Month: August 2021

NFTs are emerging as the path from insular crypto community to a breakthrough in mainstream culture. Blockchain technology and pop culture collide to produce new possibilities for the future of art and beyond.

The question is, will NFTs prove to be valuable enough to endure beyond the hype?

“Stoner Cats,” a new animated series featuring top Hollywood talent (and Ethereum inventor Vitalik Buterin) successfully used a non-fungible token (NFT) sale to leapfrog the financial gatekeepers in Hollywood. With a cast list including Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Chris Rock and Seth MacFarlane, it is no wonder the campaign raised over $9 million in just a few hours.

Join hosts Adam B. Levine, Stephanie Murphy and Jonathan Mohan as they pick apart the ”Stoner Cat” ambitious and novel approach to the production of an independent animated series. This project is one example of many in NFTs proving their worth beyond just the art: They are now status symbols, pop culture phenomena and a viable financial tool.

The “Stoner Cats” NFT launch, though eventually fruitful, began with a set of stumbles. As prospective buyers lined up to the launch, Ethereum gas fees quickly skyrocketed and some paid more than five times the price in fees. While the implementation of this kick-starter style of on-chain fundraiser could be improved, “Stoner Cats” proved it was possible.

This episode features Adam B. Levine, Stephanie Murphy and Jonathan Mohan. This episode was edited by Jonas, features music by Jared Rubens and Gurty Beats with additional production support from Eleanor Pahl.

Image credit: StonerCats.com, modified by Speaking of Bitcoin

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Real Vision CEO Raoul Pal joins NLW for a discussion of a financial environment defined by change.

This episode is sponsored by NYDIG.

On today’s episode, NLW is joined by Raoul Pal. Raoul is the founder and CEO of Global Macro Investor and Real Vision, whose Real Vision Crypto community has raced to more than 100,000 after launching earlier this year. 

They discuss:

• The U.S. infrastructure bill and the increase in regulatory pressure
• The current state of inflation and why markets disagree about its impact
• Why transformation and technological change are the main forces shaping markets and society 
• Why DeFi is particularly threatening to central banks
• Why Janet Yellen is the embodiment of the central bank and the federal government coming together 
• The real future of NFTs 

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NYDIG, the institutional-grade platform for Bitcoin, is making it possible for thousands of banks who have trusted relationships with hundreds of millions of customers, to offer Bitcoin. Learn more at NYDIG.com/NLW.

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The Breakdown is written, produced by and features NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Only in Time” by Abloom. Image credit: Nuthawut Somsuk/iStock/Getty Images Plus, modified by CoinDesk.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re talking about the present and future of drones. They could be useful for the military, for police forces and for deliveries.

But the technology is still mostly in the experimental phase. For example, it’s been nearly a decade since Amazon promised drones would soon start delivering packages to your doorstep in less than 30 minutes. But it’s still not happening on a widespread scale.

Today we’re speaking with drone expert Arthur Holland Michel. He founded a program to study drones, does research with the United Nations and he advises government leaders in the United States and across Europe. Michel’s talking about the benefits and downsides of drones.

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