Free Cities Podcast

Seasteading, Free Cities, Cruise Ships, Maritime Law, Private Governance, Special Economic Zones, Prospera, Mobility, Sealand, Flat Earth.

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“Governments are dinosaurs. They’re not threatened by cruise ships.”

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Timothy Allen sits down with Joe Quirk, president of The Seasteading Institute, to make the strongest practical case for “exit” as a governance strategy, starting with Sealand and pirate-radio absurdity and ending with a serious blueprint for floating communities that can iterate on rules the way markets iterate on products.

They use cruise ships as the key intuition pump: millions of people...

Special Economic Zones, Political Economy, Public Choice, Incentives, China, Free Cities, Próspera, Bitcoin, Cannabis Policy, Decentralisation.

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“There were probably a lot of brown envelopes on the table involved.”

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Timothy Allen speaks with economist Lotta Moberg about what special economic zones really are once you look past the branding: the incentives that shape policy, why some zones work while many turn into political theatre, and why governments often keep backing weak results. They also discuss China’s more improvised zone origin story, a concrete cannabis policy case study, and what th...

Venezuela, Margarita Island, Exit Tax, Digital ID, CBDCs, DAOs, Special Economic Zones, Europe, Germany, Intentional Communities, CryptoCity.

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“The whole country is falling apart and nobody gives a shit about it.”

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Timothy Allen speaks with Tim Stern, founder of CryptoCity on Margarita Island, Venezuela.

Tim explains why more Europeans are treating exit as a practical strategy, not a fantasy: rising tax friction, social instability, and the creeping merge of Digital ID with state money.

We talk about why “CryptoCity” is a toxic name for Bitcoiners, what a DAO is...

Seasteading, Reef Resort, ArkPad, Aquaculture, Ocean Mining, Offshore Data Centers, Maritime Jurisdiction, Ocean Logistics.

Timothy Allen speaks with Mitchell Suchner, founder of ArkPad.

Mitchell is building real, operational seasteading infrastructure, including Reef Resort in the Philippines. This episode is the economic case for how floating projects scale into ocean communities: not by ideology first, but by exports, revenue, and industry.

We walk through the “seasteading stack” Mitchell sees emerging: aquaculture as early cashflow, tourism as a growth engine, and longer...

Free Cities, Network States, Governance Experiments, Nagaland, China, Special Economic Zones, Digital Nations, Sovereignty, Decentralization, Tribal Community, Bitcoin, Private Cities.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Vikram Bharati.

Vikram is the founder of Draper Nation, a governance venture lab focused on experimenting with new political and institutional models across both physical and digital realms. Vikram’s background spans venture capital, startup ecosystems, and long-running work with Tim Draper, with a particular focus on digital governance, networked communities, and cloud-based public services.

The conversation moves from personal history, including Vikram’s roots in Naga...

Global Freedom, Freedom Of Movement, Territorial Tax Systems, Plan B Strategy, Latin America, Panama, China And The West, Family Sovereignty, Bitcoin Friendly Jurisdictions, Free Cities, Exit Thinking, Purpose And Meaning, UBI, CBDCs.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Mikkel Thorup.

Mikkel is a long-time expat, offshore consultant, and founder of Expat Money. He has spent over 25 years living outside his country of birth, traveled to more than 120 countries, and works directly with families, entrepreneurs, and high earners looking to reduce friction with the systems they live under.

What begins with travel stories...

Tax-Free Living, Global Mobility, Second Passport, Residency Planning, Asset Protection, Staatenlos, Perpetual Travel, Plan B Strategy, Exit Taxes, Free Cities, Digital Nomads, Homeschooling Abroad, Offshore Banking, Citizenship By Investment, Geographic Arbitrage.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Christoph Heuermann.

Christoph is a perpetual traveler whose company Staatenlos sits at the intersection of global mobility, asset protection, and quiet preparation for uncertainty. What begins with stories of constant movement and remote places quickly turns into a deeper exploration of why some people choose not to anchor themselves to a single country, system, or plan.

In this NEWS episode of the Free Cities Podcast, Timothy Allen summarizes a recent Free Cities Foundation Ambassador call focused on the reported capture of Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro and the rapid signals of reopening that followed.

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Drawing on firsthand accounts from Tim Stern, founder of CryptoCity, a residential special economic zone being built on Venezuela's Margarita Island, the discussion traced the immediate shock of the news, followed by a sudden surge in activity. Stern described how real estate inventory on Margarita tightened dramatically within days, with entry-level beachfront apartments disappearing and inb...

Bitcoin, Citadel Theory, Geoarbitrage, Capital Mobility, Privacy, Austrian Economics, citadel.garden, Family, Plan B, Private Communities, Optionality, Sovereignty, Free Cities

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Timothy Allen speaks with Rahim Taghizadegan.

Rahim is an Austrian economist and philosopher, founder of the Scholarium in Vienna, working in the Austrian School tradition on capital theory, entrepreneurship, and why political solutions consistently disappoint.

In this episode, he challenges deeply held assumptions about democracy, property, mobility, and what people mistake for security. He argues that freedom is not won through reform or participation, but through exit, optionality, and quiet...

Seasteading, Floating Cities, Ocean Living, Private Governance, Catamaran Design, Flag Theory, Libertarian Communities, Sovereign Living, LiberArx, Atlas Island, Ocean Builders, Free Cities.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Mason.

Mason situates seasteading within the Free Cities movement, contrasting projects like the SeaPod from Ocean Builders and the ArkPad by Mitchell Suchner, before introducing LiberArx as a mass-producible, apartment-first floating home designed for comfort, mobility, energy independence, and cost competitiveness with global real estate, rather than traditional sailing performance.

He frames LiberArx as a practical bridge toward projects like Atlas Island, arguing that...

Collectivism, Individualism, Objectivism, Statism, Freedom, Ayn Rand, Free Speech, Entrepreneurship, Reason, Transhumanism, Free Cities, Self-Interest, Liberty, Technology, Philosophy

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Timothy Allen speaks with Yaron Brook.

Yaron is an Israeli American author and commentator best known as the longtime chairman of the Ayn Rand Institute and a prominent advocate of Objectivism.

In this conversation we talk about why the core political divide is, in Yaron's view, collectivism versus individualism rather than left versus right, and how growing statism erodes freedom, reason, and human flourishing.

Brook argues that modern politics, technology...

Longevity, Gene Therapy, Unlimited Bio, Próspera, Regulation, AI, Biohacking, Philosophy, Morality, Spirituality.

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Timothy Allen speaks with biomedical engineer Vladimir Leshko about gene therapy, longevity, and why Próspera’s regulatory environment makes human trials possible that are effectively blocked elsewhere.

Leshko explains how gene therapy works, why aging is a biological process rather than an inevitability, and explores the ethical, spiritual, and existential implications of choosing radically extended life in an age of AI and abundance.

Enjoy the conversation.

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SHOW SPONSOR: Veritas Villages: https://www...

Sark, Free Cities, Flag Theory, Capital Flight, Geo Arbitrage, Investment, Independence, Relocation, Political Risk, Wealth Mobility, Government Failure.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Swen Lorenz.

Swen is a Sark resident who was at the centre of the recent bid to rejuvenate the island by buying up the flailing Sark property portfolio of the Barclay family.

This episode is an update on the current situation in Sark and the wider issue of confidence in government.

In this conversation, Swen reflects on Sark as a microcosm of the wider structural pressures...

This NEWS episode of the Free Cities Podcast reviews Honduras’s unresolved presidential election, with Nasri Tito Asfura (National Party) seen as the likely winner over Salvador Nasralla (Liberal Party), and the socialist Libre party effectively sidelined.

Jorge Colindres and Alex Ugorji agreed that either leading candidate would be favorable to special zones (ZEDEs), with Asfura having stronger institutional support and Nasralla increasingly pro–private sector.

Despite legal uncertainty following a Supreme Court ruling, Jorge argued that acquired rights and international treaties—especially the Honduras–Kuwait treaty—protect the ZEDEs, while Alex noted ongoing practical enforcemen...

Free State Project, Libertarianism, Seasteading, City-States, Proprietarianism, Democracy, Privatized Governance, Immigration, Sovereignty, Liberty Movement, Economic Freedom, Silicon Valley Oligarchs.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Mark Edge.

Mark is an award-winning radio show host, most famously, one half of 'Free Talk Live' the libertarian radio show he hosted out of New Hampshire with Ian Freeman.

In this episode we discuss libertarian projects like New Hampshire’s Free State Project, Liberland, and seasteading as ways to build freer societies, with Mark noting the benefits and limits of concentrating like-minded individuals.

We ex...

Welcome to this BONUS episode of the Free Cities Podcast. These episodes are exclusively available to our subscribers on Fountain.fm, and I will be releasing them periodically throughout the year.

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If you're not on Fountain, you can access the episode here: https://fountain.fm/episode/727p2ykSx85aTmeNbC8N

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EPISODE SUMMARY:

In this episode Timothy Allen is interviewed by Patrick Hiebert, CEO of Veritas Villages.

They discuss their parallel journeys from media and entrepreneurship into Bitcoin, free cities, and building freedom-oriented communities.

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Free Cities, Ciudad Morazán, Libertarianism, Autonomy, Decentralization, ZEDEs, Honduras Politics, Próspera, Oligarch Conspiracy, Entrecomms, Entrepreneurial Communities, Freedom, Network States.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Massimo Mazzone

Massimo Mazzone is the founder of Ciudad Morazán. We talk about the growing Free City movement and the idea that you don’t need libertarians to create a libertarian society. Massimo discusses how decentralized, intentional communities are expanding since 2020, moving the Overton window, and attracting people seeking autonomy and freedom. He explains the legal and political challenges facing ZEDEs in Honduras, the growth of Moraz...

Próspera, Innovation, Governance, Media Narratives, Conspiracy Theories, Investment, Special Jurisdictions, Honduras, Digital Nomads, AI Agents, Ciudad Morazan, Consciousness, Post-Scarcity, Meaning, Technology

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Timothy Allen speaks with Trey Goff.

Trey is the chief of staff at Próspera and one of their longest serving employees. In this conversation he explains Prospera’s real model - partnering with host nations to create zones that encourage innovation through clear rules and fair governance. He pushes back on conspiracy theories about Prospera, arguing that media narratives often rely on inaccuracies and preconceived angles.

We also...

Private Cities, Economic Freedom, Urban Innovation, Consent, Market Choice, Oligarchs, Conspiracy, Seasteading, Free Ports, Irvine, Dubai, Prospera, Legal Safeguards.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Vera Kichanova

This is Vera’s third appearance on the show, and this time we're discussing the rising interest in free cities since COVID-19 and addressing recent critiques framing them as projects for the wealthy/well connected. We explore the role of private initiatives versus state control, historical and modern examples of privately developed cities, and the nuances of freedom, choice, and consent in these projects. The conversation touches on...

Bitcoin Citadels, Veritas Villages, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, Bitcoin, Autris, BitCorp, Treasury Company, MNAV, Decentralization, Quadratic Voting, Governance, Special Economic Zones

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Timothy Allen speaks with Patrick Hiebert & Alex Voss.

Patrick gives updates on Veritas Villages’ expansion into Nicaragua, Panama, and Costa Rica. He highlights their network model, allowing members to share amenities across locations.

Alex discusses Autris’ acquisition of BitCorp to build a Bitcoin treasury company that pairs real business operations with Bitcoin holdings. They explain the concept of MNAV and stress that Autris focuses on tangible development, not just Bitc...

Alternative Medicine, Psilocybin, Cannabis, Depression, PTSD, Anxiety, Self-Healing, Consciousness, Fiat Currency, Bitcoin, Civilization Decline, Spiritual Growth, Human Connection, Reality Illusion, Future Humanity

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Timothy Allen speaks with Ioni Appelberg

In this episode, part 2 of 2, Ioni shares his holistic approach to healing, blending alternative therapies like cannabis and psilocybin with traditional medicine to treat conditions such as depression, PTSD, and chronic pain. He emphasizes the importance of mindset, environment, and lifestyle in healing, viewing the body as inherently self-restorative.

The discussion expands into philosophical and societal themes, exploring consciousness, the illusion of...

Freedom, Health, Spirituality, Technology, Bitcoin, Longevity, Biogerontology, Aging, Freedom, Transhumanism, Consciousness, Scarcity, Civilization, Meaning, Healing.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Ioni Appelberg

In this episode, part 1 of 2, we explore the intersection of health, technology, and spirituality. Ioni discusses the evolution of medicine toward longevity science and biogerontology’s mission to treat aging as the root of modern disease. Drawing from Abundance Through Scarcity, he connects Bitcoin’s provable scarcity to building lasting abundance. The conversation expands into transhumanism, AI, and the search for meaning, before turning inward to Ioni’s transformative experiences with ayahua...

Technology, Control, Bitcoin, Freedom, Global Conspiracy, Chemtrails, Weather control, Social Engineering, Autonomy, Health, Addiction, Allodial Title, Homeschooling.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Daniel Prince

In this episode, we explore how technology, media, and hidden systems influence the way we live, think, and connect. Amongst other things, we dive into the effects of blue light on our health and attention, chemtrails, weather control, and the manipulation of public opinion on a global scale. We also discuss true ownership through Bitcoin and what it means to reclaim our autonomy in a world built on control.<...

Liberland, Diplomacy, Recognition, Croatia Dispute, Global Community, Libertarian Ideals, Free Republic, The Ark Project, Self-Sovereignty.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Thomas D. Walls .

Thomas is the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Free Republic of Liberland.

In this episode, Thomas discusses Liberland’s evolving diplomacy and the nation’s efforts to foster peace and cooperation with its neighbours. The conversation explores ongoing dialogues with Croatia and Serbia, the delicate balance of seeking international recognition, and the challenges posed by territorial disputes and differing political realities.

Thomas shares insights into “diplom...

Welcome to bonus episode number 4 of the Free Cities Podcast.

These bonus episodes are available exclusively to our subscribers on Fountain.fm, and I’ll be dropping them periodically throughout the year, especially during the weeks when subscribers already have early access to the current main episode.

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If you're not on Fountain, you can access the episode here:

https://fountain.fm/episode/CznBcyiApWPOqLrYaiZS

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Today’s bonus episode is a Plan B Hangout, in which Giacomo Zucco interviews me.

According to their website, Plan B Network “Aims t...

Authoritarianism, Privacy, Surveillance, Bitcoin, Freedom, Technology, Government Control, Autonomy, Community, Responsibility, Democracy, Censorship, Data Sovereignty, Resistance.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Susie Violet Ward.

Susie is a financial analyst and journalist specializing in bitcoin content. She is also the CEO and co-founder of Bitcoin Policy UK.

In this conversation we explore the bittersweet reality of living at a time when technological innovation and financial revolution coexist with growing surveillance and control.

From the UK’s Online Safety Act to digital IDs and the normalization of data collection, we unpack ho...

Bitcoin, Culture, Property Rights, Natural Law, Liberty, Democracy, Security, AI, Economics, Personal Responsibility, Geopolitics, Bitcoin Education.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Knut Svanholm.

In this conversation we discuss the evolution of Bitcoin culture, security, and the balance between fear-based narratives and empowerment through self-sovereignty.

Knut highlights natural law, property rights, and the non-aggression principle, connecting these ideas to Bitcoin’s role as a tool for peaceful trade and communication.

The conversation also touches on AI’s limitations, personal responsibility within the Bitcoin community, and critiques of democracy versus trade-driven soci...

Welcome to this bonus episode of the Free Cities Podcast. These episodes are exclusively available to our subscribers on Fountain.fm, and I will be releasing them periodically throughout the year, especially during weeks when our regular episodes are ones subscribers have already had early access to.

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If you're not on Fountain, you can access the episode here: https://fountain.fm/episode/727p2ykSx85aTmeNbC8N

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Where should I begin with this one? It is a very long episode—over three and a half hours in total—but as always, there is a...

Liberland, Micronation, Liberty Island, Voluntary Taxation, Croatia Dispute, Smart Contract Constitution, Justin Sun, International Recognition, Free Republic

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Timothy Allen speaks with Vít Jedlička.

Vít is the founder and president of the micronation Liberland.

This discussion spans the current development on Liberland, including building houses, pontoon structures, and tourist infrastructure on Liberty Island, as well as the ongoing territorial disputes with Croatia. Key themes include attempts at international recognition, the role of blockchain-based governance, the Liberland dollar, and the country’s constitution as a smart contract. Other topics explo...

Alternative Media, Propaganda, Geopolitics, Ukraine Conflict, NATO, Russia, Anglo-American Empire, Petrodollar, Israel, Middle East, Conspiracy, Migration, Transnational Corporations, Technological Authoritarianism

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Timothy Allen speaks with Patrick Henningsen.

Patrick is a writer, filmmaker, and global affairs analyst best known as the founder of the alternative media site 21st Century Wire and host of Sunday Wire and The Patrick Henningsen Show.

The discussion spans the Ukraine conflict, Western narratives, and geopolitical struggles between the Anglo-American empire and rising Eurasia, with emphasis on U.S. dominance, the role of Israel, and strategies of global...

Privacy, Decentralization, Surveillance, Cryptography, Nostr, Secure Messaging, White Noise, Bitcoin, eCash, Mesh Networks, Quantum Computing, Climbing, Self Sovereignty.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Jeff G.

Jeff G is a Nostr developer working in the privacy tech space. This discussion ranges from AI tools and privacy concerns to the evolution of secure messaging, where Jeff introduces his project White Noise and its use of Message Layer Security (MLS) on Nostr. We examine the limits of platforms like WhatsApp and Signal, the challenges of metadata privacy, and practical defenses against sophisticated threats. The conversation then...

Censorship, Community, Psilocybin Microdosing, Spirituality, Israel, Propaganda , Bitcoin, Privacy, Encryption, CBDCs, Shadow banning, Parallel Systems.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Efrat Fenigson.

Efrat is an independent journalist, marketing expect and host of her own hugely successful podcast, ‘You’re the voice’. This is a wide-ranging conversation about navigating an increasingly chaotic world.

We explore censorship, shadow banning, and freedom online, and how community and personal branding can help push back. Efrat highlights Bitcoin and privacy as essential tools for reclaiming sovereignty in the digital age.

The discussion also dives into p...

Personal Sovereignty, Surveillance, Bitcoin, Financial Freedom, Economic Collapse, UK Politics, Freedom Tech, Social Credit Scores, Deep State, Online Safety Bill, Data Privacy.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Freddie New.

Freddie, is a lawyer and Head of Policy at Bitcoin Policy UK. In this conversation we explore the battle for individual freedom in an age of surveillance, financial instability, and growing state power. We discuss the tools and principles that can safeguard personal sovereignty, from Bitcoin and privacy tech to the responsibility each of us carries in resisting economic debasement and government overreach.

Welcome to this bonus episode of the Free Cities podcast. These episodes are only available to our subscribers on Fountain.fm or other value-for-value platforms. I’ll be dropping them in the weeks when the regular release episodes are ones you’ve already had early access to, or, like this week, simply because I wanted to share a bonus episode.

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If you're not on Fountain, you can access the episode here:

https://fountain.fm/episode/s9WEvF6f5fWx8LTONl4f

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A little background on this one: it’s part t...

Real Estate Investing, Bitcoin Standard, Austrian Economics, Property Market Crash, Monetary Expansion, Digital Economy, Inflation Hedge Myth, Free Cities, Proof-Of-Work, Architecture, Japan.

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Timothy Allen speaks with Leon Wankum.

Leon, a veteran real estate developer speaks about his journey from property and construction into Austrian economics and Bitcoin. Leon challenges the idea that real estate is a safe store of value, arguing that its monetary premium is misplaced in a digital economy. He contrasts the fragility of leveraged property markets with Bitcoin’s fixed supply, warning that utility-based pricing could upend the global fi...

Freedom, John Locke, Privacy, Property, Cypherpunk, Bitcoin, Praxeology, Parallel Economies, Nomadism, Intervention, Sovereignty, Scarcity.

Max joins me to explore freedom, privacy, and property rights in the free market of ideas. We discuss Cypherpunk strategies, the appeal of Bitcoin, Free Cities, and digital nomadism as ways to resist creeping socialism and surveillance. Drawing on Lockean ownership theory, Austrian economics, and praxeology, Max makes the case for combining decentralization, community, and technology to defend liberty in both physical and digital realms.

Enjoy the conversation.

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SHOW SPONSOR...

City of London, Free Cities, Liquid Democracy, Dilemma Analysis, Governance, Regulation, Wicked Problems, Self-Regulation, Economic Autonomy, Democracy, Rule of Law, Decentralization.

Michael is an American-born British scientist, economist, and accountant, known for being Chairman of Z/Yen, Sheriff of the City of London for 2019–21, and the 695th Lord Mayor of the City of London.

In this conversation we discuss the City of London's history and governance, plus various concepts related to free markets, regulation, democracy and wicked problems.

Enjoy the conversation.

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SHOW SP...

Sound Money, Fiat Currency, Economic Inequality, Government Control, Gold, Bitcoin, Monetary Sovereignty, Inflation, Constitutional Currency, Financial Innovation, Glint.

Jason, the CEO of Glint speaks about reintroducing gold as a viable form of money through Glint’s platform, which allows users to buy, store, and spend fractions of physical gold in real time. We explore gold’s enduring role as a store of value, its contrast with fiat currency and central bank policies, and how government control over money contributes to economic inequality. Jason explains how Glint offers a bottom-up solution that empo...

Bitcoin, Gary's Economics, Value-for-Value, Micropayments, Fountain, Content Creation, Monetization, Nostr, Attention Economy, Advertising, Community, Ownership.

Timothy Allen speaks with Nick Malster.

Nick is the co-founder of Fountain, a value-for-value podcasting app that enables Bitcoin micropayments. In this conversation we discuss the changing nature of work, critique popular economic views, and trace Nick’s journey from advertising to launching Fountain.

The discussion focuses on how the attention economy distorts content creation and how Fountain aims to realign incentives by letting listeners directly reward creators. We examine the challenges of moving away from traditional advertising, th...

Próspera, Digital Nomads, Infinita, Biotech, Bitcoin, Community Outreach, Crawfish Rock, Regulatory Innovation, Public Relations, Misinformation, Honduras

Timothy Allen speaks with Niklas Anzinger.

Niklas, a digital nomad turned entrepreneur and community builder in Próspera speaks about navigating public relations and skepticism of the Free City project, particularly in response to criticisms by nomad influencer Gonçalo Hall (Episode 130 of this podcast).

Niklas shares his journey to Próspera through his ventures, Infinita VC and Infinita City and he addresses misconceptions about Próspera, concerns about its effect on the nearby Crawfish Rock commu...