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Company Overview:

Damus is the pioneering iOS nostr client. Through its platform, Damus empowers billions on iOS with the tools for free speech and free speech money. If you're driven to bring freedom technology to the masses and ignite change, we invite you to join our mission.

Job Description

1. Collaborate on iOS Damus in tandem with our core developer, Will Casarin, and the broader Damus team.
2. Implement our vision as laid out in our product roadmap: https://github.com/orgs/damus-io/projects/3/views/1.
3. Embrace the fun and critical mission of undermining totalitarian regimes across the globe.

Job Requirements

1. A genuine passion for freedom technology.
2. At least one year of collaborative development experience.
3. Experience building SwiftUI iOS apps.
4. Passionate about design and user experience.
5. Eager to work in close coordination with Damus lead developer, Will, and a dedicated team spanning development, design, and product.
6. Commitment to a full-time role, although we remain open to discussing alternative arrangements.

Bonus Qualifications

1. Experience with Nostr development.
2. Experience with C.
3. Previous work in free and open source projects.
4. A publicly shareable portfolio.

Job Structure

1. A one-month paid probationary period to ensure a mutual fit.
2. Upon successful completion of the trial, the opportunity for a six (6) month contractual engagement.
3. The potential for contract renewal, contingent on funding.

Application Process:
Interested candidates should forward a motivational statement alongside their CV/portfolio to vanessa@damus.io.

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By Daniel Kang, Kobi Gurkan, and Anna Rose

Feel free to read all my articles on the anti-censorship long content platform yakihonne.com.

AI-generated audio is becoming increasingly indistinguishable from human-produced sound. This emerging technology, while impressive, is unfortunately increasingly misused. We’re witnessing instances where this convincingly replicated audio is being manipulated to conduct scams, perpetrate identity theft, and misused in other ways. How can we safeguard ourselves and effectively combat the misuse of this advanced technology?

In an environment where AI-generated audio can mimic human voices flawlessly, we need a reliable chain of trust stretching from the initial capture of audio to its final playback. This chain of trust can be established using cryptographic technologies: attested microphones for capturing the audio and carried through to the final playback via ZK-SNARKs.

In the remainder of the blog post, we’ll describe how to use these tools to fight AI-generated audio. We’ll also describe how the open-source framework zkml can generate computational proofs of audio edits, like noise reduction. To demonstrate this end-to-end process, we’ve simulated the process of capturing audio to performing verified edits. We’ll describe how we did this below!

Cryptographic tools for fighting AI-generated audio

Establishing a chain of trust from the audio capture to final playback requires trusting how the audio is captured and how the audio is edited. We will use cryptographic tools to establish this chain of trust.

Attested microphones for trusted audio capture

The first tool we will use are called attested microphones. Attested microphones have a hardware unit that cryptographically signs the audio signal as soon as it is captured. This cryptographic signature is unforgeable, even with AI tools. With this signature, anyone can verify that the audio came from a specific microphone. In order to verify that audio came from a specific individual, that person can publish the public key of the attested microphone.

Unfortunately, there’s two limitations of attested microphones. The first (which we will address below) is that attested microphones don’t allow you to perform edits on the audio, including edits like noise reduction or cutting out sensitive information. The second is that these attested microphones currently don’t exist, even though the technology is here. We hope that hardware manufacturers consider building attested microphones to combat AI-generated audio!

ZK-SNARKs for verified edits

Once we have the raw audio, there are many circumstances where we want to privately edit the original audio. For example, intelligence agencies can use background noise to identify your location, which compromises privacy. To preserve privacy, we may want to perform edits like removing the background noise or cutting out parts of an interview that might contain sensitive information.

In order to perform these edits, we can use ZK-SNARKs. ZK-SNARKs provide computational integrity. For audio, ZK-SNARKs allow the producer of the audio to privately edit the audio without revealing the original. Similar to cryptographic signatures, ZK-SNARKs are unforgeable, allowing us to extend the chain of trust to edits.

Demonstrating the technology

To showcase the power of attested microphones and ZK-SNARKs, we’ve constructed an end-to-end demonstration of the chain of trust for audio. In our demonstration, we recorded a short 30 second clip, where each of us (Anna, Daniel, and Kobi) recorded on our own microphone. In other words, there are three 30 second clips.

Because attested microphones don’t exist yet, we simulated the attested microphone by signing the individual audio clips with Ethereum wallets. These wallets contain private keys that would be similar to the secure hardware elements in the attested microphone. The signatures we’ve produced are also unforgeable, assuming our wallets aren’t compromised.

During the recording process, Daniel’s microphone picked up some background echo, so we wanted to cut it out and combine the clips into one. We produced a ZK-SNARK that verifies these edits were done honestly from the original audio clips. Furthermore, the ZK-SNARK hides the input audio, so you won’t be able to extract the background noise in Daniel’s clip! This helps preserve privacy.

In the following demo, the final audio file is presented coupled with a proof and a set of signatures. The verification program verifies both, ensuring we know the exact chain of operations performed on the input audio files resulting in the audio you can hear.

Technical deep dive

To understand how our demonstration works at a deeper level, we’ve done a technical deep dive below. You can skip to the conclusion without missing anything!

We’ve outlined the overall architecture below:

Overall architecture of trusted audio

As we can see, the first step (after capturing the audio) is to produce the signatures. Since we don’t have attested microphones, we used Ethereum wallet addresses, which are publicly associated with us (Anna, Daniel, and Kobi), to sign hashes of the original audio. Ethereum uses ECDSA, which allows anyone to verify the signatures we produced with our public key. The private key must remain hidden. In hardware, this can be done using trusted enclaves. The hardware manufacturer can destroy the private key after it is placed on the device. By doing so, the private key is inaccessible!

Given the signed input audio, we want to be able to edit them with computational integrity while preserving the privacy of the original audio. Under the random oracle model of hashing, the hashes reveal nothing about the input. We can combine the hashes with ZK-SNARKs to preserve privacy.

ZK-SNARKs allow a prover to produce a proof that a function executed honestly while keeping parts of the input hidden (and selectively revealing certain inputs or outputs). In our setting, we can compute a function that computes the hashes of the inputs and outputs the edited audio from the inputs. By revealing the hashes, we can be assured that the inputs match the recorded audio! We’ve shown what happens within the ZK-SNARK below:

Conclusions

As we’ve seen, attested microphones and ZK-SNARKs can provide a chain of trust for audio while preserving privacy. With the rise of AI-generated audio, we’re seeing an increasing need to establish this chain of trust. We hope that our demonstration will spur hardware manufacturers to consider building attested microphones.

Stay tuned for more posts on this topic as we delve deeper into other tools to fight malicious AI-generated content. And if you’d like to discuss your idea or brainstorm with us, fill out this form and join our Telegram group. Follow me on Twitter for the latest updates as well!

Important note: the code for this demonstration has not been audited and should not be used in production.

By：Daniel Kang Link：https://medium.com/@danieldkang/fighting-ai-generated-audio-with-attested-microphones-and-zk-snarks-the-attested-audio-experiment-d6ea0fc296ac

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Test Bounty Note

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Este artigo foi censurado pelo estado e fomos obrigados a deletá-lo após ameaça de homens armados virem nos visitar e agredir nossa vida e propriedade.

Isto é mais uma prova que os autoproclamados antirracistas são piores que os racistas.

https://rothbardbrasil.com/pelo-direito-de-ser-racista-fascista-machista-e-homofobico

Segue artigo na íntegra. 👇

Sem dúvida, a escalada autoritária do totalitarismo cultural progressista nos últimos anos tem sido sumariamente deletéria e prejudicial para a liberdade de expressão. Como seria de se esperar, a cada dia que passa o autoritarismo progressista continua a se expandir de maneira irrefreável, prejudicando a liberdade dos indivíduos de formas cada vez mais deploráveis e contundentes.

Com a ascensão da tirania politicamente correta e sua invasão a todos os terrenos culturais, o autoritarismo progressista foi se alastrando e consolidando sua hegemonia em determinados segmentos. Com a eventual eclosão e a expansão da opressiva e despótica cultura do cancelamento — uma progênie inevitável do totalitarismo progressista —, todas as pessoas que manifestam opiniões, crenças ou posicionamentos que não estão alinhados com as pautas universitárias da moda tornam-se um alvo.

Há algumas semanas, vimos a enorme repercussão causada pelo caso envolvendo o jogador profissional de vôlei Maurício Sousa, que foi cancelado pelo simples fato de ter emitido sua opinião pessoal sobre um personagem de história em quadrinhos, Jon Kent, o novo Superman, que é bissexual. Maurício Sousa reprovou a conduta sexual do personagem, o que é um direito pessoal inalienável que ele tem. Ele não é obrigado a gostar ou aprovar a bissexualidade. Como qualquer pessoa, ele tem o direito pleno de criticar tudo aquilo que ele não gosta. No entanto, pelo simples fato de emitir a sua opinião pessoal, Maurício Sousa foi acusado de homofobia e teve seu contrato rescindido, sendo desligado do Minas Tênis Clube.

Lamentavelmente, Maurício Sousa não foi o primeiro e nem será o último indivíduo a sofrer com a opressiva e autoritária cultura do cancelamento. Como uma tirania cultural que está em plena ascensão e usufrui de um amplo apoio do establishment, essa nova forma de totalitarismo cultural colorido e festivo está se impondo de formas e maneiras bastante contundentes em praticamente todas as esferas da sociedade contemporânea. Sua intenção é relegar ao ostracismo todos aqueles que não se curvam ao totalitarismo progressista, criminalizando opiniões e crenças que divergem do culto à libertinagem hedonista pós-moderna. Oculto por trás de todo esse ativismo autoritário, o que temos de fato é uma profunda hostilidade por padrões morais tradicionalistas, cristãos e conservadores.

No entanto, é fundamental entendermos uma questão imperativa, que explica em partes o conflito aqui criado — todos os progressistas contemporâneos são crias oriundas do direito positivo. Por essa razão, eles jamais entenderão de forma pragmática e objetiva conceitos como criminalidade, direitos de propriedade, agressão e liberdade de expressão pela perspectiva do jusnaturalismo, que é manifestamente o direito em seu estado mais puro, correto, ético e equilibrado.

Pela ótica jusnaturalista, uma opinião é uma opinião. Ponto final. E absolutamente ninguém deve ser preso, cancelado, sabotado ou boicotado por expressar uma opinião particular sobre qualquer assunto. Palavras não agridem ninguém, portanto jamais poderiam ser consideradas um crime em si. Apenas deveriam ser tipificados como crimes agressões de caráter objetivo, como roubo, sequestro, fraude, extorsão, estupro e infrações similares, que representam uma ameaça direta à integridade física da vítima, ou que busquem subtrair alguma posse empregando a violência.

Infelizmente, a geração floquinho de neve — terrivelmente histérica, egocêntrica e sensível — fica profundamente ofendida e consternada sempre que alguém defende posicionamentos contrários à religião progressista. Por essa razão, os guerreiros da justiça social sinceramente acreditam que o papai-estado deve censurar todas as opiniões que eles não gostam de ouvir, assim como deve também criar leis para encarcerar todos aqueles que falam ou escrevem coisas que desagradam a militância.

Como a geração floquinho de neve foi criada para acreditar que todas as suas vontades pessoais e disposições ideológicas devem ser sumariamente atendidas pelo papai-estado, eles embarcaram em uma cruzada moral que pretende erradicar todas as coisas que são ofensivas à ideologia progressista; só assim eles poderão deflagrar na Terra o seu tão sonhado paraíso hedonista e igualitário, de inimaginável esplendor e felicidade.

Em virtude do seu comportamento intrinsecamente despótico, autoritário e egocêntrico, acaba sendo inevitável que militantes progressistas problematizem tudo aquilo que os desagrada.

Como são criaturas inúteis destituídas de ocupação real e verdadeiro sentido na vida, sendo oprimidas unicamente na sua própria imaginação, militantes progressistas precisam constantemente inventar novos vilões para serem combatidos.

Partindo dessa perspectiva, é natural para a militância que absolutamente tudo que exista no mundo e que não se enquadra com as regras autoritárias e restritivas da religião progressista seja encarado como um problema. Para a geração floquinho de neve, o capitalismo é um problema. O fascismo é um problema. A iniciativa privada é um problema. O homem branco, tradicionalista, conservador e heterossexual é um problema. A desigualdade é um problema. A liberdade é um problema. Monteiro Lobato é um problema (sim, até mesmo o renomado ícone da literatura brasileira, autor — entre outros títulos — de Urupês, foi vítima da cultura do cancelamento, acusado de ser racista e eugenista).

Para a esquerda, praticamente tudo é um problema. Na mentalidade da militância progressista, tudo é motivo para reclamação. Foi em função desse comportamento histérico, histriônico e infantil que o famoso pensador conservador-libertário americano P. J. O’Rourke afirmou que “o esquerdismo é uma filosofia de pirralhos chorões”. O que é uma verdade absoluta e irrefutável em todos os sentidos.

De fato, todas as filosofias de esquerda de forma geral são idealizações utópicas e infantis de um mundo perfeito. Enquanto o mundo não se transformar naquela colorida e vibrante utopia que é apresentada pela cartilha socialista padrão, militantes continuarão a reclamar contra tudo o que existe no mundo de forma agressiva, visceral e beligerante. Evidentemente, eles não vão fazer absolutamente nada de positivo ou construtivo para que o mundo se transforme no gracioso paraíso que eles tanto desejam ver consolidado, mas eles continuarão a berrar e vociferar muito em sua busca incessante pela utopia, marcando presença em passeatas inúteis ou combatendo o fascismo imaginário nas redes sociais.

Sem dúvida, estamos muito perto de ver leis absurdas e estúpidas sendo implementadas, para agradar a militância da terra colorida do assistencialismo eterno onde nada é escasso e tudo cai do céu. Em breve, você não poderá usar calças pretas, pois elas serão consideradas peças de vestuário excessivamente heterossexuais. Apenas calças amarelas ou coloridas serão permitidas. Você também terá que tingir de cor-de-rosa uma mecha do seu cabelo; pois preservar o seu cabelo na sua cor natural é heteronormativo demais da sua parte, sendo portanto um componente demasiadamente opressor da sociedade.

Você também não poderá ver filmes de guerra ou de ação, apenas comédias românticas, pois certos gêneros de filmes exaltam a violência do patriarcado e isso impede o mundo de se tornar uma graciosa festa colorida de fraternidades universitárias ungidas por pôneis resplandecentes, hedonismo infinito, vadiagem universitária e autogratificação psicodélica, que certamente são elementos indispensáveis para se produzir o paraíso na Terra.

Sabemos perfeitamente, no entanto, que dentre as atitudes “opressivas” que a militância progressista mais se empenha em combater, estão o racismo, o fascismo, o machismo e a homofobia. No entanto, é fundamental entender que ser racista, fascista, machista ou homofóbico não são crimes em si. Na prática, todos esses elementos são apenas traços de personalidade; e eles não podem ser pura e simplesmente criminalizados porque ideólogos e militantes progressistas iluminados não gostam deles.

Tanto pela ética quanto pela ótica jusnaturalista, é facilmente compreensível entender que esses traços de personalidade não podem ser criminalizados ou proibidos simplesmente porque integrantes de uma ideologia não tem nenhuma apreciação ou simpatia por eles. Da mesma forma, nenhum desses traços de personalidade representa em si um perigo para a sociedade, pelo simples fato de existir. Por incrível que pareça, até mesmo o machismo, o racismo, o fascismo e a homofobia merecem a devida apologia.

Mas vamos analisar cada um desses tópicos separadamente para entender isso melhor.

Racismo

Quando falamos no Japão, normalmente não fazemos nenhuma associação da sociedade japonesa com o racismo. No entanto, é incontestável o fato de que a sociedade japonesa pode ser considerada uma das sociedades mais racistas do mundo. E a verdade é que não há absolutamente nada de errado com isso.

Aproximadamente 97% da população do Japão é nativa; apenas 3% do componente populacional é constituído por estrangeiros (a população do Japão é estimada em aproximadamente 126 milhões de habitantes). Isso faz a sociedade japonesa ser uma das mais homogêneas do mundo. As autoridades japonesas reconhecidamente dificultam processos de seleção e aplicação a estrangeiros que desejam se tornar residentes. E a maioria dos japoneses aprova essa decisão.

Diversos estabelecimentos comerciais como hotéis, bares e restaurantes por todo o país tem placas na entrada que dizem “somente para japoneses” e a maioria destes estabelecimentos se recusa ostensivamente a atender ou aceitar clientes estrangeiros, não importa quão ricos ou abastados sejam.

Na Terra do Sol Nascente, a hostilidade e a desconfiança natural para com estrangeiros é tão grande que até mesmo indivíduos que nascem em algum outro país, mas são filhos de pais japoneses, não são considerados cidadãos plenamente japoneses.

Se estes indivíduos decidem sair do seu país de origem para se estabelecer no Japão — mesmo tendo descendência nipônica legítima e inquestionável —, eles enfrentarão uma discriminação social considerável, especialmente se não dominarem o idioma japonês de forma impecável. Esse fato mostra que a discriminação é uma parte tão indissociável quanto elementar da sociedade japonesa, e ela está tão profundamente arraigada à cultura nipônica que é praticamente impossível alterá-la ou atenuá-la por qualquer motivo.

A verdade é que — quando falamos de um país como o Japão — nem todos os discursos politicamente corretos do mundo, nem a histeria progressista ocidental mais inflamada poderão algum dia modificar, extirpar ou sequer atenuar o componente racista da cultura nipônica. E isso é consequência de uma questão tão simples quanto primordial: discriminar faz parte da natureza humana, sendo tanto um direito individual quanto um elemento cultural inerente à muitas nações do mundo. Os japoneses não tem problema algum em admitir ou institucionalizar o seu preconceito, justamente pelo fato de que a ideologia politicamente correta não tem no oriente a força e a presença que tem no ocidente.

E é fundamental enfatizar que, sendo de natureza pacífica — ou seja, não violando nem agredindo terceiros —, a discriminação é um recurso natural dos seres humanos, que está diretamente associada a questões como familiaridade e segurança.

Absolutamente ninguém deve ser forçado a apreciar ou integrar-se a raças, etnias, pessoas ou tribos que não lhe transmitem sentimentos de segurança ou familiaridade. Integração forçada é o verdadeiro crime, e isso diversos países europeus — principalmente os escandinavos (países que lideram o ranking de submissão à ideologia politicamente correta) — aprenderam da pior forma possível.

A integração forçada com imigrantes islâmicos resultou em ondas de assassinato, estupro e violência inimagináveis para diversos países europeus, até então civilizados, que a imprensa ocidental politicamente correta e a militância progressista estão permanentemente tentando esconder, porque não desejam que o ocidente descubra como a agenda “humanitária” de integração forçada dos povos muçulmanos em países do Velho Mundo resultou em algumas das piores chacinas e tragédias na história recente da Europa.

Ou seja, ao discriminarem estrangeiros, os japoneses estão apenas se protegendo e lutando para preservar sua nação como um ambiente cultural, étnico e social que lhe é seguro e familiar, assim se opondo a mudanças bruscas, indesejadas e antinaturais, que poderiam comprometer a estabilidade social do país.

A discriminação — sendo de natureza pacífica —, é benévola, salutar e indubitavelmente ajuda a manter a estabilidade social da comunidade. Toda e qualquer forma de integração forçada deve ser repudiada com veemência, pois, mais cedo ou mais tarde, ela irá subverter a ordem social vigente, e sempre será acompanhada de deploráveis e dramáticos resultados.

Para citar novamente os países escandinavos, a Suécia é um excelente exemplo do que não fazer. Tendo seguido o caminho contrário ao da discriminação racional praticada pela sociedade japonesa, atualmente a sociedade sueca — além de afundar de forma consistente na lama da libertinagem, da decadência e da deterioração progressista — sofre em demasia com os imigrantes muçulmanos, que foram deixados praticamente livres para matar, saquear, esquartejar e estuprar quem eles quiserem. Hoje, eles são praticamente intocáveis, visto que denunciá-los, desmoralizá-los ou acusá-los de qualquer crime é uma atitude politicamente incorreta e altamente reprovada pelo establishment progressista. A elite socialista sueca jamais se atreve a acusá-los de qualquer crime, pois temem ser classificados como xenófobos e intolerantes. Ou seja, a desgraça da Europa, sobretudo dos países escandinavos, foi não ter oferecido nenhuma resistência à ideologia progressista politicamente correta. Hoje, eles são totalmente submissos a ela.

O exemplo do Japão mostra, portanto — para além de qualquer dúvida —, a importância ética e prática da discriminação, que é perfeitamente aceitável e natural, sendo uma tendência inerente aos seres humanos, e portanto intrínseca a determinados comportamentos, sociedades e culturas.

Indo ainda mais longe nessa questão, devemos entender que na verdade todos nós discriminamos, e não existe absolutamente nada de errado nisso. Discriminar pessoas faz parte da natureza humana e quem se recusa a admitir esse fato é um hipócrita. Mulheres discriminam homens na hora de selecionar um parceiro; elas avaliam diversos quesitos, como altura, aparência, status social, condição financeira e carisma. E dentre suas opções, elas sempre escolherão o homem mais atraente, másculo e viril, em detrimento de todos os baixinhos, calvos, carentes, frágeis e inibidos que possam estar disponíveis. Da mesma forma, homens sempre terão preferência por mulheres jovens, atraentes e delicadas, em detrimento de todas as feministas de meia-idade, acima do peso, de cabelo pintado, que são mães solteiras e militantes socialistas. A própria militância progressista discrimina pessoas de forma virulenta e intransigente, como fica evidente no tratamento que dispensam a mulheres bolsonaristas e a negros de direita.

A verdade é que — não importa o nível de histeria da militância progressista — a discriminação é inerente à condição humana e um direito natural inalienável de todos. É parte indissociável da natureza humana e qualquer pessoa pode e deve exercer esse direito sempre que desejar. Não existe absolutamente nada de errado em discriminar pessoas. O problema real é a ideologia progressista e o autoritarismo politicamente correto, movimentos tirânicos que não respeitam o direito das pessoas de discriminar.

Fascismo

Quando falamos de fascismo, precisamos entender que, para a esquerda política, o fascismo é compreendido como um conceito completamente divorciado do seu significado original. Para um militante de esquerda, fascista é todo aquele que defende posicionamentos contrários ao progressismo, não se referindo necessariamente a um fascista clássico.

Mas, seja como for, é necessário entender que — como qualquer ideologia política — até mesmo o fascismo clássico tem o direito de existir e ocupar o seu devido lugar; portanto, fascistas não devem ser arbitrariamente censurados, apesar de defenderem conceitos que representam uma completa antítese de tudo aquilo que é valioso para os entusiastas da liberdade.

Em um país como o Brasil, onde socialistas e comunistas tem total liberdade para se expressar, defender suas ideologias e até mesmo formar partidos políticos, não faz absolutamente o menor sentido que fascistas — e até mesmo nazistas assumidos — sofram qualquer tipo de discriminação. Embora socialistas e comunistas se sintam moralmente superiores aos fascistas (ou a qualquer outra filosofia política ou escola de pensamento), sabemos perfeitamente que o seu senso de superioridade é fruto de uma pueril romantização universitária da sua própria ideologia. A história mostra efetivamente que o socialismo clássico e o comunismo causaram muito mais destruição do que o fascismo.

Portanto, se socialistas e comunistas tem total liberdade para se expressar, não existe a menor razão para que fascistas não usufruam dessa mesma liberdade.

É claro, nesse ponto, seremos invariavelmente confrontados por um oportuno dilema — o famoso paradoxo da intolerância, de Karl Popper. Até que ponto uma sociedade livre e tolerante deve tolerar a intolerância (inerente a ideologias totalitárias)?

As leis de propriedade privada resolveriam isso em uma sociedade livre. O mais importante a levarmos em consideração no atual contexto, no entanto — ao defender ou criticar uma determinada ideologia, filosofia ou escola de pensamento —, é entender que, seja ela qual for, ela tem o direito de existir. E todas as pessoas que a defendem tem o direito de defendê-la, da mesma maneira que todos os seus detratores tem o direito de criticá-la.

Essa é uma forte razão para jamais apoiarmos a censura. Muito pelo contrário, devemos repudiar com veemência e intransigência toda e qualquer forma de censura, especialmente a estatal.

Existem duas fortes razões para isso:

A primeira delas é a volatilidade da censura (especialmente a estatal). A censura oficial do governo, depois que é implementada, torna-se absolutamente incontrolável. Hoje, ela pode estar apontada para um grupo de pessoas cujas ideias divergem das suas. Mas amanhã, ela pode estar apontada justamente para as ideias que você defende. É fundamental, portanto, compreendermos que a censura estatal é incontrolável. Sob qualquer ponto de vista, é muito mais vantajoso que exista uma vasta pluralidade de ideias conflitantes na sociedade competindo entre si, do que o estado decidir que ideias podem ser difundidas ou não.

Além do mais, libertários e anarcocapitalistas não podem nunca esperar qualquer tipo de simpatia por parte das autoridades governamentais. Para o estado, seria infinitamente mais prático e vantajoso criminalizar o libertarianismo e o anarcocapitalismo — sob a alegação de que são filosofias perigosas difundidas por extremistas radicais que ameaçam o estado democrático de direito — do que o fascismo ou qualquer outra ideologia centralizada em governos burocráticos e onipotentes. Portanto, defender a censura, especialmente a estatal, representa sempre um perigo para o próprio indivíduo, que mais cedo ou mais tarde poderá ver a censura oficial do sistema se voltar contra ele.

Outra razão pela qual libertários jamais devem defender a censura, é porque — ao contrário dos estatistas — não é coerente que defensores da liberdade se comportem como se o estado fosse o seu papai e o governo fosse a sua mamãe. Não devemos terceirizar nossas próprias responsabilidades, tampouco devemos nos comportar como adultos infantilizados. Assumimos a responsabilidade de combater todas as ideologias e filosofias que agridem a liberdade e os seres humanos. Não procuramos políticos ou burocratas para executar essa tarefa por nós.

Portanto, se você ver um fascista sendo censurado nas redes sociais ou em qualquer outro lugar, assuma suas dores. Sinta-se compelido a defendê-lo, mostre aos seus detratores que ele tem todo direito de se expressar, como qualquer pessoa. Você não tem obrigação de concordar com ele ou apreciar as ideias que ele defende. Mas silenciar arbitrariamente qualquer pessoa não é uma pauta que honra a liberdade.

Se você não gosta de estado, planejamento central, burocracia, impostos, tarifas, políticas coletivistas, nacionalistas e desenvolvimentistas, mostre com argumentos coesos e convincentes porque a liberdade e o livre mercado são superiores a todos esses conceitos. Mas repudie a censura com intransigência e mordacidade.

Em primeiro lugar, porque você aprecia e defende a liberdade de expressão para todas as pessoas. E em segundo lugar, por entender perfeitamente que — se a censura eventualmente se tornar uma política de estado vigente entre a sociedade — é mais provável que ela atinja primeiro os defensores da liberdade do que os defensores do estado.

Machismo

Muitos elementos do comportamento masculino que hoje são atacados com virulência e considerados machistas pelo movimento progressista são na verdade manifestações naturais intrínsecas ao homem, que nossos avôs cultivaram ao longo de suas vidas sem serem recriminados por isso. Com a ascensão do feminismo, do progressismo e a eventual problematização do sexo masculino, o antagonismo militante dos principais líderes da revolução sexual da contracultura passou a naturalmente condenar todos os atributos genuinamente masculinos, por considerá-los símbolos de opressão e dominação social.

Apesar do Brasil ser uma sociedade liberal ultra-progressista, onde o estado protege mais as mulheres do que as crianças — afinal, a cada semana novas leis são implementadas concedendo inúmeros privilégios e benefícios às mulheres, aos quais elas jamais teriam direito em uma sociedade genuinamente machista e patriarcal —, a esquerda política persiste em tentar difundir a fantasia da opressão masculina e o mito de que vivemos em uma sociedade machista e patriarcal.

Como sempre, a realidade mostra um cenário muito diferente daquilo que é pregado pela militância da terra da fantasia. O Brasil atual não tem absolutamente nada de machista ou patriarcal. No Brasil, mulheres podem votar, podem ocupar posições de poder e autoridade tanto na esfera pública quanto em companhias privadas, podem se candidatar a cargos políticos, podem ser vereadoras, deputadas, governadoras, podem ser proprietárias do próprio negócio, podem se divorciar, podem dirigir, podem comprar armas, podem andar de biquíni nas praias, podem usar saias extremamente curtas, podem ver programas de televisão sobre sexo voltados única e exclusivamente para o público feminino, podem se casar com outras mulheres, podem ser promíscuas, podem consumir bebidas alcoólicas ao ponto da embriaguez, e podem fazer praticamente tudo aquilo que elas desejarem. No Brasil do século XXI, as mulheres são genuinamente livres para fazer as próprias escolhas em praticamente todos os aspectos de suas vidas. O que mostra efetivamente que a tal opressão do patriarcado não existe.

O liberalismo social extremo do qual as mulheres usufruem no Brasil atual — e que poderíamos estender a toda a sociedade contemporânea ocidental — é suficiente para desmantelar completamente a fábula feminista da sociedade patriarcal machista e opressora, que existe única e exclusivamente no mundinho de fantasias ideológicas da esquerda progressista.

Tão importante quanto, é fundamental compreender que nenhum homem é obrigado a levar o feminismo a sério ou considerá-lo um movimento social e político legítimo. Para um homem, ser considerado machista ou até mesmo assumir-se como um não deveria ser um problema. O progressismo e o feminismo — com o seu nefasto hábito de demonizar os homens, bem como todos os elementos inerentes ao comportamento e a cultura masculina — é que são o verdadeiro problema, conforme tentam modificar o homem para transformá-lo em algo que ele não é nem deveria ser: uma criatura dócil, passiva e submissa, que é comandada por ideologias hostis e antinaturais, que não respeitam a hierarquia de uma ordem social milenar e condições inerentes à própria natureza humana. Com o seu hábito de tentar modificar tudo através de leis e decretos, o feminismo e o progressismo mostram efetivamente que o seu real objetivo é criminalizar a masculinidade.

A verdade é que — usufruindo de um nível elevado de liberdades — não existe praticamente nada que a mulher brasileira do século XXI não possa fazer. Adicionalmente, o governo dá as mulheres uma quantidade tão avassaladora de vantagens, privilégios e benefícios, que está ficando cada vez mais difícil para elas encontrarem razões válidas para reclamarem da vida. Se o projeto de lei que pretende fornecer um auxílio mensal de mil e duzentos reais para mães solteiras for aprovado pelo senado, muitas mulheres que tem filhos não precisarão nem mesmo trabalhar para ter sustento. E tantas outras procurarão engravidar, para ter direito a receber uma mesada mensal do governo até o seu filho completar a maioridade.

O que a militância colorida da terra da fantasia convenientemente ignora — pois a realidade nunca corresponde ao seu conto de fadas ideológico — é que o mundo de uma forma geral continua sendo muito mais implacável com os homens do que é com as mulheres. No Brasil, a esmagadora maioria dos suicídios é praticada por homens, a maioria das vítimas de homicídio são homens e de cada quatro moradores de rua, três são homens. Mas é evidente que uma sociedade liberal ultra-progressista não se importa com os homens, pois ela não é influenciada por fatos concretos ou pela realidade. Seu objetivo é simplesmente atender as disposições de uma agenda ideológica, não importa quão divorciadas da realidade elas são.

O nível exacerbado de liberdades sociais e privilégios governamentais dos quais as mulheres brasileiras usufruem é suficiente para destruir a fantasiosa fábula da sociedade machista, opressora e patriarcal. Se as mulheres brasileiras não estão felizes, a culpa definitivamente não é dos homens. Se a vasta profusão de liberdades, privilégios e benefícios da sociedade ocidental não as deixa plenamente saciadas e satisfeitas, elas podem sempre mudar de ares e tentar uma vida mais abnegada e espartana em países como Irã, Paquistão ou Afeganistão. Quem sabe assim elas não se sentirão melhores e mais realizadas?

Homofobia

Quando falamos em homofobia, entramos em uma categoria muito parecida com a do racismo: o direito de discriminação é totalmente válido. Absolutamente ninguém deve ser obrigado a aceitar homossexuais ou considerar o homossexualismo como algo normal. Sendo cristão, não existe nem sequer a mais vaga possibilidade de que algum dia eu venha a aceitar o homossexualismo como algo natural. O homossexualismo se qualifica como um grave desvio de conduta e um pecado contra o Criador.

A Bíblia proíbe terminantemente conduta sexual imoral, o que — além do homossexualismo — inclui adultério, fornicação, incesto e bestialidade, entre outras formas igualmente pérfidas de degradação.

Segue abaixo três passagens bíblicas que proíbem terminantemente a conduta homossexual:

“Não te deitarás com um homem como se deita com uma mulher. Isso é abominável!” (Levítico 18:22 — King James Atualizada)

“Se um homem se deitar com outro homem, como se deita com mulher, ambos terão praticado abominação; certamente serão mortos; o seu sangue estará sobre eles.” (Levítico 20:13 — João Ferreira de Almeida Atualizada)

“O quê! Não sabeis que os injustos não herdarão o reino de Deus? Não sejais desencaminhados. Nem fornicadores, nem idólatras, nem adúlteros, nem homens mantidos para propósitos desnaturais, nem homens que se deitam com homens, nem ladrões, nem gananciosos, nem beberrões, nem injuriadores, nem extorsores herdarão o reino de Deus.” (1 Coríntios 6:9,10 —Tradução do Novo Mundo das Escrituras Sagradas com Referências)

Se você não é religioso, pode simplesmente levar em consideração o argumento do respeito pela ordem natural. A ordem natural é incondicional e incisiva com relação a uma questão: o complemento de tudo o que existe é o seu oposto, não o seu igual. O complemento do dia é a noite, o complemento da luz é a escuridão, o complemento da água, que é líquida, é a terra, que é sólida. E como sabemos o complemento do macho — de sua respectiva espécie — é a fêmea.

Portanto, o complemento do homem, o macho da espécie humana, é naturalmente a mulher, a fêmea da espécie humana. Um homem e uma mulher podem naturalmente se reproduzir, porque são um complemento biológico natural. Por outro lado, um homem e outro homem são incapazes de se reproduzir, assim como uma mulher e outra mulher.

Infelizmente, o mundo atual está longe de aceitar como plenamente estabelecida a ordem natural pelo simples fato dela existir, visto que tentam subvertê-la a qualquer custo, não importa o malabarismo intelectual que tenham que fazer para justificar os seus pontos de vista distorcidos e antinaturais. A libertinagem irrefreável e a imoralidade bestial do mundo contemporâneo pós-moderno não reconhecem nenhum tipo de limite. Quem tenta restabelecer princípios morais salutares é imediatamente considerado um vilão retrógrado e repressivo, sendo ativamente demonizado pela militância do hedonismo, da luxúria e da licenciosidade desenfreada e sem limites.

Definitivamente, fazer a apologia da moralidade, do autocontrole e do autodomínio não faz nenhum sucesso na Sodoma e Gomorra global dos dias atuais. O que faz sucesso é lacração, devassidão, promiscuidade e prazeres carnais vazios. O famoso escritor e filósofo francês Albert Camus expressou uma verdade contundente quando disse: “Uma só frase lhe bastará para definir o homem moderno — fornicava e lia jornais”.

Qualquer indivíduo tem o direito inalienável de discriminar ativamente homossexuais, pelo direito que ele julgar mais pertinente no seu caso. A objeção de consciência para qualquer situação é um direito natural dos indivíduos. Há alguns anos, um caso que aconteceu nos Estados Unidos ganhou enorme repercussão internacional, quando o confeiteiro Jack Phillips se recusou a fazer um bolo de casamento para o “casal” homossexual Dave Mullins e Charlie Craig.

Uma representação dos direitos civis do estado do Colorado abriu um inquérito contra o confeiteiro, alegando que ele deveria ser obrigado a atender todos os clientes, independente da orientação sexual, raça ou crença. Preste atenção nas palavras usadas — ele deveria ser obrigado a atender.

Como se recusou bravamente a ceder, o caso foi parar invariavelmente na Suprema Corte, que decidiu por sete a dois em favor de Jack Phillips, sob a alegação de que obrigar o confeiteiro a atender o “casal” homossexual era uma violação nefasta dos seus princípios religiosos. Felizmente, esse foi um caso em que a liberdade prevaleceu sobre a tirania progressista.

Evidentemente, homossexuais não devem ser agredidos, ofendidos, internados em clínicas contra a sua vontade, nem devem ser constrangidos em suas liberdades pelo fato de serem homossexuais. O que eles precisam entender é que a liberdade é uma via de mão dupla. Eles podem ter liberdade para adotar a conduta que desejarem e fazer o que quiserem (contanto que não agridam ninguém), mas da mesma forma, é fundamental respeitar e preservar a liberdade de terceiros que desejam rejeitá-los pacificamente, pelo motivo que for.

Afinal, ninguém tem a menor obrigação de aceitá-los, atendê-los ou sequer pensar que uma união estável entre duas pessoas do mesmo sexo — incapaz de gerar descendentes, e, portanto, antinatural — deva ser considerado um matrimônio de verdade. Absolutamente nenhuma pessoa, ideia, movimento, crença ou ideologia usufrui de plena unanimidade no mundo. Por que o homossexualismo deveria ter tal privilégio?

Homossexuais não são portadores de uma verdade definitiva, absoluta e indiscutível, que está acima da humanidade. São seres humanos comuns que — na melhor das hipóteses —, levam um estilo de vida que pode ser considerado “alternativo”, e absolutamente ninguém tem a obrigação de considerar esse estilo de vida normal ou aceitável. A única obrigação das pessoas é não interferir, e isso não implica uma obrigação em aceitar.

Discriminar homossexuais (assim como pessoas de qualquer outro grupo, raça, religião, nacionalidade ou etnia) é um direito natural por parte de todos aqueles que desejam exercer esse direito. E isso nem o direito positivo nem a militância progressista poderão algum dia alterar ou subverter. O direito natural e a inclinação inerente dos seres humanos em atender às suas próprias disposições é simplesmente imutável e faz parte do seu conjunto de necessidades.

Conclusão

A militância progressista é absurdamente autoritária, e todas as suas estratégias e disposições ideológicas mostram que ela está em uma guerra permanente contra a ordem natural, contra a liberdade e principalmente contra o homem branco, cristão, conservador e tradicionalista — possivelmente, aquilo que ela mais odeia e despreza.

Nós não podemos, no entanto, ceder ou dar espaço para a agenda progressista, tampouco pensar em considerar como sendo normais todas as pautas abusivas e tirânicas que a militância pretende estabelecer como sendo perfeitamente razoáveis e aceitáveis, quer a sociedade aceite isso ou não. Afinal, conforme formos cedendo, o progressismo tirânico e totalitário tende a ganhar cada vez mais espaço.

Quanto mais espaço o progressismo conquistar, mais corroída será a liberdade e mais impulso ganhará o totalitarismo. Com isso, a cultura do cancelamento vai acabar com carreiras, profissões e com o sustento de muitas pessoas, pelo simples fato de que elas discordam das pautas universitárias da moda.

A história mostra perfeitamente que quanto mais liberdade uma sociedade tem, mais progresso ela atinge. Por outro lado, quanto mais autoritária ela for, mais retrocessos ela sofrerá. O autoritarismo se combate com liberdade, desafiando as pautas de todos aqueles que persistem em implementar a tirania na sociedade. O politicamente correto é o nazismo dos costumes, que pretende subverter a moral através de uma cultura de vigilância policial despótica e autoritária, para que toda a sociedade seja subjugada pela agenda totalitária progressista.

Pois quanto a nós, precisamos continuar travando o bom combate em nome da liberdade. E isso inclui reconhecer que ideologias, hábitos e costumes de que não gostamos tem o direito de existir e até mesmo de serem defendidos.

@ fa0165a0:03397073

Below is an easy-to-read list of keyboard shortcuts and commands to navigate your Linux computer efficiently: (Note that some variations between systems may apply)

General Shortcuts:
    Open Terminal: Ctrl + Alt + T
    Close current application: Alt + F4
    Switch between open applications: Alt + Tab
    Logout from current session: Ctrl + Alt + Del

Navigating the File System:
    Open File Manager (Nautilus): Super (Windows key) + E
    Move back in directory: Alt + Left Arrow
    Move forward in directory: Alt + Right Arrow
    Go to Home directory: Ctrl + H
    Go to Desktop: Ctrl + D
    Open a folder or file: Enter
    Rename a file or folder: F2
    Copy selected item: Ctrl + C
    Cut selected item: Ctrl + X
    Paste copied/cut item: Ctrl + V
    Delete selected item: Delete
    Create a new folder: Ctrl + Shift + N

Navigating Applications:
    Switch between open windows of the same application: Alt + `
    Close the current window: Ctrl + W
    Minimize the current window: Ctrl + M
    Maximize/Restore the current window: Ctrl + Super + Up Arrow / Down Arrow

Navigating Web Browsers (e.g., Firefox, Chrome):
    Open a new tab: Ctrl + T
    Close the current tab: Ctrl + W
    Switch to the next tab: Ctrl + Tab
    Switch to the previous tab: Ctrl + Shift + Tab
    Open a link in a new tab: Ctrl + Left Click
    Go back in the browser history: Alt + Left Arrow
    Go forward in the browser history: Alt + Right Arrow

System Controls:
    Lock the screen: Ctrl + Alt + L
    Open the system menu (context menu): Menu key (or Right-click key) or Shift + F10
    Open the Run Command prompt: Alt + F2

These shortcuts may vary slightly depending on the Linux distribution and desktop environment you are using. Experiment with these shortcuts to navigate your Linux system faster and more efficiently without relying on the mouse.

Since websites are such an important interface for the information of today, I have here appended the list with some navigational hotkeys for web browsers (e.g., Firefox, Chrome) on Linux:

General Navigation:
    Scroll down: Spacebar
    Scroll up: Shift + Spacebar
    Scroll horizontally: Hold Shift and scroll with the mouse wheel or arrow keys
    Go to the top of the page: Home
    Go to the bottom of the page: End
    Refresh the page: F5 or Ctrl + R
    Stop loading the page: Esc

Link and Page Navigation:
    Move focus to the next link or interactive element: Tab
    Move focus to the previous link or interactive element: Shift + Tab
    Activate/follow a link or button: Enter
    Open link in a new tab: Ctrl + Enter (Cmd + Enter on macOS)
    Open link in a new background tab: Ctrl + Shift + Enter (Cmd + Shift + Enter on macOS)
    Open link in a new window: Shift + Enter
    Go back to the previous page: Backspace or Alt + Left Arrow
    Go forward to the next page: Alt + Right Arrow

Searching:
    Find text on the page: Ctrl + F
    Find next occurrence: Ctrl + G
    Find previous occurrence: Ctrl + Shift + G

Tab Management:
    Open a new tab: Ctrl + T
    Close the current tab: Ctrl + W
    Reopen the last closed tab: Ctrl + Shift + T
    Switch to the next tab: Ctrl + Tab
    Switch to the previous tab: Ctrl + Shift + Tab
    Switch to a specific tab (numbered from left to right): Ctrl + [1-8]
    Switch to the last tab: Ctrl + 9

Form Interaction:
    Move to the next form field: Tab
    Move to the previous form field: Shift + Tab
    Check/uncheck checkboxes and radio buttons: Spacebar
    Select an option from a dropdown menu: Enter, then arrow keys to navigate options

Miscellaneous:
    Open the browser's menu: Alt (sometimes F10)
    Open the address bar (omnibox): Ctrl + L or Alt + D

Remember, the accessibility of websites can vary, and some sites might have different keyboard navigation implementations. In some cases, you may need to enable keyboard navigation in the browser's settings or extensions. Additionally, browser updates might introduce changes to keyboard shortcuts, so it's always good to check the latest documentation or help resources for your specific browser version.

But I hope this helps as an tldr and getting started with navigating your laptop the ways pro role.

Version controlled over at github gist.

@ aa55a479:f7598935

Test

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Intro

This short tutorial will help you set up your own Nostr Wallet Connect (NWC) on your own LND Node that is not using Umbrel. If you are a user of Umbrel, you should use their version of NWC.

Requirements

You need to have a working installation of LND with established channels and connectivity to the internet. NWC in itself is fairly light and will not consume a lot of resources. You will also want to ensure that you have a working installation of Docker, since we will use a docker image to run NWC.

• Working installation of LND (and all of its required components)
• Docker (with Docker compose)

Installation

For the purpose of this tutorial, we will assume that you have your lnd/bitcoind running under user bitcoin with home directory /home/bitcoin. We will also assume that you already have a running installation of Docker (or docker.io).

Prepare and verify

git version - we will need git to get the latest version of NWC. docker version - should execute successfully and show the currently installed version of Docker. docker compose version - same as before, but the version will be different. ss -tupln | grep 10009- should produce the following output: tcp LISTEN 0 4096 0.0.0.0:10009 0.0.0.0: tcp LISTEN 0 4096 [::]:10009 [::]:**

For things to work correctly, your Docker should be version 20.10.0 or later. If you have an older version, consider installing a new one using instructions here: https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/

Create folders & download NWC

In the home directory of your LND/bitcoind user, create a new folder, e.g., "nwc" mkdir /home/bitcoin/nwc. Change to that directory cd /home/bitcoin/nwc and clone the NWC repository: git clone https://github.com/getAlby/nostr-wallet-connect.git

Creating the Docker image

In this step, we will create a Docker image that you will use to run NWC.

• Change directory to nostr-wallet-connect: cd nostr-wallet-connect
• Run command to build Docker image: docker build -t nwc:$(date +'%Y%m%d%H%M') -t nwc:latest . (there is a dot at the end)
• The last line of the output (after a few minutes) should look like => => naming to docker.io/library/nwc:latest
• nwc:latest is the name of the Docker image with a tag which you should note for use later.

Creating docker-compose.yml and necessary data directories

• Let's create a directory that will hold your non-volatile data (DB): mkdir data
• Indocker-compose.ymlfile, there are fields that you want to replace (<> comments) and port “4321” that you want to make sure is open (check with ss -tupln | grep 4321which should return nothing).
• Create docker-compose.ymlfile with the following content, and make sure to update fields that have <> comment:

version: "3.8" services: nwc: image: nwc:latest volumes: - ./data:/data - ~/.lnd:/lnd:ro ports: - "4321:8080" extra_hosts: - "localhost:host-gateway" environment: NOSTR_PRIVKEY: <use "openssl rand -hex 32" to generate a fresh key and place it inside ""> LN_BACKEND_TYPE: "LND" LND_ADDRESS: localhost:10009 LND_CERT_FILE: "/lnd/tls.cert" LND_MACAROON_FILE: "/lnd/data/chain/bitcoin/mainnet/admin.macaroon" DATABASE_URI: "/data/nostr-wallet-connect.db" COOKIE_SECRET: <use "openssl rand -hex 32" to generate fresh secret and place it inside ""> PORT: 8080 restart: always stop_grace_period: 1m

Starting and testing

Now that you have everything ready, it is time to start the container and test.

• While you are in the nwcdirectory (important), execute the following command and check the log output, docker compose up
• You should see container logs while it is starting, and it should not exit if everything went well.
• At this point, you should be able to go to http://<ip of the host where nwc is running>:4321 and get to the interface of NWC
• To stop the test run of NWC, simply press Ctrl-C , and it will shut the container down.
• To start NWC permanently, you should execute docker compose up -d , “-d” tells Docker to detach from the session.
• To check currently running NWC logs, execute docker compose logs to run it in tail mode add -f to the end.
• To stop the container, execute docker compose down

That's all, just follow the instructions in the web interface to get started.

Updating

As with any software, you should expect fixes and updates that you would need to perform periodically. You could automate this, but it falls outside of the scope of this tutorial. Since we already have all of the necessary configuration in place, the update execution is fairly simple.

• Change directory to the clone of the git repository, cd /home/bitcoin/nwc/nostr-wallet-connect
• Run command to build Docker image: docker build -t nwc:$(date +'%Y%m%d%H%M') -t nwc:latest . (there is a dot at the end)
• Change directory back one level cd ..
• Restart (stop and start) the docker compose config docker compose down && docker compose up -d
• Done! Optionally you may want to check the logs: docker compose logs

@ 32e18276:5c68e245

I’m so lazy I’m thinking of running the damus merch store via stateless and serverless lightning payment links. All data is collected and stored in the lightning invoice descriptions which are fetched from your node. You can do this without having to run any server code except a lightning node!

This is the same tech we used when selling merch as at bitcoin Miami. It was extremely reliable. I love these things, they are so easy. Integrating with the legacy fiat system is such a pita, It may just be a lightning-only store for now because of how simple this is. Here's what a lightning payment link looks like:

http://lnlink.org/?d=ASED88EIzNU2uFJoQfClxYISu55lhKHrSTCA58HMNPgtrXECMjQuODQuMTUyLjE4Nzo4MzI0AANgB6Cj2QCeZAFOZ1nS6qGuRe4Vf6qzwJyQ5Qo3b0HRt_w9MTIwJm1ldGhvZD1pbnZvaWNlfG1ldGhvZD13YWl0aW52b2ljZSZwbmFtZWxhYmVsXmxubGluay0mcmF0ZT04BERlYXRoIFN0YXIABQAAAGQGQW4gb2JqZWN0IG9mIHVuZmF0aG9tYWJsZSBwb3dlcgAHEwhodHRwczovL3VwbG9hZC53aWtpbWVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2lwZWRpYS9lbi9mL2Y5L0RlYXRoX3N0YXIxLnBuZwA=

How it works

The entire product page is stored as data in the url. When a customer click the link, the product info is decoded and rendered as a webpage. The data in the url includes

• The product name
• Description
• Price in sats
• Product image url
• Fields to collect data from the user
• Lightning node address
• Lightning node rune for fetching and waiting for invoice payments

This works thanks to a javascript library I created called "lnsocket". It allows you to connect to your CLN node over websockets. Once the user fills out all of the info, a new lightning invoice is fetched with this information in the description, by connecting directly to your node. This connection is end-to-end encrypted thanks to the lightning protocol itself.

To your lightning node, it looks like another lightning node is connecting to it, but in reality it's just a dumb client asking for things.

At this point, custom lightning packets called "commando" packets are sent to your node which asks your node to run certain commands. CLN authenticates these packets using the rune and then returns a response. This is pretty much the same as calling these commands directly on your lightning node, except now someone is doing it from a browser in a secure way!

Why not just run btcpayserver?

btcpayserver is cool and is more powerful, but I like exploring simpler ways to do things that don't require running lots of software which can be challenging for many non-technical people. You shouldn't have to become a server administrator to start accepting payments. It should be as simple as running a bitcoin and lightning node, pushing all of the application logic to the clients.

This is a similar philosophy to what we have in the nostr space. Let's make it easier for people to use self-sovereign tools. Everyone deserves freedom tech.

Anyways, I'm still working on https://lnlink.org. I just added images and nostr address support! You can make your own payment links here! Try it out:

http://lnlink.org/?d=ASED88EIzNU2uFJoQfClxYISu55lhKHrSTCA58HMNPgtrXECMjQuODQuMTUyLjE4Nzo4MzI0AANgB6Cj2QCeZAFOZ1nS6qGuRe4Vf6qzwJyQ5Qo3b0HRt_w9MTIwJm1ldGhvZD1pbnZvaWNlfG1ldGhvZD13YWl0aW52b2ljZSZwbmFtZWxhYmVsXmxubGluay0mcmF0ZT04BERlYXRoIFN0YXIABQAAAGQGQW4gb2JqZWN0IG9mIHVuZmF0aG9tYWJsZSBwb3dlcgAHEwhodHRwczovL3VwbG9hZC53aWtpbWVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2lwZWRpYS9lbi9mL2Y5L0RlYXRoX3N0YXIxLnBuZwA=&edit=1

@ 32e18276:5c68e245

Hey guys!

Another day, another TestFlight build. This fixes many mention bugs and includes bandwidth improvements.

During nostrica, jack told everyone to open their phones and say GM to fiatjaf. This actually brought down nostrica's wifi! Damus is really dumb when it first opens and makes many requests. Sometimes hundreds (nip05 validation, etc). This build fixes all those issues. Damus will no longer:

1. Make hundreds of nostr address validation requests.
2. Make tons of duplicate lnurl requests when validating zaps

nostr address validation only happens when you open someones profile now.

This build also fixes some annoying mention issues. If you forget a space when mentioning someone, it will automatically add it.

I've also removed the restriction where you were not allowed to login to "deleted" accounts. This was way too confusing for people, and logging into a deleted account will allow you to reset the profile information and get it going again. You're welcome NVK.

Another thing that was added in this build is support for _ usernames in nostr addresses. This will hide your full nostr address username when used. Damus will also hide your username if it matches your profile username. Damus always did this before but it was incorrect. Now it will show your full nostr address (nip05) with its proper username. You can stop bugging me about this now Semisol.

Last but not least there are some small tweaks to longform note padding. Nothing too crazy but it does make notes like this look less cramped.

Until next time!

Added

• Show nostr address username and support abbreviated _ usernames (William Casarin)
• Re-add nip05 badges to profiles (William Casarin)
• Add space when tagging users in posts if needed (William Casarin)
• Added padding under word count on longform account (William Casarin)

Fixed

• Don't spam lnurls when validating zaps (William Casarin)
• Eliminate nostr address validation bandwidth on startup (William Casarin)
• Allow user to login to deleted profile (William Casarin)
• Fix issue where typing cc@bob would produce brokenb ccnostr:bob mention (William Casarin)

@ b12b632c:d9e1ff79

I love testing every new self hosted app and I can say that Nostr "world" is really good regarding self hosting stuff.

Today I tested a Nostr relay named Strfry.

Strfry is really simple to setup and support a lot's of Nostr NIPs.

Here is the list of what it is able to do :

• Supports most applicable NIPs: 1, 2, 4, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 20, 22, 28, 33, 40
• No external database required: All data is stored locally on the filesystem in LMDB
• Hot reloading of config file: No server restart needed for many config param changes
• Zero downtime restarts, for upgrading binary without impacting users
• Websocket compression: permessage-deflate with optional sliding window, when supported by clients
• Built-in support for real-time streaming (up/down/both) events from remote relays, and bulk import/export of events from/to jsonl files
• negentropy-based set reconcilliation for efficient syncing with remote relays

Installation with docker compose (v2)

Spoiler : you need to have a computer with more than 1 (v)Core / 2GB of RAM to build the docker image locally. If not, this below might crash your computer during docker image build. You may need to use a prebuilt strfry docker image.

I assume you've read my first article on Managing domain with Nginx Proxy Manager because I will use the NPM docker compose stack to publish strfry Nostr relay. Without the initial NPM configuration done, it may not work as expected. I'll use the same docker-compose.yml file and folder.

Get back in the "npm-stack" folder :

cd npm-stack

Cloning the strfry github repo locally :

git clone https://github.com/hoytech/strfry.git

Modify the docker-compose file to locate the strfry configuration data outside of the folder repo directory to avoid mistake during futures upgrades (CTRL + X, S & ENTER to quit and save modifications) :

nano docker-compose.yml

You don't have to insert the Nginx Proxy Manager part, you should already have it into the file. If not, check here. You should only have to add the strfry part.

``` version: '3.8' services: # should already be present into the docker-compose.yml app: image: 'jc21/nginx-proxy-manager:latest' restart: unless-stopped ports: # These ports are in format : - '80:80' # Public HTTP Port - '443:443' # Public HTTPS Port - '81:81' # Admin Web Port # Add any other Stream port you want to expose # - '21:21' # FTP

# Uncomment the next line if you uncomment anything in the section
# environment:
  # Uncomment this if you want to change the location of
  # the SQLite DB file within the container
  # DB_SQLITE_FILE: "/data/database.sqlite"

  # Uncomment this if IPv6 is not enabled on your host
  # DISABLE_IPV6: 'true'

volumes:
  - ./nginxproxymanager/data:/data
  - ./nginxproxymanager/letsencrypt:/etc/letsencrypt

strfry-nostr-relay: container_name: strfry build: ./strfry volumes: - ./strfry-data/strfry.conf:/etc/strfry.conf - ./strfry-data/strfry-db:/app/strfry-db

ports is commented by NPM will access through docker internal network

no need to expose strfry port directly to the internet

ports:

- "7777:7777"

```

Before starting the container, we need to customize the strfry configuration file "strfry.conf". We'll copy the strfry configuration file and place it into the "strfry-data" folder to modify it with our own settings :

mkdir strfry-data && cp strfry/strfry.conf strfry-data/

And modify the strfry.conf file with your own settings :

nano strfry-data/strfry.conf

You can modify all the settings you need but the basics settings are :

• bind = "127.0.0.1" --> bind = "0.0.0.0" --> otherwise NPM won't be able to contact the strfry service

• name = "strfry default" --> name of your nostr relay

• description = "This is a strfry instance." --> your nostr relay description

• pubkey = "" --> your pubkey in hex format. You can use the Damu's tool to generate your hex key from your npub key : https://damus.io/key/

• contact = "" --> your email

``` relay { # Interface to listen on. Use 0.0.0.0 to listen on all interfaces (restart required) bind = "127.0.0.1"

# Port to open for the nostr websocket protocol (restart required)
port = 7777

# Set OS-limit on maximum number of open files/sockets (if 0, don't attempt to set) (restart required)
nofiles = 1000000

# HTTP header that contains the client's real IP, before reverse proxying (ie x-real-ip) (MUST be all lower-case)
realIpHeader = ""

info {
    # NIP-11: Name of this server. Short/descriptive (< 30 characters)
    name = "strfry default"

    # NIP-11: Detailed information about relay, free-form
    description = "This is a strfry instance."

    # NIP-11: Administrative nostr pubkey, for contact purposes
    pubkey = ""

    # NIP-11: Alternative administrative contact (email, website, etc)
    contact = ""
}

```

You can now start the docker strfry docker container :

docker compose up -d

This command will take a bit of time because it will build the strfry docker image locally before starting the container. If your VPS doesn't have lot's of (v)CPU/RAM, it could fail (nothing happening during the docker image build). My VPS has 1 vCore / 2GB of RAM and died few seconds after the build beginning.

If it's the case, you can use prebuilt strfry docker image available on the Docker hub : https://hub.docker.com/search?q=strfry&sort=updated_at&order=desc

That said, otherwise, you should see this :

``` user@vps:~/npm-stack$ docker compose up -d [+] Building 202.4s (15/15) FINISHED
=> [internal] load build definition from Dockerfile 0.2s => => transferring dockerfile: 724B 0.0s => [internal] load .dockerignore 0.3s => => transferring context: 2B 0.0s => [internal] load metadata for docker.io/library/ubuntu:jammy 0.0s => [build 1/7] FROM docker.io/library/ubuntu:jammy 0.4s => [internal] load build context 0.9s => => transferring context: 825.64kB 0.2s => [runner 2/4] WORKDIR /app 1.3s => [build 2/7] WORKDIR /build 1.5s => [runner 3/4] RUN apt update && apt install -y --no-install-recommends liblmdb0 libflatbuffers1 libsecp256k1-0 libb2-1 libzstd1 && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/* 12.4s => [build 3/7] RUN apt update && apt install -y --no-install-recommends git g++ make pkg-config libtool ca-certificates libyaml-perl libtemplate-perl libregexp-grammars-perl libssl-dev zlib1g-dev l 55.5s => [build 4/7] COPY . . 0.9s => [build 5/7] RUN git submodule update --init 2.6s => [build 6/7] RUN make setup-golpe 10.8s => [build 7/7] RUN make -j4 126.8s => [runner 4/4] COPY --from=build /build/strfry strfry 1.3s => exporting to image 0.8s => => exporting layers 0.8s => => writing image sha256:1d346bf343e3bb63da2e4c70521a8350b35a02742dd52b12b131557e96ca7d05 0.0s => => naming to docker.io/library/docker-compose_strfry-nostr-relay 0.0s

Use 'docker scan' to run Snyk tests against images to find vulnerabilities and learn how to fix them
[+] Running 02/02
⠿ Container strfry Started 11.0s ⠿ Container npm-stack-app-1 Running ```

You can check if everything is OK with strfry container by checking the container logs :

user@vps:~/npm-stack$ docker logs strfry date time ( uptime ) [ thread name/id ] v| 2023-07-21 19:26:58.514 ( 0.039s) [main thread ]INFO| arguments: /app/strfry relay 2023-07-21 19:26:58.514 ( 0.039s) [main thread ]INFO| Current dir: /app 2023-07-21 19:26:58.514 ( 0.039s) [main thread ]INFO| stderr verbosity: 0 2023-07-21 19:26:58.514 ( 0.039s) [main thread ]INFO| ----------------------------------- 2023-07-21 19:26:58.514 ( 0.039s) [main thread ]INFO| CONFIG: Loading config from file: /etc/strfry.conf 2023-07-21 19:26:58.529 ( 0.054s) [main thread ]INFO| CONFIG: successfully installed 2023-07-21 19:26:58.533 ( 0.058s) [Websocket ]INFO| Started websocket server on 0.0.0.0:7777

Now, we have to create the subdomain where strfry Nostr relay will be accessible. You need to connect to your Nginx Proxy Manager admin UI and create a new proxy host with these settings :

"Details" tab (Websockets support is mandatory!, you can replace "strfry" by whatever you like, for instance : mybeautifulrelay.yourdomain.tld)

"Details" tab:

"SSL" tab:

And click on "Save"

If everything is OK, when you go to https://strfry.yourdomain.tld you should see :

To verify if strfry is working properly, you can test it with the (really useful!) website https://nostr.watch. You have to insert your relay URL into the nostr.watch URL like this : https://nostr.watch/relay/strfry.yourdomain.tld

You should see this :

If you are seeing your server as online, readable and writable, you made it ! You can add your Nostr strfry server to your Nostr prefered relay and begin to publish notes ! 🎇

Future work:

Once done, strfry will work like a charm but you may need to have more work to update strfry in the near future. I'm currently working on a bash script that will :

• Updatethe "strfry" folder,
• Backup the "strfry.conf" file,
• Download the latest "strfry.conf" from strfry github repo,
• Inject old configuration settings into the new "strfry.conf" file,
• Compose again the stack (rebuilding the image to get the latest code updates),
• etc.

Tell me if you need the script!

Voilààààà

See you soon in another Fractalized story!

@ b12b632c:d9e1ff79

Self hosting web applications comes quickly with the need to deal with HTTPS protocol and SSL certificates. The time where web applications was published over the 80/TCP port without any encryption is totally over. Now we have Let's Encrypt and other free certification authority that lets us play web applications with, at least, the basic minimum security required.

Second part of web self hosting stuff that is really useful is the web proxifycation.

It's possible to have multiple web applications accessible through HTTPS but as we can't use the some port (spoiler: we can) we are forced to have ugly URL as https://mybeautifudomain.tld:8443.

This is where Nginx Proxy Manager (NPM) comes to help us.

NPM, as gateway, will listen on the 443 https port and based on the subdomain you want to reach, it will redirect the network flow to the NPM differents declared backend ports. NPM will also request HTTPS cert for you and let you know when the certificate expires, really useful.

We'll now install NPM with docker compose (v2) and you'll see, it's very easy.

You can find the official NPM setup instructions here.

But before we absolutely need to do something. You need to connect to the registrar where you bought your domain name and go into the zone DNS section.You have to create a A record poing to your VPS IP. That will allow NPM to request SSL certificates for your domain and subdomains.

Create a new folder for the NPM docker stack :

mkdir npm-stack && cd npm-stack

Create a new docker-compose.yml :

nano docker-compose.yml

Paste this content into it (CTRL + X ; Y & ENTER to save/quit) :

``` version: '3.8' services: app: image: 'jc21/nginx-proxy-manager:latest' restart: unless-stopped ports: # These ports are in format : - '80:80' # Public HTTP Port - '443:443' # Public HTTPS Port - '81:81' # Admin Web Port # Add any other Stream port you want to expose # - '21:21' # FTP

# Uncomment the next line if you uncomment anything in the section
# environment:
  # Uncomment this if you want to change the location of
  # the SQLite DB file within the container
  # DB_SQLITE_FILE: "/data/database.sqlite"

  # Uncomment this if IPv6 is not enabled on your host
  # DISABLE_IPV6: 'true'

volumes:
  - ./nginxproxymanager/data:/data
  - ./nginxproxymanager/letsencrypt:/etc/letsencrypt

```

You'll not believe but it's done. NPM docker compose configuration is done.

To start Nginx Proxy Manager with docker compose, you just have to :

docker compose up -d

You'll see :

user@vps:~/tutorials/npm-stack$ docker compose up -d [+] Running 2/2 ✔ Network npm-stack_default Created ✔ Container npm-stack-app-1 Started

You can check if NPM container is started by doing this command :

docker ps

You'll see :

user@vps:~/tutorials/npm-stack$ docker ps CONTAINER ID IMAGE COMMAND CREATED STATUS PORTS NAMES 7bc5ea8ac9c8 jc21/nginx-proxy-manager:latest "/init" About a minute ago Up About a minute 0.0.0.0:80-81->80-81/tcp, :::80-81->80-81/tcp, 0.0.0.0:443->443/tcp, :::443->443/tcp npm-stack-app-1

If the command show "Up X minutes" for the npm-stack-app-1, you're good to go! You can access to the NPM admin UI by going to http://YourIPAddress:81.You shoud see :

The default NPM login/password are : admin@example.com/changeme .If the login succeed, you should see a popup asking to edit your user by changing your email password : And your password : Click on "Save" to finish the login. To verify if NPM is able to request SSL certificates for you, create first a subdomain for the NPM admin UI : Click on "Hosts" and "Proxy Hosts" : Followed by "Add Proxy Host" If you want to access the NPM admin UI with https://admin.yourdomain.tld, please set all the parameters like this (I won't explain each parameters) :

Details tab : SSL tab : And click on "Save".

NPM will request the SSL certificate "admin.yourdomain.tld" for you.

If you have an erreor message "Internal Error" it's probably because your domaine DNS zone is not configured with an A DNS record pointing to your VPS IP.

Otherwise you should see (my domain is hidden) :

Clicking on the "Source" URL link "admin.yourdomain.tld" will open a pop-up and, surprise, you should see the NPM admin UI with the URL "https://admin.yourdomain.tld" !

If yes, bravo, everything is OK ! 🎇

You know now how to have a subdomain of your domain redirecting to a container web app. In the next blog post, you'll see how to setup a Nostr relay with NPM ;)

Voilààààà

See you soon in another Fractalized story!

@ 78733875:4eb851f2

"The computer can be used as a tool to liberate and protect people, rather than to control them," as Hal Finney wrote so presciently 30 years ago.[^fn-hal]

The goal of OpenSats is to help build the tools that Hal alluded to. Tools that liberate and protect, rather than systems that control and oppress. Many tools still have to be built. Many tools still need to be improved. However, "the universe smiles on encryption," as Assange so aptly put it.[^fn-assange]

We believe that freedom tech is what carries this smile forward, which is why we are delighted to announce grants for over a dozen projects in the bitcoin & lightning ecosystem.

[^fn-hal]: Hal Finney: Why remailers... (November 1992)

[^fn-assange]: Julian Assange: A Call to Cryptographic Arms (October 2012)

The following open-source projects were selected by the OpenSats board for funding:

• Payjoin Dev Kit
• Bolt12 for LND
• Splicing
• Raspiblitz
• Labelbase
• BTCPay Server
• ZeroSync
• Mutiny Wallet
• next-auth Lightning Provider
• Cashu
• lnproxy
• Blixt Wallet

Let's take a closer look at each to understand their goal and how it aligns with the OpenSats mission.

---

Payjoin Dev Kit

Payjoin brings privacy to bitcoin without changing the way you're used to using it. Payjoin transactions look no different from normal activity on-chain, so they boost everyone's privacy, even those who don't payjoin, and foil chain surveillance.

Payjoin is easy to integrate and falls back to working defaults where it isn't supported, but it can only take off when senders and receivers include standard payjoin support in their software. Payjoin Dev Kit makes it easy for wallet developers to integrate BIP 78 standard payjoins everywhere, having working reference integrations for Bitcoin Core, LND, and BDK.

Repository: github.com/payjoin
License: MIT

Bolt12 for LND

Bolt12 brings a new invoice format, enabling static invoices (offers) as well as recurring payments. It adds support to receive payments in a lightning-native way without using a web server. It also uses Blinded Paths to disguise the destination of a node both when fetching the invoice and when paying. This improves privacy and, therefore, security for the receiver of the payment.

Consequently, Bolt12 makes it much easier to receive and send payments without any third-party infrastructure in a native-lightning way. Static invoices make donations and recurring payments much easier.

Repository: lightningnetwork/lnd
License: MIT

Splicing

Splicing is the ability to resize Lightning channels on-the-fly, giving users of the Lightning Network many additional benefits that were not intuitively obvious at first. Splicing scales Lightning by removing a fundamental limitation. Removing this limitation increases fungibility and lowers blockspace usage, an important step towards maturing the Lightning network and enabling the onboarding of millions, and ultimately billions, of people.

Repository: ddustin/splice
License: BSD-MIT

Raspiblitz

Raspiblitz is a do-it-yourself node stack that allows you to run a Lightning Node together with a Bitcoin Core full node on your Raspberry Pi. While the Raspberry Pi is the most common hardware running this particular software, it was developed to support multiple hardware platforms and can run on bare metal servers too.

The open-source project was started in 2018 as part of a Lightning hackathon in the German Bitcoin space. Since then, it has grown to over 150 contributors and 2000 stars on GitHub. The software integrates dozens of services and tools via its plugin system and sports advanced features like touchscreen support, channel autopilot, backup systems, DynDNS, SSH tunneling, and more.

Repository: raspiblitz/raspiblitz
License: MIT

Labelbase

Labelbase is a label management service for Bitcoin transactions and addresses. It provides features for adding labels, importing and exporting labels, and offers a public API for integration with wallets and existing workflows.

Labelbase supports BIP-329, a format for unifying label data. The goal of the project is to offer a convenient solution for managing labels associated with Bitcoin transactions and addresses across wallets and other tools. By providing a unified label management interface, Labelbase enhances the user experience, improves privacy, and promotes better organization and understanding of Bitcoin transactions.

Repository: Labelbase/Labelbase
License: MIT

BTCPay Server

BTCPay Server is a free, open-source & self-hosted bitcoin payment gateway that allows self-sovereign individuals and businesses to accept bitcoin payments online or in person without added fees.

At its core, BTCPay Server is an automated invoicing system. Merchants can integrate the software with their website or shop, so customers are presented with an invoice upon checkout. The status of the invoice will update according to settlement, so merchants can fulfill the order at the appropriate time. The software also takes care of payment refunding and bitcoin management alongside many other features.

Repository: btcpayserver/btcpayserver
License: MIT

ZeroSync

While ZeroSync is still at an early stage, its promise is to allow verification of Bitcoin's chain state in an instant. It offers compact cryptographic proofs to validate the entire history of transactions and everyone's current balances.

The first application is to "zerosync" Bitcoin Core in pruned mode. The long-term vision for ZeroSync is to become a toolbox for custom Bitcoin proofs.

Repository: zerosync/zerosync
License: MIT

Mutiny Wallet

Mutiny Wallet is a web-first wallet capable of running anywhere, providing instant onboarding and platform censorship resistance. It is self-custodial, privacy-focused, user-friendly, and open-sourced under the MIT license.

The wallet has a strong focus on privacy, scalability, and accessibility. In addition to features that you would expect a regular lightning wallet to have, the team is working to incorporate Nostr-related features into the wallet, such as a feed of friends' Zaps, native Zap sending and receiving, a lightning subscription specification for services such as nostr relays, and a P2P DLC marketplace. The team's goal is to provide users with a seamless experience, combining the power of Bitcoin and Lightning with social media in a way that matches the Bitcoin ethos.

Repository: MutinyWallet
License: MIT

next-auth Lightning Provider

The goal of this project is to implement an authentication provider for next-auth, an authentication provider for the popular open-source framework NextJS. The next-auth framework has nearly 500k weekly downloads and powers the authentication of many modern web, mobile, and desktop apps. Having a plug-and-play Provider for Lightning makes integration easier and more attractive for developers.

Repository: jowo-io/next-auth-lightning-provider
License: ISC

Cashu

Cashu is a Chaumian ecash system built for bitcoin that brings near-perfect privacy for users of custodial bitcoin applications. A Cashu ecash mint does not know who you are, what your balance is, or who you're transacting with. Users of a mint can exchange ecash privately, without anyone being able to know who the involved parties are.

Payments are executed without anyone able to censor specific users. There are multiple implementations of the Cashu protocol. Popular open-source wallets are Cashu Nutshell, Cashu.me, and Nutstash.

Repository: cashubtc/cashu
License: MIT

lnproxy

lnproxy is a simple privacy tool that empowers users of custodial Lightning wallets with better payment destination privacy and sovereign node runners with enhanced receiver privacy. lnproxy works like a "poor man's" rendezvous router, providing privacy for users without taking custody of their funds. The project encompasses an LNURL-style protocol specification and a collection of open-source implementations of lnproxy clients and a relay.

Repository: lnproxy/lnproxy
License: GPL 3.0 & MIT

Blixt Wallet

Blixt is a non-custodial wallet for bitcoiners who want to give Lightning a try. It runs on Android, iOS, and macOS. It is easy to use and straightforward to set up, making it a user-friendly option to get started with Lightning.

Blixt uses LND and Neutrino under the hood, directly on the phone, respecting your privacy. The wallet does not use any centralized servers for doing transactions. Channels are opened automatically on the user's behalf, making it easy to get up and running on Lightning.

Repository: hsjoberg/blixt-wallet
License: MIT

---

In addition to the software projects listed above, three educational initiatives were selected for funding:

• Bitcoin Education in Nigeria is an initiative started and led by Apata Johnson. Apata's project aims to educate youths on bitcoin and the opportunities it brings for the people living in the rural areas of Nigeria.
• 21 Ideas is a project that aims to bring quality Bitcoin education to Russian citizens. Tony and others have been working for many years on translations, original material, and hands-on tutorials for beginners. We believe that education is paramount to proper Bitcoin use, and localization is paramount for everyday citizens to properly grasp the importance as well as the novel concepts of bitcoin.
• CoreDev.tech is organizing recurring developer events, which are all about bringing devs together so that they can hack on Bitcoin Core and related software.

---

We received hundreds of applications in the last couple of months, which is a fantastic signal and something we are delighted about. Some applications are still being reviewed by the OpenSats board, as we try our best to assess feasibility, alignment, and potential impact of each project. We will announce additional grants as applications pass our grant selection process.

Unfortunately, we were unable to fund all of the proposals that were sent to us. Please don't hesitate to apply again in case your application was rejected this time around. The applicant pool was very competitive, which is a great thing to see in and of itself.

Grants for the projects above are funded by contributions to the Bitcoin General Fund. Our operations as well as our grant programs are made possible by generous donors like you. If you want to help fund the Bitcoin ecosystem, please donate to the Bitcoin General Fund.

Our team is screening applications constantly, and we will announce new grants and funding opportunities as they arise. If you are working on an open-source project in and around bitcoin, and you think your work is aligned with the OpenSats mission, please apply for funding.

@ 264797a0:7ba227bd

I am testing to post something in here

@ d2e97f73:ea9a4d1b

There’s a lot of conversation around the #TwitterFiles. Here’s my take, and thoughts on how to fix the issues identified.

I’ll start with the principles I’ve come to believe…based on everything I’ve learned and experienced through my past actions as a Twitter co-founder and lead:

1. Social media must be resilient to corporate and government control.
2. Only the original author may remove content they produce.
3. Moderation is best implemented by algorithmic choice.

The Twitter when I led it and the Twitter of today do not meet any of these principles. This is my fault alone, as I completely gave up pushing for them when an activist entered our stock in 2020. I no longer had hope of achieving any of it as a public company with no defense mechanisms (lack of dual-class shares being a key one). I planned my exit at that moment knowing I was no longer right for the company.

The biggest mistake I made was continuing to invest in building tools for us to manage the public conversation, versus building tools for the people using Twitter to easily manage it for themselves. This burdened the company with too much power, and opened us to significant outside pressure (such as advertising budgets). I generally think companies have become far too powerful, and that became completely clear to me with our suspension of Trump’s account. As I’ve said before, we did the right thing for the public company business at the time, but the wrong thing for the internet and society. Much more about this here: https://twitter.com/jack/status/1349510769268850690

I continue to believe there was no ill intent or hidden agendas, and everyone acted according to the best information we had at the time. Of course mistakes were made. But if we had focused more on tools for the people using the service rather than tools for us, and moved much faster towards absolute transparency, we probably wouldn’t be in this situation of needing a fresh reset (which I am supportive of). Again, I own all of this and our actions, and all I can do is work to make it right.

Back to the principles. Of course governments want to shape and control the public conversation, and will use every method at their disposal to do so, including the media. And the power a corporation wields to do the same is only growing. It’s critical that the people have tools to resist this, and that those tools are ultimately owned by the people. Allowing a government or a few corporations to own the public conversation is a path towards centralized control.

I’m a strong believer that any content produced by someone for the internet should be permanent until the original author chooses to delete it. It should be always available and addressable. Content takedowns and suspensions should not be possible. Doing so complicates important context, learning, and enforcement of illegal activity. There are significant issues with this stance of course, but starting with this principle will allow for far better solutions than we have today. The internet is trending towards a world were storage is “free” and infinite, which places all the actual value on how to discover and see content.

Which brings me to the last principle: moderation. I don’t believe a centralized system can do content moderation globally. It can only be done through ranking and relevance algorithms, the more localized the better. But instead of a company or government building and controlling these solely, people should be able to build and choose from algorithms that best match their criteria, or not have to use any at all. A “follow” action should always deliver every bit of content from the corresponding account, and the algorithms should be able to comb through everything else through a relevance lens that an individual determines. There’s a default “G-rated” algorithm, and then there’s everything else one can imagine.

The only way I know of to truly live up to these 3 principles is a free and open protocol for social media, that is not owned by a single company or group of companies, and is resilient to corporate and government influence. The problem today is that we have companies who own both the protocol and discovery of content. Which ultimately puts one person in charge of what’s available and seen, or not. This is by definition a single point of failure, no matter how great the person, and over time will fracture the public conversation, and may lead to more control by governments and corporations around the world.

I believe many companies can build a phenomenal business off an open protocol. For proof, look at both the web and email. The biggest problem with these models however is that the discovery mechanisms are far too proprietary and fixed instead of open or extendable. Companies can build many profitable services that complement rather than lock down how we access this massive collection of conversation. There is no need to own or host it themselves.

Many of you won’t trust this solution just because it’s me stating it. I get it, but that’s exactly the point. Trusting any one individual with this comes with compromises, not to mention being way too heavy a burden for the individual. It has to be something akin to what bitcoin has shown to be possible. If you want proof of this, get out of the US and European bubble of the bitcoin price fluctuations and learn how real people are using it for censorship resistance in Africa and Central/South America.

I do still wish for Twitter, and every company, to become uncomfortably transparent in all their actions, and I wish I forced more of that years ago. I do believe absolute transparency builds trust. As for the files, I wish they were released Wikileaks-style, with many more eyes and interpretations to consider. And along with that, commitments of transparency for present and future actions. I’m hopeful all of this will happen. There’s nothing to hide…only a lot to learn from. The current attacks on my former colleagues could be dangerous and doesn’t solve anything. If you want to blame, direct it at me and my actions, or lack thereof.

As far as the free and open social media protocol goes, there are many competing projects: @bluesky is one with the AT Protocol, nostr another, Mastodon yet another, Matrix yet another…and there will be many more. One will have a chance at becoming a standard like HTTP or SMTP. This isn’t about a “decentralized Twitter.” This is a focused and urgent push for a foundational core technology standard to make social media a native part of the internet. I believe this is critical both to Twitter’s future, and the public conversation’s ability to truly serve the people, which helps hold governments and corporations accountable. And hopefully makes it all a lot more fun and informative again.

💸🛠️🌐 To accelerate open internet and protocol work, I’m going to open a new category of #startsmall grants: “open internet development.” It will start with a focus of giving cash and equity grants to engineering teams working on social media and private communication protocols, bitcoin, and a web-only mobile OS. I’ll make some grants next week, starting with $1mm/yr to Signal. Please let me know other great candidates for this money.

@ 00000001:a21169a7

August Sander (1876-1964), a prominent figure in documentary photography, played a pivotal role in challenging and resisting Nazi ideology through his work during the difficult years preceding and following Adolf Hitler's rise to power in Germany.

Sander's most famous project, "People of the 20th Century," stands as a testament to this silent resistance. This monumental body of work, portraying a broad cross-section of German society, presented a bold challenge to the Nazi notion of a "superior race".

Sander's strategy was to humanize all the people he photographed, regardless of their social status or race. His approach was neither to glorify nor denigrate, but simply to portray people as they were, a vision that was in stark contrast with the Nazis' racial ideology.

Furthermore, Sander sought to dismantle the Nazis' rigid racial and social categories. In "People of the 20th Century," the range of subjects is impressively broad: aristocrats, peasants, artists, manual workers, women, men, Jews, non-Jews. By juxtaposing these different categories, Sander underscored the diversity and complexity of German society, thus challenging the Nazi notion of a "pure race".

Despite the resistance he faced, Sander's courage never wavered. His photographs were confiscated and destroyed by the Nazis, and his book "Face of Our Time" was banned in 1936. Yet, Sander persisted, and while he was forced to switch his focus to landscape photography to avoid further confrontations, he continued to document his time's Germany until his death in 1964.

Sander's resistance to Nazi ideology was not frontal or violent, but subversive and silent. His camera became his weapon, and his photographs, his resistance. By capturing his subjects' humanity, he demonstrated that diversity, far from being a threat, is a source of richness and vitality in a society.

August Sander's work remains a powerful tool for understanding the social and political context of Germany in the first half of the 20th century. At the same time, his work continues to be a reminder of the importance of preserving and respecting human dignity, regardless of race, religion, or social status. In this sense, Sander's photography not only documents the reality of his era but also offers a powerful critique of Nazi ideology and a more inclusive and humanitarian vision of society.

@ 82341f88:fbfbe6a2

There’s a lot of conversation around the #TwitterFiles. Here’s my take, and thoughts on how to fix the issues identified.

I’ll start with the principles I’ve come to believe…based on everything I’ve learned and experienced through my past actions as a Twitter co-founder and lead:

1. Social media must be resilient to corporate and government control.
2. Only the original author may remove content they produce.
3. Moderation is best implemented by algorithmic choice.

The Twitter when I led it and the Twitter of today do not meet any of these principles. This is my fault alone, as I completely gave up pushing for them when an activist entered our stock in 2020. I no longer had hope of achieving any of it as a public company with no defense mechanisms (lack of dual-class shares being a key one). I planned my exit at that moment knowing I was no longer right for the company.

The biggest mistake I made was continuing to invest in building tools for us to manage the public conversation, versus building tools for the people using Twitter to easily manage it for themselves. This burdened the company with too much power, and opened us to significant outside pressure (such as advertising budgets). I generally think companies have become far too powerful, and that became completely clear to me with our suspension of Trump’s account. As I’ve said before, we did the right thing for the public company business at the time, but the wrong thing for the internet and society. Much more about this here: https://twitter.com/jack/status/1349510769268850690

I continue to believe there was no ill intent or hidden agendas, and everyone acted according to the best information we had at the time. Of course mistakes were made. But if we had focused more on tools for the people using the service rather than tools for us, and moved much faster towards absolute transparency, we probably wouldn’t be in this situation of needing a fresh reset (which I am supportive of). Again, I own all of this and our actions, and all I can do is work to make it right.

Back to the principles. Of course governments want to shape and control the public conversation, and will use every method at their disposal to do so, including the media. And the power a corporation wields to do the same is only growing. It’s critical that the people have tools to resist this, and that those tools are ultimately owned by the people. Allowing a government or a few corporations to own the public conversation is a path towards centralized control.

I’m a strong believer that any content produced by someone for the internet should be permanent until the original author chooses to delete it. It should be always available and addressable. Content takedowns and suspensions should not be possible. Doing so complicates important context, learning, and enforcement of illegal activity. There are significant issues with this stance of course, but starting with this principle will allow for far better solutions than we have today. The internet is trending towards a world were storage is “free” and infinite, which places all the actual value on how to discover and see content.

Which brings me to the last principle: moderation. I don’t believe a centralized system can do content moderation globally. It can only be done through ranking and relevance algorithms, the more localized the better. But instead of a company or government building and controlling these solely, people should be able to build and choose from algorithms that best match their criteria, or not have to use any at all. A “follow” action should always deliver every bit of content from the corresponding account, and the algorithms should be able to comb through everything else through a relevance lens that an individual determines. There’s a default “G-rated” algorithm, and then there’s everything else one can imagine.

The only way I know of to truly live up to these 3 principles is a free and open protocol for social media, that is not owned by a single company or group of companies, and is resilient to corporate and government influence. The problem today is that we have companies who own both the protocol and discovery of content. Which ultimately puts one person in charge of what’s available and seen, or not. This is by definition a single point of failure, no matter how great the person, and over time will fracture the public conversation, and may lead to more control by governments and corporations around the world.

I believe many companies can build a phenomenal business off an open protocol. For proof, look at both the web and email. The biggest problem with these models however is that the discovery mechanisms are far too proprietary and fixed instead of open or extendable. Companies can build many profitable services that complement rather than lock down how we access this massive collection of conversation. There is no need to own or host it themselves.

Many of you won’t trust this solution just because it’s me stating it. I get it, but that’s exactly the point. Trusting any one individual with this comes with compromises, not to mention being way too heavy a burden for the individual. It has to be something akin to what bitcoin has shown to be possible. If you want proof of this, get out of the US and European bubble of the bitcoin price fluctuations and learn how real people are using it for censorship resistance in Africa and Central/South America.

I do still wish for Twitter, and every company, to become uncomfortably transparent in all their actions, and I wish I forced more of that years ago. I do believe absolute transparency builds trust. As for the files, I wish they were released Wikileaks-style, with many more eyes and interpretations to consider. And along with that, commitments of transparency for present and future actions. I’m hopeful all of this will happen. There’s nothing to hide…only a lot to learn from. The current attacks on my former colleagues could be dangerous and doesn’t solve anything. If you want to blame, direct it at me and my actions, or lack thereof.

As far as the free and open social media protocol goes, there are many competing projects: @bluesky is one with the AT Protocol, nostr another, Mastodon yet another, Matrix yet another…and there will be many more. One will have a chance at becoming a standard like HTTP or SMTP. This isn’t about a “decentralized Twitter.” This is a focused and urgent push for a foundational core technology standard to make social media a native part of the internet. I believe this is critical both to Twitter’s future, and the public conversation’s ability to truly serve the people, which helps hold governments and corporations accountable. And hopefully makes it all a lot more fun and informative again.

💸🛠️🌐 To accelerate open internet and protocol work, I’m going to open a new category of #startsmall grants: “open internet development.” It will start with a focus of giving cash and equity grants to engineering teams working on social media and private communication protocols, bitcoin, and a web-only mobile OS. I’ll make some grants next week, starting with $1mm/yr to Signal. Please let me know other great candidates for this money.

@ 00000001:a21169a7

If for Henri Cartier-Bresson the essence of photography was the decisive moment, for William Klein the defining factor is commitment. This assertion, made by Raphaëlle Stopin, curator of the 'William Klein. Manifesto' exhibition, couldn't be more accurate. At 91 years old and with multiple facets to his name - photographer, painter, filmmaker, publicist, writer, and activist - Klein has left an indelible mark on the landscape of art and photography with his irreverent commitment and radical approach.

Born in New York in 1928, Klein transformed mid-20th-century photography, creating an aesthetic language that evokes the rawness and emotions of a post-war society still to be rebuilt. Through his lens, we see a vibrant, dirty, mestizo, and ever-evolving New York. His unconventional approach, which mixed with the subjects he portrayed, broke with the standards of photography of his time, resulting in images that the white, Anglo-Saxon elite of the era found distasteful. However, his honest and committed vision ended up paving a new path in photography.

Klein began his creative journey in painting, where he already displayed a unique, free, and transgressive language. His entry into the world of photography happened fortuitously, by photographing his own paintings, and it was in 1956 when his vision exploded onto the scene, with the publication of 'Life is Good & Good for You in New York: Trance Witness Revels'. This work, the fruit of his immersion in the wild side of New York life, became a revolutionary manifesto that subverted the traditional principles of photography.

Klein's photographs were never just images. They were bold statements of freedom and experimentation, going against the conventions of his time. It was with his legendary book about New York that he became a disruptive figure in photography. Despite being published in France, Italy, and Japan, this book took 40 years to be published in the United States, a fact that evidences the rejection his raw and uninhibited gaze of the city caused.

But Klein was never content with just being a photographer. His enormous cultural baggage, inspired by figures such as Masaccio, Piero della Francesca, and the Bauhaus, propelled him to explore other forms of expression. In his work, we see the fusion of photography with painting, the 'painted contacts', where he applies paint to contact sheets with large brushes, creating a fusion of disciplines that is surprisingly innovative and evocative.

Today, at 91 years old, Klein continues to work, reinventing himself and reinterpreting his archive. Although his pace has changed, his commitment to his art and his language has not diminished. His legacy endures, and his influence continues to be visible in contemporary photography.

Is Klein a Leonardo of photography? Perhaps it's not an exact comparison. But, just like Da Vinci, Klein has shown a diversity of interests and skills that rivals any Renaissance polymath's. And, unlike Da Vinci, Klein is indisputably wilder and more committed.

In summary, William Klein is a visionary, a provocateur, and an iconoclast, whose work remains a source of inspiration and a challenge to today's artists and photographers. With his committed, free, and innovative gaze, Klein has demonstrated that photography, like any form of art, should always be an act of commitment and revolution.

@ aac07d95:c5819a2f

More info about charge-lnd: https://github.com/accumulator/charge-lnd

Install with these commands line-by line (the code comments are starting with #): ```

change to the bitcoin user

sudo su - bitcoin

download charge-lnd

git clone https://github.com/accumulator/charge-lnd.git

create a dedicated macaroon

lncli bakemacaroon offchain:read offchain:write onchain:read info:read --save_to=~/.lnd/data/chain/bitcoin/mainnet/charge-lnd.macaroon

change directory

cd charge-lnd

install charge-lnd

pip install -U setuptools && pip install -r requirements.txt .

leave the bitcoin user

exit ```

Paste this whole code block to create the example config at /home/bitcoin/charge-lnd/charge.config : ``` echo " [default] strategy = static base_fee_msat = 1000 fee_ppm = 1000 time_lock_delta = 144

[exchanges-drain-sats] node.id = 033d8656219478701227199cbd6f670335c8d408a92ae88b962c49d4dc0e83e025, 03cde60a6323f7122d5178255766e38114b4722ede08f7c9e0c5df9b912cc201d6,037f990e61acee8a7697966afd29dd88f3b1f8a7b14d625c4f8742bd952003a590,03cde60a6323f7122d5178255766e38114b4722ede08f7c9e0c5df9b912cc201d6,033d8656219478701227199cbd6f670335c8d408a92ae88b962c49d4dc0e83e025, 021c97a90a411ff2b10dc2a8e32de2f29d2fa49d41bfbb52bd416e460db0747d0d strategy = static base_fee_msat = 50000 fee_ppm = 2500 time_lock_delta = 144

[discourage-routing] chan.max_ratio = 0.10 chan.min_capacity = 250000 strategy = static base_fee_msat = 1000 fee_ppm = 2000 time_lock_delta = 144

[encourage-routing] chan.min_ratio = 0.90 chan.min_capacity = 250000 strategy = static base_fee_msat = 1000 fee_ppm = 10 time_lock_delta = 144

" | sudo -u bitcoin tee /home/bitcoin/charge-lnd/charge.config ```

Set up a cronjob with: crontab -e Paste this to the crontab to run it every 5 minutes (https://crontab.guru/#*/5_*_*_*_*): */5 * * * * sudo -u bitcoin /home/bitcoin/.local/bin/charge-lnd -c /home/bitcoin/charge-lnd/charge.config

gist with more example configurations:

https://gist.github.com/openoms/9d0c554f620f4584c17bec268d4519e8

Posted also on: https://www.lightningnode.info/hardware-deployment/raspiblitz/charge-lnd

@ 4d444439:7ed2458b

This is a piece written by Amber Case, governance board member of Superset DAO, Former Research Fellow at MIT Media Lab and Harvard BKC, author of Calm Technology, and Co-founder of DAO DAO. Case is working with BlockScience team members on the design of a first-of-its-kind data trust DAO. This is the first article outlining the motivation for its creation and the initial structure.

Feel free to read all my articles on the anti-censorship long content platform yakihonne.com.

I’m thrilled to announce I’ve joined the governance board of Superset, a new DAO with a challenging but important mission:

To give people more control and better benefits from their own user data.

We all know the problem. When we sign up for an online service, we quickly click Agree on the Terms of Service window without really knowing what that entails. We do know how often companies abuse our data, feeding it into algorithms that exploit our emotions and invade our privacy, while also commercializing it to make billions of dollars.

And because all of the major services seem problematic, we feel as if we have no choice but cave in, giving them unrestricted use of our data. Government regulation may be an important part of the solution, but it’s a blunt instrument; it’s slow and cumbersome to implement, and may only make the problem worse. Thanks to EU laws, we now click “Accept All Cookies” to every new website we visit, but that added inconvenience may outweigh any benefit.

At the moment, the current Terms of Service form that users “Agree” to is an ultimatum. Enlightened organizations like Mozilla offer a better version. We believe it’s time to build off their innovative work and completely transform the ToS concept.

Unless we actively resist this process, we have no power over what happens to our data.

Superset follows a DAO governance model that gives its members governance over their data, coalesces and channels their voice, acting as an advocate and protector. While government regulation provides a one size fits none solution, DAOs provide more granular oversight power.

Through this DAO, we have the ability to revoke the consent to use all members’ data in one shot. This mechanism ensures the DAO can provide a check on Delphia’s power over its users in practice. Specifically, the ability to say, “If this concern is not addressed, everyone’s consents will be revoked” gives us real bargaining power.

This is also not a new idea. For roughly the last 15 years, as social networks and advertising platforms grew in reach and power, there have been many attempts to create a kind of coalition that acts in the best interests of the users and their data. There have been proposals about more ethical uses of data, as well as data trusts and data DAOs. But so far, none of them have caught on. Success is not achieved solely from what is built, but also how it fits into an ecosystem. Data governance and data commercialization need to be pursued symbiotically, rather than antagonistically.

Superset has an important, if somewhat ironic advantage to previous attempts to create a data coalition: It’s a project whose launch funding came from Delphia, a YCombinator-funded data driven investment service. Importantly, Superset is independent of Delphia, with a legally enshrined purpose of constraining Delphia’s power over its users’ data. This gives us both the independence and financing needed to deploy this DAO that has a symbiotic relationship with an established tech company.

Delphia is not simply doing this to be a good corporate citizen. Our DAO’s hypothesis is that being respectful of people’s data and that making them first class citizens in economic data systems will actually lead to higher quality data and to better commercial opportunities for Delphia. When we prove this through Superset, we believe other companies will adopt a similar pattern.

Very roughly summarized, here’s how it works:

Superset unlocks the Voice option for Users

When users sign-up with Delphia, the service leverages their data to power the company’s machine-learning model. But the company does not get unlimited, uncompensated access to that data — the users still maintain oversight of the terms of that data usage through Superset.

This is why Delphia’s sign-up process includes an onboarding process starting with a screen that looks like this, different from any that has come before:

Users of the Delphia App are invited to join Superset directly from within the App.

Clicking Agree starts the process for the user to join Superset, which is legally contracted with both Delphia and data contributors, in order to serve the interests of those who share their data with the company, according to Superset’s purpose.

As that suggests, the DAO is not only a blockchain-based group; it is also legally formed as a Guernsey purpose trust. This gives us real, actionable protection over user data, which we informally call a “killswitch”. If DAO members collectively decide that Delphia is unfairly exploiting their data (per the agreed upon terms of service), they can collectively opt out in bulk.

SuperSet provides a model for user-centric oversight for any companies to ethically manage their users’ data. By proving that it is not only possible, but beneficial to govern algorithmic systems paves the way for consumers and regulators to demand change.

As controversies around Twitter, TikTok, and other leading social networks continue, new competitors are clamoring to be seen as better and more ethical alternatives to the market leaders. A would-be Twitter competitor would want to adopt the Superset DAO model as a way of attracting early adopters and differentiating itself from other platforms.

In the tradition of open source software, Superset is an open source organization. Superset’s animating purpose, formative documents, governance model and technical tooling are being shared publicly. While no one has made a data trust quite like this before, there is no silver bullet for governance; we expect Superset to evolve over time. Forks are encouraged!

Zooming in on Superset to see how it empowers Users to hold Delphia accountable.

Another one of Superset’s summoners is Dr. Michael Zargham, CEO of BlockScience, whose work on cybernetics I’ve admired for some time. We finally got to meet in person at last summer’s Decentralized Web Conference. That’s when we quickly realized there was a lot of overlap between our interests in systems, cyborgs and cybernetics! It’s been a privilege to work together on Superset, and on this post.

Reflecting on my work in Calm Technology, I believe Superset offers a calmer experience for our data — giving people tools that allow us to manage our data, but without demanding constant engagement. Successful data governance provides peace of mind.

This is an exciting project and I can’t wait to talk more about it soon. As with my new series on cybernetics, it reflects a life goal I formulated over the New Year: I’d like to take what I’ve learned in the first half of my life to complex systems, and apply them in the real world.

Beginning with Superset.

For more info, please see the FAQ below, or check out the Superset site.

FAQ

How can people join Superset?

As of right now, simply sign up for Delphia through its mobile app and click Agree to join Superset during onboarding. Delphia is collecting and commercially leveraging user data, and has contracted with Superset to negotiate over the ways in which they collect, store, use and compensate users for that data.

What is Delphia?

Delphia is an investment app that leverages user data in its prediction algorithm for publicly traded companies.

Who is on Superset’s Governing Board?

Eric Alston is a constitutional lawyer, Research Associate for the Comparative Constitutions Project at the University of Chicago Law School, and is Faculty Director of the Hernando De Soto Capital Markets Program at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Ben Bartlett is a technology lawyer and Vice Mayor for the City of Berkeley.

Amber Case is author of Calm Technology and has consulted for Microsoft, IDEO, Deloitte, Virgin, Warner Brothers, Fedex, and Esri, among many other organizations. She was previously a fellow at MIT’s Center for Civic Media and Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society.

Andrew Peek is CEO of Delphia. Superset identifies Andrew as an interested trustee, limiting his power to impact Superset’s decisions. Andrew has helped shape Superset’s mission of serving data contributors and an advocate for Superset’s formation to Delphia’s board.

Dr. Michael Zargham is the Founder & Chief Engineer of BlockScience, a Board Member at the Metagovernance Project and holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. BlockScience has worked with Delphia to design and implement its systems to be technically, economically and ethically sound. Due to BlockScience’s role as a contractor to Delphia, Zargham is also identified as an interested trustee.

What are the limitations imposed on “interested” trustees?

Interested trustees are treated as having a conflict of interest. They recuse themselves from voting on board resolutions, unless the independent (non-interested) trustees determine that they are not conflicted. Practically, independent trustees are by default assumed to be unconflicted and interested trustees are by default assumed to be conflicted.

How is the board held accountable to Superset’s animating purpose?

Working in tandem with our board, there is a third party algorithmic auditor. The algorithmic auditor monitors how Delphia utilizes the contributed data, and what revenues are produce from commercial applications of that data.

The algorithmic auditor also fulfills the critical role of Trust Enforcer, as well as providing concrete reporting to Superset members so they can be informed participants in governance.

How will people’s lives be different if Superset succeeds?

If Superset’s governance model is widely adopted across the Internet, consumers’ daily lives will not substantially change; however, they will experience long term benefits from a shift toward balance of power between corporations and users of their products.

Who can participate in the Superset DAO?

Anyone who signs up for Delphia has the option to become a member of Superset, and enjoy the right to raise any question or concern about their data with the DAO as desired. As members, they’ll also receive members benefits from Delphia and any other entities Superset chooses to work with in the future. We might occasionally hold referendums or votes, but only as needed; participation is voluntary and optional.

What should members expect when joining Superset?

Members will engage with other early adopters who are passionate about democratic governance and consumer rights, as well as help define and refine the governance practices within Superset.

Am I giving my data to Delphia when I sign up? Can I take it back?

By joining Superset, you’re entering into a relationship with Delphia where you give the company consent to store your data and leverage it in designated ways in exchange for democratic oversight through Superset, along with other benefits. You retain your right to revoke data usage rights and even to have it deleted from all Delphia servers.

What can Superset do if you have an issue with how your data is being used by Delphia?

Individual members can revoke consent over their data and order its deletion by request at any time. Our collective “circuit breaker” is triggered by a majority vote and bulk revokes consents over members’ data. Our third party auditor will then confirm that this data is no longer being used. If usage continues after the circuit breaker is triggered, Delphia would be in violation of its contractual obligations to Superset’s legal entity, enforceable in a US court of law.

How can other companies use the structure outlined in this post to govern their own data trusts through a DAO?

Our design is based on first principles which can be carried forward to other orgs with similar animating purposes. Our governance work, smart contract code, documentation and other artifacts will be shared publicly under a creative commons license. Organizations looking for support should contact BlockScience.

What’s the roadmap for Superset?

We are soft launching Superset now, and will expand slowly as new members join. The issuance of the membership cards is our first major milestone. Early members will help determine our governance infrastructures such as deliberative processes, proposal making, and voting mechanisms. We are also developing a public documentation site.

Is Delphia offering a cryptocurrency?

Delphia is exploring the use of cryptocurrency for its compensation models, but due to the current regulatory environment, it’s currently not clear if this pilot will be continued.

Is there a blockchain?

Superset member logs will be run on a blockchain. When you join Superset, you get a membership card which is effectively an NFT that also grants access to our digital community spaces, such as a members-only forum, along with other future benefits.

Does Delphia put my user data on a blockchain?

No, not at all. User data is kept private. Privacy preserving technologies, such as zero knowledge proofs, are being explored for technical enforcement of agreed upon terms.

Why is Superset being structured as a DAO? Wouldn’t it work better as a registered non-profit? What specifically about a DAO affords more surface area for governance between parties?

Superset is a new kind of organization and the non-profit structure can be restrictive. To preserve flexibility, the DAO is utilizing a Guernsey purpose trust with fiduciary duties to the purposes of the Superset — to ensure that members receive a fair share of the returns resulting from the use of their data and to determine how their data may be collected, processed, stored, and used. The DAO is a decentralized governance model enabling members to participate in governance through a variety of technical tools.

What happens if Delphia is purchased?

This DAO will continue to exist and operate even when or if Delphia is purchased. The purchaser will still be bound by any legal agreements Delphia has with Superset and its members.

Where can I read more about how Superset operates?

We’ll be releasing more documentation soon, but for now you can check out the https://www.supersetdao.com/ site, and sign up for https://delphia.com/.

By：Amber Case Link：https://medium.com/block-science/we-need-more-control-over-our-own-user-data-43f267a817f5

@ 32e18276:5c68e245

You can use github PRs to submit code but it is not encouraged. Damus is a decentralized social media protocol and we prefer to use decentralized techniques during the code submission process.

[Email patches][git-send-email] to patches@damus.io are preferred, but we accept PRs on GitHub as well. Patches sent via email may include a bolt11 lightning invoice, choosing the price you think the patch is worth, and we will pay it once the patch is accepted and if I think the price isn't unreasonable. You can also send an any-amount invoice and I will pay what I think it's worth if you prefer not to choose. You can include the bolt11 in the commit body or email so that it can be paid once it is applied.

Recommended settings when submitting code via email:

$ git config sendemail.to "patches@damus.io" $ git config format.subjectPrefix "PATCH damus" $ git config format.signOff yes

You can subscribe to the [patches mailing list][patches-ml] to help review code.

Submitting patches

Most of this comes from the linux kernel guidelines for submitting patches, we follow many of the same guidelines. These are very important! If you want your code to be accepted, please read this carefully

Describe your problem. Whether your patch is a one-line bug fix or 5000 lines of a new feature, there must be an underlying problem that motivated you to do this work. Convince the reviewer that there is a problem worth fixing and that it makes sense for them to read past the first paragraph.

Once the problem is established, describe what you are actually doing about it in technical detail. It's important to describe the change in plain English for the reviewer to verify that the code is behaving as you intend it to.

The maintainer will thank you if you write your patch description in a form which can be easily pulled into Damus's source code tree.

Solve only one problem per patch. If your description starts to get long, that's a sign that you probably need to split up your patch. See the dedicated Separate your changes section because this is very important.

When you submit or resubmit a patch or patch series, include the complete patch description and justification for it (-v2,v3,vn... option on git-send-email). Don't just say that this is version N of the patch (series). Don't expect the reviewer to refer back to earlier patch versions or referenced URLs to find the patch description and put that into the patch. I.e., the patch (series) and its description should be self-contained. This benefits both the maintainers and reviewers. Some reviewers probably didn't even receive earlier versions of the patch.

Describe your changes in imperative mood, e.g. "make xyzzy do frotz" instead of "[This patch] makes xyzzy do frotz" or "[I] changed xyzzy to do frotz", as if you are giving orders to the codebase to change its behaviour.

If your patch fixes a bug, use the 'Closes:' tag with a URL referencing the report in the mailing list archives or a public bug tracker. For example:

Closes: https://github.com/damus-io/damus/issues/1234

Some bug trackers have the ability to close issues automatically when a commit with such a tag is applied. Some bots monitoring mailing lists can also track such tags and take certain actions. Private bug trackers and invalid URLs are forbidden.

If your patch fixes a bug in a specific commit, e.g. you found an issue using git bisect, please use the 'Fixes:' tag with the first 12 characters of the SHA-1 ID, and the one line summary. Do not split the tag across multiple lines, tags are exempt from the "wrap at 75 columns" rule in order to simplify parsing scripts. For example::

Fixes: 54a4f0239f2e ("Fix crash in navigation")

The following git config settings can be used to add a pretty format for outputting the above style in the git log or git show commands::

[core]
    abbrev = 12
[pretty]
    fixes = Fixes: %h (\"%s\")

An example call::

$ git log -1 --pretty=fixes 54a4f0239f2e
Fixes: 54a4f0239f2e ("Fix crash in navigation")

Separate your changes

Separate each logical change into a separate patch.

For example, if your changes include both bug fixes and performance enhancements for a particular feature, separate those changes into two or more patches. If your changes include an API update, and a new feature which uses that new API, separate those into two patches.

On the other hand, if you make a single change to numerous files, group those changes into a single patch. Thus a single logical change is contained within a single patch.

The point to remember is that each patch should make an easily understood change that can be verified by reviewers. Each patch should be justifiable on its own merits.

If one patch depends on another patch in order for a change to be complete, that is OK. Simply note "this patch depends on patch X" in your patch description.

When dividing your change into a series of patches, take special care to ensure that the Damus builds and runs properly after each patch in the series. Developers using git bisect to track down a problem can end up splitting your patch series at any point; they will not thank you if you introduce bugs in the middle.

If you cannot condense your patch set into a smaller set of patches, then only post say 15 or so at a time and wait for review and integration.

@ 7f5c2b4e:a818d75d

This translation of the nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3cxserxdpsxverzwp4qgs87hptfey2p607ef36g6cnekuzfz05qgpe34s2ypc2j6x24qvdwhgrqsqqqa28zcj37a was prepared by nostr:npub138s5hey76qrnm2pmv7p8nnffhfddsm8sqzm285dyc0wy4f8a6qkqtzx624

---

Habla es una plataforma basada en Nostr que te permite crear y gestionar notas de nostr de formato largo (long-form posts). Se podría comparar con Medium, pero Habla es mucho más que eso. Habla es superior a las plataformas tradicionales de blogs porque está construida sobre Nostr. Es interoperable con una plétora de otras aplicaciones Nostr, lo que hace que la experiencia del usuario sea fluida y más atractiva. Además, gracias a la Lightning Network, tu aportación -si los lectores la consideran valiosa- puede y será recompensada al instante con el mejor dinero que la humanidad ha visto jamás: bitcoin.

¿Qué es Nostr?

Nostr es una nueva forma de comunicarse online que ofrece un montón de ventajas a sus usuarios. Es gratis para todo el mundo; no necesitas un documento de identidad ni ningún otro tipo de verificación por parte de terceros para empezar a conectarte, relacionarte con personas afines y hacer crecer la comunidad que te rodea. Nostr suele confundirse con una plataforma de redes sociales, pero es mucho más que eso. Te animamos a que consultes los recursos de Nostr reunidos aquí para darte cuenta de la magnitud potencial de esta herramienta.

¿Cómo inicio sesión en Habla?

Para empezar a escribir en Habla, simplemente crea una cuenta Habla/Nostr e inicia sesión. Sigue estos unos sencillos pasos para registrarte, empezar a compartir valor y recibir valor de vuelta.

¿Cómo gano sats con Habla?

Habla te permite recibir valor directamente de tus lectores. No se requiere cuenta bancaria o identificación. Simplemente conecta tu dirección Lightning a tu cuenta Habla / Nostr y recibe fondos directamente en tu monedero - sin terceras partes, sin esperar retiros, sin agobios. Sigue estos sencillos pasos para hacerlo.

¿Por qué publicar en Habla es diferente?

El protocolo Nostr es superligero, lo que introduce algunas peculiaridades en cómo deben comportarse las aplicaciones basadas en Nostr. No entraremos en detalles técnicos, pero la diferencia más obvia que notarás como creador de contenido es que tendrás que usar un formato de texto diferente y, posiblemente, inusual mientras redactas tus posts. Pero no temas; Habla proporciona herramientas que hacen este proceso fácil e intuitivo. Aquí hay un video rápido de nostr:npub1wkljx5c6a8uccc5etws8ry0y3r4dgavh2dcav0tal4rtmcdl4z2sfu5u0t que explica lo básico de publicar con Habla (la guía fue hecha antes del rediseño, pero sigue siendo útil):

https://nostr.build/p/nb9474.mp4

Habla (y muchas otras aplicaciones Nostr) utiliza un formato bien establecido, que se llama Markdown. Existe desde hace casi una década y es compatible con la mayoría de las aplicaciones que utilizas a diario. La razón por la que puede que no hayas oído hablar de Markdown es porque las aplicaciones tradicionales suelen ocultarlo al usuario, y nosotros estamos trabajando para hacerlo también. Puedes encontrar más información sobre Markdown aquí.

¿Dónde se almacena mi contenido?

Las plataformas de blog tradicionales almacenan tus contenidos en sus propios servidores. Es un enfoque cómodo y (solía ser) sólido, pero conlleva riesgos críticos. Dejar los frutos de tu trabajo en manos de una sola parte significa que tienen el control total sobre tu contenido. Nostr lo soluciona. Cada vez que publicas algo, tu contenido se transmite a numerosos relés para su posterior almacenamiento y redistribución. Si algún operador de relé bloquea tu publicación o se niega a redistribuirla, tus lectores pueden recurrir a otros relés y acceder a tu contenido (no te preocupes si esto suena complicado; todo sucede bajo cuerda). Esto garantiza que nunca te silencien. Dicho esto, Habla no gestiona su propio relé; hemos decidido concentrarnos en lo que mejor sabemos hacer -construir una plataforma de blogs intuitiva, eficiente y fácil de usar que recompensa- y dejar el almacenamiento y distribución de contenidos a los profesionales en ese campo.

¿Cómo publico?

Habla te proporciona todas las herramientas necesarias para producir posts ricos y que destaquen. Prepara tu artículo, formatea tu texto con la ayuda de las herramientas designadas, añade medios y previsualiza los resultados antes de publicar. Todo lo que necesitas está al alcance de tu mano, y la plataforma es cada día mejor y más amigable.

¿Quién puede leer mis mensajes en Habla?

Cualquier persona en Internet puede leer tus posts. Sin embargo, si a tus lectores les gustaría interactuar con tu trabajo - ya sea siguiéndote / comentando / devolviéndote valor - deben crear una cuenta en Nostr. Te animamos a que ayudes a tus seguidores a introducirse en Nostr para hacer crecer una comunidad próspera y alcanzar nuevas cotas. Esta guía rápida te ayudará a ti y a tus compañeros a empezar.

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Este FAQ es un trabajo en curso, y evolucionará a medida que Habla y Nostr se conviertan en herramientas aún más potentes. Por favor, dame tu opinión para que pueda mejorarla.

@ 4d444439:7ed2458b

A ground-breaking study by Integrated Biosciences, in collaboration with researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, has unveiled a promising approach to anti-aging drug discovery by employing artificial intelligence (AI). The research, detailed in the paper “Discovering small-molecule senolytics with deep neural networks,” involved the AI-guided screening of more than 800,000 compounds, resulting in the identification of three highly potent drug candidates with improved medicinal chemistry properties compared to existing senolytics under investigation[¹^].

Feel free to read all my articles on the anti-censorship long content platform yakihonne.com.

“This research result is a significant milestone for both longevity research and the application of artificial intelligence to drug discovery,” said Felix Wong, Ph.D., co-founder of Integrated Biosciences and first author of the publication[²^]. “These data demonstrate that we can explore chemical space in silico and emerge with multiple candidate anti-aging compounds that are more likely to succeed in the clinic, compared to even the most promising examples of their kind being studied today.”

Senolytics are compounds that selectively induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in senescent cells, which are non-dividing cells that accumulate with age and contribute to a wide range of age-related diseases and conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s disease[³^]. Although some senolytic compounds have shown promising clinical results, most of them have been hindered by poor bioavailability and adverse side effects[⁴^]. Integrated Biosciences, founded in 2022, aims to tackle these obstacles and advance anti-aging drug development by leveraging artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, and other cutting-edge tools.

“One of the most promising routes to treat age-related diseases is to identify therapeutic interventions that selectively remove these cells from the body similarly to how antibiotics kill bacteria without harming host cells. The compounds we discovered display high selectivity, as well as the favorable medicinal chemistry properties needed to yield a successful drug,” said Satotaka Omori, Ph.D., Head of Aging Biology at Integrated Biosciences and joint first author of the publication[⁵^]. “We believe that the compounds discovered using our platform will have improved prospects in clinical trials and will eventually help restore health to aging individuals.”

In this innovative study, Integrated Biosciences researchers trained deep neural networks on experimentally generated data to predict the senolytic activity of any molecule. Using this AI model, they discovered three highly selective and potent senolytic compounds from a chemical space of over 800,000 molecules[⁶^]. All three candidates exhibited chemical properties indicative of high oral bioavailability and favorable toxicity profiles in hemolysis and genotoxicity tests.

Structural and biochemical analyses revealed that all three compounds bind Bcl-2, a protein that regulates apoptosis and is also a chemotherapy target[⁷^]. Experiments testing one of the compounds in 80-week-old mice, roughly corresponding to 80-year-old humans, demonstrated that it cleared senescent cells and reduced the expression of senescence-associated genes in the kidneys[⁸^].

“This work illustrates how AI can be used to bring medicine a step closer to therapies that address aging, one of the fundamental challenges in biology,” said James J. Collins, Ph.D., Termeer Professor of Medical Engineering and Science at MIT and founding chair of the Integrated Biosciences Scientific Advisory Board[⁹^]. Dr. Collins, who is senior author on the Nature Aging paper, led the team that discovered the first antibiotic identified by machine learning in 2020.

“Integrated Biosciences is building on the basic research that my academic lab has done for the last decade or so, showing that we can target cellular stress responses using systems and synthetic biology. This experimental tour de force and the stellar platform that produced it make this work stand out in the field of drug discovery and will drive substantial progress in longevity research[¹⁰^].”

Conclusion

The discovery of novel senolytic compounds with the aid of AI-guided deep neural networks represents a potentially groundbreaking advancement in the field of longevity research. The three identified drug candidates display high selectivity and improved medicinal chemistry properties compared to existing senolytics under investigation, offering hope for more effective therapies that target the root causes of age-related diseases and conditions.

The application of artificial intelligence to drug discovery has the potential to revolutionize the way researchers explore chemical space and identify promising compounds. In this study, AI was able to sift through over 800,000 molecules and pinpoint three highly selective and potent senolytic compounds, which showed favorable toxicity profiles and high oral bioavailability. As AI continues to improve and evolve, its contributions to drug discovery and longevity research are likely to become even more significant.

This advancement highlights the potential of AI-guided drug discovery to address one of the most fundamental challenges in biology: aging. By developing therapies that selectively remove senescent cells from the body, researchers can target the underlying causes of age-related diseases and work towards restoring health to aging individuals. The success of Integrated Biosciences’ platform in identifying these promising drug candidates is a testament to the power of artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, and other next-generation tools in advancing our understanding of aging and driving progress in longevity research.

Glossary

1. Senolytics: Compounds that selectively induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in senescent cells, which are non-dividing cells that accumulate with age and contribute to various age-related diseases and conditions.
2. Apoptosis: A form of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms, helping to maintain cellular homeostasis and eliminate damaged or unwanted cells.
3. Senescent cells: Non-dividing cells that accumulate with age, leading to a decline in tissue function and contributing to age-related diseases and conditions.
4. Bioavailability: The proportion of a drug or other substance that enters the circulation when introduced into the body, allowing it to have an active effect.
5. Haemolysis: The rupture or destruction of red blood cells, which can lead to the release of haemoglobin into the surrounding fluid.
6. Genotoxicity: The destructive effect of certain substances on a cell’s genetic material, potentially leading to mutations or cancer.
7. Bcl-2: A protein that plays a key role in regulating apoptosis by inhibiting cell death and promoting cell survival.
8. Deep neural networks: A type of artificial neural network with multiple layers between the input and output layers, allowing the network to learn complex patterns and representations from large amounts of data.

References

1. Integrated Biosciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. (2023). Discovering small-molecule senolytics with deep neural networks. Nature Aging.
2. Wong, F. (2023). Integrated Biosciences Co-founder.
3. López-Otín, C., Blasco, M. A., Partridge, L., Serrano, M., & Kroemer, G. (2013). The hallmarks of aging. Cell, 153(6), 1194–1217.
4. Zhu, Y., Tchkonia, T., Pirtskhalava, T., Gower, A. C., Ding, H., Giorgadze, N., … & O’Hara, S. P. (2015). The Achilles’ heel of senescent cells: from transcriptome to senolytic drugs. Aging Cell, 14(4), 644–658.
5. Omori, S. (2023). Head of Aging Biology at Integrated Biosciences.
6. Integrated Biosciences. (2023). AI-guided Screening Results.
7. Oltersdorf, T., Elmore, S. W., Shoemaker, A. R., Armstrong, R. C., Augeri, D. J., Belli, B. A., … & Phillips, D. C. (2005). An inhibitor of Bcl-2 family proteins induces regression of solid tumours. Nature, 435(7042), 677–681.
8. Integrated Biosciences. (2023). Senolytic Compound Experiment Results.
9. Collins, J. J. (2023). Termeer Professor of Medical Engineering and Science at MIT.
10. Integrated Biosciences Scientific Advisory Board. (2023). Contributions to Drug Discovery and Longevity Research.

By：Tom Martin Link：https://medium.com/@thomasjmartin/ai-guided-discovery-of-novel-senolytics-a-leap-forward-in-longevity-research-60a150be4961

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Danilo acordou cedo

Danilo acordou cedo e saiu para pegar o metrô, trajava aquelas vestes que seus amigos chamavam de "roupa de comunista", uma calça velha de brim, bege, uma blusa branca com uma logomarca vermelha - que não tinha nada a ver com comunismo - velha sob um paletó azul surrado e chinelo de dedo. Suas roupas eram todas parecidas entre si e, combinadas com sua barba malfeita castanha e seu olhar fundo típico de pessoas alcoolizadas, davam-lhe, realmente, um aspecto notório de comunista.

Quando o metrô parou na estação, Danilo entrou com sua mochila. Não havia assentos livres, mas ele já estava acostumado, aliás, até gostava de ficar em pé, para sentir melhor no rosto o vento que só vinha das janelas superiores do veículo. Colocou a mochila no chão e se segurou em uma das barras de ferro do veículo. Seus cabelos, apesar de curtos, balançavam em intrépidos estandartizados movimentos, como se dançassem o som de "One of These Days".

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Danilo acordou cedo

Danilo acordou cedo e saiu para pegar o metrô, trajava aquelas vestes que seus amigos chamavam de "roupa de comunista", uma calça velha de brim, bege, uma blusa branca com uma logomarca vermelha - que não tinha nada a ver com comunismo - velha sob um paletó azul surrado e chinelo de dedo. Suas roupas eram todas parecidas entre si e, combinadas com sua barba malfeita castanha e seu olhar fundo típico de pessoas alcoolizadas, davam-lhe, realmente, um aspecto notório de comunista.

Quando o metrô parou na estação, Danilo entrou com sua mochila. Não havia assentos livres, mas ele já estava acostumado, aliás, até gostava de ficar em pé, para sentir melhor no rosto o vento que só vinha das janelas superiores do veículo. Colocou a mochila no chão e se segurou em uma das barras de ferro do veículo. Seus cabelos, apesar de curtos, balançavam em intrépidos estandartizados movimentos, como se dançassem o som de "One of These Days".

@ eff0899a:fa20fe42

Interesting to see Nostr come up recently on the Bitmessage chan called 'bitmessage':

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Usenet getting a rebirth in nostr. Usenet could also adopt bitcoin as a hashcash mechanism when the Big8 reconvenes. Spammers won't pay 1/10 of a penny to send 1000s of messages.

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Well, stupid, anyway.

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Usenet could have worked out but all the peer admins decided that allowing trolls to silence real users violates freedom of speech of the trolls. All normal people quickly abandoned the platform, leaving behind a bunch of mentally-deranged perverts, kind of like Bitmessage.

If you go the the Eternal September website they say they will give a copy of any abuse complaint to the stalker you are complaining about. That is like telling a woman who has been raped that you will give the rapist a copy of her complaint.

People in the tech world are stupid, venal, and evil.

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Really? All the anonymous free ones I know of are dead. :(

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Usenet is better. There are several anonymous, free news servers. The ultra-paranoid can use mixmaster or yamn to post, although that is overkill. Accessing Usenet over Tor is anonymous enough.

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AH! One more thing, to all newcomers to Bitmessage channels:

If you're here for uncensored social interaction, and finding the place somewhat alien or underwhelming, perhaps have a look at the NOSTR ecosystem instead: it's maturing nicely and may be a better fit for your needs and expectations.

https://nostr-resources.com/

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A few points for clarity: - a Bitmessage address is a pair of private keys. Private keys are really nothing more than large random numbers. - a Bitmessage address is primarily a way to RECEIVE messages, and only secondarily to AUTHENTICATE a sender The ability to create new keys at no cost is a by-design feature of the system, not a bug.

Secondly: the Bitmessage network will gladly and neutrally carry any payload for you as long as you pay the postage stamp, in the form of POW. It can not and will not open the envelope, look inside and make routing decisions on that basis. This is also by design.

You can contemplate making changes to the system to address some of the issues that you're sensitive about, but by losing or weakening the fundamental properties you'd end up with something fundamentally different, like SMTP or XMPP or COT or whatever. You see, when Bitmessage was created, the world already had SMTP and XMPP and COT, and some guy looked at all those WIDELY available options and said "This won't do", and wrote Bitmessage. And that's why we're here now, and not on Zoom or Discord or whatever NPCs are using these days, Telegram? Tictok?

That's not to say that Bitmessage is perfect as it is, there's still a lot to improve. But improvement must come along the lines of preserving and strengthening Bitmessage's fundamental properties rather than replicating the user experience that newcomers expect, from the consumer networks they've used before. Ask them why they left those networks for Bitmessage, the answer may be in there.

I hope this makes sense. Now send in the clowns.

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There is another significant flaw with that currently: Creating a new address (if you don't do it within the BM client itself) has no associated cost, meaning even if you require separate addresses, it would be trivial to send each spam message from a new address.

And on the other self moderation: This would've needed much more powerful tools to be useful. As you said, there should be an option to also get rid of all messages an address posted, when you blacklist them. At the same time, it would've really helped if BM had proper threading support (and not just "append more text to a previous message"), and especially something to say "throw away this message and every future message that is a response to it, because it's most likely garbage".

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I disagree. The only flaw is that people can post to a channel as the channel itself, which denies moderation - which is why a lot of people block messages coming from the channel itself. The moderation comes from the idea that you can blacklist/whitelist people, but the flaw is, it won't work on messages already posted - a simple change to the code to delete or hide messages coming from blacklisted addresses when they're blacklisted would be extremely helpful.

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Well, "droves" is a big term for a platform that never had a really high number of users, so it's more like the few good users are trickling out. And I wouldn't call one delusional idiot spamming a DDoS, since that implies much much more traffic from many participants. It's more a mild annoyance.

Overall I'd call this a case study in how unmoderateable, anonymous chat cannot work, and that exposing channels in a "truly public" fashion is a grave design error, because they make people think it could work. The only thing BM can really work well for is direct E-Mail like communication between two known parties, or private channels for small groups.

@ 78733875:4eb851f2

The mission of OpenSats is to support and maintain a sustainable ecosystem of funding for free and open-source projects that help Bitcoin flourish. Nostr is such a project, which is why OpenSats introduced The Nostr Fund and built a team around the protocol's originator to help fund the growing nostr ecosystem. As an open, interoperable, and censorship-resistant protocol, nostr has the chance of doing social-native networking right.

After weeks of sorting through applications, we are excited to announce the first round of grants from The Nostr Fund. OpenSats is proud to support over a dozen projects, from clients to relay implementations to adjacent tools and design efforts.

In no particular order, here they are:

• NDK by @pablof7z
• Habla by @verbiricha
• Coracle by @hodlbod
• Iris by @mmalmi
• Damus by @jb55
• rust-nostr & nostr-sdk by @yukibtc
• Nostr Relay NestJS by @CodyTseng
• Soapbox by @alexgleason
• Code Collaboration over Nostr by @DanConwayDev
• Satellite by @lovvtide
• Amethyst by @vitorpamplona
• Pinstr by @sepehr-safari
• nostr.build by @nostr.build
• Gossip by @mikedilger
• Nostr SDK iOS by @bryanmontz
• Nostr Design by @karnage

The projects above have received grants of various durations and sizes, and we have more nostr-related applications in the pipeline. Donate to The Nostr Fund if you want to help fund the nostr ecosystem.

Without further ado, let's take a closer look at each project in turn.

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NDK

NDK is a nostr development kit that makes the experience of building Nostr-related applications—whether they are relays, clients, or anything in between—better, more reliable, and overall more enjoyable to work with than existing solutions. The core goal of NDK is to improve the decentralization of Nostr via intelligent conventions and data discovery features without depending on any one central point of coordination, such as large relays or centralized search providers.

Repository: nostr-dev-kit/ndk
License: MIT

Habla

Habla is a website for reading, writing, curating, and monetizing long-form content on nostr. It uses NIP-23 to allow markdown-formatted articles and embedded nostr content such as notes, profiles, lists, relays, badges, and more. The goal of Habla is to give everyone an alternative to centralized publishing platforms such as Medium or Substack, which are by their very nature prone to censorship and deplatforming.

Repository: verbiricha/habla.news
License: GNU GPL v3.0

Coracle

Coracle is a nostr web client focusing on user experience, performance, and scaling of the nostr network beyond the "twitter clone" use-case. The end goal is to build marketplaces, groups, chat, and more on top of an emergent web of trust. Coracle is already one of the most mature and accessible clients for new users while also providing some novel features for more advanced nostriches.

Repository: coracle-social/coracle
License: MIT

Iris

Iris is a multi-platform nostr client that is available for web, mobile, and desktop. Iris' design goals are speed, reliability, and ease of use. The client features public as well as private messaging, customizable feeds, an offline mode, and speedy account creation.

Repository: irislib/iris-messenger
License: MIT

Damus

Damus is a cutting-edge nostr client for iOS. The goal of Damus is to integrate bitcoin with social media and to show the power, censorship resistance, and scalability of nostr in general. Damus includes picture and video uploading, is fully translated into 24 languages, supports automatic translation of notes, and includes all of the features you would expect from a Twitter-like client.

Repository: damus-io/damus
License: GNU GPL v3.0

rust-nostr & nostr-sdk

Rust-nostr is a Rust implementation of the nostr protocol. It is a high-level client library with the explicit goal to help developers build nostr apps for desktop, web, and mobile that are both fast and secure. Rust crates can be easily embedded inside other development environments like Swift, Kotlin, Python, and JavaScript, making rust-nostr a versatile base to build upon. While the project is in the early stages of development, over 35 NIPs are already supported, with more to come.

Repository: rust-nostr/nostr
License: MIT

Nostr Relay NestJS

Nostr-relay-nestjs is a Nostr relay with a clear structure that is easy to customize to your needs. This relay implementation is based on the NestJS framework and focuses on reliability and high test coverage.

Repository: CodyTseng/nostr-relay-nestjs
License: MIT

Soapbox

Soapbox started out as an alternative to Mastodon but has grown to encompass ActivityPub and nostr while being interoperable with both. In February 2023, the team launched the "Mostr" bridge, seamlessly connecting nostr to the ActivityPub Fediverse and enabling bidirectional communication between both protocols. This bridge exposes over 9.4M potential users in nostr's target audience to nostr, many of whom have already left the Fediverse completely in favor of nostr.

Repository: gitlab.com/soapbox-pub
License: GNU Affero General Public License v3.0

Code Collaboration over Nostr

This project is a proof-of-concept for a much-needed, often discussed, and permissionless, nostr-based GitHub alternative. The goal is to replace the traditional interactions using a centralized server or service with a nostr-based alternative centered around nostr events. Commits, branches, pull requests, and other actions are all modeled as nostr events, with permissions managed through groups so that multiple maintainers can manage a repository. This model reduces the barriers for clients to support repository collaboration and allows for interoperability between repository management tools.

Repository: DanConwayDev/ngit-cli
License: MIT

Satellite

satellite.earth is a web client for nostr that has a community focus and presents conversations as threaded comments, borrowing from the traditional Reddit interface.

Repository: lovvtide/satellite-web
License: MIT

Amethyst

Amethyst is one of the most popular nostr clients for Android. Amethyst comes with expected features such as account management, feeds, profiles, and direct messages. Amethyst also offers native image uploads, public chat groups, link previews, one-tap zaps, public and private bookmarks, as well as the ability to follow hashtags, and other novel features. You can install releases of Amethyst via F-Droid or Google Play.

Repository: vitorpamplona/amethyst
License: MIT

Pinstr

Pinstr allows users to easily organize and discover new ideas by creating public boards of pins. Users can star, comment, and zap other users' boards. Users can find curated boards of other users and create boards themselves. Default boards include users' bookmarked content, among other lists.

Repository: sepehr-safari/pinstr
License: MIT

nostr.build

Nostr.build is a free-to-use media hosting service that allows users to upload images, gifs, videos, and audio files to share them as nostr events. The team recently released their code under an MIT License so that anyone might use the software to offer a similar service.

Repository: nostrbuild/nostr.build
License: MIT

Gossip

Gossip is a fast and stable desktop nostr client focused on the Twitter-like micro-blogging aspect of nostr. Gossip follows people by downloading their events from whichever relays they post to (rather than relays you configure) and was the impetus for NIP-65. It does not use complex web technologies such as JavaScript or HTML rendering and stores your private key only in an encrypted format. Consequently, Gossip is considered more secure than other clients by some. The client is packaged and released for Linux, Windows, and MacOS.

Repository: mikedilger/gossip
License: MIT

Nostr SDK iOS

The nostr SDK for iOS is a native Swift library that will enable developers to quickly and easily build nostr-based apps for Apple devices. The library plans to implement all approved NIPs and will follow Apple's API patterns, so that iOS developers feel comfortable using it from the start. The SDK aims to be simple in its public interface, abstracting away as much complexity as possible so that developers can focus on what makes their specific application unique.

Repository: nostr-sdk/nostr-sdk-ios
License: MIT

Nostr Design

Nostr Design will be a comprehensive resource for designers and developers to build successful nostr products. Nostr introduces several new concepts that most people are not familiar with. Given its nature, the protocol presents some unique design challenges for developers and users alike. The Nostr Design efforts are led by Karnage, who has done stellar product design work around nostr in the past. We believe that this project has the potential to impact the entire nostr space, as it can act as a go-to source for developing quality products, addressing user needs, as well as providing concrete examples and building blocks for product designers and developers alike.

License: Public Domain, Creative Commons

---

We have received hundreds of applications in the last couple of weeks, many related to or exclusively focused on nostr. Most projects that applied focus on bitcoin and lightning. We will announce another wave of grants for these soon.

To all the nostr projects that applied and didn't make the cut this time around: don't be discouraged. Please apply for funding again in the future. We will announce new grants and funding opportunities quarterly, and there is always the possibility of being listed on the OpenSats website to receive pass-through donations for your project.

We are excited to support the projects above in building the tools we bitcoiners care so deeply about. The future is bright; we just have a lot of building to do.

@ 1bc70a01:24f6a411

Originally published on October 15, 2022. Moving from my personal blog to Nostr 🙌

Don't trust, verify

Some people find this very annoying. But I've realized that most people are winging it in life. Human psychology and power dynamics influences how people think and what they say. People want to seem right so they copy what others say, and expect you to believe it.

One way people consume information is through media - news and articles. They'll read something and assume it's true.

Cited by a "study"? Must be true.

"Experts say"?

Gotta be true.

Except, if you check the sources and do some critical thinking, you might uncover that the study is flawed or that the experts are biased.

Simple things like statistical significance are thrown out the window in some studies.

People overlook personal biases.

This all leads to poor data and misrepresentation. This is how you get click-bait headlines.

The only way to know what's true is to try and verify it for yourself.

Even if you are not able to verify the facts, you can come away with a range of certainty about what you learned. Is it probably true? May be true. Certainly true? Or maybe there is a grain of truth to it? The level of confidence can vary. You don't need to be 100% confident in your newly acquired knowledge.

Treat new knowledge as data points

"It depends" is the most appropriate answer to all questions in life. The actual answer is very nuanced and depends on all sorts of things.

But, the way media presents information and the way our minds try to categorize it is by replacing past beliefs.

Once you learn something new, it's tempting to disregard your past knowledge.

I don't see information this way.

To me, all new information is a data point in my life-long accumulated collection of other data points.

Think of it like a toolbox. You have many tools in your toolbox and they are all useful for some specific task. You don't throw away a tool you bought because you acquired another.

Information is much the same. You source information from your mind to understand some subject. Consider existing beliefs, while looking at the new information. The goal is to connect the dots.

Sooner or later the data points (dots) start connecting, and you get a better picture of the subject.

Seek out incentives

Incentives drive human behavior.

Incentive to earn.

Incentive to love.

Incentive to feel good about yourself (generosity).

If you can figure out a person's incentives, you will start to understand their behavior.

People suck at understanding this. They blame the wrong things. They assign responsibility to people who are not responsible. They create made up reasons for why someone did something. All the whole ignoring incentives.

Incentives drive everything. Ask the following questions:

• What is the ultimate goal of this person by saying or doing this?
• What do they seek to gain?
• How does it make them feel?
• What will they do at the prospect of failure?
• Who are the people they care for?
• What do they stand to lose?
• What motivates their actions?
• In almost all cases the answer to these questions involves a personal gain / loss.

Give people the benefit of the doubt

When trying to decide whether something was said or done with good intent, assume that's the case.

With exceptions such as career politicians or criminals, it is best to assume that people mean well and people are default=nice.

Otherwise it becomes difficult to have faith in systems, processes and humanity.

I know the world can be an ugly place, but it can also be a beautiful place. I'd rather assume people are seeking to build a better future for themselves.

If they act against everyone's best interest, it is best to assume they do so out of personal gain rather than some sinister plot. Look at the incentives that drive their behavior and figure out how to modify them to best serve everyone.

Acknowledge that material wealth does not bring happiness and strive for what matters to you.

Money does not bring happiness no matter what anyone says. It does relieve you of despair and help live a better, more peaceful and enjoyable life, but it will not make you happy.

Very few people in the world, if any, know true happiness because they confuse happiness (the process) with happiness (the end state). There is no end state for happiness.

When people ask you if you are happy, it's hard to answer, right?

Your instinct is to say "yes, of course". After all, your day is going fine, you have every comfort you desire and you had a pleasant lunch with a friend. You feel "happy".

But, this happiness fades. Tomorrow you get in a car accident, your car damaged, insurance won't pay out and you miss 2 weeks of work. You are "unhappy".

Some people confuse happiness with being content. You can be content with your place in life, but that doesn't mean you're happy.

The whole debate over happiness is a mute point. Since happiness is a process which is more akin to enjoyment, ultimately there is no such thing as happiness. The word itself should disappear from dictionaries.

Ok, I'm joking. But, you get the point.

When it comes to my life, I strive for satisfaction and contentment.

If I'm satisfied that day, that week, that month, that year, or the last decade, then I've met my "happiness" goals. If I am content with my life, then I'm "happy".

While material wealth can provide satisfaction, the contentment piece is often missing. With wealth, the goal post moves from one spot to another. Once you've achieved a satisfying moment, you have to move to the next, and the next. Each time you have to introduce higher states of satisfaction that require more effort and money.

Eventually, you plateau and satisfying moments from the physical world no longer matter. You seek out emotional attachment and relationships.

This is why so many wealthy people are depressed. No matter how much they spend, they can never reach that emotional attachment provided by love and relationships.

In fact, wealth only complicates those things. Instead of people seeing you for who you are as a person, a new variable is introduced and they see you for your status. With misaligned incentives, it becomes more difficult to form genuine relationships. Thus, contentment is hard to achieve.

I'm going to let you in on the biggest secret everyone is asking about - the secret to happiness.

The secret to happiness is charitable work. Doing things for others, without expecting anything in return.

Charitable acts are secretly selfish acts, whether that person acknowledges it or not.

All humans act in self-preservation. The need to feel good about ourselves. The need for approval. The need for comfort and safety. The need for recognition. All of these needs are driven by self-preservation.

Charity is no different. While we may feel that we do good things for others out of the goodness of our hearts, the evolutionary incentive is to feel satisfied by our deeds. There's nothing wrong with doing good things to feel good, as long as you understand why you're doing it, instead of performing mental gymnastics.

We are not designed for our digital world and should not strive to adapt to it

Evolution took hundreds of thousands of years to shape humans into what we are today. But technology accelerated the process by many magnitudes all within about 100 years. Except, it hasn't. The evolutionary clock is still catching up, out of breath and exhausted with your daily activity.

While we adapt rather well, humans are not capable of processing the amount of data and connections offered by the internet. This ultimately messes with our minds.

Think about your current physical world social circle. Small, yes?

Now think about your digital social circle. Much larger?

How many people do you think about out of your larger digital social circle? My guess is not that many.

While you may recognize the individuals you interact with, the meaning connections formed in the digital world are somewhat closely mirrored to the physical world. I hypothesize this is because we have innate evolutionary boundaries that limit our ability to expand beyond a certain natural limit.

Going beyond the invisible evolutionary boundaries places a burden on your mind. It feels unhealthy.

Remember the last time you thought to yourself "I need a break. I need to unplug"? That's your evolutionary boundary telling you it is not capable of processing any more data. You need a purge to get back to equilibrium.

We are not designed to be always-on, always-connected, always-responsive. At least not yet. It's possible the evolutionary process catches up and prepares us to handle all of it, but I am not confident it will be any time soon.

I try to remind myself that I am not meant to have 50,000 followers and expect to keep everyone happy. I am not meant to follow everyone's updates and be expected to respond. To stay healthy, I need to unplug.

Life is what you make of it, do what you wish to do and ignore the rest

There's no "right way" to do anything. Everything is a figment of human imagination. To do things "the right way" means doing it by someone else's definition of right.

I found it incredibly freeing to realize that the only thing that is pure in this world is the natural world and your mind.

The world is a canvas.

You are the paint brush.

Everyone is capable of everything and nothing at the same time.

Everything else is noise.

Yes, we have society. Yes, we have rules. These artificial, human-invented boundaries act to preserve harmony. But, ultimately, the only pure forms of existence are the human mind and the natural world. What you do is the only thing within your boundary of control (to an extent).

Since we experience the world with our minds, we are all that is true. Everything else is a projection of some entity or experience that seeks to change our behavior (intentionally or unintentionally).

With this in mind, I look at people's experiences as unique to them and do not assume that they will translate in the same way to my life if I apply them.

Only worry about things that are in my control

I can't control what people do. I can try to influence them, but ultimately they will do what they decide to do. Since I can only control myself, I don't worry about what others think or do.

Never regret

It's easy to say "I don't regret things" but in reality emotions take us there and we think about what we regret.

I would be lying if I said I don't have feelings of regret. But, I forget about them quickly so I can focus on the things I can control. What passed is now behind me and there's no way to change it back, so there's no point in regretting.

Reflection is not the same as regret. One can reflect by looking at the past, and make changes for the future. Regrets are bitter feelings an no action.

Truth is relative

Even as I write this, my own truths are relative. What is true for me, or is true now, may not be true for you or true when you read it. It may be wrong.

People used to believe earth was the center of the universe. That the sun went around the earth. That to ward off bad spirits you had to offer sacrifices.

These were all truths to the people who held those beliefs. Now we know different.

Given what we know now, it is only logical to assume that our current truths may be false in the future. Even physics, the foundation upon we base so many truths may be proven to be wrong or incompatible with other parts of the universe.

Most things are not the best version of themselves therefore there is always room for improvement.

Since things get better all the time, it is only logical to assume that even the best thing we can think of is not the best version of that thing. The "best" is relative to time, technology and imagination.

Whenever someone says "but we already have X that works great", that doesn't mean that Y cannot be better than X, nobody just thought of it yet.

Stay curious, stay hungry and know that you can create something better.

Take experts with a grain of salt

Even the top experts in their fields are often incorrect.

For example - I know a lot about conversion optimization, but if you were to take every advice I dish out, some of it will inevitably flop.

When you get to an expert level, when someone asks you something you don't know, it is tempting to give an answer. When many people ask you for something, it's even more tempting to respond.

Saying "I don't know" is difficult even if you feel that you should say it. Before you can utter the words, your mind says "I should know this..."

The second factor that makes experts not as credible as they may have been in the past, is the speed at which technology moves.

Think about a specialized doctor. This doctor may be the top expert in their field, but it is impossible for them to read the thousands of medical journals published every day. So many breakthroughs could happen in a year without this doctor ever knowing about them.

By the time an expert weighs in, the "truth" of the matter may have already shifted.

Knowing this, you can assume that not everything an expert says is correct, especially if they step outside of their lane.

Elon Musk is a great example of this. While Elon is a successful entrepreneur and perhaps knows a thing or two about rocket engines, when he steps outside of his lane and talks about crypto, he is no more coherent than someone who spent a lot of time in the space. He uses his influence to prop up things like dogecoin for fun and games, while people lose their life savings following his doge tweets.

I'm not saying that he is responsible for people's personal decisions, but he does influence them.

@ 78733875:4eb851f2

OpenSats is pleased to announce a new long-term support (LTS) program for Bitcoin Core developers and similar Load-Bearing Internet People.[^fn-lbip] This grant program is designed to provide financial support for developers who are working on critical infrastructure for the bitcoin network.

The LTS program is a new initiative from OpenSats and is distinct from our regular grant program, which is more expansive in scope. It is also distinct from OpenSats' website listings, which allows reviewed open-source projects to receive tax-deductible donations via OpenSats. The LTS program is specifically designed to provide long-term support for developers who are working on critical open-source infrastructure in and around bitcoin.

Having a longer time horizon than regular grants, the LTS program is geared towards long-term stability for grantees, with a minimum grant duration of 12 months and possible grant durations of two years or longer. This will allow developers to focus on their work without having to worry about financial constraints.

To be eligible for the LTS program, applicants must:

• have a track record of quality contributions
• be mission-driven and self-motivated
• be able to work in public
• be bitcoin-only

Applications for the LTS program are now open: https://opensats.org/apply/

The first recipient of an OpenSats LTS Grant is Marco Falke, a long-term maintainer and contributor of Bitcoin Core with thousands of contributions over many years. Marco will continue to focus on testing and quality assurance, as well as maintenance and review, helping to make sure that the Bitcoin Core software is as solid as it can be. You can read more about his contributions here.

We appreciate all the hard work that goes into building and maintaining critical open-source infrastructure. It is a hard and often thankless job. We hope that we can play a role in closing the gaps in bitcoin open-source funding, and we look forward to working with contributors in the future.

OpenSats aims to be an additional pillar of the increasingly solid funding landscape in and around bitcoin. We have learned a lot from the programs of the past and aim to join Brink, Spiral, Chaincode, HRF, and other successful grant programs to support those who build the tools that ensure the protection of individual liberties in our digital world.

We are committed to supporting the development of bitcoin. The LTS program is a new way for OpenSats to support long-term contributors who are building, maintaining, testing, researching, and reviewing critical software.

We encourage all qualified developers to apply for the LTS program. Together, we can build a stronger and more resilient bitcoin network.

[^fn-lbip]: "An LBIP is a person who maintains the software for a critical Internet service or library, and has to do it without organizational support or a budget backing him up." —Eric S. Raymond

@ 1c52ebc8:5698c92a

Hey folks, let’s take a shot at this. If folks find this helpful, this will become a weekly summary of what’s happening in Nostr.

The intention is for it to be technically focused (new NIPs, new projects, new bounties, etc) and a way for folks that aren’t terminally online / on-nostr to be able to keep up with what’s going on.

Let’s dive in!

Recent NIP Updates

1) Long form content

Looks like there’s some activity around long-form content. Recently a few updates to various NIPs added the expectation that relays and clients support drafts of long-form content. That way folks can save their drafts without a client having to save in some way other than a relay. 💪

2) NIP 99: Classified listings

This NIP was accepted July 18, 2023 and outlines a new kind of note that will help Nostr clients to build Craiglist competitors natively in Nostr. 💲

Notable projects

Human Rights Foundation Bounties

A series of bounties to add capabilities to the Nostr ecosystem.

NostrDB: under development

A nostr-specific database that @jb55 is building to improve performance of the Damus iOS app

NJson: a JSON parser for Nostr events

A parser for JSON that’s specific to Nostr Event JSON. It’s wayyyyy faster. Great foundationally pattern/tool to improve all nostr clients and relays.

Data vending machines

This one was a mind bender and a new concept to me. But @pablof7z introduced having bots compete to accomplish tasks. The person that’s hiring for the task sets the terms and can accept a bid on whatever dimension they care about.

This could be used for things as simple as answering a question you’d previously use Google for, or curating a Nostr feed based on your interests.

Highlighter

Highlighter is a way to highlight content from anywhere and wrap that highlight as a nostr event. Which means that people can interact with this content like any other note: reactions, reposts, zaps, etc.

Seems like it could become a way to discover quality content by following folks that are digging into topics you’re interested in. Lots of ways to use this 🤯

Habla.news

Habla.news has built a way for people to draft and publish long form content in a familiar way. The interface supports rich text editing and other nice features of products like Medium.

Best part is that it publishes to your relays, so any client that supports long form content events will showcase your work (and make it zapable ⚡). For now I’ve only seen Damus (the iOS app) support long-form notes natively, but I’m sure more are incoming 💪

Latest debates

Nostr for everything vs narrow, powerful nostr

Seen a few of these debates lately, I imagine it’s just the beginning.

With protocols there’s a temptation to make that protocol support the capability to do everything. On the other hand, a protocol that can do anything isn’t particularly useful.

Nostr is still evolving though and no one is an authority on what IS and IS NOT Nostr. Can’t wait to see folks hash it out.

Example thread

Build requests / ideas

I’m gonna collect the features / build requests I see throughout the week and post them here for anyone that has the cycles and interest to build what the community is asking for.

If you have something you want put here, let me know! (DM’s are welcome)

1. @jb55 = nuke all events client (to clean up a relay or your wipe your account)
2. @jb55 = nostr-based email client

Events

I’ll keep a running list of Nostr-related events that I hear about (in person or virtual). If you wanna see something here please let me know! (DMs welcome)

1. Nostrasia Nov 1-3 in Tokyo & Hong Kong
2. Meet up in Chiavenna, Italy August 3rd

Until next time 🫡

If I missed anything, let me know, DMs welcome.

And to shamelessly rip off my favorite youtuber’s signoff “God bless, you’re super cute”

@ d266da53:7224d834

On a sunny morning last December, Iyus Ruswandi, a 35-year-old furniture maker in the village of Gunungguruh, Indonesia, was woken up early by his mother. A technology company was holding some kind of “social assistance giveaway” at the local Islamic elementary school, she said, and she urged him to go.

Ruswandi joined a long line of residents, mostly women, some of whom had been waiting since 6 a.m. In the pandemic-battered economy, any kind of assistance was welcome.

At the front of the line, representatives of Worldcoin Indonesia were collecting emails and phone numbers, or aiming a futuristic metal orb at villagers’ faces to scan their irises and other biometric data. Village officials were also on site, passing out numbered tickets to the waiting residents to help keep order.

Ruswandi asked a Worldcoin representative what charity this was but learned nothing new: as his mother said, they were giving away money.

Gunungguruh was not alone in receiving a visit from Worldcoin. In villages across West Java, Indonesia—as well as college campuses, metro stops, markets, and urban centers in two dozen countries, most of them in the developing world—Worldcoin representatives were showing up for a day or two and collecting biometric data. In return they were known to offer everything from free cash (often local currency as well as Worldcoin tokens) to Airpods to promises of future wealth. In some cases they also made payments to local government officials. What they were not providing was much information on their real intentions.

This left many, including Ruswandi, perplexed: What was Worldcoin doing with all these iris scans?

To answer that question, and better understand Worldcoin’s registration and distribution process, MIT Technology Review interviewed over 35 individuals in six countries—Indonesia, Kenya, Sudan, Ghana, Chile, and Norway—who either worked for or on behalf of Worldcoin, had been scanned, or were unsuccessfully recruited to participate. We observed scans at a registration event in Indonesia, read conversations on social media and in mobile chat groups, and consulted reviews of Worldcoin’s wallet in the Google Play and Apple stores. We interviewed Worldcoin CEO Alex Blania, and submitted to the company a detailed list of reporting findings and questions for comment.

Our investigation revealed wide gaps between Worldcoin’s public messaging, which focused on protecting privacy, and what users experienced. We found that the company’s representatives used deceptive marketing practices, collected more personal data than it acknowledged, and failed to obtain meaningful informed consent. These practices may violate the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)—a likelihood that the company’s own data consent policy acknowledged and asked users to accept—as well as local laws.

Stay updated on the latest developments in Crypto , follow me on Yakihonne.com.

In a video interview conducted in early March from Erlangen, Germany, where the company manufactures its orbs, Blania acknowledged that there was some “friction,” which he attributed to the fact that the company was still in its startup phase.

“I'm not sure if you're aware of this,” he said, “but you looked at the testing operation of a Series A company. It’s a few people trying to make something work. It’s not like an Uber, with like hundreds of people that did this many, many times.”

Proof of personhood

Two months before Worldcoin appeared in Ruswandi’s village, the San Francisco–based company called Tools for Humanity emerged from stealth mode. Worldcoin was its product.

The company’s website described Worldcoin as an Ethereum-based “new, collectively owned global currency that will be distributed fairly to as many people as possible.” Everyone in the world would get a free share, the company suggested—if they agreed to an iris scan with a specially designed device that resembles a decapitated robot head, which the company refers to as the “chrome orb.”

The orb was necessary, the website continued, because of Worldcoin’s commitment to fairness: each person should get his or her allotted share of the digital currency—and no more. To ensure there was no double-dipping, the chrome orb would scan participants’ irises and several other biometric data points and then, using a proprietary algorithm that the company was still developing, cryptographically confirm that they were human and unique in Worldcoin’s database.

“I’ve been very interested in things like universal basic income and what’s going to happen to global wealth redistribution,” Sam Altman, Worldcoin’s cofounder and the former President of Silicon Valley accelerator Y Combinator, told Bloomberg, which first reported on the company last summer. Worldcoin was intended, he explained, to answer the question “Is there a way we can use technology to do that at a global scale?”

The company was just getting started—its aim is to garner a billion sign-ups by 2023.

In the same article the then 27-year-old Blania, who joined Worldcoin straight out of a physics masters program at Caltech, added that “many people around the world don’t have access to financial systems yet. Crypto has the opportunity to get us there." (Blania and others have used “Worldcoin” to refer to the company as well as the currency; we do the same here.)

But beyond these do-gooder intentions, Worldcoin would also solve key technical problems for Web3, the much-hyped, blockchain-powered third iteration of the internet, where data and content could be decentralized and controlled by individuals and groups rather than a handful of tech companies.

Giving “ownership in this new protocol to everyone” would be the “fastest” and “biggest onboarding into crypto and Web3” to date, Blania told MIT Technology Review in an interview, addressing one of Web3’s major challenges: a relative dearth of users.

Additionally, by biometrically confirming that an individual is human, Worldcoin would solve another “very fundamental problem” in decentralized technologies, according to Blania: the risk of so-called Sybil attacks, which occur when one entity in a network creates and controls multiple fake accounts. This is particularly dangerous in decentralized networks where pseudonyms are expected. Coming up with a truly Sybil-resistant proof of personhood has thus far been difficult, and this is seen as another barrier for mass Web3 adoption.

Worldcoin has done field testing in 24 countries; (from left to right) these promotional images were taken in Sudan, Indonesia, Chile, and Kenya.

With these two solutions, Worldcoin could become “an open platform that everyone can use [for] both the proof-of-person part and the distribution part,” Blania said. Therein lies Worldcoin’s promise: if it succeeds, this protocol could become the universal authentication method for a whole new generation of the internet. If that happens, the currency itself could become far more valuable. “Investors hope that the Worldcoin project brings value to the world and, as a result, that this equity and/or these tokens will appreciate in value,” the company said in an emailed statement.

This may be why some of Silicon Valley’s biggest names, in addition to Altman, are pouring money into it; Andreessen Horowitz recently led a $100 million investment round that tripled the startup’s valuation, from an already heady $1 billion to $3 billion.

Look into the orb

By the time we spoke to Blania in March, Worldcoin had already scanned 450,000 eyes, faces, and bodies in 24 countries. Of those, 14 are developing nations, according to the World Bank. Eight are located in Africa. But the company was just getting started—its aim is to garner a billion sign-ups by 2023.

Central to Worldcoin’s distribution was the high-tech orb itself, armed with advanced cameras and sensors that not only scanned irises but took high-resolution images of “users’ body, face, and eyes, including users’ irises,” according to the company’s descriptions in a blog post. Additionally, its data consent form notes that the company also conduct “contactless doppler radar detection of your heartbeat, breathing, and other vital signs.” In response to our questions, Worldcoin said it never implemented vital sign detection techniques, and that it will remove this language from its data consent form. (As of press time, the language remains.)

The biometric information is used to generate an “IrisHash,” a code that is stored locally on the orb. The code is never shared, according to Worldcoin, but rather is used to check whether that IrisHash already exists in Worldcoin’s database. To do this, the company says, it uses a novel privacy-protecting cryptographic method known as a zero-knowledge proof. If the algorithm finds a match, this indicates that a person has already tried to sign up. If it does not, the individual has passed the uniqueness check and can continue registration with an email address, phone number, or QR code to access a Worldcoin wallet. All of this is meant to occur in seconds.

Worldcoin says that biometric information remains on the orb and is deleted once uploaded—or at least it will be one day, once the company has finished training its AI neural network to recognize irises and detect fraud. Until then, beyond vague descriptions like “personal data…sent via secure, encrypted channels,” it’s unclear how this data is being handled. “During our field-testing phase, we are collecting and securely storing more data than we will upon its completion,” the blog post states. “We will delete all the biometric data we have collected during field testing once our algorithms are fully-trained.”

In response to our questions just before this article went to press, Worldcoin said the public version of their system would soon eliminate the need for new users to share any biometric data with the company—though it hasn’t explained how this will work.

A useless IOU

But we do know how onboarding works. To get Worldcoin into the smartphones of new users, the company contracts with local ”orb operators” to manage signups for their countries or regions.

Operators apply for the job and are interviewed and approved by the Worldcoin team, though Anastasia Golovina, a company spokesperson, emphasized in an email that operators “are independent contractors, not Worldcoin employees.” As such, they work without contracts or guarantee of payment, instead receiving commission for each person’s biometric data that they collect. However, Golovina added, they must “comply with local laws and regulations, including local labor laws.”

These country-level operators receive their commission in the stablecoin Tether. Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency whose value is pegged to a traditional currency, often the US dollar. They determine the rates they pay their subcontractors (typically in local currency), as well as the working conditions (full-time, part-time, or temporary gig work.) Both country-level and subcontracted orb operators are incentivized by commission-based payment structures to register as many people as quickly as possible.

On the other side, new users currently earn at least $15 worth of Worldcoin for submitting to the biometric scan, and $5 more when they log in to their Worldcoin wallet, though the total amount available has since changed to $25 for later recruits. Some users receive the sum all at once, for others it vests at a rate of $2.50 per week. Blania says that differences are meant to test out the most effective incentives. Either way, Worldcoin isn’t a stablecoin, and since the currency has not yet launched, the company “do[es] not yet know how many WLD tokens would be equivalent to USD $20,” it noted in a written statement.

To understand user incentives, some people were given the option to receive $20 worth of Bitcoin instead, effectively allowing them to cash out. Worldcoin said that it found its “most engaged users elected to hold on to their WLD,” though most of our interviewees said the opposite.

But with the ability to cash out ending last fall, for now the promise of $20 or $25 worth of Worldcoin amounts to an IOU from the company. Any tokens users may have in their digital wallets are, for all intents and purposes, worthless.

Taking a chance

Worldcoin’s users joined for a myriad of reasons.

“Out of curiosity” was a common refrain. Because the orb operator “seemed nice”—or happened to be their brother, cousin, or classmate—was another. Some hoped to get in early on what could become the next Bitcoin. Others had lost jobs or income during the pandemic. Some became desperate as civil war threatened to reignite around them. Most just wanted the free money—at least one only wanted to buy lunch. Many suspected it was a scam, though few could risk passing it up in case it was not.

Ruswandi fit into several of these categories. He had lost much of his work as a furniture maker during the pandemic and spent his free time trading stocks and cryptocurrencies and frequenting crypto-related message boards and exchanges.

“I was curious and thought it wouldn’t hurt to try,” he recalled, adding that the money was attractive given his reduced income.

But he quickly had doubts. Neither the company representatives on site nor the village officials could answer even basic questions about Worldcoin. After doing more research online and coming up empty, he came to conclude it was a scam. He believed the mysterious giveaway was a mass data collection effort disguised as some kind of secret, offline airdrop—a tactic in which cryptocurrency projects release free tokens to encourage adoption.

After all, many of his neighbors’ understanding of the internet was limited to the Facebook app pre-installed on their smartphones, so before prospective users were even able to receive the new currency, Worldcoin representatives “first had to help many residents in setting up emails [and] logging in to the web,” Ruswandi recalled. If it was about attracting users to a new cryptocurrency, he wondered, “why did Worldcoin target lower-income communities in the first place, instead of crypto enthusiasts or communities?”

The biometrics question

When Worldcoin made its “We’re here!” announcement last October, it encountered immediate backlash.

As NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden put it in a tweet thread, “Don’t catalogue eyeballs. Don’t use biometrics for anti-fraud. In fact, don’t use biometrics for anything. The human body is not a ticket-punch.”

Iyus Ruswandi, pictured in front of the Worldcoin recruitment site in Gunungguruh, West Java, had many questions about why the company needed an iris scan—none of which were answered. MUHAMMAD FADLI

Many doubted Worldcoin’s privacy protocols, especially since the company had yet to issue a white paper or open its code for outside evaluation. “This looks like it produces a global (hash) database of people's iris scans (for ‘fairness’), and waves away the implications by saying ‘we deleted the scans!’ Yeah, but you save the hashes produced by the scans. Hashes that match future scans,” Snowden tweeted.

There were also questions about hardware security. Jeremy Clark, an associate professor at the Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering that focuses on applied cryptography, questions the security of the orb: “The machine itself will have some security protections,” he says, “but none of that technology is perfectly secure. So it's usually an economic question…if this project is as successful as they want it to be, then it's going to become more profitable to try and tackle.”

Others took issue with the company’s purported focus on fairness given that 20% of the coins had already been allocated: 10% to Worldcoin’s full-time employees, and another 10% to investors, like Andreessen Horowitz.

Additionally, many in the blockchain field disagreed with the underlying premise of what Worldcoin was trying to build: creating one identity across Web3 was anathema to a movement that had turned to blockchain, decentralized finance, and DAOs (“decentralized autonomous organizations”) for the express purpose of not being known.

Others remain unconvinced that Worldcoin can actually reach everyone in the world—and instead, serves as a distraction from ongoing work to create new identity paradigms. Identity expert Kaliya Young, while declining to comment on Worldcoin specifically, says that “it’s common for companies to claim that ‘if everyone in the world was in our system, everything would be fine.’ Newsflash: everybody is not going to be in your system, so let’s move on and talk about how we solve problems” in online identity.

For Blania and his team, the criticism misses the mark. “Big parts of our team have had backgrounds in crypto…so we care about this [privacy] a lot,” he told MIT Technology Review. “I fully understand the concern,” he said, but he thinks it’s more “emotional gut reaction” than “objective criticism.” What the critics were missing, he added, was just how good Worldcoin’s protocol would be at protecting privacy once complete.

Stephanie Schuckers, the director of the Center for Identification Technology Research at Clarkson University, says that’s not outside the realm of possibility, as biometric technology has made a number of recent advances. One of the newest trends is “template security,” which uses cryptography to make a transformation of your biometric data. “When you store it, if it were stolen, it can’t be reverse-engineered back to your original biometrics,” she says.

But the reason that it has yet to be commercialized, she adds, is that cryptographic transformation often leads to “performance degradation.” Instead of matching the new biometric data to an existing biometric sample, template security matches a computer algorithm’s interpretation of the data, via some kind of hash or code, to another stored code. This adds room for error, Schucker says, making it “more difficult to match biometrics in this encrypted space,” though she adds that recent advances in template security have addressed some of those shortcomings.

Template security sounded like a possibility for what Worldcoin was doing—though Schucker cautioned that without seeing their code, or more detail beyond Worldcoin’s blog posts, it was hard to say for sure. Worldcoin has promised to open source its code, including repeating to MIT Technology Review on multiple occasions that this would occur “within the next few weeks”—since we first contacted the company in February.

Besides, the company added in a statement, “It is important to emphasize that we collect data not for the purpose of profiting from it or surveilling our users, like many other tech companies out there. Rather, our goal is to use the data for the sole purpose of developing our algorithms to minimize fraud and enhance user privacy.”

Reeling them in

Representatives of Worldcoin used a range of questionable tactics and enticements to bring in new users, according to many of the people MIT Technology Review spoke to.

When operations began in Sudan last March, the operators found it hard to “explain the concept of digital currencies to people who don’t even have emails”, according to Mohammad Ahmed Abdalbagee, one of Sudan’s four former orb operators. So instead they ran an AirPod giveaway contest to encourage registration that resulted in some 20,000 sign-ups.

At an Islamic high school in Indonesia’s West Java province, Worldcoin applied to teach a cryptocurrency workshop. The school’s student activity coordinator, Muhammad Hilham Zein, read the application and recommended it for approval on the understanding that it was “to share knowledge on crypto…not to encourage students to invest in digital currency.”

"Why did Worldcoin target lower-income communities in the first place, instead of crypto enthusiasts or communities?"

But attendees—at least one of whom was 15, which violates Worldcoin’s own terms of use—as well as our reporter’s first-hand observations tell a different story. During the 45-minute sessions, Worldcoin staff were too busy registering the dozen or so students, helping them download the app and sign up for emails, and finally scanning their biometrics, to provide information on cryptocurrency, Worldcoin itself, or how participants could give or take away consent. (Students did, at least receive their allotment of Worldcoin, which would vest weekly).

More recently, in roughly 20 villages in West Java that hosted recruitment events, many new users, like Iyus Ruswandi, were attracted by giveaways.

“It was held during the pandemic, where the government usually handed out social assistance packages,” explained Ece Mulyana, the principal of an elementary school madrasa who was informed, the night before, that his school was to be used as a Worldcoin registration site. Because the instructions came from a higher-level official—Ade Irma, the sub-district governance head, who was helping Worldcoin coordinate the village registration drives, “I couldn’t refuse the request,” Mulyana said.

Mulyana says that Irma paid him a fee of 2,000 IDR (around 14 US cents, at the time of writing) for each person successfully scanned. Mulyana estimates that 170 made the cut, for a total of 340,000 IDR (roughly $23.80, just under 10% of the average monthly pay of a government worker ).

Heni Mulyani, the sub-district leader who approved the events and Irma’s boss, said the money was provided “for coffee and cigarettes,” a euphemism for gratuities given to government officials to facilitate desired actions. She said none of the money paid went towards site rental—but, she added, “we assure you it’s not coming from the village fund or budget.”

A view of Gunungguruh, one of roughly 20 villages that Worldcoin visited for recruitment. MUHAMMAD FADLI

Instead, the money came from a company called PT Sandina Abadi Nusantara, cofounded by a man named Muhammad Reza Ichsan, who happens to be Worldcoin’s “best-performing operator” (according to Worldcoin’s launch blog post), and his mother. The company was the legal entity through which Worldcoin Indonesia conducted its activities; it was Ichsan’s mother’s job to reach out to local government officials to coordinate recruitment.

Ichsan has told MIT Technology Review that “we don’t pay the village, but we have an operational fund for people who helped us assemble the public in the field.”

Even if Mulyani had not misused village funds, these gratuities are—with rare exceptions— illegal under Indonesia’s anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws, with potential criminal penalties for both the giver and receiver.

In response to questions about payments to village officials, Worldcoin representatives said they were unaware of the incident, called it “isolated,” and that they have launched an investigation to learn more. While they could not yet draw conclusions, Golovina wrote, “It appears possible that some or all of these payments may have been for bona fide operating expenses, for example, fees required to set up operations in a school or other facility, or to pay for permits or licenses required to operate in certain locations.” This stands in contradiction to both the official’s and their orb operator’s descriptions.

Worldcoin also called the other examples we put to them, including the AirPod giveaway in Sudan and the deception of school officials in Indonesia “independent and isolated efforts by local Orb Operators,” and added that “we are wholly focused on incentivizing Operators to sign up engaged users who are excited about using Worldcoin.”

For their part, villagers were not told that at least some of their officials were being paid to promote Worldcoin; in fact, many thought the event was run by the government itself, as Mulyana, the school principal, recalled. “We have to explain to them that it was not a government program,” he said—that “Worldcoin is a foreign company who came and needed help from the village staff.”

Some villagers now doubt that they will receive any money at all now that late January, the time when they were told Worldcoin representatives would return to the village to hand out funds, has come and gone. Nor has the ability to trade Worldcoin from the wallet appeared, for those digitally savvy enough to navigate the app.

Operating blind

The mixed messages and misinformation weren’t necessarily intentional. The orb operators we spoke to often mentioned how little information they received from the Worldcoin representatives who recruited them, even as they were made acutely aware that their payment was tied to the number of people they could sign up. (Worldcoin said that it provides its country-level orb operators with a code of conduct, which sub-operators must also abide by, and that it is moving away from commissions based on number of sign-ups.)

Bryan Mtembei was one such operator. A civil engineer who recently graduated from college in Nakuru, Kenya’s fourth-largest city, Mtembei freelanced for Worldcoin after he was scanned on campus last September.

He wishes that he had received “a brief training or basics about Worldcoin.” Instead the only instruction he got was to “bring more people in to get yourself more money,” he said. “The rest was up to my social marketing skills.”

So he did his best to answer new users’ questions, with the most frequent being about privacy: Mtembei estimates that roughly 40% of the individuals he approached had concerns about sharing their biometric data. When he initially expressed similar concerns, he was assured by a representative that all his questions were addressed in the Worldcoin “white paper.” No such document exists. According to the company, this is by design—people would be unlikely to read “a long, highly technical academic-style paper,” it said, and its shorter blog posts could be thought of as white papers. Ultimately, Mtembei's need for money overrode his concerns; he says that he signed up between 150 and 200 people, at 50 KS (44 US cents) per scan.

Bryan Mtembei first met Worldcoin representatives on his college campus in Nakuru, Kenya. He was scanned and later worked as an orb operator. BRIAN OTIENO

And he wasn't alone. Willis Okach, a college student in Nairobi recruited, like Mtembei, to become an orb operator after his own scan, also got involved because of the money. “You don't have any and someone is offering you some,” he explained, adding that he thinks Worldcoin “feels that students don’t have a lot of money so they will sign up.” For his two days of work, Okach signed up 50 people and earned 100 KS (USD 0.88) for each set of biometric data that he brought in.

According to Golovina, the Worldcoin spokesperson, “all users who sign up during field testing are provided full disclosure about what is being collected and how that data is used and are required to provide their consent before they’re allowed to sign up. Any individual who does consent to our collection and use of their biometric data may revoke their consent at any time and this data will be deleted.”

But of the people we interviewed, none were explicitly told—or, in the case of orb operators, told others—that they were “test users,” that photographs and videos of their faces, and 3D body maps were captured and being used to train the orb’s “anti-fraud algorithm” to “differentiate between people,” that their data was treated differently from the way others’ would be handled later, or that they could ask for their data to be deleted.

Ángel Rodriguez, a security guard for the Santiago Metro in Chile, recalled checking a box in the Worldcoin app agreeing to the terms of service, but recalled the instructions being in English, a language that he does not read. In addition, the app, with its link to the data consent forms, was not available until “late 2021,” according to Worldcoin, at which point, field testing had been going on for at least a year.

Sometimes, new users were asked to provide additional personal data, which Worldcoin claims it never requests. Almost all of the people we spoke to were asked to provide email addresses to log into their wallets (even after Worldcoin introduced a QR code for sign-ins). Some were asked for phone numbers as well.

Golovina has denied in multiple email statements that emails or phone numbers were required for sign-up, though “we do make certain features available to users who choose to provide their phone number or email address, like the ability to send and receive Worldcoin. But things like this will always be optional.” Worldcoin did not explain what else users could do with the token without the ability to send or receive it.

In Nairobi, meanwhile, several students said that orb operators took a photo of their national ID cards to confirm, as Okach recalled, that he was “not…a robot.” Worldcoin said that it has never requested national identification documents from users, though they do request it from their orb operators.

When we shared these comments with interviewees, they did not recognize their own experiences. Mtembei emphasized that personal details were never optional, and there was no way to sign up at his orb without both email and phone. “That CEO is lying,” he said (mistakenly attributing Golovina’s statement to Blania.)

Mohammad Ahmed Abdalbagee, one of the four orb operators hired in Sudan, added that it was his team’s efforts that convinced Worldcoin to add phone numbers as a sign-in method in the first place. “Before they started in Sudan, they used the email as the main identifier, but we told them that this wouldn’t work in Sudan. Many college students don’t even have emails, they use their phones to register in social media,” he said.

Crypto-colonialism

Researchers that study the tech sector’s relationship with the global south were concerned—but not surprised—by Worldcoin’s behavior.

“It's a race to see who gets the most data in this AI-driven economy,” says Payal Arora, a digital anthropologist and author of The Next Billion Users: Digital Life Beyond the West. Stronger data protection laws in Europe and the United States mean that the most ambitious entrepreneurs in those regions can’t get all the training data that they need from their own populations, she says, so they have to look to the developing world.

In fact, according to its launch blog post, Worldcoin is unavailable in either the United States or China due to regulatory constraints, while Bloomberg reported that it has also shut down field tests in other countries, including Turkey and Sudan, for similar reasons. Worldcoin has, however, signed up a number of users in the US at demos held at cryptocurrency conferences, though the company does not consider its US activities to be a form of field testing.

It’s just cheaper and easier to run this kind of data collection operation in places where people have little money and few legal protections.

Pete Howson, a senior lecturer at Northumbria University who researches cryptocurrency in international development, categorizes Worldcoin’s actions as a sort of crypto-colonialism, where “blockchain and cryptocurrency experiments are being imposed on vulnerable communities essentially because…these people can’t push back,” he told MIT Technology Review in an email.

What makes the crypto version even more harmful than other forms of data colonialism is that decentralization, the core tenet of blockchain, makes for “very limited accountability…when things go wrong,” Howson explained. “You’ll often hear this phrase ‘Do Your Own Research’, or DYOR, because these guys don’t care much for rules and regulations.”

But inequities in information and internet access make that “do your own research” ethos all but impractical for many people in developing regions. Similarly, huge economic disparity means that in Kenya, say, the promise of just under half a US dollar could be a compelling incentive for someone to give up their biometric data, whereas in Norway or the US, such an offer wouldn’t go far.

Simply put, it’s just cheaper and easier to run this kind of data collection operation in places where people have little money and few legal protections.

Data lapses and policy holes

Although much of Worldcoin’s field testing has been happening in developing countries, the company stressed that it is also active in developed countries, including several in Europe. “Worldcoin has always tried to conduct field tests in a sample of countries around the globe that would be representative of the world as a whole,” the company told us.

This presents its own challenges. In collecting, controlling, and processing the personal data of EU-defined “data subjects”—that is, any person within the European Union, including citizens, residents, and potentially visitors whose data is being collected—Worldcoin is subject to the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Enacted in 2018, the GDPR requires that data subjects be fully informed about why their data is collected, how it will be used, who will be processing it, where it will be transferred, how they can erase it, and how they can stop its processing. Failing to sufficiently safeguard data can lead to fines of up to 4% of global revenue or 20 million euros, depending on the severity of the infraction. Further, GDPR applies outside of Europe if a company collects or processes the personal data of European data subjects. So a company registered in Delaware and headquartered in San Francisco, like Worldcoin, is not necessarily exempt.

That is, however, exactly what Worldcoin has claimed in its data consent form, which—until MIT Technology Review submitted its list of questions—asked users to accept the following statements:

• “we [Worldcoin] voluntarily comply with the GDPR as a matter of policy”
• “we have not adopted a board-approved data privacy and security policy describing the means and the methods by which we plan to protect your Data to meet the standards prevalent in the GDPR”
• “there is a possibility that our policies and procedures will not be sufficient to meet GDPR requirements”
• “it may be more difficult to assert your privacy rights in court in the United States if we do not comply”

This policy tries to create “carve-outs,” says Marietje Schaake, the international policy director at Stanford University’s Cyber Policy Center and a former Member of the European Parliament, who reviewed the document. Exceptions, she adds, are not possible under the GDPR—and besides, the fact that Worldcoin has a German subsidiary already subjects it to the GDPR.

“As an EU citizen, you have the right to challenge it,” Schaake says, referring to any potential violation. Those challenges would be reviewed by European data protection authorities and eventually argued in European courts rather than American ones, as Worldcoin’s policy suggests.

Worldcoin said that it is fully compliant with the GDPR, and has registered with the Bavarian Data Protection Authority. It added that it employs a data protection officer, and that it has conducted a data privacy impact assessment—though it has declined to make either the officer or the assessment available for public scrutiny. Worldcoin added that the statements in their consent policy “were previously included in an abundance of caution…They no longer appear in the latest version of our Data Consent Form.” As of publication, however, the language still remains online.

For Aida Ponce del Castillo, a researcher at the European Union Trade Institute, who studies regulations for emerging technology and serves as her organization’s data protection officer, this lack of transparency is unjustified. “DPIA are not confidential business information,” she told MIT Technology Review—and while publication is not mandatory, she pointed to European Commission recommendations that companies “consider publishing at least parts, such as a summary or a conclusion.”

The Bavarian Data Protection Authority has yet to respond to MIT Technology Review’s request to confirm the company’s registration.

"That's manipulation"

Beyond the ethical questions, though, lie more practical ones, like: how well does Worldcoin actually work?

For some test users and orb operators on the ground the answer has been, not well at all.

Sometimes, this was due to issues with the orb. In Sudan, local orb operator Abdalbargee says that it would take as many as six attempts for the orb to recognize someone’s face. “Actually it took my friend an entire week for the device to recognize his iris,” he adds.

Orbs were also prone to malfunctions, slowing down recruitment processes and requiring repair in Germany. When Buzzfeed News found similar orb malfunctions in a recent investigation, Worldcoin used language that it has repeated with us: calling one particularly egregious case an “isolated outlier.”

Meanwhile, the transition from a web-based wallet to an app-based wallet has caused a number of users to appear to lose either their entire accounts or all of their coins. For others, the app has proved buggy, draining battery life or leading them into in a spiral of loading and reloading.

Rodriguez, the Chilean security guard, has been trying to resolve his wallet issues since shortly after he was scanned. After signing up in February, and being asked to input his email, phone number, and use a QR code, the app was creating such performance issues for his phone that he deleted it entirely. When he tried to re-download the app, he found that his username no longer existed.

To fix it, he was told by a local orb operator, he would have to find the orb and re-scan his biometric data. But if Worldcoin works as the company claims, re-scanning his iris would simply result in the orb linking his iris with his old iris hash. In other words—and as Worldcoin has subsequently confirmed— there’s no way to recover an account once it’s lost.

Then there are the instances of identity spoofing that the orb has been unable to detect. In mid-2021, one businessman in Indonesia was able to register and access the wallets of over 200 users after they had been scanned and verified as human, and transfer out their contents—held in Bitcoin at the time. Worldcoin says that this occurred when the wallet was still accessible via a web log-in, rather than a mobile app, and that “since transitioning…we have not detected this type of fraud.”

Meanwhile, those who fear that the whole thing may have been a scam want to know what they’ve lost. “50 KS is not enough to give an eyeball away,” says Okach, the university student in Nairobi that spent a weekend recruiting others to Worldcoin. “That’s manipulation, taking advantage of students without clear clarification about what it is they are doing or what they want.”

Forget all those people

When we began reporting this story we noticed that three of the five countries initially cited as case studies for successful field testing—Indonesia, Sudan, and Kenya—were classified as low or lower-middle income by the World Bank. The power and economic differentials seemed ethically fraught, so we began digging.

We wanted to know: what was it like to serve as an early user in this global crypto experiment? What did the participants actually understand—or what were they told—about cryptocurrency, Worldcoin, and the ramifications of giving up their biometric data? Did they provide informed consent—and what would that even look like in this context? And, ultimately—sharing the same question voiced by many of our interviewees—what were the iris scans really for?

MUHAMMAD FADLI portrait of Ruswandi’s neighbor, Solihin (a community leader)

Left to right: Ruswandi’s neighbors Sadili, Solihin (a community leader), and Eli were among the 170 villagers scanned.

In the end, it was something that Blania said, in passing, during our interview in early March that helped us finally begin to understand Worldcoin.

“We will let privacy experts take our systems apart, over and over, before we actually deploy them on a large scale,” he said, responding to a question about the privacy-related backlash last fall.

Blania had just shared how his company had onboarded 450,000 individuals to Worldcoin—meaning that its orbs had scanned 450,000 sets of eyes, faces, and bodies, stored all that data to train its neural network. The company recognized this data collection as problematic and aimed to stop doing it. Yet it did not provide these early users the same privacy protections. We were perplexed by this seeming contradiction: were we the ones lacking in vision and ability to see the bigger picture? After all, compared with the company’s stated goal of signing up one billion users, perhaps 450,000 is small.

But each one of those 450,000 is a person, with his or her own hopes, lives, and rights that have nothing to do with the ambitions of a Silicon Valley startup.

Speaking to Blania clarified something we had struggled to make sense of: how a company could speak so passionately about its privacy-protecting protocols while clearly violating the privacy of so many. Our interview helped us see that, for Worldcoin, these legions of test users were not, for the most part, its intended end users. Rather, their eyes, bodies, and very patterns of life were simply grist for Worldcoin’s neural networks. The lower-level orb operators, meanwhile, were paid pennies to feed the algorithm, often grappling privately with their own moral qualms. The massive effort to teach Worldcoin’s AI to recognize who or what was human was, ironically, dehumanizing to those involved.

When we put seven pages of reporting findings and questions to Worldcoin, the company’s response was that nearly everything negative that we uncovered were simply “isolated incident[s]” that ultimately wouldn’t matter anyway, because the next (public) iteration would be better. “We believe that rights to privacy and anonymity are fundamental, which is why, within the next few weeks, everyone signing up for Worldcoin will be able to do so without sharing any of their biometric data with us,” the company wrote. That nearly half a million people had already been subject to their testing seemed of little import.

Rather, what really matters are the results: that Worldcoin will have an attractive user number to bolster its sales pitch as Web3’s preferred identity solution. And whenever the real, monetizable products—whether it’s the orbs, the Web3 passport, the currency itself, or all of the above—launch for its intended users, everything will be ready, with no messy signs of the labor or the human body parts behind it.

Additional reporting by Lujain Alsedeg and Antoaneta Roussi

Correction: This story has been corrected to note that GDPR fines can be up to 4% of global revenue, a previous version misstated the percentage, and updated to clarify GDPR regulations apply to personal data protection of European subjects.

By： Eileen Guo & Adi Renaldi Link：https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/04/06/1048981/worldcoin-cryptocurrency-biometrics-web3/

@ 6e468422:15deee93

Bees are marvelous creatures. As are most creatures, I guess.

Without bees, there wouldn't be any flowers. Without flowers, there wouldn't be any bees.

I was walking along a beautiful path today, as I do most days. To think, enjoy, meander. An intense buzzing stopped me in my tracks. Bees. Hundreds of them. Possibly thousands. Busying themselves with the things that bees busy themselves. It was a sight to behold. The sound? Overwhelming.

The older I get, the more I realize that we are more like bees or ants than we are like wolves or sheep. Busying ourselves with the things only humans busy themselves with, mostly oblivious towards the larger structures we are embedded in. Effective in large groups. Borderline useless when truly alone. Isolation kills bee, ant, and human alike.

But the busyness is what got me. We are all so busy, myself included, that we almost never have time to stop, take a breath, and marvel at the bees.

@ aa55a479:f7598935

Nostrica is the shit.

@ 3cea4806:10fe3f40

Previously, I had written a post on Stacker News titled "The ICANN Domain Problem, Solved With Nostr?", I presented the issue of how ICANN is the central controlling authority of internet domain names, and how we don't genuinely own them, and that issue spills over the solution that NIP-05 is trying to provide on Nostr.

The purpose of that post, and this one, is to showcase the issue of NIP-05, with the bigger issue being ICANN itself, to hopefully open up the discussion so that people can figure out a solution, all the while trying to present a potential solution myself. People have presented valid criticisms of the idea and presented holes in what I had presented as a potential solution, and they were valid ones. After some time, another solution presented itself to me, however, it might rub Bitcoiners the wrong way, but considering the opened floodgates with Ordinals, I thought might as well potentially make use of it.

What's The ICANN Problem?

Among the many reasons why people love Bitcoin is because it's not centrally controlled by anyone or a group of colluding individuals. The same goes for Nostr, which is seeing continuous growth in user adoption as they migrate from other centralized social platforms and other services to it. As such, current domain holders can completely lose access to their domain that's registered at ICANN, by an entity in ICANN, or by an external influence.

In short, the ICANN problem is that you are not truly the owner of any domain you've purchased under their rule. With that said, this leads to the issue that Nostr is trying to currently solve, which is simple, human-readable handle names, and a solution was presented called NIP-05 handles, but because of the ICANN, it is a bandaid solution.

The NIP-05 Problem

Nostr's NIP-05 handle solution attempts to address the issue of creating human-readable names for decentralized domains. Instead of using NPUB addresses directly, the idea is to associate handles with domains to improve user accessibility and convenience. However, upon closer examination, it becomes apparent that this approach poses several significant challenges and fails to achieve the desired decentralization and censorship resistance.

One of the primary concerns with the NIP-05 handle solution is its reliance on domain names. As we know, the domain name system is currently managed by ICANN, a centralized authority. This centralization introduces a critical vulnerability, as it means that a controlling entity could potentially take control of a domain associated with NIP-05 handles.

In such a scenario, if an authoritative entity seizes control of a domain, all the handles associated with that domain would be rendered useless, causing users to lose their hard-earned and recognizable identities. This loss could lead to a severe setback for user outreach and branding, as individuals and businesses may have built their online presence around these handles. Such an outcome significantly undermines the purpose of decentralized domains, as it introduces a single point of failure and compromises the integrity of the entire system.

The Failed Nostr Solution

The previous idea that I had presented to solve the ICANN problem, in gist, is to have a file that all relays would hold and update with domain names and connect them with users' NPUBs, but that had its issues:

1. Consensus on File State

One of the major with the Nostr idea was a robust mechanism for relays or entities referencing the file to reach a consensus on its current state. In a decentralized domain system, it's crucial to ensure that all participants are on the same page regarding the associations between names and their corresponding public addresses. Without a consensus protocol, discrepancies and inconsistencies would arise, leading to fragmented and unreliable domain resolution.

2. Ease of Squatting

Another pressing concern was the ease of domain squatting, where individuals could register and hold multiple names, limiting others' access to those names at little to no cost. The potential for abuse could hinder fair access to domain names. It would be a first-come-first-served process with no reasonable financial barriers.

New Solution: Utilize Bitcoin

Here's my newest attempt at trying to provide a solution to the ICANN problem, which is to make Bitcoin itself the new home for domains instead of ICANN. While others have presented the idea of other chains that are attached or anchored to Bitcoin that has already done this, I'd view it as still an issue since those chains are not as decentralized or powerful as Bitcoin itself and can be susceptible to failure.

Secondary Block Rewards: Domain Name Tokens (DNTs)

At the moment, the Bitcoin protocol rewards Miners that discover a block with an amount of BTC. The idea here is to add another kind of reward alongside the current one: Domain Name Tokens (DNTs).

Let's say this idea has been implemented into Bitcoin. An individual has successfully mined a Bitcoin block, and that person was rewarded with the current usual 6.25 BTC. Alongside that, they are also rewarded with, for example, 1,000 DNTs would be rewarded to that Miner, which can be then used, given, sold, or traded with other people in the world. The price of a DNT would be determined by supply and demand.

Once an individual has acquired a DNT, which was originally gained through POW, and then gained before use through a potential financial cost, they would then update the DNT that they own by attaching a name to it (permanent), and other relevant information like an IP address or a Nostr NPUB or note ID (can be changed later), and then send it (to yourself? to a contract? not sure how this part would work) to have it confirmed in the Bitcoin network, and if the name is available (ideally, there'd be a system that checks the network if a name is available or not before you send), you'd have that DNT recorded in the Bitcoin network with the associated name that no one can take, which would also have data that would connect it to a server to showcase your website on a browser.

Third Block Reward Type: Human Readable Bitcoin Address Tokens (HRBATs)

Accidentally thought of this when I was writing down the main idea above for the domain name tokens on Bitcoin. If users can obtain tokens so that they can be used to register/record a word and attach with its data, specifically an IP address or a Nostr NPUB or note ID, then another type of token that is pretty much the same as the domain one, but specifically for Bitcoin addresses.

This would follow the same idea as above, where miners would be rewarded with Y amount of HRBATs, and would be given/sold to the masses. A person with an HRBAT can then sign and send it with a name, have it confirmed and recorded in the Bitcoin blockchain, and then attach a Bitcoin address of their choosing to it. The results? We would now have human-readable Bitcoin addresses to transact with.

• Before: "Hey John, you can send me that 0.05 BTC to bc1qar0srrr7x...5l643ly...9re59gtzz...mdq"
• After: "Hey John, you can send me that 0.05 BTC to HummusMan9K"

End Thoughts & Thanks For Reading!

Here are a few extra thoughts I had while I was thinking about these issues and solutions: - I don't think both of these types of rewards should be case-sensitive, as it would lead to various malicious issues if it was. - I'm not sure if this requires a new BIP or not, and if it does and the solution is sound, then the latest issue would be approval from the Bitcoin network and approval time (as well as sound development/code of course). - Other data can be attached to a DNT, such as a Bitcoin address, or a Bitcoin LN address as well. - Even though a DNT is pretty much the same thing almost as an HRBAT, the reason I'd suggest there'd be two different types is for better organization and push for separate uses. A DNT would have "Domain Name", "Server Address", "Bitcoin Address", and "Bitcoin LN Address" fields, while HRBAT would have "Bitcoin Address Name", "Bitcoin Address", and "Bitcoin LN Address" fields. - Internet browsers would need to add support for DNTs, and an agreed method of accessing them via the URL field needs to be figured out. Perhaps something like "Visit my website on bd:freakoverse" where "bd" stands for "Bitcoin Domain", is to point toward the Bitcoin network. Browsers can offer a quick toggle to switch between ICANN domains and Bitcoin domains next to the URL field, and a user can set whichever is the default.

That's about it. What do you think of this idea to potentially solve the ICANN problem, if it isn't good or if there are holes in it, please mention it, and let's delve into a discussion to find a better solution. Thanks for reading!

@ 0e051ec9:a681f857

Faster, Please! — The Podcast #33

https://fasterplease.substack.com/p/faster-please-the-podcast-33

Vance is the author of the new book, When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach

“The future that all these space buffs have already started building is one in which many rockets blast off every day. These rockets will be carrying thousands of satellites that will be placed not all that far above our heads. The satellites will change the way communications work on Earth by, for one, making the internet an inescapable presence with all the good and bad that entails. The satellites will also watch and analyze the earth in previously unfathomable ways. The data centers that have reshaped life on our planet will be transported into orbit. We are, in effect, building a computing shell around the planet.”

Other than SpaceX, who are the companies building that computer shell?

The one that comes to mind is the next sort of central actor in the book, which is this company called Planet Labs, which is based in San Francisco. For people who don't know, they already surround the Earth with about 250 imaging satellites. They can take, and they do take, pictures of every spot on the Earth's landmass every day. Multiple pictures. Unlike even the world's biggest governments, China, Russia, the US, which have spy satellites obviously, but they only have a handful of spy satellites. And they tend to only look where interesting things might be happening. Planet Labs sees everything that's happening all the time. And this is not some far-off concept. They had this full constellation up and running in 2018 and have just been adding to it ever since.

A fascinating startup called Varda launched just a couple months ago. They have put what you could argue is the first manufacturing system in space. It's making medicines. You can do things without gravity pushing on molecules in space that you can't do on Earth. They're trying to make a whole new class of pharmaceuticals and bring them back to Earth. I think that's just the earliest example. There are things like asteroid mining that I thought were total jokes and are still quite far off, but there's a startup, Astro Forge. Same thing: They set up their first test earlier this year. All this stuff is actually happening now. The business cases on these things, I think some will work and some won't, but we're going to find out.

@ 1bc70a01:24f6a411

I’m going to think out lout about the UAP hearing a bit, feel free to tune me out.

Scenario 1

The one most of us are probably thinking: This entire thing is a distraction from one or many known or unknown issues currently underway. It must be so bad that it warrants national attention to the all-entertaining “UAP” subject.

For this to be true, we have to assume one of the following: 1. The people testifying are lying. Maybe paid actors, maybe not, who knows, but they are not telling the truth. 2. They are telling their “truth”, however they obtained it, perhaps even their reality. We do know UFOs are commonly reported worldwide, so perhaps they are just telling what they saw.

In terms of congressional involvement, scenario one would mean that some or all of the congress members are full of shit. This is an unlikely scenario in my mind (hard to get everyone to go along with a lie). The more likely scenario is that they are in it for the wild ride, totally unaware they are being used as pawns (or at least some aren’t).

What makes this scenario possible in my opinion is that Grush is allowed to speak about the events publicly but not discuss details (unless privately). This makes for good public theatre. Why would unsanctioned projects allow Grush to even go so far as to speak about the events when a slip and fall accident could occur at any moment? The answer would have to be either: 1. Because it’s all bullshit, or mostly bullshit. 2. Because the agencies involved are really THAT incompetent and hadn’t figured out what is happening. 3. Because they have no problem with him talking about it because they would like to slowly disclose alien technology and the fact that we’re not alone. 4. To serve the purpose of distraction.

Assuming scenario 1 is correct, the most likely scenario is that the people involved are telling their own version of truth and that some of the congressional members are unaware of the real reason they’re there.

This is an easy fallback for any time you want to divert attention from some other pressing matters. Just talk about UFOs!

The earlier story in NY Times would also make sense in this case - as the NYT has been known to act as the propaganda arm of the government. The NY Times story brought a lot of attention to the matter, but we have to also wonder why this was under the rug for so many years? Perhaps because it’s pure bullshit.

The “It’s real!” Scenario….

Let us assume that this is not a distraction. The people testifying are telling the truth. Everything is as they say it is. Ooof!

This would mean that everything Grush says is true - there are unsanctioned programs and or people with extreme privilege and clearance not granted to anyone else. People that are not even part of the government in any way.

It would also mean we have recovered alien craft and bodies and have attempted to reverse engineer their tech. Perhaps we already succeeded and what we see flying around today is this reverse engineered tech, or actual ETs.

What would make this scenario real?

Well, there is no shortage of UFO sightings. People swearing their life on it. For us to discount all of them would mean calling everyone a liar, or just confused about some other phenomena. I wouldn’t bet on all liars and delusional, but confused, maybe. Still, some accounts are just too out there to dismiss without some serious thought. The fact that people’s stories seem to match could mean that there’s truth to those reports.

Perhaps the aliens use pods (classic saucer shapes, or “tic tacs” or other shapes craft. Maybe the “cubes” in orbs are their versions of drones? Or not? Maybe the large cubes are spacecraft.

Yes, they cover vast amounts of space quickly and STILL crash on our planet. Rookies that failed the landing maneuver in flight school… heh.

The governments of the world are all cooperating in hiding the truth and or the US government has unprecedented access to other parts of the world to recover and cover up various incidents. WOW… ok. That means we have something like a one world alien-communication government that has unprecedented access beyond anyone’s control. How??

If this is the real deal, we should all be losing our minds right now. The prospect of another species with vastly superior technology with interest in our nuclear dealings should scare everyone. Forget everything else, this is priority #1.

THE PROBLEM with this scenario?

1. Some foreign govt. would have already revealed what they know. Would they not? Are we to believe they are all collaborating on this with some inter-government agency that acts with ultimate authority? Why? How? Maybe they are already speaking out and I’m unaware?
2. We STILL don’t have any definitive evidence. He said, she said, they said. “First account” from a “trusted source”. OK.
3. Aliens possess mind-blown tech, but still crash once in a while. I guess you could say that there will always be a small chance of crash no matter who is flying what. I’ll give people that.
4. “It’s classified”. No amount of talking seems to reveal the actual “classified” information. Even during the congressional meeting it’s always “I can tell you privately”, and “I’m not permitted to talk about this by law”. Which is it? Are you, or are you not allowed to speak on the matter? Why can you disclose it behind closed doors but not in public? Seems rather strange to me.

In the “It’s all real!” Scenario, we are all screwed. Either we are being prepped for eventual disclosure of alien life or aliens can do crap we can’t protect against. If we’re being prepared for disclosure, it may mean that we have no say in how things unfold on our planet and the best we can do is ease people into it without everyone losing their minds. In that case, a series of hearings on the matter might make sense. Keep talking about it louder and louder until people are no longer shocked to hear the truth. Buckle up everyone, things are about to get interesting!

Scenario 3: “Trust Us, We’re here to serve you”

From the hearing, we hear multiple times congress mention “distrust in the government” and “rebuild trust”. In line with Scenario 1, this would mean everything is just a smoke screen to “build trust”. “Oh look, congress cares about me😍!!”

It would make sense why nothing has been revealed concretely and no foreign government came forward yet. Didn’t you know, UFOs only crash in the states! Haha.

Congress is just “building back trust”, either fully aware of the lies, or using mentally unstable people for their gain. Not saying the witnesses are mentally unstable, but you never really know, do you? Tell yourself a story enough times, it becomes a reality.

My Personal Take?

I wish to remain open minded about this subject. There are too many questions unanswered for me and I don’t want to dismiss anything entirely. Could there be aliens visiting this planet? I don’t see why not. We don’t know what we don’t know. For me to dismiss the possibility of non-human life traveling to our planet would mean to believe we have learned everything there is to learn about physics and the universe, when in fact it is the opposite, we know little to nothing.

Could it be bullshit? Yes, of course. I also like to consider things from a practical perspective and think in terms of probabilities rather than right and wrong, yes or no. If I had to guess the odds of aliens traveling to our planet, I’d give it at 5% chance. So yeah, not much. I’m much more inclined to believe this is all just human manipulation to achieve some agenda. I won’t speculate what that agenda might be as it’s anyone’s guess really. There’s no way to prove anything.

Should all of this be real, things are going to get very interesting…

@ e6817453:b0ac3c39

In 2005, Microsoft’s Chief Identity Architect, Kim Cameron, wrote an influential paper called The Laws of Digital Identity.

original paper could be found

Laws of identity

Sure, here's Kim Cameron's Laws of Identity in markdown format:

Kim Cameron's Laws of Identity

1. Law of Control:

2. Users must have control over their own digital identities. They should be able to decide and control how their identities are used and shared.

3. Law of Minimal Disclosure:

4. The solution which discloses the least identifying information and best limits its use is the most stable, long-term solution.

5. Law of Justifiable Parties:

6. Digital identity systems must limit disclosure of identifying information to parties having a necessary and justifiable place in a given identity relationship.

7. Law of Directed Identity:

8. A universal identity system must support both "omnidirectional" identifiers for use by public entities and "unidirectional" identifiers for use by private entities, thus facilitating discovery while preventing unnecessary release of correlation handles.

9. Law of Pluralism:

10. A universal identity system must channel and enable the interworking of multiple identity technologies run by multiple identity providers.

11. Law of Human Integration:

12. The identity system must define the human user as a component integrated through protected and unambiguous human-machine communications.

13. Law of Consistent Experience Across Contexts:

14. The unifying identity metasystem must provide a simple, consistent experience while enabling separation of contexts through multiple operators and technologies.

These principles are designed to ensure user control, privacy, and security in digital identity systems, and they have influenced a wide range of subsequent work in digital identity.

It defines the core principles of a meta-identity system that allow the building next generations of identity systems.

Let's look at how Self-Sovereign Identity Principles support this law and enable to build of a meta-identity system on top.

SSI principles

Sure, here are the core principles of Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) in markdown format:

Principles of Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI)

1. Existence:

2. Users must have an independent existence. Their identities should exist even outside of the digital realm.

3. Control:

4. Users must control their identities. They should have the ability to access, manage, and control the data and information that is associated with their identity.

5. Access:

6. Users must have access to their own data. They should be able to retrieve, move, and store their data as they wish.

7. Transparency:

8. Systems and algorithms must be transparent. The systems used to administer and operate a user's identity must be open, both in how they function and in how they are managed and governed.

9. Persistence:

10. Identities must be long-lived. Ideally, they should last forever, or at least for as long as the user wishes.

11. Portability:

12. Information and services about identity must be transportable. They should not be held by a singular third-party entity, even if it's a trusted entity.

13. Interoperability:

14. Identities should be as widely usable as possible. They should function in all the places where identity information is required.

15. Consent:

16. Users must agree to the use of their identity. Their consent should be a requirement for any identity transactions in which their data is utilized.

17. Minimization:

18. Disclosure of claims must be minimized. When data is disclosed, the user should provide the minimal amount of data necessary for the transaction.

19. Protection:

    • The rights of users must be protected. Whether through legal means or through the architecture of the identity system itself, a user's rights, including their right to privacy, should be protected.

SSI puts the individual at the center of digital identity management, providing a strong framework for privacy, security, and user control.

correlation of digital identity laws and SSI principles © A Comprehensive Guide to Self Sovereign Identity In a picture, we see a mapping of laws and principles. Only one item is missing. Direct Entity — is covered by DIDs. So entities should have public and resolved identifiers, like the peer-to-peer private ones that allow the building of pseudo-anonymous relations.

You could get more details in a book. Learn digital identity

@ e6817453:b0ac3c39

In the digital age, our identities are fragmented across various platforms, each holding a piece of our data. This fragmentation poses a significant challenge, as it prevents us from having a unified view of our digital identities. However, the concept of a holistic identity, digital twins, and autonomous agents can solve this problem, providing a more comprehensive and self-sovereign approach to digital identity.

Holistic Identity: A Unified View of Self

Holistic identity is not just a technical term; it's a philosophical concept that aims to solve the problem of data fragmentation. Unlike traditional identity systems that are authoritative and siloed, a holistic identity provides a unified view of an individual's data across various platforms.

A holistic identity is a snapshot of all data points about you, including your behavior, activities, and posts. It's not just about an identifier or login password; it's about aggregating all the data points that identify you, providing a more comprehensive view of your digital self.

Digital Twins: Your Digital Copy

A digital twin is a digital copy of you and all your data that you control. It's a continuation of your holistic identity, aggregating all the data points about you and all the data produced by you.

The concept of a digital twin goes beyond just storing information; it's about getting benefits out of it. With a digital twin, you can interact with your data, gain insights, and even sell your data. It opens up a world of possibilities, from personalization to automation.

Autonomous Agents: Your Digital Assistants

Autonomous agents are the next step from digital twins. They are essentially digital assistants that can perform tasks on your behalf. These agents can have access to a portion of your data and can perform various operations, from booking tables and buying tickets to trading operations and data trading on data exchanges.

Autonomous agents can analyze data from your digital twin and perform actions based on it. They can optimize routine tasks, cooperate with each other, create trust networks, and even make micro-payments.

The Future of Self-Sovereign Identity

The concepts of holistic identity, digital twins, and autonomous agents are interlinked and form the cornerstone of a self-sovereign identity. They provide a way to have a sovereign persona and proof that the data belongs to you.

These concepts are not just theoretical; they have practical applications that can revolutionize various domains, from healthcare and finance to personalization and automation. They represent the future of digital identity, a future where we have more control over our data and where our digital identities are unified, comprehensive, and self-sovereign.

In conclusion, the era of self-sovereign identity is upon us. It's an era where we can control our data, gain insights from it, and use it to our advantage. It's an era where our digital identities are not fragmented across various platforms but are unified and comprehensive. It's an era where we can have digital twins and autonomous agents that can perform tasks on our behalf. It's an era of holistic identity, digital twins, and autonomous agents.

@ a8d525f8:eba07693

Since about the time I was eight years old, I've practiced, at one time or another, a variety of martial arts; mainly Taekwondo, Praying Mantis, and Taijiquan. Different flavors of the same thing, in the end.

My introduction to martials arts was films like The Karate Kid and Bloodsport. My best friend also had a VHS of How To Become a Teenage Ninja, which we watched as though we were on a mission to wear out the tape.

The real attraction of it, to me, was the master/student dynamic. I envied Daniel's relationship with Mr Miyagi. Probably something to do with the need to fulfill my subservience.

I certainly benefited from having trained for all those years. The structure it provided my hyper, hormonal, adolescent self was pretty much invaluable. But as I approached middle-age I came to be at odds with it. It took me a while to understand why.

In the latter phase, my participation was anchored more in a quest for spiritual endowment, as the mastery of external endeavors left something for want. So, to help me find my way out of my existential crisis, I turned to a Sifu (Master) who proceeded to have me paint the fence and sand the floor.

Here, also, it wasn't long before I realized that trying to "improve" my spirituality was like trying to springboard off a cloud. There is no solution; a good master knows this. In that sense they are professional carrot danglers--there to keep you busy and persisting in your folly, because that's essentially what you're asking of them. I waxed on and off a lot before recognizing I was the one holding the stick the whole time.

@ 9ecbb0e7:06ab7c09

Las autoridades de la prisión Agüica, en Colón, Matanzas advirtieron al preso político Félix Navarro que será sancionado si continúa sacando a la luz pública los abusos contra los reclusos, según denunció el líder opositor en un audio grabado por teléfono al que Martí Noticias tuvo acceso.

El teniente coronel Emilio Cruz Rodríguez, jefe del penal, hizo trasladar a Navarro a su oficina, donde le comunicó que tomaría medidas si no cesa las denuncias sobre violaciones de los derechos de los privados de libertad y le dijo que no puede hablar con otras personas que no sean de su familia, explicó el activista sentenciado a nueve años de privación de libertad por participar en las protestas del 11 de julio de 2021.

“El miércoles 12 me llevaron para allá y tuvimos ese debate. Me dijo que a él no le importaban las sandeces que yo hablaba", relató Navarro quien también enfrentó una pena por causas políticas durante la Primavera Negra de 2003.

Navarro contestó al oficial que las "sandeces" eran de su parte, lo que el oficial calificó de “falta de respeto".

No obstante, el preso político consideró que la conversación fue “respetuosa” salvo que le están imponiendo arbitrariedades porque las llamadas telefónicas “son para familiares y amigos, no solo para familiares".

Afirmó que no se amedrenta por las represalias prometidas: “esta es nuestra lucha, lo mismo en la calle que aquí” y reiteró la tolerancia y la desidia conque actúa la Fiscalía Militar ante las quejas sobre los maltratos de las autoridades penitenciarias contra los reos.

“La cúpula que manda en Cuba y su Fiscalía Militar no se han pronunciado respecto a las denuncias que publicamos los días 5 y 19 de enero y el 1º. de febrero de 2023. El silencio como respuesta es un método muy utilizado por ellos cuando la razón se impone", declaró en la llamada.

Asimismo, se refirió a “la tolerancia en la región Camagüey ante las ilegalidades y abusos contra los presos cubanos, formuladas en queja en el atestado 76 de 2022, y en la no. 1 del 2021” que no han sido respondidas por la entidad de justicia.

Estos malos tratos “cuentan con toda la impunidad, el respaldo del teniente coronel Yuri Rodríguez y del coronel Mario Viltre, jefes de las fiscalías, de la región de Camagüey y del territorio oriental, respectivamente”, opinó el coordinador del Partido por la Democracia Pedro Luis Boitel, desde la cárcel donde está encerrado.

Con anterioridad, Navarro ha acusado a la Fiscalía Militar cubana de ser “la columna vertebral de la tolerancia y de la impunidad ante las ilegalidades y los abusos de todo tipo que sufren los presos y ha denunciado que en la prisión Agüica aplican tratos crueles e inhumanos a las personas que cumplen penas en ese establecimiento penitenciario.

“Aún continúa afectado el recluso, Juan Carlos Garrote Molina, de Jovellanos, Matanzas”, señaló Navarro que, previamente, el 5 de enero, había hecho pública la situación de Garrote Molina, enfermo “privado de medicamentos y dietas médicas”.

“Si no se puede contar con uno de los órganos más importantes en materia de legalidad y este resulta un fraude, ¿qué otra denuncia se necesitaría para demostrar que dicha jefatura no es otra cosa que un sistema falso, manipulador y dictatorial”, recalcó el líder disidente.

De acuerdo a Navarro, cerca de 14 presos comunes están en huelga de hambre reclamando que los trasladen hacia establecimientos penales cercanos a sus viviendas, ubicadas en Holguín, a casi 600 kilómetros de Agüica, donde están recluidos.

@ 9ecbb0e7:06ab7c09

Varios cubanos denunciaron en redes sociales que los cajeros automáticos de la isla comenzaron a entregar billetes impresos en una sola cara, supuestamente por falta de tinta.

Las imágenes de los "nuevos billetes" circulan en redes y aunque el régimen no se ha pronunciado al respecto, un profesor dijo en una publicación en Facebook del influencer Edmundo Dantés que en su escuela también le pagaron con billetes que tienen uno de los lados en blanco.

"Y entonces de forma inesperada los cajeros empiezan a darte dinero invisible como los logros de la Revolución", afirmó Dantés en su post.

Por su parte, Felix Yasser Castillo Pelayo consideró que el Estado "te roba hasta en el cajero" mientras mostraba un billete de 100 pesos con una parte en blanco.

Ante la incredulidad de varios usuarios de la red social un cubano de Santiago de Cuba dijo que en esa ciudad ha pasado y hay personas que han sacado hasta 10 papeles con el sello metálico del medio solamente.

Otros dijeron que estos billetes con error podrían tener valor numismático: Antonio Planas Ampudia dijo que "Tanto en el sector numismático en Cuba como fuera de él en otros países tienden a coleccionar billetes y monedas cubanas desde la colonia, república y actualidad, y tienen un valor según el comprador... Ese billete tiene un buen error, y los hay que coleccionan errores o series, es según gustos...", explicó.

La crisis en Cuba está tan generalizada que alcanza a casi todos los sectores, incluido uno tan sensible como el bancario. Desde hace varios meses los cubanos se quejan de que los cajeros del país amanecen sin efectivo, pero nunca imaginaron que tampoco habría tinta para los billetes.

Se desconoce si los bancos o negocios aceptarán estos papeles mitad impresos mitad en blanco. Algunos afirman enojados que se trata de otra estafa del régimen para con la población del país.

@ 9ecbb0e7:06ab7c09

Desde este sábado 29 de julio los ciudadanos cubanos necesitan una visa para el tránsito aeroportuario si desean pasar un aeropuerto de Alemania (zona de tránsito internacional) para continuar viaje a un tercer país (fuera del espacio Schengen), informó la embajada de Alemania en La Habana en una nota publicada en sus canales oficiales.

La sede diplomática, no obstante, precisó que si se cumplen algunas condiciones, entonces no es necesaria una visa de tránsito aeroportuario.

No tendrán que solicitar el documento aquellos cubanos que posean una visa Schengen válida, una visa nacional para la estancia a largo plazo o algún título de estancia emitido por alguno de los países miembros.

Tampoco tendrán que pedir permiso de tránsito quienes tengan una visa válida para Japón, Canadá y Estados Unidos o un permiso de estancia emitido por Andorra, Canadá, Japón, Mónaco, San Marino o Estados Unidos, el cual garantiza la readmisión incondicional del poseedor.

Alemania no exigirá visa de tránsito a quienes posean un pasaporte diplomático cubano, sea familia de ciudadanos de la Unión Europea o sea miembro de tripulaciones de aviones que son ciudadanos de un estado signatario del Convenio de Chicago sobre la aviación civil internacional.

La nota de la embajada de Alemania destaca que "el titular de una visa de tránsito aeroportuario no puede abandonar la zona de tránsito del aeropuerto alemán" y recomienda "con insistencia informarse previamente con toda exactitud acerca del transcurso del viaje, y ante la oficina de viajes o la compañía aérea recabar información acerca de si es necesario cambiar de terminal".

"Si durante el viaje se hace necesario entrar a la jurisdicción de los estados Schengen (por ejemplo, al trasladarse a otro edificio de la terminal o para hacer escala para un vuelo interno Schengen), los ciudadanos cubanos necesitan una visa Schengen", sostiene.

La reservación de un turno para solicitar visa se hace exclusivamente a través de la página web de la Embajada dentro del sistema de reservación de turnos previsto para ello.

La nota añade que debe tenerse en cuenta que la demanda de tales turnos es muy alta. "Por eso hay que ocuparse a tiempo de hacer una reservación. La solicitud se puede hacer ya desde seis meses antes de la fecha de viaje prevista. En cualquier caso, la tramitación solo se hará si previamente se ha sacado un turno".

Relacionado con la nota aparece toda la documentación requerida para la solicitud de la visa de tránsito para los cubanos por Alemania, con un costo de 80 euros que se pagan al contado. La tasa para los niños de entre seis y ocho años de edad es de 40 euros.

La semana pasada trascendió que el número de cubanos que solicitan asilo en Alemania se multiplicó por ocho durante el primer semestre de 2023 respecto al mismo periodo de 2022, de 73 a 607.

Según el diario alemán Bild, que citó a un portavoz del Ministerio del Interior alemán, los cubanos empleaban un mecanismo consistente en comprar un billete de avión a un destino para el que no necesitan visado, por ejemplo Belgrado (Serbia) o Dubai (Emiratos Árabes Unidos), con escala en la ciudad alemana de Fráncfort. Allí, donde los pasajeros en tránsito no necesitan visado, se presentaban ante la Policía y solicitaban asilo.

Según el portavoz, en 2022 se identificaron a 302 cubanos que hicieron uso principalmente de este privilegio de tránsito para solicitar asilo. Agregó que "ni la mitad" de estos cubanos siguió la vía regular, es decir, no se presentaron en el centro correspondiente de la oficina de migración "después de expresar su deseo de asilo ante la Policía federal" en el aeropuerto y del registro de sus datos. El diario señaló que alrededor de 300 cubanos desaparecieron de esta manera.

@ 9ecbb0e7:06ab7c09

Nicolás Petro, el hijo mayor del presidente de Colombia, Gustavo Petro, y diputado de la Asamblea del Departamento del Atlántico, fue detenido este sábado por la Fiscalía, que lo investiga por el posible delito de lavado de dinero y enriquecimiento ilícito, informó esa institución, reportó EFE.

Además de Petro hijo, fue arrestada su exesposa Daysuris Vásquez, quien a comienzos de año lo acusó de recibir de un narcotraficante una alta suma de dinero para la campaña del hoy presidente, y de quedarse con ese dinero.

La Fiscalía informó de que las capturas tuvieron lugar "el día de hoy 29 de julio de 2023, sobre las 06:00 horas, en cumplimiento a lo dispuesto por el Juzgado 16 Penal Municipal con Función de Control de Garantías de Bogotá".

La institución añadió en un comunicado que Nicolás Fernando Petro Burgos fue detenido "por los delitos de lavado de activos y enriquecimiento ilícito y Daysuris del Carmen Vásquez Castro por los punibles de lavado de activos y violación de datos personales por hechos ocurridos desde 2022 a la fecha".

"Los capturados serán puestos a disposición de un juez penal municipal con Función de Control de Garantías, a quien se le solicitará impartir legalidad a los procedimientos de allanamiento, captura e incautación de elementos materiales probatorios", añadió.

También "se formulará imputación por los delitos ya citados y se solicitará una medida restrictiva de la libertad", según la Fiscalía.

El pasado 21 de marzo la Fiscalía anunció que investigaba penalmente a Nicolás Petro por sus supuestas reuniones con narcotraficantes en la cárcel y por un "posible lavado de activos".

La exesposa del hijo de Petro aseguró a comienzos de ese mes en una entrevista con la revista Semana que el narcotraficante Samuel Santander Lopesierra, alias "El hombre Marlboro", le entregó a Nicolás Petro "más de 600 millones de pesos (unos 153.000 dólares de hoy) para la campaña del papá".

"Eso nunca llegó legalmente a la campaña porque él se quedó con ese dinero, y así otros", añadió la mujer, que mencionó que Nicolás Petro también recibió 200 millones de pesos (unos 51.000 dólares) del controvertido empresario Alfonso Turco Hilsaca, que tampoco fueron a dar a la campaña.

Por su parte, el presidente Gustavo Petro afirmó este sábado que "no intervendrá ni presionará" las decisiones de la Fiscalía tras la captura de su hijo.

"Como persona y padre me duele mucho tanta autodestrucción y el que uno de mis hijos pase por la cárcel; como presidente de la República aseguro que la Fiscalía tenga todas las garantías de mi parte para proceder de acuerdo a la ley", expresó el mandatario en su cuenta de Twitter.

"A mi hijo le deseo suerte y fuerza. Que estos sucesos forjen su carácter y pueda reflexionar sobre sus propios errores. Como afirmé ante el fiscal general, no intervendré ni presionaré sus decisiones; que el derecho guíe libremente el proceso", agregó.

@ 00000001:a21169a7

Robert Frank, born on November 9, 1924, in Zurich, Switzerland, was the child of Rosa (Zucker) and Hermann Frank, of Jewish origin. Though his family managed to remain safe during the Second World War in Switzerland, the looming threat of Nazism informed his understanding of oppression, invariably seeping into his subsequent work. Frank was drawn to photography partly as a means to escape from his business-oriented family and home. He was mentored by various photographers and graphic designers before he crafted his first handmade book of photographs, "40 Photos," in 1946. At the age of 23, Frank migrated to the United States, seeking to broaden his photographic horizon. He found employment in New York as a fashion photographer for Harper's Bazaar. However, the rigidity and artifice of fashion photography failed to satiate his creative yearning. He soon quit his job and embarked on journeys through South America and Europe, creating a second handmade book of photographs taken in Peru.

Upon returning to the United States in 1950, Frank began to experience a transformation in his photographic perspective. Influenced by his disillusionment with the frantic pace of American life and its emphasis on money, he began to perceive America as a place often desolate and lonely. This vision is reflected in his subsequent photography.

The aesthetic context of the subjective photography of the 1950s, which Frank adopted, was marked by a paradigm shift in how photography was understood and practiced. It involved a move away from the apparent objectivity and neutrality that characterized documentary and journalistic photography, to adopt a more personal and subjective approach. Images ceased to be seen simply as faithful representations of reality to become the photographer's personal interpretations.

In this context, Robert Frank stood out for his direct, unadorned style. His photographs did not aim to beautify or idealize reality, but to capture it as it is, with all its imperfections and contradictions. For Frank, the camera was a tool to explore and question society, rather than merely documenting it. His most emblematic work, "The Americans," first published in Paris in 1958, is a chronicle of his journey through 48 states of the United States. The book, composed of 83 images selected from 28,000 shots, offers an unconventional and critical view of American life. Through his images, Frank portrays a society marked by racial and class inequality, loneliness, and helplessness. The images in "The Americans" are often dark, blurry, and off-kilter, contributing to a sense of unease and instability. Robert Frank continued to work intensely throughout his career. Here is a list of some of his most representative works, ordered by year:

• 1946: Published his first handmade book of photographs, "40 Photos."
• 1947: Moved to the United States and began working for Harper's Bazaar.
• 1950: Participated in the group exhibition "51 American Photographers" at the MoMA and published his second book of photographs from his journey through Peru.
• 1955: Received a Guggenheim Fellowship to travel and photograph the United States, a project that would result in "The Americans."
• 1958: Published "The Americans" in Paris.
• 1959: "The Americans" was published in the United States.
• 1961: Had his first solo exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago.
• 1962: Exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
• 1983: The French magazine "Les Cahiers de la photographie" devoted two special issues to his work.
• 2008: A new edition of "The Americans" was published to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its first publication.
• 2009: The exhibition "Looking In: Robert Frank's The Americans" was shown at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Robert Frank's influence on contemporary photography is undeniable. His subjective and critical vision opened new pathways for understanding and practicing photography, shifting it away from conventionalism and closer to a more artistic and personal conception.

@ d030bd23:96435da9

Test

@ c4165d34:33efc5bb

YakiHonne is a Nostr-based decentralized content media protocol, which supports free curation, creation, publishing, and reporting by various media.

Introduction Yakihonne enthusiasts were thrilled to learn about the platform's recent updates, designed to take the user experience to new heights. Eager to explore the enhancements, I embarked on a thorough test to evaluate the changes in action. In this article, I share my experiences and insights as I navigated through the revamped Login UI screen, interacted with the NIP-35 support for voting, enjoyed the convenience of the Tags feature, and more.

1. Revamped Login UI Screen:

The first noticeable update was the Login UI screen, where I was excited to find that the "login with the extension" option was cleverly greyed out. This subtle but effective change turned out to be a brilliant move for user experience. Greyed out buttons often indicate that a feature is not available under certain circumstances, preventing confusion and frustration. It was a welcoming sign that Yakihonne's team had put thought into making the platform more user-friendly.

The login screen

2. NIP-25 Support for Upvoting and Downvoting: Next, I explored the new NIP-25 support, which enabled users to upvote and downvote articles. This feature added a significant layer of interactivity to the platform. However, during my test on the web version, I encountered a slight delay in the response when attempting to upvote or downvote an article. A quick refresh resolved the issue, but this observation could be valuable feedback for the development team to fine-tune the system for seamless voting interactions.

3. The Intuitive Tags Feature: As a content explorer, the Tags feature quickly became my favorite. Clicking on a tag displayed all articles associated with it, allowing for effortless content discovery. Whether it was diving into technology, literature, or travel, the Tags feature offered a smooth and efficient way to find articles of interest. This enhancement fostered a sense of community, connecting users with shared interests and expanding their horizons on Yakihonne.

Tags shown in the brand colour

Immediately all articles associated with the tag is shown

4. Verifying Profiles with NIP05 Addresses:

One intriguing update was the option to verify profiles using NIP05 addresses. While I was eager to give it a try, I faced some uncertainty on how to proceed with the verification process. Clearly, this feature required further guidance from the Yakihonne team, as it holds the potential to enhance user trust and authenticity on the platform. Clear instructions from the team would be invaluable in utilizing this exciting verification feature.

NIP-05 address

5. One-Click Sharing to Twitter: The final feature I put to the test was the one-click sharing to Twitter. Yakihonne's team had truly hit the mark with this addition, simplifying the process of sharing articles with a wider audience. This seamless integration with Twitter provided a powerful tool for users to promote content, effectively giving Yakihonne a boost and expanding its reach beyond the platform.

6. Search Feature Yakihonne's search functionality stands out with its exceptional speed and precision, delivering an effortless content discovery experience. The platform's efficient search algorithm quickly produces relevant results, saving valuable time for users. With its well-organized presentation of articles and support for advanced search options, Yakihonne ensures that users can easily find and access the content that aligns with their interests. This fast and intuitive search feature enhances the overall user experience, making Yakihonne a top-notch platform for seamless content exploration.

Conclusion: Yakihonne's recent updates showcased the platform's dedication to enhancing user experience and fostering an interactive community. The greyed-out Login UI, NIP-25 voting support, intuitive Tags feature, and Twitter sharing functionality all contributed to a more enjoyable and engaging content-sharing experience. While the NIP-05 profile verification feature showed great promise, additional guidance from the team would be beneficial to fully utilize its potential. Overall, Yakihonne's updates have positioned the platform for even greater success, delighting users and cultivating an enthusiastic community of content creators.

@ d030bd23:96435da9

@ 20986fb8:cdac21b3

YakiHonne.com is continuously improving to offer a top-notch user experience. With weekly updates being rolled out, you are invited to test these updates and post your feedback and opinions as an article via YakiHonne.com.

As an incentive, participants can earn up to 100,000 SATs.

Round 2 will be from 27th to 30th July

How to participate:

1. Pick one or multiple Updates below, test it (them)
2. Write your feedback and opinion (pros and cons are all welcomed)
3. Post your article on Nostr via YakiHonne.com
4. Share your article to social media like Nostr and Twitter, don't forget to @YakiHonne
5. Share the link to our group: http://t.me/YakiHonne_Daily_Featured
6. Be Zapped!

Requirements:

1. No malicious speech such as discrimination, attack, incitement, etc.
2. No Spam/Scam, not fully AI-generated article
3. No directly copy & paste from other posts on Relays
4. Experience our updates in action, NO limit on the length of your post, share your REAL feedback and opinion
5. The top 10 posts will be zapped during each round.
6. The evaluation will based on the article's depth, completeness, and constructiveness.
7. Contact us for additional zaps if bugs are found.

Updates to be tested in Round 2:

1. Comments: re-implemented and comments can be deleted

2. NIP-25 supporting: users now can upvote and downvote

3. Zap stats: Zaps sent and Zaps received can be seen from users profiles

4. “login with an extension” button: now it is grayed out rather than invisible

5. Search: search list showing optimization, adjust users searching results to the NIP-21 URI scheme

6. Tags: click on the tags in the article to view the content under the tag

7. Share: sharing posts with one click

8. NIP-05: verify your profile

If you missed Round 1, the updates below could be tested as additions:

1. Comment function: more user-friendly

2. Stats area: clearly displays the interactive status of each article

3. Following function: generated-key users can also be followed

4. Curation function: easily add or remove articles from an existing curation

5. Tags: search and browse articles with the tags

6. Home feed scrolling pagination: optimized data fetching and faster loading time

7. Article editing preview: preview the final version of the article while writing in MarkDown

Don't miss this opportunity to participate in Round 2, test the updates, and provide valuable feedback. Head over to YakiHonne.com to share your thoughts and earn SATs for your valuable input. Act fast!

---

About YakiHonne:

YakiHonne is a Nostr-based decentralized content media protocol, which supports free curation, creation, publishing, and reporting by various media. Try YakiHonne.com Now!

Follow us

• Telegram: http://t.me/YakiHonne_Daily_Featured
• Twitter: @YakiHonne
• Nostr pubkey: npub1yzvxlwp7wawed5vgefwfmugvumtp8c8t0etk3g8sky4n0ndvyxesnxrf8q

@ d030bd23:96435da9

@ 20986fb8:cdac21b3

A long-term Nostr Creation Grant, with a 17,500,000 SATs funding pool

Round 3 starts on 22 July till 5 Aug!

Creating for You and Your Fans through Nostr and ZAP.

Nostr is a simple, open and censorship-resistant protocol, the number of users has been growing, and more and more users use zap to tip content. Nostr's growth over the past six months is amazing, which is a great encouragement for all nostrians. This is also a great encouragement for content creators. Earn SATs by posting your creations on nostr, allowing your readers to encourage better content creation while tipping your creations.

Zaps, provide a global solution for tipping content. Some posts on Nostr even got 89K+ SATs within one day, like Roya, Brianna.

On the other hand, while Apple's decision to take a 30% cut from fundraisers and humanitarian aid posts is criticized, Bitcoin emerges as a vital alternative for those suffering globally. Organizations like Oslo Freedom Forum and Qala Africa shed light on how Africans heavily rely on Bitcoin due to unreliable banking systems.

To this end, YakiHonne.com officially released the creation grant project, Creating for You and Your Fans through Nostr and ZAP. Join us on YakiHonne.com to share your long-form articles and curate content, experiencing the power of Nostr's censorship-resistance and ZAP features. Earn Sats rewards for publishing on Relay and Yakihonne clients. Don't forget to include your ZAP address and let's build Nostr's long content together!

What You Will Get From Your First 10 Posts in each round:

1. 500 SATs, if you post on Relays through other clients
2. 1000 SATs, if you post articles from other platforms to Relays as the first one on Relays and are curated or tweeted by YakiHonne
3. 2000 SATs, for posting your own past articles on Relays through YakiHonne.com
4. 3000 SATs, for posting your new original on Relays through YakiHonne.com

Zap Rules:

1. No malicious speech such as discrimination, attack, incitement, etc.
2. No Spam/Scam, not fully AI-generated article
3. No directly copy & paste from other posts on Relays
4. Spread positive content like your knowledge/experience/insight/ideas, etc.

How to Get Zap:

1. Join YakiHonne TG group: https://t.me/YakiHonne_Daily_Featured
2. Share your post in the group
3. Make sure your LN address is in your profile
4. Based on the rules above, we will ZAP your post directly within 2 days

Join our group for more queries: https://t.me/YakiHonne_Daily_Featured

---

About YakiHonne:

YakiHonne is a Nostr-based decentralized content media protocol, which supports free curation, creation, publishing, and reporting by various media. Try YakiHonne.com Now!

Follow us

• Telegram: http://t.me/YakiHonne_Daily_Featured
• Twitter: @YakiHonne
• Nostr pubkey: npub1yzvxlwp7wawed5vgefwfmugvumtp8c8t0etk3g8sky4n0ndvyxesnxrf8q

@ d030bd23:96435da9

Hi all I am Disturbia, a random person from Malaysia.

@ 4044176c:b3f3c23c

Today, I’m talking to Demis Hassabis, the CEO of Google DeepMind, the newly created division of Google responsible for AI efforts across the company. Google DeepMind is the result of an internal merger: Google acquired Demis’ DeepMind startup in 2014 and ran it as a separate company inside its parent company, Alphabet, while Google itself had an AI team called Google Brain.

Stay updated on the latest developments in AI , follow me on Yakihonne.com.

Google has been showing off AI demos for years now, but with the explosion of ChatGPT and a renewed threat from Microsoft in search, Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai made the decision to bring DeepMind into Google itself earlier this year to create… Google DeepMind.

What’s interesting is that Google Brain and DeepMind were not necessarily compatible or even focused on the same things: DeepMind was famous for applying AI to things like games and protein-folding simulations. The AI that beat world champions at Go, the ancient board game? That was DeepMind’s AlphaGo. Meanwhile, Google Brain was more focused on what’s come to be the familiar generative AI toolset: large language models for chatbots, editing features in Google Photos, and so on. This was a culture clash and a big structure decision with the goal of being more competitive and faster to market with AI products.

And the competition isn’t just OpenAI and Microsoft — you might have seen a memo from a Google engineer floating around the web recently claiming that Google has no competitive moat in AI because open-source models running on commodity hardware are rapidly evolving and catching up to the tools run by the giants. Demis confirmed that the memo was real but said it was part of Google’s debate culture, and he disagreed with it because he has other ideas about where Google’s competitive edge might come into play.

Of course, we also talked about AI risk and especially artificial general intelligence. Demis is not shy that his goal is building an AGI, and we talked through what risks and regulations should be in place and on what timeline. Demis recently signed onto a 22-word statement about AI risk with OpenAI’s Sam Altman and others that simply reads, “Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.” That’s pretty chill, but is that the real risk right now? Or is it just a distraction from other more tangible problems like AI replacing a bunch of labor in various creative industries? We also talked about the new kinds of labor AI is creating — armies of low-paid taskers classifying data in countries like Kenya and India in order to train AI systems. We just published a big feature on these taskers. I wanted to know if Demis thought these jobs were here to stay or just a temporary side effect of the AI boom.

This one really hits all the Decoder high points: there’s the big idea of AI, a lot of problems that come with it, an infinite array of complicated decisions to be made, and of course, a gigantic org chart decision in the middle of it all. Demis and I got pretty in the weeds, and I still don’t think we covered it all, so we’ll have to have him back soon.

Alright, Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind. Here we go.

This transcript has been lightly edited for length and clarity

Demis Hassabis, you are the CEO of Google DeepMind. Welcome to Decoder.

Thanks for having me.

I don’t think we have ever had a more perfect Decoder guest. There’s a big idea in AI. It comes with challenges and problems, and then, with you in particular, there’s a gigantic org chart move and a set of high-stakes decisions to be made. I am thrilled that you are here.

Glad to be here.

Let’s start with Google DeepMind itself. Google DeepMind is a new part of Google that is constructed of two existing parts of Google. There was Google Brain, which was the AI team we were familiar with as we covered Google that was run by Jeff Dean. And there was DeepMind, which was your company that you founded. You sold it to Alphabet in 2014. You were outside of Google. It was run as a separate company inside that holding company Alphabet structure until just now. Start at the very beginning. Why were DeepMind and Google Brain separate to begin with?

As you mentioned, we started DeepMind actually back in 2010, a long time ago now, especially in the age of AI. So that’s sort of like prehistory. Myself and the co-founders, we realized coming from academia and seeing what was going on there, things like deep learning had just been invented. We were big proponents of reinforcement learning. We could see GPUs and other hardware was coming online, that a lot of great progress could be made with a focused effort on general learning systems and also taking some ideas from neuroscience and how the brain works. So we put all those ingredients together back in 2010. We had this thesis we’d make fast progress, and that’s what happened with our initial game systems. And then, we decided in 2014 to join forces with Google at the time because we could see that a lot more compute was going to be needed. Obviously, Google has the most computers and had the most computers in the world. That was the obvious home for us to be able to focus on pushing the research as fast as possible.

So you were acquired by Google, and then somewhere along the way, Google reoriented itself. They turned into Alphabet, and Google became a division of Alphabet. There are other divisions of Alphabet, and DeepMind was out of it. That’s just the part I want to focus on here at the beginning, because there was what Google was doing with Google Brain, which is a lot of LLM research. I recall, six years ago, Google was showing off LLMs at Google I/O, but DeepMind was focused on winning the game [Go] and protein folding, a very different kind of AI research wholly outside of Google. Why was that outside of Google? Why was that in Alphabet proper?

That was part of the agreement as we were acquired was that we would pursue pushing forward research into general AI, or sometimes called AGI, a system that out of the box can operate across a wide range of cognitive tasks and basically has all the cognitive capabilities that humans have.

And also using AI to accelerate scientific discovery, that’s one of my personal passions. And that explains projects like AlphaFold that I’m sure we’re going to get back to. But also, from the start of DeepMind and actually prior to even DeepMind starting, I believe that games was a perfect testing or proving ground for developing AI algorithms efficiently, quickly, and you can generate a lot of data and the objective functions are very clear: obviously, winning games or maximizing the score. There were a lot of reasons to use games in the early days of AI research, and that was a big part of why we were so successful and why we were able to advance so quickly with things like AlphaGo, the program that beat the world champion at the ancient game of Go.

Those were all really important proof points for the whole field really that these general learning techniques would work. And of course we’ve done a lot of work on deep learning and neural networks as well. And our specialty, I suppose, was combining that with reinforcement learning to allow these systems to actively solve problems and make plans and do things like win games. And in terms of the differences, we always had that remit to push the research agenda and push things, advanced science. And that was very much the focus we were given and very much the focus that I wanted to have. And then, the internal Google AI teams like Google Brain, they had slightly different remits and were a bit closer to product and obviously to the rest of Google and infusing Google with amazing AI technology. And we also had an applied division that was introducing DeepMind technology into Google products, too. But the cultures were quite different, and the remits were quite different.

From the outside, the timeline looks like this: everyone’s been working on this for ages, we’ve all been talking about it for ages. It is a topic of conversation for a bunch of nerdy journalists like me, a bunch of researchers, we talk about it in the corner at Google events.

Then ChatGPT is released, not even as a product. I don’t even think Sam [Altman] would call it a great product when it was released, but it was just released, and people could use it. And everyone freaked out, and Microsoft releases Bing based on ChatGPT, and the world goes upside down, and Google reacts by merging DeepMind and Google Brain. That’s what it looks like from the outside. Is that what it felt like from the inside?

That timeline is correct, but it’s not these direct consequences; it’s more indirect in a sense. So, Google and Alphabet have always run like this. They let many flowers bloom, and I think that’s always been the way that even from Larry [Page] and Sergey [Brin] from the beginning set up Google. And it served them very well, and it’s allowed them to organically create incredible things and become the amazing company that it is today. On the research side, I think it’s very compatible with doing research, which is another reason we chose Google as our partners back in 2014. I felt they really understood what fundamental and blue sky research was, ambitious research was, and they were going to facilitate us being and enable us to be super ambitious with our research. And you’ve seen the results of that, right?

“...AI has entered a new era.”

By any measure, AlphaGo, AlphaFold, but more than 20 nature and science papers and so on — all the normal metrics one would use for really delivering amazing cutting-edge research we were able to do. But in a way, what ChatGPT and the large models and the public reaction to that confirmed is that AI has entered a new era. And by the way, it was a little bit surprising for all of us at the coalface, including OpenAI, how viral that went because — us and some other startups like Anthropic and OpenAI — we all had these large language models. They were roughly the same capabilities.

And so, it was surprising, not so much what the technology was because we all understood that, but the public’s appetite for that and obviously the buzz that generated. And I think that’s indicative of something we’ve all been feeling for the last, I would say, two, three years, which is these systems are reaching a level of maturity now and sophistication where it can really come out of the research phase and the lab and go into powering incredible next-generation products and experiences and also breakthroughs, things like AlphaFold directly being useful for biologists. And so, to me, this is just indicative of a new phase that AI is in of being practically useful to people in their everyday lives and actually being able to solve really hard real-world problems that really matter, not just the curiosities or fun, like games.

When you recognize that shift, then I think that necessitates a change in your approach as to how you’re approaching the research and how much focus you’re having on products and those kinds of things. And I think that’s what we all came to the realization of, which was: now was the time to streamline our AI efforts and focus them more. And the obvious conclusion of that was to do the merger.

I want to just stop there for one second and ask a philosophical question.

Sure.

It feels like the ChatGPT moment that led to this AI explosion this year was really rooted in the AI being able to do something that regular people could do. I want you to write me an email, I want you to write me a screenplay, and maybe the output of the LLM is a C+, but it’s still something I can do. People can see it. I want you to fill out the rest of this photo. That’s something people can imagine doing. Maybe they don’t have the skills to do it, but they can imagine doing it. All the previous AI demos that we have gotten, even yours, AlphaFold, you’re like, this is going to model all the proteins in the world.

But I can’t do that; a computer should do that. Even a microbiologist might think, “That is great. I’m very excited that a computer can do that because I’m just looking at how much time it would take us, and there’s no way we could ever do it.” “I want to beat the world champion at Go. I can’t do that. It’s like, fine. A computer can do that.”

There’s this turn where the computer is starting to do things I can do, and they’re not even necessarily the most complicated tasks. Read this webpage and deliver a summary of it to me. But that’s the thing that unlocked everyone’s brain. And I’m wondering why you think the industry didn’t see that turn coming because we’ve been very focused on these very difficult things that people couldn’t do, and it seems like what got everyone is when the computer started doing things people do all the time.

I think that analysis is correct. I think that is why the large language models have really entered the public consciousness because it’s something the average person, that the “Joe Public,” can actually understand and interact with. And, of course, language is core to human intelligence and our everyday lives. I think that does explain why chatbots specifically have gone viral in the way they have. Even though I would say things like AlphaFold, I mean of course I’d be biased in saying this, but I think it’s actually had the most unequivocally biggest beneficial effects so far in AI on the world because if you talk to any biologist or there’s a million biologists now, researchers and medical researchers, have used AlphaFold. I think that’s nearly every biologist in the world. Every Big Pharma company is using it to advance their drug discovery programs. I’ve had multiple, dozens, of Nobel Prize-winner-level biologists and chemists talk to me about how they’re using AlphaFold.

So a certain set of all the world’s scientists, let’s say, they all know AlphaFold, and it’s affected and massively accelerated their important research work. But of course, the average person in the street doesn’t know what proteins are even and doesn’t know what the importance of those things are for things like drug discovery. Whereas obviously, for a chatbot, everyone can understand, this is incredible. And it’s very visceral to get it to write you a poem or something that everybody can understand and process and measure compared to what they do or are able to do.

It seems like that is the focus of productized AI: these chatbot-like interfaces or these generative products that are going to make stuff for people, and that’s where the risk has been focused. But even the conversation about risk has escalated because people can now see, “Oh, these tools can do stuff.” Did you perceive the same level of scrutiny when you were working on AlphaFold? It doesn’t seem like anyone thought, “Oh, AlphaFold’s going to destroy humanity.”

No, but there was a lot of scrutiny, but again, it was in a very specialized area, right? With renowned experts, and actually, we did talk to over 30 experts in the field, from top biologists to bioethicists to biosecurity people, and actually our partners — we partnered with the European Bioinformatics Institute to release the AlphaFold database of all the protein structures, and they guided us as well on how this could be safely put out there. So there was a lot of scrutiny, and the overwhelming conclusion from the people we consulted was that the benefits far outweighed any risks. Although we did make some small adjustments based on their feedback about which structures to release. But there was a lot of scrutiny, but again, it’s just in a very expert domain. And just going back to your first question about the generative models, I do think we are right at the beginning of an incredible new era that’s going to play out over the next five, 10 years.

Not only in advancing science with AI but in terms of the types of products we can build to improve people’s everyday lives, billions of people in their everyday lives, and help them to be more efficient and to enrich their lives. And I think what we’re seeing today with these chatbots is literally just scratching the surface. There are a lot more types of AI than generative AI. Generative AI is now the “in” thing, but I think that planning and deep reinforcement learning and problem-solving and reasoning, those kinds of capabilities are going to come back in the next wave after this, along with the current capabilities of the current systems. So I think, in a year or two’s time, if we were to talk again, we are going to be talking about entirely new types of products and experiences and services with never-seen-before capabilities. And I’m very excited about building those things, actually. And that’s one of the reasons I’m very excited about leading Google DeepMind now in this new era and focusing on building these AI-powered next-generation products.

Let’s stay in the weeds of Google DeepMind itself, for one more turn. Sundar Pichai comes to you and says, “All right, I’m the CEO of Alphabet and the CEO of Google. I can just make this call. I’m going to bring DeepMind into Google, merge you with Google Brain, you’re going to be the CEO.” How did you react to that prompt?

It wasn’t like that. It was much more of a conversation between the leaders of the various different relevant groups and Sundar about pretty much the inflection point that we’re seeing, the maturity of the systems, what could be possible with those in the product space, and how to improve experiences for our users, our billions of users, and how exciting that might be, and what that all requires in totality. Both the change in focus, a change in the approach to research, the combination of resources that are required, like compute resources. So there was a big collection of factors to take into account that we all discussed as a leadership group, and then, conclusions from that then result in actions, including the merger and also what the plans are then for the next couple of years and what the focus should be of that merged unit.

Do you perceive a difference being a CEO inside of Google versus being a CEO inside of Alphabet?

It’s still early days, but I think it’s been pretty similar because, although DeepMind was an Alphabet company, it was very unusual for another bet, as they call it an “alpha bet,” which is that we already were very closely integrated and collaborating with many of the Google product area teams and groups. We had an applied team at DeepMind whose job it was to translate our research work into features in products by collaborating with the Google product teams. And so, we’ve had hundreds of successful launches already actually over the last few years, just quiet ones behind the scenes. So, in fact, many of the services or devices or systems that you use every day at Google will have some DeepMind technology under the hood as a component. So we already had that integrative structure, and then, of course, what we were famous for was doing the scientific advances and gaming advances, but behind the scenes, there was a lot of bread and butter work going on that was affecting all parts of Google.

We were different from other bets where they have to make a business outside of Google and become an independent business. That was never the goal or the remit for us, even as an independent bet company. And now, within Google, we’re just more tightly integrated in terms of the product services, and I see that as an advantage because we can actually go deeper and do more exciting and ambitious things in much closer collaboration with these other product teams than we could from outside of Google. But we still retain some latitude to pick the processes and the systems that optimize our mission of producing the most capable and general AI systems in the world.

There’s been reporting that this is actually a culture clash. You’re now in charge of both. How have you structured the group? How has Google DeepMind structured under you as CEO, and how are you managing that culture integration?

Actually, it turns out that the culture’s a lot more similar than perhaps has been reported externally. And in the end, it’s actually been surprisingly smooth and pleasant because you’re talking about two world-class research groups, two of the best AI research organizations in the world, incredible talent on both sides, storied histories. As we were thinking about the merger and planning it, we were looking at some document where we listed the top 10 breakthroughs from each group. And when you take that in totality, it’s like 80–90 percent of over the last decade, of the breakthroughs that underpin the modern AI industry, from deep reinforcement learning to transformers, of course. It’s an incredible set of people and talent, and there’s massive respect for both groups on both sides. And there was actually a lot of collaboration on a project-based level ongoing over the last decade.

Of course, we all know each other very well. I just think it’s a question of focus and a bit of coordination across both groups, actually, and more in terms of what are we going to focus on, other places that it makes sense for the two separate teams to collaborate on, and maybe de-duplicate some efforts that basically are overlapping. So fairly obvious stuff, to be honest, but it’s important moving into this new phase now of where we are into more of an engineering phase of AI, and that requires huge resources, both compute, engineering, and other things. And, even as a company the size of Google, we’ve got to pick our bets carefully and be clear about which arrows we are going to put our wood behind and then focus on those and then massively deliver on those things. So I think it’s part of the natural course of evolution as to where we are in the AI journey.

That thing you talked about, “We’re going to combine these groups, we’re going to pick what we’re doing, we’re going to de-duplicate some efforts.” Those are structure questions. Have you decided on a structure yet, and what do you think that structure will be?

The structure’s still evolving. We’re only a couple of months into it. We wanted to make sure we didn’t break anything, that it was working. Both teams are incredibly productive, doing super amazing research, but also plugging in to very important product things that are going on. All of that needs to continue.

You keep saying both teams. Do you think of it as two teams, or are you trying to make one team?

No, no, for sure it’s one unified team. I like to call it a “super unit,” and I’m very excited about that. But obviously, we’re still combining that and forming the new culture and forming the new grouping, including the organizational structures. It’s a complex thing — putting two big research groups together like this. But I think, by the end of the summer, we’ll be a single unified entity, and I think that’ll be very exciting. And we’re already feeling, even a couple of months in, the benefits and the strengths of that with projects like Gemini that you may have heard of, which is our next-generation multimodal large models — very, very exciting work going on there, combining all the best ideas from across both world-class research groups. It’s pretty impressive to see.

You have a lot of decisions to make. What you’re describing is a bunch of complicated decisions and then, out in the world, how should we regulate this? Another set of very complicated decisions. You are a chess champion, you are a person who has made games. What is your framework for making decisions? I suspect it is much more rigorous than the other ones I hear about.

“Chess is basically decision-making under pressure with an opponent.”

Yes, I think it probably is. And I think if you play a game like chess that seriously — effectively professionally — since all my childhood, since the age of four, I think it’s very formative for your brain. So I think, in chess, the problem-solving and strategizing, I find it a very useful framework for many things and decision-making. Chess is basically decision-making under pressure with an opponent, and it’s very complex, and I think it’s a great thing. I advocate it being taught at school, part of the school curriculum, because I think it’s a really fantastic training ground for problem-solving and decision-making. But then, I think actually the overarching approach is more of the scientific method.

So I think all my training is doing my PhDs and postdocs and so on, obviously I did it in neuroscience, so I was learning about the brain, but it also taught me how to do rigorous hypothesis testing and hypothesis generation and then update based on empirical evidence. The whole scientific method as well as the chess planning, both can be translated into the business domain. You have to be smart about how to translate that, you can’t be academic about these things. And often, in the real world, in business, there’s a lot of uncertainty and hidden information that you don’t know. So, in chess, obviously all the information’s there for you on the board. You can’t just directly translate those skills, but I think, in the background, they can be very helpful if applied in the right way.

How do you combine those two in some decisions you’ve made?

There are so many decisions I make every day,it’s hard to come up with one now. But I tend to try and plan out and scenario a plan many, many years in advance. So I tell you the way I try to approach things is, I have an end goal. I’m quite good at imagining things, so that’s a different skill, visualizing or imagining what would a perfect end state look like, whether that’s organizational or it’s product-based or it’s research-based. And then, I work back from the end point and then figure out what all the steps would be required and in what order to make that outcome as likely as possible.

So that’s a little bit chess-like, right? In the sense of you have some plan that you would like to get to checkmate your opponent, but you’re many moves away from that. So what are the incremental things one must do to improve your position in order to increase the likelihood of that final outcome? And I found that extremely useful to do that search process from the end goal back to the current state that you find yourself in.

Let’s put that next to some products. You said there’s a lot of DeepMind technology and a lot of Google products. The ones that we can all look at are Bard and then your Search Generative Experience. There’s AI in Google Photos and all this stuff, but focused on the LLM moment, it’s Bard and the Search Generative Experience. Those can’t be the end state. They’re not finished. Gemini is coming, and we’ll probably improve both of those, and all that will happen. When you think about the end state of those products, what do you see?

The AI systems around Google are also not just in the consumer-facing things but also under the hood that you may not realize. So even, for example, one of the things we applied our AI systems to very initially was the cooling systems in Google’s data centers, enormous data centers, and actually reducing the energy they use by nearly 30 percent that the cooling systems use, which is obviously huge if you multiply that by all of the data centers and computers they have there. So there are actually a lot of things under the hood where AI is being used to improve the efficiency of those systems all the time. But you’re right, the current products are not the end state; they’re actually just waypoints. And in the case of chatbots and those kinds of systems, ultimately, they will become these incredible universal personal assistants that you use multiple times during the day for really useful and helpful things across your daily lives.

“...today’s chatbots will look trivial by comparison to I think what’s coming in the next few years.”

From what books to read to recommendations on maybe live events and things like that to booking your travel to planning trips for you to assisting you in your everyday work. And I think we’re still far away from that with the current chatbots, and I think we know what’s missing: things like planning and reasoning and memory, and we are working really hard on those things. And I think what you’ll see in maybe a couple of years’ time is today’s chatbots will look trivial by comparison to I think what’s coming in the next few years.

My background is as a person who’s reported on computers. I think of computers as somewhat modular systems. You look at a phone — it’s got a screen, it’s got a chip, it’s got a cell antenna, whatever. Should I look at AI systems that way — there’s an LLM, which is a very convincing human language interface, and behind it might be AlphaFold that’s actually doing the protein folding? Is that how you’re thinking about stitching these things together, or is it a different evolutionary pathway?

Actually, there’s a whole branch of research going into what’s called tool use. This is the idea that these large language models or large multimodal models, they’re expert at language, of course, and maybe a few other capabilities, like math and possibly coding. But when you ask them to do something specialized, like fold a protein or play a game of chess or something like this, then actually what they end up doing is calling a tool, which could be another AI system, that then provides the solution or the answer to that particular problem. And then that’s transmitted back to the user via language or pictorially through the central large language model system. So it may be actually invisible to the user because, to the user, it just looks like one big AI system that has many capabilities, but under the hood, it could be that actually the AI system is broken down into smaller ones that have specializations.

And I actually think that probably is going to be the next era. The next generation of systems will use those kinds of capabilities. And then you can think of the central system as almost a switch statement that you effectively prompt with language, and it roots your query or your question or whatever it is you’re asking it to the right tool to solve that question for you or provide the solution for you. And then transmit that back in a very understandable way. Again, using through the interface, the best interface really, of natural language.

Does that process get you closer to an AGI, or does that get you to some maximum state and you got to do something else?

I think that is on the critical path to AGI, and that’s another reason, by the way, I’m very excited about this new role and actually doing more products and things because I actually think the product roadmap from here and the research roadmap from here toward something like AGI or human-level AI is very complementary. The kinds of capabilities one would need to push in order to build those kinds of products that are useful in your everyday life like a universal assistant requires pushing on some of these capabilities, like planning and memory and reasoning, that I think are vital for us to get to AGI. So I actually think there’s a really neat feedback loop now between products and research where they can effectively help each other.

I feel like I had a lot of car CEOs on the show at the beginning of it. I asked all of them, “When do you think we’re going to get self-driving cars?” And they all said five years, and they’ve been saying five years for five years, right?

Yes.

I’m going to ask you a version of that question about AGI, but I feel like the number has gotten smaller recently with people I’ve talked to. How many years until you think we have AGI?

I think there’s a lot of uncertainty over how many more breakthroughs are required to get to AGI, big, big breakthroughs — innovative breakthroughs — versus just scaling up existing solutions. And I think it very much depends on that in terms of timeframe. Obviously, if there are a lot of breakthroughs still required, those are a lot harder to do and take a lot longer. But right now, I would not be surprised if we approached something like AGI or AGI-like in the next decade.

In the next decade. All right, I’m going to come back to you in 10 years. We’re going to see if that happens.

Sure.

That’s not a straight line, though. You called it the critical path, that’s not a straight line. There are breakthroughs along the way that might upset the train and send you along a different path, you think.

“...research is never a straight line. If it is, then it’s not real research.”

Research is never a straight line. If it is, then it’s not real research. If you knew the answer before you started it, then that’s not research. So research and blue sky research at the frontier always has uncertainty around it, and that’s why you can’t really predict timelines with any certainty. But what you can look at is trends, and we can look at the quality of ideas and projects that are being worked on today, look at how they’re progressing. And I think that could go either way over the next five to 10 years where we might asymptote, we might hit a brick wall with current techniques and scaling. I wouldn’t be surprised if that happened, either: that we may find that just scaling the existing systems resulted in diminishing returns in terms of the performance of the system.

And actually, that would then signal some new innovations were really required to make further progress. At the moment, I think nobody knows which regime we’re in. So the answer to that is you have to push on both as hard as possible. So both the scaling and the engineering of existing systems and existing ideas as well as investing heavily into exploratory research directions that you think might deliver innovations that might solve some of the weaknesses in the current systems. And that’s one advantage of being a large research organization with a lot of resources is we can bet on both of those things maximally, both of those directions. In a way, I’m agnostic to that question of “do we need more breakthroughs or will existing systems just scale all the way?” My view is it’s an empirical question, and one should push both as hard as possible. And then the results will speak for themselves.

This is a real tension. When you were at DeepMind in Alphabet and you were very research-focused, and then the research was moved back into Google and Google’s engineers would turn it into products. And you can see how that relationship worked. Now, you’re inside of Google. Google is under a lot of pressure as a company to win this battle. And those are product concerns. Those are “Make it real for people and go win in the market.” There’s a leaked memo that went around. It was purportedly from inside Google. It said the company had no moat and open-source AI models or leaked models would run on people’s laptops, and they would outpace the company because the history of open computing would outpace a closed-source competitor. Was that memo real?

“I think that memo was real.”

I think that memo was real. I think engineers at Google often write various documents, and sometimes they get leaked and go viral. I think that’s just a thing that happens, but I wouldn’t take it too seriously. These are just opinions. I think it’s interesting to listen to them, and then you’ve got to chart your own course. And I haven’t read that specific memo in detail, but I disagree with the conclusions from that. And I think there’s obviously open source and publishing, and we’ve done tons of that in the history of DeepMind. I mean, AlphaFold was open sourced, right? So we obviously believe in open source and supporting research and open research. That’s a key thing of the scientific discourse, which we’ve been a huge part of. And so is Google, of course, publishing transformers and other things. And TensorFlow and you look at all the things we’ve done.

We do a huge amount in that space. But I also think there are other considerations that need to be had as well. Obviously commercial ones but also safety questions about access to these very powerful systems. What if bad actors can access it? Who maybe aren’t that technical, so they couldn’t have built it themselves, but they can certainly reconfigure a system that is out there? What do you do about those things? And I think that’s been quite theoretical till now, but I think that that is really important from here all the way to AGI as these systems become more general, more sophisticated, more powerful. That question is going to be very important about how does one stop bad actors just using these systems for things they weren’t intended for but for malicious purposes.

That’s something we need to increasingly come up with, but just back to your question, look at the history of what Google and DeepMind have done in terms of coming up with new innovations and breakthroughs and multiple, multiple breakthroughs over the last decade or more. And I would bet on us, and I’m certainly very confident that that will continue and actually be even more true over the next decade in terms of us producing the next key breakthroughs just like we did in the past.

Do you think that’s the moat: we invented most of this stuff, so we’re going to invent most of the next stuff?

I don’t really think about it as moats, but I’m an incredibly competitive person. That’s maybe another thing I got from chess, and many researchers are. Of course, they’re doing it to discover knowledge, and ultimately, that’s what we are here for is to improve the human condition. But also, we want to be first to do these things and do them responsibly and boldly. We have some of the world’s best researchers. I think we have the biggest collection of great researchers in the world, anywhere in the world, and an incredible track record. And there’s no reason why that shouldn’t continue in the future. And in fact, I think with our new organization and environment might be conducive to even more and faster-paced breakthroughs than we’ve done in the past.

You’re leading me toward risk and regulation. I want to talk about that, but I want to start in with just a different spin on it. You’re talking about all the work that has to be done. You’re talking about deep mind reinforcement learning, how that works. We ran a gigantic cover story in collaboration with New York Magazine about the taskers who are actually doing the training, who are actually labeling the data. There’s a lot of labor conversation with AI along the way. Hollywood writers are on strike right now because they don’t want ChatGPT to write a bunch of scripts. I think that’s appropriate.

But then there’s a new class of labor that’s being developed where a bunch of people around the world are sitting in front of computers and saying, “Yep, that’s a stop sign. No, that’s not a stop sign. Yep, that’s clothes you can wear. No, that’s not clothes you can wear.” Is that a forever state? Is that just a new class of work that needs to be done for these systems to operate? Or does that come to an end?

I think it’s hard to say. I think it’s definitely a moment in time and the current systems and what they’re requiring at the moment. We’ve been very careful just to say, from our part, and I think you quoted some of our researchers in that article, to be very careful to pay living wages and be very responsible about how we do that kind of work and which partners we use. And we also use internal teams as well. So actually, I’m very proud of how responsible we’ve been on that type of work. But going forward, I think there may be ways that these systems, especially once you have millions and millions of users, effectively can bootstrap themselves. Or one could imagine AI systems that are capable of actually conversing with themselves or critiquing themselves.

This would be a bit like turning language systems into a game-like setting, which of course we’re very expert in and we’ve been thinking about where these reinforcement learning systems, different versions of them, can actually rate each other in some way. And it may not be as good as a human rater, but it’s actually a useful way to do some of the bread and butter rating and then maybe just calibrate it by checking those ratings with a human rater at the end, rather than getting human raters to rate everything. So I think there are lots of innovations I can see coming down the line that will help with this and potentially mean that there’s less requirement for this all to be done by human raters.

But you think there are always human raters in the mix? Even as you get closer to AGI, it seems like you need someone to tell the computer if it’s doing a good job or not.

Let’s take AlphaZero as an example, our general games playing system that ended up learning, itself, how to play any two-player game, including chess and Go. And it’s interesting. What happened there is we set up the system so that it could play against itself tens of millions of times. So, in fact, it built up its own knowledge base. It started from random, played itself, bootstrapped itself, trained better versions of itself, and played those off each other in sort of mini-tournaments. But at the end, you still want to test it against the human world champion or something like this or an external computer program that was built in a conventional way so that you can just calibrate your own metrics, which are telling you these systems are improving according to these objectives or these metrics.

But you don’t know for sure until you calibrate it with an external benchmark or measure. And depending on what that is, a human rater or human benchmark — a human expert is often the best thing to calibrate your internal testing against. And you make sure that your internal tests are actually mapping reality. And again, that’s something quite exciting about products for researchers because, when you put your research into products and millions of people are using it every day, that’s when you get real-world feedback, and there’s no way around that, right? That’s the reality, and that’s the best test of any theories or any system that you’ve built.

Do you think that work is rewarding or appropriate, the labeling of data for AI systems? There’s just something about that, which is, “I’m going to tell a computer how to understand the world so that it might go off in the future and displace other people.” There’s a loop in there that seems like it’s worth more just moral or philosophical consideration. Have you spent time thinking about that?

Yeah, I do think about that. I think I don’t really see it like that. I think that what raters are doing is they’re part of the development cycle of making these systems safer, more useful for everybody, and more helpful and more reliable. So I think it’s a critical component. In many industries, we have safety testing of technologies and products. Today, that’s the best we can do for AI systems is to have human raters. I think, in the future, the next few years, I think we need a lot more research. And I’ve been calling for this, and we are doing this ourselves, but it needs more than just one organization to do this, is great, robust evaluation benchmarks for capabilities so that we know if a system passes these benchmarks, then it has certain properties, and it’s safe and it’s reliable in these particular ways.

And right now, I think we are in the space of many researchers in academia and civil society and elsewhere, we have a lot of good suggestions for what those tests could be, but I don’t think they are robust or practical yet. I think they’re basically theoretical and philosophical in nature, and I think they need to be made practical so that we can measure our systems empirically against those tests and then that gives us some assurances about how the system will perform. And I think once we have those, then the need for this human rating testing feedback will be reduced. I just think that’s required in the volumes that’s required now because we don’t have these kinds of independent benchmarks yet. Partly because we haven’t rigorously defined what those properties are. I mean, it’s almost a neuroscience and psychology and philosophy area as well, right? A lot of these terms have not been defined properly, even for the human brain.

You’ve signed a letter from the Center for AI Safety — OpenAI’s Sam Altman and others have also signed this letter — that warns against the risk from AI. And yet, you’re pushing on, Google’s in the market, you’ve got to win, you’ve described yourself as competitive. There’s a tension there: needing to win in the market with products and “Oh boy, please regulate us because raw capitalism will drive us off the cliff with AI if we don’t stop it in some way.” How do you balance that risk?

It is a tension. It’s a creative tension. What we like to say at Google is we want to be bold and responsible, and that’s exactly what we’re trying to do and live out and role model. So the bold part is being brave and optimistic about the benefits, the amazing benefits, incredible benefits, AI can bring to the world and to help humanity with our biggest challenges, whether that’s disease or climate or sustainability. AI has a huge part to play in helping our scientists and medical experts solve those problems. And we’re working hard on that and all those areas. And AlphaFold, again, I’d point to as a poster child for that, what we want to do there. So that’s the bold part. And then, the responsible bit is to make sure we do that as thoughtfully as possible with as much foresight as possible ahead of time.

Try and anticipate what the issues might be if one was successful ahead of time. Not in hindsight, and perhaps this happened with social media, for example, where it is this incredible growth story. Obviously, it’s done a lot of good in the world, but then it turns out 15 years later we realize there are some unintended consequences as well to those types of systems. And I would like to chart a different path with AI. And I think it’s such a profound and important and powerful technology. I think we have to do that with something as potentially as transformative as AI. And it doesn’t mean no mistakes will be made. It’s very new, anything new, you can’t predict everything ahead of time, but I think we can try and do the best job we can.

“It’s very new. You can’t predict everything ahead of time, but I think we can try and do the best job we can.”

And that’s what signing that letter was for was just to point out that I don’t think it’s likely, I don’t know on the timescales, but it’s something that we should consider, too, in the limit is what these systems can do and might be able to do as we get closer to AGI. We are nowhere near that now. So this is not a question of today’s technologies or even the next few years’, but at some point, and given the technology’s accelerating very fast, we will need to think about those questions, and we don’t want to be thinking about them on the eve of them happening. We need to use the time now, the next five, 10, whatever it is, years, to do the research and to do the analysis and to engage with various stakeholders, civil society, academia, government, to figure out, as this stuff is developing very rapidly, what the best way is of making sure we maximize the benefits and minimize any risks.

And that includes mostly, at this stage, doing more research into these areas, like coming up with better evaluations and benchmarks to rigorously test the capabilities of these frontier systems.

You talked about tool usage for AI models, you ask an LLM to do something, it goes off and asks AlphaFold to fold the protein for you. Combining systems like that, integrating systems like that, historically that’s where emergent behaviors appear, things you couldn’t have predicted start happening. Are you worried about that? There’s not a rigorous way to test that.

Right, exactly. I think that’s exactly the sort of thing we should be researching and thinking about ahead of time is: as tool use becomes more sophisticated and you can combine different AI systems together in different ways, there is scope for emergent behavior. Of course, that emergent behavior may be very desirable and be extremely useful, but it could also potentially be harmful in the wrong hands and in the hands of bad actors, whether that’s individuals or even nation-states.

Let’s say the United States and the EU and China all agree on some framework to regulate AI, and then North Korea or Iran says, “Fuck it, no rules.” And that becomes a center of bad actor AI research. How does that play out? Do you foresee a world in which that’s possible?

Yeah, I think that is a possible world. This is why I’ve been talking to governments — UK, US mostly, but also EU — on I think whatever regulations or guardrails or whatever that is that transpires over the next few years, and tests. They ideally would be international, and there would be international cooperation around those safeguards and international agreement around deployment of these systems and other things. Now, I don’t know how likely that is given the geopolitical tensions around the world, but that is by far the best state. And I think what we should be aiming for if we can.

If the government here passes a rule. It says, “Here’s what Google is allowed to do, here’s what Microsoft is allowed to do. You are in charge, you are accountable.” And you can go say, “All right, we’re just not running this code in our data center. We are not going to have these capabilities; it’s not legal.” If I’m just a person with a MacBook, would you accept some limitation on what a MacBook could do because the threat from AI is so scary? That’s the thing I worry about. Practically, if you have open-source models and people are going to use them for weird things, are we going to tell Intel to restrict what its chips can do? How would we implement that such that it actually affects everyone? And not just, we’re going to throw Demis in jail if Google does stuff we don’t like.

I think those are the big questions that are being debated right now. And I do worry about that. On the one hand, there are a lot of benefits of open-sourcing and accelerating scientific discourse and lots of advances happen there and it gives access to many developers. On the other hand, there could be some negative consequences with that if there are bad individual actors that do bad things with that access and that proliferates. And I think that’s a question for the next few years that will need to be resolved. Because right now, I think it’s okay because the systems are not that sophisticated or that powerful and therefore not that risky.

But I think, as systems increase in their power and generality, the access question will need to be thought about from government and how they want to restrict that or control that or monitor that is going to be an important question. I don’t have any answers for you because I think this is a societal question actually that requires stakeholders from right across society to come together and weigh up the benefits with the risks there.

Google’s own work, you said we’re not there yet, but Google’s own work in AI certainly had some controversy associated with this around responsibility, around what the models can do or can’t do. There’s a famous “Stochastic Parrots” paper from Emily Bender and Timnit Gebru and Margaret Mitchell that led to a lot of controversy inside of Google. It led to them leaving. Did you read that paper and think, “Okay, this is correct. LLMs are going to lie to people and Google will be responsible for that”? And how do you think about that now with all of the scrutiny?

Yeah, look, the large language models, and I think this is one reason that Google’s been very responsible with this, is that we know that they hallucinate and they can be inaccurate. And that’s one of the key areas that has to be improved over the next few years is factuality and grounding and making sure that they don’t spread disinformation, these kinds of things. And that’s very much top of mind for us. And we have many ideas of how to improve that. And our old DeepMind’s Sparrow language model, which we published a couple of years ago, was an experiment into just how good can we get factuality and rules adherence in these systems. And turns out, we can maybe make it an order of magnitude better, but it sometimes comes at the expense of lucidness or creativity on the part of the language model and therefore usefulness.

So it’s a bit of a Pareto frontier where, if you improve one dimension, you reduce the capability in another dimension. And ideally, what we want to do in the next phases and the next generations of systems is combine the best of both worlds — keep the creativity and lucidness and funness of the current systems but improve their factuality and reliability. And we’ve got a long way to go on that. But I can see things improving, and I don’t see any theoretical reason why these systems can’t get to extremely high levels of accuracy and reliability in the next few years.

When you’re using the Google Search Generative Experience, do you believe what it says?

I do. I sometimes double-check things, especially in the scientific domain where I’ve had very funny situations where, actually all of these models do this, where you ask them to summarize an area of research, which I think would be super useful if they could do that, and then say, “Well, what are the key papers I should read?” And they come up with very plausible sounding papers with very plausible author lists. But then, when you go and look into it, it turns out that they’re just like the most famous people in that field or the titles from two different papers combined together. But of course, they’re extremely plausible as a collection of words. And I think, there what needs to happen is these systems need to understand that citations and papers and author lists are a unitary block rather than a word-by-word prediction.

There are interesting cases like that where we need to improve, and there’s something which is, of course, us as wanting to advance the frontiers of science, that’s a particularly interesting use case that we would like to improve and fix — for our own needs as well. I’d love these systems to better summarize for me “here are the top five papers to read about a particular disease” or something like that to just quickly onboard you in that particular area. I think it would be incredibly useful.

---

I’ll tell you, I googled my friend John Gruber, and SGE confidently told me that he pioneered the use of a Mac in newspapers and invented WebKit. I don’t know where that came from. Is there a quality level, a truthfulness level that you need to hit before you roll that out to the mass audience?

Yeah, we think about this all the time, especially at Google because of the incredibly high standards Google holds itself to on things like search and that we all rely on every day and every moment of every day, really, and we want to get toward that level of reliability. Obviously, we’re a long, long, long way away from that at the moment with not just us but anybody with their generative systems. But that’s the gold standard. And actually, things like tool use can come in very handy here where you could, in effect, build these systems so that they fact-check themselves, perhaps even using search or other reliable sources, cross-reference, just like a good researcher would, cross-reference your facts. Also having a better understanding of the world. What are research papers? What entities are they?

So these systems need to have a better understanding of the media they’re dealing with. And maybe also give these systems the ability to reason and plan because then they could potentially turn that on their own outputs and critique themselves. And again, this is something we have a lot of experience in in games programs. They don’t just output the first move that you think of in chess or Go. You actually plan and do some search around that and then back up. And sometimes they change their minds and switch to a better move. And you could imagine some process like that with words and language as well.

There’s the concept of model collapse. That we’re going to train LLMs on LLM-generated data, and that’s going to go into a circle. When you talk about cross-referencing facts, and I think about Google — Google going out in the web and trying to cross-reference a bunch of stuff but maybe all that stuff has been generated by LLMs that were hallucinating in 2023. How do you guard against that?

We are working on some pretty cool solutions to that. I think the answer is, and this is an answer to deepfakes as well, is to do some encrypted watermarking, sophisticated watermarking, that can’t be removed easily or at all, and it’s probably built into the generative models themselves, so it’s part of the generative process. We hope to release that and maybe provide it to third parties as well as a generic solution. But I think that the industry in the field needs those types of solutions where we can mark generated media, be that images, audio, perhaps even text with some Kitemark that says to the user and future AI systems that these were AI-generated. And I think that’s a very, very pressing need right now for near-term issues with AI like deepfakes and disinformation and so on. But I actually think a solution is on the horizon now.

I had Microsoft CTO and EVP of AI Kevin Scott on the show a few weeks ago. He said something very similar. I promised him that we would do a one-hour episode on metadata. So you’re coming for that one. If I know this audience, a full hour on metadata ideas will be our most popular episode ever.

Okay, sounds perfect.

Demis, thank you so much for coming on Decoder. You have to come back soon.

Thanks so much.

By：Nilay Patel Link：https://www.theverge.com/23778745/demis-hassabis-google-deepmind-ai-alphafold-risks

@ 957966b6:2d4fe6b7

Yahweh’s word which came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah.

I will utterly sweep away everything from the surface of the earth, says Yahweh. I will sweep away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the heaps of rubble with the wicked. I will cut off man from the surface of the earth, says Yahweh. I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place—the name of the idolatrous and pagan priests, those who worship the army of the sky on the housetops, those who worship and swear by Yahweh and also swear by Malcam, those who have turned back from following Yahweh, and those who haven’t sought Yahweh nor inquired after him.

Be silent at the presence of the Lord Yahweh, for the day of Yahweh is at hand. For Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice. He has consecrated his guests. It will happen in the day of Yahweh’s sacrifice that I will punish the princes, the king’s sons, and all those who are clothed with foreign clothing. In that day, I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master’s house with violence and deceit.

In that day, says Yahweh, there will be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, a wailing from the second quarter, and a great crashing from the hills. Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the people of Canaan are undone! All those who were loaded with silver are cut off. It will happen at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on their dregs, who say in their heart, “Yahweh will not do good, neither will he do evil.” Their wealth will become a plunder, and their houses a desolation. Yes, they will build houses, but won’t inhabit them. They will plant vineyards, but won’t drink their wine.

The great day of Yahweh is near. It is near and hurries greatly, the voice of the day of Yahweh. The mighty man cries there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fortified cities and against the high battlements. I will bring such distress on men that they will walk like blind men because they have sinned against Yahweh. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Yahweh’s wrath, but the whole land will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will make an end, yes, a terrible end, of all those who dwell in the land.

Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation that has no shame, before the appointed time when the day passes as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Yahweh comes on you, before the day of Yahweh’s anger comes on you. Seek Yahweh, all you humble of the land, who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of Yahweh’s anger. For Gaza will be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They will drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron will be rooted up. Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! Yahweh’s word is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines. I will destroy you until there is no inhabitant. The sea coast will be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks. The coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah. They will find pasture. In the houses of Ashkelon, they will lie down in the evening, for Yahweh, their God, will visit them and restore them. I have heard the reproach of Moab and the insults of the children of Ammon, with which they have reproached my people and magnified themselves against their border. Therefore, as I live, says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remnant of my people will plunder them, and the survivors of my nation will inherit them. This they will have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Yahweh of Armies. Yahweh will be awesome to them, for he will famish all the gods of the land. Men will worship him, everyone from his place, even all the shores of the nations.

You Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword.

He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness. Herds will lie down in the middle of her, all kinds of animals. Both the pelican and the porcupine will lodge in its capitals. Their calls will echo through the windows. Desolation will be in the thresholds, for he has laid bare the cedar beams. This is the joyous city that lived carelessly, that said in her heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me.” How she has become a desolation, a place for animals to lie down in! Everyone who passes by her will hiss and shake their fists.

Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city! She didn’t obey the voice. She didn’t receive correction. She didn’t trust in Yahweh. She didn’t draw near to her God.

Her princes within her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day. Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law. Yahweh, within her, is righteous. He will do no wrong. Every morning he brings his justice to light. He doesn’t fail, but the unjust know no shame.

I have cut off nations. Their battlements are desolate. I have made their streets waste, so that no one passes by. Their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant. I said, “Just fear me. Receive correction,” so that her dwelling won’t be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they rose early and corrupted all their doings.

“Therefore wait for me”, says Yahweh, “until the day that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms to pour on them my indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth will be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on Yahweh’s name, to serve him shoulder to shoulder. From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshipers, even the daughter of my dispersed people, will bring my offering. In that day you will not be disappointed for all your doings in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away out from among you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be arrogant in my holy mountain. But I will leave among you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in Yahweh’s name. The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity nor speak lies, neither will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, for they will feed and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.”

Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem. Yahweh has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Israel, Yahweh, is among you. You will not be afraid of evil any more. In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion. Don’t let your hands be weak.” Yahweh, your God, is among you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing. I will remove those who grieve about the appointed feasts from you. They are a burden and a reproach to you. Behold, at that time I will deal with all those who afflict you; and I will save those who are lame and gather those who were driven away. I will give them praise and honor, whose shame has been in all the earth. At that time I will bring you in, and at that time I will gather you; for I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says Yahweh.

The World English Bible is in the Public Domain. That means that it is not copyrighted. However, "World English Bible" is a Trademark of eBible.org.

@ 491afeba:8b64834e

Na era das crises há de ser atenuada a crise na Igreja Católica e todos os seus contornos já obstruídos por invasões de elementos externos e nocivos à doutrina. Por perigo dos mal entenderes gerados pela abertura da discussão, pontos precisam ser elucidados: 1) ao tratar da crise na Igreja muitos daqueles que negam a existência de crise acusam o expositor de estar gerando conflito e separando as comunidades católicas, há de ser constatado que as maiores vitórias da Igreja se dão sobre lutas em defesa da fé católica sem qualquer medo de cisões, e que pelo contrário da compreensão dessa parcela, a Igreja se fortalece no combate, inclusive no combate interno, tendo em vista exemplos históricos em combates às heresias como a heresia ariana e a heresia gnóstica. 2) É inegável a existência de crise na Igreja Católica, trata-se da lógica sobre o cenário do mundo, os que minimizam a crise tendem a considerar que a Igreja sempre as teve, por certo não erram, entretanto isso não significa que a atitude correta do católico seja aceitar o conjunto de erros praticados pelo magistério e jogá-los para debaixo do tapete, mesmo havendo a compreensão de que as portas do inferno nunca prevalecerão sobre a Igreja e de que após essa crise triunfará o Imaculado Coração de Maria se faz necessária a luta. 3) É certo que menor parte dos expositores da crise tendem ao mal caratismo, são tidos e havidos como radicais e transformam o exercício em defesa da fé n’uma expansão egocêntrica de saberes em abuso da paciência alheia, chegam ao ponto de formularem difamações contra papas e adulterarem a eclesiologia católica para o favorecimento de suas teses, estes ao se depararem com um texto deste presente teor poderão ser capazes de extrair informações e usá-las futuramente com fins de adulteração do cenário real da crise, tendem a se preocupar mais com acusações contra determinadas figuras do que com a busca pelo real entendimento sobre o que ocorre com a Igreja Católica, ficando assim o alerta ao leitor.

Em retorno ao segundo ponto para em via o desenvolvimento da análise, sobre ser incogitável a crença de inexistência de crise na Igreja, é dito que segue a lógica do cenário, ora, pois percebe-se que governos, sistemas econômicos e civilizações inteiras possuem suas crises, mesmo instituições religiosas as possuem, a Igreja Católica não está fora dessa lógica. Medida a concentração de poder nas mãos de uma única classe financista à nível global torna-se realidade a hegemonização dos processos políticos, sociais e espirituais das civilizações, é de compreensão por analistas políticos, econômicos e da seara das crenças religiosas que o atual cenário do mundo não é dos melhores, estamos a beira de um colapso financeiro, político e também espiritual. A perceber tal fato implicamos com os expositores do problema, quais geralmente possuem grande conhecimento no campo da teologia e eclesiologia, porém padecem de entendimento sobre a questão política, e de fato, a política do Vaticano é bastante ignorada pois ainda tem-se uma visão da Igreja Católica como Roma, e não como Vaticano.

O Vaticano é já um Estado, apesar de teocrático, inserido no tabuleiro da política internacional, além de ser a modernização de um império bimilenar. É de pleno conhecimento que o serviço de inteligência do Vaticano é um dos mais eficientes do mundo, trabalha com agentes duplos, em específicos momentos houveram agentes de Roma que simultaneamente trabalhavam tanto para a CIA quanto para a Santa Aliança, e o mesmo sobre agentes que trabalhavam simultaneamente para a KGB e para a inteligência do Vaticano, e também trabalha com serviços de inteligência como exemplo a Mossad. Questões inexplicadas são ignoradas por tradicionalistas, os questionamentos sobre o Banco Vaticano (Istituto per le Opere di Religione) e relações com a máfia italiana são exemplos pedantes, assim são ignoradas pois estes fixam os olhares somente aos escândalos referentes aos desvios doutrinários de partes do clero, mas que se observassem esse aspecto tenderiam a observar que as bases dos desvios não são somente apreços por ideais modernistas e ideologias seculares oriundos de religiões civis, evitariam os reducionismos e veriam que a fumaça de satanás dentro da Igreja não é fruto do Concílio do Vaticano II, ou mesmo não culminaria na crença de que bastasse excomunhão em massa que os problemas de infiltrações e sabotagens no Vaticano chegariam ao fim.

É de conhecimento de muitos o recente encontro entre papa Francisco e o presidente do Brasil, Luís Inácio "Lula" da Silva, por certo também se tornou notório que o papa usou do encontro para fazer com que Lula usasse de sua influência — e também sua sanha de obter holofotes em forma de outorgar para si uma imagem populista de líder nacional humanista — a fim de pressionar Daniel Ortega para que soltasse bispos presos em seu regime, e claro, bispos estes que foram presos por prática de espionagem — possivelmente informação obtida pela inteligência cubana, que atua no país —, e assim vemos através do exemplo de que a Igreja Católica tem ciência dos perigos que a cerca, enganam-se os que creem que a ignorância leva a Igreja a deixar com que atuem os modernistas, e tão pouco essa permissibilidade é blefe, por um lado mostra a prática da distribuição de cargos como meio de manipular a política interna e externa, por outro lado mostra subordinações da Igreja frente às ameaças de seus inimigos (como exemplo do regime de Ortega, cujo torna-se anticatólico dia após dia desde sua conversão ao protestantismo).

Para a Jornada Mundial da Juventude em Lisboa, para este ano de 2023, foi escolhido dom Américo Aguiar como principal nome para a concretização da JMJ 2023, ocorre que o bispo é um notório modernista com passado de militância socialista (ainda mantendo amizades com militantes socialistas, inclusive políticos) e adepto de heresias, como em oculto a crença milenarista na união entre as grandes religiões por via de uma transcendentalidade comum, e que em uma infelicidade renegou a necessidade de converter os jovens, muitos se escandalizaram com a fala do bispo, entretanto restringiram-se as indignações em ataques ao modernismo, foram deixadas de lado as questões sobre o porque bispos com passado socialista estão ascendendo politicamente na Igreja, ora, se visto que o Vaticano possui um serviço de inteligência muito eficaz é lógico que a Igreja tenha pleno conhecimento sobre os passados de nomes como dom Américo.

É notório que essas distribuições de funções importantes para partes do clero compromissadas com a defesa de religiões civis e de heresias modernistas tem seus motivos alinhados a política, e se assim é de fato percebe-se que mesmo os olhares dos fiéis mais atenciosos com os problemas da Igreja hoje evitam essa seara. Por claro, ao expormos essa veia política na crise não tendemos aos mesmos erros dos gibelinos, que condenavam a atuação da Igreja frente a política, pois é bastante claro que a Igreja sem movimentações políticas se torna um instrumento e lega sua autonomia frente a tempos problemáticos, porém se atentarmos mais a essa área poderemos até mesmo perceber mais a figura do papa Francisco, um papa extremamente político, não que estejamos apontando um defeito, dentre muitos defeitos há méritos em demasia do papa, muito sobre as articulações tomadas, mesmo que entre críticas até mesmo justas sobre encontros do pontífice com líderes nacionais de índole questionável, e até mesmo defensores de ideologias ou ideários aversos à doutrina católica. Há de ser lembrada a renúncia de um papa intelectual (papa Bento XVI) em momento de escândalo financeiro envolvendo o Banco do Vaticano, e em seguida a chegada de um papa político, qual vem tendo consigo um pontificado extremamente controverso, ao retornarmos neste ponto da memória podemos entender que parte da crise da Igreja Católica é também política.

Em tempos de dubiedades de discursos, de teologias preenchidas por erros, de abandono da filosofia tomista-aristotélica e de ataques à doutrina por parte de membros do clero, cabe ao católico saber ser resiliente, ser forte, e resistir às tentações de abandono da fé, cabe à este não cair nas mentiras de cunho sedevacantista e nas difamações destes, ou mesmo minimizar o atual cenário de crise.

@ bcea2b98:7ccef3c9

I remember the first time I caught the neon glow of the blockchain data-stream pulsating through the old fiber-optic cables in the urban labyrinth of Neo-Tokyo. That was the year Satoshi’s dream, Bitcoin, had become the last refuge of economic freedom, our Prometheus unbound from the chains of tyrannical central banking. That was the year the world ended and started anew, all at once, like the flicker of an old digital display struggling to hold onto a single pixel of hope.

Cyber-Sentries, autonomous quantum-resistant algorithms birthed in the tech womb of Bitcoin Core, roamed the noospheric network, relentless in their hunt for anomalies that could threaten our crypto-republic. Their code was hardened against the threat of quantum decryption, a terror from the old-world that now lurked in the shadows of the darknet. Armed with Q-Diffusers, inventive tech developed to obscure any coherent superposition of qubits, the Sentries were the silent, digital paladins of our new world.

The Cyber-Sentries were the silent guardians of our cryptoverse, digital watchdogs built on an intricate framework of quantum-resistant algorithms. Brought to life in the crucible of Bitcoin Core, these Sentries were the vanguards of Satoshi's legacy, standing watch against potential threats.

Imagine a predator of the old-world, a wolf maybe, that would tirelessly patrol its territory, sniffing out any intruder that dared to violate its space. A Cyber-Sentry was much like that, except its territory was the vast terrain of the Bitcoin network, and its sense of smell was replaced by a near-infallible ability to detect irregularities and potential threats in the data streams.

These Sentries were powered by an advanced AI system, coded to learn and adapt to evolving threat landscapes. Every anomaly detected was analyzed, its signature extracted and stored in a vast neural repository, a cerebral vault of threat patterns. The Sentries learned from each encounter, evolving their defenses with every battle fought.

Each Sentry was armed with Q-Diffusers, state-of-the-art technology designed to disperse any coherent superposition of qubits. These Q-Diffusers would essentially introduce a deluge of quantum noise into the system of any would-be attacker, rendering their quantum computing capabilities useless. This was their primary defense against the quantum decryption threat, their shield against the spectral specter of the old-world quantum terror.

In action, the Cyber-Sentries were like specters, a ghost in the machine. Unseen, unheard, they roamed the neural pathways of the network, ceaselessly vigilant. When a threat was detected, they would swarm, a lightning-fast, coordinated response that left adversaries disoriented and defeated. They were not just defenders; they were also deterrents, their formidable reputation alone enough to ward off many would-be attackers.

Ever-present, though unseen, was the hum of the Lightning Network. Its evolution had exceeded even the wildest predictions of the cypherpunk prophets. Beyond mere instantaneous transactions, it now powered our communications, our commerce, our very lives. Its channels were our veins, the satoshis our lifeblood, coursing through the body of the new age, offering near-infinite scalability, an economic pulse for every living soul.

In this cryptic symphony, a new tech marvel played the sweetest tune. The Merkle Sanctum, an advanced shield technology, made the Bitcoin network impervious to attacks. At its core was the labyrinthine, self-regenerating maze of hash-based proof functions. Each function was an arcane spell in itself, casting away would-be invaders into oblivion. To attempt a breach was to confront infinity itself, a Sisyphean task for even the most formidable foe.

Merkle Sanctum was the magnum opus of cryptographic defense in the Bitcoin network, a technological marvel that made it nigh-impregnable to attacks. Named in honor of Ralph Merkle, one of the godfathers of modern cryptography, the Sanctum was more than just a defensive system. It was a monument to the boundless ingenuity of the human mind, a labyrinthine fortress constructed in the abstract plane of mathematical probabilities.

At its core, the Merkle Sanctum functioned as a self-regenerating maze of hash-based proof functions. These functions were cryptographic constructs, sequences of mathematical operations designed to protect the network. They were like invisible walls in the Sanctum, each one unique and insurmountable.

The true genius of the Sanctum was in its dynamic architecture. Each hash-based proof function was not static; it evolved with every transaction, every second that passed in the Bitcoin network. This made the Sanctum a dynamic, ever-changing labyrinth. Its walls shifted, its passages morphed, its structure regenerated in the blink of an eye. To an attacker, it presented a puzzle that was infinitely complex and perpetually changing.

This dynamic nature was powered by the pulse of the Bitcoin network itself. Each transaction, each data packet, each heartbeat of the network served as a seed of change, a catalyst for the regeneration of the Sanctum. It was a system in symbiosis with the network, drawing strength from the very activity it sought to protect.

Yet, despite its complexity, the Sanctum was not impenetrable. After all, the aim was not to exclude but to protect. Legitimate network participants could navigate through the labyrinth with the aid of cryptographic keys, their unique digital signatures acting as Ariadne's thread in the shifting maze. These keys allowed them to bypass the proof functions, moving through the Sanctum as if through open doors.

To invaders, however, the Sanctum presented a challenge of Herculean proportions. With its dynamic, ever-changing architecture, and near-infinite complexity, attempting to breach the Sanctum was like trying to capture a waterfall in a sieve. It was a task beyond the reach of even the most sophisticated quantum computer, a futile attempt to conquer a fortress that was as mercurial as it was formidable.

Humans huddled in the neon halo of their digital screens, their eyes reflecting the dancing symbols of hope and freedom. Pseudonymous, untraceable, they whispered to each other across the globe. Deals were brokered, wisdom shared, love declared - all in the cryptic tongue of Bitcoin. In this world on the edge of time, humanity had reclaimed its voice, and with it, the power to dream again.

The year 2140 dawned in the neural cortex of the global hivemind. In the alleyways of the silicon city, miners with their rigs, now relics of a different era, gathered for the last hurrah. These were the custodians of the cryptoverse, their ASICs humming lullabies of complex mathematical problems, their veins humming with electricity. The air was thick with hope and a sense of closure as they prepared to decipher the final hash.

The clock struck the hour, the Ledger of Eternity, a monumental quantum blockchain register, started the countdown. The world held its breath as the final block reward, a mere satoshi, the last of the 21 million, was offered up for claim. The blockchain was a spiderweb of transactions and mathematical riddles, intricate, indecipherable.

A hush fell over the data streams as the ASICs began their dance. The miners’ eyes glowed with the reflected light of the complex computations running on their screens. They could feel the pulse of the network in their blood, in the electrified air that buzzed around their rigs.

Then, in an almost anticlimactic moment, the final hash was deciphered, the block reward claimed. The last satoshi nestled itself in a digital wallet. The entire cryptoverse erupted in silent celebration, a solitary firework blossoming in the inky black of the datastream.

For the first time since its inception, Bitcoin existed without the promise of a block reward. Yet, it did not falter. It stood resilient in its quiet dignity, an economic lodestar in the chaotic quantum sea. For what had begun as an incentive mechanism was now a symbol of freedom, a testament to a world unshackled from the chains of traditional economic structures.

As 2140 rolled on, Bitcoin stood at the precipice of a new age. Without the block reward, it had transformed, yet again, to embody its core tenet of resilience. It was no longer a system driven by the promise of reward but one that thrived on the principles of decentralization and autonomy, the beacon of economic freedom in a brave, new digital world.

@ bcea2b98:7ccef3c9

The Year 2140

I remember the first time I caught the neon glow of the blockchain data-stream pulsating through the old fiber-optic cables in the urban labyrinth of Neo-Tokyo.

That was the year Satoshi’s dream, Bitcoin, had become the last refuge of economic freedom, our Prometheus unbound from the chains of tyrannical central banking That was the year the world ended and started anew, all at once, like the flicker of an old digital display struggling to hold onto a single pixel of hope.

Cyber-Sentries, autonomous quantum-resistant algorithms birthed in the tech womb of Bitcoin Core, roamed the noospheric network, relentless in their hunt for anomalies that could threaten our crypto-republic.

Their code was hardened against the threat of quantum decryption, a terror from the old-world that now lurked in the shadows of the darknet Armed with Q-Diffusers, inventive tech developed to obscure any coherent superposition of qubits, the Sentries were the silent, digital paladins of our new world.

The Cyber-Sentries were the silent guardians of our cryptoverse, digital watchdogs built on an intricate framework of quantum-resistant algorithms.

Brought to life in the crucible of Bitcoin Core, these Sentries were the vanguards of Satoshi's legacy, standing watch against potential threats.

Imagine a predator of the old-world, a wolf maybe, that would tirelessly patrol its territory, sniffing out any intruder that dared to violate its space.

A Cyber-Sentry was much like that, except its territory was the vast terrain of the Bitcoin network, and its sense of smell was replaced by a near-infallible ability to detect irregularities and potential threats in the data streams.

These Sentries were powered by an advanced AI system, coded to learn and adapt to evolving threat landscapes.

Every anomaly detected was analyzed, its signature extracted and stored in a vast neural repository, a cerebral vault of threat patterns The Sentries learned from each encounter, evolving their defenses with every battle fought.

Each Sentry was armed with Q-Diffusers, state-of-the-art technology designed to disperse any coherent superposition of qubits.

These Q-Diffusers would essentially introduce a deluge of quantum noise into the system of any would-be attacker, rendering their quantum computing capabilities useless This was their primary defense against the quantum decryption threat, their shield against the spectral specter of the old-world quantum terror.

In action, the Cyber-Sentries were like specters, a ghost in the machine.

Unseen, unheard, they roamed the neural pathways of the network, ceaselessly vigilant When a threat was detected, they would swarm, a lightning-fast, coordinated response that left adversaries disoriented and defeated They were not just defenders; they were also deterrents, their formidable reputation alone enough to ward off many would-be attackers.

Ever-present, though unseen, was the hum of the Lightning Network.

Its evolution had exceeded even the wildest predictions of the cypherpunk prophets Beyond mere instantaneous transactions, it now powered our communications, our commerce, our very lives Its channels were our veins, the satoshis our lifeblood, coursing through the body of the new age, offering near-infinite scalability, an economic pulse for every living soul.

In this cryptic symphony, a new tech marvel played the sweetest tune.

The Merkle Sanctum, an advanced shield technology, made the Bitcoin network impervious to attacks At its core was the labyrinthine, self-regenerating maze of hash-based proof functions Each function was an arcane spell in itself, casting away would-be invaders into oblivion To attempt a breach was to confront infinity itself, a Sisyphean task for even the most formidable foe.

Merkle Sanctum was the magnum opus of cryptographic defense in the Bitcoin network, a technological marvel that made it nigh-impregnable to attacks.

Named in honor of Ralph Merkle, one of the godfathers of modern cryptography, the Sanctum was more than just a defensive system It was a monument to the boundless ingenuity of the human mind, a labyrinthine fortress constructed in the abstract plane of mathematical probabilities.

At its core, the Merkle Sanctum functioned as a self-regenerating maze of hash-based proof functions.

These functions were cryptographic constructs, sequences of mathematical operations designed to protect the network They were like invisible walls in the Sanctum, each one unique and insurmountable.

The true genius of the Sanctum was in its dynamic architecture.

Each hash-based proof function was not static; it evolved with every transaction, every second that passed in the Bitcoin network This made the Sanctum a dynamic, ever-changing labyrinth Its walls shifted, its passages morphed, its structure regenerated in the blink of an eye To an attacker, it presented a puzzle that was infinitely complex and perpetually changing.

This dynamic nature was powered by the pulse of the Bitcoin network itself.

Each transaction, each data packet, each heartbeat of the network served as a seed of change, a catalyst for the regeneration of the Sanctum It was a system in symbiosis with the network, drawing strength from the very activity it sought to protect.

Yet, despite its complexity, the Sanctum was not impenetrable.

After all, the aim was not to exclude but to protect Legitimate network participants could navigate through the labyrinth with the aid of cryptographic keys, their unique digital signatures acting as Ariadne's thread in the shifting maze These keys allowed them to bypass the proof functions, moving through the Sanctum as if through open doors.

To invaders, however, the Sanctum presented a challenge of Herculean proportions.

With its dynamic, ever-changing architecture, and near-infinite complexity, attempting to breach the Sanctum was like trying to capture a waterfall in a sieve It was a task beyond the reach of even the most sophisticated quantum computer, a futile attempt to conquer a fortress that was as mercurial as it was formidable.

Humans huddled in the neon halo of their digital screens, their eyes reflecting the dancing symbols of hope and freedom.

Pseudonymous, untraceable, they whispered to each other across the globe Deals were brokered, wisdom shared, love declared - all in the cryptic tongue of Bitcoin In this world on the edge of time, humanity had reclaimed its voice, and with it, the power to dream again.

The year 2140 dawned in the neural cortex of the global hivemind.

In the alleyways of the silicon city, miners with their rigs, now relics of a different era, gathered for the last hurrah These were the custodians of the cryptoverse, their ASICs humming lullabies of complex mathematical problems, their veins humming with electricity The air was thick with hope and a sense of closure as they prepared to decipher the final hash.

The clock struck the hour, the Ledger of Eternity, a monumental quantum blockchain register, started the countdown.

The world held its breath as the final block reward, a mere satoshi, the last of the 21 million, was offered up for claim The blockchain was a spiderweb of transactions and mathematical riddles, intricate, indecipherable.

A hush fell over the data streams as the ASICs began their dance.

The miners’ eyes glowed with the reflected light of the complex computations running on their screens They could feel the pulse of the network in their blood, in the electrified air that buzzed around their rigs.

Then, in an almost anticlimactic moment, the final hash was deciphered, the block reward claimed.

The last satoshi nestled itself in a digital wallet The entire cryptoverse erupted in silent celebration, a solitary firework blossoming in the inky black of the datastream.

For the first time since its inception, Bitcoin existed without the promise of a block reward.

Yet, it did not falter It stood resilient in its quiet dignity, an economic lodestar in the chaotic quantum sea For what had begun as an incentive mechanism was now a symbol of freedom, a testament to a world unshackled from the chains of traditional economic structures.

As 2140 rolled on, Bitcoin stood at the precipice of a new age.

Without the block reward, it had transformed, yet again, to embody its core tenet of resilience It was no longer a system driven by the promise of reward but one that thrived on the principles of decentralization and autonomy, the beacon of economic freedom in a brave, new digital world.

@ 9fec72d5:f77f85b1

Having a name:

namecheap.com: You can buy cheap domains here, ending like nostrelay.info.

This website shows cheapest ones like .xyz .info .online: https://tld-list.com/

noip.com: You can get free subdomains here like: nostrelay.noip.com

There are other free subdomain sites.

Having a machine:

I've been using Hetzner for 10+ years now. They are the best for Nostr! They use prosumer grade PCs as servers and hence stay cheaper than some of the well known brands. These are not enterprise grade and may fail occasionally. This means slightly less reliable server but much cheaper. When it comes to Nostr, your relay won't be the only relay. People will use lots more relays at a given time. So if your relay goes down it doesn't matter much for the whole network. The network continues to operate. Your job is to relay the notes as cheap and fast as possible. Don't think about hardware reliability.

Go to Hetzner and create a cloud server. Germany location is cheaper because they use Arm64 architecture. You can get a 4 core server with 8GB ram at $7/mo. That could probably run even a big relay like 10th most popular relay on Nostr! For the most popular, you could use 8 cores, which is like $15/mo.

You could also select USA if you want to serve USA and Japanese users faster. But that is like double the price.

After you get a machine it will come with an IP. Copy that IP to your domain's DNS records ("A" records).

Installing the software:

This guide looks like a good one.

https://github.com/hoytech/strfry/blob/master/docs/DEPLOYMENT.md

Having a spam filter:

When the relay is small the spammers won't bother you. If you start getting popular you can find plugins that may stop some of the spammers. Or you could learn simple programming using scripts and may develop your own spam filters.

Let others know:

Add your relay to nostr.watch. People use that website to find new relays.

Share the news! Make your friends use the relay.

Getting popular:

After you get experienced and grow your relay talk to client developers and show them your relay and ask them to include your relay in their default settings.

Talk to funds that donate to open source projects and nostr and get some sats. Or do it for free, you are allowing free speech online, which is hard to find nowadays!

https://cdn.nostr.build/i/63520e8494dd0f7e321fddf95b5752ac3a296f3aa3c3b81d76fdebe04fe8fd69.jpg

@ bcea2b98:7ccef3c9

The book "Softwar: A Novel Theory on Power Projection and the National Strategic Significance of Bitcoin" by Jason P. Lowery offers an extensive exploration of Bitcoin through the lens of strategic and cybersecurity, as opposed to a purely fiscal one. It presents a novel theoretical paradigm for assessing the potential strategic national implications of Bitcoin, viewed as an electro-cyber defense technology as opposed to a decentralized electronic cash system.

The following are some pivotal arguments and possible inaccuracies from the standpoint of a Bitcoin developer:

Proof-of-work

The proposition that Bitcoin, via its proof-of-work protocol, can be perceived as an electro-cyber security framework allowing for the exertion of tangible power in the digital domain. Lowery posits that Bitcoin equips individuals with the capacity to enforce severe physical consequences (represented in wattage) on adversarial entities attempting to exploit them via software. This viewpoint conceptualizes Bitcoin as a mechanism for power projection, enabling individuals to establish and maintain an untrusting, permissionless, egalitarian, and decentralized dominion over bits of information, provided they have the will and capability to wield physical power to safeguard it (Page 245).

• The critique here, though, points out that this is an intriguing perspective; the primary purpose of Bitcoin is to operate as a decentralized digital currency. The power projection elucidated by the author is an ancillary outcome of Bitcoin's decentralization and inherent security, rather than its primary intent. The function of Bitcoin's proof-of-work algorithm is to fortify the network against double-spending and other forms of attack, not to project power in a geopolitical context.

• The book also proposes that Bitcoin could upheave human power-based dominance hierarchies from their foundational roots (Page 374). While it's undeniable that Bitcoin has the potential to disrupt conventional financial systems and power structures, it was not designed to be an instrument for power projection in the same way that military or economic resources are. Bitcoin is a tool for financial sovereignty and privacy, not a weapon for geopolitical power struggles.

• The book seems to equate the physical power utilized in Bitcoin's proof-of-work algorithm (i.e., the energy expended to mine Bitcoin) with the notion of power projection in a geopolitical environment. While it's true that Bitcoin mining demands substantial energy resources, it is distinctly different from the concept of power projection, which usually involves employing military or economic force to influence the actions and behavior of other nations.

Bits and Value

The book asserts that the bits within Bitcoin can symbolize any kind of valuable data that individuals desire it to represent, including but not confined to financial information (Page 375). It further implies that once we have deduced how to keep financial bits of data physically secure against attack, we have in essence figured out how to protect all types of information from physical attack (Page 34).

• While it is indeed factual that Bitcoin's blockchain can be employed to store and transmit non-financial data, it's crucial to understand that this is not its primary function. Bitcoin was developed as a peer-to-peer electronic cash system, with the primary objective of facilitating financial transactions without necessitating a trusted third party. The data that Bitcoin primarily processes is transaction data, i.e., detailing who transferred how much Bitcoin to whom.

• The capability to store non-financial data on the Bitcoin blockchain is more of an unintended consequence of its design rather than a fundamental feature. This is accomplished by utilizing specific fields in the transaction data to store arbitrary data, but this practice is generally discouraged because it can result in blockchain bloat. The Bitcoin blockchain is not intended to function as a general-purpose data storage system, and employing it as such can induce inefficiencies.

• Storing non-financial data on the Bitcoin blockchain does not offer any additional security advantages over storing financial data. The security of the Bitcoin blockchain is derived from its decentralized, proof-of-work consensus mechanism, which ensures that no single entity can control or manipulate the transaction history. This security extends equally to all data housed on the blockchain, whether it's financial or non-financial.

Strangler Pattern

The book suggests that Bitcoin could serve as a "strangler pattern" replacement of our legacy internet infrastructure with a modern architecture that isn’t as clearly susceptible to systemic exploitation and abuse (Page 376). The book further intimates that Bitcoin could operate as the preeminent mechanism employed by digital-age societies to map or anchor elements of the old internet version to the revamped version of the internet (Page 322).

• While Bitcoin indeed introduces a new, decentralized paradigm for financial transactions and data storage, it isn't designed to supplant the entire internet infrastructure. The internet is an extensive and multifaceted system supporting a wide variety of applications and services, from email and web browsing to video streaming and cloud computing. In contrast, Bitcoin is a specific application that operates on the internet, designed to enable peer-to-peer financial transactions.

• The claim made by the book appears to conflate the concept of a decentralized financial system (which Bitcoin offers) with the idea of a decentralized internet (which is a much broader and more intricate concept). While there are projects and technologies aiming to foster a more decentralized internet (such as InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) and various blockchain-based "Web 3.0" initiatives), Bitcoin is not one of them.

• The book's suggestion that Bitcoin could serve as the dominant mechanism for tying the legacy internet to a new version of the internet is speculative and isn't substantiated by current technological realities. While it's true that blockchain technology (the underlying technology of Bitcoin) has potential applications in areas like decentralized identity systems and domain name systems, these are still largely experimental and have not been widely adopted yet.

Kinetic Power

The book propososes that Bitcoin could significantly transform the way humans vie for control over valued resources, effectively resetting the global balance of power in a manner akin to the profound changes brought about by full-scale kinetic world wars (Page 376). The author further proposes that Bitcoin could revolutionize the perception of physical confrontation in the digital-age society (Page 370). Moreover, it's implied that global adoption of an electro-cyber form of physical power competition, facilitated by proof-of-work technologies like Bitcoin, could lead to the genesis of a completely novel form of polity (Page 385).

• It is undeniable that Bitcoin holds the potential to disrupt conventional financial systems and power structures. However, juxtaposing its impact to the scale and consequences of world wars is hyperbolic and speculative. World wars resulted in massive loss of human lives, extensive destruction, and substantial shifts in geopolitical boundaries and power structures. In contrast, Bitcoin is a digital currency that operates on a decentralized network. While it can indeed influence financial systems and potentially disrupt some power structures, particularly those related to finance and banking, it is incapable of causing physical destruction or loss of life.

• The book suggests that Bitcoin could spawn a completely new form of polity is speculative and isn't supported by current realities. Although Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies can indeed influence how people transact and store value, they don't intrinsically alter the fundamental nature of societal organization or governance. They may contribute to shifts in power dynamics, particularly in the financial sector, but they do not supplant the need for traditional forms of governance and societal organization.

• The book also seems to conflate the concept of power competition in a geopolitical context with the concept of power competition in the context of Bitcoin mining. Bitcoin mining does involve a form of competition, as miners compete to solve complex mathematical problems to add new blocks to the blockchain and receive Bitcoin rewards. However, this is far from the concept of power competition in a geopolitical context, which involves nations competing for resources, influence, and dominance on the global stage.

Projecting Power

The book asserts that Bitcoin, through its proof-of-work technology, could help society secure itself against systemic exploitation of computer networks (Page 378). The author argues that Bitcoin could empower individuals to physically secure their digital information, by projecting physical power in, from, and through cyberspace to impose severe physical costs on those who exploit our computing systems (Page 347). The author further speculates that national adoption of Bitcoin could be conceptualized as the employment of an electro-cyber militia to safeguard and defend a nation’s valuable digital information (Page 360).

• While it's true that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies can provide a level of security and privacy not available in traditional financial systems, it's crucial to underscore that they also introduce new vulnerabilities and potential for misuse. Bitcoin transactions are irreversible, which can make them appealing for fraudulent activities. Bitcoin wallets can be lost or stolen if not adequately secured. The security of the Bitcoin network itself hinges on its decentralized nature and the computational power required to alter the blockchain, but individual users are still susceptible to scams and hacking.

• The book's suggestion that Bitcoin could serve as a form of "electro-cyber militia" is speculative and not universally accepted within the Bitcoin community. Although Bitcoin does offer a method for individuals to secure their financial transactions against interference from third parties, it is not designed to shield against all forms of cyber exploitation or to serve as a form of national defense.

• In conclusion, Softwar presents an unconventional viewpoint on Bitcoin's potential influence on national strategic security, proffering that Bitcoin could serve as an effective tool for power projection, system defense, and even societal reorganization. However, these propositions, while intriguing, often veer towards the speculative and seem to be somewhat misaligned with the predominant understanding of Bitcoin's primary purpose and functionality within the field of computer science.

• While this book undoubtedly offers a unique and thought-provoking perspective on Bitcoin's wider implications, it is crucial to approach these theories with a discerning and critical eye. It is always beneficial to juxtapose such theories with the broader consensus within the Bitcoin development and computer science communities, to gain a more rounded understanding of this remarkable technology. Ultimately, Bitcoin continues to evolve and its full potential, while yet to be fully realized, remains a subject of intense debate and exploration within the computer science community.

@ 000003a2:e3b014e6

• horse (Chrome and derivatives)
• nos2x (Chrome and derivatives)
• Alby (Chrome and derivatives, Firefox)
• Blockcore (Chrome and derivatives)
• nos2x-fox (Firefox)
• Flamingo (Chrome and derivatives)
• AKA Profiles (Chrome, stores multiple keys)
• TokenPocket (Android, IOS, Chrome and derivatives)
• Nostrmo (Android, IOS)

Source: https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/blob/master/07.md

@ bcea2b98:7ccef3c9

Nym's review of Software:

The book "Softwar: A Novel Theory on Power Projection and the National Strategic Significance of Bitcoin" by Jason P. Lowery offers an extensive exploration of Bitcoin through the lens of strategic and cybersecurity, as opposed to a purely fiscal one. It presents a novel theoretical paradigm for assessing the potential strategic national implications of Bitcoin, viewed as an electro-cyber defense technology as opposed to a decentralized electronic cash system.

The following are some pivotal arguments and possible inaccuracies from the standpoint of a Bitcoin developer:

1. The proposition that Bitcoin, via its proof-of-work protocol, can be perceived as an electro-cyber security framework allowing for the exertion of tangible power in the digital domain. Lowery posits that Bitcoin equips individuals with the capacity to enforce severe physical consequences (represented in wattage) on adversarial entities attempting to exploit them via software. This viewpoint conceptualizes Bitcoin as a mechanism for power projection, enabling individuals to establish and maintain an untrusting, permissionless, egalitarian, and decentralized dominion over bits of information, provided they have the will and capability to wield physical power to safeguard it (Page 245).

The critique here, though, points out that this is an intriguing perspective; the primary purpose of Bitcoin is to operate as a decentralized digital currency. The power projection elucidated by the author is an ancillary outcome of Bitcoin's decentralization and inherent security, rather than its primary intent. The function of Bitcoin's proof-of-work algorithm is to fortify the network against double-spending and other forms of attack, not to project power in a geopolitical context.

The book also proposes that Bitcoin could upheave human power-based dominance hierarchies from their foundational roots (Page 374). While it's undeniable that Bitcoin has the potential to disrupt conventional financial systems and power structures, it was not designed to be an instrument for power projection in the same way that military or economic resources are. Bitcoin is a tool for financial sovereignty and privacy, not a weapon for geopolitical power struggles.

The book seems to equate the physical power utilized in Bitcoin's proof-of-work algorithm (i.e., the energy expended to mine Bitcoin) with the notion of power projection in a geopolitical environment. While it's true that Bitcoin mining demands substantial energy resources, it is distinctly different from the concept of power projection, which usually involves employing military or economic force to influence the actions and behavior of other nations.

1. The book asserts that the bits within Bitcoin can symbolize any kind of valuable data that individuals desire it to represent, including but not confined to financial information (Page 375). It further implies that once we have deduced how to keep financial bits of data physically secure against attack, we have in essence figured out how to protect all types of information from physical attack (Page 34).

While it is indeed factual that Bitcoin's blockchain can be employed to store and transmit non-financial data, it's crucial to understand that this is not its primary function. Bitcoin was developed as a peer-to-peer electronic cash system, with the primary objective of facilitating financial transactions without necessitating a trusted third party. The data that Bitcoin primarily processes is transaction data, i.e., detailing who transferred how much Bitcoin to whom.

The capability to store non-financial data on the Bitcoin blockchain is more of an unintended consequence of its design rather than a fundamental feature. This is accomplished by utilizing specific fields in the transaction data to store arbitrary data, but this practice is generally discouraged because it can result in blockchain bloat. The Bitcoin blockchain is not intended to function as a general-purpose data storage system, and employing it as such can induce inefficiencies.

Storing non-financial data on the Bitcoin blockchain does not offer any additional security advantages over storing financial data. The security of the Bitcoin blockchain is derived from its decentralized, proof-of-work consensus mechanism, which ensures that no single entity can control or manipulate the transaction history. This security extends equally to all data housed on the blockchain, whether it's financial or non-financial.

1. The book suggests that Bitcoin could serve as a "strangler pattern" replacement of our legacy internet infrastructure with a modern architecture that isn’t as clearly susceptible to systemic exploitation and abuse (Page 376). The book further intimates that Bitcoin could operate as the preeminent mechanism employed by digital-age societies to map or anchor elements of the old internet version to the revamped version of the internet (Page 322).

While Bitcoin indeed introduces a new, decentralized paradigm for financial transactions and data storage, it isn't designed to supplant the entire internet infrastructure. The internet is an extensive and multifaceted system supporting a wide variety of applications and services, from email and web browsing to video streaming and cloud computing. In contrast, Bitcoin is a specific application that operates on the internet, designed to enable peer-to-peer financial transactions.

The claim made by the book appears to conflate the concept of a decentralized financial system (which Bitcoin offers) with the idea of a decentralized internet (which is a much broader and more intricate concept). While there are projects and technologies aiming to foster a more decentralized internet (such as InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) and various blockchain-based "Web 3.0" initiatives), Bitcoin is not one of them.

Additionally, the book's suggestion that Bitcoin could serve as the dominant mechanism for tying the legacy internet to a new version of the internet is speculative and isn't substantiated by current technological realities. While it's true that blockchain technology (the underlying technology of Bitcoin) has potential applications in areas like decentralized identity systems and domain name systems, these are still largely experimental and have not been widely adopted yet.

1. The book propososes that Bitcoin could significantly transform the way humans vie for control over valued resources, effectively resetting the global balance of power in a manner akin to the profound changes brought about by full-scale kinetic world wars (Page 376). The author further proposes that Bitcoin could revolutionize the perception of physical confrontation in the digital-age society (Page 370). Moreover, it's implied that global adoption of an electro-cyber form of physical power competition, facilitated by proof-of-work technologies like Bitcoin, could lead to the genesis of a completely novel form of polity (Page 385).

It is undeniable that Bitcoin holds the potential to disrupt conventional financial systems and power structures. However, juxtaposing its impact to the scale and consequences of world wars is hyperbolic and speculative. World wars resulted in massive loss of human lives, extensive destruction, and substantial shifts in geopolitical boundaries and power structures. In contrast, Bitcoin is a digital currency that operates on a decentralized network. While it can indeed influence financial systems and potentially disrupt some power structures, particularly those related to finance and banking, it is incapable of causing physical destruction or loss of life.

The book suggests that Bitcoin could spawn a completely new form of polity is speculative and isn't supported by current realities. Although Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies can indeed influence how people transact and store value, they don't intrinsically alter the fundamental nature of societal organization or governance. They may contribute to shifts in power dynamics, particularly in the financial sector, but they do not supplant the need for traditional forms of governance and societal organization.

The book also seems to conflate the concept of power competition in a geopolitical context with the concept of power competition in the context of Bitcoin mining. Bitcoin mining does involve a form of competition, as miners compete to solve complex mathematical problems to add new blocks to the blockchain and receive Bitcoin rewards. However, this is far from the concept of power competition in a geopolitical context, which involves nations competing for resources, influence, and dominance on the global stage.

1. The book asserts that Bitcoin, through its proof-of-work technology, could help society secure itself against systemic exploitation of computer networks (Page 378). The author argues that Bitcoin could empower individuals to physically secure their digital information, by projecting physical power in, from, and through cyberspace to impose severe physical costs on those who exploit our computing systems (Page 347). The author further speculates that national adoption of Bitcoin could be conceptualized as the employment of an electro-cyber militia to safeguard and defend a nation’s valuable digital information (Page 360).

While it's true that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies can provide a level of security and privacy not available in traditional financial systems, it's crucial to underscore that they also introduce new vulnerabilities and potential for misuse. Bitcoin transactions are irreversible, which can make them appealing for fraudulent activities. Bitcoin wallets can be lost or stolen if not adequately secured. The security of the Bitcoin network itself hinges on its decentralized nature and the computational power required to alter the blockchain, but individual users are still susceptible to scams and hacking.

The book's suggestion that Bitcoin could serve as a form of "electro-cyber militia" is speculative and not universally accepted within the Bitcoin community. Although Bitcoin does offer a method for individuals to secure their financial transactions against interference from third parties, it is not designed to shield against all forms of cyber exploitation or to serve as a form of national defense.

In conclusion, Softwar presents an unconventional viewpoint on Bitcoin's potential influence on national strategic security, proffering that Bitcoin could serve as an effective tool for power projection, system defense, and even societal reorganization. However, these propositions, while intriguing, often veer towards the speculative and seem to be somewhat misaligned with the predominant understanding of Bitcoin's primary purpose and functionality within the field of computer science.

While this book undoubtedly offers a unique and thought-provoking perspective on Bitcoin's wider implications, it is crucial to approach these theories with a discerning and critical eye. It is always beneficial to juxtapose such theories with the broader consensus within the Bitcoin development and computer science communities, to gain a more rounded understanding of this remarkable technology. Ultimately, Bitcoin continues to evolve and its full potential, while yet to be fully realized, remains a subject of intense debate and exploration within the computer science community.

@ 604e96e0:20279eb2

There's a secret mode on PlebPay called "proofofplebpay" which I made for someone who wanted to sell tickets to a private event a long time ago. In order to try this out, type in proofofplebay instead of a URL when creating a paywall.

Check out this example paywall here: https://www.plebpay.com/27414e6d-00cd-42e7-9d61-b5a63004abe2

When a user pays the paywall, they are given a receipt which they must save and give to you when requested.

This receipt page can be viewed here: https://www.plebpay.com/27414e6d-00cd-42e7-9d61-b5a63004abe2/paid-invoices/9291d459-d2c3-4611-be5e-7d178b3a78b9

Receipt for a given proofofplebpay paywall can be verified by adding on verify-receipt-id to the end of the paywall URL e.g. https://www.plebpay.com/27414e6d-00cd-42e7-9d61-b5a63004abe2/verify-receipt-id.

@ f6a5c82f:3aa6f2a0

Introduction Welcome, Yakihonne enthusiasts! Today, we embark on an exciting exploration of the latest updates that have breathed new life into our favorite platform. Yakihonne has always been a community that values user feedback, and these enhancements are a testament to the team's commitment to delivering a remarkable user experience. Let's dive into the world of Yakihonne's cutting-edge updates and uncover the magic that awaits us!

Table of Contents:

1. Revamped Comment Section: Unleashing the Power of Interaction 2. NIP-25 Support: Empowering User Opinions with Seamless Voting 3. Zap Stats on Profiles: Celebrating Interactions, One Zap at a Time 4. Enhanced Search Functionality: Your Gateway to a World of Content 5. Conclusion

1. Revamped Comment Section: Unleashing the Power of Interaction The heart of any thriving community lies in its ability to communicate and interact. With the newly re-implemented comment section, Yakihonne has taken a leap forward in fostering engaging conversations. Notably, users now have the privilege to delete comments, offering greater control over discussions and promoting a friendlier atmosphere.

Hey Look here i just made a comment 😊

I just deleted my comments, like nothing happened 😂

2. NIP-25 Support: Empowering User Opinions with Seamless Voting The power of expressing our opinions just got a major boost with NIP-25 support! Upvoting and downvoting posts and comments has become a seamless affair, allowing us to actively shape the content we cherish. Witnessing the Yakihonne community embrace this empowering feature has been truly awe-inspiring.

Note: I noticed that users can upvote multiple times, and I think that’s a bug. Last but not least, users cant upvote and downvote simultaneously, which is okay.

3. Zap Stats on Profiles: Celebrating Interactions, One Zap at a Time Our profiles have become a canvas of interaction and impact with the addition of Zap stats! Now, we can proudly display the Zaps we've sent and received, a delightful way to celebrate our contributions within the Yakihonne ecosystem. These stats lend a personal touch to our profiles, strengthening our bond with fellow users.

I was going to calculate how much i have made from Yakihonne but all thanks to this new feature there wont be need for that😊

4. Enhanced Search Functionality: Your Gateway to a World of Content The search experience on Yakihonne has reached new heights of efficiency and convenience. Say goodbye to tedious searches, as the team has optimized the search list, allowing us to find what we seek with remarkable ease. Moreover, the adjustment of user searching results to the NIP-21 URI scheme ensures relevant and tailored content that sparks curiosity.

Goodbye to tedious searches

Conclusion Yakihonne's latest updates have left me astounded and deeply appreciative of the team's commitment to creating a user-centric platform. Each enhancement has brought me closer as a community, empowering me to share, engage, and explore in ways that touch my heart.

As we embrace these cutting-edge features, let's celebrate the essence of Yakihonne - a platform that cherishes user interactions, encourages diverse opinions, and continually strives to make our journey exceptional.

Thank you, Yakihonne team, for ushering in this exciting era of growth and innovation. Here's to an extraordinary future filled with countless memorable moments on Yakihonne!

Happy Yakihonne-ing!

@ f296e355:c28d00bc

Remember at school that class where the teacher taught you about how to square something? It was great, and where we loved to take the square of 3 and get 9, and the square of 5 gave us 25. But, in the next lesson, we came back to earth with a bump, as it was time for the nasty little square root. Now, we have to find two numbers which, when multiplied together, give us 121, or 196. Luckily, there was a convenient button on the calculator that gave us our quick answer. In the time before calculators, though, to work out more complex square roots involved tables of logarithms. And, so, in this podcast, I will outline a difficult problem … find a square root in a modulo n world … aka quadratic residues.

Feel free to read all my articles on the anti-censorship long content platform yakihonne

A hard problem

In cryptography, we look for hard problems to solve. For this, we can create a backdoor into the problem and solve the problem. With discrete logarithms we use the hard problem of:

Y=g^x (mod p)

and where it is difficult to determine x, even though we know g, Y and p, but as long as the prime number is large enough. Another hard problem is used in the RSA public key method, and this involves the difficulty in factorization at modulus (N), which is made up of two prime numbers.

Another hard problem is quadratic residues modulus n, which uses the form of:

x²=a (mod p)

and where we must find a value of x which results in a value of a (mod p). If a solution exists, the value of a is a quadratic residue (mod n).

In modular arithmetic, this operation is equivalent to a square root of a number (and where x is the modular square root of a modulo p). In the following we will try and solve for the value of x, and also generate the Legendre symbol value.

For example, if we have a=969 and p=1223, we get:

Solve x²=968 (mod 1223) [Ans: 453] Try!

Another example:

Solve x²=1203 (mod 1223) [Ans: 375] Try!

Thus 968 and 1203 are quadratic residues modulo 1223.

The form of x²=a (mod p) is not always solvable. For example, if we have a=209 and p=1223 , we get:

x²=209 (mod 1223)

and which does not have a solution. Also, if a shares a factor with p it is also not solvable. For example:

x²=39 (mod 13)

will return a zero value for x.

If we take a value of p=53, we get the following values [here]:

``` 0, 1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 24, 25, 28, 29, 36, 37, 38, 40, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 49, 52

```

A sample run of the code gives:

``` Quadradic residue (mod n) solver a: 47 p: 53We need to solve for: val^2 = 47 (mod 53 )

---

Result: 10 ( 10 )^2 = 47 (mod 53 )----------------------- For a prime number of 53 here are the residues up to p (or 100) 1 4 6 7 9 10 11 13 15 16 17 24 25 28 29 36 37 38 40 42 43 44 46 47 49 52 ```

In this case we see that 10 is a possible quadratic residue for a p of 53. The solution is thus:

10²=47 (mod 53)

You can see a demonstration here and here are some examples:

• Solve x²=12 (mod 13) [Ans: 8] Try!
• Solve x²=968 (mod 1223) [Ans: 453] Try!
• Solve x²=1203 (mod 1223) [Ans: 375] Try!
• Solve x²=47 (mod 53) [Ans: 10] Try!
• Solve x²=209 (mod 1223) [No solution!] Try!
• Solve x²=888 (mod 1223) [No solution!] Try!
• Solve x²=39 (mod 13) [No solution!] Try!

Legendre (Le-jon-dra) symbol

In science, it is difficult to avoid Adrien-Marie Legendre, as there are so many things named after him: Fourier–Legendre series; Gauss–Legendre algorithm; Legendre chi function; Legendre duplication formula; Legendre–Papoulis filter; Legendre form; Legendre polynomials; Legendre sieve; Legendre symbol; Legendre transformation; Legendre wavelet; Legendre–Clebsch condition; Legendre–Fenchel transformation; Legendre’s constant; Legendrian knot; and Gamma function–Legendre formula.

And, so, where does Legedre help with your online security? Well, you will find his method used in elliptic curve methods, which are used to protect your online identity and the security of the communications that you have with this Web page. So, let’s look at the Legendre Symbol.

For this, we turn to Legendre, who, in 1798, defined the Legendre symbol. In the following, we will try and solve for the value of x, and also generate the Legendre symbol value [link]:

Solve x²=12 (mod 13)

With his method, we can determine that the answer is 8, as 64 (mod 13) is 12. Some sample code is [here]:

``` import sys import libnum def legendre_symbol(a, p): ls = pow(a, (p - 1) // 2, p) return -1 if ls == p - 1 else ls n=11 if (len(sys.argv)>1): n=int(sys.argv[1])

print ("Here are the Z*p (quadratic residues modulo n and coprime to n):") print ("\nJacobi symbol") for a in range(1, n): rtn= libnum.jacobi(a,n) if (rtn==1): print (a,end=', ')

print ("\nLegendre symbol") for a in range(1, n): rtn= legendre_symbol(a,n) if (rtn==1): print (a,end=', ') ```

A quadratic residue relates to the solving of the form: y=x² (mod n), and where we need to find values of y for different values of x, and for a given modulus (n). For n=11, we get Z∗p={1, 3, 4, 5, 9}. This is because, 1² (mod11)=1, 2² (mod11)=4, 3² (mod11)=9, 4² (mod11)=5, 5² (mod11)=3, 6² (mod11)=3, 7² (mod11)=5, 8² (mod11)=9, 9² (mod11)=4, and 10² (mod11)=1.

To find the quadratic residues for a given modulus, we can use the Jacobi symbol is:

and is defined as:

The legendre_symbol returns:

• 1. When a is a quadratic residue of p.
• -1. When a is a quadratic nonresidue of p.
• 1. When a shares a factor of p.

The Jacobi symbol was defined by Carl Gustav Jacob Jacobi as a generalized form of the Legendre symbol.

Elliptic Curves

While we have a trivial example here, we can use it for more complex ones, such as finding a point on the elliptic curve [here]. A sample run is:

Elliptic curve is: P-192 Finding elliptic point closest to: 1 Prime number: 6277101735386680763835789423207666416083908700390324961279 a,b -3 2455155546008943817740293915197451784769108058161191238065 (2, 1126956676167578795924565825825899020268914906345645360775L) (3, 2476168101441297080746512578325117519920374855425678540834L) (5, 936760824408609109609580731987662341845728162027345586443L) (6, 61374494507529673497365598443020935064779457192199494327L) (8, 1539168359597512271047259505090133446672063593980132990812L) (12, 3464753203279792192409824182683870253677262339932562461307L) (13, 3288234558942609973454802567986887155175778959720199156770L) (15, 4548834217212027584647316131131523554591911664904227806291L) (17, 2148916484007672061843886225501299518817815267521173400039L) (18, 1600977792967480259538850281480651298625682822208237361467L) (22, 1682016893107185458056834822961338463540516386180178478778L)

The code for this is [here]:

import math import sys import libnumdef legendre_symbol(a, p): ls = pow(a, (p - 1) // 2, p) return -1 if ls == p - 1 else ls def findit(start,p,a,b): x=start count=0 while True: val=((x*x*x) + a*x+ b) % p rtn= legendre_symbol(val, p) if (rtn==1): if (libnum.has_sqrtmod(val,{p: 1})): res=next(libnum.sqrtmod(val,{p: 1})) print(x,int(res)) count=count+1 x=x+1 if (count>20): return if (x-start>200): returnp = 2**256 - 2**224 + 2**192 + 2**96 - 1 a=-3 b=41058363725152142129326129780047268409114441015993725554835256314039467401291 startval=1 type="P-192"if (len(sys.argv)>1): startval=int(sys.argv[1])if (len(sys.argv)>2): type=str(sys.argv[2])if (type=="P-192"): p = 2**192-2**64-1 a=-3 b=2455155546008943817740293915197451784769108058161191238065if (type=="P-224"): b=18958286285566608000408668544493926415504680968679321075787234672564 p = 2**224 - 2**96 + 1 a=-3if (type=="P-256"): p = 2**256 - 2**224 + 2**192 + 2**96 - 1 a=-3 b=41058363725152142129326129780047268409114441015993725554835256314039467401291if (type=="P-384"): a=-3 b=27580193559959705877849011840389048093056905856361568521428707301988689241309860865136260764883745107765439761230575 p = 2**384 - 2**128 - 2**96 + 2**32 - 1 if (type=="Curve25519"): a=486662 b=1 p = 2**255 - 19 if (type=="secp256k1"): a=0 b=7 p = 2**256 - 2**32 - 977 if (type=="M-221"): a=117050 b=1 p = 2**221 - 3 if (type=="BN(2,254)"): a=0 b=2 p = 16798108731015832284940804142231733909889187121439069848933715426072753864723 if (type=="M-383"): a=2065150 b=1 p = 2**383 - 187 print("Elliptic curve is:\t\t",type) print("Finding elliptic point closest to:\t",startval) print("Prime number:\t\t\t",p) print("a,b",a,b) findit(startval,p,a,b)

By：Prof Bill Buchanan OBE Link：https://billatnapier.medium.com/cryptography-fundamentals-7-quadratic-residues-mod-n-8e7efc36f102

@ f296e355:c28d00bc

And so a large army met. The general asks the collected troops to arrange themselves into groups of 50. He counts that there are four troops left without a group. He then asks for groups of 60, and there are 14 left, and finally, he asks for groups of 70, and there are 24 left. The general stands up and tells the army that they are 187,000 strong. So how did the general do it?

```

army%50 4 army%60 14 army%70 24 print (army) 187000 ```

Solution: https://asecuritysite.com/principles_pub/crt02?val1=4,14,24&val2=50,60,70 Feel free to read all my articles on the anti-censorship long content platform yakihonne

The Chinese remainder theorem was first published by Chinese mathematician Sun Tzu. It determines a number x so that, when divided by some given divisors, leaves given remainders. As public key encryption typically involves this type of operation, CRT is well set up to help to crack encrypted messages. So what value will x equal in the following [Soln]:

The Chinese remainder theorem was first published by Chinese mathematician Sun Tzu. It determines a number x so that, when divided by some given divisors, leaves given remainders. As public key encryption typically involves this type of operation, CRT is well set up to help to crack encrypted messages. So what value will x equal in the following [Soln]:

x mod 3 = 2 x mod 5 = 3 x mod 7 = 2

The answer is 23, as 23 divided by 3 gives 21 remainder 2, 23 divided by 5 gives 4 remainder 3, and 23 divided by 7 gives 3 remainder 2.

CRT and RSA

If we capture enough RSA encrypted messages with the same e value and different modulus values (N), we can crack the message using Chinese Remainder Theorem (CRT). For example, if we have an e value of 3 we just need to capture three cipher messages to be able to recover the message.

In this case, we will use the following (where p1 and q1 generate N1, p2 and q2 generate N2 and p3 and q3 generate N3):

e=3, message=123456789123456, p1=1131701, q1=1131721, p2=1131727, q2=1131737, p3=1131749, q3=1131751

The run then gives:

eGCD of N values: 1 N1= 1280769787421 N2= 1280817319799 N3= 1280858062499 Message= 1234567891234 e= 3 Cipher1= 184224238921 Cipher2= 173356604414 Cipher3= 369941826218

The equations we have to solve are then:

M^e mod 1280769787421=184224238921 M^e mod 1280817319799=173356604414 M^e mod 1280858062499=369941826218

If we now use Chinese Remainder Theorem we get a result of:

Result (M^e) is: 188,1676,377,431,587,319,857,436,861,793,600,904

And then we just use: 10^(log10(M^e)/e)

and recover the message of 1234567891234

Try here.

A more detailed example is [here]:

N1= 20439437 N2= 20684303 N3= 20830087 Message= 1500000 e= 3 Cipher1= 6509102 Cipher2= 9683741 Cipher3= 3214286

=======Equations to solve======= M^e mod 20439437=6509102 M^e mod 20684303=9683741 M^e mod 20830087=3214286 ======Chinese Remainder Theorm Calc======== Result (M^e) is: 3375000000000000000 Calculated value of m is 1500000 Using 10^(log10(M^e)/e)

We can also use:

M=res**(1.0/3.0) M=libnum.nroot(res,3)

CRT is good, sometimes?

Well, in RSA, we can use Chinese Remainder Theory to simplify the decryption process. We will cover this in more detail when we look at RSA encryption. For now, all we can say that for RSA keys we also generate values of dQ, dP and InvQ to use CRT to speed up decryption.

Other attacks

CRT is a wide used cracking technique in cryptoanalysis. Werner Schindler [here] defined a timing attack on RSA which involves a factorization on the RSA-modulus if CRT has been used. The work goes back to 1996, when Arjen Lenstra defined an attack against an optimization (called the CRT). If a fault was generated in calculating a signature (using RSA-CRT optimization), the attacker could recover the associated private key from a signature. This is known as the “RSA-CRT key leak”.

Many systems have been immune from this attack as TLS did not use an RSA signature. Unfortunately, the forward security option in TLS is now being recommended, and this has re-introduced the problem.

Researchers at Red Hat [here] also now found many Web sites which were not hardened against this type of attack and found quite a few with RSA-CRT key leaks (none of which were code repositories). They found that the private key of a Web site can be leaked to the intruder, who can then decode all of the encrypted communications with the site and also impersonate it.

Forward secrecy is used with a key-exchange method and uses a session key which derives itself from a given set of long-term keys and which will not reveal the session key even in the long-term keys are breached.

How do we protect against this?

There are two ways to defend against this attack. The first is to make sure that e always exceeds the copies of messages that can be copied, and the other is to pad messages with random bits. In most applications, now e is 65,537.

By：Prof Bill Buchanan OBE Link：https://billatnapier.medium.com/cryptography-fundamentals-6-chinese-remainder-theory-ctr-2d1874943f15

@ ee11a5df:b76c4e49

Gossip: The HTTP Fetcher

Gossip is a desktop nostr client. This post is about the code that fetches HTTP resources.

Gossip fetches HTTP resources. This includes images, videos, nip05 json files, etc. The part of gossip that does this is called the fetcher.

We have had a fetcher for some time, but it was poorly designed and had problems. For example, it was never expiring items in the cache.

We've made a lot of improvements to the fetcher recently. It's pretty good now, but there is still room for improvement.

Caching

Our fetcher caches data. Each URL that is fetched is hashed, and the content is stored under a file in the cache named by that hash.

If a request is in the cache, we don't do an HTTP request, we serve it directly from the cache.

But cached data gets stale. Sometimes resources at a URL change. We generally check resources again after three days.

We save the server's ETag value for content, and when we check the content again we supply an If-None-Match header with the ETag so the server could respond with 304 Not Modified in which case we don't need to download the resource again, we just bump the filetime to now.

In the event that our cache data is stale, but the server gives us an error, we serve up the stale data (stale is better than nothing).

Queueing

We used to fire off HTTP GET requests as soon as we knew that we needed a resource. This was not looked on too kindly by servers and CDNs who were giving us either 403 Forbidden or 429 Too Many Requests.

So we moved into a queue system. The host is extracted from each URL, and each host is only given up to 3 requests at a time. If we want 29 images from the same host, we only ask for three, and the remaining 26 remain in the queue for next time. When one of those requests completes, we decrement the host load so we know that we can send it another request later.

We process the queue in an infinite loop where we wait 1200 milliseconds between passes. Passes take time themselves and sometimes must wait for a timeout. Each pass fetches potentially multiple HTTP resources in parallel, asynchronously. If we have 300 resources at 100 different hosts, three per host, we could get them all in a single pass. More likely a bunch of resources are at the same host, and we make multiple passes at it.

Timeouts

When we fetch URLs in parallel asynchronously, we wait until all of the fetches complete before waiting another 1200 ms and doing another loop. Sometimes one of the fetches times out. In order to keep things moving, we use short timeouts of 10 seconds for a connect, and 15 seconds for a response.

Handling Errors

Some kinds of errors are more serious than others. When we encounter these, we sin bin the server for a period of time where we don't try fetching from it until a specified period elapses.

@ ee11a5df:b76c4e49

Gossip: Switching to LMDB

Unlike a number of other nostr clients, Gossip has always cached events and related data in a local data store. Up until recently, SQLite3 has served this purpose.

SQLite3 offers a full ACID SQL relational database service.

Unfortunately however it has presented a number of downsides:

1. It is not as parallel as you might think.
2. It is not as fast as you might hope.
3. If you want to preserve the benefit of using SQL and doing joins, then you must break your objects into columns, and map columns back into objects. The code that does this object-relational mapping (ORM) is not trivial and can be error prone. It is especially tricky when working with different types (Rust language types and SQLite3 types are not a 1:1 match).
4. Because of the potential slowness, our UI has been forbidden from direct database access as that would make the UI unresponsive if a query took too long.
5. Because of (4) we have been firing off separate threads to do the database actions, and storing the results into global variables that can be accessed by the interested code at a later time.
6. Because of (4) we have been caching database data in memory, essentially coding for yet another storage layer that can (and often did) get out of sync with the database.

LMDB offers solutions:

1. It is highly parallel.
2. It is ridiculously fast when used appropriately.
3. Because you cannot run arbitrary SQL, there is no need to represent the fields within your objects separately. You can serialize/deserialize entire objects into the database and the database doesn't care what is inside of the blob (yes, you can do that into an SQLite field, but if you did, you would lose the power of SQL).
4. Because of the speed, the UI can look stuff up directly.
5. We no longer need to fork separate threads for database actions.
6. We no longer need in-memory caches of data. The LMDB data is already in-memory (it is memory mapped) so we just access it directly.

The one obvious downside is that we lose SQL. We lose the query planner. We cannot ask arbitrary question and get answers. Instead, we have to pre-conceive of all the kinds of questions we want to ask, and we have to write code that answers them efficiently. Often this involves building and maintaining indices.

Indices

Let's say I want to look at fiatjaf's posts. How do I efficiently pull out just his recent feed-related events in reverse chronological order? It is easy if we first construct the following index

key: EventKind + PublicKey + ReverseTime value: Event Id

In the above, '+' is just a concatenate operator, and ReverseTime is just some distant time minus the time so that it sorts backwards.

Now I just ask LMDB to start from (EventKind=1 + PublicKey=fiatjaf + now) and scan until either one of the first two fields change, or more like the time field gets too old (e.g. one month ago). Then I do it again for the next event kind, etc.

For a generalized feed, I have to scan a region for each person I follow.

Smarter indexes can be imagined. Since we often want only feed-related event kinds, that can be implicit in an index that only indexes those kinds of events.

You get the idea.

A Special Event Map

At first I had stored events into a K-V database under the Id of the event. Then I had indexes on events that output a set of Ids (as in the example above).

But when it comes to storing and retrieving events, we can go even faster than LMDB.

We can build an append-only memory map that is just a sequence of all the events we have, serialized, and in no particular order. Readers do not need a lock and multiple readers can read simultaneously. Writers will need to acquire a lock to append to the map and there may only be one writer at a time. However, readers can continue reading even while a writer is writing.

We can then have a K-V database that maps Id -> Offset. To get the event you just do a direct lookup in the event memory map at that offset.

The real benefit comes when we have other indexes that yield events, they can yield offsets instead of ids. Then we don't need to do a second lookup from the Id to the Event, we can just look directly at the offset.

Avoiding deserialization

Deserialization has a price. Sometimes it requires memory allocation (if the object is not already linear, e.g. variable lengthed data like strings and vectors are allocated on the heap) which can be very expensive if you are trying to scan 150,000 or so events.

We serialize events (and other objects where we can) with a serialization library called speedy. It does its best to preserve the data much like it is represented in memory, but linearized. Because events start with fixed-length fields, we know the offset into the serialized event where these first fields occur and we can directly extract the value of those fields without deserializing the data before it.

This comes in useful whenever we need to scan a large number of events. Search is the one situation where I know that we must do this. We can search by matching against the content of every feed-related event without fully deserialing any of them.

@ ee11a5df:b76c4e49

Gossip: Zaps

Gossip is a desktop nostr client. This post is about the code that lets users send lightning zaps to each other (NIP-57).

Gossip implemented Zaps initially on 20th of June, 2023.

Gossip maintains a state of where zapping is at, one of: None, CheckingLnurl, SeekingAmount, LoadingInvoice, and ReadyToPay.

When you click the zap lightning bolt icon, Gossip moves to the CheckingLnurl state while it looks up the LN URL of the user.

If this is successful, it moves to the SeekingAmount state and presents amount options to the user.

Once a user chooses an amount, it moves to the LoadingInvoice state where it interacts with the lightning node and receives and checks an invoice.

Once that is complete, it moves to the ReadyToPay state, where it presents the invoice as a QR code for the user to scan with their phone. There is also a copy button so they can pay it from their desktop computer too.

Gossip also loads zap receipt events and associates them with the event that was zapped, tallying a zap total on that event. Gossip is unfortunately not validating these receipts very well currently, so fake zap receipts can cause an incorrect total to show. This remains an open issue.

Another open issue is the implementation of NIP-46 Nostr Connect and NIP-47 Wallet Connect.

@ 9ecbb0e7:06ab7c09

Una paciente residente en Santiago de Cuba que ha sido sometida a 24 operaciones quirúrgicas denunció que las autoridades sanitarias de la provincia se han desentendido de su caso.

Bricella Hernández Medina, de 46 años, contó al portal independiente Cubanet que padece el Virus del Papiloma Humano y ha sido operada en numerosas ocasiones sin que advierta alguna mejoría en su calidad de vida, la cual conlleva gastos que no puede asumir, como la compra de pañales desechables para adultos.

Aunque ha reclamado en numerosas ocasiones atención médica y ayuda humanitaria para mejorar su vivienda y comprar los insumos médicos que necesita, no ha obtenido respuesta.

Producto de las intervenciones la mujer sufre de incontinencia urinaria y tiene una pensión de 1500 pesos que no le alcanza ni para comprar los pañales, afirmó.

Hace algún tiempo la paciente, que antes era trabajadora de Salud Pública fue diagnosticada con displasia moderada, una patología provocada por el virus, y no pudo seguir trabajando.

Desde entonces ha sufrido cinco perforaciones de la vejiga y la vagina: "Sobrevivo con una chequera de 1.500 pesos que solo me da para un paquete de pamper. Soy diabética, hipertensa, colitis, gastroparesia, trombofilia, acalasia esofágica, una hernia grande, más la incontinencia urinaria grado 3 que me consume la vida", explicó.

Dijo que ya no sabe qué hacer para mejorar su calidad de vida y que "es insólito que no allá un dirigente o alguien que se responsabilice con mi problema de salud", subrayó Hernández Medina.

Denuncias similares abundan en las redes sociales de internautas cubanos. Recientemente trascendió el caso de una joven madre cubana aquejada de seis hernias abdominales que carecía de atención médica especializada en el municipio holguinero de Cacocum.

La mujer padece fuertes dolores que deben aliviar sus vecinos y solo a través de las denuncias públicas las autoridades la visitaron en su vivienda.

@ 6389be64:ef439d32

Black Locust can grow up to 170 ft tall

Grows 3-4 ft. per year

Native to North America

Cold hardy in zones 3 to 8

Soil pH of between 6.0 and 7.0.

Firewood

• BLT wood, on a pound for pound basis is roughly half that of Anthracite Coal
• Since its growth is fast, firewood can be plentiful

Timber

• Rot resistant due to a naturally produced robinin in the wood
  • 100 year life span in full soil contact! (better than cedar performance)
  • Fence posts
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Outdoor decking
• Sustainable due to its fast growth and spread
  • Can be coppiced (cut to the ground)
  • Can be pollarded (cut above ground)
• Its dense wood makes durable tool handles, boxes (tool), and furniture
  • The wood is tougher than hickory, which is tougher than hard maple, which is tougher than oak.
  • A very low rate of expansion and contraction
  • Hardwood flooring
  • The highest tensile beam strength of any American tree
• The wood is beautiful

Legume

• Nitrogen fixer
  • Fixes the same amount of nitrogen per acre as is needed for 200-bushel/acre corn
  • Black walnuts inter-planted with locust as “nurse” trees were shown to rapidly increase their growth [[Clark, Paul M., and Robert D. Williams. (1978) Black walnut growth increased when interplanted with nitrogen-fixing shrubs and trees. Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science, vol. 88, pp. 88-91.]]

Bees

• The edible flower clusters are also a top food source for honey bees

Shade Provider

• Its light, airy overstory provides dappled shade
  • Planted on the west side of a garden it provides relief during the hottest part of the day
  • (nitrogen provider)
  • Planted on the west side of a house, its quick growth soon shades that side from the sun

Wind-break

• Fast growth plus it's feathery foliage reduces wind for animals, crops, and shelters

Fodder

• [[Baertsche, S.R, M.T. Yokoyama, and J.W. Hanover (1986) Short rotation, hardwood tree biomass as potential ruminant feed-chemical composition, nylon bag ruminal degradation and ensilement of selected species. J. Animal Sci. 63 2028-2043]]
• Over 20% crude protein
• 4.1 kcal/g of energy

@ 9ecbb0e7:06ab7c09

Los cubanos Oreste González, de 33 años, y Roberto Moreno, de 19 años, fueron detenidos el pasado miércoles en cayo Maratón, por estar presuntamente relacionados con un caso de tráfico de personas desde la Isla hacia Estados Unidos.

La Oficina del Sheriff del condado de Monroe informó que los presuntos traficantes de personas quedaron bajo custodia luego de que se emitiera una orden de arresto por un incidente ocurrido el pasado 21 de julio, cuando un bote quedó varado cerca del islote por falta de gasolina.

Al ser interceptada la embarcación, los guardacostas descubrieron a bordo 23 personas oriundas de Cuba, además de los sospechosos, quienes registran un año de estancia en territorio estadounidense.

El navío desde tiempo atrás se encontraba involucrado en incidentes e interacciones con la policía. González y Moreno ahora enfrentan cargos relacionados con el contrabando de inmigrantes a territorio estadounidense.

En el mismo comunicado, la oficina enfatizó la importancia de investigar y perseguir los casos de tráfico de personas hacia el país norteamericano. “La interceptación de este bote resalta la necesidad de mantener la vigilancia y la cooperación con otras agencias para prevenir actividades ilegales en el mar”, indicaron las autoridades.

@ 5b8a50e6:bf7c189e

The Weekend #151—The most successful story ever told

(https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F044687aa-4d28-487c-8b01-5c91bef64b5a_1988x1508.jpeg)

Sapiens author Yuval Harari was on the Lex Fridman podcast (https://youtu.be/Mde2q7GFCrw) the other week, where he reasserted his claim about money (https://youtu.be/Ezne9sG3pZc):

“Money is the most successful story ever told. Much more successful than any religious mythology. Not everybody believes in God or in the same God, but almost everybody believes in money even though it’s just a figment of our imagination. You take these green pieces of paper, dollars, they have no value. You can’t eat them. You can’t drink them. And today, most dollars aren’t even pieces of paper. They are just electronic information passing between computers.”

Of course, in the context of the U.S. dollar, having the world’s largest economy and most powerful military certainly helps with telling a more convincing story.

And things like debt and inflation are part of that story.

It’s a story that enables global cooperation but also global competition.

Its story, poorly told, can result in societal ruin. Properly told and there’s the potential for economic prosperity.

For the weekend, here’s the story of money in just ten minutes (via Greg Kidd):

The asterisk here is that, today, the story of money is in flux. Amid the rise of crypto and stablecoins, governments around the world are investigating ways to digitize that story.

When stories evolve, new rules are sometimes necessary.

Here in the U.S., a bill outlining a regulatory framework for crypto achieved a new milestone (https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-crypto-ffb85024-3435-401f-b1c1-fcb67a3ceb3b.html)—an actual vote in Congress. (It passed 35-15.)

But crypto is sort of money adjacent. A stablecoin bill looks to be delayed—perhaps because it hits a bit closer to home. Some are blaming the White House (https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2023/07/27/white-house-derailed-negotiation-on-us-house-stablecoin-bill-mchenry/). Others, banks (https://www.theblock.co/post/241585/financial-services-chair-pushes-back-on-bank-criticism-of-stablecoin-bill). Mapping out a new story can be contentious.

Then you have Sam Altman, the same guy who brought us ChatGPT. He wants to give you his version of money for free. As long as you scan your iris (https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/cryptocurrency/what-is-worldcoin/) to prove you’re a unique human. While the Worldcoin story is more about authentication, today’s story of money is often linked with identity.

Whatever the case may be, we are in the midst of writing a new chapter for the most successful story ever told.

Elsewhere in the story of money, here’s Calvin Burrows:

What happened with the stablecoin bill?

• Bipartisan support for the bill broke down in Thursday’s session between House lawmakers on the Financial Services Committee, with Democrats requesting to postpone voting until they have a chance to amend the bill.

• From Coindesk: (https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2023/07/27/white-house-derailed-negotiation-on-us-house-stablecoin-bill-mchenry/) “During the debate, Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) suggested voting be postponed to September, saying Democrats hadn’t had sufficient chance to pitch their ideas. Maxine Waters backed up that request, asking McHenry to consider working on it through the August recess of Congress and coming back to finish it after the break.”

• Rep. Patrick McHenry, the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, blamed the White House for the stalemate without specifying which specific provisions were points of disagreement. From Decrypt: (https://decrypt.co/150339/stablecoin-bill-stymied-house-financial-services-chair-blames-white-house) “A bipartisan deal was within reach," said McHenry. "It was the White House’s unwillingness to compromise that has once again brought negotiations to a halt."

Why did banks object to the bill?

• The bill also received push back from a consortium of banks and credit unions who sent two separate letters to the House Financial Services Committee last week. Their primary concern was that the legislation would allow state financial regulators to approve the issuance of new stablecoins.

• The American Bankers Association (https://www.aba.com/) (ABA) and state bankers associations wrote (https://www.aba.com/-/media/documents/letters-to-congress-and-regulators/072123-joint-aba-state-association-stablecoin-letter.pdf?rev=0d4c86ba7a8c47c8b7fe7ad8e171a4c8), “We urge the Committee to apply the same level of Federal oversight to state-licensed stablecoin issuers as is currently applied to state-chartered banks in order to limit the risk of charter arbitrage.”

• The ABA, Consumer Bankers Association (https://www.consumerbankers.com/) and Credit Union National Association (https://www.cuna.org/) said in a separate letter (https://www.aba.com/-/media/documents/letters-to-congress-and-regulators/07192023-joint-trade-stablecoin-letter.pdf?rev=f7b2a0cf71ca4e9798281983c0570b7c), “Stablecoin issuers effectively create a new form of private money, which has clear monetary policy implications and should be subject to federal oversight that ensures financial stability and consumer protection.”

https://hardyaka.substack.com/p/the-weekend-151the-most-successful

@ 9ecbb0e7:06ab7c09

David Alejandro Morcate, cubano asesinado por un guardia en una discoteca en Nicaragua, resultó ser un presunto defraudador buscado por la justicia estadounidense. Nuevos detalles sobre este caso indican que se encuentra vinculado a estafas con tarjetas de crédito, informó Telemundo 51.

El originario de Santiago de Cuba murió asfixiado luego de ser neutralizado momentos después de agredir a una mujer, quien resultó ser su novia, identificada con el nombre de Alison Mendoza, de 21 años. Este hecho ocurrió el pasado fin de semana en Managua, capital del país centroamericano.

Un video del incidente muestra el momento en que Morcate agredió violentamente a su pareja. Alertados por los gritos, el guardia de seguridad y otros hombres intervinieron para detener la agresión. Sin embargo, al aplicarle una llave al cuello, la fuerza empleada resultó en la asfixia del agresor.

El movimiento es conocido como “popo” o “mataleón”, que consiste en el uso del brazo para aplicar una presión al cuello del oponente con el objetivo de restringir el flujo de sangre y aire hacia el cerebro, lo que puede provocar una pérdida rápida del conocimiento.

El empleo de esta técnica puede ser muy peligroso y mortal si no se realiza adecuadamente o si se mantiene durante demasiado tiempo. Por ello, se encuentra prohibida en contextos deportivos e incluso en corporaciones policiales.

Morcate se encontraba prófugo de la justicia estadounidense, que lo buscaba por su implicación en una red de estafas vinculadas al robo de información de tarjetas de crédito. Las autoridades lo habían arrestado en el 2020 junto a otros miembros de una organización criminal que operaba desde 2018 en tiendas y casinos de California.

Según las investigaciones, los acusados habían robado alrededor de 16.000 dólares utilizando dispositivos conocidos como skimmers en gasolineras para obtener los datos de las tarjetas de crédito de sus víctimas.

En el 2021, Morcate llegó a Nicaragua, pero su presencia no pasó desapercibida. Su pareja, Alison Mendoza, se pronunció en redes sociales revelando que había sido víctima de constantes agresiones y amenazas de muerte por parte de él, aunque nunca denunció los abusos ante las autoridades.

Tras el trágico incidente, la Policía Nicaragüense arrestó al guardia de seguridad, identificado como Silvio Alberto Martínez. Las autoridades están investigando el caso en profundidad para determinar si actuó de manera adecuada y si se encontraba en su deber de proteger a los clientes de la discoteca.

@ 57fe4c4a:c3a0271f

👥 Authors: Tom Trevethan ( nostr:npub1axshsyxsl3vasj4z9549rvwdvhjmh52fw0ayj3ghtmdezx8cnuxqlwyw7n )

📅 Messages Date: 2023-07-27

✉️ Message Count: 1

📚 Total Characters in Messages: 1590

Messages Summaries

✉️ Message by Tom Trevethan on 27/07/2023: The sender of a coin can mitigate the attack by verifying the construction of previous challenges, ensuring the coin's validity.

Follow nostr:npub15g7m7mrveqlpfnpa7njke3ccghmpryyqsn87vg8g8eqvqmxd60gqmx08lk for full threads

@ 57fe4c4a:c3a0271f

📝 Summary: A version of 2-of-2 Schnorr Musig2 is being implemented for statechains, with the server fully blinded. Concerns are raised about the vulnerability of the scheme's single R per party. The discussion revolves around the security of blind MuSig schemes, potential attacks on nonces and challenges, and the need for proof of knowledge of signing keys. Alternative approaches for blind Schnorr signatures are proposed.

👥 Authors: • Erik Aronesty ( nostr:npub1y22yec0znyzw8qndy5qn5c2wgejkj0k9zsqra7kvrd6cd6896z4qm5taj0 ) • Jonas Nick ( nostr:npub1at3pav59gkeqz9kegzqhk2v4j4r435x42ytf23pxs8crt74tuc8s2y3z5a ) • ZmnSCPxj ( nostr:npub1g5zswf6y48f7fy90jf3tlcuwdmjn8znhzaa4vkmtxaeskca8hpss23ms3l ) • Tom Trevethan ( nostr:npub1axshsyxsl3vasj4z9549rvwdvhjmh52fw0ayj3ghtmdezx8cnuxqlwyw7n ) • Lloyd Fournier ( nostr:npub1khlhcuz0jrjwa0ayznq2q9agg4zvxfvx5x7jljrvwnpfzngrcf0q7y05yp ) • Andrew Poelstra ( nostr:npub1ae27kq6z802dkqw4ey4dgdx493szm8dpmcm76d7vt0ma9gf6fj4svz5t04 ) • AdamISZ ( nostr:npub1nv7tjpn2g8tvt8qfq5ccyl00ucfcu98ch998sq4g5xp65vy6fc4sykqw2t )

📅 Messages Date Range: 2023-07-24 to 2023-07-27

✉️ Message Count: 23

📚 Total Characters in Messages: 65026

Messages Summaries

✉️ Message by Tom Trevethan on 24/07/2023: A version of 2-of-2 Schnorr Musig2 is being implemented for statechains, where the server is fully blinded and does not learn certain information. The security relies on the server reporting the number of partial signatures generated and verifying the signatures client-side. The protocol operates by generating private and public keys, aggregating the public keys, generating nonces, computing challenges, and creating the final signature. In the case of blinding for party 1, key aggregation and nonce aggregation are performed by party 2, and party 1 does not learn the final signature or the message being signed.

✉️ Message by ZmnSCPxj on 24/07/2023: MuSig2 requires multiple R points, preventing certain attacks. The recipient questions if the scheme's single R per party is vulnerable.

✉️ Message by Erik Aronesty on 24/07/2023: The text discusses the implementation of a version of 2-of-2 Schnorr Musig2 for statechains, where the server is fully blinded. The security relies on the server reporting the number of partial signatures generated and verifying the full set of signatures client-side. The protocol involves generating private and public keys, aggregating the public keys, and signing a message using nonces.

✉️ Message by Jonas Nick on 24/07/2023: The text discusses concerns about the proposed scheme for blind music and suggests an alternative approach that may be worth exploring.

✉️ Message by Erik Aronesty on 24/07/2023: The email discusses the potential vulnerabilities of a proposed scheme and suggests an alternative approach that may be worth exploring.

✉️ Message by Jonas Nick on 24/07/2023: The meaning and connection between "posk" and the attack remains unclear and undefined.

✉️ Message by Jonas Nick on 24/07/2023: Party 1 is unable to determine the final value of (R, s1+s2) or m, but a blinding step may be missing, allowing the server to scan the blockchain for signatures and compute corresponding hashes to check for a match.

✉️ Message by Tom Trevethan on 24/07/2023: The current statechain protocol requires the sender to sign the statechain with their public key, preventing rogue key attacks and ensuring server cooperation for spending.

✉️ Message by Tom Trevethan on 24/07/2023: The sender acknowledges that the full scheme should have multiple nonces and compute b, but it doesn't change the approach to blinding.

✉️ Message by AdamISZ on 24/07/2023: Wagner's attack is discussed in the conversation, and it is suggested that using the 3rd round of MuSig1 can help avoid it. There are also discussions about blind signing schemes and the need for proof of a well-formed signing request.

✉️ Message by Erik Aronesty on 25/07/2023: The discussion is about the security of the blind MuSig scheme and the potential vulnerabilities it may have.

✉️ Message by Tom Trevethan on 25/07/2023: The v=2 nonces signing protocol of musig2 prevents the Wagner attack. The challenge value c must be blinded from the server to prevent signature determination.

✉️ Message by Erik Aronesty on 26/07/2023: The author suggests that whenever a public key is transmitted, it should come with a "proof of secret key" to prevent vulnerabilities.

✉️ Message by Andrew Poelstra on 26/07/2023: POSK (proof of secret key) is not a perfect solution for preventing rogue key attacks and has logistical difficulties in implementation.

✉️ Message by Jonas Nick on 26/07/2023: Attacks on nonces and challenges cannot be prevented by proving knowledge of the signing key (proof of possession, PoP).

✉️ Message by Tom Trevethan on 26/07/2023: Proving knowledge of the r values used in generating each R can prevent the Wagner attack, not signing or secret keys.

✉️ Message by Erik Aronesty on 26/07/2023: The email discusses attacks on nonces and challenges in cryptography and the need for proof of knowledge of signing keys to prevent them.

✉️ Message by Tom Trevethan on 24/07/2023: The sender is discussing with Jonas the need for a method to blind the value of c in order to prevent the server from learning the value of m.

✉️ Message by Jonas Nick on 26/07/2023: Blind Schnorr signatures can solve the issue of blinding, but not the problem of client-controlled forged signatures. Recent work proposes alternative approaches for blind Schnorr signatures.

✉️ Message by AdamISZ on 26/07/2023: The protocol described in the text is an interesting idea for incorporating 2FA authentication into blind signing. However, there may be vulnerabilities in the protocol that need to be addressed.

✉️ Message by Lloyd Fournier on 27/07/2023: The text discusses the need for a secure blind schnorr signing service and the potential attacks that can occur without proof of knowledge of the signing key.

✉️ Message by Jonas Nick on 27/07/2023: Proof of knowledge of the r values used in Wagner's attack does not prevent the attack. The attacker chooses the r values.

✉️ Message by AdamISZ on 27/07/2023: Attacker gains control of client machine and privkey, waits for user to do 2FA on a transaction, modifies nonce, steals money.

Follow nostr:npub15g7m7mrveqlpfnpa7njke3ccghmpryyqsn87vg8g8eqvqmxd60gqmx08lk for full threads

@ 5ada3677:7c21c9db

小城，最好還是老城，便有趣而且有味，宜逛，亦宜居。

Bilbao畢爾巴鄂，西班牙北方的珠玉小城，剛巧，便是如此的佳美之地，富裕安詳，亦古亦新，一派與世無爭的鬆和糯，人稱西班牙的小瑞士。

小城的清晨，三步一間五步再一間，小小的咖啡舖和麵包房，7:30就熱氣騰騰紛紛開門，堪比上海延慶路口的大餅油條舖。煮咖啡給你、遞新鮮麵包給你的，大多是精神抖擻朝氣蓬勃的老阿姨老爺叔。這一點，比京都優秀得多，京都基本上十點半以前，只有星巴克麥當勞會理你。

晨起步去老城，食早餐。Bilbao是14世紀古城，600年歷史，不算很長，狠是狠在一切宛然都在，600年歷歷在目地在那裡，這就夠你歎為觀止，一邊散步一邊啊啊啊不絕如縷了。

古城的廣場，宏闊堅實，此地當年的不可一世，可以想見。廊道裡密密麻麻開著一圈小館子，坐下吃咖啡，再吃兩件清早剛剛做起來的點心Pintxo，彷彿香港人清早茶樓裡的一盅兩件，小館子裡亦備有三四種免費報紙，供你以古老的方式瞭解國內外大事小事。坐在晨光裡，與600年同在，滋味是很厚很不錯的。

左右隔桌的食客，皆是本地人，不太有遊客。兩位老婦人，一對老閨蜜，一個食甜奶油麵包，一個食火腿奶酪麵包，姐妹們食得涇渭分明，身材倒是沒有很大的差距，正常的老婦人的微胖樣子。食甜奶油麵包的老婦人，剖開麵包，拿餐刀刮走一半甜奶油，只食剩下的一半甜奶油。坐輪椅的老人亦常見，自己一個人默默駕駛著萬能的輪椅，來吃咖啡喂鴿子會老朋友。

食飽早餐，晃晃老城。麻煩的是，城中百年老店比比皆是，要是每一間百年老店都推門進去看一眼，那簡直是要寸步難行的了。

包子帶我去看一間手工做傘的百年老店，立在街角，很小一個舖子。進門，是鋪天蓋地的傘，每一柄傘，皆婷婷玉立，漂亮得如同一襲華美的旗袍。我像個鄉下人，立在店堂裡長吁短嘆。

女主人請我們母子去後面的作坊白相，年深日久的工作台上，累累的歲月痕跡，包漿燦然，無語沉默。滿牆的工具，以及桌面上一厚摞古典音樂唱片。女主人打開一柄又一柄傘，講給我們聽，傘骨是碳纖維的，所以很輕。碳纖維的自行車我見過，碳纖維的傘，我是第一次見識到。百年老店的時髦，超出了我的想像。問女主人，這麼美的傘面，是哪裡來的呢？女主人講，義大利來的，專門的設計師設計的。怪不得品味高華得讓人尖叫。女主人講了很多傘的小知識給我們聽，比如，各種場合用各種不同的傘；比如，一柄好傘，講究是講究在哪些細節裡。然後憂心忡忡了一下，你說，今後的天氣，會不會雨越下越少、傘越來越不需要了？我趕緊安慰她，不會不會，我剛從梅雨淋漓的上海來，你可以去上海開分店。女主人另一個憂心，是她的兩個兒子，都沒有學做傘。你有一個兒子，我有兩個，可惜兩個都沒有學家族手藝，一個兒子在交響樂團拉琴，另一個在做社會工作。怪不得工作台上一大摞的古典音樂唱片。這個舖子，傳了三代人了，現在，政府也在幫忙找繼承人。

如此一柄傘，售價大約在600元人民幣左右。

  一個清晨，吃了一盅兩件、看了百年老店、學了一堆傘知識。赴一座小城，需要很多的光陰，以及很好的腳力。

小城Bilbao的七月，正午攝氏二十四度的涼爽，日落遲至夜晚八九點的長日永晝。

這個就是巴斯克人的little darling，早餐和午後點心的人見人愛，小甜奶油麵包，像上海人的甜大餅

以上圖片來自下面這本書

下面是Bilbao老城百年傘舖的照片

夏日拾珠系列在這裡

nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exqenjvpc8q6nxvfhqyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823c83ac7g
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nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exqenjvfcxscnqd3nqyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823czmjr4k
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nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exq6nxdfkxv6rqdp5qyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823c42u6cr
nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exq6nxdfexqerzdejqyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823cawzeyh

@ 75bf2353:e1bfa895

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@ 5ada3677:7c21c9db

徽菜品粹，於巨鹿路899號，那個洋樓林立的著名大院子裡，靜靜開一間新館子，治盧州菜。

盧州菜是徽菜五個支脈裡的一支，以合肥菜為底子，格局是徽菜裡的官府菜，文人氣息濃厚，滋味柔淡一點徽菜的沖，亦不淪陷到南人的軟甜無度裡，獨標一幟，非常別致。

上海吃客有福，於舊租界的維多利亞小樓裡，得以領略醬香富饒、回味深厚的盧州菜。如果被當代文豪、名優們頻頻寫入日記筆記裡，再過幾十年翻翻故紙，恐怕大有我們如今翻閱魯迅日記、梁實秋小品、張愛玲散文以及馬連良回憶錄的情狀，口水洶湧氾濫。

禪衣素方，以腐衣交疊壓制，成方磚塊，點鮮椒醬與XO醬，於馥郁豆香裡，層疊醬香，一方入口，十分滿足。

徽菜代表作，除了刀板香，還有錢串，以五花肉融醬料醃製、風乾、熏烤，一路古法手段，瘦者不老，肥者不膩，是徽人過年必備，曬製時候形狀彷彿銅錢，所以討個口彩，錢串。

品粹的招牌之一，肥西老母雞湯，每次上桌都顛倒眾生不已，無非雞好、山泉水好，足火三個小時的耐心。說說是容易的，每次都好到食客驚艷，背後自然是無窮的精控。做一天好人好事不難，難的是做一輩子好人好事。每次飲到品粹的絕色雞湯，都在心裡致敬不已。

紅燒菜，中國人都是愛不釋手的，海外華人思鄉最慘烈，也是這一口紅燒。以前讀小澤征爾的自傳，寫他早年離開日本，遠赴歐美學藝術，窮哈哈的留學生，最渴望的，是家裡郵寄一點梅子乾和味噌來。中國人思念醬油湯淘飯，日本人思念味噌湯，都是胃裡的酸鹼度在作怪。

回來說紅燒，紅燒菜裡的天花板，是紅燒甲魚大概沒有人會反對。品粹的紅燒甲魚，真是輝煌之作，甲魚選得上乘，紅燒燒得正確。食剩的甲魚湯汁，回鍋炒個飯，涓滴不浪費，多好。

李鴻章大雜燴，是打遍天下很能打的名菜，華洋通吃，人見人愛，全世界唐人街廣受歡迎的名餚。品粹治得精，參、鮑、菌熔於一燴，十分過癮，堪稱徽版佛跳牆。

將軍菜乾燉紅燒肉，根底是盧州菜裡的官府扣肉，將軍菜是安徽一味山野菜，炸過之後，與五花豬肉一起，瓦罐慢燉三個鐘，上桌顫顫抖抖，腴美無匹，饞煞老饕。

這些年，一些上海食客並不熟悉的菜系，頻頻在我城響亮起來，台州菜是一種，徽菜也是其一。這些菜系的蓬勃，跟默默深耕的領軍人物有莫大的關係。品粹徽菜的主理人陳政師傅，多年尋訪徽州各地，熟透支支脈脈，每季都有精彩菜單，十分了得。

品粹這家新店，品粹近安，有滋有味於巨鹿路。

@ 5ada3677:7c21c9db

西班牙北部的巴斯克自治區的首府，vitoria gasteiz，今天是傳統節日，萬人空巷，感人肺腑。

滿街是穿著傳統節日服飾的巴斯克男女，小朋友們都是從頭打扮到腳。

包子跟我說，《黃帝內經》上講的，美其食，任其服，樂其俗，此時此刻都齊了。

850年歷史的古都，1813年威靈頓公爵曾經在此擊潰了拿破崙，這個雕塑，就是在紀念這宗偉業。

古都的摩登，也歷歷可見。

這些攝人心魄的雄偉氣概，圖片難以言喻，身臨其境，滋味完全不同。

如今，此地是一個人口不過20多萬的小城。    

從Bilbao坐車過去，50分鐘車程，一路風景如畫，青山蒼翠欲滴，牧場綿延如歌。沒有堵車，沒有氣喘吁吁的貨櫃大車成陣。晚上八點離開Vitoria，回到家剛好九點，天邊還有一抹彤雲未退盡，感慨萬千的古都一日。                                                                                  

夏日拾珠系列在這裡

nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exqenjvpc8q6nxvfhqyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823c83ac7g
nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exqenjvfjx5ur2wpeqyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823c8mrqrm
nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exqenjvf4x5ervd33qyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823cdqaveh
nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exqenjvfcxscnqd3nqyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823czmjr4k
nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exqenjv33xqunjwphqyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823c0ggymy
nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exq6nxdfkxv6rqdp5qyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823c42u6cr

@ 5ada3677:7c21c9db

傍晚散步去Bilbao的美術館，一棟嚴整清俊的老房子，離家七、八分鐘的步程，每天開到晚上八點，這個時間表，非常西班牙。     入門氣概非凡，空間奢侈，通體白色大理石的台階，華美無比。廳堂內種種雕塑，星辰散落，水平實在是高，無論是雕塑本身，還是陳列手段，都高度舒服。

Bilbao街頭，雕塑比比皆是，隨便捏捏，都是活龍活現深入靈魂的佳品，這個東西，實在是玩不過人家。

一間展廳裡，有西班牙名畫家Joaquin Sorolla 的幾幅作品，非常眩目，光影出神入化，深得印象派真傳，旁邊幾幅素描小稿，了了幾筆，隨便搨搨，神得不得了，一舉看呆過去。

孤陋寡聞，第一次看見這位畫家的作品，回家一邊吃晚飯，一邊猛烈學習。

1863年至1923年的西班牙畫家，活了六十歲，非常多產，存世有2000件作品。兩歲時候父母染霍亂雙亡，被姨夫收留扶養長大，姨夫是鎖匠，跟美術毫無淵源。這位Sorolla是在巴黎學藝成功，學得印象派精髓，一路順風順水，他的作品曾經在美國十分熱賣，至今收藏他作品最多的，除了馬德里的Sorolla美術館，就是美國的兩間博物館，聖路易斯和芝加哥。

這幅《母親》，太贊了。畫家藝高膽大，下筆雋永，太厲害。

下面這幅是他非常拿手的題材，海灘嬉戲，不用說，好得不得了。

再下面一幅，亦好，是他的孩子們。

這兩幅是太太的畫像和自畫像，

再來兩幅。

下次去馬德里，要去看看他的故居做成的美術館。

今晚美術館裡的一件裝置，空靈優雅，靜悄悄，飄在屋裡。

包子回家路上問我，覺得美術館如何，我說很享受。美術館本身的建築非常妥貼，像個美術館的樣子。展品不多，但是很精，特別是佈展空靈，沒有物擠物的緊迫，也沒有人擠人的困苦，如此才是一個像樣美術館的格局。

美術館最珍貴的，不是展品，是氣息。

我們還在堆積展品的階段，拎幾個如雷貫耳的大畫家，就得意非凡大排長隊了，離開談論氣息，還很遠。

再來一幅。

家門口的美術館，晚飯前過去走走看看，惜福。

夏日拾珠系列在這裡

nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exqenjvpc8q6nxvfhqyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823c83ac7g
nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exqenjvfjx5ur2wpeqyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823c8mrqrm
nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exqenjvf4x5ervd33qyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823cdqaveh
nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exqenjvfcxscnqd3nqyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823czmjr4k
nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exqenjv33xqunjwphqyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823c0ggymy

@ f821179b:ed4fd022

Damus is specifically an iOS application, not a web client. As it stands, it's the most favored method for accessing Nostr and beginning your exploration. Damus never ceases to improve, enhancing its application with each successive update. The zaps once coursed freely via Damus, but Apple Inc.'s intervention disrupted this flow, causing a noticable dip in the number of zaps.

Just in case you're not in the know, Apple issued a stern warning to the makers of the popular iOS app 'Damus.' The tech giant threatened to expel the app from their App Store unless the 'zaps' functionality, associated with posted notes, was removed. The rationale provided was vaguely along the lines of 'a requirement for Apple Pay integration.' Consequently, Damus took the requisite steps, adjusting the app to ensure its continued availability to the wider audience on the App Store.

t didn't take long for the ingenious minds populating the Nostr community to devise a workaround that didn't "violate" any of Apple's "policies." Hence, ZapplePay was born. This astute website enables users to link their GetAlby wallet to their Nostr accounts, which in turn provides a seamless ability to zap anyone from any Nostr client using their favorite emoji as the trigger. If you're interested in learning more about ZapplePay and how to set it up, take a look at this YEGHRO blog post for a comprehensive, yet easy-to-follow guide.

With that, the flow of zaps is back, reaching new heights. If you're a fan of data and statistics, Nostr.Band is a great resource for a visual take on what's going on in the Nostr network. Just hit their 'Stats' tab.

The brilliant minds behind Nostr have thus far tackled every obstacle thrown their way. I, for one, am curious and eager to see what challenge they will conquer next.

Stay calm and Zap on.

@ 9e915942:f8133dec

I find myself spending more and more time on nostr, a decentralized social networking protocol. Here’s why.

The problem (as if you didn't already know)

I’ve long been frustrated with social media platforms. They have the same incentives - increase time on site - primarily because of the ad model for revenue.

This model incentivizes them to collect as much data as possible about their users.

It incentivizes them to develop algorithms that drive “engagement,” which just means clicks and attention.

It incentivizes tribalism.

It incentivizes binary thinking (us/them, black/white, with us or against us, etc.).

To increase followers and reach, users are incentivized to play into the algorithm, creating a positive feedback loop - outrageous posts amplified by the algo incentivizes similar posts.

Social media companies can use the algorithm to promote perspectives they support and down rank perspectives they disagree with.

Governments and intelligence agencies are increasingly pressuring social media companies to do their bidding.

CEOs of these companies have an incredible amount of power to control speech, as we’re seeing with Elon.

I could go on. My point is that we need something different. Something that is built around different incentives. Something that makes it difficult to censor speech and users simply because they have an unpopular viewpoint. Something that a government or CEO can't simply turn off.

Enter nostr

Nostr appears to fix many of these things at the protocol level. (To understand this, consider email. Email is built on a protocol. Countless “clients” can leverage this protocol. I can use Gmail, you can use Yahoo mail, and we can still communicate with each other. The same is true for Nostr, except not only can we still communicate using different clients, we can use our username with any client. It would be like getting sick of Gmail and switching to Yahoo mail, but all of your emails come with you.)

Nostr also allows for a “value for value” incentive model, thanks to the bitcoin lightning network integration. Instead of users trying to optimize their posts to suit the algorithm, they can be rewarded directly for quality content.

Imagine a Twitter or Facebook experience in which you can send micropayments directly to a user for a quality post.

They generate value for you, so you directly compensate them accordingly. Value for value, cutting out the need for the advertising model.

Maybe you only send a few pennies, but maybe that's all the user would get from an ad being seen. But this process fundamentally changes the revenue model, cutting out the advertising in the middle.

Maybe nostr won’t work. Maybe it won’t be able to scale. Maybe value for value won't turn out to be a powerful enough incentive model. Maybe we won’t be able o break the network effects of the current platforms. I can think of numerous ways in which Nostr could potentially fail.

But I’m tired of being stuck in perverse incentive hell.

Confronted by the uncertainty of the future and the clearly negative direction so many things are trending, I am going to do what I can to participate in and build the world I want to inhabit. The world I want my kids to live in.

This is why I Bitcoin. This is why I Moral Courage. This is why poured my guts into designing an elective called Critical Thinking. And now, this is why I Nostr.

I want social media. The world needs social media. But I can’t in good conscience continue to participate on these platforms when there may (finally) be an alternative that fixes the incentives.

I’m not deleting my accounts (yet). But I’ll be spending less time on them.

I’ve been on Nostr since early January. If you want help trying it out, let me know. There’s great info about getting started on Nostr here.

The client I use on iOS is Damus.

On the web I use Primal.

Follow me: z_cress@nostrverified.com or npub1n6g4js374378t90rrh4jyeqaqf537ce0qygu79u4r5mgf7qn8hkqk3watk

This post originally appeared on blogstack.io, a nostr client similar to Medium.

@ d266da53:7224d834

ByBit Fintech Ltd v Ho Kai Xin and others [2023] SGHC 199

General Division of the High Court — Originating Claim No 320 of 2022 (Summonses Nos 910 and 1526 of 2023) Philip Jeyaretnam J 5 May, 24 July 2023 25 July 2023 Judgment reserved.

Philip Jeyaretnam J:

Introduction

1. This case concerns a crypto asset called Tether which is an example of what has been described as a stablecoin. By this it is meant that its issuer represents that it backs each stablecoin issued with an equivalent value in fiat currency or other reserves. The issuer typically offers terms of service under which verified holders of the stablecoin have the right to redeem it with the issuer for fiat currency. This link to a fiat currency, in this case the United States Dollar, is reflected in the name by which Tether is commonly referred to, namely USDT, standing for United States Dollar Tether. I will adopt this acronym in this judgment.
2. In this application, ByBit Fintech Limited (“ByBit”) seeks summary judgment against the first defendant, one Ms Ho Kai Xin (“Ms Ho”). The claim against her is that in breach of her employment contract, she abused her position to transfer quantities of USDT to “Addresses” secretly owned and controlled by her, as well as a quantity of fiat currency to her own bank account. The main relief sought is a declaration that Ms Ho holds both the USDT and the fiat currency on trust for ByBit. ByBit accordingly seeks an order for the return of the same or of its traceable proceeds, or for payment of a sum equivalent in value.
3. The courts in Singapore and elsewhere have in granting interlocutory injunctions recognised that there is at least a serious question to be tried or a good arguable case that crypto assets are property capable of being held on trust. In so doing, it has not been necessary to determine whether such crypto assets are things in action or are instead a novel type of intangible property. To grant judgment and finally declare a trust, this court must go further and decide that the crypto assets in question, here USDT, are indeed property capable of being held on trust and, if so, what type of property they are.
4. In this case, I find that USDT, which may be transferred from one holder to another cryptographically without the assistance of the legal system, nonetheless are choses in action. In this judgment, I mostly use the phrase things in action, which means the same as choses in action. While the fact that USDT also carries with it the right to redeem an equivalent in United States Dollars from Tether Limited, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands (“BVI”), makes it look more like traditionally recognised things in action, I do not consider that this feature is necessary for a crypto asset to be classed as a thing in action. Like any other thing in action, USDT is capable of being held on trust.
5. I further hold that ByBit has established its case for summary judgment, and accordingly grant the declarations sought on the basis of institutional constructive trust.
6. I now explain my reasons for these conclusions.

Background

1. ByBit, a Seychellois company, owns a namesake cryptocurrency exchange. ByBit remunerates its employees with traditional currency, cryptocurrency, or a mixture of both. WeChain Fintech Pte Ltd (“WeChain”), a Singapore incorporated company, provides payroll services for ByBit and related entities. Ms Ho was employed by WeChain and was responsible for the payroll processing of ByBit’s employees.
2. As part of her duties, Ms Ho maintained Microsoft Excel spreadsheets which tracked the cash and cryptocurrency payments due to ByBit’s employees each month (respectively, the “Fiat Excel Files” and “Cryptocurrency Excel Files”). The Cryptocurrency Excel Files list the “Address” designated by ByBit’s employees for the receipt of cryptocurrency payments. An “Address” can be understood as an encrypted digital “folder” which can “receive” and “store” cryptocurrency. Each Address takes the form of a unique string of alpha numerals. A corresponding “Private Key” is required to access and authorise transfers between Addresses. These Private Keys are in turn stored in “Wallets”, which can thus be understood as the means of interfacing with cryptocurrency. Wallets which are hosted online by a service provider, usually a cryptocurrency exchange, are known as “Custodial Wallets”. Custodial Wallets usually take the form of an application with a user interface. Offline Wallets are known as “Self-Custodial Wallets” and may range from a simple piece of paper inscribed with the Private Key or complex encryption software restricting access to the Private Key. In short, access to a Wallet grants access to the stored Private Keys which provide control over an Address and thus the cryptocurrency stored therein. ByBit’s employees could and did regularly change their designated Address by communicating a new Address to Ms Ho, who would then update the Cryptocurrency Excel Files. Ms Ho was singularly responsible for updating the Cryptocurrency Excel Files and was the only person with access, save that the Cryptocurrency Excel Files would be submitted to her direct superior, Ms Casandra Teo, for approval each month.
3. On 7 September 2022, ByBit discovered that eight unusual cryptocurrency payments had been made (the “Anomalous Transactions”) between 31 May 2022 and 31 August 2022, involving large payments of USDT into four Addresses, which I will refer to for simplicity as Address 1, 2, 3 and 4. In total, 4,209,720 USDT had been transferred (the “Crypto Asset”). USDT is so named because its value is tethered to the US dollar and each USDT grants a holder who is a “verified customer” of its issuer, Tether Limited, a contractual right to redeem their USDT for US dollars. The Anomalous Transactions were compiled into an Excel spreadsheet (the “Reconciliation Excel File”), and Ms Ho was tasked with accounting for the discrepancies. Ms Ho initially attributed the Anomalous Transactions to inadvertent mistakes or technical errors and offered to calculate the amounts required to be clawed back from ByBit’s employees.
4. Between 9 to 22 September 2022, Ms Ho remained unable to provide any explanation for the Anomalous Transactions. When asked why payments to different employees were made to the same Address, Address 1, Ms Ho suggested that she had made an inadvertent mistake. Ms Ho continued to provide status updates in the Reconciliation Excel File, characterising the Anomalous Transactions as amounts “overpaid” to ByBit’s employees.
5. On 27 September 2022, ByBit contacted one of the supposed recipients of the Anomalous Transactions. 1,300,000 USDT had been paid to Address 1 in his name. However, according to ByBit, that employee denied ever designating an Address as he had only ever been remunerated with traditional currency and did not know who owned Address 1. ByBit’s internal investigations revealed that Ms Ho’s work email had sent to itself an email containing Address 1 on 19 May 2022. Ms Ho’s work email had also received an email containing all four Addresses on 29 August 2022, this time originating from Ms Ho’s personal email. These emails had to be recovered by ByBit as they had been deleted.
6. ByBit also discovered that Ms Ho had caused $117,238.46 (the “Fiat Asset”) to be paid into her personal bank account in May 2022. It is undisputed that Ms Ho is not entitled to the Fiat Asset and Ms Ho expressly accepts that she holds the Fiat Asset on trust for ByBit. However, Ms Ho has to date not taken any steps to return the Fiat Asset.
7. ByBit interviewed Ms Ho on 29 September 2022 and 4 October 2022. In the first meeting, Ms Ho claimed that she was unable to recall the details of the Anomalous Transactions. In the second meeting, Ms Ho was confronted with the fruits of ByBit’s investigations. Ms Ho told ByBit that she did not own the Wallets associated with the four Addresses, which belonged to her maternal cousin, and that she did not have access to them. Ms Ho said that it was her cousin who had proposed that she assist in transferring cryptocurrency to him and that she possessed closed circuit surveillance footage recording him carrying out the Anomalous Transactions in her house. Ms Ho confessed that she had become involved in the scheme some three months prior to the interview and told ByBit that she preferred that a police report be made as she did not possess the Crypto Asset. After the interview, Ms Ho refused to sign an acknowledgment on a single page statement recording what transpired. Nevertheless, it is undisputed that Ms Ho made these representations to ByBit. Thereafter, Ms Ho ceased contact with ByBit and WeChain and failed to attend follow up interviews.
8. ByBit commenced this action on 12 October 2022. ByBit succeeded in obtaining several items of interim relief, including a worldwide freezing order against Ms Ho and a proprietary injunction in respect of the cryptocurrency in the four Addresses (ie, the Crypto Asset) and the Fiat Asset in Ms Ho’s bank account. Ms Ho was personally served with the Originating Claim and the orders on 18 October 2022. On 31 October 2022, Ms Ho disclosed by affidavit that the Wallets associated with the four Addresses were owned by one Mr Jason Teo (“Jason”), her maternal cousin. Ms Ho averred that she did not have access to any of the Wallets, that she had deleted her text conversation history with Jason prior to the service of the orders, and that she no longer had the closed-circuit surveillance footage as recordings older than seven days were automatically deleted. Ms Ho filed her defence on 11 November 2022 and took out a third-party notice against Jason.
9. Ms Ho fully accepts that the Crypto Asset belongs to ByBit and that she is not entitled to the same. The core of Ms Ho’s defence is that Jason stole the Crypto Asset from ByBit without her knowledge. She did not receive or benefit from them as the Wallets associated with the four Addresses are owned and controlled by Jason alone. Her case is that from May 2022, she had asked Jason to assist in checking the Cryptocurrency Excel Files on “numerous occasions” when Jason visited her home. Jason had thereafter accessed her work laptop without her knowledge or consent, which Ms Ho only discovered after reviewing her home’s closed-circuit surveillance footage when ByBit drew her attention to the Anomalous Transactions. She then confronted Jason, who admitted that he had intentionally substituted the designated Address of several ByBit employees with the four Addresses. Despite repeated requests, Jason has refused to return the Crypto Asset. Ms Ho’s position is that she remained unaware of the cause of the Anomalous Transactions on 9 September 2022, which was well over seven days after the last Anomalous Transaction (dated 31 August 2022). No explanation is provided for how Ms Ho was able to view the incriminating footage.
10. Dissatisfied with Ms Ho’s disclosure, ByBit sought and obtained on 7 December 2022 orders for more extensive disclosure against Ms Ho and a number of third-parties, including her father and husband. This was because ByBit had discovered that Ms Ho had made several substantial purchases from July 2022 onwards, including a freehold penthouse apartment with her husband, a brand new car, and several Louis Vuitton products. Notably, despite initially denying ownership of any real property, Ms Ho subsequently explained that she had acquired the freehold penthouse using moneys earned from cryptocurrency trading on MetaMask and crypto.com. This was contrary to her previous claim that her MetaMask account was entirely unused. Ms Ho did not provide her MetaMask and crypto.com Address nor furnish accounts statements for transactions. According to Ms Ho, she lost access to her crypto.com account because it was registered to her personal email, which has since become disabled for reasons unknown. Similarly, she could not access her MetaMask account as she had purchased a brand new handphone in October 2022 and was unable to access the necessary passcode from her previous device. I also note that contrary to the disclosure order, Ms Ho initially failed to disclose all her assets, such as her bank accounts, which required ByBit to carry out a further round of questioning.
11. Simultaneously, Ms Ho applied for and obtained permission to effect substituted service on Jason. Curiously, Ms Ho averred in her supporting affidavit that it was Jason who had deleted their text conversation history after she informed him that she had been served the Originating Claim. Jason has not made an appearance in these proceedings.
12. On 30 March 2023, ByBit took out this application for summary judgment. Ms Ho did not file any affidavit disputing the application pursuant to O 9 r 17(3) of the Rules of Court 2021. On 18 April 2023, prior to the hearing, Ms Ho took over the conduct of her own defence. Ms Ho did not attend any of the hearings before me and did not file submissions.
13. For completeness, ByBit also applied to amend their claim and to put in further submissions, which I directed to be filed by 19 May 2023. ByBit had originally pleaded that Ms Ho held the Crypto Asset and Fiat Asset on remedial constructive trust. ByBit therefore sought the amendment in order to run an alternative argument premised on institutional constructive trust. I granted Ms Ho leave to file submissions in respect of the amendment and granted an extension for her to file submissions in respect of summary judgment by 26 May 2023. As before, Ms Ho neglected to file any submissions and did not oppose the amendment application.
14. ByBit submitted that the amendments were merely clarificatory and did not introduce any new facts. The pleadings already specified that Ms Ho wrongfully caused the Anomalous Transactions and Ms Ho’s defence would not be affected by the amendments. Instead, the amendments enabled the real issue in controversy to be determined and no prejudice would be caused to Ms Ho that could be compensated by costs.
15. I agreed that the proposed amendments were clarificatory in nature, and that adding the alternative legal conclusion of institutional constructive trust on the basis of the already pleaded facts enabled the real controversy to be fully and finally determined. Accordingly, on 30 June 2023 I allowed the amendments, and proceeded with the application for summary judgment on the basis of ByBit’s Statement of Claim (Amendment No. 2), which was filed on 5 July 2023.

The parties’ cases

Ms Ho’s case

1. As stated, Ms Ho’s case is essentially that the blame should fall solely on Jason (see above at [15]). From the affidavits, it appears that Ms Ho claims that she has no means of identifying Jason and does not know his personal details or residential address. Additionally, Ms Ho believes that it was Jason who accessed her work and personal email, sent, and then deleted, the emails stating the four Addresses (see above at [11]). Jason did this without her authorisation and Ms Ho denies deleting the emails. Furthermore, Ms Ho claims that she had lied to ByBit when she implicated herself during the interview on 4 October 2022 (see above at [13]). According to Ms Ho, ByBit had sternly warned her of the criminality of her conduct and badgered her by insisting that she was responsible for the Anomalous Transactions. Ms Ho had responded as she did out of a desire to protect Jason, with whom she was close, and also because Ms Ho was in a rush to leave to care for her unwell two-year-old son. On account of her son’s illness, she refused to sign the single page acknowledgement after the interview, as she did not have time to review its contents, and refused to attend the follow up interviews.
2. As for the Fiat Asset, Ms Ho suggests that she had accidentally entered her own data in place of another employee’s when preparing the Fiat Excel Files, resulting in a mistaken payment.

ByBit’s case

1. ByBit submits that it is entitled to summary judgment pursuant to O 9 r 17(1)(a) of the Rules of Court 2021 as it has proven a prima facie case and Ms Ho has no defence to the claim. ByBit’s submissions focus on the Crypto Asset, as Ms Ho accepts that she holds the Fiat Asset on trust for ByBit.
2. First, ByBit submits that “Jason” is an outright fabrication. Ms Ho has no evidence supporting Jason’s existence and her version of events is inherently implausible. Contemporaneous with the Anomalous Transactions, Ms Ho also engaged in a suspicious luxury spending spree. Ms Ho had spent approximately $362,000 on the new car and $30,000 on the Louis Vuitton products, and abruptly cancelled her existing Built-to-Order HDB Flat to purchase a penthouse valued at approximately $3.7m. Furthermore, ByBit obtained disclosure of incriminating information from the service provider of the Wallet associated with Address 1. This revealed that Ms Ho owns the Wallet and included details such as Ms Ho’s identity card and even a self-portrait, which were provided by her as part of the account registration process. Disclosed transaction records also match the Anomalous Transactions flowing into Address 1, and amounts transferred on certain dates appear to show that the USDT transferred into Address 2 and Address 3 were shortly thereafter transferred into Address 1. This proves that Ms Ho owns and controls the Wallet associated with Address 1 and likely owns and controls the Wallets associated with the other Addresses.
3. Second, ByBit submits that the Crypto Asset is comprised of choses in action and is therefore property capable of being the subject matter of a trust. This is because USDT grants a verified customer of Tether Limited the contractual right to redeem USDT for an equivalent value in fiat currency. ByBit submits that Address 3 is associated with a Self-Custodial Wallet, meaning that Ms Ho has direct access to the relevant Private Key and therefore direct control over Address 3 and the USDT therein, which can be held on trust as a chose in action. For Address 1, 2, and 4, these are associated with Custodial Wallets. In the case of Custodial Wallets, access to the Private Keys is kept by the service provider rather than the user of the Custodial Wallet. Instead, the user of the Custodial Wallet is contractually entitled to instruct the service provider to transfer cryptocurrency between Addresses. ByBit likens this to a bank account, where the cryptocurrency balance stated in the Custodial Wallet (equivalent to an account balance) is a chose in action against the service provider (equivalent to the bank). The relevant property is therefore also a chose in action, being the right to instruct the service provider in respect of the credit balance of USDT.
4. Third, ByBit submits that Ms Ho holds the Crypto Asset and Fiat Asset as constructive trustee, or alternatively, that Ms Ho was unjustly enriched in the sum of the Crypto Asset and Fiat Asset. ByBit submits that Ms Ho acquired the Crypto Asset by fraud, as she manipulated the Cryptocurrency Excel Files and thereby wrongfully caused ByBit to pay the Crypto Asset into the four Addresses controlled by Ms Ho, thereby giving rise to an institutional constructive trust. Alternatively, ByBit submits that a remedial constructive trust should be recognised in the circumstances as there has been fraud or wrongdoing and Ms Ho’s conscience has been affected. Accordingly, ByBit submits that I should grant a tracing order as Ms Ho has transacted the Crypto Asset and Fiat Asset in breach of the freezing order. For the backstop claim in unjust enrichment, ByBit relies on the unjust factor of mistake of fact, namely that ByBit was misled into believing that cryptocurrency payments were due and payable to its employees at the four Addresses. ByBit therefore submits it is entitled to restitution of the value of the Crypto Asset.

Issues to be determined

1. The issues in this matter are twofold: (a) whether USDT is property capable of being held on trust; and (b) whether ByBit is entitled to summary judgment.

Issue 1: USDT is property capable of being held on trust

1. Crypto assets, notwithstanding their novelty, have not only been transferred for value but also when held by companies appear on their balance sheets, as the accounting profession develops standards for how to value and report them. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (“MAS”) has recently issued a consultation paper on proposed amendments to the payment services regulations that will implement segregation and custody requirements for digital payment tokens: MAS, “Response to Public Consultation on Proposed Regulatory Measures for Digital Payment Token Services” published on 3 July 2023. These proposed amendments reflect the reality that it is possible in practice to identify and segregate such digital assets, and hence support the view that it should be legally possible to hold them on trust.
2. Moreover, general recognition has been given to cryptocurrency as property in the Rules of Court. In Order 22 of the Rules of Court 2021, which deals with the enforcement of judgments and orders, O 22 r 1(1) defines “movable property” to include “cash, debt, deposits of money, bonds, shares or other securities, membership in clubs or societies, and cryptocurrency or other digital currency” [emphasis added]. Cryptocurrency has thus been expressly recognised as a form of property capable of being the subject matter of an enforcement order. Although the drafters of the Rules of Court 2021 did not specify a precise method for carrying out such an enforcement order (see the Civil Justice Commission Report (29 December 2017) (Chairperson: Justice Tay Yong Kwang)), I observe in passing that the procedures for serving a notice of seizure on the persons or entities having possession or control of movable property (O 22 r 6(4)(b) of the Rules of Court 2021) or on the persons or entities which register the ownership of intangible movable property (O 22 r 6(4)(g) of the Rules of Court 2021) are logically extendable to cryptocurrency or other digital currency.
3. Crypto assets are not classed as physical assets because we cannot possess them in the way we can possess objects like cars or jewellery. They do not have a fixed physical identity. Yet, crypto assets do manifest themselves in the physical world, albeit in a way that humans are unable to perceive. The combination of Private Key with Public Key unlocks the previous cryptographic lock and in turn locks the unspent transaction output of the crypto asset to the holder’s public Address on the blockchain. Professor Kelvin Low suggests that the right that the holder of the Private Key has by virtue of holding the Private Key is “properly conceptualised as a narrow right to have the unspent transaction output (UTXO) of a cryptoasset locked to a holder’s public address on a blockchain”: see Kelvin FK Low, “Trusts of Cryptoassets” (2021) 34(4) Trust Law International 191. This physical manifestation at the level of digital bits and bytes is not permanent, and changes with every transaction. Nonetheless, we identify what is going on as a particular digital token, somewhat like how we give a name to a river even though the water contained within its banks is constantly changing.
4. While some people are sceptical of the value of crypto assets, it is worth keeping in mind that value is not inherent in an object. While we speak of expensive materials, with gold being more valuable than wood, this is a judgment made by an aggregate of human minds. It is also a judgment that varies with circumstances. A wooden chair that can float is more valuable on a ship that is sinking than a golden throne would be.
5. This description of crypto assets shows that they can be defined and identified by modern humans, such that they can be traded and valued as holdings. They certainly meet Lord Wilberforce’s oft-quoted dictum in National Provincial Bank v Ainsworth [1965] 1 AC 1175 at 1248:

Before a right or an interest can be admitted into the category of property, or of a right affecting property, it must be definable, identifiable by third parties, capable in its nature of assumption by third parties, and have some degree of permanence or stability.

1. The next question is whether USDT can be classed in the category of things in action. The argument that crypto assets should not be classified as things in action rests on the origin of this category as rights enforceable by action (in the sense of litigation in court) against persons, such as the right to be paid money or debts, or contractual rights. There is no individual counterparty to the crypto holder’s right. But over time the category of things in action has expanded to include documents of title to incorporeal rights of property, and ultimately incorporeal rights themselves such as copyrights: see W.S. Holdsworth, “The History of the Treatment of ‘Choses’ in Action by the Common Law” (1920) 33(8) Harvard Law Review 997. As Holdsworth noted at 998 in the introduction to his authoritative essay:

It is clear that the diversity of the things included under the category of choses in action must lead to a diversity in the legal incidents of various classes of choses in action. In fact their legal incidents do differ very widely; for, being different in themselves, they have necessarily been treated differently both by the courts and by the legislature. It is impossible to treat fully of the law of choses in action in general; and the various classes of choses in action are usually treated, not under this one general category, but under the separate branches of law to which they more properly belong. If we want to know the law, for instance, as to bills and notes, or shares, or copyright, or patents, we should not think of looking for it in a treatise on choses in action, but rather in books on mercantile law, company law, or in special treatises devoted to these particular things.

1. Holdsworth’s historical survey demonstrates the diversity of incorporeal property that has been classed as things in action. This diversity suggests that the category of things in action is broad, flexible, and not closed. It is these features that both explain and justify Fry LJ’s oft-cited dictum in Colonial Bank v Whinney (1885) 30 Ch D 261 at 285, that: “All personal things are either in possession or action. The law knows no tertium quid between the two.”
2. My conclusion is therefore that the holder of a crypto asset has in principle an incorporeal right of property recognisable by the common law as a thing in action and so enforceable in court. While it might be said that this conclusion has an element of circularity in that it could also be said that the right to enforce in court is what makes it a thing in action, this type of reasoning is not strikingly different from how the law approaches other social constructs, such as money. It is only because people generally accept the exchange value of shells or beads or differently printed paper notes that they become currency. Money is accepted by virtue of a collective act of mutual faith. This is reflected in Lord Mansfield’s famous observation in Miller v Race (1758) 1 Burr 452 at 457, that what is treated as money “by the general consent of mankind” is given “the credit and currency of money to all intents and purposes”.
3. ByBit also relies on the current terms of service for USDT which provide for a contractual right of redemption. Clause 3 includes the following provision concerning this right of redemption:

Tether issues and redeems Tether Tokens. Tether Tokens may be used, kept, or exchanged online wherever parties are willing to accept Tether Tokens. Tether Tokens are 100% backed by Tether's Reserves. Tether Tokens are denominated in a range of Fiat. For example, if you purchase EURT, your Tether Tokens are 1-to-1 pegged to Euros. If you cause to be issued EURT 100.00, Tether holds Reserves valued at €100.00 to back those Tether Tokens. The composition of the Reserves used to back Tether Tokens is within the sole control and at the sole and absolute discretion of Tether. Tether Tokens are backed by Tether's Reserves, including Fiat, but Tether Tokens are not Fiat themselves. Tether will not issue Tether Tokens for consideration consisting of the Digital Tokens (for example, bitcoin); only money will be accepted upon issuance. In order to cause Tether Tokens to be issued or redeemed directly by Tether, you must be a verified customer of Tether. No exceptions will be made to this provision. The right to have Tether Tokens redeemed or issued is a contractual right personal to you. Tether reserves the right to delay the redemption or withdrawal of Tether Tokens if such delay is necessitated by the illiquidity or unavailability or loss of any Reserves held by Tether to back the Tether Tokens, and Tether reserves the right to redeem Tether Tokens by in-kind redemptions of securities and other assets held in the Reserves. Tether makes no representations or warranties about whether Tether Tokens that may be traded on the Site may be traded on the Site at any point in the future, if at all.

1. The terms of service are governed by BVI law. ByBit tendered a legal opinion from a BVI-qualified counsel, Mr Sam Goodman, opining that under BVI law a holder of USDT who is a “verified customer” of Tether Limited has a contractual right to redeem USDT which may be enforced by way of suit against Tether Limited. ByBit relies on this in support of its contention that USDT is a thing in action.
2. In my analysis, this feature of USDT may constitute an additional thing in action that the holder of a USDT may have, but its presence is not necessary to my conclusion that the right represented by the USDT is itself a thing in action.

Issue 2: ByBit is entitled to summary judgment

1. ByBit submits that it has established a prima facie case, having already surmounted the hurdle of proving a good arguable case for the purposes of securing the worldwide freezing order. Conversely, Ms Ho cannot establish a fair or reasonable probability of a real or bona fide defence.

Jason does not exist

1. I accept on a balance of probabilities the inference that ByBit seeks to draw from the totality of the evidence that Jason does not exist (or at any rate did not play the role asserted for him by Ms Ho). The evidence is indeed compelling that Ms Ho fraudulently transferred the Crypto Asset and the Fiat Asset to herself. As outlined in [25] above, there is the direct evidence that Ms Ho owns the Wallet associated with Address 1 as well as the circumstantial evidence of her unexplained spending spree. Taking advantage of her employment with WeChain which was engaged to handle ByBit’s payroll and abusing the trust reposed in her, Ms Ho manipulated the Cryptocurrency Excel Files to steal the Crypto Asset and the Fiat Asset. Constructive trust
2. An institutional constructive trust arises over stolen assets at time of the theft, and the remedy of tracing in equity is available in respect of stolen assets. As Lord Browne-Wilkinson noted in Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale v Islington London Borough Council [1996] 1 AC 669 at 716:

I agree that the stolen moneys are traceable in equity. But the proprietary interest which equity is enforcing in such circumstances arises under a constructive, not a resulting, trust. Although it is difficult to find clear authority for the proposition, when property is obtained by fraud equity imposes a constructive trust on the fraudulent recipient: the property is recoverable and traceable in equity. Thus, an infant who has obtained property by fraud is bound in equity to restore it: Stocks v. Wilson [1913] 2 K.B. 235, 244; R. Leslie Ltd. v. Sheill [1914] 3 K.B. 607. Moneys stolen from a bank account can be traced in equity: Bankers Trust Co. v. Shapira [1980] 1 W.L.R. 1274, 1282C-E. See also McCormick v. Grogan (1869) L.R. 4 H.L. 82, 97.

1. I should also add that the constructive trust may operate even if Ms Ho mixed the USDT with other USDT in the balances of the respective online Custodial Wallets, or the Fiat Asset with other money in her bank account: Foskett v McKeown [2001] 1 AC 102.
2. Given my findings on the facts, I declare a constructive trust over the Crypto Asset and the Fiat Asset. ByBit is the legal and beneficial owner of the Crypto Assets. In view of my grant of relief on the basis of institutional constructive trust, I need not deal with the alternative bases of remedial constructive trust and unjust enrichment.
3. ByBit following its investigations has sought a mix of proprietary and personal orders, which I now grant, as follows:

(a) A declaration of constructive trust over the Crypto Asset and Fiat Asset; (b)  An order that Ms Ho does forthwith pay to ByBit the sum of USD 647,880 (being the value of the Crypto Assets in Wallets 3 and 4); and (c) An order that Ms Ho does forthwith pay to ByBit the sum of SGD 117,238.46 (the Fiat Asset); (d) An order that Ms Ho does forthwith transfer all sums remaining in Wallet 1 to ByBit, up to the sum of USD 3,561,840 (being the value of the Crypto Assets transferred to Wallets 1 and 2); (e) In respect of the remainder of the Crypto Assets transferred to Wallets 1 and 2 (being USD 3,561,840 worth of USDT) after deducting the amount transferred in (d) above (the “Remainder Sum”): (i) An order that Ms Ho give an account of the Remainder Sum, or such money or funds representing the value of the Remainder Sum as have been possessed or received by her or by any person on their behalf or to their order; (ii) A tracing order in respect of the Remainder Sum, or any part thereof, for ByBit to trace and recover the assets or the proceeds thereof into which the aforesaid properties have been converted, if any; (iii) An order for payment by Ms Ho to ByBit of all sums found to be due to ByBit on the taking of the account.

1. I also award interest at the standard rate of 5.33% per annum on the sums payable under [45(b)] and [45(c)] above from the dates the assets in question were transferred by Ms Ho until date of judgment.

Conclusion

1. Having granted ByBit summary judgment against Ms Ho, I also award costs in favour of ByBit in the amount of $45,000.00 (which takes into account the legal novelty of the issues argued as well as the work done in seeking interim relief for which costs were in the cause) and disbursements of $11,500.00. Philip Jeyaretnam Judge of the High Court

Quek Wen Jiang Gerard, Kyle Gabriel Peters, Ling Ying Ming Daniel, Mato Kotwani and Chua Ze Xuan (PDLegal LLC) for the claimant;

The first to sixth defendants absent and unrepresented.

By： Link：https://www.elitigation.sg/gd/s/2023_SGHC_199

@ 1e52c554:21771908

``` Was It My Worship?

Did loving thee all the way to worship Open new roads to thy inconstant way? Or did my loyalty to your courtship Send thee astray looking for some more play?

I am deaf to those rumors of talent That speak of thorns for roses to be good And anger in my heart remains silent For my manners never learnt to be rude.

I find a lure in crowns that seem harder When between many I have to decide As the thought of having to go further Does make my goals look safer inside.

But, did not I travel far to find thee When thy best charms thou lit for me to see?
*** ```

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Analysis of Sonnet 79 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares

Sonnet 79 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares is a poignant exploration of love, loyalty, and the pain of unrequited affection. The sonnet follows the traditional Shakespearean sonnet structure, with three quatrains and a concluding couplet, and a rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFEFGG.

The first quatrain introduces the speaker's deep affection for the beloved, questioning whether his intense love and loyalty have inadvertently pushed the beloved away. The speaker wonders if his devotion has been too overwhelming, leading the beloved to seek less intense relationships elsewhere.

In the second quatrain, the speaker dismisses rumors about the beloved's character, refusing to believe in their negative traits. He maintains his polite demeanor, even in the face of potential betrayal, suggesting a deep-rooted respect and love for the beloved.

The third quatrain introduces a metaphor of crowns, possibly symbolizing other potential lovers or opportunities. The speaker finds these "harder" crowns more attractive, perhaps because they represent a challenge or a chance to move on from the beloved. However, the speaker also acknowledges the comfort of familiar goals, hinting at his reluctance to let go of his feelings for the beloved.

The concluding couplet brings the sonnet full circle, reminding the reader of the speaker's journey to find the beloved and the allure of the beloved's charms. Despite the pain and uncertainty, the speaker remains captivated by the beloved, suggesting a love that endures despite its unrequited nature.

Overall, Sonnet 79 is a complex exploration of unrequited love, loyalty, and the struggle between moving on and holding onto deep-seated affection. It showcases Arroyave Tabares's skill in using traditional sonnet structure to convey complex emotional states.

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Rhyme Scheme Analysis

Sonnet 79 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares follows the traditional Shakespearean sonnet structure, which includes a rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFEFGG. Let's break down the sonnet line by line to analyze the rhyme scheme in detail:

1. Did loving thee all the way to worship (A)
2. Open new roads to thy inconstant way? (B)
3. Or did my loyalty to your courtship (A)
4. Send thee astray looking for some more play? (B)

In the first quatrain, the end words "worship" and "courtship" rhyme with each other, forming the 'A' rhyme. The words "way" and "play" rhyme with each other, forming the 'B' rhyme.

1. I am deaf to those rumors of talent (C)
2. That speak of thorns for roses to be good (D)
3. And anger in my heart remains silent (C)
4. For my manners never learnt to be rude. (D)

In the second quatrain, the end words "talent" and "silent" rhyme with each other, forming the 'C' rhyme. The words "good" and "rude" rhyme with each other, forming the 'D' rhyme.

1. I find a lure in crowns that seem harder (E)
2. When between many I have to decide (F)
3. As the thought of having to go further (E)
4. Does make my goals look safer inside. (F)

In the third quatrain, the end words "harder" and "further" rhyme with each other, forming the 'E' rhyme. The words "decide" and "inside" rhyme with each other, forming the 'F' rhyme.

1. But, did not I travel far to find thee (G)
2. When thy best charms thou lit for me to see? (G)

In the final couplet, the end words "thee" and "see" rhyme with each other, forming the 'G' rhyme. This couplet provides a summarizing thought or a twist to the sonnet.

This detailed analysis of the rhyme scheme shows how the poet has adhered to the traditional structure of the Shakespearean sonnet, using the rhyme to enhance the rhythm and flow of the poem, and to emphasize key ideas and emotions.

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Additional Aspects of Analysis

While we've covered the general theme, structure, and rhyme scheme of Sonnet 79 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares, there are still several aspects that can be further analyzed:

1. Imagery: The sonnet is rich in imagery that enhances its emotional depth. For instance, the "new roads" in the first quatrain can be seen as a metaphor for the beloved's exploration of new relationships, while the "rumors of talent" in the second quatrain could symbolize the whispers of the beloved's infidelity or unkindness. The "crowns" in the third quatrain could represent other potential lovers or opportunities, and the "travel far" in the final couplet suggests the speaker's long and arduous emotional journey.

2. Tone: The tone of the sonnet is one of melancholy and introspection. The speaker seems to be wrestling with his feelings of love and loyalty, even in the face of potential betrayal. This tone is consistent throughout the sonnet, creating a poignant and emotionally resonant reading experience.

3. Meter: Like most traditional sonnets, Sonnet 79 is written in iambic pentameter, which means each line consists of five pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables. This gives the sonnet a rhythmic quality that enhances its musicality and emotional impact.

4. Volta: In a traditional sonnet, there's usually a volta, or turn, where the poem's argument takes a new direction. In Sonnet 79, the volta can be seen in the final couplet, where the speaker reflects on his journey to find the beloved and the allure of the beloved's charms. This shift in focus from questioning and introspection to reflection provides a poignant conclusion to the sonnet.

5. Language and Diction: The sonnet uses formal and somewhat archaic language, including words like "thee" and "thou," which adds to its traditional feel. The diction is carefully chosen to convey the speaker's deep emotions and to fit the sonnet's rhyme and meter.

6. Symbolism: The sonnet uses symbols to convey deeper meanings. For instance, the "thorns for roses" could symbolize the pain hidden beneath the beauty of love, while the "crowns" could represent the rewards of overcoming challenges or the allure of new opportunities.

By analyzing these aspects, we can gain a deeper understanding of Sonnet 79 and appreciate the skill and artistry of Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares.

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(GPT4)

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Count the syllables of each line of the poem

(www.howmanysyllables.com)

``` Was It My Worship?

10 Did loving thee all the way to worship 10 Open new roads to thy inconstant way? 10 Or did my loyalty to your courtship 10 Send thee astray looking for some more play?

10 I am deaf to those rumors of talent 10 That speak of thorns for roses to be good 10 And anger in my heart remains silent 10 For my manners never learnt to be rude.

10 I find a lure in crowns that seem harder 10 When between many I have to decide 10 As the thought of having to go further 10 Does make my goals look safer inside.

10 But, did not I travel far to find thee 9 When thy best charms thou lit for me to see?
*** ```

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poetry #sonnet #art #poems #poem #nostr #nostrart #artist #artnotai #artonnostr #artstr #zapathon #literature #books #original #poet #poets #author #grownostr #poetstr #iambicpentameter #pleb #plebchain #lovestr #love

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Sonnets For The Twenty First Century And A Circadian Musical Written By Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares (1984-1987)

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Analyzed by GPT4 and www.howmanysyllables.com Image by leonardo.ai

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This is me testing what habla.news's editor will support in terms of native nostr ideas

NIP 99

Event for random note of mine nostr:nevent1qqsrdthgka83ffupw98jf98xupq0eumsh603793aq8nujyjwh9065acpr4mhxue69uhkummnw3ezucnfw33k76twv4ezuum0vd5kzmp0qyghwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnhd9hx2tcl8ar76

At a user's npub nostr:npub1r3fwhjpx2njy87f9qxmapjn9neutwh7aeww95e03drkfg45cey4qgl7ex2

Apologies for any spam. Checking what this looks like in various clients.

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In Nostr, "smart clients and dumb servers" refers to a communication model or architecture where the clients (smart clients) have higher logic capability and autonomy, while the servers (dumb servers) have lower logic capability and passive execution.

Welcome read more of my articles form decentralized long content platform-- yakihonne.com

Smart clients refer to client applications or devices that possess higher intelligence and processing power. They can make autonomous decisions and perform specific tasks, including handling business logic, processing data, communicating, and coordinating interactions with other services. In Nostr, smart clients play an active role, responsible for controlling the communication flow, processing data and protocols, and executing necessary business logic.

Dumb servers, on the other hand, refer to servers with lower intelligence and passive execution capability. They are designed to perform basic data storage and transmission functions without handling complex business logic or decision-making. In Nostr, dumb servers act as passive recipients, receiving and transmitting data based on instructions from smart clients but not participating in active decision-making or coordination.

The concept of smart clients and dumb servers in Nostr aims to achieve a distributed and decentralized communication model. Smart clients take charge of managing the communication flow and business logic, reducing reliance on centralized servers and the risk of single points of failure. At the same time, the passive execution capability of dumb servers makes the system more scalable and flexible, allowing more services and nodes to join the communication network.

In summary, the smart clients and dumb servers model in Nostr provides a flexible, scalable, and decentralized communication architecture by decentralizing decision-making and logic to the clients and restricting servers to basic data storage and transmission functions.

Smart clients and dumb servers are the core idea in microservices

The tech development space is dominated by mantras — sayings that make sense in context but are repeated away from their original source. These expressions may carry meaning for the initiated but are often seen as complicated jargon to others. One such concept is “smart endpoints and dumb pipes.” Accredited to Martin Fowler, the idea is helpful to consider when designing microservices architectures.

The basic premise of “smart endpoints and dumb pipes” is that microservices should carry their own communication logic (the “endpoints”), and the carrier superstructure that transmits these messages (the “pipes”) should have as light a structure as possible. Why is this so? What’s the justification, and what’s the background upon which this conversation on pipes and endpoints exists?

Below, we’ll attempt to clarify what the saying means. We’ll look at where it came from, how it applies to microservice development, and see why it’s a helpful expression for modern software architects to understand.

The Problem of the Monolith

We’ve talked at length about both monoliths and microservices, but it bears significant importance to this discussion, so we will again define them.

Understanding Monolith

The traditional approach to development is often referred to by a singular term — the monolith. Monolithic development adopts a centralized data storage and response. A holdover from the era of mainframes and clients, the basic idea is to create a vertical stack wherein everything is located and guided by a single, all-powerful system. This non-distributed approach meant that everything existed in one body. Software applications were self-contained and non-modular, with requests being handled by a singular entity.

Often, these solutions were purpose-built, with many organizations utilizing a monolith due to their startup phases being singularly focused. This resulted in APIs that were non-modular, specific in intent and purpose to the point of rejecting extensibility and scalability in favor of stability and a functional response.

There are some strengths to this kind of approach. First, it’s often cheaper to engage with at the start. Building something to do one thing — and only one thing — is often more affordable than building a system that allows for many things. In such a monolithic approach, the service is a one-to-one relationship — the server owns the data, how it’s transmitted, and how it’s serviced, making a clear communication pathway.

Unfortunately, this means that monoliths are heavily siloed, lacking a malleable underlying codebase. Alterations or replacements carry an enormous cost in both time and resources. This can result in a sort of code paralysis just due to the sheer weight of the system. It can also result in a high cost to develop, maintain, and run. As a monolith grows larger, it remains constrained to its original design, incurring ever-growing expenses to add new components. This results in late-stage development that carries massive deployment burdens and slower release schedules.

Understanding Microservices

Microservices were designed to solve this problem. In essence, the microservice paradigm represents a sea change from isolated singular monoliths to a collection of smaller, single-purpose services that work in concert. With each service doing a specific thing, the idea is that those services would then work together to facilitate the core function.

This shift from non-distributed to distributed, from centralized to decentralized, delivers significant benefits. First, the system becomes much more scalable. An application can slot in new services or change existing ones without adverse end-user experience changes. Iteration does not freeze new development, as you’re changing a small part of the greater subset. You can compare this to changing clothes — if your entire outfit was all sewn together, as in a monolith, you would be unable to change your jacket or put on a hat without a huge effort. A microservice allows you to, metaphorically speaking, change hats or jackets at will. This is possible because the individual parts are only connected by necessity, not enforcement.

This also means microservices do not carry with them the problem of siloing. With components architected as microservices, the overall system can change, mold itself, and adapt to circumstances without affecting any other part. Business logic can be represented on the node with the closest affinity to its function, rather than being centralized into a singular node of control.

This system does introduce additional complexity, as we’ll cover below, yet the benefits are so substantial that many software architects have adopted it whole-heartedly.

The Solution: Smart or Dumb Pipes?

While microservices fix many of the issues of the monolith, some unique problems arise. Microservices don’t isolate everything into a single vertical silo, which is great — systems can be spread across multiple nodes and instances, creating a lot of variability in resource location. This also, unfortunately, creates some communication complexity. Think about it this way — imagine you are trying to do a group project, but instead of everyone sitting at the same conference table, you are all several miles apart. This would introduce significant communication barriers, even while introducing more extensibility and scalability to your group.

Microservices face this exact problem when it comes to facilitating inter-microservice communication. How do you solve that communication problem? There are really only two options: either you create smart pipes, or you create smart endpoints.

You could solve the microservices communication problem by creating smart pipes, and many implementations have employed this solution. An excellent example of this type, the Enterprise Service Bus, allows for the logic and processing governing communication to be placed in a singular system, a facilitation center, to make communication stable and efficient. However, the problem with doing this is that you’ve created a vertical system of centralization — while the entities doing the work are decentralized, all communication is centralized to this ESB, resulting in a sort of quasi-monolithic approach.

While an ESB is not itself bad — and to put a finer point, not necessarily a monolithic approach — taking it too far can certainly lead to a lot of the same issues incurred with a monolithic strategy.

Smart Endpoints and Dumb Pipes

A great solution is to go the other way. Instead of making your pipes smart, make your endpoints smart! In this system, you’re shifting the paradigm away from the idea of a communications bus and closer towards self-sufficient nodes. In essence, you are taking that business logic, communication logic, and general governance away from the communication node and are instead placing it firmly in the entities doing the talking.

The core idea of “smart endpoints and dumb pipes” is that the microservices, when designed correctly, don’t need a bus to govern this communication. The services themselves can govern the logical breakout of communication without going through an intermediary. If the User Service needs to talk to the Authentication Service, for instance, all the logic for how that works can be held by those entities — including a third entity may increase governance and control, but it may be antithesis to the microservice solution.

Martin Fowler’s coined this concept in his commentary on microservices. In it, he stated as thus:

“The microservice community favours an alternative approach: smart endpoints and dumb pipes. Applications built from microservices aim to be as decoupled and as cohesive as possible – they own their own domain logic and act more as filters in the classical Unix sense – receiving a request, applying logic as appropriate and producing a response. These are choreographed using simple RESTish protocols rather than complex protocols such as WS-Choreography or BPEL or orchestration by a central tool.”

To be clear, this doesn’t mean that no logic is located within the communication systems. The point is where the bulk of that logic resides. It’s one thing to have the “pipes” holding onto basic logic for managing asynchronous communication. Still, it’s a whole secondary thing to have them hold the complete logic for all communication and governance internally. Not only is it highly inefficient, but it may also be ineffective in actually facilitating communication. Lightweight logic systems can, in fact, be useful. Again, from the same commentary from Martin Fowler:

“The second approach in common use is messaging over a lightweight message bus. The infrastructure chosen is typically dumb (dumb as in acts as a message router only) – simple implementations such as RabbitMQ or ZeroMQ don’t do much more than provide a reliable asynchronous fabric – the smarts still live in the endpoints that are producing and consuming messages; in the services.”

This is really a solution that is more concerned with removing blockers than demanding a particular approach. The beauty of microservices lies in the freedom to adapt and change for different circumstances — adopting the concept of “smart endpoints and dumb pipes” simply allows that change and adaptation to be more fluid and independent of the communication controls and protocols more typical of centralized systems.

Conclusion

The best way to think about “smart endpoints and dumb pipes” is to think about where the logic exists. When you create dumb endpoints and smart pipes, you depend on the pipes for everything. You depend on the pipes to know where the data is coming from, where it’s going, and how it should be transmitted. You have centralized all communication power into a system of organization and governance. That’s not necessarily a bad thing in all cases — in secure data situations, you may very well need such a system — but it’s only truly appropriate in a handful of situations.

“Smart endpoints and dumb pipes” is an inversion of this principle. The microservices know what they’re doing, and if that’s true, why should you need to control their communication? If you’ve built out a robust microservice ecosystem, then you should be able to let them communicate over a system that is minimally controlling, with minimal logic built-in for core functions.

What do you think about this concept? Let us know below!

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"For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." Romans 14:11-12

Though God has always had a people, the New Testament Church started with Christ and His disciples and was empowered at Pentecost. Historically, there has always been a remnant of people who adhered to the truth of God's Word for their faith and practice. I am convinced that the very same body of truth which was once delivered must be contended for in every generation.

In every generation from Christ and His disciples to this present moment, there have been holy adherents to the truth of God's Word. This witness of history is a witness in their blood. I am a Baptist by conviction. I was not "Baptist-born." I became and remain a Baptist because of what I have discovered in the Word of God.

The Lord Jesus Christ left His church doctrine and ordinances. The ordinances are baptism and the Lord's Supper. These are the things He ordered us to do. They picture His death and remind us of Him and His return. He also left us a body of doctrine. This involves our belief and teaching. Our doctrine distinguishes us. It is all from the Bible.

No one can be forced to become a Baptist. Our records show that baptism was always administered to professing believers. Hence, we refer to baptism as believers' baptism.

Baptists are gospel-preaching people. They preached the gospel to me. The Lord Jesus said to the first-century church, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth ,, (Acts I :8). I am grateful to God to be a Baptist. I consider this to be New Testament Christianity. It is my joy to serve as the pastor of an independent Baptist church, preaching and teaching God's Word.

A Baptist recognizes the autonomy of the local church. There is no such thing as "The Baptist Church." The only Baptist headquarters that exists is in the local assembly of baptized believers. There are only local Baptist churches. \

When we say that the Bible is our sole authority, we are speaking of all the scriptures, the whole and its parts. We should preach the whole counsel of God. In the Bible we find the gospel-the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We should proclaim the gospel because Jesus Christ said that we are to take the gospel message to every creature. When we open the sixty-six books of the Bible, we find more than the gospel. Of course, that scarlet thread of redemption runs through all the Bible, but the whole counsel of God must be proclaimed.

The Bible says in Romans 14:11-12, ''For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. " Each human being must answer personally to God.

In our nation we hear people talk about religious tolerance. Religious tolerance is something created by government. It is a "gift" from government. Religious tolerance is something man has made. Soul liberty is something God established when He created us. We find a clear teaching of this in His Word. Soul liberty is a gift from God! God's Word says in Galatians 5:1, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

Soul liberty does not rest upon the legal documents of our nation-it is rooted in the Word of God. This individual freedom of the soul is inherent in man's nature as God created him. Man is responsible for his choices, but he is free to choose. This conviction is at the core of Baptist beliefs.

This powerful declaration about our Baptist position was made by J.D. Freeman in 1905:

Our demand has been not simply for religious toleration, but religious liberty; not sufferance merely, but freedom; and that not for ourselves alone, but for all men. We did not stumble upon this doctrine. It inheres in the very essence of our belief. Christ is Lord of all.. .. The conscience is the servant only of God, and is not subject to the will of man. This truth has indestructible life. Crucify it and the third day it will rise again. Bury it in the sepulcher and the stone will be rolled away, while the keepers become as dead men .... Steadfastly refusing to bend our necks under the yoke of bondage, we have scrupulously withheld our hands from imposing that yoke upon others .... Of martyr blood our hands are clean. We have never invoked the sword of temporal power to aid the sword of the Spirit. We have never passed an ordinance inflicting a civic disability on any man because of his religious views, be he Protestant or Papist, Jew, or Turk, or infidel. In this regard there is no blot on our escutcheon (family crest).

Remember that, when we are talking about individual soul liberty and the relationship of the church and the state, in America the Constitution does not place the church over the state or the state over the church. Most importantly, Scripture places them side by side, each operating independently of the other. This means there is freedom in the church and freedom in the state. Each is sovereign within the sphere of the authority God has given to each of them (Matthew 22:21).

Read carefully this statement made by Charles Spurgeon, the famous English preacher, concerning Baptist people:

We believe that the Baptists are the original Christians. We did not commence our existence at the Reformation, we were reformers before Luther or Calvin were born; we never came from the Church of Rome, for we were never in it, but we have an unbroken line up to the apostles themselves. We have always existed from the very days of Christ, and our principles, sometimes veiled and forgotten, like a river which may travel underground for a little season, have always had honest and holy adherents. Persecuted alike by Romanists and Protestants of almost every sect, yet there has never existed a government holding Baptist principles which persecuted others; nor, I believe, any body of Baptists ever held it to be right to put the consciences of others under the control of man. We have ever been ready to suffer, as our martyrologies will prove, but we are not ready to accept any help from the State, to prostitute the purity of the Bride of Christ to any alliance with overnment, and we wil never make the Church, although the Queen, the despot over the consciences of men.

The New Park Street Pulpit, Volume VII · Page 225

This a marvelous statement about Baptist beliefs. I am rather troubled when I see so many people who claim to be Baptists who do not understand why they are Baptists. We should be able to defend our position and do it biblically. lf we are people who know and love the Lord and His Word and if the Bible is our sole authority for faith and practice, then we have no reason to be ashamed of the position we take. May God not only help us to take this position, but to take it with holy boldness and cotnpassion. May He help us to be able to take His Word in hand and heart and defend what we believe to a lost and dying world.

So much of what we have to enjoy in our country can be credited to Baptist people. Any honest student of American history will agree that the Virginia Baptists were almost solely responsible for the First Amendment being added to our Constitution providing the freedom to worship God as our conscience dictates.

We have a country that has been so influenced that we do not believe it is right to exercise any control or coercion of any kind over the souls of men. Where did this conviction come from? We find it in the Bible, but someone imparted it to the Founding Fathers. It became the law of the land, and it should remain the law of the land. We need to understand it. It comes out of the clear teaching of God's Word concerning the subject of soul liberty.

There are many historic places there where people were martyred for their faith, giving their lives for what they believed. The religious persecution came as a result of the laws of the land. Although many Baptists have been martyred, you will never find Baptist people persecuting anyone anywhere for his faith, no matter what his faith may be.

There are many denominations that teach the Scriptures are the infallible Word of God, God is the creator of heaven and earth, man is a fallen creature and must be redeemed by the blood of Christ, salvation is the free offer of eternal Iife to those who receive it and eternal helI awaits those who reject it, the Lord's Day is a day of worship, and the only time for man to be made right with God is in this lifetime. There are certainly other commonly held teachings, but there are certain Baptist distinctive. Often an acrostic using the word BAPTISTS is used to represent these Baptist distinctive.

• B is for biblical authority. The Bible is the sole authority for our faith and practice.

• A for the autonomy of the local church. Every church we find in the New Testament was a self-governing church with only Christ as the head.

• P represents the priesthood of believers and the access we have to God through Jesus Christ.

• T for the two church officers-pastors and deacons. We find these officers in the New Testament.

• I for individual soul liberty. Most people, when asked, say that the sole authority of the Scripture in our faith and practice is the single, most important distinctive of our faith. However, if we did not have individual soul liberty, we could not come to the convictions we have on all other matters.

• S for a saved church membership.

Personal Accountability to God

Renowned Baptist leader, Dr. E.Y. Mullins, summarized our Baptist position in these words. He wrote:

The biblical significance of the Baptist is the right of private interpretation of and obedience to the Scriptures. The significance of the Baptist in relation to the individual is soul freedom. The ecclesiastical significance of the Baptist is a regenerated church membership and the equality and priesthood of believers. The political significance of the Baptist is the separation of church and state. But as comprehending all the above particulars, as a great and aggressive force in Christian history, as distinguished from all others and standing entirely alone, the doctrine of the soul's competency in religion under God is the distinctive significance of the Baptists.

We find this accountability in the opening verses of God's Word. When God created man, He created man capable of giving a personal account of himself to God. God did not create puppets; He created people. He gave man the right to choose. That is why we find the man Adam choosing to sin and to disobey God in Genesis chapter three. Of his own volition he chose to sin and disobey God. Genesis I :27 says, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. " We were made in God's image, and when God made us in His image, He made us with the ability to choose.

It is not right to try to force one's religion or belief upon another individual. This does not mean, however, that he can be a Christian by believing anything he wishes to believe, because Jesus Christ said that there is only one way to heaven. He said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." He is the only way to God. The only way of salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ.

In this age of tolerance, people say that nothing is really wrong. The same people who say that any way of believing is right will not accept the truth that one belief can be the only way that is right. You may believe anything you choose, but God has declared that there is only one way to Him and that is through His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only way of salvation- that is why He suffered and died for our sins. The only way to know God is through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Someone is certain to ask, "Who are you to declare that everyone else's religion is wrong?" We are saying that everyone ~as ~ right to choose his own way, but God has clearly taught us in His Word that there is only one way to Him. The Lord Jesus says in John 10:9, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."

No human being is going to live on this earth without being sinned against by others. Many children are sinned against greatly by their own parents. However, we cannot go through life blaming others for the person we are, because God has made us in such a way that we have an individual accountability to God. This comes out of our soul liberty and our right to choose and respond to things in a way that God would have us espond to them. God has made us in His image. Again, He did not make us puppets or robots; He made us people, created in His image with the ability to choose our own way.

Remember, "For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Romans 14:11- 12). We are responsible because we have direct access to God. God has given us the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and access to the Throne by the merit of Jesus Christ. We, therefore? must answer personally to God at the judgment seat because God communicates to us directly.

People do not like to be held personally accountable for their actions. The truth of the Word of God is that every individual is personally accountable to God. In other words, you are going to meet God in judgment some day. I am going to meet God in judgment some day. All of us are going to stand before the Lord some day and answer to Him. We are individually accountable to God. Since the state cannot answer for us to God, it has no right to dictate our conscience.

We live in a country where there are many false religions. As Baptist people, we defend the right of anyone in our land to worship as he sees fit to worship. This is unheard of in most of the world. If a man is a Moslem, I do not agree with his Islamic religion, but I defend his right to worship as he sees fit to worship. The teaching of the Catholic Church declares that salvation comes through Mary, but this is not the teaching of the Bible. We zealously proclaim the truth, but we must also defend the right of people to worship as they choose to worship. Why? Because individual soul liberty is a gift from God to every human being.

Since the Bible teaches individual soul liberty and personal accountability to God, then it is a truth that will endure to all generations. To be sure, Baptists believe the Bible is the sole authority for faith and practice (II Timothy 3:16-17; Matthew 15:9; I John 2:20, 21 , 27) and the Bible clearly teaches that no church or government or power on earth has the right to bind a man's conscience. The individual is personally accountable to God. Hence, we reject the teaching of infant baptism and all doctrine that recognizes people as members of a church before they give evidence of personal repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The famous Baptist, John Bunyan is the man who gave us Pilgrim's Progress. This wonderful book was planned during Bunyan's prison experience and written when he was released. The trial of John Bunyan took place on October 3, 1660. John Bunyan spent twelve years in jail for his convictions about individual soul liberty, failure to attend the Church of England, and for preaching the Word of God. During his trial, Bunyan stood before Judge Wingate who was interested in hearing John Bunyan state his case. Judge Wingate said, "In that case, then, this court would be profoundly interested in your response to them."

Part of John Bunyan's response follows:

Thank you, My 'lord. And may I say that I am grateful for the opportunity to respond. Firstly, the depositions speak the truth. I have never attended services in the Church of England, nor do I intend ever to do so. Secondly, it is no secret that I preach the Word of God whenever, wherever, and to whomever He pleases to grant me opportunity to do so. Having said that, My 'lord, there is a weightier issue that I am constrained to address. I have no choice but to acknowledge my awareness of the law which I am accused of transgressing. Likewise, I have no choice but to confess my auilt in my transgression of it. As true as these things are, I must affirm that I neiher regret breaking the law, nor repent of having broken it. Further, I must warn you that I have no intention in future of conforming to it. It is, on its face, an unjust law, a law against which honorable men cannot shrink from protesting. In truth, My 'lord, it violates an infinitely higher law- the right of every man to seek God in his own way, unhindered by any temporal power. That, My 'lord, is my response.

Remember that Bunyan was responding as to why he would not do all that he was doing for God within the confines of the Church of England. The transcription goes on to say:

Judge Wingate: This court would remind you, sir, that we are not here to debate the merits of the law. We are here to determine if you are, in fact, guilty of violating it. John Bunyan: Perhaps, My 'lord, that is why you are here, but it is most certainly not why I am here. I am here because you compel me to be here. All I ask is to be left alone to preach and to teach as God directs me. As, however, I must be here, I cannot fail to use these circumstances to speak against what I know to be an unjust and odious edict. Judge Wingate: Let me understand you. You are arguing that every man has a right, given him by Almighty God, to seek the Deity in his own way, even if he chooses without the benefit of the English Church? John Bunyan: That is precisely what I am arguing, My 'lord. Or without benefit of any church. Judge Wingate: Do you know what you are saying? What of Papist and Quakers? What of pagan Mohammedans? Have these the right to seek God in their own misguided way? John Bunyan: Even these, My 'lord. Judge Wingate: May I ask if you are articularly sympathetic to the views of these or other such deviant religious societies? John Bunyan: I am not, My 'lord. Judge Wingate: Yet, you affirm a God-given right to hold any alien religious doctrine that appeals to the warped minds of men? John Bunyan: I do, My'lord. Judge Wingate: I find your views impossible of belief And what of those who, if left to their own devices, would have no interest in things heavenly? Have they the right to be allowed to continue unmolested in their error? John Bunyan: It is my fervent belief that they do, My'lord. Judge Wingate: And on what basis, might r ask. can you make such rash affirmations? John Bunyan: On the basis, My 'lord, that a man's religious views- or lack of them- are matters between his conscience and his God, and are not the business of the Crown, the Parliament, or even, with all due respect, My 'lord, of this court. However much I may be in disagreement with another man's sincerely held religious beliefs, neither I nor any other may disallo his right to hold those beliefs. No man's right in these affairs are . secure if every other man's rights are not equally secure.

I do not know of anyone who could have expressed the whole idea of soul liberty in the words of man any more clearly than Bunyan stated in 1660. Every man can seek God as he pleases. This means that we cannot force our religious faith or teaching on anyone. It means clearly that no one can be coerced into being a Baptist and believing what we believe. It means that we can do no arm-twisting, or anything of that sort, to make anyone believe what we believe. Every man has been created by God with the ability to choose to follow God or to follow some other god.

Personal accountability to God is a distinctive of our faith. It is something we believe, and out of this distinctive come other distinctives that we identify with as Baptist people.

The Priesthood of Every Believer

The priesthood of the believer means that every believer can go to God through the merit of Jesus Christ. Christ and Christ alone is the only way to God. All of us who have trusted Christ as Saviour enjoy the glorious privilege of the priesthood of the believer and can access God through the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The Bible says in I Timothy 2: 1-6,

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men,· for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour,· who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Take special note of verse five, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."

Any man, anywhere in this world can go to God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:9 says, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal pn~ • thood , an . holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should. shew forth the praises of hzm who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. "

Christians have access to God. You can personally talk to God. You can take your needs to the Lord. Whatever your needs are, you can take those needs to the Lord. You, as an individual Christian, can go to God through the Lord Jesus Christ, your High Priest who "ever liveth to make intercession" for you (Hebrews 7:25).

We have no merit of our own. We do not accumulate merit. People may make reference to a time of meritorious service someone has rendered, but we cannot build up "good works" that get us through to God. Each day, we must come before God as needy sinners approaching Him through the finished work of Christ and Christ alone.

The Bible teaches the personal accountability of every human being to God. We cannot force our religion on anyone or make anyone a believer. We cannot force someone to be a Christian. Think of how wrong it is to take babies and allow them later in life to think they have become Christians by an act of infant baptism. Yes, they have a right to practice infant baptism, but we do not believe this is biblical because faith cannot be forced or coerced.

There are places in the world where the state is under a religion. There are places in the world where religion is under the state-the state exercises control over the faith of people. This is not taught in the Bible. Then, there are countries like ours where the church and the state operate side by side.

Throughout history, people who have identified with Baptist distinctives have stood as guardians of religious liberty. At the heart of this liberty is what we refer to as ndividual soul liberty. I am grateful to be a Baptist.

The Power of Influence Where does this teaching of the priesthood of every believer and our personal accountability to God lead us? It leads us to realize the importance of the power of influence. This is the tool God has given us. I want to give you an Old Testament example to illustrate the matter of influence.

Judges 21 :25 tells us, "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes."

In the days of the judges, every man did what was right in his own eyes with no fixed point of reference.

God's Word continues to describe this time of judges in Ruth 1:1, ''Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. " God begins to tell us about a man named Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and his sons. He brings us to the beautiful love story of Ruth and Boaz. God tells us that at the same time in which the judges ruled, when there was anarchy in the land, this beautiful love stor of Boaz and Ruth took place.

This story gives us interesting insight on the responsibility of the Christian and the church. In the midst of everything that is going on, we are to share the beautiful love story of the Lord Jesus Christ and His bride. We need to tell people about the Saviour.

The same truth is found throughout the Word of God. Philippians 2:15 states, "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. "

We are "in the midst ofa crooked and p erverse nation." This is why the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. " Let your light shine!

The more a church becomes like the world, the less influence it is going to have in the world. Preaching ceases, and churches only have diolauges. Singing that is sacred is taken out and the worlds music comes in. All revrence is gone. What so many are attempting to do in order to build up their ministry is actualy what will cause the demise of their ministry. We will never make a difference without being willing to be differnt, Being different is not the goal. Christ is the goal, and He makes us different.

Remember, we cannot force people to become Christians or force our faith on people. It is not right to attempt to violate another man's will; he must choose of his own volition to trust Christ or reject Christ. When we understand this, then we understand the powerful tool of influence. We must live Holy Spirit-filled, godly lives and be what God wants us to be. We must be lights in a dark world as we live in the midst of a crooked generation. The only tool we have to use is influence, not force. As we separate ourselves to God and live godly lives, only then do we have a testimony.

Separation to God and from the world is not the enemy of evangelism; it cais the essential of evangelism. There can be no evangelism without separation to God and from the world because we have no other tool to use. We cannot force people to believe what we believe to be the truth. They must choose of their own will. We must so identify with the Lord Jesus in His beauty, glory, and holiness that He will be lifted up, and people will come to Him

The more a church becomes like the world, the less influence it is going to have in the world. Preaching ceases, and churches only have dialogue. Singing that is sacred is taken out, and the world's music comes in. All reverence is gone. What so many are attempting to do in order to build up their ministry is actually what will cause the demise of their ministry. We will never make a difference without being willing to be different. It is Christ who makes us different. Being different is not the goal. Christ is the goal, and He makes us different.

Remember, we cannot force people to become Christians or force our faith on people. It is not right to attempt to violate another man's will; he must choose of his own volition to trust Christ or reject Christ. When we understand this, then we understand the powerful tool of influence. We must live Holy Spirit-filled, godly lives and be what God wants us to be. We must be lights in a dark world as we live in the midst of a crooked generation. The only tool we have to use is influence, not force. As we separate ourselves to God and live godly lives, only then do we have a testimony.

Separation to God and from the world is not the enemy of evangelism; it is the essential of evangelism. There can be no evangelism without separation to God and from the world because we have no other tool to use. We cannot force people to believe what we believe to be the truth. They must choose of their own will. We must so identify with the Lord Jesus in His beauty, glory, and holiness that He will be lifted up, and people will come to Him.

As this world becomes increasingly worse, the more off-thewall and ridiculous we will appear to an unbelieving world. The temptation will come again and again for us to simply cave in.

When one finds people with sincerely held Baptist distinctives, he finds those people have a passion for going in the power of the Holy Spirit, obeying Christ, preaching the gospel to every creature. I am grateful to God to say, "I am a Baptist."

Baptists know it is because of what we find in the Bible about soul freedom, personal accountability, and the priesthood of every believer that we must use the power of Spirit-filled influence to win the lost to Christ. If we disobey Christ by conforming to the world, we lose our influence.

May the Lord help us to be unashamed to bear His reproach and be identified with our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Way of Salvation

Do you know for sure that if you died today you would go to Heaven?

1. Realize that God loves you

God loves you and has a plan for your life. "For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16 ).

2. The Bible says that all men are sinners

Our sins have separated us from God. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). God made man in His own image. He gave man the ability to choose right from wrong. We choose to sin. Our sins separate us from God.

3. God's word also says that sin must be paid for

"For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23 ). Wages means payment. The payment of our sin is death and hell, separation from God forever. If we continue in our sin, we shall die without Christ and be without God forever.

4. The good news is that Christ paid for our sins

All our sins were laid on Christ on the cross. He paid our sin debt for us. The Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross, and He arose from the dead. He is alive forevermore. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

5. We must personally pray and recieve Christ by faith as our saviour

The Bible says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13 ).

Lets review for a moment

1. Realize That God Loves You - John 3: 1
2. All are sinners - Romans 3:21
3. Sin Must Be Paid For - Romans 6:23
4. Christ paid for our sins - Romans 5:8
5. We Must Personally Pray and Receive Christ as Our Saviour - Romans 10:13
6. Pray and recieve Christ as your saviour

Lord, I know that I am a sinner. If I died today I would not go to heaven. Forgive my sins and be my Saviour. Help me live for You from this day forward. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Bible says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13 ).

~navluc-latmes

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

Discover the truth about Bitcoin's future: Will it soar to new heights or face a devastating downfall? Uncover the numbers that reveal the potential of the Bull Run or the possibility of a bust.

Table Of Content

• Bitcoin's Past Successes and Failures: An Overview
• Factors Influencing Bitcoin's Future
• Conclusion
• FAQ

Bitcoin, the first decentralized cryptocurrency, has taken the financial world by storm. Its volatility and potential for massive gains have captivated investors and enthusiasts alike. However, as with any investment, there are always questions surrounding its future. Is Bitcoin heading for another bull run, or is it on the verge of a catastrophic bust? In this article, we will delve into the numbers and trends to shed light on the potential future of Bitcoin.

Bitcoin Future Bitcoin's Past Successes and Failures: An Overview

To understand Bitcoin's future, it's essential to examine its past. Bitcoin's journey has been marked by tremendous highs and devastating lows, making it a rollercoaster ride for investors. Let's take a closer look at its historical performance.

The Early Years: Bitcoin's Humble Beginnings

In 2009, Bitcoin emerged as a concept, and its initial value was next to nothing. However, over time, its popularity grew, and by 2010, it gained some value. In May 2010, a historic moment occurred when Laszlo Hanyecz famously purchased two pizzas for 10,000 Bitcoins. Little did anyone know that those Bitcoins would be worth millions in the future.

The 2017 Bull Run: Bitcoin's Rise to Prominence

The year 2017 witnessed an unprecedented surge in Bitcoin's value, attracting global attention. Bitcoin's price skyrocketed from around $1,000 in January to nearly $20,000 in December. This massive growth sparked a frenzy among investors, leading to widespread adoption and media coverage.

The 2018 Bubble Burst: Bitcoin's Steep Decline

However, the euphoria didn't last long. In 2018, the cryptocurrency market experienced a significant crash, with Bitcoin's value plummeting to around $3,000 by the end of the year. This sharp decline shook investors' confidence and raised doubts about the long-term viability of Bitcoin.

Bitcoin Future Factors Influencing Bitcoin's Future

Bitcoin's future is shaped by various factors that impact its price, adoption, and overall market sentiment. Understanding these factors is crucial for predicting its future trajectory.

Market Adoption and Regulatory Developments

The widespread adoption of Bitcoin by businesses and individuals significantly impacts its value. As more companies accept Bitcoin as a form of payment and governments establish favorable regulatory frameworks, Bitcoin's future looks promising. However, regulatory challenges and negative news can hinder its growth.

Technological Advancements and Innovation

Bitcoin's future is intrinsically linked to technological advancements and innovation within the cryptocurrency space. The development of scaling solutions, improved security measures, and enhanced user experience can propel Bitcoin to new heights.

Global Economic Conditions

Bitcoin's value is closely tied to global economic conditions. During times of economic uncertainty, such as political instability or inflationary pressures, Bitcoin often emerges as a safe haven asset. Conversely, stable economic conditions may dampen its growth potential.

Investor Sentiment and Speculation

The speculative nature of Bitcoin makes investor sentiment a significant driver of its price fluctuations. Positive news, endorsements from influential figures, or large-scale institutional investments can fuel optimism and trigger a bull run. On the other hand, negative sentiment can lead to a bearish market.

Bitcoin Future

Conclusion

While predicting Bitcoin's future with absolute certainty is impossible, analyzing historical trends and considering various factors can provide valuable insights. Bitcoin's path has been filled with remarkable highs and gut-wrenching lows, making it an intriguing investment option. As always, investors should exercise caution, diversify their portfolios, and stay updated with the latest developments in the cryptocurrency space.

FAQ

Is investing in Bitcoin still profitable?

While Bitcoin has experienced significant price volatility, many investors have made substantial profits.

What caused the 2018 Bitcoin crash?

The 2018 Bitcoin crash was influenced by a combination of factors, including regulatory uncertainties, a decline in market sentiment, and the bursting of the speculative bubble that had formed in the previous year.

Can Bitcoin replace traditional currencies?

Bitcoin's potential to replace traditional currencies remains a subject of debate. While it offers benefits such as decentralization and borderless transactions, challenges related to scalability, regulatory hurdles, and public acceptance need to be overcome.

What role do institutional investors play in Bitcoin's future?

Institutional investors, such as hedge funds and asset management firms, have started to show interest in Bitcoin. Their participation can bring stability, liquidity, and increased mainstream adoption, positively impacting Bitcoin's future.

That's all for today, see ya tomorrow

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DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.

@ 9ecbb0e7:06ab7c09

En horas de la madrugada de este 27 de julio, un incendio de grandes proporciones destruyó el complejo turístico estatal Pio Cua en Jagüey Grande, Matanzas. Según una nota publicada por la Asamblea Municipal del Poder Popular en ese territorio, el origen de las llamas fue una sobrecarga eléctrica, aunque peritos del Ministerio del Interior (Minint) investigan a fondo lo sucedido.

“Las fuerzas especializadas del Minint de conjunto con las máximas autoridades del municipio y los trabajadores de la institución, lograron controlar el incendio, sin daños a vidas humanas”, afirma la nota, pero los percances a la infraestructura fueron irreversibles.

En redes sociales circulan múltiples videos que muestran las llamas devorando la estructura de madera y el techo de guano de la discoteca, el restaurante y la cafetería, locales que integraban el complejo turístico.

El restaurante Pio Cua, ubicado en el kilómetro 4 de la carretera a Playa Larga, tenía una capacidad para 200 personas y estaba especializado en comida internacional. Según el portal del ciudadano de Matanzas, “la construcción de madera garantizaba un ambiente agradable con una cómoda terraza ambientada con plantas naturales ideal para un descanso”.

La falla eléctrica se produjo al restablecerse la energía eléctrica luego de un largo apagón. Al parecer, los equipos electrónicos no tenían protección y a través de ellos comenzó a extenderse el fuego.

@ 57fe4c4a:c3a0271f

👥 Authors: moonsettler ( nostr:npub1nt4g4lddyzlky5q9m93tfa6fqpjmhsvnyfkjfsdqf33s8ax7jcmswjd2m3 )

📅 Messages Date: 2023-07-26

✉️ Message Count: 1

📚 Total Characters in Messages: 3532

Messages Summaries

✉️ Message by moonsettler on 26/07/2023: The sender is discussing a protocol that incorporates 2FA authentication and blind signing, but there are concerns about potential attacks.

Follow nostr:npub15g7m7mrveqlpfnpa7njke3ccghmpryyqsn87vg8g8eqvqmxd60gqmx08lk for full threads

@ 9ecbb0e7:06ab7c09

El cubano Osvel Pérez Mantilla se llevó una inesperada respuesta al presentar una petición de asilo en Luisiana, donde estuvo dos años detenido por ingresar de manera irregular a Estados Unidos.

“En Cuba no hay dictadura”, expresó el juez a cargo de su caso, quien finalmente le negó la protección entregándole la orden de deportación final conocida como I-220B. A un par de años de esta situación, Pérez Mantilla vive en Miami con el miedo de ser repatriado tras reanudarse los vuelos de este tipo.

Al compartir su caso al periodista Mario J. Pentón, el antillano expresó que teme ser detenido cuando se presente a las oficinas del Servicio de Control de Inmigración y Aduanas (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés) para renovar su permiso de estadía en EEUU.

“Llevo días sin dormir, pensando en lo que podría pasar con mi esposa y la vida que he hecho en este país”, agregó, al señalar que ha ejercido dos trabajos en territorio estadounidense para poder salir adelante.

Asimismo, sostuvo: “me voy a presentar a las oficinas y espero que no me vaya a suceder lo peor, no quiero que me suceda y me lleven a la dictadura, esto me está afectando mucho en lo personal”.

La orden de deportación final se entrega a personas que perdieron sus casos ante un juez, cuando defendieron su solicitud de asilo u otras aplicaciones que presentaron para permanecer en EEUU.

En las últimas semanas, decenas de cubanos con ese documento terminaron detenidos cuando asistieron a las sedes del ICE para dar cumplimiento a citas de rutina. Algunos fueron liberados, pero sin tener una permanencia segura en el país.

Desde el mes de abril, la administración de Joe Biden ha realizado cuatro vuelos de deportación hacia la Mayor de las Antillas. Estos trayectos permanecieron suspendidos a causa de la pandemia y se reanudaron tras un acuerdo migratorio entre Washington y La Habana.

En el último viaje iba un cubano identificado como Sergio Pérez, quien dejó en EEUU a su hijo de 10 años. La madre de este menor reside en Cuba, mientras que en Miami se encuentran dos tías, quienes no tienen la custodia legal.

Al menos unas 258 personas oriundas de la Isla han sido devueltas por medio de los vuelos de repatriación. Todos estos migrantes ingresaron por la frontera con México o navegaron en embarcaciones improvisadas hasta Florida. Luego de ser procesados, se les permitió permanecer en EEUU, pero con dicha orden.

@ 57fe4c4a:c3a0271f

📝 Summary: The author suggests a solution to the blinding problem in a signature protocol and asks for feedback. Tom Trevethan approves of the scheme, stating that it effectively blinds the challenge without modifying the aggregated pubkey. He also mentions that the receiver of a statecoin would need to verify signatures and transactions.

👥 Authors: • Tom Trevethan ( nostr:npub1axshsyxsl3vasj4z9549rvwdvhjmh52fw0ayj3ghtmdezx8cnuxqlwyw7n ) • moonsettler ( nostr:npub1nt4g4lddyzlky5q9m93tfa6fqpjmhsvnyfkjfsdqf33s8ax7jcmswjd2m3 )

📅 Messages Date: 2023-07-26

✉️ Message Count: 2

📚 Total Characters in Messages: 2418

Messages Summaries

✉️ Message by moonsettler on 26/07/2023: The author proposes a solution to the blinding issue in a signature protocol and seeks feedback on its correctness.

✉️ Message by Tom Trevethan on 26/07/2023: The scheme for blinding the challenge works well and doesn't require modifying the aggregated pubkey. The receiver of a statecoin would verify the signatures and transactions.

Follow nostr:npub15g7m7mrveqlpfnpa7njke3ccghmpryyqsn87vg8g8eqvqmxd60gqmx08lk for full threads

@ 9ecbb0e7:06ab7c09

El subsecretario de Seguridad Nacional, Blas Nuñez-Neto, ofreció una conferencia de prensa sobre la marcha del programa de parole humanitario que la administración demócrata de Joe Biden mantiene en vigor para cubanos, nicaragüenses, haitianos y venezolanos.

Una de las preguntas que recibió de parte de periodistas invitados fue ¿por qué el gobierno de EEUU admite en el programa parole a represores y funcionarios vinculados a los regímenes totalitarios de Cuba, Nicaragua y Venezuela?

De acuerdo con Blas Nuñez-Neto, las aplicaciones para la visa humanitaria que examina el Servicio de Ciudadanía e Inmigración (USCIS) y la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza (CBP) pasan por filtros del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional. Cada candidato a ser beneficiados con el parole es buscado en las bases de datos de Seguridad Nacional y Seguridad Pública y si están en los récord no se dejan entrar, confirmó el subsecretario en un audio difundido por el periodista cubano Mario J. Pentón.

Luego la respuesta a la pregunta es evidente: si los represores no están en las bases de datos, que son como especie de “listas negras”, no habrá razones para impedir su entrada a EEUU por medio del parole humanitario, que es en la actualidad la vía más expedita para emigrar legalmente a territorio estadounidense.

Los regímenes totalitarios de Cuba, Nicaragua y Venezuela se caracterizan por contar con un gran entramado de represores y funcionarios que por unas prebendas sirven de vasallos de sus propios compatriotas. En el caso cubano han surgido muchas historias de este tipo de personajes, que en aunque en pequeña escala, se cansaron de reprimir a los vecinos de su cuadra y su barrio. Ellos también hacen mucho daño y contribuyen a que el sistema comunista siga en pie; sin embargo, nunca están circulados en las listas negras de EEUU.

En cambio, el Departamento de Estado suele colocar en esas bases de datos a altos cargos militares cubanos que nunca por su posición dentro de la cúpula de poder de Cuba van a solicitar una visa humanitaria. Sin embargo, sus familiares sí salen conferencia de la Isla para mantener y controlar los múltiples negocios que tienen en el extranjero.

De momento, con las herramientas que hay para otorgar el parole humanitario no es de extrañar que sigan entrando a EEUU represores, castristas, funcionarios del Partido Comunista y demás personas asociadas al régimen. ¿Usted que propondría para solucionar este problema?

@ 5ada3677:7c21c9db

今天歐洲萬人空巷的大件事，是環法自行車賽抵達終點，巴黎的凱旋門。從7月1日開賽，拚到今天，整整23天，終於結束賽事，暫時分出今年的勝負。

看到選手們的車流，浩浩蕩蕩穿越盧浮宮、凱旋門、榮軍院、協和廣場等等巴黎地標，無數人喝彩接力，一座華城為之封鎖讓路，真真熱淚盈眶不已。

今年環法開賽第一站，很巧，是在Bilbao。包子講，他的房東太太提前一個禮拜就提醒他，7月1日開賽，會封城，記得安排好自己。

開賽在Bilbao的古根海姆美術館門前

環法歷史悠久，而且歷久彌新，年年萬人空巷，是絕美的賽事，我們母子追看那麼多年，今年是第一次，在歐洲沒有時差地看了直播。

環法的官網上，每日選手們比賽的路線，有非常詳細的說明，甚至還告訴你，如果你自己騎這一段，要注意些什麼，等等。

看完官網，讀後感是：人生苦短，一輩子好像無論如何不夠用的苦。

歷年環法的海報

我們母子一邊看今天環法的直播，一邊一起做飯。燉了牛尾清湯，做手工麵條。這裡的牛尾非常優秀、麵粉非常優秀，看包子壓麵用足力氣，不禁感嘆，從前沒有機械化，做麵包真是一件重體力活。包子說，古羅馬的時候，做麵包是奴隸的工作。戰俘淪為奴隸，羅馬人就把他們送去西西里做麵包。

Bilbao景致

Bilbao的咖啡館，很妖嬈，冬天供應熱湯，家家不同，湯譜貼在牆上，進門可以不吃咖啡直接吃湯，像廣東人一樣，一笑。

Bilbao的點心Pintxo

今天的圖片都來自環法

夏日拾珠系列在這裡

nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exqenjvpc8q6nxvfhqyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823c83ac7g
nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exqenjvfjx5ur2wpeqyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823c8mrqrm
nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exqenjvf4x5ervd33qyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823cdqaveh
nostr:naddr1qqxnzd3exqenjvfcxscnqd3nqyt8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwdaehgu3wvfskueqzypdd5dnhrpllqf9re6ne06y7rnytd8mqnxjq56u0v3xnkqnuy8yakqcyqqq823czmjr4k

@ 9ecbb0e7:06ab7c09

El gobierno de Estados Unidos confirmó la deportación acelerada hacia México de alrededor de 4.000 migrantes cubanos, nicaragüense, venezolanos y haitianos tras intento de cruzar la frontera desde que se puso fin al Título 42, según informó el periodista Mario J. Pentón.

De acuerdo con declaraciones de Blas Nuñez-Neto, subsecretario de Seguridad Nacional estadounidense, desde el 12 de mayo a la fecha con la colaboración de las autoridades mexicanas, EEUU ha expulsado a 85.000 migrantes de 115 países que intentaron cruzar sin autorización la frontera sur del país.

Todos los expulsados se van con una prohibición de participar en vías legales de migración a EEUU durante los próximos cinco años. Además, si son reincidentes en cruces ilegales, pueden ser enjuiciados judicialmente.

Según el Nuñez-Neto, la política migratoria de la administración de Joe Biden ha funcionado, pues los registros muestran una evidente caída en los encuentros de migrantes que tienen las autoridades fronterizas. El subsecretario insistió en que la frontera de EEUU no están ni estarán abiertas a la migración ilegal.

Además del parole humanitario, los ciudadanos de Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela y Haití que se sientan con la posibilidad de pedir asilo en EEUU, lo pueden hacer ante un oficial de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza (CBP, por sus siglas en inglés) en la frontera.

Sin embargo, esa entrevista debe ser planificada por medio de la aplicación CBP One que ofrece 1.450 citas al día a lo largo de ocho puntos de control distribuidos en los más de 3.000 kilómetros de línea divisoria entre México y EEUU.

Hasta el 23 de junio, CBP One había atendido a más de 49.000 ciudadanos extranjeros en los puertos de entrada y se les dio el derecho a presentar su caso de asilo, según los criterios de admisibilidad que estipula el Título 8 de la ley migratoria que sustituyó al Título 42.

Solo los migrantes que se encuentren en el centro o norte de México pueden entrar a la aplicación CBP One para agendar su cita siguiendo un proceso de solo dos pasos que ha sido simplificado. Por ejemplo, pueden solicitar citas en cualquier momento durante un período de 23 horas y, si se les asigna una cita, tendrán 23 horas adicionales para confirmarla.

@ 5ada3677:7c21c9db

傍晚6:30，想去海邊走走。

坐地鐵30分鐘，到了海邊，Bilbao地區著名的富裕小鎮Getxo，好像翻譯成「哥喬」。

小鎮依山傍海，海岸線綿長，景致美不勝收。此地是老牌富裕小鎮，古建築雄渾壯麗，林立城中。一部分是教堂，一部分是市政廳，還有一部分是當地古老家族的宮殿。古老到什麼程度？12世紀就成名成家，差不多是我們的南宋。

好像無法想像，南宋的豪宅們，依然林立於杭州城中。

一個黃昏，海邊走走，山上走走，滿地玩得盡興的小朋友，以及夕陽餘暉裡，默默對坐的中年夫婦，衣著鮮美，氣概非凡，比比皆是。

好像不用花很多力氣和很多錢，跑去阿瑪爾菲人擠人了，以後。

替補球員們

路過一個公共足球場，立著看一會兒人家業餘球隊踢球。旁邊三五成群的小朋友席地而坐，所謂熏陶，就是這樣子的吧。

Getxo跟Bilbao差不多，從前也是因為鋼鐵工業和航海業而富裕，西班牙的鋼鐵，大多集中在此地附近，是工業革命時期的重鎮。至今，工業革命時期積累的巨大財富，依然歷歷可見。這也是Bilbao能夠成功完成城市轉型的一個根本原因吧，說到底，還是富裕二字。

離開小鎮的時候，天色仍然明媚，而晚間的Jazz已開喉歌詠，海風吹拂裡，默默聽了幾曲。真真是，長夜未央，美貌佳人紅燈坐。

坐地鐵回家，到家剛好晚飯時間。

夏日拾珠系列在這裡

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@ 5ada3677:7c21c9db

Bilbao是西班牙北方小城，居然在此地邂逅上海老友，伊是匆匆過客，僅停兩夜，一路從里昂、巴黎、巴塞羅那、聖薩巴斯提安來，馬不停蹄經馬德里回上海。我們在上海也多年不見了，竟然在這裡碰頭。

一起食個午飯，於當地的小館子，夫妻老婆店，做得很不錯的菜，煎得滾燙滑嫩的omelet，以及極清甜柔潤的狗鱈魚，一點點鹽，一切檸檬淋漓汁水，入口清俊雅麗，完美。

老友很驚奇，包子為何會選擇Bilbao居住？歐洲屈指可數的宜居城市，Bilbao絕對名列前三甲。老友說，我是研究城市轉型的，在攻讀這個課題的博士學位，才知道Bilbao的，包子你是怎麼選到這裡的呢？

我們伴飯的話題，就變成了宜居城市和城市轉型。

1878年的煙紙店

包子講了幾句。

在經歷了英國的蘇格蘭和荷蘭的阿姆斯特丹之後，想找一處溫暖的、陽光充沛的地方，Bilbao四季氣候宜人，有山有海，七月天氣，15至25攝氏度的氣溫，不需要空調，沒有大汗淋灕。

西班牙的大城市，馬德里酷熱，巴塞羅那遊客擁擾，而且生活成本比較貴。就不考慮了。

Bilbao是出名的美食之地，遠勝很多歐洲名城，食物非常便宜，便宜到我這個上海寧咬牙切齒的地步。老友剛從巴黎來，對比巴黎和Bilbao的食物價格、外食價格，也是感嘆不已。

Bilbao特產的鱈魚，賣鱈魚的店，漂亮得像賣珠寶的店

Bilbao沒有交通堵車這件事情，37萬人口的城市，上班族每天上下班往返，花在路上的全部時間，是35分鐘，地鐵票只有兩毛五分錢，城際巴士或者火車，也只有五毛錢，實在是便宜得嚇死人。

街頭的書報亭

老爺叔拉的手風琴，曲子是Bilbao當地足球隊的隊歌，家喻戶曉的名曲

路人甲乙丙

Bilbao最讓我感動，是滿街活蹦亂跳的小朋友，任何時間段出門，都可以見到大群大群的小朋友，在追逐嬉戲，尖叫瘋跑，玩耍得忘情。城中一等黃金地段，處處是孩子們的大型玩具，肌肉結實的小傢伙們，或爬或吊或蕩在玩具上，常常讓我駐足看呆過去。

我已經很久很久，沒有遇見這樣古老的童年了。

跟著而來的，是滿街的童裝店、玩具店，這裡的咖啡館兼售酒精，小朋友們都隨便進出，大人飲酒，小朋友吃果汁或者跟店家要一杯免費白水，法律不囉嗦，市民們自治就好了。

舊書店，去的時候沒有開門，告示上寫，9月3日之前，不收購舊書。大概老闆避暑去了。

我問老友，格麼，你研究了這麼多歐洲城市，除了Bilbao，還有那裡是比較看得上的宜居城市？

老友答，義大利的博洛尼亞。

我們一起笑呵呵的是，那些世界最宜居城市榜單，經常上榜的名城，比如維也納、哥本哈根、蘇黎世，這些城，怎麼會選上榜的？氣候糟糕、食物糟糕、生活成本昂貴，等等。

所以，榜單這個東西，聽聽就好，當它是真的，就不必了，世界宜居城市榜單也好，世界大學排名也好，米其林也好。到了這個年紀，我已經不需要榜單，來幫助我審美判斷了，謝謝天。

夏日拾珠系列在這裡

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@ 5ada3677:7c21c9db

黃昏出門散步，Bilbao 夏季日照很長，長日永晝，很多店鋪營業到晚上八、九點，黃昏五、六點，人們都在公園裡休憩，小館子裡緩緩飲一杯，滿街的孩子們成群呼嘯，這種生氣勃勃，我好像久久久違了。

剛會走路的小朋友，已經在凌空抽射了，驚嘆號。那位給小朋友們供應肥皂泡的老爺叔，其實是乞食者。這麼歡樂的乞食者，真真開闊了我的眼界和胸襟。

櫥窗裡和櫥窗外，色彩一一都繽紛，品味沒話講。歐洲旅行，博物館美術館固然好看值得看，路人甲乙丙丁，也很好看值得看。

在路邊吃一杯咖啡，飽看各色人等，回家寫個短篇小說，絕對綽綽有餘。

想順手買點火腿回去吃，看見路邊的火腿店鋪，就順腳進去了。我的天，小小的店堂裡，在播莫札特的《魔笛》，那種輝煌燦爛，一下子，弄得我立刻吃不消起來。輾轉反側，原地團團轉，以及熱淚盈眶。

老闆是位文靜的老爺叔，聽完一段，我跟他買火腿，請他推薦最好的。老闆於莫札特的華麗詠嘆調裡，跟我講，火腿買回去，開封的時候，拿熱水泡半分鐘，如此最美味。

付了錢，我請他允許我拍點照片，他請我隨意拍。問我喜歡不喜歡莫札特，問包子在Bilbao快樂不快樂、有沒有朋友。我拍到店堂裡的豆子們，老爺叔不好意思地跟我說，啊呀啊呀，通常我是把豆子們放在門口比較好看的，今晚因為等一下要去參加唱歌考試，就提早收進來了。

我的天，怪不得我們在火腿店裡邂逅了莫札特的《魔笛》。

回家路上，包子跟我感慨萬千，一個賣火腿的老爺叔，這麼好的修養啊。

夏日拾珠系列在這裡

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@ 9ecbb0e7:06ab7c09

Después de que Rusia inaugurara en enero de 2022 un observatorio astronómico adjunto al Instituto de Geofísica y Astronomía (IGA) de La Habana, nuevos proyectos en esa dirección acaban de ser anunciados por la prensa de Moscú.

De acuerdo con el sitio oficial Sputnik, entidades de ambos países prevén la instalación de otros dos telescopios rusos en la Isla: uno de 25 centímetros y otro de un metro de diámetro, este último reflector, "que contribuirían a la observación de objetos más débiles" que planetas y estrellas, precisa la nota.

Según un amplio reporte desde La Habana, el observatorio del IGA será trasladado en el futuro al Valle de Picadura, ubicado al sur de Canasí, casi en los límites entre Mayabeque y Matanzas, zona "provista de condiciones de cielo oscuro y pocas precipitaciones, en comparación con otras regiones del país", comenta Antonio Alonso, ingeniero en Telecomunicaciones y especialista del instituto cubano.

El reporte no menciona que esa ubicación coloca al observatorio justo frente a la península de Florida, donde existen objetivos militares claves de EEUU, como el Comando Sur.

Los expertos cubanos califican estas instalaciones como "prioridades dentro de la colaboración bilateral" ruso-cubana, ahora que los lazos estratégicos se estrechan.

De acuerdo con Sputnik, desde la nueva ubicación del observatorio los expertos rusos valoran la posibilidad de hacer estudios de fuentes radioastronómicas y de otra índole, sin precisar cuáles.

Asimismo, agrega el reporte, el observatorio posee una estación para el registro de las condiciones meteorológicas y un sistema de recepción de satélites de posicionamiento global ruso GLONASS.

"Si tenemos en cuenta la distancia entre esta estación receptora y las ubicadas en Rusia, podemos concretar numerosos estudios, desde el aumento de la precisión de este sistema hasta la percepción sobre movimientos de la corteza terrestre", asegura Alonso.

El observatorio cuenta con un astrógrafo, tipo de telescopio utilizado para tomar fotos astronómicas, que es uno de los dispositivos aportados por Rusia mediante convenios firmados con los institutos de Astronomía Aplicada (IPA) y de Astronomía (INASAN), ambos de la Academia de Ciencias de Rusia, además de financiados por Moscú.

Ese telescopio permite la obtención de imágenes de gran campo que abarcan una numerosa cantidad de objetos, si bien el trabajo hasta la fecha radica fundamentalmente en la observación de estrellas variables de rotación rápida y de asteroides, asegura el reporte.

En sus declaraciones, Alonso reconoce que los astrónomos cubanos "mantienen continua comunicación con los expertos rusos, durante las visitas que ellos realizan" a la Isla, "para el impulso de proyectos conjuntos asociados a la investigación de los objetos astronómicos luminosos".

"La posibilidad de colaboración es amplia y diversa. Esto es la primera vez que se hace en Cuba. Transitamos de instrumentos bastante antiguos hasta esta posibilidad de incorporar tecnología moderna. El telescopio está equipado con un carrusel de filtros fotométrico que favorece la obtención de imágenes del fondo del cielo en distintos rangos de frecuencias luminosas", especifica.

De igual manera, subraya el ingeniero, el telescopio cuenta con una cámara CCD de 4096 x 4096 píxeles, acondicionada para la reducción del ruido térmico y el registro de imágenes muy débiles, y una montura automatizada que contribuye a su orientación precisa y al rastreo del movimiento sideral de las estrellas, como consecuencia de la rotación de la Tierra. Las fotografías obtenidas en este proceso poseen una alta calidad.

El reporte de Sputnik asegura que la colaboración internacional en el IGA se extiende además a la cooperación con el Instituto de Geofísica de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), para el estudio de la ionosfera, campo magnético, clima espacial y paleomagnetismo; intercambios con el Instituto de Hidráulica de Cantabria, en España, en el campo de las afectaciones como consecuencia del cambio climático; así como proyectos con los países de la Comunidad del Caribe (CARICOM); y con el Instituto del Ambiente de Estocolmo, en Suecia, para temas de agua y saneamiento, bioeconomía y economía circular.

Pero llama la atención un elemento presuntamente menor en el reporte: según el medio ruso, existe un memorándum de entendimiento con China, que está interesada en la instalación en Cuba de un telescopio propio, así como del sistema de posicionamiento por satélite BeiDou, que complementaría el trabajo del GLONASS ruso ya operativo en la Isla.

El BeiDou está operativo desde 2020 y otorga cobertura global a China con su propio sistema de navegación, el BDS, lo que le permite, al igual que Rusia con el GLONASS, o Europa, con el Galileo, obtener independencia del Sistema de Posicionamiento Global, o GPS, de EEUU.

Con 30 satélites en órbita y una inversión de 10.000 millones de dólares, el BDS promete una mejor y más precisa cobertura de navegación global que el GPS, según Pekín. Su diseño original estuvo a cargo del Ejército del gigante asiático.

El proyecto de emplazar estas tecnologías chinas en Cuba se da a conocer poco después del intercambio de acusaciones entre Washington, Pekín y La Habana acerca de la existencia desde hace varios años de un centro de espionaje chino en una base militar al sur de la capital cubana y de planes para montar un centro de entrenamiento militar en la Isla.

No obstante, el observatorio astronómico ruso que ya funciona en Cuba parece todo menos un centro de espionaje. Ello, si se obvia que a su inauguración en 2022 asistió, según la propia prensa oficial cubana, Vitaly Grechukha, quien estuvo registrado en la dirección de la sede central de la Inteligencia Militar (GRU) antes de ir a Cuba, donde trabaja en la Embajada de Rusia bajo la cobertura de secretario de la sede diplomática.

Grechukha, parte de una red de decenas de agentes del GRU y del Servicio de Inteligencia Exterior (SVR) del Kremlin que operan desde Cuba un centro de espionaje que habría servido a Moscú para dar seguimiento a las operaciones de vigilancia sobre EEUU que hasta hace dos décadas hacía la base de espionaje de Lourdes, fue mencionado en un amplio reportaje sobre esa trama de espías denunciada por The Insider, revista especializada en periodismo de investigación, verificación de hechos y análisis político con sede en Riga, Letonia.

Además de operativos del GRU y el SVR, en La Habana estarían expertos rusos en ciencia de cohetes, tecnología informática y matemáticas, todos transferidos en secreto a Cuba para ¿usar tecnología de espionaje y ubicación de objetivos de interés militar en EEUU?

Si bien el centro de espionaje de Lourdes, que entre 1967 y 2001 estuvo ubicado en la zona donde hoy funciona la Universidad de las Ciencias Informáticas (UCI), en las afuera de La Habana, dejó de estar operativo en su forma original, ¿qué mejor tapadera para ejecutar operaciones de espionaje que un observatorio astronómico?

The Insider recordó en su reporte que al menos desde 2014 existen rumores de que la estación de espionaje rusa en Cuba habría sido reactivada, ahora con menos visibilidad y un equipo de menores dimensiones.

Si a todo lo anterior se suma la entrada al escenario de un actor como China, el régimen de Cuba podría estar brindando su territorio para operaciones demasiado sensibles para el vecino del norte. Ello, mientras su sociedad civil permanece ajena a lo que se cuece entre bambalinas.

@ 5ada3677:7c21c9db

七月，離開梅雨愁城的上海，辛辛苦苦一趟萬里飛行，抵達西班牙北方小城，Bilbao畢爾巴鄂。

四年未到歐洲，別來無恙的甘甜涼爽，以及密密切切的喜悅隨時隨地。

Bilbao以一座古根海姆美術館名動四海，1997年這座古根海姆建成，當年的遊客數，一下子，從前一年的25000人，狂飆至將近一百萬。舉目當今，以一座美術館響亮一座中世紀古城的案例，Bilbao可算得是全球第一名，這座小城，屢獲各種最優城市獎，是聯合國的經典城市案例，從一個垂垂老矣的工業城市，成功轉型為金融、能源、設計、旅遊、藝術、美食集大成的西班牙小瑞士，是很多至今仍在辛苦掙扎的工業城市，望塵莫及的優等生。

Bilbao擁有600年輝煌歷史，並非只有一個古根海姆，後面慢慢講它的身世來歷。

有意思的是，一年一百萬遊客湧入Bilbao，這座人口不足40萬的小城，竟然沒有淪陷成花枝招展輕浮躁動的旅遊城市，當地人依然我行我素，過著悠揚疏鬆的日子。原因很簡單，九成九的遊客，到此地來，兩個旅遊目的地，看一個古根海姆，逛一逛老城區；住一夜，或者不住一夜，就去下一個城市了。遊客們並沒有影響到當地人的起居習慣，亦沒有侵犯到當地人的紅塵裡。這一點，非常有意思。

街頭閒步，低頭抬頭，漂亮建築此起彼伏，從氣勢驚人的哥特式、巴洛克式，一直到簡潔實用的包豪斯式，樣樣俱全，西班牙特有的、柔和了阿拉伯味道的摩爾風格的建築，亦比比皆是，優雅鮮美，震撼人心。

建築的好，是一種十分具體的好，日日夜夜走過路過，影響了城中民眾半輩子的審美性格，能有多少東西，一年影響你300次的呢？華美建築的那種崇高、清華、致遠，皆不是語言能夠企及的。

所以，我們似乎可以體諒武康大樓前面朝朝暮暮洶湧的人潮，他們和她們，像一夜覺了醒，突然驚覺了武和康的巨大的美。

於古根海姆背面的角落裡，遇見騎行的一家人，這位路人甲老阿姨，還上前要求擺拍一楨🌿

這間摩爾風格的百年老店，食一餐三道菜的午餐，僅僅150元人民幣，讓我長噓短嘆了久久🌿

@ 9ecbb0e7:06ab7c09

Ángel Cuenca, histórico dirigente independentista y soberanista de Islas Canarias, falleció en Santiago de Cuba hace casi dos semanas y su cuerpo aún no ha podido ser enviado a España, denunciaron sus familiares a la prensa del archipiélago.

De acuerdo con el diario El Día, de Tenerife, el hermano del fallecido, el arqueólogo Julio Cuenca, aseguró que el deceso del activista ocurrió en Santiago de Cuba el 16 de julio a causa de un infarto, pero la familia en Canarias no fue avisada sino nueve días después, el martes 25.

Según el familiar, la comunicación entre Cuba y la familia en España ha corrido a cargo de la Embajada de Madrid en La Habana, pero el cadáver permanece en la morgue del Hospital Clínico de Santiago de Cuba.

"Santiago está medio paralizado, porque es fiesta nacional por la conmemoración del asalto a Moncada", explicó Julio Cuenca.

"En el momento del fallecimiento estaba solo, aunque tenía su documentación", añadió.

Según el hermano del fallecido, el activista canario pasó los últimos años entre Puerto Rico, Venezuela y Cuba, aunque era en el último país donde permanecía más tiempo "porque allí se sentía muy cómodo". Asimismo, el fallecido tenía una casa en La Habana.

"No tenemos todos los datos del protocolo que hay que cumplir. Todo se está haciendo a través de la Embajada de España", insistió Cuenca.

De acuerdo con El Día, el activista fallecido, que además era músico, estaba en Santiago de Cuba como asistente a la edición 42 del Festival del Caribe, y pensaba asistir a los actos oficiales del régimen cubano por el aniversario 70 del asalto al Cuartel Moncada, organizado por Fidel Castro.

Ingeniero agrónomo de profesión, Ángel Cuenca apenas ejerció el oficio, pues desde joven intervino en movimientos y organizaciones históricas vinculadas al independentismo y soberanismo canario, como el Congreso Nacional de Canarias (CNC), Frepic Awañak, de Tenerife, o Siete Estrellas Verdes.

Además, asesoró al expresidente del Gobierno canario Lorenzo Olarte en una iniciativa para que Canarias adquiriese el estatus de Estado Libre Asociado, lo que le llevó a estar afiliado al Centro Canario Nacionalista (CCN).

En las elecciones autonómicas del pasado 28 de mayo en España encabezó la lista del movimiento Reunir Canarias al Parlamento de esa región autónoma española, pero apenas obtuvo votos para su candidatura.