00:11:32 - Tax Trauma at 17: First Encounter with Government Overreach 00:15:13 - Taxation as Immoral: Due Process Failures & Slanted Courts 00:18:45 - Wikipedia Misrepresentation: Beyond Cannabis Advocacy 00:20:02 - Cannabis as Rebellion: Fighting Malum Prohibitum Laws 00:24:24 - Privacy Coins & Freedom: Using Cannabis to Push Liberty 00:30:05 - Slanted Courts & Tyranny: Presumptions Over Facts in Taxation 00:33:30 - Discovering Bitcoin: From Federal Reserve Critique to White Paper 00:35:12 - Money as Bankers' Tool: Inflation as Value Theft via Fiat 00:38:00 - Bitcoin's Appeal: Decentralized, Fixed Supply & Cryptography 00:41:47 - Pizza Purchase Milestone: Bootstrapping Bitcoin to Fiat 00:43:57 - First Bitcoin Buy: 24 BTC in 2013 at ~$80 Each 00:47:48 - Bitcoin as Speculation vs. Fiat Alternative 00:49:38 - Wrestling & Bitcoin Parallels: Value Creation & Sovereignty 01:20:00 - Monero & Privacy: Evading Surveillance in Transactions 01:45:00 - Roger Ver Case: Libertarian Views on Tax Evasion & Justice 02:10:00 - Wrestling Highlights: Val Venis in Video Games & Stats 02:48:00 - Mount Rushmore: Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold, The Rock 03:00:00 - Chris Benoit's Legacy: Wrestling Prowess Despite Tragedy 03:15:00 - Shawn Michaels Character Shift: From Annoying to Faithful 03:30:00 - Undertaker's Success: Vince's Protection & Longevity 03:45:00 - Triple H: Business Savvy Over In-Ring Dominance 04:00:00 - Hall of Fame Hopes: Focus on Liberty Over Induction 04:10:00 - One Last Match: vs. Cody Rhodes for Cancel Culture Feud 04:18:07 - Induction Choice: Vince McMahon or Vince Russo 04:20:19 - Bridging Communities: Bitcoin in Wrestling & Fan Demands 04:25:40 - Storyline Ideas: Libertarian Manager & Bitcoin Matches 04:30:20 - Closing: Social Media, Zcash Wallet Setup & Privacy Push

In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett explore Eurasian steppe nomads from Aryans to Mongols, analyzing how small mobile populations repeatedly conquered and influenced much larger sedentary civilizations. -- SPONSOR: ZCASH | NETSUITE | ORACLE 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 More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://netsuite.com/102⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Download your free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://oracle.com/cognitive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Introduction and Philosophy of History (12:18) The Eurasian Steppe Geography (12:22) Sponsors: Zcash | Netsuite (18:07) Water Analogy for Steppe Peoples (23:34) Two Generative Cores of the Steppe (26:31) Sponsors: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (27:39) Aryan Origins and Population Mixing (31:00) Horse Technology Evolution (36:17) Aryan Invasions and European Myths (46:01) Cimmerians and Bronze Age Impact (52:00) Xiongnu vs Han Dynasty (1:01:00) Scythians and Persian Conflicts (1:11:00) Sarmatians in the Roman Period (1:14:00) Hun Empire and Attila (1:19:00) Post Hun Peoples and Hungary (1:25:00) Chinese Barbarian States Period (1:30:00) Turkic Migrations and Slave Soldiers (1:34:00) Understanding Turkish Identity (1:48:00) Mongol Universal Empire (1:55:00) End of Steppe Power (2:01:00) Future of Inner Asia (2:08:57) Wrap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Anna Rose and Nico Mohnblatt catch up with Ian Miers from the University of Maryland, starting with his work on seminal ZK blockchain research, Zerocoin and Zerocash and the creation of the first zk-focused blockchain project Zcash. They then explore the history of trusted setups, including the trusted setup bug discovery in Zcash, and subsequent improvements like Powers of Tau. Ian also discussed his work on ZEXE, a system that has inspired the formation of Aleo, and his more recent works: zk-creds for building flexible anonymous credentials from existing identity signals like passports, and zk-promises for supporting anonymous reputation, moderation, and callbacks in decentralized systems. They also touch on broader topics like post-quantum security considerations, sybil resistance, and the need for programmable privacy tools. Related Links Ian Miers: Academic profile and publications Zerocoin: Anonymous Distributed E-Cash from Bitcoin Pinocchio: Nearly Practical Verifiable Computation Zerocash: Decentralized Anonymous Payments from Bitcoin Zcash: Privacy-preserving cryptocurrency based on Zerocash protocol Zexe: Enabling Decentralized Private Computation Powers of Tau Ceremony: Zcash Foundation's multi-party computation for secure zk-SNARK parameters Powers-of-Tau to the People: Decentralizing Setup Ceremonies zk-creds: Flexible Anonymous Credentials from zkSNARKs and Existing Identity Infrastructure zk-promises: Anonymous Moderation, Reputation, and Blocking from Anonymous Credentials with Callbacks Decentralized Anonymous Credentials Sonic: Zero-Knowledge SNARKs from Linear-Size Universal and Updatable Structured Reference Strings Quadratic Span Programs and Succinct NIZKs without PCPs 

I correctly predicted both woke tyranny AND the ugly right-wing backlash that's consuming online discourse today. Living through human "mouse utopia," people rationalize cruelty as anti-left revenge while lacking tools to distinguish rationalization from rationality. This episode reveals empathy's true nature—not weakness, but a masculine superpower for understanding enemies and allies alike. Empathy gets you inside opponents' heads, making it warfare's most potent weapon. Time to reclaim this misunderstood concept. SPONSORS: NetSuite:  More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://netsuite.com/102⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zcash start resisting financial tyranny with Zcash or Zashi wallet today: https://z.cash or for Apple store https://apps.apple.com/us/app/zashi-zcash-wallet/id1672392439 LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NCSdGglnmdWg-qHALhu1w⁠⁠⁠ Link to my Twitter-⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/whatifalthist⁠⁠⁠ Link to my Instagram-⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlynch/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠ Bibliography: Bibliography: The Master and His Emissary by Ian McGhilchrist Sex, Ecology and Spirituality by Ken Wilbur Spiral Dynamics by Don Beck What Kind of Society Nurtures the Soul by James Hillman The Soul's Code by James Hillman The Muqqahdimma by Ibn Khaldun The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler Conflicting Visions by Thomas Sowell Ethnic America by Thomas Sowell On Power by Bertrand de Jouvenal Illusions of our Culture by Leonard Griffith Religion and Culture by Chris Dawson The World Unbalanced by Gustave le Bon The Psychology of Socialism by Gustave Le Bon Out of Our Minds by Felipe Fernandez Armrest The Passion of the Western Mind by Richard Tarnas Zombies in Western Culture by Vervaeke How to Know a Person by David Brooks The Myth of Normal by Gabor Mate Stolen Focus by Johann Hard Lost Connections by Johann Hari The Happiness Hypothesis by John Haidt The Righteous Mind by John Haidt Trauma and the Soul by Donald Kalsched The Culture of Narcissism by Lasch The Body Keeps the Score by Besel van Der Kolk The Elephant in the Brain by Simler The Unabomber's Manifesto Intellectuals and Society by Thomas Sowell Maps of Meaning by Jordan Peterson Forgotten Truth by Houston Smith Religions of the World by Houston Smith Leviathan and Its Enemies by Sam Francis Iron Kingdom by Christopher Clark On Heroes by Carlyle

After wandering with digital nomads, I discovered nightclub culture perfectly embodies our societal illness—everyone pretending to enjoy activities they hate because they think others find them cool. This anthropological bluff extends throughout Western civilization, creating David Riesman's "lonely crowd" where authentic connection becomes impossible. Our society rewards conformity while punishing genuine personality, trapping us in a popularity contest that's destroying meaning, innovation, and human flourishing itself. SPONSORS: Zcash: 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 NetSuite:  More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://netsuite.com/102⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NCSdGglnmdWg-qHALhu1w⁠⁠ Link to my Twitter-⁠⁠https://x.com/whatifalthist⁠⁠ Link to my Instagram-⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlynch/?hl=en⁠⁠ Bibliography: The Lonely Crowd by David Riesman On Power by Betrand de Jouvenal Very Important People by Ashley Mears The Righteous Mind by Jon Haidt The Instincts of the Herd in Peace and War by Wilfred Trotter The Psychology of Socialism by Gustave le Bon The Psychology of Revolution by Gustave le Bon The Crowd by Gustave le Bon The Coming Caesars by Amaury de riencourt The Delusions of Crowds by Bernstein Spiral Dynamics Integral by Beck Identity by Francis Fukuyama The Anxious Generation by Jon Haidt The Muqqahdima by Ibn Khaldun The Culture of Narcissism by Lasch The Total State by Auron Macintrye Nihilism by Seraphim Rose The Leviathan and its Enemies by Sam Francis The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler The True Believer by Eric Hoffer Envy by Helmut Schoeck The Happiness Hypothesis by John Haidt Behave by Sapolsky

In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett do a historical analysis examining European colonialism's impact across Asian civilizations, exploring patterns of conquest, resistance, and cultural transformation to understand broader geopolitical dynamics. -- SPONSOR: ZCASH | NETSUITE | ORACLE 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 More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://netsuite.com/102⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Download your free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://oracle.com/cognitive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (11:10) Introduction to Asian Colonialism Topic (13:18) Old World vs New World Framework (20:45) Oriental Despotism as Unifying Asian Characteristic (24:07) Post-Colonial Asian Nationalism (25:24) Sponsors: Zcash | Netsuite (28:00) Why Asian Colonies Adopted Socialism (37:37) Portuguese Entry into Indian Ocean (42:00) Asian Civilizations' Failure to Recognize European Threat (48:00) Islamic World Response to European Colonialism (49:19) Sponsor: Oracle (51:00) Turkish Empire Decline and Conservative Reactions (55:00) Asian Shame-Based Culture Examples (1:01:00) Indian Social Structure Under European Contact (1:13:00) Portuguese Empire and Dutch Replacement (1:30:32) British India Conquest (1:37:00) British Colonial Policies and Famines (1:45:39) China and the Opium Wars (1:56:00) End of European Colonialism in Asia (2:04:00) Russo-Japanese War and Pan-Asian Consciousness (2:06:00) Gandhi and Peaceful Resistance (2:07:25) Wrap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abdel is a Starkware engineer who, over the last 7 years, went from building EIP 1559 on Ethereum to becoming a Bitcoin maximalist who wants ZK STARKs to happen. In this episode, we talk about his journey & some of Bitcoin's cultural issues. Time stamps: 00:00:59 - Sponsors: Sideshift, Citrea, Bitcoin.com News, LayerTwo Labs, NoOnes.com 00:01:38 - Abdel's unique journey: From Ethereum core dev at ConsenSys to Bitcoin maximalism 00:02:17 - Early Bitcoin curiosity (2011-2012) vs Ethereum's "world computer" appeal 00:03:51 - Fintech background: Working for banks before fighting them 00:04:31 - Always a Bitcoin + Ethereum maxi: Building unstoppable systems 00:06:07 - North Star vs "Nostr": Unstoppable vs compromised systems 00:06:23 - Fintech to DeFi? Payments focus, not advanced trading 00:07:29 - First Ethereum contributions: Smart contracts 00:09:09 - Deep dive: Championing EIP-1559 (fee burn, ultrasound money) 00:11:03 - EIP-1559's governance risks: Changing monetary policy on the fly 00:11:16 - Ethereum's slippery slopes: DAO hard fork to fee burns 00:12:12 - Ethereum as anti-Bitcoin experiment: From colored coins to rollups 00:13:48 - Ethereum Classic hopes; market follows narratives, not fixed supply 00:14:28 - EIP-1559 process: 2+ years of debate vs Bitcoin's immutability 00:15:59 - Boiling frog with Vitalik: Accumulating compromises (trusted setups) 00:18:28 - Ethereum precedents: Premine, PoS migration, rushed upgrades 00:19:14 - Social layer strength: Protects core principles vs nation-states 00:19:41 - Non-tech users in governance: Better than dev-only control 00:22:32 - Educating the social layer: Privacy warnings in Bitcoin tools 00:24:26 - Risks: Bitcoin (tech obsolescence) vs Ethereum (social dilution) 00:26:49 - Bitcoin meetups: Ideology & tech vs Ethereum's builder focus 00:28:00 - Shocking anti-Bitcoin sentiment from Ethereum side 00:29:52 - PoW beauty: External entropy, fair distribution (not Ponzi) 00:31:44 - PoW vs PoS: Tolerating Ethereum's PoS for decentralization 00:34:20 - Bitcoin's privacy crisis: Needs scale + affordability 00:36:43 - Sponsor: Layer2 Labs (Drivechains for sidechains like Zcash fork) 00:38:02 - Sponsor: Citrea (ZK rollup on Bitcoin via BitVM2) 00:40:09 - Citrea drama: Unfair criticism amid filter wars 00:42:40 - Citrea vs Alpen: First-to-market wins (garbled circuits delay) 00:46:01 - Video game analogy: Duke Nukem Forever vs pragmatic launches 00:47:25 - Lesson from Ethereum: Optimistic rollups dominate despite ZK superiority 00:48:56 - Dev events vs mainstream: Bridging tech narratives to plebs 01:10:00 - Fragmentation in Bitcoin community, why plebs dismiss innovation 02:30:00 - Off-topic: Immigration in Europe (Romania/France parallels, economic pressures) 02:38:16 - Bitcoin as catalyst: Inflation from crises drives adoption 02:39:46 - Decentralization as development sign: Small-scale consensus 02:42:11 - New chains start centralized; trust incentives lacking in L2s 02:44:41 - Starkware as bridge to Bitcoin: Pre-existing interest 02:45:57 - Elevator pitch: STARK proofs for Bitcoin (open-source, battle-tested) 02:48:21 - Endgame: Verify STARKs on Bitcoin for programmability + privacy 02:49:52 - Meme magic: One STARK proof is smaller in size than a photo, costs less than a Big Mac, can be verified in a blink 02:52:29 - STARKs vs SNARKs: No trusted setup, quantum-secure, hash-based 02:54:31 - Experiments: Cashu with STARKs (private programmable e-cash) 02:58:37 - Nostr DVMS: Verifiable AI/services in permissionless marketplace 03:01:16 - Cashu origin story: Bar chat with Calle to Jack Dorsey endorsement 03:03:16 - Cashu honesty: Not scaling, but privacy bridge vs custodians 03:06:25 - Nihilism in Bitcoin: Mental gymnastics vs Ethereum's build-first ethos 03:07:48 - Permission culture: Asking nodes for ZK proofs/Lightning channels 03:08:27 - Event split: Dev confs (BTC++) vs narrative fests (BTC Prague) 03:10:29 - Why invest without understanding? Newbie wave acceleration 03:11:23 - Niche value: In-between content bridges extremes 03:13:48 - Who listens matters: Robin Linus' DM is more important than mass views 03:16:07 - Still early days: 16 years in, aim for 1B daily users 03:16:39 - Special word: "Grinta" (grit mindset) for full listeners 03:18:14 - Outro: Thanks & next: Shai on PoW improvements

Vikrant Sharma, better known as Vik, is the CEO and founder of Cake Wallet: the first Bitcoin wallet to support both Silent Payments and PayJoins. In this episode, we talk about the wallet's Monero roots & what is next in terms of features. Time stamps: 00:01:05 - Introducing Vik 00:01:24 - Cake Wallet Features for Bitcoin and Monero 00:03:08 - Background Sync Improvements 00:03:49 - Monero.com Wallet Discussion 00:04:41 - Monero Community Insights 00:05:01 - Privacy in Monero Transactions 00:06:33 - Funding and Revenue Model 00:08:29 - Vik's Background in Steel and Tech 00:10:34 - Discovering Bitcoin and Privacy Apps 00:13:22 - Launching Cakewallet for Monero 00:14:23 - Why Start with Monero Over Bitcoin 00:15:35 - Origin of the Name "Cake Wallet" 00:17:36 - Order of Coins Added to Cake Wallet 00:19:09 - PayJoins and Silent Payments 00:21:11 - Citrea 00:22:34 - Layer 2 Labs and Drivechains 00:24:32 - Silent Payments Address Drama 00:25:35 - Qubic Mining Drama in Monero 00:30:42 - Monero's Resilience to Attacks 00:32:53 - Monero as a Stablecoin 00:33:41 - Use It to Win: Spending vs Hodling 00:36:38 - Treasury Company Plans 00:39:28 - Future of Privacy Coins 00:42:58 - SideShift.ai 00:44:20 - NoOnes.com 00:45:29 - Bitcoin.com News 00:46:37 - Taxes and Privacy Coins 00:48:42 - Layers of Privacy 00:59:00 - Zcash and Privacy Experiments 01:00:36 - Growing the Crypto Space 01:02:44 - Supported Coins: Ethereum 01:06:17 - Litecoin and MWEB Integration 01:08:43 - Dogecoin Addition 01:10:37 - Wownero for Monero Community 01:11:17 - Bitcoin Cash Support in Cake Wallet 01:13:30 - Polygon and Tron for Low Fees 01:15:44 - Nano for Feeless Payments 01:17:00 - Decred and Community Overlap 01:18:14 - Zano and Confidential Assets 01:20:06 - Lightning Network Plans 01:21:46 - Zcash Future Integration 01:23:02 - Cupcake Airgapped Wallet 01:26:00 - Considering Kaspa 01:29:56 - Dash Privacy Debate 01:32:20 - Network Effects and Wallet Choices 01:34:57 - Raven Coin Experiment 01:35:43 - Hiring Developers 01:36:18 - Custom Wallpapers and UI Overhaul 01:37:12 - One Seed for All Wallets 01:38:31 - How Many of the Supported Coins Will Survive? 01:39:46 - Multi-Coin Payment Services 01:40:32 - Pay Invoice Feature 01:42:03 - User Data and Privacy Policy 01:45:49 - Node Data Handling 01:47:04 - Advice on Self-Custody 01:48:17 - Where to Follow Vik and Cake Wallet 01:48:51 - Closing Remarks

In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett examine Inner Asia as the overlooked crossroads between China, Islam, Europe, and India, tracing ancient migrations through modern geopolitics in this forgotten spine of Eurasian civilization. -- SPONSOR: ZCASH | NETSUITE | ORACLE 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 More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://netsuite.com/102⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Download your free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://oracle.com/cognitive⁠⁠⁠⁠. -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Introduction: Defining Inner Asia as the Forgotten Crossroads (1:37) Geographic Scope: From Transoxiana to Tibet and Zomia (3:25) James C. Scott and "The Art of Not Being Governed" (5:05) Zomia: Southeast Asian Anarchist Borderlands (9:24) Burma's Capital Move and State Control Strategies (13:00) Reframing Inner Asia as Central Hub vs. Periphery (14:33) The Continental Divide of Eurasia (18:00) Sponsors: Zcash | NetSuite (19:54) Lord Miles and the Wakan Corridor Adventure (23:42) Rudyard Kipling and "The Man Who Would Be King" (28:00) Marx vs. Kipling: Comparing Views on Race and Colonialism (31:24) World War I's Impact on European Colonial Prestige (35:07) Sponsor: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (36:34) Prehistoric Settlement: East Asian Population Formation (40:22) The Aryan Invasions and Bronze Age Civilizations (47:24) Genetic Mixing: Europeans, Persians, and Indians (57:15) Scythians vs. Persian Empire: Cyrus the Great's Death (1:02:00) Alexander the Great: Conquering Beyond Persia (1:08:04) The Hubris Trap and Christianity's Solution (1:10:53) Chinese Discovery of the Western World (150 BC) (1:15:05) Central Asian Christianity and Nestorian Civilization (1:20:48) Islamic Conquest and Religious Transformation (1:27:00) Tibet's Warrior Empire vs. China (1:30:30) Amira Ghurko's Journey: Meeting Tibet's Buddhist Elite (1:38:00) Islamic Golden Age: Arab Cotton Boom in Transoxiana (1:44:53) Genghis Khan's Destruction of Central Asian Civilization (1:51:01) The Great Game: British vs. Russian Imperial Competition (1:58:00) Modern Central Asian Dictatorships and Soviet Legacy (2:02:34) Belt and Road Initiative: China's Failed Infrastructure Push (2:06:00) Contemporary Challenges: MMA Fighters and Cultural Impact (2:07:33) Wrap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Any donation is greatly appreciated! 47e6GvjL4in5Zy5vVHMb9PQtGXQAcFvWSCQn2fuwDYZoZRk3oFjefr51WBNDGG9EjF1YDavg7pwGDFSAVWC5K42CBcLLv5U OR DONATE HERE: https://www.monerotalk.live/donate TODAY'S SHOW: In this episode of Monero Talk Douglas Tuman has a discussion with Vinny Barbosa, a Brazilian crypto writer and privacy advocate, about the current challenges facing the Monero network, particularly the ongoing selfish mining attacks by the Qubic pool. The conversation explores both short-term and long-term solutions, including the proposed "Publish or Perish" soft fork to disincentivize selfish mining, defensive mining strategies, and the controversial idea of incorporating proof-of-stake elements or a finality layer to enhance network security. Vinny argues that while Monero's proof-of-work and ASIC resistance are valuable for decentralization and permissionless mining, all proof-of-work systems are inherently vulnerable to such attacks, and the community should remain open to researching hybrid or alternative consensus models without ideological dogma. The dialogue emphasizes the importance of open debate, technical innovation, and community resilience in navigating Monero's current crisis, while also touching on broader themes of digital cash, sovereignty, and interoperability with other privacy and scalable cryptocurrencies like Zcash and Nano. TIMESTAMPS: 00:06:56 Vinny's Crypto Journey and Current Work 00:12:17 Discussion of Qubic Pool Attack 00:17:25 Debate on Proof-of-Work vs. Proof-of-Stake 00:24:21 The "Publish or Perish" Proposal 00:54:54 Challenging Common Arguements Against Proof of Stake 01:04:48 Broader Discussion on Privacy Coins GUEST LINKS: https://x.com/vinibarbosabr Purchase Cafe & tip the farmers w/ XMR! https://gratuitas.org/ SPONSORS: Cakewallet.com, the first open-source Monero wallet for iOS. You can even exchange between XMR, BTC, LTC & more in the app! Monero.com by Cake Wallet - ONLY Monero wallet (https://monero.com/) StealthEX, an instant exchange. Go to (https://stealthex.io) to instantly exchange between Monero and 450 plus assets, w/o having to create an account or register & with no limits. WEBSITE: https://www.monerotopia.com CONTACT: monerotalk@protonmail.com ODYSEE: https://odysee.com/@MoneroTalk:8 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/monerotalk FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/MoneroTalk HOST: https://twitter.com/douglastuman INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/monerotalk TELEGRAM: https://t.me/monerotopia MATRIX: https://matrix.to/#/%23monerotopia%3Amonero.social MASTODON: @Monerotalk@mastodon.social MONERO.TOWN: https://monero.town/u/monerotalkAny donation is greatly appreciated!Any donation is greatly appreciated!

Yonatan Sompolinsky is an academic in the field of computer science, best known for his work on the GHOST protocol (Greedy Heaviest Observed Subtree, which was cited in the Ethereum whitepaper) and the way he applied his research to create Kaspa. In this episode, we talk about scaling Proof of Work and why Kaspa might be a worthy contender to process global payments. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Time stamps: 00:01:22 - Debunking rumors: Why some think Yonatan is Satoshi Nakamoto 00:02:52 - Candidates for Satoshi: Charles Hoskinson, Charlie Lee, Zooko, and Alex Chepurnoy 00:03:41 - Alex Chepurnoy as a Satoshi-like figure 00:04:07 - Kaspa overview: DAG structure, no orphaned blocks, generalization of Bitcoin 00:04:55 - Similarities between Kaspa and Bitcoin fundamentals 00:06:12 - Why Kaspa couldn't be built directly on Bitcoin 00:08:05 - Kaspa as generalization of Nakamoto consensus 00:11:55 - Origins of GHOST protocol and early DAG concepts for Bitcoin scaling 00:13:16 - Academic motivation for GHOST and transitioning to computer science 00:13:50 - Turtle pet named Bitcoin 00:15:22 - Increasing block rate in Bitcoin and GHOST protocol 00:16:57 - Meeting Gregory Maxwell and discovering GHOST flaws 00:20:00 - Yonatan's views on drivechains and Bitcoin maximalism 00:20:36 - Defining Bitcoin maximalism: Capital B vs lowercase b 00:23:18 - Satoshi's support for Namecoin and merged mining 00:24:12 - Bitcoin culture in 2013-2018: Opposing other functionalities 00:26:01 - Vitalik's 2014 article on Bitcoin maximalism 00:26:13 - Andrew Poelstra's opposition to other assets on Bitcoin 00:26:38 - Bitcoin culture: Distaste for DeFi, criticism of Ethereum as a scam 00:28:03 - Bitcoin Cash developments: Cash tokens, cash fusion, contracts 00:28:39 - Rejection of Ethereum in Bitcoin circles 00:30:18 - Ethereum's successful PoS transition despite critics 00:35:04 - Ethereum's innovation: From Plasma to ZK rollups, nurturing development 00:37:04 - Stacks protocol and criticism from Luke Dashjr 00:39:02 - Bitcoin culture justifying technical limitations 00:41:01 - Declining Bitcoin adoption as money, rise of altcoins for payments 00:43:02 - Kaspa's aspirations: Merging sound money with DeFi, beyond just payments 00:43:56 - Possibility of tokenized Bitcoin on Kaspa 00:46:30 - Native currency advantage and friction in bridges 00:48:49 - WBTC on Ethereum scale vs Bitcoin L2s 00:53:33 - Quotes: Richard Dawkins on atheism, Milton Friedman on Yap Island money 00:55:44 - Story of Kaspa's messy fair launch in 2021 01:14:08 - Tech demo of Kaspa wallet experience 01:28:45 - Kaspa confirmation times & transaction fees 01:43:26 - GHOST DAG visualizer 01:44:10 - Mining Kaspa 01:55:48 - Data pruning in Kaspa, DAG vs MimbleWimble 02:01:40 - Grin & the fairest launch 02:12:21 - Zcash scaling & ZKP OP code in Kaspa 02:19:50 - Jameson Lopp, cold storage & self custody elitism 02:35:08 - Social recovery 02:41:00 - Amir Taaki, DarkFi & DAO 02:53:10 - Nick Szabo's God Protocols 03:00:00 - Layer twos on Kaspa for DeFi 03:13:09 - How Kaspa's DeFi will resemble Solana 03:24:03 - Centralized exchanges vs DeFi 03:32:05 - The importance of community projects 03:37:00 - DAG KNIGHT and its resilience 03:51:00 - DAG KNIGHT tradeoffs 03:58:18 - Blockchain vs DAG, the bottleneck for Kaspa 04:03:00 - 100 blocks per second? 04:11:43 - Question from Quai's Dr. K 04:17:03 - Doesn't Kaspa require super fast internet? 04:23:10 - Are ASIC miners desirable? 04:33:53 - Why Proof of Work matters 04:35:55 - A short history of Bitcoin mining 04:44:00 - DAG's sequencing 04:49:09 - Phantom GHOST DAG 04:52:47 - Why Kaspa had high inflation initially 04:55:10 - Selfish mining 05:03:00 - K Heavy Hash & other community questions 06:33:20 - Latency settings in DAG KNIGHT for security 06:36:52 - Aviv Zohar's involvement in Kaspa research 06:38:07 - World priced in Kaspa after hyperinflation 06:39:51 - Kaspa's fate intertwined with crypto 06:40:29 - Kaspa contracts vs Solana, why better for banks 06:42:53 - Cohesive developer experience in Kaspa like Solana 06:45:22 - Incorporating ZK design in Kaspa smart contracts 06:47:22 - Heroes: Garry Kasparov 06:48:12 - Shift in attitude from academics like Hoskinson, Buterin, Back 06:53:07 - Adam Back's criticism of Kaspa 06:55:57 - Michael Jordan and LeBron analogy for Bitcoiners' mindset 06:58:02 - Can Kaspa flip Bitcoin in market cap 07:00:34 - Gold and USD market cap comparison 07:06:06 - Collaboration with Kai team 07:10:37 - Community improvement: More context on crypto 07:13:43 - Theoretical maximum TPS for Kaspa 07:16:05 - Full ZK on L1 improvements 07:17:45 - Atomic composability and logic zones in Kaspa 07:23:12 - Sparkle and monolithic UX feel 07:26:00 - Wrapping up: Beating podcast length record, final thoughts on Bitcoin and Kaspa 07:27:31 - Why Yonatan called a scammer despite explanations 07:32:29 - Luke Dashjr's views and disconnect 07:33:01 - Hope for Bitcoin scaling and revolution

In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett explore why gunpowder democratized Europe but enabled Asian autocracy, examining Hawaii, Ottoman, Ming, and Mughal empires to understand how identical technologies create divergent civilizational outcomes. -- SPONSOR: ZCASH | SHOPIFY | NETSUITE | ORACLE 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 is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system Shoppay and exclusive AI apps. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at ⁠⁠⁠https://shopify.com/momentofzen⁠⁠⁠. More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: ⁠⁠⁠https://netsuite.com/102⁠⁠⁠ - Download your free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at ⁠⁠⁠https://oracle.com/cognitive⁠⁠⁠. -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Introduction & Framework(13:00) Case Study #1: Hawaii(17:33) Sponsors: ZCash | Shopify(22:39) Case Study #2: Spanish & Turkish Empires(40:50) Sponsors: Netsuite | Oracle(45:52) Case Study #3: China - Ming & Qing Dynasties(1:07:00) Japan: Brief Military Supremacy(1:07:00) Japan: Brief Military Supremacy(1:11:00) Ottoman Empire: Slave Soldiers & Decline(1:32:06) African Gunpowder Empires(1:38:00) Safavid Persia(1:42:00) Mughal Empire(1:53:00) European Colonialism & Modern Implications Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"History 102" with WhatifAltHist's Rudyard Lynch and Erik Torenberg: Read the notes at at podcastnotes.org. Don't forget to subscribe for free to our newsletter, the top 10 ideas of the week, every Monday --------- In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett do a deep-dive into the Mongol Empire's rise, conquests, and civilizational impact, examining how Genghis Khan's brutal campaigns reshaped Eurasian politics and accelerated Western Europe's ascendancy. -- SPONSOR: ZCASH | SHOPIFY | NETSUITE | ORACLE 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 is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system Shoppay and exclusive AI apps. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at https://shopify.com/momentofzen More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/102 - Download your free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at https://oracle.com/cognitive -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (03:04) Polygamous Imperial Cycles and Genghis Khan's Genetic Legacy (05:43) Sponsors: ZCash | Shopify (09:27) Genghis Khan as Totalitarian Figure and Step Empire Dynamics (15:25) Academic Debates About the Mongols - Left vs Military Historians (28:40) Major Mongol Military Campaigns - Badger's Mouth and Khwarezmid (33:27) Sponsors: NetSuite | Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (46:14) Genghis Khan's Rise - Childhood, Unification of Mongols (56:59) Conquest of Northern China - 30 Million Dead (1:11:28) Destruction of Central Asia and the Islamic World (1:20:16) Conquest and Transformation of Russia (1:28:59) Mongol Empire Splits - Four Khanates and Kublai Khan (1:43:21) Pax Mongolica and Failed Invasions of Japan/Java (1:52:30) Fall of the Mongol Empire - Black Death and Ming Dynasty (2:06:52) Long-Term Impact - Europe's Rise Over Asia (2:11:42) Mongol Role in Spreading Black Death and Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In progressive religion, African-Americans occupy a sacred caste status—beyond criticism, requiring constant resource redistribution. Yet this narrative ironically continues black America's core historical theme: dehumanization. Leftists project onto black Americans whatever serves their power needs rather than seeing them authentically. Growing up in majority-black Philadelphia taught me that most progressives from whiter areas fundamentally misunderstand black culture, perpetuating the very dehumanization they claim to oppose. SPONSORS: Zcash: 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 NetSuite:  More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://netsuite.com/102⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shopify:  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 LINKS: Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NCSdGglnmdWg-qHALhu1w⁠ Link to my Twitter-⁠https://x.com/whatifalthist⁠ Link to my Instagram-⁠https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlynch/?hl=en⁠ Bibliography: Bibliography: Atrocities by Matthew White Plagues and Peoples by McNeil the Elder Rise of the West by McNeil the Elder Mosquito Empires by McNeil the Younger The Story of the Americas by Leland Dewitt Baldwin American Nations by Colin Woodard Albion's Seed by David Hackett Fischer African Founders by David Hackett Fischer Roll Jordan Roll by Eugene Genovese Ethnic America by Thomas Sowell Conquests and Cultures by Thomas Sowell Lineages of Modernity by Todd Emmanuel The Origins of Ideology by Todd Emmanuel Civilizations by Armesto A History of Civilizations by Braudel Bound Away by David Hackett Fischer Inside Africa by John Gunther Africa, a History by John Reader Generations of Captivity by Berlin Africa in History by Basil Davidson Who We are and How we got here by David Reich The Tree of Culture by Ralph Linton The Unabomber's Manifesto The Nine Nations of North America by Joel Garreau Seeing like a State by James Lindsay the 3D Gospel by Georges

In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett analyze 2,000 years of Imperial China's civilizational patterns, examining how Confucian bureaucracy, geographic divisions, and cyclical dynastic struggles shaped one of history's most enduring empires. -- SPONSOR: ZCASH | SHOPIFY | NETSUITE | ORACLE 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 is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system Shoppay and exclusive AI apps. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at ⁠⁠https://shopify.com/momentofzen⁠⁠. More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: ⁠⁠https://netsuite.com/102⁠⁠ - Download your free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at ⁠⁠https://oracle.com/cognitive⁠⁠. -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Introduction (01:45) Imperial China Overview & Macro History (07:00) China's Fall of Rome Period (12:01) Geographic Regions of China (17:24) Sponsors: ZCash | Shopify (23:00) Qin Dynasty Unification (46:20) Qin Dynasty Fall & Han Dynasty Rise (54:00) Han Dynasty Economics & Expansion (1:25:00) Three Ruling Classes: Bureaucracy, Eunuchs, Nobility (1:36:33) Sponsors: Netsuite | Oracle (1:39:00) War of Three Kingdoms & Dark Ages (1:47:00) Tang Dynasty Golden Age (1:55:00) Neo-Confucian Renaissance & Song Dynasty (1:58:00) Mongol Conquest (2:00:00) Ming Dynasty Isolationism (2:08:00) Manchu Conquest & Qing Dynasty (2:12:04) Modern China's Challenges (2:19:24) Wrap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett do a deep-dive analysis of Japanese history exploring cultural patterns, honor systems, political development, and societal evolution from ancient origins through modern stagnation. -- SPONSOR: ZCASH | SHOPIFY | NETSUITE | ORACLE 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 is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system Shoppay and exclusive AI apps. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at ⁠https://shopify.com/momentofzen⁠. More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: ⁠https://netsuite.com/102⁠ - Download your free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at ⁠https://oracle.com/cognitive⁠. -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (01:35) Why Somalia Will Never Become Denmark (08:27) Japanese DNA Testing Reveals Uncomfortable Truths (09:18) The Ainu People Japan Wants You to Forget (15:07) The Guess the Asian App Controversy (16:09) Sponsors: Zcash | Shopify (29:51) Honor Cultures: Why Africans and Celts Fight Differently (37:13) AI Bots Are Stalking Me (46:33) Why I Never Take Notes (But Had To For This) (1:05:47) My Dad's Mercury Poisoning from Tuna Fish (1:06:33) China Should Sacrifice Lives for Archaeology (1:41:42) Sponsors: NetSuite | Oracle (2:18:19) Matthew Perry vs Admiral Perry (2:34:49) Throwing Up in Nanjing on My 18th Birthday (2:45:03) Stop Making Me Feel Guilty for Hiroshima (2:45:53) Wrap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett do a deep-dive into the Mongol Empire's rise, conquests, and civilizational impact, examining how Genghis Khan's brutal campaigns reshaped Eurasian politics and accelerated Western Europe's ascendancy. -- SPONSOR: ZCASH | SHOPIFY | NETSUITE | ORACLE 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 is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system Shoppay and exclusive AI apps. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at https://shopify.com/momentofzen More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/102 - Download your free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at https://oracle.com/cognitive -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (03:04) Polygamous Imperial Cycles and Genghis Khan's Genetic Legacy (05:43) Sponsors: ZCash | Shopify (09:27) Genghis Khan as Totalitarian Figure and Step Empire Dynamics (15:25) Academic Debates About the Mongols - Left vs Military Historians (28:40) Major Mongol Military Campaigns - Badger's Mouth and Khwarezmid (33:27) Sponsors: NetSuite | Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (46:14) Genghis Khan's Rise - Childhood, Unification of Mongols (56:59) Conquest of Northern China - 30 Million Dead (1:11:28) Destruction of Central Asia and the Islamic World (1:20:16) Conquest and Transformation of Russia (1:28:59) Mongol Empire Splits - Four Khanates and Kublai Khan (1:43:21) Pax Mongolica and Failed Invasions of Japan/Java (1:52:30) Fall of the Mongol Empire - Black Death and Ming Dynasty (2:06:52) Long-Term Impact - Europe's Rise Over Asia (2:11:42) Mongol Role in Spreading Black Death and Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Simplicity, a scripting language so simple that it can fit on a t-shirt, has finally launched on Liquid after a decade of development. Andrew Poelstra, who works as director of research at Blockstream, explains how it works & why it's good for Bitcoin. Time stamps: (00:00:50) Introducing Andrew Poelstra (00:01:45) Simplicity: Now Live on Liquid (00:02:12) Elements and Liquid's Technical Evolution (00:03:09) Is Simplicity a Response to Solidity? (00:05:40) Simplicity's Programming Model & Rust Inspiration (00:08:04) Demo Applications and Simplicity Playground (00:10:03) Why Not Stick with Bitcoin Script? (00:11:48) Bitcoin Script's Limitations and Quirks (00:19:14) Simplicity's Capabilities: Computation & Covenants (00:22:26) Formal Verification and Multi-Language Implementations (00:25:21) Machine-Checkable Proofs and Contract Safety (00:29:07) Covenants, OP_CAT, and Script Extension Fears (00:33:26) Simplicity as a Future Script Extension Path (00:34:31) Ethereum's Design Mistakes & Simplicity's Approach (00:53:00) Simplicity's Lateness and Ethereum's Rise (01:01:12) Simplicity's Usability and Adoption Challenges (01:04:18) Potential Use Cases for Simplicity: Vaults, Business Logic, Quantum Signatures (01:08:06) Wallets and Simplicity Integration (01:16:30) Simplicity vs. Soft Forks for New Opcodes (01:19:01) Jets: Optimizing Simplicity with Native Code (01:22:44) Collider Script and High-Cost Emulation (01:24:44) Resource Limits and Transaction Size (01:29:34) Non-Scammy, Technologically Interesting Altcoins: Monero, Zcash, Grin, and Sia (01:33:14) Where to Learn More About Simplicity