Episode 82

News Sandwich, Bitcoin, Gold, Silver, Satoshis, Podcast Stats, and True Fans

Published on: 30th March, 2024

Martin and I discuss our latest News Sandwich with different topics, e.g., anti-trust and Apple, climate pressure groups and financial investors, and car issues in Maine. Martin goes through our show statistics, and gives a shout-out to our true fans and a call-to action regarding Sam Sethi's service, TrueFans.fm. 

Is there really a choice between Bitcoin, Gold and Silver? We prefer all 3. Plus, a short review of the movie: Dune 2.

Call-to-Action: After you have listened to this episode, add your $0.02 (two cents) to the conversation, by joining (for free) The Secular Foxhole Town Hall. Feel free to introduce yourself to the other members, discuss the different episodes, give us constructive feedback, or check out the virtual room, Speakers' Corner, and step up on the digital soapbox. Welcome to our new place in cyberspace!

Show notes with links to articles, blog posts, products and services:

Episode 82 (42 minutes) was recorded at 1700 Central European Time, on March 23, 2024, with Ringr app. Martin did the editing and post-production with the podcast maker, Alitu. The transcript is generated by Alitu.

Easy listen to The Secular Foxhole podcast in your podcast (podcatcher) app of choice, e.g., Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Gaana, Listen Notes.

Even better is to use one of the new podcast apps, on Podcast Index, supporting the Podcasting 2.0 initiative, and Value for Value model, by streaming Satoshis (bits of Bitcoin), and sending a Boostagram (digital telegram with a donation of sats). 

Check out the Sam Sethi's new service called, TrueFans. Become a fan of our podcast there. Listen to The Secular Foxhole podcast, "and pay the price you want for the value you hear."



This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Transcript
Blair:

Well, all right, ladies and gentlemen, here we are.

Blair:

Martin and I are here today with our, with ourselves.

Martin:

Yeah.

Blair:

This is, I believe, episode 82 of the secular Foxhole podcast.

Blair:

And today we both have some news issues we want to cover and some.

Blair:

What's some.

Blair:

Martin has some bitcoin news and some

Blair:

statistics about that and about our show, I think, and things like that.

Blair:

But I do have some good news and some bad news, so we'll do.

Blair:

Try to do a new sandwich.

Blair:

Stealing that from Amy Peekoff.

Martin:

Yeah.

Blair:

Which we hope to have her on our show one day.

Martin:

Yeah.

Blair:

But how are you, Martin?

Martin:

I'm fine.

Martin:

And yourself?

Blair:

You know, I'm hanging in there.

Blair:

We.

Martin:

Is it spring forward now? Yeah, 5 hours difference now.

Martin:

So now we.

Martin:

Again, they.

Blair:

We already did ours here in America.

Martin:

Yep.

Blair:

So that's where we're there.

Blair:

And that was a week or two ago already.

Martin:

Yeah. And then I have to take that joke and see if we could find the original

Martin:

creator of it.

Martin:

But you know, Chris Brogan, that has his, for

Martin:

example, my three words for the year.

Blair:

Yes.

Martin:

Great guy.

Martin:

And he is a Batman fan.

Martin:

And when he said spring.

Martin:

Spring.

Martin:

How to say a spring? Well, a spring forward.

Martin:

Yeah.

Martin:

Spring forward and then fall backwards.

Martin:

Yeah.

Martin:

Yeah.

Martin:

But the Robin bird could be an example of spring is coming.

Martin:

But then it, in the cartoon, it was Robin, you know, for Batman there.

Blair:

I don't think so.

Martin:

That was funny.

Martin:

Okay, Robin, it's spring.

Blair:

You know Chris Brogan.

Blair:

Yeah, sure.

Blair:

He's a very popular.

Blair:

What's the word I want?

Blair:

Productivity expert, maybe, if that's correct.

Martin:

Yeah. And new media now is working for an app company owned by.

Martin:

And I think it's funny that we talk about it.

Martin:

The company name is something with Atlas or at

Martin:

Leon, at Lian or something like that.

Martin:

That's something to think about.

Martin:

And maybe we could ask them where the name came from.

Martin:

But it's a big app company, and he's working in human resources and this kind of thing.

Martin:

A position there, so.

Martin:

Yeah.

Martin:

And if he's a fellow podcaster and whatnot.

Blair:

Yeah. Yes. That's off to Chris Brogan.

Martin:

Yeah.

Blair:

But. So if you don't mind, I want to jump into my lead story, which is good news.

Blair:

This is actually from last month on Reuters.

Blair:

JP Morgan, State street quit climate group.

Blair:

Blackrock steps back.

Blair:

And this is a Reuters story by.

Blair:

Oh, come on now.

Blair:

Simon Jessup and Ross Kerber.

Blair:

And this was dated February 15, 2024.

Blair:

And it says the summary quickly.

Blair:

It says, biggest firms to leave CA 100 plus group since its launch.

Blair:

CA 100 plus looking to toughen stance on corporate laggards.

Blair:

Hahaha.

Blair:

State street sites move as a threat to its

Blair:

independence.

Blair:

No kidding.

Blair:

Anyway, the story goes on to say JPMorgan Chase and State street investment arms on

Blair:

Thursday both quit a global investor coalition pushing companies to rein in climate damage,

Blair:

climate damaging emissions, while BlackRock said it has transferred its membership to its

Blair:

international army, limiting its involvement.

Blair:

The decisions together removed nearly 14

Blair:

trillion, that's trillion with a t of total assets from efforts to coordinate Wall street

Blair:

action on tackling climate change and came after the coalition known as Climate Action

Blair:

100 plus or CA 100 plus asked signatories to take stronger action over laggards.

Martin:

And basically, and what's a laggard is people.

Martin:

Laggard means party line or.

Blair:

Yeah, right.

Martin:

You're not going to have a chance.

Blair:

You're not goose stepping with the rest of them.

Blair:

Yeah.

Blair:

Financial arm financial firms have faced

Blair:

growing pressure from republican politicians over their membership of such groups amid

Blair:

accusations that committing to shared action could breach, could be a breach of antitrust

Blair:

law or fiduciary duty.

Blair:

The key thing is, yes, it's a breach of

Blair:

fiduciary duty.

Blair:

Your main purpose as a corporation is the

Blair:

fiduciary responsibility to your shareholders.

Blair:

Then this stakeholder thing is another

Blair:

socialist gambit to control corporations by the unknown majority are massed.

Martin:

But of course, now I interrupt you Blair, go ahead.

Martin:

That's good that you quoted.

Martin:

And if we to joke, if we link to Reuters,

Martin:

we'll see if he accepts the link.

Martin:

Back in the day Reuters had problem that you

Martin:

linked to their articles.

Martin:

That's another story for another day.

Martin:

But then for example, if you have some opinion about so called climate change because it's

Martin:

changing, as we learn from Andrew Bernstein, we are not against climate change because it's

Martin:

changing.

Blair:

Yeah.

Martin:

For the good or for the bad or what will we do about it?

Martin:

But I remember some story back in the day, it was some nuns, religious people joining,

Martin:

buying one share so they could go to the annual, how do you say?

Blair:

Yeah, the annual shareholders meeting.

Martin:

Yeah. And then starting complaining and so on.

Blair:

Right.

Martin:

So that's the risk also with this one, if you're on the, involved in the stock

Martin:

exchanges and other exchanges and open to the public instead of being a private company.

Martin:

So it's interesting how this push and lobbying groups and whatnot.

Martin:

So yeah, it's all good if they back it out of that.

Martin:

And of course people because this is push here in Sweden also with different funds that where

Martin:

is the funds going? For example, I don't think the russian fund

Martin:

isn't so popular anymore.

Martin:

That was back in the day also.

Martin:

So it's important for people investing or so on in different ways.

Martin:

But we have something to do here.

Martin:

But I see.

Martin:

And now I'm rambling a bit, but I saw in a magazine called Fukus here in Sweden, they had

Martin:

this story.

Martin:

But then you have to be a subscriber.

Martin:

Maybe I will buy the article as such.

Martin:

It's like $5 to get that.

Martin:

It was about this cult now around Greta Thunberg.

Martin:

Now she's really, I would not say her, but she is.

Martin:

But her what she is standing for in her campaign and the organization this, how we

Martin:

call this, what is called this organization that this human race will be go out or

Martin:

something like that.

Martin:

The name is similar to that.

Martin:

Extinctions or something like that.

Blair:

Oh, yeah, the extinction.

Blair:

I can't think of it off the top of my head,

Blair:

but yes, similar.

Martin:

To the show notes, but everything now around her and she's.

Martin:

Maybe I shouldn't say this on the air because it will then maybe happen.

Martin:

I have his magic powers.

Martin:

And now please follow me along now, Blair.

Martin:

It will be the Eurovision Song contest here in Sweden because they won last time.

Martin:

And now it's lots of pressure that Israel shouldn't be.

Martin:

Of course, Israel is not a european country, but european in soul and heart and mind, you

Martin:

could say.

Martin:

And they are very into Eurovision and melody,

Martin:

this kind of music, same as Australia, that they want to watch it.

Martin:

And they are also in the Eurovision.

Martin:

Russia are not that for the moment, for

Martin:

obvious reasons.

Martin:

But now you have pressure that Israel

Martin:

shouldn't be able to compete.

Martin:

And I'm very afraid that it will be some kind

Martin:

of, how should I say, attack in one way or another at this event in Sweden.

Martin:

So now you know where you heard it first.

Martin:

I hope they will have security and be

Martin:

protected and see what's going on.

Martin:

And this is what's going on with her group

Martin:

that they are very against Israel for different reasons, I think.

Blair:

Right, right.

Martin:

And this is what is turning into.

Martin:

So first is climate change against humans and

Martin:

now it's against certain, you know, of humans, individuals for.

Martin:

And we are, I mean, we have our stance on religion in Israel.

Blair:

Yeah.

Martin:

And for the secular version there also.

Martin:

But yeah.

Martin:

So it's something to think about what these

Martin:

groups are doing.

Martin:

So thanks for sharing that news, Blair.

Blair:

Well, you're welcome.

Blair:

But so anyway, that was pretty good.

Blair:

I think that's positive news.

Blair:

The companies are realizing, oh, wait a

Blair:

minute, these people are death worshippers and, you know, and it's time to back away from

Blair:

them.

Blair:

But so that's one good thing that I've found

Blair:

to report.

Blair:

And now let's see the next thing I want to

Blair:

talk about.

Blair:

I got this from the committee to unleash

Blair:

prosperity.

Blair:

And this, I think, is Stephen Moore's, a

Blair:

newsletter.

Blair:

Stephen Moore's Forbes editor or contributor,

Blair:

and I think he even ran for president here one time, some time ago.

Blair:

The first story, the opening story, is the Justice Department is the worm in America's

Blair:

apple.

Blair:

Tongue in cheek there, because of the first

Blair:

paragraph is it is a truism that in Washington, no good deed goes unpunished.

Blair:

And so we have the Biden Justice Department laws, Justice Department's lawsuit against

Blair:

Apple for being a smartphone monopoly.

Blair:

It's like a dystopian scene from Ayn Rand's

Blair:

Atlas Shrugged.

Blair:

I quote in the next paragraph is, has any

Blair:

invention so far this century contributed more to America's economic prosperity and our

Blair:

health, safety, and convenience than the iPhone?

Blair:

Steve Jobs, once seemingly utopian vision that soon nearly everyone in America on the planet

Blair:

would have access to this life changing device has come to the fore.

Blair:

Nearly everyone, rich and poor, has a smartphone with a price that is continually

Blair:

falling.

Blair:

If this is the evil work of, quote, a greedy

Blair:

monopolist, unquote, we need an Apple disruptor in every industry.

Blair:

And this article goes on and on about this, then it ends with this lawsuit is a toxic

Blair:

assault on property rights, economic success, innovation, and our system of free market

Blair:

capitalism that gives the world life changing products like smartphones in the first place.

Blair:

And I want to end that segment with a quote from Harry Binswanger about this.

Blair:

This is Harry Benzwanger, objectivist scholar, on a proper response to the government with

Blair:

respect to their antitrust attack on Apple.

Blair:

Quote, you are attacking us because we are

Blair:

successful.

Blair:

The flimsy excuses you offer for bringing on

Blair:

the state apparatus of coercion and compulsion have been exposed many times for the

Blair:

deceptions that they are.

Blair:

It is not Apple but the government that forces

Blair:

people to do its bidding.

Blair:

Apple, like any business, can only make

Blair:

offers.

Blair:

The government issues commands.

Blair:

If Apple's offers are not attractive to someone, he can walk away.

Blair:

If anyone disobeys the government's commands, the police come.

Blair:

Prison awaits.

Blair:

We do not recognize your right to inject the

Blair:

police between our products and those who want to buy them.

Blair:

To paraphrase a famous character, quote, get the hell out of.

Blair:

Get the hell out of our way, unquote.

Blair:

So that's.

Martin:

And the famous character is John Galt.

Blair:

From Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged.

Martin:

And that was that.

Martin:

You sent me a link to.

Blair:

Jack Spirko.

Martin:

Yes. The survivalist podcast or the survival podcast.

Blair:

He's basically a prepper.

Blair:

Yeah. Prepper, yeah.

Martin:

And he talked about the John Gault, right?

Blair:

Yeah. The inventor of bitcoin.

Blair:

Is he like a modern day John Galt or something

Blair:

like that was his.

Blair:

Yeah.

Martin:

And then he also talked about the bureaucrat and the thing that are doing so

Martin:

called their job.

Martin:

And that's what we see here, I think they are

Martin:

sitting here waiting and they have to so called justify their paycheck to the voters or

Martin:

whatnot.

Martin:

So they go after the one that at the moment

Martin:

are the most successful, the best, the best, you know, the deep pockets because Apple is in

Martin:

plus.

Blair:

Oh, yes.

Martin:

They are not bleeding in that way, even if they are as a apple fanboy.

Martin:

But I'm also critical to what Apple are doing, especially in, you could say, podcasting and

Martin:

others.

Martin:

And also with their fees, they decide whatever

Martin:

they want to do.

Martin:

Right.

Martin:

They are now so strong.

Martin:

So it will be even better if the market will

Martin:

be even freer so more players could be on the market, like with apps and so on.

Martin:

So it has come.

Martin:

And that's why we're talking about new podcast

Martin:

apps and modern podcast apps.

Martin:

Well, yes.

Martin:

So we could support new entrepreneurs and creators and capitalists.

Martin:

So I think that's the thing.

Martin:

But this is a pattern.

Martin:

We saw that back in the day with Microsoft and the Explore browser, and then it was Google

Martin:

that was behind the scene, you know, and then they got a hit of it later on, and now it's

Martin:

Apple.

Martin:

So this is what they are doing.

Martin:

And in a way, maybe they want to crush them, but maybe it's that they want to have an

Martin:

example, stationary example, and then drag it and then justify their own existence for some

Martin:

reason.

Martin:

Because as Pin Swenger said, we could choose

Martin:

ourselves.

Martin:

We don't need their command and what they are

Martin:

doing.

Martin:

And it's pretty.

Martin:

They don't know about how it's working.

Martin:

That's laughable, right?

Blair:

Yes.

Martin:

So that's why I'm saying the same thing.

Martin:

I am now jumping with this podcasting and podcasting 2.0 and how you could apply it on

Martin:

music.

Martin:

I remember, what do I call it?

Martin:

Long hair music.

Martin:

Like soft rock or not hard rock, but play like

Martin:

Twisted sisters, for example.

Blair:

Okay.

Martin:

And they were, in a way, a joke band, but they were playing.

Martin:

But this Ed Schneider, I think his name was Tipper Gore.

Blair:

I remember Tipper Gore.

Blair:

Sure.

Martin:

Yeah. She was very afraid about lyrics.

Martin:

I have my.

Martin:

I mean, own person views about certain words

Martin:

and how you use them or lack of vocabulary.

Martin:

Yes.

Martin:

F word, for example.

Martin:

For example.

Martin:

Yes.

Martin:

But I think you should be able to say it.

Martin:

I mean, if you don't like that kind of music, you could tune out and you don't have to buy

Martin:

the records.

Martin:

And they have like so called warning labels.

Martin:

Of course, if it's kids, I mean, it's up to the parents and whatnot, but typical.

Martin:

She wanted to have that on the album, that this is advisory language or what do you call

Martin:

it? Like adult language or.

Martin:

Be careful about this.

Blair:

Right.

Blair:

Yes.

Martin:

And this character as a private person, stand up in court with suit and so on

Martin:

and defending, really.

Martin:

It was like almost taken from the scene of a

Martin:

movie, the fountainhead, I could say.

Martin:

And of course, the book, beta book.

Martin:

But when you saw him with his long blonde hair and this suit and tie and you know that he had

Martin:

songs about that.

Martin:

It's one about what you learn in school and

Martin:

you should.

Martin:

So called revolt and so on.

Martin:

We have to add some in the show notes that you could listen to.

Martin:

But that was so good.

Martin:

So you have to stand up for this.

Martin:

So, and regular folks have to do that also and say that this is b's.

Martin:

But, yeah, I mean, it's a sign of a times.

Martin:

And so we'll.

Blair:

Let me, let me, Martin, let me just, I'll finish the apple if I will, or.

Blair:

I'm especially saddened that my fellow, the vast majority of my fellow Americans don't

Blair:

understand the difference between production and force, in other words, between business

Blair:

and government.

Blair:

That is, it's, especially conservatives who

Blair:

are the weakest of the two.

Blair:

They are pathetic nonetheless.

Blair:

That's, but it's, but, you know, the distinction between production and force,

Blair:

it's, in my mind, it's so basic and so simple, yet it's like the, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm

Blair:

talking to a vacuum.

Martin:

Yeah.

Blair:

And here in America.

Blair:

But anyway.

Martin:

Yeah.

Blair:

I'll wrap up my, my new sandwich with another good story, if I may, and then we can

Blair:

talk about bitcoin and our staff.

Martin:

So this sandwich is bread.

Martin:

Bread and bread, right?

Blair:

Well, no bread and some sludge.

Martin:

Yeah.

Blair:

And then some bread.

Blair:

So. And this is also from the committee to

Blair:

unleash Prosperity in Maine, a citizen revolt against gas car ban succeeds.

Blair:

While Biden's EPA was rolling out as his EV mandate this week, Maine Governor Janet Mills

Blair:

saw her own plan to adopt California's total ban on gas car sales.

Blair:

Rejected by the state's board of environmental Protection.

Blair:

Now there's an ironic twist.

Blair:

The board had been set to adopt the gas car

Blair:

ban in December when a major winter storm and widespread power outages caused a

Blair:

postponement.

Blair:

Three months later, the board voted to reject

Blair:

the governor's proposal.

Blair:

Even though the mills appointed every member

Blair:

of the board, a citizen backlash made the difference.

Blair:

The Maine Board of Environmental Protection received nearly 1800 comments from the people

Blair:

of Maine and nearly 84% were not in favor of this EV mandate.

Blair:

Maine Senate Republican leader Trey Stewart told Fox News Maine.

Blair:

Maine is far too rural with far too few charging stations.

Blair:

And many Mainers are also concerned about the reliability of these vehicles in our extreme

Blair:

cold weather months, unquote.

Blair:

So that's, again, people, if people band

Blair:

together, they can protect their freedom.

Martin:

Good for them.

Martin:

And I've been in a neighboring state studying

Martin:

in New Hampshire.

Blair:

That's right, they're here.

Martin:

But I will also say that I'm for, again, the free market here.

Martin:

And if your fancy is electrical car and it's not so much mess compared to a regular car,

Martin:

why not? And they will be able to put up with charging

Martin:

stations also, if a free market will prevail and it is possible to drive this kind of

Martin:

vehicles in harsh weather also, that's for sure.

Martin:

I have seen examples of that.

Martin:

So let the market decide.

Martin:

And over time, if a market wants to have more electrical cars, that will happen, right?

Blair:

That's true, yes.

Martin:

But then, of course, right now, the price compared to regular car and electric

Martin:

car, pretty big difference, right?

Blair:

So, yes, well, plus the Biden administration is essentially forcing

Blair:

carmakers to do more ev cars.

Blair:

So there's your production versus force.

Martin:

Yeah, so that's a problem.

Martin:

And now I wanted to say, and that could be for

Martin:

some other episode here, maybe we should plunge into the history regarding the force.

Martin:

I mean, in America, sadly, it was pretty early, you know, against the so called robber

Martin:

barons and others.

Martin:

And you said with antitrust laws and

Martin:

regulations.

Martin:

So America hasn't been the pioneer here in a

Martin:

way.

Martin:

But it's interesting, I think it was Robert

Martin:

Tracinski talking about this short era that was really, you know, free, really less

Martin:

affair.

Martin:

Yes, that would be interesting to say how it

Martin:

came about.

Martin:

And also similar to the second renaissance or

Martin:

the first Renaissance and also the founding, that it was this movement or opportunity

Martin:

window of opportunity, but then somebody shot it or didn't protect the base.

Martin:

Same thing with the founding fathers.

Martin:

It would be interesting to zoom in and zoom in

Martin:

on this and say who was the leading characters or individuals and why did it.

Martin:

Of course, it again, philosophy, implementation.

Martin:

But it would be interesting, I have this idea, the freedom ideas and individuals individual

Martin:

rights and so on.

Martin:

How did they come about?

Martin:

Long time ago and how did they come through history and different countries?

Martin:

That would be interesting to see.

Martin:

Nowadays it's, and I would say positive.

Martin:

It's easy to spread the good word, right? But also it's easy to spread other ideas also.

Martin:

And then it's the thing for, as you said, to take it in.

Martin:

And there we have again, philosophy, ideas, education, dumbing down what's happening.

Martin:

But still we are receiving opportunity here, as I said.

Martin:

So thanks for doing Frobie Sandwich.

Martin:

I'm getting hungry now.

Blair:

Hungry for knowledge.

Martin:

Haha. Yeah, yeah.

Blair:

Good, good.

Blair:

So again, that's what I have.

Blair:

So what have you got to share with us?

Martin:

We could stop now.

Martin:

No, we'll continue for a while.

Martin:

We will try not to drag it so long.

Martin:

And we know we are very open with that when we

Martin:

have guests, then of course we have additional value.

Martin:

An expert in the field, whatnot.

Martin:

Here we are here babbling, but I think we are

Martin:

adding some value too.

Martin:

But now I'm rambling back and forth and now

Martin:

some notes to self here in a document.

Martin:

So I will start out and saying, could you be

Martin:

orange pilled and a gold bug and a silver stacker at the same time.

Martin:

Blair, do you think that you mean.

Blair:

Be a bitcoiner and also advocate golden for gold and silver?

Blair:

Yes, I already am.

Martin:

And I always have a silver coin in my wallet and show that as an example.

Martin:

Could I use this? And do you know what this is?

Martin:

Troy ounce of silver and this measurement, because that's the historical lesson.

Martin:

And it's also something that's tangible and you could hold it and you could feel it and

Martin:

you could get it, hopefully.

Martin:

So, yeah, I think so too.

Martin:

But we will be more and more looking into bitcoin and satoshis and other things like

Martin:

that and the deFi, so called decentralized financial systems, because I think it's on the

Martin:

same wave relaying of our ideas and philosophy.

Martin:

And we have had experts on in the field like Wechsler, Mister Wexler, David.

Martin:

And we'll have hopefully a returning guest and others and a reflection here.

Martin:

Blair? Yeah.

Martin:

What do you say?

Blair:

I'll try to get David back and also on one or two others who.

Martin:

Are bitcoiners because he could really also that he could help people then over time

Martin:

onboarding on this because things could happen with your what is called ledger, with your

Martin:

whatever wallet, electronic wallet, with your 16 words password and whatnot.

Martin:

I mean it's lots of things interview when you start dive into it and I think it should be

Martin:

easier also same thing with podcasting 2.0 and new podcast apps.

Martin:

Modern podcast apps and sending Satou.

Martin:

She's streaming Satoshis and sending booster

Martin:

girls.

Martin:

It has to be easier and safe.

Martin:

But it will come with guys like Sam Seti of true fans that we want to have on the show.

Martin:

Also on special things about podcasting and conference and this political correctness

Martin:

thing experienced and he want to talk about that and he's been great with this service

Martin:

that I really think for ourselves, Blair and for fellow podcasters and for guests and for

Martin:

listeners.

Martin:

So truefans FM and I will include the link to

Martin:

our podcast there.

Blair:

Yes. Okay.

Martin:

But the reflection here in August 2022 Rand's day boost number that I proposed with

Martin:

221905 satoshis.

Blair:

Right.

Martin:

And thats Rands day rands birthday.

Martin:

That time it was around $50 that I sent a

Martin:

booster gram to podcasting 2.0 show.

Martin:

Now its around three times that.

Martin:

Yacht currency dollars I think has the value of bitcoin due to mining and interest and

Martin:

demand increased.

Martin:

Or is it that the fiat currency and dollars

Martin:

have declined or is it both?

Blair:

Well, I think one is the reflection of the other, but I could be wrong.

Martin:

And when you start thinking about.

Martin:

Because we want to be more orange peel and use

Martin:

this now it's become more expensive with our fiat currency.

Martin:

In a way that's good, in another way it's bad.

Martin:

So, yeah, it's something that I've been

Martin:

reflecting on.

Martin:

It's time to start stacking more sats also

Martin:

sets.

Martin:

Yeah, yeah.

Martin:

And start so called in quotation mark investing or keeping wealth in bitcoin.

Martin:

But it has to be easier also.

Martin:

So that's why I liked when you gave a

Martin:

recommendation suggestion of sworn bitcoin.

Martin:

But they have, have had some challenges also,

Martin:

right.

Martin:

In different states and, and whatnot.

Martin:

And I've seen that on podcast apps also that it's not so easy as before to stack, how do

Martin:

you say top up your electronic wallet with fiat currency because it has to be easy,

Martin:

right.

Blair:

Well, I think that's true.

Blair:

Yeah.

Martin:

I haven't had too much of a.

Blair:

Problem, but yeah, we'll come back to.

Martin:

That and keep in touch and talk with experts in this field.

Blair:

Yes, we will.

Martin:

So I think Blair, because you're paying and then the listeners could support us

Martin:

with what we investing in time and money and energy on this show because we think it's fun

Martin:

and we have great fun and we learn things and hopefully it will be a value for the listeners

Martin:

also.

Martin:

But we have to cover costs and in different

Martin:

ways.

Martin:

And it's so called free to listen to us.

Martin:

We don't have any walled garden or pay walls whatnot.

Martin:

So we believe in this value for value and donations.

Martin:

In that way.

Martin:

Maybe we'll have some products.

Martin:

We have it already, but we don't talk about.

Martin:

We have a merchandise.

Martin:

You could buy the artwork that we would develop in the future in our t shirts and so

Martin:

on.

Martin:

So you could do that.

Martin:

But I was thinking about the website and that's the secular foxhole live, right?

Martin:

Yes, it's great to make.

Martin:

We will do some live shows in the future also,

Martin:

when we think how we could add value to that also.

Martin:

But there you have an email list pop up that you have to set up there so people could keep

Martin:

in touch and get app updates.

Martin:

And then we have to update the modern podcast

Martin:

app badges and remove some of so called, how do you call it, the old ones.

Martin:

People could again and listener decide if they want to use the standard podcast catchers.

Martin:

But we would prefer that we will check out new podcast apps because then you could support us

Martin:

and the developers of these apps.

Martin:

And then I want to give a shout out to

Martin:

yourself.

Martin:

Blair, you have a book recommendation in one

Martin:

of your blog posts here.

Blair:

I do.

Blair:

I do.

Blair:

Thank you for reminding me.

Martin:

Outlived by Peter Attia.

Blair:

Attia, I believe it's.

Martin:

And it was Ian Maroney that recommended this in one of her, I think

Martin:

newsletter or something like that.

Blair:

Yes, she did.

Martin:

So that's that.

Martin:

Should we go into a bit of.

Martin:

Yeah, I mentioned this about satoshis that have increased there.

Martin:

So I will include Evatin.

Martin:

We shown us a service called Currency World.

Martin:

I think it is that you could see a satoshi and you could use different fiat currency to see

Martin:

what's the value of that.

Martin:

Yeah.

Martin:

And then we have this trust FM, Truefans FM, as we talked about.

Martin:

And yeah, Spirko, he was talking about Noster.

Martin:

I don't know really what that is, but I know

Martin:

that one of a former person from Twitter is very for it.

Martin:

But you could get satoshis in order to use Noster.

Martin:

So we have to check that out.

Martin:

And also gamification apps that like Fountain

Martin:

app is talking about on their Twitter feeds now and then.

Martin:

And also if you use fountain, you will earn status also.

Martin:

So are you ready for some stats?

Blair:

Sure. Go for it.

Martin:

I will take a sip of tea here also.

Martin:

So in a month, around 28 days, that's what

Martin:

captivate is having as a cycle we have 104 unique listeners, individuals and they are

Martin:

meshing it like IP and so on.

Martin:

So if you're out there and change your iPad

Martin:

dress or block it or whatnot and if that's okay, we don't want to have the individual

Martin:

information or privacy.

Martin:

Right.

Martin:

But it's like this for this general statistics, but it's an IAB guidance and that

Martin:

we could talk for some other time about that standard and so on and yeah, but it's a

Martin:

standard of downloading and where it was 144 downloads in 28 days or roughly a month.

Blair:

Nice.

Martin:

So that's nice.

Martin:

And at the end I will do a wrap up, a summary

Martin:

of it.

Martin:

Also listen.

Martin:

Using Fountain.

Martin:

The Fountain new podcast app is like the

Martin:

latest month they're around 2%.

Martin:

So we want more of these, I think new podcast

Martin:

apps like Fountain and True fans as we talked about, and podcast guru and whatnot.

Martin:

So we could do a list of them.

Martin:

And then the Apple iOS operating system for

Martin:

the phone is minority this latest month.

Martin:

And also in total it's roughly about 50% and

Martin:

we know that Android users are more in the world.

Martin:

So various potential there more Android users.

Blair:

Okay.

Martin:

And then because they have the default podcast app is podcaster app, you know the

Martin:

purple one on iPhones.

Martin:

And still on this day I think it's no default

Martin:

app on Android phone.

Martin:

I mean Google was into this podcasting but now

Martin:

it seems that they are more moving into so called podcasting on YouTube.

Martin:

That's what they are pushing for for different reasons that we could have also have a

Martin:

discussion about in the future.

Martin:

So do you want to have a list of countries

Martin:

here? Listen to the latest period.

Blair:

Absolutely.

Martin:

So then the first is United States of America.

Martin:

Canada.

Martin:

Yeah.

Martin:

Netherlands, then it's Sweden for some reason.

Martin:

Then it's the United Kingdom, then it's

Martin:

Australia when it's Japan, then it's Bahamas for a certain reason.

Martin:

I have my guess where then it's France, then it's India, then it's Ireland, then it's

Martin:

Italy, then it's Mexico, then it's New Zealand, then it's the Philippines.

Martin:

And it will end here with a list of the top ten for the latest period is Switzerland.

Martin:

And I have a clue of that also.

Martin:

So shout out to Roland Horvat.

Martin:

That's right, in Switzerland.

Martin:

So thank you.

Blair:

I think.

Blair:

I'm intrigued by the list.

Blair:

I mean Japan, France, the Philippines, those.

Martin:

Yeah, and I will.

Blair:

I'm touched and honored by anyone who listens to our show to be honest.

Blair:

But it's it's.

Blair:

It's.

Blair:

This is encouraging and fun to.

Blair:

To see these things.

Martin:

Yeah. And in total it's now hundred countries.

Blair:

Yeah.

Martin:

Half about the ones that are around.

Martin:

I think it's 197 or depend.

Martin:

We haven't had an episode about that when we talked about the so called Palestine territory

Martin:

and also the Vatican if that's.

Blair:

Well, that's considered a state, so to speak.

Blair:

But yeah, I don't think we have any listeners there.

Blair:

Yeah, not yet anyway.

Martin:

So. And then downloads in total per episodes around hundred for the latest ones.

Blair:

Nice.

Martin:

Like for example with the peak of.

Martin:

About peak of.

Martin:

So it was.

Martin:

Yeah.

Martin:

Was it? No, it was James Valiant, right?

Blair:

Yes, it was James Valiant.

Martin:

And then in total, if a long list, we have one episode where I think it's Aaron

Martin:

Smith. 200 plus downloads.

Blair:

Sweet.

Martin:

And then new listens coming and listening to old episodes also.

Martin:

That's encouraging because you pick topic and so on.

Martin:

That's what we will look into more.

Martin:

How we could market the different episodes and

Martin:

content and a regular around 70 eighties in the latest episodes.

Martin:

And that's great.

Martin:

And when we are talking, Blair, it's around 50

Martin:

60.

Martin:

Okay.

Martin:

On our duo show and if we take in total downloads approaching 10,000 now that's,

Martin:

that's nice and unique.

Martin:

Listeners are around soon reaching 5000.

Martin:

Wow, that's pretty impressive, I think.

Martin:

But then it's about.

Martin:

But a positive.

Martin:

But compared to the big podcast is out there,

Martin:

maybe they will have one our total when almost three and a half years, I think in one

Martin:

episode.

Martin:

But that's, you know.

Martin:

Yes, I know a small percentage of the 4 million podcasts out there or the 500,000

Martin:

active, I think.

Martin:

But again, I see the potential here, Blair,

Martin:

and I'm happy for what we have reached now.

Martin:

But please, a call to action.

Martin:

Tell a friend.

Martin:

Listen to the secular foxhole.

Martin:

So. And in summary, seven downloads per day, 50 per week, 199 per 28 days and 641 per 90

Martin:

days.

Martin:

Well, I.

Blair:

Those statistics are heartening.

Martin:

Stats, stats and stats.

Blair:

That's right.

Blair:

Stats, stats and stats.

Martin:

Stats.

Blair:

Stat stats and dam stats or something.

Martin:

And now you have to be explicit.

Blair:

Blair, but we can't cut sound on the air anymore, huh?

Blair:

Okay.

Blair:

Yeah.

Blair:

Well, thank you for those.

Blair:

Again, those are encouraging and a lot of fun.

Blair:

And I. Again, I'm honored that.

Blair:

That anyone listens to our show.

Blair:

Yeah.

Blair:

And especially for the consistent listeners.

Blair:

It means a lot to me and to us.

Martin:

Yep.

Blair:

But otherwise I do have another, my wife and I in a mutual.

Blair:

Well, I'm a friend of ours, we went to see dune two last night.

Martin:

Yeah.

Blair:

My. I have a one word reaction.

Martin:

Yeah.

Blair:

Yawn.

Martin:

Okay.

Blair:

I fell asleep during some of it.

Martin:

Wow.

Blair:

So the cinematography is magnificent, but the story is his books for very.

Blair:

Frank Herbert's books were very dense to begin with.

Blair:

And I'm not sure.

Martin:

Science fiction.

Blair:

It's basically fantasy science fiction.

Martin:

Yes. So.

Blair:

But his books are very dense.

Blair:

And these is.

Blair:

And I haven't read them.

Blair:

So I think I read them in the night.

Blair:

I read like three or four of them in the nineties.

Blair:

And I think there's like 15 dune books now, which is out of control.

Blair:

But the gist of the story is, I believe the movies are following the novel.

Blair:

Yeah.

Blair:

The novels fairly close.

Martin:

They're not like loose based.

Blair:

I wouldn't.

Blair:

I would say that they're fairly.

Blair:

Fairly close.

Martin:

Yeah.

Blair:

But it's, again, it's been since, what is it, 30 years since I read them, maybe so.

Blair:

Nonetheless.

Blair:

And I don't have any plans on revisiting them,

Blair:

so.

Blair:

But, yeah.

Blair:

Go ahead.

Martin:

Go ahead.

Martin:

Have they done movies on.

Martin:

And how do you pronounce the water that in a way, coined the phrase tan stuff.

Blair:

Oh, Robert Heinlein.

Martin:

Yeah. Yeah. Also freelancer.

Blair:

They did starship.

Blair:

Starship troopers.

Martin:

Yeah.

Blair:

But that's the only one that I know of that they've adapted.

Blair:

I would love to see a short story of his called revolt in 2100, like Netflix or Amazon

Blair:

do that short story of Robert Heinlein's.

Blair:

That is where a religious cult runs.

Blair:

Runs the country and it's overthrown.

Martin:

Okay. Yeah.

Blair:

So that's a short synopsis of the story.

Martin:

Yeah. Sounds interesting.

Martin:

Now, we should end on a positive note.

Martin:

But, you know, I watched this documentary called Armageddon about christian

Martin:

conservatives in America.

Blair:

Christian nationalists.

Martin:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Martin:

So, yeah.

Martin:

That's something to take account for the future and talk about.

Martin:

But that would be interesting.

Martin:

And I wonder if Scott Harder and then has

Martin:

written posts and reviews about this.

Blair:

I don't think you've seen it yet.

Blair:

No. But keep in mind, though, the christian

Blair:

nationalists are extreme minority.

Blair:

I mean, I wouldn't even say they're.

Blair:

I would.

Blair:

I would say maybe 1%, maybe two tops.

Martin:

But they're pretty loud.

Blair:

They are, yes.

Blair:

They do have a loud.

Blair:

They do have a loud megaphone.

Martin:

Yeah.

Blair:

But still, they're very much.

Blair:

They are a minority.

Martin:

Yeah.

Blair:

Nonetheless. But. Potential threat down the road.

Martin:

Yeah.

Blair:

And.

Martin:

Okay, but let's also give notes.

Martin:

We'll wrap it up.

Blair:

But we're gonna wrap it up.

Blair:

That's right.

Martin:

Yeah. We are here in, you know, bunkered up in the voxel.

Martin:

So we are safe, right?

Blair:

That's right.

Blair:

At least until the bomb drops on.

Martin:

Yeah.

Blair:

All right, my friend.

Martin:

Okay. Thanks, Blair.

Martin:

And, yeah, talk to you soon.

Martin:

Again.

Blair:

That's right.

Blair:

That's right.

Blair:

Well, that's, uh, if you'll reach out to your.

Blair:

Your, uh, the two that you mentioned before in

Blair:

the green room.

Blair:

Yeah, I will try to set that up, and I'll try

Blair:

to get, uh.

Blair:

I do want Andrew Bernstein back for the four

Blair:

horsemen that I planned on, but, uh, we will work on that and, uh, some other things.

Blair:

So, as for now, though, take care of yourself, and we'll talk again soon.

Martin:

Yeah, we will.

Martin:

Thanks.

Martin:

Bye for now.

Martin:

Bye.

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About the Podcast

The Secular Foxhole
Separation of Religion and State
As a freethinker, are you looking through binoculars out at the world in the safety of a foxhole? Get fuel for your soul and intellectual ammunition by listening to The Secular Foxhole podcast, in order to fight for the separation of religion and state.

Blair chose this name (The Secular Foxhole) to dispute the myth that there are no atheists in foxholes, but also as a place to share ideas and defend Free Speech. The co-hosts both advocate the separation of Church and State, but also Economics and State. In short, Liberalism, Individualism, and Capitalism.
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About your hosts

Blair Schofield

Profile picture for Blair Schofield
I'm a 'lapsed' blogger who turned his blog into a podcast. Now the task is to keep both up to date! My co-host Martin Lindeskog and I have already celebrated our one year anniversary, with the podcast.

Martin Lindeskog

Profile picture for Martin Lindeskog
Creator, ✍🏻 Tea Book Sketches. Indie Biz Philosopher ⚛️ & New Media 📲 Advisor, TeaParty.Media. Blogger since 2002 and podcaster🎙since 2006. First podcast: EGO NetCast. Latest podcast: Pluck the Day. Support 💲My Work and 🗽 Freedom of Expression: https://bio.link/lyceum