After a summer hiatus, the crew reunites to discuss what they've been up to while crypto conferences turned into sales pitches and bare metal providers started sliding into foundation Slack channels. The episode covers Schultzie's garage-relocated 500-watt home lab setup, the team's ongoing ISO and SOC 2 certification processes, and how Claude AI has revolutionized filling out those endless security questionnaires.

Between stories of Barcelona pickpocketing (the idiot tax), London's best late-night bagels, and watching F1 movies with unimpressed children, the hosts tackle bigger questions about the future of permissionless systems. Are we heading toward a world of Visa-run stablecoins and permission-based everything? Can crypto maintain its cypherpunk ideals while institutions copy the tech and strip out the interesting parts?

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Brendan from WhisperNode spills the tea on escaping validator life for Flipside's data world, plus Schultz flexes his $12K home data center complete with backup power that could survive the apocalypse. The crew dives deep into why CosmWasm is getting ghosted by new projects, whether AI agents need blockchain payment rails, and why Ethereum still runs the show despite being "boomer shit".

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The crew navigates the ridiculous realities of validator life—from backordered Chinese servers and surprise tariffs to the art of running mainnet from your media center. Meanwhile, they spiral into AI-on-blockchain hypotheticals, failed token economics, and a crypto spin on the Christian Bale meltdown.

Show Links

• Trump names cryptocurrencies in strategic reserve - reuters
• Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Establishes the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile - whitehouse.gov
• DOJ ends crypto enforcement team, shifts focus to terrorism and fraud - cnbc
• De-dollarization: Is the US dollar losing its dominance? - jpmorgan
• Christian Bale Loses It - youtube

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Independent validator PFC shares his deep dive into Kubernetes infrastructure and blockchain network dynamics, offering insights into running validators across multiple chains. From discussing the intricacies of THORChain's unique consensus model to exploring the challenges of managing distributed networks in k8s, we eventually ignore all that to talk about Australia.

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Join the crew as we unpack blockchain's wild side with Eric from Zellic, spilling insider secrets on security auditing and validator ops—tracing crypto's shift from "toys to tools". From Rhino logos to EthDenver conference vibes, this fortnightly episode delivers a fun, expert dive into crypto chaos you won't want to miss!

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The crew takes a wild ride through the chaos of validator infrastructure, sparring over the best (and worst) ZFS strategies—because nothing screams "decentralization" like heated debates on server costs. Plus, a shocking revelation: just how deep does the Hetzner hoarding rabbit hole go?

Show Links

• Thorchain Faces Insolvency, Halts Redemptions - bitcoin.com
• Armor - imdb
• Conclave - imdb
• Landman - imdb

Please support Game of Nodes and other great independent validators in the Cosmos. Make Needlecast, Kingnodes, RHINO, and Lavender.Five a part of your delegation strategy today!

We welcome back the incredible @magmar from Skip Protocol Interchain Labs! We talk about the Skip acquisition, the future (and role) of the Cosmos Hub, IBC, ICS, the first 60 days, and just what in the hell they were thinking.

Show Links

• Cosmos is expanding: Skip joins the Interchain Foundation - medium
• What changes for Cosmos after Skip acquisition? - blockworks
• Market-Protocol Fit - otherinter.net
• Trump pardons Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht for online drug scheme - reuters

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Surviving bear markets and questionable life choices since 2022, this week's episode dives into validation woes, the magic of compound interest, and the unexpected joys of a hot bath and a good book.

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We close out 2024 talking through the Interchain Foundation's acquisition of Skip and what that means for the ICF, $ATOM holders, and the larger Cosmos ecosystem.

From everyone at Game of Nodes, have a restful and happy Holiday Season and we'll see you in 2025 for the GoN end-of-year awards!

Show Links

• In latest shakeup, Interchain Foundation acquires Skip to refocus Cosmos Hub at ecosystem's core - theblock
• Goldfinch - goldfinch.finance

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As we wind down 2024, the GoN crew talks bespoke AS (Autonomous System) monikers, shared storage, the flood of new testnets, the networks that are "almost" live, and if Santa will fill our stockings with shitcoins.

Please support Game of Nodes and other great independent validators in the Cosmos. Make Needlecast, Kingnodes, RHINO, and Lavender.Five a part of your delegation strategy today!