@NVK of @Coinkite (old npup) on Bitcoin Ossification and Changes SLP582 rejoins me to talk about attitudes on Bitcoin development and consensus changes. We discuss how “ossification” is commonly thrown around, but maybe there is a better term.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccu6Chk3Xbg
“They (Koreans) want to save, they want long term capital formation…the problem is, in a savings based culture with fiat money, you’re just stealing from everybody and that’s unfortunately what the govt here has done for a long time. I see Bitcoin fitting hand-in-glove with the culture that craves savings - there are so many people within Korea that want to save.” - @jimmysonghttps://m.primal.net/IadM.mp4
Silent Payments is a new approach to improving privacy and useability of Bitcoin. Imagine not needing to manually create new addresses? Josie and Ruben Somsen join me to discuss how it's possible.
Silent Payments overview
Contrast with other techniques such as BIP47
Light client support
Stopping address re-use
Base layer privacy discussion
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/579/
HODLing Bitcoin can be a crazy ride, one day it can seem like the world is against you, and then other days it seems like everything is working out in favour of Bitcoin.
Don't make rash decisions. Do your best to be calm and long term focused.
Skot joins me to talk about his project to bring affordable, energy efficient, open source mining to home miners. We discuss:
The current state of open source in bitcoin mining
Bitaxe overview
Why do people do this?
Price and how to set one up
Mining pools
Decentralisation
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/578/
FWIW I didn't notice any different dynamic in this interview to our prior interviews?
The more 'natural' the conversation flows between host and guest though, generally the easier it is for listeners to follow. So I'd say do what feels more natural to you.
@Rusty Russell of @Blockstream rejoins me on the show to talk about a new idea for a bitcoin soft fork that hopefully avoids some of the ‘horse trading’ dynamic that existed amongst other proposals. Listen in to learn more about the different paradigm that Rusty introduces here, so that developers can build more functionality and efficiency in, hopefully so that more people can use Bitcoin in self-custody.
Bitcoin Script background
GSR overview
GSR benefits
What is varops
Contrast with APO or LNHANCE?
Will it enable shitcoins and spam?
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/577/
@bitgould of PayJoin Dev Kit (sponsored by Spiral and Opensats) joins me to discuss how Bitcoin privacy could be improved with more PayJoin adoption. What’s more, it might also benefit users in consolidating their wallets or potentially even fee savings. We discuss how this could be integrated into more bitcoin wallets.
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/576/
Rapha Zagury, CIO of Swan and Head of Swan Mining rejoins me on the show to talk about a range of topics, from Brazil’s flooding, Bitcoin Mining, Capital Structure, as well as share some insights on speaking to TradFi professionals about Bitcoin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiaABJ8aVSI
The recent BTC++ was a 'meeting of the minds’ for a lot of bitcoin developers, and Brandon Black aka reardencode rejoins me on the show to discuss. We talk about:
Various covenant proposals
What has shifted now in thinking
The promise of Great Script Restoration
Could it have bad side effects?
Doing good engineering
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/573/
@miljan from @primal joins me to talk about why Bitcoiners should not sleep on Nostr. We chat why he’s bullish on nostr, the experience nowadays, network effects for creators and devs, spam and sybils, and why openness is the killer feature.
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/572/
Interesting dynamic here with some users wanting to delete their answers off of StackOverflow but the site is keeping them.
In some ways nostr is the opposite, no? As long as relays have your content, you can't delete it.
But muh EU "right to be forgotten". Which funnily enough always seemed like a statist imposition.
For better or worse, the internet is forever.
https://m.primal.net/IEZU.png
Peruvian Bull, a macro writer and commentator joins me to explain what’s happening with the Japanese economy and how it all ties in with the dollar end game. We discuss:
The impossible trinity for Japan
Japanese government debt
The global JPY carry trade
The impact on the US financial system
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/571/
We should all do what we can, speak out for the cause of bitcoin self custody and financial sovereignty, build what you can and teach who you can.
But I think it's fair to draw the line at not expecting people to 'martyr' themselves at the hands of the state.
For e.g. when I see nym accounts attacking public name and real face people for not being perfectly non-KYC pure, it's just cringe.
You expect that guy to just 'go to jail for the cause'?
Come on now, just encourage people to play their role as best they can.
I didn't believe that they had to do that at that point.
But I was also wrong to say that, given the recent events I see more clearly now.
It is wrong and unrealistic to expect martyrdom.
Yea I've heard about that! So many in the EU just asleep at the wheel. They're crying about muh climate scam and racism while all this tyranny is going on.
@Parker Lewis of Zaprite rejoins me on the show to discuss recent updates in the space and what’s happening with Zaprite and merchant adoption.
- “Then they fight you” ?
- Chilling Effect
- Zaprite
- Getting Bitcoin Payment Rails Ready
- Gradually, Then Suddenly
- Why hope should not be lost
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/570/
A lot of people talk about Bitcoin Ossification. Today Steve Lee, Lead at Spiral rejoins me to expand on why this is the wrong idea. We also talk about the recent situation with bitcoin mining pool centralisation and what is driving it.
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/569/
Use this one weird trick to know if you are a money transmitter!
Lots of people are so confused lately and unsure if they can operate in the US.
Here's the one simple trick they don't want to you know:
If the US government doesn't like you, you're a money transmitter!
You're missing my point? I'm saying ord is distinct from Bitcoin.
Whereas retardinal shills try to help run intellectual cover fire for the spammers/scammers.
Lots of people don't see it that way nowadays. Not sure if you've heard this ep of mine with Andrew Henderson, we talk a bit about how and why he renounced American citizenship in favour of life abroad. https://stephanlivera.com/episode/564/
Genuinely not hating, but I think a lot of Americans are super-America-centric in their worldview. They'd do well to travel and work/live overseas to see how it is in other countries.
Very different taxation, regulation, culture, lifestyle possibilities out there.
The USA is influential but it's not the be all end all. It represents about 4.1% of global population.
Seeing some companies shut off US customers is sadly a reflection of a bureaucratic and regulatory superstate gone mad.
Builders will build for other jurisdictions.
Yeah fair point but remember there are ~195 jurisdictions on earth. Not all are totally subservient to the USA and 'western' countries.
Think about places in Asia, the Middle East, South America. And even amongst 'slave states' there's a lot of differentiation in tax and other regulatory policies.
I should probably clarify a bit, I'm not saying all builders will go elsewhere. But just look at how many non-US builders are speaking and acting.
Quick examples: WoS, Phoenix, Synonym, Blink are all effectively saying "the US juice is not worth the squeeze".
It's unfortunate that the US government is so tyrannical on financial services.
Lots of overseas banks don't even want US customers because of the regulation and bureaucratic headaches.
Sadly it looks like the parallel is happening in Bitcoin world too.
Will Bitcoin company product offerings go like shitcoin casinos? They'll have an offshore offering with the best stuff, and then their nerfed US versions? ala Binance US or FTX US
Or perhaps they'll just totally exit the US altogether ala Bitfinex style
Just a guess at this point.
Sad to see this. Perhaps this is the 'balkanisation' of bitcoin and lightning offerings for US vs non-USA customers.
It looks like the USG won't be comfortable with non-KYC LN apps for US users. But let's see how it pans out and if other apps follow suit.
https://m.primal.net/IAHz.png
They will probably have to ban US IP's or do some other filtering to not have US customers.
Think back to what happened with BitMEX when they got in trouble for serving US customers on VPN...
Of course, not happy about this state of affairs but that's what it looks like for now.
@Jeff Booth, author, entrepreneur and founding partner of Ego Death Capital rejoins me on the show to talk about his bitcoin advocacy at various levels:
Speaking to politicians about bitcoin
The system you give energy to
“Staying and fighting” in Canada vs supporting alternatives e.g. Madeira
‘Coincidental’ attack on Bitcoin?
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/568/
How do you think about investing as a bitcoiner? @preston of TIP rejoins me on the show to talk about a range of related ideas:
HODL vs invest in companies
Microstrategy and other public companies
VC and early stage investment
Realistic investment hurdle rates
Technical realities as bitcoin grows
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/567/
Dmitry Nedospasov is a PhD in Chip Security, also known for his hardware wallet exploits in 2018 with the wallet.fail talk. Dmitry joins me to talk about hardware security in the world of bitcoin and how it compares with hardware chip security in other domains
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/566/
SLP530 Fernando Motolese - Growing a Bitcoin Circular Economy
We talk:
- How Bitcoin Beach Brazil started
- Bolt card
- Tech stack
- Tourists and Locals experience
- Bitcoinize device
- HODL vs Spend
- Fundraising
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/530/https://m.primal.net/HSKu.webp
Many Bitcoiners have seen or shared around the images that show Labour Compensation (wages and other benefits) diverging from Labour Productivity since 1971, particularly from sites such as wtfhappenedin1971.com. Rejoining me today is Gene Epstein to break down why this chart is flawed! We also talk about broader issues around CPI, whether inflation is over or undercounted, and cost of living pressures that so many people are facing today. The conclusions will surprise you!
We talk:
Labour Compensation and Productivity
Nominal dollars and issues with price indexes
Is CPI overstated?
Are we poorer than we used to be?
Cost of living crisis
Can you make it on a single income these days?
The real problems
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/527/
SLP526 @NVK of Coinkite - Don’t Lose Your Coins
NVK joins me to talk:
How do you prevent loss of your coins?
What are some critical steps that are commonly missed?
Q
Satslink device
Tapsigner
FROST & miniscript
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/526/
SLP525 Bob Burnett - Bitcoin’s Blocksize Scarcity
Bob joins me to talk:
-Blockspace scarcity and explanation
-UTXO management
-Different types of miner
-Miner’s Trilemma
-Mining NOT being a leverage play on Bitcoin
-Core Scientific bankruptcy
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/525/https://m.primal.net/HQFK.webp
SLP524 Malcolm Collins - Natalism and Bitcoiners
Malcolm joins me to talk:
- Population Projections
- The Urban Monoculture
- Childless demographics
- Where Bitcoiner culture could change this
- How to motivate a large family
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/524/
SLP522 @JasonLes_ CEO of @RiotPlatforms - Dodging Knives as a Bitcoin Miner
Jason Les joins me to talk:
- His poker background
- Hashrate
- Riot’s competitive advantages
- HODLing Bitcoin as a miner
- Should miners use debt?
- Bitcoin ETF impact?
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/522/https://m.primal.net/HPHf.png
Matthew Black, co-founder and CTO of Atomic Finance joins me to talk about earning yield in a self custodial way with DLCs. We get into all the questions and criticisms people might have:
How does it work without being custodial?
Where is the yield coming from?
HODL only
Different strategies available
DLC security over time
The future of Bitcoin Finance
stephanlivera.com/519
@LynAlden, macro analyst rejoins me on the show to talk about her new book, Broken Money. We discuss Lyn’s thoughts on:
Ledger money and who controls it
Different theories of money
Speed of transaction vs settlement
Warfare funding under fiat
Base money and Broad money
GFC and the response to it
Fiat standard incentives
What kind of debt makes sense under a Bitcoin standard
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/518/
@willcole of Zaprite rejoins me to talk about:
Merchant adoption and why it’s different this time
Improved custody
How Zaprite works
Accounting and integration
How adoption will be driven this time
Circular economy
The lie of 2% inflation
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/517/
Have you wondered what it takes to be a long term HODLer? @HODL rejoins me on the show to talk about HODLer psychology, bitcoin culture, and what to expect going forward:
Adoption waves
Living on Bitcoin
Overconfidence
Mainstream culture
Bitcoin Fixes This
Jurisdictions
Thoughts on next cycle
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/515/
Have you wondered what it takes to be a long term HODLer? @HODL rejoins me on the show to talk about HODLer psychology, bitcoin culture, and what to expect going forward:
Adoption waves
Living on Bitcoin
Overconfidence
Mainstream culture
Bitcoin Fixes This
Jurisdictions
Thoughts on next cycle
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/515/
The next generation of Bitcoin Lightning wallets is here with Phoenix from ACINQ. Rejoining me is CTO of ACINQ, Bastien Teinturier to talk about how the team is innovating a great self custodial experience for bitcoin and lightning users:
High Fee environment
New Phoenix fee structure
Splicing and what it enables
Dual Funding
Liquidity Ads
Building on a smartphone app
Can ACINQ steal from users?
APO
Biggest challenges
Reasons to be optimistic
https://stephanlivera.com/episode/513/
Thanks Lois, agree with this take, but I would also add - we don't have to care or focus so much on trying to go on shitcoiner shows per se, I see it as more about trying to reach out to other related or tangential communities who might be interested.
Whether that's libertarians, macro people, gun advocates, personal finance and FIRE people, SMB, carnivore and keto communities, free private cities and so many more.
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