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While President Joe Biden called out former President Donald Trump on Wednesday to debate him in June, not everyone thinks it was a good decision, including some top Democrats.

While speaking with CNN on Wednesday, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) shared her trepidation with Biden debating Trump, which both men agreed to do on CNN on June 27.

I myself would never recommend going on stage with Donald Trump, Pelosi told CNNs Manu Raju. But the president has decided thats what he wants to do. I think the format he is suggesting is a good one.

The format will include no live audience, a moderator who has yet to be determined, and the debate to be hosted by CNN at its TV studio. The second debate will take place on Sept. 10 and will be hosted by ABC.

Pelosi was asked by Raju why she didnt think Biden should join Trump on the debate stage, to which the former Speaker said he didnt uphold respect for his opponents.

I think he was stalking Hillary Clinton. He wasnt professional. He wasnt presidential. He wasnt meeting the dignity of the office, Pelosi said, Raju reported.

Pelosi said that Trumps past debate behavior, like when he appeared to physically intimidate Clinton on stage, did not earn him another chance at squaring off with Biden.

Reports shared that during the 2020 debates, Trump interrupted Biden and the moderator more than 100 times.

Still, Pelosi acknowledged the importance of the debates, suggesting that the networks hosting the debates hold town hall meetings to let the candidates present themselves to the American public.

I think you all should have separate town hall meetings with them, and let them, challenge them with questions about the future, and let the public make its decision, Pelosi said.

Link:
Pelosi thinks Trump was 'stalking Hillary Clinton' in 2016 - WWJ

The Jordan B. Peterson PodcastMay 16, 2024

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson sits down with social psychologist and author, Ronnie Janoff-Bulman. They discuss how most implicit beliefs are consciously unknown to those who hold them; the human reactions to fear, disgust, pain, and the destruction of hope; why people blame themselves for truly random events; what the experts get wrong about motivation; and the difference between proscriptive and prescriptive morality.

Ronnie Janoff-Bulman is Professor Emerita of Psychology and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She is a social psychologist and the author of two books and over 90 published papers. Her first book, Shattered Assumptions: Towards a New Psychology of Trauma, has been cited over 9,500 times. She was awarded a National Science Foundation grant for her research on morality, which serves as the backbone of her recent book, The Two Moralities: Conservatives, Liberals, and the Roots of Our Political Divide. She is the recipient of teaching and mentoring awards and is the former editor of Psychological Inquiry, an international journal devoted to advancing theory in psychology. A mother and grandmother, Dr. Janoff-Bulman lives in Amherst, Massachusetts with her husband of over 50 years.

- Links -

2024 tour details can be found here https://jordanbpeterson.com/events

Peterson Academy https://petersonacademy.com/

For Ronnie Janoff-Bulman:

Shattered Assumptions (Book) https://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Assumptions-Towards-Psychology-Trauma/dp/0743236254

The Two Moralities (Book) https://www.amazon.com/Two-Moralities-Conservatives-Liberals-Political-ebook/dp/B0BX1JDL8C/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=qQoj5&content-id=amzn1.sym.cf86ec3a-68a6-43e9-8115-04171136930a&pf_rd_p=cf86ec3a-68a6-43e9-8115-04171136930a&pf_rd_r=138-3764402-1287437&pd_rd_wg=H5RDI&pd_rd_r=fccdebc5-a090-4e01-b536-33c552e5005f&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk

The rest is here:
Trauma and the Demolition of Faith | Ronnie Janoff-Bulman - The Daily Wire

The Jordan B. Peterson PodcastMay 13, 2024

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson sits down in person with actor, podcaster, and host of The Comments Section, Brett Cooper. They discuss the adversity Cooper faced early on which prompted her to try out theater, the landscape of growing up as a child actor, her positive and negative experiences with Hollywood and university, the psychology of exploitation, why she joined The Daily Wire, her upcoming film and television projects, and her motivation to be a voice for young women who embrace their femininity.

Brett Cooper is a viral internet personality, content creator, and actress. Shes best known as the charismatic host of The Comments Section with Brett Cooper on YouTube, captivating over 4 million subscribers with her irresistibly irreverent opinions on current news and cultural phenomena. Bretts rise to digital fame was meteoric, amassing 1 million followers within just six months of launching her show and surpassing 4 million within two years. She moved from Tennessee to Los Angeles at the age of 10 to pursue acting. After years of balancing homeschooling and a professional acting career, Brett honed her art of storytelling while studying English at UCLA. At just 20 years old, Brett returned to Tennessee to launch The Comments Section with Brett Cooper at The Daily Wire. Following the shows rapid success, the rising star is returning to acting in the forthcoming DailyWire+ animated sitcom Mr. Birchum and the historical fantasy series The Pendragon Cycle. In a debut role, Brett will star as Snow White in Snow White and the Evil Queen in the first feature-length production for Bentkey, The Daily Wires childrens entertainment platform.

- Links -

2024 tour details can be found here https://jordanbpeterson.com/events

Peterson Academy https://petersonacademy.com/

For Brett Cooper:

Brett Cooper on X https://twitter.com/imbrettcooper?lang=en

Brett Cooper on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/imbrettcooper/?hl=en

The Comments Section With Brett Cooper on X https://twitter.com/CommentsSection

The Comments Section With Brett Cooper on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@TheCommentsSection

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Alternative Walk of Fame | Brett Cooper - The Daily Wire

New European Union regulations may soon force decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols to face significant decisions. At the center of this issue is the tendency of many DeFi protocols to utilize centralized front-ends and intermediaries, raising questions about their compliance with upcoming laws.

The EUs Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), set to take full effect by the end of 2024, mandates that DeFi protocols adhere to the same licensing and Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements as traditional financial services. This could present a substantial challenge for many DeFi protocols, potentially making compliance difficult or undesirable. Rune Christensen, co-founder of MakerDAO, highlighted the implications of MiCA, noting that DeFi protocols would be left with two primary options: fully decentralized, local, downloaded front-ends, or fully KYC-compliant online front-ends.

This regulatory shift forces DeFi protocols to choose between a somewhat centralized hybrid finance (HyFi) model to comply with EU regulations or complete decentralization. The EU regulation stipulates that fully decentralized protocols are exempt from MiCA requirements, as stated in Recital 22: Where crypto-asset services are provided in a fully decentralized manner without any intermediary, they should not fall within the scope of this Regulation.

Oliver Vlkel, an attorney and partner at Stadler Vlkel, has extensively studied the EUs regulation of crypto assets. He points out that the regulation raises immediate questions about the definitions of without an intermediary and in a fully decentralized manner. According to Vlkel, smart contracts used in providing crypto-asset services do not necessarily create the appearance of exclusive decentralization, as companies can use these contracts to provide services in their name.

Only natural persons and legal entities can hold rights and obligations, make and receive legal declarations, and be subject to laws like MiCA. However, Vlkel believes that EU lawmakers correctly acknowledge that none of these conditions apply if a crypto-asset service can be accessed without an intermediary in a fully decentralized manner. With MiCA coming into full force by the end of 2024, DeFi protocols in Europe must decide whether to fully decentralize, thus avoiding regulations, or implement KYC measures like any other centralized financial service provider.

Nathan Catania, a partner at XReg Consulting, a firm specializing in crypto-asset regulation, suggests that this regulatory wave could divide the DeFi sector. He believes that regulation represents a crucial juncture for many DeFi projects, pushing them to either embrace full decentralization and operate outside regulatory boundaries or accept some level of regulation and transition towards a hybrid finance model.

For those choosing decentralization, MiCA will provide clearer guidelines on building truly decentralized applications that comply with regulatory requirements. Many DeFi protocols will need to reevaluate their business models to ensure they remain compliant. Catania advises DeFi projects to thoroughly understand the regulation and engage with national regulatory authorities to protect their interests. One workaround for ensuring decentralization is decentralizing website front-ends through peer-to-peer (P2P) web hosting, which uses advanced cryptography to deploy websites on P2P servers.

Regardless of the path chosen by a protocol, regulation is becoming an unavoidable reality. Advocates of decentralization might witness DeFi evolving into something closer to traditional finance, the very sector they originally aimed to disrupt. The question remains whether the industry will thrive in a decentralized digital universe or if the influx of capital from traditional market players will transform the sector.

As the DeFi sector matures and gains popularity, regulators are paying increased attention, exemplified by the EUs MiCA and the United States Securities and Exchange Commissions actions against prominent DeFi protocols. On April 10, 2024, Uniswap became the first decentralized protocol to receive a Wells notice, indicating regulatory infractions.

Hayden Adams, CEO of Uniswap, expressed his frustration, feeling annoyed, disappointed, and ready to fight. Adam Simmons, chief strategy officer at DeFi platform Radix, believes that some safeguards are necessary, predicting that regulatory requirements for DeFi are inevitable, especially if the sector aims for global adoption.

Edward Adlard, CEO of Instalabs, sees the next evolutionary step for DeFi as attracting institutional and traditional finance money. However, he identifies two main obstacles: traditional finance companies are not operationally equipped to use crypto tools, and they need to figure out how to legally access and offer these products to clients. Adlard suggests that DeFi DApps need to balance implementing Anti-Money Laundering (AML) procedures to attract traditional finance liquidity without becoming targets for regulatory action.

Compliance tools are already available. Simmons mentions that the DeFi sector in Europe could employ a system of trustworthy issuers to handle ID verification independently. Adlard notes that DeFi KYC service Instapass could create custom credentials that meet EU regulations, allowing DeFi DApps to restrict access to specific parts of their products based on user credentials.

Ultimately, whether a DeFi protocol pursues institutional adoption or complete decentralization, it must adapt to the evolving legal landscape in the European Union.

View post:

DeFi at a Crossroads: New EU Regulations Poses Risk to the Future of Decentralization - Coinfomania

zkSync, an Ethereum Layer-2 network, has achieved a pivotal milestone in its journey towards decentralization with the upcoming release of its final protocol upgrade, v24. This significant update is poised to transfer network governance to the community, signaling the culmination of zkSyncs decentralization process and potentially heralding the launch of a governance token.

Since incorporating EIP-4844 in March, zkSync has been steadfast in its pursuit of full decentralization. The impending v24 release represents the last essential upgrade required for this transition. The company anticipates completing all remaining steps by the end of June. This meticulous process demands careful consideration of both technological and legal frameworks, as zkSync prioritizes long-term technological development over immediate gains. The aim is to establish itself as a pivotal player in the blockchain industry, driving the advent of a verifiable internet era that can serve billions of users.

The announcement of the v24 upgrade has ignited speculation regarding a possible token launch. zkSync has hinted at an upcoming governance token airdrop slated for the end of June. This potential airdrop has been eagerly anticipated since last year when investors moved over $8 million worth of tokens to zkSync, hoping to qualify.

Currently, the total value locked (TVL) in zkSync is $141 million, according to DefiLlama. In a recent post on the X platform, zkSync confirmed that the v24 release will be the final protocol upgrade before transferring network governance to the community, with the remaining components expected to be completed by the end of June.

zkSync, which specializes in zero-knowledge (ZK) rollup technology, aims to scale Ethereum by facilitating cheaper transactions through off-chain computation and data storage. This Layer-2 network leverages zero-knowledge cryptography, a cutting-edge advancement in blockchain technology.

The issuance of a governance token is viewed as the next logical step following a series of airdrops from projects like EigenLayer, Renzo, Ethena, and Wormhole, which have chosen to reward early adopters instead of conducting traditional token sales. This strategy is designed to cultivate a sense of loyalty and involvement within the community.

Matter Labs, the company behind zkSync, has secured $458 million from investors including Blockchain Capital and Dragonfly Capital. This financial support is intended to bolster zkSyncs mission to develop scalable and efficient blockchain solutions. In April, Circle, a major stablecoin issuer, extended support for its USD Coin (USDC) to Ethereums zkSync.

This integration allows USDC to be utilized on a scalable platform, enhancing its application across various decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols. USDC on zkSync remains redeemable on a one-to-one basis for U.S. dollars through Circle and can be transferred across chains via cross-chain bridges.

zkSync has recently exceeded Ethereum in monthly transaction volume, processing over 35 million transactions in the last 30 days, compared to Ethereums 34.2 million and Arbitrum Ones 31.4 million. This surge in activity is largely driven by the growing popularity of zkSyncs inscriptions, which witnessed a record 5.3 million transactions in a single day following the launch of its sync inscription. This increase in transaction volume has occasionally led to network congestion, highlighting both the demand for zkSyncs services and the challenges of scaling.

Furthermore, the total value locked (TVL) in zkSync has surpassed $500 million, marking a 12% increase in just one week. This significant rise in TVL underscores the networks growing popularity and the confidence investors have in zkSyncs scaling solutions. The networks capability to handle high transaction volumes and its expanding ecosystem of decentralized applications position zkSync as a leading Ethereum Layer-2 solution.

See more here:

zkSync Unveils Final Protocol Upgrade in Anticipation of Token Launch - Coinfomania