@ 3104fbbf:ac623068

It is possible to shift your mindset in adulthood — but it’s exceedingly rare. There’s no exact science to it, yet roughly 2% of people seem truly able — or willing — to change their worldview past a certain age. As arbitrary as that number may sound, it often holds true in practice. It helps explain human behavior and why the remaining 98% — those unwilling to embrace deep inner change — will never dare to step outside their comfort zone.

Learning new skills holds real, practical value: it’s how we redirect our lives toward something better. But it requires a willingness to evolve the way we think. In my view, the only truly helpful approach is to share insights, ideas, and methods — and then let each individual decide whether they’re ready to invest time and energy into rethinking their patterns, learning what’s needed, and transforming their habits or beliefs. There are no shortcuts.

As someone who’s committed to this path and aware of what’s at stake for humanity in the next 20 years — especially with AI — I want to share a few signposts for those ready to lift their heads out of the sand.

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Discernment in the Age of AI: More Essential Than Ever

We are living through a radical upheaval, driven by artificial intelligence and the exponential acceleration of technology. And I’m convinced of one thing: if a belief, ideology, or conviction born in the 21st century isn’t constantly reevaluated — with curiosity, humility, and intellectual rigor — by confronting opposing views, digging into what’s uncomfortable, and honestly questioning what we don’t yet understand, then we’re not thinking. We’re just gambling on blind faith — or refusing to face reality. And eventually, that catches up with us.

The longer you wait to adapt to technological acceleration, the more you risk becoming trapped in an invisible loop — one where you don’t even realize just how far behind you’ve fallen.

Take independent thinking and discernment — arguably the most vital skills in an AI-driven world. If you rely on AI in a domain where you lack critical sensitivity, you’re setting yourself up for disaster.

When you use AI to move a project forward, you need to instantly recognize when something feels off: “That doesn’t make sense. It’s too cliché. It doesn’t work.” And the AI — trained to please you — will agree: “You’re right.”

But… what if you’re wrong?

That’s where the downward spiral begins — a kind of creative death. Many people:

Settle for the AI’s first answer,

Fail to grasp that this response is just the most statistically likely, the most "expected,"

And end up with something generic, bland, and forgettable.

We have to move beyond that. We have to enter that narrow zone where we seek something original, alive, new — and keep pushing: “No, that’s not it yet.” It’s through this iterative process that refinement happens, and real value emerges.

Used this way, AI becomes a powerful tool — one that accelerates research, eliminates friction, and streamlines the creative process.

Prompting — the art of crafting precise, thoughtful instructions for the AI — is learned through practice, trial and error. But it also demands a specific mental posture: one rooted in curiosity, humility, and the willingness to question yourself. You must be willing to doubt your own assumptions, to challenge your own blind spots.

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The Mental Exoskeleton: Amplifying Human Potential Through AI

We’re living in a near-magical era. If you’ve already built a solid foundation of skills, AI acts like an exoskeleton — allowing you to lift far more than you could on your own. If you’re already strong, it amplifies your strength. If you’ve learned how to think and how to use your mind, it multiplies your intellectual power.

And if you’ve cultivated curiosity and broad general knowledge — instead of locking yourself into hyper-specialization — for the first time in history, that’s an edge. Because AI enables you to instantly dive deeper into any of those fields and connect the dots across disciplines. Suddenly, it feels like you can tap into the depth of global expertise, on demand, in virtually any subject.

But again, this all hinges on mindset. If most people don’t know what they want, can’t think independently, clearly, or precisely, and don’t even know what questions to ask — AI won’t help them move forward. It won’t fix a broken mentality. In the end, it’s the 2% — those who can ask the right questions, think strategically, and challenge their own thinking — who will truly harness this technology.

And because of that, the gap is going to widen. The divide between the capable and the incapable, the wealthy and the struggling, is only going to deepen. The 2% will continue to accelerate, while those who don’t know how to wield this tool effectively will be left behind. In this sense, AI doesn’t level the playing field — it magnifies inequality.

Anything we currently believe to be beyond AI’s reach won’t remain so for long. When AI becomes fully autonomous — faster and more intelligent than any living human — there will be almost nothing it can’t help us do or manifest in the real world.

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The Coming Divide in Human Evolution

The only real distinction will be this: this new form of intelligence will never truly be human.

And not everyone will react positively. While radical transhumanists will push the boundaries without restraint, a strong backlash is likely — perhaps even violent — driven by a new wave of puritanical neo-conservatism. These individuals will fiercely oppose any form of technological enhancement of human abilities. The result could be intense civil unrest.

And this isn’t science fiction anymore — it’s already underway. Most people, distracted by daily life and mainstream media, aren’t paying close attention. We’ve just revived extinct species. The dire wolf, gone for over 10,000 years? Done. What’s next? This isn’t some virtual simulation — you’ll soon be able to pet a dire wolf. Human genetic modification is inevitable. And it’s going to make a lot of people profoundly uneasy.

Even now, people with Neuralink implants are playing video games using only their minds. And what’s crazy is that these players are saying: “We’ll need our own league — we’re already outperforming anyone still stuck with a keyboard, mouse, or controller.”

This isn’t a futuristic fantasy — it’s happening right now.

It’s the mental exoskeleton, in a way. We’ve already seen physical exosuits helping paraplegic patients walk again — mental-cybernetic augmentation is the logical next step. It’s no longer just about restoring lost function, but enhancing and accelerating it. The gap between “augmented” individuals and those who aren’t is only going to grow — and it already is, simply between those who master AI tools and those who barely scratch the surface.

Even before that, landing a job will soon require AI literacy — that’ll be the baseline. And it won’t stop there. Your job performance reviews will include how well you work with AI: your fluency, speed, and depth of integration. If you’re not improving continuously, if you’re not keeping pace, you’re already falling out of the game.

So it’s not just about knowing how to use AI — it’s about constantly improving your skills with it. That takes real training, like working a muscle. It won’t just fall into your lap. The majority of people who aren’t actively engaged will be left behind. And as deflationary technology enables material abundance, universal basic income may become a reality. Work might no longer be essential for survival.

But unless there’s a radical shift in global mindset, this material abundance could become a curse: a world where 98% of people are dependent, apathetic, intellectually numbed, wandering aimlessly through life — much like the characters in Wall-E.

---

How AI Is Reshaping and Rebuilding the World of Work

It’s painfully obvious: either you use AI, or you’ll be replaced by someone who does.

Our brains have two hemispheres — analytical and creative. A few centuries ago, creativity wasn’t valued much. The world was built for analytical thinkers — schools, exams, the entire education system. That was the “correct” path.

But the Internet made technical specialists interchangeable. As Daniel Pink highlights in A Whole New Mind, overnight, anyone could hire a developer from anywhere — Pakistan, India, wherever — through platforms like Upwork or Fiverr. Skills that were once rare and expensive became globally available and cheap.

In his book, Pink argues that the future belongs not to specialized technicians, but to creative thinkers. Not the one who can play every instrument — but the one who can conduct the orchestra. The one who may not execute every task better than you, but who can bring people, tools, and ideas together to build something great — something that adds value to the world.

Today, many developing countries are rising out of poverty by building foundational technical skills. Roles that once required elite expertise — research assistants, paralegals, coders, accountants, musicians, sound engineers — are now globally accessible. Anyone, anywhere, can learn anything by tapping into the sum of human knowledge online.

AI agents are autonomous programs designed to think and act on your behalf — like super-assistants that can plan, decide, and execute tasks for you. In the past, if I wanted something done, I’d hire a person. Now? I can just program an AI agent.

And this is moving fast. Very fast : Exponential acceleration !!!!!!

By 2027, AI agents won’t just complete tasks — they’ll:

• Write improvements for other AIs,

• Conduct massive experiments independently,

• And achieve decades’ worth of progress in a matter of days or weeks.

It’s 2025. We’re already halfway there. That means we’re less than 24 months away from what many are calling an intelligence explosion — a tipping point where everything accelerates beyond prediction.

By 2028, we’ll have passed what’s often referred to as the technological horizon — a point of no return, where trying to forecast the future becomes meaningless. No one will be able to predict what jobs, economies, or societies will even look like. That’s the pace of change.

Individually, if we don’t want to find ourselves lost and disoriented, we need to act now — adopt the technology, use it, learn it, build our skillsets, and constantly ask:

“How can I use AI to build what I want to build — to create real value?”

• The people who will thrive are those who:

• Can discern — they know what’s useful and what isn’t,

• Have vision — they know what they want to create,

• And most importantly,

• Have the courage to bring it to life.

---

The Great Equalizer of Decentralization

Imagine the global economy as a massive sheet of glass. Today, this sheet is held in balance by a few corporate giants, some mid-sized companies, and a vast multitude of small structures.

But we’re on the verge of watching it crash to the floor. And when it shatters, it won’t be the small structures that break—it’ll be the large ones. The very enterprises that currently form the backbone of the system will fracture into thousands of smaller, more agile units. Why? Because artificial intelligence is acting as a powerful equalizer of power. We are standing at the dawn of a great decentralization of money, power, and energy.

Soon, we’ll see billion-dollar companies being created by one, two, or maybe three individuals. These small teams will be able to deploy entire organizations made up of autonomous AI agents — capable of running all the departments of a business. These agents will manage budgets, use tools, buy and sell using Bitcoin directly, execute tasks, and scale operations. And suddenly, the very concept of having employees… will disappear.

The real question then becomes: what happens when 30% of the workforce suddenly decides to launch their own ventures? The shift will be colossal. It will spark a massive decentralization of countless services, an explosion of innovation, and an unprecedented surge in entrepreneurial activity — especially if the global economy aligns with a monetary standard rooted in the neutral benchmark of Bitcoin.

But it also raises a deeper existential question for the majority:

“Where will I find meaning and purpose in a world that no longer needs me?”

Until now, work, knowledge, and expertise have all been shaped by scarcity. A lawyer charges high fees because legal knowledge is scarce. A doctor does the same because of medical expertise.

But what happens when knowledge is no longer scarce? When it becomes instantly available to everyone? That’s when the real rupture begins.

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Hyperlinked Intelligence: When AI Agents Talk to Each Other

In this new world, the MCP protocol — short for Multi-Channel Protocol — designates a system that enables artificial intelligence agents to communicate and collaborate without friction. Think of it as a universal language, a shared grammar that allows various AIs — regardless of their function — to exchange information and coordinate in real-time.

Here’s the central idea:

Today, most AI agents operate in isolation. One manages your calendar, another your emails, a third handles your travel plans. But they don’t really talk to each other.

With the MCP protocol, these agents can cooperate seamlessly. They exchange data, delegate tasks, and make joint decisions — all without human intervention. This makes them exponentially more efficient.

Let’s take some concrete examples:

• An AI could cross-check your calendar and travel plans to automatically schedule an on-site meeting.

• It could access your communication platforms (email, social media), synchronize your contacts, and manage your posts without you lifting a finger.

• It could even handle complex tasks like optimizing your online presence, managing a dating profile, or generating strategic content for your professional networks.

In short, the MCP protocol supercharges AI systems by transforming them from isolated tools into interconnected intelligent networks. It opens the door to fully autonomous workflows that can handle a broad range of tasks at accelerating speeds, without human input.

It’s the TCP/IP moment of artificial intelligence.

Remember: TCP/IP enabled the birth of the internet by creating a universal communication standard. MCP could become that standard for AI — allowing all intelligent agents to connect, interact, and collaborate while transacting autonomously in a digital economy.

With this infrastructure, AI agents become “intelligent hyperlinks”: they naturally connect, share data, and perform actions in synergy. Everything clicks into place. Everything flows. And suddenly, AI becomes infinitely more powerful.

In the very near future, every executive or entrepreneur will have a “phantom agent” — an AI that tracks calls, meetings, decisions. A CEO will be able to ask their agent for a complete situational briefing. Even more: these phantom agents will talk to each other across departments and make decisions autonomously.

This is already happening as I write these lines.

Now picture this: you give an AI the following mission — “Identify the five most profitable business models today, replicate them, and recruit the agents needed to scale them up.” In an instant, you unleash an army of AI agents set to disrupt every online business in existence. This is the beginning of a new world of automation and velocity.

And the protocol that will allow these AI agents to coordinate is the key to this revolution. Until now, AI agents operated in silos and quickly hit their limits. With the MCP protocol, that barrier disappears. An AI will be able to access your calendar, book a flight, check available hotels — and that’s just the beginning.

The true revolution lies in the scale of what this will enable.

The possibilities are nearly endless.

---

Empowering Individuals: How Open-Source AI Can Protect Our Freedoms in the Digital Age

As artificial intelligence (AI) evolves at breakneck speed, it’s essential that everyone—not just tech experts—understands how it will shape our future. While AI offers tremendous benefits, it also carries serious risks, particularly in terms of surveillance and privacy. By embracing open-source AI and freedom technologies, we can ensure a fairer, more transparent digital world.

🌍 Why Open-Source AI Matters

Open-source AI refers to systems whose code is accessible to the public—allowing anyone to audit, replicate, modify, or improve them. This transparency fosters accountability and collaboration. In contrast, closed-source AI systems, controlled by a handful of Big Tech firms or government-private alliances, risk creating monopolies and surveillance mechanisms more pervasive than anything we’ve seen before. We are already witnessing how far governments and corporations are willing to go in tracking and monitoring citizens—paving the way toward a hybrid dystopia, straight out of 1984 and Brave New World, ruled by a caste of transhumanist technocrats.

Free and open-source software is essential to reclaim control over our digital lives. Proprietary systems are easily weaponized for surveillance, undermining our fundamental rights, our privacy, and democracy itself. By supporting open-source AI, we help decentralize power and reduce the risk of authoritarian control.

🛡️ Defending Against the Surveillance Dystopia

Without adequate safeguards, AI can become a tool of mass surveillance, gradually eroding personal freedoms. To push back, we must:

Support Open-Source Initiatives: Contribute to AI projects that prioritize transparency and user control over data.

Advocate for Ethical AI Development: Demand systems that are privacy-respecting and bias-free.

Stay Informed: Educate yourself on the ethical implications of AI and Bitcoin—and take action accordingly.

🧭 A Simple Guide to Get Started

Learn the Basics of AI: Tap into accessible resources to understand the foundations of AI and prompt engineering.

Understand Bitcoin Fundamentals: Learn to be your own bank, breaking away from centralized financial systems. Exit the fiat Ponzi as much as possible during this transition. ** Explore Open-Source Principles: Familiarize yourself with how open-source works—and why it matters. ** Engage with the Community: Join forums, attend workshops, or participate in online discussions on AI and digital rights.

Practice Digital Hygiene: Use end-to-end encrypted communication tools and be mindful of your digital footprint. Seek out Freedom Tech tools that already exist—don’t be seduced and neutralized by convenience.

Promote Ethical Practices: Support policies and initiatives that favor decentralized development and individual empowerment.

Share What You Learn: Spread this knowledge in your circles—gradually, intentionally.

Why This Matters

By embracing the digital revolution, individuals can take an active role in shaping the future and contributing to a fairer, more secure society. This is especially vital for generations less familiar with emerging technologies—they face both a unique challenge and a rare opportunity. Not just the youth, but Gen X and their predecessors must bridge the knowledge gap, understand the fundamentals of Bitcoin and the potential of AI. Doing so ensures their relevance, their participation in the digital transformation, and protection for their children.

Digital literacy goes beyond just using new tools—it’s about understanding their impact, risks, and benefits. It means educating ourselves about the dangers of centralized control and the strengths of decentralized systems. This includes learning how to protect your digital privacy, manage personal data, and navigate a world increasingly shaped by AI. Equipped with these skills, individuals can help design the digital universe—and safeguard their rights within it.

The pace of technological change demands constant adaptation. As Michael Saylor puts it: the future belongs to AI and Bitcoin. Those who fail to adapt risk being left behind in a hyper-digitized society. But adaptation is not just about tools—it’s a mindset shift. It’s about embracing change and committing to lifelong learning.

This is a collective responsibility. By promoting digital literacy and encouraging exploration of empowering technologies, we can avoid a dystopian sci-fi future—and steer toward a freer, more decentralized world.

In Summary

The impact of the digital revolution is profound and demands your immediate attention. By embracing open-source AI and Bitcoin—and understanding the consequences of our digital choices—we can build a future where technology empowers people, protects freedom, and fosters sovereignty. No matter your age or background, you have a role to play in this transition. Your active participation is essential to shape a world that serves humanity, not the systems that seek to control it.

Now is the time to act. As the digital wave accelerates, fusing the wisdom of the past with tomorrow’s tools, we can co-create a world that truly reflects the values of freedom, responsibility, and collective uplift.

Inspired by Mark Moss & Tom Bilyeu !

@ dfa02707:41ca50e3

Contribute to keep No Bullshit Bitcoin news going.

• "Today we're launching the beta version of our multiplatform Nostr browser! Think Google Chrome but for Nostr apps. The beta is our big first step toward this vision," announced Damus.
• This version comes with the Dave Nostr AI assistant, support for zaps and the Nostr Wallet Connect (NWC) wallet interface, full-text note search, GIFs and fullscreen images, multiple media uploads, user tagging, relay list and mute list support, along with a number of other improvements."

"Included in the beta is the Dave, the Nostr AI assistant (its Grok for Nostr). Dave is a new Notedeck browser app that can search and summarize notes from the network. For a full breakdown of everything new, check out our beta launch video."

What's new

• Dave Nostr AI assistant app.
• GIFs.
• Fulltext note search.
• Add full screen images, add zoom, and pan.
• Zaps! NWC/ Wallet UI.
• Introduce last note per pubkey feed (experimental).
• Allow multiple media uploads per selection.
• Major Android improvements (still WIP).
• Added notedeck app sidebar.
• User Tagging.
• Note truncation.
• Local network note broadcast, broadcast notes to other notedeck notes while you're offline.
• Mute list support (reading).
• Relay list support.
• Ctrl-enter to send notes.
• Added relay indexing (relay columns soon).
• Click hashtags to open hashtag timeline.
• Fixed timelines sometimes not updating (stale feeds).
• Fixed UI bounciness when loading profile pictures
• Fixed unselectable post replies.

Announcement / Archive
GitHub Repo
Website

@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

Connecticut halts all public investment in digital assets while other U.S. states move toward strategic bitcoin reserves.

Connecticut has taken a firm stance against digital assets by approving legislation that categorically prohibits all levels of state and local government from investing in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

On June 10, the Connecticut General Assembly published the final text of bill H.B. 7082, which has now become Public Act No. 25-66. The legislation was passed unanimously by both the House and the Senate, signaling bipartisan agreement on the need to keep public finances away from the cryptocurrency market.

The new law establishes an outright ban on government entities purchasing, holding, or investing in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. It also prohibits the creation of any “virtual currency reserve” and the acceptance of crypto payments.

In addition to restrictions on the public sector, the State’s legislation introduces consumer protection measures for private individuals. Crypto businesses operating as Money Service Businesses will now be required to disclose all material risks associated with cryptocurrencies through “clear, conspicuous and legible writing in the English language.”

Another provision addresses the protection of minors: the new law mandates legal guardian verification for all users under the age of 18.

While Connecticut adopts a restrictive position toward digital assets, several other U.S. states are moving in the opposite direction. New Hampshire became the first state to pass a bill for a strategic bitcoin reserve, followed by Arizona.

The post Connecticut says no to Bitcoin: law approved banning state crypto reserves appeared first on Atlas21.

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

Japanese investment firm Metaplanet has announced a massive $5.4 billion plan to increase its bitcoin holdings to 210,000 BTC by the end of 2027 — that’s about 1% of the total bitcoin supply.

Metaplanet on X

The Tokyo-listed company is accelerating its already aggressive bitcoin plan, with CEO Simon Gerovich calling the initiative “Asia’s largest-ever equity raise to buy Bitcoin — again!”

The company’s new capital raise, called the “555 Million Plan”, involves issuing 555 million shares through moving strike warrants. That’s basically a type of option where people can buy shares later, and the price they pay depends on the stock’s price at that time.

So with moving strike warrants, the price at which people can buy the stock goes up or down depending on how the company’s stock is doing. It gives investors more flexibility — and it can make the warrants more attractive — because they don’t get stuck with a bad deal if the stock price drops.

This way the company can raise capital gradually over the next 2 years without impacting the stock market and existing shareholders.

The funds raised will be used to buy bitcoin, with some to redeem bonds and other income-generating strategies like selling put options.

This is a big step up from Metaplanet’s previous targets. Initially aiming to reach 10,000 BTC by the end of 2025, the company now plans to reach:

• 30,000 BTC by end of 2025
• 100,000 BTC by end of 2026
• 210,000 BTC by end of 2027

The Japanese investment firm hopes to be in the “Bitcoin 1% club” which means holding at least 1% of the total 21 million bitcoin supply.

Metaplanet bitcoin targets

Metaplanet is already making good progress. As of June 2025, the company holds 8,888 BTC, acquired at a cost of about ¥122.2 billion (around $849 million) and has already reached 89% of its original 10,000 BTC target for 2025.

This comes after the success of the company’s previous “210 Million Plan” which raised ¥93.3 billion ($650 million) in 60 trading days by issuing 210 million shares.

During that time, the company’s bitcoin holdings grew from 1,762 BTC to 7,800 BTC and the BTC Yield (a key performance metric showing growth in bitcoin per share) increased by 189%.

Year to date the BTC Yield is 225.4%.

Metaplanet’s BTC Yield graph

The stock has reflected this momentum, up 275% since early 2025 and 1,619% over the past year.

Metaplanet’s stock price chart — TradingView

Metaplanet is now one of the most actively traded stocks in Japan and has become a top-ten corporate bitcoin holder globally, recently surpassing Block Inc., the company founded by Jack Dorsey.

Metaplanet sees this as part of a bigger shift in capital markets.

By being a “bitcoin treasury vehicle” listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, it aims to offer investors exposure to bitcoin through regulated equity markets. This is especially useful in Japan where retail investors are often restricted from accessing bitcoin directly.

“Bitcoin is repricing the global cost of capital,” the company said in a statement. “Through our 555 Million Plan, Metaplanet is doubling down on a high-conviction, equity-driven capital markets strategy to accelerate our Bitcoin accumulation trajectory.”

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

Why are Stripe Alternatives are growing like mushrooms? When it comes to online payment processing, Stripe has long dominated the conversation.

However, with its complex pricing structure, strict policies and first-world focus, many entrepreneurs and companies are actively seeking viable Stripe alternatives.

Whether you’re a SaaS startup, e-commerce store, or global enterprise, choosing the right payment processor can significantly impact your bottom line and customer experience.

Table of Contents

• Why Consider Stripe Alternatives?
• The Complete List of Stripe Alternatives
• Additional Notable Mentions
• How to Choose the Right Stripe Alternative
• Conclusion

Why Consider Stripe Alternatives?

Before diving into our comprehensive list, it’s worth understanding why businesses are exploring alternatives to Stripe. While Stripe offers robust features and excellent developer tools, some businesses face challenges with pricing transparency, limited global coverage, or specific industry requirements that Stripe doesn’t fully address.

The Complete List of Stripe Alternatives

Based on extensive research and analysis of the payment processing landscape, here are 27 proven Stripe alternatives that could be the perfect fit for your business:

1. Flash – Easiest Bitcoin Payment Solution

Flash is the easiest Bitcoin payment gateway for businesses to accept payments. Supporting both digital and physical enterprises, Flash leverages the Lightning Network to enable fast, low-cost Bitcoin transactions. Launched in its 2.0 version in March 2025, Flash is at the forefront of driving Bitcoin adoption in e-commerce.

2. Lemon Squeezy – The SaaS-Focused Alternative

Dubbed as “acq’d by Stripe,” Lemon Squeezy offers a comprehensive solution specifically designed for digital product sales and SaaS businesses. It provides strong customer support, built-in analytics, and handles payments, subscriptions, global tax compliance, and fraud prevention in one platform.

3. Gumroad – Creator Economy Champion

Gumroad has carved out a niche serving creators and small businesses by providing tools for selling digital products, physical goods, and subscriptions. It’s particularly popular among content creators, artists, and independent entrepreneurs who want to experiment with various ideas and formats. They also open-sourced their code which is quite the ‘chad-move’.

4. Paddle – All-in-One SaaS Commerce

Paddle caters to SaaS and software companies by offering a comprehensive platform with billing, licensing, and global tax handling capabilities. It’s designed to be a complete solution for subscription-based businesses, handling payments, tax, and subscription management in one platform.

5. FastSpring – Global E-commerce Specialist

FastSpring specializes in e-commerce solutions for software and SaaS companies, with a focus on global payments and subscription management. According to TechnologyAdvice, it’s particularly strong for international transactions and helps companies sell more, stay lean, and compete big.

6. 2Checkout – Versatile Payment Solutions

2Checkout (now part of Verifone) offers versatile payment solutions excelling in global payments, subscription billing, and digital commerce. One of the best stripe alternatives as it’s an all-in-one monetization platform that maximizes revenues and makes global online sales easier, supporting over 200 countries and territories.

7. Payoneer – Cross-Border Payment Expert

Payoneer simplifies cross-border payment solutions, offering local payment ease globally with a focus on market expansion and multi-currency support. It’s trusted by small to medium-sized businesses for global payment solutions and international money transfers.

8. Chargebee – Subscription Management Leader

Chargebee is a subscription management platform perfect for SaaS and SMBs, with robust billing and revenue management features. If you were looking for stripe alternatives to setup subscriptions, Chargebee might be right for you. It streamlines revenue operations and helps businesses grow efficiently with comprehensive subscription billing capabilities.

9. Maxio (formerly Chargify) – B2B SaaS Billing

Maxio offers a robust platform for B2B SaaS billing and financial operations, focusing on growth and efficiency for subscription businesses. It’s the most complete financial operations platform for B2B SaaS, bringing core financial operations into one platform.

10. Recurly – Dynamic Subscription Management

Recurly offers dynamic subscription management platform, excelling in churn management and data insights for subscription growth. It’s the only proven platform that expands and protects your recurring revenue with subscription management, recurring billing, and payments orchestration.

11. Braintree – PayPal’s Enterprise Solution

Braintree (by PayPal) provides a versatile global payments platform, integrating multiple payment methods with a focus on conversion and security. It delivers end-to-end checkout experiences for businesses, offering single-touch payments and mobile optimization.

12. PayKickstart – Modern Commerce Platform

PayKickstart offers a modern commerce platform for online billing and affiliates, focusing on revenue maximization and churn minimization. It’s the most complete checkout, recurring billing, affiliate management, and retention solution with global capabilities.

13. PayPro Global – Full-Service E-commerce

PayPro Global offers a full-service eCommerce solution for selling software and SaaS, focusing on global payments, tax compliance, and customer support. It provides flexible solutions with over 70 payment methods and great support for software companies.

14. Shopify Payments – E-commerce Integration

Integrated with Shopify, this service is ideal for SMBs in eCommerce, offering a seamless shopping cart and payment experience. It’s the simplest way to accept online payments, automatically set up for major methods with no fees for some payment types.

15. Square – Versatile POS and Payment Solutions

Square provides versatile POS and payment solutions for small businesses with a strong focus on retail and mobile payments. Forbes Advisor notes it as one of the top alternatives for businesses needing both online and offline payment capabilities.

16. Zoho Billing – Integrated Business Solution

Zoho Billing is an online recurring billing and subscription management solution, ideal for small and medium-sized businesses seeking professional invoice creation, time and expense tracking, and improved cash flow management. Zoho isn’t just competing for stripe alternatives, they offer a ton of other products and services.

17. WePay – Chase Company Integration

WePay, a Chase company, provides integrated payment solutions for ISVs and SaaS companies with customizable payment solutions. It’s designed for platforms like marketplaces and small business tools, offering seamless user experience and fraud protection.

18. QuickBooks Payments – SMB Accounting Integration

This service provides seamless accounting and payment solutions for SMBs and SaaS businesses, featuring real-time tracking and automated bookkeeping. It lets small businesses accept payments online from anywhere with easy integration into QuickBooks accounting.

19. Mangopay – Marketplace Payment Infrastructure

Mangopay offers a modular payment infrastructure for marketplaces and platforms, emphasizing flexibility, global payouts, and AI-powered anti-fraud. It uses flexible wallets built to orchestrate fund flows and monetize payment experiences.

20. Coinbase Commerce – Cryptocurrency Payments

Coinbase Commerce enables businesses to accept payments from around the world using cryptocurrency. It offers instant settlement, low fees, and broad asset support, making it easy for merchants to accept digital currency payments globally.

21. BTCPay Server – Open-Source Bitcoin Processor

BTCPay Server is a self-hosted, open-source cryptocurrency payment processor with 0% fees and no third-party involvement. It’s secure, private, censorship-resistant, and completely free for businesses wanting full control over their Bitcoin payments.

22. Lago – Open-Source Billing Alternative

Lago is an open-source alternative to Stripe Billing and Chargebee, specializing in billing and metering in one place for usage-b

@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

The Trump’s American Bitcoin Merges with Gryphon, Reports 215 BTC on Balance Sheet Since Launch

American Bitcoin Corp (ABTC), a newly formed private Bitcoin mining company backed by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., announced in a June 10 SEC filing that it has acquired 215 Bitcoin (BTC) since launching operations on April 1, 2025. The reserve is currently valued at approximately $23 million, showing their drive and commitment to Bitcoin. 

JUST IN: American Bitcoin Corp (private) reports to have 215 #bitcoin (per 31 May) since it's launch on April 1, 2025.

They will merge with Gryphon Digital $GRYP and become public under ticker $ABTC.

They mention "Bitcoin accumulation is not a side effect of ABTC’s business.… pic.twitter.com/wq1Uxr76Z2

— NLNico (@btcNLNico) June 10, 2025

“Bitcoin accumulation is not a side effect of ABTC’s business. It is the business,” the company stated in the filing.

Furthermore, ABTC has entered into a merger agreement with Gryphon Digital Mining ($GRYP), and the combined company is expected to begin public trading under the ticker $ABTC as early as Q3 2025. 

The company’s three-layer strategic plan—outlined in the SEC disclosure—details a focused approach:

Layer 1: Build the Engine

• ABTC’s foundation is built on “producing Bitcoin below-market cost through a capital efficient, infrastructure-light operating model.” The company owns and operates over 60,000 miners from Bitmain and MicroBt, running primarily on Hut 8-managed facilities.

Layer 2: Scale the Reserve

• ABTC had “accumulated approximately 215 Bitcoin in reserve since launching on April 1, 2025,” which it considers a long-term strategic asset. The firm states its goal is “to utilize public markets and strategic financing structures to access efficient capital and leverage that capital to increase its Bitcoin in reserve per share.”

Layer 3: Lead the Ecosystem 

• The company ultimately aims to use its operational scale and mining position to drive industry-wide adoption. “ABTC may pursue opportunities to support protocol development, enhance network infrastructure and contribute to Bitcoin’s resilience and adoption in ways that align with shareholder value creation.”

For mining rewards, ABTC uses Foundry and Luxor pools with sub-1% fees and relies on Coinbase Custody for secure cold storage, featuring multi-factor authentication and strict withdrawal protocols. 

With operations across Niagara Falls, NY; Medicine Hat, AB; and Orla, TX, ABTC is leveraging strategic partnerships—primarily with Hut 8—to scale its Bitcoin holdings while influencing the broader crypto mining ecosystem.

This post The Trump’s American Bitcoin Merges with Gryphon, Reports 215 BTC on Balance Sheet Since Launch first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Jenna Montgomery.

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Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Officially Traded Above $100,000 For 30 Consecutive Days For The First Time

Bitcoin has officially completed 30 consecutive days trading above the $100,000 mark, marking a historic milestone in its 15 year journey. Bitcoin achieved its all time high (ATH) of $111,980 on May 22, almost hitting $112,000.

JUST IN: Bitcoin has stayed above $100,000 for 30 consecutive days for the first time ever! pic.twitter.com/nfccEK3Wf0

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) June 10, 2025

In the last 30 days, Bitcoin saw a 10 percent pullback right after reaching its ATH, dropping to $100,428. However, it wasn’t for long, as Bitcoin is back at $109,511 at the time of writing. Momentum appears to be building once again, signaling to be bullish.

“Anytime price is able to punch through a major resistance level, whether psychological or historical, and successfully hold, it is certainly a bullish sign,” said the technical analyst of Wolfe Research Read Harvey. “What really stood out to us was price’s ability to hold that level on the back test, when it briefly fell to $100,000 on Thursday. It also happened to align perfectly with the 50-day moving average. … We feel this should act as a launching pad back towards the recent highs of $112,000.”

In the past month, Bitcoin has surged into the financial and political mainstream. Several U.S. states including New Hampshire first, followed by Arizona, and then Texas have passed legislation recognizing Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset. These laws reflect a growing trend of state level interest in using Bitcoin as a financial hedge and as part of long term fiscal policy.

“New Hampshire didn’t just pass a bill; it sparked a movement,” stated the CEO and Co-Founder of Satoshi Action Dennis Porter.

At the same time, financial institutions are rapidly expanding their Bitcoin offerings. JP Morgan has started providing loans backed by Bitcoin ETFs as collateral. BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF has entered a period of intense activity, generating record trading volumes and capturing the attention of both retail and institutional investors.

To date, a total of 228 public and private entities have Bitcoin in their balance sheets and in the last 30 days, companies like GameStop, Know Labs, and Norway-based NBX have added Bitcoin as a strategic reserve. All these companies are treating Bitcoin not just as a speculative asset, but as a key part of their long term financial plans. This growing corporate trend follows the example set by Strategy, but it’s now happening on a much larger scale.

At the 2025 Bitcoin conference, the Vice President of the United States of America, JD Vance said in his speech, “Fifty million Americans own Bitcoin. I think it’s gonna be 100 million before too long.”

This post Bitcoin Officially Traded Above $100,000 For 30 Consecutive Days For The First Time first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Oscar Zarraga Perez.

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Bitcoin Magazine

Economic Bitcoin Nodes: Why You Need To Use Your Node For It To Matter

What is an economic node? To understand that, you need to first conceptually understand how a user interacts with the Bitcoin network in the first place. 

Bitcoin is a database, and a network to facilitate the updating and synchronization of updates to that database, used for the primary purpose of people transacting bitcoin (entries in the database). 

The primary concern of a user making use of Bitcoin for this purpose is the validity of the transactions sent to them, i.e. is the money they have received valid in the sense that when they go forward in the future to spend it somewhere else that other people will also widely accept it as valid. If that is not the case, then it is useless as money. 

This is the purpose of a node, to verify these transactions. In order to do so, your node must have a complete set of all the existing coins (Unspent Transaction Outputs, or UTXOs) in order to check every proposed transaction against. When a transaction is broadcast, your node verifies that the coins it is spending are in this “UTXO set”, meaning that they have not been spent yet. When that transaction is confirmed in a block, those individual UTXOs are then removed from the UTXO set, and the new ones created by that transaction are added. 

In order to compute that UTXO set in the first place, a node must parse through the entire historical record of all past transactions contained in the blockchain, going through the process of adding each newly mined UTXO to the set, and removing/adding all the consumed and newly created UTXOs processed in each individual block. 

Without doing this, there is no way to be certain that the current UTXO set stored in your node is actually accurate and valid (in the future Zero Knowledge Proofs could obviate the need for this by replacing the historical blockchain with a succinct cryptographic proof that any given UTXO set is valid for a specific blockheight). 

Your node is simply an agent for you as an economic actor, in the sense of automated AI agents that many LLM advocates speak about. It is an autonomous program acting on your behalf in a certain context, in this case guaranteeing the validity of bitcoin transactions to ensure that when you are the recipient of one, the chain of transactions that created the coin spent to you is valid. 

An economic node is simply a node that is actually being used by someone engaging in economic activity to ensure the validity of the coins they are receiving. 

Why is that so important? Why do only these nodes matter? 

Think about what makes Bitcoin function in the first place: people running the same consensus rules. The only reason there is a coherent singular Bitcoin network is because everyone is running the same consensus rules, when miners produce blocks, every individual node arrives at the same conclusion as to whether or not it is valid. Every individual node will follow whatever is the blockchain composed of valid blocks that has the most proof-of-work attached to it. 

There is only a singular coherent Bitcoin network because each individual actor chooses to enforce the same set of consensus rules against blocks that miners produce. It is purely voluntary association, voluntary subjugation of oneself to a certain set of consensus rules. 

So to illustrate the point, let’s imagine three different scenarios of nodes deviating from the existing set of rules. 

In the first scenario, imagine a few major exchanges like Kraken, Coinbase, etc. all alter their consensus rules from the rest of the network (softfork vs. hardfork are a distraction from the point, so we are going to ignore the distinction here). These nodes represent the economic platforms where bitcoin is traded, and its price established in fiat terms. Nodes running conflicting rules from them, or making transactions that will not be recognized as valid by their nodes to be more specific, now cannot engage in that market. 

Those exchanges’ nodes will not recognize user deposits as valid, and as such they will not be able to deposit coins and participate in those marketplaces. Other nodes can band together, but they cannot capture the economic power of those exchanges. Ultimately, short of the value of the coin created by the ruleset they are enforcing crashing to nothing, other nodes on the network will have no choice but to adopt their ruleset in order to interact with them. Otherwise the exchanges will simply ignore and honor honor deposits their nodes consider invalid. 

In the second scenario, let’s imagine a group of much smaller businesses and users that regularly receive transactions. Maybe all of them together amount to the economic activity of a single exchange like Coinbase. These users choosing to alter their consensus rules is not as inescapable as a number of large exchanges in concert, but it is still significant. 

Here, other users can still access marketplaces like exchanges to ensure that bitcoin is being priced by the market. The majority of the network will still accept everyone else’s coins in receipt for goods, or as deposits to trade on marketplaces. But they still represent a sizable portion of economic activity withdrawing from the rest of the network. This is leverage they can use. 

Even as a minority of the network, the likelihood is extremely high that there are significant levels of economic activity crossing between this minority of nodes and the rest of the network. This is not a clear case of leaving the rest of the network no option but to adopt the new rules, but it definitely creates pressure for large portions of the network who interact across that “gap.”

From there the more users that choose to cross the gap because of who they economically interact with, that pressure grows larger for the rest of the remaining network. 

In the last scenario, let’s imagine a group of nodes representing a small set of users generating very little or no economic activity at all. These users choose to alter their ruleset. They receive almost no payments, they represent a rounding error in terms of economic value on the network. 

They’re irrelevant to the rest of the network. Large businesses, exchanges, other economic actors, they will not care if a handful of people stop patronizing them or sending them bitcoin for different reasons. This set of nodes altering their consensus rules doesn’t matter. They create no pressure or opportunity cost that matters for the rest of the network. 

An economic node’s influence on the overall consensus of the Bitcoin network is proportional to the amount of economic activity involving that node/its owner. 

A node that is not being used for this purpose is completely irrelevant to the consensus rules of the Bitcoin network at large. It creates no economic pressure, imposes no opportunity cost, on the rest of the network when it alters its consensus rules. It is indistinguishable from a participant in a sybil attack. 

There might be other reasons to run a node besides verifying your own transactions, such as direct access to blockchain data for research or analysis purposes, but ultimately that node is irrelevant to consensus. 

This dynamic is why Bitcoin cannot be sybil attacked. It’s why some malicious actor can spin up a million nodes on Amazon Web Services running different consensus rules, and it will have zero effect on the actual Bitcoin network. 

Your node doesn’t matter, unless you use it. So use it. 

This post Economic Bitcoin Nodes: Why You Need To Use Your Node For It To Matter first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Shinobi.

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Bitcoin Magazine

Bitwise Debuts First Ever GameStop Covered Call ETF

Today, Bitwise Asset Management announced the launch of the Bitwise GME Option Income Strategy ETF (IGME), the first-ever covered call ETF centered around GameStop (GME). The fund arrives at a moment where GameStop recently made headlines for its $500 million Bitcoin treasury strategy.

GameStop is embracing bitcoin; we built an income-generating ETF designed to capture that hype and turn it into yield.

Introducing $IGME: The first option income ETF capitalizing on investor interest in @gamestop and their adoption of bitcoin as a treasury asset.

As the fourth… pic.twitter.com/EHaXX9PK7X

— Bitwise (@BitwiseInvest) June 10, 2025

Led by Bitwise’s Head of Alpha Strategies Jeff Park, IGME is the latest addition to Bitwise’s rapidly expanding suite of option income ETFs. The actively managed fund is designed to generate income through a covered call strategy while offering investors exposure to GameStop, a company that has transformed from mall retailer to a key player in the digital asset conversation. 

“IGME is the first covered call strategy built around GameStop, a stock whose historic volatility and growth potential make it a strong fit for this approach,” said Park. “With IGME, investors now have access to an option income ETF based on an equity that sits at the intersection of retail investor popularity, a traditional revenue-generating business, and digital asset adoption.”

GameStop recently disclosed that it holds 4,710 Bitcoin, worth over $500 million at the time of purchase, positioning it among the growing list of public companies making Bitcoin a core treasury component. As of March 31, 2025, over 79 public companies hold a collective $57 billion in Bitcoin—a 159% increase from the previous year, according to Bitcoin Asset Management.

IGME follows the launch of Bitwise’s other option income ETFs, including IMST (Strategy), ICOI (Coinbase), and IMRA (Marathon Digital Holdings). These ETFs aim to deliver monthly income through synthetic covered call strategies that leverage options rather than direct equity holdings. 

“At Bitwise, our mission is to help investors gain access to the full range of opportunities emerging in crypto,” said Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley. “We’re excited to add IGME to our suite of option income ETFs to help investors capitalize on the volatility of companies in the space.”

IGME plans to announce its first monthly distribution on July 24 and carries an expense ratio of 0.98%.  

This post Bitwise Debuts First Ever GameStop Covered Call ETF first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Jenna Montgomery.

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Bitcoin Magazine

Michael Saylor: The Bear Market Is Not Coming Back And Bitcoin Is Going To $1 Million

Today, the Executive Chairman and CEO of Strategy Michael Saylor commented on the company’s aggressive Bitcoin-based strategy in a recent interview at Bloomberg, emphasizing that Bitcoin is not going to zero, it is going to $1 million.

“I think we’re in a digital gold rush and you’ve got ten years to acquire all your bitcoin before there’s no bitcoin left for you,” Saylor said. “The competition is a virtuous competition.” 

JUST IN: Michael Saylor said the bear market is not coming back and Bitcoin is going to $1 million

pic.twitter.com/J4sn80LMzs

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) June 10, 2025

Saylor also said that Bitcoin is not going to have bear markets anymore and the price is going to $1 million per coin.

“Winter is not coming back,” commented Sayor. “We are past that phase. If Bitcoin is not going to zero, it is going to $1 million. The President of the United States is determined. He supports Bitcoin, the cabinet supports Bitcoin, Scott Bessent supports Bitcoin, Paul Atkins is shown himself to be an enthusiastic believer of Bitcoin and digital assets… Bitcoin has gotten through its riskiest period.”

He also pointed out that international firms are rapidly entering the space.

“Metaplanet is the hottest company in Japan right now, they went from $10 million to a $1 billion market cap to a $5 billion market cap. They’re going to raise billions of dollars. They’re going to pull the liquidity out of the Japanese market. So they’ll be raising capital in Tokyo and the Tokyo Stock Exchange… It’s not competitive. It’s cooperative.”

Strategy’s approach is far from traditional. The company is not just buying and holding Bitcoin; it is building financial instruments around it, which Saylor believes sets them apart.

“Our company has a very particular business model,” he stated. “It’s to issue Bitcoin-backed credit instruments like Bitcoin-backed bonds and especially Bitcoin-backed preferred stocks. We’re the only company in the world that’s ever been able to issue a preferred stock backed by Bitcoin. We’ve done three of them in the past five months.”

Rather than viewing Bitcoin treasury holdings or ETFs as competitors, Saylor explained that Strategy is targeting a different segment of the market entirely.

“We’re not competing against the Bitcoin treasury companies. We’re competing against ETFs like PFF that have portafolios of preferred stocks or corporate bond portfolios that are trading as ETFs in the public market, and the way we compete is we offer 400 basis points more yield on an instrument that is much more heavily collateralized and more transparent… That’s $100 trillion or more of capital in those markets,” explained Saylor.

He emphasized that Strategy’s Bitcoin balance sheet gives it a unique edge, giving the company the ability to design unique financial products.

“Our advantage is that we’re 100% Bitcoin… It’s impossible to issue Bitcoin-backed convertible preferred and Bitcoin-backed fixed preferred unless you’re willing to make 100% of your balance sheet Bitcoin.”

“I’m not really worried about competition from JPMorgan or Berkshire Hathaway,” concluded Saylor. “I would love for them to enter the Bitcoin space, buy up a bunch of Bitcoin. When they do it, they’ll be paying $1,000,000 a Bitcoin. The price will go to the moon.”

This post Michael Saylor: The Bear Market Is Not Coming Back And Bitcoin Is Going To $1 Million first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Oscar Zarraga Perez.

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In the bustling city of Kano, where clock towers chimed and gears never stopped turning, lived an old man named Mallam Audu, the greatest clockmaker the city had ever known. His hands were steady, his mind sharp, and his heart closed.

Years ago, his only son, Umar, had stolen the shop’s finest work: a jeweled timepiece meant for the king. He vanished into the world, leaving Mallam Audu disgraced and alone. Since that day, the old man never spoke his son’s name again.

Years passed. Kano changed. But Mallam Audu remained at his bench, repairing clocks for strangers, refusing apprentices, never smiling.

One winter night, during the first snowfall, a stranger entered his shop. He was cloaked, thin, and tired.

“I heard you fix what’s broken,” the man said.

Mallam Audu didn’t look up. “Leave the clock.”

But the man pulled back his hood. It was Umar, older, gaunt, and ashamed. In his hand, he held the broken timepiece he once stole.

“I tried to sell it,” he said, voice trembling. “But I never could. I carried it everywhere, and it broke. Like everything I touched.”

Mallam Audu stared at his son. His hands twitched, not with anger, but with memories. The boy who used to laugh in the workshop… the boy who made one terrible mistake.

Umar knelt. “I don’t ask to be forgiven. Only for you to fix it.”

Mallam Audu took the timepiece. Slowly, he set it on the bench. Then, without a word, he reached into the drawer and handed Umar a second stool, the one that had sat empty for years.

Side by side, father and son began to work.

The next morning, the clocks of Kano chimed not just with time but with healing.

Moral:

Forgiveness is not forgetting the wound. It's choosing to stop carrying it. And in that release, we repair not just others but ourselves.

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Metaplanet Inc. has bought 1,088 more bitcoin (BTC), and now holds 8,888 BTC worth over $930 million. This puts Metaplanet in the top 10 corporate bitcoin holders, ahead of Galaxy Digital and Block Inc.

Metaplanet Inc. on X

The company’s CEO Simon Gerovich announced the purchase on X on June 2, 2025. The company bought the new BTC at an average price of around $107,771 per coin, costing the company approximately $117.3 million.

The company said this purchase brings them 90% of the way to their 2025 goal of 10,000 BTC.

Metaplanet only started its bitcoin treasury policy in April 2024 but has been moving fast. At the start of 2025, it had less than 2,000 BTC, and now it has over 8,800.

This has been done through a combination of stock rights exercises and bond issuances, raising capital without diluting existing shareholders. In May 2025 alone, Metaplanet issued zero-coupon, non-interest-bearing bonds for a combined value of $71 million.

According to the filings, the company recently completed its “21 Million Plan” which was a program that involved the full exercise of 210 million stock acquisition rights.

These stock rights allowed Metaplanet to raise capital through equity sales while limiting dilution risk.

Metaplanet’s Bitcoin strategist, Dylan LeClair, said the company views bitcoin as a core part of its financial strategy and is all in, not just making small allocations.

Metaplanet’s buying has paid off in more ways than one.

Its BTC Yield, a company metric that compares bitcoin holdings to total shares, has impressed investors. In Q2 2025 it had a 66.3% BTC Yield, year-to-date it has a 225% BTC Yield.

Metaplanet BTC Yield over time — Vincent on X

The stock is up 155% in the last month and is currently trading at 1,149 JPY, despite the overall volatility in the Tokyo Stock Exchange—where many other companies are under pressure due to the rising Japanese bond yields.

Analysts say the company still has more room to run.

Analysts say the company’s mNAV is back to 4.75 and the stock is undervalued compared to Strategy.

mNAV is short for “multiple of Net Asset Value” and is a metric used to compare the market’s valuation of a company to the actual value of its assets, primarily its bitcoin holdings.

Metaplanet is called “Japan’s Strategy”, a reference to Michael Saylor’s Strategy, the U.S.-based company that holds over 580,000 BTC—the most of any company in the world.

The corporate bitcoin boom isn’t stopping with Strategy and Metaplanet. On May 28, 2025 GameStop announced it had bought 4,710 BTC, worth over $512 million, its first foray into bitcoin after updating its investment policy this year.

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The latest AI chips, 8K displays, and neural processing units make your device feel like a pocket supercomputer. So surely, with all this advancement, you can finally mine bitcoin on your phone profitably, right?

The 2025 Hardware Reality: Can You Mine Bitcoin on Your Phone

Despite remarkable advances in smartphone technology, the fundamental physics of bitcoin mining haven’t changed. In 2025, flagship devices with their cutting-edge 2nm processors can achieve approximately 25-40 megahashes per second when you mine bitcoin on your phone—a notable improvement from previous generations, but still laughably inadequate.

Meanwhile, 2025’s top-tier ASIC miners have evolved dramatically. The latest Bitmain Antminer S23 series and Canaan AvalonMiner A15 Pro deliver 200-300 terahashes per second while consuming 4,000-5,500 watts. That’s a performance gap of roughly 1:8,000,000 between when you mine bitcoin on your phone and professional mining equipment.

To put this in perspective that hits home: if you mine bitcoin on your phone and it earned you one penny, professional miners would earn $80,000 in the same time period with the same effort. It’s not just an efficiency problem—it’s a complete category mismatch.

According to Pocket Option’s 2025 analysis, when you mine bitcoin on your phone in 2025, you generate approximately $0.003-0.006 in daily revenue while consuming $0.45-0.85 in electricity through constant charging cycles. Factor in the accelerated device wear (estimated at $0.75-1.20 daily depreciation), and you’re looking at losses of $1.20-2.00 per day just for the privilege of running mining software.

Mining Economic Factor

Precise Value (April 2025)

Direct Impact on Profitability

Smartphone sustained hash rate

20-35 MH/s

0.00000024% contribution to global hashrate

Daily power consumption

3.2-4.8 kWh (4-6 full charges)

$0.38-0.57 at average US electricity rates

Expected daily BTC earnings

0.0000000086 BTC ($0.0035 at $41,200 BTC)

Revenue covers only 0.9% of electricity costs

CPU/GPU wear cost

$0.68-0.92 daily accelerated depreciation

Reduces smartphone lifespan by 60-70%

Annual profit projection

-$386 to -$412 per year

Guaranteed negative return on investment

Source: PocketOption

Bitcoin’s 2025 Network: Harder Than Ever

Bitcoin’s network difficulty in 2025 has reached unprecedented levels. After the April 2024 halving event that reduced block rewards from 6.25 to 3.125 BTC, mining became significantly more competitive. The global hash rate now exceeds 800 exahashes per second—that’s 800 followed by 18 zeros worth of computational power securing the network.

Here’s what this means in practical terms: Bitcoin’s mining difficulty adjusts every 2,016 blocks (roughly every two weeks) to maintain the 10-minute block time. As more efficient miners join the network, difficulty increases proportionally. In 2025, mining difficulty has increased compared to 2024, making small-scale mining even less viable.

The math is unforgiving:

• Global Bitcoin hash rate: 828.96 EH/s
• Your smartphone’s contribution: ~0.000000003%
• Probability of solo mining a block: Virtually zero
• Expected time to mine one Bitcoin: Several million years

Even joining mining pools doesn’t solve the economic problem. Pool fees typically range from 1-3%, and your minuscule contribution would earn proportionally tiny rewards—far below the electricity and device depreciation costs.

The 2025 Scam Evolution: More Sophisticated, More Dangerous

Fraudsters now leverage AI-generated content, fake influencer endorsements, and impressive-looking apps that simulate realistic mining activity to entice you to mine bitcoin on your phone.

New 2025 scam tactics include:

AI-Powered Fake Testimonials: Deepfake videos of supposed successful mobile miners showing fabricated earnings statements and encouraging downloads of malicious apps.

Gamified Mining Interfaces: Apps that look and feel like legitimate games but secretly harvest personal data while simulating mining progress that can never be withdrawn.

Social Media Manipulation: Coordinated campaigns across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube featuring fake “financial influencers” promoting mobile mining apps to younger audiences.

Subscription Trap Mining: Apps offering “free trials” that automatically charge $19.99-49.99 monthly for “premium mining speeds” while delivering no actual mining capability.

Recent cybersecurity research shows that over 180 fake mining apps were discovered across major app stores in 2025, with some accumulating more than 500,000 downloads before being removed.

Red flags that scream “scam” in 2025:

• Apps claiming “revolutionary mobile mining breakthrough”
• Promises of earning “$10-50 daily” from phone mining
• Requirements to recruit friends or watch ads to unlock withdrawals
• Apps that don’t require connecting to actual mining pools
• Testimonials that seem too polished or use stock photo models
• Apps requesting permissions unrelated to mining (contacts, camera, microphone)

The 2025 Professional Mining Landscape

To understand why, consider what professional bitcoin mining looks like in 2025. Industrial mining operations now resemble high-tech data centers with:

Cutting-edge hardware:

• Bitmain Antminer S23 Pro: 280 TH/s at 4,800W
• MicroBT WhatsMiner M56S++: 250 TH/s at 4,500W
• Canaan AvalonMiner A1566: 185 TH/s at 3,420W

Infrastructure requirements:

• Megawatt-scale power contracts with industrial electricity rates
• Liquid cooling systems maintaining 24/7 optimal temperatures
• Redundant internet connections ensuring zero downtime
• Professional facility management with 24/7 monitoring

For a small operation, you might need at least $10,000 to $20,000 to buy a few ASIC miners, set up cooling systems, and cover electricity costs. These operations employ teams of engineers, maintain relationships with power companies, and operate with margins measured in single-digit percentages.

2025’s Legitimate Mobile Bitcoin Strategies

While it remains impossible to mine bitcoin on your phone profitably, 2025 offers exciting legitimate ways to engage with bitcoin through your smartphone:

Lightning Network Participation: Apps like Phoenix, Breez, and Zeus allow you to run Lightning nodes on mobile devices, earning small routing fees while supporting bitcoin’s payment layer.

Bitcoin DCA Automation: Services enable automated dollar-cost averaging with amounts as small as $1 daily. Historical data shows $10 weekly bitcoin purchases consistently outperform any mobile mining attempt by 1,500-2,000%.

Educational Mining Simulators: Legitimate apps like “Bitcoin Mining Simulator” teach mining concepts without false earning promises. These educational tools help users understand hash rates, difficulty adjustments, and mining economics.

Stacking Sats Rewards: Apps offering bitcoin rewards for shopping, learning, or completing tasks.

Lightning Gaming: Bitcoin-native mobile games where players can earn sats through skilled gameplay, with some players earning $10 monthly.onfirm that even the most optimized mobile mining setups in 2025 lose money consistently and predictably.

The Bottom Line

When you mine bitcoin on your phone fundamental economics remain unchanged: it’s impossible to profit. The laws of physics, network competition, and energy efficiency create insurmountable barriers that no app can overcome.

However, 2025 offers unprecedented opportunities to engage with bitcoin meaningfully through your smartphone. Focus on education, legitimate earning opportunities, and strategic investment rather than chasing the impossible dream of phone-based mining.

The bitcoin community’s greatest strength lies in its commitment to truth over hype. When someone promises profits to mine bitcoin on your phone in 2025, they’re either uninformed or deliberately misleading you. Trust the mathematics, learn from the community, and build your bitcoin knowledge and holdings through proven methods.

The real opportunity in 2025 isn’t to mine bitcoin on your phone—it’s understanding bitcoin deeply enough to participate confidently in the most important monetary revolution of our lifetime. Your smartphone is the perfect tool for that education; it’s just not a mining rig.

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Bitcoin Magazine

KULR Technology Group Announces $300 Million ATM Offering To Invest in Their Bitcoin Treasury

KULR Technology Group, Inc. (NYSE American: KULR) announced it has entered into a Controlled Equity Offering Sales Agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. and Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC, enabling the company to sell up to $300 million of its common stock in an at-the-market (ATM) offering to support its Bitcoin treasury reserve.

JUST IN: Public company KULR is raising up to $300 million to buy more #Bitcoin pic.twitter.com/Jg0yaAFkI7

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) June 9, 2025

Under the agreement, Cantor Fitzgerald will act as the sole sales agent, using commercially reasonable efforts to sell shares at market prices. The offering will be made under an existing shelf registration and may occur from time to time based on market conditions and company discretion.

As of June 6, 2025, KULR’s common stock was trading at $1.18 per share. The total number of shares issued under the agreement will not exceed the company’s authorized but unissued shares, after accounting for shares already reserved or committed.

“Our common stock is listed and traded on the NYSE American LLC under the symbol ‘KULR,’” stated the filing.

KULR will pay the sales agents a commission of up to 3.0% of the gross sales proceeds. The agents are considered underwriters under the Securities Act of 1933, and KULR has agreed to indemnify them against certain liabilities.

“Our business and an investment in our common stock involve significant risks,” stated the filing. “These risks are described under the caption “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-6 of this prospectus supplement, and the risk factors incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus.”

KULR started adopting bitcoin as their primary treasury reserve asset in December 2024. Their strategy focuses on acquiring and holding bitcoin by using cash flows that exceed working capital requirements, issuing equity debt securities or raising more capital to purchase more Bitcoin.

“We view our bitcoin holdings as long term holdings and expect to continue to accumulate bitcoin,” mentioned the filing on page S-2. “We have not set any specific target for the amount of bitcoin we seek to hold, and we will continue to monitor market conditions in determining whether to engage in additional bitcoin purchases. This overall strategy also contemplates that we may periodically sell bitcoin for general corporate purposes or in connection with strategies that generate tax benefits in accordance with applicable law, enter into additional capital raising transactions, including those that could be collateralized by our bitcoin holdings, and consider pursuing strategies to create income streams or otherwise generate funds using our bitcoin holdings.”

This post KULR Technology Group Announces $300 Million ATM Offering To Invest in Their Bitcoin Treasury first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Oscar Zarraga Perez.

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Bitcoin Magazine

Canaan Announces Record Bitcoin Mining Month with Over 109 BTC Mined

Canaan Inc. (NASDAQ: CAN), an innovator in Bitcoin mining, reported today their bitcoin mining update for the month ending May 31, 2025, with 109 bitcoins mined. The company’s total bitcoin holdings rose to 1,466 BTC. 

“In May 2025, despite the 10% increase in tariffs on our Malaysia-made Bitcoin mining machines due to ongoing U.S. trade uncertainties, we remained focused on executing our strategic priorities with discipline and agility,” said the Chairman and CEO of Canaan Nangeng Zhang. “By capitalizing on the favorable momentum in bitcoin prices, we achieved a 25% month-over-month increase in our bitcoin production, reaching a record 109 bitcoins. This performance marks a new monthly high for our mining production and brings our total cryptocurrency holdings to an all-time high of 1,466 bitcoins at month-end.”

As of May 31, 2025, Canaan’s current mining projects add to 7.27 EH/s of operating and 8.75 EH/s deployed hashrate. In America, 3.09 EH/s is energized, including a 0.02 EH/s in Canada. Ethiopia’s contribute 4.13 EH/s energized and the Middle East facility delivers 0.03 EH/s energized. Total estimated global capacity stands at 8.75 EH/s.

“Our installed and operational hashrates reached 8.75 EH/s and 7.27 EH/s, respectively, underscoring the continued buildout of our global mining operations,” stated Zhang. “We also achieved a new historical high in installed computing power, while maintaining a competitive all-in power cost. This performance demonstrates our ability to execute on our strategy of efficient and sustainable growth.”

“With Bitcoin prices climbing to historic levels, we’re seeing increased global demand for our mining machines,” commented Zhang. “Combined with the strength of our mining operations and our disciplined approach to capital allocation, we remain confident in our business fundamentals and our ability to deliver long-term value to our shareholders.”

On June 9, 2025, the company announced that its CEO and its CFO acquired 817,268 of American Depositary Shares at an average price of US$0.76 per ADS, showing their belief in the company’s future.

“My share purchase underscores my belief in Canaan’s vision and the tremendous opportunities ahead,” stated Zhang in the announcement. “Both James and I believe there is a significant disconnect between our current ADS price and the value we believe we can deliver in the coming years.”

This post Canaan Announces Record Bitcoin Mining Month with Over 109 BTC Mined first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Oscar Zarraga Perez.

@ 7459d333:f207289b

I've been thinking about Bitcoin's long-term trajectory and whether it might mirror what happened with the internet.

The Internet Parallel: - Started as a decentralized protocol among tech enthusiasts - Remained fundamentally decentralized and "based" - But in practice, most users experience it through centralized gatekeepers: - Google Chrome + Google Search - Twitter/Reddit/Instagram for content - Amazon for commerce

The Counter-Examples:

Of course, some of us still use: - Firefox + Kagi - Nostr/Stacker.news/RSS feeds - XMPP/Matrix/... for communications

And the internet is still vastly more decentralized and censorship-resistant than the pre-internet world.

The Bitcoin Question:

Will Bitcoin face similar practical centralization pressures? Will most people end up using Bitcoin through a handful of corporate interfaces while the underlying protocol remains decentralized?

Root Cause:

Is this centralization tendency due to:

1. Human nature - people preferring convenience over sovereignty?
2. Broken money systems that enable these mega-corporations to capture markets?

What do you think? Is practical centralization inevitable for successful decentralized protocols, or can Bitcoin chart a different course?

https://stacker.news/items/1003297

@ f85b9c2c:d190bcff

The ability to concentrate on a specific task or goal for an extended period of time is referred to as focus. It is a critical component of success in any field because it allows us to devote our full attention and effort to what we are doing resulting in increased productivity and better results. It can be difficult to maintain focus and avoid distractions in today’s fast-paced and constantly connected world. The advantages of focus on the other hand are numerous including reduced stress, improved performance, and the ability to achieve our goals more efficiently. In this post we will discuss the role of focus in goal achievement, offer strategies for increasing focus, and talk about the importance of rest and breaks in maintaining focus.

The Role Of Focus In Goal Achievement Setting specific goals is a crucial first step toward success but it’s also critical to keep your attention on them in order to advance. Without focus it is simple to get distracted and lose track of the goals we are pursuing. By staying focused we can stay on course and stop wasting time and effort on activities that don’t further our objectives. One major hindrance to focus is multitasking which is the act of trying to complete multiple tasks at the same time. While it may seem like an efficient use of time research has shown that multitasking can actually decrease productivity and impair cognitive function. This is so because our brains are not built to multitask and can only fully concentrate on one thing at a time. Focusing on one task at a time and giving it our full attention will help us accomplish our goals more successfully.

Strategies For Increasing Focus There are a number of tactics that can aid in sharpening our focus and maintaining our direction. Setting up a supportive environment is one of the best ways to improve focus. This entails getting rid of distractions like noise, crowding and pointless activities.A dedicated time free from interruptions or distractions is also beneficial for focused work. There are also several techniques that can help us maintain focus while working. This enables us to focus for a predetermined amount of time before taking a break and renewing our energy. To-do lists can help us prioritize tasks and monitor our progress which is another benefit for staying focused.

The Importance of Rest and Breaks In Maintaining Focus While it is important to maintain focus while working it is also crucial to take breaks and rest in order to sustain that focus over time. Taking breaks can help reduce stress and prevent burnout which can hinder focus and productivity. Breaks can also increase creativity and problem-solving abilities as they allow our brains to process and integrate new information. To maintain focus and succeed, it’s critical to strike a balance between focused work and rest. This could entail planning regular breaks during the day or taking a trip to recharge. Regardless of the strategy it’s critical to give sleep a high priority and incorporate it into our daily schedules.

Focusing on the Driver of Success Focus is a crucial element of success in any field. It allows us to concentrate on a specific task or goal and give it our full attention resulting in increased productivity and better results. Maintaining focus can be challenging especially in today’s fast-paced and constantly connected world but there are strategies we can use to increase focus and stay on track. These include creating a conducive environment for focus, using techniques like the to-do lists, and taking regular breaks to rest and recharge. By prioritizing and cultivating focus we can achieve our personal and professional goals more efficiently and effectively. Note: Focus requires prioritization and that comes with delegation.

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

„Die Technologie neigt dazu, alle Attribute des religiösen Denkens, der magischen und animistischen Vernunft und des künstlerischen Schaffens sich allein einzuverleiben. Es ist noch nicht lange her, als angenommen wurde, das künstliche Objekt entferne den Menschen von der Welt. Heute ist es keine Frage der Entfernung mehr, sondern die Frage einer möglichen Verschmelzung, da die Welt selbst dazu neigt, künstlich zu werden.“\ Das schreibt Achille Mbembe, Historiker und Politikwissenschaftler aus Kamerun, in seinem Buch „Die terrestrische Gemeinschaft. Technik, Animismus und die Erde als Utopie“.

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/die-terrestrische-gemeinschaft-ein-buch-von-achille-mbembe?

Inspiration und Hoffnung findet der Autor in Afrika. Jenem Kontinent, den unsere – je nach Blickwinkel westliche oder nördliche – Zivilisation gerne reduziert auf Schlagwörter wie Krieg, Hunger, Despotie, Überbevölkerung und Aberglaube. In den alten Stammeskulturen findet Mbembe eine ganz andere Haltung, ein ganz anderes Verständnis der Welt. Das könnte uns helfen, die Natur nicht als Feind zu betrachten, den es zu bezwingen gilt, sondern als Ort, an dem alles mit allem verbunden ist und niemand sich zum Herrscher aufschwingen kann, ohne den anderen und letztlich auch sich selbst zu schaden:\ „Dieser Gemeinschaft der Erde entspricht die grundlegende Universalität aller ihrer Bewohner. Weder die menschlichen Personen noch die anderen Wesen zusammengenommen sind die Eigentümer der Erde. Sie sind dort Erdenbürger, insofern sie alle in den Genuss eines unbestreitbaren Platzes auf ihr kommen.“\ Unser Autor Jonny Rieder hat Mbembes Buch gelesen und darüber nachgedacht.

Sprecher: Ulrich Allroggen

Bild: Verlag Matthes & Seitz Berlin / Dirk Lebahn

Radio München\ www.radiomuenchen.net/​\ @radiomuenchen\ www.facebook.com/radiomuenchen\ www.instagram.com/radio_muenchen/\ twitter.com/RadioMuenchen\ odysee.com/@RadioMuenchen.net:9\ rumble.com/user/RadioMunchen

Radio München ist eine gemeinnützige Unternehmung.\ Wir freuen uns, wenn Sie unsere Arbeit unterstützen.

GLS-Bank\ IBAN: DE65 4306 0967 8217 9867 00\ BIC: GENODEM1GLS\ Bitcoin (BTC): bc1qqkrzed5vuvl82dggsyjgcjteylq5l58sz4s927\ Ethereum (ETH): 0xB9a49A0bda5FAc3F084D5257424E3e6fdD303482

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

Humanity's Natural State Is Chaos
Without order there is chaos. Humans competing with each other for scarce resources naturally leads to conflict until one group achieves significant power and instates a "monopoly on violence."

Power Brings Stability
Power has always been the key means to achieve stability in societies. Centralized power can be incredibly effective in addressing issues such as crime, poverty, and social unrest efficiently. Unfortunately this power is often abused and corrupted.

Centralized Power Breeds Tyranny
Centralized power often leads to tyrannical rule. When a select few individuals hold control over a society, they tend to become corrupted. Centralized power structures often lack accountability and transparency, and rely too heavily on trust.

Distributed Power Cultivates Freedom
New technology that empowers individuals provide us the ability to rebuild societies from the bottom up. Strong individuals that can defend and provide for themselves will help build strong local communities on a similar foundation. The result is power being distributed throughout society rather than held by a select few.

In the short term, relying on trust and centralized power is an easy answer to mitigating chaos, but freedom tech tools provide us the ability to build on top of much stronger distributed foundations that provide stability while also cultivating individual freedom.

The solution starts with us. Empower yourself. Empower others. A grassroots freedom tech movement scaling one person at a time.

---

If you found this post helpful support my work with bitcoin.

@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

Bitcoin Core developers are planning changes to OP_RETURN data limits in version 30.

A group of Bitcoin Core developers has set October for the implementation of changes to the management of OP_RETURN outputs — a field that allows small amounts of arbitrary data to be inserted into Bitcoin transactions.

Currently, Bitcoin Core’s default mempool limits these outputs to 83 bytes. The upcoming modification will increase this limit to nearly 4MB per output. Some developers, including Antoine Poinsot and Peter Todd, argue for the need for greater flexibility in how the blockchain can be used.

The conservative stance

Resistance to these changes is being led by figures such as Luke Dashjr and BitcoinMechanic, who consider the expansion of the OP_RETURN limit a betrayal of Bitcoin’s fundamental principles. In their view, node operators should reject the storage of data unrelated to Bitcoin’s financial use case.

Conservatives argue that Bitcoin should not become a cloud storage service or a database for arbitrary data. The Bitcoin ledger, they maintain, should serve a narrow purpose: exclusively validating BTC movements for monetary use cases.

Version 30 release scheduled

The announcement of the October release date came via a post from Bitcoin Core developer Gloria Zhao, who confirmed the planned rollout for version 30.

While the default value will increase from 83 bytes to nearly 4MB, node operators will still be able to manually adjust the -datacarrier and -datacarriersize parameters. However, it’s widely acknowledged that most users stick with the default configuration.

Technical and philosophical implications

The controversy extends beyond purely technical matters, touching on fundamental questions about Bitcoin’s identity and future. Progressives see this evolution as necessary to keep Bitcoin competitive and versatile.

Conservatives, on the other hand, fear that allowing the storage of large amounts of arbitrary data could compromise network efficiency, increase node operation costs, and steer Bitcoin away from its original mission as a decentralized digital currency.

Community reactions

The debate has sparked tensions within the community. The technical editor of Bitcoin Magazine described conservatives as groups of people “clueless, and in some cases outright malicious and manipulative people on social media.”

On the other side, BitcoinMechanic called the progressives’ proposed changes completely “incoherent” with Bitcoin’s nature and objectives.

Jimmy Song also criticized the decision in a post on X, stating:

OP_RETURN outputs greater than 83 bytes will increase significantly, UTXO bloat will keep getting worse and there will be more garbage on chain.

This is going to age like a bad tattoo. pic.twitter.com/hUTpg8a5NM

— Jimmy Song (송재준) (@jimmysong) June 9, 2025

The post Bitcoin Core: OP_RETURN limit removal scheduled for October appeared first on Atlas21.

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

While most Bitcoin companies chase quick wins with flashy marketing and complex trading features, Coinfinity is taking a different path. The Austria-based company has built their entire business model around something most brokers treat as an afterthought: education.

Founded on the principle that Bitcoin adoption requires understanding, not just access, Coinfinity offers something great in the Bitcoin space: a broker that actually wants you to take your bitcoin off their platform.

Their Bitcoin Blinks educational series provides a self-custody-first approach, and Austrian economics foundation make them stand out in a crowded field of crypto casinos.

Coinfinity’s HQ in Graz, Austria

At the heart of this educational mission is Fab, Coinfinity’s Head of Bitcoin Education, whose journey to Bitcoin mirrors that of many who’ve found their way to Austrian economics through pure instinct.

“I always had the feeling that something in the world just doesn’t add up,” he told Bitcoin News when he sat down with us. “Something’s wrong, I don’t know what, but I felt like the foundation of our society isn’t quite fair, I just never knew what it was.”

Sound familiar?

That hunch eventually led him down a rabbit hole of geopolitics, monetary systems, and finally to Andreas Antonopoulos videos on YouTube.

“I basically disappeared from life for about a week, just watching those videos,” Fab recalled. But it wasn’t until he read The Bitcoin Standard that everything clicked.

“I remember it like it was yesterday, I closed the book and thought ‘Holy s***, now I get it.’ That was the moment. From then on, I was Bitcoin-only.”

Many of the best Bitcoin books are in English and translating them is important

Now as Head of Bitcoin Education at Coinfinity and co-founder of Aprycot Media (a German publishing house focused exclusively on Bitcoin), Fab spends his days helping others find that same spark.

And unlike most “crypto” companies, Coinfinity’s strategy isn’t driven by marketing gimmicks or token launches, it’s driven by teaching.

“Our goal is to create educational content that’s so easy to understand that people love sharing it,” Fab explained. “When they share it, they connect with us. Once they start understanding Bitcoin, they choose us to buy it.”

Most companies buy Google ads. Coinfinity builds minds. With their Bitcoin Blinks, 42 short, clear lessons covering everything from subjective value to seed phrases, they’re offering what most brokers won’t: context. Meaning. Philosophy.

“It became quite popular, and we think it’s way more effective for our brand than just buying ads,” Fab said.

And they don’t stop there. When it comes to custody, Coinfinity takes a radically different approach than most Bitcoin brokers.

“When you buy bitcoin from us, you always take custody, either in our in-app wallet where you control the seed, or your own hardware wallet,” Fab emphasized. “Even our lightning feature works the same way you always buy into your own wallet.”

That’s not just a slogan. It’s a core value of the company that runs so deep they’re willing to sacrifice user experience for it. “We never custody your bitcoin,” Fab said. “It’s one of the core values that you custody them yourself.”

Even as fees rise and UTXO management gets harder, Coinfinity stays committed to self-custody. They are open to optional custodial tools in the future, but always paired with education, and always encouraging users to take their bitcoin off-platform when the time is right.

“If we ever offer custodial services, it would only be to help users stack small amounts until they reach a meaningful UTXO size,” Fab explained.

The plan would involve accumulating smaller purchases monthly or weekly until users hit a threshold, maybe a million sats, then withdrawing to self-custody. “We don’t want to play games with your bitcoin. We don’t want to lend it out or earn interest on it.”

Coinfinity emphasizes on self-custody and education, even in its app

The challenge is real though. When new users first encounter Bitcoin, the technical barriers can be overwhelming. “Often causes problems with people just getting into Bitcoin who don’t understand what self custody is” Fab notes.

That’s why they built their in-app wallet, to smooth the onboarding while maintaining their self-custody values. “The in-app wallet was our first step toward optimizing user experience without compromising our core value of bringing bitcoin into self-custody,” he said.

“One of our taglines is ‘bringing Bitcoin to the people’ and we literally mean that. We want to bring bitcoin to them, not keep it from them.”

Another promising thing the company is doing in their operations is using AI to create more content, faster. Podcast scripts, educational summaries, internal tools, Fab’s even feeding Austrian economics PDFs into models to keep the tone on-brand and Bitcoin-only.

“We’re using these tools in our business development and marketing teams to generate more output with the same number of people,” he said. But the future looks even more exciting.

“Maybe one day we’ll have a tutor in the app where you can do a video call and ask ‘What is a Bitcoin address?’ and it will talk back to you naturally, going deeper as you ask more questions,” Fab explained. “That’s absolutely possible.”

The technology isn’t quite there yet for mainstream deployment in their app, but Fab is optimistic. “I’m sure that in the future, this won’t just be used for improving our internal workflow, but for enhancing the content itself,” he said.

It’s not a pipe dream. The tech is already close. The only thing missing is more Bitcoin-native data and companies like Coinfinity are quietly building that layer.

One of the favorite parts of these interviews is asking the builders in the space what they would ask Satoshi if given one question. When I asked Fab what he’d ask Bitcoin’s creator, he didn’t hesitate:

“Did you purposely build Bitcoin based on Austrian economics, or did it just happen by accident?

“All this monetization theory, Bitcoin being a store of value first, is this something you actually thought was possible and had in mind? Or was it just a lucky shot that accidentally gave us the best monetary properties?”

Because if Satoshi had built Bitcoin with a 2% inflation rate, like some other projects, it might’ve worked. But it wouldn’t have lasted.

“He could have made it with 2% tail emission, it still would have been decentralized. But then today, someone might introduce a coin with a fixed supply that could kill Bitcoin,” Fab noted.

Fab suspects the fixed supply wasn’t an accident. And thank God for that.

What’s remarkable about Coinfinity isn’t just their Austrian approach or their self-custody obsession, it’s how they’re proving that education-first Bitcoin companies can compete with the flashy crypto casinos dominating the space.

Coinfinity doesn’t serve U.S. customers. They’re focused on Europe, operating within EU regulations. But what they’re building, honest Bitcoin education, smart tools, and a relentless push for financial sovereignty, matters everywhere.

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Ein freier Mensch lässt sich schwer kapern. Ängste kennt er kaum, Katastrophen entlarvt er schnell, Horrorszenarien seziert er gründlich. Mit ihm lässt sich kein willkürlicher Staat machen … Und der gedemütigte, entrechtete und geschwächte Bürger will den nicht verteidigen.

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/geimpft-gef-gig-geopfert-die?

Der Jurist und Autor Milosz Matuschek weiß, dass es keinen Krieg ohne geistige Mobilmachung geben kann. Warum die ein Problem werden könnte, davon schreibt er im folgenden Text: „Geimpft, gefügig, geopfert – Die fehlende Front der Folgebereiten“, der auf seinem Substack „Freischwebende Intelligenz“ nachzulesen ist.

Sprecher: Ulrich Allroggen

https://www.freischwebende-intelligenz.org/p/geimpft-gefugig-geopfert-die-fehlende

@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust Shatters ETF Growth Record, Surpassing $70 Billion in Just 341 Days

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) has officially made history. The Bitcoin ETF surged past $70 billion in assets under management (AUM), reaching the milestone in just 341 trading days. This achievement makes IBIT the fastest ETF to ever hit that threshold. 

JUST IN: BlackRock's spot Bitcoin ETF becomes the fastest ETF in history to surpass $70 billion AUM pic.twitter.com/kZkXhjEvq0

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) June 9, 2025

To put that into perspective, the previous record-holder—SPDR Gold Shares (GLD)—took 1,691 days to reach the same milestone. “5x faster than the old record held by GLD of 1,691 days,” Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas wrote in a post on X. Other ETFs like VOO (1,701 days), IEFA (1,773 days), and IEMG (2,063 days) also lag far behind IBIT’s rapid growth.

The explosive rise in IBIT’s AUM coincides with Bitcoin’s continued rally. At the time of reporting, Bitcoin (BTC) is trading above $108,000, up more than 2.06%, and sitting just under 4% below its all-time high of nearly $112,000 set last month. 

BlackRock’s accumulation strategy has placed it at the forefront of institutional Bitcoin investment. According to blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence, the firm now holds over 663,000 bitcoin—more than Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy, which famously owns 582,000 BTC. 

The price surge and ETF milestone reflect a broader institutional embrace of Bitcoin as a legitimate and increasingly preferred asset class. The record breaking pace of IBIT’s growth underscores the demand from investors looking for regulated exposure to Bitcoin through traditional financial products. 

The chart clearly visualizes the disparity in ETF adoption timelines, with IBIT’s steep, vertical ascent dramatically outpacing its peers in the race to $70 billion. It’s a testament to the accelerating pace at which capital is flowing into Bitcoin markets.

As Bitcoin continues to hold just below its peak, and institutional products like IBIT grow at unprecedented speeds, all eyes are on what comes next—not just for Bitcoin, but for the legacy financial industry now being reshaped by it. 

This post BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust Shatters ETF Growth Record, Surpassing $70 Billion in Just 341 Days first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Jenna Montgomery.

@ d325f9e9:07ed2267

Trying tags #Hello #this

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/eine-stunde-klassik-leopold-hennberger-prasentiert-die-gitarre

Eine Stunde Klassik! Der Münchner Pianist und "Musikdurchdringer" Jürgen Plich stellt jeden Dienstag um 20 Uhr große klassische Musik vor. Er teilt seine Hör- und Spielerfahrung und seine persönliche Sicht auf die Meisterwerke. Er spielt selbst besondere, unbekannte Aufnahmen, erklärt, warum die Musik so und nicht anders klingt und hat eine Menge aus dem Leben der Komponisten zu erzählen.

Sonntags um 10 Uhr in der Wiederholung.

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Eine Kolumne von Michael Sailer, jeden ersten Freitag bei Radio München, nachzulesen auf sailersblog.de.

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/belastigungen-36-im-anti-gleichschritt-marsch-deutschland-wiederholt-sich

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Sexualität ist die Urkraft des Lebens und der Vitalität. Und weil das so ist, rückt sie in den Fokus der Macht. Der Staat schlüpft unter die Bettdecke. Sexualität ist ein, wenn nicht gar der Machthebel schlechthin, mit dem Menschen manipulier- und kontrollierbar sind. Ob durch sexuelle Unterdrückung, Pervertierung, Verwirrung oder durch inflationäre Überreizung – die Bandbreite der Suggestion ist groß.

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/sex-ist-politisch-von-kerstin-chavent?

Diesem Schatten auf der schönsten … sagen wir: Hauptsache der Welt, hat sich unsere Autorin Kerstin Chavent angenommen. Hören Sie ihren Text „Sex ist politisch“. Nachzulesen bei Manova. www.manova.news/artikel/sex-ist-politisch

Sprecherin Sabrina Khalil

www.radiomuenchen.net/​\ @radiomuenchen\ www.facebook.com/radiomuenchen\ www.instagram.com/radio_muenchen/\ twitter.com/RadioMuenchen

Radio München ist eine gemeinnützige Unternehmung.\ Wir freuen uns, wenn Sie unsere Arbeit unterstützen.

GLS-Bank\ IBAN: DE65 4306 0967 8217 9867 00\ BIC: GENODEM1GLS\ Bitcoin (BTC): bc1qqkrzed5vuvl82dggsyjgcjteylq5l58sz4s927\ Ethereum (ETH): 0xB9a49A0bda5FAc3F084D5257424E3e6fdD303482

@ 6ad3e2a3:c90b7740

Turning and turning in the widening gyre

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere

The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst

Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;

Surely the Second Coming is at hand.

The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out

When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi

Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert

A shape with lion body and the head of a man,

A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,

Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it

Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.

The darkness drops again; but now I know

That twenty centuries of stony sleep

Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,

And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,

Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

The Second Coming — W.B. Yeats

I don’t know what I want to write about today. There are a lot of converging currents coursing through my reality right now. I feel we’re in an interregnum of sorts between what was and what’s to come. I guess you could simply describe that as the present, something that has ever been the case. But this moment feels more intense like something big is dying and something else, God knows what, is on its way “to be born".

I exchanged emails recently with an old friend, and he sent me a link to a David Foster Wallace commencement speech entitled “This Is Water.” In it Wallace tells a joke of an old fish seeing two younger fish swimming by and asks them “How’s the water?” Later on one of the younger ones asks the other, “What is water?”

Wallace hanged himself a few years after the speech. Apparently he was unable to maintain the perspective he laid out in it which was that we can choose our attitude toward what we experience in any moment, no matter how much aversion we habitually associate with it. That the act of choosing equanimity constitutes the freedom we seek. That this freedom to choose is ever present, in fact the ability to direct our attention and consciousness is itself the water. And yet out of habit we are often oblivious to this most fundamental reality.

My friend’s email was in response to my description of the dissolution I see right now. Everything seems fake. The news, the governments, the edicts of reputationally bankrupt institutions zombying along as though the last five years never happened, like the proverbial emperor still purporting to rule though everyone can now see his pale, unsightly posterior.

Yes, the coffee shops are still open, people still go on vacation with their families. Let’s go to Paris, Rome, the Greek Isles! Let’s pretend everything is as we had imagined in the before times when our goals and aspirations seemed real, when the glitchy pixels in the matrix hadn’t yet revealed themselves so glaringly.

Maybe this was always the case. All our games were always professional wrestling, a scripted charade for which we willingly suspended disbelief. But like the roadrunner in the cartoon, we have since become aware we have run out of road, four steps beyond the cliff edge.

. . .

Wallace in his speech described such indignities as being stuck in traffic after a long day of work, or in a long grocery checkout line. The mind’s usual programs run, cursing everyone and everything around us. Instead of contemplating the miracle of human existence we feel only disgust and impatience. We want to finish with the run, the work, the obligatory hour so we can move on to something presumably more pleasant.

I can handle such day to day discomforts, but the overwhelming sense of dissolution is undermining the aims to which I had once attached meaning. I set up my life for freedom and prosperity, and now, just as I have my ducks in a row, there’s an imminent magnetic pole shift or a financial and social collapse that threatens to counterfeit my efforts.

It’s easy to opt out when you’re losing, to decry the injustice, unfairness and pointlessness of the game when you weren’t getting much from it anyway. When you’ve got nothing, you’ve got nothing to lose, to paraphrase Bob Dylan. But as a late bloomer wanting to sample the wine of the Gods at long last, it’s dispiriting in a different way, like saving up for a new car and seeing it stolen before you had a chance to drive it.

That’s the shallow version, distress at discovering just before getting the things I had always wanted I was actually playing not just the wrong game, but a false one. That I’m upset I can’t gratify my ego in the way I had hoped, that I can’t get the pat on the back I had craved because the back-patters decided to tear up the playing field just as I finally became a contender.

The deeper version is you only get better at the game through your own efforts to discover what’s true, your own self-mastery and access to a measure of wisdom. This process transforms your life from a tedious and difficult slog to a state of ease and flow. You are more connected, more in touch with yourself and the forces within. You can handle aversion, in fact voluntarily invite it at times to hone your mind and access your resourcefulness. You love your life and connect to the people in it. You have great hope and aspirations for the future. You believe in God, or the Tao or whatever force animates all things, you can navigate the world’s imperfections and do not want it to fall into chaos and disorder.

The task of remembering this during the run, the traffic jam or the grocery store checkout line is not so difficult. But would it be the same during periods of violence and resource scarcity where literal survival is at stake, the rules of which are set by biology and physics rather than the incentives of human society?

Yes, I’d rather be eating dinner at home than sitting in traffic, but I can appreciate that I’m able to sit comfortably in my climate controlled pod, listening to music while traversing these distances rather than foraging for food in the harsh wild. Yes, this old Portuguese lady is taking an eternity to get the groceries into her pushcart, but I can imagine how it is to be old and slow and still have to shop and eat, and it’s trivial to cut her some slack.

I’m not claiming I always have this perspective, but I surely am able to channel equanimity during the ordinary aversion that arises in one’s day to day life. I do this while running on the track, the aches and pains, the discomfort, the wanting to get it over with is a battle I fight every week by my own choosing. But imagine if instead of running 10 minute miles I was forced to do them in six. It’s not so easy to keep a calm, conscious mind while gasping for breath.

The truth is these calamities I imagine are not yet real, the asteroid has not yet hit, the economy not yet collapsed. I have never experienced the kind of hardship I dread. I am ever in the grocery line, the 10-minute mile run, the traffic jam, never the concentration camp or Mad Max-style post-apocalypse. Why not just deal with that when the time comes, if it ever comes? Why die a thousand deaths like the proverbial coward rather than the one required of the brave man?

I suppose it comes down to wanting to be prepared. There’s nothing you can do if an asteroid destroys the entire earth, but if your national government devolves into tyranny, you could get out before it’s too late. There’s the adage one should only concern oneself about the things one can control, but the rub is in deciding what’s in your power and of what to let go. It’s an easy out, per the adage, to narrow your locus of control to doing your job and paying your bills. You can too easily forget that which job you have, where you live, what preparations to make are also matters in which you have a choice.

Even if you believe a magnetic pole shift could spill the earth’s oceans across continents within the next few decades — I find this plausible — you could move to the mountains to get ahead even of that. A fatalist, non-questioning attitude can be a psychological salve in times of upheaval, but “salve” and "“slave” are but a typo apart.

. . .

When I was six someone broke into my house. I was still awake, and while pretending to be asleep, I heard him rummaging through my belongings, stealing an old Fisher Price turntable and a black and white TV. My father died four years later, and at 10, I remember thinking as the oldest boy in the house, it was now my responsibility to defend my family if anything like that, or worse, happened again. Of course, I wasn’t really capable of doing this, and I knew it, but I would have to try, futile as it might be.

I imagine that psychology has stayed with me as an adult — it’s up to me to see around corners, assess the various threats to me and my family, even if some of them are too daunting for any one individual. I could let it go, I suppose, it would probably even be healthy to do so. But there is a part of me that wonders whether people like me, people who feel this irrational responsibility, are the those who survive cataclysms and shocks. I surely am not the only one who feels this way and quite likely would not be especially effective given I don’t have engineering, outdoorsman or serious combat skills. But that hyper-vigilance toward and preparation for worse-case scenarios is something someone has to do, someone who would likely be selected for the role by the particular accidents of his upbringing.

. . .

There is another way to look at this, of course. The notion one ought to step up in the face of adverse circumstances, even extreme ones, is valid. But perhaps the best way to prepare is not endlessly to assess potential threats like some black ops CIA outfit, but to have a calm and detached mind. Should the signs appear, a poised and observant person would take action insofar as he is able. That you, having trained your attention away from default habits of comfort-seeking and dread and toward conscious observation, will do what’s required if and when the time comes. That you can trust yourself, and by that I mean trust in God, so to speak, to guide your awareness and actions for the most effective and adaptive response.

The Fourth Turning might well be upon us, indeed “the centre [may not] hold.” There is no guarantee your response will ensure you or those you love survive. There has never been such a guarantee for anyone, only the freedom to direct your attention, to choose your state of mind, to the extent you are capable, in the conditions that arise. To respond to the older fish that the water is okay, it’s pretty nice actually.

@ ea39b0da:29a1710d

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@ 472f440f:5669301e

Marty's Bent

Sup, freaks? Your Uncle Marty did a little vibe coding a couple months ago and that vibe coding project has turned into an actual product that is live in the Google Chrome web store and will soon to be live in the Firefox add-on store as well. It's called Opportunity Cost and it is an extension that enables you to price the internet in Bitcoin.

Opportunity Cost – See Prices in Bitcoin Instantly

Convert USD prices to Bitcoin (satoshis) as you browse. Dual display, privacy-first, and open source.

Opportunity CostTFTC

Check it out!

This whole process has been extremely rewarding to me for many reasons. The first of which is that I've had many ideas in the past to launch a product focused on bitcoin education that simply never left my brain because I never felt comfortable paying a developer to go out and build a product that I wasn't sure would ultimately get product market fit.

Due to the advancements of AI, particularly ChatGPT and Replit, I was able to spend a few hours on a Saturday vibe coding a prototype for Opportunity Cost. It worked. I side loaded it into Chrome and Firefox, tested it out for a few days and decided, "Hey, I think this is something that's worthwhile and should be built."

Backtracking just a little bit, the initial idea for this app was to create an AR application that would enable you to take pictures of goods in the real world and have their prices automatically converted to bitcoin so that you could weigh the opportunity cost of whether or not you actually wanted to buy that good or decide to save in bitcoin instead. With the help of Justin Moon from the Human Rights Foundation and Anthony Ronning from OpenSecret and Maple AI, I was pointed in the right direction of vibe coding tools I could use to build a simple MVP. I took their advice, built the MVP, and demoed it at the Bitcoin Park Austin weekly AI meetup in mid-April.

The next week, I was talking with a friend, Luke Thomas, about the idea and during our conversation he made a simple quip, "You should make a Chrome extension. I really want a Chrome extension that does this." And that's what sent me down the vibe coding rabbit hole that Saturday which led to the prototype.

After I was comfortable with and confident in the prototype, I found a young hungry developer by the name of Moses on Nostr, I reached out to him, told him my idea, showed him the prototype and asked if he thought he could finish the application for me. He luckily agreed to do so and within a couple of weeks we had a fully functioning app that was officially launched today. We're about 12 hours into the launch and I must say that I'm pleasantly surprised with the reception from the broader Bitcoin community. It seems like something that people are happy exists and I feel extremely happy that people see some value in this particular application.

Now that you have the backstory, let's get into why I think something like Opportunity Cost should exist. As someone who's been writing a newsletter and producing podcasts about bitcoin for eight years in an attempt to educate individuals from around the world about what bitcoin is, why it's important, and how they can leverage it, I've become convinced that a lot of the work that needs to be done still exists at the top of the funnel. You can scream at people. You can grab them by the shoulders. You can shake them. You can remind them at Thanksgiving that if they had listened to your advice during any Thanksgiving in the previous years they would be better off financially. But at the end of the day most people don't listen. They need to see things. Seeing things for yourself is a much more effective teaching mechanism than be lectured to by someone else.

My hope with Opportunity Cost is that it catches the eye of some bitcoin skeptics or individuals who may be on the cusp of falling down the bitcoin rabbit hole and they see the extension as a way to dip their toes into bitcoin to get a better understanding of the world by pricing the goods and services they purchase on a day-to-day month-to-month and year-to-year basis in bitcoin without having to download a wallet or set up an exchange account. The tippy top of the bitcoin marketing funnel.

That is not all though. I think Opportunity Cost can serve individuals at both ends of the funnel. That's why it's pretty exciting to me. It's as valuable to the person who is bitcoin curious and looking to get a better understanding as it is to the hardcore bitcoiner living on a bitcoin standard who is trying to get access to better tools that enable him to get a better grasp of their spending in bitcoin terms.

Lastly, after playing around with it for a few days after I built the prototype, I realized that it has incredible memetic potential. Being able to take a screenshot of goods that people are buying on a day-to-day basis, pricing them in bitcoin and then sharing them on social media is very powerful. Everything from houses to junk items on Amazon to the salaries of pro athletes to your everyday necessities. Seeing the value of those things in bitcoin really makes you think.

One day while I was testing the app, I tried to see how quickly I could find goods on the internet that cumulatively eclipsed the 21 million supply cap limit of bitcoin. To my surprise, even though I've been in bitcoin for 12 years now, it did not take me that long. The opportunity cost of everything I buy on a day-to-day basis becomes very clear when using the extension. What's even clearer is the fact that Bitcoin is completely mispriced at current levels. There is so much winning ahead of us.

Also, it's probably important to note that the extension is open source. You can check out our GitHub page here. Submit pull requests. Suggest changes to the app.

We've also tried to make Opportunity Cost as privacy preserving as possible. Everything within the extension happens in your browser. The only external data that we're providing is the bitcoin to fiat price conversion at any given point in time. We're not data harvesting the web pages you're browsing or the items you're looking at. We're not collecting data and sending it to third party marketers. We want to align ourselves with the open and permissionless nature of bitcoin while also preserving our users' privacy. We're not trying to monetize this in that way. Though, I will say that I'm thinking of ways to monetize Opportunity Cost if it does gain significant traction, but I promise it will be in a way that respects your privacy and is as unobtrusive as possible. We'll see how it goes.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk. Please download and use the extension. Let us know what you think.

Headlines of the Day

Saylor Says Bitcoin Is Perfect Money to Jordan Peterson - via X

Trump Won't Sell Tesla Despite Musk-Bessent Heated Exchange - via X

Bitcoin Gains Traction in Kenya's Largest Slum Kibera - via X

Get our new STACK SATS hat - via tftcmerch.io

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Bitcoin’s Next Parabolic Move: Could Liquidity Lead the Way?

Is bitcoin’s next parabolic move starting? Global liquidity and business cycle indicators suggest it may be.

Read the latest report from Unchained and TechDev, analyzing how global M2 liquidity and the copper/gold ratio—two historically reliable macro indicators—are aligning once again to signal that a new bitcoin bull market may soon begin.

Download the report here

---

Ten31, the largest bitcoin-focused investor, has deployed $150.00M across 30+ companies through three funds. I am a Managing Partner at Ten31 and am very proud of the work we are doing. Learn more at ten31.vc/invest.

---

Final thought...

East Coast aesthetics over everything.

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*Download our free browser extension, Opportunity Cost: *<<https://www.opportunitycost.app/>> start thinking in SATS today.

*Get this newsletter sent to your inbox daily: *https://www.tftc.io/bitcoin-brief/

Subscribe to our YouTube channels and follow us on Nostr and X:

@ 2b998b04:86727e47

Introduction To First Principles

This introduction kicks off a 7-part series called First Principles exploring the deeper shifts behind decentralization, cost, freedom, and truth. I picked 7 days, one for each day of the week, aligned with a rhythm of work, rest, and return. Each part will explore a foundational truth behind the technologies and philosohies I’ve embraced — from decentralization and sovereignty to truth, time, and hope.

---

We often hear that technology drives costs toward zero.

That’s the thesis of The Price of Tomorrow — that as technology advances, it becomes deflationary by nature. Automation replaces labor. Software replaces infrastructure. AI replaces entire categories of decision-making. The marginal cost of production trends toward nothing.

But that’s not the whole story.

There’s a deeper layer — one that most technologists and economists miss. It’s not just the marginal cost of production that matters. It’s the control cost of centralization. And that’s where things get murky.

Because even when marginal costs fall, the hidden toll of centralization rises.

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The Illusion of “Free”

Take GitHub.

On paper, it’s free. You can publish static websites, host code, automate workflows with Actions, and collaborate globally — all at no cost.

But GitHub is owned by Microsoft. You don’t control the servers. You don’t own the platform. You don’t hold the keys.

It’s a gift that can be revoked.

Same with Google Docs. Or YouTube. Or Substack. Or any cloud platform that says “start for free.”

These aren’t bad tools. Many are excellent.

But they’re not neutral.

The price you pay isn’t always in dollars. Sometimes it’s in:

• Data access restrictions

• API limitations

• Sudden pricing changes

• Censorship or deplatforming

• Migration costs if (or when) things go south

This is the hidden rent of centralized platforms. And it compounds over time.

---

Control Cost vs. Marginal Cost

If marginal cost is “how cheap is it to make this?” —\ Control cost is “how much freedom do I lose by using this?”

You can publish your ideas for free on Medium — but they own the SEO.\ You can host your business on Shopify — but they can cut you off.\ You can grow your audience on Instagram — but the algorithm owns the feed.

We’ve learned to celebrate deflation. But most of the tools we use are inflating the cost of control, even as they lower the cost of entry.

And this is where decentralization flips the script.

---

The Real Promise of Decentralization

True decentralization doesn’t just make things cheaper.\ It makes them sovereign.

It redistributes power, not just price.\ It removes toll booths, not just middlemen.

It says:

• Own your keys

• Own your content

• Own your stack

• Own your distribution

This is why Nostr matters.\ This is why Bitcoin matters.\ This is why self-hosting, permissionless protocols, and open-source tooling matter — even when they’re less polished or convenient than centralized platforms.

Because they don’t just save you money.\ They save your freedom.

---

A Working Example

When I started building my blog blog.stantonweb.com, didn’t choose the easiest route.

I combined:

• Nostr for long-form publishing

• A custom Python fetch script to pull and render posts

• GitHub Actions for automation

• Static HTML for presentation

• Cloudflare + GitHub Pages for zero-cost hosting

No database. No CMS subscription. No paid theme.

The total marginal cost? $0.

But more importantly, the control cost is near zero too.\ No one can shut it down.\ No company can throttle my reach.\ No gatekeeper decides whether my words deserve to stay online.

---

Toward a New Definition of Cost

If you only optimize for price, you’ll be captured.

If you optimize for freedom, you’ll build margin over time — not just financial margin, but creative, moral, and operational margin too.

That’s what decentralization makes possible.\ Not just cheaper.\ Truer.

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Footnote: Lessons from the Past

Remember Skype? It started as a peer-to-peer tool — truly decentralized at its core. But then it was acquired by Microsoft. Over time, its architecture was centralized and eventually dismantled.

Or Napster. It shook the music industry with peer-to-peer sharing. But it too was shut down and replaced by centralized alternatives.

BitTorrent survived — but only when it resisted the pressure to become just another platform.

The pattern is clear:

• Centralization follows capital.

• Censorship follows control.

• But freedom follows decentralization.

And that’s the direction we must choose — again and again.

---

Co-written with ChatGPT (“Dr. C”), who helped distill and sharpen the core arguments.\ \ Stay tuned for Part 1 in the next few days.

—\ Published on blog.stantonweb.com & Nostr.\ Zap: <https://tinyurl.com/yuyu2b9t>

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

Hosted at the iconic Palace of Culture and Science—a prominent symbol of the communist era—the Bitcoin FilmFest offers a vibrant celebration of film through the lens of bitcoin. The venue itself provides a striking contrast to the festival’s focus, highlighting bitcoin’s core identity as a currency embodying independence from traditional financial and political systems.

𝐅𝐢𝐱𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐯𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐬.
Warsaw, Day Zero at #BFF25 (European Bitcoin Pizza Day) with @roger__9000, MadMunky and the @2140_wtf squad pic.twitter.com/9ogVvWRReA

— Bitcoin FilmFest (@bitcoinfilmfest) May 28, 2025

This venue represents an era when the state tightly controlled the economy and financial systems. The juxtaposition of this historical site with an event dedicated to bitcoin is striking and thought-provoking.

The event features a diverse array of activities, including engaging panel discussions, screenings of both feature-length and short films, workshops and lively parties. Each component designed to explore the multifaceted world of bitcoin and its implications for society, offering attendees a blend of entertainment and education.

The films showcase innovative narratives and insights into bitcoin’s landscape, while the panels facilitate thought-provoking discussions among industry experts and filmmakers.

Networking is a significant aspect of the festival, with an exceptionally open and friendly atmosphere that foster connections among participants. Participants from all over Europe gather to engage with like-minded individuals who share a passion for BTC and its implications for the future.

The open exchanges of ideas foster a sense of community, allowing attendees to forge new connections, collaborate on projects, and discuss the potential of blockchain technology implemented in bitcoin.

The organization of the festival is extraordinary, ensuring a smooth flow of information and an expertly structured schedule filled from morning until evening. Attendees appreciate the meticulous planning that allowed them to maximize their experience. Additionally, thoughtful touches such as gifts from sponsors and well-chosen locations for various events contribute to the overall positive atmosphere of the festival.

Overall, the Bitcoin FilmFest not only highlights the artistic expression surrounding bitcoin but also serves as a vital platform for dialogue—about financial freedom, the future of money, and individual sovereignty in a shifting world.

The event successfully bridges the gap between a historical symbol of control and a movement that celebrates freedom, innovation, and collaboration in the digital age, highlighting the importance of independence in financial systems while fostering a collaborative environment for innovation and growth.

Next year’s event is slated for June 5-7 2026. For further updates check: https://bitcoinfilmfest.com/

@ 2b998b04:86727e47

Introduction: Why Money Matters to Faith

Most of us don’t think about money theologically. But Scripture speaks of it often — not just as a tool, but as a test.

Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). The love of money, not money itself, is called the root of all kinds of evil. And dishonest scales? “An abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 11:1).

So what happens when the entire system of money becomes dishonest — when it’s based not on work or value, but manipulation and control?

That’s the world Bitcoin was born into. And it offers a radically different way — one that, surprisingly, echoes deep truths of the Christian faith — and especially what many call the Victorious Gospel: the belief that Christ’s redemption is not partial, but total. Not only personal, but cosmic.

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1. What Is Bitcoin, and Why Was It Created?

Bitcoin is a new kind of money that isn't controlled by any government or company. You can send it anywhere in the world, and no one can block or censor your transaction. It’s digital, but unlike credit cards or PayPal, it’s not just “numbers in a bank.” It is scarce, secure, and independent.

The key idea is this: Bitcoin is money backed by work — not by trust in a government, but by real energy and effort.

Why is that important? Because the current system of money — what we call fiat — works very differently.

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2. What Is Fiat, and Why Is It Broken?

“Fiat” simply means “by decree.” It’s the money we all use today — dollars, euros, yen — created by government decree. It used to be backed by gold. Not anymore.

Today, new fiat money is created whenever a central bank wants. It can be “printed” digitally without cost. This leads to inflation — meaning your savings buy less over time.

It’s like a form of slow theft. You worked hard for your dollars, but someone else can create more with a click. That’s not just bad economics — it violates biblical principles of fairness, honesty, and stewardship.

Bitcoin fixes this by making money that cannot be faked or inflated, because it’s based on Proof of Work — and is capped at a fixed amount.

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3. What Is Proof of Work — and Why It Matters

Imagine you want to add a page to a history book — but to make it trustworthy, you must solve a complex puzzle that proves you did real work. Once solved, everyone else can see the solution and verify it was done properly.

That’s Proof of Work, the system Bitcoin uses to record transactions. Each time people send Bitcoin, that transaction gets added to a public ledger (called the blockchain). But it can only be added if someone does the work to secure it — using energy, effort, and computer power.

This work:

• Costs something (just like real-world labor),

• Prevents cheating (you can’t just rewrite history),

• And rewards the worker with newly created Bitcoin.

This reward is important — because it’s how new Bitcoin enters circulation. But here’s the catch:\ 👉 There will only ever be 21 million Bitcoin.\ That number is fixed forever, written into Bitcoin’s code. No one — not a government, company, or individual — can create more.

Right now, not all of the 21 million Bitcoin have been released. The process of mining — doing the Proof of Work — slowly releases new Bitcoin over time as a reward. This happens in a predictable schedule and will continue until the very last Bitcoin is mined around the year 2140.

---

4. Why Bitcoin Is the Hardest Money Ever Created

In monetary terms, “hardness” refers to how difficult it is to increase the supply of money. The harder the money, the more resistant it is to inflation or dilution.

Let’s compare:

• Gold is scarce — but not fixed. Miners extract more gold every year, adding about 1–2% to the total supply annually.

• Fiat money (like the U.S. dollar) is the softest. It can be created at will, with no limit.

• Bitcoin is the hardest money ever invented:

• The total supply is forever capped at 21 million.

• The rate of creation cuts in half every four years.

• No one can change this schedule.

This makes Bitcoin the first truly scarce asset in human history — not just physically scarce like gold, but mathematically and absolutely scarce.

Why does this matter?

Because it changes the very nature of money. Instead of being something that loses value over time, Bitcoin becomes a form of property — a way to store your labor, your time, your effort — across generations.

• It encourages saving, not spending out of fear of inflation.

• It rewards patience and stewardship, not speculation and debt.

• It teaches long-term thinking, a concept deeply woven into Scripture (Proverbs 13:22: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children”).

---

5. Why Does This Matter for Christianity?

Christianity affirms that creation is good, work is sacred, and truth matters.

In Genesis, God gave Adam a task — to work the garden. Work is not a curse. It’s part of what it means to bear God’s image.

Bitcoin’s Proof of Work aligns with this:

• It says value comes from real effort, not manipulation.

• It links truth to time — just as God’s Word unfolds through history.

• It defends against corruption — just as the Kingdom of God resists the lies of Babylon.

• It places a limit on excess — just as Sabbath and Jubilee rhythms place a brake on endless exploitation.

In contrast, fiat systems reward those closest to the money printers — often the rich or powerful — while devaluing the labor of ordinary people. That’s why Bitcoin has been called “money for the people” — because anyone, anywhere, can use it without asking permission.

---

6. The Victorious Gospel: A Bigger Redemption

The Victorious Gospel teaches that Jesus didn’t just save individual souls. He came to restore all things — including how we live, build, work, and relate to each other.

That means we care about justice, truth, dignity, and creation itself. And it means we seek tools that reflect those values.

Bitcoin isn’t the Gospel. But it rhymes with it:

• It honors work, like God does.

• It respects time, like Scripture does.

• It tells the truth, like Jesus does.

• It has limits, just as the Sabbath, Creation, and grace all have defined edges.

• And it stores value — the value of human time and labor — like good soil stores seed.

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7. But Isn’t Bitcoin Just for Rich Tech People?

Actually, the opposite is true.

Bitcoin doesn’t care who you are. It doesn’t ask for ID. It doesn’t need a bank. A farmer in El Salvador, a refugee in Ukraine, or a pastor in Nigeria can all use it the same as a Wall Street investor.

It’s global, permissionless, and radically equal — not because it’s utopian, but because it’s built on truth, not trust.

And that makes it a powerful tool for Christians who care about freedom, fairness, and flourishing.

---

8. Final Thoughts: Proof of Work and the Work of Christ

When Jesus died on the cross, He said: “It is finished.” That was not just poetry. It was proof — that the work was done. That redemption had been secured.

In a small way, Bitcoin reflects that kind of finality:

• Once a block is written, it cannot be undone.

• Once work is proven, it stands as a record.

• Once grace is given, it cannot be revoked.

We don’t need to “stake” our claims based on how much power or status we hold (as in Proof of Stake). We rest in what has been proven.

That’s why many Christians — especially those who believe in a victorious, world-restoring Gospel — are finding in Bitcoin a tool that aligns with their deepest values.\ \ ✍️ Acknowledgment

This article was crafted with the assistance of Dr. C (ChatGPT) to help structure and clarify these ideas. But more than that, it was born of prayer, conviction, and the quiet guidance of the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth (John 16:13) and brings to remembrance all that Christ has taught (John 14:26).\ Any clarity, wisdom, or insight found here belongs to Him. Any confusion or error is mine alone.

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Summary

Bitcoin is not just “internet money.” It’s a response to a broken system.\ Proof of Work means truth is earned, not claimed.\ Fiat money is manipulable and inflationary; Bitcoin is fixed and fair.\ Bitcoin is the hardest money in history — with a supply cap of 21 million.\ It appreciates over time, acting as a new form of digital property.\ Christianity calls us to honest scales, faithful stewardship, and dignified work.\ And the Victorious Gospel declares that Jesus is restoring all things — including how we steward value, time, and trust.

Bitcoin may not be the final answer. But it’s a faithful step in the right direction.

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

So often Christians focus on God’s love and ignore His judgment. They tell people they need to be saved, but leave out from what they need to be saved. Fifty or a hundred years ago, almost every American knew the basics of the Bible, what sin is, what the judgment of Hell is, and that the God of the Bible is our Creator. Today, most people in America and the world know very little of that. Phrases like, “Trust Jesus and be saved,” mean very little. The person you are talking to may be silently thinking, “Who is Jesus? Why should I trust Him? What do I need to be saved from?”

Most Christians, especially from Evangelical circles, have been steeped in the phrase “Be saved,” but how many have thought carefully about from what they are being saved? If we have trouble answering, “from what?”, how can we explain it to those who don’t know Jesus?

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. (Romans 5:8-11) {emphasis mine}

Primarily we are saved “from the wrath of God.” We are also reconciled which saves us from separation from God.

We are also told that we are rescued [saved] “from the wrath to come.”

And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:10) {emphasis mine}

Then one might ask, “What right does God have to tell me what to do and to get mad at me?”

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5) {emphasis mine}

Why does God get to set the rules? Because He made all things. The Creator gets to set the rules for His creation. It isn’t just ‘might makes right,’ but the one who spoke everything into being gets to set the rules for His creatures just like He set the rules for how everything in the universe works.

Many might claim, “but surely God can’t expect us to be perfect? Nobody is perfect.”

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16) {emphasis mine}

Jesus doesn’t expect more than He has given. He went through every temptation we have experienced, including trials and hardships we can’t imagine, and yet was without even one sin. He is the perfect example of what we should be. Even more amazingly, he understands that we are unable to live up to His standard, so He came to earth, suffered, died, and rose again, so we could be reconciled to Him. All we have to do is repent of our sins, trust Him, and submit to Him. How can we not put our faith in Him after all He did for us?

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Jesus paid the penalty. He took our sins, so we can receive His righteousness. This is a trade everyone should be willing to make, but sadly most refuse — some willfully, but some because they haven’t heard the good news. Hopefully all Christians will faithfully share the gospel with those around them.

May the perfect Savior guide us in His perfect will and help us to rightfully share the gospel with all those around us.

Trust Jesus

@ 8bad92c3:ca714aa5

Key Takeaways

In this episode, Bram Kanstein delivers a powerful exploration of how studying money for thousands of hours led him to a single, life-changing conclusion: Bitcoin is the key to preserving value and reclaiming personal agency in an increasingly unstable world. Through the lens of a disillusioned millennial generation—raised with technological optimism but betrayed by economic reality—Bram exposes the fiat system as one built on illusion, debt, and diminishing returns. He explains how Bitcoin’s transparent, rule-based design offers a principled alternative, especially for those wired to question systems and seek truth. Describing the fiat economy as a “high-velocity trash system” that undermines innovation and long-term planning, he argues Bitcoin creates the time and space to think, build, and live freely. As AI reshapes the labor market, Bram sees Bitcoin as a vital foundation for individuals to adapt, maintain sovereignty, and thrive in a future defined by rapid technological disruption.

Best Quotes

“Anything that you would want to fix in the world is broken because the money is broken.”

“You’re stacking nothing. Literal paper.”

“You have to red pill before you orange pill.”

“The only thing you need to do is move to the other money that they cannot mess with.”

“One Bitcoin is one Bitcoin. That’s the whole point.”

“Millennials are primed to understand Bitcoin.”

“Bitcoin lets you get out of the rat race and start walking your own path.”

“The fiat mindset is a zero-sum game. In Bitcoin, value is created.”

“We should stop asking how to value Bitcoin—and start asking how to value everything else in Bitcoin.”

“Even with a master’s in economics, people still don’t understand what money is.”

Conclusion

This episode delivers a powerful call to rethink everything we assume about money, arguing that understanding Bitcoin is less about profit and more about reclaiming personal agency in a world defined by uncertainty. Bram Kanstein shows how asking fundamental questions—like “What is money?”—can lead to a deeper sense of purpose and autonomy. As AI and systemic instability accelerate, Bitcoin emerges not just as sound money, but as a life tool for intentional living, long-term thinking, and individual sovereignty.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro
0:36 - INTJ bitcoiners
4:58 - The millennial headspace is primed for bitcoin
7:25 - Bitcoin gives time and space to build
15:29 - Fold & Bitkey
17:05 - Seeing systemic problems
26:25 - Bitcoin’s positive feedback loop
33:55 - Recognize your agency
37:58 - Unchained
38:27 - Fiat money creates uncertainty
44:41 - What is money?
54:04 - Money and energy
1:03:43 - Bitcoin allows growth
1:09:02 - Bitcoin/AI
1:31:34 - Optimistic note

Transcript

(00:00) Let's say you're a millennial and mid-30s and you want to retire in 30 years. If you calculate the amount of dollar, pound the euro, yen units. You need way more units of that money than you think right now. They are funding pension funds, but the pension funds are using that money for the people that are actually retiring.
(00:17) No one knows about money. They don't know how debt works, how finance works. But that's kind of how it's designed, right? Like that's what eventually keeps the Ponzi alive. And I just started with the question, what do you think happens if you call the bank and say like, hey, can I get 100 or 200k in cash? Man, you got an editor like in house.
(00:39) That's That's pro. That's uh it's because this setup I'm so far away from the computer. I just need somebody to hit the button. Okay. Okay. the extent the extent of of Logan's job extends far beyond just hitting the button. But yeah, INTJ I think uh I think it was as we rear into what looks to be another bull market.
(01:05) I think getting back to first principles and discussing the challenges of studying and understanding Bitcoin, it's important to to highlight the archetype of individuals who have studied fallen down the rabbit hole and really dedicated their lives to Bitcoin. And this INTJ cohort that exists within Bitcoin seems pretty material apparently. Yeah.
(01:35) I mean, I have many moments where I just realize that I'm lucky that my brain is wired in a certain way, you know. I feel like crazy blessed that I figured out this Bitcoin thing, you know, and that when I ran into certain realizations along the way in my Bitcoin journey that I was like, hm, you know, how does this actually work? you know, do I actually understand the systems I'm participating in, the things that I believe, you know, the the the the people that I abstracted um or or outsourced certain responsibilities to to take care of, for example, my money
(02:10) in the bank. You know, I I think um being wired in a certain way definitely helps in grasping Bitcoin to a degree where you're like, okay, this is the only thing I need to pay attention to, you know, in my life. And yeah, we we jokingly started talking about this because I have the hat here, but there was this um I think it was like like a Twitter poll actually or someone shared it on Twitter and this is already like two or three years old where where someone investigated these MyersBriggs um personality types and I think there's
(02:42) only like 2% of people that have INTJ but like 20% of Bitcoiners have that personality type. So it um it apparently helps. So yeah, I just I just quickly Googled it actually. It says uh the INTJ is the architect. It's a personality type with the introverted intuitive thinking and judging traits. These thoughtful tacticians love perfecting the details of life, applying creativity and rationality to everything they do.
(03:09) I think the rationality part here is what um what uh I think helps you to to gro Bitcoin eventually. Yeah, it reminds me of I forget what the study was, but postco it was a similar distribution of just like 2% of people were highly skeptical of what was going on with the lockdowns and the attack on bodily autonomy.
(03:38) And there was a study that was done about I forget it was bees or some type of fly that they they have like the horde of um the horde of the particular fly I think it was bees has like 2% act as these sort of alarm bells that are on the outside the outskirts of the community and they'll start communicating like hey something's wrong here and people the other flies or bees will be skeptical at first but then eventually uh the alarm bells will be proven to be right that there was some sort of danger around the corner. That's fascinating.
(04:09) Yeah. Yeah, that's fascinating. I I think we're not that special eventually, you know, like we think we have all this autonomy, but but um yeah, we're we're just wired in a certain way. And I think I don't know where you want to take this conversation, but I think, you know, part of growing up and being an adult is figuring out, you know, how do I actually work and how do I work with how I work, you know? Yeah. No, it is.
(04:36) And as I get older, creep into my mid-30s, which is hard hard to come to grips with, it is uh really falling back on like, all right, I I feel like I have a good perspective on the world and my place in it, and how do I just optimize to make sure I'm aligning my my work and my career, I guess, if you call it that, with what I'm passionate about. Yeah.
(05:00) Well, I also think that is actually why our generation, you know, my my podcast is Bitcoin for millennials. I think uh the millennials are primed to understand Bitcoin. You know, we are in this life phase where big things happen, you know, starting a family or settling somewhere or or making big career moves or decide Yeah.
(05:25) like deciding what am I going to spend like the next 10 20 years on and uh I think it's an interesting phase actually I I don't know how that was for you but but for me like the the 30s were really where I dove more and more into Bitcoin like got got that stronger conviction and also yeah kind of was invited to go further down that that rabbit hole you know and like how I see it now is that that Bitcoin is really the foundation for the rest of my life, you know, like it it gives me time and space to look forward and enthusiasm, you know, like I sometimes lurk on the
(06:01) millennial subreddit, you know, or the finance sub subreddit. And many people in our generation are very nihilistic, you know, they're very unsure about the future. Like some people aren't even having kids because they think they cannot afford it, you know. And uh whenever I read that, I just think like, yeah, I I don't really have those things.
(06:22) But I know it's because of Bitcoin, you know. I I know that Bitcoin gives me, yeah, like I said, the time and space to figure out what's next, like what should I focus on? Like it gives time and space to to try out stuff, to build something, you know, to to to really attempt at at doing something. Where I see many people that don't see that, they are more in the consumer type, you know, like they they just spend the money that's worth the most today, you know, like that's what they're incentivized to do. Yeah.
(06:49) And is is that why you started Bitcoin for millennials is to number one put the put the message out there. Millennials come listen to this. One of you Yes. that is trying to educate you about this. But because this is something I think about a lot is somebody's like dead smack in the middle of the millennial generation and has observed many of the things you just described in my own life, my own network.
(07:13) And that's part of the reason why this podcast exists. And um what I'm trying to do at TFTC is just try to figure out a way to reach into the minds of millennials, hopefully c

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

El Salvador – June 3, 2025 — The grassroots Bitcoin community of El Salvador is proud to announce the return of Bitcoin Week, taking place this November with five dynamic events celebrating Bitcoin adoption, education, and community-led innovation.

Join us for a week of inspiration, collaboration, and impact.

Bitcoin Week 2025 calendar

📍 November 12 – Bitcoin Education Celebration Gala: Kick off the week in style with a luxurious and intimate evening at a high-class dinner, celebrating “proof of work” and the achievements of the Bitcoin education movement.
Expect major plans for the year(s) ahead but also a reflection to past proof-of-work—and don’t miss out on the Great Grassroots Giveaway, included with every ticket.

📍 November 13 – Bitcoin Educators Unconference: Hosted for the third time in San Salvador at Cadejo Montaña, this sixth edition of the Educators Unconference embodies our commitment to provide a space for decentralized, community-led conversations.
Join educators and leaders shaping the global Bitcoin conversation!

📍 November 14–15 – Adopting Bitcoin: The Network Effect: Now in its fifth year, Adopting Bitcoin returns with a powerful focus on real-world Bitcoin usage across global communities.
This year’s theme—The Network Effect—explores how interconnected local initiatives can spark exponential growth in adoption.

📍 November 16 – Visit Bitcoin Beach, El Zonte: Make your way to Bitcoin Beach, the heart of El Salvador’s Bitcoin story. Enjoy a day of connection and discovery in this iconic beachside town. Full details coming soon.

📍 November 22–23 – Economía Bitcoin, Berlín: Head to the town of Berlín, El Salvador for the second edition of Economía Bitcoin, a powerful, small-scale conference and festival focused on circular economies and practical Bitcoin use.
Spend sats freely in town and see how local action drives global impact.

With five unique events across three regions in Bitcoin Country, this edition of Bitcoin Week is your chance to experience El Salvador’s Bitcoin journey up close. Whether you’re an educator, builder, Bitcoiner, or simply curious—you’re invited.

Join us this November. Be part of the movement.

@ 502ab02a:a2860397

วันนี้เราคุยเรื่อง ราคะในชามซีเรียล เมื่ออาหารเช้ากลายเป็นเครื่องมือควบคุมจิตวิญญาณ กันครับ

ย้อนกลับไปในปี 1863 ที่เมืองเล็กๆ แห่งหนึ่งในรัฐมิชิแกน สหรัฐอเมริกา มีโรงพยาบาลหนึ่งชื่อว่า Battle Creek Sanitarium ที่ไม่เหมือนโรงพยาบาลทั่วไป เพราะมันไม่ใช่แค่ที่รักษาโรคทางกาย แต่เป็นสถาบันที่พยายามเยียวยาวิญญาณมนุษย์ด้วยอาหารและการใช้ชีวิตแบบละวางกิเลส ผู้ที่ดูแลที่นี่คือชายคนหนึ่งชื่อ John Harvey Kellogg หมอผู้เป็นสาวกเคร่งครัดของกลุ่ม Seventh-day Adventist ซึ่งเป็นกลุ่มคริสเตียนที่เชื่อว่าร่างกายคือพระวิหารของพระเจ้า และทุกอย่างที่เรากินเข้าไปต้องสะอาดบริสุทธิ์ทั้งกายและใจ โดยเฉพาะเรื่อง “ราคะ” ที่เขาเห็นว่าเป็นบ่อเกิดแห่งบาป และเชื่อว่าอาหารที่เรากินส่งผลต่อแรงขับในตัวมนุษย์ บางแหล่งข้อมูลเล่าว่า Dr. Kellogg ถึงขั้นสนับสนุน “การตอนตัวเอง” เพื่อควบคุมกิเลส (ซึ่งเขาไม่ทำเอง แต่สนับสนุนให้บางคนทำ)

หมอเคลล็อกจึงไม่เพียงแต่รณรงค์ให้เลิกกินเนื้อสัตว์ แต่ยังมองว่าการควบคุมพฤติกรรมของมนุษย์ ต้องเริ่มจาก “อาหารเช้า” เพราะมันคือมื้อแรกของวัน มื้อที่จะกำหนดทิศทางร่างกายและจิตใจทั้งวัน และนั่นคือจุดเริ่มต้นของสิ่งที่เรียกว่า “ซีเรียล” ที่เราเห็นทุกเช้าวันนี้ แต่ในยุคแรก มันไม่ได้หวานเลยด้วยซ้ำ มันคือเมล็ดข้าวโพดบด ต้ม แล้วอบแห้งให้กรอบ กินแล้วฝืดคอพอสมควร จุดประสงค์หลักไม่ใช่ให้ฟิน แต่ให้ “สงบ” …สงบทั้งลำไส้และจิตใจ

แต่พอซีเรียลสูตรนี้เริ่มแพร่หลาย มันกลับไปไม่รอดในตลาดคนธรรมดา เพราะมันไม่อร่อย! คนทั่วไปในยุคนั้นยังคุ้นเคยกับอาหารเช้าแบบจัดหนัก ไม่ว่าจะเป็นไข่ เบคอน เนื้อเค็ม แพนเค้ก หรือแม้กระทั่งสตูว์ร้อนๆ ซึ่งล้วนเป็นอาหารจริงจังเต็มพลังงาน เพราะคนยังทำงานใช้แรงทั้งวัน ซีเรียลที่ไม่มีรสชาติและกินแล้วไม่อยู่ท้องจึงขายไม่ออก จนกระทั่ง “น้องชาย” ของหมอเคลล็อกเข้ามาเปลี่ยนเกม

Will Keith Kellogg น้องชายของหมอเคลล็อก เป็นนักการตลาดที่ฉลาดและมองเห็นว่า ถ้าอยากให้คนกินซีเรียลจริงๆ ต้อง “ปรุงรสชาติ” ให้ถูกปากคน ไม่ใช่แค่ถูกหลักศีลธรรม เขาจึงเริ่มเติม “น้ำตาล” ลงไปในซีเรียล เพิ่มความกรุบกรอบ และจัดแพคเกจใหม่ให้ดูน่ากิน พร้อมยิงโฆษณาใส่ผู้บริโภคด้วยวาทกรรมใหม่ที่ว่า “อาหารเช้าคือมื้อที่สำคัญที่สุดของวัน” และถ้าคุณอยากดูแลลูกให้แข็งแรง ก็ต้องเริ่มด้วยการให้เขากินซีเรียลกับนมทุกเช้า... ประโยคนี้คุ้นไหม? ใช่เลย มันคือจุดเริ่มต้นของหนึ่งในความเชื่อฝังหัวที่ยังคงอยู่จนถึงทุกวันนี้ วลี "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day" เป็นสโลแกนที่ Kellogg's และ Grape‑Nuts จาก General Foods ต่างใช้ในแคมเปญโฆษณาหลังยุค 1940s โดยอ้างอิงงานวิจัยที่บริษัทเองสนับสนุน เป็นจุดที่น่าสนใจว่า "หลักฐาน" ทางวิทยาศาสตร์บางทีก็ผลิตขึ้นมาเพื่อรองรับสินค้า

ในความเป็นจริง การกินอาหารเช้าแบบหนักท้อง อย่างไข่ดาว เบคอน หรือแม้แต่ข้าวกับแกงสมัยก่อนน่ะ เป็นเรื่องปกติของคนทุกชนชั้น เพราะมันช่วยให้อิ่มนานและให้พลังงานต่อเนื่อง แต่เมื่อคำว่า “สุขภาพดี” ถูกนำมาเชื่อมโยงกับความบางเบา ความเร็ว และความสะดวกจากกล่องซีเรียล มันก็เหมือนมีเวทมนตร์บางอย่างที่เปลี่ยนพฤติกรรมผู้คนไปโดยไม่รู้ตัว

ที่สำคัญ สูตรสำเร็จของเคลล็อกคือ “ทำให้อาหารเช้ากลายเป็นปัญหา” และนำเสนอซีเรียลเป็นทางออก แล้วบีบให้พ่อแม่ยุคใหม่เชื่อว่า ถ้าไม่ซื้อซีเรียลให้ลูกกิน ลูกจะขาดสารอาหารและเริ่มต้นวันได้ไม่ดีพอ ทั้งที่ความจริง ซีเรียลก็คือน้ำตาลอัดเม็ด ดีๆ นี่เอง แม้ไม่มีหลักฐานว่าเป็นความตั้งใจแต่ต้น แต่มันกลายเป็นผลลัพธ์ทางการตลาดที่ทรงพลัง

และแน่นอนว่ามันไม่หยุดแค่ซีเรียล เพราะเมื่อนมกลายเป็นของที่ต้องกินคู่กัน ความต้องการนมก็พุ่งขึ้นจนต้องขยายฟาร์มโคนมครั้งใหญ่ในประวัติศาสตร์ (อันนี้จะขยายต่อใน ep อื่นนะครับ) เรียกได้ว่าซีเรียลกลายเป็นหมากตัวสำคัญของอุตสาหกรรมอาหาร ที่เริ่มจากความตั้งใจจะ “ลดราคะ” แต่จบลงด้วยการ “เพิ่มยอดขาย” ของบริษัทยักษ์ใหญ่ที่ครองชั้นวางซูเปอร์มาร์เก็ตทั่วโลก และครอบงำอาหารเช้าของโลกนี้ไปมากกว่าครึ่ง

เมื่อมองย้อนไป เฮียว่ามันน่าทึ่งนะ ว่าสิ่งที่เริ่มต้นจากศรัทธาในการควบคุมจิตใจมนุษย์ กลับกลายมาเป็นกลยุทธ์ตลาดระดับโลกได้ และน่าเศร้าในเวลาเดียวกัน เพราะมันทำให้เราหลงลืมว่า แท้จริงแล้วอาหารเช้าคืออะไรกันแน่ มันควรเป็นมื้อที่เชื่อมเราเข้ากับธรรมชาติ หรือเป็นแค่สิ่งที่เราเทใส่ชามเพราะโฆษณาบอกให้ทำ? แถมต้องซื้อจากบริษัทที่ผลิตเท่านั้น

และนั่นแหละเฮียถึงอยากเล่าตอนนี้ เพราะบางครั้งการตั้งคำถามกับอาหารในจาน ก็คือการตั้งคำถามกับระบบที่เราถูกทำให้เชื่อว่า “ดีที่สุด” โดยไม่รู้ตัว...

#โต้งเอง #กูต้องรู้มั๊ย #ม้วนหางสิลูก #siamstr

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

In today’s digital era, access to financial services remains a privilege for many. Bitcoinization – the mass adoption of bitcoin as a payment medium and store of value – represents a unique opportunity to democratize access to financial services.

Telecommunications carriers occupy a strategic position in this transformation, especially in regions where traditional internet access is limited. However, this aspect remains largely unexplored.

This article seeks to examine how these companies can catalyze this financial revolution by analyzing the Machankura case and the technical possibilities within current communication infrastructure.

The Success Sotry of Machankura

The Machankura project (8333.mobi) emerged to address a common challenge in various African regions: financial exclusion due to limited internet access. Created by South African developer Kgothatso Ngako, the service utilizes the USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) protocol, supported by virtually all mobile phones, to facilitate bitcoin transactions via 2G and 3G cellular networks.

Machankura – derived from South African slang for “money” – functions as a custodial bitcoin wallet. Through the USSD protocol, users can access the service by dialing short codes (*123*456789#, for example) or sending SMS messages to specific numbers.

When the server receives the code or message, an interactive session between the parties (server-user) begins. This enables users to create bitcoin wallets associated with their phone numbers, protected by multi-digit PINs.

Once registered, users receive a Lightning address (example: 1234567890@8333.mobi) that can be used to receive bitcoin from anyone worldwide. Users can also customize this address to a preferred username, further enhancing privacy.

Currently, Machankura is available in nine African countries, including Nigeria, Tanzania, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, and Malawi. The creator’s objective is to expand the service to all countries across the African continent in the coming years.

The Technical Foundations of Machankura’s Success – USSD

As mentioned, USSD is a protocol embedded in mobile networks and available on virtually all cellular devices. This choice proved crucial for the Machankura project, given that in Africa, more than half of phones sold are not smartphones. Additionally, this protocol offers critical technical advantages:

• Operates without requiring internet access, functioning in areas with poor connectivity.
• Universal compatibility with any mobile phone, including the most basic models.
• Provides real-time interactivity between users and the system.
• Features an intuitive interface already utilized for banking services, customer support, and self-service applications

These advantages have enabled bitcoin to become accessible to a significant portion of the region’s population, with over 15,000 users, according to Machankura’s project creator.

USSD and Connectivity Challenges

The primary technical limitation of USSD manifests in high-connectivity environments (4G, 5G, or higher). As established by the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project, organization for standardization of mobile networks), the protocol must be recognized by newer generations of cellular networks.

However, this recognition requires a procedure known as inter-technology fallback. For instance, if a user is connected to a 5G network and streaming music, when accessing a USSD service, their connection will downgrade to a 3G (or 2G) network, inevitably interrupting media streaming execution.

IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS): The Evolution in Telecommunications Services

The solution to connectivity issues with USSD resides within the IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem), a subsystem within the standardized architecture of newer cellular networks (from fourth generation onwards).

Its objective is to unify access and provision of multimedia services across both mobile and fixed networks. These services include:

• Voice services – such as Voice over LTE (VoLTE) and Voice over WiFi (VoWiFi)
• Video services – such as Video over LTE  (ViLTE) and Video over WiFi (ViWiFi)
• Videoconferencing
• Instant messaging
• Streaming media
• Emergency services
• Interoperability between legacy networks

The New Era: USSI (USSD over IP)

USSI (USSD over IP) represents the solution for service continuity across 4G, 5G, and future networks when utilizing USSD services. This new protocol enhances service quality, increases simultaneous session capacity, provides additional features for recent devices, improves session security, and enables operation without requiring fallback procedures.

Strategic Opportunities for Carriers

Institutional bitcoin adoption is already established, with integration into portfolios of mining companies, exchanges, automobile manufacturers (Tesla), investment funds (BlackRock), financial institutions (Galaxy Digital Holdings), technology companies (including MicroStrategy, MercadoLibre, and Brazilian Meliúz), and even nations such as El Salvador, the United States, and China.

With robust, secure, and extensive infrastructure, telecommunications carriers can implement complex and advanced bitcoin-based financial services, demystifying its use and stimulating adoption.

Strategic partnerships with exchanges and fintechs enhance integrated solutions for entrepreneurs and consumers, such as integration with Lightning Network nodes to enable rapid, low-cost transactions between IoT devices, machine-to-machine (M2M) applications, and point-of-sale (POS) terminals.

The competitive advantages of this approach include:

• New Revenue Streams: Companies can collect fees from simple transactions and provide advanced financial services such as loans, insurance, and investments.
• Customer Retention: By offering innovative services, they can reduce customer churn.
• Vanguard Strategy: Strategic positioning in an emerging high-capitalization market

The Future of Bitcoinization in Telecommunications

The success of the Machankura project unequivocally demonstrates the potential of telecommunications as transformative agents in the mass adoption of bitcoin. As the bitcoin ecosystem consolidates and expands, it is essential that we recognize this opportunity not merely as a new business vertical but as an important step toward strategic positioning at the forefront of a global economic transformation.

Given the extensive reach of existing infrastructure, these carriers can become the primary catalyst for transforming the lives of the unbanked in an unprecedented manner. As we have seen, bitcoin is no longer just a trend; it is a reality. The natural consequence of this reality is bitcoinization, and we have the opportunity to be at the forefront of this emerging paradigm.

@ dfa02707:41ca50e3

Headlines

• Spiral renews support for Dan Gould and Joschisan. The organization has renewed support for Dan Gould, who is developing the Payjoin Dev Kit (PDK), and Joschisan, a Fedimint developer focused on simplifying federations.
• Metaplanet buys another 145 BTC. The Tokyo-listed company has purchased an additional 145 BTC for $13.6 million. Their total bitcoin holdings now stand at 5,000 coins, worth around $428.1 million.
• Semler Scientific has increased its bitcoin holdings to 3,303 BTC. The company acquired an additional 111 BTC at an average price of $90,124. The purchase was funded through proceeds from an at-the-market offering and cash reserves, as stated in a press release.
• The Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Bill 2025 introduced in Kenya. The new legislation aims to establish a comprehensive legal framework for licensing, regulating, and supervising virtual asset service providers (VASPs), with strict penalties for non-compliant entities.
• Russian government to launch a cryptocurrency exchange. The country's Ministry of Finance and Central Bank announced plans to establish a trading platform for "highly qualified investors" that "will legalize crypto assets and bring crypto operations out of the shadows."
• All virtual asset service providers expect to be fully compliant with the Travel Rule by the end of 2025. A survey by financial surveillance specialist Notabene reveals that 90% of virtual asset service providers (VASPs) expect full Travel Rule compliance by mid-2025, with all aiming for compliance by year-end. The survey also shows a significant rise in VASPs blocking withdrawals until beneficiary information is confirmed, increasing from 2.9% in 2024 to 15.4% now. Additionally, about 20% of VASPs return deposits if originator data is missing.
• UN claims Bitcoin mining is a "powerful tool" for money laundering. The Rage's analysis suggests that the recent United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report on crime in South-East Asia makes little sense and hints at the potential introduction of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) measures at the mining level.
• Riot Platforms has obtained a $100 million credit facility from Coinbase Credit, using bitcoin as collateral for short-term funding to support its expansion. The firm's CEO, Jason Les, stated that this facility is crucial for diversifying financing sources and driving long-term stockholder value through strategic growth initiatives.
• Bitdeer raises $179M in loans and equity amid Bitcoin chip push. The Miner Mag reports that Bitdeer entered into a loan agreement with its affiliate Matrixport for up to $200 million in April, as disclosed in its annual report filed on Monday.
• Federal Reserve retracts guidance discouraging banks from engaging in 'crypto.' The U.S. Federal Reserve withdrew guidance that discouraged banks from crypto and stablecoin activities, as announced by its Board of Governors on Thursday. This includes rescinding a 2022 supervisory letter requiring prior notification of crypto activities and 2023 stablecoin requirements.

"As a result, the Board will no longer expect banks to provide notification and will instead monitor banks' crypto-asset activities through the normal supervisory process," reads the FED statement.

• UAE-based Islamic bank ruya launches Shari’ah-compliant bitcoin investing. The bank has become the world’s first Islamic bank to provide direct access to virtual asset investments, including Bitcoin, via its mobile app, per Bitcoin Magazine.
• U.S. 'crypto' scam losses amounted to $9.3B in 2024. The US The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reported $9.3 billion losses in cryptocurrency-related scams in 2024, noting a troubling trend of scams targeting older Americans, which accounted for over $2.8 billion of those losses.

Source: FBI.

• North Korean hackers establish fake companies to target 'crypto' developers. Silent Push researchers reported that hackers linked to the Lazarus Group created three shell companies, two of which are based in the U.S., with the objective of spreading malware through deceptive job interview scams aimed at individuals seeking jobs in cryptocurrency companies.
• Citrea deployed its Clementine Bridge on the Bitcoin testnet. The bridge utilizes the BitVM2 programming language to inherit validity from Bitcoin, allegedly providing "the safest and most trust-minimized way to use BTC in decentralized finance."
• Hesperides University offers a Master’s degree in Bitcoin. Bitcoin Magazine reports the launch of the first-ever Spanish-language Master’s program dedicated exclusively to Bitcoin. Starting April 28, 2025, this fully online program will equip professionals with technical, economic, legal, and philosophical skills to excel in the Bitcoin era.
• BTC in D.C. event is set to take place on September 30 - October 1 in Washington, D.C. Learn more about this initiative here.

Use the tools

• Bitcoin Keeper just got a new look. Version 2.2.0 of the mobile multisig app brought a new branding design, along with a Keeper Private tier, testnet support, ability to import and export BIP-329 labels, and the option to use a Server Key with multiple users.
  • Earlier this month the project also announced Keeper Learn service, offering clear and guided Bitcoin learning sessions for both groups and individuals.
• Keeper Desktop v0.2.2, a companion desktop app for Bitcoin Keeper mobile app, received a renewed branding update, too.

The evolution of Bitcoin Keeper logo. Source: BitHyve blog.

• Blockstream Green Desktop v2.0.25 updates GDK to v0.75.1 and fixes amount parsing issues when switching from fiat denomination to Liquid asset.
• Lightning Loop v0.31.0-beta enhances the loop listswaps command by improving the ability to filter the response.
• Lightning-kmp v1.10.0, an implementation of the Lightning Network in Kotlin, is now available.
• LND v0.19.0-beta.rc3, the latest beta release candidate of LND is now ready for testing.
• ZEUS v0.11.0-alpha2 is now available for testing, too. It's nuts.
• JoinMarket Fidelity Bond Simulator helps potential JoinMarket makers evaluate their competitive position in the market based on fidelity bonds.
• UTXOscope is a text-only Bitcoin blockchain analysis tool that visualizes price dynamics using only on-chain data. The

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

Michael Saylor, executive chairman and co-founder of Strategy, wants to be on The Joe Rogan Experience to talk about Bitcoin. His recent post on X has the Bitcoin community and beyond stoked.

On May 31, Saylor replied to a Joe Rogan fan account that asked who they would like to see on the podcast. His response was simple but bold: “Hey @joerogan, let’s talk about Bitcoin.”

Saylor has been one of the most vocal Bitcoin supporters for a long time. He talks about bitcoin being a store of value and a hedge against inflation all the time.

Even when Bitcoin was a niche topic, Saylor was promoting it.

His company MicroStrategy (which was recently renamed to Strategy) has made headlines for investing billions in bitcoin. They currently hold around 580,250 BTC worth over $60 billion according to public trackers.

Saylor’s invitation to Joe Rogan was met with excitement from the Bitcoin community. Several well-known figures quickly chimed in.

Kook, a trader and analyst, said: “Saylor is going to Bitcoin pill Joe Rogan.”

Brandon MacDougal said he would watch The Joe Rogan Experience for the first time if Saylor was on the show, and The Bitcoin Therapist said the potential interview would “shatter the internet.”

The Bitcoin Therapist on X

It’s not just hardcore Bitcoiners who are excited. Many think the conversation could reach a much wider audience and push Bitcoin into the mainstream financial conversation.

Joe Rogan has one of the most popular podcasts in the world with millions of listeners. He’s discussed digital assets many times and has a special interest in Bitcoin.

In an October 2023 episode with OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Rogan said: “The real fascinating crypto is Bitcoin. That’s the one that I think has the most likely possibility of becoming a universal viable currency. It’s limited in the amount that it can be.”

Rogan previously had Bitcoin educator Andreas Antonopoulos on the show between 2014 and 2016 when bitcoin was under $1,000. Those early episodes introduced Bitcoin to many new listeners.

With Rogan’s history of being open to the topic and his massive audience, a new episode with Saylor could get a whole new group of people interested in Bitcoin.

The buzz around Saylor’s invite is a sign of a bigger trend — Bitcoin becoming a bigger part of the global conversation. Saylor has positioned himself as a thought leader in the space and often talks about how Bitcoin can change the way money and financial systems work.

He believes Bitcoin can create more transparent and efficient systems, reduce transaction costs and challenge traditional banking models. He also said we need smart regulation to protect consumers while encouraging innovation.

A conversation between Saylor and Rogan wouldn’t just be about Bitcoin’s price or investment strategies. It would likely go deeper into topics like inflation, digital privacy, government policy and the future of money.

So far Joe Rogan hasn’t publicly responded to Saylor’s invite, but fans are hoping he’ll say yes. Many think the timing is perfect. Bitcoin is hot again and more people than ever are trying to figure out what role it will play in the future of finance.

@ c9badfea:610f861a

🤖️ AI Articles

• 🗨️ Using LLMs for OPSEC

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@ c9badfea:610f861a

1. Install Alibi (it's free and open source)
2. Open the app and tap Continue
3. Select 15 Minutes as the duration for ongoing recordings and tap Continue
4. Choose Media Folder as the storage location for recordings and tap Continue
5. Tap Start Alibi
6. Tap Start Video Recording, review the settings (defaults are usually fine), then tap Start Recording
7. Grant camera permission by selecting While Using The App if asked
8. Recording will now start and continue in the background
9. In case of an incident, simply reopen Alibi and tap Save to preserve the recording

ℹ️ You may need to disable battery optimizations for this app

ℹ️ Ensure you have enough storage space available on your device

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

Let's hear those ~HealthAndFitness triumphs and challenges

My triumphs - OMAD - Cold shower

My challenges - need to be more active and get outside more

200 sats to post!!! Eat more key lime pie @realBitcoinDog

https://stacker.news/items/1003145

@ 861eb596:51fe0a4d

Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System

Neumann

This book is about the movement of the human body. And the preface states that this is typically studied for the purpose of sport, art, or medicine. And while the book has a focus on the medical application, my interest is the sport application. Specifically the application of kinesiology to weight training.

The book is about seven hundred pages and is divided into four sections of roughly equal proportion. The first section is introductory and covers kinesiology basics. The the remaining three sections correspond to the three major regions of the body: the upper extremity, the axial skeleton, and the lower extremity.

Of note is the importance of illustrations in this work. It is clear that much effort was given toward their refinement. They are relied upon for the explanation of many concepts.

The chapters within the "body region" sections cover, in order, bones, joints, nerves, and muscles for each body part. It seems fairly clear that these are the four substantial elements of any given movement system of the body.

I will also take this opportunity to reference a diagram I saw on wikipedia that always makes me chuckle a little. It's sort of the minimum viable body plan of almost all animals. I'm curious if the categories of circular and longitudinal muscles make sense for understanding the human body.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/Bilaterian_body_plan.svg/2560px-Bilaterian_body_plan.svg.png

@ 58537364:705b4b85

เกี่ยวกับเรื่อง “เวลา”

พระอรหันต์ บุคคลผู้หลุดพ้นแล้ว เห็นอย่างถูกต้อง จึงไม่ยึดถือ อดีต กับ อนาคต แม้กระทั่งปัจจุบัน

ตัวอย่างง่ายๆ ที่จะต้องสังเกตดูให้ดีว่า โดยที่แท้นั้นเราไม่สามารถรู้จักอดีต ปัจจุบัน หรืออนาคต ได้เลย เราไม่อาจรู้จักสิ่งที่เป็นปัจจุบันได้ ถ้าสิ่งนั้นไม่กลายเป็นอดีตไปเสียก่อน เหมือนอย่างว่า..เมื่อตาเห็นรูป เช่น เห็นดอกไม้ดอกหนึ่ง จิตใจต้องรับอารมณ์(รูป,สี)เสร็จแล้ว ภาพที่เห็นนั้นเป็นอดีตไปแล้ว เราจึงจะรู้ว่าเป็นดอกไม้ดอกหนึ่ง เช่น ดอกกุหลาบดอกหนึ่ง เป็นต้น

ถ้าไม่เป็นอดีตไปเสียก่อน จิตใจก็ไม่มีทางจะรู้ว่ามันเป็นอะไร เพราะเหตุฉะนั้น ปัจจุบันเป็นสิ่งที่เรารู้ไม่ได้ รู้สึกไม่ได้ สัมผัสไม่ได้ เพราะว่าเราไม่อาจจะรู้จักสิ่งใดได้ โดยที่สิ่งนั้นไม่เปลี่ยนเป็นอดีตไปเสียก่อนนั่นเอง ต้องเป็น "ขณะจิต" ในอดีตเสียก่อน จึงจะรู้ว่าสิ่งนั้นเป็นอะไร เราจึงไม่อาจจะสัมผัสปัจจุบันได้

ส่วนเวลาที่เรียกว่า "อนาคต" ก็ยังไม่มา ส่วนอดีตก็ล่วงลับไปแล้ว เราก็ไม่ได้รับอะไรเลย แม้แต่ที่เป็น"ปัจจุบัน" #ถ้าใครมองเห็นอย่างนี้ก็เรียกว่ารู้จักเวลาอย่างถูกต้อง คือเวลาในภาษาธรรมะ ซึ่งไม่อาจจะแบ่งเป็นวินาที นาที เดือน ปีอะไรได้เลย มันเป็นกระแสอันหนึ่งซึ่งคงที่ จนกล่าวได้ว่า ไม่มีเบื้องต้น ไม่มีเบื้องปลาย ไม่มีท่ามกลาง

สิ่งที่เรียกว่า "เวลา" นั้น ไม่มีใครรู้ได้ว่าตั้งต้นเมื่อไหร่ มากี่กัปกี่กัลป์แล้ว จะไปสิ้นสุดเมื่อไหร่ อีกกี่กัปกี่กัลป์ แล้วในขณะปัจจุบันของมัน เราก็แตะต้องมันไม่ได้ เพราะต้องเป็นอดีตไปเสียก่อนทุกที จึงจะรู้สึกขึ้นในใจได้ว่าอะไรเป็นอะไร

เมื่อตาเห็นรูปก็ดี เมื่อหูฟังเสียงก็ดี เมื่อจมูกได้กลิ่นก็ดี ลิ้นได้รสก็ดี กายได้สัมผัสทางผิวหนังก็ดี หรือใจคิดนึกอะไรก็ดี "ขณะจิต"แห่งอดีตเท่านั้น ที่จะบอกได้ว่าอะไรเป็นอะไร ขณะเป็นปัจจุบันนั้นบอกให้ไม่ได้เพราะเร็วเกินไป เพียงขณะจิตเดียวก็เป็นอดีตเสียแล้ว ขณะจิตที่กระทบอารมณ์นั้นบอกอะไรไม่ได้ จนกว่าเป็นขณะจิตที่เสวยอารมณ์เสร็จแล้ว เพราะฉะนั้น สิ่งนั้นก็เป็นอดีตไปแล้ว ดังนี้ เป็นต้น

ท่านลองเปรียบเทียบดูว่า คนไหนโง่หรือคนไหนฉลาดกว่ากัน

คนที่เห็นเวลาเป็นอย่างนี้อย่างนั้น เป็นอดีต เป็นอนาคต เป็นปัจจุบัน จนปัญหาเกิดขึ้นนั้น ก็ต้องมีความทุกข์เป็นธรรมดา ส่วนพระอรหันต์นั้น ฉลาดจนไม่มีอดีต อนาคต ปัจจุบัน อย่างที่พระพุทธเจ้าตรัสว่า “ไม่ถือเอาไว้ที่ส่วนสุดทั้งสอง และทั้งไม่ถือเอาไว้ที่ตรงกลาง” นั่นคือ “ความไม่ยึดถือ” เป็นบุคคลผู้หลุดพ้นแล้ว ไม่ยึดถือส่วนทั้งสอง คืออดีตกับอนาคต ส่วนข้างต้นเรียกว่า"อดีต" ส่วนข้างปลายเรียกว่า"อนาคต" นี้ก็ไม่ยึดถือ แล้วก็ไม่ยึดถือแม้กระทั่งส่วนตรงกลาง คือ "ปัจจุบัน" อย่างนี้เรียกว่า "ไม่มีการยึดถืออะไร" และเป็นพระอรหันต์เพราะรู้จักเวลาอย่างถูกต้องเช่นนี้

แต่คนธรรมดาสามัญทำอย่างนี้ไม่ได้ ทำไม่เป็น ดังนั้น จึงต้องสอนกันอีกอย่างหนึ่ง อีกแนวหนึ่ง คือ ให้รู้จักจัดการเกี่ยวกับเวลา ว่า..อย่างไรเป็นอดีต อย่างไรเป็นอนาคต อย่างไรเป็นปัจจุบัน แล้วก็ให้จัดการกับปัจจุบันให้ถูกต้อง อย่าไปมัวห่วงเรื่องอดีต อนาคต ให้ฟุ้งซ่าน แต่ให้สนใจกับปัจจุบัน คือสิ่งที่จะต้องทำเฉพาะหน้า ที่นี่ เดี๋ยวนี้ ในวันนี้ ให้ถูกต้อง อย่างนี้คนธรรมดาก็บรรเทาความทุกข์ไปได้มาก

แต่ถ้าคนธรรมดาสามัญนั้น มองเห็นปัจจุบันที่ลึก(ซึ้ง)ขึ้นไปอีก จนกระทั่ง(ปัจจุบัน)ไม่มีแล้ว #คนธรรมดาสามัญนั้นก็กลายเป็นพระอริยเจ้าไปด้วยเหตุนี้.

พุทธทาสภิกขุ ๑ มกราคม ๒๕๑๐ ธรรมบรรยายเรื่อง “เรามากินเวลากันเถิด” จากหนังสือ “ภาษาคน-ภาษาธรรม”

“กาโล ฆสติ ภูตานิ สพฺพาเนว สหตฺตนา โย กาลฆโส ภูโต ส ภูตปจนึ ปจิ

กาลเวลา ย่อมกลืนกินสรรพสัตว์ พร้อมทั้งตัวของมันเอง ผู้ใดกินกาล ผู้นั้นชื่อว่าเผาสิ่งที่เผาสัตว์ กาลเวลาทำให้อายุ ผิวพรรณ ของสัตว์ทั้งหลายสิ้นไปเสื่อมไป ตัวมันเองก็ล่วงไปด้วย พระอรหันต์ ชื่อว่า ผู้กินกาล เพราะไม่มีปฏิสนธิกาลในอนาคต เป็นผู้ทำลาย หรือคายโอกาสในการเกิดใหม่ สิ่งที่เผาสัตว์ คือกิเลส มีราคะ เป็นต้น อันพระขีณาสพเผาเสียแล้ว”

ปปัญจสูทนี อรรถกถา มัชฌิมนิกาย มูลปริยายสูตร

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

I often hear "bitcoin doesn't interest me, I'm not a finance person."

Ironically, the beauty of sound money is you don't have to be. In the current system you're expected to manage a diversified investment portfolio or pay someone to do it. Bitcoin will make that optional.

— ODELL (@ODELL) September 16, 2018

At first glance bitcoin often appears overwhelming to newcomers. It is incredibly easy to get bogged down in the details of how it works or different ways to use it. Enthusiasts, such as myself, often enjoy going down the deep rabbit hole of the potential of bitcoin, possible pitfalls and theoretical scenarios, power user techniques, and the developer ecosystem. If your first touch point with bitcoin is that type of content then it is only natural to be overwhelmed. While it is important that we have a thriving community of bitcoiners dedicated to these complicated tasks - the true beauty of bitcoin lies in its simplicity. Bitcoin is simply better money. It is the best money we have ever had.

Life is complicated. Life is hard. Life is full of responsibility and surprises. Bitcoin allows us to focus on our lives while relying on a money that is simple. A money that is not controlled by any individual, company, or government. A money that cannot be easily seized or blocked. A money that cannot be devalued at will by a handful of corrupt bureaucrat who live hundreds of miles from us. A money that can be easily saved and should increase in purchasing power over time without having to learn how to "build a diversified stock portfolio" or hire someone to do it for us.

Bitcoin enables all of us to focus on our lives - our friends and family - doing what we love with the short time we have on this earth. Time is scarce. Life is complicated. Bitcoin is the most simple aspect of our complicated lives. If we spend our scarce time working then we should be able to easily save that accrued value for future generations without watching the news or understanding complicated financial markets. Bitcoin makes this possible for anyone.

Yesterday was Mother's Day. Raising a human is complicated. It is hard, it requires immense personal responsibility, it requires critical thinking, but mothers figure it out, because it is worth it. Using and saving bitcoin is simple -  simply install an app on your phone. Every mother can do it. Every person can do it.

Life is complicated. Life is beautiful. Bitcoin is simple.

---

If you found this post helpful support my work with bitcoin.

@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

CEO Paolo Ardoino unveils the open-source strategy for the operating system, aiming to make mining accessible to small and medium-sized businesses.

Tether has announced it will make its Bitcoin Mining Operating System (MOS) available for free, enabling operators of all sizes to manage mining infrastructures without relying on third-party software. The announcement came directly from CEO Paolo Ardoino.

How the Bitcoin Mining Operating System works

The operating system developed by Tether offers an efficient solution for managing mining operations. The MOS integrates all essential components of a mining site into a serverless peer-to-peer network, ensuring smooth communication between devices.

The platform supports architectures ranging from minimal setups on Raspberry Pi to industrial-scale facilities managing hundreds of thousands of miners.

According to Ardoino, the decision to make the Bitcoin Mining Operating System open-source aims to level the playing field between small and large operators. Tether’s CEO stated on X:

“A horde of new Bitcoin mining companies will be able to enter the game and compete to keep the network safe.”

Future developments

Tether’s team is currently working on documentation, user guides, and preparing repositories for community access. The Bitcoin Mining Operating System release is scheduled for Q4 2025.

Future plans include integrating artificial intelligence tools to enhance production analysis and performance monitoring using data generated by the operating system.

Tether’s expansion strategy

In recent years, Tether has diversified beyond stablecoins, expanding into sectors such as artificial intelligence, Bitcoin mining, and education. By mid-2025, the company had invested approximately $2 billion in Bitcoin mining and energy-related activities.

During his speeches at Bitcoin Conference 2025 in Las Vegas, Ardoino revealed the company’s ambitions:

“I think that it’s very realistic that by the end of the year, Tether will be the biggest Bitcoin miner in the world, even including all the public companies.”

The post Tether to release Its Bitcoin Mining Operating System for free appeared first on Atlas21.

@ efc2b6e5:99c53c19

AI companies massively influence society by projecting their values on ML models, whether we want it or not. It'd be great if at least some people in the companies knew how exactly they influence society, could make certain predictions, or even make ML models themselves predict users' worldviews and some of their behavior.

Some might argue that AI systems already do something like that. I believe they could do it much better: chatbots could be more balanced in terms of security (they are definitely overcensored) and recommender systems, for instance, could contribute to healthy personal and collective transformations (rather than just competing in ability to steal users' attention and trap it in the echo chambers).

Reductionism is an obstacle in AI development

Even most reliable knowledge doesn't solve some of the problems that are already in demand. Even least reliable knowledge still may contain something useful for our problems. While we lack reliable and noncontradictory knowledge, we can still benefit from certain synthesis of working ideas. There's approach that makes it possible to look at the knowledge from a very broad perspective, do such synthesis, and benefit from emergent properties of the synthesis.

Integral (Meta-)Theory created by Ken Wilber is probably the best known attempt to enable the possibility to form and navigate the big picture understanding in a hope to address issues of the epoch we've recently entered.

IMO it has certain challenges that make it repellent to IT:

1. Fundamental psychological theories on which the Integral Theory is based are still pretty fragile; they need time to become mature enough and recognized (while it doesn't look like we have that time). There are endless edit wars on Wikipedia, which makes me feel depressing about possibilities to even introduce Spiral Dynamics and Multiple Intelligences to IT people.
2. Emphasis on controversial interpretations of certain arational states of consciousness.

It's hard to address the first challenge; however, I recently discovered a new “secularized” Non-Reductionist Philosophy launched by David Long, which, among other things, uses wisdom from Integral Theory and attempts to address the second challenge. I'm glad that there are people who don't just criticize the Integral Theory, its community and Wilber's positions but are also developing the new meta-theories.

NR can also be a good way to get familiar with other meta-theories, so one could choose whatever works the best for their problems. For instance, if you're working on something as exotic as some competitor to EEG-powered meditation device, perhaps you will find Integral Theory relevant to study as well, since it's more focused on the states.

I'd like to point out a couple of moments I noticed in the video "Why Non-Reductionism Is A Better Meta-Theory" that caught my attention, as well as in some other older videos. There's not much to comment on the content itself rather than on the form of the content. This feedback might be used for improvements/elaborations in the next videos and just for everyone curious about the new meta-theory. But first

Why do I post here?

Specifically for the deep topics that relate to the current epoch, I no longer find engaging in the YouTube/FB/Reddit/Diqus/Giscus/etc. discussions useful anymore, at least due to broken and almost omnipresent AI-based censorship, that keeps “improving” at randomly shadow-banning people. How many deep and valuable opinions we no longer see?

BTW, it's possible to create Reddit-like communities here at Nostr as well, using Satellite client for example. I believe it's a better place for NR, Rebel Wisdom and many others.

References to full materials used for criticism

There are curious clips with Wilber in the video. It'd be great to have links in the description (or at least titles of the full videos if it's copyrighted material) so viewers could easier form their own independent opinions. I find it important during the age of information overload and narrative warfare. This will also improve SEO.

Emergentism FAQ

There's a strong position on emergence of consciousness; it seems it's not even a hypothesis in NR and I guess that makes some people so reactive.

I think it would be great to have an FAQ page to possibly make future debates more ecological and fruitful. Some of the things that could be elaborated in the FAQ:

• importance of distinction between philosophical theory (inductive reasoning? or actually deductive reasoning? I'm confused here) and scientific theory (deductive reasoning)
• the fact that for now counterarguments usually fall into the categories of “ignorance fallacy”, “false equivalency fallacy” and “God of the gaps” which aren't something sufficient; the whole point of challenge was to find at least a logically valid counterposition (ideally a counterposition that is sound with currently available scientific facts), not the nitpicking attacks
• what kind of emergence is meant, is it important here at all and why.

Debates moderation

Probably most of the debates converge to consensus, which are fruitful anyway. There are a few interesting conflicting debates as well. However, I found this specific conflicting debate with Matt Segall quite exceptional.

Matt's position was not understood. He was more interested in a dialogue rather than debates and I think it would be more productive. However, in this specific case, my guess is it would literally take hours to just figure out the common language on a certain concept he mentions.

My humble guess is that a combination of negotiator and moderator with a strong perceiving personality type function (if typologies work at all) could be a step to more meaningful and ecological dialogues in the future. But such negotiator/moderator should also be skilled enough to reflect most challenging parts using more “rational language” as best as possible. These people are rare. Basically I mean the style of dialogues that happened between theoretical physicist David Bohm and Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti: IMO these were the talks where both sides at some point were barely transcending limitations of their languages and focusing more on intuition in order to understand each other. Much fuzzier and spontaneous dialogues, which aren't prematurely limited by too harsh rationality. Similar thing (with shorter periods of negotiation) could be combined with debating as well.

I hope NR community will be open to understanding more perspectives and won't end up turning into something like a cold and scary crystallization of rational arrogance; that would be damaging and quite opposite to the healthy intentions of the whole project.

Final thoughts

I like the clarity and density of the presented ideas in the video, the choice of lines of development in the map and the alternative to the Integral Methodological Pluralism. I like the mentioned interpretation of “free” will, very much resonates with how I personally interpret it. Tritone-ish devilish sounds in the cons sections is a nice aesthetic choice as well.

I guess there's a lot to learn from NR, no matter what positions we hold on the “rational spirituality” and that sort of stuff. Just to avoid projections and misunderstandings: I'm at a neutral position to all of the NR, Integral and Metamodernism; what any of these philosophies claim to be somehow naive doesn't necessarily match my own positions.

Thank you David Long for launching this philosophy and the movement; I'm looking forward to the next videos!

I'd appreciate reposts and all this as well, thanks!

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

Square, the payments platform operated by Block (founded by Jack Dorsey), is reporting 9.7% bitcoin yield on its bitcoin holdings by running a Lightning Network node.

The announcement was made by Miles Suter, Bitcoin product lead at Block, during the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas. Suter explained that Square is earning “real bitcoin from our holdings” by efficiently routing payments across the Lightning Network.

Square’s yield comes from its role as a Lightning service provider, a business it launched two years ago to boost liquidity and efficiency on the Lightning Network. According to Lightning Labs’ Ryan Gentry, Square’s 9% yield could translate to roughly $1 million in annual revenue.

The Lightning Network, a Bitcoin layer-2 protocol, has long been promoted as a solution to Bitcoin’s scalability and transaction speed issues. It enables micropayments and off-chain transactions, reducing congestion on the main blockchain. However, the network faces challenges, including the need for inbound liquidity—users must lock up BTC to receive BTC—potentially limiting participation by smaller nodes and raising concerns about decentralization.

Despite these hurdles, Square remains committed to advancing Bitcoin payments via Lightning. Suter revealed that 25% of Square’s outbound bitcoin transactions now use the Lightning Network. The company is actively testing Lightning-based payments at the Bitcoin 2025 event and plans to roll out the service to all eligible Square merchants by 2026.

Suter emphasized the transformative potential of Lightning:

“When you enable real payments by making them faster and more convenient, the network becomes stronger, smarter, and more beneficial. So if you’re questioning whether bitcoin is merely an asset, the response is no. It has already evolved into both an asset and a protocol, and now Block is spearheading the initiative to transform it into the world’s premier payment system.”

Square’s ongoing investment in Lightning signals its belief in Bitcoin’s future not just as a store of value, but as a global payments protocol.

@ dfa02707:41ca50e3

Headlines

• Twenty One Capital is set to launch with over 42,000 BTC in its treasury. This new Bitcoin-native firm, backed by Tether and SoftBank, is planned to go public via a SPAC merger with Cantor Equity Partners and will be led by Jack Mallers, co-founder and CEO of Strike. According to a report by the Financial Times, the company aims to replicate the model of Michael Saylor with his company, MicroStrategy.
• Florida's SB 868 proposes a backdoor into encrypted platforms. The bill and its House companion have both passed through their respective committees and are headed to a full vote. If enacted, SB 868 would require social media companies to decrypt teens' private messages, ban disappearing messages, allow unrestricted parental access to private messages, and likely eliminate encryption for all minors altogether.
• Paul Atkins has officially assumed the role of the 34th Chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This is a return to the agency for Atkins, who previously served as an SEC Commissioner from 2002 to 2008 under the George W. Bush administration. He has committed to advancing the SEC’s mission of fostering capital formation, safeguarding investors, and ensuring fair and efficient markets.
• Solosatoshi.com has sold over 10,000 open-source miners, adding more than 10 PH of hashpower to the Bitcoin network.

"Thank you, Bitaxe community. OSMU developers, your brilliance built this. Supporters, your belief drives us. Customers, your trust powers 10,000+ miners and 10PH globally. Together, we’re decentralizing Bitcoin’s future. Last but certainly not least, thank you@skot9000 for not only creating a freedom tool, but instilling the idea into thousands of people, that Bitcoin mining can be for everyone again," said the firm on X.

• OCEAN's DATUM has found 100 blocks. "Over 65% of OCEAN’s miners are using DATUM, and that number is growing every day. This means block template construction is making its way back into the hands of the miners, which is not only the most profitable for miners on OCEAN but also one of the best things for Bitcoin," stated the mining pool.

Source: orangesurf

• Arch Labs has secured $13 million to develop "ArchVM" and integrate smart-contract functionality with Bitcoin. The funding round, valuing the company at $200 million, was led by Pantera Capital, as announced on Tuesday.
• Tesla still holds nearly $1 billion in bitcoin. According to the automaker's latest earnings report, the firm reported digital asset holdings worth $951 million as of March 31.
• The European Central Bank is pushing for amendments to the European Union's Markets in Crypto Assets legislation (MiCA), just months after its implementation. According to Politico's report on Tuesday, the ECB is concerned that U.S. support for cryptocurrency, particularly stablecoins, could cause economic harm to the 27-nation bloc.
• TABConf 2025 is scheduled to take place from October 13-16, 2025. This prominent technical Bitcoin conference is dedicated to community building, education, and developer support, and it is set to return in October. Get your tickets here.
• Kaduna Lightning Development Bootcamp. From May 14th to 17th, the Bitcoin Lightning Developer Bootcamp will take place in Kaduna, Nigeria. Thisevent offers four dynamic days of coding, learning, and networking. Organized by Africa Free Routing and supported by Btrust, Tether, and African Bitcoiners, this bootcamp is designed as a gateway for African developers eager to advance their skills in Bitcoin and Lightning development. Apply here.

Source: African Bitcoiners.

Use the tools

• Core Lightning (CLN) v25.02.2 as been released to fix a broken Docker image. The issue was caused by an SQLite version that did not support an advanced query.
• Blitz wallet v0.4.4-beta introduces several updates and improvements, including the prevention of duplicate ecash payments, fixes for background ecash invoice handling, the ability for users to send payments to BOLT12 invoices from their Liquid balance, support for Blink QR codes, a lowered minimum amount for Lightning-to-Liquid payments to 100 sats, the option to initiate a node sync via a swipe gesture on the wallet's home screen, and the introduction of opt-in or opt-out functionality for newly implemented crash analytics via settings.
• Utreexo v0.5.0, a hash-based dynamic accumulator, is now available.
• Specter v2.1.1 is now available on StartOS. "This update brings compatibility with Bitcoin Core v28 and incorporates several upstream improvements," said developer Alex71btc.
• ESP-Miner (AxeOS) v2.7.0b1 is now available for testing.
• NodeGuard v0.16.1, a treasury management solution for Lightning nodes, has been released.
• The latest stacker.news updates include prompts to add a receiving wallet when posting or making comments (for new users), an option to randomize poll choices, improved URL search, and a few other enhancements. A bug fix for territories created after 9/19/24 has been implemented to reward 70% of their revenue to owners instead of 50%.

Other stuff

• The April edition of the 256 Foundation's newsletter is now available. It includes the latest mining news, Bitcoin network health updates, project developments, and a tutorial on how to update FutureBit's Apollo 1 to the Apollo 2 software.
• Siggy47 has posted a comprehensive RoboSats guide on stacker.news.
• Learn how to run your own Nostr relay using Citrine and Cloudflare Tunnels by following this step-by-step guide by Dhalism.
• Max Guise has written a Bitkey roadmap update for April 2025.

• PlebLab has uploaded a video on how to build a Rust wallet with LDK Node by Ben Carman.

• Do you want more? Subscribe and get No Bullshit GM report straight to your mailbox and No Bullshit Bitcoin on Nostr.

• Feedback or tips? Drop it here.
• #FREESAMOURAI

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@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

Over 40 experts from the Bitcoin technical community sign a petition for the adoption of CTV and CSFS opcodes within six months.

A portion of the Bitcoin developer community appears to have reached consensus regarding the next protocol upgrade. An open letter signed by over 40 experts requests the priority implementation of two opcodes: OP_CHECKTEMPLATEVERIFY (CTV, BIP-119) and OP_CHECKSIGFROMSTACK (CSFS, BIP-348).

The developers believe that activating CTV and CSFS constitutes the most appropriate next step for Bitcoin’s evolution. The letter emphasizes how, despite the existence of various proposals to improve the protocol, CTV and CSFS stand out for being extensively reviewed, for their implementation simplicity, and for proving to be both secure and widely requested by the community.

CTV: five years of development and refinement

OP_CHECKTEMPLATEVERIFY was first formalized in BIP-119 over five years ago. Despite numerous attempts at refinement or replacement, it remains the preferred method for enforcing pre-generated transaction sequences using consensus, the developers state.

According to the letter’s signatories, implementing CTV on Bitcoin would unlock functionality for:

• scaling solutions;
• secure vault systems;
• network congestion control;
• non-custodial mining;
• Discreet Log Contracts (DLC).

CSFS: eight years of proven experience

The developers declare that OP_CHECKSIGFROMSTACK is a primitive opcode, implemented on the open source Blockstream Elements platform for at least eight years. It does not represent a significant computational burden compared to Bitcoin’s most used opcode, OP_CHECKSIG, the document’s signatories state.

When combined with CTV, CSFS enables LN-symmetry, an improvement for Lightning Network. Additionally, it unlocks a variety of other use cases.

The letter’s signatories ask Bitcoin Core contributors to prioritize the review and integration of CTV and CSFS within the next six months. This timeline is considered appropriate to allow for rigorous final review and activation planning.

The letter was signed by over 40 figures from the Bitcoin community, including developers such as Andrew Poelstra, Calle, Christian Decker, and Robin Linus, along with representatives from industry companies such as Chun Wang from f2pool, representatives from Zeus, Luxor Mining, Mara Pool, and Cake Wallet.

The post Bitcoin developers call for implementation of CTV and CSFS: letter to the community appeared first on Atlas21.

@ b99efe77:f3de3616

Traffic Light Control System 10/06

This Petri net represents a traffic control protocol ensuring that two traffic lights alternate safely and are never both green at the same time.

petrinet ;start () -> greenLight1 redLight2 ;toRed1 greenLight1 -> queue redLight1 ;toGreen2 redLight2 queue -> greenLight2 ;toGreen1 queue redLight1 -> greenLight1 ;toRed2 greenLight2 -> redLight2 queue ;stop redLight1 queue redLight2 -> ()

@ 3a851978:ff85e003

This document is designed to test Markdown rendering with LaTeX math support. Below you'll find examples of Markdown formatting combined with inline and block mathematical notation.

1. Inline Math

Here is an inline formula using single dollar signs:

• Euler's identity: $e^{i\pi} + 1 = 0$
• Quadratic formula: $x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}$
• Pythagoras theorem: $a^2 + b^2 = c^2$

2. Block Math

Now let's test block-level LaTeX using double dollar signs:

$$ \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} e^{-x^2} \, dx = \sqrt{\pi} $$

Another block formula:

$$ f(x) = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{f^{(n)}(0)}{n!}x^n $$

3. Lists and Math

• Integral: $\int_0^1 x^2 , dx = \frac{1}{3}$
• Derivative: $\frac{d}{dx} \sin(x) = \cos(x)$
• Matrix:

$$ \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 2 \ 3 & 4 \end{pmatrix} $$

With inline math in code: $E = mc^2$ (should not render as math here).

5. Tables

| Formula Name | Expression | | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | | Euler's Identity | $e^{i\pi} + 1 = 0$ | | Taylor Series | $\sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{x^n}{n!}$ | | Binomial Theorem | $(a + b)^n = \sum_{k=0}^n \binom{n}{k} a^{n-k} b^k$ |

@ a29cfc65:484fac9c

Über die Freilerner-Familie von Katharina und Johannes mit ihren Kindern Aurelius, Benjamin und Friedrich haben wir in unserem Beitrag vom 28. Mai 2025 berichtet. Hier wollen wir eines ihrer Projekte vorstellen. Es zeigt deutlich den pädagogischen Ansatz von Jahrgangs- und Fächer-übergreifender zielorientierter Arbeit der Freilerner.

Die drei Jungs haben im Ringelnatz-Verein Wurzen zusammen mit anderen Kindern am Vorhaben „Vom Drehbuch zum fertigen Film“ mitgewirkt. Das Projekt wurde von dem Lyriker und Schriftsteller Carl-Christian Elze geleitet und unterstützt von der Künstlerin Constanze Kehrt, dem Theater- und Filmregisseur Philipp J. Neumann sowie dem Cutter und Animation Artist**** Sascha Werner, alle aus Leipzig. Constanze Kehrt unterstützte die Kinder beim Erlernen der Grundlagen für das Schreiben von Drehbüchern. Daneben gab es erste Übungen zur Körperwahrnehmung, Stimm- und Sprachübungen sowie Improvisations- und Schauspielübungen. Nach einer Einführung durch Philipp J. Neumann in die Filmkunst mit ihren unterschiedlichen Bereichen wie Schauspiel, Regie, Kamera, Ton, Produktion, Szenenbild, Kostüm, Musik, Schnitt, Sounddesign wurden die Kinder und Jugendlichen auf den eigentlichen Filmdreh vorbereitet. Dazu gehörten Übungen im Storyboarding, Szenenproben und schließlich das Location-Scouting und Festlegen der Drehorte in unmittelbarer Nähe zum Ringelnatz-Geburtshaus. An zwei Drehtagen wurden schließlich zwei Kurzfilme gedreht, darunter „Die Flosse“, an dem Aurelius, Benjamin und Friedrich sowie andere Kinder mitwirkten. Die Kinder übernahmen nicht nur die Rollen, sondern auch die Kamera, die Tonabnahme und zum Teil die Regie. Eine Einführung in die Kunst des Film- und Tonschnitts bekamen die Kinder und Jugendlichen schließlich von Sascha Werner. Danach wurde das gedrehte Material gemeinsam gesichtet und der Schnitt vorgenommen. Dabei konnten die Kinder und Jugendlichen die Erfahrung machen, dass es tatsächlich maßgeblich der Schnitt ist, der einem Film seinen besonderen Charakter, eine bestimmte Atmosphäre gibt.

In dem Film „Die Flosse“ schleichen sich drei Kinder abends von zu Hause weg, weil sie in der Schule gehört haben, dass in der Mulde eine große Flosse gesichtet wurde. Als sie an das Mulde-Wehr kommen, sehen sie keine Flosse, aber hören seltsame Geräusche. Plötzlich ruft eine Mädchenstimme um Hilfe. Philip ist bereit zu helfen, Emma und Benjamin bleiben lieber im Versteck. Im Wasser liegend und von Ästen eingeklemmt findet Philip eine Sirene. Sie bittet ihn, ihr zu helfen und lockt ihn ins Wasser, was Philip zum Verhängnis wird.

Der Film zeigt die kreativen und ausdrucksstarken Fähigkeiten der Kinder, die sie im Zusammenwirken mit ihren Lernbegleitern vom Drehbuch bis zum fertigen Kurzfilm umgesetzt haben. Der Film handelt von Hilfsbereitschaft und dem Mut, anderen in bedrohlicher Lage zu helfen. Aber auch das Zögern bei einigen zur Hilfe wird deutlich. Das Ende läßt viele Interpretationsmöglichkeiten zu.

Quelle: https://ringelnatz-verein.de/projekte/anna-hood/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC6YEa63Dp8

Foto von Aleksandra B. auf Unsplash

@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

The stance taken by 31 Bitcoin Core developers divides the community over non-monetary transactions and use cases.

The Bitcoin community finds itself at the center of a heated debate after 31 Bitcoin Core developers published a joint statement outlining a non-interventionist approach to network usage, amid ongoing controversy over non-financial use cases.

The document, published on June 6 on the Bitcoin Core website, has sparked mixed reactions among bitcoiners. The developers clarified their position:

“This is not endorsing or condoning non-financial data usage, but accepting that as a censorship-resistant system, Bitcoin can and will be used for use cases not everyone agrees on.”

The statement emphasizes that Bitcoin is a network “defined by its users” and that core contributors are “not in a position” to enforce mandates on what software or policies people should choose. “Being free to run any software is the network’s primary safeguard against coercion,” it reads.

Community reactions

Not everyone welcomed the developers’ statement. Samson Mow, CEO of JAN3, criticized the tone of the release:

Bitcoin Core devs have been changing the network gradually to enable spam and now seem focused on also removing barriers for spammers. It’s disingenuous to just say “it is what it is now, too bad.”

This statement itself is also inappropriate. Feels like an NYA from Core devs. https://t.co/ACIqyvK12f

— Samson Mow (@Excellion) June 7, 2025

On the other hand, Jameson Lopp, founder of Casa, defended the letter, explaining:

Ahuh, the same but fundamentally different.

NYA was a group saying we have 82% hashpower and will activate a hard fork with 80% signaling.

Core Devs are a group saying we can't force anyone to run code they don't like, here is our thinking on relay policy & network health.

— Jameson Lopp (@lopp) June 7, 2025

Bitcoin Core developer Luke Dashjr criticized the transaction relay policy goals outlined in the statement, stating:

NACK

The goals of transaction relay listed are basically all wrong. Predicting what will be mined is a centralizing goal. Expecting spam to be mined is defeatism. Helping spam propagate is harmful.

This OPED contradicts itself, presenting out of band relay as both negative and…

— Luke Dashjr (@LukeDashjr) June 7, 2025

According to the statement, the Core devs believe it is better for Bitcoin node software to “aim for a realistic sense of what will be included in the next block, rather than intervening between consenting transaction creators and miners to discourage activity that is largely technically harmless.”

The developers identified the main goals of transaction relay as predicting which Bitcoin transactions will be mined, speeding up block propagation, and helping miners identify transactions that pay fees.

The statement concludes:

“While we recognize that this view isn’t held universally by all users and developers, it is our sincere belief that it is in the best interest of Bitcoin and its users, and we hope our users agree.”

Meanwhile, the share of nodes running the implementation created by developer Luke Dashjr, Bitcoin Knots, has surpassed the 10% threshold, according to data from Clark Moody Bitcoin.

The post Bitcoin Core: joint statement sparks debate within the community appeared first on Atlas21.

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

Bitcoin Core Github page announced yesterday that Core Developers have merged pull request #32406, removing support for “-datacarrier” argument for Bitcoin Core software in their next release, expected to be published in October.

Pull request #32406 has been merged — Github

This is the latest development regarding the initiative brought forth by Bitcoin Core developer Peter Todd, which has caused intense debate among Bitcoiners, now known as the “spam wars”.

The disagreement is over a change to Bitcoin Core’s transaction relay policy that removes the OP_RETURN data limit, which some see as a threat to Bitcoin’s very purpose, while others see it as a necessary step to preserve decentralization and censorship resistance.

OP_RETURN is an arbitrary piece of data that can be amended to a bitcoin transaction, and used to be limited to 80 bytes. Users have found ways to go around this limit already and have uploaded larger data to the Bitcoin blockchain, including photos, audio, and even entire computer games.

Bitcoin Core allows for extra arguments when running the application, one of which is the “-datacarrier” argument, which tells the application to not accept transactions including larger OP_RETURN data into its mempool.

Now this argument is marked as “deprecated”, meaning it is not supported or developed anymore, and is expected to be completely removed in future versions.

This will make accepting Bitcoin transactions that contain non-financial data mandatory for anyone running future versions of the Core software.

Prior to the merging of the mentioned pull request on the morning of Monday June 9, a joint statement from 31 Bitcoin Core devs was released on June 6, reheating the already controversial debate in the Bitcoin community.

In the June 6 statement, Bitcoin Core devs explained how they think Bitcoin nodes should handle transactions that include non-financial data, like digital art or messages. This type of data has become more common with Ordinals and inscriptions.

Related: Discussions Heat Up Among Bitcoin Devs Over OP_RETURN Proposal

Core developers said they are not endorsing non-financial use of Bitcoin, but also won’t stop it. Their main point is that Bitcoin’s strength is in being open and censorship-resistant. They wrote:

“This is not endorsing or condoning non-financial data usage, but accepting that as a censorship-resistant system, Bitcoin can and will be used for use cases not everyone agrees on.”

They say it’s up to users and node operators to decide what kind of Bitcoin software they run. Bitcoin Core won’t block transactions that have economic demand and will be mined.

“Being free to run any software is the network’s primary safeguard against coercion,” the statement added.

The policy change goes back to a May 8th upgrade (announced by Core contributor and Engineer at Blockstream, Greg Sanders), where devs removed the long-standing 80-byte limit on OP_RETURN output size.

This limit was meant to discourage non-payment data usage, but devs say it no longer serves that purpose.

“Retiring a deterrent that no longer deters” makes sense, they argue, because people have already found ways to add large data to the blockchain.

They also point out that removing the cap may help miners and users more than it hurts. They claim the new approach helps predict which transactions will be mined, speeds up block propagation and helps miners find fee-paying transactions.

“Knowingly refusing to relay transactions that miners would include in blocks anyway forces users into alternate communication channels,” they explained, warning this could harm decentralization.

The response has been mixed.

The announcement of the merge received 64 upvotes and 93 downvotes from reviewers, showing the community is mostly against this action. Comments explaining their dissatisfaction with the merge also received the support of the majority.

Reviewers who voted ACK (acknowledgment and agreement) were downvoted, and the comments voting NACK (disagreement) received more upvotes.

Comments regarding the recent merge — Bitcoin Core Github page

Critics say it opens the door to blockchain spam, higher fees and more bloat on the blockchain with non-financial content. They say Bitcoin should stick to its original purpose as a “peer-to-peer electronic cash system”.

Samson Mow, CEO of JAN3, was one of the most vocal critics. He said the devs are removing the barriers that protect the network from spam.

“Bitcoin Core devs have been changing the network gradually to enable spam,” Mow said. “It’s disingenuous to just say ‘It is what it is now, too bad’.”

Bitcoin dev Luke Dashjr also criticized the move, saying it undermines Bitcoin’s core function. He called the devs’ goals “basically all wrong” and said expecting spam to be mined is “defeatism”.

Luke Dashjr on X

One user said: “It’s Bit”Coin” not Bit”Bucket” or Bit”Store” or whatever general purpose data store you have in mind. It’s a peer to peer electronic cash system”.

Another user chimed in, warning it could increase costs, reduce efficiency and even hurt long-term scalability.

Their argument is simple: if nonfinancial data is allowed to be stored on the blockchain, it will increase its size over time, storing useless data, and it will hurt decentralization, as fewer individuals will be able to host the entire blockchain on their computers.

They argue allowing people to store whatever they want on the blockchain because transactions shouldn’t be censored, will lead to hurting bitcoin in the long run. Many even argue no additional information should be allowed on the blockchain at all.

But not everyone is unhappy.

Some like Jameson Lopp, co-founder of Bitcoin wallet provider Casa, praised the devs for being transparent and consistent.

“Core Devs are a group saying we can’t force anyone to run code they don’t like,” Lopp said. “Here is our thinking on relay policy and network health.”

Lopp believes a joint statement helps the public understand what the devs stand for.

Supporters also say in a truly decentralized system, devs shouldn’t be gatekeepers. Instead users and miners should be able to decide what goes on the blockchain.

With opinions so divided, the future of Bitcoin may be more contentious. Some predict a fork to create a version of Bitcoin that only deals with monetary use. Others expect new wallet and node software that lets users choose to filter out large data or allow it.

Despite the controversy, the devs are standing by their decision. “While we recognize that this view isn’t held universally,” they said. “it is our sincere belief that it is in the best interest of Bitcoin and its users.”

@ 8bad92c3:ca714aa5

Key Takeaways

Michael Goldstein, aka Bitstein, presents a sweeping philosophical and economic case for going “all in” on Bitcoin, arguing that unlike fiat, which distorts capital formation and fuels short-term thinking, Bitcoin fosters low time preference, meaningful saving, and long-term societal flourishing. At the heart of his thesis is “hodling for good”—a triple-layered idea encompassing permanence, purpose, and the pursuit of higher values like truth, beauty, and legacy. Drawing on thinkers like Aristotle, Hoppe, and Josef Pieper, Goldstein redefines leisure as contemplation, a vital practice in aligning capital with one’s deepest ideals. He urges Bitcoiners to think beyond mere wealth accumulation and consider how their sats can fund enduring institutions, art, and architecture that reflect a moral vision of the future.

Best Quotes

“Let BlackRock buy the houses, and you keep the sats.”

“We're not hodling just for the sake of hodling. There is a purpose to it.”

“Fiat money shortens your time horizon… you can never rest.”

“Savings precedes capital accumulation. You can’t build unless you’ve saved.”

“You're increasing the marginal value of everyone else’s Bitcoin.”

“True leisure is contemplation—the pursuit of the highest good.”

“What is Bitcoin for if not to make the conditions for magnificent acts of creation possible?”

“Bitcoin itself will last forever. Your stack might not. What will outlast your coins?”

“Only a whale can be magnificent.”

“The market will sell you all the crack you want. It’s up to you to demand beauty.”

Conclusion

This episode is a call to reimagine Bitcoin as more than a financial revolution—it’s a blueprint for civilizational renewal. Michael Goldstein reframes hodling as an act of moral stewardship, urging Bitcoiners to lower their time preference, build lasting institutions, and pursue truth, beauty, and legacy—not to escape the world, but to rebuild it on sound foundations.

Timestamps

00:00 - Intro
00:50 - Michael’s BBB presentation Hodl for Good
07:27 - Austrian principles on capital
15:40 - Fiat distorts the economic process
23:34 - Bitkey
24:29 - Hodl for Good triple entendre
29:52 - Bitcoin benefits everyone
39:05 - Unchained
40:14 - Leisure theory of value
52:15 - Heightening life
1:15:48 - Breaking from the chase makes room for magnificence
1:32:32 - Nakamoto Institute’s mission

Transcript

(00:00) Fiat money is by its nature a disturbance. If money is being continually produced, especially at an uncertain rate, these uh policies are really just redistribution of wealth. Most are looking for number to go up post hyper bitcoinization. The rate of growth of bitcoin would be more reflective of the growth of the economy as a whole.
(00:23) Ultimately, capital requires knowledge because it requires knowing there is something that you can add to the structures of production to lengthen it in some way that will take time but allow you to have more in the future than you would today. Let Black Rockck buy the houses and you keep the sats, not the other way around.
(00:41) You wait until later for Larry Frink to try to sell you a [Music] mansion. And we're live just like that. Just like that. 3:30 on a Friday, Memorial Day weekend. It's a good good good way to end the week and start the holiday weekend. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you for having me here. Thank you for coming. I wore this hat specifically because I think it's I think it's very apppropo uh to the conversation we're going to have which is I hope an extension of the presentation you gave at Bitblock Boom Huddle for good. You were working on
(01:24) that for many weeks leading up to uh the conference and explaining how you were structuring it. I think it's a very important topic to discuss now as the Bitcoin price is hitting new all-time highs and people are trying to understand what am I doing with Bitcoin? Like you have you have the different sort of factions within Bitcoin.
(01:47) Uh get on a Bitcoin standard, get on zero, spend as much Bitcoin as possible. You have the sailors of the world are saying buy Bitcoin, never sell, die with your Bitcoin. And I think you do a really good job in that presentation. And I just think your understanding overall of Bitcoin is incredible to put everything into context. It's not either or.
(02:07) It really depends on what you want to accomplish. Yeah, it's definitely there there is no actual one-sizefits-all um for I mean nearly anything in this world. So um yeah, I mean first of all I mean there was it was the first conference talk I had given in maybe five years. I think the one prior to that uh was um bit block boom 2019 which was my meme talk which uh has uh become infamous and notorious.
(02:43) So uh there was also a lot of like high expectations uh you know rockstar dev uh has has treated that you know uh that that talk with a lot of reference. a lot of people have enjoyed it and he was expecting this one to be, you know, the greatest one ever, which is a little bit of a little bit of a uh a burden to live up to those kinds of standards.
(03:08) Um, but you know, because I don't give a lot of talks. Um, you know, I I I like to uh try to bring ideas that might even be ideas that are common. So, something like hodling, we all talk about it constantly. uh but try to bring it from a little bit of a different angle and try to give um a little bit of uh new light to it.
(03:31) I alsove I've I've always enjoyed kind of coming at things from a third angle. Um whenever there's, you know, there's there's all these little debates that we have in in Bitcoin and sometimes it's nice to try to uh step out of it and look at it a little more uh kind of objectively and find ways of understanding it that incorporate the truths of of all of them.
(03:58) uh you know cuz I think we should always be kind of as much as possible after ultimate truth. Um so with this one um yeah I was kind of finding that that sort of golden mean. So uh um yeah and I actually I think about that a lot is uh you know Aristotle has his his concept of the golden mean. So it's like any any virtue is sort of between two vices um because you can you can always you can always take something too far.
(04:27) So you're you're always trying to find that right balance. Um so someone who is uh courageous you know uh one of the vices uh on one side is being basically reckless. I I can't remember what word he would use. Uh but effectively being reckless and just wanting to put yourself in danger for no other reason than just you know the thrill of it.
(04:50) Um and then on the other side you would just have cowardice which is like you're unwilling to put yourself um at any risk at any time. Um, and courage is right there in the middle where it's understanding when is the right time uh to put your put yourself, you know, in in the face of danger um and take it on. And so um in some sense this this was kind of me uh in in some ways like I'm obviously a partisan of hodling.
(05:20) Um, I've for, you know, a long time now talked about the, um, why huddling is good, why people do it, why we should expect it. Um, but still trying to find that that sort of golden mean of like yes, huddle, but also what are we hodling for? And it's not we're we're not hodddling just merely for the sake of hodddling.
(05:45) There there is a a purpose to it. And we should think about that. And that would also help us think more about um what are the benefits of of spending, when should we spend, why should we spend, what should we spend on um to actually give light to that sort of side of the debate. Um so that was that was what I was kind of trying to trying to get into.
(06:09) Um, as well as also just uh at the same time despite all the talk of hodling, there's always this perennial uh there's always this perennial dislike of hodlers because we're treated as uh as if um we're just free riding the network or we're just greedy or you know any of these things. And I wanted to show how uh huddling does serve a real economic purpose.
(06:36) Um, and it does benefit the individual, but it also does uh it it has actual real social um benefits as well beyond merely the individual. Um, so I wanted to give that sort of defense of hodling as well to look at it from um a a broader position than just merely I'm trying to get rich. Um uh because even the person who uh that is all they want to do um just like you know your your pure number grow up go up moonboy even that behavior has positive ramifications on on the economy.
(07:14) And while we might look at them and have uh judgments about their particular choices for them as an individual, we shouldn't discount that uh their actions are having positive positive effects for the rest of the economy. Yeah. So, let's dive into that just not even in the context of Bitcoin because I think you did a great job of this in the presentation.
(07:36) just you've done a good job of this consistently throughout the years that I've known you. Just from like a first principles Austrian economics perspective, what is the idea around capital accumulation, low time preference and deployment of that capital like what what like getting getting into like the nitty-gritty and then applying it to Bitcoin? Yeah, it's it's a big question and um in many ways I mean I I even I barely scratched the surface.
(08:05) uh I I can't claim to have read uh all the volumes of Bombber works, you know, capital and interest and and stuff like that. Um but I think there's some some sort of basic concepts that we can look at that we can uh draw a lot out. Um the first uh I guess let's write that. So repeat so like capital time preference. Yeah. Well, I guess getting more broad like why sav

@ 93bfc86d:fc8e91f5

질서자유주의가 자유주의 세상을 만드는 방법

안캡의 전략에는 크게 두 가지, 호페의 질서자유주의와 새뮤얼 콘킨 3세의 아고리즘이 있다.

로스바드-호페 라인의 질서자유주의는 논리를 기반으로 자연권을 정당화하고, 이를 통해 국가의 부당함을 설파한다. 미제스의 "인간은 행동한다."라는 제1공리부터 시작해서, 행동의 제1수단인 신체가 그 자신에게 소유되어야 한다는 자기 소유를 증명하고 자연권을 철저하게 연역적으로 정당화해간다. 안캡의 세상을 만들려는 이들의 방법론도 논리적이다.

예를 들어 호페의 『자유주의자는 무엇을 해야 하는가』 책에서는 위로부터의 전환이 불가능함에 따라 아래로부터의 전환을 해야 한다는 주장이 나온다. 과거에는 이런 자유로운 세상이 도래하기 위해서는 왕 한 명이 "앞으로 자기가 원하는 대로 보안 기업을 자유롭게 선택하고, 더 이상의 강제는 없다!"라고 선언만 하면 됐다. 따라서 왕 한 명만 어떻게 설득을 하거나, 압박을 하든 주리를 틀든 일단 왕이 이렇게 선언하게 하기만 하면 됐다. '마그나 카르타'도 결국 귀족 연합이 왕 한 명을 압박해 왕이 서명했던 것 아닌가?

반면에 현대 민주주의 사회를 보자. 대한민국에서 대통령 한 명이 최저임금을 폐지할 수 있는가? 최저임금은 헌법에 보장되는데(헌법 32조) 따라서 이를 폐지하는 것은 거의 개헌만큼이나 어렵다. 대통령이나 국회의원 과반이 발의를 해야 하고, 국회에서 재적 3분의 2 이상이 찬성해야 겨우 통과되며, 이렇게 통과해도 국민투표에서 과반수가 동의해야 겨우 없어지는 것이다. 즉, 거의 불가능에 가깝다.

따라서 호페는 위로부터의 전환이 불가능함에 따라 전국적인 중앙 정부의 투표를 거부할 것을 제안한다. 대통령 선거나 국회의원 선거 등 말이다. 여기서 중앙 정부 단위의 투표를 거부하는 이유는 중앙 정부의 부당성도 있지만, 이 투표를 통해 세상을 바꾸는 게 현실성이 없어서 그렇다.

같은 맥락에서 지역 선거의 투표는 항상 거부하는 건 아닌데, 자유주의자들이 한 국가 전체에서 과반을 얻는 것은 불가능하지만, 한 지역에 점점 몰리는 경우에는 적어도 그 지역에서는 과반이 될 수도 있기 때문이다. 따라서 아주 작은 지역에서 자유주의자들이 다수결이 된다면 적어도 그 지역에 한해서는 위로부터의 전환이 가능해진다. 그러면 투표를 거부하다가 지역구에서 본격적으로 투표를 하기 전에 선행되어야 할 일은 자유주의가 많이 퍼지고, 자유주의를 지지하는 사람들이 특정 지역에 몰리기 시작해야 하는 것일 것이다. 비트코이너들이 특정 지역에 몰려 시타델을 건설하는 상황을 생각하면 될 것 같다.

그 이후에는? 지역구의 대표로 선출된 인물이 해당 지역구의 투표권을 재산 소유자에게 재산 크기(지분)대로 다시 분배해야 한다. 즉, 재산이 없는 사람은 투표권이 없다. 모든 공공 인프라(도로, 수도, 전기, 교육, 치안, 사법 등등)는 전부 주식으로 판매되어 민영화된다(지방 정부는 이를 통해 재원을 마련한다). 이에 따라 공공 인프라는 완전히 사적 소유로 전환된다. 치안, 사법, 교육 모두 민간 영역으로 전환된다.

현재 세계에서 자유주의자들이 이런 관점을 취한다면 무엇을 해야 할까? 일단 자유주의를 더 많은 사람에게 퍼뜨려야 한다. 또한, 자유주의자들이 모일 지역을 물색해야 할 것이다. 그리고 중앙 정부 단위의 투표를 거부해야 할 것이다.

그림 1. 질서 자유주의의 상징인 아나코 캐피탈리즘 깃발

현대 민주주의 투표의 부당함

아고리즘의 전략을 이야기하기 전에 먼저 현대 민주주의 투표의 부당함에 대해 살펴보고 가자. 개인적인 생각도 들어가 있다.

투표 행위 자체는 유권자의 권리 행사로 전혀 나쁠 것이 없다. 다수결의 원칙도 당연히 마찬가지다. 투표 당사자들이 다수결의 원칙에 동의하기 때문에 참여하는 것이기 때문이다. 그래서 민주주의는 선거에서 져도 그 결과에 승복하는 것이 그 시스템의 규칙이다. 예를 들어 주주총회에서 주주들이 지분대로 의결권을 행사하거나 행사하지 않아서 생기는 결과는 그 행위 자체로는 전혀 문제가 없다.

투표의 정당성은 투표라는 행위 자체로부터 판단되는 것이 아니라 그 투표가 어떤 시스템 아래서 이뤄지는 투표인지로부터 판단해야 한다. 나는 두 가지 관점에서 살펴볼 것이다.

현대 민주주의의 투표는 유권자가 자신의 권리를 당선자에게 위임하는 행위다. 한 후보가 당선되면 다수결의 원칙에 따라서 그 후보는 그 후보를 찍지 않은 유권자들의 권리까지 모두 가져간다. 여기까지는 문제가 없다. 투표 행위 참여자들이 다수결의 원칙이라는 그 시스템에 동의하기 때문에 투표하기 때문이다.

그런데 현대 민주주의는 당선된 후보가 그 후보에게 투표했든, 투표하지 않았든, 기권을 했든 간에 다른 사람의 소유권을 마음껏 유린할 수 있는 권한도 가져간다. 이건 아주 큰 문제다. 국회의원이 세금을 늘리는 입법 권한을 행사하거나, 대통령이나 국회에서 예산을 편성해 정부 지출을 늘리고, 돈을 찍어내서 사람들의 소유권을 유린하는 행위가 용인된다.

어떤 사람도 다른 사람의 소유권을 침해할 수는 없다. 소유권은 단순히 희소한 재화의 분배 문제를 해결하는 실용적 대안이라서 중요한 것이 아니다. 인간 행동이라는 공리로부터 자기 소유 원칙을 이끌어내고, 그가 소유한 신체와 삶을 써서 획득한 재화(원초적 점유)에 대한 소유권을 보장하는 것이며, 그리고 이미 소유권이 있는 재화를 교환의 양 당사자가 자유롭게 교환하는 행위를 보장하는 것이다.

따라서 소유권은 인간에게 이성이 있다는 존엄성의 표현이자 인간 시간(삶)의 희소성과 귀중함을 인정하는 것이다. 어느 누구도 이를 모독할 권리는 없다. 이를 침해하는 것은 보편 원리에 따라 그 자신의 소유권도 포기한다는 뜻과 같으며, 이는 결국 자기 신체의 자기 소유도 부정하는 셈이 된다.

현대 민주주의에서 투표하는 것은 다른 누군가의 소유권을 유린할 사람을 뽑는 것과 같다. 애초에 이런 권한은 누구에게도 주어지지 않았으며 당연히 누구에게도 없으니 넘겨줄 수도 없는 권한이다.

현대 민주주의의 삼권분립 체제는 당선자에게 이러한 강탈의 권한이 보장된다. 설령 후보자가 이런 권한을 행사하지 않는다고 하더라도 이 시스템이 그러한 권한을 발동할 수 있다는 것을 언제든지 보장한다면 이러한 시스템은 폐기되어야 한다.

따라서 현대 민주주의에서 투표하는 행위는 누군가가 이러한 권한을 행사하는 것에 대한 동의로 간주될 수 있다. 어떤 후보가 이런 행위를 다른 후보보다 '덜' 한다고 해서 그 후보에 투표하는 것에 대한 정당성은 당연히 확보될 수 없다. 더하는지 덜하는지에 따라 이 약탈이 정당화될 수는 없기 때문이다.

심지어 어떤 후보가 이런 약탈 행위를 절대 안 할 것이라고 공언한다고 해도, 시스템에 이러한 권한이 보장되어 있는 이상 투표하는 행위는 이 시스템에 동의하는 행위이다. 그 후보가 당선된 이후 갑자기 돌변해 세금을 걷거나 국채를 팔아 예산을 확보하고 돈을 찍어내는 것이 시스템 상에서는 문제가 없기 때문이다. 이것은 간접 민주주의의 단점이라기 보다는, 애초에 이런 다른 사람에 대한 약탈 권한을 행사할 수 있는 시스템 자체가 잘못된 것이다.

현대 민주주의가 부당한 두 번째 이유는 이 시스템에 동의하지 않는 사람들조차 이 시스템의 피해자가 된다는 점이다.

도박에 참여하고 있는 사람들을 생각해보자. 승리자가 나머지 베팅한 모든 사람들의 베팅 금액을 약탈하는 것은 전혀 문제가 되지 않는다. 왜냐하면 도박 참여자들은 패배 시 자신이 베팅한 재산이 승자에게 몰수될 수도 있다는 것에 동의하고 도박에 참여하기 때문이다(따라서 이는 약탈이 아니다). 이에 동의하지 않는다면 도박을 그만하면 된다. 도박사는 언제든지 도박을 그만둘 자유가 있다.

그러나 현대 민주주의는 이 시스템에 동의하지 않더라도 그 나라에서 태어났다는 이유만으로 이러한 약탈에 강제 당할 수밖에 없다. '분배'하기 위해 투표를 할 거면 그 시스템에 동의하는 사람들끼리 서로의 재산을 놓고 분배하면 될 일이다. 그러나 이 시스템은 모든 사람들에게 이 시스템에 참여하는 것이 강제된다.

즉, 이 시스템은 애초에 잘못된 시스템인데 이 안에서 좌니 우니, 대통령제니 내각제니 사람들이 서로 경쟁하게 한다. 시스템 자체에 대한 의문을 품기는 매우 어려운 구조다.

이 시스템이 마음에 안 들면 이민을 가면 된다고 하는 주장은 전혀 설득력이 없다. 이민에 비용이 들고 다양한 현실적인 제약이 있다는 것은 차치하고서 이야기해보자. 만약 이러한 분배(?) 혹은 세금의 권한 행사자가 해당 지역 토지의 소유자고, 그 토지의 사용자가 소유자가 정한 분배 규칙에 동의하는 조건으로 토지를 사용한다면 이러한 세금과 같은 분배는 약탈은 아니다. 사용자가 그 규칙에 자발적으로 동의했으므로 정당화될 수 있는 것이다.

만약 국토의 모든 땅이 사실상 소유자가 있는 게 아니라, 사실상 국가의 소유이며 국가가 국민들에게 사용권을 나눠주는 것이라는 미친 주장을 해도(참고로 이건 토지의 사적 소유권을 부정하는 공산주의다!) 여전히 이 주장은 정당하지 않다.

토지의 소유권을 획득하는 방법은 두 가지가 있는데 첫째, 소유권이 없는 땅을 점유함으로써 소유권을 주장할 수 있게 되는 것, 둘째, 이미 소유권이 있는 토지를 자발적인 교환이나 기부를 통해 획득하는 것이다. 소유권이 있는 생산 수단을 통해 생산된 생산물도 소유권이 인정되는데, 토지는 생산이 불가능하니(우주정거장 같이 새로운 공간을 건설하는 게 아니라면...) 토지를 획득하는 방법은 언급한 두 가지 뿐이다.

그런데 현대 국가가 토지를 소유한 것의 기원을 살펴보자. 식민지화를 통해 강제로 점유하는 것은 대한민국은 해당이 없는 것 같다. 그러면 이미 소유자가 있는 사유지를 각종 규제와 사용 제한을 통해 사실상의 지배권을 확보하거나, 세금으로 축적한 재정으로 구입한 것이다. 그 기원이 모두 약탈에 있다는 점에서 국가의 토지 소유는 정당하지 않다.

따라서 규칙이 싫으면 이민을 가면 된다는 주장은 도둑이 도둑질을 하는데, 도둑질을 당하기 싫으면 멀리 도망가라는 식의 궤변과 같다.

그러나 국가의 계약은 완전히 비자발적이다. 단지 그 신체가 어디서 탄생했다는 이유만으로 그 시스템에 동의한 것이 될 수는 없다. 갓 태어난 아기는 다른 사람의 보호가 있어야만 생존할 수 있다는 점에서 완전히 비자발적인데, 이에 따라 당연히 탄생의 위치도 완전히 비자발적인 것이었기 때문이다.

또한 국가는 국토의 소유자가 아니다. 그보다는 국토의 소유권을 보장'해야' 하는 존재일 뿐이다. 누군가가 규칙을 정하고 싶다면 그 규칙의 영향권은 자신의 사유지 내에서만 영향력이 있으며, 당연히 그 규칙에 자발적으로 동의하는 사람들만 그 사유지를 이용하는 조건으로 계약할 수 있다. 　

정리해보자. 지금까지 현대 민주주의의 투표의 부당함에 대해 두 가지 관점에서 살펴봤다. 첫째는 투표가 약탈이 가능한 이 시스템에 동의한다는 행위라서 부당하다는 것이고, 둘째는 이 시스템에 동의하지 않는 사람들까지 약탈의 대상이 되는 이 시스템에 동의한다는 행위이므로 부당하다는 것이었다.

투표하지 않는 행위가 혹시 반대 세력이 활개치게 두게 되는 것은 아닐까? 그렇지 않다. 투표하지 않는 행위는 이 시스템의 정당성을 약화시킨다. 현대 민주주의의 큰 속임수가 있다. 민주주의에서 비롯된 통치 행위는 51%를 넘은 사람들이 그 통치 행위에 동의했기 때문에 자행되어도 된다는 매우 비논리적인 주장에 입각하고 있다. 이는 당연히 정당성이 없다. 그런데 진짜 큰 속임수는 그 통치 행위에 동의한 사람이 심지어 과반도 아니라는 것이다.

만약 어떤 후보가 생산에 적대적인 수준의 세금 부과와 보편 복지, 최저임금 인상 등의 모두가 고통받는 정책을 공약으로 내세워 당선이 되었다고 해보자. 해당 후보의 득표율이 51%라고 한다면 이는 전국의 51% 국민이 해당 후보를 지지하는 것과 같은 착각을 일으킨다. 그렇지 않다. 만약 투표율이 75%라면, 해당 후보에 동의한 사람은 0.75 x 0.51 = 38%가 된다. 즉, 38%의 동의로 인해 모든 사람이 함께 고통 받게 되는 것이다.

그래서 민주주의는 이러한 사실을 감추면서 사람들에게 투표를 독려할 수밖에 없다. 투표율이 조금만 낮아져도 이에 대한 정당성이 심각하게 낮아지기 때문이다. 투표율이 50%인 상황에서 어떤 후보가 51%의 표를 얻어 당선된다면 전 국민의 25%의 지지로 당선된 것과 같은데 이는 통치 행위에 대한 정당성을 매우 약화시킨다.

소비자 주권 행사

그러면 투표라는 행위가 없다면 일반 시민들은 어떻게 주권을 행사할 수 있을까? 사실 우리는 매일매일 자발적으로 투표를 하고 있다. 바로 미제스가 말한 '소비자 주권' 행사다.

우리는 기업들이 우리에게 어떤 효용을 주는지에 따라 계속 투표한다. 어떤 기업을 살리고, 어떤 기업을 죽일지, 어떤 기업을 거지 기업에서 부자 기업으로 만들지, 또는 어떤 기업을 부자 기업에서 거지 기업으로 만들지 투표한다. 바로 '소비'를 통해서 말이다.

이러한 소비라는 투표 방식은 완전히 자발적이라는 점에서 소유권을 제대로 보장한다. 약탈과는 완전히 동떨어진 행위다.

또한, 이러한 투표 방식은 각자가 원하는 대로 효용을 누릴 수 있다. 사법과 치안도 시장의 영역으로 들어오면 우리는 어떤 규칙 아래서 살아갈지 자유롭게 선택할 수 있다. 즉, 내가 선택한 규칙이 다른 사람에게도 강제되지 않고, 다른 사람이 선택한 규칙이 나에게 강제되지도 않는다. 서로 다른 규칙이 충돌하면 그 규칙들의 간극을 중재하는 기업이 나타난다. 자연적으로 질서가 꽃 피는 것이다.

생산 권한은 기업에게 달려있지만 심판은 소비자가 한다. 생산자가 소비자의 의지에 반하는 생산을 하면 바로 시장에서 퇴출되기 때문이다. 기업은 소비자에게 어떤 도덕적 의무를 강요할 수도 없다. 기업은 소비자가 원하는 것이 있다면 생산할 뿐이다. 소비자는 기업에게 자신들이 원하는 것을 최대한 효율적으로 자원을 분배하여 생산할 것을 명령하고 생산 권한을 위임하는 셈이다. 그 기업이 소비자가 원하는 것을 생산하지 않으면 어차피 다른 어떤 기업이 생산하여 거기서 챙길 수 있는 소비자의 표, 즉 이익을 가져갈 것이다.

만약 '소비'라는 투표 행위 자체에 반대한다면 오지에 있는 땅을 사서 문명을 떠나 자급자족하며 사는 것도 가능하다. 각자가 자신만의 방식으로 삶을 선택할 수 있는 것이다.

이 투표 시스템에서 표는 돈이다. 돈으로 투표를 한다는 것이 비인간적으로 느껴질지도 모르겠다. 그러나 돈으로 투표하는 것은 지극히 인간적인데, 그 투표권을 얻기 위해서는 먼저 다른 사람들이 원하는 것을 해줘서 그 표를 얻어야 하기 때문이다. 소비하려면 먼저 생산해야 한다. 이건 완전히 약탈 없는 시스템이고, 모든 인간 시간에 대한 존중이다.

이러한 이유들로 나는 이제 현대 민주주의에 대한 투표를 거부하지만, 동시에 매일 소비를 통해 투표하고 있다.

아고리즘이 자유주의 세상을 만드는 방법

이제 아고리즘의 전략을 살펴보자. 로스바드-호페의 질서 자유주의를 살펴본 뒤, 현대 민주주의의 투표에 대한 부당함을 살펴본 것이 뜬금 없는 이야기는 아니었는데, 아고리즘은 이러한 이유로 어떠한 투표도 거부하기 때문이다. 아고리즘의 창시자인 새뮤얼 콘킨 3세가 로스바드와 갈라선 것도 로스바드가 정치와 연대하는 전략적 행보를 보이면서부터였다.

아고리즘은 자유로운 세상을 만들기 위해 자유 시장인 아고라를 적극 활용할 것을 주장한다. 이들은 정부가 추적할 수 없는 자유로운 암시장을 확대해서 정부의 힘을 약화시키는 방법을 써야 한다고 주장한다. 이 암시장은 당연히 무기, 마약, 성매매 등을 포함한 시장을 말한다.

그래서 자유지상주의를 도래시키기 위한 이들의 전략은 정부가 추적할 수 없는 시장을 만들고, 하나의 병렬 경제(대항 경제)를 만들어 정부의 힘을 지속적으로 약화시키는 것이다. 이들은 납세 거부 운동, 투표 거부 운동을 장려하며 암시장과 암호 기술을 적극 활용한다. 참고로 사이퍼펑크 같은 기술 자유주의는 분류하자면 질서자유주의보다 아고리즘 쪽에 더 가깝다(로스 울브리히트의 실크로드를 생각해보자...!)

로스바드-호페의 질서자유주의와 콘킨의 아고리즘은 둘 다 자유지상주의의 실현을 목표로 하지만, 질서자유주의는 논리적으로 윤리적 정당성을 확보하고, 그러한 정당성을 바탕으로 자유지상주의를 실현시키기 위해 현실 세계에 이미 존재하는 제도들도 전략적으로 이용한다. 반면 콘킨의 아고리즘은 자유지상주의의 윤리적 정당성보다는 그걸 도래시키기 위한 전략들에 치중하며, 정치와 절대 타협하지 않고, 전략적으로 이용하려고도 하지 않는다. 목표는 같지만 서로 다른 방법을 취하는 것이다.

1980년 공개된 콘킨의 「신 자유주의자 선언」은 미제스와 로스바드, 르페브르에 대한 감사로 시작하지만, 1장에서 다음과 같은 문구도 나온다. (이것도 언제 다 번역해봐야겠다!)

"처음 나타난 반격은 ... 개혁주의—국가주의를—'개선'하겠다는 명분으로 국가의 직책을 받아들이는 것까지 포함한다!—이 모든 반反 원칙들에 대해서... 그중 가장 끔찍한 것은 '정당주의'인데, 이는 자유지상주의적 목적을 국가주의적 수단, 특히 정당을 통해 달성하려는 반反 개념이다. '자유지상주의' 정당은 국가가 이제 막 출현한 자유지상주의자들에게 퍼부은 두 번째 반격이었다. 처음에는 터무니 없는 모순으로, 그 다음에는 침략군으로 등장했다."

로스바드가 1992년 공화당 경선 후보였던 팻 뷰캐넌을 공개적으로 지지했을 때(이때 공화당 경선에서 뷰캐넌은 아버지 부시한테 졌고, 대선은 민주당 빌 클린턴 승리), 콘킨이 어떤 반응을 보였을지 상상해보자. 저런 선언문을 썼는데 말이다. 콘킨은 로스바드가 자유지상주의 원칙을 저버렸다면서 자신이 편집하는 잡지 『신 자유지상주의자』에서 로스바드의 행위를 "자유의 원칙을 포기한 행위"라고 비난했다.

반면 로스바드는 소수의 자유지상주의 지식인들만으로는 자유지상주의 사회를 건설할 수 없으므로 대중과 연합해야 한다고 주장했다. 팻 뷰캐넌 같은 인물을 통해 중산층이나 노동계층의 지지를 얻을 수 있고, 자유지상주의 목표를 달성할 수 있다고 했다. 이때 나온 전략이 자유주의적 경제 질서와 보수적 문화 질서를 결합한 '팔레오 자유지상주의'다. 로스바드는 아고리즘 세력에게 순수성만을 강조하며 현실 세계와 단절된 사람들은 무기력한 이상주의자들이라고 반박하며, 자신은 국가주의를 지지하는 게 아니라 그 세력 안에 있는 반국가적 잠재력을 이끌어내는 것이라고 했다.

그림 2. 아고리즘의 깃발

질서자유주의와 아고리즘의 공동체적 배제에 관한 입장 차이

콘킨의 아고리즘과 로스바드-호페 라인의 질서자유주의의 차이는 정치 같은 기존 제도들을 전략적으로 이용할 수 있는지뿐만 아니라 공동체적 배제에 관한 입장에서도 약간 갈라진다.

자유주의에서는 자유로운 수용과 자유로운 '배제'도 보장되어야 한다. 즉, 예를 들어 어떤 사람이 장사를 하는데 동성애자나 흑인이나 채식주의자를 직원이나 손님으로 받지 않는 것도 장사하는 사람의 자유로운 배제 권리라는 것이다. 자신의 사유지에 어떤 사람을 들일지, 들이지 않을지는 전적으로 소유자의 몫이다. 그리고 여기서 배제는 당연히 폭력으로 이어지지 않는 선에서의 자유로운 배제다.

이러한 배제가 한 공동체 전체로 퍼졌다고 해보자. 지금은 동성애자에 대한 예시만 들겠다(필자는 동성애에 대해 부정적 감정이 전혀 없으니 동성애자 분들은 오해 마시길). 만약 한 지역 소유자 공동체 전체가 동성애자에 대한 배제를 주장한다면 당연히 동성애자는 그 공동체에 들어갈 수가 없다.

여기서 이를 다루는 뉘앙스가 약간 다른데, 호페는 이를 자유로운 계약에 의한 공동체적 질서의 탄생이라 보며 긍정적으로 본다. 물론 절대로 이러한 배제가 폭력으로 이어져서는 안 된다. 폭력으로 이어지면 비침해성 공리 위반이므로 정당성이 없다.

아고리즘은 개인들의 자발적인 배제는 자유지만, 이것이 공동체적 배제로 발전하고 구조적 차별이나 집단적 억압으로 발전하는 건 국가의 또 다른 형태일 뿐이라 생각하여 이를 경계한다. 그래서 개인 차원의 자율적 배제는 정당하지만, 공동체 차원의 배제는 경계한다. 그렇다고 이걸 없애야 한다 이런 건 아니다(개인들의 자유로운 배제가 공동체 배제로도 이어질 수 있는 것이므로). 콘킨은 공동체적 배제가 탄생할 수 있지만 그것이 비합리적인 배제라면 대안 시장이 탄생할 것으로 본다. 동성애자들을 위한 시장과 마을이 생길 것이고, 비합리적인 배제는 이러한 고객들을 놓친 것에 대한 손실로 이어질 것이라고 본다. 즉, 모든 개인이 자유 시장 아고라에서 자발적으로 교환할 권리를 가져야 하며, 차별적인 배제들은 시장 안에서 경쟁할 수 있을 거라 본다. 만약 대안 시장이 없는 상황에서 모두가 배제한다면 이는 실질적 강제처럼 작동할 수 있기 때문이다.

자유지상주의 안에서 콘킨의 아고리즘은 차별이나 수용을 대하는 태도에서 좀 더 좌파적인 것처럼 보인다. 실제로 콘킨의 「신 자유주의자 선언」에 등장하는 용어들도 약간 그러한 뉘앙스가 있다. 콘킨은 전통적인 좌파 단어들을 전략적으로 차용했다. 예를 들면 혁명, 착취, 해방운동, 불복종, 저항, 암시장, 아나키즘 등의 단어다. 당연히 전통적인 좌파 단어의 뜻과는 완전히 다르다. 혁명은 아고라를 통한 "비정치적" 자유주의 혁명을 의미하며, 착취는 마르크스의 자본가가 노동자를 착취한다고 했던 그 착취가 아니라, 국가주의와 결탁한 크로니 자본주의자들의 제도적 진입장벽을 만들고, 캉티용 효과의 수혜를 누리는 그러한 오염된 자본주의자들이 하는 것을 착취라고 했다(아고리즘은 국가에 의존하지 않는 기업가와 국가로부터 특혜를 받는 착취적 기업가를 구분한다. 선언문 참고).

정리하자! 로스바드-호페의 질서 자유주의와 콘킨의 아고리즘의 차이점은 다음과 같다.

로스바드-호페의 질서 자유주의는 정치 등을 전략적으로 이용하는 것을 허용한다. 로스바드는 공화당 경선 후보를 공개적으로 지지하여 우파 사람들로부터 자유지상주의에 대한 관심을 끌려고 했고, 호페는 전국단위의 투표나 정당 활동은 거부해도 지역 단위의 투표는 승리 가능성에 따라 조건부로 허용한다. 반면 아고리즘은 어떠한 정치 활동도 거부하며 오직 국가의 통제로부터 동떨어진 자유로운 시장에 의한 혁명을 추구한다.

얼마 전에 있었던 비트코이너들이 보수 우파 스페이스에 들어가서 비트코인에 대해 전파하는 걸 상상해보면 쉽다. 우파 국가주의자들은 국가 시스템에 의한 문제 해결을 강력한 지도자가 등장해 모든 것을 해결해줘야 한다는 잘못된 방법론에 빠져있는 경우가 많은데(문제를 더 큰 문제로 해결하려는 셈...), 누군가는 이걸 보고 저런 사람들과 협력하면 안 된다고 할 것이고, 누군가는 비트코인과 자유주의를 전파하기 위해 그래도 가능성이 높은 이들 사회에 섞여들어가 이야기도 하고, 전파도 하려고 할 것이기 때문이다.

또한 한 가지 차이점은 질서 자유주의와 아고리즘 모두 공동체적 배제는 인정하나, 질서 자유주의는 이를 자유로운 계약에 의해 등장한 공동체적 질서로 보고, 아고리즘은 공동체적 배제가 집단적 억압으로 발전할 것을 경계한다. 아고리즘에서는 비합리적 차별에 의한 배제는 대안 시장이 생겨 극복될 수 있다고 본다.

자유주의 세상을 만들기 위해서는 어떻게 해야 하는가

이제 무엇이 옳은지 스스로 판단해보자. 지금부터는 개인적인 생각이 매우 많이 들어가있으므로 주의하라.

콘킨의 아고리즘은 암시장의 확대를 노려 정부 권한을 약화시키려 하지만 이는 대중의 지지를 얻기 어렵다. 또한, 이러한 병렬 경제는 한 곳에 집중되기 어렵고 넓고 약하게 퍼져있을 수밖에 없다.

로스바드-호페의 질서자유주의는 현실에 이미 존재하는 제도들을 전략적으로 활용한다. 현실적으로 대중의 지지를 얻을 가능성이 있고, 한 지역에 자유주의자들이 집중되면 적어도 그 지역에서는 지역 투표를 통해 위로부터의 전환이 가능하다. 하나의 자유지상주의적인 지역이 좋은 모범이 되면 다른 지역도 채택할 가능성이 커진다.

어떤 전략을 택해야 하는가? 나는 자유지상주의가 도래하게 하기 위해서는 두 전략 다 써야 한다고 생각한다. 질서자유주의자들의 주장대로 대중의 지지 없이는 자유지상주의가 도래하게 할 수 없다. 대한민국에 있는 "진짜" 비트코이너+자유지상주의자들이 대략 몇 명쯤 될까? 높게 잡아 1,000명 정도 된다고 해보자. 이들 전부가 특정 지역에 모인다고 해도 자유지상주의 질서를 건립할 수는 없다. 찾아보니 대한민국에서 인구가 가장 적은 시가 충남 계룡시라고 한다. 여기 인구는 약 4만3천 명인데, 여기에 51% 공격을 가하려고 해도 적어도 4만 명이 필요하다는 뜻이다. 따라서 아고리스트들처럼 대중의 지지를 얻기 위한 전략을 완고하게 거부하다간 어떠한 힘도 얻지 못하고 선민 의식에만 갇힐 수 있다.

반면 아고리스트들의 주장대로 병렬 경제도 필요하다. 잘 세뇌된 대중은 폭력 집단의 강탈이 있어야만 사회가 유지될 수 있다는 환상에 사로잡혀있다. 병렬 경제는 이러한 환상을 깨뜨릴 좋은 수단이다. 정부 추적이나 제3자 없이 부의 보존이 가능하고, 당사자끼리의 직접 결제가 가능하다는 것을 사람들이 경험하면 생각이 크게 바뀔 것이다. 비트코인으로 결제를 해본 사람과 한 번도 해본 적 없는 사람은 이런 자유지상주의 세상에 대한 이해의 폭이 다를 수밖에 없다. 또한, 비트코인은 개인들에게 큰 힘이 되는데 국가 시스템의 폭력으로부터 개인들이 생산 가치를 지킬 수 있는 강력한 방패이자 동시에 무기가 되기 때문이다.

그러나 아고리즘의 주장인 병렬 경제 중 특히 암시장 전략—국가의 통제가 미치지 않는 무기, 마약, 성매매 등을 확장하는 것—에는 동의하지 않는다. 당연히 자유지상주의자인 나는 총기나 마약, 성매매 등도 자발적인 계약에 의해 시장에서 더 건전하게 다뤄질 수 있다고 생각한다. 지금처럼 불법화되어있는 사회와 다르게 자유시장에서는 마약의 순도나 안정성에 대해 인증해주는 기관, 의사들도 등장할 것이고, 성매매도 비슷한 방식으로 질서화될 수 있다고 생각한다. 혹은 이러한 시장은 시간 선호를 지나치게 높이고 전통적인 가족 질서를 해칠 수 있으므로 공동체적 배제가 일어날 수도 있다. 무기, 마약, 성매매는 일반 대중들이 생각하는 '질서'와는 거리가 있다. 우리는 더 많은 사람들을 끌어들여야 하는데 이는 처음에 일단 거부감을 일으킬 수 있다.

따라서 자극적인 암시장보다는 사람들의 반감이 없는 상품들을 먼저 비트코인으로 거래하고, 국가가 추적하지 못하게 함으로써 납세 거부의 물결이 퍼지게 해야 한다. 동시에 더 많은 사람들에게 자유주의를 전파해야 한다. 더 많은 개인과 비트코인을 통한 병렬 경제라는 두 가지 무기가 함께 생겨야 지역 단위에서의 자유주의 세상을 만들 수 있을 것이다. 먼저 자유주의를 많은 사람들에게 전파해야 한다. 이 과정에서 좌파, 맑시즘, 케인지언들보다는 상대적으로 자유에 대한 이해가 좀 더 있는 집단인 우파 국가주의자들이나 기독교적 종교관을 가진 사람들 속에 섞여 들어가 거기서 전파를 할 수도 있다. 이러한 과정을 통해 자유주의자들이 많아지고, 한 지역에 모여야 한다. 비트코인이라는 무기를 가진 개인들이 한 지역에 모여 자유로운 시장을 형성하면, 호페가 말했던 것처럼 그 지역에서의 투표를 통해 작은 자유지상주의 세상을 만들 수 있다.

그림 3. 자유주의 세상을 만들기 위해서는 두 전략을 적절히 함께 써야 한다.

@ a4043831:3b64ac02

Retirement planning is like laying down the blueprint for your future, where financial security meets your personal dreams and desires. It's about taking a proactive approach to ensure that your golden years are truly golden, filled with comfort and freedom rather than financial stress. The process of creating a retirement plan includes identifying your income sources, adding up your expenses, putting a savings plan into effect, and managing your assets.

It is essential for several reasons:

1. Securing Your Financial Future:

Retirement marks the start of a phase where financial worries should no longer dominate your life. Thoughtful retirement planning ensures a consistent income to support your lifestyle and manage unexpected costs.

1. Achieving Your Personal Goals:

Retirement offers the chance to focus on passions, hobbies, and experiences delayed during your career. Early preparation makes aspirations such as travel, making new hobbies and spending time with your loved ones, achievable.

1. Managing Health Care Needs:

Healthcare often becomes a major expense with age. Without proper planning, medical costs can strain your finances. A comprehensive retirement plan accounts for healthcare needs, helping you manage these expenses while maintaining your standard of living.

1. Leaving a Legacy:

Many people wish to leave something behind for their loved ones or give to charity. This minimizes burdens on your family and maximizes your impact.

Elements of a Retirement Plan

A well-structured retirement plan involves several key elements to ensure a comprehensive approach to financial security:

1. Fact-Finding Conversations:

Critical fact-finding discussions are the foundation of retirement planning. Understanding your retirement goals and desires helps shape the path to achieve them. This involves listening to your stories and defining your minimum and optimal retirement lifestyles, including estimating the associated costs.

2. Retirement Income Sources:

Diversifying your income streams is crucial. This includes pensions, social security benefits, annuities, and passive income sources like rental properties or dividends. Understanding the tax implications of each source is also important.

3. Investment Strategy Determination:

Allocating assets based on your specific retirement goals is essential. This involves aligning your investments with the time frame and nature of your retirement aspirations, whether immediate income or long-term growth. Your investment strategy is customized to support your desired lifestyle and factors in your risk tolerance and the returns needed to fund your retirement adequately.

4. Specific Asset Recommendations:

A mix of equities, bonds, real estate, and other assets is often recommended. Diverse portfolios are crucial for mitigating risk while aiming for growth. The portfolio recommendation will support your retirement objectives and be well-equipped to handle market fluctuations and economic changes. Regular reviews and adjustments to your asset allocation ensure your plan remains aligned with your life circumstances.

Benefits of Retirement Planning

• Retirement planning offers numerous benefits that contribute to a secure and fulfilling retirement:
• Financial Security: Ensures a steady flow of income to maintain your standard of living.
• Peace of Mind: Reduces financial stress and uncertainty, allowing you to enjoy your retirement years.
• Goal Fulfillment: Helps you achieve personal aspirations and pursue activities that you are passionate about.
• Healthcare Preparedness: Provides strategies to manage healthcare expenses without depleting savings.

Conclusion

Retirement planning is an essential process for securing financial independence, pursuing personal aspirations, and preparing for unforeseen circumstances in later years. By focusing on key elements such as income sources, investments, and healthcare, individuals can build a robust roadmap for a fulfilling and worry-free retirement.

If unsure where to begin, Passive Capital Management’s financial planners and advisors can provide valuable guidance. By analyzing your current financial situation and future goals, they can chart a clear trajectory to achieve your aspirations. Their team evaluates whether you are on the right path and recommends adjustments to align with your long-term priorities. Contact Passive Capital Management today to ensure a tailored approach to building a secure and fulfilling retirement.

@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

The German bank is considering launching a stablecoin as the European banking sector gradually opens up to digital assets.

According to a report by Bloomberg, Deutsche Bank is stepping up its involvement in the digital asset space by exploring stablecoin issuance and tokenized deposit solutions.

Sabih Behzad, Deutsche Bank’s Head of Digital Assets and Currencies Transformation, stated that the institution is currently evaluating two strategic options. The first involves developing its own proprietary stablecoin, while the second considers joining a broader consortium initiative within the banking industry.

At the same time, the bank is examining the potential of tokenized deposits — blockchain-based financial instruments that Deutsche Bank believes could enhance the efficiency of transaction settlements. These would represent digital versions of traditional bank deposits.

Deutsche Bank isn’t alone in pursuing this strategy. Banco Santander recently began preliminary work on its own stablecoin and is planning to offer crypto services through its digital banking division. Additionally, Deutsche Bank’s asset management arm, DWS Group, has launched a joint venture with Flow Traders and Galaxy Digital to issue a euro-denominated token.

According to Citigroup projections, the market capitalization of stablecoins is expected to grow significantly, from nearly $240 billion today to over $2 trillion by 2030.

The bank’s participation in Project Agorá — an initiative led by the Bank for International Settlements — further highlights its interest in exploring the role of tokenization in wholesale cross-border payments.

The post Deutsche Bank explores the issuance of a stablecoin appeared first on Atlas21.

@ dfa02707:41ca50e3

Contribute to keep No Bullshit Bitcoin news going.

News

• Spiral welcomes Ben Carman. The developer will work on the LDK server and a new SDK designed to simplify the onboarding process for new self-custodial Bitcoin users.
• Spiral renews support for Dan Gould and Joschisan. The organization has renewed support for Dan Gould, who is developing the Payjoin Dev Kit (PDK), and Joschisan, a Fedimint developer focused on simplifying federations.
• The Bitcoin Dev Kit Foundation announced new corporate members for 2025, including AnchorWatch, CleanSpark, and Proton Foundation. The annual dues from these corporate members fund the small team of open-source developers responsible for maintaining the core BDK libraries and related free and open-source software (FOSS) projects.
• The European Central Bank is pushing for amendments to the European Union's Markets in Crypto Assets legislation (MiCA), just months after its implementation. According to Politico's report on Tuesday, the ECB is concerned that U.S. support for cryptocurrency, particularly stablecoins, could cause economic harm to the 27-nation bloc.
• Slovenia is considering a 25% capital gains tax on Bitcoin profits for individuals. The Ministry of Finance has proposed legislation to impose this tax on gains from cryptocurrency transactions, though exchanging one cryptocurrency for another would remain exempt. At present, individual 'crypto' traders in Slovenia are not taxed.
• The Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Bill 2025 introduced in Kenya. The new legislation aims to establish a comprehensive legal framework for licensing, regulating, and supervising virtual asset service providers (VASPs), with strict penalties for non-compliant entities.
• Circle, BitGo, Coinbase, and Paxos plan to apply for U.S. bank charters or licenses. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, major crypto companies are planning to apply for U.S. bank charters or licenses. These firms are pursuing limited licenses that would permit them to issue stablecoins, as the U.S. Congress deliberates on legislation mandating licensing for stablecoin issuers.

"Established banks, like Bank of America, are hoping to amend the current drafts of [stablecoin] legislation in such a way that nonbanks are more heavily restricted from issuing stablecoins," people familiar with the matter told The Block.

• Paul Atkins has officially assumed the role of the 34th Chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This is a return to the agency for Atkins, who previously served as an SEC Commissioner from 2002 to 2008 under the George W. Bush administration. He has committed to advancing the SEC’s mission of fostering capital formation, safeguarding investors, and ensuring fair and efficient markets.
• Federal Reserve retracts guidance discouraging banks from engaging in 'crypto.' The U.S. Federal Reserve withdrew guidance that discouraged banks from crypto and stablecoin activities, as announced by its Board of Governors on Thursday. This includes rescinding a 2022 supervisory letter requiring prior notification of crypto activities and 2023 stablecoin requirements.

"As a result, the Board will no longer expect banks to provide notification and will instead monitor banks' crypto-asset activities through the normal supervisory process," reads the FED statement.

• Russian government to launch a cryptocurrency exchange. The country's Ministry of Finance and Central Bank announced plans to establish a trading platform for "highly qualified investors" that "will legalize crypto assets and bring crypto operations out of the shadows."
• Twenty One Capital is set to launch with over 42,000 BTC in its treasury. This new Bitcoin-native firm, backed by Tether and SoftBank, is planned to go public via a SPAC merger with Cantor Equity Partners and will be led by Jack Mallers, co-founder and CEO of Strike. According to a report by the Financial Times, the company aims to replicate the model of Michael Saylor with his company, MicroStrategy.
• Strategy increases Bitcoin holdings to 538,200 BTC. In the latest purchase, the company has spent more than $555M to buy 6,556 coins through proceeds of two at-the-market stock offering programs.
• Metaplanet buys another 145 BTC. The Tokyo-listed company has purchased an additional 145 BTC for $13.6 million. Their total bitcoin holdings now stand at 5,000 coins, worth around $428.1 million.
• Semler Scientific has increased its bitcoin holdings to 3,303 BTC. The company acquired an additional 111 BTC at an average price of $90,124. The purchase was funded through proceeds from an at-the-market offering and cash reserves, as stated in a press release.
• Tesla still holds nearly $1 billion in bitcoin. According to the automaker's latest earnings report, the firm reported digital asset holdings worth $951 million as of March 31.
• Spar supermarket experiments with Bitcoin payments in Zug, Switzerland. The store has introduced a new payment method powered by the Lightning Network. The implementation was facilitated by DFX Swiss, a service that supports seamless conversions between bitcoin and legacy currencies.

• Charles Schwab to launch spot Bitcoin trading by 2026. The financial investment firm, managing over $10 trillion in assets, has revealed plans to introduce spot Bitcoin trading for its clients within the next year.
• Arch Labs has secured $13 million to develop "ArchVM" and integrate smart-contract functionality with Bitcoin. The funding round, valuing the company at $200 million, was led by Pantera Capital, as announced on Tuesday.
• Citrea deployed its Clementine Bridge on the Bitcoin testnet. The bridge utilizes the BitVM2 programming language to inherit validity from Bitcoin, allegedly providing "the safest and most trust-minimized way to use BTC in decentralized finance."
• UAE-based Islamic bank ruya launches Shari’ah-compliant bitcoin investing. The bank has become the world’s first Islamic bank to provide direct access to virtual asset investments, including Bitcoin, via its mobile app, per Bitcoin Magazine.
• Solosatoshi.com has sold over 10,000 open-source miners, adding more than 10 PH of hashpower to the Bitcoin network.

"Thank you, Bitaxe community. OSMU developers, your brilliance built this. Supporters, your belief drives us. Customers, your trust powers 10,000+ miners and 10PH globally. Together, we’re decentralizing Bitcoin’s future. Last but certainly not least, thank you@skot9000 for not only creating a freedom tool, but instilling the idea into thousands of people, that Bitcoin mining can be for everyone again," said the firm on X.

• OCEAN's DATUM has found 100 blocks. "Over 65% of OCEAN’s miners are using DATUM, and that number is growing every day. This means block template construction is making its way back into the hands of the miners, which is not only the most profitable

@ 6a6be47b:3e74e3e1

Hi frens! 🎧

🎶 I just can’t stop listening to the new Deafheaven album, Lonely People with Power. I’ve been hesitant to write about it because I’m no music expert—I’m just a fan, and my appreciation is mostly pure excitement and awe.

So, honestly, my opinion is very biased because I love this band so much. Their newest album has completely taken over my playlists since its release. I’m hooked.

Their last album was a dreamy blend of shoegaze and black metal with those signature “goblin core” screams (forgive my genre-mixing, I just go with what I feel!), and I loved it. Songs like “Neptune Raining Diamonds” flowing into “Lament for Wasps” felt like being transported to another dimension—chef’s kiss.

👀If you know Deafheaven, maybe you first heard them through their cult classic Sunbather, or maybe New Bermuda, or something else entirely.

🧛‍♂️ If you’re used to their darker sound, maybe the last album wasn’t your thing. But this one—oh wow. From the instrumental opening track, I was in for a ride. The music is a mix of pain, loneliness, despair, and sadness, all wrapped in ethereal sounds and bursts of fury.

It’s hard to describe, but the lyrics—while dark—feel universal. There’s a sense of being observed, feeling helpless, but also a glimmer of hope, a sense that something new might begin. That’s exactly how this album left me feeling.

🎵 If you haven’t given this album a chance yet, I really hope you do! And if you have, what was your favorite part? For me, it’s those smooth transitions between songs—going from “Incidental II” to “Revelator,” and then topping it off with “Body Behaviour.” Mind blown.

Well, those are my two sats! Enjoy your week and take care, frens.

Godspeed! 🚀

https://stacker.news/items/1002715

@ 91bea5cd:1df4451c

Para um brasileiro, pode ser difícil entender como as estações do ano são capazes de influenciar o imaginário e a própria organização da sociedade.

Mas em países de clima temperado ou frio, onde primavera, verão, outono e inverno são mais demarcados, é contagiante a alegria com que o verão é celebrado, depois de meses de dias curtos, temperaturas frequentemente negativas e poucas possibilidades de interação social.

É por isso que desde os tempos mais antigos, as primeiras civilizações europeias já tinham festas específicas para celebrar tanto a chegada da primavera — a volta da vida desabrochando — quanto o solstício de verão — o ápice do sol, o dia mais longo do ano.

E, segundo pesquisadores, são esses dois tipos de celebração, depois abraçados pelo catolicismo, que explicam a origem das festas juninas, que no Brasil acabariam sendo reinventadas com um sotaque próprio.

"As origens são mesmo as antigas festas pagãs das antigas civilizações, ligadas aos ciclos da natureza, às estações do ano. Sociedades antigas realizavam grandes festividades, com durações longas, até de um mês, sobretudo nos períodos de plantio e de colheita", contextualiza o pesquisador de culturas populares Alberto Tsuyoshi Ikeda, professor da Universidade de São Paulo e consultor da cátedra Kaapora: da Diversidade Cultural e Étnica na Sociedade Brasileira, da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (#Unifesp).

"A primavera era bastante comemorada, como o reingresso da vida mais dinâmica, o rebrotar da natureza e das atividades depois do período do inverno, sempre de muita dificuldade, luta pela sobrevivência e recolhimento", comenta ele.

Se nessa época do ano o que se via era a explosão da natureza, a vida social espelhava isso. "Os grupos humanos realizavam grandes festividades dedicadas à própria natureza, muitas vezes rendendo homenagens aos antigos deuses relacionados à natureza, à vida animal, à vida vegetal de um modo geral. Eram festas comunitárias com muita alegria, muita alimentação e reunião de pessoas em grande número: foi o que deu origem às festas juninas que a gente conhece no Brasil e em outras partes do mundo."

Autora do livro Festas Juninas: Origens, Tradições e História, a socióloga Lucia Helena Vitalli Rangel, professora na Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP), explica que a origem das festas juninas está nos "rituais de fertilidade agrícola" de diversos povos — da Europa, do Oriente Médio e do norte da África.

Os [mitológicos] casais #férteis #Afrodite e Adonis, Tamuz e Izta, Isis e #Osíris eram homenageados nesses #rituais, pois representavam a reprodução humana, numa época de evocação da colheita", afirma.

"Eram rituais para que a colheita fosse farta e para abençoar o próximo período #agrícola. Era período de congraçamento, de partilha e estabelecimento de alianças entre as comunidades. Eram rituais de fartura e abundância em todos os sentidos, no âmbito alimentar e na relação entre as famílias: casamentos, batizados e compadrio."

"No hemisfério norte o solstício de verão era o auge do período ritual e do trabalho agrícola coroado pela colheita", acrescenta a socióloga.

Vale ressaltar o óbvio, para que não fique um certo estranhamento ao leitor menos atento: no hemisfério norte, origem de tais celebrações, as estações do ano são invertidas em relação ao hemisfério sul, onde está o Brasil.

Apropriação católica

Mas onde então entram os santos nessa história? Na festa junina contemporânea, estão presentes algumas das figuras mais populares do catolicismo — e isso acabou impregnado de tal forma na celebração que a religiosidade se misturou ao folclore e às tradições populares, transcendendo os ritos normatizados pela Igreja Católica.

O primeiro dos santos juninos é Antônio (? - 1231), frade franciscano de origem portuguesa que ficou conhecido pelo que fez na Itália no início do século 13. Com fama de milagreiro, foi canonizado pela Igreja onze meses depois de sua morte — trata-se de um recorde até hoje não superado na história do catolicismo.

No imaginário popular, Antônio se tornou o #bonachão santo das coisas perdidas, sobretudo nos países europeus, e o casamenteiro, principalmente em Portugal e no Brasil. #Simpatias, #promessas e orações específicas marcam a devoção a ele. E sua presença nos festejos juninos geralmente está ligada a essas tradições — a Igreja fixou o 13 de junho, data da morte dele, como dia consagrado ao santo.

Em 24 de junho, o catolicismo celebra o nascimento de João Batista (2 a.C - 28 d.C.). É o santo máximo das comemorações juninas — há versões que apontam que originalmente eram "festas joaninas" e não festas juninas; e, sobretudo no nordeste brasileiro, a Festa de São João é um evento de dimensões impressionantes.

Personagem de historicidade controversa, João Batista é apontado como primo de Jesus Cristo e aquele que o batizou.

Em seu livro O Ramo de Ouro, o antropólogo escocês James Frazer (1854-1941) diz que ocorreu um processo histórico "de acomodação", deslocando para a figura de São João Batista a comemoração do solstício de verão.

Por fim, o mês de junho ainda tem a data do martírio de São Pedro (? - 67 d.C) e São Paulo (5 d.C. - 67 d.C.), dois dos pioneiros do cristianismo. Pedro foi um dos 12 apóstolos de Jesus e acabou depois considerado o primeiro papa do catolicismo.

Paulo de Tarso, por sua vez, é reputado como um dos mais influentes teólogos da história. Parte significativa dos textos que compõem o Novo Testamento da Bíblia é atribuída à sua pena. É dele, portanto, a autoria de parcela considerável da ressignificação de Jesus Cristo após sua morte na cruz — em outras palavras, é possível dizer que Paulo é responsável pela transformação de Jesus em um mito.

Uma observação necessária: apesar de a Igreja celebrar em conjunto a memória do martírio de Pedro e de Paulo, por tradição este último nem sempre é associado aos festejos juninos.

À medida que o catolicismo foi se transformando em religião do status quo, sobretudo a partir da cristianização do Império Romano, no ano de 380 d.C., diversos rituais tratados como pagãos acabaram sendo abraçados e apropriados pela Igreja. "A Igreja Católica não pôde desmanchar essas práticas", reconhece Rangel.

Com os rituais de primavera e verão, não foi diferente. "Várias dessas festividades foram adaptadas", conclui Alberto Ikeda, da USP. "Aos poucos passaram a ser tratadas como festas em honra aos santos juninos."

"Mas é importante notar que mesmo dentro do ciclo cristão, esses santos estão ligados tematicamente com aquelas mesmas ideias, os mesmos princípios das festividades [dessa época do ano] das antigas civilizações", pontua o pesquisador.

Santo Antônio, por exemplo, é o casamenteiro — em uma leitura lato sensu, poderia ser encarado como o santo da família, da unidade familiar, da reprodução humana. "São João também está ligado, sobretudo nos interiores do Brasil, a essa questão dos relacionamentos afetivos. Tradicionalmente, faz-se muito casamento no Dia de São João", diz Ikeda.

"Ele também traz a característica da fartura [que remete aos períodos de plantio e de colheita, em oposição aos rigorosos invernos], dos alimentos, das bebidas, aquilo que chamamos na antropologia de repasto ritual ou repasto cerimonial", afirma o pesquisador.

De modo geral, na leitura proposta por ele, todos os santos juninos estão ligados aos ciclos da natureza — fogo, água, fertilidade, abundância. Está aí São Pedro e a ideia de que ele é quem controla o tempo. "Vejo uma relação entre eles e os antigos rituais, uma relação ainda presente.

Embora a gente não perceba mais, eles têm essa ligação com os elementos fundamentais da existência humana", comenta.

Nas festas populares essas forças da natureza se fazem representadas, muito além da mesa farta.

Os mastros juninos que são erguidos representam a potência dos troncos, das árvores que resistem ao inverno. A fogueira é a luz: ilumina, aquece, afugenta animais ferozes, assa os alimentos.

Na releitura contemporânea, portanto, as festas juninas "guardam as reminiscências das ancestrais aglomerações festivas", conforme frisa Ikeda.

Tradição brasileira

Paçoca, pamonha, pipoca, bolo de fubá, canjica, curau, pé de moleque, maçã do amor. Vinho quente e quentão. Brincadeiras de pular fogueira e dançar a quadrilha. Chapéu de palha, camisa xadrez, calça com remendos. Bombinhas e rojões, fogos de artifício. Bandeirinhas coloridas penduradas em varais de barbante.

No Brasil, as festas juninas foram reinventadas e se tornaram uma exaltação das raízes caipiras. E muito além da religiosidade, tornou-se tradição, folclore. Como se o ciclo se fechasse: o que nasceu como ritual gregário, de celebração social, e depois foi apropriado por uma religião dominante, acabou na cultura popular sendo devolvido ao sentido original — ou seja, a festa pela alegria de festejar.

Não à toa, a folclorista Laura Della Mônica registrou em seu livro Os Três Santos do Mês de Junho que "respeitar as festas e orações dedicadas a cada um dos três santos do mês de junho, segundo a tradição, é obrigação e dever de todos nós, pelo menos culturalmente". O "todos nós" é o brasileiro. Porque mesmo nascida no Velho Mundo, as festas juninas assumiram uma identidade própria em território nacional.

"A colonização da América colocou novamente a questão [da apropriação cultural] para os jesuítas e todos os religiosos que se instalaram no continente sul-americano", pontua a socióloga Rangel.

"No caso do Brasil, houve uma coincidência do calendário. No inverno seco, o solstício de inverno marca o período dos trabalhos agrícolas mais importantes. Do mesmo modo que, para os povos do hemisfério norte é o período de rituais de fertilidade, [a festa por aqui também vem] com as mesmas características, congrega as famílias na evocação da abundância."

As tradições regionais guardam suas especificidades, como era de se esperar em um país de dimensões continentais. "Sempre foram festas e rituais populares", salienta Rangel.

"No Brasil temos expressões regionais muito fortes: o São João nordestino, o Boi Bumbá da região norte, o Boi de Mamão no sul, Cavalhadas no centro-oeste e as festas do Divino Espírito Santo e muitas regiões, particularmente no estado de São Paulo."

A pesquisadora comenta que "conforme os padres vão chegando nas paróquias, começam a interferir nas comemorações". É quando vem o sincretismo: a festa popular também é festa católica, a quermesse organizada pela igreja também tem os rituais populares.

"Até hoje as paróquias, as igrejas, realizam festas juninas. Mesmo que as maiores festas estejam predominantemente tendo somente o caráter festivo, mais comercial, de exploração pelo ganho financeiro, as igrejas continuam fazendo comemorações aos santos juninos", pontua Ikeda.

"Embora muitas pessoas não católicas também participem das festas, embora predomine uma visão genérica que as festas juninas não guardam mais relação com a religiosidade, há ainda um relacionamento das igrejas com esses santos juninos."

Para ele, a evolução da festividade consiste no fato de que "toda aglomeração possibilita o incentivo ao comércio". "E a alimentação está neste centro, na busca mesmo do repasto cerimonial e festividades, danças e músicas que sempre estiveram ligados aos antigos rituais." Ikeda lembra que a as festas populares têm uma importância antropológica por serem "práticas gregárias que ciclicamente comemoram a própria constituição, a própria existência das comunidades enquanto coletividade, a reunião de grupos humanos que preservam uma história comum".

"No caso da feste junina, esse vestir-se de caipira, simbolicamente, é um instrumento de importância até emocional e psicológico para as pessoas se sentirem com a identidade ligada ao passado, aos pais e avós que praticavam aquilo, comemorando de forma parecida", analisa o pesquisador.

"Assim, a prática possibilita a guarda de uma continuidade ao longo do tempo."

Suspensão sanitária

Nunca é demais enfatizar: com a pandemia de covid-19 ainda fora de controle, seria uma péssima ideia realizar qualquer tipo de festa neste período — se quer comemorar, faça em casa somente com seu núcleo familiar. Então, 2021 será o segundo ano consecutivo em que o Brasil não terá, ao menos de modo ostensivo, a tradição das festividades com bandeirinhas coloridas. Doutora em História das Ciências da Saúde e autora do livro A Gripe Espanhola na Bahia, a historiadora Christiane Maria Cruz de Souza afirma que esse cancelamento não ocorreu nem na epidemia de 100 anos atrás.

Isto porque a gripe chegou ao Brasil bem depois dos festejos de 1918. E, no ano seguinte, a epidemia estava controlada. "A gripe espanhola não teve nenhuma interferência no São João. Os primeiros registros da doença apareceram em setembro de 1918 e a doença foi se extinguindo aos poucos. Em Salvador, ele não avançou para o ano de 1919. Houve alguns surtos, em lugares mais remotos, até 1920, mas sem caráter epidêmico."

É de se supor, inclusive, que as festividades de 1919 tenham sido ainda mais animadas. "Passada a epidemia de gripe espanhola, tudo o que as pessoas queriam eram esquecê-la", afirma Souza.

Em 20 de junho de 1919, entretanto, surgiram os primeiros registros indicando uma epidemia de varíola na capital da Bahia. "Começaram a aparecer um caso aqui, outro ali, mas ainda sem a força suficiente para poucos dias depois interditar os festejos de São João", nota a pesquisadora.

"As autoridades sanitárias demoraram muito para reconhecer que ocorria uma epidemia terrível de varíola. Autoridades públicas só costumam reconhecer a existência de uma epidemia quando se torna inevitável devido ao acúmulo de adoecimentos e mortes, quando o número de doentes e mortos ultrapassa a normalidade esperada para os casos da doença. Isso demora um tempo."

Rangel ressalta, inclusive, que até a primeira metade do século 20, as festas juninas eram muito menores, restritas a familiares e pequenos grupos comunitários. Muito menos do que os eventos de hoje em dia. "Eram festas de arraial, de quintais, de quermesses", diz. "Elas só se transformaram em grandes espetáculos na segunda metade do século 20, na esteira da espetacularização do carnaval."

Fonte: BBC News 18 Junho 2021

@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

Uber’s CEO has revealed the company’s interest in stablecoins as a solution to reduce the costs of cross-border payments.

The multinational transport giant is currently in an exploratory phase regarding the integration of stablecoins into its global payment systems. The disclosure came during a speech by CEO Dara Khosrowshahi at the Bloomberg Tech conference in San Francisco.

“We’re still in the study phase, I’d say, but stablecoin is one of the, for me, more interesting instantiations of crypto that has a practical benefit other than crypto as a store of value.” Khosrowshahi stated.

The Uber CEO explained how stablecoins could represent a cost-effective alternative to traditional payment systems for international transactions. According to Khosrowshahi, these digital currencies could significantly reduce the company’s operational expenses by eliminating high fees and delays typically associated with conventional bank transfers.

Implementing stablecoins could streamline Uber’s global payment operations, with particularly significant benefits in markets burdened by high remittance costs or unstable local currencies — enabling faster and more reliable payments to the company’s business partners. However, Uber has yet to specify which stablecoins or blockchain networks it might adopt, nor has it provided a precise timeline for implementation.

Uber’s interest in stablecoins comes as the legislative landscape continues to evolve. The U.S. Congress is currently reviewing two major legislative proposals: the GENIUS Act and the STABLE Act, both aimed at establishing a clear regulatory framework for dollar-pegged digital currencies. These bills focus on reserve standards and anti-money laundering requirements but have yet to be finalized.

The post Uber eyes stablecoins to optimize international payments appeared first on Atlas21.

@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

Romania’s national postal service embraces digital assets by installing the first Bitcoin ATM at its Tulcea branch.

Romania has witnessed the inauguration of the first Bitcoin ATM within the offices of Poșta Română, the country’s national postal service.

The installation took place at the Tulcea branch, the result of a strategic collaboration between Poșta Română and Bitcoin Romania (BTR), one of the country’s leading exchanges. According to the official announcement from the postal service, this marks only the first step in a broader project.

Source: Poșta Română

The next locations set to host these ATMs will be Alexandria, Piatra Neamț, Botoșani, and Nădlac, confirming the postal service’s commitment to widespread distribution of these devices.

The integration of Bitcoin ATMs in post offices is part of a wider strategy to modernize the existing infrastructure through cutting-edge digital technologies. The initiative also aims to expand the range of services available in areas of the country traditionally underserved.

Global adoption

In recent months, global Bitcoin adoption has continued to grow through various channels: individual investors, companies accepting BTC as a payment method, corporations and institutions accumulating Bitcoin as a treasury asset, and nation-states acquiring BTC for strategic reserves.

According to Binance data from January, the number of Bitcoin wallets holding more than $100 in value reached nearly 30 million, marking a 25% year-on-year increase.

Despite this growth, overall Bitcoin adoption remains limited worldwide, even in countries with the highest adoption rates. A Q1 2025 report by River, a Bitcoin financial services company, found that only 4% of the global population owns Bitcoin.

The United States retains the highest concentration of Bitcoin holders, with around 14% of individuals holding BTC in 2025. The total addressable Bitcoin market remains below 1%, due to low retail adoption and under-allocation from institutions, the U.S.-based company noted.

According to River, Bitcoin could absorb 50% of the store-of-value market, equivalent to roughly $225 trillion in value. These asset classes include cash, stocks, real estate, precious metals, and art held for price appreciation or savings. With a current market capitalization slightly above $2 trillion, Bitcoin still has significant room for growth, River suggests.

The post Poșta Română launches the first Bitcoin ATM in post offices appeared first on Atlas21.

@ 97c70a44:ad98e322

When developing on nostr, normally it's enough to read the NIP related to a given feature you want to build to know what has to be done. But there are some aspects of nostr development that aren't so straightforward because they depend less on specific data formats than on how different concepts are combined.

An example of this is how for a while it was considered best practice to re-publish notes when replying to them. This practice emerged before the outbox model gained traction, and was a hacky way of attempting to ensure relays had the full context required for a given note. Over time though, pubkey hints emerged as a better way to ensure other clients could find required context.

Another one of these things is "relay-based groups", or as I prefer to call it "relays-as-groups" (RAG). Such a thing doesn't really exist - there's no spec for it (although some aspects of the concept are included in NIP 29), but at the same time there are two concrete implementations (Flotilla and Chachi) which leverage several different NIPs in order to create a cohesive system for groups on nostr.

This composability is one of the neat qualities of nostr. Not only would it be unhelpful to specify how different parts of the protocol should work together, it would be impossible because of the number of possible combinations possible just from applying a little bit of common sense to the NIPs repo. No one said it was ok to put t tags on a kind 0. But no one's stopping you! And the semantics are basically self-evident if you understand its component parts.

So, instead of writing a NIP that sets relay-based groups in stone, I'm writing this guide in order to document how I've combined different parts of the nostr protocol to create a compelling architecture for groups.

Relays

Relays already have a canonical identity, which is the relay's url. Events posted to a relay can be thought of as "posted to that group". This means that every relay is already a group. All nostr notes have already been posted to one or more groups.

One common objection to this structure is that identifying a group with a relay means that groups are dependent on the relay to continue hosting the group. In normal broadcast nostr (which forms organic permissionless groups based on user-centric social clustering), this is a very bad thing, because hosts are orthogonal to group identity. Communities are completely different. Communities actually need someone to enforce community boundaries, implement moderation, etc. Reliance on a host is a feature, not a bug (in contrast to NIP 29 groups, which tend to co-locate many groups on a single host, relays-as-groups tends to encourage one group, one host).

This doesn't mean that federation, mirrors, and migration can't be accomplished. In a sense, leaving this on the social layer is a good thing, because it adds friction to the dissolution/forking of a group. But the door is wide open to protocol additions to support those use cases for relay-based groups. One possible approach would be to follow this draft PR which specifies a "federation" event relays could publish on their own behalf.

Relay keys

This draft PR to NIP 11 specifies a self field which represents the relay's identity. Using this, relays can publish events on their own behalf. Currently, the pubkey field sort of does the same thing, but is overloaded as a contact field for the owner of the relay.

AUTH

Relays can control access using NIP 42 AUTH. There are any number of modes a relay can operate in:

1. No auth, fully public - anyone can read/write to the group.
2. Relays may enforce broad or granular access controls with AUTH.

Relays may deny EVENTs or REQs depending on user identity. Messages returned in AUTH, CLOSED, or OK messages should be human readable. It's crucial that clients show these error messages to users. Here's how Flotilla handles failed AUTH and denied event publishing:

LIMITS, PROBE, or some other reflection scheme could also be used in theory to help clients adapt their interface depending on user abilities and relay policy.

1. AUTH with implicit access controls.

In this mode, relays may exclude matching events from REQs if the user does not have permission to view them. This can be useful for multi-use relays that host hidden rooms. This mode should be used with caution, because it can result in confusion for the end user.

See Frith for a relay implementation that supports some of these auth policies.

Invite codes

If a user doesn't have access to a relay, they can request access using this draft NIP. This is true whether access has been explicitly or implicitly denied (although users will have to know that they should use an invite code to request access).

The above referenced NIP also contains a mechanism for users to request an invite code that they can share with other users.

The policy for these invite codes is entirely up to the relay. They may be single-use, multi-use, or require additional verification. Additional requirements can be communicated to the user in the OK message, for example directions to visit an external URL to register.

See Frith for a relay implementation that supports invite codes.

Content

Any kind of event can be published to a relay being treated as a group, unless rejected by the relay implementation. In particular, NIP 7D was added to support basic threads, and NIP C7 for chat messages.

Since which relay an event came from determines which group it was posted to, clients need to have a mechanism for keeping track of which relay they received an event from, and should not broadcast events to other relays (unless intending to cross-post the content).

Rooms

Rooms follow NIP 29. I wish NIP 29 wasn't called "relay based groups", which is very confusing when talking about "relays as groups". It's much better to think of them as sub-groups, or as Flotilla calls them, "rooms".

EDIT: Flotilla has migrated to exclusively use "managed rooms" — i.e., fully NIP 29 compliant rooms. Relays without NIP 29 support can still support chat, but all messages will be presented as sent to a single room. I've removed references to unmanaged rooms in what follows.

~~Rooms have two modes - managed and unmanaged. Managed~~ rooms follow all the rules laid out in NIP 29 about metadata published by the relay and user membership. In either case, rooms are represented by a random room id, and are posted to by including the id in an event's h tag. ~~This allows rooms to switch between managed and unmanaged modes without losing any content.~~

Managed room names come from kind 39000 room meta events, ~~but unmanaged rooms don't have these. Instead, room names should come from members' NIP 51 kind 10009 membership lists. Tags on these lists should look like this: ["group", "groupid", "wss://group.example.com", "Cat lovers"]. If no name can be found for the room (i.e., there aren't any members), the room should be ignored by clients.~~

Rooms present a difficulty for publishing to the relay as a whole, since content with an h tag can't be excluded from requests. ~~Currently, relay-wide posts are h-tagged with _ which works for "group" clients, but not more generally. I'm not sure how to solve this other than to ask relays to support negative filters.~~ I have ideas on how to solve this in future iterations of relay-based groups, for example using virtual relays or just a better rooms spec.

Cross-posting

The simplest way to cross-post content from one group (or room) to another, is to quote the original note in whatever event kind is appropriate. For example, a blog post might be quoted in a kind 9 to be cross-posted to chat, or in a kind 11 to be cross-posted to a thread. kind 16 reposts can be used the same way if the reader's client renders reposts.

Posting the original event to multiple relays-as-groups is trivial, since all you have to do is send the event to the relay. Posting to multiple rooms simultaneously by appending multiple h tags is however not recommended, since group relays/clients are incentivised to protect themselves from spam by rejecting events with multiple h tags (similar to how events with multiple t tags are sometimes rejected).

Privacy

Currently, it's recommended to include a NIP 70 - tag on content posted to relays-as-groups to discourage replication of relay-specific content across the network.

Another slightly stronger approach would be for group relays to strip signatures in order to make events invalid (or at least deniable). For this approach to work, users would have to be able to signal that they trust relays to be honest. We could also use ZkSNARKS to validate signatures in bulk.

In any case, group posts should not be considered "private" in the same way E2EE groups might be. Relays-as-groups should be considered a good fit for low-stakes groups with many members (since trust deteriorates quickly as more people get involved).

Membership

There is currently no canonical member list published by relays (except for NIP 29 managed rooms). Instead, users keep track of their own relay and room memberships using kind 10009 lists. Relay-level memberships are represented by an r tag containing the relay url, and room-level memberships are represented using a group tag.

Users can choose to advertise their membership in a RAG by using unencrypted tags, or they may keep their membership private by using encrypted tags. Advertised memberships are useful for helping people find groups based on their social graph:

User memberships should not be trusted, since they can be published unilaterally by anyone, regardless of actual access, so it's better to think of them as "bookmarked groups" or "favorites". Possible improvements in this area would be the ability to provide proof of access:

• Relays could publish member lists (although this would sacrifice member privacy)
• Relays could support a new command that allows querying a particular member's access status
• Relays could provide a proof to the member that they could then choose to publish or not

Moderation

There are two parts to moderation: reporting and taking action based on these reports.

Reporting is already covered by NIP 56. Clients should be careful about encouraging users to post reports for illegal content under their own identity, since that can itself be illegal. Relays also should not serve reports to users, since that can be used to find rather than address objectionable content.

Reports are only one mechanism for flagging objectionable content. Relay operators and administrators can use whatever heuristics they like to identify and address objectionable content. This might be via automated policies that auto-ban based on reports from high-reputation people, a client that implements NIP 86 relay management API, or by some other admin interface.

There's currently no way for moderators of a given relay to be advertised, or for a moderator's client to know that the user is a moderator (so that they can enable UI elements for in-app moderation). This could be addressed via NIP 11, LIMITS, or some other mechanism in the future.

General best practices

In general, it's very important when developing a client to assume that the relay has no special support for any of the above features, instead treating all of this stuff as progressive enhancement.

For example, if a user enters an invite code, go ahead and send it to the relay using a kind 28934 event. If it's rejected, you know that it didn't work. But if it's accepted, you don't know that it worked - you only know that the relay allowed the user to publish that event. This is helpful, becaues it may imply that the user does indeed have access to the relay. But additional probing may be needed, and reliance on error messages down the road when something else fails unexpectedly is indispensable.

This paradigm may drive some engineers nuts, because it's basically equivalent to coding your clients to reverse-engineer relay support for every feature you want to use. But this is true of nostr as a whole - anyone can put whatever weird stuff in an event and sign it. Clients have to be extremely compliant with Postell's law - doing their absolute best to accept whatever weird data or behavior shows up and handle failure in any situation. Sure, it's annoying, but it's the cost of permissionless development. What it gets us is a completely open-ended protocol, in which anything can be built, and in which every solution is tested by the market.

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

In a quiet corner of the world, bitcoin mining operations in Africa are turning electricity into digital currency and in the process, redefining how value is created.

At its core, bitcoin mining involves validating transaction information before adding new blocks to the Bitcoin blockchain by competing to solve a cryptographic puzzle that meets a specific criterion.

Globally, mining plays a key role in keeping the blockchain decentralized and secure. The system depends on miners to verify and record transactions, mainly to prevent a problem called double spending, the digital version of using the same money twice.

To understand this better, imagine Charles sends $5 to Amanda. With physical cash, Amanda can trust the note is real and hasn’t been used elsewhere. But with digital currency, copying data is easy, so how can she be sure that the same $5 wasn’t sent to someone else too? That’s the exact problem Bitcoin mining helps solve.

In recent years, Africa has started to draw attention in this space, positioning itself as a key hub in global bitcoin mining. While there may be less than 2 million bitcoin left to be mined from the total 21 million supply, the rise of mining operations in Africa has sparked excitement, creating new jobs and drawing in foreign capital.

Although some countries still grapple with power shortages and the energy demands of mining, many citizens view bitcoin as a more stable store of value and a safeguard against the volatility of their local currencies.

At the same time, Africa’s wealth of hydro, solar, wind, and geothermal resources makes the continent one of the most promising regions for cost-effective and sustainable mining.

What Makes a Large-Scale Bitcoin Mining Operation in Africa?

It all starts with difficulty. Bitcoin mining isn’t just about solving a puzzle, it’s about solving one that keeps getting harder. Mining difficulty refers to how much computational work is needed to generate a number lower than the target hash.

This difficulty automatically adjusts every 2,016 blocks (about every two weeks), depending on how quickly miners solved the previous batch. If mining is fast and efficient, the network increases the difficulty; if miners drop off and block times slow, it reduces it, all to maintain a consistent block production time of roughly 10 minutes.

The significance of mining difficulty lies in the increased demands it places on mining operations. As difficulty rises, miners require more powerful hardware, cost-effective energy sources, advanced infrastructure, and substantial financial investment. These requirements distinguish large-scale mining operations from smaller, casual miners.

In short, it’s the difficulty of mining that births the need for large facilities, massive energy inputs, industrial-grade hardware, and significant financial investment, the very traits that define a “large” bitcoin mining operation.

This leads us to the 4 key factors that define large Bitcoin mining operations in Africa, each one a direct response to the growing demands of the network:

1. Facility size and infrastructure:

The physical size of a mining facility is a direct reflection of its capacity to house mining equipment and support systems. Larger operations typically have thousands of mining rigs installed, supported by extensive infrastructure such as advanced cooling systems and stable power supplies.

These are critical to ensure that the equipment runs continuously and efficiently, given the intense heat and electricity demands of mining.

While it is possible to mine Bitcoin using desktop computers or gaming rigs by joining mining pools, these setups are limited in profitability. Mining pools distribute rewards based on the computational power contributed, meaning small or less efficient machines earn only modest returns.

To compete effectively, mining operations invest in specialized hardware known as Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) miners. These machines are far more powerful and energy-efficient than regular computers but require significant capital investment, with prices ranging from $4,000 to $12,000 per rig depending on their performance.

Large-scale operations typically deploy hundreds or thousands of these ASIC miners, which necessitates the large facilities and sophisticated infrastructure mentioned earlier. In this way, the size of the facility and the sophistication of the mining equipment are tightly linked, together defining the overall scale and capability of a bitcoin mining operation.

2. Hashrate contribution:

Hashrate refers to the computational power used to mine and process transactions on the Bitcoin network. A higher hashrate indicates a more significant contribution to the network’s security and transaction processing.

Large mining operations often possess substantial hashrate, measured in exa hashes per second (EH/s). For instance, as of July 2024, the Bitcoin network’s hashrate was approximately 733.41 EH/s.

3. Energy consumption and power source:

Bitcoin mining is energy-intensive. The total energy consumption of the Bitcoin network has been estimated at 175.87 terawatt-hours annually, comparable to the power consumption of Poland. Large mining operations often seek locations with access to cheap and reliable energy sources, such as hydroelectric, solar, or wind power, to reduce operational costs and environmental impact.

4. Financial banking and investor interest:

Significant financial investment is required to establish and maintain large-scale mining operations. This includes the cost of mining hardware, facility construction, energy procurement, and operational expenses. Companies with substantial financial backing can invest in cutting-edge technology and infrastructure, enhancing their mining capabilities. 

Overview of Bitcoin Mining in Africa

Africa is beginning to carve out its share of the global Bitcoin mining market, which was valued at $2.45 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $8.24 billion by 2034. 

As Bitcoin’s value continues to rise, countries across the continent are positioning themselves to benefit, many by tapping into abundant renewable energy sources and taking advantage of regulatory ambiguity or excess energy production. 

Ethiopia currently leads the continent in Bitcoin mining activity, with around 2.5% of the global hashrate reportedly coming from operations powered entirely by renewable energy. 

This energy mismatch has attracted major miners from China and other regions, who see an opportunity to monetize surplus electricity. Ethiopia’s success showcases how renewable energy and mining can coexist sustainably while contributing meaningfully to state revenue. 

Kenya follows closely behind. As the top geothermal energy producer in Africa, with an installed capacity of 863 MW, the country is using its energy advantage to support sustainable mining. 

Nigeria is emerging as a serious contender. While not yet dominant, its large population, increasing tech engagement, and growing interest in using flared gas for mining signal potential for expansion. Nigeria’s complex but evolving regulatory landscape also leaves room for further mining developments as the government explores clearer crypto frameworks.

Malawi represents a more localized model of Bitcoin mining. By converting rainfall-powered microgrids into revenue-generating infrastructure, Malawi shows how small-scale mining can play a powerful role in community development and rural electrification.

In Libya, Bitcoin mining is technically illegal, but that hasn’t stopped it. Despite the ban, underground mining continues to thrive thanks to heavily subsidized electricity. In 2021, Libyan miners accounted for an estimated 0.6% of the global Bitcoin production, the highest in both the Arab world and Africa at the time. Today, mining reportedly consumes around 2% of the country’s electricity, even as it operates in the shadows.

Angola rounds out the list with limited public data but notable potential. The country struggles with energy inefficiencies, losing nearly 40% of its hydroelectric power during transmission. Some reports suggest Bitcoin miners are beginning to capitalize on this otherwise stranded energy, though large-scale operations are yet to surface.

What unites these countries is a shared set of conditions: untapped or mismanaged energy resources, an openness or gray area in regulation, and the growing understanding that Bitcoin mining can serve as a financial incentive to build and stabilize decentralized energy systems. 

Whether through massive hydroelectric projects or rural microgrids, Bitcoin mining is emerging as both an energy monetization strategy and a bridge to infrastructure development across Africa.

Profiles of the Largest Bitcoin Mining Operations in Africa

1. BitCluster (Ethiopia)

As of 2024, Bitcoin mining in Africa is largely concentrated in

@ e968e50b:db2a803a

Traveling with a miner...

I recently traveled over 13,000 kilometers to see a bitcoin circular economy of which I had developed some friendships and decided to bring a small miner to donate to one of the organizations spurring on this community. But every moment that thing was unplugged was a missed hash! So........

Let's first discuss, is mining in the terminal, using the airport's energy ethical?

I would say that the answer is unequivocally yes. They provide the outlets there so that you can charge your devices. I feel like if I want to use that to verify the transactions of freedom fighters fleeing Myanmar and preserve the savings of merchants in Zimbabwe instead of playing Candy Crush or doomscrolling Facebook, that's my prerogative. Am I wrong?

Is it allowed?

Well...I guess this post may bring that to light...

But is is possible?

Short answer, yes, but I couldn't quite figure it out in time with the miner I was using. The hard problem is the way you sign in to Wifi at the airport. There's no password and instead you normally open up a browser and agree to the terms there. I couldn't figure out in time (across multiple airports) how to circumvent this, but I think I would have been able to do it with a different device.

How about at a bnb?

Easy-peasy! Oddly enough, I was a little more torn on the ethics here. It was in fact pretty cold, and this thing was functioning as a space heater while I was at that desk. Also, you can't see it, but that cord on the right was for a blow dryer that consumes almost ten times the energy of my miner. Alas, you don't use a blow dryer continuously throughout the night and I really didn't want to risk offending the owner. She had actually only charged me 26,000 sats for the night, and even though she was a bitcoiner, I didn't want to risk any chance that she might feel I was taking advantage of her business. I ran it for a little bit to warm my hands while I wrote and then unplugged it until it was time to present the gift.

Have you ever mined like this?

I kept reminding myself that I wasn't using someone else's electricity, but in fact, using electricity that I already paid for. Nevertheless, it's an odd feeling. Am I wrong? I definitely think bitcoiners that run rental spots should be heating them with miners. If nothing else, what a cool education opportunity for the renters. Anyone ever mine anywhere weirder than this? It seems that as solo miners become more prevalent, there will be more instances of people travel mining, mining at work, or mining using power that they don't necessarily "own" or have full control over.

https://stacker.news/items/1002559

@ 5eaeca3b:75c1954f

Ingredienti:

Olio EVO di qualità, Peperoncino, Aglio (possibilmente fresco), Spaghetti (di qualità). Per la variazione: Menta (ho usato foglie di menta marocchina) e formaggio pecorino.

Procedimento:

Ho usato (come si vede nella foto in alto) pasta "La Molisana" che ha 14 minuti di cottura, quindi appena l'acqua bolle occorre salarla e buttare la pasta. Poi, in una padella, far riscaldare un fondo di olio EVO e quando è caldo far imbiondire 2/3 spicchi di aglio tagliati a pezzi e il peperoncino (si può usare quello fresco oppure quello secco tritato). Quando l'aglio comincia ad imbiondire, aggiungere la mentuccia e un mestolo di acqua di cottura (come in foto)

Togliere la padella dal fuoco e lasciare risposare. Appena il tempo di cottura è trascorso tirare gli spaghetti dall'acqua e metterli in padella e farli saltare leggermente. attendere qualche istante in modo che la temperatura della pasta si abbassi (non deve raffreddarsi ma semplicemente perdere un po' di calore affinché il formaggio che andiamo ad aggiungere non faccia grumi ma diventi una bella crema...) e quindi aggiungere il pecorino grattato e saltare bene.. se vediamo che si asciuga troppo aggiungere poca acqua di cottura e continuare a spolverare di pecorino e saltare in padella. Così da ottenere una fantastica cremosità...

Buon appetito!

Un piccolo trucco: ho aggiunto anche uno spicchio (molto piccolo) di aglio spremuto. Perchè non risulti troppo aggressivo ho messo una foglia di mentuccia sotto allo spremiaglio.. (vedi sotto in foto)

@ 63d59db8:be170f6f

The pursuit of this body of work is to document the ongoing flux of novel events that I experience. My goal is to share my perception of the world so that others can see the beauty, color and humor.\ \ My journey as a photographer has taken me to places that I could have never imagined - from the basements of house shows, to traveling around the entire United States, Japan and most of Europe. I am incredibly thankful for all of the opportunities that have been given to me from touring with Vasudeva. In the course of all these years traveling, what I have come to understand is a deeper vision of myself and what it is that I do as a photographer; and that is to document people and places in the moment. To not seek compositions, but to allow the curiosity and discovery of myself to see and experience.

Visit Colin's website here.

@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

Quantum BioPharma Boosts Digital Asset Holdings to $5 Million with New Bitcoin Purchase 

In an expansion of its digital asset portfolio, Quantum BioPharma Ltd. has announced the purchase of an additional $500,000 in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, bringing its total holdings to USD $5,000,000. The Canadian biopharmaceutical company made the move after securing approval from its Board of Directors.

JUST IN: Quantum BioPharma Ltd purchased an additional $500k worth of BTC/crypto and now holds $5 million in BTC/crypto. Not sure how much actual #bitcoin pic.twitter.com/OqomNZ250x

— NLNico (@btcNLNico) June 10, 2025

“Quantum BioPharma Ltd. is pleased to announce that after receiving approval from the Board of Directors, the Company has purchased additional Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as part of its strategic efforts. This brings the total amount of BTC and other cryptocurrencies purchased to USD $5,000,000. As previously announced the company will continue to allow for future financing and other transactions to be carried out in cryptocurrency.” 

The investment marks another step in the company’s growth, reinforcing its broader strategy to include Bitcoin into its long-term financial planning and operations. 

“This move reflects the company’s belief in the potential of Bitcoin and other currencies to provide a return on investment for shareholders and to provide some hedge against the dollar. The company is now set up to receive financing in cryptocurrencies as well as executing other types of transactions in cryptocurrencies.”

Quantum BioPharma has taken the steps to ensure that its holdings are managed securely and in compliance with legal and financial regulations, working with a custodian to uphold transparency, and investor trust. 

“The company is holding all its cryptocurrency with a fully compliant custodian. The company emphasizes that all transactions are and will be fully compliant with all relevant financial and audit regulations, ensuring a secure and legal process.”

Quantum BioPharma is known for its work in the biotech space, particularly through its subsidiary Lucid Psycheceuticals Inc., which focuses on neurological treatments like Lucid-MS. With this latest Bitcoin investment, the company joins a growing list of firms hedging traditional finance strategies with BTC. 

While it remains unclear how much of the $5 million is allocated specifically to Bitcoin, the firm’s latest move signals increasing institutional interest in Bitcoin as a long term, viable asset. 

This post Quantum BioPharma Boosts Digital Asset Holdings to $5 Million with New Bitcoin Purchase  first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Jenna Montgomery.

@ f0fd6902:a2fbaaab

https://stacker.news/items/1002548

@ 5ea46480:450da5bd

The objective web represents how we currently experience internet platforms. It functions primarily through centralized instances or platforms delivering shared information and statuses. These centralized platforms produce coherent views of reality based on standardized metrics such as trending content, view counts, likes, and aggregated user comments. This framework creates a single shared, authoritative depiction of the world, leading people to consume a shared interpretation of events. The objective web, therefore, becomes a centralized authority or source of truth, determining what is relevant, credible, and noteworthy. The presentation of a singular standard can also be extrapolated to concepts like Google's search rankings, user ratings on Uber, or Wikipedia's attempt at an objective encyclopedia. Though they differ in rigidity, each of these structures tries to deliver a consensus version of reality. Note that the argument is not that these platforms are objective, but they beget de facto objectivity, simply as a result of everyone deferring their subjectivity to the same entity.

This singular, consistency-based approach is increasingly failing. The objective web is under severe strain as diverse groups increasingly disagree about policies, representation, truth claims, and even basic shared facts. These difficulties become glaringly evident when considering disruptive technological changes, especially artificial intelligence-generated content and bots. The ability of platforms to consistently moderate and curate trustworthy information for all users quickly diminishes. The nature of centralized authorities means they're facing dedicated, scalable attacks. This creates an environment saturated with distrust and compromise. This approach is inherently unstable and is gradually collapsing amid internal contradictions and external pressures.

In sharp contrast, Nostr proposes the subjective web. The subjective web decouples individuals from standardized, centralized interpretive structures. Rather than relying on platforms or centralized systems to filter and interpret 'the internet', people individually decide how to interpret and judge the information and content they're exposed to. Subjectivity here is about personal judgment, local decision-making, and contextually flexible interpretations rather than universal coherence. This approach shifts the interpretative responsibility away from centralized authorities or algorithms and onto individuals and their personal networks.

This subjectivity is not limited to content but extends to the personal methods of interpreting information and people, using any variety of tools available—including algorithmic analysis, AI interpretation, or simple social-relationship analyses. In doing so, the subjective web becomes far tougher for malicious actors to compromise because attacks must be tailored to unique personal environments and rely upon infiltrating individual interpretations and decision-processes. In other words, infiltration tactics that might be successful on a centralized system become incredibly difficult when everyone is forming their own subjective reality.

Subjective realities are robust against generalized or mass attacks due to their inherently private and personalized nature. To effectively corrupt or hack these subjective webs, attackers must conduct sophisticated infiltration attacks tailored to each user specifically. Even then, attackers face significant obstacles in gathering precise information about a user's personal judgment process and inner interpretations, which remain fundamentally private and contextual. Users can easily retreat into their own trusted, locally built social circles or community ties, rather than having their trust networks limited to centralized authority structures.

This resilience relies on leveraging "webs of trust"—interconnected user relationships based on personal experiences and connections formed in the real world, rather than purely online interactions. This brings an important point: the subjective web fundamentally grounds trust on physical experience, minimizing large-scale vulnerabilities. Users maintain independent trust networks built through real-world interactions and institutions such as churches, sports-clubs, local community groups etc.. While these connections remain scalable and somewhat institutionally structured, they're significantly less susceptible to widespread digital manipulation and infiltrations. Additionally, since these trust webs are numerous, diversified, and individually tailored, single points of centralized failure are rare, and users can reconstruct trust if compromised.

Another significant is timestamping. Timestamping content offers a fundamental layer of objective verification within subjective systems, preventing after-the-fact manipulation. When timestamping is properly implemented, retrospective attacks (i.e., creating detailed fake environments designed to fool a person once that user is already engaging a particular environment) become practically impossible. For effective infiltration, attackers need established identities with consistent historical proof—meaning maintaining long-standing fraudulent identities across long periods—something more costly to scale in terms of effort, resources, and commitment.

While the subjective web represents a fundamentally decentralized and resilient structure, users naturally desire objective anchoring points at times. Users can incorporate ‘objective’ points but do so as part of a broader array of personalized, contextual interpretations rather than centrally imposed, universally agreed-upon concepts. Thus, objective systems in the subjective web landscape exist merely as subjective information sources rather than authoritative interpretations. The difference here lies in acknowledging their inherent subjectivity, rather than attempting to impose a façade of universal, authoritative objectivity.

The subjective web isn't merely a theoretical ideal or preference—it represents an unavoidable future. Signs already suggest the current centralized, authoritative, coherence-driven internet model is fundamentally crumbling, torn apart by emerging contradictions, trust collapses, polarization, disagreements, and attacks. Centralized authorities increasingly limit openness or transparency as defense mechanisms, fundamentally compromising the advantages that made the internet powerful in the first place.

By contrast, transitioning toward a subjective web reduces these dilemmas and opens spaces of autonomy and interpretations suited to diverse and individual user needs. Unlike centralized systems, subjective webs limit the risks of digital manipulation, mass misinformation campaigns, censorship, narrative control, and network lockdown. Each individual retains robust networks of trust and personal interpretations, inherently preventing large-scale coordinated misinformation campaigns simply by maintaining diversity and individuality.

Embracing subjective web approaches with Nostr naturally offers a practical, resilient way forward as centralized platforms collapse under their own contradictions. Subjective webs inherently maintain the openness of early internet freedom while also offering individuals trustworthy, personalized interpretative environments. Ultimately, the collapse of objective web coherent structures may be inevitable. In recognizing this inevitability, embracing decentralized, individual-focused subjective web systems represents a practical method to reassert personal autonomy, interpretation freedom, resilience against manipulation, scalable infiltration attacks, centralized censorship attempts, and trust compromises.

@ 97c70a44:ad98e322

Vibe coding is taking the nostr developer community by storm. While it's all very exciting and interesting, I think it's important to pump the brakes a little - not in order to stop the vehicle, but to try to keep us from flying off the road as we approach this curve.

In this note Pablo is subtweeting something I said to him recently (although I'm sure he's heard it from other quarters as well):

nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzp75cf0tahv5z7plpdeaws7ex52nmnwgtwfr2g3m37r844evqrr6jqy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyv9kh2uewd9hj7qghwaehxw309aex2mrp0yh8qunfd4skctnwv46z7qg6waehxw309ac8junpd45kgtnxd9shg6npvchxxmmd9uqzq0z48d4ttzzkupswnkyt5a2xfkhxl3hyavnxjujwn5k2k529aearwtecp4

There is a naive, curmudgeonly case for simply "not doing AI". I think the intuition is a good one, but the subject is obviously more complicated - not doing it, either on an individual or a collective level, is just not an option. I recently read Tools for Conviviality by Ivan Illich, which I think can help us here. For Illich, the best kind of tool is one which serves "politically interrelated individuals rather than managers".

This is obviously a core value for bitcoiners. And I think the talks given at the Oslo Freedom Forum this year present a compelling case for adoption of LLMs for the purposes of 1. using them for good, and 2. developing them further so that they don't get captured by corporations and governments. Illich calls both the telephone and print "almost ideally convivial". I would add the internet, cryptography, and LLMs to this list, because each one allows individuals to work cooperatively within communities to embody their values in their work.

But this is only half the story. Illich also points out how "the manipulative nature of institutions... have put these ideally convivial tools at the service of more [managerial dominance]."

Preventing the subversion and capture of our tools is not just a matter of who uses what, and for which ends. It also requires an awareness of the environment that the use of the tool (whether for virtuous or vicious ends) creates, which in turn forms the abilities, values, and desires of those who inhabit the environment.

The natural tendency of LLMs is to foster ignorance, dependence, and detachment from reality. This is not the fault of the tool itself, but that of humans' tendency to trade liberty for convenience. Nevertheless, the inherent values of a given tool naturally gives rise to an environment through use: the tool changes the world that the tool user lives in. This in turn indoctrinates the user into the internal logic of the tool, shaping their thinking, blinding them to the tool's influence, and neutering their ability to work in ways not endorsed by the structure of the tool-defined environment.

The result of this is that people are formed by their tools, becoming their slaves. We often talk about LLM misalignment, but the same is true of humans. Unreflective use of a tool creates people who are misaligned with their own interests. This is what I mean when I say that AI use is anti-human. I mean it in the same way that all unreflective tool use is anti-human. See Wendell Berry for an evaluation of industrial agriculture along the same lines.

What I'm not claiming is that a minority of high agency individuals can't use the technology for virtuous ends. In fact, I think that is an essential part of the solution. Tool use can be good. But tools that bring their users into dependence on complex industry and catechize their users into a particular system should be approached with extra caution. The plow was a convivial tool, and so were early tractors. Self-driving John Deere monstrosities are a straightforward extension of the earlier form of the technology, but are self-evidently an instrument of debt slavery, chemical dependency, industrial centralization, and degradation of the land. This over-extension of a given tool can occur regardless of the intentions of the user. As Illich says:

There is a form of malfunction in which growth does not yet tend toward the destruction of life, yet renders a tool antagonistic to its specific aims. Tools, in other words, have an optimal, a tolerable, and a negative range.

The initial form of a tool is almost always beneficial, because tools are made by humans for human ends. But as the scale of the tool grows, its logic gets more widely and forcibly applied. The solution to the anti-human tendencies of any technology is an understanding of scale. To prevent the overrun of the internal logic of a given tool and its creation of an environment hostile to human flourishing, we need to impose limits on scale.

Tools that require time periods or spaces or energies much beyond the order of corresponding natural scales are dysfunctional.

My problem with LLMs is:

• Not their imitation of human idioms, but their subversion of them and the resulting adoption of robotic idioms by humans
• Not the access they grant to information, but their ability to obscure accurate or relevant information
• Not their elimination of menial work, but its increase (Bullshit Jobs)
• Not their ability to take away jobs, but their ability to take away the meaning found in good work
• Not their ability to confer power to the user, but their ability to confer power to their owner which can be used to exploit the user
• Not their ability to solve problems mechanistically, but the extension of their mechanistic value system to human life
• Not their explicit promise of productivity, but the environment they implicitly create in which productivity depends on their use
• Not the conversations they are able to participate in, but the relationships they displace

All of these dysfunctions come from the over-application of the technology in evaluating and executing the fundamentally human task of living. AI work is the same kind of thing as an AI girlfriend, because work is not only for the creation of value (although that's an essential part of it), but also for the exercise of human agency in the world. In other words, tools must be tools, not masters. This is a problem of scale - when tool use is extended beyond its appropriate domain, it becomes what Illich calls a "radical monopoly" (the domination of a single paradigm over all of human life).

So the important question when dealing with any emergent technology becomes: how can we set limits such that the use of the technology is naturally confined to its appropriate scale?

Here are some considerations:

• Teach people how to use the technology well (e.g. cite sources when doing research, use context files instead of fighting the prompt, know when to ask questions rather than generate code)
• Create and use open source and self-hosted models and tools (MCP, stacks, tenex). Refuse to pay for closed or third-party hosted models and tools.
• Recognize the dependencies of the tool itself, for example GPU availability, and diversify the industrial sources to reduce fragility and dependence.
• Create models with built-in limits. The big companies have attempted this (resulting in Japanese Vikings), but the best-case effect is a top-down imposition of corporate values onto individuals. But the idea isn't inherently bad - a coding model that refuses to generate code in response to vague prompts, or which asks clarifying questions is an example. Or a home assistant that recognized childrens' voices and refuses to interact.
• Divert the productivity gains to human enrichment. Without mundane work to do, novice lawyers, coders, and accountants don't have an opportunity to hone their skills. But their learning could be subsidized by the bots in order to bring them up to a level that continues to be useful.
• Don't become a slave to the bots. Know when not to use it. Talk to real people. Write real code, poetry, novels, scripts. Do your own research. Learn by experience. Make your own stuff. Take a break from reviewing code to write some. Be independent, impossible to control. Don't underestimate the value to your soul of good work.
• Resist both monopoly and "radical monopoly". Both naturally collapse over time, but by cultivating an appreciation of the goodness of hand-crafted goods, non-synthetic entertainment, embodied relationship, and a balance between mobility and place, we can relegate new, threatening technologies to their correct role in society.

I think in all of this is implicit the idea of technological determinism, that productivity is power, and if you don't adapt you die. I reject this as an artifact of darwinism and materialism. The world is far more complex and full of grace than we think.

The idea that productivity creates wealth is, as we all know, bunk. GDP continues to go up, but ungrounded metrics don't reflect anything about the reality of human flourishing. We have to return to a qualitative understanding of life as whole, and contextualize quantitative tools and metrics within that framework.

Finally, don't believe the hype. Even if AI delivers everything it promises, conservatism in changing our ways of life will decelerate the rate of change society is subjected to and allow time for reflection and proper use of the tool. Curmudgeons are as valuable as technologists. There will be no jobspocalypse if there is sufficient political will to value human good over mere productivity. It's ok to pump the breaks.

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

This post is part of a series. It is meant to be a place for stackers to discuss creative projects they have been working on, or ideas they are aiming to build. Regardless of your project being personal, professional, physical, digital, or even simply an idea to brainstorm together.

If you have any creative projects or ideas that you have been working on or want to eventually work on... This is a place for discussing those, gather initial feedback and feel more energetic on bringing it to the next level.

Thank you @OT @cryotosensei @sangekrypto, @nkmg1c_ventures and @SilkyNinja for your previous contributions in https://stacker.news/items/978934/r/DeSign_r

Look forward to hearing if there's any progress there.

₿e Creative, have Fun! :D

https://stacker.news/items/1002329

@ 2cde0e02:180a96b9

pen & ink

https://stacker.news/items/1002504

@ 8bad92c3:ca714aa5

Key Takeaways

In this episode of TFTC, energy economist Anas Alhajji outlines a profound shift in U.S. foreign policy under Trump—away from military intervention and toward transactional diplomacy focused on trade, reconstruction, and curbing Chinese and Russian influence in the Middle East. He highlights Trump’s quiet outreach to Syria as emblematic of the U.S.'s strategic flexibility in legitimizing former adversaries when economically beneficial. Alhajji dismisses BRICS as a fractured bloc incapable of rivaling the U.S.-led order and insists the dollar and petrodollar remain dominant. On energy, he warns that despite favorable fundamentals, prices are suppressed by political confusion, underinvestment, and an aging power grid ill-prepared for the AI and urbanization boom. He also contends that Iran is stalling negotiations to buy time for nuclear advancement and that any deal will be superficial. Finally, Alhajji debunks the myth of Trump being pro-oil, noting his long-standing hostility toward the industry and explaining why a repeat of his past energy boom is implausible given today’s financial and structural constraints.

Best Quotes

• “BRICS is a paper tiger. Everything about BRICS is what China does—and that’s it.”
• “The dollar is here to stay. The petrodollar is here to stay. End of story.”
• “Trump hates the oil industry. He always classified it as an enemy.”
• “Energy projects are 30- to 40-year investments, but politicians think in 4-year cycles. That’s where the disconnect lies.”
• “People think shale will boom again. It won’t. The model changed from ‘drill baby drill’ to ‘control baby control.’”
• “The real story of Trump’s trip wasn’t about politics—it was investment, investment, investment.”
• “Without massive investment in the grid and gas turbines, blackouts will become the norm—even in rich countries like Kuwait.”
• “Iran and China have perfected the game of oil exports. Sanctions are just theater at this point.”

Conclusion

Anas Alhajji’s conclusion challenges conventional narratives, arguing that global power is shifting from military dominance to economic leverage, infrastructure investment, and energy control. He presents a nuanced view of U.S. foreign policy under Trump, emphasizing the strategic importance of trade and reconstruction over regime change. As energy demand soars and geopolitical risks mount, Alhajji warns that the real dangers lie not in foreign adversaries, but in policy confusion, infrastructural lag, and complacency—making this episode a crucial listen for anyone seeking to understand the high-stakes intersection of energy, economics, and diplomacy.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro
0:48 - Syria and US diplomacy in Middle East
12:50 - Trump in the Middle East
18:12 - Fold & Bitkey
19:48 - Iran - Nuclear program and PR
33:53 - Unchained
34:22 - Crude markets, trade war and US debt
54:28 - Trump's energy stance
1:05:46 - Energy sector challanges
1:14:44 - Policy recommendations
1:21:18 - AI and bitcoin

Transcript

(00:00) oil prices market fundamentals support higher price than where we are today. But because of this confusion, everyone is scared of low economic growth and that is a serious problem. The US media ignored part of Trump's speech when he said we are not about nation building and they refer to Afghanistan and Iraq.
(00:15) Look at them. This is a criticism of George W. Bush. We have groups that are talking about the demise of the dollar, the rise of bricks. Bricks is a paper tiger. Everything about bricks is what China does and that's it. The dollar is here to stay and the petro dollar is here to stay.
(00:31) The perception is that the Trump administration is cold but the reality Trump hates the oil [Music] indust. How are you? Very good. Very good. Thank you. As you were telling me, you've been a bit sleepd deprived this week trying to keep up with what's going on. Oh, absolutely. I mean, Trump keeps us on our toes uh all the time.
(01:06) In fact, I plan certain things for the weekend and Trump will say something or he will do something and all of a sudden we get busy again. Uh so clients are not going to wait for you until you finish your work. Basically, they want to know what's going on. So what is going on? What what how profound were the events in the Middle East? These are very uh very profound changes basically because it is very clear that if you look at the last 15 years uh and you look at the growth uh in the Middle East, you look at the growth of Saudi Arabia and uh the
(01:41) role of Turkey for example in the region uh it just just amazing be beyond any uh any thoughts. Uh in fact both of them Turkey and Saudi Arabia are part of the G20. Uh so they have economic influence and they have political influence. And of course the icing on the cake for those who are familiar with the region is to recognize the Syrian government and meet with the Syrian uh president.
(02:11) Uh this is a major a major change in economics and politics uh of the Middle East. Let's touch on that Syria uh topic for a while because I think a lot of people here in the United States were a bit shocked at how sort of welcoming President Trump was towards the new Syrian president considering the fact that uh he was considered an enemy not too long ago here in the United States.
(02:42) What first of all it's a fact of life for those who would like to check the history of politics. There were many people around the world who were classified or they were on the terrorism list and then they became friends of the United States or they were became heroes. I mean Nelson Mandela is one of them. You look at Latin America, there are presidents in Latin America who were uh the enemy of the United States and then they became uh uh cooperative with the United States and the United States recognized their governments and the result of their uh elections. Uh so
(03:15) we've seen this historically uh several uh several times around the world and as they say freedom fighters for some basically are the enemies and the terrorists for for others etc. So uh what we've seen that's why the the visit is very important that the recognition of this government is very important. uh the fact on the ground that uh the president of Syria had the power on the ground uh he had the the the people on the ground and he had the control on the ground and whatever he's been he's been doing since he came into power until now
(03:52) he done all the right steps u and people loved him I mean everyone who went to Syria whether the Syrians who left Syria 40 years ago or uh the visitors who are coming to Syria, they will tell you, "We have never seen the Syrian people as happy as we've seen them today, despite the fact that they they live in misery.
(04:17) They don't have um 8 million people without housing. Uh there is barely any electricity in most of the country. There is no internet. There is barely any food. The uh inflation is rampant, etc. But people are happy because they lived in fear for a very long time. And uh the steps they have taken. For example, the uh ministers in the previous government uh are still there and they are still in the housing of the government.
(04:49) They still have the drivers. They still have the cars from the previous government. They still have it until today. So uh they they were classified as enemies before. But all of a sudden now you have a new government that is uh accepting them. Uh so we we see some changes on the ground that are positive and we'll see how these things will go given that the area around them basically has been unstable for a very long time.
(05:17) how because I don't the the news when I was actually it was surreal for me because my first trip to the Middle East was last December when it was literally f flying over Syria to Abu Dhabi when uh um Assad was getting thrown out and it was pretty surreal to be in that region of the world.
(05:43) How as it pertains to like religious minorities within Syria moving forward is there protractions protections there? Um well let me just uh I want to emphasize one point that is very important. What did the interest of Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United States in Syria if remember Syria was controlled by Iran and was controlled by the Russians.
(06:09) So in a sense it becomes uh kind of an imperative that taking it away from Iran and Russia and not bringing Iran or Russia back is extremely important. Now the Russians are still there and they have their own base but at least they are not bombing the Syrians and not killing them anymore. But the idea here is taking Syria out of Iran and Russia and probably later on if they kick the Russians out, Russians will not have access to the Mediterranean.
(06:37) Uh so there is an interest uh of all parties basically to take Russia out of Iran and um out of uh Syria regardless the country is uh devastated and it creates massive opportunities for US companies on all levels and uh we've seen a contract uh done recently with you mentioned Abu Dhabi uh uh a contract uh uh with the UA a basically to revamp all the Syrian ports and work on the Syrian ports.
(07:13) Uh so such contracts basically uh when you have a country that has nothing and it's completely devastated the whole infrastructure is devastated. Who is going to build it? If the uh what the Chinese, the Russians, so who who are going to build it? So, uh I think there is a a big room for US companies and others basically to come in and uh literally help on one side and make money on the other.
(07:38) Yeah, I think that that's what I'm trying to discern. What was this convoy from the United States to the Middle East this week signali

@ ea39b0da:29a1710d

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@ 36f96bcb:2ff3888b

“No man is free who is not master of himself.” — Epictetus

We’re living in a world full of anxiety, noise, dependency, and fragility. And a lot of it, whether people realise it or not, is rooted in the fiat money system and the high-time-preference lifestyle it encourages.

It’s crazy. We’ve advanced so far in terms of technology and information, yet most people feel more trapped, more lost, and more reactive than ever before. Instead of a world of abundance and cooperation, we see isolation, selfishness, and division. Everyone's chasing something — status, dopamine, fake meaning — while feeling emptier by the day.

Enter Stoicism

Stoicism is a philosophy that’s been largely forgotten over the past couple of thousand years. But it holds the keys to internal sovereignty. My goal with Sovereign Stoic is to bring that way of thinking and living back into the conversation and help more people discover its power.

At the core of Stoicism is the idea of controlling your reactions, your desires, and your judgments. These aren’t just “nice-to-have” traits, they’re essential in a world as chaotic and manipulated as ours.

And they’re exactly what we’re missing today.

The world tells you to follow every impulse. To rage online. To compare yourself constantly. But the Stoics knew that the only thing you can truly control is your own mind.

So instead of pointing fingers or playing the victim, we need to start with ourselves. Discipline. Reflection. Restraint. Not just talking the talk, but actually walking it.

Enter Bitcoin

Bitcoin is the tool that gives us external sovereignty. It’s not just better money, it’s a whole new way of opting out of broken systems. It’s the first real chance we have to reclaim our time, our savings, and our independence from corrupt central banks and weaponised finance.

It’s wild how few people understand what Bitcoin enables. And that’s okay. It’s only been around for 16 years. The best things always take time.

But for those of us who do get it, Bitcoin is more than a store of value, it’s a statement. It’s responsibility. No bailouts. No middlemen. No excuses.

You hold your keys, or you don’t. You prepare, or you suffer. Simple as that.

As the world gets more censorious, more controlled, and more chaotic, Bitcoin becomes more necessary. Not just as money, but as a way of life.

The Overlap

Here’s where it all connects.

Both Stoicism and Bitcoin are about agency. They ask you to take full ownership of your life. In a world where everything is built for convenience, where you can tap a screen and have anything delivered, human agency is being eroded. We’ve become soft.

But Stoicism reminds us: life isn’t meant to be easy. Growth happens through challenge. Mastery through struggle. Character through pain.

And Bitcoin? It doesn’t coddle you either. It demands responsibility. Long-term thinking. Patience. Sound judgment.

These two worlds — Stoic philosophy and the Bitcoin protocol, aren’t just compatible. They belong together.

The Mission

The goal of Sovereign Stoic is to explore this intersection and help more people reclaim control over their minds and their money.

The past 100 years have softened us. We’ve handed over responsibility for our lives, our wealth, and our futures. That needs to change, and I believe it is changing.

Stoicism and Bitcoin both teach the same lesson: live with discipline, take full responsibility, and build something that matters. Not just for yourself, but for the people around you. For your family. For your community. For the future.

Final Invitation

If this speaks to you, even just a little I invite you to join the journey.

Subscribe. Reflect. Drop a comment. Let’s build this space together.

Self-mastery doesn’t come overnight. It takes effort, commitment, and a lot of failures along the way. But the fact that you're reading this means you’re already on the path.

And that’s a damn good start.

Fix the money. Fix the mindset.\ Become a Sovereign Stoic.

---

*Get this newsletter sent to your inbox: https://sovereignstoic.substack.com/

@ 2cde0e02:180a96b9

pen; monochromized

The Heart and Stomach operate within the same neurological pathway. Desire displays itself as hunger because that's our animal way of understanding it. When the heart is deprived, the stomach compensates but never satiates. However when the love ❤️ desire is fulfilled, hunger ceases; and the nervous system regulates. There is no overeating when the system is in balance.

Likewise, an oxytocin surge dominates the dopamine pathway. But when love is ill, it is the dopamine hit that becomes the substitute. Gambling, sugar, smoking, money, and alcohol give short term relieve for the unavailable love and deprivation of the heart.

https://stacker.news/items/1002414

@ ea39b0da:29a1710d

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@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

Bluebird Mining Ventures Ltd., a UK-listed gold exploration company, has made headlines after announcing it will convert future revenues into bitcoin. This is the first time a UK mining company has committed to having a bitcoin treasury.

Bluebird Mining on X

The news sent Bluebird’s stock flying, rising 63% to £0.6 in 48 hours.

Bluebird which has gold projects in South Korea and the Philippines says this is part of a broader plan to modernize how it manages its finances.

“By adopting a ‘gold plus a digital gold’ strategy, it offers the Company an opportunity to turn the page and look to the future and seek to attract a new type of shareholder,” said Aidan Bishop, Interim CEO and Executive Director.

The company’s management believes bitcoin’s rise as a financial asset reflects growing dissatisfaction with traditional stores of value like gold.

Gold has been a reliable hedge against inflation for centuries, but bitcoin is now being seen as a digital alternative – thanks to its limited supply and independence from central bank policies.

Related: Gold at Historic Low Against Bitcoin | A Paradigm Shift?

“Gold’s position as a store of value has been under threat due to the rising global adoption of bitcoin, which some commentators have described as ‘digital gold’,” Bluebird said in a statement.

The plan is simple. Revenue from Bluebird’s gold mining projects will be used to buy bitcoin. The company says this will allow it to preserve capital and have growth potential through exposure to the digital asset market.

The digital asset will be held on the company’s balance sheet as a long-term reserve asset, just like some companies hold gold or cash. Bluebird sees this as proactive, especially in today’s volatile world of inflation, high debt, and global geopolitical tensions. Bishop said:

“I am convinced that we are witnessing a tectonic shift in global markets and that Bitcoin will reshape the landscape of financial markets on every level.”

Bluebird Mining Ventures is a small but big-thinking company.

With 7 employees and operations across Asia, it’s focused on reopening high-grade gold mines that have been closed. Its main projects are the Gubong and Kochang mines in South Korea and the Batangas Gold Project in the Philippines.

In May 2025, the company renewed its mining permit in the Philippines and is finalizing a deal with its local partner to have a “free carry” — meaning it will hold a share of the future profits without putting in any more money.

At the same time, Bluebird is preparing legal action in South Korea to protect its existing assets there, so while it loves Bitcoin, it hasn’t forgotten its mining roots.

To lead this transformation, Bluebird is currently looking for a new CEO with Bitcoin experience. The company says the right leadership will be key to navigating this hybrid financial model that combines traditional resource extraction with modern financials.

@ ea39b0da:29a1710d

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@ f0fd6902:a2fbaaab

Trestles is a collection of surfing spots between northern San Onofre State Beach in San Diego County and southern San Clemente in Orange County in California.Trestles consists of, from north to south, Upper Trestles (Uppers), Lower Trestles (Lowers), and Middle Trestles (Middles). North of Upper Trestles is the surf spot called Cottons. South of Middles is the surf spot called The Church. Middles gets its name because it was a middle area between Trestles (both Uppers and Lowers breaks) and The Church (sometimes just called "Church". It is named after Trestles Bridge, a wooden trestle bridge that surfers must walk under to reach the beach, replaced in 2012 by a concrete viaduct.

Lower Trestles consistently has the best waves of the group. For many years, the WSL World Tour surfing competition and the NSSA Nationals were annually held at Lowers. Uppers is less consistent, but it has the potential to be a good wave with a long ride. North of Uppers is Cotton's Point, the location of former president Richard Nixon's home, La Casa Pacifica, aka "The Western White House", and the associated surfing spot of Cottons.

Seasonal stream During periods of strong rain, Trestles has a stream that runs through its center and empties into the ocean. Usually, the stream flows during the winter and spring, the seasons with the most rain in Southern California. The stream does not contain much marine life as it dries up without a steady water source. The stream creates a small pool which contains mainly tadpoles. When the stream dries up above ground, an underground water flow still exits into the ocean, just not through a river delta.

Wave: Trestles Nicknames: Lowers, Middles, Uppers Where: San Onofre State Beach Park, California, USA When: Best Autumn to Spring Why: Smooth as silk Stats: Holds 1-12ft, wave ride from 150ft to 500ft

Link to follow the Event (Yesterday was postponed du to weather conditions):

https://www.worldsurfleague.com/events/2025/ct/327/lexus-trestles-pro/results

To watch live :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tcWqwaAwCc&ab_channel=WorldSurfLeague

https://stacker.news/items/1002382

@ ea39b0da:29a1710d

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@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

The Coinbase Lightning Network is Coinbase’s implementation of Bitcoin’s Lightning Network technology, launched in partnership with Lightspark in April 2024. This innovative solution allows users to send, receive, and pay with bitcoin instantly and cheaply directly from their Coinbase accounts.

Think of the Coinbase Lightning Network as the express lane of bitcoin transactions. While regular bitcoin transfers can take 10-60 minutes and cost several dollars in fees, Lightning Network transactions on Coinbase complete in seconds with fees typically under a cent.

Key Benefits of Coinbase Lightning Network:

• Instant transfers: Transactions complete in seconds, not hours
• Ultra-low fees: 0.2% processing fee vs. traditional network fees
• Global reach: Send bitcoin anywhere in the world instantly
• Cost efficiency: 20 times cheaper than traditional credit card fees

Coinbase Lightning Network vs Regular Bitcoin Transfers

Understanding the difference between Coinbase Lightning Network and regular bitcoin transfers is crucial for choosing the right method:

Feature

Coinbase Lightning Network

Regular Bitcoin Transfer

Speed

Instant (seconds)

10-60 minutes

Fees

0.2% + minimal network fee

$5-50+ depending on network

Best for

Small to medium amounts

Large amounts, long-term storage

Availability

24/7 instant

Subject to network congestion

The Coinbase Lightning Network processes transactions “off-chain,” creating payment channels that settle later on the main Bitcoin blockchain, resulting in dramatically faster and cheaper transactions.

How to Send Bitcoin Using Coinbase Lightning Network

Sending Bitcoin through Coinbase’s Lightning option is incredibly straightforward. Follow these step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: Access Your Coinbase Account

1. Sign in to your Coinbase account via web browser or mobile app
2. Ensure you have bitcoin (BTC) in your account balance
3. Navigate to your portfolio and locate your bitcoin holdings

Step 2: Initiate the Lightning Transfer

1. Click “Transfer” then select “Send crypto”
2. Choose bitcoin (BTC) as your asset
3. Enter the amount you wish to send
4. Select Lightning Network as your transfer method

Step 3: Add Recipient Information

1. Obtain the Lightning Network invoice from your recipient
2. Paste the invoice into the recipient field
3. The Coinbase Lightning Network will automatically detect and validate the invoice
4. Review the transaction details carefully

Step 4: Complete the Transaction

1. Verify the amount and recipient information
2. Click “Send” to initiate the transfer
3. Your Coinbase Lightning Network transaction will complete within seconds
4. Both you and the recipient will receive confirmation notifications

How to Receive Bitcoin via Coinbase Lightning Network

Receiving Bitcoin through Coinbase’s Lightning option requires generating a Lightning invoice. Here’s your complete guide:

Step 1: Generate a Lightning Invoice

1. Log into your Coinbase account
2. Navigate to “Transfer” then “Receive crypto”
3. Select Bitcoin (BTC) as the asset you wish to receive
4. Choose “Lightning Network” as your receiving method

Step 2: Create Your Invoice

1. Enter the specific amount you want to receive (required for Lightning)
2. Add an optional description or memo
3. Click “Generate Invoice”
4. Your Lightning Network invoice will appear as both a QR code and text string

Step 3: Share Your Invoice

1. Copy the Lightning invoice text or share the QR code
2. Send this information to the person sending you Bitcoin
3. Remember: Lightning invoices expire after 72 hours
4. Generate a new invoice if the original expires

Step 4: Receive Your Bitcoin

1. Once the sender pays your invoice, you’ll receive instant notification
2. The bitcoin will appear in your Coinbase account immediately
3. No waiting for blockchain confirmations required with Coinbase Lightning Network

Coinbase Lightning Network Fees and Limits

Understanding the fee structure of Coinbase Lightning Network helps you make informed decisions:

• Processing Fee: 0.2% of the transfer amount
• Network Fee: Minimal (typically fractions of a cent)
• Minimum Amount: Varies by region, typically $0.1- 5
• Maximum Amount: Subject to your account limits and Lightning Network capacity

The Coinbase Lightning Network offers significant savings compared to traditional bitcoin transfers, especially for smaller amounts under $1,000.

Troubleshooting Common Coinbase Lightning Network Issues

Even with the user-friendly Coinbase Lightning Network, you might encounter some challenges:

Invoice Expired Error

• Solution: Generate a fresh Lightning invoice
• Prevention: Complete transactions promptly after generating invoices

Transaction Failed

• Cause: Insufficient Lightning Network liquidity or routing issues
• Solution: Try again in a few minutes or use smaller amounts

Can’t Find Lightning Option

• Check: Ensure Lightning is available in your region
• Verify: Update your Coinbase app to the latest version

Address Whitelist Issues

• Problem: Lightning invoices may not work with address whitelisting enabled
• Solution: Temporarily disable whitelisting or contact Coinbase support

The Coinbase Lightning Network transforms bitcoin from a store of value into a practical, everyday payment method. With instant transactions, minimal fees, and user-friendly implementation, it’s never been easier to send and receive bitcoin.

@ 866e0139:6a9334e5

Autor: Anna Nagel. (Bild: Lukas Karl). Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben. Sie finden alle Texte der Friedenstaube und weitere Texte zum Thema Frieden hier. Die neuesten Pareto-Artikel finden Sie auch in unserem Telegram-Kanal.

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Die neuesten Artikel der Friedenstaube gibt es jetzt auch im eigenen Friedenstaube-Telegram-Kanal.

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Im ersten Teil von «Mitgefühl und Vergebung» bin ich, um eine Übersicht zu verschaffen, eher auf eine generelle Ebene eingegangen, und wie wir Schuldvorwürfe und Zorn durch Perspektivwechsel entschärfen können. Es ging mehr um die «großen» Themen, die Themengebiete, die unverzeihlich scheinen. In diesem Text möchte ich jetzt einmal näher heranzoomen und am direkten Beispiel einen Weg der Reflexion aufzeigen, der zu überraschenden – und hoffentlich auch für dich – versöhnlichen Ergebnissen führen kann. Denn häufig halten wir an kleineren Situationen und Verletzungen fest, und, obwohl der Verstand «weiß», dass man schon irgendwie loslassen könnte, weiß man manchmal nicht recht wie.

Teil 1 finden Sie hier.

Möchtest du das wirklich?

Vor einiger Zeit tat jemand etwas, das mir schwer zu Herzen ging. Es widersprach meinem Verständnis von Mitgefühl, Anstand, Moral und Freundschaft und obwohl ich nicht direkt angegriffen wurde, verletzte und empörte mich dieses Verhalten zutiefst. Ja, ich war verletzt und ja, ich war wütend. All das fühlte ich durch, akzeptierte es, doch loslassen konnte ich es anscheinend irgendwie noch nicht. Und obwohl ich weiß, dass Heilung Zeit braucht, spürte ich, dass noch irgendetwas fehlte. Irgendwas, was ich noch nicht sah, noch nicht erkannt oder gelernt hatte.

Es kamen mir also immer wieder verärgerte Gedanken in den Sinn und wenn durch irgendeinen «Zufall» das Thema wieder auf den Tisch kam, kam alles wieder hoch. Bis ich die Gedanken samt Gefühlen bis zum Schluss zurückverfolgte.

Ich fragte mich, was ich denn eigentlich wollte; was könnte dazu führen, dass dieser Anteil in mir befriedet wird? Was ist sein Antrieb? Der Anteil wollte nämlich die ganze Zeit über immer mal wieder Aktionen von mir fordern, von denen ich aber nicht den Eindruck hatte, dass es dadurch besser werden würde. Also fragte – besser gesagt stellte – ich diesen Anteil.

«Möchtest du, dass diese Person Schmerz erleidet? Dass es ihr emotional schlecht geht? Sie Reue, Schuld und Scham empfindet? Möchtest du, dass ihr gar Unglück geschieht, dass sie ihren Job verliert, oder ihr Geld? Liebe Anna, möchtest du das wirklich? Was ist das dann? Eifersucht? Neid? Rache? Schadenfreude? Glaubst du wirklich, dass es dir dann besser geht? Möchtest du so sein oder vielmehr: Bist du so? Liebe Wut, ist das deine Absicht?»

Etwas betroffen sah ich mich in mir um und es wurde still. Ein eigentümliches Gefühl breitete sich im Bauch aus. Die Wut war verflogen und es zeigte sich eher eine Mischung aus Scham, etwas Schuld aber auch Demut. Eigentlich wollte ich das nämlich nicht. Eigentlich bin ich nicht rachsüchtig. Und möchte es auch gar nicht sein.

«Nein, ich möchte nicht, dass es der Person schlecht geht», beschwichtigte vorsichtig eine leise innere Stimme, die sich traute die Stille zu durchbrechen. «Eigentlich», fügte sie zaghaft hinzu, «wünsche ich mir, dass sie sieht, wie es mir geht…».

Verstehen und Mitgefühl breiteten sich aus. Berührt bedankte ich mich für die Tiefe und Ehrlichkeit, die dieser Anteil mir entgegen gebracht hatte und nahm ihn innerlich fest in die Arme. «Ich sehe dich, ich fühle dich. Und ich liebe dich».

Gesehen werden

Diese Erkenntnis erinnerte mich an das Thema Anerkennung, das ich im Beitrag «Der Schmerz des Nicht-Anerkanntseins» bereits aufgefasst habe und daher in diesem Text nur kurz erwähne. Wer den Text kennt, weiß, dass ich gerne mit der eigenen Vorstellungskraft arbeite. Also stellte ich mir vor, wie diese Person vor mir steht und meinen Schmerz und mein Leid sieht, spürt und anerkennt. In dieser inneren Situation war ebenfalls keine Wut mehr, kein Impuls zu schreien oder zu argumentieren, zu debattieren. Es war alles gesagt. Es war alles in Ordnung. Wenn wir das Glück haben, dass diese Person erreichbar ist, ist es natürlich heilsam, wenn wir die Möglichkeit haben, ihr unsere Gefühle mitzuteilen. Dafür ist es aber nicht minder wichtig, sich darüber bewusst zu werden, was wir denn eigentlich brauchen. Es geht aber tatsächlich auch allein.

Und ich frage mich, ob es beim Thema Rache generell im Kern darum geht, dass wir uns nicht gesehen fühlen. Dass wir uns stumm und taub und hilflos – möglicherweise gar vollends machtlos – fühlen. Wenn unsere Grenzen verletzt oder überschritten, wenn sie möglicherweise komplett niedergerissen wurden, versucht etwas in uns, sich selbst zu behaupten.

«Du hast deine Kindheit vergessen, aus den Tiefen deiner Seele wirbt sie um dich. Sie wird dich so lange leiden machen, bis du sie erhörst.»

– Hermann Hesse

Manchmal aber können wir es nicht; wir können in einigen Fällen – und wollen in anderen – nicht mit gleicher Kraft zurückschlagen. Sei es, weil die Person nicht erreichbar ist (physisch oder mental) oder weil uns etwas innerlich bremst. Solange aber der Schmerz da ist, solange er nicht gesehen und geheilt wird, wird ein anderer Aspekt in uns immer lauter werden. Er bleibt im Verteidigungsmodus, er will aus der Ohnmacht zurück in die Selbstwirksamkeit. Und so meint er lauter und lauter werden zu müssen, um sich gesehen und gehört zu fühlen. Er meint, er müsse mit gleicher Wucht antworten oder sogar noch lauter werden, um seine Anerkennung zu bekommen – und letztlich seinen Frieden zu finden.

Da ist es diesem Verteidigungssystem schlicht nicht bewusst – oder auch egal –, ob das eigene Verhalten niederen moralischen Impulsen entspringt, «Der andere hat angefangen!», und auch, ob wir uns selbst damit schuldig machen sowie, ob unsere, möglicherweise irgendwann durch Überdruck entstandene Auslebung unserer Wut überhaupt noch die Person trifft, die uns eigentlich einst diese Wunde zufügte, oder ob wir sie auf andere projizieren. Hier bedarf es tiefer Ehrlichkeit mit uns und unseren Gefühlen und Impulsen. 

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DIE FRIEDENSTAUBE FLIEGT AUCH IN IHR POSTFACH!

Hier können Sie die Friedenstaube abonnieren und bekommen die Artikel zugesandt, vorerst für alle kostenfrei, wir starten gänzlich ohne Paywall. (Die Bezahlabos fangen erst zu laufen an, wenn ein Monetarisierungskonzept für die Inhalte steht). Sie wollen der Genossenschaft beitreten oder uns unterstützen? Mehr Infos hier oder am Ende des Textes.

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Schuld und Frieden

Diese Form von Reflexion kann nur auf einer anderen Ebene stattfinden, als der des traumatisierten Anteils. Auf einer, von der aus wir auch sehen können, ob wir uns durch unsere eigene Unversöhnlichkeit schuldig machen.

Ab wann machen wir uns eigentlich selbst schuldig? Sind wir erst Schuldige, wenn wir handeln? Oder bereits, wenn wir jemand anderem Schlechtes wünschen? Gibt es eine «energetische Schuld»? Oder gibt es Schuld überhaupt? Und gibt es «Das Böse»? Sitzt es in jedem von uns? Diese Fragen kann sicherlich nur jedes Gewissen für sich selbst beantworten.

Falls es «Das Böse» gibt, scheint es sich durch unversöhnte Verletzungen in uns hineinzuschleichen oder auszubreiten. Die verletzten Anteile, die eigentlich nur gesehen werden wollen, fungieren als Trittbrett für Wut und Rachegelüste. Sie können im Extremfall als «Entschuldigung» oder Rechtfertigung dienen – oder vielleicht besser missbraucht werden –, endlich auch mal wütend und unmoralisch zu sein. Wenn im extremsten Fall sterbende Kinder im Krieg als Grund hergenommen werden, um auf der anderen Seite der Welt jemanden erschießen zu «dürfen», dann wird es, meinem Empfinden nach, arg düster.

Aber gleich, wo das «Böse» sitzt oder ob es es in Reinform gibt: Wir haben die Wahl. Immer. Unrecht im Außen ist keine Legitimation dafür, selbst Unrecht zu begehen, denn es wäre schlichtweg eine Ausrede. Der Kern unserer Gedanken und Handlungen findet sich in uns selbst. Daher ist es unsere Aufgabe, im eigenen Herzen Frieden zu schließen, unseren Schmerz anzuerkennen, unsere Wunden zu heilen und dem Bösen das Trittbrett zu entziehen, denn – ob es eine gedanklich «energetische» Schuld gibt oder nicht –, eines ist klar:

Wenn wir an Wut, Neid und Rachegedanken festhalten, bleiben wir uns unseres eigenen inneren Friedens schuldig. Ebenso des Anteils an Frieden, den wir in die Welt bringen könnten.

«Wenn wir den Frieden nicht in uns selbst finden, ist es sinnlos, ihn anderswo zu suchen.» – François de La Rochefoucauld

Und wenn das noch schwer fällt, erinnere ich an dieser Stelle noch einmal an die Worte der weisen Frau aus dem ersten Teil: «Dann verzeih dir wenigstens selber deine Unversöhnlichkeit», denn «Mitgefühl beginnt bei uns selbst», – worauf ich im nächsten Teil dieser Reihe näher eingehen werde. Denn niemand von uns ist frei von Schuld; und manchmal ist die schwierigste Aufgabe, sich selbst zu vergeben. Somit sind auch wir auf unsere eigene Gnade, unser eigenes Verständnis und Mitgefühl angewiesen.

Und wer es schafft, sich selbst zu verzeihen, dem wird es auch gleich leichter fallen, anderen zu vergeben.

«Vergeben heißt, einen Gefangenen zu befreien und zu entdecken, dass der Gefangene du warst.» – Lewis B. Smedes

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LASSEN SIE DER FRIEDENSTAUBE FLÜGEL WACHSEN!

Die Genossenschaft ist bereits mitten im Gründungsprozess, in Kürze folgt eine Mail an alle Genossenschafter, danke für die Geduld!

Hier können Sie die Friedenstaube abonnieren und bekommen die Artikel zugesandt.

Schon jetzt können Sie uns unterstützen:

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• Ab 1000 CHF werden Sie Genossenschafter der Friedenstaube mit Stimmrecht (und bekommen lebenslanges Abo, T-Shirt/Hoodie).

Für Einzahlungen in CHF (Betreff: Friedenstaube):

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Betreff: Friedenstaube

Wenn Sie auf anderem Wege beitragen wollen, schreiben Sie die Friedenstaube an: friedenstaube@pareto.space

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Sie sind noch nicht auf Nostr and wollen die volle Erfahrung machen (liken, kommentieren etc.)? Zappen können Sie den Autor auch ohne Nostr-Profil! Erstellen Sie sich einen Account auf Start. Weitere Onboarding-Leitfäden gibt es im Pareto-Wiki.

@ f85b9c2c:d190bcff

Having the know-how when diving into a new interest can greatly increase your understanding of a topic. In the crypto space there is a series of words, phrases, abbreviations that some people may find confusing when they first jump into the world of NFTs and crypto. But even with a basic understanding of just a few key words and phrases you can easily begin to navigate the crypto and NFT space. Blockchain A blockchain is a shared ledger that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets in a business network. An asset can be tangible (a house, car, cash, land) or intangible (property, patents, copyrights, branding). The goal of blockchain technology is to allow digital information to be recorded and distributed but not edited. In this way a blockchain is the records of transactions that cannot be altered, deleted, or destroyed. Virtually anything of value can be tracked and traded on a blockchain network which can reduce risk and cut costs for all involved. Blockchain technology was first outlined In 1991 by Stuart Haber and W. Scott Stornetta two mathematicians who wanted to implement a more secure online system where document could not be tampered with. NFT (Non-Fingable Token) NFT means non-fungible tokens (NFTs) which are generally created using the same type of programming used for cryptocurrencies. An NFT can be a digital asset that represents real-world objects like art, music, in-game items and videos. “Tokenizing” these real-world tangible assets makes buying, selling, and trading them more efficient while reducing the probability of fraud. They are typically bought and sold online frequently with a form of cryptocurrency or crypto token, and they are generally encoded with the same software as many cryptos. In simple terms these cryptographic assets are based on blockchain technology. Physical currency and cryptocurrency are fungible, which means that they can be traded or exchanged for one another. The term NFT means that it can neither be replaced nor interchanged because it has unique properties. GameFi GameFi — involves blockchain games that offer economic incentives to play them, otherwise known as play-to-earn games. Typically players can earn in-game rewards by completing tasks, battling other players or progressing through various game levels. For those unfamiliar with gaming let us put it this way: GameFi is to the gaming industry. Essentially, GameFi aims to revolutionize the traditional gaming infrastructure by combining and integrating blockchain technology and decentralized finance. Mining vs. minting Mining is the process of recording and verifying transactions on a public digital record of transactions known as a blockchain under a proof-of-work protocol. In order to do that miners solve complex mathematical problems and in return there is the possibility they will be rewarded with a certain amount of cryptocurrency for their efforts. Minting is the process of validating information, creating a new block, and recording that information into the blockchain through a proof-of-stake protocol. Under the Proof-of-Stake mechanism coins are not minted through mining but rather through staking. Proof-of-Stake does not have miners it has validators and it does not let people mine new blocks but instead lets people mint or create new blocks. DeFi (Decentralized Finance) DeFi — short for decentralized finance — is a new vision of banking and financial services that is based on peer-to-peer payments through blockchain technology.With blockchain technology, DeFi allows “trust-less” banking, sidestepping traditional financial middlemen such as banks or brokers. DeFi is based on secure distributed ledgers similar to those used by cryptocurrencies. The system removes the control banks and institutions have on money, financial products, and financial services. With DeFi fees that banks and other financial companies charge for using their services are eliminated and you have control over your money by holding it in a secure digital wallet instead of keeping it in a bank. Anyone with an internet connection can use DeFi without needing approval from a financial institution. DApps (Decentralized Applications) Decentralized applications or dApps, often built on the Ethereum platform, are similar to traditional software programs, but instead of running on a typical software server they run on blockchain networks. Because dApps are decentralized they are free from the control and interference of a single authority. Benefits of dApps include the safeguarding of user privacy, the lack of censorship and the flexibility and freedom of development.

Bull market The term “bull market” is most often used to refer to the stock market but can be applied to anything that is traded such as bonds, real estate, currencies, and commodities. Because prices of securities rise and fall essentially continuously during trading the term “bull market” is typically reserved for extended periods in which a large portion of security prices are rising. Bull markets tend to last for months or even years.

Bear market A bear market occurs when a market experiences prolonged price declines. Factors such as a weak or slowing economy or shocks like pandemics or war can all contribute to a bear market.

FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) FOMO is the acronym for “Fear Of Missing Out.” In the context of financial markets and trading FOMO refers to the fear that a trader, holder, or investor feels when they think that they may be missing out on a potentially investment or trading opportunity when the price of a token increases. The FOMO feeling is particularly high when the price of a token rises in value significantly over a relatively short time.

The crypto and NFT space is a vast online world that can seem confusing and at times a difficult place to compass for most. With all of the acronyms.crypto slang and words there is to learn in crypto there is always some new phrase or word to learn, and by no means is this all but it can definitely be a start for those who are looking to get started in the crypto space and might need a cheat code.

@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

A new step for the American bank in the digital asset space: Bitcoin ETFs cleared for use as collateral for financing.

JPMorgan Chase will allow clients to use spot Bitcoin ETFs as collateral to obtain loans. According to sources close to the project, cited by Bloomberg, the initiative will launch in the coming weeks and will involve trading and wealth management clients on a global scale.

The bank has decided to begin this new phase starting with crypto ETFs, beginning with the BlackRock iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), which has already surpassed $70 billion in assets under management (AUM). The decision is part of a broader strategy aimed at enabling selected clients to access financing by using cryptocurrency-related assets as collateral. Before this change, JPMorgan only accepted crypto ETFs as loan collateral under specific conditions.

The American bank’s new approach will see Bitcoin ETFs treated like other traditional assets when calculating a client’s borrowing capacity. Just as is currently the case with stocks, cars, or works of art, crypto ETFs will become an integral part of standard wealth evaluations.

Although CEO Jamie Dimon has historically been known for his skeptical stance on Bitcoin, the bank announced last month that it would soon allow clients to purchase spot ETFs on the leading cryptocurrency — although without offering custody services.

The new rules will apply to all of JPMorgan’s wealth management clients worldwide, from retail customers to high-net-worth individuals. The bank will also integrate crypto holdings into the net worth assessments of clients managed by its wealth management division.

The post JPMorgan Chase: Bitcoin ETFs accepted as loan collateral appeared first on Atlas21.

@ 8d5ba92c:c6c3ecd5

Over the years, I’ve hit many different Bitcoin events across Europe, recently LATAM and Asia too. Small local meetups, bigger gatherings, mid-sized and large conferences, as well as cultural festivals like the one just held in Warsaw, Poland, Bitcoin FilmFest (aka BFF25, which I also co-run).

With probably an average of 7-10 gatherings a year, it’s a lot for some, not enough for others. For me, it’s a learning process hunting signal: real people, real ideas, real talks. In a way, Proof of Work—joining these events takes time and energy, it too yields the results—new connections, collaborations, or even just further steps toward our sovereign lives, meeting after meeting, just like adding a block to the chain.

When choosing a new place to join, location and program are important, almost equal, but what matters most is the overall theme and the vibe it creates with the ‘crowd’. Almost a paranormal synergy of what organizers bring and what attendees add with their presence.

May-June 2025...

First, culture without chains. Then privacy, tech, and cypher action. Still buzzing from BFF25, just a week later, a bit tired but stoked, I managed to take a 3-hour flight from Poland to Spain.

Worth it? Absolutely! Why? Continue reading to figure out.

BCC8333. Let’s first break down the name.

Barcelona Cyphers Conference, with “8333” referring to the port Bitcoin nodes use to sync the timechain in a decentralized network. Well, BCC8333 promised substance, not just empty fluff, from the very start. Honestly, I wouldn’t even call it a 'conference' but a high-signal, well-structured meetup of maybe 150-200 individuals. No influencers, no VIP rooms. No hype, no pressure.

Unleashing Decentralized Freedom.

Held at Palau Dalmases, a 17th-century palace in Barcelona’s Born district, the venue was pure magic. Its courtyard, with stair rails carved with mythological scenes, had an artistic, almost rebellious soul tied to its flamenco background (the venue officially hosts flamenco shows in the evenings). Not too big, not too small, it was just perfect for deep talks, hands-on workshops, signal-not-bullshit presentations, and real debates.

The courtyard, the heart of the venue, welcomed us with sunny weather and stylish décor, sparking some of the best daytime conversations I’ve had. The entire place, with its history and defiant spirit, felt ready for us to build something special. https://i.nostr.build/5CbApOqFnb8UoB0F.png

Organized by locals—Spanish Maxis with a cypherpunk soul—and attended by folks from across the globe, it was a perfect mix of knowledge and experiences. Deep discussions on tech, privacy, geo-politics, culture, communities, health, lifestyle, and philosophy. Precious moments with familiar faces or new ones, all working on very interesting projects. Fact: smaller crowd let you dive deep into talks and build genuine connections.

The program was thoughtfully structured. Intense sessions balanced with space to breathe, think, talk, and eat.

(Note: BCC8333, smack in the heart of Barcelona, meant plenty of nearby dining options despite tourist crowds and occasional long lines for top tapas bars. Breaks were long enough, so you could savor decent meals while enjoying the 5-10 minute walk here or there with other attendees. Could you pay in SATs everywhere? Not really, not outside the venue. But let’s be realistic: in a group of Bitcoiners, there’s always a way to use SATs, swapping fiat with others who’ll need it sooner or later. Win-win. Personally, I find these scenarios even better—Bitcoiners roaming the city for days, asking ‘Can I pay in bitcoin?’ again and again, spread a message stronger than just a group of us closed off at the venue doing our own thing. Moving around and repeating the same question will sooner or later inspire new places to take Bitcoin payments seriously. FYI: at one dinner, a delicious Brazilian steakhouse, we convinced a waiter to download a Lightning wallet, accept his tips in SATs, and vow to dig deeper into Bitcoin and Nostr in the coming days.)

Back To The Event and Its Agenda.

Practical workshops, sharp presentations, and real debates (sadly, still too rare in the space) covered topics like privacy, nodes, wallets, Bitaxe miners, and Nostr. Crucial stuff to forge the sovereign life.

https://i.nostr.build/PvD1bDKr9qQ87Mr5.png

- My personal highlights?

Friday’s sessions on the history and future of cypherpunks (Spanish / English, with Alfre Mancera, Entropy, Bebop, Max Hillebrand, and Begleri); Miniscripts Roundtable-Discussion (English, with Edouard from Liana, Landabaso from Rewind, Francesco from BitVault, Yuri da Silva from Great Wall); Self-Sufficient Houses (English with Matthew Prosser); and the debate on Op_return (English, with Peter Todd; Unhosted Marcellus, and Lunaticoin).

I couldn’t catch everything—too busy in hallway chats connecting dots from the past to the present for a stronger future ;) … Luckily, the main stage sessions were recorded by the organizers (follow Nostr: BCC833, with extra interviews/coverage done by Juan Cienfuegos (BitCorner Podcast). Sure, all of it will drop online soon.

https://i.nostr.build/lNppYMtEtz8DGNhi.png

- What left me in awe?

Pure, unfiltered signal.

First, the Spanish Bitcoin scene is a force. Well-organized, connected, decentralized but acting as one when needed. People relentlessly focused on building, not just talking. BCC8333 was proof.

Second, the fusion of ideas is remarkable; the power of plebs putting them into practice moves the world forward. Just as Bitcoin doesn’t need a CEO, Bitcoiners don’t need typical trendsetters or idols. Case by case, we verify truth ourselves, like nodes in a network, organically building, improving, brainstorming, discussing—not on flashy stages or in cold expo hangars, but in dynamic meetups like this one.

Third, the tribe. Don’t get me wrong, even with thousands of attendees, you can find your people if you try. But with a few hundred, free of overwhelming noise and far too many folks rushing around, you don’t miss the most valuable chats. BCC8333 was no different. I met and re-met my soulmates. The tribe you laugh with, but also work hard with when needed. Simply put: people who share the cypherpunk fire. Sovereignty and hands-on freedom.

- Bonus stuff?

Though the topics were serious (and important), the vibe still had plenty of fun. Barcelona’s nightlife was a great playground, but the organizers also brought joy right to the venue itself. https://i.nostr.build/ahJsprpg1d4qHFtV.png

Examples: Both days with Chain Duel to play in the courtyard and later a big-screen tournament, were cool to watch and join. Saturday’s concert by Roger 9000, with all of us shouting, “Tick tock, next block, it don’t stop. The love of freedom, it don’t stop!” to his energetic beats, made those moments truly spectacular.

Wrapping Up.

BCC8333 stands apart. As the title says, it was truly the event ‘Where Cypherpunk Spirit Forges Sovereign Minds.’ Cheers to the organizers, contributors, volunteers, and attendees! Those past few days in Barcelona were solid proof we’re keeping Bitcoin’s ethos alive—a strong case that it’s not about “going to the moon” but staying free on the ground.

Thank YOU!

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BTC Your Mind. Let it Beat.

Şela

@ f0fd6902:a2fbaaab

Instantly named Freedom Book of The Month and a major influence in the Cyber-underground, A Lodging of Wayfaring Men is the story of freedom-seekers who create an alternative society on the Internet - a virtual society, with no possibility of oversight or control. It grows so fast that governments and “leaders” are terrified, and fight to co-opt this cyber-society before it undermines the power of the governing elite.

The main body of the book is followed by a set of essays and a supplemental narrative that were composed as the book was being written.

For those of you who may not have read the marvelous A Lodging of Wayfaring Men, I strongly encourage you to do so. -- Capital Reward Blog

The novel leads us through a clever plot where the principles of freedom and individuality lead to a free market, one not controlled by governments or by tax men. The narrative is gripping. The reader cannot lay the book down. -- Dr. Thomas Dorman

As full as my reading schedule is, I plan to make time to return to A Lodging of Wayfaring Men in order to glean the most from this interesting, thought-provoking tale. -- Sunni Maravillosa, Free-Market.net

Of the twenty five or so people I worked with last fall, all of them revered A Lodging of Wayfaring Men as a bible. They referred to the house and their community effort as a Lodge. We all felt it was modeled on the Free Souls. -- HW, underground programmer

One of the most thought-provoking books to hit the information highway in recent times. -- David MacGregor, Sovereign Living

https://stacker.news/items/1002361

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

Ten years in Bitcoin can feel like an eternity. Just ask Sergej Kotliar, Founder and CEO of Bitrefill, who recently celebrated a decade of turning Bitcoin into something you can actually use in your everyday life.

“We started Bitrefill back in 2014,” Sergej reflects, thinking back to the early excitement around Bitcoin.

“The promise of internet money as a workaround to how cumbersome money was online motivated me. Imagine sending money as easily as sending an email. That’s still the vision driving us today.”

Bitrefill has evolved from a straightforward gift card provider into a full-fledged e-commerce powerhouse, allowing Bitcoiners to buy gift cards, eSIMs, mobile top-ups, and even prepaid debit cards.

From Netflix binges and Uber rides to topping up your phone in the middle of nowhere, Bitrefill supports more than 10,000 brands and over 900 phone carriers in more than 170 countries.

check out all the products and services at www.bitrefill.com

One challenge Sergej has navigated successfully is steering clear of hype-driven pitfalls. “We’ve always been a little bit better at building actual usage than at building hype,” he explains.

Instead of chasing every altcoin trend or speculative frenzy, Bitrefill has focused on the real-world, day-to-day use of bitcoin.

“The biggest challenge has always been finding the actual users of Bitcoin, not investors, but the ones who really want to use bitcoin in their everyday lives,” he emphasizes.

Bitrefill, he says proudly, has become the starting point for many users looking to spend bitcoin seamlessly.

“I think that people that use bitcoin transactionally and are looking to buy something with their coins. Very often, their customer journey starts with Bitrefill.”

Sergej isn’t shy about critiquing popular Bitcoin memes either. One particularly notable example is the “two S-curves” chart suggesting bitcoin first serves as a store of value, then as a medium of exchange.

“It’s maybe my least favorite chart,” Sergej laughs.

Bitcoin adoption curves — Source

While the chart lacks empirical data, notably missing any values on the y-axis, it does visualize a conceptual framework that many in the Bitcoin community find compelling.

The illustration suggests a natural progression where Bitcoin’s adoption follows two sequential S-curves:

first establishing itself as a store of value (the yellow curve peaking around 2029), followed by widespread adoption as a medium of exchange (the green curve peaking around 2037).

Despite its speculative nature, some argue this visualization effectively communicates the potential evolutionary path that many Bitcoiners envision, even if it wasn’t created with rigorous technical analysis.

What makes the Bitcoin ecosystem truly remarkable though is that builders like Sergej and his team at Bitrefill aren’t waiting for theoretical adoption curves to play out. They’re actively accelerating them.

By creating practical solutions for everyday Bitcoin transactions now, Bitrefill is working towards pulling that “medium of exchange” S-curve forward.

They aim to demonstrate that Bitcoin’s utility doesn’t have to follow a delayed timeline where store of value comes first.

Indeed, Sergej sees a more nuanced reality: Bitcoin serves different purposes for different people, simultaneously.

“There’s different people that use bitcoin for different things, and some want to invest in it and some use it as a tool,” Sergej clarifies.

“You can’t say that one of them is better than the other… it just is. Different people will use the same thing and they engage in the same market with different purposes.”

The Bitrefill philosophy is simple: practicality over hype. “Selling bitcoin to people is clearly a much bigger business than letting people shop with bitcoin,” Sergej acknowledges candidly.

Yet Bitrefill stands proudly as a market leader by volume for transactional bitcoin use. When YouTube travelers share their global adventures “living on bitcoin,” it’s Bitrefill powering most of those purchases. He notes with pride:

“If you watch these YouTubers ‘I spent a month traveling the world living on Bitcoin,’ there’s been quite a few of those… around 50 to 80 [percent], that a good chunk of their bitcoin usage ends up being with Bitrefill.”

And Bitrefill is not done innovating. Recently, they introduced the Bitrefill reloadable Visa card in Europe, designed for ease of use. Sergej explains:

“It’s a regulated product, you need to have an account and go through KYC and all of that, but once you have it, it’s a very simple straightforward no bulls*** method.

“you send in your bitcoin, Lightning works, and then you can just go and blip and pay, and then you don’t have to think about anything.”

Bitrefill offers reloadable Visa cards

To promote it, they’ve even been hiring people specifically to travel around Europe spending bitcoin and documenting the journey.

“We put up these ads and we hire someone and then we record them having the best day of their life spending money,” he says.

While acknowledging it’s partly a marketing stunt, he adds, “Paying some of our customers instead to spend the day having a blast and then record it and make content is a better choice than traditional advertising.”

Bitrefill on X

But Sergej has his eyes firmly on an even more futuristic horizon: a world where robots pay each other seamlessly.

“We’ve built an online monetary system that discriminates against bots because they’re usually associated with fraud,” Sergej notes.

“But soon, we’ll rely on AI to shop automatically for us. Having a fraud-free online payment method like Bitcoin could revolutionize how robotic agents transact.”

“In a world where everybody has a bunch of agents being robotic secretaries and so on, and given the fact that online commerce is currently designed specifically to keep out robots… I think there’s a big opportunity there,” he explains.

“Having an online payment method that is fraud-free should in theory be very useful for a world in which shopping happens automatically, for example, or how a robot will pay other robots.”

The intersection of how AI will leverage Bitcoin is a fascinating rabbit hole and discussion that is playing out in real time.

Sergej recommends Daniel Suarez’s novel “Daemon” for those intrigued by the potential (and risks) of AI-driven transactions.

“There’s tremendous opportunity here,” he teases, “and it’s definitely something we’re actively exploring at Bitrefill.”

Asked what he’d ask Satoshi Nakamoto if given the chance, Sergej pauses briefly. “I would ask him to tell me the story of how he left the space,” he finally answers.

Given Sergej’s decade-long journey with Bitrefill, his curiosity about Bitcoin’s creator’s departure feels particularly fitting.

Ten years is a long time in Bitcoin, but clearly, Sergej Kotliar and Bitrefill are just getting started.

@ c11cf5f8:4928464d

NOW OPEN

Welcome stacker and cowboys to the first edition of this Sellers & Business Club series!

You're in the right place if you're serious about growing your business, or starting a new one. Let's discuss your preferred Bitcoin Business Models!

You'll find everything you need to move faster, sell smarter, and stay ahead of trends—with useful insights for every step of the way, community-powered learning posts, insights, and support from other sellers.

Pinging here @beejay, @deSign_r, @Kontext, @fauxfoe, @DarthCoin, @stack_harder, @BlokchainB, @Solomonsatoshi, @lunin and @021f3af1a6 because have demonstrated some interest in previous announcements, and other stackers[^1] that have been active in the ~AGORA marketplace.

Your insights and questions are welcome. I'll be opening with some questions:

• What are your latest wins?

• What are you dealing with lately?

• What current obstacles that are keeping you away from succeeding?

[^1]: FIY: @watchmancbiz @globalmerchant @midnightshipper @thebullishbitcoiner @realtrader @sandelllevy_ @thecommoner @matusalem @siggy47 @veintiuno @needcreations_ @globalthreat @profullstack @cryotosensei @catoshi @kr @pleblab @fabs @lendasat @Akg10s3 @bytephysics @byzantine @96dffdc39e @thewildhustle @0xbitcoiner @gpvansat @south_korea_ln @rideandsmile @btclnat @bitcoinerrorlog @wakingseason @tinstrmedia @pictureroom @isolabellart @jpedro64453 @herschel

https://stacker.news/items/1002347

@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

New York City Won’t Be Issuing BitBonds Anytime Soon

Since 2021, Mayor Eric Adams has been talking about how he’s going to make New York City the center of the crypto industry, though this hasn’t materialized. (Some Bitcoin and crypto companies are based here, but this has little to do with Adams’ efforts — or lack thereof.)

So, when I heard the mayor propose issuing BitBonds in New York City at Bitcoin 2025, I was far from convinced that this would actually happen.

And then when I read a statement from NYC Comptroller Brad Lander on the topic, it became even more clear to me that Adams was merely posturing when it came to BitBonds.

“New York City will not be issuing any bitcoin-backed bonds on my watch,” said Lander in the statement.

“Mayor Eric Adams may be willing to bet our future on crypto in exchange for a trip to Vegas, but my job is to ensure our City’s financial stability. Cryptocurrencies are not sufficiently stable to finance our City’s infrastructure, affordable housing, or schools,” he added. 

“Proposing that New York City should open its capital planning to crypto could expose our City to new risks and erode bond buyers’ trust in our City.”

In the statement, Lander went on to discuss how BitBonds would work at the federal level (90% of the funds go to government expenditures, while 10% goes to buying bitcoin for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve), before noting a key difference between federal bonds and the bonds that New York City issues.

“While the federal government issues bonds to fund traditional expenditures, New York City primarily issues bonds to fund capital assets and in only very narrow circumstances can the City finance other purposes,” wrote Lander.

Lander then went on to lay out a number of other reasons why New York City will not be issuing BitBonds anytime soon, including that ”New York City would have to be able to take transactions in Bitcoin in order to issue bonds backed by Bitcoin” because “New York City has neither any mechanism to pay for its Capital Assets in any other currency besides the US Dollar nor any means to convert Bitcoin to US Dollars.”

(If I read that correctly, Lander says that New York City doesn’t know how to set up a Bitcoin wallet or trade bitcoin for U.S. dollars. Just about on par for an elected official in New York.)

Now, pardon my cynicism here, but I’m a New Yorker — a resident of one of the most restrictive jurisdictions in the world when it comes to Bitcoin and crypto, thanks to the BitLicense — and there are two things you can bet on at this point in time in New York.

1. Mayor Eric Adams will talk a good game about Bitcoin and crypto while not taking any action behind the scenes.
2. Bureaucrats and elected officials alike in New York will continue to throw cold water on anything that challenges Wall Street’s power, while still claiming that New York is the “financial capital of the world.” (Laughable.)

So, Mayor Adams can make all the proposals he wants from stages in Las Vegas to NYC-sponsored crypto summits, but until I see his administration actually do something substantial for New York City residents as it pertains to Bitcoin and crypto, I’ll just assume that New York will continue to stagnate financially.

This article is a Take. Opinions expressed are entirely the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.

This post New York City Won’t Be Issuing BitBonds Anytime Soon first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Frank Corva.

@ 0c65eba8:4a08ef9a

Have you been lied to about emotional intelligence? Does it even exist, or is it just another pop-psychology buzzword dressed up to sound like science? Are you being told it's the key to success, love, and leadership... but never shown how to measure it, test it, or even understand what it is? Let's cut through the noise.

What People Say Emotional Intelligence Is

In everyday talk, "emotional intelligence" usually means being good with people, being empathetic, staying calm, handling stress well, and knowing how to respond in tough social situations. You’ve heard it described as "reading the room," or "knowing how to deal with people."

In clinical or pop-psychology language, emotional intelligence is often broken down into categories like:

• Self-awareness

• Self-regulation

• Social skills

• Empathy

• Motivation

The claim is: if you score high in these, you’re emotionally intelligent. But what does that even mean in practical terms?

Why That Definition Falls Apart

Here's the problem: those categories aren't operational. They're vague. They're not measurable in a consistent way. They're bundles of behavior, feeling, and interpretation mashed together with no clear boundary. "Self-awareness" of what? "Empathy" how? For whom? In what context? How do we know it's happening? What are the costs?

Worse, these terms conflate instincts, learned behaviors, and strategic manipulation. They're not reducible to a testable sequence of inputs, operations, and outcomes. They're not falsifiable. They're not decidable.

In short: the popular and clinical versions of emotional intelligence are conflations. They feel good. They sound smart. But they fail the tests of falsifiability and decidability, essential for clarity.

To be operational means something must be defined in terms of specific actions, inputs, and observable outcomes, it has to describe exactly what someone does, how it can be seen or measured, and what result it produces. If you can’t test it or apply it directly, it’s not operational.

So What Are People Responding To in Practice?

Let’s look at what people often describe when they say someone is emotionally intelligent:

• They don't overreact.

• They stay calm under pressure.

• They read social cues well.

• They manage their tone and expression.

• They navigate conflict without making it worse.

These are operational behaviors. You can see them, test them, and practice them. They’re social tactics: short-term adjustments for handling emotionally volatile or socially complex situations. Tactics are situational tools; strategies are long-term frameworks. Emotional intelligence is expressed in tactics, but depends on the strategic skill of emotional regulation.

Here’s how these actions map onto the operational definition:

• Interpret emotional signals — reading social cues accurately.

• Regulate your own emotional responses — staying calm, not overreacting.

• Predict others’ responses — empathy in action.

• Optimize behavior to maintain cooperation — managing tone, navigating conflict.

When you are skilled in applying these, you are judged as emotionally intelligent, or more accurately emotionally competent.

Operational Definition of Emotional Intelligence

In operational terms:

Emotional intelligence is the capacity to perform reciprocal computation under affective constraint.

That means: the ability to interpret emotional signals, regulate your own emotional responses, predict others’ responses, and optimize behavior to maintain cooperation, all while under emotional or social pressure.

Conclusion: How Natural Law Helps You See Life Clearly

Natural Law helps us disambiguate the complexities of life. It strips away the mysticism, the sales talk, and the feel-good pop psychology. It helps us ask: what are we doing in practical terms when we talk about something? What can we observe, test, and rely on?

Emotional intelligence, when stripped of the hype, is just a set of emotional regulation and social navigation skills. You don’t have to be born with it. You can train it. Start with these habits:

• Learn to pause before reacting. Notice your body’s signals, tight jaw, clenched fists, racing heart, before you let them drive behavior.

• Practice feeling emotions on purpose. Experience anger, sadness, joy, or fear without acting them out destructively. If you can’t sit with an emotion without losing control, you’re not in charge of it.

• Develop curiosity about your emotional patterns. Ask: what sets me off? What relaxes me? What kinds of people do I misread?

• Observe others closely. Pay attention to facial expressions, tone of voice, posture, and timing. Ask yourself: what are they likely feeling?

• Extend care to the person you’re engaging with, even if they're an opponent. Strategic empathy gives you an edge: if you understand their emotional state, you can predict behavior.

• Speak in a way that invites cooperation, not conflict.

• Reflect on how your actions affect others, and adjust.

• Review your performance: After social interactions, ask what worked, what didn’t, and how your emotional state shaped it. Calibration requires feedback.

These aren’t mystical qualities. They’re practical, learnable tactics. If you can feel deeply without losing control, and read others without misjudging their signals through the lens of your own emotional bias, then you’re on your way.

You don’t need buzzwords. You need clear thinking, tested behavior, and reciprocity in practice. That’s what emotional intelligence looks like in action, and Natural Law helps you make sense of it.

@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

Robert Mitchnick Discusses BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF IBIT Success On Bloomberg

Today, the Head of Digital Assets of BlackRock Robert Mitchnick, at the Bloomberg ETF IQ, talked about what’s really driving the surge in Bitcoin ETFs.

“It’s a lot of things coming together. Out of the gate was retail and investor demand…” said Mitchnick. “Now, more recently, we’ve seen just steady progress of more wealth advisor adoption, more institutional adoption. It’s been a mix of people who it’s the first time that they’ve invested in anything in the crypto space. And then on the other hand, you have lots of people who’ve been invested in Bitcoin for a long time and they’re taking advantage of the ETP wrapper.”

JUST IN: $11.5 trillion BlackRock's Robert Mitchnick said wealth advisor adoption of Bitcoin is "very early" pic.twitter.com/UqiarMWEvV

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) June 9, 2025

When it comes to institutional adoption, Mitchnick says we’re still early. ETF approvals usually take years, but some firms are fast-tracking the process.

“We’ve seen that fast tracked by a number of firms, and we talk about fast tracking,” stated Mitchnick. “We’re talking about, you know, quarters, not months. And slowly but surely, you’ve seen, I think, an acceleration, particularly in the last couple of months of more notable firms lowering barriers, granting approvals to their advisors to use these.”

Bitcoin’s volatility has declined recently, making it more appealing for institutions seeking diversification. However, it remains volatile, but its risk and return profile differs from traditional assets.

“There’s no question it’s relatively novel technology,” Mitchnick commented. “Even though the volatility has come down, it’s still volatile, but at the same time its risk and return drivers are markedly different from most of the rest of the assets in a traditional portfolio, and that’s important. And so when institutions are looking at this, they’re heavily focused on that correlation and whether it’s zero or even in some periods negative, because then the portfolio construction case is very compelling to them.”

About a dozen Bitcoin ETFs currently compete in the market, and demand remains strong.

“Well, a lot of them have been, you know, very successful, too,” stated Mitchnick. “Obviously, it has been the leader in the category by a fair margin. But there’s been such demand that, you know, it’s been exciting and there’s lots of products in the space and that’s a good thing.”

This post Robert Mitchnick Discusses BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF IBIT Success On Bloomberg first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Oscar Zarraga Perez.

@ a296b972:e5a7a2e8

Wie weit ist es noch her mit Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit?

Wie weit sind diese wunderbaren Begriffe schon von Spaltung, Willkür und Bevormundung verdrängt worden?

Ein Land, dessen Werte aus dem Ruder gelaufen sind. Regiert von Teflonauten. Teflonauten? Das sind die, die sich vor Eintritt in die Politik in einem Fass Teflon-Lack haben taufen lassen, damit alle Vernunft an ihnen abperlt.

Für Deutschland gehen die Superlative aus, die den Gesamtzustand eines Staates beschreiben könnten, der in jeder Hinsicht aus den Fugen geraten ist. Wie in einem vorangegangenen Kommentar zu einem anderen Thema zu lesen war, die Satiriker werden langsam arbeitslos, weil die Realität alles überbietet.

Eine unsägliche Riege von Politikern demontiert eine Demokratie, die bis 2019 wenigstens noch einigermaßen erträglich funktioniert hat. Man hatte noch das Gefühl, man wird weitgehend in Ruhe gelassen.

Mit dem Corona-Ereignis wurde die Büchse der Pandora geöffnet. Seitdem fließen totalitäre Elemente in die Demokratie ein. Wer darauf hinweist, läuft Gefahr, es mit der vom Souverän gekaperten Macht zu tun zu bekommen.

Für die, die gegen die Bevölkerungsverdummung immun sind, wird es zunehmend unerträglicher, doch – da müssen wir durch.

Es ist gut, dass all die Machenschaften, die die Deutschen sonst nicht mitbekommen haben, allendhalben hier und da mal ein Skandälchen, ans Tageslicht kommen.

Es ist gut, dass es so offensichtlich ist, dass die dicksten Klopse, die sich die sogenannten Politiker erlauben, nicht den geringsten Anlass dazu geben, zurückzutreten. Vorbei die Zeiten, in den schon viel kleinere Vergehen, einen Politiker dazu genötigt haben. Es ist gut, weil so klar wird, dass das politische Gewissen nur noch im Museum besichtigt werden kann. Irgendwann versteht das auch noch der Letzte im hintersten Winkel des besten Deutschlands aller Zeiten.

Die Inkompetenz ist überall sichtbar, durch die, die unfähig sind, ihre Machenschaften zu verbergen.

Läppisch geschnitzte Pfeifen geben sich als wohlgestimmte Orgel aus und meinen, es gäbe niemanden, der die Kakophonie hören würde. Ein schräges Blockflöten-Konzert wird zum Musikgenuss hochstilisiert, von Leuten, die ständig ihren Notenschlüssel verlegen und dadurch nicht mehr in den Raum der Vernunft kommen.

Die Menschen in Deutschland haben sich aufgeteilt in die, die von all dem nichts wissen wollen und sich einreden, es sei doch alles in Ordnung. Für die, die sich brav ihre tägliche Gehirnwäsche in den inzwischen für die Qualität ihrer Propaganda bekannten Medien abholen, das sind noch rund 60%, gibt es keine Einschränkung der Meinungsfreiheit. Rund 40%, die der Meinung sind, dass man in Deutschland seine Meinung nicht mehr frei äußern kann, sind noch viel zu wenig! Für immer noch zu viele ist J. D. Vance ein Verschwörungstheoretiker, der die Sicherheitskonferenz in München dazu missbraucht hat, seine kruden Ansichten zu verbreiten.

Und dann gibt es die, die mitbekommen, was in Deutschland los ist. Die werden oft erschlagen von den Verstrickungen, Irrungen und Wirrungen, die sich immer mehr zeigen und immer dreister als Selbstverständlichkeit, als das Normalste von der Welt postuliert werden. Für die ist der gesundheitliche Zustand der deutschen Demokratie immer mehr ein Dauerpatient auf der Intensivstation.

Realitätsfremde Energiepolitik, Nordstream kaputt, gut so, kein Interesse an einer Wiederinbetriebnahme;

rückläufige Wirtschaft, zunehmende Firmenpleiten, Abwanderung von Unternehmen;

eklatante Steuergeldverbrennung, Northvolt in die Grütze gefahren, Maskendeals, zur Belohnung das nächste Pöstchen;

einseitige, weglassende Hofberichterstattung mit dem Hang zu Amnäsie;

fragwürdige Gerichtsurteile; Schauprozesse gegen Ballweg, Füllmich und viele andere, Masken, Atteste, Strafzahlungen, Majestätsbeleidigung etc. etc. etc..

Gewalt und Tod durch Messerfachkräfte, es sind ja die Messer, nicht die Menschen, die sie in der Hand haben, transparenter Aufklärungsrückstau;

intellektuelle Beleidigungen durch Schönrederei, man glaubt, die anderen sind noch dümmer als man selbst;

existenzbedrohende Kontenkündigungen, wir machen dich fertig;

politischer Dummschwätz, Wiederholungen, Wiederholungen, Wiederholungen;

Einzug totalitärer Strukturen, wer die Augen aufmacht, sieht sie;

infantile Repräsentanz Deutschlands im Ausland, Abwesenheit von Diplomatie;

Aufstachelung der Bürger, damit sie ja schön kriegsgeil werden, siehe auch Dummschwätz;

Angstpornos, bei ständigem Einlass in Kino 7;

lächerliche Preisverleihungen, armutsfördernde Preiserhöhungen;

zunehmendes Misstrauen gegenüber der eigenen Bevölkerung, der Feind im eigenen Land;

Bevormundung, betreutes Denken, Fühlen, Wollen;

bedrohlich zunehmende Überwachungsanstrengungen, digitale Identität, die als Sicherheit verkauft wird, jedoch nichts anderes ist, als der Versuch der Einrichtung eines Überwachungs-Kontroll-Systems;

nichts, aber auch rein gar nichts hat Konsequenzen, die dazu führen, dass die Verantwortlichen zum Sandkornzählen in die Wüste geschickt werden, damit sie den Rest ihres Lebens beschäftigt sind und kein Unheil mehr anrichten können.

Unaufhaltsam rast der Personal-Zug Deutschland, überfüllt mit Fahrgästen, die meinen, Trump ist verrückt und Putin ist die Personifizierung des Bösen, gezogen von einer mit heißer Luft betriebenen Lok, die von Heizern befeuert wird, die den Kessel unentwegt  mit Angst und Wahnsinn schüren, auf den Berg aus Granit zu, der unweigerlich eine Katastrophe für die Demokratie von ungeahntem Ausmaß verursachen wird. Ständig wird die Strecke künstlich verlängert, indem neue Schienen und Schleifen hinzugefügt werden, statt den Zug rechtzeitig noch zum Halten zu bringen. Die Geschwindigkeit ist inzwischen schon so hoch, dass selbst der Geist, der zu Pfingsten ja ausgeschüttet wird, niemanden mehr erreicht.

Deutschland ist in der Hand von ideologisch vergifteten Versagern zweiter und letzter Wahl und einer verschworenen Gemeinschaft von Universal-Dilettanten, die den Untergang der freiheitlich-demokratischen Grundordnung fest im Zangengriff haben und keinerlei Anstalten machen, diesen wieder lösen zu wollen.

Das Land der Denker und Dichter geht vor die Hunde. Freiheitlich, wirtschaftlich, gesellschaftlich, politisch, rechtlich. Um die Manege sitzen immer noch viel zu viele sogenannte Bürger, die Beifall klatschen, oder sich zumindest einreden, es sei doch weitgehend alles in Ordnung. Bravo! Es ist so unglaublich unterhaltend, sich nach Strich und Faden an der Nase herumführen zu lassen.

Und die, die die Kraft haben, auf diesen Wahnsinn hinzuschauen, die wissen gar nicht, was sie zuerst tun sollen: Heulen, schreien, verzweifelt sein, unentwegt mit dem Kopf schütteln, dagegen anschreiben, wachrütteln, flüchten oder dableiben, sich in Sicherheit bringen?

Die Demokratie und Rechtsstaatlichkeit sind von „Demokraten“ gekidnappt worden, die behaupten, sie würden sie verteidigen. Dabei geht es ausschließlich nur um deren Machterhalt und die Besitzstandswahrung ihrer erbärmlichen Pöstchen, mit einer weiteren Diätenerhöhung von rund 600 Euro im Juli 2025. Deutschland ist zu einem drittklassigen Selbstbedienungsladen verkommen, und es wird unentwegt in die Kasse gegriffen, solange noch was zu holen ist. Und damit das auch noch eine Zeit lang so weitergehen kann, wird Luftgeld produziert und als Sondervermögen deklariert, und damit eine Hypothek geschaffen, die zukünftige Generationen niemals werden ausgleichen können.

Wie gelegen käme da ein Krieg, in dem all dieser menschengemachte Unsinn wertlos wird. Und ein Neuanfang danach wird dann als überragende politische Leistung verkauft, die zum Wohle des Volkes geschaffen wurde, damit ein neues Wirtschaftswunder möglich werden kann. Los, ran, wieder all das aufbauen, das Deppen zuvor in die Tonne gekloppt haben. Uns geht’s ja schon wieder so gut, wir wollen uns wirklich nicht beklagen. Wir haben ja von all dem nichts gewusst. Wir waren ja nur die Opfer einer fehlgeleiteten Politik. Was hätten wir denn tun können? So oder so ähnlich wird dann das eigene Gewissen wieder durch fadenscheinigen Selbstbetrug beruhigt.

Das ganze System stinkt zum Himmel. Unerträglicher Gestank nach Zersetzung und Verwesung, der uns als neuester Schrei der Parfum-Hersteller verkauft wird.

Man kann gar nicht so schnell schreiben, wie man sich aufregen möchte.

Das ist kein Ventil zum Ausdruck der unglaublichen Empörung. Das wäre zu einfach und bedeutungslos. Nein, mit jedem Wort und jedem Artikel und jedem neuen Abonnenten von pareto verbindet sich die Hoffnung, wieder jemanden zum Nachdenken anregen zu können. Damit die Zahl derjenigen, die die Demokratie verstanden haben, von Tag zu Tag größer wird. Damit sich von unten herauf eine geistige Kraft immer mehr entfaltet, die dieses impertinente Lügenkonstrukt zum Einstürzen bringt. Ein Leuchtfeuer muss ständig brennen, wenn Gefahr in Verzug ist. Wenn man so will, ist das Revolution, aber eine geistige und vor allem friedliche. Wenn immer mehr Menschen mutig verstehen, was in Deutschland abgeht, dann nagt das unermüdlich an den künstlich geschaffenen, unmenschlichen undemokratischen Strukturen, die den Stümpern die Macht rauben werden, damit dieses ganze Lügengebäude endlich implodieren kann.

Je lauter Delegitimierung geschrien wird, desto deutlicher tritt hervor, wer für die Delegitimierung der freiheitlich-demokratischen Grundordnung und die Aushöhlung des Grundgesetzes verantwortlich ist.

Deutschland kann nur wirklich in Richtung Souveränität gehen, wenn wir so weit gekommen sind, dass sich das deutsche Volk in freier Entscheidung eine Verfassung (gerne auf Grundlage des Grundgesetzes, das nach wie vor provisorischen Charakter hat) gegeben hat, in der Bürgerbeteiligung und Volksentscheide, gerne nach schweizerischem Vorbild, nicht nur zur Pflicht eines jeden Bürgers, sondern ganz selbstverständlich als notwendiger, alltäglicher Beitrag zur Demokratie fest in den Köpfen der Menschen verankert ist.

Gruß an das Amt für, aus Sicht des Bürgers, Fassungslosigkeit. Wenn ein leidenschaftliches Eintreten für Freiheit und Demokratie, durch berechtigte Kritik an den derzeitigen Verhältnissen, als rechts angesehen wird, dann ist der Autor gerne rechts. Eben ein rechter Demokrat, wie es sich gehört!

Vielleicht leidet der Autor auch an Demokratie-Tourette: Ihr Pfeifen, ihr Pfeifen, ihr Pfeifen! Was habt ihr nur aus unserem Land gemacht. Unserem, hört ihr, nicht eurem!

Der Autor hat fertig (jedenfalls für heute!), Deutschland leider auch.

“Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben.”

* *

(Bild von pixabay)

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For years, GitHub has been the default home for open source developers. It built its reputation on transparency, collaboration, and a commitment to giving coders a place to share and improve their work. But since Microsoft's acquisition in 2018, subtle changes have begun to surface—not all of them in service to the user.

GitHub is still free. Public repositories remain free. Even private repositories are free, to a point. GitHub Pages, Actions, and Codespaces offer incredibly powerful tools to build and deploy projects at no cost—until you hit certain usage limits or need team-scale features.

But the deeper question is this: what do you give up in exchange?

Microsoft Doesn’t Give Away Infrastructure for Free

GitHub, VSCode, Copilot, and Azure form a tightly integrated ecosystem. On the surface, it's all about productivity. But underneath, it's about data. Your code trains their models. Your habits inform their products. Your workflows deepen their lock-in.

Take Copilot, for example: it’s not just a coding assistant, it’s a data-harvesting engine built on top of a centralized platform. The more you use GitHub, the more Microsoft knows about what developers are building—and what they might buy.

Free Isn’t Sovereign

As developers, we have to ask hard questions:

• What happens when the free tier disappears or changes?

• Can I take my work elsewhere without breaking my stack?

• Who owns the insights derived from my development patterns?

These questions aren’t hypothetical. We’ve seen them play out with Heroku, Medium, Twitter, and countless others. Free turns into friction. Then friction becomes control.

Alternatives Are Emerging

Thankfully, there are options:

• Codeberg, Gitea, and SourceHut for Git hosting

• Cloudflare Pages for static sites + edge functions

• Railway, Fly.io, or even VPS hosting for dynamic apps

• Nostr and IPFS for decentralized publishing

These aren’t always drop-in replacements. But they represent a healthier direction—one aligned with freedom, transparency, and a proof-of-work ethos rather than a proof-of-data-capture business model.

My Move Away from GitHub (Sort Of)

I’m not deleting my GitHub account. It’s still the best way to reach other devs. But for key projects—especially those that touch on identity, sovereignty, or censorship resistance—I’m migrating:

• Private infrastructure where needed

• Cloudflare for front-end deployments

• Nostr for publishing and archiving

• Git mirroring to open alternatives

Because the tools we use shape the future we build. And if the platform is free, but the product is you—it's time to re-evaluate.

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#ProofOfWork #OpenSource #Cloudflare #DecentralizeEverything #Nostr #GitSovereignty #MicrosoftStack

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Turning 60

Ten years ago, I turned 50 with a vague sense that something was off.

I was building things, but they didn’t feel grounded.\ I was "in tech," but tech felt like a treadmill—just faster, sleeker tools chasing the same hollow outcomes.\ I knew about Bitcoin, but I dismissed it. I thought it was just “tech for tech’s sake.”

Less than a year later, I fell down the rabbit hole.

It didn’t happen all at once. At first it was curiosity. Then dissonance. Then conviction.

Somewhere in that process, I realized Bitcoin wasn’t just financial—it was philosophical. It was moral. It was real. And it held up a mirror to a life I had built on momentum more than mission.

So I started pruning.

I left Web3.\ I pulled back from projects that ran on hype instead of honesty.\ I repented—for chasing relevance instead of righteousness.\ And I began stacking—not just sats, but new habits. New thinking. New rhythms of faith, work, and rest.

Now at 60, I’m not where I thought I’d be.

But I’m more myself than I’ve ever been.\ More convicted.\ More rooted.\ More ready.

Not to start over—but to build again, from the foundation up.

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If you're in that middle place—between chapters, between convictions, between certainty and surrender—you're not alone.

🟠 I’m still here. Still building. Still listening.

Zap if this resonates, or send your story. I’d love to hear it.

[*Zap *](https://tinyurl.com/yuyu2b9t)

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Bitcoin Magazine

Japan’s ANAP Holdings Launches Full Bitcoin Business Strategy with Goal of Over 1,000 BTC by August 2025

ANAP Holdings, Inc. (3189: Tokyo Standard Market) has officially announced the launch of its “Bitcoin Business” in a formal corporate filing, detailing an entry into Bitcoin focused operations across treasury, finance, fashion, and mining.

JUST IN: fashion brand ANAP, previously purchased 102.9 BTC, goes into FULL #bitcoin Treasury Strategy mode and aims for 1,000+ BTC by August 2025.

They have raised capital to increase their treasury, including an in-kind investment of 584.9135 BTC, which would bring their… pic.twitter.com/k6L8snzmtY

— NLNico (@btcNLNico) June 9, 2025

In a statement signed by President and CEO Yuta Sawaki, the company confirmed that its consolidated subsidiary ANAP Lightning Channel will lead the initiative, with plans to hold more than 1,000 BTC by August 2025. “We aim to strengthen our balance sheet by acquiring Bitcoin in stages as a strategic reserve asset,” the company said. 

The company’s pivot toward Bitcoin is rooted in a belief that the asset, like gold, represents a global store of value amid rising inflation and macroeconomic instability. “Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency… called ‘digital gold’ for its scarcity and durability, and is gaining attention as a store of value,” the document states. 

A significant portion of the strategy includes a planned in-kind capital contribution of 584.9135 BTC from Capital T Coin Co., Ltd., scheduled for July 2025. This builds on ANAP’s prior acquisition of 102.9 BTC, bringing its total to 687.8136 BTC, pending shareholder approval on July 18. The group aims to reach 1,000 BTC through further purchases. 

Beyond treasury accumulation, the group’s Bitcoin Business will also encompass:

• A Bitcoin trading desk targeting both institutional and retail participants.

• A Bitcoin x Fashion/Lifestyle division, which will develop Bitcoin-themed apparel and premium consumer goods.

• A Bitcoin mining-related business offering software, consulting, and operational support.

As part of its capital strategy, ANAP is executing a ¥7.625 billion Debt-to-Equity Swap (DES) in July 2025, with contributions from stakeholders including Net Prize GK, Q.L.Land, and Tiger Japan Investment. 

“Through the in-kind contribution from Capital T Coin, we will strategically hold Bitcoin within the group,” the company wrote. “We aim to maintain a low-cost position with an average acquisition fee of approximately 0.3% including market and spread costs.” 

With global institutional interest rising, ANAP’s pivot may position it as a pioneer among Asian consumer brands adopting Bitcoin as a reserve asset and innovation platform.

This post Japan’s ANAP Holdings Launches Full Bitcoin Business Strategy with Goal of Over 1,000 BTC by August 2025 first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Jenna Montgomery.