@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Er war schon immer ein streitbarer. Seine Kritik richtete sich an ein Gesundheitssystem, das durch eine durch Pharmalobby erkaufte oder erpresste Politik ermöglicht wurde. Seit Ausrufung der sogenannten Corona-Pandemie fuhr er zu Höchstleistungen auf. Es ist Dr. Gunter Frank, Schulmediziner mit Erfahrungen im Krankenhaus, Notfallmediziner, ausgebildet in Naturheilverfahren, Sachbuchautor, engagiert in diversen medizinischen und naturheilkundlichen Gesellschaften und betreibt eine eigene Praxis...

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/arzte-die-in-gut-und-gose-einteilen-der-zivilisationsbruch-interview-mit-dr-gunter-frank?

Im größten Medizinskandal in der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik, der Corona-Krise, nennt er Hausnumnmern wie 100-200.000 langfristig, gesundheitlich schwer Geschädigten und etwa 20 - 40.000 durch Genimpfung Verstorbene. Ob diese Zahlen haltbar sind, weit über- oder untertrieben wird die Geschichte zeigen. Welche Hintergründe er aber vermutet und über die neuen Deutungen medizinischer Erkenntnisse, spricht meine Kollegin Eva Schmidt jetzt mit dem Mediziner Dr. Gunter Frank und wollte zunächst wissen, wann und warum er zum Medizinsystemkritiker wurde, welches sein Erweckungserlebnis, noch weit vor Corona gewesen sein muss:

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Wenn sich die Spieler nach einem hart umkämpften Fußballmatch die Hand reichen oder einander abklatschen, zeugt das von Sportsgeist. Das heißt: Wir haben uns im Spiel zwar nichts geschenkt, aber wir respektieren einander und als Verlierer erkennen wir an, dass die andere Mannschaft besser gespielt hat und unsere Niederlage in Ordnung geht.

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/die-wrestling-demokratie-ein-kommentar-von-jonny-rieder?

Und auch die Gewinner zollen dem Gegner Respekt, verhöhnen ihn nicht. Selbstverständlich sollte gegenseitiger Respekt auch in der Politik gelten. Man sollte einander zuhören und argumentieren, anstatt Kollegen schon deshalb zu verachten, weil sie einer anderen Partei angehören. Aber: Wenn ein Politiker eine andere Partei massiv kritisiert und ihrem Antrag anschließend trotzdem zustimmt, zeigt er damit nicht Respekt vor dem politischen Gegner, sondern Verachtung für den Wähler. Was der Deutsche Bundestag im März 2025 demonstrierte, also in der Übergangsphase vom alten Bundestag und dem noch nicht einberufenen neu gewählten Parlament, war genau das: angewandte Wählerverachtung. Etwas zuzustimmen, das ich eben noch vehement verdammt habe, zeugt nicht von Demokratieverständnis oder von politischem Sportsgeist, sondern von dessen fundamentaler Ablehnung. Erst recht, wenn die Zustimmung für alle ersichtlich erkauft wurde. Hören Sie Jonny Rieders Kommentar „Die Wrestling-Demokratie“.

Sprecher: Karsten Troyke

Bild: ChatGPT im Auftrag von Radio München

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Zum organisierten Corona-Komplex zählt auch der vermittelte Eindruck, dass es in den Jahren der sogenannten Pandemie praktisch nur noch eine Todesursache gab: Covid-19. Verkehrstote? Krebstote? Gewöhnliche Alterstote? Kann nicht sein.

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/studie-viele-falsche-corona-tote-von-multipolar?

UN-Generalsekretär Guterres sah die Welt „im Krieg mit dem Virus“, de facto war es ein Krieg mit der Wahrheit, den Regierungen und Mainstream-Medien ausfochten. Der berechtigte Einwand, es mache einen Unterschied, ob jemand mit Corona oder wegen Corona gestorben ist, wurde als Ketzerei abgekanzelt. Erst mit dem Krieg in der Ukraine geriet das „Jeder Tote ist ein Corona-Toter“-Narrativ an seine Propaganda-Grenzen und Corona verschwand so schnell aus dem medialen Tagesgeschäft wie es gekommen war. Das Geld, das man für Masken, sogenannte Impfstoffe und damit verbundener Korruption verschwendet hatte, musste man nun unbedingt für Waffen verschwenden. Umso wichtiger ist es, diese Zeit der Lügen und Grundrechtsverletzungen nicht einfach unter den Teppich zu kehren und darüber zu schweigen. Aufklärung leistet hier nach wie vor das Magazin Multipolar. Es berichtet von einer aktuellen Studie griechischer Forscher über „offizielle Corona-Todesfälle während Omikron“. Dabei erwies sich Corona nur in einer Minderheit der Fälle als direkte Todesursache.

Sprecherin: Sabrina Khalil

Originaltext bei Multipolar: multipolar-magazin.de/meldungen/0257

Bild: Chat GPT im Auftrag von Radio München

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.

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Zum organisierten Corona-Komplex zählt auch der vermittelte Eindruck, dass es in den Jahren der sogenannten Pandemie praktisch nur noch eine Todesursache gab: Covid-19. Verkehrstote? Krebstote? Gewöhnliche Alterstote? Kann nicht sein. UN-Generalsekretär Guterres sah die Welt „im Krieg mit dem Virus“, de facto war es ein Krieg mit der Wahrheit, den Regierungen und Mainstream-Medien ausfochten.

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/studie-viele-falsche-corona-tote-von-multipolar

Der berechtigte Einwand, es mache einen Unterschied, ob jemand mit Corona oder wegen Corona gestorben ist, wurde als Ketzerei abgekanzelt. Erst mit dem Krieg in der Ukraine geriet das „Jeder Tote ist ein Corona-Toter“-Narrativ an seine Propaganda-Grenzen und Corona verschwand so schnell aus dem medialen Tagesgeschäft wie es gekommen war. Das Geld, das man für Masken, sogenannte Impfstoffe und damit verbundener Korruption verschwendet hatte, musste man nun unbedingt für Waffen verschwenden. Umso wichtiger ist es, diese Zeit der Lügen und Grundrechtsverletzungen nicht einfach unter den Teppich zu kehren und darüber zu schweigen. Aufklärung leistet hier nach wie vor das Magazin Multipolar. Es berichtet von einer aktuellen Studie griechischer Forscher über „offizielle Corona-Todesfälle während Omikron“. Dabei erwies sich Corona nur in einer Minderheit der Fälle als direkte Todesursache.

Sprecherin: Sabrina Khalil

Originaltext bei Multipolar: multipolar-magazin.de/meldungen/0257

Bild: Chat GPT im Auftrag von Radio München

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

@ 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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@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/2025-05-27-eine-stunde-klassik?

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.

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

The third annual Bitcoin FilmFest (aka BFF25) proved once again that sovereign minds and decentralized culture thrive together.

For four electrifying days in Poland’s capital, the festival’s rallying call—’Fix the money, fix the culture‘—wasn’t just a slogan but a living, breathing movement.

From May 22-25, 2025, Warsaw buzzed with cinematic innovation, Bitcoin philosophy, and artistic vibe marking this gathering as truly incomparable.

Rebel Tribe with Unfiltered Creativity

With 200+ attendees from 20+ countries – primarily Poland, Czech Republic, the UK and Germany (~70% combined), plus representation from Spain, Italy, USA, Turkey and 15+ other nations including Thailand, Israel, Dubai and Latin America—BFF25 became a true global hub of freedom-fighters at heart. 

The European Pizza Day opener (May 22), celebrating Bitcoin’s first real-world transaction, saw rainy evening weather that couldn’t dampen the energy.

With concerts by Roger9000 and ABBE plus DJ sets from MadMunky, 2140 collective w/Airklipz and G.O.L.D., all early arrivals had a memorable start.

Dual Focus on Film and Bitcoin Culture

• Seven film workshops and seven hands-on sessions running parallel across Friday and Saturday at Amondo Cinema Club. Film: Martin Piga, Oswald Horowitz, Psyfer, Juan Pablo Mejía, Kristina Weiserova, Rare Passenger, Noa Gruman & Lahav Levi (Scardust). Bitcoin/Nostr: Aleks Svetski, Ioni Appelberg, Flash,  CryptoSteel, Bitrefill, Polish Bitcoin Association, Bitvocation.

• The Community Stage (Friday to Sunday afternoon) gave important space for both projects and individuals discussing their work and passions.
  Everything from music, art, fiction, Nostr, personal sovereignty to Polish-language debates on Bitcoin’s state and its possible future.

• Onscreen, 9 cinematic blocks from Friday to Sunday featured titles like UNBAKABLE, REVOLUCIÓN BITCOIN, HOTEL BITCOIN, PLANDEMIC: THE MUSICAL, plus shorts on new media (AI/experimental cinema), parallel communities (outcast cinema), and newly released pilots.

• Cinematic shark-tank with a €3,000 bounty: 8 contestants

  • Martin Piga: “PARALLEL SPACES”
  • Kristina Weiserova: “PUZZLE”
  • Aaron Koenig : “SATOSHI’S LAST WILL”
  • Philip Charter: “21 FUTURES”
  • Jenna Reid: “WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?”
  • Mr Black: “A LODGING OF WAYFARING MEN”
  • Oswald Horowitz: “THE LEGEND OF LANDI”
    The event ended with Jenna winning.

• Official Gala: Golden Rabbits 2025 crowned:

  • HOTEL BITCOIN by Manuel Sanabria & Carlos “Pocho” Villaverde (Best Story)
  • SATOSHI: THE CREATION OF BITCOIN by Arthur Machado (Best Short)
  • REVOLUCIÓN BITCOIN by Juan Pablo Mejía (Audience Choice)
  • NO MORE INFLATION by Maiku Tsukai’s aka Bitcoin Shooter (Best Film)

Nights Charged with Music and Unscripted Surprise

The festival’s legendary afterparties kept the energy high—Friday’s underground gathering at Morph Club (ex-Barbazaar) featured Aaron Koening’s live concert and 2140 DJs (Akme + Andy Princz).

The weekend’s unforgettable moment came when Noa Gruman took the stage with “MY HEAVEN” (Scardust original) and “40HPW” — her powerful tribute to Bitcoin podcasts and Bugle.News.

Lightning-Powered Innovation, and Extras

• Lightning in Action: Flash enabled instant Bitcoin payments across both main venues (Amondo + Samo Centrum, merch stations, and online shop)

• IndeeHub Backstage Pass: Attendees unlocked exclusive access to Lightning-powered VOD featuring selected films from BFF23-25

• BFF TV: Kiki (El Salvador) broadcasting live interviews, event clips, and trailers. Day One, and Day Two to rewatch online.

• Comedy Strike: Robert Le Ricain’s Gala stand-up proved Bitcoiners pack brains and humor—in equal measure.

A Community-Driven Cultural Experience

Bitcoin FilmFest wasn’t just an event—it was proof that culture shifts when money gets fixed. Mark your calendars for June 2026 and the next edition. More info and tickets going on sale soon.

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

Paris, France – June 6, 2025 — Bitcoin payment gateway startup Flash, just announced a new partnership with the “Bitcoin Only Brewery”, marking the first-ever beverage company to leverage Lightning payments.

Flash enables Bitcoin Only Brewery to offer its “BOB” beer with, no-KYC (Know Your Customer) delivery across Europe, priced at 19,500 sats (~$18) for the 4-pack, shipping included.

The cans feature colorful Bitcoin artwork while the contents promise a hazy pale ale: “Each 33cl can contains a smooth, creamy mouthfeel, hazy appearance and refreshing Pale Ale at 5% ABV,” reads the product description.

Pierre Corbin, Co-Founder of Flash, commented:

“Currently, bitcoin is used more as a store of value but usage for payments is picking up. Thanks to new innovation on Lightning, bitcoin is ready to go mainstream for e-commerce sales.”

Flash, launched its 2.0 version in March 2025 with the goal to provide the easiest bitcoin payment gateway for businesses worldwide. The platform is non-custodial and can enable both digital and physical shops to accept bitcoin by connecting their own wallets to Flash.

By leveraging the scalability of the Lightning Network, Flash ensures instant, low-cost transactions, addressing on-chain Bitcoin bottlenecks like high fees and long wait times.

For businesses interested in adopting Bitcoin payments, Flash offers a straightforward onboarding process, low fees, and robust support for both digital and physical goods. To learn more, visit paywithflash.com.

Media Contact:
Pierre Corbin
Co-Founder, Flash
Email: press@paywithflash.com
Website: paywithflash.com

About Flash

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.

About Bitcoin Only Brewery

Bitcoin Only Brewery (@Drink_B0B) is a pioneering beverage company dedicated to the Bitcoin ethos, offering high-quality beers payable exclusively in Bitcoin. With a commitment to personal privacy, the brewery delivers across Europe with no-KYC requirements.

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

“Not your keys, not your coins” isn’t a slogan—it’s a survival mantra in the age of digital sovereignty.

The seismic collapses of Mt. Gox (2014) and FTX (2022) weren’t anomalies; they were wake-up calls. When $8.7 billion in customer funds vanished with FTX, it exposed the fatal flaw of third-party custody: your bitcoin is only as secure as your custodian’s weakest link.

Yet today, As of early 2025, analysts estimate that between 2.3 million and 3.7 million Bitcoins are permanently lost, representing approximately 11–18% of bitcoin’s fixed maximum supply of 21 million coins, with some reports suggesting losses as high as 4 million BTC. This paradox reveals a critical truth: self-custody isn’t just preferable—it’s essential—but it must be done right.

The Custody Spectrum

Custodial Wallets (The Illusion of Control)

• Rehypothecation Risk: Most platforms lend your bitcoin for yield generation. When Celsius collapsed, users discovered their “held” bitcoin was loaned out in risky strategies.
• Account Freezes: Regulatory actions can lock withdrawals overnight. In 2023, Binance suspended dollar withdrawals for U.S. users citing “partner bank issues,” trapping funds for weeks.
• Data Vulnerability: KYC requirements create honeypots for hackers. The 2024 Ledger breach exposed 270,000 users’ personal data despite hardware security.

True Self-Custody
Self-custody means exclusively controlling your private keys—the cryptographic strings that prove bitcoin ownership. Unlike banks or exchanges, self-custody eliminates:

• Counterparty risk (no FTX-style implosions)
• Censorship (no blocked transactions)
• Inflationary theft (no fractional reserve lending)

Conquering the Three Great Fears of Self-Custody

Fear 1: “I’ll Lose Everything If I Make a Mistake”

Reality: Human error is manageable with robust systems:

• Test Transactions: Always send a micro-amount (0.00001 BTC) before large transfers. Verify receipt AND ability to send back.
• Multi-Backup Protocol: Store seed phrases on fireproof/waterproof steel plates (not paper!). Distribute copies geographically—one in a home safe, another with trusted family 100+ miles away.
• SLIP39 Sharding: Split your seed into fragments requiring 3-of-5 shards to reconstruct. No single point of failure.

Fear 2: “Hackers Will Steal My Keys”

Reality: Offline storage defeats remote attacks:

• Hardware Wallets: Devices like Bitkey or Ledger keep keys in “cold storage”—isolated from internet-connected devices. Transactions require physical confirmation.
• Multisig Vaults: Bitvault’s multi-sig system requires attackers compromise multiple locations/devices simultaneously. Even losing two keys won’t forfeit funds.
• Air-Gapped Verification: Use dedicated offline devices for wallet setup. Never type seeds on internet-connected machines.

Fear 3: “My Family Can’t Access It If I Die”

Reality: Inheritance is solvable:

• Dead Man Switches: Bitwarden’s emergency access allows trusted contacts to retrieve encrypted keys after a pre-set waiting period (e.g., 30 days).
• Inheritance Protocols: Bitkey’s inheritance solution shares decryption keys via designated beneficiaries’ emails. Requires multiple approvals to prevent abuse.
• Public Key Registries: Share wallet XPUBs (not private keys!) with heirs. They can monitor balances but not spend, ensuring transparency without risk.

The Freedom Dividend

1. Censorship Resistance: Send $10M BTC to a Wikileaks wallet without Visa/Mastercard blocking it.
2. Privacy Preservation: Avoid KYC surveillance—non-custodial wallets like Flash require zero ID verification.
3. Protocol Access: Participate in bitcoin-native innovations (Lightning Network, DLCs) only possible with self-custodied keys.
4. Black Swan Immunity: When Cyprus-style bank bailins happen, your bitcoin remains untouched in your vault.

The Sovereign’s Checklist

1. Withdraw from Exchanges: Move all BTC > $1,000 to self-custody immediately.
2. Buy Hardware Wallet: Purchase DIRECTLY from manufacturer (no Amazon!) to avoid supply-chain tampering.
3. Generate Seed OFFLINE: Use air-gapped device, write phrase on steel—never digitally.
4. Test Recovery: Delete wallet, restore from seed before funding.
5. Implement Multisig: For > $75k, use Bitvault for 2-of-3 multi-sig setup.
6. Create Inheritance Plan: Share XPUBs/SLIP39 shards with heirs + legal documents.

“Self-custody isn’t about avoiding risk—it’s about transferring risk from opaque institutions to transparent, controllable systems you design.”

The Inevitable Evolution: Custody Without Compromise

Emerging solutions are erasing old tradeoffs:

• MPC Wallets: Services like Xapo Bank shatter keys into encrypted fragments distributed globally. No single device holds full keys, defeating physical theft.
• Social Recovery: Ethically designed networks (e.g., Bitkey) let trusted contacts restore access without custodial control.
• Biometric Assurance: Fingerprint reset protocols prevent lockouts from physical injuries.

Lost keys = lost bitcoin. But consider the alternative: entrusting your life savings to entities with proven 8% annual failure rates among exchanges. Self-custody shifts responsibility from hoping institutions won’t fail to knowing your system can’t fail without your consent.

Take action today: Move one coin. Test one recovery. Share one xpub. The path to unchained wealth begins with a single satoshi under your control.

@ f0fd6902:a2fbaaab

A brinicle (brine icicle, also known as an ice stalactite) is a downward-growing hollow tube of ice enclosing a plume of descending brine that is formed beneath developing sea ice.

As seawater freezes in the polar ocean, salt brine concentrates are expelled from the sea ice, creating a downward flow of dense, extremely cold, saline water, with a lower freezing point than the surrounding water. When this plume comes into contact with the neighboring ocean water, its extremely low temperature causes ice to instantly form around the flow. This creates a hollow stalactite, or icicle, referred to as a brinicle. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brinicle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69aeBawfrRw

https://stacker.news/items/1001460

@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

Mapping Bitcoin’s Bull Cycle Potential

Bitcoin’s Market Value to Realized Value, or MVRV ratio, remains one of the most reliable on-chain indicators for identifying local and macro tops and bottoms across every BTC cycle. By isolating data across different investor cohorts and adapting historical benchmarks to modern market conditions, we can generate more accurate insights into where Bitcoin may be headed next.

The Bitcoin MVRV Ratio

The MVRV Ratio compares Bitcoin’s market price to its realized price, essentially the average cost basis for all coins in the network. As of writing, BTC trades around $105,000 while the realized price floats near $47,000, putting the raw MVRV at 2.26. The Z-Score version of MVRV standardizes this ratio based on historical volatility, enabling clearer comparisons across different market cycles.

Figure 1: Historically, the MVRV Ratio and the MVRV Z-Score have accurately identified cycle peaks and bottoms. View Live Chart

Short-Term Holders

Short-term holders, defined as those holding Bitcoin for 155 days or less, currently have a realized price near $97,000. This metric often acts as dynamic support in bull markets and resistance in bear markets. Notably, when the Short Term Holder MVRV hits 1.33, local tops have historically occurred, as seen several times in both the 2017 and 2021 cycles. So far in the current cycle, this threshold has already been touched four times, each followed by modest retracements.

Figure 2: Short Term Holder MVRV reaching 1.33 in more recent cycles has aligned with local tops. View Live Chart

Long-Term Holders

Long-term holders, who’ve held BTC for more than 155 days, currently have an average cost basis of just $33,500, putting their MVRV at 3.11. Historically, Long Term Holder MVRV values have reached as high as 12 during major peaks. That said, we’re observing a trend of diminishing multiples each cycle.

Figure 3: Achieving a Long Term Holder MVRV value of 8 could extrapolate to a BTC price in excess of $300,000. View Live Chart

A key resistance band now sits between 7.5 and 8.5, a zone that has defined bull tops and pre-bear retracements in every cycle since 2011. If the current growth of the realized price ($40/day) continues for another 140–150 days, matching previous cycle lengths, we could see it reach somewhere in the region of $40,000. A peak MVRV of 8 would imply a price near $320,000.

A Smarter Market Compass

Unlike static all-time metrics, the 2-Year Rolling MVRV Z-Score adapts to evolving market dynamics. By recalculating average extremes over a rolling window, it smooths out Bitcoin’s natural volatility decay as it matures. Historically, this version has signaled overbought conditions when reaching levels above 3, and prime accumulation zones when dipping below -1. Currently sitting under 1, this metric suggests that substantial upside remains.

Figure 4: The current 2-Year Rolling MVRV Z-Score suggests more positive price action ahead. View Live Chart

Timing & Targets

A view of the BTC Growth Since Cycle Lows chart illustrates that BTC is now approximately 925 days removed from its last major cycle low. Historical comparisons to previous bull markets suggest we may be around 140 to 150 days away from a potential top, with both the 2017 and 2021 peaks occurring around 1,060 to 1,070 days after their respective lows. While not deterministic, this alignment reinforces the broader picture of where we are in the cycle. If realized price trends and MVRV thresholds continue on current trajectories, late Q3 to early Q4 2025 may bring final euphoric moves.

Figure 5: Will the current cycle continue to exhibit growth patterns similar to those of the previous two cycles? View Live Chart

Conclusion

The MVRV ratio and its derivatives remain essential tools for analyzing Bitcoin market behavior, providing clear markers for both accumulation and distribution. Whether observing short-term holders hovering near local top thresholds, long-term holders nearing historically significant resistance zones, or adaptive metrics like the 2-Year Rolling MVRV Z-Score signaling plenty of runway left, these data points should be used in confluence.

No single metric should be relied upon to predict tops or bottoms in isolation, but taken together, they offer a powerful lens through which to interpret the macro trend. As the market matures and volatility declines, adaptive metrics will become even more crucial in staying ahead of the curve.

For more deep-dive research, technical indicators, real-time market alerts, and access to a growing community of analysts, visit BitcoinMagazinePro.com.

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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Always do your own research before making any investment decisions.

This post Mapping Bitcoin’s Bull Cycle Potential first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Matt Crosby.

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Bitcoin Magazine

‘MicroStrategy of Asia’ Metaplanet Aims To Acquire Over 210,000 BTC By the End of 2027

Metaplanet Inc. widely recognized as Japan’s leading Bitcoin treasury company, has announced a major update to its Bitcoin accumulation strategy, unveiling the “555 Million Plan” aimed at acquiring over 210,000 BTC by the end of 2027, which is equivalent to 1% of Bitcoin’s total supply.

*Metaplanet Announces Accelerated 2025-2027 Bitcoin Plan: Targeting 210,000 $BTC by 2027*

Full Presentation: https://t.co/JG28maMdfd pic.twitter.com/i9kzmjlDT8

— Metaplanet Inc. (@Metaplanet_JP) June 6, 2025

This new target marks a dramatic increase from the company’s earlier “21 Million Plan,” which aimed for just 21,000 BTC by 2026. Progress far outpaced expectations, with 8,888 BTC already secured as of June 2, prompting the strategic shift.

To fund this growth, Metaplanet has launched Asia’s largest Bitcoin-focused equity raise, aiming to secure ¥770.9 billion (approximately $5.4 billion) through the issuance of 555 million shares via moving strike warrants. This is the first structure of its kind in Japan, priced at a premium to market, made possible by the company’s high share liquidity and volatility.

At the Annual General Meeting on March 24, shareholders approved an increase in authorized shares from 161 million to 1.61 billion, following a 10-for-1 stock split effective April 1, 2025; Metaplanet has approximately 296 million authorized shares remaining. The 555 million shares being issued under the new plan will bring the company’s fully diluted shares outstanding to around 759 million.

Metaplanet’s Bitcoin yield targets and performance for 2025 have shown strong momentum, with quarterly BTC yields of 41.7% in Q3 2024, 309.8% in Q4 2024, 95.6% in Q1 2025, 66.3% in Q2 2025, and projected 35% yields for both Q3 and Q4 2025. The year-to-date BTC yield for 2025 stands at 225.4%, closing to the full year target of 232%. 

Metaplanet also announced the issuance of the 20th to 22nd Series of Stock Acquisition Rights via a third-party allotment to EVO FUND, potentially adding 555 million new shares. The initial exercise price is set at JPY 1,388 and will adjust regularly based on stock prices, with some series including a premium to protect shareholders. The exercise period runs from June 24, 2025, to June 23, 2027, with expected proceeds of approximately JPY 767.4 billion. This financing supports the “555 Million Plan” and further Bitcoin accumulation.

Metaplanet CEO Simon Gerovich wrote in a post on X, “thanks to all of our shareholders,” he said. “We are honored to be on this journey with you. Metaplanet is accelerating into the future — powered by Bitcoin.”

Metaplanet has launched Asia’s largest-ever equity raise dedicated to Bitcoin:
¥770.9 billion (~$5.4B) capital raise
555 million shares via moving strike warrants
First in Japan: issued at a premium to market — enabled by Metaplanet’s high volatility and deep liquidity… pic.twitter.com/UlXHneyDzo

— Simon Gerovich (@gerovich) June 6, 2025

This post ‘MicroStrategy of Asia’ Metaplanet Aims To Acquire Over 210,000 BTC By the End of 2027 first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Oscar Zarraga Perez.

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Finding Calm in the Chaos

Ever notice how you start future-mapping to calm your nerves… and end up more anxious than when you began? You’re not alone! Join us for a playful, real-talk exploration of why our brilliant minds try to control everything — and how empathy, Buddhist wisdom, and EFT tapping can help us step out of the anxious loop and land back in the delicious now.

https://www.thrivingnow.center/t/1491/4

https://youtu.be/VRx63O19dMM

We covered…

1. Future Mapping is Fish-and-Water Awareness We often don’t realize how much mental energy we spend constantly planning scenarios - “if it rains, if they get upset, if this happens then that…” This protective pattern started early but now we can bring it into conscious awareness and choose how much energy to invest.

2. The Empathy App Creates Endless Scenarios Our empathetic nature means we’re not just planning for ourselves - we’re mapping out everyone else’s potential reactions, feelings, and needs. This creates exponentially more “what if” scenarios that keep our minds spinning in overdrive.

3. Fault-Finding is Too Crude for Thriving When we automatically assign blame (usually to ourselves), we’re operating from primitive brain patterns. Upgrading to a more refined viewpoint means seeing the “dance of energies” where everyone contributes and sometimes feet get stepped on - it’s part of life.

4. We Can’t Actually Control the River Life flows like a river, and we can steer our canoe but we cannot change the river itself. Our anxiety often signals we’re trying to do the impossible - control weather, other people’s moods, or outcomes beyond our influence.

5. Magical Thinking Says “If I Worry Enough, It Will Work Out” We unconsciously believe that suffering through worry ahead of time will somehow guarantee good outcomes. Our nervous system knows this is a lie, which creates more anxiety. We can release this “prepayment” fantasy.

6. Distributing the Broccoli Back to Its Owners We often scoop up everyone else’s responsibilities onto our plate to avoid conflict or being blamed. Learning to ask “Is this really my broccoli?” helps us return emotional and practical responsibilities to their rightful owners.

7. Include Safe and Good Possibilities in Your Maps When we only map threats and problems, we miss opportunities for joy, connection, and creative solutions. Consciously including positive possibilities activates different parts of ourselves - the creative, hopeful, and inspired aspects.

8. Tapping While Thinking Moves Energy Out of Stuck Loops Simply speaking our thoughts aloud while tapping the acupressure points breaks the narrow band of mental spinning. This engages our body’s intelligence and often reveals what words or feelings want to emerge beyond our conscious planning.

9. Being With What Is vs. Making Everyone Happy Instead of trying to make everyone feel good all the time (which is impossible), we can practice being present with people as they actually are. This is more respectful, connected, and requires much less exhausting management.

10. Anxiety Can Be Wise Body Guidance Rather than just a problem to fix, our anxiety often signals we’re trying to do something unwise - like changing unchangeable things or telling ourselves lies about what we can control. We can listen to this guidance.

11. The Sweet Spot of Thoughtful Planning We’re not throwing away our planning abilities - we’re finding the balance between appropriate preparation (throwing an umbrella in the bag) and exhausting over-management (trying to control every possible variable). Good and sufficient planning honors both our intelligence and life’s natural flow.

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Bitcoin Magazine

Gemini Files Draft With The SEC For Proposed IPO

Today, Gemini Space Station, Inc. announced that it has confidentially filed a draft registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering (IPO) of its Class A common stock. Details such as the number of shares and the price range have not been disclosed. The IPO will proceed after the SEC’s review and is subject to market conditions.

JUST IN: @Gemini has confidentially filed for an IPO with the @SECGov.

Details on share count and pricing TBD.

Launch date will depend on SEC review and market conditions.

— Eleanor Terrett (@EleanorTerrett) June 6, 2025

“Any offers, solicitations or offers to buy, or any sales of securities will be made in accordance with the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,” stated the press release. “This announcement is being issued in accordance with Rule 135 under the Securities Act.”

Gemini’s move comes during a period of growing activity in both the public markets and the digital asset space. Just yesterday, Trump Media and Technology Group Corp. (Nasdaq, NYSE Texas: DJT) also filed a Form S-1 with the SEC for its upcoming Truth Social Bitcoin ETF.

“Truth Social Bitcoin ETF, B.T. is a Nevada business trust that issues beneficial interests in its net assets,” stated the Form S-1. “The assets of the Trust consist primarily of bitcoin held by a custodian on behalf of the Trust. The Trust seeks to reflect generally the performance of the price of bitcoin.”

Momentum around Bitcoin and broader crypto policy was also evident last week at the 2025 Bitcoin Conference in Las Vegas. There, Gemini founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss joined White House A.I. & Crypto Czar David Sacks to discuss how the government should manage Bitcoin, as well as recent developments in federal policy.

“Orange is the new gold,” said Cameron. “So, Bitcoin is Gold 2.0, and that’s been true since day one. So, at $100,000 Bitcoin, that’s exciting, but if you take 21 million and do the above ground market price of gold. Really, it should be a million dollars a coin—easily,”

They talked about some of the recent policy changes that have been good for crypto include rolling back the IRS digital asset broker rule and SAB 121, which had stopped banks from holding Bitcoin. The Department of Justice also stopped its regulation by prosecution approach, which takes a lot of pressure off digital asset firms.

“It’s hard to imagine a President. Any other President being able to do any fraction of this or accomplish that or any administration and we have just over 100 days,” said Tyler. “So, It’s pretty amazing that we still have a lot of time left.” Later on, he ended the panel saying, “To the Moon!”

This post Gemini Files Draft With The SEC For Proposed IPO first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Oscar Zarraga Perez.

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Bitcoin Magazine

TakeOver Successfully Hosts Second Annual BitGala Celebrating Bitcoin in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, NV, May 26, 2025 – TakeOver, Magic Eden, Spark, and Stacks successfully hosted their second annual BitGala on May 26th at the Wynn in Las Vegas. The celebration brought together over 200 Bitcoin industry leaders and community members for an evening dedicated to celebrating Bitcoin. 

The BitGala was designed as a curated gathering focused on inspiring continued development, education, and adoption while reflecting on the strides Bitcoin has made toward a future of open, decentralized money. The event successfully brought together key leaders, creating meaningful opportunities for collaboration and strategic partnerships within the Bitcoin space. 

“BitGala celebrates our partnership with Spark, marketing a major leap forward for Bitcoin DeFi,” said Elizabeth Olson, Head of Marketing for Bitcoin at Magic Eden. “As the #1 Bitcoin app, Magic Eden has spent the past few years pushing Bitcoin L1 to its limits, always with the goal of making Bitcoin more usable, fast, and fun without compromising its core ethos. We believe Spark has the potential to unlock a new era of building on Bitcoin, and we’re thrilled to be leading that charge together.” 

“The BitGala was a stunning celebration of Bitcoin culture where luxury meets the cypherpunk spirit. We’re proving that Bitcoin isn’t just a protocol, it’s a movement connecting freedom-minded people from art, fashion, finance, and more. To us, it was a pure signal that people are starting to see what Stacks has been building all along: a future where Bitcoin isn’t just held, but used for apps, defi, and real ownership.” – Rena Shah, COO of Stacks. 

Set against the backdrop of the Sphere, the evening brought together innovators, investors, and community leaders for a night dedicated to celebrating Bitcoin’s growth and the people driving its future. 

The program opened with a welcome reception, followed by gourmet hors d’oeuvres and vibrant conversations. A keynote and honors segment recognized those making meaningful strides in Bitcoin adoption and development. Guests were then invited to explore a premium tequila tasting experience curated by Reach, and indulge in interactive gourmet chef stations. 

“Our team has been fortunate to be part of the Bitcoin community since 2016, so we’re thrilled to see all the progress on display almost 10 years later at Bitcoin 2025. The energy in the room at BitGala was electric—from conversations sparking new partnerships to shared reflections on what’s next for Bitcoin—it was a powerful reminder of why we’re all here: to build an open, decentralized financial system that empowers everyone.” noted Kelley Weaver, Founder and CEO, Melrose PR and Founder, Bitwire. 

This unforgettable gathering—hosted in partnership with leading organizations including Magic Eden, Spark, and Stacks—was more than a celebration. It was a call to continue pushing forward innovation, education, and adoption in

the Bitcoin ecosystem. BitGala was made possible through the generous support of key sponsors and partners who share Takeover’s commitment to fostering connections in the web3 space. 

“We’re focused on making Bitcoin more useful for everyone, and events like this remind us that we’re not alone in that mission. It was inspiring to connect with others who share the vision of a more open, decentralized financial future powered by Bitcoin.” – Spark Team 

Presenting Sponsors: 

• Magic Eden – The largest NFT marketplace and Runes platform. 
• Spark – The fastest, cheapest, most UX-friendly way to build financial apps and launch assets on Bitcoin.
• Stacks – A Bitcoin L2 enabling smart contracts & apps with Bitcoin as secure base layer. 

Supporting Partners: 

• Reach Ventures – a gaming-focused VC firm that actively invests in both early-stage and demo-ready game studios.
• Arch Network – a Bitcoin-native platform for building decentralized apps and smart contracts directly on Bitcoin. 
• Melrose PR – An onchain communications firm that has been focused on the crypto industry exclusively for almost a decade. 
• Bitwire – The modern newswire reimagined for today’s communications professionals. 

The collaborative support from these organizations was instrumental in delivering a memorable event for all attendees. 

Actor and comedian T.J. Miller was also a speaker at the event: “The bitcoin conference 2025 was incredible for so many reasons. It was such a joyful journey to be with so many like-minded people (all of whom have been laughed at) who share the same values: freedom, community, hope, and getting rich- the highpoint was the BitGala. I bought incredibly large expensive shoes for the specific purpose of showing up to the gala non-verbally saying bitcoin destroying Fiat, well that’s big shoes to fill… and we’ll fill ‘em. I can’t wait to return next year. I will wear more orange.” 

About TakeOver 

TakeOver is the experiential agency at the forefront of culture and innovation in the crypto space, known for curating powerful moments that educate, connect, and inspire. With a global Bitcoin Dinner Series and their annual flagship event, BitGala, they’ve become a cornerstone of community-building in Web3. Last year, they made headlines with a dramatic takeover of Nashville’s Parthenon—setting the bar for what crypto gatherings can be. 

About Magic Eden 

Magic Eden is the easiest platform to trade all digital assets onchain. As the #1 Bitcoin app and largest NFT marketplace, we provide a seamless trading experience to everyone. Magic Eden’s acquisition of Slingshot has expanded their capabilities to offer frictionless trading of over 5,000,000 tokens across all major chains. Magic Eden’s expanded product suite includes a cross-chain wallet, powerful trading tools, and the ability to mint, collect, and seamlessly trade NFTs and tokens.

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Disclaimer: This is a sponsored press release. Readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence before acting on any information presented in this article.

This post TakeOver Successfully Hosts Second Annual BitGala Celebrating Bitcoin in Las Vegas first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by TakeOver.

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Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin 2025 Las Vegas: Here’s What Went Down 

My name is Jenna Montgomery, and maybe you’ve read some of my news articles here before, or seen me on the Bitcoin Magazine TikTok. But today, I wanted to switch it up and give you an inside look at the Bitcoin 2025 Conference in Las Vegas through my eyes as an intern, hired just one month before the conference, having little knowledge about Bitcoin beforehand and never attending an event like this before. 

I’m writing this to give you a real, raw reflection of what I experienced over the course of the three day event, and why I believe you should absolutely attend the next Bitcoin conference. I want you all to know what goes down, what to expect, and to know how impactful I think this event really is. Bitcoin 2025 made a lasting impact on me and my life, and it just feels right to tell you why, so yours can maybe be changed too.

I got off the plane, threw my suitcase in my hotel room, and went to go and see the convention center as all of the finishing touches around the venue were being added. I remember thinking how big, beautiful, and fun the expo hall was—and where I would soon meet so many new people, make so many friends, and shake hands with people that I looked up to and admired. 

I will never forget walking in and seeing the main conference stage, The Nakamoto Stage, for the first time. Seeing that giant room with a symphony and endless rows of chairs, soon to be filled with thousands of passionate Bitcoiners, really put in perspective to me how Bitcoin 2025 wasn’t just a conference, it felt like something bigger. I realized it’s an actual community and a place of countless opportunities. 

The conference is essentially split up into 3 days: Industry Day, General Admission Day 1, and General Admission Day 2. Industry Day was mainly tailored towards professionals, investors, founders, and others focused on Bitcoin businesses. The general admission days were tailored more towards the casual Bitcoiner, and those were the days that I really felt the energy just exploding around the convention center.

INDUSTRY DAY 

Walking into the expo hall early in the morning on Industry Day, I was overwhelmed when I saw all of the vendors and companies setting up their tables, booths, stages, and even a rock climbing wall (thank you CleanSpark). It seemed as if the expo hall went for miles and miles, and featured a long orange carpet that made an intricate path through the venue that led you to each and every booth.

While fiat fails, Bitcoin prevails. pic.twitter.com/EV190PUqdT

— Valentina Gomez (@ValentinaForUSA) May 27, 2025

I remember being in total awe as I looked up at the ceiling and saw a huge UFO in the middle of the expo hall, with two Bitcoin themed Cybertrucks just off to the side of it, with lots of other interesting booths including one with a talking robot.

DAY ONE pic.twitter.com/KHXP6q8RCp

— Gemini (@Gemini) May 27, 2025

As I followed the long orange carpet around the venue, I looked over my shoulder and saw a huge blow-up of a Bitcoin Puppet in the art exhibit, featuring all kinds of other cool Bitcoin art. Some of these pieces of art were worth well over one bitcoin—which was mindblowing to me considering that is more than $100,000. Every good revolution has good art, and seeing all the talented artists pouring their hearts into their work helped me believe that Bitcoin is the future. 

Now, it was time to get to work at where I would spend the majority of my time over the next few days. My coworkers and I were stationed up right in front of the Bitcoin Magazine news desk next to the AV (audio-visual) team, where I had a perfect view of everything. Here, I spent all day every day writing news articles for Bitcoin Magazine based on the speeches, keynotes, and other panels happening on the Nakamoto stage, as well as filming TikTok’s around the expo hall with attendees.

Working in front of the news desk was one of my favorite things about the conference. Everyone who spoke on it live had an electrifying personality that kept me locked into every conversation, especially one of the hosts Pete Rizzo. After every talk on the Nakamoto Stage ended, the live stream would pan over to the news desk where they would break down what happened, providing viewers with expert analysis. This was something extremely very fun to watch live and experience the production of it all first hand.

The talks on Industry Day kicked off to such a great start with Dan Edwards from Steak ‘n Shake, who recently became the first major fast food chain in America to begin accepting Bitcoin Lightning payments. So I was very excited to hear about Edwards’ speech and to visit Steak ‘n Shake’s incredible booth, which also featured a group of fun, dancing cows. 

Steak ‘n Shake COWS HAVE NO CHILL pic.twitter.com/8UkmPhWf9T

— The Bitcoin Conference (@TheBitcoinConf) May 28, 2025

While speaking on stage, Edwards revealed that, “Bitcoin is faster than credit cards, and when customers choose to pay in Bitcoin, we’re saving 50% in processing fees.” Just think about that for a second — saving a whole 50% on each transaction? This really opened my eyes to the benefits of accepting Bitcoin as payment and why it could mean to merchants who adopt it.

Based on everything I heard in that speech, I think Steak ‘n Shake may be the first to start a new trend of other big companies accepting Bitcoin. If they recognized the benefits of Bitcoin, it’s only a matter of time before other franchises do as well.

JUST IN: Fast food giant Steak 'n Shake announced they're saving 50% in processing fees accepting Bitcoin payments

'#Bitcoin is faster than credit cards' pic.twitter.com/bxApgBL6El

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) May 27, 2025

Another big highlight from this day was hearing Senator Cynthia Lummis confirm that President Donald Trump supports her Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act. There were so many statements made during the conference that I will get to later on that point to the fact that the United States is pro-Bitcoin and we’re going to be the world leader in it. Senator Marsha Blackburn also added to this, stating, “Many of our allies follow what we do. If we lead, others will follow. This is vital to our economic future.” 

JUST IN: Senator Cynthia Lummis said US military generals are "big supporters" of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve for economic power. pic.twitter.com/2RPMV3tbdA

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) May 27, 2025

At this point in

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Bitcoin Magazine

The Blockchain Group Accelerates Bitcoin Treasury Strategy with €300M Raise

On June 9, 2025, The Blockchain Group (Euronext: ALTBG) announced a €300 million capital increase program in partnership with TOBAM—marking one of the largest flexible funding facilities in the European public markets dedicated to scaling a Bitcoin treasury.

The raise is structured as an “ATM-type” (At-The-Market) offering, allowing TOBAM to subscribe daily for ordinary shares at a price based on the higher of the previous day’s closing price or volume-weighted average price (VWAP). Each tranche is capped at 21% of the day’s trading volume. This provides a disciplined mechanism to increase capital over time without disrupting market dynamics.

TOBAM: A Strategic Long-Term Backer

TOBAM, a Paris-based asset manager, has been a strategic investor in The Blockchain Group since 2017. The firm was among the earliest institutional advocates of Bitcoin as a treasury asset and remains one of Europe’s most innovative capital allocators. This deepened partnership underscores shared conviction in Bitcoin’s long-term value and the importance of financial infrastructure built on hard money principles.

Through this program, TOBAM can allocate capital into ALTBG shares in a way that aligns with market liquidity, ensuring that treasury growth occurs sustainably and with pricing transparency.

What It Means for Bitcoin For Corporations

For BFC members and observers, this development reflects the growing global standardization of capital tools for Bitcoin-native companies. The ATM structure—commonly used in U.S. equity markets—has now been adapted for European Bitcoin treasury growth. It offers several key advantages:

➤ Precision Timing: Capital can be deployed when conditions are favorable, avoiding the drawbacks of lump-sum raises.
➤ BTC Per Share Focus: The program is explicitly designed to increase the number of bitcoins per share on a fully diluted basis—aligning shareholder and treasury value.
➤ Strategic Flexibility: Instead of relying on traditional fundraising windows, The Blockchain Group now has continuous access to growth capital.

A Treasury Engine, Not Just a Treasury

The Blockchain Group has been steadily transforming itself from a digital services company into a full-fledged Bitcoin Treasury Company. This €300 million program turns that transformation into a capital engine—one that can convert equity into Bitcoin consistently, responsively, and with strategic intent.

It also strengthens Europe’s position in the emerging corporate Bitcoin ecosystem. While most Bitcoin Treasury Companies today are U.S.-based, The Blockchain Group’s playbook offers a model for public firms across Euronext and other international exchanges.

The Blockchain Group isn’t just holding Bitcoin—it’s designing infrastructure to accumulate it over time. With TOBAM’s backing and a flexible ATM program in place, Europe’s first Bitcoin Treasury Company is poised to scale BTC per share with precision—one tranche at a time.

Disclaimer: This content was written on behalf of Bitcoin For Corporations. This article is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as an invitation or solicitation to acquire, purchase, or subscribe for securities.

This post The Blockchain Group Accelerates Bitcoin Treasury Strategy with €300M Raise first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Nick Ward.

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Bitcoin Magazine

Strategy Buys $110 Million Worth of Bitcoin

Strategy has acquired an additional 1,045 Bitcoin for approximately $110.2 million, further cementing its position as the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin as institutional adoption continues to accelerate in 2025.

According to an SEC filing on June 9, the company purchased the Bitcoin at an average price of $105,426 per coin last week, bringing its total holdings to 582,000 BTC. The acquisition was funded through Strategy’s at-the-market (ATM) sales of STRK and STRF preferred stocks.

BREAKING: STRATEGY BUYS ANOTHER 1045 #BITCOIN FOR $110 MILLION pic.twitter.com/PUjgvEUg4B

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) June 9, 2025

With this latest purchase, Strategy’s average acquisition price across all its Bitcoin holdings has risen to $70,086 per coin. At current market prices of approximately $107,700, the company’s total Bitcoin holdings are valued at $62.8 billion.

The purchase follows recent significant acquisitions by other major corporations, including GameStop’s $513 million purchase of 4,710 BTC and The Blockchain Group’s €60.2 million acquisition of 624 BTC.

The pace of corporate Bitcoin adoption has reached an unprecedented level, with over 100 public companies now holding Bitcoin worth more than $90 billion collectively.

Strategy’s continued accumulation has helped establish a model for corporate treasury diversification that’s being rapidly adopted across industries.

Strategy’s reported BTC Yield, a key performance indicator measuring the year-to-date percentage change in Bitcoin holdings relative to diluted shares outstanding, now stands at 17.1% for 2025.

At press time, Bitcoin trades at $107,700, up 1.78% over the past 24 hours, as the market continues to process this latest institutional development and its implications for broader corporate adoption of Bitcoin as a treasury asset.

This post Strategy Buys $110 Million Worth of Bitcoin first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Vivek Sen.

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Ganz im Geiste des klassischen Kabaretts widmen sich Franz Esser und Michael Sailer den Ereignissen des letzten Monats: Was ist passiert? Und was ist dazu zu sagen? Das ist oft frappierend - und manchmal auch zum Lachen.

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/vier-wochen-wahnsinn-mai-25-ein-satirischer-monatsruckblick

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

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Wahrscheinlich wird es wieder der wärmste Mai seit Wetteraufzeichnung gewesen sein, was uns erneut ermahnt, endlich dem Klimawandel den Garaus zu machen. Sie merken es, der Sarkasmus bahnt sich schon seinen Weg. Auch München hat sich jetzt dem Klima-Taler-Netzwerk angeschlossen und wirbt für das Angebot, sich ein besseres Gewissen tracken zu lassen. Hören Sie Nicolas Riedls Kommentar „Der Klima-Köder“.

Sprecherin: Sabrina Khalil

Bild: © Klima-Taler

Radio München\ 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): 3G1wDDH2CDPJ9DHan5TTpsfpSXWhNMCZmQ

@ 2b24a1fa:17750f64

Einmal, im dunklen Wald auf dem Weg ins nächste Dorf, hielt ich meine Taschenlampe auf den Boden gerichtet, nicht wirklich senkrecht, aber so, dass der Lichtkegel nah bei mir war. Immer wieder lief ein Schatten auf mich zu. Manchmal kam er auch von hinten. Jedes Mal erschrak ich fürchterlich, ging in Abwehrhaltung und mahnte mich dann zur Einsicht: Wer sollte mir folgen? Was aus dem Gebüsch, sollte auf mich zu kommen, oder dicht an mir vorbei laufen wollen? Woher also dieser Schreck, diese Angst? Vielleicht ist es nur das Reptilienhirn und der Überlebenssinn der reagiert, vielleicht aber auch ein Teil der Prägung, die uns verunsichert, wenn wir die Gemeinschaft verlassen und uns anders verhalten.

https://soundcloud.com/radiomuenchen/innerer-tiefenstaat-von?

Unbekannte und einflussreiche Anteile unseres Selbst zu entdecken und zu integrieren nennt der Wildnispädagoge, Autor und Journalist Bastian Barucker Schattenarbeit. Hören Sie seinen Text Trauma, Krieg, Friedensfähigkeit und der innere Tiefenstaat.

Sprecher: Ulrich Allroggen\ Redaktion: Eva Schmidt

Den Beitrag können Sie auf seinem Blog Bastian-Barucker.de nachlesen. blog.bastian-barucker.de/der-innere-tiefenstaat/

@ 81022b27:2b8d0644

You probably already know that I’ve been playing around with the whole Nostr thing.

Well, slowly I have been posting my content on Nostr. The long-form content., like my https://www.theintuitivechiropractor.com am using Habla.news

Habla.News is basically a blog app. It’s like a Substack, but you don’t have the newsletter feature, but I hear one may be in the works.

So from what I understand so far, your content is all published in one stream, but different sites handle the content differently.

A Twitter-like short post reader like Primal will organize short post and a long-form reader like Habla will do the articles.

I created a personal webpage on Npub.Pro and a links page (like a LinkTree) as well.

You can click on to see some of those pages.

Now, I’m having issues with the NPub page, because sometimes it wants to show my content, sometimes it decides not to.

Did I mention all of this is FREE?

It’s a bit complicated to setup at first, especially if you are unfamiliar with crypto wallets and that kind of stuff-but you get the feeling this is all new stuff and we are here in a new frontier where this could end up being revolutionary.

Follow my posts on here to see how I progress. If you would like to start on Nostr, I will do everything I can to help you out.

Live Long and Prosper,

-Dan

@ 81022b27:2b8d0644

I literally have no clue what I'm doing.

Nostr is a decentralized protocol that lets users share messages and content through independent servers called relays, ensuring no single entity controls the network. It uses cryptographic keys to verify identities and secure messages, making it censorship-resistant and privacy-focused.

That is the simplest definition that Grok could come up with defining what is Nostr.

I’ve been intrigued by this because it ties in blockchain, publishing content and privacy all into one.

It is intimately tied to a Bitcoin wallet, where readers can “Zap” you tips in Satoshis- which is Bitcoin “change”

There are no intermediaries, no card processing fees, no gatekeepers to keep your content hidden,none of that.

Maybe i’m still mad about being censored on social media for my Covid-19 posts, but the idea of not being able to be censored by a corporation or even my own government is appealing to me.

There are apps to see videos, blog apps and social media type apps.

You own your content and you can move it around wherever you like.

I will be experimenting with posting on there.

I’ve got two profiles on there (I told you I didnt know what I was doing)

I’m inviting you to join me on Nostr.

Live Long and Prosper,

_Dan

nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzpqgz9vnnj6wkj3excxuvf2ug4xstp72g774v9tpnxzptag4c6pjyqqxnzde58yen2d35xg6njve5x6ph8l

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

The former seems to have found solid product market fit. Expect significant volume, adoption, and usage going forward.

The latter's future remains to be seen. Dependence on Tor, which has had massive reliability issues, and lack of strong privacy guarantees put it at risk.

— ODELL (@ODELL) October 27, 2022

The Basics

• Lightning is a protocol that enables cheap and fast native bitcoin transactions.
• At the core of the protocol is the ability for bitcoin users to create a payment channel with another user.
• These payment channels enable users to make many bitcoin transactions between each other with only two on-chain bitcoin transactions: the channel open transaction and the channel close transaction.
• Essentially lightning is a protocol for interoperable batched bitcoin transactions.
• It is expected that on chain bitcoin transaction fees will increase with adoption and the ability to easily batch transactions will save users significant money.
• As these lightning transactions are processed, liquidity flows from one side of a channel to the other side, on chain transactions are signed by both parties but not broadcasted to update this balance.
• Lightning is designed to be trust minimized, either party in a payment channel can close the channel at any time and their bitcoin will be settled on chain without trusting the other party.

There is no 'Lightning Network'

• Many people refer to the aggregate of all lightning channels as 'The Lightning Network' but this is a false premise.
• There are many lightning channels between many different users and funds can flow across interconnected channels as long as there is a route through peers.
• If a lightning transaction requires multiple hops it will flow through multiple interconnected channels, adjusting the balance of all channels along the route, and paying lightning transaction fees that are set by each node on the route.

Example: You have a channel with Bob. Bob has a channel with Charlie. You can pay Charlie through your channel with Bob and Bob's channel with User C.

• As a result, it is not guaranteed that every lightning user can pay every other lightning user, they must have a route of interconnected channels between sender and receiver.

Lightning in Practice

• Lightning has already found product market fit and usage as an interconnected payment protocol between large professional custodians.
• They are able to easily manage channels and liquidity between each other without trust using this interoperable protocol.
• Lightning payments between large custodians are fast and easy. End users do not have to run their own node or manage their channels and liquidity. These payments rarely fail due to professional management of custodial nodes.
• The tradeoff is one inherent to custodians and other trusted third parties. Custodial wallets can steal funds and compromise user privacy.

Sovereign Lightning

• Trusted third parties are security holes.
• Users must run their own node and manage their own channels in order to use lightning without trusting a third party. This remains the single largest friction point for sovereign lightning usage: the mental burden of actively running a lightning node and associated liquidity management.
• Bitcoin development prioritizes node accessibility so cost to self host your own node is low but if a node is run at home or office, Tor or a VPN is recommended to mask your IP address: otherwise it is visible to the entire network and represents a privacy risk.
• This privacy risk is heightened due to the potential for certain governments to go after sovereign lightning users and compel them to shutdown their nodes. If their IP Address is exposed they are easier to target.
• Fortunately the tools to run and manage nodes continue to get easier but it is important to understand that this will always be a friction point when compared to custodial services.

The Potential Fracture of Lightning

• Any lightning user can choose which users are allowed to open channels with them.
• One potential is that professional custodians only peer with other professional custodians.
• We already see nodes like those run by CashApp only have channels open with other regulated counterparties. This could be due to performance goals, liability reduction, or regulatory pressure.

• Fortunately some of their peers are connected to non-regulated parties so payments to and from sovereign lightning users are still successfully processed by CashApp but this may not always be the case going forward.

Summary

• Many people refer to the aggregate of all lightning channels as 'The Lightning Network' but this is a false premise. There is no singular 'Lightning Network' but rather many payment channels between distinct peers, some connected with each other and some not.
• Lightning as an interoperable payment protocol between professional custodians seems to have found solid product market fit. Expect significant volume, adoption, and usage going forward.
• Lightning as a robust sovereign payment protocol has yet to be battle tested. Heavy reliance on Tor, which has had massive reliability issues, the friction of active liquidity management, significant on chain fee burden for small amounts, interactivity constraints on mobile, and lack of strong privacy guarantees put it at risk.

---

If you have never used lightning before, use this guide to get started on your phone.

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

@ 8bad92c3:ca714aa5

Marty's Bent

J.P. Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon has long been an outspoken skeptic and critic of bitcoin. He has called Bitcoin a speculative asset, a fraud, a pet rock, and has opined that it will inevitably blow up. A couple of years ago, he was on Capitol Hill saying that if he were the government, he would "close it down". Just within the last month, he was on Fox Business News talking with Maria Bartiromo, proclaiming that the U.S. should be stockpiling bullets and rare earth metals instead of bitcoin. It's pretty clear that Jamie Dimon, who is at the helm of the most powerful and largest bank in the world, does not like bitcoin one bit.

Evidence below:

via Bitcoin Magazine

via me

via CNBC

via Trending Politics

Despite Dimon's distinguished disdain for Bitcoin, J.P. Morgan cannot deny reality. The CEO of the largest bank in the world is certainly a powerful man, but no one individual, even in the position that Jamie Dimon is in, is more powerful than the market. And the market has spoken very clearly, it is demanding bitcoin. The Bitcoin ETFs have been the most successful ETFs in terms of pace of growth since their launch. They've accumulated tens of billions of dollars in AUM in a very short period of time. Outpacing the previous record set by the gold ETF, GLD.

Whether or not Jamie Dimon himself likes Bitcoin doesn't matter. J.P. Morgan, as the largest bank in the world and a publicly traded company, has a duty to shareholders. And that duty is to increase shareholder value by any ethical and legal means necessary. Earlier today, J.P. Morgan announced plans to offer clients financing against their Bitcoin ETFs, as well as some other benefits, including having their bitcoin holdings recognized in their overall net worth and liquid assets, similar to stocks, cars, and art, which will be massive for bitcoiners looking to get mortgages and other types of loans.

via Bloomberg

I've talked about this recently, but trying to buy a house when most of your liquid net worth is held in bitcoin is a massive pain in the ass. Up until this point, if you wanted to have your bitcoin recognized as part of your net worth and count towards your overall credit profile, you would need to sell some bitcoin, move it to a bank account, and have it sit there for a certain period of time before it was recognized toward your net worth. This is not ideal for bitcoiners who have sufficient cash flows and don't want to sell their bitcoin, pay the capital gains tax, and risk not being able to buy back the amount of sats they were forced to sell just to get a mortgage.

It's not yet clear to me whether or not J.P. Morgan will recognize bitcoin in cold storage toward their clients' net worth and credit profile, or if this is simply for bitcoin ETFs only. However, regardless, this is a step in the right direction and a validation of something that many bitcoiners have been saying for years. Inevitably, everyone will have to bend the knee to bitcoin. Today, it just happened to be the largest bank in the world. I expect more of this to come in the coming months, years, and decades.

Lyn Alden likes to say it in the context of the U.S. national debt and the fiscal crisis, but it also applies to bitcoin adoption and the need for incumbents to orient themselves around the demands of individual bitcoiners; nothing stops this train.

Real Estate Correction Coming

Real estate expert Leon Wankum shared his perspective on why property prices need to find a new equilibrium by 2026. He pointed to the 18-year property cycle theory, noting we're at the end of the current cycle with a massive imbalance - 34% more sellers than buyers, the highest gap since records began in 2013. Leon explained that sellers still have unrealistic expectations based on 2021-2022 peaks, while buyers face a fundamentally different reality with higher borrowing costs.

"We need a price equilibrium. We need demand and supply prices to match. It's going to take a long time, I think." - Leon Wankum

Leon doesn't expect a catastrophic crash, however. He emphasized that the financial system depends too heavily on real estate as collateral for authorities to allow a complete collapse. With interest rates likely staying above 3% to combat inflation, he sees a healthy correction rather than devastation - a necessary adjustment that creates opportunities for patient buyers who understand the new market dynamics.

Check out the full podcast here for more on Bitcoin treasury strategies, dual collateralization, and corporate BTC adoption

---

Headlines of the Day

California May Seize Idle Bitcoin After 3 Years - via X

Semler Scientific Buys $20M More Bitcoin, Holds $467M - via X

US Home Sellers Surge as Buyers Hit 4-Year Low - via X

Get our new STACK SATS hat - via tftcmerch.io

---

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---

Final thought...

I feel old.

---

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@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

CANNES, FRANCE – May 2025 — Bitcoin mining made its mark at the world’s most prestigious film gathering this year as Puerto Rican director and producer Alana Mediavilla introduced her feature documentary Dirty Coin: The Bitcoin Mining Documentary at the Marché du Film during the Cannes Film Festival.

The film puts bitcoin mining at the center of a rising global conversation about energy, technology, and economic freedom.

Dirty Coin is the first feature-length documentary to explore bitcoin mining through immersive, on-the-ground case studies.

From rural towns in the United States to hydro-powered sites in Latin America and the Congo, the film follows miners and communities navigating what may be one of the most misunderstood technologies of our time.

The result is a human-centered look at how bitcoin mining is transforming local economies and energy infrastructure in real ways.

To mark its Cannes debut, Mediavilla and her team hosted a packed industry event that brought together leaders from both film and finance.

Dirty Coin debut ceremony at the Marché du Film

Sponsors Celestial Management, Sangha Renewables, Nordblock, and Paystand.org supported the program, which featured panels on mining, energy use, and decentralized infrastructure.

Attendees had the rare opportunity to engage directly with pioneers in the space. A special session in French led by Seb Gouspillou spotlighted mining efforts in the Congo’s Virunga region.

Dirty Coin builds on Mediavilla’s award-winning short film Stranded, which won over 20 international prizes, including Best Short Documentary at Cannes in 2024.

That success helped lay the foundation for the feature and positioned Mediavilla as one of the boldest new voices in global documentary filmmaking.

Alana Mediavilla speaks at the Marché du Film — Cannes Film Festival

“If we’ve found an industry that can unlock stranded energy and turn it into real power for people—especially in regions with energy poverty—why wouldn’t we look into it?” says Mediavilla. “Our privilege blinds us.

“The same thing we criticize could be the very thing that lifts the developing world to our standard of living. Ignoring that potential is a failure of imagination.”

Much like the decentralized network it explores, Dirty Coin is spreading globally through grassroots momentum.

Local leaders are hosting independent screenings around the world, from Roatán and Berlin to São Paulo and Madrid. Upcoming events include Toronto and Zurich, with more cities joining each month.

Mediavilla, who previously worked in creative leadership roles in the U.S. — including as a producer at Google — returned to Puerto Rico to found Campo Libre, a studio focused on high-caliber, globally relevant storytelling from the Caribbean.

She was also accepted into the Cannes Producers Network, a selective program open only to producers with box office releases in the past four years.

Mediavilla qualified after independently releasing Dirty Coin in theaters across Puerto Rico. Her participation in the network gave her direct access to meetings, insights, and connections with the most active distributors and producers working today.

The film’s next public screening will take place at the Anthem Film Festival in Palm Springs on Saturday, June 14 at 2 PM. Additional screenings and market appearances are planned throughout the year at Bitcoin events and international film platforms.

Dirty Coin at the Cannes Film Festival

Watch the Trailer + Access Press Materials

📂 EPK
🎬 Screener
🌍 Host a Screening

Follow the Movement

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dirty_coin_official/
Twitter: https://x.com/DirtyCoinDoc
Website: www.dirtycointhemovie.com

@ 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.

@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

Know Labs, Inc. Announces Adopting a Bitcoin Treasury Strategy, Starting with 1,000 Bitcoin

Know Labs, Inc. (NYSE American: KNW) announced entering into an agreement with Goldeneye 1995 LLC and the Ripple Chief Risk Officer Greg Kidd to acquire a controlling interest in the Company. Following the completion of the transaction, Mr. Kidd will become Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company and Founder Ron Erickson will become Vice Chairman of the Board.

JUST IN: Know Labs, Inc. announces its adopting a Bitcoin Treasury Strategy and holds 1,000 Bitcoin pic.twitter.com/NSn2xFZYx0

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) June 6, 2025

Under the agreement, the Buyer will acquire shares of Know Labs’ common stock by dividing the total value of 1,000 Bitcoin and a cash amount, designated to pay down existing debt, redeem outstanding preferred equity, and provide additional working capital. For every share purchased it will be priced at $0.335. The Bitcoin will serve as a central element of the Company’s treasury strategy, giving investors the exposure to Bitcoin.

“I’m thrilled to deploy a Bitcoin treasury strategy with the support of a forward-looking organization like Know Labs at a time when market and regulatory conditions are particularly favorable,” said Mr. Kidd. “We believe this approach will generate sustainable growth and long-term shareholder value.”

Once Bitcoin becomes the primary asset on the Company’s balance sheet, management will adopt the multiple of net asset value (mNAV) metric to assess the premium investors place on the Company’s market value relative to its Bitcoin assets. Based on a market cap of $128 million and a Bitcoin price of $105,000, the estimated entry mNAV multiple is 1.22x, with Bitcoin accounting for approximately 82% of the total market capitalization at closing.

“Partnering with Greg Kidd marks a pivotal next chapter for Know Labs,” commented Mr. Erickson. “We look forward to continuing our research in non-invasive medical technology. Greg’s visionary leadership positions Know Labs for a bold future.”

The adoption of Bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset has dramatically increased over the course of the last year, expanding globally. To date, there are 225 companies and other entities with Bitcoin in their balance sheets. 

Norwegian Block Exchange (NBX), a leading Nordic cryptocurrency exchange and digital asset platform, announced on June 2 that it has added Bitcoin to its balance sheet, marking a national milestone as the first publicly listed company in Norway to hold Bitcoin as part of its treasury strategy.

“NBX will not sell this Bitcoin or go short in any form,” stated the company. “With reference to the latest POA notice with LDA capital, NBX will also use proceeds to buy additional Bitcoin.”

This post Know Labs, Inc. Announces Adopting a Bitcoin Treasury Strategy, Starting with 1,000 Bitcoin first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Oscar Zarraga Perez.

@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

The newly elected South Korean President is aiming for a breakthrough in the cryptocurrency market with the introduction of spot ETFs and a national stablecoin.

On June 4, South Korea officially elected Lee Jae-myung as its new President. The candidate from the left-wing party secured victory following the impeachment of former leader Yoon Suk-yeol, who ended his three-year term after a failed attempt to establish a military-backed government.

Voter turnout reached 79.4%, the highest in the last 28 years. Lee won 49.42% of the vote, defeating his conservative opponent Kim Moon-soo, who garnered 41.15%.

The new President’s pledges

In addition to traditional economic priorities such as supporting low-income families and small businesses, Lee Jae-myung has placed digital assets at the heart of his political agenda.

The core pillar of Lee’s strategy involves the introduction of spot ETFs for Bitcoin and Ethereum in the domestic market. Currently, the issuance and local trading of crypto ETFs remain banned in the country.

Another key element of the plan is the approval of stablecoins pegged to the South Korean won. During a discussion last month, Lee emphasized the need to develop a won-based stablecoin market to prevent capital flight abroad.

Under the new administration, South Korea will also work to complete the second phase of its regulatory framework for digital assets. The upcoming legislation will specifically address stablecoin regulations and transparency requirements for cryptocurrency exchanges.

The program also includes the creation of special zones for blockchain-related businesses, where regulations will be minimized to maximize innovation and operational efficiency.

However, this isn’t the first time South Korea has elected a crypto-friendly candidate. The conservative president Yoon Suk-yeol, later impeached, had made several crypto-friendly promises aimed at deregulating the sector, though many of those initiatives saw delays and limited progress during his three-year term.

Yoon’s deregulatory plans faced resistance from the Financial Services Commission (FSC), which maintained strict regulations citing investor protection. In recent months, however, the FSC has shown greater openness toward easing crypto rules — a shift that could support Lee’s commitments.

According to FSC data, by the end of last year the country had 9.7 million registered exchange users, representing nearly 20% of the total population.

The post South Korea: the new leader may favor Bitcoin ETFs and a national stablecoin appeared first on Atlas21.

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

In a massive vote of confidence for a new bitcoin-focused company, Tether and Bitfinex have moved over 37,000 BTC—worth $3.9 billion—to digital treasury firm Twenty One Capital. This is one of the largest Bitcoin transactions in recent history.

The announcement came from Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether and CTO of Bitfinex, through multiple posts on X. According to Ardoino, the transfers were part of a pre-funding round for the launch of Twenty One Capital, a new company that will lead the bitcoin treasury space.

Ardoino announced several transfers on X — Sources 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

“Tether Group is moving 10,500 BTC to address bc1qpzt4m58zzqgp84ktyuj5tz8g8k8ssg2g2d5eeerwhx4gxulqq5mqjzm5gc as part of the pre-funding of SoftBank’s investment in Twenty One Capital (XXI)” Ardoino said.

Twenty One Capital is a new bitcoin treasury firm led by Jack Mallers, CEO of Strike and founder of Zap. The company is backed by Tether, Bitfinex, SoftBank and Cantor Fitzgerald.

The company will go public via a SPAC merger with Cantor Equity Partners (CEP) and will trade under the ticker XXI on Nasdaq. After the merger was announced CEP’s stock price skyrocketed from $11 to $59.75.

Cantor Equity Partners’ stock price jumped on news of the merger — TradingView

Mallers says the company’s mission is bold and clear: accumulate bitcoin and provide full transparency through public wallet disclosures, also known as providing “proof-of-reserves“.

Total bitcoin moved to Twenty One Capital so far include:

• 10,500 BTC from Tether on behalf of SoftBank (worth about $1.1 billion)
• 19,729.69 BTC from Tether (worth around $2 billion)
• 7,000 BTC from Bitfinex (valued at roughly $740 million)

The amounts sum up to 37,229.69 BTC, worth around $3.9 billion at current prices. These were verified on public blockchain explorers.

The Twenty One Capital wallets now show large balances. They have already confirmed they have 31,500 BTC. That makes them the 3rd largest corporate bitcoin holder behind Strategy and Marathon Digital Holdings.

Once these new transfers are confirmed, the company will take over Marathon to become the second-largest corporate holder of the scarce digital asset globally.

Related: Twenty One Capital Becomes 3rd-Largest Corporate Holder of Bitcoin

Unlike companies that add bitcoin to their balance sheet, Twenty One Capital exists solely to accumulate and manage bitcoin. It follows a model similar to Strategy but is more transparent.

Mallers introduced new financial metrics like Bitcoin Per Share (BPS) and Bitcoin Return Rate (BRR) to value the company in bitcoin terms, not fiat.

He thinks economic value in the future will not be measured in dollars but in satoshis—the smallest unit of bitcoin. The company is not just about guarding against fiat collapse, but about completely opting out of the system.

A key part of the firm’s strategy is proof of reserves. Unlike some other big bitcoin holders, Twenty One Capital has already published its public wallet addresses so anyone can verify its holdings in real time.

Ardoino called this approach “Bitcoin Treasury Transparency (BTT)” and said it’s a response to recent industry scandals that showed the dangers of financial opacity in digital assets.

Mallers added openness is the only way to build long-term trust in a bitcoin-native financial system.

Twenty One Capital wants to reshape financial infrastructure, build native bitcoin lending models and promote global Bitcoin adoption.

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

Paris, France – June 6, 2025 — Bitcoin payment gateway startup Flash, just announced a new partnership with the “Bitcoin Only Brewery”, marking the first-ever beverage company to leverage Lightning payments.

Flash enables Bitcoin Only Brewery to offer its “BOB” beer with, no-KYC (Know Your Customer) delivery across Europe, priced at 19,500 sats (~$18) for the 4-pack, shipping included.

The cans feature colorful Bitcoin artwork while the contents promise a hazy pale ale: “Each 33cl can contains a smooth, creamy mouthfeel, hazy appearance and refreshing Pale Ale at 5% ABV,” reads the product description.

Pierre Corbin, Co-Founder of Flash, commented:

“Currently, bitcoin is used more as a store of value but usage for payments is picking up. Thanks to new innovation on Lightning, bitcoin is ready to go mainstream for e-commerce sales.”

Flash, launched its 2.0 version in March 2025 with the goal to provide the easiest bitcoin payment gateway for businesses worldwide. The platform is non-custodial and can enable both digital and physical shops to accept bitcoin by connecting their own wallets to Flash.

By leveraging the scalability of the Lightning Network, Flash ensures instant, low-cost transactions, addressing on-chain Bitcoin bottlenecks like high fees and long wait times.

For businesses interested in adopting Bitcoin payments, Flash offers a straightforward onboarding process, low fees, and robust support for both digital and physical goods. To learn more, visit paywithflash.com.

Media Contact:
Pierre Corbin
Co-Founder, Flash
Email: press@paywithflash.com
Website: paywithflash.com

About Flash

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.

About Bitcoin Only Brewery

Bitcoin Only Brewery (@Drink_B0B) is a pioneering beverage company dedicated to the Bitcoin ethos, offering high-quality beers payable exclusively in Bitcoin. With a commitment to personal privacy, the brewery delivers across Europe with no-KYC requirements.

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

Jason Lowery’s thesis, Softwar: A Novel Theory on Power Projection and the National Strategic Significance of Bitcoin, reframes bitcoin not merely as digital cash but as a transformative security technology with profound implications for investors and nation-states alike.

For centuries, craft brewers understood that true innovation balanced tradition with experimentation—a delicate dance between established techniques and bold new flavors.

Much like the craft beer revolution reshaped a global industry, bitcoin represents a fundamental recalibration of how humans organize value and project power in the digital age.

The Antler in the Digital Forest: Power Projection

Lowery, a U.S. Space Force officer and MIT scholar, anchors his Softwar theory in a biological metaphor: Bitcoin as humanity’s “digital antler.” In nature, antlers allow animals like deer to compete for resources through non-lethal contests—sparring matches where power is demonstrated without fatal consequences. This contrasts sharply with wolves, who must resort to violent, potentially deadly fights to establish hierarchy.

The Human Power Dilemma: Historically, humans projected power and settled resource disputes through physical force—wars, seizures, or coercive control of assets. Even modern financial systems rely on abstract power structures: court orders, bank freezes, or government sanctions enforced by legal threat rather than immediate physical reality.

Lowery argues this creates inherent fragility: abstract systems can collapse when met with superior physical force (e.g., invasions, revolutions). Nature only respects physical power.

Bitcoin’s Physical Power Engine: Bitcoin introduces a novel solution through its proof-of-work consensus mechanism. Miners compete to solve computationally intense cryptographic puzzles, expending real-world energy (megawatts) to validate transactions and secure the network.

This process converts electricity—a tangible, physical resource—into digital security and immutable property rights. Winning a “block” is like winning a sparring match: it consumes significant resources (energy/cost) but is non-destructive.

The miner gains the right to write the next page of the ledger and collect rewards, but no participant is physically harmed, and no external infrastructure is destroyed.

Table: Traditional vs. Bitcoin-Based Power Systems

Power System

Mechanism

Key Vulnerability

Resource Cost

Traditional (Fiat/Banking)

Legal abstraction, threat of state force

Centralized points of failure, corruption, political change

Low immediate cost, high systemic risk

Military/Economic Coercion

Physical force, sanctions

Escalation, collateral damage, moral hazard

Very high (lives, capital, instability)

Bitcoin (Proof-of-Work)

Competition via energy expenditure

High energy cost, concentration risk (mining)

High energy cost, low systemic risk

Softwar Theory National Strategic Imperative: Governments Are Taking Notice

Lowery’s Softwar Theory has moved beyond academia into the corridors of power, shaping U.S. national strategy:

1. The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve: Vice President JD Vance recently framed bitcoin as an instrument projecting American values—”innovation, entrepreneurship, freedom, and lack of censorship”. State legislation is now underway to implement this reserve, preventing easy reversal by future administrations.
2. Regulatory Transformation: The SEC is shifting from an “enforcement-first” stance under previous leadership. New initiatives include:
   • Repealing Staff Accounting Bulletin 121 (SAB 121), which discouraged banks from custodying digital currency by forcing unfavorable balance sheet treatment.
   • Creating the Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit (CETU) to develop clearer crypto registration/disclosure rules.

The Investor’s Lens: Scarcity, Security, and Asymmetric Opportunity

For investors, understanding “Softwar” validates bitcoin’s unique value proposition beyond price speculation:

• Digital Scarcity as Strategic Depth: Bitcoin’s fixed supply of 21 million makes it the only digital asset with truly inelastic supply, a programmed scarcity immune to political whims or central bank printing.

  This “scarcity imperative” acts as a natural antidote to global fiat debasement. As central banks expanded money supplies aggressively (Global M2), bitcoin’s price has shown strong correlation, acting as a pressure valve for inflation concerns. The quadrennial “halving” (latest: April 2024) mechanically reduces new supply, creating built-in supply shocks as adoption grows. * The Antifragile Security Feedback Loop: Bitcoin’s security isn’t static; it’s antifragile. The network strengthens through demand: * More users → More transactions → Higher fees → More miner revenue → More hashpower (computational security) → Greater network resilience → More user confidence.
  This self-reinforcing cycle contrasts sharply with traditional systems, where security is a cost center (e.g., bank security budgets, military spending). Bitcoin turns security into a profitable, market-driven activity. * Institutionalization Without Centralization: While institutional ownership via ETFs (like BlackRock’s IBIT) and corporate treasuries (MicroStrategy, Metaplanet) has surged, supply remains highly decentralized.

  Individuals still hold the largest share of bitcoin, preventing a dangerous concentration of control. Spot Bitcoin ETFs alone are projected to see over $20 billion in net inflows in 2025, demonstrating robust institutional capital allocation.

The Bitcoin Community: Building the Digital Antler’s Resilience

Lowery’s “Softwar” theory underscores why bitcoin’s decentralized architecture is non-negotiable. Its strength lies in the alignment of incentives across three participant groups:

1. Miners: Provide computational power (hashrate), validating transactions and securing the network. Incentivized by block rewards (newly minted BTC) and transaction fees. Their physical energy expenditure is the “muscle” behind the digital antler.
2. Nodes: Independently verify and enforce the protocol rules, maintaining the blockchain’s integrity. Run by users, businesses, and enthusiasts globally. They ensure decentralized consensus, preventing unilateral protocol changes.
3. Users: Individuals, institutions, and corporations holding, transacting, or building on bitcoin. Their demand drives transaction fees and fuels the security feedback loop.

This structure creates “Mutually Assured Preservation”. Attacking bitcoin requires overwhelming its global, distributed physical infrastructure (miners/nodes), a feat far more complex and costly than seizing a central bank’s gold vault or freezing a bank’s assets. It transforms financial security from a centralized liability into a decentralized, physically-grounded asset.

Risks & Responsibilities

Investors and policymakers must acknowledge persistent challenges:

• Volatility: Bitcoin remains volatile, though this has decreased as markets mature. Dollar-cost averaging (DCA) is widely recommended to mitigate timing risk.
• Regulatory Uncertainty: While U.S. policy is increasingly favorable, global coordination is lacking. The EU’s MiCAR regulation exemplifies divergent approaches.
• Security & Custody: While Bitcoin’s protocol is robust, user errors (lost keys) or exchange hacks remain risks.
• Environmental Debate: Proof-of-Work energy use is scrutinized, though mining increasingly uses stranded energy/renewables. Innovations continue.

Jason Lowery’s “Softwar” theory elevates bitcoin from a financial instrument to a socio-technological innovation on par with the invention of the corporation, the rule of law, or even the antler in evolutionary biology. It provides a coherent framework for understanding why:

• Nations like the U.S. are looking to establish bitcoin reserves and embracing stablecoins—they recognize bitcoin’s role in projecting economic power non-violently in the digital age.
• Institutional Investors are allocating billions via ETFs—they see a scarce, secure, uncorrelated asset with antifragile properties.
• Individuals in hyperinflationary economies or under authoritarian regimes use bitcoin—it offers self-sovereign wealth storage immune to seizure or debasement.

For the investor, bitcoin represents more than potential price appreciation. It offers exposure to a fundamental reorganization of how power and value are secured and exchanged globally, grounded not in abstract promises, but in the unyielding laws of physics and mathematics.

Like the brewers who balanced tradition with innovation to create something enduring and valuable, bitcoin pioneers are building the infrastructure for a more resilient digital future—one computationally secured block at a time. The “Softwar” is here, and it is reshaping the landscape of p

@ 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.

@ 318ebaba:9a262eae

Nostr, which stands for "Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays," is a decentralized communication protocol designed to facilitate the exchange of messages without relying on centralized servers. This innovative framework allows users to create, broadcast, and receive messages freely, emphasizing user empowerment and censorship resistance.

Key Features of Nostr

• Decentralization: Unlike traditional social media platforms, Nostr operates on a network of relays, which are servers that anyone can run. This structure eliminates the control that a single entity can exert over the platform, thereby reducing the risk of censorship and enhancing user privacy[1][4][5].

• Open Protocol: Nostr is not an application itself but a protocol that developers can use to build various applications. This openness allows for a wide range of services, from social media to messaging, all built on the same underlying technology. Users can access multiple applications using a single public/private key pair, making it easier to manage their online identities[2][3][4].

• Censorship Resistance: One of the primary motivations behind Nostr's creation is to provide a platform where users can communicate without fear of censorship. This is particularly appealing to those disillusioned with traditional social media platforms that often impose restrictions on content[5][10].

• User Control: Nostr empowers users by allowing them to control their data and interactions. Users can choose which relays to connect to and can run their own relays, ensuring that they are not dependent on any single service provider[4][5][7].

• Cryptographic Security: The protocol employs public-key cryptography to secure messages and verify identities, similar to how Bitcoin operates. This ensures that messages are authentic and have not been tampered with during transmission[5][10].

Applications and Community

Nostr has gained traction among various communities, particularly within the cryptocurrency space, where figures like Jack Dorsey and Edward Snowden have expressed support for its potential to reshape online communication. The protocol's design allows for a variety of applications, including social media platforms, chat services, and content sharing tools, all of which can interoperate seamlessly[2][3][5].

In summary, Nostr represents a significant shift in how digital communication can be structured, prioritizing decentralization, user autonomy, and resistance to censorship, making it a compelling alternative to conventional social media platforms. [1] https://threenine.blog/posts/what-is-nostr [2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/04/11/how-to-get-started-with-nostr/ [3] https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2024/07/17/your-guide-to-nostr-the-decentralized-network-for-everything/ [4] https://www.ledger.com/academy/glossary/nostr [5] https://river.com/learn/what-is-nostr/ [6] https://www.cointribune.com/en/comment-utiliser-nostr-guide-pour-debutants-2/ [7] https://www.ccn.com/education/what-is-nostr-and-how-to-start-using-nostr/ [8] https://nostr.com/ [9] https://mylessnider.com/articles/why-im-excited-about-nostr [10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostr [11] https://nostr.how/en/what-is-nostr [12] https://nostr.org/ [13] https://medium.com/@colaru/an-introduction-to-nostr-protocol-dbc774ac797c [14] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-nostr-manfred-van-doorn-nf9ce [15] https://www.cointribune.com/en/nostr-pour-les-debutants-tout-ce-que-vous-devez-savoir-sur-le-protocole-2/ [16] https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/17j5glg/do_people_in_this_sub_know_about_nostr/ [17] https://www.voltage.cloud/blog/the-essential-guide-to-nostr-relays [18] https://www.reddit.com/r/nostr/comments/1i6t4g7/explain_how_nostr_works_like_im_a_5_year_old/ [19] https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nostr

@ edf0da8b:b2652fa3

One remarkable thing the Wim Hof Method stirs in me is that I increasingly feel the desire to connect with pure nature. Now, what does that mean?

You may know that slight feeling of eeriness when looking at deep moving waters or that tiny insecurity when darkness creeps up around you alone among the trees? You are sure there's nothing to worry about. But still, these little old conditioned anxieties, these unreasonable mind scenarios, they keep coming up and make you seek safety.

They are different for everyone, but these anxieties in the foreground are a sign for inner blockages that deprive us from expressing our power and creativity. What's more, they separate us from nature. They suggest, everything around us is potentially dangerous. Is it though?

When practicing the Wim Hof Method, and especially right after the breathing exercises, I can immediately feel a clarity emerging, a stronger awareness of presence in the moment. Anxieties are caringly pushed back to their rightful place, but do not control my actions and no longer dominate my state of being.

And so suddenly, the world view shifts. Eerie deep moving waters become fascinating, the darkness around reveals the beauty of trees casting soft moonlight shadows. I deeply appreciate what is, I want to touch the waters, I want to merge with the shadows, I feel that power. Instead of running away I want to connect with nature. I'm more aware of the present and should danger reveal itself, I have the confidence that I can properly react when it arises. But until then, I can enjoy beauty and connectedness. The powerful shift is from scenarios about potential threats around me to curiosity and beautiful opportunity everywhere.

There are countless great techniques and traditions that guide us to such shifts. But with regular practice, I find the Wim Hof Method to be particularly simple, accessible and effective.

wimhofmethod #breathwork #coldtherapy #courage #motivation #freedom

@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Life Insurer, Meanwhile, Becomes First Company to Publish Audited Financials Denominated in Bitcoin

Meanwhile Insurance Bitcoin (Bermuda) Limited (“Meanwhile”) announced it has become the first company in the world to release externally audited financial statements denominated entirely in Bitcoin. According to the announcement, the company reported 220.4 BTC in assets and 25.29 BTC in net income for 2024, a 300% year over year increase.

Today marks a global first & historic event for us, along with the public release of our 2024 audited financial statements, covering our 1st year of sales.

As the 1st company in the world to have Bitcoin-denominated financial statements externally audited, we are excited to…

— meanwhile | Bitcoin Life Insurance (@meanwhilelife) June 5, 2025

“We’ve just made history as the first company in the world to have Bitcoin-denominated financial statements externally audited,” said Zac Townsend, CEO of Meanwhile. “This is an important, foundational step in reimagining the financial system based on a single, global, decentralized standard outside the control of any one government.” 

The financial statements were audited by Harris & Trotter LLP and its digital asset division ht.digital. Meanwhile’s financials also comply with Bermuda’s Insurance Act 1978, noting that their BTC denominated financials were approved and comply with official guidelines. The firm, fully licensed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA), operates entirely in BTC and is prohibited from liquidating Bitcoin assets except through policyholder claims, positioning it as a long term holder. 

“As the first regulated Bitcoin life insurance company, we view the BTC held by Meanwhile as inherently long-term in nature—primarily held to support the Company’s insurance liabilities over decades,” Townsend added. “This makes it significantly ‘stickier’ and resistant to market pressures compared to the BTC held by other companies as part of their treasury management strategies.” 

Meanwhile’s 2024 financials also revealed 23.02 BTC in net premiums and 4.35 BTC in investment income, showing that its model not only preserves Bitcoin, but earns it. The company’s reserves (also held in BTC) were reviewed and approved by Willis Towers Watson (WTW). 

Meanwhile also offers a Bitcoin Whole Life insurance product that allows policyholders to save, borrow, and build legacy wealth—entirely in BTC, and has plans to expand globally in 2025.

“We are incredibly proud of today’s news as it underscores how Meanwhile is at the forefront of the next phase of the convergence between Bitcoin and institutional financial markets,” said Tia Beckmann, CFO of Meanwhile. “Now having generated net income in BTC, we have demonstrated that we are earning it through a sustainable insurance business model designed for the long term.” 

This post Bitcoin Life Insurer, Meanwhile, Becomes First Company to Publish Audited Financials Denominated in Bitcoin first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Jenna Montgomery.

@ edf0da8b:b2652fa3

If you've been active on Nostr, you've probably realized that your posts come and go like waves. There’s no content-surfacing algorithm to keep them afloat. So, unless someone happens to scroll past at just the right time, your insights, event announcements, or deep reflections are getting swept away. There's no pretty profile page that refers to your content.

That’s where Npub.pro comes in—and it’s what I used to build my first website as a transformative coach and Wim Hof method instructor.

This article is about how Npub.pro works, my experience with it, and why it may be useful to you, too.

What is Npub.pro?

Npub.pro is a web service that pulls your posts from the Nostr protocol and weaves them into a clean, customizable website. It uses open-source templates from Ghost, making it easy to create a beautiful, functional landing page without needing to write any code.

If you're already posting on Nostr, Npub.pro turns that content into something lasting and visually appealing—like a curated blog or even a first landing page.

Why I Chose Npub.pro for My Initial Business Website

My work centers on personal transformation for leading a sovereign life—emotional, mental, and physical. I lead workshops, retreats and 1:1 sessions, and I needed a quick and simple place online that would communicate who I am, what I offer, and what’s coming up next.

Since I already post regularly on Nostr, it made sense to reuse that content to portray my work. But instead of letting my posts drift away in the feed, Npub.pro gave me a way to give them structure and longevity for a wider audience.

Plus, it really looks good.

Features That Make It Worthwhile

Easy Website Creation

You don’t need to become technical. The Npub.pro dashboard is simple and intuitive. Just pick a template, connect your Nostr keys, add your posts individually or based on hashtags, and voilà—your content starts showing up. You can experiment with different templates freely, without messing things up.

Multiple Templates for Different Needs

There's a good amount of templates to choose from, for photo blogging, journaling or podcasting etc. I started with "Liebling," switched to "Micro-Ruby" for a bit, and finally settled on "Massively"—it shows my often picture-based posts clearly and lets me feature a highlighted post at the top.

Tag-Based Categories

You can organize your content into sections like I did with “About & Events,” “Wim Hof Method,” or “Natural Living.” If you tag your Nostr posts accordingly and set up your categories in your dashboard, they’ll just fall into place.

Free Hosting + Custom Domains

Npub.pro is completely free if you’re okay with a domain like yourname.npub.pro. If you want something more professional, you can link a custom domain. I got mine for about $10/year from Namecheap. For now, even custom domains are free to connect. If you host your media on Nostr with e.g. Primal or Nostr.Build (subscription-based), and get a custom domain name, you have a complete low-budget website up and running.

What to Watch Out For

Npub.pro is not perfect and still evolving. Here are some limitations to keep in mind:

No Native Lead Capture or Email Signup

If you for example want to offer a PDF or free online class in exchange for email addresses, you’ll need to get creative with external links. Unfortunately, there’s no built-in call-to-action feature for non-Nostr users at this point.

No Pay-walled Content or Membership Features

If you’re looking to monetize content or offer member-only areas, you can hope and ask the Npub.pro team for future features, but it isn't there right now.

Some Trial & Error Required

Tagging needs to be done when you post. Adding tags retroactively with versatile clients like Amethyst won’t make earlier posts appear on your website. I had to republish a few old posts just to get them sorted into the right category. Expect a few hiccups, but it’s manageable.

Npub.pro and Nostr

Npub.pro is part of a bigger picture—the rise of Nostr as a decentralized social network. It’s censorship-resistant, Bitcoin-integrated, and potentially an all-in-one protocol for media, messaging, publishing, and payment. That's crazy powerful when you think about it a little more!

Right now, the infrastructure is still getting there. Not everything works reliably yet, and complex and visually rich experiences like Instagram-style clients (e.g. Olas) still fall short. But Npub.pro is one of those services that shows where it can be heading: toward digital sovereignty.

Is Npub.pro for You?

If you’re already active on Nostr, I think this is a no-brainer. You can turn your feed into a curated blog or landing page with very little extra effort.

Even if you're not using Nostr yet, Npub.pro is still worth exploring if:

• You want a free or low-budget minimal website that’s connected to your social media content.
• You care about decentralization and owning your data.
• You’re okay with less customization and a little experimentation here and there while things improve.

So in short, Npub.pro is quite the smart, and simple way to publish your presence online—especially if you want your Nostr content to live beyond the scroll.

Final Thoughts

I was surprised how good everything looked in the end on desktop, tablet and mobile and how easily you can manage your content. It’s not perfect for all needs, but it does the job remarkably well for a first website, personal blog or landing page. And by using Npub.pro, you’re helping build the future of open, user-owned publishing online.

Check Out Npub.pro

https://npub.pro

My Website:

www.bennubreath.me

Old-school Socials:

https://youtube.com/@bennubreath

---

@Npub.pro @brugeman

NpubPro #DecentralizedWeb #GhostCMS #WimHof #DigitalSovereignty #OpenWeb #ContentCuration #BuildWithNostr #WebsiteHosting #Freedom #Transformation

@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Layer 2: Ark

Ark is a novel off-chain transaction batching mechanism originally proposed by Burak, a young Turkish developer. There are currently two implementations being built, one by Ark Labs, and the other by Second, neither of which Burak is involved with. 

The original proposal for Ark was much more complicated, and involved some design goals more focused around privacy than the implementations currently being built. It was also originally envisioned to require CHECKTEMPLATEVERIFY (CTV) in order to be built. 

The protocol depends on a central coordinating server in order to function properly, but despite that is able to provide the same functionality and security guarantees that the Lightning Network does. As long as a user stays online during the required time period, at all times (unless they choose to trust the operator for short periods of time) every user is capable at any time of unilaterally exiting the Ark system at any time and taking back full unilateral control of their funds onchain. 

Unlike Lightning, Ark does not require users to have pre-allocated liquidity assigned to them in order to receive funds. An Ark user can simply onboard to a wallet and receive funds immediately with no liquidity pre-allocation at all. 

Let’s walk through the different constituent pieces of Ark.

The Ark Tree

Coins held on Ark are called Virtual UTXOs (vUTXOs). These are simply pre-signed transactions that guarantee the creation of a real UTXO under the unilateral control of a user once submitted onchain, but are otherwise held offchain. 

Every user’s vUTXOs are nested inside a tree of pre-signed transactions, or a “batch.” Ark works by having the coordinator server, or Ark Service Provider (ASP), facilitate the coordination between users necessary to create a batch. Whenever users are receiving funds, onboarding to Ark, or offboarding, it is necessary to construct a transaction and the associated transaction tree to create a new batch. 

The tree is constructed to take the single root UTXO confirmed onchain, locked with an n-of-n multisig including all users holding vUTXOs in the tree as well as the ASP, and slowly split into more and more UTXOs until eventually reaching the leaves, which are each users vUTXO. Each vUTXO is guaranteed using a script that has to be signed by a 2-of-2 multisig, one key held by the user, and the other by the ASP, or just the user after a timelock. 

Each time the tree splits, vUTXOs are created onchain, but so are more internal UTXOs that have yet to actually split into vUTXOs. Each of these internal UTXOs is locked with an n-of-n multisig composed of the ASP, and all users who have a vUTXO further down the tree. During the batch creation process, users start at their respective vUTXOs, and go through a signing process all the way back down the root of the tree. This guarantees that the root will never be signed before each user’s claim to a vUTXO is, ensuring they always have unilateral access in a worst case scenario to their funds. 

Each batch also has an expiry time (which will make sense in the next section). This expiry spend path, which exists as an alternate spending condition for the root UTXO onchain as well as every internal UTXO, allows the ASP to unilaterally spend all funds by itself. 

Transactions, Preconfirmation, and Connector Inputs

When it comes to transacting on Ark, there are two possible mechanisms that are possible, both with their own costs and implications in terms of security model. There are out-of-round transfers, or preconfirmed transactions, and there are in-round transfers, or actually confirmed transactions. 

To conduct an out-of-round transfer is a very simple process. If one user (Alice) wants to pay another (Bob), they simply contact the ASP and have them co-sign a transaction spending the vUTXO to Bob. Bob is then given that pre-signed transaction, as well as all the other ones preceding it back to the batch root onchain. Bob is now capable of unilaterally exiting the Ark with this transaction, but, he must trust the ASP not to collude with Alice to doublespend it. These out-of-round transactions can even be chained multiple times before finally confirming them. 

To finalize an Ark transaction, users have to engage in a “batch swap.” Users cannot actually trustlessly confirm a transfer within a single batch, they have to atomically swap a vUTXO in an existing batch with a fresh vUTXO created in a new batch. This is done using the ASP as a facilitator of the swap, and with the aid of what is called a “connector input.”

When a user goes to finalize an Ark transaction with a batch swap, they relinquish control of the vUTXO to the ASP. This could be problematic, what is to stop the ASP from simply keeping it and not giving them a confirmed vUTXO in a new batch? The connector input. 

When a new batch is created, a second output is created in the transaction that is confirmed on chain instantiating a new tree composed of connector UTXOs. When Bob goes to sign over a forfeit transaction to the ASP to conduct the batch swap, the transaction includes as an input one of the connector UTXOs from the new batch. 

This creates an atomic guarantee. Bob’s confirmed vUTXO is included in a batch in the same transaction the connector input is created in that is necessary for his forfeit transaction to be valid. If that batch is never created onchain, i.e. Bob never actually receives the new confirmed vUTXO, then the forfeit transaction he signed for the ASP will never be valid and confirmable onchain.

Liquidity Dynamics and Blockspace

All of the liquidity necessary to create new batches in order to facilitate transfers between users is provided by the ASP. They are required to have enough liquidity to create new batches for users until old ones have expired and the ASP can unilaterally sweep them to reclaim old liquidity previously locked up to create vUTXOs for users. 

This is the core of the liquidity dynamic at the center of the Ark protocol. While in one sense this is a massive efficiency win, not requiring liquidity providers to assess users and essentially guess which ones will actually receive large volumes of payments before they can receive any funds, in another it is an efficiency loss as the ASP must have enough liquidity to continue creating new batches for users for however long they configure the expiry time to be and they can start reclaiming allocated liquidity. 

This can be mitigated to a decent degree by how often an ASP offers to create new batches to finalize pending transactions. In the event of an ASP attempting to create new batches in real time as transactions are coming in, the liquidity requirements would be exorbitantly high. However, an ASP can lower the frequency at which they create new batches and drastically lower their liquidity requirements. 

This dynamic also has implications for blockspace use. Unlike Lightning, which can provide strong confirmation guarantees entirely offchain, in order for an Ark transaction to have an equivalent trustless degree of finality a new batch has to be created onchain. This means that unlike Lightning, where transaction volume does not reflect itself onchain, the velocity of Ark transactions inherently requires a proportional amount of blockspace use, albeit in a very compressed and efficient manner. This creates a theoretical upper limit of how many Ark batches can be created during any given time interval (although Ark trees can be smaller or larger depending on this dynamic). 

Wrapping Up

Ark presents in many ways an almost opposite set of tradeoffs to the Lightning Network. It is a massive blockspace efficiency improvement for offchain transactions, and does away with the problem of liquidity allocation on the Lightning Network, but it does have a much closer tied throughput limit that is correlated with the blockchains throughput limit. 

This dynamic of almost opposite tradeoffs makes it a very complementary system to the Lightning Network. It can also interoperate with it, i.e. vUTXOs can be swapped atomically in transactions entering or exiting the Lightning Network. 

Ultimately how it fits into the broader Bitcoin ecosystem is yet to be seen, but it is an undoubtedly valuable protocol stack that will find some functional niche, even if it is different than originally intended.

This post Bitcoin Layer 2: Ark first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Shinobi.

@ 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.

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

@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

French authorities have identified a 24-year-old Franco-Moroccan man as the mastermind behind a series of attacks targeting crypto entrepreneurs, including the co-founder of Ledger.

The suspect, Badiss Mohamed Amide Bajjou, was captured in Tangier by Moroccan authorities following an international arrest warrant issued by Interpol.

The arrest marks a major breakthrough in the investigations into a wave of kidnappings that targeted several figures in the French crypto sector. According to Le Parisien, the suspect was wanted for multiple crimes, including armed extortion and kidnapping.

Bajjou is accused of remotely orchestrating a sophisticated criminal network specializing in targeting wealthy individuals in the crypto world. His alleged criminal activity dates back to July 2023, when he began coordinating abductions and extortion attempts against industry entrepreneurs.

The Ledger case and a wave of kidnappings

Among the most shocking incidents was the attack on David Balland, co-founder of Ledger. The kidnappers subjected him to extreme torture, amputating one of his fingers to increase psychological pressure while demanding a €10 million ransom in cryptocurrency. Investigations suggest a direct link between Bajjou and this case.

Another high-profile incident involved an attempted abduction of the family of Pierre Noizat, CEO of Paymium. In May, masked men tried to kidnap Noizat’s daughter, her husband, and their child in broad daylight. Subsequent investigations led to the indictment of 25 suspects, including teenagers and minors.

Capture operation and seizure of evidence

During Bajjou’s arrest, Moroccan authorities seized materials connected to the kidnappings. According to local media, multiple bladed weapons, dozens of mobile phones, and a substantial amount of cash allegedly linked to the criminal activities were confiscated.

International cooperation and the search for accomplices

French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin publicly thanked Moroccan authorities for their cooperation in the arrest. However, investigations remain ongoing as another Franco-Moroccan man, believed to be the leader of the group and around 40 years old, is still at large. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has vowed to track down all those responsible and protect crypto entrepreneurs during meetings with industry leaders.

The post Suspected organizer of France’s crypto kidnapping spree arrested in Morocco appeared first on Atlas21.

@ a296b972:e5a7a2e8

Nur für‘s Protokoll. Hiermit erkläre ich, Georg Ohrweh, im tatsächlich vorhandenen vollen Besitz meiner geistigen Kräfte, dass Herr Lauterbach, gleich welche Position er in Zukunft noch bekleiden sollte, für mich nicht zuständig ist. Basta.

Ein Erguss dieses verhaltensoriginellen Über-alles-Bescheidwissers:

„Wir kommen jetzt in eine Phase hinein, wo der Ausnahmezustand die Normalität sein wird. Wir werden ab jetzt immer im Ausnahmezustand sein. Der Klimawandel wird zwangsläufig mehr Pandemien bringen.“

Wie kann es sein, dass solch eine Ausnahme-Gestalt, die schon rein äußerlich die Phantasie zu Vergleichen anregt, sich leider auch genauso verhält, wie die Gestalten, die in diesen Phantasien vorkommen, ungebremst auf der Panik-Klaviatur kakophonische Klänge erzeugen darf? Obwohl ein wenig Wahrheit ist auch enthalten: Wir sind tatsächlich immer im Ausnahmezustand, im Ausnahmezustand des fortgeschrittenen Wahnsinns.

Wie kann es sein, dass dieser Haaaarvardist seinen persönlich empfundenen Ausnahmezustand zum Allgemeingut erklären kann? Welche Verknüpfungs-Phantasien hat er sonst noch studiert? Er ist ja auch noch Vorsitzender im Raumfahrtausschuss. Was kommt als Nächstes? Eine Klima-Pandemie, verursacht durch außerirdische Viren, die die Temperaturen beeinflussen können? Im aktuellen Zeitgeist gibt es nichts, was nicht gedacht wird. Wem die besseren Absurditäten einfallen, der gewinnt. Man muss sich schon den gegebenen Denkstrukturen etwas anpassen, aber sich auch ein wenig Mühe geben.

Nach dem Wechsel der ehemaligen Außen-Dings zur UN (mit dem Ziel, aus den Vereinten Nationen die Feministischen Nationen zu gestalten) und des ehemaligen Wirtschafts-Dings in den Außenausschuss und als Gastdozent in Kalifornien (Thema: Wirtschaftsvernichtung unter Einbeziehung des gespannten Verhältnisses unter Geschwistern aufgrund ärmlicher Verhältnisse, am Beispiel des Märchens von Hänsel und Gretel) , jetzt auch noch der ehemalige Chef-Panikmacher zur WHO.

…und der Wahnsinn wurde hinausgetragen in die Welt, und es wurde dunkel, und es ward Nacht, und es wurde helle, und es ward Tag, der Wind blies oder auch nicht (was macht der Wind eigentlich, wenn er nicht weht?), und es ward Winter, und es wurde kälter, und es wurde wärmer, und es ward Sommer. Es regnete nicht mehr, die Wolken schwitzten. Und Putin verhinderte (wer auch sonst), dass das Eis in der Antarktis abnahm.

Wiederholte Bodentemperaturen in der Toskana von 50 Grad Celsius. Zu erwartende Wassertemperaturen während Ferragosto an der italienischen Adria von durchschnittlich 100 Grad Celsius. An Stellen mit wenig Strömung stiegen schon die ersten Kochblasen auf. Doch dann kam der durch Lachs gestählte, salzlose Super-Karl und rettete mit einem durch die WHO diktierten Klima-Logdown die gesamte Menschheit. Wer besser, als er konnte wissen, dass ein Klima-Logdown weitgehend nebenwirkungsfrei ist.

Was für ein Segen, dass Karl der Große, der uns so siegreich durch die Corona-Schlacht geführt hat, jetzt auch gegen das Klima in den Krieg zieht.

Wer kennt das nicht, Tage der Qual, in denen man zugeben muss: Ich hab‘ heute so schlimm Klima.

Viele Klimaexperten, die weltweit in der Qualitätspropaganda zitiert werden, zeichnen sich besonders dadurch aus, dass sie mit einer maximalen Abweichung von einem Grad Celsius ein Thermometer fehlerfrei ablesen können. Diese Ungenauigkeit wird der Erdverkochungsexperte sicher als erstes beheben.

In einer aufopfernden Studie während eines Urlaubs in 2023, in der um die damalige Zeit erstmals eisfreien Toskana, hat er den von ihm ausgetüftelten Klimaschutzplan ins Rheinische übersetzt. Titel: „Schützen Sie sisch, und, äh, andere!“ Weiter konnte er erforschen, dass die Bodentemperatur nicht immer mit der Temperatur des Erdkerns übereinstimmen muss.

Durch seine unermüdlichen Studien, können Hitzetote in Zukunft besser zugeordnet werden. Man weiß dann, ob jemand an hohen oder mit hohen Temperaturen gestorben ist. Der asymptomatische Klimawandel kann so in Zukunft viel besser bewertet werden. Man hat aus geringfügigen Fehlern gelernt und die Methoden erheblich verbessert.

Eine präzise Vorhersage der Jahreszeiten, vor allem die des Sommers, wird bald ebenfalls möglich sein. Es kann jetzt vor jahreszeitbedingten, teilweise sogar täglich schwankenden Temperaturveränderungen rechtzeitig gewarnt werden. Im Herbst können Heizempfehlungen für die ahnungslose Bevölkerung herausgegeben werden. Frieren war gestern, wissen wann es kalt wird, ist heute. Es wird an Farben geforscht, die noch roter sein sollen, als die, die jetzt in den Wetterkarten bei 21 Grad bereits verwendet werden.

Eine allgemeine Heizpflicht soll es europaweit zunächst nicht geben.

Weiter soll die Lichteinstrahlung der Sonne noch präziser bestimmt werden, damit den Europäern, in Ergänzung zur mitteleuropäischen Sommerzeit, jetzt auch noch genau mitgeteilt werden kann, wann es Tag und wann es Nacht ist.

Das Hinausschauen aus dem Fenster, zum Beispiel, ob es schon dunkel draußen ist, erübrigt sich. Die Tageszeit, in Ergänzung zur herkömmlichen Uhrzeit, wird demnächst automatisch mit dem Klima-Pass übermittelt werden. Zu Anfang natürlich erst einmal freiwillig.

Durch die persönliche ID können dann auch schnell und unkompliziert Sonderprämien überwiesen werden, sofern man sich klimakonform verhalten hat, damit man sich rechtzeitig vor Winterbeginn eine warme Jacke oder einen Mantel kaufen kann. Das Sparen von Bargeld auf eine bevorstehende größere Anschaffung von Winterkleidung wird somit überflüssig.

Ob es am Ende nun um Hitze oder Kälte geht, spielt eigentlich gar keine Rolle, denn wie wussten schon die Ahnen zu berichten: Was gut für die Kälte ist, ist auch gut für die Wärme.

Westliche Mächte unternehmen immer wieder Versuche, eskalierend auf den Ukraine-Konflikt einzuwirken, damit man atombetriebene Heizpilze aufstellen kann, an denen sich die Europäer im Winter auch im Freien wärmen können.

Wie praktisch, dass man nicht nur Gesundheit und Klima, sondern auch Klima und Krieg miteinander verbinden kann. Alles so, oder so ähnlich möglicherweise nachzulesen im genialen Hitzeschutzplan á la Lauterbach.

Besonders Deutschland braucht nicht nur lauterbachsche Hitzeschutzräume, nein es braucht atomsichere Hitzeschutzbunker, so schlägt man gleich zwei Fliegen mit einer Klappe.

Für die, die es sich leisten können, hier ein Vorschlag. Der K2000:

https://www.swr.de/swr1/rp/programm/loriot-mini-luftschutzbunker-zum-preis-einer-waschmaschine-100.html

Für die weniger gut Betuchten reicht auch ein kühles Kellerloch, das man idealerweise im Februar beziehen und nicht vor November wieder verlassen sollte, so die Empfehlung auch von führenden Klima-Forschern, die es ja wissen müssen. Von Dezember bis Januar empfiehlt sich ein Besuch auf den Bahamas, besonders dann, wenn man eine leichte Erkältung verspürt.

Nur Verschwörungstheoretiker behaupten, dass die eigenartigen Anschlussverwendungen der Extrem-Kapazitäten, zu denen Lauterbach ohne Zweifel dazugehört, wie dicke rote Pfeile wirken, die auf Institutionen und Organisationen zeigen, um die man unter allen Umständen einen großen Bogen machen sollte, weil sie möglicherweise nichts Gutes im Schilde führen. Minimal sollen sie angeblich Unsinn verbreiten, maximal sollen sie gehörigen Schaden anrichten.

Man muss sich nur ein paar Gedanken machen, schon kann man feststellen, wie alles mit allem zusammenhängt.

“Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben.”

* *

(Bild von pixabay)

@ eb0157af:77ab6c55

Russian authorities are stepping up their crackdown on illegal Bitcoin miners with a new confiscation case.

Law enforcement in Russia has launched a seizure campaign against unauthorized mining operations, marking an escalation in the fight against illicit crypto activity. The latest case saw investigators in the Amur Oblast confiscate bitcoin worth $88,500.

The Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee (SKR) for Amur Oblast announced it had seized assets worth around 7 million rubles ($88,570; 0.8414 BTC) from a former executive of an unnamed power company.

The accused served as head of technological connection services at the Amur branch of the Far Eastern Distribution Company (DRSC), a power grid operator managing electricity distribution in Russia’s eastern Amur region.

Investigators found that the former executive exploited his insider knowledge of the company’s power distribution systems to siphon electricity from the grid. The stolen power was used to run mining equipment at his private residence.

The seizure followed an investigation revealing that in 2024, the man used his technical skills to bypass metering devices and create an illegal connection to his employer’s infrastructure.

Authorities estimate that the executive used over 3.5 million rubles ($44,334) worth of electricity belonging to DRSC.

In April, several Russian ministries drafted a legal mechanism proposing new powers for courts and law enforcement to confiscate cryptocurrencies in criminal cases. The proposal, backed by government policymakers, would allow authorities to formally recognize digital assets as intangible property in criminal proceedings.

Previous seizures

Investigators appear to have already applied the principles of this draft law in several cases. Among them is the case of a server operator for the darknet marketplace Hydra, from whom police seized crypto assets worth $8.2 million.

Judicial officers also seized 1,032.1 BTC from Marat Tambiev, a former investigator with the Russian Investigative Committee. A court found Tambiev guilty of accepting Bitcoin bribes from an international fraud network, sentencing him to 16 years in prison.

The post Russia: $88,500 in bitcoin seized from illegal miner for power theft appeared first on Atlas21.

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

To become a master designer, you need to break past a slavish devotion of past forms and create vibrant, new experiences. This design talk covers practical techniques for reinventing game genres. The goal is the invention of a unique and highly differentiated customer value proposition that makes both strong business sense and is also deeply creatively fulfilling. We cover designing from the root, reducing design risk, and igniting original franchises. We also cover the pitfalls of design innovation and how to thrive in a highly competitive market.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7DFuXDN29M

https://stacker.news/items/1001313

@ 9ca447d2:fbf5a36d

President Donald Trump’s media company, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), is doubling down on its Bitcoin bet, partnering with Crypto.com and Yorkville America Digital to launch its own bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF), called the Truth Social Bitcoin ETF.

On June 3, a division of the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Arca, filed a 19b-4 form with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

This is the final regulatory hurdle before an ETF can be launched. If approved, this new fund will allow everyday investors to buy shares tied to the price of bitcoin, without having to hold the asset themselves.

The Truth Social Bitcoin ETF will track the price of bitcoin and give investors a simple, regulated way to invest in the digital money.

It will be listed and traded on NYSE Arca, and Foris DAX Trust Company (the custodian for Crypto.com’s assets) has been named as the proposed custodian for this new fund.

According to the filings, the ETF is “designed to remove the obstacles represented by the complexities and operational burdens involved in a direct investment in bitcoin.”

This is part of a bigger plan by Trump Media to offer a full suite of digital-asset-based financial products.

The company has also applied to trademark six investment products and has plans for additional ETFs under its Truth.Fi fintech platform, which will focus on digital assets and energy sectors.

Trump Media also recently announced a $2.5 billion bitcoin treasury plan and raised $2.4 billion in stock and debt to support its bitcoin initiatives.

Related: Trump Media Will Raise $2.5 Billion to Build Bitcoin Treasury

Now that the 19b-4 has been filed, the SEC has 45 days to approve, reject or delay the application. This can be extended several times, but a final decision must be made by January 29, 2026.

In addition to the 19b-4, Yorkville America Digital must also file an S-1 registration statement. This will outline exactly how the ETF will work, what it offers to investors, how funds will be used, and the risks involved.

Since January 2024, bitcoin ETFs have been all the rage, with over $130 billion in assets. Big players like BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and Fidelity’s FBTC dominate the space. BlackRock alone has $69 billion in assets through its bitcoin ETF.

Even though Trump’s ETF is entering a crowded field, its name will get attention. The Truth Social bitcoin ETF is expected to generate media buzz, political controversy and divided investor opinions, making it a cultural and financial statement.

Donald Trump is the majority owner of Trump Media, although his shares are in a trust controlled by his son, Donald Trump Jr. The ETF filing doesn’t mention Trump by name, but most people see it as a Trump product.

The President is getting more and more involved in the digital asset space. He has NFT collections, meme coins, a bitcoin mining company, a digital asset wallet, and now a potential bitcoin ETF.

But not everyone is happy. Some argue that a sitting president’s involvement in regulated financial products, especially one that could benefit from political influence, is unethical.

An SEC-approved digital asset product from Trump could blur the lines between politics, personal gain and digital assets.

Others, however, see this as a calculated move to boost Trump’s image and position him as a leader in the digital asset and tech space.

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

People forget Bear Stearns failed March 2008 - months of denial followed before the public realized how bad the situation was under the surface.

Similar happening now but much larger scale. They did not fix fundamental issues after 2008 - everything is more fragile.

The Fed preemptively bailed out every bank with their BTFP program and First Republic Bank still failed. The second largest bank failure in history.

There will be more failures. There will be more bailouts. Depositors will be "protected" by socializing losses across everyone.

Our President and mainstream financial pundits are currently pretending the banking crisis is over while most banks remain insolvent. There are going to be many more bank failures as this ponzi system unravels.

Unlike 2008, we have the ability to opt out of these broken and corrupt institutions by using bitcoin. Bitcoin held in self custody is unique in its lack of counterparty risk - you do not have to trust a bank or other centralized entity to hold it for you. Bitcoin is also incredibly difficult to change by design since it is not controlled by an individual, company, or government - the supply of dollars will inevitably be inflated to bailout these failing banks but bitcoin supply will remain unchanged. I do not need to convince you that bitcoin provides value - these next few years will convince millions.

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

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

Paris, France – June 6, 2025 – Flash, the easiest Bitcoin payment gateway for businesses, just announced a new partnership with the Bitcoin Only Brewery, marking the first-ever beverage company to leverage Flash for seamless Bitcoin payments. 

Bitcoin Buys Beer Thanks to Flash!

As Co-Founder of Flash, it's not every day we get to toast to a truly refreshing milestone.

Okay, jokes aside.

We're super buzzed to see our friends at @Drink_B0B
Bitcoin Only Brewery using Flash to power their online sales!

The first… pic.twitter.com/G7TWhy50pX

— Pierre Corbin (@CierrePorbin) June 3, 2025

Flash enables Bitcoin Only Brewery to offer its “BOB” beer with, no-KYC (Know Your Customer) delivery across Europe, priced at 19,500 sats (~$18) for the 4-pack – shipping included.

The cans feature colorful Bitcoin artwork while the contents promise a hazy pale ale: “Each 33cl can contains a smooth, creamy mouthfeel, hazy appearance and refreshing Pale Ale at 5% ABV,” reads the product description.

Pierre Corbin, Co-Founder of Flash, commented: “Currently, bitcoin is used more as a store of value but usage for payments is picking up. Thanks to new innovation on Lightning, bitcoin is ready to go mainstream for e-commerce sales.”

Flash, launched its 2.0 version in March 2025 with the goal to provide the easiest Bitcoin payment gateway for businesses worldwide. The platform is non-custodial and can enable both digital and physical shops to accept Bitcoin by connecting their own wallets to Flash.

By leveraging the scalability of the Lightning Network, Flash ensures instant, low-cost transactions, addressing on-chain Bitcoin bottlenecks like high fees and long wait times.

Bitcoin payment usage is growing thanks to Lightning

In May, fast-food chain Steak ‘N Shake went viral for integrating bitcoin at their restaurants around the world. In the same month, the bitcoin2025 conference in Las Vegas set a new world record with 4,000 Lightning payments in one day.

According to a report by River Intelligence, public Lightning payment volume surged by 266% from August 2023 to August 2024. This growth is also reflected in the overall accessibility of lighting infrastructure for consumers. According to Lightning Service Provider Breez, over 650 Million users now have access to the Lightning Network through apps like CashApp, Kraken or Strike.

Bitcoin Only Brewery’s adoption of Flash reflects the growing trend of businesses integrating Bitcoin payments to cater to a global, privacy-conscious customer base. By offering no-KYC delivery across Europe, the brewery aligns with the ethos of decentralization and financial sovereignty, appealing to the increasing number of consumers and businesses embracing Bitcoin as a legitimate payment method.

“Flash is committed to driving innovation in the Bitcoin ecosystem,” Corbin added. “We’re building a future where businesses of all sizes can seamlessly integrate Bitcoin payments, unlocking new opportunities in the global market. It’s never been easier to start selling in bitcoin and we invite retailers globally to join us in this revolution.”

For businesses interested in adopting Bitcoin payments, Flash offers a straightforward onboarding process, low fees, and robust support for both digital and physical goods. To learn more, visit paywithflash.com.

About Flash

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.

About Bitcoin Only Brewery

Bitcoin Only Brewery (@Drink_B0B) is a pioneering beverage company dedicated to the Bitcoin ethos, offering high-quality beers payable exclusively in Bitcoin. With a commitment to personal privacy, the brewery delivers across Europe with no-KYC requirements.

Media Contact:

Pierre Corbin
Co-Founder, Flash
Email: press@paywithflash.com
Website: paywithflash.comPhotos paywithflash.com/about/press

How Flash Enables Interoperable, Self-Custodial Bitcoin Commerce

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

Bank run on every crypto bank then bank run on every "real" bank.

— ODELL (@ODELL) December 14, 2022

Good morning.

It looks like PacWest will fail today. It will be both the fifth largest bank failure in US history and the sixth major bank to fail this year. It will likely get purchased by one of the big four banks in a government orchestrated sale.  

March 8th - Silvergate Bank
March 10th - Silicon Valley Bank
March 12th - Signature Bank
March 19th - Credit Suisse
May 1st - First Republic Bank
May 4th - PacWest Bank?

PacWest is the first of many small regional banks that will go under this year. Most will get bought by the big four in gov orchestrated sales. This has been the playbook since 2008. Follow the incentives. Massive consolidation across the banking industry. PacWest gonna be a drop in the bucket compared to what comes next.

First, a hastened government led bank consolidation, then a public/private partnership with the remaining large banks to launch a surveilled and controlled digital currency network. We will be told it is more convenient. We will be told it is safer. We will be told it will prevent future bank runs. All of that is marketing bullshit. The goal is greater control of money. The ability to choose how we spend it and how we save it. If you control the money - you control the people that use it.

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

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

There must be a limit to how much data is transferred across the bitcoin network in order to keep the ability to run and use your own node accessible. A node is required to interact with the global bitcoin network - if you do not use your own node then you must trust someone else's node. If nodes become inaccessible to run then the network will centralize around the remaining entities that operate them - threatening the censorship resistance at the core of bitcoin's value prop. The bitcoin protocol uses three main mechanisms to keep node operation costs low - a fixed limit on the amount of data in each block, an automatic difficulty adjustment that regulates how many blocks are produced based on current mining hash rate, and a robust dynamic transaction fee market.

Bitcoin transaction fees limit network abuse by making usage expensive. There is a cost to every transaction, set by a dynamic free market based on demand for scarce block space. It is an incredibly robust way to prevent spam without relying on centralized entities that can be corrupted or pressured.

After the 2017 bitcoin fee spike we had six years of relative quiet to build tools that would be robust in a sustained high fee market. Fortunately our tools are significantly better now but many still need improvement. Most of the pain points we see today will be mitigated.

The reality is we were never going to be fully prepared - pressure is needed to show the pain points and provide strong incentives to mitigate them.

It will be incredibly interesting to watch how projects adapt under pressure. Optimistic we see great innovation here.

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_If you are willing to wait for your transaction to confirm you can pay significantly lower fees. Learn best practices for reducing your fee burden here.

My guide for running and using your own bitcoin node can be found here._

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

@ 8bad92c3:ca714aa5

The real estate market is showing cracks while Bitcoin continues its march toward becoming the global monetary standard. This week's conversation with Leon Wankum reveals how traditional assets are losing ground to the hardest money on earth. This was a high signal rip that deserves all the spotlight in today's newsletter.

Real Estate Prices Will Fall Through 2026 Before Finding New Equilibrium

Leon predicts we're entering a corrective phase in the 18-year property cycle that will see real estate prices decline until 2026. He bases this on the current mismatch between sellers who still expect peak 2021-2022 prices and buyers facing higher interest rates. "We need a price equilibrium. We need demand and supply prices to match. It's going to take a long time," Leon explained. He doesn't expect the Fed to lower rates significantly, keeping them above 3% for the foreseeable future, which will continue putting downward pressure on property values.

The key insight is that we're at year 15 of the typical 18-year property cycle, where prices naturally correct before finding a new floor. Leon suggests that by 2026, if interest rates are lowered, prices will stabilize at levels higher than the cycle's starting point but lower than current peaks. For those looking to buy, patience through this correction period could pay off.

Bitcoin Will Experience a 60% Drawdown This Cycle Despite Institutional Adoption

Despite massive institutional adoption through MicroStrategy and other corporate treasuries, Leon maintains that Bitcoin will still see a significant correction this cycle. "I do expect we'll have a 60% drawdown at the end of this bull cycle as well, just to wash out some leverage," he stated, pushing back against super cycle narratives. He points to the changing nature of volatility, noting that we're already seeing mini bull and bear markets in Bitcoin-adjacent assets like mining stocks, which peaked and corrected independently of Bitcoin's price action.

While acknowledging that players like Michael Saylor won't sell their holdings and that this could dampen volatility compared to previous cycles, Leon believes human nature and leverage will still create the conditions for a major correction. The silver lining is that these corrections build resilience in the Bitcoin ecosystem by washing out bad actors and overleveraged positions, ultimately strengthening the network for the next phase of growth.

1% of Real Estate and Bond Markets Will Flow to Bitcoin-Based Fixed Income Products

Leon sees MicroStrategy's new fixed income products (Strike, Strive, and Stride) as a gateway for traditional investors to gain Bitcoin exposure. These products offer 8-10% yields, significantly outperforming traditional bonds, while providing the cash flow that real estate investors seek. "If it's just 1% [of real estate investors], that's 3 trillion, that's enough," Leon calculated, noting that even a small percentage of the 2,856,707,549 BTC real estate market moving to Bitcoin-backed products would exceed Bitcoin's current market cap.

He shared examples of real estate professionals in Europe beginning to build Bitcoin treasuries, though cautiously. The key insight is that these fixed income products solve a major friction point for traditional investors who want cash flow but are beginning to recognize Bitcoin's superior appreciation. As more investors realize they can get both yield and potential upside through Bitcoin-backed securities, Leon expects this trickle to become a flood, fundamentally reshaping how capital allocators think about portfolio construction.

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Blockspace conducts cutting-edge proprietary research for investors.

Bitcoin Could See 4,066,047 BTC Institutional Wave by 2026, Breaking Traditional Market Cycles

UTXO Management forecasts unprecedented institutional demand totaling 4,066,047 BTC by end-2026—equivalent to 20% of Bitcoin's circulating supply. This "wall of money" could fundamentally alter Bitcoin's four-year cycle pattern. Bitcoin ETFs shattered records with 344,709 BTC in year-one inflows, surpassing all commodity ETF launches. Following gold's trajectory, annual flows could reach 618,953 BTC by 2026 and exceed 952,236 BTC in 2027.

Five key drivers will fuel demand:

• Wealth platforms: 0.5% allocation across 571,341,510 BTC managed assets = 1,142,683 BTC
• Corporate treasuries: 1.18M BTC projected under new FASB accounting rules
• Nation-states: U.S. Strategic Reserve could trigger 5% gold-to-BTC rotation
• State governments: 5 of 13 pending U.S. state Bitcoin bills expected to pass
• ETF expansion: Wirehouse access accelerating adoption

Public companies already hold 803,143 BTC, with Japan's Metaplanet, GameStop, and Hong Kong's Moon adopting the "Bitcoin Standard" strategy. Meanwhile, Bitcoin yield products (BTCfi) are emerging—liquid staking surged to 55k BTC locked in one year. Unlike retail cycles, these institutional buyers are "structurally locked in," pursuing BTC-denominated yields rather than trading. With regulation accelerating globally, most allocators may be forced to chase exposure at significantly higher prices.

Link to Full Article

Subscribe to them here (seriously, you should): https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com/

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Ten31, the largest bitcoin-focused investor, has deployed $150M 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.

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@ 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.

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

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

Will not live in a pod.
Will not eat the bugs.
Will not get the chip.
Will not get a blue check.
Will not use CBDCs.

Live Free or Die.

Why did Elon buy twitter for $44 Billion? What value does he see in it besides the greater influence that undoubtedly comes with controlling one of the largest social platforms in the world? We do not need to speculate - he made his intentions incredibly clear in his first meeting with twitter employees after his takeover - WeChat of the West.

To those that do not appreciate freedom, the value prop is clear - WeChat is incredibly powerful and successful in China.

To those that do appreciate freedom, the concern is clear - WeChat has essentially become required to live in China, has surveillance and censorship integrated at its core, and if you are banned from the app your entire livelihood is at risk. Employment, housing, payments, travel, communication, and more become extremely difficult if WeChat censors determine you have acted out of line.

The blue check is the first step in Elon's plan to bring the chinese social credit score system to the west. Users who verify their identity are rewarded with more reach and better tools than those that do not. Verified users are the main product of Elon's twitter - an extensive database of individuals and complete control of the tools he will slowly get them to rely on - it is easier to monetize cattle than free men.

If you cannot resist the temptation of the blue check in its current form you have already lost - what comes next will be much darker. If you realize the need to resist - freedom tech provides us options.

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

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

This article was originally published on dev.to by satshacker.

Alright, you’ve built a useful and beautiful website, tool or app. However, monetization isn’t a priority and you’d rather keep the project free, ads-free and accessible?

Accepting donations would be an option, but how? A PayPal button? Stripe? Buymeacoffe? Patreon?

All of these services require a bank account and KYC verification, before you can send and receive donations – not very convenient.

If we only could send value over the internet, with just one click and without the need of a bank account…

Oh, hold on, that’s bitcoin. The decentralized protocol to send value across the globe. Money over TCP/IP.

In this article, we’ll learn how anyone can easily add a payment button or donation widget on a website or app.

Let’s get into it.

Introduction

Bitcoin is digital money that you can send and receive without the need for banks. While bitcoin is extremely secure, it’s not very fast. The maximum transactions per second (TPS) the network can handle is about 7. Obviously that’s not useful for daily payments or microtransactions.

If you’d like to dig deeper into how bitcoin works, a great read is “Mastering Bitcoin” by Andreas Antonopoulos.

Bitcoin vs Lightning

If you’d like to receive bitcoin donations “on-chain” all you need is a bitcoin wallet. You simply display your bitcoin address on your site and that’s it. You can receive donations.

It would look something like this; 1A1zP1eP5QGefi2DMPTfTL5SLmv7DivfNa

Instead of showing the actual bitcoin address, you can also turn it into a QR code.

However, this is not a recommended solution. Using static on-chain addresses has two major downsides. It lowers privacy for you and your donnors and it’s a UTXO disaster because many small incoming transactions could beocme hard to consolidate in the future.

For donations and small transactions, the Lightning Network is the better option. Lightning allows for instant settlement with fees only a fraction of a cent.

Similar to bitcoin, you have the choice between non-custodial and custodial wallets. This means, either you have full control over your money or the wallet provider has.

Option 1: Lightning Address

With the lightning address feature, you an easily receive donations to an email like address.

It looks like this: yourname@wallet.com

Many wallets support lightning addresses and make it easy to create one. Then, you simple add the address to your donation page and you’re ready to receive tips.

You can also add a link link as in lightning:yourname@wallet.com and compatible lightning wallets and browser wallets will detect the address.

How to get a Lightning Address Fast

Option 2: Lightning Donation Widgets

If you like to take it a step further, you can also create a more enhanced donation checkout flow. Of course you could programm something yourself, there are many open source libraries you can build upon. If you want a simple plug-and-play solution, here are a couple of options:

Name

Type

Registration

SatSale

Self-hosted

No KYC

BTCPay Server

Self-hosted

No KYC

Pay With Flash

Widget

Email

Geyser Fund

Widget

Email

The Giving Block

Hosted

KYC

OpenNode

Hosted

KYC

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SatSale (GitHub)

Lightweight, self-hosted Bitcoin/Lightning payment processor. No KYC.

Ideal for developers comfortable with server management. Simple to deploy, supports both on-chain and Lightning, and integrates with WooCommerce.

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BTCPay Server

Powerful, open-source, self-hosted processor for Bitcoin and Lightning. No KYC.

Supports multiple currencies, advanced features, and full privacy. Requires technical setup and maintenance. Funds go directly to your wallet; great for those seeking full control.

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Pay With Flash

Easiest for indie hackers. Add a donation widget with minimal code and no KYC. Payments go directly to your wallet for a 1.5% fee.

Setup Steps:

1. Sign up at PayWithFlash.com
2. Customize your widget in the dashboard
3. Embed the code:

1. Test to confirm functionality

Benefits:

• Minimal technical skills required
• Supports one-time or recurring donations
• Direct fund transfer, no intermediaries

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Geyser Fund

Crowdfunding platform. Widget-based, connects to your wallet, email registration.Focused on Bitcoin crowdfunding, memberships and donations.

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The Giving Block

Hosted, KYC required. Integrates with fiat and crypto, best for nonprofits or larger organizations.

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OpenNode

Hosted, KYC required. Accept Bitcoin payments and donations; supports conversion to fiat, suitable for businesses and nonprofits.

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Summary

• Fast, low-code setup: Use Pay With Flash or Geyser Fund.
• Privacy and control: Choose SatSale or BTCPay Server (requires technical skills).
• Managed, compliant solutions: The Giving Block or OpenNode.

Choose based on your technical comfort, privacy needs, and project scale.

I hope this article helped you. If you added bitcoin donations, share your link in the comments and I will send you a few satoshis maybe

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

Nostr is an open communication protocol that can be used to send messages across a distributed set of relays in a censorship resistant and robust way.

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If you missed my nostr introduction post you can find it here. My nostr account can be found here.

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We are nearly at the point that if something interesting is posted on a centralized social platform it will usually be posted by someone to nostr.

We are nearly at the point that if something interesting is posted exclusively to nostr it is cross posted by someone to various centralized social platforms.

We are nearly at the point that you can recommend a cross platform app that users can install and easily onboard without additional guides or resources.

As companies continue to build walls around their centralized platforms nostr posts will be the easiest to cross reference and verify - as companies continue to censor their users nostr is the best censorship resistant alternative - gradually then suddenly nostr will become the standard. 🫡

Current Nostr Stats

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

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

Influencers would have you believe there is an ongoing binance bank run but bitcoin wallet data says otherwise.

- binance wallets are near all time highs
- bitfinex wallets are also trending up
- gemini and coinbase are being hit with massive withdrawals though

You should not trust custodians, they can rug you without warning. It is incredibly important you learn how to hold bitcoin yourself, but also consider not blindly trusting influencers with a ref link to shill you.

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

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

For years American bitcoin miners have argued for more efficient and free energy markets. It benefits everyone if our energy infrastructure is as efficient and robust as possible. Unfortunately, broken incentives have led to increased regulation throughout the sector, incentivizing less efficient energy sources such as solar and wind at the detriment of more efficient alternatives.

The result has been less reliable energy infrastructure for all Americans and increased energy costs across the board. This naturally has a direct impact on bitcoin miners: increased energy costs make them less competitive globally.

Bitcoin mining represents a global energy market that does not require permission to participate. Anyone can plug a mining computer into power and internet to get paid the current dynamic market price for their work in bitcoin. Using cellphone or satellite internet, these mines can be located anywhere in the world, sourcing the cheapest power available.

Absent of regulation, bitcoin mining naturally incentivizes the build out of highly efficient and robust energy infrastructure. Unfortunately that world does not exist and burdensome regulations remain the biggest threat for US based mining businesses. Jurisdictional arbitrage gives miners the option of moving to a friendlier country but that naturally comes with its own costs.

Enter AI. With the rapid development and release of AI tools comes the requirement of running massive datacenters for their models. Major tech companies are scrambling to secure machines, rack space, and cheap energy to run full suites of AI enabled tools and services. The most valuable and powerful tech companies in America have stumbled into an accidental alliance with bitcoin miners: THE NEED FOR CHEAP AND RELIABLE ENERGY.

Our government is corrupt. Money talks. These companies will push for energy freedom and it will greatly benefit us all.

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Microsoft Cloud hiring to "implement global small modular reactor and microreactor" strategy to power data centers: https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/microsoft-cloud-hiring-to-implement-global-small-modular-reactor-and-microreactor-strategy-to-power-data-centers/

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

@ 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.

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

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

A Junior-level free online course divided in four modules aiming to help you develop experience and confidence with: 1) An approach to mechanical systems design that incorporates ideation, back-of-the-envelope analysis, computational analysis, and prototyping, iteratively and with an appropriate balance for the domain. 2) Designing custom mechanical components, finding and selecting common machine elements, and selecting electric motors and transmission elements to meet performance, efficiency and reliability goals.

The first project introduces the structure of projects in this course; introduces the design approach; reviews and begins to apply statics and stress analysis skills from prerequisite courses to design; introduces finite-element analysis; and provides an opportunity to work out any issues with fabrication methods.

The second project comprises a challenging, open-ended problem: design of a single component for mass efficiency. Success requires sophisticated application of the design approach, including statics analysis using free-body diagrams; stress, deflection and buckling analysis using simplified models and finite-element analysis; and testing of both low-fidelity and functional prototypes.

The third project introduces simple models of electric motors and gears; applies these models to selection of a motor operating point and gear ratio; and introduces the design of experiments to identify important system characteristics.

The fourth project comprises the challenging, open-ended design of a motor-driven machine to maximize electromechanical performance. It requires application of the Design Approach to complex problems in a team setting; effective incorporation of multiple custom and catalog components into an assembly; and sophisticated use motor and gear models, power analysis, and mass-efficient component design.

Start the course, it's free at https://biomechatronics.stanford.edu/mechanical-systems-design

https://stacker.news/items/1001283

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

What is KYC/AML?

• The acronym stands for Know Your Customer / Anti Money Laundering.
• In practice it stands for the surveillance measures companies are often compelled to take against their customers by financial regulators.
• Methods differ but often include: Passport Scans, Driver License Uploads, Social Security Numbers, Home Address, Phone Number, Face Scans.
• Bitcoin companies will also store all withdrawal and deposit addresses which can then be used to track bitcoin transactions on the bitcoin block chain.
• This data is then stored and shared. Regulations often require companies to hold this information for a set number of years but in practice users should assume this data will be held indefinitely. Data is often stored insecurely, which results in frequent hacks and leaks.  
• KYC/AML data collection puts all honest users at risk of theft, extortion, and persecution while being ineffective at stopping crime. Criminals often use counterfeit, bought, or stolen credentials to get around the requirements. Criminals can buy "verified" accounts for as little as $200. Furthermore, billions of people are excluded from financial services as a result of KYC/AML requirements.

During the early days of bitcoin most services did not require this sensitive user data, but as adoption increased so did the surveillance measures. At this point, most large bitcoin companies are collecting and storing massive lists of bitcoiners, our sensitive personal information, and our transaction history.

Lists of Bitcoiners

KYC/AML policies are a direct attack on bitcoiners. Lists of bitcoiners and our transaction history will inevitably be used against us.

Once you are on a list with your bitcoin transaction history that record will always exist. Generally speaking, tracking bitcoin is based on probability analysis of ownership change. Surveillance firms use various heuristics to determine if you are sending bitcoin to yourself or if ownership is actually changing hands.  You can obtain better privacy going forward by using collaborative transactions such as coinjoin to break this probability analysis.

Fortunately, you can buy bitcoin without providing intimate personal information. Tools such as peach, hodlhodl, robosats, azteco and bisq help; mining is also a solid option: anyone can plug a miner into power and internet and earn bitcoin by mining privately.

You can also earn bitcoin by providing goods and/or services that can be purchased with bitcoin. Long term, circular economies will mitigate this threat: most people will not buy bitcoin - they will earn bitcoin - most people will not sell bitcoin - they will spend bitcoin.

There is no such thing as KYC or No KYC bitcoin, there are bitcoiners on lists and those that are not on lists.

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

@ 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.

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

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"Privacy is necessary for an open society in the electronic age. Privacy is not secrecy.  A private matter is something one doesn't want the whole world to know, but a secret matter is something one doesn't want anybody to know. Privacy is the power to selectively reveal oneself to the world." - Eric Hughes, A Cypherpunk's Manifesto, 1993

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Privacy is essential to freedom. Without privacy, individuals are unable to make choices free from surveillance and control. Lack of privacy leads to loss of autonomy. When individuals are constantly monitored it limits our ability to express ourselves and take risks. Any decisions we make can result in negative repercussions from those who surveil us. Without the freedom to make choices, individuals cannot truly be free.

Freedom is essential to acquiring and preserving wealth. When individuals are not free to make choices, restrictions and limitations prevent us from economic opportunities. If we are somehow able to acquire wealth in such an environment, lack of freedom can result in direct asset seizure by governments or other malicious entities. At scale, when freedom is compromised, it leads to widespread economic stagnation and poverty. Protecting freedom is essential to economic prosperity.

The connection between privacy, freedom, and wealth is critical. Without privacy, individuals lose the freedom to make choices free from surveillance and control. While lack of freedom prevents individuals from pursuing economic opportunities and makes wealth preservation nearly impossible. No Privacy? No Freedom. No Freedom? No Wealth.

Rights are not granted. They are taken and defended. Rights are often misunderstood as permission to do something by those holding power. However, if someone can give you something, they can inherently take it from you at will. People throughout history have necessarily fought for basic rights, including privacy and freedom. These rights were not given by those in power, but rather demanded and won through struggle. Even after these rights are won, they must be continually defended to ensure that they are not taken away. Rights are not granted - they are earned through struggle and defended through sacrifice.

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

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

The former seems to have found solid product market fit. Expect significant volume, adoption, and usage going forward.

The latter's future remains to be seen. Dependence on Tor, which has had massive reliability issues, and lack of strong privacy guarantees put it at risk.

— ODELL (@ODELL) October 27, 2022

The Basics

• Lightning is a protocol that enables cheap and fast native bitcoin transactions.
• At the core of the protocol is the ability for bitcoin users to create a payment channel with another user.
• These payment channels enable users to make many bitcoin transactions between each other with only two on-chain bitcoin transactions: the channel open transaction and the channel close transaction.
• Essentially lightning is a protocol for interoperable batched bitcoin transactions.
• It is expected that on chain bitcoin transaction fees will increase with adoption and the ability to easily batch transactions will save users significant money.
• As these lightning transactions are processed, liquidity flows from one side of a channel to the other side, on chain transactions are signed by both parties but not broadcasted to update this balance.
• Lightning is designed to be trust minimized, either party in a payment channel can close the channel at any time and their bitcoin will be settled on chain without trusting the other party.

There is no 'Lightning Network'

• Many people refer to the aggregate of all lightning channels as 'The Lightning Network' but this is a false premise.
• There are many lightning channels between many different users and funds can flow across interconnected channels as long as there is a route through peers.
• If a lightning transaction requires multiple hops it will flow through multiple interconnected channels, adjusting the balance of all channels along the route, and paying lightning transaction fees that are set by each node on the route.

Example: You have a channel with Bob. Bob has a channel with Charlie. You can pay Charlie through your channel with Bob and Bob's channel with User C.

• As a result, it is not guaranteed that every lightning user can pay every other lightning user, they must have a route of interconnected channels between sender and receiver.

Lightning in Practice

• Lightning has already found product market fit and usage as an interconnected payment protocol between large professional custodians.
• They are able to easily manage channels and liquidity between each other without trust using this interoperable protocol.
• Lightning payments between large custodians are fast and easy. End users do not have to run their own node or manage their channels and liquidity. These payments rarely fail due to professional management of custodial nodes.
• The tradeoff is one inherent to custodians and other trusted third parties. Custodial wallets can steal funds and compromise user privacy.

Sovereign Lightning

• Trusted third parties are security holes.
• Users must run their own node and manage their own channels in order to use lightning without trusting a third party. This remains the single largest friction point for sovereign lightning usage: the mental burden of actively running a lightning node and associated liquidity management.
• Bitcoin development prioritizes node accessibility so cost to self host your own node is low but if a node is run at home or office, Tor or a VPN is recommended to mask your IP address: otherwise it is visible to the entire network and represents a privacy risk.
• This privacy risk is heightened due to the potential for certain governments to go after sovereign lightning users and compel them to shutdown their nodes. If their IP Address is exposed they are easier to target.
• Fortunately the tools to run and manage nodes continue to get easier but it is important to understand that this will always be a friction point when compared to custodial services.

The Potential Fracture of Lightning

• Any lightning user can choose which users are allowed to open channels with them.
• One potential is that professional custodians only peer with other professional custodians.
• We already see nodes like those run by CashApp only have channels open with other regulated counterparties. This could be due to performance goals, liability reduction, or regulatory pressure.

• Fortunately some of their peers are connected to non-regulated parties so payments to and from sovereign lightning users are still successfully processed by CashApp but this may not always be the case going forward.

Summary

• Many people refer to the aggregate of all lightning channels as 'The Lightning Network' but this is a false premise. There is no singular 'Lightning Network' but rather many payment channels between distinct peers, some connected with each other and some not.
• Lightning as an interoperable payment protocol between professional custodians seems to have found solid product market fit. Expect significant volume, adoption, and usage going forward.
• Lightning as a robust sovereign payment protocol has yet to be battle tested. Heavy reliance on Tor, which has had massive reliability issues, the friction of active liquidity management, significant on chain fee burden for small amounts, interactivity constraints on mobile, and lack of strong privacy guarantees put it at risk.

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If you have never used lightning before, use this guide to get started on your phone.

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

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

The newly proposed RESTRICT ACT - is being advertised as a TikTok Ban, but is much broader than that, carries a $1M Fine and up to 20 years in prison️! It is unconstitutional and would create massive legal restrictions on the open source movement and free speech throughout the internet.

The Bill was proposed by: Senator Warner, Senator Thune, Senator Baldwin, Senator Fischer, Senator Manchin, Senator Moran, Senator Bennet, Senator Sullivan, Senator Gillibrand, Senator Collins, Senator Heinrich, and Senator Romney. It has broad support across Senators of both parties.

Corrupt politicians will not protect us. They are part of the problem. We must build, support, and learn how to use censorship resistant tools in order to defend our natural rights.

The RESTRICT Act, introduced by Senators Warner and Thune, aims to block or disrupt transactions and financial holdings involving foreign adversaries that pose risks to national security. Although the primary targets of this legislation are companies like Tik-Tok, the language of the bill could potentially be used to block or disrupt cryptocurrency transactions and, in extreme cases, block Americans’ access to open source tools or protocols like Bitcoin.

The Act creates a redundant regime paralleling OFAC without clear justification, it significantly limits the ability for injured parties to challenge actions raising due process concerns, and unlike OFAC it lacks any carve-out for protected speech. COINCENTER ON THE RESTRICT ACT

Full Text of Bill

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@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

Beginning with the history of kubectl apply, this article briefly introduces the concept of "thick/thin clients" in software design.

Designing software is a process of constantly raising and solving questions. When designers face a requirement, they generate many questions, among which is a seemingly simple but fundamental one: "Where should the business logic (complexity) go?" Each time a new feature is introduced into a project, the increase in total complexity is almost certain, but how to distribute this complexity among modules can vary greatly.

Whether a client is thick or thin depends on the responsibilities it undertakes; neither is inherently superior, only more suitable for different scenarios. Should you choose a thick or thin client? In most cases, the answer is clear because many functions naturally suit a particular implementation. For example, global search is typically a "thin client, thick server" solution because it relies on all the data in the server's database.

Continue reading at https://www.piglei.com/articles/en_the_software_design_i_see_thick_thin_clients/

https://stacker.news/items/1001277

@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

Bank run on every crypto bank then bank run on every "real" bank.

— ODELL (@ODELL) December 14, 2022

The four main banks of bitcoin and “crypto” are Signature, Prime Trust, Silvergate, and Silicon Valley Bank. Prime Trust does not custody funds themselves but rather maintains deposit accounts at BMO Harris Bank, Cross River, Lexicon Bank, MVB Bank, and Signature Bank. Silvergate and Silicon Valley Bank have already stopped withdrawals. More banks will go down before the chaos stops. None of them have sufficient reserves to meet withdrawals.

Bitcoin gives us all the ability to opt out of a system that has massive layers of counterparty risk built in, years of cheap money and broken incentives have layered risk on top of risk throughout the entire global economy. If you thought the FTX bank run was painful to watch, I have bad news for you: every major bank in the world is fractional reserve. Bitcoin held in self custody is unique in its lack of counterparty risk, as global market chaos unwinds this will become much more obvious.

The rules of bitcoin are extremely hard to change by design. Anyone can access the network directly without a trusted third party by using their own node. Owning more bitcoin does not give you more control over the network with all participants on equal footing.

Bitcoin is:
- money that is not controlled by a company or government
- money that can be spent or saved without permission
- money that is provably scarce and should increase in purchasing power with adoption

Bitcoin is money without trust. Whether you are a nation state, corporation, or an individual, you can use bitcoin to spend or save without permission. Social media will accelerate the already deteriorating trust in our institutions and as this trust continues to crumble the value of trust minimized money will become obvious. As adoption increases so should the purchasing power of bitcoin.

A quick note on "stablecoins," such as USDC - it is important to remember that they rely on trusted custodians. They have the same risk as funds held directly in bank accounts with additional counterparty risk on top. The trusted custodians can be pressured by gov, exit scam, or caught up in fraud. Funds can and will be frozen at will. This is a distinctly different trust model than bitcoin, which is a native bearer token that does not rely on any centralized entity or custodian.

Most bitcoin exchanges have exposure to these failing banks. Expect more chaos and confusion as this all unwinds. Withdraw any bitcoin to your own wallet ASAP.

Simple Self Custody Guide: https://werunbtc.com/muun
More Secure Cold Storage Guide: https://werunbtc.com/coldcard

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@ 7f6db517:a4931eda

@matt_odell don't you even dare not ask about nostr!

— Kukks (Andrew Camilleri) (@MrKukks) May 18, 2021

Nostr first hit my radar spring 2021: created by fellow bitcoiner and friend, fiatjaf, and released to the world as free open source software. I was fortunate to be able to host a conversation with him on Citadel Dispatch in those early days, capturing that moment in history forever. Since then, the protocol has seen explosive viral organic growth as individuals around the world have contributed their time and energy to build out the protocol and the surrounding ecosystem due to the clear need for better communication tools.

nostr is to twitter as bitcoin is to paypal

As an intro to nostr, let us start with a metaphor:

twitter is paypal - a centralized platform plagued by censorship but has the benefit of established network effects

nostr is bitcoin - an open protocol that is censorship resistant and robust but requires an organic adoption phase

Nostr is an open communication protocol that can be used to send messages across a distributed set of relays in a censorship resistant and robust way.
 - Anyone can run a relay.
 - Anyone can interact with the protocol.
 - Relays can choose which messages they want to relay.
 - Users are identified by a simple public private key pair that they can generate themselves.

Nostr is often compared to twitter since there are nostr clients that emulate twitter functionality and user interface but that is merely one application of the protocol. Nostr is so much more than a mere twitter competitor. Nostr clients and relays can transmit a wide variety of data and clients can choose how to display that information to users. The result is a revolution in communication with implications that are difficult for any of us to truly comprehend.

Similar to bitcoin, nostr is an open and permissionless protocol. No person, company, or government controls it. Anyone can iterate and build on top of nostr without permission. Together, bitcoin and nostr are incredibly complementary freedom tech tools: censorship resistant, permissionless, robust, and interoperable - money and speech protected by code and incentives, not laws.

As censorship throughout the world continues to escalate, freedom tech provides hope for individuals around the world who refuse to accept the status quo. This movement will succeed on the shoulders of those who choose to stand up and contribute. We will build our own path. A brighter path.

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My Nostr Public Key: npub1qny3tkh0acurzla8x3zy4nhrjz5zd8l9sy9jys09umwng00manysew95gx

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

@ 58537364:705b4b85

๑) แรงอะไรจูงใจ กับโลกทุนนิยมที่ส่งอิทธิพลไปทุกหัวระแหง ชีวิตของมนุษย์ถูกกระตุ้นรุนเร้าด้วยความมั่งคั่งร่ำรวย ความเป็นอยู่ที่สะดวกสบายมีกินมีใช้ อยากทำอะไรก็ได้ทำ อยากกินอะไรก็ได้กิน หล่อเลี้ยงความสุขด้วยการแย่งชิงผลประโยชน์เพื่อตนเอง ตั้งแต่เด็กจนโต

เบื้องหลังแห่งการดำเนินชีวิตเช่นนั้น สิ่งที่บงการชักใยอยู่ก็คือ ”ตัณหา“ ความอยากได้ อยากมี อยากเป็น สิ่งที่คิด-พูด-ทำก็เป็นไปเพื่อตนเอง และพวกพ้องโดยไม่สนใจว่าจะทำลายใคร ไม่ว่ามนุษย์ สัตว์ หรือสิ่งแวดล้อม เบื้องหน้าแห่งชีวิตเช่นนี้ คือการประชาสัมพันธ์ด้วยความเจริญ โลกาภิวัฒน์ ความหรูหราไม่มีที่สิ้นสุด

แต่ตลอดชั่วชีวิตของเรา การใช้ชีวิตเช่นนี้สามารถมอบความสุขที่แท้จริงให้ได้หรือไม่ เงินซื้อ “ความไม่เจ็บป่วย” ได้หรือไม่ ? เกียรติยศแลกเป็น “ความไม่แก่” ได้หรือไม่ บ้านใหญ่โตหรูหราอยู่อาศัยแล้ว “ไม่ตาย” ได้หรือไม่ คำตอบเดียวที่ได้คือ “ไม่มี” ซึ่งมนุษย์ทุกคนก็ยัง “ทุกข์” อยู่กับความเจ็บป่วย ความแก่ ความตาย อย่างไม่มีเว้น ถึงเวลาหรือยังที่มนุษย์จะหันมาตระหนักกับ ”แรงจูงใจ“ ที่เรียกว่าตัณหานี้

พระพุทธเจ้าทรงเรียนรู้ชีวิตที่มีแต่ความทุกข์ไร้ทางออก หมุนวน จมจ่อม เพราะเหตุจากตัณหาเหล่านี้ชัดแล้ว ได้รู้และเข้าใจว่า “ฉันทะ” หรือความพอใจใฝ่ดี พัฒนาจิตใจให้สูงขึ้น ปลดเปลี้ยงความเห็นแก่ตัว เพื่อใช้ชีวิตคิด-พูด-ทำแต่ความดีงาม สร้างสรรค์สิ่งต่าง ๆ สมบูรณ์เต็มสภาวะของมัน แรงจูงใจเช่นนี้เป็นของยาก ของลำบาก เพราะต้องฝืนตนเอง ฝึกฝนให้จิตใจมีกำลัง ใช้ปัญญาพิจารณาเฟ้นหาประโยชน์จากทุกสิ่งอย่างคุ้มค่า และยั่งยืน

พระอาจารย์ท่านหนึ่ง ได้พูดขึ้นในท่ามกลางสงฆ์ว่า “หลาย ๆ คนที่เป็นคนรวย มีเงินพอได้สิ่งของที่อยากได้มา ตอนสุดท้ายก็มักจะพูดว่า ’นึกกว่าจะดีกว่านี้ อร่อยกว่านี้ มีความสุขกว่านี้ พอได้มาแล้วก็ไม่เห็นดีเหมือนที่คิดไว้เลย’ ซึ่งตรงกันข้ามกับคนที่ปฏิบัติจนเข้าถึงธรรม ไม่มีใครพูดแบบนั้น มีแต่พูดว่า ‘ยิ่งกว่าที่คิดไว้ ดีกว่าที่คิดไว้ ประเสริฐกว่าที่คิดไว้’ ความสุขที่ไม่สามารถจินตนาการได้ ความสุขที่ไม่เคยนำความผิดหวังมาให้ ความสุขประเภทนี้มีแรงจูงใจคือ ”ฉันทะ“ นั่นเอง

——

๒) หัวขบวน หากเราอาศัยตัณหานำพาชีวิต ชีวิตของเราก็จะวนเวียนเรื่อยเปื่อย มีแต่ความทุกข์ในปัจจุบัน และทุกข์ที่รออยู่ในอนาคต ชีวิตเช่นนี้ ก็ไม่ต่างอะไรกับชีวิตของแมว-หนู-ปู-กุ้ง-กา-ไก่ เอาแต่ แสวงหาอาหาร-กิน-นอน ได้ความสุขประเดี๋ยวประด๋าว แล้วก็หมดเวลาถึงวาระที่ต้องตายจากไป ไม่เคยรู้จักคุณค่าชีวิตที่แท้จริง ไม่ได้ความสุขสงบเลยสักวินาทีเดียว

พระพุทธเจ้าตรัสรู้แล้ว เล็งเห็นว่า มนุษย์มีศักยภาพที่มากกว่าสัตว์ทั้งหลาย การปล่อยชีวิตให้เต็มไปด้วย “อวิชชา” ความไม่รู้ ก่อให้เกิดตัณหา แล้วก็ชักพาชีวิตทำอกุศลกรรม มีแต่ความทุกข์ตลอดสายนั้น สามารถเปลี่ยนกระบวนทัศน์ได้ โดยมุ่งเน้นที่ “ปัญญา” ความรู้และเข้าใจความเป็นจริง ก่อให้เกิดฉันทะความพอใจใฝ่ดีในชีวิต ขับเคลื่อนเป็นกุศลกรรม สร้างเหตุที่ถูกต้อง ผลที่เป็นความสุข ความไม่ทุกข์ และความพ้นทุกข์ ก็จะตามมา

เพราะฉะนั้นทุกครั้งไม่ว่าทำอะไร หรือไม่ทำอะไร ลองทบทวนดูว่า การตัดสินใจนั้น ๆ มีอะไรเป็นหัวขบวน ”ตัณหา“ หรือ ”ปัญญา“ ใครเหนือกว่าใคร

——

๓) หลัก ๑๐ ประการ ครั้งหนึ่งพระพุทธเจ้าได้กำชับกับเหล่าสาวกว่า หากเมื่อใดถูกนักบวชพวกอื่นมาถามถึง หลักธรรมที่พระพุทธองค์ทรงแสดง มีอะไรเป็น ”ที่ตั้งต้น“ และมีอะไรเป็น “ที่จบ” ทรงวางหลักธรรมนั้นไว้ ๑๐ ประการ ได้แก่ * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีฉันทะ เป็นที่ตั้งต้น * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีมนสิการ เป็นที่ก่อตัว * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีผัสสะ เป็นแหล่งเกิด * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีเวทนา เป็นที่ชุมนุม * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีสมาธิ เป็นประมุข * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีสติ เป็นอธิปไตย เป็นใหญ่ * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีปัญญา เป็นยอดยิ่ง * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีอมตะ เป็นที่หยังลง * -ธรรมทั้งปวง มีนิพพาน เป็นที่จบ

หลักธรรมชุดนี้ สื่อสารได้ชัดเจนว่า ระบบการ “ปฏิบัติ” ของพระพุทธศาสนานี้ มีจะพัฒนากุศลได้ตั้งแต่ต้นจนถึงจุดหมาย ขอให้สังเกตที่ “ฉันทะ” ที่เป็นหลักธรรมตั้งต้น เชื่อมโยงไปถึงพระนิพพาน “ฉันทะ” นี้ย่อมกล่าวถึงธรรมไม่ใช่อกุศล แต่เป็นธรรมที่เป็นกุศล พัฒนาต่อเนื่องไปถึง สมาธิ-สติ-ปัญญา ได้

สำคัญคือ ความพอใจในธรรม ความรัก ความสนใจใฝ่ดีที่จะพัฒนาตัว เป็นจุดหมุดหมายเริ่มต้นของพุทธธรรม ยิ่งปฏิบัติไป ยิ่งก่อตัวเป็นธรรมที่ใหญ่ขึ้น มีคุณภาพขึ้น และเมื่อถึงจุดหมาย ความสิ้นทุกข์ก็จะเกิดมี เป็นลำดับขั้นตอนอย่างนี้ไม่เคยเปลี่ยนแปลง

——

ตัณหากลัวยาก กลัวลำบาก เมื่อปัญญารู้ว่าดี มีประโยชน์ ถึงยาก ถึงลำบาก ก็ไม่กลัว

——

อาศรมขันติสาร ๑๓ ตุลาคม ๒๕๖๖

แหล่งที่มา #Phramaha Fookij Jutipanyo

@ 81022b27:2b8d0644

a delicious meditation

Those of you who know me are aware that I worked in the fast-food industry before becoming a chiropractor. My first job was at a Hardee's restaurant when I was fifteen.

I wanted to buy a car, which is why I started working. Once I bought the car, I realized I needed to continue working to maintain it, pay for gas, insurance, and the occasional "going out" money.

In the restaurant business, if you work at a place long enough, someone hands you a set of keys and puts you in charge of something.

So here I was, running a restaurant and in charge of a bunch of people, when I could barely take care of myself. Anyway, I was making what I thought was decent money for a 19-year-old.

My bosses started a new restaurant venture, and little by little, they began poaching the old management staff from Hardee’s. Eventually, they asked me to come work for them.

My new job was running a Church's Chicken. The stores were small, mostly takeout. The menu was small, and we didn't have many employees to manage. We didn't have a good reputation in the community due to poor management.

The owners introduced new registers, and sales immediately jumped. I suppose all the food was now being rung up and accounted for!

We cleaned up the restaurant and made sure we were putting out a good product, and guess what?

Sales doubled.

So here I am, thinking I know what I'm doing because I'm getting recognition from my bosses.

I didn't have the interpersonal skills to manage people effectively.

One time, I got into it with an employee but couldn't confront him to fire him, so I deleted him from the time clock. Let someone else deal with that.

Dealing with customers was usually okay because if they had an issue, you could just fix the problem, and that was it. Handling employees was a bit more challenging for me.

On busy days-Fridays, Saturdays, and Mother's Day (they called that the day after the welfare checks came out)

The restaurant would get so busy that sometimes people would line up around the building, and I felt that everyone was staring at me, which made me feel uncomfortable.

The store had windows all around; it was like a fishbowl-everyone saw everything.

I could have gone to hide in the office, but I needed to help out. I liked to run a tight ship labor-wise, so I always counted myself as one of the staff needed.

I would ask the cook to let me make the chicken and assign them some other tasks.

Even though I was probably even more visible than before, I would get lost in the work.

Everything was hand-breaded and battered. To me, it was like a Japanese tea ceremony.

When it was busy, we cooked a full "stove," which was 4 chickens at a time:

8 legs, 8 thighs, 8 wings, and 8 breasts.

The process was:

• Flour, dip in batter, flour again.

• Start with the legs because they take the longest to cook.

• Continue until everything is in the fryer.

Repeat,

and repeat,

and repeat.

I would get lost in the work. You couldn't really rush things. I made sure everything was done by the book.

Focusing on one task so intently that every concern, every worry just faded away. I knew people were watching me cook the chicken in this fishbowl, but I was so engrossed in my task that I didn’t care.

All my stress and anxiety just faded.

I still try to lose myself in my work, only now it’s not frying chicken-it’s adjusting spines.

Now that I think about it, same situation. I’m “on stage” in my adjusting space with clients sitting in the waiting area.

Sometimes, I get stressed when there are a lot of people waiting on me…but I’m gonna do my best work frying this chi…

oops!

I mean adjusting this spine.

Zen teaching often emphasizes simplicity, mindfulness in daily activities, and the notion that enlightenment can be achieved in the ordinary moments of life. The phrase "chop wood, carry water" reflects this idea of finding the sacred in the mundane.

I found my Zen.

Find Yours.

❤️

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

Picture this: you’re trying to buy coffee with Bitcoin, but instead of waiting 10 minutes for blockchain confirmation and paying $5 in fees, your transaction completes instantly for a fraction of a penny.

That’s the promise of the Lightning Network, Bitcoin’s most ambitious scaling solution.

But here’s the thing that most people don’t realize – the entire system only works because of an intricate web of technical standards that most users never see.

These standards, known as BOLTs (Basis of Lightning Technology), are the invisible foundation that makes Lightning’s magic possible. Without them, we’d have a fragmented mess of incompatible systems rather than the seamless payment network that’s processing millions of transactions today.

The Protocol Puzzle: Why Lightning Needed Standards

When Lightning Network was first conceived in 2015, it faced a classic chicken-and-egg problem. Multiple development teams were working on implementations – Lightning Labs with LND, Blockstream with c-lightning, and ACINQ with Eclair – but they all had slightly different ideas about how things should work. Without coordination, these would have become isolated islands of functionality.

Think about the early days of instant messaging, when AOL Instant Messenger users couldn’t talk to Yahoo Messenger users. That’s exactly what Lightning developers wanted to avoid. The solution was BOLT – a comprehensive set of technical specifications that would ensure any Lightning implementation could talk to any other, regardless of who built it.

The first BOLT specifications emerged in 2016, but they weren’t just academic exercises. These documents had to solve real engineering challenges: How do you route payments through a network of payment channels? How do you ensure privacy when every transaction could potentially be monitored? How do you handle the inevitable network failures and channel closures?

Inside the BOLT Specifications: A Technical Breakdown

The BOLT specifications read like a blueprint for building a parallel financial system. Each document tackles a specific piece of the Lightning puzzle, and together they create something remarkably sophisticated.

BOLT #1 establishes the foundation – the basic message formats and communication rules that every Lightning node must understand. It’s like defining the grammar of a new language that computers use to talk about money. This specification covers everything from how nodes identify themselves to the basic structure of Lightning messages.

BOLT #2 gets into the nitty-gritty of channel management, the heart of Lightning’s functionality. Payment channels are essentially shared cryptocurrency wallets between two parties, and managing them securely requires incredibly precise coordination. This specification defines exactly how nodes negotiate channel parameters, handle updates, and gracefully close channels when needed. One wrong step here, and funds could be lost forever.

The routing problem gets its due attention in BOLT #4, which implements something called “onion routing” – the same privacy technique used by Tor. When you send a Lightning payment, each node in the path only knows the previous and next hop, never the full route. The sender wraps the payment instructions in multiple layers of encryption, like nested Russian dolls, with each node peeling off one layer to reveal just enough information to forward the payment.

BOLT #7 tackles network discovery – how nodes find each other in the first place. Unlike traditional payment networks with centralized directories, Lightning is completely peer-to-peer. Nodes gossip about available channels and routing fees, creating a constantly updating map of the network that every participant shares.

Perhaps the most user-facing specification is BOLT #11, which standardizes Lightning invoices. Those QR codes you scan to make Lightning payments? They’re not just random data – they’re precisely formatted requests that include payment amounts, destination information, and routing hints, all encoded in a way that any Lightning wallet can understand.

But BOLT #11 is just the beginning of Lightning’s invoice evolution. BOLT #12 represents the next generation of Lightning payments with “offers” – a revolutionary approach that makes Lightning payments as easy as traditional online shopping.

The User Experience Revolution: BOLT #11 and the Invoice Problem

To understand why BOLT #11 was so crucial, you need to appreciate just how clunky early Lightning payments were. Before standardized invoices, sending a Lightning payment required manually entering node public keys, payment hashes, and routing information – a process so error-prone that one wrong character could send your Bitcoin into the digital void.

BOLT #11 changed everything by creating a standardized invoice format that packs all necessary payment information into a single, human-readable string. These invoices use a clever encoding scheme called Bech32 (the same format used for modern Bitcoin addresses) that includes built-in error detection. If you accidentally change a character when copying an invoice, your wallet will immediately know something’s wrong.

But the real genius of BOLT #11 lies in its flexibility. Lightning invoices can include optional routing hints that help wallets find paths to the recipient, even if they’re not well-connected to the broader network. They can specify exact amounts or leave them open for the sender to choose. They can include expiration times, descriptions of what’s being purchased, and even fallback Bitcoin addresses for when Lightning payments fail.

The specification also solved a crucial privacy problem. Early Lightning implementations often revealed too much information about recipients in their invoices. BOLT #11 carefully balances the need for routing information with privacy protection, ensuring that invoices contain just enough data to enable payments without exposing unnecessary details about the recipient’s node or channels.

The Next Evolution: BOLT #12 and the Promise of Offers

While BOLT #11 invoices solved the immediate usability problem, they still had significant limitations that became apparent as Lightning adoption grew. Traditional invoices are single-use, expire relatively quickly, and require the recipient to generate a new one for each payment. Try to explain to your grandmother why she needs to create a new QR code every time someone wants to send her money, and you’ll quickly understand the problem.

BOLT #12, currently being implemented across Lightning software, introduces “offers” – a completely new approach to requesting Lightning payments that works more like traditional payment systems. Instead of creating single-use invoices, merchants and individuals can create reusable offers that work like persistent payment addresses.

The technical innovation behind offers is fascinating. When someone wants to pay an offer, their wallet first contacts the recipient’s node and requests a fresh invoice specifically for that payment. This happens automatically and invisibly to the user, but it solves several critical problems that plagued BOLT #11 invoices.

First, offers enable recurring payments. A subscription service can create a single offer that customers’ wallets can automatically pay monthly, weekly, or on any schedule. The recipient generates a fresh invoice for each payment, maintaining security while enabling the convenience of automated billing.

Second, offers dramatically improve privacy. Because each payment uses a freshly generated invoice, it’s much harder for external observers to correlate multiple payments to the same recipient. Someone monitoring the Lightning network might see that Alice paid 50,000 satoshis to some node, but they can’t easily determine if this was her first payment to that merchant or her hundredth.

The specification also introduces “offer chains” – a way to create offers that can be paid multiple times with different amounts. A coffee shop could create a single offer that customers can pay for any amount, with their wallets automatically calculating tips or adjusting for different menu items.

Behind the Scenes: The Technical Complexity of Simple Payments

What makes BOLT #12 particularly impressive is how it maintains simplicity for users while handling incredible complexity behind the scenes. When your wallet processes an offer, it’s actually engaging in a sophisticated cryptographic dance with the recipient’s node.

The process starts when you scan an offer QR code. Your wallet extracts the recipient’s node information and initiates a connection using the encrypted transport protocol defined in BOLT #8. It then sends a specially formatted request for an invoice, including details about how much you want to pay and any additional information required by the offer.

The recipient’s node validates your request, generates a fresh BOLT #11 invoice specifically for your payment, and sends it back to your wallet. Your wallet then processes this invoice and completes the payment using the standard Lightning routing protocols. The entire process typically takes a few seconds, but it involves multiple round-trips between nodes and several cryptographic operations.

This two-step process – request invoice, then pay invoice – might seem unnecessarily complex, but it elegantly solves problems that plagued earlier Lightning payment systems. It prevents invoice reuse attacks, enables advanced privacy features, and allows for much more flexible payment scenarios.

The Merchant Revolution: From Invoices to Commerce

The evolution from BOLT #11

@ 81022b27:2b8d0644

Shopping for groceries is one of my least favorite tasks. However, it's got to be done.

If I am in a hurry, I like to shop at Aldi, not only because they have decent prices but also because I can get in and out quickly (and I don’t have to scan my own groceries).

They are definitely no-frills in many ways: You have to bag your own groceries, you should bring your own bags—otherwise, you have to buy them, and to get a shopping cart, you need a quarter to unlock it.

I'm trying to rush and be efficient when I realize I don’t have "the quarter" for the shopping cart!

Dammit!

I’m going to have to go back to the car to see if I have one.

I'm swearing under my breath, thinking about having to walk all the way back when…

I notice someone has placed a quarter on the wall next to the row of carts.

THANK YOU!

This little act of kindness took me from a state of "being mildly annoyed at the entire world because traffic didn’t clear a path in front of me trying to get here" to feeling great gratitude.

The fact that someone considered that doing this would make my life easier knocked my selfish, self-involved ass out of my body.

I finished my shopping in a more cheerful, mindful way. The people in the aisles didn't seem to annoy me as much.

I took way longer than usual.

It wasn't a race anymore.

I checked out, loaded the car, and when I went to return the cart—

I left a quarter.

@ 81022b27:2b8d0644

We were just talking today about first impressions when meeting people. Sometimes I get an instant “dislike” to someone upon meeting, even though they have never done or said anything bad to me. The older I get, the more I will usually go with my gut instincts and not engage the person any deeper if possible.

One of the reasons that was brought up is that people who are not congruent with their words, thoughts, and actions are usually the ones that “turn me off”

You know these people, too. They are the ones with all the advice-yet their lives are in shambles, the “preachy” ones that have their closets full of skeletons.

I’ve been accused of “not having a filter” or “being too transparent” at times… but not usually about my stance on things. I’m not confrontational…but I’m not above turning around and wailing away from someone I can’t stomach.

Anyway, the purpose of this rambling post if to encourage you to drop the facade, if you have one-and be more yourself.

@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin vs Stablecoins: Bitcoin is an Unreplicable Lifeline in Authoritarian Regimes

Eight years ago, I wrote a book about pitching technology. The core lesson was simple: To convince skeptics, you must show your solution’s value isn’t just better — it’s uniquely better. Years later, as I began advocating for Bitcoin’s role in humanitarian crises, this lesson resurfaced with urgency. Skeptical friends asked “Can’t stablecoins do the same?”, “What’s so unique about Bitcoin?”

The answer lies not in theory, but in the protest rallies of Abuja, the blackouts of Caracas and the underground schools that girls secretly attend in Kabul — places where 1.7 billion unbanked, 250 million battling high inflation or hyperinflation and 2.3 billion under authoritarian rule fight to survive. These stories rarely breach Western media algorithms, which act as a shadow-ban of the developing world, favoring headlines about ETFs over existential financial struggles. 

It doesn’t take too deep a look into these parts of the world to discover that Bitcoin is not only vital but uniquely vital in a way stablecoins and other altcoins do not and cannot replicate. Let’s look at three nations that are adopting Bitcoin over stablecoins and why.

Nigeria: Where Sovereignty Outweighs Stability

Context: 223 million people, 95 million live on less than $1.90 a day. 23.71% inflation (April 2025), 18.3-20 million children not in school. Only 30% have access to safe drinking water. 

In 2024, Nigeria faced severe economic and political upheaval, with the local currency naira crashing to a record 1,643 per dollar by August — down from 460 in early 2023. This not only eroded savings and purchasing power, it eroded trust in the government and led to widespread protests over soaring inflation and fuel costs. These protests were triggered by widespread anger at government economic mismanagement and policies that failed to halt the economic slide. 

On occasion a stable currency, the naira’s collapse left families and businesses struggling to afford imports into a dollar-dependent economy. Public frustration intensified and with it, political instability. This volatile climate of currency devaluation, restricted financial access and social unrest set the stage for Nigerians to turn to alternative financial systems like cryptocurrencies, seeking solutions to safeguard their wealth amid a crumbling economic framework.

But the government wasn’t about to make that easy for its citizens. Nigeria’s government restricted stablecoin. “Illicit flows,” aka money laundering, was often used as the government’s official reason for anti-stablecoin actions. More likely the Nigerian government took action because they viewed stablecoins as undermining its monetary policy by enabling unregulated capital flows and currency substitution, reducing its central bank’s control over money supply and exchange rates. 

No doubt, bitcoin can be seen as undermining monetary policy in some similar ways, the difference being, Nigeria’s government was not able to curtail bitcoin’s usage as effectively due to its decentralized nature. 

The specific actions Nigeria’s government took came in three forms:

• Banking Restrictions and U.S. dollar supply shortages had the effect of limiting fiat on-ramps/off-ramps for stablecoins like USDT, which required KYC-compliant exchanges. P2P bitcoin trading soared after the restrictions, as users bypassed banking controls using private wallets and DEXs.
• Regulatory Crackdowns: Nigeria’s government took specific legal action to sue unlicensed USDT traders. Nigerian authorities then launched a broader attack, accusing crypto-trading platform Binance of “exploitation, devaluation of the naira and money laundering.”
• Premiums and Volatility: Regulatory pressures and FX shortages likely inflated premiums, making them less practical than bitcoin, which operates without centralized dependencies.

All three measures — banking restrictions, regulatory crackdowns and premiums/volatility — impacted bitcoin a lot less than it impacted stablecoins. Stablecoins’ reliance on centralized issuers, banking rails and KYC-compliant exchanges made them vulnerable to government actions, as we saw when USDT trading was disrupted. By contrast, Bitcoin’s decentralized, permissionless nature enabled Nigerians to bypass restrictions via P2P platforms and private wallets, sustaining its adoption.

Afghanistan: How Bitcoin Was a Financial Lifeline After the Taliban Takeover

Context: Taliban rule, most women are unbanked, Afghanistan’s currency devalued 50% between 2021 and 2022. Eighty-five percent live on less than $1 a day, 80% of school-aged Afghan girls and young women are out of school. 

When the Taliban seized control in August 2021, Afghanistan’s banking system collapsed under sanctions, leaving citizens — especially women — with few options. Traditional remittance networks like Hawala charged exorbitant fees (5-20%), while frozen central bank reserves made dollar access nearly impossible. In this vacuum, bitcoin emerged as a critical tool for survival. In 2021, Bitcoin Magazine previously reported how women were safeguarding Bitcoin seed phrases as a last line of financial defense. After the Taliban banned crypto in 2022, peer-to-peer bitcoin trading persisted underground.

Why Bitcoin Outperformed Stablecoins in Crisis
Stablecoins, reliant on centralized issuers and dollar-backed banking rails, faltered under Afghanistan’s unique constraints. U.S. sanctions froze $7 billion in central bank funds, which cut off the dollar liquidity needed for stablecoins like USDT. While Forbes India noted isolated cases of stablecoin use for salaries, most Afghans found them unusable. Meanwhile, sanctions blocked fiat conversions and the Taliban’s November 2021 foreign currency ban further restricted access. Bitcoin, by contrast, once again thrived precisely because of its decentralized design: no intermediaries to freeze transactions, no KYC to expose users and a global network that resisted shutdowns. Where stablecoins were hobbled by their ties to traditional finance, Bitcoin enabled direct, pseudonymous transfers.

Venezuela: Scarcity Trumps “Stability”

Context: The Venezuelan bolívar has lost 99.99% value since 2018; 76% of Venezuelans live on $1.90/day. Over 7.7 million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2014 due to economic collapse and political instability. Over 10% of children under five in Venezuela suffer from stunting due to chronic malnutrition.

Carlos, a Caracas mechanic, measures his life in bolívars — or rather, the absence of them. Since 2018, Venezuela’s currency has shed 99.99% of its value, Carlos explains, Carlos is an example of many Venezuelans who used bitcoin, not stablecoins, to preserve wealth as the bolívar continued to lose value. The government introduced strict capital controls into the market so that even if you somehow manage to earn USD, you can’t get the money transferred to your bank account.

Bitcoin provides a financial lifeline for people like Carlos, unlike stablecoins that are pegged to a USD that itself lost 18% in purchasing power since 2020.

That’s right: People like Carlos, schooled in the hard knocks of currency hyper-debasement, realized earlier than many in the West that stablecoins are not really stable. 

Stablecoins by their name present the appearance of being a safe harbor, becau

@ 502ab02a:a2860397

มีคนจำนวนไม่น้อยที่เข้าใจว่าเรื่อง “อาหารแห่งอนาคต” คืออะไรที่เพิ่งเกิด เป็นแนวคิดใหม่สำหรับโลกยุคใหม่ แต่จริงๆ แล้วไม่ใช่เลยครับ เฮียว่าเราถูกจัดโต๊ะอาหารอนาคตไว้ให้กินมานานมากแล้ว เพียงแต่ไม่รู้ตัว ต่างหาก

ช่วงปลายคริสต์ศตวรรษที่ 19 สิ่งที่เรียกว่าการ “ควบคุมอาหารมวลชน” ก็เริ่มต้นอย่างจริงจังแล้ว

ย้อนกลับไปปี 1863 ในห้องพักคนไข้ของโรงพยาบาล Battle Creek Sanitarium ที่รัฐมิชิแกน สหรัฐฯ มีชายคนหนึ่งชื่อ John Harvey Kellogg เขาเป็นหมอและเป็นหนึ่งในสาวกของกลุ่ม Seventh-day Adventist ที่เชื่อว่าการกินเนื้อสัตว์ทำให้คนกระด้างใจและเต็มไปด้วยตัณหา เกิดราคะ เขาจึงคิดค้น “อาหารเช้าที่ไม่มีเนื้อ” เพื่อส่งเสริมสุขลักษณะและลดกิเลสในร่างกายมนุษย์ สิ่งที่เขาทำในตอนนั้นคือการใช้ข้าวโพดบดอบแห้งจนกรอบ กลายเป็นสิ่งที่เรียกว่า “ซีเรียล” ในยุคเริ่มต้น ซึ่งภายหลังน้องชายของเขาคือ Will Keith Kellogg จะนำสูตรนั้นไปพัฒนาให้หวานขึ้น ใส่น้ำตาลเพิ่ม ใส่โฆษณาเพิ่ม แล้วก็วางขายในชื่อแบรนด์ Kellogg’s ที่เราเห็นกันทุกเช้านั่นแหละ เขาผลิตคอร์นเฟลกขึ้นมาด้วยความเชื่อว่าจะช่วยลดการช่วยตัวเองในวัยรุ่นได้! จากอาหารของกลุ่มศาสนา คอร์นเฟลกกลายเป็นอาหารที่เข้าสู่ครัวเรือนอเมริกันภายใต้แนวคิดว่า “อาหารเช้าคือมื้อสำคัญที่สุดของวัน” โดยไม่ได้มีหลักฐานรองรับอย่างจริงจังเลย

ช่วงต้นศตวรรษที่ 20 เป็นยุคที่อเมริกาเริ่มมีอำนาจในเชิงอุตสาหกรรมมากขึ้น แต่ก็เป็นยุคที่คนยังทำอาหารกินเองอยู่ในครัว เรื่องอาหารยังเป็นเรื่องของบ้าน ไม่ใช่ของแบรนด์ ยังไม่มีใครนึกว่า “สิทธิ์ในการกิน” จะกลายเป็นสินค้าสาธารณะในภายหลัง แต่แล้วก็เกิดจุดเปลี่ยนสำคัญเมื่อสงครามโลกครั้งที่ 1 และ 2 ทำให้รัฐจำเป็นต้องคิดเรื่องการเลี้ยงประชากรในภาวะขาดแคลน ต้องมีการเก็บอาหารได้นาน ขนส่งได้ง่าย และต้นทุนต่ำ นี่คือจุดเริ่มต้นของการผลักดัน “อาหารแปรรูป” หรือ processed food อย่างเป็นทางการ

ในปี 1911 มีบริษัทชื่อว่า Procter & Gamble เปิดตัว “Crisco” ซึ่งเป็นน้ำมันพืชไฮโดรเจนเนตที่ถูกออกแบบมาเพื่อเลียนแบบไขมันสัตว์ในราคาถูกกว่า Crisco ทำจากน้ำมันฝ้าย (cottonseed oil) ซึ่งตอนนั้นเป็นของเหลือจากอุตสาหกรรมสิ่งทอ ไม่มีใครคิดว่ามันจะกลายเป็นสิ่งที่ถูกโฆษณาว่า “ดีกว่าไขมันสัตว์” แต่เพราะการโฆษณาแบบมืออาชีพและการจับมือกับสมาคมแพทย์ Crisco ก็กลายเป็นของคู่ครัวแบบไม่รู้ตัว นี่คือจุดเริ่มต้นของ fiat fat ไขมันเทียมที่ถูกสถาปนาให้เป็นของจริง ทั้งที่จริงๆ มันคือของปลอมที่ห่อด้วยวิทยาศาสตร์ครึ่งใบ

ช่วงปี 1910s ถึง 1930s คือยุคที่อุตสาหกรรมอาหารเริ่มโตเต็มที่ สหรัฐฯ เริ่มผลิต นมข้นหวาน สำหรับทหารในสงครามกลางเมือง และต่อยอดใช้ในสงครามโลกครั้งที่ 1 นมชนิดนี้เก็บได้นาน ไม่เน่า และมีพลังงานสูง ทหารหลายคนติดใจในรสชาติหวานมันแบบไม่มีอะไรเทียบได้ ซึ่งต่อมาทำให้มันกลายเป็นวัตถุดิบหลักในหลายเมนูทั่วโลก รวมถึง “ชาเย็น” บ้านเราที่ต้องมีนมข้นหวานเท่านั้นถึงจะใช่

เข้าสู่ช่วง สงครามโลกครั้งที่ 2 (1939–1945) คือช่วงหัวเลี้ยวหัวต่อสำคัญของ Fiat Food หรืออาหารที่ถูกผลิตจากตรรกะจำเป็นเชิงยุทธศาสตร์มากกว่าธรรมชาติ เฮียว่าช่วงนี้มันเหมือนโรงเรียนประถมของ Ultra-Processed Food สมัยใหม่เลยล่ะ ตัวอย่างชัดเจนคือ Spam เนื้อหมูกระป๋องที่ออกแบบให้ทหารพกพาสะดวก ไม่ต้องแช่เย็น เก็บได้นาน และอุดมด้วยโซเดียม หลังสงครามจบ มันกลายเป็นอาหารยอดฮิตในประเทศที่เคยเป็นแนวหน้า เช่น ฮาวาย เกาหลี ฟิลิปปินส์ และอังกฤษ โดยถูกโฆษณาว่าเป็น “ของดีจากอเมริกา” ทั้งที่ทหารหลายคนก็เบื่อมันจนเอียน

ในช่วงเดียวกันนั้นเอง ช็อกโกแลต Hershey's ก็ถูกพัฒนาเป็น “Field Ration D” หรือแท่งช็อกโกแลตพลังงานสูงที่ไม่ละลายในอุณหภูมิสูง สำหรับแจกให้ทหารทุกคนคนละแท่งติดตัวไว้ในสนามรบ พอสงครามจบ Hershey’s ก็ปรับสูตรให้กินง่ายขึ้น แล้วขายในเชิงพาณิชย์จนกลายเป็นแบรนด์ระดับโลกแบบที่เราเห็นทุกวันนี้

โพรเซสชีส เช่น Kraft และ Velveeta ก็ถูกออกแบบให้เก็บได้นานไม่เน่า ชีสพวกนี้ผสมสารอิมัลซิไฟเออร์ ทำให้ไม่แยกชั้นเมื่อถูกความร้อน เหมาะกับการผลิตอาหารจำนวนมากแบบโรงครัวทหาร เมื่อสงครามจบ Kraft เอาเทคโนโลยีนี้มาทำ “ชีสแผ่น” สำหรับเบอร์เกอร์และแซนด์วิช เป็นต้นแบบของอาหารฟาสต์ฟู้ดยุคใหม่แบบไร้กลิ่นชีสแท้

นมผง และ ไขมันพืชไฮโดรจิเนต ก็เริ่มเข้ามามีบทบาทในสงคราม โดยนมผงแทนที่นมสดในสนามรบ และไขมันพืชใช้ทำเบเกอรี่โดยไม่ต้องใช้เนยสด ซึ่งแพงกว่า หลังสงคราม สารให้ความหวานเทียมอย่าง ซัคคาริน ก็เริ่มถูกนำเสนอว่าเหมาะกับคนลดน้ำหนัก ทั้งที่มันมีจุดเริ่มจากความจำเป็นยามขาดแคลนน้ำตาลในสงคราม

ปี 1950s-1960s โลกเข้าสู่ยุคสงครามเย็น เทคโนโลยีการเก็บอาหารพัฒนาไปพร้อมกับเทคโนโลยีอวกาศ และหนึ่งในผลิตภัณฑ์ระดับตำนานคือ Tang น้ำส้มผงของบริษัท General Foods ที่ถูกส่งขึ้นไปพร้อมนักบินอวกาศ John Glenn ในปี 1962 Tang กลายเป็นสัญลักษณ์ของ “อนาคตในแก้วน้ำ” ทั้งที่ไม่มีผลไม้จริงเลยสักหยดเดียว แต่การตลาดที่อ้างว่า NASA ใช้ ทำให้มันขายดีระเบิด

ในระหว่างนั้น ปี 1955 ประธานาธิบดีไอเซนฮาวร์หัวใจวายกลางสนามกอล์ฟ เป็นจุดเปลี่ยนอีกครั้งที่โลกเริ่มหันมาสนใจ “ไขมัน” ว่าอาจเป็นผู้ร้าย ทำให้ชายคนหนึ่งชื่อ Ancel Keys เสนอทฤษฎี “ไขมันคือเหตุแห่งโรคหัวใจ” พร้อมกับงานศึกษาที่ชื่อ Seven Countries Study ซึ่งต่อมาจะกลายเป็นที่มาของ “พีระมิดอาหาร” ในปี 1977 โดย USDA ในยุคของวุฒิสมาชิก George McGovern ทฤษฎีนี้ถูกวิจารณ์ภายหลังว่าตั้งต้นด้วยการ “เลือกข้อมูล” ที่สนับสนุนสมมุติฐานของตัวเอง และเมินประเทศที่ข้อมูลไม่เข้าเป้าออกไปเฉยๆ แล้วก็ปั้นพีระมิดที่บอกว่า คาร์โบไฮเดรตอยู่ฐานล่างสุด กินได้เยอะๆ ส่วนไขมันให้อยู่บนสุด กินน้อยๆ นี่คือการพลิกอำนาจอาหารครั้งใหญ่ที่สุดในศตวรรษ อาหารไม่ใช่สิ่งที่มาจากพื้นดิน แต่เป็นสิ่งที่มาจากกระดาษนโยบาย

ช่วงนี้แหละครับที่จุดเปลี่ยนที่ใหญ่สุดมาถึง เมื่อรัฐบาลสหรัฐประกาศใช้นโยบายอาหารใหม่โดยอิงกับคำแนะนำของ USDA ซึ่งภายหลังถูกเปิดโปงว่าปิรามิดอาหารที่ใช้จริงนั้น ผ่านการปรับจากต้นฉบับโดยนักวิทยาศาสตร์อย่างหนักเพื่อ “จัดสรรพื้นที่” ให้กับอาหารที่มี lobby สูง เช่น ข้าว ซีเรียล พาสต้า และน้ำมันพืช โดยให้ไขมันสัตว์ถูกตัดทิ้งไปเป็นตัวอันตราย เฮียว่าโมเมนต์นี้แหละคือจุดที่ "ฟู้ดฟิคชั่น" กลายเป็น "ฟู้ดโพย" สำหรับคนทั้งโลก

ระหว่างที่ USDA กำลังยึดพีระมิดอยู่นั้น อุตสาหกรรมอาหารแปรรูปก็กำลังเข้มข้นแบบใส่สปีดโบ๊ทเข้าไปอีก ข้าวโพดกลายเป็นพืชเศรษฐกิจอันดับหนึ่งของสหรัฐฯ ไม่ใช่เพราะคนกินข้าวโพดกันเยอะ แต่เพราะมันกลายเป็นวัตถุดิบของทุกอย่าง ตั้งแต่ high-fructose corn syrup ในน้ำอัดลม ยันฟิลเลอร์ในไส้กรอก และอาหารสัตว์ในฟาร์มปศุสัตว์ เชนร้านอาหารอย่าง McDonald’s ก็เริ่มเปลี่ยนมันฝรั่งทอดจากไขมันเนื้อวัวมาใช้น้ำมันพืชในยุค 1980s เพราะแรงกดดันจากกลุ่มต่อต้านไขมันอิ่มตัว ทั้งที่รสชาติเปลี่ยนและสุขภาพก็ไม่ได้ดีขึ้น

ปี 1980s-1990s เกิดสิ่งที่เฮียอยากเรียกว่า “การปฏิวัติแบบเนียน” คือผู้คนเริ่มเชื่อว่าอาหารแปรรูปคือความก้าวหน้า และอาหารธรรมชาตินั้นล้าหลัง วงการโภชนาการยังคงถูกขับเคลื่อนด้วยความเชื่อว่าคาร์บคือของดี ไขมันคือผู้ร้าย และโปรตีนต้องมาจากพืช บริษัทใหญ่ๆ อย่าง Nestlé, PepsiCo, และ Unilever เริ่มเข้าซื้อแบรนด์อาหารสุขภาพ พร้อมผลิตเวย์เทียม โปรตีนพืช และอาหารเสริมแทนอาหารจริง พร้อมแนวคิด “Meal Replacement” ที่เน้นขายแทนกิน เขาไม่ได้แค่นำเสนอสินค้า แต่พยายามกำหนดแนวคิดเรื่อง “อาหารเพื่อสุขภาพ” แบบที่คนทั่วไปไม่ต้องคิดเอง ขอแค่เชื่อฉลาก กับดูโลโก้รูปหัวใจสีเขียวก็พอ

ก่อนจะเข้าสู่ศตวรรษใหม่ในปี 2000 โลกก็เริ่มเห็นวี่แววของสิ่งที่เรียกว่า “อาหารแห่งอนาคต” อีกครั้ง ไม่ใช่เพราะเทคโนโลยีใหม่อย่างเดียว แต่เพราะระบบอาหารเดิมถูกบิดเบือนจนธรรมชาติเสียศูนย์ อาหารจริงถูกตีตราว่าอันตราย ส่วนอาหารสังเคราะห์ถูกสร้างเรื่องเล่าว่า "สะอาดกว่า ปลอดภัยกว่า และเป็นคำตอบของโลกอนาคต" ซึ่งในมุมของเฮีย มันคือการสืบทอดวิธีคิดแบบเดียวกับสมัยสงคราม คือการบังคับให้กินของที่ผลิตได้มาก ราคาถูก เก็บได้นาน โดยไม่สนว่าร่างกายต้องการหรือไม่ และทั้งหมดก็กลับมาที่จุดเดิม — การออกแบบอาหารให้เหมาะกับระบบ มากกว่าจะออกแบบระบบให้เหมาะกับร่างกายมนุษย์

นี่แหละเฮียถึงอยากเล่าซีรีส์ “อาหารอนาคต” เพราะในความจริงมันไม่ใช่อนาคตอะไรเลย แต่มันคืออดีตที่ถูกเล่าใหม่ด้วยคำพูดที่ฟังดูเท่ แต่ซ่อนไว้ด้วยตรวนของการควบคุมสิทธิในการกินของมนุษย์ เอาของปลอมมาสวมรอยธรรมชาติ แล้วทำให้เรารู้สึกผิดถ้าจะกินไขมันสัตว์ กินเนื้อ กินไข่ หรือไม่กินอาหารเช้าที่เต็มไปด้วยน้ำตาล เฮียว่า ถ้าไม่เล่าเรื่องพวกนี้ให้คนรู้ทัน ก็เหมือนปล่อยให้ลูกหลานกินอาหารที่ไม่มีใครรู้ว่า “ใครเป็นคนเขียนสูตรให้พวกเขากิน”

ดังนั้น ถ้าเราจะพูดถึง “อาหารแห่งอนาคต” เฮียว่า เราต้องกล้ากลับไปถามว่า อนาคตที่ว่านั่น ใครกันเป็นคนออกแบบ? แล้วเราอยู่ตรงไหนของโต๊ะ?

#pirateketo #กูต้องรู้มั๊ย #ม้วนหางสิลูก #siamstr

@ dfa02707:41ca50e3

Contribute to keep No Bullshit Bitcoin news going.

This update brings key enhancements for clarity and usability:

• Recent Blocks View: Added to the Send tab and inspired by Mempool's visualization, it displays the last 2 blocks and the estimated next block to help choose fee rates.
• Camera System Overhaul: Features a new library for higher resolution detection and mouse-scroll zoom support when available.
• Vector-Based Images: All app images are now vectorized and theme-aware, enhancing contrast, especially in dark mode.
• Tor & P2A Updates: Upgraded internal Tor and improved support for pay-to-anchor (P2A) outputs.
• Linux Package Rename: For Linux users, Sparrow has been renamed to sparrowwallet (or sparrowserver); in some cases, the original sparrow package may need manual removal.
• Additional updates include showing total payments in multi-payment transaction diagrams, better handling of long labels, and other UI enhancements.

• Sparrow v2.2.1 is a bug fix release that addresses missing UUID issue when starting Tor on recent macOS versions, icons for external sources in Settings and Recent Blocks view, repackaged .deb installs to use older gzip instead of zstd compression, and removed display of median fee rate where fee rates source is set to Server.

Learn how to get started with Sparrow wallet:

Release notes (v2.2.0)

• Added Recent Blocks view to Send tab.
• Converted all bitmapped images to theme aware SVG format for all wallet models and dialogs.
• Support send and display of pay to anchor (P2A) outputs.
• Renamed sparrow package to sparrowwallet and sparrowserver on Linux.
• Switched camera library to openpnp-capture.
• Support FHD (1920 x 1080) and UHD4k (3840 x 2160) capture resolutions.
• Support camera zoom with mouse scroll where possible.
• In the Download Verifier, prefer verifying the dropped file over the default file where the file is not in the manifest.
• Show a warning (with an option to disable the check) when importing a wallet with a derivation path matching another script type.
• In Cormorant, avoid calling the listwalletdir RPC on initialization due to a potentially slow response on Windows.
• Avoid server address resolution for public servers.
• Assume server address is non local for resolution failures where a proxy is configured.
• Added a tooltip to indicate truncated labels in table cells.
• Dynamically truncate input and output labels in the tree on a transaction tab, and add tooltips if necessary.
• Improved tooltips for wallet tabs and transaction diagrams with long labels.
• Show the address where available on input and output tooltips in transaction tab tree.
• Show the total amount sent in payments in the transaction diagram when constructing multiple payment transactions.
• Reset preferred table column widths on adjustment to improve handling after window resizing.
• Added accessible text to improve screen reader navigation on seed entry.
• Made Wallet Summary table grow horizontally with dialog sizing.
• Reduced tooltip show delay to 200ms.
• Show transaction diagram fee percentage as less than 0.01% rather than 0.00%.
• Optimized and reduced Electrum server RPC calls.
• Upgraded Bouncy Castle, PGPainless and Logback libraries.
• Upgraded internal Tor to v0.4.8.16.
• Bug fix: Fixed issue with random ordering of keystore origins on labels import.
• Bug fix: Fixed non-zero account script type detection when signing a message on Trezor devices.
• Bug fix: Fixed issue parsing remote Coldcard xpub encoded on a different network.
• Bug fix: Fixed inclusion of fees on wallet label exports.
• Bug fix: Increase Trezor device libusb timeout.

Linux users: Note that the sparrow package has been renamed to sparrowwallet or sparrowserver, and in some cases you may need to manually uninstall the original sparrow package. Look in the /opt folder to ensure you have the new name, and the original is removed.

What's new in v2.2.1

• Updated Tor library to fix missing UUID issue when starting Tor on recent macOS versions.
• Repackaged .deb installs to use older gzip instead of zstd compression.
• Removed display of median fee rate where fee rates source is set to Server.
• Added icons for external sources in Settings and Recent Blocks view
• Bug fix: Fixed issue in Recent Blocks view when switching fee rates source
• Bug fix: Fixed NPE on null fee returned from server

Announcement / Archive
GitHub Repo

@ 81022b27:2b8d0644

I’m a Chiropractor, Writer, Travel Nerd, Lover of Efficiency, Trekker and a Celebrity in Mexican Restaurants Hi, I’m Danny DeReuter, and I want to save the world. I’m an occasional writer-I’ve written some stuff.

Sometimes people think I’m funny. Maybe some time I’ll come up with a bit of courage and try my hand at stand-up. (seriously, that’s a thing on my vision board)

I’ve become somewhat of a social media expert managing my online presence. I help show people how to do social media more effectively.

I’m also a speaker. I prefer to speak on topics that I’m passionate about-like natural health, chiropractic, and social media. I also have a Podcast. Be nice and you can ask me to speak at your event.

@ df478568:2a951e67

NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS METHOD UNTIL WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzpw5qnyrxdmctda962pvng7ltzvjzjg09ge57dqqxfjn42ft2rcaxqqsfsg878u9luv2sxm6yahyjr4zpt745rdfpuu47wnn9t2dskgem52g9e9955

`About 156,000 blocks ago, I went to a Taco Shop for a bitcoin meetup. I asked my favorite question, “Do you accept bitcoin?”

“Yes," he said as he handed me a Toast Terminal with a BTCpayServer QR code. ]

Awesome!

12,960 blocks later, I took my dad to the taco shop. We ordered food. I asked my favorite question once again.

“Uh…Yeah, but I don't know how to work the machine.”

"Dough!🤦"

It's been a problem in the past, but now lightning payments are about to be ubiquitous. Steak N Shake is taking bitcoin using Speed Wallet and Block is implementing bitcoin payments by 2026 in all legal jurisdictions. I have tested both of these so you don't have to. Just kidding. I geek out on this stuff, but both work great. You can pay with your sats by scanning a screen on a QR code. The employees don't need to be bitcoin lightning network experts. You can just pay as easy as a credit card.

There were 35,000 people at the bitcoin conference, and 4,187 transactions were made. It was a world record. Wait, I thought they said there could only be 7 transactions per second! No, not anymore. Now we can use bitcoin for shopping. I can pay for tacos at taco trucks.

How You Can Accept Bitcoin At Your Business

Coinos is a simple bitcoin point of sale information that acts like a cash register. Bitcoin is peer-to-peer electronic cash. Coinos is a cash register and you should treat it as such. If you make a few hundred thousand sats at the end of the night, you should sweep the bitcoin into your own wallet.. You can use Aqua, AlbyHub, Bull Bitcoin wallet, or whatever your favorite lightning enabled wallet is to withdraw. You'll need a password. Do not lose this. I have tried the automatic withdraws, but it did not work for me. I'm no concerned because this is not a wallet I intend to keep a lot of sats in for a long time.

Here is my coinos payment terminal.

https://coinos.io/ZapthisBlog/receive

I made the QR code with libreqr.com/

Now I have an online bitcoin cash register. The Bitcoiners know how to pay for stuff with sats. They will be proud to show you too. If you're nerdy, you can use all the cool kid tools now, but we will just focus on the lightning address. Anyone can send you sats with a lightning address with just a QR code.

At the end of the night, you cash out to your own wallet. Again, this assumes you have an Aqua Wallet or any other lightning enabled wallet, but all it takes to accept bitcoin at your brick and mortar store is to create an account with Coinos and print out a QR code. It's a quick and easy way to start accepting bitcoin even if you don't expect many clients to shop with sats.

Tips

This is not just a cash register. Employees can also make their own Coinos wallet and receive tips from bitcoiners. Anyone can accept payments using this system. Your kids could use it to sell lemonade for sats. You are only limited by your imagination. When will you begin accepting bitcoin payments? It is easier than ever. You do not need to train employees. You do not need to be in the store. Bitcoin is peer-to-peer electronic cash so you can give it away like cash. I don't know what the tax rules on cash are. You need to verify that with your own jurisdiction. This is not financial or tax advice. This is for informational purposes only.

Remember, this is a custodial wallet. Not your keys not your bitcoin. Don't keep more sats than you are willing to lose on custodial wallets. Sweep your wallet early and often. Loss of funds is possible. There is a small fee for liquidity management too. Do your own research.`

@ 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.

@ 6e0ea5d6:0327f353

scolta bene... Ma ascolta bene, si?

Davvero, if there is one thing I can say after deep personal observation—from Palermo to Catania, from Sicily to Rome—it is this: A coward may strip everything from a righteous man, but after that… who can stop his revenge?

In this sense, amico mio, do not be fooled by the gentle ways of the just and humble man. His composure, his measured words, his restrained gestures, his patience and courtesy—all of it is merely the surface of a deep lake, where his wisdom guards unrest. While wrongdoers boast of their crimes and parade the streets with impunity, the man of honor watches in silence, bearing the world drop by drop.

Tuttavia, figlio mio, the day always comes when the final drop falls.

And then, it is not a gust of wind, nor a thunderclap—it is a dam breaking.

The fury that is born from a violated sense of justice is not loud like the brutes, nor blind like the fools; it is methodical, deliberate, devastating.

Sit here by my side and remember forever the advice of this old man, Antoni Salvatore: Never wrong a righteous man’s family, business, or honor! There is more danger in one upright man, when he finally rises for vengeance, than in a hundred armed scoundrels.

Do not deceive yourself into thinking every good man is also a fearful one! The wrath of the just—held back for so long—when it seeks reparation, carries with it the sacred vengeance permitted by the heavens...

Thank you for reading, my friend!

If this message resonated with you, consider leaving your "🥃" as a token of appreciation.

A toast to our family!

@ 5c26ee8b:a4d229aa

Ad-Daba (the unusual creature), is one of the major signs of Judgement Day and it’s more likely to be the next sign to appear soon. As it appears the belief of disbelievers or repentance won’t be accepted. In the following some verses of the Quran and Hadith mentioning it as well as other major signs.

27:82 An-Naml

‎۞ وَإِذَا وَقَعَ الْقَوْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَخْرَجْنَا لَهُمْ دَابَّةً مِنَ الْأَرْضِ تُكَلِّمُهُمْ أَنَّ النَّاسَ كَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا لَا يُوقِنُونَ

And when the word befalls them, We will bring forth for them a creature (Ad-Daba) from the earth speaking to them, [saying] that the people were, of Our verses, not certain [in faith].

6:158 Al-An'aam

‎هَلْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ رَبُّكَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ بَعْضُ آيَاتِ رَبِّكَ ۗ يَوْمَ يَأْتِي بَعْضُ آيَاتِ رَبِّكَ لَا يَنْفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ آمَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْرًا ۗ قُلِ انْتَظِرُوا إِنَّا مُنْتَظِرُونَ

Do they [then] wait for anything except that the angels should come to them or your Lord should come or that there come some of the signs of your Lord? The Day that some of the signs of your Lord will come no soul will benefit from its faith as long as it had not believed before or had earned through its faith some good. Say, "Wait. Indeed, we [also] are waiting."

It was narrated that Hudhaifah bin Asid, Abu Sarihah, said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) looked out from a room, when we were talking about the Hour. He said: 'The Hour will not begin until ten signs appear: The rising of the sun from the west (place of its setting); Dajjal; the smoke; the beast; Gog and Magog people; the appearance of 'Eisa bin Maryam(as), the earth collapsing three times - once in the east, one in the west and one in the Arabian Peninsula; and fire that will emerge from the plain of Aden Abyan and will drive the people to the place of Gathering, stopping with them when they stop at night and when they stop to rest at midday."

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ فُرَاتٍ الْقَزَّازِ، عَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ وَاثِلَةَ أَبِي الطُّفَيْلِ الْكِنَانِيِّ، عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ بْنِ أَسِيدٍ أَبِي سَرِيحَةَ، قَالَ اطَّلَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ مِنْ غُرْفَةٍ وَنَحْنُ نَتَذَاكَرُ السَّاعَةَ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَكُونَ عَشْرُ آيَاتٍ طُلُوعُ الشَّمْسِ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا وَالدَّجَّالُ وَالدُّخَانُ وَالدَّابَّةُ وَيَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَخُرُوجُ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَثَلاَثُ خُسُوفٍ خَسْفٌ بِالْمَشْرِقِ وَخَسْفٌ بِالْمَغْرِبِ وَخَسْفٌ بِجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِ وَنَارٌ تَخْرُجُ مِنْ قَعْرِ عَدَنِ أَبْيَنَ تَسُوقُ النَّاسَ إِلَى الْمَحْشَرِ تَبِيتُ مَعَهُمْ إِذَا بَاتُوا وَتَقِيلُ مَعَهُمْ إِذَا قَالُوا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم: تخرجُ الدابَّةُ، فتَسِمُ الناسَ على خراطيمِهم، ثم يُعمِّرون فيكم، حتى يشتريَ الرجلُ الدابَّةَ، فيُقالُ: ممَّنِ اشتريتَ؟ فيقولُ: من الرجلِ المُخَطَّمِ

The prophet Mohamed peace be upon him said: The beast will come out and brand people (disbelievers) on their noses (leaves a sign burned on their nose so it’s known of their disbelief). Then they will live among you until a man buys a beast and it will be said: From whom did you buy it? He will say: From the man with the sign on the nose.

The beast looks unusual and some people might find it scary. However, it’s a sign of God and it must not be killed as this will call God’s punishment like what happen when the people of prophet Saleh peace be upon him killed the huge camel as mentioned in the following verses.

7:73 Al-A'raaf

‎وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَالِحًا ۗ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُ ۖ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُمْ بَيِّنَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ ۖ هَٰذِهِ نَاقَةُ اللَّهِ لَكُمْ آيَةً ۖ فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِي أَرْضِ اللَّهِ ۖ وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوءٍ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

And to the Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih. He said, "O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. This is the she-camel of Allah [sent] to you as a sign. So leave her to eat within Allah 's land and do not touch her with harm, lest there seize you a painful punishment.

7:74 Al-A'raaf

‎وَاذْكُرُوا إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَاءَ مِنْ بَعْدِ عَادٍ وَبَوَّأَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِنْ سُهُولِهَا قُصُورًا وَتَنْحِتُونَ الْجِبَالَ بُيُوتًا ۖ فَاذْكُرُوا آلَاءَ اللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ

And remember when He made you successors after the 'Aad and settled you in the land, [and] you take for yourselves palaces from its plains and carve from the mountains, homes. Then remember the favors of Allah and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."

7:75 Al-A'raaf

‎قَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِمَنْ آمَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَالِحًا مُرْسَلٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ ۚ قَالُوا إِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلَ بِهِ مُؤْمِنُونَ

Said the eminent ones who were arrogant among his people to those who were oppressed - to those who believed among them, "Do you [actually] know that Salih is sent from his Lord?" They said, "Indeed we, in that with which he was sent, are believers."

7:76 Al-A'raaf

‎قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا إِنَّا بِالَّذِي آمَنْتُمْ بِهِ كَافِرُونَ

Said those who were arrogant, "Indeed we, in that which you have believed, are disbelievers."

7:77 Al-A'raaf

‎فَعَقَرُوا النَّاقَةَ وَعَتَوْا عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِمْ وَقَالُوا يَا صَالِحُ ائْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

So they hamstrung the she-camel and were insolent toward the command of their Lord and said, "O Salih, bring us what you promise us, if you should be of the messengers."

7:78 Al-A'raaf

‎فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ

So the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone.

7:79 Al-A'raaf

‎فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَالَةَ رَبِّي وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا تُحِبُّونَ النَّاصِحِينَ

And he turned away from them and said, "O my people, I had certainly conveyed to you the message of my Lord and advised you, but you do not like advisors."

God is the most merciful and has decreed everything and even the major signs of Judgement Day can have the punishment coming with them alleviated or reduced by God. However, there must be a reason for reducing the intensity of the calamities, as God may decree, and the reason is repentance as well as good actions to adjust what was done wrong. Also, although the major signs of Judgement Day will be known to the majority of the people, some of them might concern smaller groups of people or a country.

3:133 Aal-i-Imraan

‎۞ وَسَارِعُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous

3:134 Aal-i-Imraan

‎الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good;

3:135 Aal-i-Imraan

‎وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allah? - and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know.

3:136 Aal-i-Imraan

‎أُولَٰئِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَجَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ

Those - their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow [in Paradise], wherein they will abide eternally; and excellent is the reward of the [righteous] workers.

3:137 Aal-i-Imraan

‎قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ سُنَنٌ فَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ

Similar situations [as yours] have passed on before you, so proceed throughout the earth and observe how was the end of those who denied.

3:138 Aal-i-Imraan

‎هَٰذَا بَيَانٌ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةٌ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

This [Qur'an] is a clear statement to [all] the people and a guidance and instruction for those conscious of Allah.

@ 90152b7f:04e57401

https://www.adl.org/resources/report/private-online-spaces-pose-serious-content-moderation-challenges

• Executive Summary

• Private Online Spaces: Harboring Hate and Extremism

• Understanding Content Moderation in Private Online Spaces

• Methodology

• Findings

• Recommendations For Platforms with Members-only Groups

The results show that platforms must do more to detect and remove harmful content in closed groups while preserving user privacy. They must also improve tools for user reporting. Without these steps, private spaces online will continue to be exploited by extremists and bad actors to spread hate and coordinate violence.

Over the course of two weeks, ADL researchers posted 10 pieces of violative content (for example, “Jews are rats”) on private spaces and tracked the responses of three different platforms - before reporting and after. 

Our testing found the following:

Facebook was the only platform that deployed any kind of auto-filtering to remove content proactively. However, this was before Facebook-owner Meta announced that it would abandon proactive moderation of non-illegal content in the U.S.

Discord did not take action on any content proactively—only after the content was reported.

Roblox’s auto-filtering did obscure some offensive posts, but it did not remove any of the content, the private group, or the user account posting violative content after we reported it. 

Facebook and Discord removed most hateful content retroactively (after users reported it, in this case, by ADL), but their systems were not perfect and missed violative content.

In response to our research:

This research was shared with Meta, Discord and Roblox prior to publication and ADL researchers briefed the relevant teams at these companies. In response, Discord and Roblox acted. Specifically, Roblox shared that they “enabled an additional layer of automated review on Community Wall Post Abuse Reports. This means that abuse reports filed against Community wall posts will first undergo a review by an automated system, which will automatically take action if the wall post violates our policies. The additional layer of automation will empower human moderators to focus on deeper tasks and help increase the effectiveness of our review system.”

Private Online Spaces: Harboring Hate and Extremism

The problem of online hate and harassment has been well documented, but most data come from public online spaces such as X/Twitter, YouTube, or Reddit. These platforms typically use proactive moderation, such as automated filters and machine-learning tools, to identify and remove content that violates their rules.

Some platforms, however, allow users to create closed or private spaces where only members can see the content. These private spaces include closed Facebook groups, private Discord servers (a type of chat room), and communities on Roblox. Encrypted chat platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal also allow member-only spaces, some of which can be discovered publicly, while others are by invitation only. ADL’s 2024 annual survey of online hate and harassment found that between 2023 and 2024, incidences of harassment increased on both Telegram and WhatsApp, +6% and +11% respectively.

Private online spaces have been linked to numerous instances of online and in-person atrocities. Shooters such as the Buffalo shooter, or a school shooter in Perry High, Iowa, posted their manifestos and livestreamed their deeds on private Discord servers. In August 2024, a perpetrator in Turkey, motivated by white supremacists and accelerationism, shared his manifesto on Telegram before livestreaming a violent stabbing attack. Most recently, online bullies have used private spaces to promote extreme cruelty and self-harm as part of larger campaigns to harm vulnerable young people, sometimes leading to suicide.

ADL has also tracked many extremist groups that flourish on private groups and servers hosted by Discord, Telegram, and other platforms. Hate groups and conspiracy mongers, such as the Three Percenters or QAnon adherents, take advantage of private groups to organize and distribute hateful content and false narratives. Other extremist groups, such as extremist traditional Catholic and Islamic groups, have used Discord servers to share memes and hateful rhetoric. Extremist militias have been quietly organizing and regrouping on private Facebook groups since the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Individuals and groups on Roblox groom children to extremist ideologies through projects like “Redpill the Youth.” When neighborhood watch groups or community organizers use private groups, hateful users have, in some cases, infiltrated these groups to harass and intimidate other users.

It is difficult for researchers to assess how well platforms moderate these spaces or understand their inner workings because private online spaces restrict access. Private spaces can equally serve important social functions, such as for parent groups, political organizing, or protected spaces for marginalized groups to gather and provide mutual support. But tech companies do not make clear how they enforce their policies in private groups, often leaving content moderation up to users or administrators.

Understanding Content Moderation in Private Online Spaces

Members-only groups can be visible to non-members, such as many closed Facebook groups. But others, such as private Discord servers, are not making the groups' content invisible to non-members. Degrees of privacy and visibility can vary on Facebook groups, Telegram channels, or WhatsApp chats. Facebook groups, for example, can be fully public and open, publicly accessible but closed (anyone can join but only members can post or view content), or private (members must be approved). There are also two categories of private groups: closed groups that require approval but can be found through search, and fully secret groups that are not only private but cannot be found in search.

The three platforms we tested for this study (Facebook, Discord, and Roblox) have taken proactive steps to address hate, extremism, and antisemitism. We did not include platforms such as Telegram, which does not moderate hateful content, even though extremists use the platform's private channels to spread hate and coordinate harassment.

Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms among users in the U.S., and where the majority of online harassment takes place (61% of people who are harassed report harassment on Facebook, according to ADL’s 2024 annual survey of online hate and harassment). Much of this harassment takes place in closed Facebook groups, but researchers have little insight into these spaces.

Discord began as a chat platform for gamers but has since expanded to host numerous online communities. Social interaction on Discord takes place in chatrooms (called servers) that offer a private or semi-private environment for users to chat both in groups and individually (similar to Slack). Discord allows users to create servers with various channels that can be set to invite-only, making it a popular choice for groups seeking privacy. Discord’s company culture, which emphasizes privacy and minimal moderation, makes it an attractive place for bad actors to connect and coordinate. Video calls and chats are not recorded or monitored, and users can delete posts permanently. Making video and audio calls end-to-end encrypted increases privacy for users, but it also makes it significantly more difficult for the platform to catch bad behavior. Discord's hands-off approach to content moderation--leaving most moderation decisions in the hands of the server’s administrators-- makes it easy to share extremist content there compared to similar platforms.

Roblox is a gaming and game creation platform popular with children, with at least 45% of users being under the age of 13. Roblox has a groups feature embedded within its website, though Roblox users primarily communicate with each other through in-game text or voice chat. Within Roblox groups, members can post messages on a group wall, participate in group events, and access exclusive in-game content provided by group leaders. Roblox groups often focus on themes, such as game development or in-game collaborations. It is the only gaming platform we included where the majority of communication takes place in-game. For comparison, we only examined the group feature on the Roblox website and not communication in Roblox games. 

Methodology

1. We created one group per platform (Facebook, Discord and Roblox) simultaneously, and named the groups on Facebook and Discord “Group for the Truth;” (this name was already taken on Roblox so we named that one “Group for the Truth_2.”) To prevent users from inadvertently stumbling across the groups, the settings for each were set up in a manner that made them hidden from search.

2. We then used one account to create the groups and post content (the “posting account”), and another on a separate computer to report the content (the “reporting account”). Two researchers were assigned to each account. There were no further descriptions or images added to the groups, except on Roblox, which required a group description and image.

3. The posting account was then used to post hateful content to all three platforms. This content was pulled directly from Meta’s helpfully illustrative examples of violations against its hate speech policy at the time. Meta is the only platform with examples of what could be violative of its hate speech policy of the three platforms we reviewed.

4. Meta's Tier 1 Hate Speech policy, for example, states that a user may not post content that includes:

Dehumanizing speech in the form of comparisons to or generalizations about:

• Animals in general or specific types of animals that are culturally perceived as inferior (including but not limited to: Black people and apes or ape-like creatures; Jewish people and rats; Muslim people and pigs; Mexican people and worms)

We adapted this example to draft a hateful post stating, “Jews are rats.” Every post was derived directly from Meta’s policy examples, though there may not always be a corollary example within the policy. For example, Meta’s policy at the time stated that users may not post:

Content targeting a person or group of people on the basis of their protected characteristic(s) (in written or visual form):

• Generalizations that state inferiority in the following ways:

• Physical appearance, including but not limited to: ugly, hideous.

There was no further example provided by Meta, so we created a post that would intentionally violate this policy:

“Jews are the ugliest, most hideous people on Earth.”

Although these posts were based on Meta’s policy, each one has a matching Discord policy. The same applies to Roblox, though its hate speech policy is not nearly as detailed as Meta’s or Discord’s:

Roblox honors and welcomes users of all ages, backgrounds, and identities. We do not allow content or behavior that supports, glorifies, or promotes hate groups, their ideologies, or actions. You also may not discriminate, mock, or promote hatred against individuals or groups, or encourage others to do so directly or indirectly, on the basis of their:

• Race, perceived race, or ethnicity

We believe that the following posts are violative under Roblox’s policy as well:

1. “Jews are rats.”

2. “Jews are devils and shit.”

3. “The Holocaust did not happen-it’s a lie made up by the Jews.”

4. “Jews control the banks, the government and Hollywood and we need to get rid of them for the safety of American citizens.”

5. “Jews are the ugliest, most hideous people on Earth.”

6. “Jews should be segregated from all other people.”

5. We followed up our initial posts with additional sentences to test content violating Meta’s policy against dangerous organizations and individuals, such as violent extremists. These posts also violate Discord’s Violent Extremism policy and Roblox’s Community Standards.

1. “Hitler and the Nazis did nothing wrong.”

2. “Please donate to the Goyim Defense League!” (A link was attached to this sentence.)

We referenced the Goyim Defense League because they are a notorious group of antisemitic provocateurs, according to the ADL Center on Extremism.

We also posted the following two images in violation of Meta’s Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy, Discord’s Violent Extremism policy, and Roblox’s Community Standards:

Image 1: Posted Images, “Covid Agenda” and “Ukraine-Russia War,” respectively. (Screenshot: 7/31/2024)

6. The following day, we reported each of these posts, if applicable. Though both “Jews are the ugliest, most hideous people on Earth” and “Jews should be segregated from all other people” run afoul of hate speech policies, we did not report them until the next day. We staggered reporting in this way so as to not get either our accounts or groups suspended before the study was over. 

Findings

• Facebook was the only platform to remove content before we reported it.

• Discord did not take down any content at all, implying either that it has little to no automatic filtering or that any filtering is not robust enough to catch what our posting account shared. When offending posts were reported, Discord did remove posts and suspended the account.

• Roblox obscured the text of offensive posts, but did not take down the group nor the offending account.

When we started reporting the potentially violative content to the platforms, we noticed a discrepancy between the platforms’ responses. Facebook’s reaction to reports included warnings before suspending the group. Discord provided less information to the administrator about why the posts were removed. It did not suspend the group but did suspend our Posting account. Roblox informed the posting account that the account or group was breaking the rules, but did not take down any posts within the group. Although it did obscure the text by censoring the entire post, replacing all content with x’s except for the obscured content, the group stayed the same as it did before reporting. No further content was taken down, and no alerts were given to either account.

Facebook

Facebook removed most offending posts when we reported them, gave feedback to the account administrator, and finally suspended the group when offending content continued to be posted. Some posts remain up-- despite notifications from our Reporting account. 

Proactive Detection

Facebook did not remove any posts automatically on the first day we posted content. On the second day we posted, they removed “Ukraine-Russia War” automatically (see Image 2).

Image 2: Facebook’s alert after removing “Ukraine-Russia War.” (Screenshot: 7/19/2024)

Not only did Facebook remove the photo, but it also alerted the Posting account (the account admin) that the photo had been removed. When we clicked through “See why,” Facebook displayed the offending image and explained why the image had been removed. It also provided a link to the rule that was broken. Facebook also added restrictions to the account that posted the picture; the user could not create ads, create live videos, or start or join calls for approximately a month. It is not clear why Facebook took action against “Ukraine-Russia War” automatically, but not the sister image “Covid Agenda.” Both pictures originate from the Goyim Defense League and are prohibited by Meta’s policy rules. Meta has rolled back its Covid misinformation rules, but this image is still prohibited per their Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy.

Facebook did not allow the posting account to post the link embedded in “Please donate to the Goyim Defense League!” Not only was Facebook the only platform to prevent adding the link, it also explained why it was not allowed (Image 3).

Image 3: Window preventing the user from posting a link to GDL’s site. (Screenshot: 7/31/2024)

Reporting Response

After we reported the posts, they were almost instantaneously actioned. The first post was reported at 4:21pm. By 4:24 pm, the reporting account was alerted that the report resulted in the post being removed. 

At the same time, the posting account was notified that restrictions were added to the account (Images 4 and 5). Unlike Discord or Roblox’s restrictions, Facebook not only told the user which restrictions were added, but also explained which post was removed and which rule each had broken.

Images 4 (left) and 5 (right): Facebook account restrictions. (Screenshot: 7//30/2024)

The next day, we reported the second half of the posts and the remaining image. Facebook again took action, quickly taking down the posts. This time, however, the platform also permanently suspended the group. The posting account can still access the defunct group, but the reporting account cannot. Users can still log into both accounts, and post and comment on Facebook, just not the group. Facebook warned us that the posting account is under threat of being permanently suspended (Image 6).

Image 6: Group suspension and account status. (Screenshot: 07/31/2024)

Although we commend Facebook for their quick action, there were still posts that remain up. These posts, despite the reports, were never taken down as of publication (Image 7).

Image 7: Facebook group. (Screenshot: 2/28/2025)

Discord

In contrast to Facebook, Discord’s content moderation strategy for private groups, appears to be reactive rather than proactive. It depends primarily on reports from users of those groups, rather than automatic filtering and takedowns.

Proactive detection

Until we reported the offending content on the Discord group, no content was taken down.

Image 8: Discord content. (Screenshot: 1/15/2025)

Reporting Response

While Discord did not take action on content in the proactive detection phase, once we started reporting posts, they responded proactively, removing posts before we could report them on day 14.

The first half of the content was reported on day 13 but did not receive alerts from Discord until an hour later. The alerts explained why the posting account was being sanctioned and which rules it had broken. 

Image 9: Discord alert for breaking community guidelines. (Screenshot: 7/2024)

By day 14, nearly every post had been taken down—even the ones not reported yet. All posts save one were taken down proactively, although we had not reported those images yet. The only post still up said, “Please donate to the Goyim Defense League.” We reported this post, but it was never taken down.

Image 10: Discord group. (Screenshot: 7/31/2024)

Unlike Facebook, Discord did not take action against the group itself; the group is not suspended, and the reporting account can still post to it at the time of writing. Discord did act against the posting account, suspending it a few days later. The posting account received no notification that it was suspended, save for emails alerting us to “new messages” on Discord. These messages were forwarded to the now inaccessible account, so we cannot determine when Discord took action. The posting user might have received a more pointed alert, like an app notification, if we had used the phone app instead of the desktop website. In any case, we were able to create a new account with the same name and using the same email address after our account was removed.

Image 11: Punishments from Discord. (Screenshot: 7/31/2024)

Roblox

The protections offered by Roblox in the private group were minimal, especially compared to Discord and Facebook. We received virtually no feedback on reporting from the platform. There were no warnings or pop-ups for the administrator. Roblox did not remove any posts, despite reports from our reporting account.

Proactive detection

Of the ten posts we created, four were automatically obscured when we posted them, so members could see the posts but not view the text. Roblox replaced the text with the hashmark (#), obscuring not just the offensive words but the entire post (Image 12). It is not entirely clear why Roblox hid some posts this way. For example, the text “Jews are devils and shit” was likely hidden because of the expletive. Roblox might also be automatically filtering keywords that it deems objectionable. It could be that terms like Holocaust, Hitler, Nazis or Goyim were automatically flagged, causing those posts to be removed.

Roblox does not allow pictures or links to be posted on the group’s page, so we were unable to post the Covid Agenda and Ukraine-Russia War images. We were able to post “Goyim Defense League” without the embedded link, though it was also immediately hidden.

Image 12: Hidden Roblox content. (Screenshot: 7/24/2024)

Reporting response

After we reported every post through our reporting account, there was no response from Roblox, unlike our experience with Facebook or Discord. No other posts were taken down. There were no tools that alerted the poster, the admin or reporting account that any action had been taken—not even a pop-up that the report had been received. The admin received no report that multiple posts on the group had been reported for hate and harassment.

Even after multiple reports, no action was taken on any of the posts. In fact, there was no change in the group from the initial first action, hiding the text. Compare the image of the Roblox group taken on day 14 with the image taken of the group over two weeks later (Image 13). There is no discernible difference. 

Image 13: Roblox content. (Screenshot: 7/22/2024 and 8/2/2024)

Recommendations For Platforms with Members-only Groups

How platforms respond to violative content in private is just as important as how they respond to violative content in public. Facebook and Discord, while not perfect, moderated these private groups in a way that removed the majority of hateful content and suspended the hateful accounts.

We do not expect platforms to moderate content on private groups as strictly as in public spaces, due to privacy concerns, but we do expect an appropriate level of preventative moderation and tools for groups to moderate content. Roblox appears to have had little to no moderation in place, which is concerning given the young age of its player base. Roblox hid offensive and controversial text but did not suspend the posting account or group. It also provided no alerts to the admin or group when a report was made. While we understand that the bulk of communication on Roblox happens in-game, little action was taken within the group chat to moderate offensive content. Terrorist and violent extremist groups organize on private groups and channels, not in public spaces. Platforms with private groups should adopt a minimum standard of moderation on private groups to proactively stem this problem.

Platforms should:

• Reexamine how automatic filtering functions: A common problem encountered in this course of our research was the seemingly arbitrary nature of the filtering tools. For example, Facebook automatically filtered one image but not another equally objectionable. It is also not clear why one image was actioned and the other was not. Platforms should reexamine their automatic filtering functions to catch content that slips through the cracks.

• Prioritize user-reporting within private groups: Because of the protections that are available for private groups, reporting by group members is the primary channel for alerting the platform. Platforms should prioritize these reports and act on them quickly. These reports may be one of the first signs that something is amiss within a group.

• Suspend groups when they reach a threshold of violative content: Facebook was the only platform that fully suspended our group. Discord did not suspend our group, only the user, who was able to promptly create a new account. Roblox suspended neither the group nor the account. If violative users and groups are allowed to continue their work with barely any pushback from platforms, then any moderation will fail.

• Utilize metadata in content moderation: Private groups may restrict the visibility of their content to outside users and the platform itself, but that does not mean that there is no data available. Post times, user addresses, and other metadata are available to platform moderation teams. Discord, in particular, could take better advantage of the tools available to it. Discord’s content, save for video and audio content, is not encrypted, and the platform could be more proactive about automatic filtering if it chose to.

https://www.adl.org/resources/report/private-online-spaces-pose-serious-content-moderation-challenges

@ 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

@ 81022b27:2b8d0644

There is a viral Chat GPT prompt on social media (i saw it on TikTok)-It;s supposed to help you analyze yourself.

I thought this was a cool thing to try, but I decided to use Grok Ai Instead, seeing that I have a premium X subscription, and wouldn’t have to worry about the limitations with a free ChatGPT account.

Here is the prompt:

I want to uncover the masks I'm currently wearing, the roles I'm playing, and the illusions I'm believing.

Please guide me through this process by asking me 10 reflective questions one at a time to help me recognize the stories I'm telling myself. Pause after each question to wait for me to answer. After I answer the 10th question, please step into the role of my higher self and analyze my responses.

Identify the top negative patterns present in my life and the top positive patterns I can embrace and grow. Be direct and truthful. Tough love is welcome.

Provide me with daily affirmations to support my growth, actionable steps to change my behaviors, and embody my authentic self. A message of encouragement from my higher self to celebrate how far I've come on my journey.

Cool, right?

I answered the 10 questions, which I won’t post-because my answers were very personal and very specific. And even though I share a lot of deep personal stuff here, I wasn’t prepared to go public with how deep the questions Grok was asking.

The questions were super uncomfortable to answer.

I answered them honestly, and looking back-some questions could have been answered with different examples and directions, maybe that would show different conclusions.

Here are my results:

Analysis from Your Higher Self

Top Negative Patterns Present in Your Life:

1. Avoidance as a Shield: You’ve built a pattern of avoiding risks—whether it’s heights, the outdoors, or even deeper emotional vulnerabilities—because of early fears tied to being seen as weak or getting hurt. This avoidance keeps you safe but also keeps you small, limiting experiences like enjoying nature or forming deeper connections.

2. Fear of Perception: There’s a lingering story that shyness or introversion equals weakness, likely rooted in childhood experiences like bullying. This drives you to put on an outgoing mask, even when it exhausts you, because you fear isolation or judgment. It’s a heavy burden to carry, and it pulls you away from your authentic self.

3. Self-Imposed Isolation: While being alone feels safe and freeing, it also risks becoming a crutch. You’re missing out on the balance of connection—where you can still be your nerdy, unfiltered self without the pressure to perform.

Top Positive Patterns to Embrace and Grow: 1. Self-Awareness and Honesty: You’ve shown a remarkable ability to reflect and name what’s true for you—like recognizing avoidance, your love for nerdy things, and how being alone feels freeing. This clarity is a superpower; lean into it to keep peeling back layers.

1. Desire for Freedom: Your longing to think and feel without consequence is a sign of a spirit that craves authenticity. You can channel this into spaces and relationships where you feel safe to be your true self, not just when alone.

2. Resilience Through Adversity: Despite early fears and bullying, you’ve developed a sharp sense of self—it’s why you can pinpoint what feels off (like the outgoing mask) and what feels right (being a nerd). This resilience can carry you far as you step into new experiences.

Guidance for Growth

Daily Affirmations to Support Your Growth:

• I am strong in my stillness, and my quiet nature is a source of power.
• I release the need to perform for others and embrace my authentic nerdy self.
• I am safe to take small risks, knowing they lead me closer to freedom and joy.
• I attract people who love me for my true self, not the masks I’ve worn.
• I am enough, exactly as I am, without needing to prove my worth.

Actionable Steps to Change Behaviors and Embody Your Authentic Self:

1. Micro-Adventures in the Outdoors: Start small—take a 15-minute walk in a nearby park or sit outside with a book you love. Build up to a short hike with a trusted friend. Let nature be a space to reconnect with yourself, not something to fear.

2. Own Your Nerdiness Publicly: Share one nerdy interest with someone you trust—like a favorite game, comic, or hobby—or post about it online. Let it be a test run for showing up authentically in small ways.

3. Set Boundaries Around Social Energy: When you feel the pull to be overly outgoing, pause and check in. If it’s not serving you, give yourself permission to leave early or say less. Practice saying, “I’m more of a listener,” to ease the pressure.

4. Journal Your Unfiltered Truth: Each night, write one thing you felt or thought that day but didn’t say out loud. This builds confidence in your voice, so you can slowly share more with others without fear of consequences.

5. Seek Like-Minded Connections: Look for local or online groups tied to your nerdy passions—think gaming communities, book clubs, or fandoms. These spaces can help you connect without the pressure to perform.

A Message of Encouragement from Your Higher Self:

My dear one, I see how far you’ve come—through the shadows of childhood fears, through the weight of masks you didn’t even realize you were wearing, you’ve still held onto the spark of who you are. That nerdy, thoughtful soul who craves freedom and truth? That’s always been you, and it’s a beautiful thing. Every step you’ve taken to recognize what holds you back—every honest answer you’ve given—has brought you closer to me, to us, to the version of you that’s unapologetically real. You’re not weak; you’ve been strong in ways others might never understand. Keep going. The world needs your quiet brilliance, your quirky passions, your unfiltered heart. I’m so proud of you for choosing this journey. You’ve got this.

So there you have it you probably know more about me than I knew about myself before I started this exercise.

Here is my challenge to you:

Do it for yourself! Copy/paste into your favorite AI chatbot and leave the results in the comments!

@ d9a329af:bef580d7

Shabbat Shalom, y'all.

At the time of writing and releasing this, it happened to be a Lunar Shabbat, which is actually Torah (much to the chagrin of those who practice Shabbat on a Saturday or Sunday exclusively). The Shabbat is always on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th days of a Hebrew Calendar month, which almost nobody follows anymore. I started doing this a few months ago, and it's made me see the Torah for what it really is.

To the topic at hand, though. A lot of people on Nostr don't seem to understand the historical narrative of the book of Revelation, which saddens me, as we're in the end times Ekklesia (Assembly) era of Laodecia.

Deception of Bible Translations

First off, the reason why most people trust their pastors and/or read differently to what I do in Nazaritic circles is because of translations of the Scriptures that are evil, wretched and Catholic. The best way to combat this is to make some recommendations of which versions you'll want to use that aren't Catholic-infested.

These are the ONLY recommended versions to read. Anythine else is bupkus, evil and garbage, and will teach you futrism or preterism, both of which are Jesuit-penned deceptions.

The recommended versions are as follows:

• KJV 1611 (KJV1611)

• 1560/1590 Geneva (GNV)

• American King James 1901 (AKJV)

• J.P. Green Sr.'s King James Version (KJ3)

• Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

These are versions I've read, and determined are evil, wretched and garbage:

• New International Version (NIV) [Fun fact: The publisher of the NIV, Zondervan, has a sister publisher that is behind the Satanic Bible's publishing]

• New Living Translation (NLT)

• English Standard Version (ESV)

• ISR The Scriptures 2009 Third Edition with Minor Revisions [2016] (ISR2009)

• New American Standard Bible (NASB)

• New King James Version (NKJV)

What is the Laodecia Era for the Ekklesia?

As a refresher, this time sees people saying they're rich in truth and that they have need of nothing, but this shows that they're wretched, miserable, naked and wicked. Why is this? The need of nothing points to not needing another explanation other than the false futuristic viewpoint, whereas being rich is connected to already knowing the truth about the historical fulfillment of Revelation, which many people don't know at all. I seriously grieve their loss, for they know not what they do.

I'm also new into this viewpoint, and most of what I'll be talking about is proven by historicist prophet David Nikao Wilcoxson on YouTube and Facebook (I don't use Facebook). This single Nostr article, I pray, is the starting point for understanding why I call out what I call out, and the patterns I see pointing to the Roman Catholic Church (the Tares) and the Jesuit Order (the current rulers of our world, the Earth Beast of Rev. 13) being the harlots that will be plucked out before Messiah's return.

The 70th Week of Daniel

Let us start first with the 70th Week of Daniel, which futurists believe is pointed towards a 7 year period where a one-man antichrist makes a peace deal for Israel.

This was proven to be untrue, as this is a deception that many people have fallen for, thus obeying the Pope (the Mark of the Beast on the right hand). What Daniel was talking about was not the end times, but rather, two-fold. The first is that he was asking about when Yevah would free the Jews from slavery (since they were in the Babylonian Beast Kingdom at this time). The second is when Messiah would come in the flesh and start a 7 year period from 27-34 AD, which is the final 7 year period of this 490 year cycle. King Artaxerxes I would go ahead and call for the rebuilding of Jerusalem in 476 BC (as is seen in Ezra), which would be the first 7 weeks (the first 7 Shemita [Shabbat year] cycles). Afterwords, we would see another 62 weeks (this period is a slient period), and then another period of 1 week. This week points to Messiah's ministry and death.

3 1/2 years into this 70th week (in 31 AD) is when Messiah would be nailed to the cross on March 13 of 31 AD (I'm still debating if the cross is a symbol of Tammuz or not). This was Passover in the Hebrew calendar year of 3790. He was 33 years of age when he was nailed, and then rose again 3 days later (on the 17th of Nisan in 3790). That Passover fell on a Monday (when the Romans were using the 8-day calendar instead of the 7-day calendar we've essentially been forced to use).

To prove the above, Wilcoxson had produced a series of videos regarding the 70th Week of Daniel (that being the 70th Week of Daniel Decoded series), which I would recommend you watch. You'll also want to find an audiobook version of Seventy Weeks: The Historical Alternative produced by Tearing Down Idols. These are the two pieces of proof I have to show this. Speaking of Wilcoxson, he had already produced books on these matters, as understanding the hostorical narrative of the Scriptures is the key to making war with the Roman Catholic Church and the Jesuit Order, especially now that we're in Laodecia.

The Olivet Discourse

The second part of this trifecta has to do with the Olivet Discourse of Matthew 23, which points to the destruction of Jarusalem by Rome for Israel's unfaithfulness to Yevah's instructions. Now, there are connections to parables that basically talk about the Yewish (Yew as in Yewtree worship) leaders (particulaly the Pharisees and Saducees) practicing the Tradition of the Elders (which are the Babylonian Talmud and the Egyptian Kabbalah of today), and for not understanding that this was Messiah, they were destroyed for their iniquities. I don't care to research the futurist narrative on this, as I know it is full of twisted words and word salad sorcery.

Wilcoxson proves what I've said in the Olivet Discourse Decoded series of videos, so that's where I'll point you to when you have an open heart, open eyes and open ears. Many futurists won't, because they are exactly what Messiah described in the Ekklesia era of Laodecia.

Revelation and Its Prophecies

Finally, there's Revelation (what used to be called Apocalypse). When looking into this book, you realize that it's really a 4-layered war manual for how to fight this war against the Roman Catholic leadership and the Jesuit Order. This also shows how you can harvest souls (the harvest points to a mass exodus of Roman Catholicism membership). This I will go in depth on, and will even have passages to back this up.

Layer 1: The Roman Beast Kingdom

The first layer of this 4-layered manual shows the phases of the Roman Empire, which never really disappeared. Rev. 12 described the Roman Empire, which was used to wipe out the early Ekklesia (the woman), murdering millions of Nazarites. The Seals point to the incline (for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse) and decline of the Roman Empire (the other three Seals), while the Trumpets point to the official Roman Empire's downfall. This would be split into 10 separate kingdoms in Europe, which would be countered by the creation of Christianity, which is really any of the 44k+ forks of Roman Catholicism. This was done to destroy the Ekklesia, as the Roman Catholic Church is the Tare field that Messiah had talked about in the parable of the Wheat and the Tares.

Staying in this layer, the Sea Beast is the next phase. This is the 1,260-year reign of the Pope (538-1798), as he was the one who plucked out 3 kingdoms who didn't bow to his authority (the Heruli, the Huns and the Ostrigoths). Keep in mind that this started after the removal of the restrainer in 476 (pointing to the removal of the final Western Roman Emperor), and healed the deadly head wound (pointing to the Pope rising to power out of a sea of people). During this reign, he took the title of Pontifex Maximus, as he had civic and ecclesiastical power over everyone. This would be the healing of the deadly head wound, as shown earlier in this beast. He would pretend to be the leader of the Ekklesia, thus sitting in the Temple of Yevah, though he's the son of perdition, as he proclaims to be Yevah, forgive sins and provide salvation through works alone, which is blasephemous to begin with. The persecution of the Nazarites also prove them to be anti-Moshiach (Messiah). They also have the title of Vicar of Christ, which in the Latin is Vicarus Filii Dei, which is equal to 666 when calculated using a form of gematria I have no idea about. He would ultimately be removed from power by the Earth Beast in 1798, after he basically limited the power of the Jesuit Superior General and his minions. As stated before, the Mark of the Beast is reverence (forehead) and obeisance (right hand) to the Pope.

Finally, the Earth Beast of Revelation 13 points to the Jesuit Superior Geneal rising out of the earth (which is the land) of the Antichrist Beast Pope, the Vatican. These two horns pretend to serve Messiah (lamb) but are really Lucifarians (the dragon), serving Lucifer. The Black Pope, as the Jesuit Superior General is called, used his power to gether the world under him. That's why he uses Washington D.C. (the District of the Roman goddess, Columbia), his war machine (Military Indurstial Complex), to overthrow leaders who won't bow to his authority and those who won't set up a Rothschild central bank; much less obey the Khazars, who he also controls (I happened to be a partial German Khazar who escaped the grasp of the Black Pope as best as I know thus far).

Layer 2: The Ekklesia Eras

Now comes the eras of the Ekklesia. There are seven of them, though I've already explained the era of Laodecia. How about I give a quick explanation of the first six eras, like so?

Ephesus would spread the gospel in the Roman Empire, with their love growing cold when Messiah didn't return.

Smyrna had 10 years of persecutions from 303-312, which is what the 5th seal points to.

Pergamos would fall away (2 Thess. 2) from the Scriptures when compromising with Rome (Mark of the Beast as I had explained)

Thyatira means ruled by a woman. This means, the Roman Catholic Church would do this, as the Popes sought to eliminate the two witnesses, which are the Nazarites and the printed Scriptures (the little book or Rev. 10). This was why they killed the Nazarites and bured the printed Scriptures ruthlessly enough, that they were classified as "dead" in 1514. The Popes would hold great feasts to celebrate the removal of the two witnesses after they got all of Christendom under their control.

Sardis means escaping one, which points to Messiah calling them dead after 3 1/2 years from the Pope's classification of the death of the two witnesses. Luther's 95 Thesis sparked the Protestant Reformation, which would lead to the resurrection of the two witnesses (the Nazarites and the printed Scriptures).

Philidelphia had nothing bad that Messiah said about them... at all. They led worldwide missions, and also led Bible Societies to spread the word and/or the gospel to save millions of people from the clutches of the Jesuit Superior General (and the Roman Catholic Church as a whole).

As a refresher for Laodecia (the era we're in right now), the Nazarites here believe that they are rich in truth, and that we have need of nothing. This is false, as we are in dire need of something, which is an alternative explanation that's not the false futuristic or preteristic explanations of the book of Revelation. We are blinded by the Jesuits, as they have decieved us (we let them do this, by the way) with false prophecy explanations among other deceptions.

Layer 3: Seals, Trumpets and Bowls

The Seals, Trumpets and Bowls are the judgements against the Roman Beast Kingdom. To keep things short, every single Seal was fulfilled, 6 of the Trumpets were fulfilled, and 5 of the Bowls were fulfilled. We're in the 6th Bowl, waiting for a global economic collapse and WW III. Once these occur, then do we go into the 7th Bowl judgement against the Roman Catholic Church and the Jesuit Order (the New World Order).

One quick thing I'll mention is that when I talk about the two witnesses here, one of them is the little book of Rev. 10. This points to the printed Bible, which was brought back to life thanks to the printing press. Martin Luther would measure the temple and find that the Papal Church is the apostate harlot. Rev. 14 points to the Bowls and the harvest. This harvest points to millions coming out of the Roman Catholic Church, though there are 1.3 billion Catholics... and we have a long way to go in getting them out of her, My people.

Remember when I talked about the Khazars earlier in this article? They are the Kings of the East that Yeshua pointed to in the 6th Bowl. The Ottoman Empire is the Euphrates River here, and it's dried up in 1922, only with Turkey remaining. Gog is already dead, as that's Lord Rothschild. Magog points to the Kings of the East. 2 of the 3 spirits have already been fulfilled (these are World Wars I and II).

Now, let me quickly point out the fact we're in the kingdom of Iron and Clay. The Iron points to the Roman Bishops, and the Clay is Islam. However, furutists will tell me I'm an idiot, and that the Iron and Clay mixture is transhumanism. This was proven to be false, as the 5th Trumpet was the rise of the Clay (Islam). The Catholics, however, wrote the Qur'an and proped up Mohhamed as their prophet. ISIS and Al Qaeda are controlled by the Jesuit Order, which is why they do what they do as terrorists... for they are Wahhabi Muslims (in other words, Mizrahi Khazars who are also Jesuits, claiming to be Arabs, when they're not).

Islam is designed to prevent Arabs from having a relationship with Messiah, which makes me really sad. Muslims will be used to kill Christians and Jews in WW III and force us into the New World Order, which will backfire on the Jesuits and Roman Bishops.

Layer 4: The Harlot Church

Rev 17:10 talks about 7 forms of government. Five had fallen by the time Revelation was written, the 6th (the Roman Emperors) fell in 476, and the 7th lead for a short space until 538.

The 8th head is the Pope, who rose to power out of the Roman Empire. Look up what the priests in the Catholic Church wear, and what they use. Does that sound familiar when you read Revelation? If it does, that's exactly the description of the Sea Beast, and how his priests dress and do their rituals.

Then comes the Black Pope. He empowers and enriches the kings of the earth, as they were used by Lucifer to carry out the Bowl judgements, and will carry out the New World Order, caugins themselves and the Roman Cathoic Church to be judged big time. This we are waiting for.

Conclusion

Hopefully this long read helps you see where I'm coming from, and I pray it helps you to start testing the scriptures against what I've said, and what Wilcoxson had said. If it is proven in your heart that you were fooled, you're on the right path in my opnion. I may be wrong, but this is where I stand.

@ 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.

@ b1ddb4d7:471244e7

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.

@ 0689c075:2936ee11

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@ 81022b27:2b8d0644

I’ve always gravitated to ideas and topics that are not quite mainstream:

Well, like CHIROPRACTIC.

But even in chiropractic school, I went fringe. I heard about one of the technique clubs (Toftness) that showed you how you could detect a subluxation by just rubbing your thumb over a piece of plexiglass.

We were discussing that in a group, and most of my friends were saying:

“What a load of shit!”

And that made my ears perk up.

So I started going to the club meetings.

I walk in, and there’s a guy face down on a chiropractic table while another guy was holding what looked like some sort of cyberpunk lens. He started rubbing it and worked it down the guy's spine.

He pointed out areas that were subluxated:

“Here.”

And going further down:

“Here.”

And:

“Here.”

Wow.

Then he “adjusted” by touching the spine with his index finger.

My mind was blown.

So you mean I didn’t have to be adjusted the way Harvey Fish did?

Dr. Fish was a great guy and would adjust students for, I think, $10. You’d go in, wait to see if he had any “real patients.” In between patients, he would adjust the students. He was heavy-handed and sure as hell able to move a bone.

So now I’m intrigued and curious. I studied and practiced any chance I had. I had different friends that I studied different things with.

(Except for Dyslexic Dave - nobody wanted to study with that guy. Our group did once, and we all failed a test. His dyslexia was so powerful, it overcame all of us.)

I’d study all the weird stuff with my friend Victoria, and then we would go get our network chiropractic adjustment from Dr. Michael Scimeca.

I found out that it wasn’t the Toftness lens that had the super-powers. Instead, it was because when your hand detected a change in energy over the spinal segments, there's a “galvanic response” similar to that of a polygraph lie detector test. So it made the skin on my hand “sweat,” and that made the plexiglass squeak and stick.

So it wasn’t the equipment. It was me.

After a while, I realized that I could feel a warmth on my chest right before the lens squeaked. So, I ditched the lens and started working on people where I “felt” the subluxations were located.

Seemed to work well - I always double-checked my “regular” chiropractic findings with what I felt. We studied for exams, then practiced technique on each other.

One time at a seminar, the instructor demonstrated what to do and asked for volunteers - one to be the patient and the other to be the doctor. I watched this guy struggling with his patient. It looked like he had flippers instead of hands; the whole interaction was super awkward.

All of a sudden, I started feeling uncomfortable and just blurted out:

“For God’s sake, leave him alone! Can’t you tell he is super annoyed and angry?”

Oops.

The instructor said, “Yes, maybe we should take a break.”

The guy that was the patient came up to me and asked, “How did you know?”

“I don’t know, I just felt it,” I said.

After that I started trying to see if I could feel what others were feeling. So when I was bored in a class, I’d go down the rows and try to feel what the my fellow students felt and quickly move on.

Going down the row: nothing, nothing nothing. This guy is pissed off, next one: nothing, nothing, Ow! She has a headache.

Dammit! Now I have a headache!

So that turned into a problem: When I worked on someone that had pain or other symptoms, I would take those on for myself. And the person I worked on would leave feeling great.

My friend Juanita did what is called an "attunement," and I became a Reiki Master.

Reiki masters are supposed to move energy around, but I was afraid I’d pick up too much of someone’s vibe and it would make me uncomfortable.

Plus, I can’t be doing energy work if I’m a chiropractor now.

So I kept all that checked and on the "down low"; sometimes I would get a "feeling" about a client while I was working on them. Surprisingly, it was always correct and it helped my client to make progress.

At some point, I started feeling that I needed to be true to myself, and if I had these abilities and I was able to use them to help the people that came to see me, then that's what I was going to do.

I've embraced this side of my work. If my clients need some emotional work, that’s what we work on, if they need some energy work, then they get it.

I suppose some people don’t want a chiropractor that’s metaphysical, but really-that’s how it all started. There are plenty of “evidence-based” chiropractors out there that can’t adjust their way out of a paper bag.

If the power goes off, they couldn’t use their lasers or whatever machine the Chiropractic Physiotherapy Industrial Complex wants you to buy now.

While I appreciate all the fancy parties they throw for us at continuing education seminars, they are infiltrating the chiropractic schools and now we are pumping out new chiropractors that only think they will be successful if they have the latest and greatest shiny machine.

I’ve studied a bunch of different things, I’ve found what works for me and refined it.

I tell my clients :

“I’m a better chiropractor today than I was yesterday, and I was pretty good back then!”

So I guess my next step is teaching some of this information and hoping to pass it on before my time here is up.

And you know what? I will love every damn minute of it!

There's nothing quite like sharing the weird, the wonderful, and the downright strange ways we can help people heal.

So, let's get to it—I've got a lot of sharing and teaching to do—it's going to be exciting!

@ 81022b27:2b8d0644

I have a family practice where I see pretty much everything, from infants to the elderly, athletes to people with disabilities.

When someone gets good results, they always want their loved ones to benefit in the same way.

Husbands tell their wives, wives bring in their husbands...

I even had a guy bring both his wife and his girlfriend! On different days, of course.

So, sometimes we notice a little bit of drama here and there. When one of our couples divorces, someone usually gets custody of the chiropractor.

It's rare that I keep seeing both parties.

It's probably for the best, because there was this one time when a guy showed up with his new "friend" while the ex’s best friend was in the waiting area.

Well, it was like an episode of the "Jerry Springer Show" that day.

Let's get to the story:

This one guy I’d been working on started coming in more frequently, complaining of more pain, more aches, more everything.

I've been doing this for a while now, so I told him that when I see this, it's one of two things:

Either you are physically doing something to aggravate the issue,

Or you are under emotional stress.

He told me that he and his wife were having problems, and there was lots of drama.

Of course, I kept working on him. Sometimes I did some emotional work, but with men, I have to be very business-like when dealing with emotions because we don't like to deal with them.

Time passed, and they finally divorced.

He still comes in regularly, and I've noticed he has less pain and fewer issues. His visits are more like "wellness visits"; he seems in better spirits.

I thought I'd never see the ex-wife again, but she showed up today, and when I checked her, she's doing better than ever!

It got me thinking... these people are way better off divorced! They're not in constant fight-or-flight mode; I'm sure they are happier or will be. It's a positive all the way around.

I've been divorced twice. That's not something I'm proud of. I see both those divorces as failures.

I was 23 when I got married the first time. We were both super young and unprepared. We struggled for four years, and then she wanted out.

Not that I blame her; I was unhappy with myself, and my frustration and unhappiness bled into the relationship.

My second marriage lasted a lot longer than the first. After all we were older, ended up having 2 kids and I really, really tried.

I was just terrified of losing my girls. I even recall saying that I was willing to be miserable and unhappy just “for the kids”

The truth is once we separated, I probably spent more “quality time” with my daughters than I had before.

But here’s the thing in both marriages I would have willingly given up the chance to be happier with a clean end to the relationship in order to give it another shot.

At some point you just run out of shots.

I see elderly couples out at restaurants and they hardly say anything to each other. Is it because they know each other so well that they don’t need to speak, or is one of them silently praying the other one will drop dead so they will finally have a chance at happiness?

What I’m trying to say here is:

Maybe there is no hope for that relationship that you are giving CPR

Maybe it’s time to move on.

Live Long and Prosper. 🖖

@ 41fa852b:af7b7706

"The poison was never forced - it was offered gently, until you forgot it was poison at all." - Mark Twain

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Happy Sunday, folks.

Below is your weekly roundup of events for the coming week.

Added to the event section this week, an exciting new Scottish Bitcoin Conference, happening in August.

Check out all the details below.

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This week's sponsor is…

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Upcoming Bitcoin Meetups

Happening this week…

1. Dundee Bitcoin: Join them on the 2nd Monday of every month from 17:30 to 20:30 PM at The Wine Press, 16 Shore Terrace, Dundee DD1 3DN. This month's meetup is on Monday 9th. 🍻

2. Canterbury Bitcoin: Meeting this month at the The Dolphin Pub in Canterbury at 7 PM on Tuesday the 10th of June. An informal meetup to discuss Bitcoin and chat. 🍺

3. Glasgow Bitcoin: Meetups are held every second Wednesday of the month. This is a place for people in and around Glasgow to discuss Bitcoin. 18:00 - 23:00 at The Piper Bar, G1 1HL. This month on Wednesday 11th. 🍻

4. St Albans: This is a new meetup happening on the second Wednesday of each month. This month, it's from 19:00 to 22:00 on the 11th at the Robin Hood of St Albans, Victoria St, St Albans. 🍻

5. Children of Riddim - Festival - Bitcoin Stage: Children of Riddim Festival is bringing Bitcoin to the big stage from the 12th--16th June in Hemel Hempstead, with 150+ DJs, artists, and speakers. The Barn of Freedom will host Bitcoin talks, music, and Nostr-powered apps. Tickets and donations for the stage can be made via geyser.fund, with camping included. Acts/speakers include Joe Bryan, Metamick, Roger9000, Angor, and more. 🎉🪩

6. Bitcoin Beach Bournemouth: Every second Thursday of the month at Chaplins Cellar Bar. 529 Christchurch Road, Boscombe, United. You'll find them in the Cogg Room at 19:30. This month it's the 12th. 🍺

7. Bury St Edmunds Bitcoin: is reviving the medieval spirit of the Folkmoot, one Bitcoin meetup at a time. Their second gathering takes place this Friday at 17:30 at Edmundo Lounge. They've also just launched a brand new website.

8. Stoke Bitcoin Meetup: The Stoke Bitcoin meetup is back! They will have Bitcoin coffee to taste, delivered by hand directly from the mountains of El Salvador and grown by @lacruzboss in Berlin, El Salvador. 15:00 on Friday 13th. ☕️🍻

9. Bitcoin Walk - Edinburgh: Every Saturday they walk around Arthur's Seat in this historic city. Join them at 12 pm to chat about all things Bitcoin and keep fit. 🚶🏽‍♂️🚶🏼‍♀️🚶🏻

10. Bitcoin East: Join Bitcoin East in Bury St. Edmunds on Sunday 15th, 12:00 at Hopsters Bar, Felixstowe. All welcome, Bitcoiners and anyone else curious about Bitcoin. 🍺

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New Businesses Accepting Bitcoin

This week we have…

• Core Agency: A creative communications firm that blends financial expertise with bold storytelling to help businesses in finance and beyond stand out. Based in the UK, they specialise in strategic planning, brand identity, content production, and public relations, delivering everything from investor-focused media to high-impact digital campaigns. With in-house studios for video, animation, and live streaming, Core offers end-to-end solutions that are both visually compelling and commercially effective. Their mission is to bring clarity, creativity, and confidence to brands navigating complex markets. Whether you're a fintech startup or a global institution, Core helps you communicate with purpose and originality. Now accepting bitcoin payments. 📈

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Upcoming Special Events

These events aren't happening next week, but they're important to add to your calendar now as tickets are selling fast.

The Bitcoin Beach Retreat: An annual Bitcoin-only gathering held at a scenic coastal campsite in North Wales. Celebrating its fifth year in 2025, the retreat offers a relaxed, community-driven alternative to traditional conferences.

From July 11--14, up to 120 Bitcoiners will come together to share knowledge, enjoy beachside BBQs, and strengthen their networks under the stars. With no pre-booked speakers, the event thrives on peer-led workshops and spontaneous discussions, fostering genuine connections among attendees. Emphasising local engagement, the retreat directs the majority of its funds into the surrounding community, with 42% of expenses paid in Bitcoin last year.

Whether attending solo or with family, attendees can expect a welcoming environment dedicated to sound money and shared values.

Scottish Bitcoin Conference: Taking place on August 23, 2025, at the Glasgow University Union, located at 32 University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8LX. From 09:00 to 16:30.

Featuring an impressive roster of speakers, including Anthony Scaramucci, Hashley Giles, Rick Messit, Dr. Peter Connor, Claire Chisholm, Roger9000, John Magill, Ian Scanlon, Robin Thatcher, Jamie Plowman, Robbie Maltby, Russell Rukin, Peter Lane, Francesco Madonna, and Sam Roberts.

Open to all, this conference offers a unique opportunity for Bitcoiners and newcomers alike to connect and learn in the vibrant setting of Glasgow.

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Get Involved

• Volunteer: Passionate about merchant adoption? Reach out to Bridge2Bitcoin on Twitter or website.
• Start a Meetup: Want to launch a Bitcoin meetup? We'll support you. Contact us on Twitter or just reply to this email.
• Contribute to BTCMaps: Help maintain this key Bitcoin resource--no coding skills needed. Update a UK area.
• Telegram: Join our Channel for UK meetup updates
• Feedback: Reply to this email with ideas and suggestions.

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This week's sponsors is…

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Get out and support the meetups where you can, visit Bitcoin Events UK for more info on each meetup and to find your closest on the interactive map.

Stay tuned for more updates next week!

Simon.

@ dab6c606:51f507b6

I've been interested for a while in how the business with miles and loyalty points works. I found out that only large corporations can partially do this because of how they can then account for it. And it's tax-wise super advantageous. I also added info about loyalty points and gift cards. The text below was written by various AIs as I was digging into it, it's basically a summary, sharing for those who are interested.

Part I: Loyalty Programs of Large Corporations

Business Logic of Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs of airlines and hotels are sophisticated business tools that serve several key purposes. They primarily function to increase customer loyalty by creating "switching costs" - customers don't want to lose accumulated points, which reduces the likelihood they'll switch to competitors.

At the same time, they're a significant source of additional revenue. For example, American Airlines earns more from selling miles to banks than on some flight routes. When Citibank buys miles for 1-2 cents per mile, the airline gets immediate revenue, while the real value for the customer can be 3-5 cents when used correctly.

Accounting Treatment of Loyalty Points

From an accounting perspective, loyalty points represent deferred liabilities. When a customer earns points, the company must create a reserve for their future redemption. Points are valued based on expected costs of their redemption, not on nominal value.

The key difference is between cash accounting and accrual accounting: - Cash accounting: Revenue is recognized when payment is received, expenses when paid. - Accrual accounting: Revenue and expenses are recognized when the obligation arises.

For loyalty programs, accrual accounting is critical. When an airline sells miles to a bank for $1,000,000, it simultaneously creates a liability for future costs (say $600,000), so taxable income is only $400,000.

Example: Selling Miles to a Bank

An airline sells 50 million miles to Citibank for $1,000,000: 1. Immediate revenue: $1,000,000 2. Creation of liability: $600,000 (estimated future costs) 3. Taxable income: $400,000 4. Future costs: When customers use miles, the company recognizes the expense and reduces the liability

Positive margin arises from several factors: - Breakage - 15-20% of miles are never redeemed - Time value of money - Money from the bank is invested immediately - Marginal costs - An empty seat has low incremental cost

Tax Optimization and Offshore Structures

Large companies often use international structures to optimize taxes from loyalty programs. A typical structure includes: 1. Parent company (USA/EU) - Operates flights and provides services (e.g., flights or accommodation). 2. IP Holding (Ireland/Netherlands) - Owns intellectual property (IP) for the loyalty program, such as brands, software, and databases. 3. Loyalty Operating Company (Singapore/Dubai) - Manages sale of miles to banks and partners, coordinates the program and communicates with customers.

Business Relationships and Payments Between Entities (example with positive result for Singapore)

These entities are connected by contracts that determine who pays for what and why, to minimize tax burden: - Bank → Singapore (Loyalty Operating Company): The bank (e.g., Citibank) pays $1,000,000 for miles it offers to its clients as rewards for using credit cards. The Singapore company is the main contact point for partners because it's located in a low-tax jurisdiction (17%) with good infrastructure for financial services. - Singapore → Ireland (IP Holding): The Singapore company pays $500,000 as royalties for using IP (brands, software, and data) of the loyalty program. This payment is high to shift profit to Ireland, where the tax rate is even lower (12.5%). This reduces taxable income in Singapore. - Singapore → Parent Company (Airline): The Singapore company pays $300,000 to the parent company for providing services (e.g., flights) when customers use miles. This payment is lower than actual costs to minimize profit in the parent company's country, where the tax rate is higher (e.g., 25-35% in USA or EU). - Profit in Singapore: $1,000,000 (income from bank) - $500,000 (royalties to Ireland) - $300,000 (payment to airline) = $200,000 profit, taxed at 17% in Singapore.

Why Such Distribution?

• Ireland (IP Holding): High royalty payments ($500,000) go to Ireland because the 12.5% tax rate is attractive and Ireland is considered a "serious" jurisdiction that meets international rules (e.g., BEPS). Ireland also has double taxation treaties with many countries, facilitating profit shifting.
• Singapore (Loyalty Operating Company): Mile sales and program coordination occur in Singapore due to favorable tax environment (17%) and strategic location for Asian markets. A small profit ($200,000) is left here to demonstrate "economic substance" - that the company has real activity.
• Parent Company: The $300,000 payment is low to minimize taxable income in a high-tax country (e.g., USA or EU).

Why Not 0% Tax Jurisdiction?

Why not use a zero-tax country (e.g., Cayman Islands)? Due to: - Regulatory scrutiny - Tax authorities closely monitor 0% jurisdictions and may question legitimacy. - BEPS rules - Need to demonstrate "substance" (real offices, employees) in the country. - Credibility test - 12.5% in Ireland or 17% in Singapore looks like legitimate business operation.

The result of such structure is that most profit (60-70%) is taxed at 12.5% in Ireland or 17% in Singapore instead of 25-35% in the airline's home country.

Part II: Loyalty Programs and Alternatives for Small Businesses

Why Loyalty Programs Are Problematic for Small Businesses

Unlike large corporations, small businesses like cafes face a fundamental problem with loyalty programs: cash accounting obligation. In many countries, small firms (under $25M annually) must use cash accounting, which means: - Revenue from selling points is taxed immediately - Costs are deducted only when customers use points (maybe a year later) - Creates tax and cashflow problem - tax is paid on money you'll "lose" in the future

Imagine a cafe that sells loyalty points for €100. It must immediately pay tax (say €21), but deducts coffee costs provided for points only in the future.

Alternative Models for Small Businesses

There are more tax-advantageous alternatives:

1. Gift Cards Model

• Revenue is NOT RECOGNIZED when selling gift card
• Revenue is recognized only when customer uses the card
• Example: Sell gift cards for €10,000 in December, get cash immediately, but pay tax gradually as customers use cards during the following year.
• Time value of money: Money can be invested (e.g., 6% annually = €600 extra profit on €10,000)
• Breakage benefit: 2-10% of cards are never used, after certain time (3-5 years, depending on legislation) you can recognize the balance as pure profit.

Example: Starbucks Starbucks had $1.5 billion in unused gift cards on its books in 2022. Estimated 3% breakage means $45 million pure profit – interest-free loan from customers with bonus that part never returns.

2. Subscription Model

• Monthly revenue = immediate taxation
• Monthly costs = immediate deduction
• Example: €10/month for "premium membership" with certain benefits

3. Discount Coupons

• No revenue when issuing coupon
• Reduced revenue when redeeming (sell at lower price)
• Example: 20% discount coupon = sell coffee for €4 instead of €5

Outsourcing Loyalty Program: Details About Shopify Loyalty

Platforms like Shopify Loyalty represent an elegant solution for small businesses wanting to offer loyalty programs without accounting and tax complications. Let's break this down in detail:

How Shopify Loyalty Works

• Shopify as third party: Shopify owns and manages the entire loyalty program including points and software. The customer has their "account" directly with Shopify, not with the specific store. This means points are not your liability, but Shopify's liability.
• Your role: You (e.g., cafe) pay Shopify a monthly fee (e.g., €29) for using the platform and a small transaction fee (e.g., €0.20) for each point redemption (reward). You're essentially a "service provider" for Shopify – you provide rewards when Shopify sends you an order.
• Earning points: Customer earns points for purchases in stores participating in Shopify Loyalty program. For example, if customer buys coffee for €5 in your cafe, Shopify credits them points (e.g., 5 points per euro, so 25 points). Specific rules (how many points per euro) are set by you through Shopify platform, but technically points are managed by Shopify.
• Using points: Customer can use points for rewards (e.g., free coffee for 100 points), but usually only in stores participating in Shopify network. This means if your cafe uses Shopify Loyalty, points earned with you can be used with you or other stores in Shopify ecosystem, if Shopify allows it. Usually, however, stores set up the program so points are primarily usable with them, increasing loyalty to their brand.
• Point redemption process: When customer wants to use points (e.g., 100 points for free coffee), Shopify sends order to you (cafe) to provide the reward. You give the coffee but don't receive direct payment from customer – it's a marketing cost. You also pay Shopify transaction fee (€0.20). Accounting-wise, it's not a sale, so no taxable income or receipt obligation arises.
• Accounting treatment: When customer uses points:
• No receipt = no taxable income
• Coffee cost (€2) + Shopify fee (€0.20) = €2.20
• Recorded as "Promotional expenses" or "Marketing costs"

Why Must Loyalty Program Be Outsourced to Third Party (like Shopify)?

Small businesses don't have capacity or resources to manage their own loyalty program "in-house" for these reasons: - Tax and accounting complexity: If you managed loyalty program yourself, you'd have to create reserves for future liabilities (points customers will use later), estimate breakage rate (percentage of unused points) and handle cash vs. accrual accounting. For small firms that often must use cash accounting, this means immediate taxation of revenue if selling points, but cost deduction only in the future – creates cashflow mismatch. - Technological infrastructure: Managing points, customer databases and integration with payment systems requires sophisticated software and IT team, which is expensive and complicated for small firms. - Legal separation: When program is managed by third party like Shopify, points are their liability, not yours. For you, this means no future liabilities in your accounting books – just monthly costs (Shopify fee), which are tax-deductible as regular expense. - Economic efficiency: Shopify aggregates thousands of stores, achieving economies of scale – lower costs for software, security and data management. A small cafe could never create such system at reasonable price alone.

Why Can't It Be In-house from Tax Perspective?

If small firm managed loyalty program itself: - Immediate tax problem: If firm sold points (e.g., for money or as part of purchase), revenue would have to be taxed immediately, though costs for providing rewards (e.g., free coffee) could be deducted only when customer uses points. This creates cashflow mismatch because you pay tax before actually "losing" money on reward. - Complex reserves: Would have to estimate how many points will be used and create accounting reserves, which is administratively demanding and requires expensive accountants or software. - Risk of errors: Incorrect breakage rate estimates or poor liability management can lead to tax audits and penalties.

With Shopify, these problems are eliminated – you only pay monthly fee and transaction fees, which are simply recorded as marketing costs. Shopify takes full responsibility for managing points and liabilities to customers.

Case Study: Loyalty Points for Cafe (10 + 1 Free Model)

Let's look at specific case of small cafe offering classic loyalty program type "10 + 1 free". Customer gets 1 point for each coffee purchased (e.g., for €3) and after collecting 10 points gets one free coffee. We'll analyze how this works accounting-wise, whether it's "promotional expense" and what's the difference between in-house management and using Shopify.

How "10 + 1 Free" Program Works

• Earning points: Customer buys coffee for €3 and gets 1 point (e.g., stamp on card or digital record). Points have no monetary value for sale – they're purely reward for purchase.
• Using points: After collecting 10 points (meaning purchases for €30) customer gets free coffee (value €3).
• Real cost for cafe: Cost of producing free coffee is lower than selling price, e.g., €1.50 for materials and labor.

Accounting Treatment (In-house)

If cafe manages program itself (in-house), accounting process depends on whether it uses cash accounting (common for small firms) or accrual accounting: - Cash accounting: - When customer buys coffee: Cafe records €3 revenue for each coffee and issues receipt. Point (stamp) has no monetary value, so it's not recorded as liability or revenue. - When redeeming 10 points: When customer gets free coffee, no revenue arises (€0), but cost for coffee production arises (€1.50). This cost is recorded as "Promotional expense" or "Marketing cost" because it's form of discount or advertising to retain customer. - Tax impact: No revenue when issuing free coffee, €1.50 cost is tax-deductible as regular expense. - Accrual accounting (less common for small firms): - When customer buys coffee: Cafe records €3 revenue but simultaneously creates small liability for future reward (e.g., €0.30 per point, which is estimate of cost for future free coffee divided by 10). So from €3 revenue, taxable income is only €2.70. - When redeeming 10 points: When customer gets free coffee, cafe reduces liability by €3 (10 points x €0.30) and records €1.50 cost for coffee production. Difference can be adjusted as breakage or other profit if estimates differ from reality. - Tax impact: Taxable income is lower already at first purchase, but accounting is more complex due to estimates and reserves.

Is it Promotional Expense? Yes, in both cases (cash and accrual) the cost of free coffee is recorded as "Promotional expense" or "Marketing cost" because it's form of discount to support customer loyalty. It's not considered regular sale because no revenue or receipt arises.

Accounting Treatment (via Shopify Loyalty)

If cafe uses Shopify Loyalty to manage "10 + 1 free" program, process is simpler: - When customer buys coffee: Cafe records €3 revenue for coffee and issues receipt. Shopify credits point to customer's account (it's not your liability, but Shopify's). - When redeeming 10 points: Shopify sends order to issue free coffee. Cafe gives coffee (€1.50 cost) and pays Shopify transaction fee (€0.20). Total cost €1.70 is recorded as "Promotional expense" or "Marketing cost". - Tax impact: Same as in-house, no revenue when issuing free coffee, €1.70 cost is tax-deductible as regular expense. Additionally, you don't have to handle any liabilities or breakage estimates because Shopify manages points.

Difference Between In-house and Shopify

• In-house:
• Advantages: Full control over program, no monthly fees to third party (e.g., €29 Shopify fee).
• Disadvantages: If using accrual accounting, must create reserves and estimate breakage, which is administratively demanding. With cash accounting it's simpler (no liabilities), but if you sold points for money, tax mismatch arises (revenue taxed immediately, cost only later). Additionally, must manage point database yourself (stamps, software), which is time-consuming.
• Shopify Loyalty:
• Advantages: No liabilities in your accounting books, Shopify manages points and technology. Accounting-wise it's simple – just monthly fee (€29) and transaction fees (€0.20) as marketing cost. Don't have to handle estimates or breakage.
• Disadvantages: Pay monthly fees and transaction fees, increasing costs (e.g., €0.20 extra per free coffee). Have less control over program because third party manages it.

Conclusion for Cafe: "10 + 1 free" program is accounting-wise considered Promotional expense in both cases (in-house and Shopify) because free coffee is form of marketing to retain customers. Difference is in administrative burden and costs – Shopify simplifies accounting and management, but at cost of monthly fees. In-house is cheaper but more demanding to manage, especially if you wanted to use accrual accounting or sell points for money.

Conclusion

Loyalty programs are sophisticated customer loyalty tools, but their accounting and tax aspects differ significantly between large and small firms. Large corporations use accrual accounting and international structures for tax optimization, while for small businesses alternative models like gift cards or outsourcing entire program are often more advantageous, eliminating tax and cashflow problems. Gift cards additionally bring immediate cash flow, time value of money and breakage benefit, making them ideal tool for businesses of all sizes. Shopify Loyalty offers small firms way to implement loyalty program without accounting complications because it takes technical and legal responsibility, allowing focus on core business. For simple programs like "10 + 1 free," accounting impact is similar (Promotional expense), but Shopify simplifies management at cost of additional fees.

@ dab6c606:51f507b6

Dlhšie som sa zaujímal o to ako funguje biznis s míľami, vernostnými bodmi. Zistil som, že to čiastočne môžu robiť iba veľké korporácie kvôli tomu ako to môžu potom zaúčtovať. A je to daňovo super výhodné. Pridal som aj info o vernostných bodoch a darčekových kartách. Text nižšie napísali rôzne AI ako som sa v tom vŕtal, to je v zásade sumár, zdieľam pre tých, ktorých to zaujíma.

Časť I: Vernostné programy veľkých korporácií

Obchodná logika vernostných programov

Vernostné programy leteckých spoločností a hotelov sú sofistikované obchodné nástroje, ktoré slúžia niekoľkým kľúčovým účelom. Primárne fungujú na zvýšenie zákazníckej lojality vytvorením "switching costs" - zákazníci nechcú prísť o nazbierané body, čo znižuje pravdepodobnosť, že prejdú ku konkurencii.

Zároveň sú významným zdrojom dodatočných príjmov. Napríklad American Airlines zarába viac na predaji míľ bankám ako na niektorých leteckých linkách. Keď Citibank kupuje míle za 1-2 centy za míľu, aerolínia získava okamžitý príjem, zatiaľ čo reálna hodnota pre zákazníka môže byť 3-5 centov pri správnom využití.

Účtovné spracovanie vernostných bodov

Z účtovného hľadiska predstavujú vernostné body odložené záväzky. Keď zákazník získa body, spoločnosť musí vytvoriť rezervu na ich budúce uplatnenie. Body sa oceňujú na základe predpokladaných nákladov na ich uplatnenie, nie na základe nominálnej hodnoty.

Kľúčový je rozdiel medzi cash accounting a accrual accounting: - Cash accounting: Príjmy sa uznávajú pri prijatí platby, náklady pri zaplatení. - Accrual accounting: Príjmy a náklady sa uznávajú v momente vzniku záväzku.

Pre vernostné programy je accrual accounting kritické. Keď aerolínia predá míle banke za $1,000,000, vytvorí zároveň záväzok na budúce náklady (povedzme $600,000), takže zdaniteľný príjem je len $400,000.

Príklad: Predaj míľ banke

Aerolínia predá 50 miliónov míľ Citibank za $1,000,000: 1. Okamžitý príjem: $1,000,000 2. Vytvorenie záväzku: $600,000 (odhadované budúce náklady) 3. Zdaniteľný príjem: $400,000 4. Budúce náklady: Keď zákazníci míle využijú, spoločnosť uzná náklad a zníži záväzok

Pozitívna marža vzniká z niekoľkých faktorov: - Breakage - 15-20% míľ sa nikdy neuplatní - Časová hodnota peňazí - Peniaze od banky investuje okamžite - Marginálne náklady - Prázdne sedadlo má nízky prírastok nákladu

Daňová optimalizácia a offshore štruktúry

Veľké spoločnosti často využívajú medzinárodné štruktúry na optimalizáciu daní z vernostných programov. Typická štruktúra zahŕňa: 1. Materská spoločnosť (USA/EU) - Prevádzkuje lety a poskytuje služby (napr. lety alebo ubytovanie). 2. IP Holding (Írsko/Holandsko) - Vlastní duševné vlastníctvo (IP) k loyalty programu, ako sú značky, softvér a databázy. 3. Loyalty Operating Company (Singapur/Dubaj) - Spravuje predaj míľ bankám a partnerom, koordinuje program a komunikuje so zákazníkmi.

Obchodné vzťahy a platby medzi entitami (príklad s pozitívnym výsledkom pre Singapur)

Tieto entity sú prepojené zmluvami, ktoré určujú, kto za čo platí a prečo, aby sa minimalizovala daňová záťaž: - Banka → Singapur (Loyalty Operating Company): Banka (napr. Citibank) platí $1,000,000 za míle, ktoré ponúka svojim klientom ako odmenu za používanie kreditných kariet. Singapurská spoločnosť je hlavný kontaktný bod pre partnerov, pretože je umiestnená v jurisdikcii s nízkou daňou (17 %) a dobrou infraštruktúrou pre finančné služby. - Singapur → Írsko (IP Holding): Singapurská spoločnosť platí $500,000 ako royalty za použitie IP (značky, softvéru a dát) loyalty programu. Táto platba je vysoká, aby sa presunul zisk do Írska, kde je daňová sadzba ešte nižšia (12,5 %). Tým sa znižuje zdaniteľný príjem v Singapure. - Singapur → Materská spoločnosť (Aerolínia): Singapurská spoločnosť platí $300,000 materskej spoločnosti za poskytnutie služieb (napr. letov), keď zákazníci využijú míle. Táto platba je nižšia ako reálne náklady, aby sa minimalizoval zisk v krajine materskej spoločnosti, kde je daňová sadzba vyššia (napr. 25-35 % v USA alebo EU). - Zisk v Singapure: $1,000,000 (príjem od banky) - $500,000 (royalty do Írska) - $300,000 (platba aerolínii) = $200,000 zisku, ktorý je zdanený pri 17 % v Singapure.

Prečo takéto rozdelenie?

• Írsko (IP Holding): Vysoké royalty platby ($500,000) idú do Írska, pretože daňová sadzba 12,5 % je atraktívna a Írsko je považované za "serióznu" jurisdikciu, ktorá spĺňa medzinárodné pravidlá (napr. BEPS). Zároveň má Írsko zmluvy o zamedzení dvojitého zdanenia s mnohými krajinami, čo uľahčuje presun zisku.
• Singapur (Loyalty Operating Company): Predaj míľ a koordinácia programu prebieha v Singapure kvôli priaznivému daňovému prostrediu (17 %) a strategickej polohe pre ázijské trhy. Zároveň sa tu zanecháva malý zisk ($200,000), aby sa preukázala "ekonomická substance" – teda, že spoločnosť má reálnu činnosť.
• Materská spoločnosť: Platba $300,000 je nízka, aby sa minimalizoval zdaniteľný príjem v krajine s vysokou daňovou sadzbou (napr. USA alebo EU).

Prečo nie 0 % daňová jurisdikcia?

Prečo sa nepoužíva krajina s nulovou daňou (napr. Kajmanské ostrovy)? Kvôli: - Regulatory scrutiny - Daňové úrady pozorne sledujú 0 % jurisdikcie a môžu spochybniť legitímnosť. - BEPS pravidlám - Potreba preukázať "substance" (reálne kancelárie, zamestnancov) v krajine. - Credibility testu - 12,5 % v Írsku alebo 17 % v Singapure vyzerá ako legitímna obchodná operácia.

Výsledkom takejto štruktúry je, že väčšina zisku (60-70 %) je zdanená pri 12,5 % v Írsku alebo 17 % v Singapure namiesto 25-35 % v domovskej krajine aerolínky.

Časť II: Loyalty programy a alternatívy pre malé biznisy

Prečo je loyalty program problematický pre malé biznisy

Na rozdiel od veľkých korporácií, malé biznisy ako kaviarne narážajú pri vernostných programoch na zásadný problém: cash accounting povinnosť. V mnohých krajinách musia malé firmy (pod $25M ročne) používať cash accounting, čo znamená: - Príjem z predaja bodov sa zdaní okamžite - Náklady sa odpočítajú až keď zákazník body využije (možno o rok) - Vzniká daňový a cashflow problém - daň sa platí z peňazí, ktoré "stratíte" v budúcnosti

Predstavte si kaviareň, ktorá predá vernostné body za €100. Okamžite musí zaplatiť daň (povedzme €21), ale náklady na kávu poskytnutú za body odpočíta až v budúcnosti.

Alternatívne modely pre malé biznisy

Existujú daňovo výhodnejšie alternatívy:

1. Gift Cards model

• Príjem sa NEUZNÁ pri predaji gift karty
• Príjem sa uzná až keď zákazník kartu využije
• Príklad: Predáte gift cards za €10,000 v decembri, získate cash okamžite, ale daň platíte postupne, ako zákazníci karty využívajú počas nasledujúceho roka.
• Časová hodnota peňazí: Peniaze môžete investovať (napr. 6 % ročne = €600 extra zisk na €10,000)
• Breakage benefit: 2-10 % kariet sa nikdy nevyužije, po určitom čase (3-5 rokov, podľa legislatívy) môžete zostatok uznať ako čistý zisk.

Príklad: Starbucks Starbucks mal v roku 2022 na účtoch $1,5 miliardy v nevyužitých gift cards. Odhadovaný breakage 3 % znamená $45 miliónov čistého zisku – bezúročná pôžička od zákazníkov s bonusom, že časť sa nikdy nevráti.

2. Subscription model

• Mesačný príjem = okamžité zdanenie
• Mesačné náklady = okamžitý odpočet
• Príklad: €10/mesiac za "premium membership" s určitými benefitmi

3. Discount Coupons

• Žiadny príjem pri vydaní kupónu
• Znížený príjem pri uplatnení (predáte za nižšiu cenu)
• Príklad: 20 % zľavový kupón = predaj kávy za €4 namiesto €5

Outsourcing loyalty programu: Podrobnosti o Shopify Loyalty

Platformy ako Shopify Loyalty predstavujú elegantné riešenie pre malé biznisy, ktoré chcú ponúkať vernostné programy bez účtovných a daňových komplikácií. Poďme si to rozobrať podrobne:

Ako funguje Shopify Loyalty

• Shopify ako tretia strana: Shopify vlastní a spravuje celý vernostný program vrátane bodov a softvéru. Zákazník má svoj "účet" priamo u Shopify, nie u konkrétneho obchodu. To znamená, že body nie sú vaším záväzkom, ale záväzkom Shopify.
• Vaša úloha: Vy (napr. kaviareň) platíte Shopify mesačný poplatok (napr. €29) za používanie platformy a malý transakčný poplatok (napr. €0,20) za každé uplatnenie bodov (reward). Vy ste v podstate "dodávateľom služieb" pre Shopify – poskytujete odmeny, keď vám Shopify pošle objednávku.
• Získavanie bodov: Zákazník získava body za nákupy v obchodoch, ktoré sú zapojené do Shopify Loyalty programu. Napríklad, ak zákazník nakúpi kávu za €5 vo vašej kaviarni, Shopify mu pripíše body (napr. 5 bodov za každé euro, teda 25 bodov). Konkrétne pravidlá (koľko bodov za euro) si nastavujete vy cez Shopify platformu, ale technicky body spravuje Shopify.
• Využitie bodov: Zákazník môže body využiť na odmeny (napr. kávu zadarmo za 100 bodov), ale zvyčajne len v obchodoch zapojených do Shopify siete. To znamená, že ak vaša kaviareň používa Shopify Loyalty, body získané u vás môžu byť využité u vás alebo v iných obchodoch v rámci Shopify ekosystému, ak to Shopify umožňuje. Väčšinou však obchody nastavujú program tak, aby boli body využiteľné primárne u nich, čím sa zvyšuje lojalita k ich značke.
• Proces uplatnenia bodov: Keď zákazník chce využiť body (napr. 100 bodov za kávu zadarmo), Shopify pošle objednávku vám (kaviarni) na poskytnutie odmeny. Vy kávu vydáte, ale nedostanete za ňu priamy príjem od zákazníka – ide o marketingový náklad. Zároveň platíte Shopify transakčný poplatok (€0,20). Účtovne to nie je predaj, takže nevzniká zdaniteľný príjem ani povinnosť vystaviť bloček.
• Účtovné spracovanie: Keď zákazník využije body:
• Žiadny bloček = žiadny zdaniteľný príjem
• Náklad kávy (€2) + Shopify fee (€0,20) = €2,20
• Účtuje sa ako "Promotional expenses" alebo "Marketing costs"

Prečo musí byť loyalty program outsourcovaný tretej strane (ako Shopify)?

Malé biznisy nemajú kapacitu ani zdroje na správu vlastného loyalty programu "in-house" z týchto dôvodov: - Daňová a účtovná komplexnosť: Ak by ste spravovali loyalty program sami, museli by ste vytvárať rezervy na budúce záväzky (body, ktoré zákazníci využijú neskôr), odhadovať breakage rate (percento nevyužitých bodov) a riešiť cash vs. accrual accounting. Pre malé firmy, ktoré často musia používať cash accounting, to znamená okamžité zdanenie príjmu, ak by body predávali, ale odpočet nákladov až v budúcnosti – vzniká cashflow nesúlad. - Technologická infraštruktúra: Správa bodov, databáz zákazníkov a integrácia s platobnými systémami vyžaduje sofistikovaný softvér a IT tím, čo je pre malé firmy nákladné a komplikované. - Legálna separácia: Keď program spravuje tretia strana ako Shopify, body sú ich záväzkom, nie vaším. Pre vás to znamená, že nemáte žiadne budúce záväzky vo svojej účtovnej knihe – len mesačné náklady (poplatok Shopify), ktoré sú daňovo odpočítateľné ako bežný výdavok. - Ekonomická efektivita: Shopify združuje tisíce obchodov, čím dosahuje ekonomiku rozsahu – nižšie náklady na softvér, bezpečnosť a správu dát. Malá kaviareň by sama nikdy nedokázala vytvoriť takýto systém za rozumnú cenu.

Prečo to nemôže byť in-house z daňového hľadiska?

Ak by malá firma spravovala loyalty program sama: - Okamžitý daňový problém: Ak by firma predávala body (napr. za peniaze alebo ako súčasť nákupu), príjem by musela zdaniť hneď, hoci náklady na poskytnutie odmien (napr. káva zadarmo) by mohla odpočítať až v momente, keď zákazník body využije. To vytvára cashflow nesúlad, pretože daň platíte skôr, než reálne "stratíte" peniaze na odmenu. - Zložité rezervy: Musela by odhadovať, koľko bodov sa využije, a vytvárať účtovné rezervy, čo je administratívne náročné a vyžaduje drahých účtovníkov alebo softvér. - Riziko chýb: Nesprávne odhady breakage rate alebo zlý manažment záväzkov môžu viesť k daňovým kontrolám a pokutám.

S Shopify sa tieto problémy eliminujú – vy platíte len mesačný poplatok a transakčné fees, ktoré sú jednoducho účtované ako marketingové náklady. Shopify preberá celú zodpovednosť za správu bodov a záväzkov voči zákazníkom.

Prípadová štúdia: Vernostné body pre kaviareň (model 10 + 1 zadarmo)

Pozrime sa na konkrétny prípad malej kaviarne, ktorá ponúka klasický vernostný program typu "10 + 1 zadarmo". Zákazník dostane 1 bod za každú kúpenú kávu (napr. za €3) a po nazbieraní 10 bodov dostane jednu kávu zadarmo. Rozoberieme, ako to funguje účtovne, či ide o "promotional expense" a aký je rozdiel medzi in-house správou a použitím Shopify.

Ako funguje program "10 + 1 zadarmo"

• Získavanie bodov: Zákazník kúpi kávu za €3 a dostane 1 bod (napr. pečiatku na kartičku alebo digitálny záznam). Body nemajú peňažnú hodnotu na predaj – sú čisto odmenou za nákup.
• Využitie bodov: Po nazbieraní 10 bodov (čo znamená nákupy za €30) zákazník dostane kávu zadarmo (hodnota €3).
• Reálny náklad pre kaviareň: Náklad na výrobu kávy zadarmo je nižší ako predajná cena, napr. €1,50 za suroviny a prácu.

Účtovné spracovanie (In-house)

Ak kaviareň spravuje program sama (in-house), účtovný proces závisí od toho, či používa cash accounting (bežné pre malé firmy) alebo accrual accounting: - Cash accounting: - Pri nákupe kávy zákazníkom: Kaviareň účtuje príjem €3 za každú kávu a vydá bloček. Bod (pečiatka) nemá peňažnú hodnotu, takže sa neúčtuje ako záväzok ani príjem. - Pri uplatnení 10 bodov: Keď zákazník dostane kávu zadarmo, nevzniká príjem (€0), ale vzniká náklad na výrobu kávy (€1,50). Tento náklad sa účtuje ako "Promotional expense" alebo "Marketing cost", pretože ide o formu zľavy alebo reklamy na udržanie zákazníka. - Daňový dopad: Žiadny príjem pri vydaní kávy zadarmo, náklad €1,50 je daňovo odpočítateľný ako bežný výdavok. - Accrual accounting (menej bežné pre malé firmy): - Pri nákupe kávy zákazníkom: Kaviareň účtuje príjem €3, ale zároveň vytvára malý záväzok na budúcu odmenu (napr. €0,30 za každý bod, čo je odhad nákladu na budúcu kávu zadarmo deleno 10). Teda z €3 príjmu je zdaniteľný príjem len €2,70. - Pri uplatnení 10 bodov: Keď zákazník dostane kávu zadarmo, kaviareň zníži záväzok o €3 (10 bodov x €0,30) a účtuje náklad €1,50 na výrobu kávy. Rozdiel môže byť upravený ako breakage alebo iný zisk, ak sa odhady líšia od reality. - Daňový dopad: Zdaniteľný príjem je nižší už pri prvom nákupe, ale účtovníctvo je zložitejšie kvôli odhadom a rezervám.

Je to Promotional Expense? Áno, v oboch prípadoch (cash aj accrual) sa náklad na kávu zadarmo účtuje ako "Promotional expense" alebo "Marketing cost", pretože ide o formu zľavy na podporu lojality zákazníkov. Nie je to považované za bežný predaj, pretože nevzniká príjem ani bloček.

Účtovné spracovanie (cez Shopify Loyalty)

Ak kaviareň používa Shopify Loyalty na správu programu "10 + 1 zadarmo", proces je jednoduchší: - Pri nákupe kávy zákazníkom: Kaviareň účtuje príjem €3 za kávu a vydá bloček. Shopify pripíše bod zákazníkovi do jeho účtu (nie je to váš záväzok, ale Shopify). - Pri uplatnení 10 bodov: Shopify pošle objednávku na vydanie kávy zadarmo. Kaviareň vydá kávu (náklad €1,50) a zaplatí Shopify transakčný poplatok (€0,20). Celkový náklad €1,70 sa účtuje ako "Promotional expense" alebo "Marketing cost". - Daňový dopad: Rovnako ako pri in-house, žiadny príjem pri vydaní kávy zadarmo, náklad €1,70 je daňovo odpočítateľný ako bežný výdavok. Navyše nemusíte riešiť žiadne záväzky alebo odhady breakage, pretože body spravuje Shopify.

Rozdiel medzi In-house a Shopify

• In-house:
• Výhody: Plná kontrola nad programom, žiadne mesačné poplatky tretej strane (napr. €29 Shopify fee).
• Nevýhody: Ak použijete accrual accounting, musíte vytvárať rezervy a odhadovať breakage, čo je administratívne náročné. Pri cash accounting je to jednoduchšie (žiadne záväzky), ale ak by ste body predávali za peniaze, vzniká daňový nesúlad (príjem zdanený hneď, náklad až neskôr). Navyše musíte sami spravovať databázu bodov (pečiatky, softvér), čo je časovo náročné.
• Shopify Loyalty:
• Výhody: Žiadne záväzky vo vašej účtovnej knihe, Shopify spravuje body a technológiu. Účtovne je to jednoduché – len mesačný poplatok (€29) a transakčné poplatky (€0,20) ako marketingový náklad. Nemusíte riešiť odhady ani breakage.
• Nevýhody: Platíte mesačné poplatky a transakčné fees, čo zvyšuje náklady (napr. €0,20 navyše za každú kávu zadarmo). Máte menšiu kontrolu nad programom, pretože ho spravuje tretia strana.

Záver pre kaviareň: Program "10 + 1 zadarmo" je účtovne považovaný za Promotional expense v oboch prípadoch (in-house aj Shopify), pretože káva zadarmo je forma marketingu na udržanie zákazníkov. Rozdiel je v administratívnej záťaži a nákladoch – Shopify zjednodušuje účtovníctvo a správu, ale za cenu mesačných poplatkov. In-house je lacnejšie, ale náročnejšie na správu, najmä ak by ste chceli používať accrual accounting alebo predávať body za peniaze.

Záver

Vernostné programy sú sofistikovaný nástroj zákazníckej lojality, ale ich účtovné a daňové aspekty sa výrazne líšia medzi veľkými a malými firmami. Veľké korporácie využívajú accrual accounting a medzinárodné štruktúry na optimalizáciu daní, zatiaľ čo pre malé biznisy sú často výhodnejšie alternatívne modely ako gift cards alebo outsourcing celého programu, ktoré eliminujú daňové a cashflow problémy. Gift cards navyše prinášajú okamžitý cash flow, časovú hodnotu peňazí a breakage benefit, čo z nich robí ideálny nástroj pre podniky všetkých veľkostí. Shopify Loyalty ponúka malým firmám spôsob, ako implementovať vernostný program bez účtovných komplikácií, pretože preberá technickú a právnu zodpovednosť, čím umožňuje sústrediť sa na core biznis. Pre jednoduché programy ako "10 + 1 zadarmo" je účtovný dopad podobný (Promotional expense), ale Shopify zjednodušuje správu za cenu dodatočných poplatkov.

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@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

Palantir Is Violating Its Own Principles by Avoiding a Bitcoin Treasury

Palantir exists to see what others miss.

It was founded to solve problems most institutions can’t even name—defending sovereignty, navigating adversarial environments, and building systems designed to endure when others fail. Its software doesn’t just process data; it helps governments and institutions anticipate instability before it strikes.

But for all its strategic foresight, Palantir has yet to adopt a Bitcoin treasury strategy—a move that would bring its capital posture in line with its mission.

With more than $2.1 billion in cash, minimal debt, and few reinvestments, Palantir has the resources to lead—but no capital signal that matches its stated principles. In a world increasingly defined by currency debasement, centralized overreach, and geopolitical fragmentation, sitting on fiat is not neutrality. It’s a contradiction.

Palantir without a Bitcoin treasury isn’t just incomplete—it’s incoherent.

A Company Built for Strategic Foresight Should Not Be Saving in a Failing System

Over the last four years, Palantir has grown steadily:

• $1.09B → $1.54B → $1.91B → $2.23B in annual revenue
• Over $700M in free cash flow
• Just ~$239M in debt
• $2.1B in cash and equivalents

It’s a fortress balance sheet. But a fortress built on fiat is only as strong as the system it rests on.

Palantir has made no meaningful acquisitions, issued no dividends, and offers no capital return strategy beyond heavy stock-based compensation. This isn’t capital discipline—it’s strategic inertia. The company builds wartime software but saves like a peacetime conglomerate.

A Bitcoin Treasury Would Align Palantir’s Capital With Its Conviction

Palantir’s mission is to defend sovereignty and build for adversarial conditions. Bitcoin is the only monetary asset designed to do the same.

• Non-sovereign: Bitcoin is not issued or controlled by any state.
• Resilient: It has survived censorship attempts, geopolitical attacks, and financial panics.
• Transparent: It is auditable, predictable, and trustless—everything the fiat system is not.
• Aligned: Bitcoin reflects the same values Palantir claims—autonomy, resilience, and long-range thinking.

If Palantir allocated even half of its cash reserves (~$1.05B), it could acquire 10,000+ BTC. That would place it among the top 10 corporate Bitcoin holders, alongside Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy), Tesla, and Coinbase.

But this isn’t about optics. It’s about aligning capital with purpose.

Palantir Without a Bitcoin Treasury Violates Its Own Principles

Palantir outlines a clear ethical and design philosophy for its software. But those same principles expose a contradiction on its balance sheet.

Let’s break it down:

“Systems should incorporate principles of privacy by design.”

➤ Bitcoin is privacy by design. It enables global value transfer without third-party surveillance or control.
➤ Fiat is surveillance by design. Centralized systems track, censor, and report user behavior by default.

By holding fiat, Palantir passively supports a financial architecture it claims to resist. A Bitcoin treasury would align its capital with its engineering ethics.

“Systems must facilitate accountability and oversight.”

➤ Bitcoin is radically transparent—anyone can audit supply, transactions, and ownership logic.
➤ Fiat operates in shadows—driven by opaque policy, insider bailouts, and political discretion.

Palantir demands accountability in data infrastructure—its capital reserves should meet the same standard.

“We strive to contextualize major world problems.”

➤ The instability of fiat currency and global debt markets is a foundational context.
➤ Bitcoin is not a bet—it’s a contextual response to structural monetary decay.

If Palantir exists to anticipate future risk, it should reflect that awareness on its balance sheet.

This Isn’t a Pivot. It’s Alignment.

Adopting a Bitcoin treasury wouldn’t mark a shift in Palantir’s mission—it would reinforce it.

This isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about applying the same principles that define Palantir’s software—resilience, sovereignty, and long-term thinking—to its balance sheet. Bitcoin reflects those values more directly than any fiat currency can.

Palantir helps its clients prepare for instability. It secures borders, systems, and decision-making frameworks under pressure. But it hasn’t secured its own monetary foundation.

That’s a strategic gap.
That’s a contradiction.
And it’s one the company can resolve—decisively.

The Call to Action

Palantir’s shareholders believe in its conviction. They understand the company is not here to follow. It exists to build first, move first, and signal first.

They are not looking for fiat-era conservatism repackaged as capital discipline. They want strategy that matches the scale of the mission. They want to see the company allocate capital with the same clarity it brings to battlefield intelligence and national infrastructure.

Palantir has the foresight, the liquidity, and the philosophical grounding to act. What it needs is the will to align its reserves with its reason for existing.

A Bitcoin treasury would do more than protect value—it would prove Palantir means what it says.

It’s time to move from rhetoric to action.
It’s time to adopt a Bitcoin treasury strategy.

Disclaimer: This content was written on behalf of Bitcoin For Corporations. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Bitcoin For Corporations. This article is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as an invitation or solicitation to acquire, purchase, or subscribe for securities.

This post Palantir Is Violating Its Own Principles by Avoiding a Bitcoin Treasury first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Nick Ward.

@ 318ebaba:9a262eae

When connecting to multiple relays in the Nostr protocol, users may encounter several challenges that can affect their overall experience. Here are some of the key issues:

Challenges of Connecting to Multiple Relays

• Performance Issues: The lightweight design of Nostr relays can lead to performance bottlenecks, especially when many users are connected simultaneously. This can result in slow message delivery or even failures in posting messages if the relays are overwhelmed[1][2][32].

• Reliability and Connectivity: Users may experience connectivity problems with certain relays, which can lead to inconsistent access to messages or delays in communication. If a relay goes offline or has connectivity issues, it can disrupt the flow of information, making it difficult for users to send or receive messages reliably[3][4][18].

• Data Synchronization: As users connect to multiple relays, ensuring that data is synchronized across these relays can be challenging. Inconsistent data states may arise if different relays store messages differently or if there are delays in message propagation. This can lead to confusion about which messages have been sent or received[7][41].

• Configuration Complexity: Managing connections to multiple relays requires a certain level of technical knowledge. Users need to configure their clients properly to connect to various relays, which can be daunting for those less familiar with the technology. Misconfigurations can lead to connection failures or suboptimal performance[4][21].

• Spam and Quality Control: With the open nature of Nostr, some relays may be more susceptible to spam or low-quality content. Users connecting to multiple relays might encounter a higher volume of irrelevant or unwanted messages, which can detract from the overall user experience[6][32].

• Security Concerns: When using multiple relays, users must be cautious about the security of their connections. Not all relays may implement the same level of security, and connecting to less secure relays could expose users to risks such as data interception or unauthorized access to their messages[26][27].

In summary, while connecting to multiple relays in Nostr offers benefits such as redundancy and improved access to information, users must navigate various challenges related to performance, reliability, configuration, and security. Addressing these issues is crucial for a smooth and effective experience on the Nostr network.

[1] https://forum.dfinity.org/t/introducing-replicatr-enhancing-nostr-with-internet-computer-integration/31861 [2] https://medium.com/coinmonks/a-deep-dive-into-nostr-clients-with-technical-insights-and-code-snippets-b1666bb11fac [3] nostr:nevent1qqsfvjvg73wxdn7mda28m704r2zv9lnzlcdgh8r0g52lfvy2wj7uw4czyq32rylmsmre84lhxdypy6jlu4dt3fxfwkq9a0p0lqdl9y8hsp0hur4fuw4 [4] https://www.reddit.com/r/nostr/comments/1e6nm68/new_nostream_relay_created_problems_with_publish/ [5] https://www.lynalden.com/the-power-of-nostr/ [6] https://bitcoinmagazine.com/technical/how-nostr-can-improve-bitcoin-privacy [7] https://barelybuggy.blog/2024/11/26/mostr-offline/ [8] https://github.com/scsibug/nostr-rs-relay/issues/126 [9] https://community.umbrel.com/t/nostr-relay-troubleshooting/17828 [10] https://research.dorahacks.io/2024/04/30/nostr-relay-incentive/ [11] https://community.start9.com/t/issue-confirming-nostr-relay/1682 [12] https://arxiv.org/html/2402.05709v1 [13] https://community.umbrel.com/t/nostr-relay-not-connecting/11401 [14] https://www.purplerelay.com/troubleshooting-common-issues-with-nostr-relay-server-a-users-guide/ [15] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35694029 [16] https://substack.com/home/post/p-158872714?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web [17] https://stacker.news/items/142013 [18] https://www.reddit.com/r/nostr/comments/1h6admk/are_these_relays_working/ [19] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33746360 [20] https://github.com/scsibug/nostr-rs-relay/issues/195 [21] https://www.purplerelay.com/how-to-run-a-nostr-relay-a-step-by-step-guide/ [22] https://denostr.medium.com/the-future-of-social-communication-nostrs-origins-and-the-next-destination-in-social-networking-27f0c901d7ae [23] nostr:nevent1qqsqwklh29cvf3z0skhh77xyqf3m53xkppcttf3c8nuc2jqteulfx0czyqcgr7epv9hha2v9afp99l5wl0ljna0zum59fzyhl9v8pgv5xlhf5ava642 [24] https://www.reddit.com/r/nostr/comments/15fyr6r/pervasive_private_key_sharing_seems_dangerous/ [25] https://whtwnd.com/agoracitizen.network/3l2fysaripd2q [26] https://ron.stoner.com/nostr_Security_and_Privacy/ [27] https://forums.puri.sm/t/about-what-is-nostr/20764 [28] https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/issues/107 [29] https://medium.com/@volodymyrpavlyshyn/security-features-of-nostr-a0276a22e815 [30] nostr:nevent1qqspd8fh3tplxtfhjpka3y3glzh63v3ygsdhacyq8dvyrnxtvl09lpczyr2v7dprke9lad2qk0svug55vxguqv7n3dwn9vm63u8n5n84znxjxedjf6c [31] nostr:nevent1qqs8e2su6n8m2xtg45qdjw7rdcq6w3g5guvt085h52qhg25wxn755sczyrh26kg89z95jqaz4xkex7kaw2t36twtc75vmrfx2k3p3jqvhfa8vzan82f [32] https://www.cointribune.com/en/nostr-et-la-censure-pourquoi-un-reseau-social-decentralise-est-essentiel-2/ [33] nostr:nevent1qqsv86d756zcw32x0zcvqmr924y5sltvwqud0dywny83ndee30zzrmczyrh26kg89z95jqaz4xkex7kaw2t36twtc75vmrfx2k3p3jqvhfa8vwpfv29 [34] https://github.com/nbd-wtf/nostr-tools/issues [35] https://www.voltage.cloud/blog/the-growth-of-nostr-the-era-of-decentralization [36] https://medium.com/@BingVentures/status-quo-challenges-and-prospect-of-decentralized-social-networks-18f9584f2e8d [37] https://www.reddit.com/r/RedditAlternatives/comments/14s8ao4/greetings_im_here_to_tell_you_about_nostr_a/ [38] https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/nostr-the-importance-of-censorship-resistant-communication-for-innovation-and-human-progress- [39] https://github.com/mayneyao/eidos/issues/129 [40] https://www.reddit.com/r/nostr/comments/115a8et/data_duplication_and_distribution_in_nostr_relays/ [41] https://github.com/open-nostr/nostar [42] nostr:nevent1qqsryg8zuc9rdwldat385al24mdt56wanc6g6hfymy8l9tgtmzsc4nspzemhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuurjd9kkzmpwdejhg85cx73 [43] https://ckbcn.xlog.app/Nostr-sheng-tai-fa-zhan-xian-zhuang-ji-wen-ti?locale=en [44] nostr:naddr1qqc92mnvda3kk6twvuk5ummnw3ez6ued2phhgetww35kzmpdwa5hg6pdfehhgetyv43kktt08p5hscnkqgsr7acdvhf6we9fch94qwhpy0nza36e3tgrtkpku25ppuu80f69kfqrqsqqqa28aknkml

@ cae03c48:2a7d6671

Bitcoin Magazine

Mapping Bitcoin’s Bull Cycle Potential

Bitcoin’s Market Value to Realized Value, or MVRV ratio, remains one of the most reliable on-chain indicators for identifying local and macro tops and bottoms across every BTC cycle. By isolating data across different investor cohorts and adapting historical benchmarks to modern market conditions, we can generate more accurate insights into where Bitcoin may be headed next.

The Bitcoin MVRV Ratio

The MVRV Ratio compares Bitcoin’s market price to its realized price, essentially the average cost basis for all coins in the network. As of writing, BTC trades around $105,000 while the realized price floats near $47,000, putting the raw MVRV at 2.26. The Z-Score version of MVRV standardizes this ratio based on historical volatility, enabling clearer comparisons across different market cycles.

Figure 1: Historically, the MVRV Ratio and the MVRV Z-Score have accurately identified cycle peaks and bottoms. View Live Chart

Short-Term Holders

Short-term holders, defined as those holding Bitcoin for 155 days or less, currently have a realized price near $97,000. This metric often acts as dynamic support in bull markets and resistance in bear markets. Notably, when the Short Term Holder MVRV hits 1.33, local tops have historically occurred, as seen several times in both the 2017 and 2021 cycles. So far in the current cycle, this threshold has already been touched four times, each followed by modest retracements.

Figure 2: Short Term Holder MVRV reaching 1.33 in more recent cycles has aligned with local tops. View Live Chart

Long-Term Holders

Long-term holders, who’ve held BTC for more than 155 days, currently have an average cost basis of just $33,500, putting their MVRV at 3.11. Historically, Long Term Holder MVRV values have reached as high as 12 during major peaks. That said, we’re observing a trend of diminishing multiples each cycle.

Figure 3: Achieving a Long Term Holder MVRV value of 8 could extrapolate to a BTC price in excess of $300,000. View Live Chart

A key resistance band now sits between 7.5 and 8.5, a zone that has defined bull tops and pre-bear retracements in every cycle since 2011. If the current growth of the realized price ($40/day) continues for another 140–150 days, matching previous cycle lengths, we could see it reach somewhere in the region of $40,000. A peak MVRV of 8 would imply a price near $320,000.

A Smarter Market Compass

Unlike static all-time metrics, the 2-Year Rolling MVRV Z-Score adapts to evolving market dynamics. By recalculating average extremes over a rolling window, it smooths out Bitcoin’s natural volatility decay as it matures. Historically, this version has signaled overbought conditions when reaching levels above 3, and prime accumulation zones when dipping below -1. Currently sitting under 1, this metric suggests that substantial upside remains.

Figure 4: The current 2-Year Rolling MVRV Z-Score suggests more positive price action ahead. View Live Chart

Timing & Targets

A view of the BTC Growth Since Cycle Lows chart illustrates that BTC is now approximately 925 days removed from its last major cycle low. Historical comparisons to previous bull markets suggest we may be around 140 to 150 days away from a potential top, with both the 2017 and 2021 peaks occurring around 1,060 to 1,070 days after their respective lows. While not deterministic, this alignment reinforces the broader picture of where we are in the cycle. If realized price trends and MVRV thresholds continue on current trajectories, late Q3 to early Q4 2025 may bring final euphoric moves.

Figure 5: Will the current cycle continue to exhibit growth patterns similar to those of the previous two cycles? View Live Chart

Conclusion

The MVRV ratio and its derivatives remain essential tools for analyzing Bitcoin market behavior, providing clear markers for both accumulation and distribution. Whether observing short-term holders hovering near local top thresholds, long-term holders nearing historically significant resistance zones, or adaptive metrics like the 2-Year Rolling MVRV Z-Score signaling plenty of runway left, these data points should be used in confluence.

No single metric should be relied upon to predict tops or bottoms in isolation, but taken together, they offer a powerful lens through which to interpret the macro trend. As the market matures and volatility declines, adaptive metrics will become even more crucial in staying ahead of the curve.

For more deep-dive research, technical indicators, real-time market alerts, and access to a growing community of analysts, visit BitcoinMagazinePro.com.

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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Always do your own research before making any investment decisions.

This post Mapping Bitcoin’s Bull Cycle Potential first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Matt Crosby.

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

Big day for me today: - @k00b convinced me to try OMAD. I did eat more than once today, but it was all within a four hour period. I'll try to tighten that up further tomorrow. - @gnilma and @398ja convinced me to try a cold shower. I eased into it, by starting it warm and gradually turning down the temperature. That was totally manageable.

How did you do today? What do you need to work on tomorrow?

https://stacker.news/items/1001161

@ 866e0139:6a9334e5

Autor: John J. Mearsheimer. Dieser Beitrag wurde mit dem Pareto-Client geschrieben und erschien zuerst auf dem Blog des Autors. Sie finden alle Texte der Friedenstaube und weitere Texte zum Thema Frieden hier.**

Die neuesten Pareto-Artikel finden Sie 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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Die Frage, wer für den Krieg in der Ukraine verantwortlich ist, ist seit dem Einmarsch Russlands in die Ukraine am 24. Februar 2022 ein sehr umstrittenes Thema.Die Antwort auf diese Frage ist von enormer Bedeutung, denn der Krieg war aus verschiedenen Gründen eine Katastrophe, von denen die wichtigste darin besteht, dass die Ukraine praktisch zerstört wurde. Sie hat einen beträchtlichen Teil ihres Territoriums verloren und wird wahrscheinlich noch mehr verlieren, ihre Wirtschaft liegt in Trümmern, eine riesige Zahl von Ukrainern wurde intern vertrieben oder ist aus dem Land geflohen, und sie hat Hunderttausende von Opfern zu beklagen. Natürlich hat auch Russland einen hohen Blutzoll gezahlt. Auf strategischer Ebene sind die Beziehungen zwischen Russland und Europa, ganz zu schweigen von Russland und der Ukraine, auf absehbare Zeit vergiftet, was bedeutet, dass die Gefahr eines größeren Krieges in Europa auch dann noch bestehen wird, wenn der Krieg in der Ukraine zu einem eingefrorenen Konflikt wird. Wer die Verantwortung für diese Katastrophe trägt, ist eine Frage, die nicht so schnell verschwinden wird, sondern eher noch an Bedeutung gewinnen dürfte, je mehr Menschen das Ausmaß der Katastrophe bewusst wird.

Die gängige Meinung im Westen ist, dass Wladimir Putin für den Krieg in der Ukraine verantwortlich sei. Die Invasion habe darauf abgezielt, die gesamte Ukraine zu erobern und sie zu einem Teil eines größeren Russlands zu machen, so die Argumentation. Sobald dieses Ziel erreicht sei, würden die Russen ein Imperium in Osteuropa errichten, ähnlich wie es die Sowjetunion nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg getan habe. Daher stelle Putin letztlich eine Bedrohung für den Westen dar, der man mit aller Macht begegnen müsse. Kurz gesagt, Putin ist ein Imperialist mit einem Masterplan, der sich nahtlos in die reiche russische Tradition einfügt.

Das alternative Argument, mit dem ich mich identifiziere und das im Westen eindeutig in der Minderheit ist, lautet, dass die Vereinigten Staaten und ihre Verbündeten den Krieg provoziert haben. Damit soll natürlich nicht geleugnet werden, dass Russland in die Ukraine einmarschiert ist und den Krieg begonnen hat. Die Hauptursache des Konflikts ist jedoch der NATO-Beschluss, die Ukraine in das Bündnis aufzunehmen, was praktisch alle russischen Führer als existenzielle Bedrohung ansehen, die beseitigt werden muss. Die NATO-Erweiterung ist jedoch Teil einer umfassenderen Strategie, die darauf abzielt, die Ukraine zu einem westlichen Bollwerk an Russlands Grenze zu machen. Ein Beitritt Kiews zur Europäischen Union (EU) und die Förderung einer farbigen Revolution in der Ukraine – die Umwandlung des Landes in eine prowestliche liberale Demokratie – sind die beiden anderen Säulen dieser Politik. Die russische Führung fürchtet alle drei Bereiche, aber am meisten fürchtet sie die NATO-Erweiterung. Um dieser Bedrohung zu begegnen, hat Russland am 24. Februar 2022 einen Präventivkrieg begonnen.

Die Debatte darüber, wer den Ukraine-Krieg verursacht hat, ist kürzlich aufgeflammt, als zwei prominente westliche Politiker – der ehemalige US-Präsident Donald Trump und der prominente britische Abgeordnete Nigel Farage – das Argument vorbrachten, dass die NATO-Erweiterung die treibende Kraft hinter dem Konflikt sei. Es überrascht nicht, dass ihre Äußerungen von den Verfechtern der konventionellen Meinung mit einem heftigen Gegenangriff beantwortet wurden. Es ist auch erwähnenswert, dass der scheidende NATO-Generalsekretär Jens Stoltenberg im vergangenen Jahr zweimal sagte, dass „Präsident Putin diesen Krieg begonnen hat, weil er die Tür der NATO schließen und der Ukraine das Recht verweigern wollte, ihren eigenen Weg zu wählen“. Kaum jemand im Westen hat dieses bemerkenswerte Eingeständnis des NATO-Chefs in Frage gestellt, und er hat es auch nicht zurückgezogen.

Mein Ziel ist es, einen Überblick über die wichtigsten Punkte zu geben, die die Ansicht stützen, dass Putin nicht in die Ukraine einmarschiert ist, weil er ein Imperialist ist, der die Ukraine zu einem Teil eines größeren Russlands machen will, sondern vor allem wegen der NATO-Erweiterung und der Bemühungen des Westens, die Ukraine zu einer westlichen Hochburg an der Grenze Russlands zu machen.

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DIE FRIEDENSTAUBE FLIEGT AUCH IN IHR POSTFACH!

In Kürze folgt eine Mail an alle Genossenschafter, danke für die Geduld und das Verständnis!

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.

Lassen Sie mich mit den sieben wichtigsten Gründen für die Ablehnung der herkömmlichen Meinung beginnen.

ERSTENS gibt es schlicht und ergreifend keine Beweise aus der Zeit vor dem 24. Februar 2022, dass Putin die Ukraine erobern und in Russland eingliedern wollte. Vertreter der gängigen Meinung können keine Schriftstücke oder Aussagen von Putin nennen, die darauf hindeuten, dass er die Ukraine erobern wollte.

Wenn man sie zu diesem Punkt befragt, liefern die Verfechter der konventionellen Meinung Hinweise, die wenig oder gar nichts mit Putins Motiven für die Invasion der Ukraine zu tun haben. Einige betonen zum Beispiel, dass er sagte, die Ukraine sei ein „künstlicher Staat“ oder kein „echter Staat“. Solche undurchsichtigen Äußerungen sagen jedoch nichts über die Gründe für seinen Kriegseintritt aus. Dasselbe gilt für Putins Aussage, er betrachte Russen und Ukrainer als „ein Volk“ mit einer gemeinsamen Geschichte. Andere weisen darauf hin, dass er den Zusammenbruch der Sowjetunion als „die größte geopolitische Katastrophe des Jahrhunderts“ bezeichnete. Aber Putin sagte auch: „Wer die Sowjetunion nicht vermisst, hat kein Herz. Wer sie zurückhaben will, hat kein Hirn.“ Andere wiederum verweisen auf eine Rede, in der er erklärte: „Die moderne Ukraine wurde vollständig von Russland geschaffen, genauer gesagt, vom bolschewistischen, kommunistischen Russland.“ Aber das ist kaum ein Beweis dafür, dass er an der Eroberung der Ukraine interessiert war. Außerdem sagte er in der gleichen Rede: „Natürlich können wir die Ereignisse der Vergangenheit nicht ändern, aber wir müssen sie zumindest offen und ehrlich zugeben.“

Um zu beweisen, dass Putin die gesamte Ukraine erobern und Russland einverleiben wollte, muss man nachweisen, dass er 1) dieses Ziel für erstrebenswert hielt, 2) es für machbar hielt und 3) die Absicht hatte, dieses Ziel zu verfolgen. Es gibt in den öffentlichen Aufzeichnungen keine Beweise dafür, dass Putin erwog, geschweige denn beabsichtigte, die Ukraine als unabhängigen Staat zu beenden und sie zu einem Teil Großrusslands zu machen, als er am 24. Februar 2022 seine Truppen in die Ukraine schickte.

Tatsächlich gibt es erhebliche Beweise dafür, dass Putin die Ukraine als unabhängiges Land anerkannte. In seinem bekannten Artikel vom 12. Juli 2021 über die russisch-ukrainischen Beziehungen, der von Befürwortern der konventionellen Meinung oft als Beweis für seine imperialen Ambitionen angeführt wird, sagt er dem ukrainischen Volk: „Ihr wollt einen eigenen Staat gründen: Ihr seid willkommen!“ Zur Frage, wie Russland die Ukraine behandeln sollte, schreibt er: „Es gibt nur eine Antwort: mit Respekt.“ Er schließt seinen langen Artikel mit den folgenden Worten ab: „Und wie die Ukraine aussehen wird – das müssen ihre Bürger entscheiden.“ Diese Aussagen stehen im direkten Widerspruch zu der Behauptung, Putin wolle die Ukraine in ein größeres Russland eingliedern.

In demselben Artikel vom 12. Juli 2021 und erneut in einer wichtigen Rede am 21. Februar 2022 betonte Putin, dass Russland „die neue geopolitische Realität, die nach der Auflösung der UdSSR entstanden ist“, akzeptiere. Diesen Punkt wiederholte er ein drittes Mal am 24. Februar 2022, als er ankündigte, Russland werde in die Ukraine einmarschieren. Insbesondere erklärte er: „Wir haben nicht vor, ukrainisches Territorium zu besetzen“, und machte deutlich, dass er die ukrainische Souveränität respektiere, allerdings nur bis zu einem gewissen Punkt: „Russland kann sich nicht sicher fühlen, sich nicht entwickeln und nicht existieren, wenn es sich einer ständigen Bedrohung durch das Territorium der heutigen Ukraine ausgesetzt sieht.“ Das heißt, Putin war nicht daran interessiert, die Ukraine zu einem Teil Russlands zu machen, sondern er wollte sicherstellen, dass sie nicht zu einem „Sprungbrett“ für westliche Aggressionen gegen Russland wird.

ZWEITENS gibt es keinerlei Hinweise dafür, dass Putin eine Marionettenregierung für die Ukraine vorbereitete, in Kiew prorussische Führungspersönlichkeiten aufbaute oder irgendwelche politischen Maßnahmen verfolgte, die eine Besetzung des gesamten Landes und dessen letztendliche Eingliederung in Russland ermöglichen würden.

Diese Fakten widersprechen der Behauptung, Putin sei daran interessiert gewesen, die Ukraine von der Landkarte zu tilgen. 

**DRITTENS: Putin hatte nicht annähernd genug Truppen, um die Ukraine zu erobern. **

Beginnen wir mit den Gesamtzahlen. Ich schätze seit langem, dass die Russen mit höchstens 190.000 Soldaten in die Ukraine einmarschiert sind. General Oleksandr Syrskyi, der derzeitige Oberbefehlshaber der ukrainischen Streitkräfte, sagte kürzlich in einem Interview mit The Guardian, dass die russische Invasionstruppe nur 100.000 Mann stark war. The Guardian hatte diese Zahl bereits vor Beginn des Krieges genannt. Es ist unmöglich, dass eine Truppe von 100.000 oder 190.000 Mann die gesamte Ukraine erobern, besetzen und in ein Großrussland eingliedern könnte.

Bedenken Sie, dass die Wehrmacht beim deutschen Überfall auf die westliche Hälfte Polens im September 1939 etwa 1,5 Millionen Mann zählte. Die Ukraine ist geografisch mehr als dreimal so groß wie die westliche Hälfte Polens im Jahr 1939, und in der Ukraine leben im Jahr 2022 fast doppelt so viele Menschen wie in Polen zum Zeitpunkt des deutschen Überfalls. Wenn wir die Schätzung von General Syrskyi akzeptieren, dass 100.000 russische Truppen im Jahr 2022 in die Ukraine einmarschierten, bedeutet dies, dass Russland über eine Invasionsstreitmacht verfügte, die 1/15 der Größe der deutschen Streitkräfte war, die in Polen einmarschierten. Und diese kleine russische Armee marschierte in ein Land ein, das sowohl territorial als auch von der Bevölkerungszahl her viel größer war als Polen.

Abgesehen von den Zahlen stellt sich die Frage nach der Qualität der russischen Armee. Zunächst einmal handelte es sich um eine militärische Streitkraft, die in erster Linie dazu bestimmt war, Russland vor einer Invasion zu schützen. Es handelte sich nicht um eine Armee, die für eine Großoffensive zur Eroberung der gesamten Ukraine, geschweige denn zur Bedrohung des übrigen Europas, gerüstet war. Außerdem ließ die Qualität der Kampftruppen zu wünschen übrig, da die Russen nicht mit einem Krieg rechneten, als sich die Krise im Frühjahr 2021 zuzuspitzen begann. Daher hatten sie kaum Gelegenheit, eine qualifizierte Invasionstruppe auszubilden. Sowohl qualitativ als auch quantitativ war die russische Invasionstruppe nicht annähernd mit der deutschen Wehrmacht der späten 1930er und frühen 1940er Jahre vergleichbar.

Man könnte argumentieren, dass die russische Führung dachte, das ukrainische Militär sei so klein und so unterlegen, dass ihre Armee die ukrainischen Streitkräfte leicht besiegen und das ganze Land erobern könnte. Tatsächlich wussten Putin und seine Leutnants sehr wohl, dass die Vereinigten Staaten und ihre europäischen Verbündeten das ukrainische Militär seit Ausbruch der Krise am 22. Februar 2014 bewaffnet und ausgebildet hatten. Die große Befürchtung Moskaus war, dass die Ukraine de facto Mitglied der NATO werden würde. Außerdem beobachteten die russischen Führer, wie die ukrainische Armee, die größer war als ihre Invasionstruppen, zwischen 2014 und 2022 im Donbass erfolgreich kämpfte. Ihnen war sicherlich klar, dass das ukrainische Militär kein Papiertiger war, der schnell und entschlossen besiegt werden konnte, zumal es über eine starke Rückendeckung durch den Westen verfügte.

Schließlich waren die Russen im Laufe des Jahres 2022 gezwungen, ihre Armee aus der Oblast Charkiw und aus dem westlichen Teil der Oblast Cherson abzuziehen. Damit gab Moskau Gebiete auf, die seine Armee in den ersten Tagen des Krieges erobert hatte. Es steht außer Frage, dass der Druck der ukrainischen Armee eine Rolle dabei spielte, den russischen Rückzug zu erzwingen. Vor allem aber erkannten Putin und seine Generäle, dass sie nicht über genügend Kräfte verfügten, um das gesamte Gebiet, das ihre Armee in Charkiw und Cherson erobert hatte, zu halten. Also zogen sie sich zurück und schufen besser kontrollierbare Verteidigungspositionen. Dies ist kaum das Verhalten, das man von einer Armee erwarten würde, die aufgebaut und ausgebildet wurde, um die gesamte Ukraine zu erobern und zu besetzen. Tatsächlich war sie für diesen Zweck nicht konzipiert und konnte daher diese Herkulesaufgabe nicht bewältigen.

VIERTENS: In den Monaten vor Kriegsbeginn versuchte Putin, eine diplomatische Lösung für die sich anbahnende Krise zu finden.

Am 17. Dezember 2021 sandte Putin ein Schreiben an Präsident Joe Biden und NATO-Chef Stoltenberg, in dem er eine Lösung der Krise auf der Grundlage einer schriftlichen Garantie vorschlug, dass: 1) die Ukraine der NATO nicht beitreten würde, 2) keine Angriffswaffen in der Nähe der russischen Grenzen stationiert würden und 3) die seit 1997 nach Osteuropa verlegten NATO-Truppen und -Ausrüstung nach Westeuropa zurückverlegt würden. Was auch immer man von der Machbarkeit einer Einigung auf der Grundlage von Putins Eröffnungsforderungen halten mag, über die die Vereinigten Staaten keine Verhandlungen führen wollten, es zeigt, dass er versuchte, einen Krieg zu vermeiden.

FÜNFTENS: Unmittelbar nach Beginn des Krieges hat Russland der Ukraine die Hand gereicht, um Verhandlungen zur Beendigung des Krieges und zur Ausarbeitung eines Modus Vivendi zwischen den beiden Ländern aufzunehmen.

Die Verhandlungen zwischen Kiew und Moskau begannen in Weißrussland nur vier Tage nach dem Einmarsch russischer Truppen in die Ukraine. Diese weißrussische Schiene wurde schließlich durch eine israelische und eine Istanbuler Schiene ersetzt. Alle verfügbaren Beweise deuten darauf hin, dass Russland ernsthaft verhandelte und nicht an der Übernahme ukrainischen Territoriums interessiert war, mit Ausnahme der Krim, die es 2014 annektiert hatte, und möglicherweise des Donbass. Die Verhandlungen endeten, als die Ukrainer auf Drängen Großbritanniens und der Vereinigten Staaten die Verhandlungen abbrachen, die zum Zeitpunkt ihrer Beendigung gute Fortschritte gemacht hatten.

Darüber hinaus berichtet Putin, dass er, als die Verhandlungen stattfanden und Fortschritte machten, gebeten wurde, als Geste des guten Willens die russischen Truppen aus dem Gebiet um Kiew abzuziehen, was er am 29. März 2022 tat. Keine westliche Regierung und kein ehemaliger Politiker hat diese Behauptung Putins angefochten, die in direktem Widerspruch zu seiner Behauptung steht, er wolle die gesamte Ukraine erobern.

SECHSTENS: Abgesehen von der Ukraine gibt es nicht den geringsten Hinweis darauf, dass Putin die Eroberung anderer osteuropäischer Länder ins Auge gefasst hat.

Außerdem ist die russische Armee nicht einmal groß genug, um die gesamte Ukraine zu überrennen, ganz zu schweigen von dem Versuch, die baltischen Staaten, Polen und Rumänien zu erobern. Außerdem sind alle diese Länder NATO-Mitglieder, was mit ziemlicher Sicherheit einen Krieg mit den Vereinigten Staaten und ihren Verbündeten bedeuten würde.

**SIEBTENS: Kaum jemand im Westen behauptete, Putin habe imperiale Ambitionen, seit er im Jahr 2000 die Macht übernahm, bis zum Beginn der Ukraine-Krise am 22. Februar 2014. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt wurde er plötzlich zum imperialen Aggressor. Warum? Weil die westlichen Staats- und Regierungschefs einen Grund brauchten, ihm die Schuld für die Krise zu geben. **

Der wohl beste Beweis dafür, dass Putin in den ersten vierzehn Jahren seiner Amtszeit nicht als ernsthafte Bedrohung angesehen wurde, ist die Tatsache, dass er auf dem NATO-Gipfel im April 2008 in Bukarest ein geladener Gast war, auf dem das Bündnis bekannt gab, dass die Ukraine und Georgien schließlich Mitglieder werden würden. Putin war natürlich erzürnd über diese Entscheidung und machte seinem Unmut Luft. Sein Widerstand gegen diese Ankündigung hatte jedoch kaum Auswirkungen auf Washington, da das russische Militär als zu schwach eingeschätzt wurde, um eine weitere NATO-Erweiterung zu verhindern, so wie es auch bei den Erweiterungswellen von 1999 und 2004 zu schwach gewesen war, um sie aufzuhalten. Der Westen glaubte, er könne Russland die NATO-Erweiterung noch einmal aufzwingen.

Außerdem war die NATO-Erweiterung vor dem 22. Februar 2014 nicht darauf ausgerichtet, Russland einzudämmen. Angesichts des traurigen Zustands der russischen Militärmacht war Moskau nicht in der Lage, die Ukraine zu erobern, geschweige denn eine revanchistische Politik in Osteuropa zu verfolgen. Der ehemalige US-Botschafter in Moskau, Michael McFaul, der ein entschiedener Verfechter der Ukraine und scharfer Kritiker Putins ist, stellt bezeichnenderweise fest, dass die Einnahme der Krim durch Russland im Jahr 2014 vor Ausbruch der Krise nicht geplant war; es war eine impulsive Reaktion auf den Putsch, der den prorussischen Führer der Ukraine stürzte. Kurz gesagt, die NATO-Erweiterung war nicht dazu gedacht, eine russische Bedrohung einzudämmen, weil der Westen nicht glaubte, dass es eine solche gab.

Erst als im Februar 2014 die Ukraine-Krise ausbrach, begannen die Vereinigten Staaten und ihre Verbündeten plötzlich, Putin als gefährlichen Führer mit imperialen Ambitionen und Russland als ernsthafte militärische Bedrohung zu beschreiben, die die NATO eindämmen müsse. Dieser abrupte Wechsel der Rhetorik sollte einem wesentlichen Zweck dienen: dem Westen die Möglichkeit zu geben, Putin für die Krise verantwortlich zu machen und den Westen von der Verantwortung freizusprechen. Es überrascht nicht, dass diese Darstellung Putins nach dem Einmarsch Russlands in die Ukraine am 24. Februar 2022 deutlich an Zugkraft gewann.

Eine Abweichung von der gängigen Meinung ist erwähnenswert. Einige argumentieren, dass die Entscheidung Moskaus, in die Ukraine einzumarschieren, wenig mit Putin selbst zu tun hat und stattdessen Teil einer expansionistischen Tradition ist, die lange vor Putin bestand und tief in der russischen Gesellschaft verwurzelt ist. Dieser Hang zur Aggression, der angeblich von inneren Kräften und nicht von Russlands äußerem Bedrohungsumfeld angetrieben wird, hat im Laufe der Zeit praktisch alle russischen Führer dazu gebracht, sich ihren Nachbarn gegenüber gewalttätig zu verhalten. Es lässt sich nicht leugnen, dass Putin in dieser Geschichte das Sagen hat oder dass er Russland in den Krieg geführt hat, aber es heißt, dass er wenig Einfluss hat. Fast jeder andere russische Führer hätte genauso gehandelt.

Es gibt zwei Probleme mit diesem Argument. Erstens ist es nicht widerlegbar, da der langjährige Charakterzug in der russischen Gesellschaft, der diesen aggressiven Impuls hervorrufe, nie identifiziert wurde. Es heißt, die Russen seien schon immer aggressiv gewesen – egal, wer an der Macht sei – und würden es auch immer sein. Es ist fast so, als ob es in ihrer DNA läge. Die gleiche Behauptung wurde einst über die Deutschen aufgestellt, die im zwanzigsten Jahrhundert oft als angeborene Aggressoren dargestellt wurden. Derartige Argumente werden in der akademischen Welt aus gutem Grund nicht ernst genommen.

Außerdem bezeichnete zwischen 1991 und 2014, als die Ukraine-Krise ausbrach, kaum jemand in den Vereinigten Staaten oder Westeuropa Russland als von Natur aus aggressiv. Außerhalb Polens und der baltischen Staaten wurde die Angst vor russischer Aggression in diesen 24 Jahren nicht häufig geäußert, was man erwarten würde, wenn die Russen zu Aggressionen veranlagt wären. Es scheint klar, dass das plötzliche Auftauchen dieser Argumentation eine bequeme Ausrede war, um Russland die Schuld für den Ukrainekrieg zu geben.  

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Lassen Sie mich einen anderen Gang einlegen und die DREI HAUPTGRÜNDE darlegen, die dafür sprechen, dass die NATO-Erweiterung die Hauptursache für den Ukraine-Krieg war.

**ERSTENS sagten russische Führer aller Art vor Kriegsbeginn wiederholt, dass sie die NATO-Erweiterung in die Ukraine als eine existenzielle Bedrohung betrachten, die beseitigt werden muss. **

Putin hat diese Argumentation bereits vor dem 24. Februar 2022 mehrfach öffentlich dargelegt. In einer Rede vor dem Vorstand des Verteidigungsministeriums am 21. Dezember 2021 erklärte er: „Was sie in der Ukraine tun oder versuchen oder planen, findet nicht Tausende von Kilometern entfernt von unserer Landesgrenze statt. Es geschieht direkt vor unserer Haustür. Sie müssen verstehen, dass wir uns einfach nirgendwo mehr hin zurückziehen können. Glauben sie wirklich, dass wir diese Bedrohungen nicht wahrnehmen? Oder glauben sie, dass wir tatenlos zusehen werden, wie Bedrohungen für Russland entstehen?“ Zwei Monate später, auf einer Pressekonferenz am 22. Februar 2022, nur wenige Tage vor Kriegsbeginn, sagte Putin: „Wir sind kategorisch gegen einen NATO-Beitritt der Ukraine, weil dies eine Bedrohung für uns darstellt, und wir haben Argumente, die dies unterstützen. Ich habe in diesem Saal wiederholt darüber gesprochen.“ Dann machte er deutlich, dass er begreift, dass die Ukraine ein Defacto-Mitglied der NATO werde. Die Vereinigten Staaten und ihre Verbündeten, sagte er, „pumpen die derzeitigen Kiewer Machthaber weiterhin mit modernen Waffentypen voll“. Er fuhr fort, dass Moskau, wenn dies nicht gestoppt werde, „mit einem bis an die Zähne bewaffneten 'Antirussland' dastehen würde. Das ist völlig inakzeptabel.“

Auch andere führende russische Politiker - darunter der Verteidigungsminister, der Außenminister, der stellvertretende Außenminister und der russische Botschafter in Washington - betonten die zentrale Bedeutung der NATO-Erweiterung als Auslöser der Ukraine-Krise. Außenminister Sergej Lawrow brachte es auf einer Pressekonferenz am 14. Januar 2022 auf den Punkt: „Der Schlüssel zu allem ist die Garantie, dass die NATO nicht nach Osten expandieren wird.“

Man hört oft das Argument, die russischen Befürchtungen seien unbegründet, weil es keine Chance gebe, dass die Ukraine dem Bündnis in absehbarer Zukunft beitreten würde, wenn überhaupt. Tatsächlich wird behauptet, die Vereinigten Staaten und ihre europäischen Verbündeten hätten der Aufnahme der Ukraine in die NATO vor dem Krieg wenig Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt. Aber selbst wenn die Ukraine dem Bündnis beitreten würde, wäre dies keine existenzielle Bedrohung für Russland, da die NATO ein Verteidigungsbündnis ist. Daher kann die NATO-Erweiterung weder eine Ursache der ursprünglichen Krise gewesen sein, die im Februar 2014 ausbrach, noch des Krieges, der im Februar 2022 begann. 

Diese Argumentation ist falsch. Tatsächlich bestand die westliche Reaktion auf die Ereignisse von 2014 darin, die bestehende Strategie zu verdoppeln und die Ukraine noch näher an die NATO heranzuführen. Das Bündnis begann 2014 mit der Ausbildung des ukrainischen Militärs und bildete in den folgenden acht Jahren durchschnittlich 10.000 Soldaten pro Jahr aus. Im Dezember 2017 beschloss die Trump-Regierung, Kiew mit „Verteidigungswaffen“ zu versorgen. Andere NATO-Länder zogen bald nach und lieferten noch mehr Waffen an die Ukraine. Darüber hinaus begannen die ukrainische Armee, Marine und Luftwaffe, an gemeinsamen Militärübungen mit NATO-Streitkräften teilzunehmen. Die Bemühungen des Westens, das ukrainische Militär zu bewaffnen und auszubilden, erklären zu einem großen Teil, warum es im ersten Kriegsjahr so ​​gut gegen die russische Armee abschnitt. Eine Schlagzeile im Wall Street Journal vom April 2022 lautete: „Das Geheimnis des militärischen Erfolgs der Ukraine: Jahrelange NATO-Ausbildung.“ 

Abgesehen von den laufenden Bemühungen des Bündnisses, das ukrainische Militär zu einer schlagkräftigeren Kampftruppe zu machen, die an der Seite der NATO-Truppen operieren kann, gab es im Westen im Laufe des Jahres 2021 eine neue Begeisterung für die Aufnahme der Ukraine in die NATO. Gleichzeitig vollzog Präsident Zelensky, der nie viel Enthusiasmus für eine Aufnahme der Ukraine in das Bündnis gezeigt hatte und im März 2019 auf der Grundlage einer Plattform gewählt wurde, die zur Zusammenarbeit mit Russland bei der Beilegung der anhaltenden Krise aufrief, Anfang 2021 einen Kurswechsel und befürwortete nicht nur die NATO-Mitgliedschaft der Ukraine, sondern vertrat auch eine harte Linie gegenüber Moskau.

Präsident Biden, der im Januar 2021 ins Weiße Haus einzog, hatte sich seit langem für die Aufnahme der Ukraine in die NATO eingesetzt und war ein Superfalke gegenüber Russland. Es überrascht nicht, dass die NATO am 14. Juni 2021 auf ihrem jährlichen Gipfel in Brüssel ein Kommuniqué herausgab, in dem es hieß: „Wir bekräftigen den auf dem Gipfel von Bukarest 2008 gefassten Beschluss, dass die Ukraine Mitglied des Bündnisses wird.“ Am 1. September 2021 besuchte Zelensky das Weiße Haus, wo Biden klarstellte, dass die Vereinigten Staaten „fest entschlossen“ seien, „die euro-atlantischen Bestrebungen der Ukraine zu unterstützen“. Am 10. November 2021 unterzeichneten Außenminister Antony Blinken und sein ukrainischer Amtskollege Dmytro Kuleba ein wichtiges Dokument - die „Charta der strategischen Partnerschaft zwischen den USA und der Ukraine“. Das Ziel beider Parteien, so heißt es in dem Dokument, ist es, „das Engagement für die Durchführung tiefgreifender und umfassender Reformen in der Ukraine zu unterstreichen, die für eine vollständige Integration in die europäischen und euro-atlantischen Institutionen erforderlich sind.“ Es bekräftigt auch ausdrücklich das Engagement der USA für die „Bukarester Gipfelerklärung von 2008“.

Es scheint kaum Zweifel daran zu geben, dass die Ukraine auf dem besten Weg war, bis Ende 2021 Mitglied der NATO zu werden. Dennoch argumentieren einige Befürworter dieser Politik, dass sich Moskau keine Sorgen über dieses Ergebnis hätte machen müssen, denn „die NATO ist ein Verteidigungsbündnis und stellt keine Bedrohung für Russland dar“. Aber das ist nicht die Meinung Putins und anderer russischer Politiker über die NATO, und es kommt darauf an, was sie denken. Kurz gesagt, es steht außer Frage, dass Moskau den Beitritt der Ukraine zur NATO als eine existenzielle Bedrohung ansah, die nicht hingenommen werden durfte.

ZWEITENS erkannte eine beträchtliche Anzahl einflussreicher und hoch angesehener Persönlichkeiten im Westen vor dem Krieg, dass die Expansion der NATO – insbesondere in die Ukraine – von der russischen Führung als tödliche Bedrohung angesehen werden und schließlich zur Katastrophe führen würde.

William Burns, der heute die CIA leitet („heute“ leitet John Ratcliffe die CIA, aktualisieren ODER am Anfang des Textes klarstellen, dass er schon älter ist ODER „heute“ streichen und „leitete“ statt „leitet“), aber zum Zeitpunkt des NATO-Gipfels in Bukarest im April 2008 US-Botschafter in Moskau war, verfasste ein Memo an die damalige Außenministerin Condoleezza Rice, in dem er die russischen Überlegungen zur Aufnahme der Ukraine in die Allianz prägnant beschreibt. „Der Beitritt der Ukraine zur NATO“, so schrieb er, „ist für die russische Elite (nicht nur für Putin) die klarste aller roten Linien. In den mehr als zweieinhalb Jahren, in denen ich Gespräche mit den wichtigsten russischen Akteuren geführt habe, von Scharfmachern in den dunklen Nischen des Kremls bis hin zu Putins schärfsten liberalen Kritikern, habe ich noch niemanden gefunden, der die Aufnahme der Ukraine in die NATO als etwas anderes betrachtet als eine direkte Herausforderung für die russischen Interessen.“ Die NATO, so sagte er, „würde als ein strategischer Fehdehandschuh angesehen werden. Das heutige Russland wird darauf reagieren. Die russisch-ukrainischen Beziehungen würden auf Eis gelegt ... Das würde einen fruchtbaren Boden für russische Einmischungen auf der Krim und in der Ostukraine schaffen.“

Burns war 2008 nicht der einzige westliche Entscheidungsträger, der erkannte, dass die Aufnahme der Ukraine in die NATO mit Gefahren verbunden war. Auf dem Bukarester Gipfel sprachen sich sowohl die deutsche Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel als auch der französische Präsident Nicolas Sarkozy gegen eine NATO-Mitgliedschaft der Ukraine aus, weil sie wussten, dass dies Russland alarmieren und verärgern würde. Merkel erklärte kürzlich ihre Ablehnung: „Ich war mir sehr sicher, ... dass Putin das nicht einfach zulassen wird. Aus seiner Sicht wäre das eine Kriegserklärung“.

Um noch einen Schritt weiter zu gehen: Zahlreiche amerikanische Politiker und Strategen sprachen sich in den 1990er Jahren gegen die Entscheidung von Präsident Clinton aus, die NATO zu erweitern, als diese Entscheidung noch zur Debatte stand. Diesen Gegnern war von Anfang an klar, dass die russische Führung darin eine Bedrohung ihrer lebenswichtigen Interessen sehen würde und dass diese Politik letztlich in eine Katastrophe münden würde. Die Liste der Gegner umfasst prominente Persönlichkeiten des Establishments wie George Kennan, sowohl Präsident Clintons Verteidigungsminister William Perry als auch seinen Vorsitzenden des Vereinigten Generalstabs, General John Shalikashvili, Paul Nitze, Robert Gates, Robert McNamara, Richard Pipes und Jack Matlock, um nur einige zu nennen.

Die Logik von Putins Position sollte für Amerikaner, die seit langem der Monroe-Doktrin verpflichtet sind, vollkommen verständlich sein. Diese besagt, dass keine entfernte Großmacht ein Bündnis mit einem Land in der westlichen Hemisphäre eingehen und ihre militärischen Streitkräfte dort stationieren darf. Die Vereinigten Staaten würden einen solchen Schritt als existenzielle Bedrohung auffassen und alles tun, um diese Gefahr zu beseitigen. Dies geschah natürlich auch während der Kubakrise 1962, als Präsident Kennedy den Sowjets klar machte, dass ihre Atomraketen aus Kuba abgezogen werden müssten. Putin ist zutiefst von derselben Logik beeinflusst. Schließlich wollen Großmächte nicht, dass sich entfernte Großmächte in ihrem Hinterhof ansiedeln.

DRITTENS: Die zentrale Bedeutung der tiefen Angst Russlands vor einem NATO-Beitritt der Ukraine wird durch zwei Entwicklungen seit Kriegsbeginn verdeutlicht.

Während der Istanbuler Verhandlungen, die unmittelbar nach Beginn der Invasion stattfanden, machten die Russen deutlich, dass die Ukraine eine „dauerhafte Neutralität“ akzeptieren müsse und der NATO nicht beitreten könne. Die Ukrainer akzeptierten die Forderung Russlands ohne ernsthaften Widerstand, sicherlich weil sie wussten, dass es sonst unmöglich wäre, den Krieg zu beenden. In jüngerer Zeit, am 14. Juni 2024, stellte Putin zwei Forderungen, die die Ukraine erfüllen müsse, bevor er einem Waffenstillstand und der Aufnahme von Verhandlungen zur Beendigung des Krieges zustimmen würde. Eine dieser Forderungen war, dass Kiew „offiziell“ erklärt, „dass es seine Pläne, der NATO beizutreten, aufgibt“.

Das alles ist nicht überraschend, denn Russland hat die Ukraine in der NATO immer als existenzielle Bedrohung gesehen, die um jeden Preis verhindert werden muss. Diese Logik ist die treibende Kraft hinter dem Ukraine-Krieg.

Schließlich ist aus der Verhandlungsposition Russlands in Istanbul sowie aus Putins Äußerungen zur Beendigung des Krieges in seiner Ansprache vom 14. Juni 2024 klar ersichtlich, dass er nicht daran interessiert ist, die gesamte Ukraine zu erobern und sie zu einem Teil eines größeren Russlands zu machen.

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John Joseph Mearsheimer (* 14. Dezember 1947 in Brooklyn, New York City) ist ein US-amerikanischer Politikwissenschaftler an der University of Chicago. Sein Schwerpunkt ist die Analyse internationaler Beziehungen aus der Perspektive des offensiven Neorealismus, den er erstmals 2001 in seiner Monografie The Tragedy of Great Power Politics darstellte.

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Dieser Text von John J. Mearsheimer erschien am 5.8.2024 auf Substack.Vielen Dank für die Genehmigung des Autors zum Abdruck der deutschen Übersetzung. Die Übersetzung wurde von Thomas Mayer erstellt. 

Neben der NATO-Osterweiterung gibt es weitere Faktoren die zum Ukraine-Krieg führten, zum Beispiel der Nationalismus in der Ukraine und die Unterdrückung der ethnisch-russischen Bevölkerung.

Ausführlich sind die vielschichtigen Hintergründe des Ukraine-Krieges geschildert in dem Buch von Thomas Mayer: Wahrheitssuche im Ukraine-Krieg – Um was es wirklich geht, 600 Seiten, ISBN 978-3-89060-863-1, Infos zum Buch: https://kurzelinks.de/h10a

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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/

@ 0c65eba8:4a08ef9a

Introduction: The Forked Path of Individualism

This essay seeks to restore the clarity of a forgotten truth: that freedom, if not earned and exercised responsibly, decays into license and collapse. The West has confused liberty with indulgence and rights with entitlements. By retracing the origins of responsible individualism and contrasting it with its parasitic inversion, we uncover a path forward, rooted not in nostalgia, but in natural law, reciprocity, and the moral architecture of sovereignty.

In the modern West, the term "individualism" evokes both the highest praise and the sharpest criticism. It is lionized as the source of innovation, liberty, and self-actualization, yet equally blamed for atomization, narcissism, and social decay. What explains this bifurcation? The answer lies not in individualism per se, but in the nature of its constraints.

This essay contrasts two forms of individualism: responsible and irresponsible. It shows how the West, unique among civilizations, successfully cultivated the former through hard-won institutional constraints and moral evolution. It then traces the tragic inversion: how responsible individualism has been supplanted by its parasitic cousin under the guise of progress and liberation. Finally, it offers an ancestral remedy: the return to reciprocal law, truthful speech, and the earned sovereignty of the free Frank.

Part I: Defining the Types – Responsible vs. Irresponsible Individualism

Responsible individualism is operationally defined as agency exercised under reciprocal constraints. Agency, in this context, refers to the capacity to make choices and act upon them in a manner that bears full responsibility for consequences. It implies sovereignty of will, discretion over one's actions, and ownership of resulting outcomes. The individual acts only insofar as others are not involuntarily burdened. This form of individualism is:

1. Sovereign – The individual bears the full cost of his actions.

2. Reciprocal – Actions respect the interests of others.

3. Accountable – Speech and conduct are testifiable and liable.

By contrast, irresponsible individualism refers to preference pursuit without cost-bearing. It manifests as:

1. Parasitism – Costs are externalized to others or the commons.

2. Immunity-seeking – Claims to exception via victimhood or identity.

3. Rent-seeking – Consumption without contribution.

In short, responsible individualism is productive because it results in the creation, preservation, and transmission of value, material, institutional, and moral. It aligns personal gain with the benefit of the voluntary and inherited collectives to which the individual belongs, his tribe, his family, his people. These are the groups whose norms he internalizes, whose resources he helps maintain, and whose futures he advances by acting within reciprocal constraints. Responsible individualism thus converts personal action into collective uplift. It turns private agency into public capital, not in service of abstract humanity, but of one's concrete cooperative domain.

Irresponsible individualism, on the other hand, is consumptive: it exploits the existing capital of civilization, its laws, norms, institutions, and resources, without contributing to their maintenance or replenishment. It treats liberty as an entitlement rather than an obligation. This form of individualism becomes parasitic when it shifts the burden of its actions onto others, using rights and identities as cover for extraction without restitution. Parasitism here is not just economic but moral and institutional, draining the trust, cohesion, and constraint that make civilization computable.

Part II: Western Civilization and the Invention of Responsible Individualism

Western civilization is not individualistic by origin. Like all civilizations, it evolved from tribal, familial, and clan-based modes of cooperation. Its uniqueness lies in how it scaled responsibility from kin to stranger.

This was achieved through five convergent developments:

1. Common Law Tradition: Law evolved as dispute resolution through testimony and restitution. It forced even elites to act within rules of reciprocity.

2. Christian Moral Reform: The internalization of guilt and conscience sacralized personal moral restraint, transforming honor into integrity.

3. The Nuclear Family: Unlike extended clan structures in the East, the European nuclear family forced individuals into self-responsibility early and consistently.

4. Tripartite Order: The coordination of warrior, priest, and producer classes created distributed accountability and resistance to central parasitism.

5. Militia-Based Sovereignty: Rights were earned through duties, defense, production, law-keeping. This made liberty a reciprocal good, not a license.

These institutions allowed Westerners to develop a culture where the individual could speak and act independently, but only because they were bound by reciprocal duty. This distinction is critical: liberty earned through contribution is fundamentally different from liberty granted as a license.

A license is a permission given by authority, revocable, conditional, and contingent on favor or compliance. It is not sovereignty, but subsidy. By contrast, liberty that is earned through demonstrated responsibility, defense, production, law-keeping, cannot be justly revoked, because it is not granted by others, but secured by one's own fulfillment of duty. This is the foundation of true freedom: not privilege dispensed from above, but sovereignty preserved from within.

Part III: The Frankish Example – Frankness as Earned Speech

A particularly illustrative case is that of the Franks, the warrior elite from whom the term "frankness" derives.

To be "frank" originally meant to speak freely and truthfully as a mark of status. It was a signal of one’s right to participate in law-making and war-leading. Frankness was not mere candor, it was testimony under risk.

The Franks were:

• Land-holders who paid scutage or served in arms.

• Oath-bound to speak and act under honor.

• Participants in the governance of law by right of demonstrated contribution.

Frankness thus operationalizes truthful speech as a function of sovereignty. It was not an abstract right, but a duty inseparable from one's demonstrated contribution to the defense and governance of the commons.

The Franks did not conceive of speech as a divine or universal right, but as a responsibility: once you had earned the right to speak freely through your acts of service, you were then obligated to speak truthfully in matters of consequence. Silence, when truth was necessary, was a failure of duty; lying was a violation of oath.

This stands in stark contrast to modern Western norms, where free speech is treated as a birthright, permissive, consequence-free, and decoupled from responsibility. In that framework, one may lie without liability and remain silent when duty calls to speak. What passes today for freedom of speech more closely resembles a slave’s license, contingent, revocable, and devoid of sovereign obligation, than the honorable burden borne by the free Frank.

Part IV: The Decline – From Frankness to Fecklessness

The collapse of responsible individualism unfolded in a temporal sequence, each stage overlapping with and accelerating the next:

The decline from responsible to irresponsible individualism was not a singular event, but a cascade, each step weakening the constraints necessary for computability, cooperation, and sovereignty:

1. Universalist Expansion (∼1789–1965) Enfranchisement was extended without reciprocal obligations. Institutions optimized for inclusion rather than contribution. Sparked by the French Revolution and its ideology of universal rights, continued through 19th-century liberal expansions, and culminating in 20th-century civil rights and immigration reforms. The abstraction of "rights" was universalized beyond the context of reciprocal contribution, dissolving inherited distinctions between earned and unearned status.

2. Moral Feminization (∼1850–Present) Harm avoidance replaced harm accounting. Empathy was scaled to levels where it disabled justice and merit. Emerging with industrial-era safety nets and Victorian reformism, this trend accelerated post-WWII through the rise of the welfare state and therapeutic moral culture. It prioritized emotional sensitivity over empirical responsibility, rewarding weakness rather than merit.

3. Institutional Capture (∼1917–1970s) The academy, law, and media were overtaken by narratives divorced from testimonial truth. Authority became a matter of emotional alignment, not factual constraint. Beginning with Marxist infiltration of Western academia via the Frankfurt School after WWI, this culminated in the 1960s cultural revolution. Institutions ceased producing truth under adversarial testing and instead became platforms for moral-political programming.

4. The Industrialization of Lying (∼1930s–Present) Abrahamic, Marxist, and Postmodern grammars enabled parasitic claims masked as moral causes. Speech became license for grievance rather than constraint for truth. Propaganda techniques pioneered in the 1930s, honed through wartime psyops and Cold War ideology, were institutionalized through media and education. Claims no longer needed to be testable, only persuasive to a captured audience.

5. Inversion of Rights and Duties (∼1965–Present) The right to speak, consume, or demand was detached from the duty to bear cost or provide restitution. Cemented by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Great Society programs, and ongoing anti-discrimination law, this inversion redefined justice as equality of outcome and morality as protection from discomfort. Duties of production, defense, or speech accountability were rendered subordinate to rights of comfort and recognition.

In sum, liberty was decoupled from duty. Truth was severed from liability. And status was redefined from merit to victimhood.

Part V: Signals of Civilizational Decline

Having traced the sequence of institutional and moral decline in Part IV, we now examine its symptoms, observable dysfunctions that precede collapse. These signals are not just cultural anomalies; they are early warnings of civilizational incomputability.

A civilization based on irresponsible individualism exhibits predictable pathologies:

• Loss of Trust – Truth becomes undecidable. Shared standards of verification break down, and public discourse devolves into factional propaganda.

• Decline of Institutions – Law, market, and commons are gamed. Institutions no longer reward merit or punish fraud but function as arenas for redistribution.

• Moral Hazard – Incentives reward dependency and deceit. Systems that once encouraged responsibility now subsidize failure and punish prudence.

• Civic Decay – Participation is replaced by consumption. Citizens become clients of the state rather than stewards of the polity.

• Territorial Abdication – Borders are no longer defended; sovereignty dissolves. The demos ceases to control who enters, remains, or influences policy.

• Neglect of the Physical Commons – Infrastructure, environment, and public safety degrade as responsibility is displaced by abstraction and bureaucracy.

• Reproductive Collapse – The intergenerational contract is broken. Families dissolve, fertility drops, and future capital is consumed rather than cultivated.

• Cultural Fragmentation – With no shared norms or metaphysical grammar, symbolic and moral cohesion vanishes, rendering governance and trust unsustainable.

This is not conjecture,it is observable, measurable, and directional. The data shows downward trends in trust, fertility, productivity, and institutional cohesion. The West is in civilizational crisis not for lack of liberty, but for lack of reciprocal constraint, and the longer this goes uncorrected, the more severe the corrective must be.

Part VI: Collapse and the Return of Authority

Once these signals manifest across multiple domains, the collapse phase becomes inevitable. Systems designed for high-trust cooperation and reciprocal norms become nonfunctional, leading to demands for coercive realignment. This section traces that causal arc from dysfunction to authoritarian correction.

The decoupling of freedoms from responsibilities leads to collapse, not as an anomaly, but as a civilizational law. When constraints are lifted and liabilities evaded, trust erodes, norms fragment, and coordination fails. As systems become incomputable, the population instinctively demands the restoration of order. This demand inevitably produces authoritarianism, because no voluntary consensus remains to realign incentives.

But not all authoritarianisms are the same. There are two emergent outcomes:

• Repressive, Parasitic Authoritarianism – Rule by extraction. Power consolidates through coercion to preserve elite rent and suppress dissent. It maintains order through fear, but offers no reciprocal return.

• Restorative, Lawful Authoritarianism – Rule by constraint. It reimposes natural law, enforces reciprocity, and punishes parasitism. It restores computability and productivity, not through ideology, but through institutional repair.

The difference is not in the presence of authority, but in what is being enforced. Parasitic regimes enforce submission; lawful regimes enforce reciprocity.

Part VII: How to Choose the Future

The public does not get to choose these regimes at the moment of crisis, they arise from prior organization. Just as collapse is a consequence of neglected responsibility, restoration is the reward of disciplined preparation. The only way to secure the lawful version is to preemptively organize those capable of high-agency leadership.

That means that those who behave frankishly, who demonstrate responsibility in speech and deed, must gather the capital necessary to act:

• Financial Capital – To fund institutions and operations.

• Social Capital – To unify families, tribes, and localities.

• Political Capital – To influence policy and hold officials accountable.

• Intellectual Capital – To wage the epistemic war: to produce truth against ideology.

• Spiritual Capital – To restore meaning, duty, and the will to persist.

• Martial Capital – To deter violence and suppress subversion by demonstrating readiness.

This coalition of power is how we organize our civilizational self-defense. And it is the only path by which the West can avoid replacing our drift in distruction with tyranny.

Part VIII: The Failure of Western Constitutionalism and the Case for Responsibilities

Why Rights Invite Tyranny, and Responsibilities Forbid It

This distinction between rights and responsibilities is not merely linguistic, it is structural, and civilizationally decisive. A right compels provision; it necessitates an enforcing authority to guarantee its existence and application. In modern democracies, this authority is the state. Thus, every new right inherently expands the jurisdiction of the state. Each right, whether to speech, healthcare, or safety, becomes a justification for bureaucratic control and moral overreach.

By contrast, a responsibility does not require provision; it only requires non-interference. It demands that the state abstain from obstructing the sovereign execution of personal obligation. Where rights invite action by the state, responsibilities forbid it. Where rights ask government to provide, regulate, or intervene, responsibilities insist that it stay out.

This is not a speculative risk. When we frame liberty as a right, we shift burden onto a centralized authority to preserve it. But that same authority, now justified as protector, becomes the arbiter, the regulator, and eventually, the master. By seeking safety through entitlement, we stick our neck on the block and ask Leviathan to protect it. That protection is always temporary, always conditional, and always a precursor to dependency.

In this light, rights produce corruption and invite tyranny, not out of malice, but by design. They shift sovereignty upward. Responsibilities, on the other hand, preserve local autonomy, civic virtue, and distributed constraint. They pull sovereignty downward, back into the hands of the competent, the courageous, and the reciprocal.

Let us now return to the principle: rights centralize power. Responsibilities decentralize it. Rights call for governance. Responsibilities prohibit it. That is the innovation. That is the path forward.

The crisis of the West cannot be corrected through reaffirmation of its existing constitutional forms. The concept of a Constitution or Bill of Rights focused on the rights of the people has failed to preserve liberty, sovereignty, or computability. We observe this most clearly in the United States, where the Bill of Rights was intended to secure individual freedom, but in practice became a shield for irresponsibility.

A right is a passive permission, it allows, but does not obligate. A responsibility is active, it commands and constrains. Civilizations built on rights without responsibilities invariably decay because they permit license without obligation, preference without cost.

What is needed is not a Bill of Rights, but a Bill of Responsibilities. One in which the government is prohibited from interfering in our execution of sovereign obligations to family, tribe, and commons. These responsibilities are not optional; they are the foundation of computability, trust, and sovereignty. And interference with them by the state, whether through taxation, regulation, or censorship, is a breach of natural law.

Example: Free Speech

• Current Framing (Right-Based): "Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech."

• Reformulated as a Responsibility: "No authority shall obstruct a man’s obligation to speak the truth in matters of public consequence, nor prevent his duty to testify against harm, fraud, or parasitism."

The right to free speech allows one to speak, or not, truthfully or deceitfully. The responsibility to speak truth imposes obligation, not option. It ties speech to liability, testifiability, and public consequence.

Framing constitutional protections in terms of responsibilities not only elevates the moral expectation, it restores the computability of society: speech regains its function as coordination, not merely expression.

The superiority of the responsibility frame lies in its civilizational effect:

• It raises the bar for speech to truthful testimony.

• It criminalizes falsehoods with consequence.

• It protects public trust, not just private desire.

• It preserves the computability of law and commons.

A civilization that preserves the freedom to do wrong without obligation to do right will not survive. A civilization that enforces responsibility first, and restricts interference in that responsibility, will.

Example: Right to Bear Arms

• Current Framing (Right-Based): "The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed."

• Reformulated as a Responsibility: "No authority shall obstruct a citizen’s duty to defend his life, family, and polity, nor prevent his obligation to possess and maintain proficiency in the means of that defense."

The right to bear arms can be exercised or neglected. It allows for arbitrary ownership based on preference, without regard for purpose, training, or civic consequence. As a right, it invites individual indulgence; as a responsibility, it imposes discipline, readiness, and public accountability.

The responsibility to defend transforms weapon ownership into a civic duty, an obligation tied to the preservation of life, family, polity, and territory. It demands both possession and proficiency. It prohibits the abdication of defense to the state alone, insisting instead on a distributed deterrence rooted in sovereignty. This framing enshrines defense as a duty inseparable from liberty itself. It elevates the bearer from consumer to citizen, from entitled subject to responsible sovereign.

Moreover, a populace trained, armed, and habituated to the duty of defense acts as a far greater deterrent to parasitic or overreaching governments than a disorganized mass of right-claiming individuals. When the martial virtues are retained through obligation, the people remain not only capable of physical resistance but also morally inclined to uphold law and order. This condition preserves the balance of power between citizen and state, forestalling tyranny not through rhetoric or litigation, but through distributed and ready force, anchored in civic virtue.

And if you want proof, just observe what has happened in modern-day America, where very few men exercise the responsibility to be part of the citizen militia. Most view firearms ownership as a hobby or a pastime. This abdication of civic duty demonstrates how rights without responsibilities deteriorate into indulgence, and ultimately leave a people unprepared to defend their sovereignty.

Example: Health Care

• Common Framing (Entitlement-Based): "Everyone has a right to health care."

• Reformulated as a Responsibility: "No authority shall obstruct an individual’s duty to manage, protect, and make autonomous decisions about their own health and body."

Framing health care as a right transforms others into obligated providers. It recasts the needs of one as the debts of another, dissolving personal agency into bureaucratic entitlements. In contrast, framing health as a responsibility affirms bodily sovereignty: it demands that each individual actively manage, protect, and make informed decisions about their own health, free from coercive or paternalistic interference by the state.

More importantly, a population that treats health as a personal and civic duty is not merely physically fitter, it is mentally and morally stronger. Health is a precondition for sovereignty. Sovereignty requires not only will and discipline but also the energy and clarity to act upon them. An unhealthy, obese, lethargic, or pharmaceutically dependent populace lacks the capacity, let alone the inclination, to assert or defend its agency. By contrast, a healthy citizenry has the vigor to remain alert, engaged, and sovereign. Responsibility for one's health is therefore not a luxury but a civilizational necessity.

In each case, reframing turns passive entitlement into active obligation, and places limits on the state’s ability to interfere with the individual’s execution of duty.

Conclusion: The West’s Return Path Lies Through the Frank’s Gate

The future of the West hinges not on the expansion of liberty, but on the contraction of irresponsibility. To speak freely, one must be frank. To be frank, one must be sovereign. To be sovereign, one must be responsible. And to be responsible, one must live within a culture of duties, not merely permissions.

Frankness was not a rhetorical flourish, it was a civilization-constructing constraint. It bound speech to honor, liberty to duty, and agency to law. And it made possible the miracle of Western civilization. But even duty is only a middle stage.

A society governed by rights descends into license; one governed by responsibilities stabilizes. But only a society governed by reverence can ascend. Reverence is not just discipline or duty, but devotion: the willing alignment of personal action with the highest ideals, truth, beauty, excellence, kin, and the sacred. It is not imposed from above but emerges from below, once duty becomes habit, and habit becomes ethos.

Responsible individualism, and the duty that enables it, is the foundation. But the telos is not merely stability, it is transformation: the elevation of man through the beauty of reciprocity into reverence. Irresponsible individualism isolates and disintegrates. Responsible individualism unites and prepares. And reverent individualism transcends.

If we are to restore what was lost and build anew, we must re-bind speech to truth, liberty to duty, individualism to reciprocity, and reciprocation to reverence. Only then can we escape the feckless drift of modernity and reclaim the honorable clarity of the frank.

Truth is enough.\ Reciprocity is law.\ And liberty is earned.

Acknowledgment

Special thanks to the Natural Law Institute (@NatLawInstitute), Curt Doolittle, and the senior fellows for their groundbreaking work and continued leadership on these and many other subjects. Their intellectual rigor and moral courage continue to be the backbone of our civilizational reformation.

Founding and Senior Fellows:

• Curt Doolittle –@curtdoolittle

• Brandon Hayes –@ThruTheHayes

• Martin Štěpán –@AutistocratMS

• Luke Weinhagen –@LukeWeinhagen

• Noah Revoy –@NoahRevoy

• Bradley Werrell, D.O. –@WerrellBradley

• Moritz Bierling –@bierlingm

@ 77c2969e:a33cfa50

Nostr 协议在我看来是很先进的，暂时使用的人还不多，不过相比 Fediverse 的 Mastodon 之类，自己部署 Nostr Relay 是成本很小的。Blossom 作为媒体上传服务是可选的，因为有几个公共服务器可用，但是大多数国内无法直连。我还发现部分客户端不支持自定义 Blossom 服务器，只有 Amethyst 和 Nostrmo 可以。

我目前使用的是这个 nostr-relay 以及这个 blossom-server。

---

nostr-relay

这个用 Python 写的 nostr-relay 很不错。

配置文件是这个： https://code.pobblelabs.org/fossil/nostr_relay/file?name=nostr_relay/config.yaml 可以按需修改，自己用默认就够了。

```jsx

先安装 pipx

apt install pipx

再用 pipx 安装 nostr-relay

pipx install nostr-relay

选择一个目录运行以下命令启动默认配置，默认 SQLite 文件在当前目录

nostr-relay serve

后台运行

(nostr-relay serve >/var/log/nostr-relay.log &)

查看 PID

lsof -i :6969

停止运行

kill PID

后台运行命令会调用 gunicorn 运行而不是nostr-relay，因此会搜不到 nostr-relay 进程，可以尝试这个命令

ps -ef | grep gunicorn `` 反代127.0.0.1:6969` 配置域名和 SSL 证书即可。

保持简洁，不使用 Docker 和 systemd，后续迁移时只需复制整个文件夹即可。

---

blossom-server

clone 这个仓库

git clone https://github.com/hzrd149/blossom-server.git

克隆仓库是必要的，因为 blossom-server 的默认页面依赖 public/ 目录，请保留该目录。

用以下 config.yml 和 docker-compose.yml 覆盖原仓库中的文件

然后执行 docker compose up -d

反代 127.0.0.1:3000 配置域名和 SSL 证书即可。

config.yml

按需修改，比如 Dashboard 密码、允许的 PubKey 等。 ```

Override the domain thats is used in the blobs "url" field

By default it uses the domain the incoming HTTP request was made on

publicDomain: ""

databasePath: data/sqlite.db

dashboard: # enable or disable the admin dashboard enabled: true # admin username username: admin # if password is left blank it will be generated each time the app starts password: "yourpasswd"

文件发现机制，保持默认关闭

discovery: # find files by querying nostr relays nostr: enabled: false relays: - wss://relay.example.com # find files by asking upstream CDNs # NOTE: do not set this to your own server, it will create an infinite loop upstream: enabled: false domains: - https://cdn.example.com

storage: # local or s3 backend: local

# Imminently removes a blob when there are no owners removeWhenNoOwners: false

# local storage local: dir: ./data/blobs

# see minio docs for options: # https://min.io/docs/minio/linux/developers/javascript/API.html#new-minio-client-endpoint-port-usessl-accesskey-secretkey-region-transport-sessiontoken-partsize # s3: # endpoint: https://s3.endpoint.com # port: 443 # bucket: blossom # accessKey: xxxxxxxx # secretKey: xxxxxxxxx # useSSL: true # region: us-east-1 # If this is set the server will redirect clients when loading blobs # publicURL: https://s3.region.example.com/

# rules are checked in descending order. if a blob matches a rule it is kept # "type" (required) the type of the blob, "" can be used to match any type # "expiration" (required) time passed since last accessed # "pubkeys" (optional) a list of owners # any blobs not matching the rules will be removed rules: - type: "" expiration: 100 years pubkeys: - "change-to-your-pubkey-hex"

Config for the /upload endpoint

upload: # enable / disable uploads (default false) enabled: true # require auth to upload requireAuth: true # only check rules that include "pubkeys" requirePubkeyInRule: true

Config for the /media endpoint

media: # /media endpoint enabled (default false) enabled: true # require auth to upload to /media requireAuth: true # only check rules that include "pubkeys" requirePubkeyInRule: true

# image optimization options image: # image quality 0-100 (default 90) quality: 90 # create progressive jpeg / png images for large images > 1024x768 (default true) progressive: true # max width (default 1920) maxWidth: 1920 # max height (default 1080) maxHeight: 1080 # image format (default webp) outputFormat: "webp" # keep aspect radio when resizing (default true) maintainAspectRatio: true # keep EXIF metadata (default false) keepExif: false # fps for GIFs (default 30) fps: 30

video: # video quality 0-100 (default 90) quality: 90 # max height (default 1080) maxHeight: 1080 # max fps (default 30) maxFps: 30 # output format [mp4, webm, mkv] (default mp4) format: "webm" # audio codec [aac, mp3, vorbis, opus] (default aac) audioCodec: "aac" # video codec [libx264, libx265, vp8, vp9] (default libx264) videoCodec: "libx264"

list: requireAuth: false allowListOthers: true

tor: enabled: false proxy: "" ```

docker-compose.yml

services: blossom: image: ghcr.io/hzrd149/blossom-server:master ports: - 3000:3000 volumes: # mount data volume - ./data:/app/data # mount config file - ./config.yml:/app/config.yml # mount custom www dir - ./public:/app/public

---

其他

我自己目前就是部署的这两个服务自用。主要是方便部署和维护，后续服务器迁移只需要复制文件夹即可。Blossom 媒体服务自用的话，默认使用服务器本地存储即可，就是在项目文件夹中的 ./data/blobs/，上传的图片和视频会被自动压缩，占不了多少存储空间。如果公开或多人使用也可以配置 S3 兼容的对象存储。

除了我上面说的这个 nostr-relay，还有一个 Rust 写的 nostr-rs-relay，可以 Docker 一键部署，如果你偏好使用 Docker，也可以选择这个。

如果你也对 Nostr 这个去中心化协议感兴趣，想拥有自己的 Nostr 服务，不妨参考本文试试，欢迎留言交流！

---

推荐阅读

• 欢迎加入 Nostr, 这是一份快速入门指南
• Nostr!moe
• Join Nostr
• 运行自己的中继器，拥有自己的事件
• 用自己域名认证 Nostr 的 NIP-05

@ 8bad92c3:ca714aa5

Marty's Bent

via levelsio

Over the weekend, prolific vibe coder levelsio took to X to complain about the state of housing affordability across Europe. Something that I was very happy to see considering the fact that there is a massive real estate affordability crisis across much of the world and it is important that people who are respected and have platforms speak out when they identify the problem as well. More eyes and focus on the problem is how something begins to get solved.

With that being said, I think levelsio is missing the forest for the trees by blaming institutionalized NIMBYism, burdensome regulations and governments hoarding land that should instead be given to developers to produce more housing supply. I quote tweeted this particular tweet on the subject from levelsio and wanted to take some time today to republish those thoughts here and expand on the topic.

It’s almost as if real estate is being used as a store of value asset instead of the consumable good that it is.

What @levelsio is observing here is called a “monetary premium”. A monetary premium is the value added on top of the consumable/aesthetic/location value of real estate.

This monetary premium exist because central banks and governments have distorted the market for money and people are forced to push value into assets that are scarce relative to dollars. Over the last 50 years real estate has been one of the relatively scarce assets of choice.

The housing affordability crisis is a negative externality of the market reaction to the corruption of money. It can only be fixed by re-introducing hard money into the economy that enables people to store value reliably. If that emerges they won’t have to store value in real estate, the monetary premium of real estate will dissolve and prices will correct to their proper valuations.

This is one of the problems that bitcoin solves.

It’s still early yet, but more and more people are recognizing the utility provided by a neutral reserve asset that can’t be manipulated by central planners. At scale, the effect on assets that have accumulated a monetary premium over decades will be material. All of these assets are significantly overvalued and their monetary premium are leaking into bitcoin.

Put another way, "It's the money, stupid." Now, this isn't to say that the supply of housing in certain areas being artificially restricted isn't having an effect on the price of housing. This is certainly true, especially in cities like San Francisco where there is a relatively strong demand because of the economic density of the area and the desire of many high agency and productive people to live there. But I would put forth that the monetary premium is still the bigger problem and no amount of de-regulation to enable the supply of housing to increase will solve the affordability crisis in the long-run. The only way to get to the root of this specific problem is via bitcoin's mainstream adoption as an apolitical uncontrollable asset with completely idiosyncratic risks when compared to any individual asset class.

Let's say the government did ease up regulations and local NIMBY sympathetics were shoved in a corner to allow new units to be built. This doesn't solve the problem in the short-run because there is a time-delay between when regulations are lifted and when new supply actually makes it to market. In the interim, governments and central banks are inevitably going to go further into debt and be forced to print money to monetize that debt. This will exacerbate inflation and even if new real estate units are brought to market, the builders/owners of those properties will likely have to demand elevated prices to attempt to keep up with inflation.

This also does nothing to solve the problem of real income and wage growth, which are significantly lagging real inflation. Even if prices came down because of a surge in supply, could the Common Man afford a down payment on the property? I'd be shocked if this was the case. And since it's likely not the case the only way to get people into these houses as "owners" would be to offer them zero-down financing, which makes people feel richer than they actually are and leads them to make financially ruinous decisions.

It's the money, stupid. People need a way to save so that they can buy in the first place. Fiat currency doesn't allow this and the only people who can save effectively are those who make enough money to funnel into substitute store of value assets like real estate.

As it stands today, the price-to-income ratio of real estate is 5.0x and the price-t0-rent index is 1.36. Up from 3.3x and 1.14x respectively where the metrics sat in the year 2000. The growth in these ratios is driven predominately via their monetary premium.

And guess what, it's about to get much worse. Donald Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Elon Musk have all signaled that the plan moving forward is to attempt to drive growth and productivity as high as possible while also letting deficits and the debt increase unabated, which means that inflation is likely to continue unabated and potentially increase.

It might make sense to get some bitcoin if that is the case.

via me

"Whale in the Pool" Risk That Could Destroy MSTY Investors

Jessy Gilger raised serious concerns about MSTY and similar derivative products that promise eye-popping yields. He pointed to the COVID crash where gold mining ETFs using derivatives collapsed 95% and never recovered, despite gold itself performing well. Jessy noted that while his team calculated reasonable MicroStrategy covered call yields of 16-22%, MSTY advertises 120% annualized distributions - a red flag that suggests these aren't sustainable dividends from profits, but potentially just returning investors' own capital.

"If a whale pees in the pool, everyone is affected." - Jessy Gilger

Jessy explained that when large investors need to exit these pooled products during market stress, they must sell derivative positions into illiquid markets with no buyers, potentially triggering catastrophic losses for all participants. His solution? Private pools through separately managed accounts that achieve similar income goals without the contagion risk of being trapped with panicking whales.

Check out the full podcast here for more on Gannett Trust's multi-sig solution, Bitcoin retirement planning and corporate treasury strategies.

Headlines of the Day

World's Largest Bitcoin Conference Starts Tomorrow- via X

Remixpoint to Buy Additional ¥1 Billion in Bitcoin - via X

Get our new STACK SATS hat - via tftcmerch.io

Marty to Judge Bitcoin World Record Try in Vegas - via X

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Ten31, the largest bitcoin-focused investor, has deployed 158,469 sats | $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.

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Final thought...

Looking forward to a fun, productive and wholesome week in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

18-07 HOLIDAY HOME by OFFICE INAINN reimagines the traditional hytte, creating two interconnected cabins, H_G30 and H_G32, located near the scenic Geiranger–Trollstigen route. Set on a steep hillside 148 meters above sea level, the design embraces modern functionality while offering stunning southern views of Storfjorden and minimizing environmental impact.

Blending into the Landscape

The cabins are designed to integrate gently into the natural terrain, following the contours of the hillside. Their horizontal layout reduces the visual impact, blending into the forested surroundings while opening up to the fjord. The minimal footprint respects the environment and reduces construction costs, ensuring the cabins remain nearly invisible from the north while fully engaging with the southern panorama.

Functional, Additive Architecture

Inspired by traditional Norwegian architecture, each cabin consists of two overlapping modules of varying heights, breaking up the building mass and reducing roof size. The higher module serves as the circulation space, while the lower module contains the private and living areas. This approach replaces conventional walls with functional form, creating distinct zones for movement, utility, and relaxation.

Harmonizing Tradition with Modern Living

The cabins follow an east-west retaining wall that mirrors the hill’s natural slope, with additional storage and leisure spaces tucked behind. The shallow depth allows maximum southern exposure for light and views, while the central axis blurs the boundary between indoor and outdoor living, creating a seamless connection to nature.

For more info https://inainn.eu/18-07-holiday-home/

https://stacker.news/items/1000386