The Malian government and Canadian mining firm Barrick have ended their two year tax dispute and have agreed a multi-million dollar settlement. So what does the agreement involve?
Why did a volcano in Ethiopia erupt after laying dormant for more than 10,000 years?
And we find out why Madagascar's beloved lemurs are at risk.
Presenter: Nyasha Michelle
Producers: Stefania Okereke, Sunita Nahar and Yvette Twagiramariya
Technical Producer: Craig Kingham
Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne
Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard
Baratunde returns to the How To Citizen feed with a conversation that sits right at the intersection of character, democracy, and what it means to citizen in this moment.
This episode features Baratunde in a live discussion with retired U.S. General Stanley McChrystal at the 2025 Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco. The two dig into the responsibility of leaders in a time of democratic crisis, the historic norms around deploying the U.S. military inside American cities, and why character is not something we simply “have” but something we practice.
They talk about the pressures facing the country, the role of national service, and how AI is changing the speed and stakes of decision-making in military and civic life. Stan shares candid reflections from his own experiences, including moments when he fell short of the character he expected from himself, and what it takes to recover and stay aligned with one’s convictions.
This conversation originally aired on the Rapid Response podcast from the Masters of Scale network. Special thanks to their team for allowing it to run here.
Baratunde closes with reflections on the polycrisis we’re living through, the people who continue to speak up for what’s right, and the power we still have to shape the next chapter of this country.
New research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland finds that earning a college degree can still help you keep a job and get higher wages, but it’s less of an advantage than it used to be. The unemployment gap between college graduates and those with just a high school diploma is narrowing. Also: a handful of stocks driving economic growth, a potential trade agreement between the U.S. and Taiwan, and life as a 67-year-old retiree.
Events in the news once again intersect with Professor Amar’s past work, as a little-known aspect of a clause in the Constitution has surprising relevance to the President’s fire-breathing response to a video from Senators and Representatives reminding our military and other officers of their lawful obligations. We trace other constitutionally newsworthy developments, on the filibuster and on the unitary executive. And the Born Equal tour continues, with some interesting reflections on the genesis and rationale for some interesting aspects of the book. CLE credit is available for lawyers and judges from podcast.njsba.com.
Ellen Huet is a features writer at Bloomberg and the author of Empire of Orgasm: Sex, Power, and the Downfall of a Wellness Cult. Ellen joins Big Technology to discuss how Silicon Valley, a place that prides itself on independent thinking, keeps falling into powerful forms of groupthink. Tune in to hear how group houses, self-help programs, and “high agency” ideology create fertile ground for cult dynamics, and how that same psychology shows up in today’s AGI and AI-safety worlds. Hit play for a wild, revealing look at the stories and belief systems quietly shaping the tech industry’s biggest bets.
---
Enjoying Big Technology Podcast? Please rate us five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in your podcast app of choice.
Questions? Feedback? Write to: bigtechnologypodcast@gmail.com
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has announced a plan to spend an extra $40 billion dollars on the military over the next eight years to resist Chinese aggression.
Also on the programme: at least 13 people have died in a fire in a tower block complex in Hong Kong; and the new "Russian cultural code” from fashion to music, aiming to define what it means to be Russian.
(Photo: Taiwan President Lai Ching-te gestures as he delivers a speech during National Day celebrations in Taipei on October 10, 2025. Credit: Reuters)
Today we try to parse the game behind Trump negotiator Steve Witkoff coaching his Russian counterpart on how to win Trump's favor before moving on to Zohran Mamdani's repulsive transition team. Give a listen.
Plus: Italy’s competition regulator expands its probe into WhatsApp-owner Meta over its AI chatbot policy. And Alphabet shares rose in premarket trading, while shares of Nvidia and AMD fell. Julie Chang hosts.
Matt Cole, CEO of Strive, discusses corporate Bitcoin strategy, amplification tactics, surviving volatility, and why Bitcoin's 30%+ annual returns make it the ultimate hurdle rate for treasury companies in 2025.
Matt Cole, Chairman and CEO of Strive Bitcoin Treasury Company joins us to talk about corporate Bitcoin treasury strategies, why he's structurally bullish on 30%+ annual returns, how Strive amplifies Bitcoin exposure through preferred equity without margin requirements, the pivot from ESG pushback to Bitcoin maximalism, and why removing capital gains taxes could make Bitcoin actual money in America.
Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com
**Notes:**
• Bitcoin expected 30%+ annual returns over 10-15 years
• Strive manages $2B AUM across 13 ETFs
• Matt's net worth in Bitcoin since 2016-2017
• 50% drawdowns expected as normal volatility
• Preferred equity structure allows riding to $1
• Strategic Bitcoin reserve strengthens USA
Timestamps:
00:00 Start
01:44 Vibes at Strive & BTC crashing
04:06 Treasury companies
07:36 What makes a "good" treasury company?
15:12 MSTR needs to catch up to Strive
20:51 Wall Street understanding
26:38 Credit rating innovation
29:59 ESG
35:33 Technical Bitcoin topics
42:15 2026
-
👋Blockspace Podcast is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech!
Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here.
Questions or want to sponsor? hello@blockspace.media
Mel Tonasket (Colville Tribes) is one of the key reasons the Colville Tribes remain thriving today. As a newly elected tribal council member in 1971, he cast the deciding vote against a deal with the federal government that traded cash payouts to individual tribal members for the tribe’s permanent termination. Tonasket credits the mentorship of tribal activist Lucy Covington for guiding his insights and energy to protect the sovereignty of the 12-tribe coalition under the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. He since went on to an ongoing vigilance for hunting, fishing, and other treaty rights. He still serves on the tribal business council after decades of service in many capacities. We’ll speak with Tonasket about the history of his tribe, his own call to leadership, and what’s next for his people.
Break 1 Music: Country Man (song) Blue Moon Marquee (artist) Scream, Holler, and Howl (album)
