POD256 | Bitcoin Mining News & Analysis

Summary:
In this episode, we dive into the challenges of willpower and temptation, particularly around the irresistible allure of ice cream. We share personal anecdotes about the struggle to resist indulgent treats and the humorous consequences that follow. The conversation then shifts to the benefits of removing temptations and creating friction to avoid bad habits, such as leaving phones in the garage to spend quality time with family.

We also discuss the potential of a new mobile device from Daylight Computer, which aims to simplify communication by limiting distractions. The episode touches on the importance of physical notebooks for jotting down ideas and the benefits of red light therapy and cold plunges for overall well-being.

The episode takes a serious turn as we address the recent arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in France and the implications for privacy and encryption. We stress the importance of supporting legal defense funds for privacy-focused projects like Samourai Wallet.

We also highlight the upcoming Mining Monday event and the significance of consistent meetups for building a strong community. The episode wraps up with a discussion on the importance of supporting open-source projects and reducing tax liabilities through charitable donations.

Join us for a mix of humor, personal stories, and important discussions on privacy, community building, and personal well-being.

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Tier II Supporters:
Foundry USA

Summary:
In this episode, we dive into a myriad of topics ranging from the addictive nature of social media to the highs and lows of drug use. We discuss the surprising revelation that Donald Trump has never consumed alcohol and his appearance on Theo Vonn's podcast. The conversation takes a humorous turn with anecdotes about feeling like an owl on cocaine and the miserable highs of drug use. We also touch on health issues, the use of Ivermectin, and the skepticism around Western medicine. The episode transitions into a discussion about the political landscape, the upcoming elections, and the impact of centralization versus individual freedoms. We explore the future of Bitcoin mining, the potential for AI companies to acquire mining infrastructure, and the rise of home mining. The episode wraps up with announcements about upcoming events, including the Africa Bitcoin Conference and local meetups at Bitcoin Park.

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Tier II Supporters:
Foundry USA

Summary:
Welcome back to Pod 256! In this episode, Eco and Rod discuss the exciting upgrades to their recording studio, courtesy of Bitcoin Park. They express their gratitude to ODELL for allowing them to launch the new setup before his next recording. The hosts delve into the importance of consistency in podcasting and how their new equipment will help them maintain a regular schedule.

They also highlight some of the fascinating conversations happening at Bitcoin Park, including discussions with developers, Odell, and Alex Gladstein from the Human Rights Foundation. The episode touches on the significance of engaging with policymakers and politicians, especially in the context of the Samurai Wallet case.

Rod and Eco share their plans for the 256 Foundation, emphasizing their mission to make Bitcoin mining free and open. They discuss their philosophy of accepting donations from all sources while maintaining independence in their operations. The hosts also announce upcoming events, including a monthly mining meetup called 'Mining Mondays' and the Nashville Energy and Mining Summit in January.

The episode wraps up with a shoutout to their loyal hashers and a discussion on the current state of Bitcoin mining difficulty. They also explore the potential for merchant adoption of Bitcoin and the benefits of using Nostr for social interactions and transactions.

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Summary:
In this episode of Pod256, we are joined by the innovative and resourceful Rev Hodl, who shares his journey from the film industry in Los Angeles to becoming a homesteader in Michigan. Rev Hodl discusses his transition to a self-sufficient lifestyle, integrating Bitcoin mining into his homestead projects, and the principles of home mining. He explains how he uses Bitcoin miners for various purposes, such as space heaters, food dehydrators, and even in maple syrup production. The conversation also delves into the importance of local Bitcoin meetups, building a circular economy, and the value of community and cultural capital. Rev Hodl emphasizes the significance of tinkering, experimenting, and finding innovative ways to use Bitcoin mining in everyday life. Tune in to learn about his creative contraptions, the benefits of permaculture, and how to build a self-sufficient, Bitcoin-powered homestead.

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Summary:
In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of Bitcoin mining and decentralization with our special guest, Bob McElrath. We kick off the conversation with a lively discussion about cold plunges and their invigorating effects, setting the tone for an engaging and informative session.

Bob shares an intriguing story about a tradition at the South Pole involving a naked run to tag the pole on the coldest day of the year, which leads us into a deeper conversation about theoretical physics and the IceCube experiment. This experiment, conducted at the South Pole, uses a cubic kilometer of ice to detect high-energy particles from space, providing a unique perspective on scientific research in extreme conditions.

We then shift gears to focus on Bitcoin and Bob's journey from theoretical physics to Bitcoin mining. Bob explains the concept of Braidpool, a decentralized mining pool designed to reduce variance and improve the efficiency of Bitcoin mining. He discusses the technical aspects of Braidpool, including its use of a directed acyclic graph (DAG) and the Frost algorithm.

Bob also addresses the challenges of decentralized mining, such as the need for faster block times and the importance of reducing latency. He explains how Braidpool aims to solve these issues by allowing miners to create their own block templates and select transactions, thereby decentralizing the process and reducing the risk of censorship.

Throughout the episode, we explore the potential impact of covenants and other technical innovations on Braidpool's design and functionality. Bob provides insights into the future of Bitcoin mining, the role of professional risk takers in managing variance, and the importance of decentralized exchanges.

We wrap up the episode with a discussion on the state of the Bitcoin network, including current block height, difficulty adjustments, and hash rate trends. Bob also shares his thoughts on the future of decentralized mining and the potential for Braidpool to revolutionize the industry.

Join us for this deep dive into the world of Bitcoin mining and decentralized technology, and learn how innovations like Braidpool are shaping the future of the industry.

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Summary:
Welcome to Pod 256, a weekly Bitcoin podcast focused on Bitcoin mining, energy, and proof of work. This episode is hosted by @bitkite and @econoalchemist, with special guests @skot9000 and @boerst. The discussion kicks off with @boerst sharing his journey into Bitcoin mining, starting from his IT background and his first foray into mining during the 2013-2014 ASIC craze. He talks about his experiences with various mining hardware and his transition from the hardware side to understanding the monetary aspects of Bitcoin around 2020.

@boerst also introduces his project, stratum.work, a website that visualizes mining pool data, making it easier to understand and analyze. He explains the technical details behind the site, including how it connects to mining pools and visualizes data in real-time. The conversation delves into the importance of decentralization in mining pools and the potential risks of centralization, such as reorg risks and censorship resistance.

The hosts and guests discuss the current state of the Bitcoin network, including hash rate trends and the upcoming difficulty adjustment. They also touch on the implications of political support for Bitcoin mining in the U.S. and the potential impact on the industry.

@boerst shares his thoughts on Stratum V2 and its potential to decentralize transaction selection in mining. The episode wraps up with a lively discussion about personal preferences, including favorite pizza toppings and foods they dislike. The hosts also mention an upcoming tactical day event with the Bitcoin veterans group, highlighting the strong community aspect of Bitcoin enthusiasts.

Overall, this episode provides a deep dive into the technical and community aspects of Bitcoin mining, with valuable insights from experienced miners and developers.

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Summary:
The episode delves into various aspects of Bitcoin mining, energy consumption, and the proof of work concept. We explore the entry of AI companies into the mining sector, innovative container designs, the significance of hash rates, and exciting upcoming events in the industry. Additionally, we shed light on the challenges faced and the strategic plans in place for the expansion of our mining operations.

Wilson Mining takes center stage as we discuss the launch of a new mining pool, emphasizing our dissatisfaction with existing pools and their commitment to offering low fees. Our conversation extends to topics like chip temperature efficiency, ambient intake temperature considerations, and even our favorite summertime beverages.

Unveiling the hurdles encountered in Bitcoin mining within rural settings, we address the struggles of recruiting skilled help and operators, underscoring the critical need for reliable equipment. Amidst the technical discussions, we share personal anecdotes ranging from car troubles to our affinity for Toyota vehicles.

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Date: May 22, 2024

State of the Network:

Block Height: 844622 - Rod/Eco to update

According to our friends at newhedge.io: Bitcoin difficulty is 83.1 Trillion and set to increase roughly 1% at the conclusion of epoch 418 which should be on Thursday the 23rd.

Over at Hashrate Index: https://data.hashrateindex.com/asic-index-data: Miners under 25J/Th are selling for roughly $12.21/Th at the moment, which has been relatively flat since October.

Moving over to mempool.space: Hashrate is currently estimated to be 591Eh, down from the all time high of 639Eh on April 27th.

Taking a look at insights.braiins.com: Hashvalue is currently 80k sats/Ph/day and Hashprice is $56/Ph/Day

The halving is due in: 1,407 days according to https://www.coinwarz.com/mining/bitcoin/halving

Shout out to our miners: “bikesandbitcoinhowlongcanthesenamesbeistheguestreallygoingtoreadthiswholethingicantbelieveits”, “bikesandbitcoin”, “bikesandbitcointangent(youhavetosayitloud,though)”, “reedsminersarenotforprofit”,”dotthedraht”, “bitaxewannabejustans17pro”, and “blizzabler”. And shout out to our Public Pool miners: “Boerst” and “FOSS||GTFO”. 

Special Thanks to Barnminer for generously donating a portion of sales from his grass fed beef jerky during the whole month of April. You can support an awesome bitcoiner, get great quality beef jerky, and support POD256 by visiting: https://barnjerky.hashrootsinc.io/

Samourai Wallet Defense Donations: https://p2prights.org/

Special Guest: Luke Dashjr, Chairman & CTO - OCEAN

Rod @bitkite on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitkite

Econoalchemist on Twitter: https://twitter.com/econoalchemist

Rod @bitkite on nostr: npub1atn7mlwt08erz4ap47gef92xfey65a4z9ed9vec53u5kc9v94pusl6h4x3

Econoalchemist on nostr: npub10m6lrv2kaf08a8um0plhj5dj6yqlw7qxzeag6393z352zrs0e5nsr2tff3

Bitcoin Park on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitcoinpark_

POD256 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pod256

Date: May 15, 2024

Special Thanks to Barnminer for generously donating a portion of sales from his grass fed beef jerky during the whole month of April. You can support an awesome bitcoiner and get great quality beef jerky by visiting: https://barnjerky.hashrootsinc.io/

Stream Sats, Point Hash:

     a) stratum+tcp://NA.lincoin.com:3333

     b) stratum+tcp://EU.lincoin.com:3333

     c) stratum+tcp://LatAm.lincoin.com:3333

     d) stratum+tcp://CIS.lincoin.com:3333

     e) stratum+tcp://Asia.lincoin.com:3333

     f) stratum+tcp://OC.lincoin.com:3333

     g) stratum+tcp://Africa.lincoin.com:3333

Special Guests:

Bitaxe Resources:

Rod @bitkite on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitkite

Econoalchemist on Twitter: https://twitter.com/econoalchemist

Rod @bitkite on nostr: npub1atn7mlwt08erz4ap47gef92xfey65a4z9ed9vec53u5kc9v94pusl6h4x3

Econoalchemist on nostr: npub10m6lrv2kaf08a8um0plhj5dj6yqlw7qxzeag6393z352zrs0e5nsr2tff3

Bitcoin Park on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitcoinpark_

POD256 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pod256

Date: April 18, 2024

State of the Network: 

Block Height: 839818

According to our friends at newhedge.io: Bitcoin difficulty is 86.3 Trillion and set to decrease roughly 1.8%% at the conclusion of epoch 416 which should be on Wednesday the 24th

Over at Hashrate Index: https://data.hashrateindex.com/asic-index-data: Miners under 25J/Th are selling for roughly $12.21/Th at the moment, which has been relatively flat since October

Looking at mempool.space: Hashrate is currently estimated to be 629Eh, setting a new ATH going into the halving

Heading over to insights.braiins.com: Hashvalue is currently 160k sats/PH/day and Hashprice is $102/Ph/Day

Days until the Halving: 1 day according to https://www.coinwarz.com/mining/bitcoin/halving

Special Thanks to Barnminer for generously donating a portion of sales from his grass fed beef jerky during the whole month of April. You can support an awesome bitcoiner, get great quality beef jerky, and support POD256 by visiting: https://barnjerky.hashrootsinc.io/

Stream Sats, Point Hash:

     a) stratum+tcp://NA.lincoin.com:3333

     b) stratum+tcp://EU.lincoin.com:3333

     c) stratum+tcp://LatAm.lincoin.com:3333

     d) stratum+tcp://CIS.lincoin.com:3333

     e) stratum+tcp://Asia.lincoin.com:3333

     f) stratum+tcp://OC.lincoin.com:3333

     g) stratum+tcp://Africa.lincoin.com:3333

Shout out to: “boerst” & “FOSS || GTFO” from Public Pool.“Bitaxewannabejustans17pro”, “dotthedraht”, “bikesandbitcoinhowlongcanthesenamesbeistheguestreallygoingtoreadthiswholethingicantbelieveits”, “reedsminersarenotforprofit”, “bikesandbitcoin”, and “hodl_pins_dot_com_by_yooper_and_son_iykyk” from Lincoin.

News:

Home Miner of The Week:

Rod @bitkite on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitkite

Econoalchemist on Twitter: https://twitter.com/econoalchemist

Rod @bitkite on nostr: npub1atn7mlwt08erz4ap47gef92xfey65a4z9ed9vec53u5kc9v94pusl6h4x3

Econoalchemist on nostr: npub10m6lrv2kaf08a8um0plhj5dj6yqlw7qxzeag6393z352zrs0e5nsr2tff3

Bitcoin Park on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitcoinpark_

POD256 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pod256