True, I use to think the US was the good spreading democracy all over the world. Now all I see is those in power taking over what is not theirs disguised as helping their citizens.

The era of the U.S. as the world’s sole protector is ending, replaced by a cold-eyed deal to split the globe into spheres of influence. From the shift in Venezuela to the inevitable realignment in Thailand and Ukraine, we are seeing the U.S., China, and Russia prioritize 'managed control' over open conflict. This isn't just diplomacy—it’s survival. Because the U.S. remains critically dependent on Chinese resources to build its own advanced weaponry, a full-scale war is a non-starter. Instead, we are seeing a strategic retreat from the UN and a world left to fend for itself, as the superpowers negotiate who gets what based on industrial necessity rather than democratic ideals.

Immigration

👀 Forwood to the day Bitcoin is accepted all over the world as if it was always common place.

https://blossom.primal.net/440b9a67552380bd3c313f5610f01c07d03fcb91abb39b945fecaeacbb4629e7.mp4

Thanks for the education. Fingers crossed I am lucky enough to snag a bottle. P.S. Love your pod cast. Snagged me a shirt from West Major.

Oh my. How many barrels is that? Guessing its 100 plus barrels sampled over a month?

How many barrels do you have to sample before you know you have the best barrel?

Absolutely

The Wyoming Stable Token Commission has introduced a Stablecoin Testing Initiative for Web3 users, launching a testnet "faucet" that allows individuals to claim test versions of its state-backed stablecoin, the Frontier Stable Token (FRNT). This initiative, which distributes un-reserved test tokens (tFRNT), is designed for developers to test integration and for new users to understand how the technology works across eight different testnets, including Ethereum (Sepolia), Solana (Devnet), and Avalanche (Fuji). You can find more details and access the testing tool directly on the official Wyoming Stable Token Commission Testnet Faucet page. https://stabletoken.wyo.gov/pages/faucet

He sounds like a person who bought Bitcoin and sold it at a loss because he did not understand what he was buying.

I understand what your doing. You want a bigger blister to pop. Totally normal.

The $148 Billion Swipe Fee Killer

The cost of credit card processing is a massive economic burden on U.S. merchants, totaling over $148 billion annually. While consumers are often unaware of these fees, businesses typically pay between 1.5% and 3.5% of every transaction. For a small business operating on a thin 5% profit margin, a 3% card fee can consume 60% of the potential profit. This is why I'm so happy that Square now allows Businesses to accept Bitcoin payments. My only concern is the trade-off with fraud protection offered by credit card companies. If someone were to figure out how to access and use my QR code or the tap-to-pay feature, there is no system to reimburse me for the lost funds. Also, using Bitcoin to purchase goods or services is treated by the IRS as an exchange of property, making it a taxable transaction that can result in a capital gains for the customer. Hopefully, Congress will provide relief for this issue soon, through the CLARITY Act, which could allow for de minimus transactions to be excluded from capital gains taxes.

Yes, the process should be as seamless as using Apple Pay to get real adoption. We also need legislation to exempt these transactions from being a taxable event. If we want people to spend their Bitcoin it can’t be a taxable event every time you tap.

Held my quarters for table top Galaga.

1

🤣

Pre-Ordered and listing now.

Would no capital gains on Bitcoin payments be part of the Clarity Act?

White

White

I stand corrected. Feelings will have to be hurt. The Malbec and Syrah are good but the Estate Pinot is my favorite by far.

All the wine in my house is Peony Lane except one bottle of mead my friend made. Maybe I will do a wine tasting between the Malbec, Syrah and the Estate Pinot. The only problem is I like them all and if I pick a favorite they might get their feelings hurt.

I and many others deleted our X accounts and joined Nostr for freedom of speech without fear of cancellation. I use to listen to Wolfs of all Streets on X spaces but the platform for streaming it’s a hot mess that drops people, can take hours to set up and frustrating to the listener and the streamer. I hope more podcasters come to Nostr because I’m never going back to X.

Hi Jack,

Love the idea of a Strike credit card, backed by Bitcoin, for my day-to-day expenses that I pay off each month. I am particularly interested in a cash rebate paid in Bitcoin because I understand a rebate is generally not taxable upon receipt. Would Strike consider this and will Strike also provide fraud protection with the credit card?

Currently, I have a traditional credit card that gives me 2% cash back on all my purchases, which I then use to buy Bitcoin each month. I was looking at the Fold card, which offers a 2% rebate paid directly in Bitcoin. Having a Bitcoin rebate would eliminate the step of purchasing Bitcoin and is generally not a taxable event upon receipt because the IRS considers it a rebate. This setup also forces me to DCA into Bitcoin monthly, and since selling the Bitcoin is a taxable event, it discourages frivolous spending. I also appreciate the idea of earning interest on fiat that is loaned out to users against their Bitcoin collateral but the interest received is a taxable event.

Ultimately, I would prefer to transact primarily with Bitcoin and convert all my fiat into BTC each month.

The interchange fees you receive from the credit card companies and the spreads on Bitcoin would be more than the cost to provide the rebate and allow Strike to stack more Bitcoin.

A credit card is essential for day-to-day purchases so that you're not selling Bitcoin to buy necessities like groceries and gas and a Bitcoin rebate would allow the card holder to stack sats and increase their collateral on their Bitcoin backed loan.The card also has the benefit of fraud protection which is essential in today’s world.

Will try to get a bottle of Satoshi Reserve and celebrate.

Jack, this was your best episode yet. Everything you said was spot on. I’m not sure what scares me more. Our dependence on China or the fact that the US literally can’t fix the mess they created in less than a decade.

I’ve come to believe that Satoshi’s vision isn’t just about embracing Bitcoin — it’s about believing in ourselves and working to make the world a better place before we leave it.

I run a Bitcoin node and dollar-cost average into Bitcoin when I can, but I’m still reliant on the fiat system to pay my bills and support my family.

Bitcoin gives me hope that the future can be better for everyone. I just need to tune out the noise and focus on what I can do to leave the world better than I found it.

It’s easier said than done, but I’m committed to the cause and will keep grinding until fiat is no longer necessary — in my life and in the lives of others.

Second

Congress is elected to do one thing which is to pass a budget and an appropriations bill. Since all government agencies, programs, and functions from the Department of Defense to the National Park Service require funding to operate, the power to appropriate is effectively the power to allow or forbid the entire federal government from functioning. In my opinion the only way to fix this is for Congress to not get paid until the bills are passed. The Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (GEFTA) mandates back pay for all Federal employees. It was passed in 2019 after the last shutdown.

Some Peony Lane Malbec to celebrate a new all time high and the movement to replacing the current financial system.

How difficult/expensive would it be for the miners to move to a friendlier state? Maybe the gaining state would cover some of those costs.

Fresh off the presses from the new ChatGPT 5 because I have zero creativity.

Satoshi’s Reserve 2023

Scarcity has never tasted smoother.

Handpicked from the finest barrel of Peony Lane’s 2023 vintage, this ultra-limited 210-bottle release is a Cabernet Sauvignon crafted for those who understand that 21 million isn’t just a number—it’s a lifestyle.

Whether you’re stacking sats or cellaring reds, this is the bottle you’ll want when the halving hits and the memes turn prophetic.

One day, they’ll say:

“Fine wine ages like Bitcoin—slow, rare, and suddenly priceless.”

And you’ll be the one holding the cork.

🍷 Pairs well with:

• Pocket steak and proof-of-meat

• Michael Saylor’s latest sermon on liquidity

• That one friend who still thinks it’s a Ponzi