Game of Nodes: The Validator Podcast

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?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!

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".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!

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 LinksTrump names cryptocurrencies in strategic reserve - reutersFact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Establishes the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile - whitehouse.govDOJ ends crypto enforcement team, shifts focus to terrorism and fraud - cnbcDe-dollarization: Is the US dollar losing its dominance? - jpmorganChristian Bale Loses It - youtubePlease 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!

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.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!

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!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!

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 LinksThorchain Faces Insolvency, Halts Redemptions - bitcoin.comArmor - imdbConclave - imdbLandman - imdbPlease 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 LinksCosmos is expanding: Skip joins the Interchain Foundation - mediumWhat changes for Cosmos after Skip acquisition? - blockworksMarket-Protocol Fit - otherinter.netTrump pardons Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht for online drug scheme - reutersPlease 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!

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.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 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 LinksIn latest shakeup, Interchain Foundation acquires Skip to refocus Cosmos Hub at ecosystem's core - theblockGoldfinch - goldfinch.financePlease 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!

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!

We welcome the amazing @jasperflux from @sedaprotocol! We talk the origins of Seda, programmable oracles, OEV, building a market based on gas, and the hogs and dogs of the outback.Show Linksseda.xyzBuilding an Oracle Program - seda.xyzHunting with a 50 cal BMG - youtubePlease 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!

While the Yanks cut their birds, we dissect the Tornado Cash crackdown, daydream about a glorious crypto bull run, and share the joys (and pains) of runnin' nodes in 2024.Show LinksFCA Crypto Roadmap - fca.ork.ukTornado Cash Sanctions Overturned by U.S. Appeals Court; TORN Soars Over 500% - coindeskPlease 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 chat up the Juno pump (and dump), PoE, getting de-Banked, Elon's meme coins, and finally decide who is the greatest validator of them all...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 talk $90k Bitcoin, if validators really read upgrade code, recent Cosmostation tooling, the carbon footprint of 5 sheep and just how much $JUNO you need to live forever...Show LinksWinning, a Song by Charlie Sheen - youtubeCome Build A New City, To Make Death Optional - vitalia.cityBeginners Guide to Vitalia - vitalia.cityPlease 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 catch up on the state of the U.S. Presidential election results, the election "bump", the chance for regulated stablecoins in the U.K, and how to make $1M USD in 7 days.Show LinksThe Bank of England’s approach to innovation in money and payments - bankofengland.co.ukStripe purchase Bridge - pymnts.comPlease 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!

usurper and schultzie get the chance to spend some time with the amazing @timtimtim_eth from Story (꧁IP꧂)!We get the opportunity to learn more about the challenging space of Intellectual Property, the role of AI in the IP space, the role (and value) of validators in Story, staking IP, community slashing and more.Show Linksstory.foundationstory - linktreePlease 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!

usurper and nullmames finally get to nerd out and talk about our mutual love - @zabbix (we won't make this weird). We catch up on the best of node operations, ransomwared nodes (and shitty providers), risk management and getting shot in the arm.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!

Game of Nodes keep the lights on while slamming Eigenlayer and for once are positive about some of the use cases in crypto. Null lets several delivery drivers into his house live on air.

Satoshi is revealed, core switches implode, Dubai cracks down on shilling, and @informalinc says so long and thanks for all the fish. All that and the best of 1990's Cinemax this week, on Game of Nodes.Show LinksInformal moves on - twittercycles.moneyDubai regulator tightens rules on crypto marketing - cointelegraphSamurai Cop - imdbPlease 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 finally get the band back together just in time to talk DPRK programming moles, the beauty of Samurai Cop (jury is still out tbh), the slow implosion of AADAO, and the underapprecation for blockchain history.Show Links:How North Korea Infiltrated the Crypto Industry - coindeskAADAO Oversight Special Report: GM Misconduct/Mismanagement - cosmos.networkMovietime:KAOS - imdbBad Monkey - imdbSamurai Cop - imdbNemesis - imdbPlease 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! MAKE IT HAPPEN.