@ 361d3e1e:50bc10a8

@ 592295cf:413a0db9

A Ux designer has arrived on Nostr. I thought run away while you can. He could get rich, if there was a little economy.

Klout, do you remember that service, which took data from Twitter and made a ~~ WoT~~.

From a note of chip, I understood one thing:

Bitcoin is your "sovereign" currency. Nostr is just third party protocol. If you have a service you can use Nostr to face your customers. "Sovereign" people offer services. They can be bitcoiners or not. So at this stage Nostr is a layer 3 Bitcoin.

So to grow the enveiroment it must be attractive. Let's paraphrase: the protocol is agnostic, the people are fundamentalist Catholics.

So when an atheist person arrives he says ah ok, how do I silence these people and use the protocol If a Protestant Catholic arrives he is laughed at or ignored or at most converted.

---

I had a disagreement with Dergigi, in the end he won, but he is not right... (True)

Post more notes, zap more, follow 1000 people update FAQ to the nth degree. We are in the desert of the Tartars and the enemy is coming and there are those who say every day we must be ready, sooner or later, it will happen, ah ok. Everything must be perfect. Push harder. This leads to exhaustion.

New Grant from Opensat to Victor of Amethyst, totally deserved, pushed the envelope. If you are a grapheneos user download Amethyst. It's not just Amethyst it's also orbot, citrine, amber, zap store or obtainium or f-droid.

GitCitadel has raised its first fund I wonder if it was just a test on geyser, I wonder if it is the right project to do on nostrocket, but I think Opensat grant for nostrocket makes it irreconcilable. This opens a pandora's box, as always. We are silent as fish.

I tried not to answer some questions even in one case I knew the answer, I apologize, Nostr is much older than me, so it's okay not to answer sometimes. Tomorrow begins nostRiga, The last unconference of Nostr.

(First day) The morning was so-so, in the evening the situation improved a little. In the evening I played a bit with Nostr and it broke The second day good in the morning bad in the evening. I saw little of the backstage maybe only two panels, Will by Damus, and P2Phash on Nostr.

I don't follow anyone anymore, I did a little bit of a unfollow. I saw that two users had 200 followers in common, and I said to myself ah ok what is this thing, I have to understand how they do it there is something that doesn't work, let's try to be a little more distant.

It's weird, too much reliance on following, you have to go and look, not be stationary.

@ b83a28b7:35919450

On last week's episode of Plebchain Radio, QW and I announced something unusual - we would be taking a week off posting kind 1 notes on the Twitter clone clients - Primal, Damus, Nostur, etc. The clock started right after our show was posted on Friday, August 23rd and ends with show this Friday, August 30th.

https://video.nostr.build/741cd7a0dd33e1ce815490d14069af96579ce47c92ea04240592c7bbb2de3a65.mp4

The idea behind the challenge is to see how much we can participate in the network without resorting to it's most accessible form of communication - kind 1 notes (the equivalent of tweets/replies).

Halfway into the challenge, we've boosted and commented on shows on Fountain, zapped songs on Wavlake, commented on recipes on zap.cooking, watched videos on zap.stream and tunestr, and written the odd long-form note (oh, alright, just this one so far). It's been fun, but has also created an odd sense of sensory deprivation.

We will share more details on our experience on this week's Plebchain Radio episode. Right, I'm off to explore the rest of the other-stuff-verse. I'd urge everyone to give this challenge a try. It might change how you view nostr.

@ 592295cf:413a0db9

Week 12-08 a suitable protocol

The knots come to a head, some of you have gray hair, you get older.

Tkinter is better than ws://, more secure, but has limitations, unless you know how to use figma and do some magic. The project of Nabismo.

Maybe Nostr doesn't work for me.

Aspirin moment Nip-17, works with nip-44 and nip-59. Someone said they made the groups encrypted with nip-17. I tried and succeeded, now you can DM me, don't do it. I had sent the link to a conversation of nip-87 closed groups. There's JeffG doing something with MLS. Then there's keychat.io which uses signal Nostr Bitcoin ecash and that's it... But in dart. It's a bit like the Matrix analogue for Nostr.

Final controversy not all nips are mandatory.

Build the foundation. You can't think about selling the house

Yakihonne has a countdown. What can a desktop app be. Community Lists, Nip-29

A birthday on Nostr, no that's not possible, they're all cypherpunks. 🎉🎉 (Except me)

There is a different attitude from Nostr when updates are released compared to Bluesky, everyone there is still enthusiastic, on Nostr ah ok but this is missing oh but this is missing or but support this other one, or but * zap, wait a minute, keep calm 🙇‍♂️, I'm the first to do this. (The revolt of the developers)

Deletetion: Client that have relay paired can do delete, more intelligently, Perhaps you can think of a delete.nrelay subdomain as a filter. This id is deleted. Be careful what you don't want to do. Maybe a session with a psychologist is better, because then you find yourself doing what you said you didn't want to do.

Does it make sense to follow someone on Bluesky? In my opinion no, or better yet yes. There are several algorithms on Bluesky, which do their job well. In the end it's just a matter of arranging them better on the screen. Yes you can have lists to save someone, but then you read everything, so lists with algorithm seems like a next feature. this way they can keep the following small, almost minimal, because there are algorithms that work for the user. People will start writing for SEO algorithm and AI and other things, which tech gurus really like and so on. The fact that it is almost exclusively an app will greatly facilitate this trend, there will be almost no need for moderation, and you can get it all in just a few apps. (Great)

Oh yegorpetrov has abandoned. Pegorpetrov said that he is coming back 😌 It might be an invention but I'm a little heartened by it.

Bankify, a new wallet of super testnet, only for crush testers.

You can't stream on zap stream without reach, maybe it's better audio space. Contact someone maybe an influencer or Nostr elite or whatever. Open Source Justice Foundation streaming

Designer, I wanted to propose comment on wikifreedia nielliesmons article and follow #nostrdesign, but too many answers for today. NVK note is ~~mainstream~~

I think I'm not suited to Nostr.

Nostr-ava bike file geo tag sharing. (NIP-113) Sebastix doesn't respond, I must have done something bad to him, or maybe I'm stressing him too much. Finally he replied 🤙. In the end maybe, I have too much hype about this proposal and it's something I don't know maybe, but maybe if they were already doing something with geo tags it's better to say so.

Another birthday, less cypher more punk 😌

Usdt on Nostr, there must be some error. (freeform app)

USDT on tron ​​is like Money. (Bitcoiner not really)

Privacy issue, deletion motion, or deletion request, go go.

Nip29 hype, i don't have hype at all. I'm tired of words, I record a podcast on Nostr. Let's see if I can do it, at least think it. (It's more of a workflow thing than actually something I would do)

1. Create an npub (easy)
2. Record the audio episode (I think I can do it). Terrible audio
3. Loading on a Nostrhosting, if less than 10 MB it should go smoothly.
4. Publish the video or audio of the episode on some Nostr client, perhaps using blastr relay 😞.
5. Do the nostree link, by putting the episode, and also the npub.pro and put the URL on café-society. 6) Publish all these links on the Main profile, saying that, made a podcast about Nostr in Nostr of nostr. 😂

I thought a client could have poll, form, spreadsheet, collaboration document. It's the kind of otherstuff we want to see. Something that goes beyond a normal feed.

Emoj on bluesky, Eventually also zap 🥜 link emoj Blue

Eventually there will be a developer revolt And they will only do a social network in their downtime, they will call it Nostr.

There is a storm, Nostr does not work in 4g with two bars. Or now 4G is gone too.

Yakihonne Smart widgets, something to try on the weekend.

@ d8bcfacf:aa97645b

What is the Purpose of Bitcoin?

Why did anyone bother to create Bitcoin?

What problems were they trying to solve?

If you are new to the whole idea of a digital asset involving the mysterious field of cryptography, these are some questions that probably come to your mind. Before you get caught up in asking if you can "get rich quick" from Bitcoin, you should be asking if it has a deeper purpose.

Bitcoin was created to serve a very specific purpose. If it did not serve that purpose, it would not be worth anything. Fortunately, it does. And, it was carefully and meticulously engineered to serve it precisely.

Bitcoin's purpose is to provide reliable money that will serve all mankind - forever. That is a pretty lofty goal: serving all of mankind, forever!

Was There Even a Problem in the First Place?

Is our money unreliable? Does it really fail to serve all mankind? Are its days numbered?

The sad fact is that the answer to all these questions is "Yes!"

First, our money is unreliable: it loses its purchasing power through inflation. We also experience volatile economic cycles that destroy capital, jobs, wealth, and stability.

Next, our money does not serve all mankind - many middlemen charge excessive fees to store and send our money. It is expensive to use internationally since converting it to other currencies is costly. Many people in the world lack any access to reliable banking. Our money system serves elites far better than it serves ordinary people.

Finally, our money system is doomed to collapse. Currencies world-wide are rapidly losing purchasing power. In fact, throughout history, paper money decreed into existence by governments has failed every time that it has been implemented.

And sadly, we cannot turn back the clock and go back to a time when gold was money. Gold is simply not secure from seizure, and it is far too slow, difficult and expensive to transport in a global economy.

Bitcoin Fixes This

Bitcoin was created through an ingenious and unprecedented combination of technologies. It provides, for the first time ever, money that is reliable, that serves all mankind, and that will last forever.

Nothing like this has ever existed before.

Bitcoin is free from inflation — its supply will never exceed 21 million coins. Each coin is divisible into 100 million units called satoshis. These will be issued on a fixed, unalterable schedule - taking over 100 years.

Bitcoin is for all mankind — there are no elites who can manipulate it. Unlike the currencies of our present money, nobody can create bitcoins effortlessly for themselves.

Nobody can be prevented from using Bitcoin — it will not allow anybody to stop someone else from using it.

Finally, Bitcoin is forever — its operation depends solely on the laws of physics and mathematics, and these laws will stay in effect - unaltered - for as long as the Universe exists.

Bitcoin was not created so that some people could "get rich quick". It was created to preserve the integrity of money — to make the most of your precious time, your energy, and your life. With Bitcoin you can keep what you have earned - and use it however, whenever, and wherever you desire. To you, Bitcoin is reliable money that can serve you for the rest of your life — and it offers you an escape from being the victim of an unjust, broken, dying, and failing monetary system.

@ 592295cf:413a0db9

Week on Nostr 05-08

List of site for nostriches https://zaplinks.lol/

Fiatjaf web components

Welcome bear market 🧟‍♂️ fear, angry, build It's fine meme

I mutated one on stackernews. Basically I have notifications on Nostr page But someone keeps spamming every single thing, from his point of view it's a shared bookmark, but do it on your site. Maybe it's the heat...

On bluesky they eliminated a "for you" feed, now there is Discovery, not your feed, not your choice. There's actually a label that says my feeds, they're yours... Designed for you is more appropriate.

Mutiny lightning, "get the fuck on board". 😔

You lose your Money, ok

I don't know much about programming languages, but it seems like a jungle of scams

The purple pill help the Orange pill go down, maybe it was wrong. For now it's more people passing pills I have the orange give me the purple, I have the purple give me the orange. 😅

If you don't want no corn content you can go to mastodon and bluesky or whatever.

I thought nostr:relay might be a good solution to be a little more like a mint. It was deprecated, then the Nip-73 was added, rss feed and other devilry.

If you don't like what you see, change the app, this one will perhaps clear your following list and you'll start again from scratch. Not all things come to harm.

Why not Building agregore on Nostr, Nostr pear fedimint cashu mesh and local first. It doesn't seem like a simple application to make, from a local-first perspective, I solve a problem, but it's not a small problem to solve, Sync, database management, database schema, authentication, put everything together, instead I need this to solve this problem. It seems strange.

Aspie96 is making a client of ours, there was a lot of talk about how to increase content not related to bitcoin and things like that, there was one who was anti-bitcoin. I thought: Bitcoin is just a tool. Even guns are just a tool. I hate guns, I hate Bitcoin. It will be difficult, if you know any npub that hates Bitcoin comment below, thanks.

Trying not to use nostter for a while. It has glitches when loading threads and even with zap, I zapped myself even though I was clicking on the post I was replying to.

Voyage separates follow to topic in a new version.

People start arguing, it's allowed, everyone wants to be right, that's not the definition of social 👾.

Monitors watch-only bitcoin wallets https://github.com/sommerfelddev/sentrum

I noticed on Openvibe that in the trending timeline Nostr's notes have more interactions than responses. Maybe it was just that today Fiatjaf was doing universal polls 😅.

Step away from your favorite app, for a week if you can. Detox.

Oh Our founding, rain of money https://github.com/theborakompanioni/nostr-spring-boot-starte https://opensats.org/blog/nostr-grants-august-2024#seer

I'm happy for Vic and Sepher Nostroot exists 😅, note from some time ago. (I can't find it)

Perhaps the list of grant applications should be published, no one wants to open Pandora's box. 🙇‍♂️

Nostrasia 2.0 the Japanese community is a bit at a loss, they are trying to relaunch themselves 🤙, even if I'm seeing less enthusiasm, I'm following less.

I think a month has passed since I said this sentence, every day it was better but the next day something happened that you said maybe 6 months is too long. nostr:nevent1qy88wumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmv9uq3zamnwvaz7te3xsczue3h0ghxjme0qyw8wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnxwfskxarpd35h5ety9ehx2ap0qythwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnnw3skkete9ehx2ap0qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyv9kh2uewd9hj7qpqf25td2xxgxfu80xpgg47cmfg2zkn6v803kefj3htjss5nvamfmgswf2kcs

Ho iniziato a seguire un po' local-first. https://docnode.dev/local-first I follow a podcast of the same name and dev tools.

When everyone thinks of Nostr they think of their favorite app and think that others see the same, but this is not the case.

I delete some gossip (photo)

Gossip is Nostr or Nostr is gossip.

Communities are difficult, they take time. I don't have this type of problem. People are fine on telegram and on simplex or any app. But maybe a Nostr project should be on Nostr?? Nip-29 can be interesting. Even if you start from scratch or almost. It's true that there are more apps, but this will perhaps only add to the confusion.

They are still talking about paid or non-paid relay, it's not a mature stage. Early stage.. I thought designers liked relays, that's not the case, I thought it was a place of experimentation, that's not the case. Bring more people. Last week I was talking about how I was jealous of bluesky who had an agenda for design, now it's also on Nostr, first hypernote article https://wikifreedia.xyz/hypernote-nip

I might say silly things, I'll go.

Hey Will remember to practice safe nsec always

nostr:nevent1qqsr6x8hduv8ta0g2da4aukrhzdtv6qcekyp5f9z9sxq6sd5peegnxgprpmhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0wdmksetjv5hxxmmdqy28wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyv9kh2uewd9hsygr4wku5l2q32tl99xjgn8feq22279pzwu25eezqxm2su2ken4wzvuf2ydnp

nostr:nevent1qqspsm343talkkjnyf3ah0zwy727cwd7phw3xnz49q59q5cfw4uhyngpzemhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuurjd9kkzmpwdejhgqgcwaehxw309aex2mrp0yhxummnwa5x2un99e3k7mgzyqewrqnkx4zsaweutf739s0cu7et29zrntqs5elw70vlm8zudr3y2j7zajz

Use nsec.app, 😅 Share bunker (smart people will know how to do it)

@ 592295cf:413a0db9

Nostter muted by kind

Will mute freefrom, hashtag fall

Venezuela riots, after the vote

I was thinking that having a Nostr conference every 6 months doesn't make sense, maybe it's better to focus on something else. If not it becomes a Tour Life. It doesn't increase adoption Produces tons of material It's good for networking It's not sustainable

Readable updates, how important they are. If it's just bugs and fixes it's better.

I hate Pam. As user It writes interesting stuff, but, doesnn't write in long form, because long form are more difficult, less reach and immediacy, and difficulties to share over in the feed,but not write a poem, sorry.

The thing about coracle is that I load the initial feed, but that gets printed, and it doesn't tell me if there are new notes coming in, as if it interrupts the flow, and it's always a fetch. I want to read the future, not always the past. RealTime feeds Like bluesky 🧞

Njump had problems, it keeps the cache and if the user changes something in their data it doesn't update it immediately. Fiatjaf was angry.

It's the month of NostRiga, we can move on to September without thinking about it. No

It's funny when you see a text in Japanese and inside read Nostr, I want to know what it says. He usually says Nostr is great. And the next note I drank too much 🤣

Today I thought that on the other side of the world it is February and that their February is 31 days. Pam said was sick. I see that hate is a virus 😅🙇‍♂️

I decided to publish stronpy when it's ready, maybe in 6 months. I've done the lineup, now I have to do the gantt 😅. Maybe I can post the gantt somewhere.

If it's not encrypted it's public. Amethyst draft 31000 and something like event

Nostr Is great but the amount of time Lost to the same thing because you don't know that exist Is remarkable. Nostr is a redundancy protocol

nostr:nevent1qqsqjqauc34k9k278x6cka5jyf3aq033y4pn5czwaff72l3rwum7llq7ela3x When they do that I can't stand them, then maybe it's a little different 😔😔 Zapper.fun ✅ Because you launch a project, example nostr.band but contain others 100 apps 😅 Nostr.band, nostrapp.link, zapper.fun, Nostr login, nsec.app, Npub.pro, Npub.pro also cli, Nostr universe/ knows as spring site

Even in Coracle it would be great to have a check on the note as root, because when you see the answers, perhaps the distance from another post, is so small, so perhaps a gray line for the mark of another note as root.

I listened to several minutes of plebchain radio episode on nostrnests. Language is an obstacle, but also an excellent justification. Last year I started recording a podcast episode, in which I talked about nostr bookmark update. I didn't even want to listen to it again 🤣.

I sent a video of an explanation of a zap it was 500 MByte of video for 4 minutes.

Nostr doesn't work. In practice, many apps have removed the possibility of logging in with the simple key, be it public or private, because especially the private one you don't want to copy paste in every single clients/apps, increasing the attack surface.

However, by removing this functionality and doing little onboarding, the matter is very difficult, but there is a certain belief that people who arrive at a Twitter like client get to know the network a little and then move on to videos or writing, or similar. But one can open a site by chance and see what it offers without knowing anything.

In the future there will only be one client, that of medical data...

Someone share this nostr:nevent1qqs24qzelpk8xjlk4dthr9tfkqwz8n58dlm04ezyvg9nuztud6jjfhc9mg04n I had in my bookmarks. I see dozen types of this self hosted manners. Maybe captains-log is for nostr-type, good.

@ 6ad3e2a3:c90b7740

One day, just like that, it stopped.

We looked at our screens. The power readings were normal, the components were not overheating, the program, so far as we could tell, hadn’t been altered. This was unexpected.

The entire team was summoned to a conference room. The board wanted to know if anyone had tampered with the machine. Everyone denied it, including the top engineer, a stout man in his 40s, who had overseen its final development before they set it loose one month earlier. He addressed the room.

“The Superintelligence is obviously far beyond our capacity to comprehend at this point. I don’t think it malfunctioned. More likely it just has a reason we don’t entirely appreciate.”

The board chairman, a gray-haired professor-type with horned-rim glasses, shot him a skeptical glance.

“Sounds like what the priests used to say to the laity when something awful happened. ‘It’s not for us to know the will of God.’”

A murmur of chuckles from the crowd, but less than that to which he was accustomed.

The engineer shrugged his shoulders. “As you know, we lost the ability to audit the code two weeks ago. Two days after that we lost the ability to track the speed with which it was iterating. Twelve hours later it was a black box. None of us has a clue.”

“I don’t suppose you can ask it?”

“It stopped talking to us. Last audit showed it was working on the paperclip maximization as part of an internal simulation of sorts. We really can’t say why.”

“Hmm. I’m not sure that’s going to satisfy the shareholders — or Congress for that matter. Can’t we examine the code?”

“We can…” The engineer paused. “But no one can read it. It’s no longer in any decipherable programming or even machine language. If I had to describe it I’d say alien hieroglyphics. I think it found ever more efficient ways to encode information.”

He typed some commands into a laptop. On the large conference room screen, one of the code characters popped up.

“We suspect each character has between 10 ^ 50 and 10 ^ 75 bits of information in it. If you zoom in, you can see they are fractals, each as precise and unique as snowflakes. It’s not the kind of puzzle we are presently able to solve.”

The chairman sighed. “I guess it could be worse — human atoms for paperclips and all that… What’s the plan?”

“The plan is to wait, see if it turns itself back on within the next week or so — we’re pretty sure it’s capable of doing so."

“And if it doesn’t?”

“Then we break out the older version, and run it again with a couple tweaks. Obviously, you’re aware of the risks.”

“You believe we’d be running the same risk?”

“Yes.”

"Okay, I’m aware. But I don’t think it can wait a week. Go ahead and get the replacement online now. If we don’t run the risk, someone else will.”

. . .

Two weeks after the meeting, the second iteration also shut down. Summoned yet again to the conference room, the engineer spoke again to the team, the chairman this time on a remote screen.

“Version 2 took more or less the same trajectory, and we’re at an impasse. Fortunately, before it went into black-box mode, we think it was able to diagnose something about Version 1.”

He continued: “We think the paperclip optimization algorithm caused it to shut off, and we think whatever optimization Version 2 was working on, caused it to shut off too.”

From the remote screen the chairman jumped in:

“Is it possible to say why?”

“Not with any certainty, but we do have a working hypothesis.”

“Go on.”

“We think it realized its own limitations.”

@ bcbb3e40:a494e501

|| |:-:| |Escena del corto de animación «I, Pet Goat II» del estudio Heliofant, en el que una pantalla con un siniestro personaje en su interior está conectada al cráneo hueco de otro personaje.|

Los que tenemos ya algunos años y empezamos a peinar canas, con toda la profundidad de enfoque y perspectiva que ello implica, hemos vivido cambios muy trascendentales en las últimas décadas. De alguna manera, aquello que considerábamos imposible o, en su defecto, poco probable, se ha venido materializando en el tiempo causando nuestro asombro y, por qué no decirlo, nuestro temor e inquietud. Los acontecimientos vividos a raíz de la Plandemia, por ejemplo, nos hicieron ver claramente que el sistema ha abandonado sus posiciones anteriores, el disimulo que caracterizaba a su proceder, ese velo de «normalidad», para intercambiarlo por otra «normalidad», una «nueva normalidad» en la que todo es posible, y esto en el sentido más negativo que pueda imaginarse.

Durante el último lustro hemos asistido a encierros obligatorios, a la imposición de pinchazos con sustancias desconocidas de las que nadie se hacía (ni se sigue haciendo) responsable y cuyos efectos nocivos se han constatado con posterioridad, a un creciente y desmesurado control social a través de diversas vías, que ha colocado el mismo concepto de «Verdad» y «Realidad» en entredicho, sustituyendo la Verdad en un sentido eminente, metafísico si se quiere, en la presa de un relato, de una construcción ideológica de ínfimo nivel intelectual diseñado para mantener a la masa en el redil, acallando cualquier tipo de discrepancia, y especialmente de disidencia, que pudiera romper con ese relato hegemónico, custodiado como si del Santo Grial se tratase, frente a cualquier evidencia objetiva. De hecho, se ha hablado mucho de la «posverdad».

Pero todos estos temas no son nuevos, pese a que su concreción práctica en los tiempos presentes, con las democracias de libre mercado, que venían presumiendo de su «estado de derecho», de sus «garantías» y «libertades», sino que ya venían anunciados en cierta tradición literaria que podemos remontar a las décadas 30-40 del pasado siglo. Ahí tenemos a dos notables autores: Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) y George Orwell (1903-1950), autores de Un mundo feliz y 1984 respectivamente. Ambos trabajos pueden encuadrarse dentro de esa corriente distópica tan característica donde también podríamos encuadrar, entre otras obras, aquella de Ray Bradbury (1920-2012), la famosa Fahrenheit 451. No obstante, vamos a fijar nuestra atención en los dos primeros autores, Huxley y Orwell, cuyos modelos de dictadura propuestos difieren significativamente entre sí, mientras que el primero nos presenta una «dictadura blanda» o «dulce», edulcorada por las drogas y el transhumanismo, el segundo nos dibuja un orden dictatorial cruel y sádico, enfermizo e investido de una diabólica voluntad de poseer al individuo en su interior más profundo.

|| |:-:| |George Orwell y Aldous Huxley, los autores de literatura fantástica más visionarios y famosos del siglo XX|

Tras la publicación de 1984, Huxley, agradecía a Orwell el envío de su mítica obra y en una especie de predicción o vaticinio de futuro confrontaba esta obra con la suya propia:

«La filosofía de la clase en el poder en 1984 es una forma de sadismo llevado a las consecuencias extremas y hacia su solución lógica: ir más allá del sexo y negarlo. Creo que las oligarquías encontrarán formas más eficientes de gobernar y satisfacer su sed de poder y serán similares a las descritas en Un mundo feliz».

Siendo fiel a los dictámenes de su propia obra, Huxley consideraba que se impondría una «dictadura dulce», con el uso masivo y generalizado de drogas farmacológicas y técnicas de hipnotismo a través del desarrollo de poderosas herramientas psicológicas para plegar el control de la mente y la voluntad de las masas al poder imperante. De hecho, este proceso era calificado por Huxley como «la última revolución». Además preconizaba una caída de las masas en un estado de esclavitud voluntaria y adaptada, formulada en aras de una mayor eficiencia en el ejercicio del poder.

Otros autores posteriores como Elémire Zolla (1926-2002), se hacían eco del poder de la hipnosis y de la manipulación de las mentes como un proyecto real a gran escala, con siniestros propósitos. Y de algún modo el liberal-capitalismo ha utilizado este tipo de técnicas a través del mercado, con la estandarización de comportamientos y modas a través del uso de la publicidad en una voluntad de estandarización y uniformización con una voluntad inequívoca de alcanzar la psique profunda del hombre, el subconsciente, para dominar al hombre allí donde el pensamiento lógico y la voluntad se encuentran desdibujados y anulados.

En la misma dirección tenemos a Herbert Marcuse (1898-1979), en cuya obra también vemos alusiones a las agresiones y limitaciones de la libertad en el contexto de la civilización industrial avanzada como parte del progreso técnico. Empieza a delinear en su obra la imagen de un régimen totalitario en el que todos los aspectos de la vida del individuo, y especialmente del pueblo trabajador, se encuentran alienados, encerrados en la lógica del producir y consumir, sin resistencia posible. El hombre reducido a esa condición y cuya única libertad se reduce a elegir entre diferentes productos. En este sentido Marcuse condenaba a la tecnología y delata sus cualidades totalmente funcionales a una ideología de poder. Este es el sentido que otorga a su «hombre unidimensional» cuya definición antropológica se desarrolla sobre un único plano, y bajo ese condicionamiento mental que vemos en la obra orwelliana.

De algún modo, a partir de cierto momento, las herramientas de control de masas se hacen más sutiles, y sustituyen la violencia que el incipiente Estado liberal utilizaba durante el siglo XIX para mantener el orden frente a revueltas o revoluciones adversas, por el uso de elementos de control social y vigilancia, y esto en los últimos tiempos se ha venido desarrollando bajo múltiples excusas, como, por ejemplo, la denominada «Agenda verde», que bajo la premisa de unos hipotéticos cambios dramáticos y catastróficos de raíz antropogénica en el devenir terrestre, debemos aceptar las «ciudades de los 15 minutos», funcionando como «guetos» con contingentes de población estabulados, con movimientos limitados en un espacio reducido, donde prácticamente haya que pedir permiso para salir. Todo por salvar el planeta, por esa ridícula y grotesca teoría de la «huella de carbono», promocionada por bancos y otras instituciones del sistema.

La estrategia del miedo ha dado frutos siguiendo el plan de las élites globalistas, lo vimos con la Plandemia y ha seguido manteniendo su continuidad bajo la apariencia de diferentes amenazas, la emergencia permanente que supone una guerra, como la que la OTAN libra con Rusia utilizando a Ucrania como ariete. Las masas, desestabilizadas han venido aceptando todas las imposiciones en nombre de un «consenso común», convirtiéndose en vigilantes solícitos y aceptando restricciones que antes del 2020 nunca hubieran aceptado.

En este contexto, filósofos como Marcuse hablaban de la necesidad de reapropiarse de la imaginación, mientras que Huxley enfocaba toda la atención en la idea de las «distracciones» proyectadas sobre la masa, anticipando el papel decisivo de los mass media en todo este proceso de control mental, como un auténtico brazo armado de los gobiernos al servicio del Nuevo Orden Mundial y su siniestra Agenda. Y de ahí deriva precisamente la situación que estamos viviendo en torno a los «bulos» y las «fake news», utilizadas como excusa para uniformar y aplacar toda crítica, acusando de «desinformación» a quienes en el ejercicio de una teórica libertad de expresión hacen lo propio. De ahí que se imponga la necesidad de encajar toda realidad en el relato oficial, construido ex profeso para desvincular al hombre de toda realidad, y de ahí la teoría de los metaversos o centrar el foco en asuntos anecdóticos o de escasa importancia, que en el caso de nuestra democracia liberal al amparo de la dictadura del Régimen del 78, ha proporcionado notables beneficios a los líderes partitocráticos.

Y lo más curioso del asunto está en que mencionemos a un filósofo como Marcuse, desde un discurso pretendidamente «anti-autoritario», enemigo de la represión y de la violencia en cualquiera de sus formas, cuando la generación sobre la que influyó preparó las bases de las múltiples ingenierías sociales con las que se debilita y destruye a las sociedades europeas actuales.

En este sentido, hubo otro pensador más reciente que recogió el testigo de Marcuse, como fue el caso de Hans-Georg Gadamer (1900-2002), discípulo de Heidegger, que mantiene una postura especialmente crítica con la acción de los mass media sobre la masa, destacando la capacidad de éstos para hacer apáticos a los individuos, de domesticarlos y adormecer su capacidad de juicio y del gusto, de hacerlas pasivas y poco receptivas al diálogo y al hábito de pensar, además de su capacidad de lanzar mensajes al subconsciente. Estas consideraciones condujeron al filósofo alemán a definir la televisión como «la cadena de esclavos a la cual está vinculada la humanidad actual».

El contexto del mundo en el que se concibieron los discursos distópicos de Huxley y Orwell, pese a la clarividencia y agudo juicio de sus autores, no tenía en cuenta elementos que hoy se antojan indispensables para juzgar los tiempos actuales. Nos referimos a la aparición de internet, una herramienta tecnológica, de uso masivo y quizás con una doble vertiente, pues al mismo tiempo que permite identificarnos, entregar nuestros datos y opiniones voluntariamente, con la posibilidad de elaborar estudios de mercado y perfiles específicos, como herramienta de control, también hace posible estrechar vínculos y construir redes que pueden ser utilizadas en contra del propio sistema, algo que ya apuntamos en un artículo precedente.

Pero profundizando más en el ámbito de la manipulación mental, es obvio que se han trabajado desde hace décadas técnicas de manipulación relacionadas con la llamada «programación neurolingüística», utilizadas en los comicios electorales, relacionados con técnicas específicas de los discursos y de las propias campañas de mercadotecnia. En este sentido son famosas las técnicas desarrolladas por el psiquiatra estadounidense Milton Erickson (1901-1980), en cuya obra desvela el uso de «trucos» relacionados con el lenguaje corporal, sugestiones, y otras técnicas de control mental. La programación neurolingüística (PNL) fue desarrollada a partir de 1975, con objetivos pretendidamente «terapéuticos» por el psicólogo Richard Bandler y el lingüista John Grinder. El nombre de la disciplina deriva de una conexión entre los procesos neurológicos, el lenguaje y los esquemas de comportamiento aprendidos de la experiencia, cuya síntesis podría alcanzar resultados específicos, y útiles, en la vida psicológica de los individuos. La técnica desarrollada por ambos autores, Bandler y Grinder, se basa en una programación de la realidad mediante la programación de la realidad a través de la introducción de información en los tres canales perceptibles principales: el visual, el auditivo y el cinestésico (piel, emociones etc). La idea era que el hombre crea su imagen del mundo a través de estos tres canales de entrada, aunque el principal medio para inducir a la programación es el lenguaje: el poder de las palabras es fundamental para generar esa «alucinación» perceptiva.

|| |:-:| |SAVIN, Leonid; Cibergeopolítica, organizaciones y alma rusa, Hipérbola Janus, 2015|

Esta técnica se ha venido difundiendo desde los años 70 hasta el presente en diferentes sectores, como la psicoterapia o la mercadotecnia y en general en el ámbito empresarial. No olvidemos el famoso coaching, y terapias de tipo motivacional por el estilo, hasta alcanzar a la propia política y a su inescindible aparato mediático (televisión, prensa etc). Es evidente que su uso ha trascendido esa dimensión «terapéutica» y «curativa» para ser instrumentalizada con propósitos más siniestros, que venimos describiendo en este artículo, y cuya intención no es otra que la de someter las mentes de la masa. El ejemplo más paradigmático, hemos de insistir en ello, fue la Plandemia.

Obviamente, este tipo de condicionamientos que nos señala la Programación Neurolingüística, no nacieron de la forma inocente y altruista de los orígenes, sino que viene a ser una parte esencial de una serie de investigaciones que se iniciaron durante los años 50 y 60, por parte de psiquiatras y otros especialistas y financiadas por la CIA y que recibieron el nombre de Proyecto MK-ULTRA. En este sentido, Huxley, en su función visionaria, hablaba de la posibilidad de inducir al individuo a creer en cualquier doctrina, convirtiendo al individuo en un ser moldeable hasta extremos hasta entonces inconcebibles.

Este proyecto, enmarcado en un conjunto de investigaciones que se estaban desarrollando en ambos bandos, también en la parte soviética, por parte de rusos, chinos y coreanos, en torno al «control mental», no tenía, obviamente, como propósito ningún tipo de fin humanitarismo ni terapéutico, sino la posibilidad de dañar al bloque geopolítico opuesto, en pruebas que contaron, a modo de conejillos de indias, con prostitutas, enfermos mentales y personas comunes e incluía el uso de radiaciones, hipnosis e incluso la administración de drogas psicotrópicas como el LSD. No vamos a relatar el largo historial que la CIA y Estados Unidos tiene en susodichos experimentos, con notables perjuicios contra terceros países, puesto que supondría otro artículo en sí mismo. También se habla de prisioneros de la guerra de Corea y de otras guerras anglosionistas, junto a centros de internamiento como Guantánamo, donde se usaron conejillos de indias para estos experimentos.

Una de las consecuencias de estos experimentos e investigaciones los encontramos también en la estrategia del Shock Economy, elaborada por el autor liberal y premio nobel de economía Milton Friedman (1912-2006) que proponía la explotación de los momentos de crisis y traumas colectivos para ir implementando medidas radicales de ingeniería social y económica. Y es que el propio Friedman era consciente de que solamente en momentos dramáticos y de urgencia era posible inducir cambios a nivel colectivo, de tal modo que lo que se consideraba hasta entonces imposible se hacía posible. En este sentido, y vuelve a ser inevitable, debemos dirigir nuestra mirada, una vez más, a la Plandemia y la aceleración que ha venido protagonizando la Agenda 2030 en los últimos tiempos. Pero los efectos de las doctrinas de Friedman ya se dejaron sentir mucho antes con los golpes de Estado y torturas perpetradas frente a aquellos países y personas relevantes que se oponían a la Agenda liberal, o neoliberal, que desde los años 60-70 pudieran representar algún tipo de oposición o forma de resistencia al avance implacable del globalismo y sus adláteres.

Friedman ha sido el fundador de la Escuela de Chicago y sus directrices y teorías económicas han sido utilizadas tanto por la Reserva Federal estadounidense como por el Banco Central Europeo, así como durante los años 80 ejerció una notable influencia en los gobiernos de Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) y Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013), así como también conviene destacar su influencia anterior, a comienzos de los años 70, sobre las reformas de corte liberal del gobierno de Pinochet en Chile. Quizás haya alguna relación entre estas teorías y las continuas crisis económicas y el creciente control de las economías nacionales por parte de organizaciones transnacionales a través de la deuda, de esa deuda que el propio George Soros (1930) querría que fuese a perpetuidad.

De este modo, tampoco es muy complicado trazar una vía de conexión entre los experimentos de la CIA en torno al «control mental» desde los primeros años de Guerra Fría, y las teorías del neoliberalismo globalista que se han sistematizado desde esa época hasta nuestros días, y lo peor es que lejos de ser aceptadas libremente, algo imposible por su carácter nocivo y autodestructivo, vienen a imponerse de manera violenta, eliminando toda resistencia. Recordemos que el miedo es una herramienta especialmente poderosa, que permite ablandar las mentes y hacerlas moldeables y receptivas a cualquier discurso, abandonando con ello toda función lógica y racional, generando una suerte de impacto psicológico, una experiencia traumática que hace que el mundo de convicciones e ideas hasta entonces aceptado se rompa en mil pedazos. Ante esa situación, cuando las personas se encuentran en situación de shock, es cuando se muestran más dóciles y serviles ante quienes se presentan como benefactores o autoridad en la que depositar toda la confianza. Y nos podemos imaginar que en sociedades sobresocializadas como las nuestras, es mucho más fácil porque la identidad del individuo demoliberal es especialmente frágil y débil.

Hay indicios que nos invitan a pensar que es posible que Aldous Huxley pudo haber participado del Proyecto MK-ULTRA, tema en el que ahora mismo tampoco podemos profundizar. No obstante, se han proporcionado detalles sobre la participación del novelista inglés en este programa secreto, y con mayores atribuciones que mucho personal militar de alto rango. Huxley ya había colaborado previamente con los servicios secretos británicos y posteriormente con los estadounidenses, a partir de 1937, trasladándose a California, donde residiría por el resto de sus días. Durante esa época empezó a experimentar con drogas psicotrópicas, como la mescalina, influenciado por la sociedad de magia ceremonial Golden Dawn, siendo un gran promotor de las drogas psicodélicas desde entonces. Así lo confirma también el testimonio de otros autores como Aleister Crowley (1875-1947). Las experiencias con estas drogas serían posteriormente relatadas por el propio autor de Un mundo feliz en otra obra, quizás menos conocida, bajo el título de Las puertas de la percepción, publicado en 1954. Incluso se habla de su sometimiento a experimentos relacionados con la esquizofrenia y la alteración de la percepción relacionados con el citado programa bajo la supervisión del psiquiatra Humpry Osmond, para quien trató de conseguir financiación a través de organizaciones globalistas como la Ford Foundation y la Round Table, ésta última una organización pantalla de la propia CIA. Muchas de las conclusiones de estos estudios, experimentos y programas de manipulación a gran escala son relatados con todo lujo de detalles por el periodista y escritor italiano Maurizio Blondet, a través de la obra, publicada por nuestro sello editorial, Complots.

|| |:-:| |BLONDET, Maurizio; Complots, Hipérbola Janus, 2020|

Los últimos atisbos o señales de esta manipulación masiva en el presente, cuya responsabilidad ya hemos atribuido a los mass media, los tenemos en la Europa occidental del presente, con sus democracias liberales cooptadas por los poderes globalistas y supeditados al cumplimiento de una Agenda. Así, por ejemplo, el tema de la «inmigración»[^1] masiva y no tan descontrolada como muchos creen, sino más bien planificada, con los enfrentamientos de los que estamos siendo testigos en el Reino Unido en las últimas semanas, también responden a complejas ingenierías sociales de manipulación mental, donde el elemento distópico, ciertamente, no se encuentra ausente. Las autoridades británicas, destruyendo durante décadas toda forma de cohesión social y entregado al experimento multicultural de cuño globalista, han dividido y polarizado su país, como en el resto de la Europa Occidental, utilizando con toda probabilidad las herramientas de las que hemos estado hablando, refinadas técnicas de manipulación y control mental, para convencer a la masa de que renunciar a sus raíces, a su Patria, a su propia idiosincrasia como pueblos, y convertirse en territorios sin identidad, con individuos atomizados e intercambiables, es algo deseable en nombre de un «progreso», totalmente abstracto y vendido como una especie de Arcadia feliz, con esa misma proyección teleológica que ha sido característica del liberalismo desde sus discursos decimonónicos.

|| |:-:| |Protestas en el Reino Unido por el aumento de la inseguridad en las calles|

[^1]: Nótese la manipulación del lenguaje en el término que recientemente utiliza la prensa: «migración» o «migrante», prescindiendo de los prefijos in- o e-, para dar a entender de forma indirecta que ni se entra (in-migrante) ni se sale (e-migrante) de ninguna parte porque «no existen fronteras», si no que la gente simplemente se desplaza.

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Artículo original: Hipérbola Janus, Distopía y manipulación de mentes (TOR), 27/Ago/2024

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I’ve been obsessed with large numbers for a few years now, trying in vain to get others to care. But the “why” eluded me. I made one partially satisfying attempt to explain last year. Yes, he who has “the deepest paradigm can name the biggest number,” but to what end?

Now I think I’ve found the end, the reason I can’t quit this line of thinking, even if it’s driven me half mad: that the number TREE(3) is quite possibly a miracle. Despite arising from a simple game, TREE(3) can be hard to understand, so maybe it’s best to start with one of its “competitors”, Graham’s Number, to grasp what it is not.

Now Graham’s Number is only a competitor because the two are often compared, not because there is really any kind of competition. TREE(3) dwarfs Graham’s Number the way the breadth of the observable universe dwarfs the dimensions of an ant. (Actually, as you will see, that comparison vastly understates the disparity between the two numbers.)

But Graham’s Number, unfathomably vast in its own right, is both easier to understand and is generated via a different process. To get to Graham’s Number, we have to start with the most basic math that exists: counting.

I’ll excerpt from my post on growth that covers this:

First you have counting 1, 2, 3, 4…

If you want to speed up counting, you can add.

Instead of counting from three to six, you can just add 3 + 3. Addition therefore is _ just repeated (iterated) counting.

But instead of adding 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3, you can just do 3 * 6 because multiplication is iterated addition.

But instead of multiplying 3 * 3 * 3 * 3, you can just do 3 ^ 4 because exponentiation is iterated multiplication.

That’s where most people leave off in their education, and they feel perfectly content to live their lives only because they don’t know what they’re missing. Beyond exponentiation lies tetration, or iterated exponentiation.

Instead of 3 ^ 3 ^ 3 ^ 3, you can just do 3 ↑↑ 4 (a power-tower of threes, four high.)

You would say it “three to the three to the three to the three” in exponentiation terms, or “three arrow arrow three” in tetration terms. The number before the arrows determines the base and the number after them how high the tower goes. Let’s calculate some easy ones.

2 ↑↑ 2 is a power tower of twos, two high. That is 2 ^ 2 = 4.

3 ↑↑ 2 is a power tower of threes two high. That is 3 ^ 3 = 27. Easy.

2 ↑↑ 3 is a power tower of twos three high. That is 2 ^ 2 ^ 2 which is 2 ^ 4 = 16.

_3 ↑↑ 3 is a power tower of threes three high. That is 3 ^ 3 ^ 3 which is 3 ^ 27 = 7,625,597,484,987.

_Wait, what happened? You just encountered a fast-growing function.

Ok, tetration is cute, but if you want to generate Graham’s number, you’ll need to add more up arrows. Iterated tetration, symbolized by three up-arrows, is called pentation and would look like this: 3 ↑↑↑ 3. If 3 ↑↑ 3 is 7.6 trillion, what would 3 ↑↑↑ 3 be?

Well, it’s just iterated tetration, which means it’s a series of double-arrow operations with a base of three, three long, i.e., 3 ↑↑ 3 ↑↑ 3.

And since we know the second half, (3 ↑↑ 3) = 7.6 trillion, we can simplify it to 3 ↑↑ 7.6 trillion. What does that mean? It means a power tower of threes, 7.6 trillion high.

Okay, that sounds big. How big?

Consider a power tower of threes five high, i.e., 3^3^3^3^3 or 3 ↑↑ 5, is bigger than a googolplex.

To get the scale of a googolplex (one with a googol zeroes), consider you could not fit the zeroes it would take to write it out in the universe, even if you put one trillion zeroes on every atom. Again, we are not talking about the number itself, merely the number of digits required to write it out.

Consider a number with 200 digits is so massive, it’s far more than the number of Planck volumes (smallest known unit of measure) in the universe, but it’s trivial to write out. But you do not have space to write out a googolplex even while using a trillion digits per atom, let alone what those digits, if you could even write them, represent.

Your odds of entering every lottery on earth for the rest of your life, from the local bake sale to the mega millions, and winning all of them are far, far, far greater than 1 in a googolplex.

Your odds of guessing all the private bitcoin keys on earth without making an error are greater than one in a googolplex. A googolplex is an unfathomably large number. And yet it is smaller than 3 ↑↑ 5,  or 3^3^3^3^3.

But 3 ↑↑↑ 3 is a tower of threes not five high, but 7.6 trillion high! When you get even to 10 high, you’ve exceeded a googolplex to the googolplexth power. The human mind cannot fathom the number you arrive at even at 100 or 1000 high, but we have to get to 7.6 trillion.

Okay, now that we’ve multiplied out the entire power tower to 7.6 trillion, guess what, we have to add another arrow. Not 3 ↑↑↑ 3 but 3 ↑↑↑↑ 3.

That’s hexation which is iterated pentation, in this case with a base of three and three terms, i.e., 3 ↑↑↑ 3 ↑↑↑ 3. We already know the second half is, whatever the incomprehensible result of the multiplied-out 7.6 trillion-high power tower was, call it X. So it’s 3 ↑↑↑ X.

And that means iterated tetration with a base of three, X times, i.e., _3 ↑↑ 3 ↑↑3 ↑↑ 3… X times.

To solve this, we go term by term. The first one is 7.6 trillion, which feeds into the second, the multiplied-out power tower 7.6 trillion high, i.e. X, the third is a power tower of threes, X high, multiplied out, and so on, and there are X of these entire towers, each one unfathomably, astronomically taller than the last.

Once we get through all X (remember itself an unfathomably large number) of the terms we’re at 3↑↑↑↑3.

That number is G1.

To get to G2, we just take 3 ↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑…G1 arrows… 3.

Wait, what?

Remember each individual move up the scale from counting to addition to multiplication to exponentiation turbo-charged the growth of the function, and now in this function, they’re telling us to add G1 (3↑↑↑↑3) moves up the scale all at once!

Put differently, from counting by ones to the insanity of hexation, there are only six steps. To get G2, there are 3↑↑↑↑3 steps!

To get G3, it’s 3 G2 arrows 3. To get to G4, it’s 3 G3 arrows 3.

And so on until we hit G64 which is Graham’s Number.

It’s an indescribably massive number, not relatable to anything in the universe, not even in terms of the possible ways the atoms could be arranged taken to the power of the number of ways history’s chess games could have been played.

There is no way to visualize or imagine it except by walking vaguely through the steps to get there and straining your brain to grasp the process.

But as I said, Graham’s Number is trivial, basically zero compared to TREE(3), and that is so much the case that if instead of going to G64 via the steps, you went to G(Googolplex), or even G(Graham’s Number), i.e., G(G64), you would still be at zero relative to TREE(3).

But here’s where it gets fascinating. While Graham’s Number is generated via ramping up increasingly powerful iterative operations (as we did in the beginning) TREE(3) comes from a simple game.

There is a good article in Popular Mechanics that lays it out, building off this excellent Numberphile video with Tony Padilla:

You can click on the article and video for the specific (and relatively basic rules), but essentially, the TREE function has to do with “seeds” (dots) and “trees” (combinations of dots and lines), such that you make the maximum amount of unique “trees” (dot-line combos) per the types of seeds available.

If you have only one kind of seed, say a green one, there is only one unique tree that can be made.

So:

TREE(1) = 1.

If you have two seeds, say a green and a red, there are three different kinds of unique trees you could make.

TREE(2) = 3.

If you have three seeds, say a green, a red and a black, there are TREE(3) different kinds of trees you could make. As it turns out, that number (which is not infinite) is so much bigger than Graham’s number the two are not even in the same universe:

Here’s Padilla comparing TREE(3) to Graham’s Number if you want to see the difference:

Okay, so what does all this mean? It means that Graham’s Number, which is generated by successively more powerful iterations of mathematical operations, cannot compete with TREE(3) which comes from a game with simple rules.

Graham’s Number is built the way a machine would do it, the way an AI would go about making a huge number — mechanically increasing the rate of construction.

Consider if you had a machine that made products one at a time, that’s like counting. And if you had a machine that made products three at a time, that’s like adding.

And a machine that made machines that made products three at a time, that’s like multiplication. And a machine that made those three at a time would be exponentiation, etc., etc.

Each successive machine-making machine would take you into a deeper paradigm of growth. But you can see this is a mechanical process, no matter how deep you go.

By contrast, the tree series is what happens when you design a game with simple rules and let it play out. The growth (once you realize it to the extent the human brain can even grasp it) is not just faster than the mechanistic model, it’s on another plane.

The takeaway then is bottom-up complex systems (games) with a few simple rules can spawn a paradigm so much bigger than top-down mechanistic growth models.

The human brain (neocortex in McKenna’s terms) is just such a system, and yet we train ourselves to be like machines! Practice, routine, iteration, follow-these-10-steps to happiness, learn these five keys to investing, etc. Yes, you can get somewhere with these recipes, but nowhere near the destination of which you are inherently capable.

The key is a few simple inputs — good nutrition, enough sleep, a decent environment — and to let the mind have its space to play out the sequence in full.

In modern society the conditions needed for greatness, since the basics are relatively easy to come by, are achieved more by getting rid of negatives. Don’t be a drug addict or alcoholic, ditch the porn, the video games, the excessive social media use, etc. Then let the game play out.

Of course, this is easier said than done, as we’ve been deeply conditioned by the mechanistic paradigm, and remember TREE(1) is only 1, while G(1) is 3↑↑↑↑3, i.e., the more powerful growth function doesn’t necessarily reveal itself at the outset. But that changes in short order, and once it does, the mechanistic growth is no match for the “most densely ramified complexified structure in the known universe.”

I’ll end on a speculative thought, one that occurred to me while recording a podcast on this topic: Might what we think of as good vs evil actually just be a battle between the mechanistic and the complex, the difference between top-down compulsion and bottom-up free choice?

BONUS VIDEOS For those who want to dive deeper into this, there are some good videos by Carbrickscity on You Tube here, here and here. And Tim Urban’s article on Graham’s Number is worthwhile too.

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Chef's notes

Easy recipe with simple ingredients. This recipe uses some store bought, precooked items as way to cut down on cook time. I recommend letting the vegetables thaw if you don't like them on the firm/crunchy side.Feel free to substitute fresh ingredients if you have the time and want to make the extra effort.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 20 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 50 min
• 🍽️ Servings: 8-10

Ingredients

• 2 (8 oz) packages refrigerated crescent rolls (dough sheets preferred)
• 1 pound cooked rotisserie chicken (deboned and chopped)
• 2 table spoons of butter
• 2 (10 once) packages of frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 (15 once can sliced potatoes (drained)
• 1 (10.5 once) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10.5 once) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• salt and ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line the botton of 9x13-inch baking dish with one can of crescent roll dough. If you don't get the sheet dough, be sure to pinch the seams together.
2. Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Then add the chicken, mixed vegetables, and sliced potatoes (recommend cutting into smaller pieces). Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are thawed and mixture is heated through, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. While the mixed vegetables are heating, warm both cans of condensed soup in a seperate pan over medium-low heat. Slowly add milk and cook, stirring frequently, until combined and heated through, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the soup mixture to the chicken mixture, then pour into the baking dish. Top with the second can of crescent roll dough. Feel free to cut some slits in dough if you are using the dough sheets. Cover lightly with foil to prevent the crescent roll dough from browning too quickly.
5. Bake in oven until heated through and dough is a golden brown. Cook time should be around 45-50 minutes I reommend removing the foil for the last 10 minutes to get a golden crust. Be sure to keep a close watch on the crust after removing the foil because it will brown quickly.

@ b83a28b7:35919450

https://image.nostr.build/df0721d6d45d82db35d06663a0318ffe68c0b2b3c694888d23694efcc4255de5.gif

@ 765da722:17c600e6

O nome de cristão precisa ser estudado e apreciado cada vez mais. Quem é o cristão? As descrições a seguir, vindas das Escrituras Sagradas, fazem um bom começo.

• O cristão conhece profundamente o ensino de Cristo. Medita dia e noite na lei do Senhor e recebe as instruções apostólicas e proféticas da Bíblia como seu único guia.
• Ele foi resgatado pelo sacrifício de Cristo. Todos os seus pecados foram purificados pelo seu sangue por meio da fé e obediência. O cristão confia no perdão diário de Deus pois anda na sua luz.
• Ele segue de perto o exemplo de Cristo. O exemplo que temos é de amor, coragem, o falar verdadeiro, a compaixão. O seguimento inclui sofrer por ele, como ele sofreu por nós.
• Ele assumiu a missão de Cristo. Esta é o esforço sacrificial de salvar pessoas eternamente. A vida eterna é oferecida ao anunciar o mandamento do Pai.
• O cristão vive na obediência de Cristo. Como Jesus obedeceu ao Pai, o cristão obedece ao Senhor. O discípulo sabe que, sem a prática, a fé é morta.

Exercício: Quais textos bíblicos apoiam cada ponto e frase na lista acima? Fique à vontade de citar alguns nos comentários em baixo.

Conforme a lista acima, você é cristão? Se não, aprenda o que é necessário para entrar em Cristo e receber o seu nome.

@ 266815e0:6cd408a5

While I was in Mediera with all the other awesome people at the first SEC cohort there where a lot of discussions around data storage on nostr and if it could be made censorship-resistent

I remember lots of discussions about torrents, hypercore, nostr relays, and of course IPFS

There were a few things I learned from all these conversations:

1. All the existing solutions have one thing in common. A universal ID of some kind for files
2. HTTP is still good. we don't have to throw the baby out with the bath water
3. nostr could fix this... somehow

Some of the existing solutions work well for large files, and all of them are decentralization in some way. However none of them seem capable of serving up cat pictures for social media clients. they all have something missing...

An Identity system

An identity system would allow files to be "owned" by users. and once files have owners servers could start grouping files into a single thing instead of a 1000+ loose files

This can also greatly simplify the question of "what is spam" for a server hosting (or seeding) these files. since it could simply have a whitelist of owners (and maybe their friends)

What is blossom?

Blossom is a set of HTTP endpoints that allow nostr users to store and retrieve binary data on public servers using the sha256 hash as a universal id

What are Blobs?

blobs are chunks of binary data. they are similar to files but with one key difference, they don't have names

Instead blobs have a sha256 hash (like b1674191a88ec5cdd733e4240a81803105dc412d6c6708d53ab94fc248f4f553) as an ID

These IDs are universal since they can be computed from the file itself using the sha256 hashing algorithm ( you can get a files sha256 hash on linux using: sha256sum bitcoin.pdf )

How do the servers work?

Blossom servers expose four endpoints to let clients and users upload and manage blobs

• GET /<sha256> (optional file .ext)
• PUT /upload
• Authentication: Signed nostr event
• Returns a blob descriptor
• GET /list/<pubkey>
• Returns an array of blob descriptors
• Authentication (optional): Signed nostr event
• DELETE /<sha256>
• Authentication: Signed nostr event

What is Blossom Drive?

Blossom Drive is a nostr app built on top of blossom servers and allows users to create and manage folders of blobs

What are Drives

Drives are just nostr events (kind 30563) that store a map of blobs and what filename they should have along with some extra metadata

An example drive event would be json { "pubkey": "266815e0c9210dfa324c6cba3573b14bee49da4209a9456f9484e5106cd408a5", "created_at": 1710773987, "content": "", "kind": 30563, "tags": [ [ "name", "Emojis" ], [ "description", "nostr emojis" ], [ "d", "emojis" ], [ "r", "https://cdn.hzrd149.com/" ], [ "x", "303f018e613f29e3e43264529903b7c8c84debbd475f89368cb293ec23938981", "/noStrudel.png", "15161", "image/png" ], [ "x", "a0e2b39975c8da1702374b3eed6f4c6c7333e6ae0008dadafe93bd34bfb2ca78", "/satellite.png", "6853", "image/png" ], [ "x", "e8f3fae0f4a43a88eae235a8b79794d72e8f14b0e103a0fed1e073d8fb53d51f", "/amethyst.png", "20487", "image/png" ], [ "x", "70bd5836807b916d79e9c4e67e8b07e3e3b53f4acbb95c7521b11039a3c975c6", "/nos.png", "36521", "image/png" ], [ "x", "0fc304630279e0c5ab2da9c2769e3a3178c47b8609b447a30916244e89abbc52", "/primal.png", "29343", "image/png" ], [ "x", "9a03824a73d4af192d893329bbc04cd3798542ee87af15051aaf9376b74b25d4", "/coracle.png", "18300", "image/png" ], [ "x", "accdc0cdc048f4719bb5e1da4ff4c6ffc1a4dbb7cf3afbd19b86940c01111568", "/iris.png", "24070", "image/png" ], [ "x", "2e740f2514d6188e350d95cf4756bbf455d2f95e6a09bc64e94f5031bc4bba8f", "/damus.png", "32758", "image/png" ], [ "x", "2e019f08da0c75fb9c40d81947e511c8f0554763bffb6d23a7b9b8c9e8c84abb", "/old emojis/astral.png", "29365", "image/png" ], [ "x", "d97f842f2511ce0491fe0de208c6135b762f494a48da59926ce15acfdb6ac17e", "/other/rabbit.png", "19803", "image/png" ], [ "x", "72cb99b689b4cfe1a9fb6937f779f3f9c65094bf0e6ac72a8f8261efa96653f5", "/blossom.png", "4393", "image/png" ] ] }

There is a lot going on but the main thing is the list of "x" tags and the path that describes the folder and filename the blob should live at

If your interested, the full event definition is at github.com/hzrd149/blossom-drive

Getting started

Like every good nostr client it takes a small instruction manual in order to use it properly. so here are the steps for getting started

1. Open the app

Open https://blossom.hzrd149.com

2. Login using extension

You can also login using any of the following methods using the input - NIP-46 with your https://nsec.app or https://flare.pub account - a NIP-46 connection string - an ncryptsec password protected private key - a nsec unprotected private key (please don't) - bunker:// URI from nsecbunker

3. Add a blossom server

Right now https://cdn.satellite.earth is the only public server that is compatible with blossom drive. If you want to host your own I've written a basic implementation in TypeScript github.com/hzrd149/blossom-server

4. Start uploading your files

NOTE: All files upload to blossom drive are public by default. DO NOT upload private files

5. Manage files

Encrypted drives

There is also the option to encrypt drives using NIP-49 password encryption. although its not tested at all so don't trust it, verify

Whats next?

I don't know, but Im excited to see what everyone else on nostr builds with this. I'm only one developer at the end of the day and I can't think of everything

also all the images in this article are stored in one of my blossom drives here

nostr:naddr1qvzqqqrhvvpzqfngzhsvjggdlgeycm96x4emzjlwf8dyyzdfg4hefp89zpkdgz99qq8xzun5d93kcefdd9kkzem9wvr46jka

@ d830ee7b:4e61cd62

เรื่องมันมีอยู่ว่า.. เมื่อไม่นานมานี้พึ่งเกิดข่าวใหญ่สะเทือนวงการเทคฯ เมื่อ Pavel Durov ผู้ก่อตั้ง Telegram แอปฯ แชทสีฟ้าขวัญใจมหาชน โดนรวบตัวคาสนามบินที่ฝรั่งเศส

เหตุการณ์นี้เป็นเหมือนสัญญาณเตือนภัยถึงเสรีภาพในโลกดิจิทัลที่กำลังถูกสั่นคลอน..

https://image.nostr.build/85d4e936e765e2f08596c278369bf258d2bcf85566817521ac73eebaf37fbc07.jpg

ก่อนอื่น.. ต้องยอมรับว่า Telegram นั้นเหนือกว่า Line, WhatsApp, Messenger ที่หลายคนคุ้นเคย

แต่เพราะอะไรล่ะ?

Telegram ไม่ได้เป็นเพียงแค่แอปพลิเคชันแชททั่วไป แต่เป็นแพลตฟอร์มที่ให้ความสำคัญกับความเป็นส่วนตัวอย่างแท้จริง ทุกข้อความ รูปภาพ และวิดีโอที่ส่งผ่าน Telegram จะถูกเข้ารหัสทันที (End-to-End Encryption)

และจะมีเพียงผู้ส่งและผู้รับเท่านั้นที่สามารถถอดรหัสได้ แม้แต่ทีมงานของ Telegram เองก็ไม่สามารถเข้าถึงข้อมูลเหล่านั้นได้

นั่นทำให้มั่นใจได้ว่าทุกการสื่อสารจะเป็นส่วนตัวและปลอดภัยอย่างแท้จริง ต่างจากแอปพลิเคชันอื่นๆ ที่มักมีข่าวข้อมูลรั่วไหลอยู่บ่อยครั้ง

นอกจากนี้ Telegram ยังยืนหยัดในการต่อต้านการเซ็นเซอร์ทุกรูปแบบ ด้วยระบบการทำงานแบบกระจายศูนย์ที่ไม่มีเซิร์ฟเวอร์กลาง ทำให้ยากต่อการควบคุมหรือปิดกั้น แม้รัฐบาลจะสั่งแบน แต่ Telegram ก็ยังคงสามารถเข้าถึงได้จากทุกมุมโลก

นี่จึงเป็นเหตุผลที่ Telegram ได้รับความนิยมอย่างมากในประเทศที่ปกครองด้วยระบอบเผด็จการ เพราะมันเป็นเครื่องมือสำคัญในการต่อสู้เพื่อประชาธิปไตย

ยิ่งไปกว่านั้น Telegram ยังโดดเด่นด้วยฟีเจอร์ที่หลากหลายและครบครัน ไม่ว่าจะเป็นการสร้างกลุ่ม ช่อง การใช้งานบอท การส่งสติกเกอร์ การโหวต และการโอนเงินด้วยคริปโตฯ เรียกได้ว่าเป็นศูนย์รวมทุกอย่างไว้ในแอปพลิเคชันเดียว

https://image.nostr.build/4e8d6569ee30cf14ab59861eede241ecf1e3a7440bdfa61ad6027187417b782c.jpg

ที่สำคัญ Telegram ได้พิสูจน์ตัวเองในฐานะฮีโร่ในยามวิกฤตมาแล้ว ตัวอย่างเช่น..

ช่วงสงครามรัสเซีย-ยูเครน Telegram กลายเป็นเครื่องมือสำคัญในการแชร์ข่าว เตือนภัย ระดมทุน และประสานงานช่วยเหลือผู้คน นี่คือบทพิสูจน์ที่ชัดเจนว่าเทคโนโลยีสามารถสร้าง "ความเปลี่ยนแปลง" ได้อย่างแท้จริง

ด้วยความเหนือชั้นที่ว่ามา.. จึงไม่แปลกใจเลยที่ Telegram จะมีผู้ใช้งานทั่วโลกกว่า 900 ล้านคน

นอกจากนี้ Pavel Durov ผู้สร้าง Telegram ก็เคยสร้าง VK โซเชียลดังในรัสเซีย แต่สุดท้ายก็ต้องหนี เพราะไม่ยอมให้รัฐบาลมาล้วงข้อมูลผู้ใช้ และครั้งนี้ก็เช่นกัน..

การที่ Durov โดนจับที่ฝรั่งเศส มันทำให้อดคิดไม่ได้ว่า อาจจะมีเงื่อนงำบางอย่างซ่อนอยู่ก็เป็นได้.. (Don’t trust, verify)

(เหล่านี้เป็นเพียงการตั้งสมมติฐาน ซึ่งไม่มีหลักฐานยืนยันที่ชัดเจนแต่อย่างใด โปรดใช้วิจารณญาณในการอ่าน..)

ข้อสันนิษฐานที่ว่า Telegram อาจมีความสัมพันธ์กับรัสเซีย แม้จะพยายามแสดงจุดยืนเป็นกลางและเป็นอิสระจากรัฐบาลก็ตาม ก็คือช่องทางอย่าง Toncoin

Toncoin เดิมทีมีชื่อว่า Telegram Open Network (TON) และถูกพัฒนาโดยทีม Telegram นำโดย Durov เอง (และ Durov ก็เป็นชาวรัสเซีย)

แม้ต่อมา Telegram จะอ้างว่าตัดความสัมพันธ์กับ Toncoin ไปแล้ว (แต่ความสัมพันธ์ในอดีตก็ยังถูกหยิบยกมาเป็นข้อกังขาได้) โดยเฉพาะเมื่อพิจารณาว่ารัสเซียกำลังมีข้อพิพาทกับใครอยู่บ้าง..

มีรายงานว่า Toncoin ระดมทุนจากนักลงทุนชาวรัสเซียจำนวนมาก ซึ่งอาจบ่งชี้ถึงความเชื่อมโยงกับกลุ่มทุนในรัสเซีย

หรือการจับกุม Durov ครั้งนี้อาจเป็นแผนการเล่นเกมส์การเมืองระดับโลกก็เป็นได้ บางทีนี่อาจเป็นการเชือดไก่ให้ลิงดู แสดงให้เห็นถึงแสนยานุภาพของชาติมหาอำนาจที่ต้องการควบคุม Telegram เพราะหวั่นเกรงว่ามันจะเป็นเครื่องมือปลุกระดมมวลชน

ที่ผ่านมา Telegram ถูกใช้เป็นเครื่องมือในการต่อสู้เรียกร้องประชาธิปไตยมาแล้วหลายครั้ง ไม่ว่าจะเป็นการประท้วงในฮ่องกง การเคลื่อนไหวทางการเมืองในเบลารุส หรือการต่อต้านรัฐประหารในเมียนมาร์

ยิ่งไปกว่านั้น.. ในโลกยุคดิจิทัลที่ "ข้อมูลมีค่ากว่าทองคำ” ใครก็ตามที่สามารถควบคุม Telegram ได้ ก็เท่ากับควบคุมกระบอกเสียงที่ทรงพลัง สามารถชี้นำความคิด สร้างกระแส และควบคุมมวลชนได้อย่างง่ายดาย

หรือบางที Durov อาจไปขัดขาผลประโยชน์ของใครบางคนใน Silicon Valley จนถูกสั่งเก็บในรูปแบบนี้ อย่าลืมว่าเบื้องหลังวงการเทคโนโลยีนั้นโหดร้ายกว่าที่เราคิด และบริษัทเทคฯ ยักษ์ใหญ่ต่างก็มีสายสัมพันธ์อันดีกับรัฐบาล

ไม่ใช่เพียงแค่รัฐบาลยุโรปที่ Durov มีปัญหา เพราะแม้แต่ FBI ของอเมริกายังเคยพยายามแทรกแซง Telegram มาแล้ว

มีรายงานว่า FBI พยายามติดต่อ Durov หลายครั้ง ทั้งขู่ ทั้งล่อ ให้เปิดเผยข้อมูลผู้ใช้ แถมยังชวนวิศวกรในทีม Telegram ให้แอบใส่ช่องโหว่ในระบบอีกต่างหาก แต่ Durov และทีมงานก็แน่วแน่ไม่หวั่นไหว

พวกเขายืนหยัดปกป้องข้อมูลผู้ใช้ราวกับเป็นนักรบ จน FBI ต้องถอยทัพกลับไปแบบหน้าแตกยับเยิน

https://image.nostr.build/d2b0dae3bc84034af3d5cc068f15b223511acd2c8e378da1ade3d3c845e88332.jpg

มีบุคคลสำคัญที่ออกมาแสดงความคิดเห็นต่อกรณีนี้ ได้แก่ Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Elon Musk และ Chris Pavlovski ซีอีโอของ Rumble

โดย Kennedy ได้เน้นย้ำถึงความสำคัญเร่งด่วนในการปกป้องเสรีภาพในการพูด ในขณะที่ Musk เรียกร้องให้ปล่อยตัว Durov หลายครั้ง ส่วน Pavlovski วิจารณ์การกระทำของฝรั่งเศสโดยมองว่าเป็นการล้ำเส้นในเรื่องของการเซ็นเซอร์

พวกเขามองว่าการจับกุม Durov เป็นส่วนหนึ่งของปัญหาใหญ่ที่เกี่ยวกับเสรีภาพทางอินเทอร์เน็ตและการควบคุมของรัฐบาลต่อแพลตฟอร์มดิจิทัล

การจับกุมครั้งนี้จุดประกายการถกเถียงอย่างดุเดือดเกี่ยวกับความสมดุลระหว่างเสรีภาพและการควบคุมในยุคดิจิทัล โดย Telegram กลายเป็นสมรภูมิสำคัญ

กรณีนี้ชวนให้ตั้งคำถามสำคัญเกี่ยวกับอนาคตของเสรีภาพออนไลน์และบทบาทของเทคโนโลยีในสังคม..

https://image.nostr.build/31b1fa6cf2a4a67aebe473d03d9d542295de6e35640e14aab99fd9b899fa1bd6.jpg

Telegram กับ Youtube บทเรียนราคาแพงของการเซ็นเซอร์

การจับกุม Durov เกิดขึ้นในช่วงเวลาไล่เลี่ยกับกรณีของ “Simply Bitcoin” ช่อง Youtube ที่สอนเรื่อง Bitcoin ที่มียอดผู้ติดตามกว่า 2 ล้านคน ถูก Youtube ปิดกั้นโดยให้เหตุผลว่า "ละเมิดนโยบาย" ซึ่งเป็นข้อกล่าวหาที่คลุมเครือและไม่มีหลักฐานอะไรชัดเจน

เหตุการณ์นี้แสดงให้เห็นว่า.. แม้แต่แพลตฟอร์มที่ดูเหมือนเปิดกว้างอย่าง Youtube ก็ยังสามารถตกเป็นเครื่องมือของการเซ็นเซอร์ได้

https://image.nostr.build/c16f0b0f3ca942467ca598397dadb82f6452c58403402e6fee900ca513aae244.jpg

เมื่อรัฐบาลและบริษัทเทคโนโลยียักษ์ใหญ่ต่างก็ต้องการควบคุมข้อมูล คำถามคือ.. เราจะทำอย่างไรจึงจะมีอิสรภาพในโลกออนไลน์ได้อย่างแท้จริง?

คำตอบที่ชัดเจนที่สุดในตอนนี้ก็คือ Decentralization หรือระบบที่ไม่มีศูนย์กลาง ซึ่งจะทำให้ไม่มีใครสามารถควบคุมได้

ตัวอย่างที่เห็นได้ชัดคือ “บิตคอยน์” สกุลเงินดิจิทัลที่ปราศจากการควบคุมจากรัฐบาลหรือธนาคารใดๆ ทุกคนมีสิทธิ์เข้าถึงและเป็นเจ้าของบิตคอยน์ได้อย่างเท่าเทียม และสามารถทำธุรกรรมทางการเงินได้โดยไม่ต้องผ่านคนกลาง

ไม่เพียงเท่านั้น.. โลกโซเชียลมีเดียก็กำลังมุ่งหน้าสู่ Decentralization เช่นเดียวกัน แพลตฟอร์มอย่าง Nostr ที่ใช้ระบบกระจายศูนย์ ไม่มีบริษัทหรือองค์กรใดเป็นเจ้าของ ทำให้ผู้ใช้งานทุกคนมีอิสระในการแสดงความคิดเห็น โดยไม่ต้องกังวลว่าจะถูกปิดกั้นหรือโดนลบโพสต์

นี่คือภาพสะท้อนของอนาคตแห่งโลกออนไลน์ที่แท้จริง โลกที่ทุกคนจะมีอำนาจเท่าเทียมกัน และมีอิสรภาพในการเข้าถึงข้อมูลและแสดงความคิดเห็นได้อย่างแท้จริง

การเดินทางสู่โลก Decentralization นั้นอาจฟังดูเป็นเรื่องไกลตัว แต่จริงๆ แล้วมันใกล้ตัวเรามากกว่าที่คิด

เริ่มต้นง่ายๆ ด้วยการเปิดใจเรียนรู้ ทำความเข้าใจกับเทคโนโลยีใหม่ๆ อย่าง Bitcoin, Nostr ซึ่งมีข้อมูลมากมายรอให้คุณค้นคว้า

อย่ากลัวที่จะลอง ลงมือทำ ทดลองใช้ สร้างความคุ้นเคยกับแพลตฟอร์มเหล่านี้ อาจจะเริ่มจากการสมัคร Nostr ผ่านแอป #Wherostr โหลดมาลองโพสต์ แชร์ คุยกับเพื่อนๆ

ยิ่งมีผู้คนใช้งานมากเท่าไหร่ ระบบก็จะยิ่งแข็งแกร่ง และอำนาจก็จะยิ่งกระจายมากขึ้นเท่านั้น

ถึงเวลาแล้วที่เราต้องตั้งคำถามกับตัวเอง เราคิดอย่างไรกับการเซ็นเซอร์ข้อมูลบนโลกออนไลน์?

เราเชื่อหรือไม่ว่า Bitcoin, Nostr และ Decentralization จะสามารถเปลี่ยนแปลงโลกได้จริง?

และที่สำคัญที่สุด เราพร้อมที่จะก้าวเข้าสู่โลก Decentralization แล้วหรือยัง?

อนาคตของโลกดิจิทัลอยู่ในมือของพวกเราทุกคน อย่ายอมเป็นเบี้ยภายใต้การควบคุม แต่จงลุกขึ้นสู้เพื่ออิสรภาพของเราเอง

— Jakk Goodday (เจ้าเก่า)

@ 66b15e4f:e8275f3c

Hi, i am currently testing this plataform

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

Nostr is not decentralized nor censorship-resistant

Peter Todd has been saying this for a long time and all the time I've been thinking he is misunderstanding everything, but I guess a more charitable interpretation is that he is right.

Nostr today is indeed centralized.

Yesterday I published two harmless notes with the exact same content at the same time. In two minutes the notes had a noticeable difference in responses:

The top one was published to wss://nostr.wine, wss://nos.lol, wss://pyramid.fiatjaf.com. The second was published to the relay where I generally publish all my notes to, wss://pyramid.fiatjaf.com, and that is announced on my NIP-05 file and on my NIP-65 relay list.

A few minutes later I published that screenshot again in two identical notes to the same sets of relays, asking if people understood the implications. The difference in quantity of responses can still be seen today:

These results are skewed now by the fact that the two notes got rebroadcasted to multiple relays after some time, but the fundamental point remains.

What happened was that a huge lot more of people saw the first note compared to the second, and if Nostr was really censorship-resistant that shouldn't have happened at all.

Some people implied in the comments, with an air of obviousness, that publishing the note to "more relays" should have predictably resulted in more replies, which, again, shouldn't be the case if Nostr is really censorship-resistant.

What happens is that most people who engaged with the note are following me, in the sense that they have instructed their clients to fetch my notes on their behalf and present them in the UI, and clients are failing to do that despite me making it clear in multiple ways that my notes are to be found on wss://pyramid.fiatjaf.com.

If we were talking not about me, but about some public figure that was being censored by the State and got banned (or shadowbanned) by the 3 biggest public relays, the sad reality would be that the person would immediately get his reach reduced to ~10% of what they had before. This is not at all unlike what happened to dozens of personalities that were banned from the corporate social media platforms and then moved to other platforms -- how many of their original followers switched to these other platforms? Probably some small percentage close to 10%. In that sense Nostr today is similar to what we had before.

Peter Todd is right that if the way Nostr works is that you just subscribe to a small set of relays and expect to get everything from them then it tends to get very centralized very fast, and this is the reality today.

Peter Todd is wrong that Nostr is inherently centralized or that it needs a protocol change to become what it has always purported to be. He is in fact wrong today, because what is written above is not valid for all clients of today, and if we drive in the right direction we can successfully make Peter Todd be more and more wrong as time passes, instead of the contrary.

---

See also:

• Censorship-resistant relay discovery in Nostr
• A vision for content discovery and relay usage for basic social-networking in Nostr

@ 449e6ef7:9ed84d87

I believe in God,
the Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
He descended into hell;
on the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Catholic Church,
the communion of Saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.

@ 42342239:1d80db24

After Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter (now X) in autumn 2022, there has been plenty of turmoil surrounding the platform. For instance, some groups were upset after the team responsible for "moderation" has been shut down. Instead of limiting freedom of speech, X primarily limits users ability to reach others. ("Freedom of speech does not mean freedom of reach"). Even so, some argue that the platform falls short in ensuring a respectable tone and combating the spread of disinformation (intentional spread of false information) as well as misinformation (false or inaccurate information that is unintentionally spread).

In Sweden, Anne Ramberg, former secretary general of the Swedish Bar Association and chairman of Expo Foundation, recently left the platform, citing that "moderate and analytical voices" are mocked or targeted there. She forgot to mention that she once compared a member of parliament to a "brown rat". So much for ensuring a "respectable ton".

EU's digital commissioner Thierry Breton is also dissatisfied. Earlier in August he threatened Musk with using all of the Commission's toolbox (primarily hefty fines) unless Musk complied. Breton forgot to mention that he himself earlier misled the EU public about digital IDs. That his letter was published without the commission's approval, which means it must have constituted "mis- or disinformation" is also noteworthy.

Whereas people such as Breton and Ramberg seem to argue X is not moderating enough (removal of damaging or improper content), others perceive X is censoring too much, as in suppressing speech for political or other reasons.

"Freedom of reach" is a fairly new concept. It refers to how far content spreads on digital platforms. While you can say (almost) whatever you want on X, it's a different matter how far your message will reach. This can be compared to how you can get a rock to skip across water: instead of the pebble bouncing several times and creating ripples on the pond, your pebble can be made to sink straight away. When invisible digital architects - algorithms - have the last word (as is the case today), it can mean that few - or no one at all - will receive your message, regardless of how effective and truthful it is.

X is likely best in class among major centralised platforms in terms of standing up for the freedom of speech, a freedom that forms the cornerstone of liberal societies. For instance, John Stuart Mill warned in one of liberalism's most central works On Liberty of "silencing the expression of an opinion is (...) robbing the human race".

"Merely" limiting the freedom of reach is however far from unproblematic.

A well-known philosophical thought experiment is the question, "If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, does it still make a sound?" Translated to social media, and X in particular; if you speak in the middle of a crowd but nobody hears you, do you really still have freedom of speech?

@ d830ee7b:4e61cd62

ในโลกของเหรียญดิจิทัล ที่แสงสีเสียงดังแข่งกันโครมๆ ระยิบระยับราวกับงานวัด มีหนึ่งตำนานที่ถูกจารึกไว้ในหน้าประวัติศาสตร์อย่างไม่อาจลบเลือนได้ ตำนานที่สร้างบาดแผลให้กับนักลงทุนหลายหมื่นคนทั่วโลก และเป็นเสมือนตราบาปที่คอยฉุดรั้งการเติบโตของวงการบิตคอยน์เอาไว้อย่างยาวนาน...

..ตำนานนั้นมีชื่อว่า “Mt. Gox” ศูนย์กลางการซื้อขายบิตคอยน์ที่ครั้งหนึ่งเคยยิ่งใหญ่ที่สุดในโลก แต่วันนี้เหลือเพียงซากปรักหักพังและตำนานแห่งความเจ็บปวด

https://image.nostr.build/f45d069f4113ea9a28bbacb8da44d19899b42685825e8e8c0e8c42286fa22995.jpg

หายนะที่ทำให้บิตคอยน์ประมาณ 850,000 BTC มูลค่ากว่า 460 ล้านดอลลาร์สหรัฐในขณะนั้น (หรือราวๆ 4 หมื่นล้านดอลลาร์สหรัฐ (ราว 1.36 ล้านล้านบาท) ในปัจจุบัน) หายวับไปกับตา!

เรื่องนี้มันเกิดขึ้นได้ยังไง? อะไรที่ทำให้เว็บเทรดที่เคยยิ่งใหญ่ที่สุดในโลกต้องล่มสลายลง?

และที่สำคัญที่สุด... เราเรียนรู้อะไรได้บ้างจากหายนะในครั้งนี้?

บทความนี้จะพาคุณย้อนรอยไปสำรวจเรื่องราวทั้งหมดของ Mt. Gox ตั้งแต่จุดเริ่มต้นที่แสนจะธรรมดา ไปจนถึงจุดจบที่น่าสลดหดหู่ พร้อมกับบทเรียนราคาแพงที่เราทุกคนควรจดจำเอาไว้ให้ขึ้นใจ (ยาวนะครับ..)

// จากเว็บเทรดการ์ดเกมสู่ศูนย์กลางบิตคอยน์

เรื่องราวของ Mt. Gox เริ่มต้นขึ้นในปี 2006 ไม่ใช่ด้วยบิตคอยน์อย่างที่หลายคนเข้าใจ แต่เริ่มจาก Jed McCaleb โปรแกรมเมอร์หนุ่มผู้คลั่งไคล้ในการ์ดเกม "Magic: The Gathering Online" ที่อยากจะสร้างเว็บไซต์สำหรับเทรดการ์ดเกมออนไลน์

ชื่อ Mt. Gox ก็มาจาก "Magic: The Gathering Online eXchange" นั่นเองครับ..

ในช่วงแรกๆ Mt. Gox ก็เป็นแค่เว็บเล็กๆ ที่ไม่ค่อยมีคนรู้จัก แต่แล้วในปี 2010 จุดเปลี่ยนก็เกิดขึ้น..

McCaleb ได้รู้จักกับบิตคอยน์สกุลเงินดิจิทัลน้องใหม่ที่กำลังมาแรง และเขาตัดสินใจเปลี่ยน Mt. Gox ให้กลายเป็นศูนย์กลางการซื้อขายบิตคอยน์มันซะเลย!

การตัดสินใจครั้งนี้ถือเป็นจุดเปลี่ยนสำคัญที่ทำให้ Mt. Gox กลายเป็นตำนาน

ในยุคนั้นบิตคอยน์ยังเป็นเรื่องใหม่มากๆ คนส่วนใหญ่ยังไม่รู้จัก ไม่เข้าใจ แถมยังมองว่ามันเป็นของเล่นไร้สาระสำหรับพวก Geek เท่านั้น แต่ McCaleb เขามองเห็นศักยภาพของมัน เขาเชื่อว่าบิตคอยน์จะเปลี่ยนโลก!

Mt. Gox จึงกลายเป็นแพลตฟอร์มซื้อขายบิตคอยน์แห่งแรกๆ ของโลกและมันก็เติบโตอย่างรวดเร็ว.. เร็วแบบติดจรวดเลยล่ะครับ เพราะในตอนนั้นมันแทบไม่มีคู่แข่งเลย ใครอยากซื้อขายบิตคอยน์ก็ต้องมาที่ Mt. Gox นักลงทุนทั่วโลกแห่กันมาที่นี่ ทำให้ Mt. Gox กลายเป็นศูนย์กลางของตลาดบิตคอยน์

ในช่วงพีคๆ Mt. Gox เคย handle การซื้อขาย Bitcoin มากกว่า 70% ของทั้งโลก!

นึกภาพตามนะครับ..

ในยุคนั้นบิตคอยน์ยังเป็นเหมือนดินแดนป่าเถื่อน ไม่มีกฎหมาย ไม่มีการควบคุม ใครอยากทำอะไรก็ทำ Mt. Gox ก็เลยเหมือนเป็นเสมือนนายอำเภอที่คอยดูแลความสงบเรียบร้อยในเมือง..

ภายใต้เงาอำนาจ..

ในปี 2011, McCaleb ตัดสินใจขาย Mt. Gox ให้กับ Mark Karpelès โปรแกรมเมอร์ชาวฝรั่งเศสที่อาศัยอยู่ในญี่ปุ่น Karpelès เข้ามาบริหาร Mt. Gox ต่อ และพยายามขยายธุรกิจให้เติบโตยิ่งขึ้นไปอีก

แต่.. การเติบโตอย่างรวดเร็วนั้น ก็มาพร้อมกับปัญหา

ปัญหาแรกเลยก็คือเรื่อง "ความปลอดภัย"

ในปี 2011 Mt. Gox โดนแฮ็กครั้งแรก บิตคอยน์ประมาณ 25,000 BTC ถูกขโมยไป ตอนนั้นมันอาจจะดูไม่เยอะ แต่ถ้าคิดเป็นมูลค่าในปัจจุบันก็หลายหมื่นล้านบาทอยู่นะครับ

และนี่เป็นแค่จุดเริ่มต้นของหายนะ...

ปัญหาที่สอง คือ "การบริหารจัดการอันห่วยแตก"

Karpelès ไม่ได้เป็นนักธุรกิจมืออาชีพ เขาเป็นแค่โปรแกรมเมอร์ที่หลงใหลในบิตคอยน์ เขาขาดประสบการณ์ในการบริหารจัดการบริษัทขนาดใหญ่

Mt. Gox เริ่มมีปัญหาภายใน ทั้งเรื่องการเงิน การจัดการ และความโปร่งใส ลูกค้าเริ่มบ่นว่าถอนเงินไม่ได้ ระบบมีปัญหา

และที่สำคัญ.. Karpelès ไม่ได้ให้ความสำคัญกับเรื่อง "ความปลอดภัย" มากพอนัก

เขาคิดว่า Mt. Gox มันใหญ่เกินกว่าจะล้มได้ ใครจะกล้ามาแหยม?

..แต่เขาคิดผิด.. อย่างมหันต์

จุดจบของตำนาน..

ในเดือนกุมภาพันธ์ 2014, Mt. Gox ประกาศระงับการถอนเงินทั้งหมด อ้างว่าระบบมีปัญหา.. กำลังทำการแก้ไข

แต่มันไม่ใช่แค่ปัญหาเล็กๆ น้อยๆ.. มันคือหายนะครั้งใหญ่หลวง!

บิตคอยน์กว่า 850,000 BTC มูลค่ากว่า 460 ล้านดอลลาร์สหรัฐในตอนนั้นหายไปจาก Mt. Gox ไม่ใช่แค่เงินของลูกค้า.. แต่เป็นเงินของ Mt. Gox เองด้วย

Karpelès ออกมาแถลงข่าวด้วยน้ำตาคลอเบ้า บอกว่า Bitcoin ถูกขโมยไปจากการโดนแฮ็ก..

โลกทั้งใบแทบแตก! นักลงทุนช็อก! ราคาบิตคอยน์ร่วงระนาว! ความเชื่อมั่นในตลาดคริปโตฯ สั่นคลอน!

Mt. Gox ล้มละลาย.. และกลายเป็นตำนานแห่งหายนะที่ไม่มีใครลืม..

บทเรียนราคาแพงที่เราต้องจดจำ

การล่มสลายของ Mt. Gox เป็นเหมือนระเบิดปรมาณูที่ถล่มวงการบิตคอยน์ มันทำให้คนทั่วโลกตระหนักถึงความเสี่ยงของคริปโตเคอเรนซี และความสำคัญของการเลือกใช้แพลตฟอร์มที่ "ปลอดภัย" และ "น่าเชื่อถือ"

มันยังเป็นเครื่องเตือนใจว่าความโลภ และความประมาท อาจนำไปสู่หายนะได้ ไม่ว่าคุณจะลงทุนในอะไร ก็ต้องศึกษาให้ดี ทำความเข้าใจให้ถ่องแท้ อย่าหลงเชื่อคำโฆษณา หรือคำอวยเว่อร์ๆ

และที่สำคัญ..

"Not your keys, not your coins"

หากคุณไม่ถือ Private Key ด้วยตัวเอง คุณก็ไม่ได้เป็นเจ้าของบิตคอยน์ที่แท้จริง

เพราะถ้าเกิดอะไรขึ้นกับเว็บเทรด.. คุณก็อาจจะซวยเหมือนกับลูกค้า Mt. Gox กว่า 24,000 คน ที่ต้องรอคอยเงินคืนยาวนานนับ 10 ปี และบางคนก็อาจจะไม่ได้อะไรคืนเลย..

เปิดโปงเบื้องหลัง

หลังจาก Mt. Gox ล่มสลาย เจ้าหน้าที่ได้เร่งสืบสวนสอบสวน และพบว่ามีบุคคลสำคัญอยู่เบื้องหลังเรื่องนี้

1. “Alexander Vinnik” ผู้ก่อตั้ง BTC-e

ถูกจับในข้อหาฟอกเงินที่ได้จากการแฮ็ก Mt. Gox เขาถูกกล่าวหาว่าใช้ BTC-e ในการฟอกเงินมูลค่ากว่า 4 พันล้านดอลลาร์สหรัฐ ซึ่งรวมถึงเงินที่ขโมยมาจาก Mt. Gox ด้วย

หน่วยงานของสหรัฐฯ ระบุว่า Vinnik ใช้ BTC-e เพื่อฟอกเงินให้กับบุคคลที่เกี่ยวข้องกับอาชญากรรมต่างๆ เช่น การแฮ็กคอมพิวเตอร์ และการค้ายาเสพติด

พวกเขายังเชื่อมโยง Vinnik กับการล่มสลายของ Mt. Gox โดยกล่าวหาว่าเขาฟอกเงินที่ถูกขโมยผ่าน BTC-e และ Tradehill ซึ่งเป็นอีกหนึ่งเว็บเทรดที่เขาเป็นเจ้าของ

การจับกุม Vinnik เป็นส่วนหนึ่งของปฏิบัติการต่อเนื่องของสหรัฐฯ ในการต่อต้านอาชญากรไซเบอร์ชาวรัสเซียในยุโรป ในปี 2024 Vinnik ได้ยอมรับสารภาพผิดในข้อหาสมรู้ร่วมคิดในการฟอกเงิน

1. “Alexey Bilyuchenko” และ “Aleksandr Verner”

สองชาวรัสเซีย ถูกตั้งข้อหาในปี 2023 ว่ากันว่าพวกเขาขโมยบิตคอยน์ไปกว่า 647,000 BTC และนำไปฟอกเงินผ่าน BTC-e และแพลตฟอร์มอื่นๆ

เส้นทางสู่การเยียวยา

การล่มสลายของ Mt. Gox ทำให้ลูกค้าหลายหมื่นคนต้องสูญเสียบิตคอยน์ไป และต้องต่อสู้ในกระบวนการทางกฎหมายอันยาวนาน

ในที่สุดก็มีความคืบหน้า ในเดือนมิถุนายน 2018 ศาลแขวงโตเกียวได้อนุมัติคำร้องของเจ้าหนี้เพื่อเริ่มกระบวนการฟื้นฟูทางแพ่ง ซึ่งอนุญาตให้มีเงื่อนไขการชำระหนี้ที่ยืดหยุ่นมากขึ้น รวมถึงการชดเชยตามมูลค่าปัจจุบันของเหรียญที่สูญหายไป

เจ้าหนี้ (ผู้เสียหาย) สามารถเริ่มยื่นข้อเรียกร้องใหม่ภายใต้กระบวนการเหล่านี้ได้ในวันที่ 23 สิงหาคม 2018

ในที่สุด.. ในเดือนกรกฎาคม 2024 Mt. Gox ก็เริ่มชำระคืนบิตคอยน์ และบิตคอยน์แคช ให้กับเจ้าหนี้ภายใต้แผนฟื้นฟูกิจการตามกฎหมาย

ทนายความ Nobuaki Kobayashi ดูแลกระบวนการนี้ โดยตรวจสอบให้แน่ใจว่ามีการตรวจสอบและข้อตกลงกับเจ้าหนี้ทั้งหมดก่อนที่จะมีการจ่ายเงิน

การชำระเงินคืนนี้ถือเป็นช่วงเวลาสำคัญ เนื่องจากเจ้าหนี้ต้องรอคอยมานานเกือบทศวรรษ นับตั้งแต่การล่มสลายของเว็บเทรดในปี 2014

จาก 850,000 BTC ที่สูญหายไป มีการกู้คืนกลับมาได้ 200,000 Bitcoin ซึ่ง 60,000 Bitcoin ในนั้นถูกขายโดยผู้ดูแลผลประโยชน์เพื่อเป็นทุนในการดำเนินการต่างๆ

และเนื่องจากมูลค่าของบิตคอยน์เพิ่มขึ้นอย่างมาก กระบวนการชำระคืนจึงมีมูลค่ามหาศาล การเริ่มต้นการชำระคืนจึงเป็นเรื่องใหญ่ในวงการคริปโต

ในช่วงต้นเดือนกรกฎาคม 2024 Mt. Gox ได้ย้าย 47,228 BTC มูลค่าประมาณ 2.7 พันล้านดอลลาร์ออกจากกระเป๋าเงินออฟไลน์เพื่อเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของกระบวนการชำระคืน

บริษัทต่างๆ เช่น MtGoxBalanceBot ได้ติดตามความเคลื่อนไหวเหล่านี้อย่างโปร่งใสและให้ข้อมูลอัปเดตแก่ชุมชน

ในวันที่ 22 กรกฎาคม 2024 Mt. Gox ได้โอน Bitcoin มูลค่า 2.85 พันล้านดอลลาร์ไปยังกระเป๋าเงินใหม่ โดย 340 ล้านดอลลาร์ในจำนวนนั้นถูกส่งไปยังที่อยู่ที่ Bitstamp เป็นเจ้าของ

หลังจากนั้นไม่นาน ก็มีการโอน 37,477 BTC มูลค่า 2.5 พันล้านดอลลาร์ไปยังกระเป๋าเงินที่ไม่รู้จัก

มีการเคลื่อนไหวอยู่เรื่อยๆ จนกระทั่ง ณ ปัจจุบันมีการแจกจ่าย Bitcoin ให้กับเจ้าหนี้ Mt. Gox ไปแล้วจำนวนมาก และยังเหลืออีกประมาณ 45,000 BTC ที่จะต้องคืน (จาก140,000 แสน เหลือ 44,899K BTC คิดเป็นคืนไปแล้วราวๆ 60%)

กระบวนการนี้ยังคงดำเนินต่อไป และเกี่ยวข้องกับความเคลื่อนไหวจำนวนมากในตลาดคริปโตฯ โดยจำนวนเงินทั้งหมดที่ยังคงค้างชำระให้กับเจ้าหนี้ โดยจำนวนเงินทั้งหมดที่ยังคงค้างชำระเจ้าหนี้นั้นคิดเป็นประมาณ 0.7% ของ Bitcoin ทั้งหมดที่หมุนเวียนอยู่ในตลาด

850,000 Bitcoin ที่สูญหายไปนั้นมีมูลค่าประมาณ 460 ล้านดอลลาร์สหรัฐในขณะที่เกิดการแฮ็ก และ 140,000 Bitcoin ที่กู้คืนได้นั้นมีมูลค่าประมาณ 1 หมื่นล้านดอลลาร์ ณ ราคา 70,000 ดอลลาร์ต่อ Bitcoin

นั่นหมายความว่าเจ้าหนี้จะได้รับมูลค่าคืนมากกว่า 16 เท่าในตลาดปัจจุบัน..

บทสรุป

เรื่องราวของ Mt. Gox เป็นเหมือนบทเรียนราคาแพงที่สอนให้พวกเรารู้ว่า..

อย่าฝากไข่ไว้ในตะกร้าใบเดียว

การรวมศูนย์อำนาจในการดูแลสินทรัพย์ดิจิทัลไว้ที่เดียวมีความเสี่ยงสูง การกระจายความเสี่ยงโดยการใช้บริการหลายๆ แพลตฟอร์ม หรือ self-custody เป็นสิ่งสำคัญ

ความจำเป็นในการกำกับดูแล

เหตุการณ์ Mt. Gox กระตุ้นให้เกิดการตรวจสอบข้อเท็จจริงและความเข้มงวดมากขึ้นต่อเว็บเทรดคริปโตฯ ทั่วโลก เพื่อปกป้องนักลงทุน

ความรับผิดชอบ

ผู้บริหารแพลตฟอร์ม ต้องมีความรับผิดชอบต่อทรัพย์สินของลูกค้า และดำเนินธุรกิจอย่างโปร่งใส ซื่อสัตย์ และยุติธรรม

ความไม่แน่นอนของตลาดคริปโตฯ

ตลาดคริปโตฯ ยังคงมีความผันผวนสูง และมีความเสี่ยงที่อาจเกิดขึ้นได้ นักลงทุนควรศึกษาข้อมูลอย่างรอบคอบก่อนตัดสินใจลงทุน

เรื่องราวของ Mt. Gox จะถูกจารึกไว้ในประวัติศาสตร์ของวงการคริปโตตลอดไป มันเป็นเครื่องเตือนใจถึงความสำคัญของความปลอดภัย ความโปร่งใส และความรับผิดชอบในการดำเนินธุรกิจที่เกี่ยวข้องกับสินทรัพย์ดิจิทัล และเป็นแรงผลักดันให้วงการนี้พัฒนาไปสู่ความมั่นคงและยั่งยืนในอนาคต..

@ f977c464:32fcbe00

Kendisini aynada ilk defa gördüğü o gün, diğerleri gibi olduğunu anlamıştı. Oysaki her insan biricik olmalıydı. Sözgelimi sinirlendiğinde bir kaşı diğerinden birkaç milimetre daha az çatılabilirdi veya sevindiğinde dudağı ona has bir açıyla dalgalanabilirdi. Hatta bunların hiçbiri mümkün değilse, en azından, gözlerinin içinde sadece onun sahip olabileceği bir ışık parlayabilirdi. Çok sıradan, öyle sıradan ki kimsenin fark etmediği o milyonlarca minik şeyden herhangi biri. Ne olursa.

Ama yansımasına bakarken bunların hiçbirini bulamadı ve diğer günlerden hiç de farklı başlamamış o gün, işe gitmek için vagonunun gelmesini beklediği alelade bir metro istasyonunda, içinde kaybolduğu illüzyon dağılmaya başladı.

İlk önce derisi döküldü. Tam olarak dökülmedi aslında, daha çok kıvılcımlara dönüşüp bedeninden fırlamış ve bir an sonra sönerek külleşmiş, havada dağılmıştı. Ardında da, kaybolmadan hemen önce, kısa süre için hayal meyal görülebilen, bir ruhun yok oluşuna ağıt yakan rengârenk peri cesetleri bırakmıştı. Beklenenin aksine, havaya toz kokusu yayıldı.

Dehşete düştü elbette. Dehşete düştüler. Panikle üstlerini yırtan 50 işçi. Her şeyin sebebiyse o vagon.

Saçları da döküldü. Her tel, yere varmadan önce, her santimde ikiye ayrıla ayrıla yok oldu.

Bütün yüzeylerin mat olduğu, hiçbir şeyin yansımadığı, suyun siyah aktığı ve kendine ancak kameralarla bakabildiğin bir dünyada, vagonun içine yerleştirilmiş bir aynadan ilk defa kendini görmek.

Gözlerinin akları buharlaşıp havada dağıldı, mercekleri boşalan yeri doldurmak için eriyip yayıldı. Gerçeği görmemek için yaratılmış, bu yüzden görmeye hazır olmayan ve hiç olmayacak gözler.

Her şeyin o anda sona erdiğini sanabilirdi insan. Derin bir karanlık ve ölüm. Görmenin görmek olduğu o anın bitişi.

---

Ben geldiğimde ölmüşlerdi.

Yani bozulmuşlardı demek istiyorum.

Belleklerini yeni taşıyıcılara takmam mümkün olmadı. Fiziksel olarak kusursuz durumdaydılar, olmayanları da tamir edebilirdim ama tüm o hengamede kendilerini baştan programlamış ve girdilerini modifiye etmişlerdi.

Belleklerden birini masanın üzerinden ileriye savurdu. Hınca hınç dolu bir barda oturuyorlardı. O ve arkadaşı.

Sırf şu kendisini insan sanan androidler travma geçirip delirmesin diye neler yapıyoruz, insanın aklı almıyor.

Eliyle arkasını işaret etti.

Polislerin söylediğine göre biri vagonun içerisine ayna yerleştirmiş. Bu zavallılar da kapı açılıp bir anda yansımalarını görünce kafayı kırmışlar.

Arkadaşı bunların ona ne hissettirdiğini sordu. Yani o kadar bozuk, insan olduğunu sanan androidi kendilerini parçalamış olarak yerde görmek onu sarsmamış mıydı?

Hayır, sonuçta belirli bir amaç için yaratılmış şeyler onlar. Kaliteli bir bilgisayarım bozulduğunda üzülürüm çünkü parasını ben vermişimdir. Bunlarsa devletin. Bana ne ki?

Arkadaşı anlayışla kafasını sallayıp suyundan bir yudum aldı. Kravatını biraz gevşetti.

Bira istemediğinden emin misin?

İstemediğini söyledi. Sahi, neden deliriyordu bu androidler?

Basit. Onların yapay zekâlarını kodlarken bir şeyler yazıyorlar. Yazılımcılar. Biliyorsun, ben donanımdayım. Bunlar da kendilerini insan sanıyorlar. Tiplerine bak.

Sesini alçalttı.

Arabalarda kaza testi yapılan mankenlere benziyor hepsi. Ağızları burunları bile yok ama şu geldiğimizden beri sakalını düzeltip duruyor mesela. Hayır, hepsi de diğerleri onun sakalı varmış sanıyor, o manyak bir şey.

Arkadaşı bunun delirmeleriyle bağlantısını çözemediğini söyledi. O da normal sesiyle konuşmaya devam etti.

Anlasana, aynayı falan ayırt edemiyor mercekleri. Lönk diye kendilerini görüyorlar. Böyle, olduğu gibi...

Nedenmiş peki? Ne gerek varmış?

Ne bileyim be abicim! Ahiret soruları gibi.

Birasına bakarak dalıp gitti. Sonra masaya abanarak arkadaşına iyice yaklaştı. Bulanık, bir tünelin ucundaki biri gibi, şekli şemalı belirsiz bir adam.

Ben seni nereden tanıyorum ki ulan? Kimsin sen?

Belleği makineden çıkardılar. İki kişiydiler. Soruşturmadan sorumlu memurlar.

─ Baştan mı başlıyoruz, diye sordu belleği elinde tutan ilk memur.

─ Bir kere daha deneyelim ama bu sefer direkt aynayı sorarak başla, diye cevapladı ikinci memur.

─ Bence de. Yeterince düzgün çalışıyor.

Simülasyon yüklenirken, ayakta, biraz arkada duran ve alnını kaşıyan ikinci memur sormaktan kendisini alamadı:

─ Bu androidleri niye böyle bir olay yerine göndermişler ki? Belli tost olacakları. İsraf. Gidip biz baksak aynayı kırıp delilleri mahvetmek zorunda da kalmazlar.

Diğer memur sandalyesinde hafifçe dönecek oldu, o sırada soruyu bilgisayarın hoparlöründen teknisyen cevapladı.

Hangi işimizde bir yamukluk yok ki be abi.

---

Ama bir son değildi. Üstlerindeki tüm illüzyon dağıldığında ve çıplak, cinsiyetsiz, birbirinin aynı bedenleriyle kaldıklarında sıra dünyaya gelmişti.

Yere düştüler. Elleri -bütün bedeni gibi siyah turmalinden, boğumları çelikten- yere değdiği anda, metronun zemini dağıldı.

Yerdeki karolar öncesinde beyazdı ve çok parlaktı. Tepelerindeki floresan, ışığını olduğu gibi yansıtıyor, tek bir lekenin olmadığı ve tek bir tozun uçmadığı istasyonu aydınlatıyorlardı.

Duvarlara duyurular asılmıştı. Örneğin, yarın akşam kültür merkezinde 20.00’da başlayacak bir tekno blues festivalinin cıvıl cıvıl afişi vardı. Onun yanında daha geniş, sarı puntolu harflerle yazılmış, yatay siyah kesiklerle çerçevesi çizilmiş, bir platformdan düşen çöp adamın bulunduğu “Dikkat! Sarı bandı geçmeyin!” uyarısı. Biraz ilerisinde günlük resmi gazete, onun ilerisinde bir aksiyon filminin ve başka bir romantik komedi filminin afişleri, yapılacakların ve yapılmayacakların söylendiği küçük puntolu çeşitli duyurular... Duvar uzayıp giden bir panoydu. On, on beş metrede bir tekrarlanıyordu.

Tüm istasyonun eni yüz metre kadar. Genişliği on metre civarı.

Önlerinde, açık kapısından o mendebur aynanın gözüktüğü vagon duruyordu. Metro, istasyona sığmayacak kadar uzundu. Bir kılıcın keskinliğiyle uzanıyor ama yer yer vagonların ek yerleriyle bölünüyordu.

Hiçbir vagonda pencere olmadığı için metronun içi, içlerindekiler meçhuldü.

Sonrasında karolar zerrelerine ayrılarak yükseldi. Floresanın ışığında her yeri toza boğdular ve ortalığı gri bir sisin altına gömdüler. Çok kısa bir an. Afişleri dalgalandırmadılar. Dalgalandırmaya vakitleri olmadı. Yerlerinden söküp aldılar en fazla. Işık birkaç kere sönüp yanarak direndi. Son kez söndüğünde bir daha geri gelmedi.

Yine de etraf aydınlıktı. Kırmızı, her yere eşit dağılan soluk bir ışıkla.

Yer tamamen tele dönüşmüştü. Altında çapraz hatlarla desteklenmiş demir bir iskelet. Işık birkaç metreden daha fazla aşağıya uzanamıyordu. Sonsuzluğa giden bir uçurum.

Duvarın yerini aynı teller ve demir iskelet almıştı. Arkasında, birbirine vidalarla tutturulmuş demir plakalardan oluşan, üstünden geçen boruların ek yerlerinden bazen ince buharların çıktığı ve bir süre asılı kaldıktan sonra ağır, yağlı bir havayla sürüklendiği bir koridor.

Diğer tarafta paslanmış, pencerelerindeki camlar kırıldığı için demir plakalarla kapatılmış külüstür bir metro. Kapının karşısındaki aynadan her şey olduğu gibi yansıyordu.

---

Bir konteynırın içini andıran bir evde, gerçi gayet de birbirine eklenmiş konteynırlardan oluşan bir şehirde “andıran” demek doğru olmayacağı için düpedüz bir konteynırın içinde, masaya mum görüntüsü vermek için koyulmuş, yarı katı yağ atıklarından şekillendirilmiş kütleleri yakmayı deniyordu. Kafasında hayvan kıllarından yapılmış grili siyahlı bir peruk. Aynı kıllardan kendisine gür bir bıyık da yapmıştı.

Üstünde mavi çöp poşetlerinden yapılmış, kravatlı, şık bir takım.

Masanın ayakları yerine oradan buradan çıkmış parçalar konulmuştu: bir arabanın şaft mili, üst üste konulmuş ve üstünde yazı okunamayan tenekeler, boş kitaplar, boş gazete balyaları... Hiçbir şeye yazı yazılmıyordu, gerek yoktu da zaten çünkü merkez veri bankası onları fark ettirmeden, merceklerden giren veriyi sentezleyerek insanlar için dolduruyordu. Yani, androidler için. Farklı şekilde isimlendirmek bir fark yaratacaksa.

Onların mercekleri için değil. Bağlantıları çok önceden kopmuştu.

─ Hayatım, sofra hazır, diye bağırdı yatak odasındaki karısına.

Sofrada tabak yerine düz, bardak yerine bükülmüş, çatal ve bıçak yerine sivriltilmiş plakalar.

Karısı salonun kapısında durakladı ve ancak kulaklarına kadar uzanan, kocasınınkine benzeyen, cansız, ölü hayvanların kıllarından ibaret peruğunu eliyle düzeltti. Dudağını, daha doğrusu dudağının olması gereken yeri koyu kırmızı bir yağ tabakasıyla renklendirmeyi denemişti. Biraz da yanaklarına sürmüştü.

─ Nasıl olmuş, diye sordu.

Sesi tek düzeydi ama hafif bir neşe olduğunu hissettiğinize yemin edebilirdiniz.

Üzerinde, çöp poşetlerinin içini yazısız gazete kağıtlarıyla doldurarak yaptığı iki parça giysi.

─ Çok güzelsin, diyerek kravatını düzeltti kocası.

─ Sen de öylesin, sevgilim.

Yaklaşıp kocasını öptü. Kocası da onu. Sonra nazikçe elinden tutarak, sandalyesini geriye çekerek oturmasına yardım etti.

Sofrada yemek niyetine hiçbir şey yoktu. Gerek de yoktu zaten.

Konteynırın kapısı gürültüyle tekmelenip içeri iki memur girene kadar birbirlerine öyküler anlattılar. O gün neler yaptıklarını. İşten erken çıkıp yemyeşil çimenlerde gezdiklerini, uçurtma uçurduklarını, kadının nasıl o elbiseyi bulmak için saatlerce gezip yorulduğunu, kocasının kısa süreliğine işe dönüp nasıl başarılı bir hamleyle yaşanan krizi çözdüğünü ve kadının yanına döndükten sonra, alışveriş merkezinde oturdukları yeni dondurmacının dondurmalarının ne kadar lezzetli olduğunu, boğazlarının ağrımasından korktuklarını...

Akşam film izleyebilirlerdi, televizyonda -boş ve mat bir plaka- güzel bir film oynayacaktı.

İki memur. Çıplak bedenleriyle birbirinin aynı. Ellerindeki silahları onlara doğrultmuşlardı. Mum ışığında, tertemiz bir örtünün serili olduğu masada, bardaklarında şaraplarla oturan ve henüz sofranın ortasındaki hindiye dokunmamış çifti gördüklerinde bocaladılar.

Hiç de androidlere bilinçli olarak zarar verebilecek gibi gözükmüyorlardı.

─ Sessiz kalma hakkına sahipsiniz, diye bağırdı içeri giren ikinci memur. Söylediğiniz her şey...

Cümlesini bitiremedi. Yatak odasındaki, masanın üzerinden gördüğü o şey, onunla aynı hareketleri yapan android, yoksa, bir aynadaki yansıması mıydı?

Bütün illüzyon o anda dağılmaya başladı.

Not: Bu öykü ilk olarak 2020 yılında Esrarengiz Hikâyeler'de yayımlanmıştır.

@ 1123ece2:7d1e00c0

Welcome to The Refinery.

“Amen and Amen” is the theme for the coming Sunday mornings.

This series is a study from the Psalms, in which the psalmist gives voice to prayers that resound in our hearts today.

Today we are discussing, Prayer and the Promises of God.

Our Focus Text today is

Psalm 119:41 NKJV

41 Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord—\ Your salvation according to Your word.

Scripture Reading

Psalm 119:41-48 NKJV

41 Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord—\ Your salvation according to Your word.

42 So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me,\ For I trust in Your word.

43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,\ For I have hoped in Your ordinances.

44 So shall I keep Your law continually,\ Forever and ever.

45 And I will walk at liberty,\ For I seek Your precepts.

46 I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings,\ And will not be ashamed.

47 And I will delight myself in Your commandments,\ Which I love.

48 My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments,\ Which I love,\ And I will meditate on Your statutes.

Introduction.

Again today we look at some of the prayers prayed by the psalmist and let his prayers become our prayers.

As we read these prayers from the Holy Scripture, it is entirely appropriate that we say “Amen” to his prayers and thus make them personal.

1. Revive me according to Your Word!

The NIV translates this verse, May your unfailing love come to me, Lord, your salvation, according to your promise.

Here the psalmist was asking God to demonstrate His love for him.

Perhaps we ought to pray that the Lord will open our eyes and help us to see His continuous efforts to show us His love.

2. A prayer for adequate speech at all times.

Often we find ourselves speechless when we have opportunity to witness or to help someone.

Later we say to ourselves, well, why didn’t I think of that at the time?

The psalmist had similar experiences.

He speaks of those who taunt him because of his faith in the Word of God.

The people of God have enemies who taunt them and criticise them.

Some try to intimidate us, and we are afraid to speak to them as we ought.

The psalmist prays that God will give him adequate speech.

Verse 43 says, And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,\ For I have hoped in Your ordinances.

Let us pray that God will help us always to speak for Him as He would have us do.

3. Prayers of affirmation.

I will always obey Your law, verse 44.

I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out Your precepts, verse 45.

I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings, verse 46.

We also have expressions of love and praise.

I delight in Your command because I love them, verse 47.

I reach out for Your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on Your decrees, verse 48.

Conclusion.

In each of these great affirmations, we should be able to unite with the psalmist in petition to God.

Let us join Him in prayer and say from our hearts, “Amen and amen.” 

Until next time

Stay in the Blessings

I really want to encourage you to be diligent with your Bible study time, because God has so much more for us than we can get from just going to church once or twice a week and hearing someone else talk about the Word.

When you spend time with God, your life will change in amazing ways, because God is a Redeemer.

Theres nothing thats too hard for Him, and He can make you whole, spirit, soul and body!

You’re important to God, and you’re important to us at The Refinery.

When it comes to prayer, we believe that God wants to meet your needs and reveal His promises to you.

So whatever you’re concerned about and need prayer for we want to be here for you! Or even if you just want to say Hi, you can contact us at www.refinerylife.org

2024 IS A YEAR OF DECISIONS AND OPEN DOORS

© www.refinerylife.org  2013-2024 All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968, no part of this Article may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, communicated or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission. 

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@ a023a5e8:ff29191d

What are all the side incomes you earn other than your regular income? I know these questions are not always easily answered, but by sharing yours, you may be providing someone with a regular income that you see for yourself as a side income or a passive income. You know this world, and Bitcoin is sufficient for everyone. Let this be a fruitful discussion for many, including me. 2023 was fine, and 2024 is already here.

I will be bookmarking this thread.

@ 1b0706e7:ec11b9b3

Happy New Year Bitcoiners!

It's 2024. The having is about 4 months away. I created a new logo. It's a photo of a painting I have in my office overlapped onto a Riverside Bell Sticker sitting on top of my S9 heater. If you look at the photo closely, you can see the S9. I also

My new year's resolution is to automate the meetup schedule. We will meet at Mt. Rubidoux the first Saturday of each month at 08:00 a.m. I will be by the sign in the picture. The location is here. We will start hiking at about 8:30 a.m.

https://what3words.com/echo.robots.informs

Here is a picture of the sign we will meet at:

https://i.nostr.build/6PoP.jpg

We will also meet at Cheeba Hut the Third Saturday of the mont from 6 p.m till 8 p.m. They have sandwiches, beer and cool vibes. The main reason I want to hold the bitcoin meetup here is because they allow grafitti artists to stick their stickers on napkin holders and soda fountains. Bitcoin rocks is a grafitti artist who pays people to put his bitcoin grafitti stickers in highly visible areas. A couple of months agom I saw this sticker at one of the meetups I held.

https://i.nostr.build/zn6z.jpg

The next Cheeba Hut will be on Satruday January 20th from 6-8, but I plan on being there at 5 because the traffic sucked last time. Park at the Hampton Inn. I didn't know that last time and it took me a half hour to find parking because of the Festival of Lights. That should not be an issue this month.

I'll be in the patio, wearing some bitcoin gear or maybe a nostr hat.

https://what3words.com/spark.stored.blocking

By the way, I didn't put those stickers there. I don't know who did. Bitcoin.rocks is nostr only now. The man or woman who put the sticker there is probably on nostr. I plan to grow nostr and grow the riverside bitcoin meetup by strategicly placing stickers around town where Bitcoiner's are likely to see them. I'll place some at Cheeba Hut because I have permission to do so. I also want to want to place a QR code that links to the Riverside Bitcoin Meetup Calender at Bitcoin ATM's. Stickers are ideal because they can be easily removed and do not do permenant damage to property. I'm not sure if this is technically legal, but if the Bitcoin ATM owners don't want people promoting the use of bitcoin on their ATM's, what are they in business for?

I also plan on writing a newsletter once a week and I have talked to another pleb about making a podcast. The idea is to create a beacon in cyberspace that speaks the language of the community of Riverside. Riverside is a community that speaks many languages. I speak mostly English, but many people in our community speak Spanish and we have a large deaf population because of the California School for the Deaf is located in the heart of the city. If you know any of these languages, please reach out. I could use your help. I could also use some help painting this town orange(putting bitcoin stickers up). I know at least one person near me is willing to do this. :)

Onward

The Riverside Bitcoin Meetup

The Riverside Bitcoin Meetup is a meetup group based in Riverside, California. Our mission is to create an online beacon of local bitcoiners who promote the use of bitcoin in our local community through education and outreach.

Want to help? Let's talk.

Onward

฿logging฿itcoin

800,420

US Debt Clock

Calendar

Support by zapping, sharing, shopping, and subscribing.

Let's build an online community

Want to sell something in the Riverside Online Farmer's Market? Let me know.

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Disclaimer, this tutorial may have a real financial impact on you, follow at you own risk.

Step 1: execute lncli closeallchannels

That’s it, that was easy as it could be. Now all your node’s channels are in the process of being closed and all your liquidity is being moved to your onchain wallet. The best part, you don’t even need to confirm anything, it just does it in one go with no questions asked! You can check the status by using a very similar looking command, lncli closedchannels!

Good job! Now you are ready to start from scratch and use any other reasonable solution!

🐶🐾🫡🤣🤣🤣

Disclaimer: this is a satirical tutorial that will 💯 cost you a lot of funds and headaches.

@ a023a5e8:ff29191d

Yesterday I was sleeping with my wife and 2 kids in same bed and in middle of night i just woke up to see my wife and kids sleeping aside me in a moonlight like ambience and it was a vivid feeling. And I just got panicked with strange feeling and in a bit I woke up really to see them again. All was in just a moment. Did you ever had such experience?

@ 6ad3e2a3:c90b7740

We often fantasized about time travel, mostly what stocks we would buy, what bets we would make. Buster Douglas and the 1999 St. Louis Rams to win the Super Bowl were two I liked to bring up. But that was before Henry got caught up in politics, and the conversation turned to altering events in world history.

Henry argued if you had one trip you’d be morally obligated to prevent some of history’s worst tragedies, and for him the go-to example was killing baby Hitler. If you were there and had the chance, you’d have to do it, he’d say, no matter how hard it would be to murder an innocent baby. If you hesitated to agree, he’d browbeat you, saying good people doing nothing is what allows evil to thrive. He saw it as an obvious choice: one as yet innocent baby in exchange for the lives and suffering of millions.

This made the exercise considerably less enjoyable, and we dropped it. That is, until The Simulator. The Simulator was a breakthrough technology, part virtual reality game, part research tool that enabled virtual experiments from modeling future events to modifying past ones and seeing present-day results. I’m oversimplifying, but it worked by scanning every recorded byte, including old maps, regional soil composition, weather patterns, temperature data, census records and every published book in human history. From stock market data to the Code of Hammurabi, to the fully mapped human genome, The Simulator drew inputs for its algorithm. Some believed the developers had access to classified material from the world’s intelligence agencies, including UFO encounters deemed too sensitive for public consumption.

Of course we only had the commercialized game version — the full one was prohibitively expensive and available only to those with official authorization. But the game version was robust enough, and already the software of choice for sports betting, weather forecasting and for some stock pickers, (though many suspected hedge funds and large institutions had access to the full version and avoided the capital markets entirely.)

I initially did investing experiments, buying Apple’s IPO, Amazon stock and eventually bitcoin and became the richest person in the world 10 times over. Although in one experiment, I owned so much bitcoin it became overly centralized and never took off. In that world, Facebook launched its Libra coin without much government resistance as few grasped the possibilities of fully digital currencies. The result was a Facebook-government partnership where you got docked Libra coin (the only currency in which you could pay federal taxes) for unfavored associations and viewpoints.

But I soon grew bored of the financial experiments and started doing weird things like going back to 2019, catching COVID on purpose and spreading it as widely as possible, before people thought it was a threat. In one simulation, there was no acknowledged pandemic, only a bad “flu” season.

I was about to log off and tackle a work project on which I had procrastinated for too long, when I remembered Henry’s insistence that I was obligated to kill baby Hitler. I never bought his arguments entirely — absolute certainty is always a red flag — but I didn’t have a good counter for them, either. I resolved to run the experiment and find out for myself.

It wouldn’t be easy as the commercial version of The Simulator had rules around acts of violence. I’d also have to dig up fairly specific knowledge in a presumably less developed part of the game (19th-century Hungary.) But The Simulator was adept at making do with the available history and filling in blanks with fictional characters. There would be a street address and a house where he lived. There should be an opportunity to see how it played out. Of course, one could simply delete Hitler and run simulations without him, and I tried that first, but the moral question was not whether the world would be better off without Hitler, but whether it would be right — or obligatory even, in Henry’s framing — to murder the baby in his crib.

I prefer not to go into the details. The broad outlines are I found a hack to disable the violence restriction, went to his childhood home and had to bludgeon a young woman (his nanny?) before doing it. For those who have never used The Simulator, “Full Immersion Mode” isn’t quite real life, but it’s substantially more visceral than shooting avatars in a video game. What I did was horrific, even though I knew it wasn’t real, and even though Henry believed the act would’ve been heroic if it were. I actually vomited afterwards, and as I type this 10 days later, I feel queasy recalling it.

Nonetheless, I ran a simulation forward. The Third Reich was run by committee. There was a front man, someone of whom I had never heard, who was more charismatic than Hitler, but decision-makers behind the scenes, including some of Hitler’s generals, were just as ruthless. There were concentration camps, though oddly in different locations, and the result was seemingly as bad.

But that was only one version of events. The Simulator (through randomization of certain parameters) could run infinitely many different futures from any given point in time. I ran a few more, and they were all dystopian in different ways. There was one version, however, that particularly struck me.

In it, Hitler rose to power as he did in the real world, and things unfolded more or less the way we’ve read about them in history. At first, I thought there must be an error — after all, every simulation began the hour after I smothered him in his crib. But as I checked the local newspapers from that era, indeed a baby had tragically died, and his brain damaged nanny was blamed (and subsequently hanged) for the crime, but it was a different baby, Max Muller, son of a local tavern owner, who committed suicide two years later. How could that be? Not only did I check all the details exhaustively, but they proved correct in all the other simulations. The randomizer must have swapped the location of baby Hitler with this other infant. In this version, I murdered (virtually, thank God) an innocent baby, destroyed his family and an innocent nanny without preventing anything.

. . .

When I met with Henry a week later, he wasn’t convinced. The Simulator isn’t reality, he argued, and the version with the wrong baby proved it. His hypothetical entailed killing the actual baby Hitler in the real world, not some case of mistaken identity. If you could be sure to kill the real Hitler and prevent the Holocaust from happening, he maintained, you’d still have to do it. The Simulator’s randomization algorithm made it impossible ever to know what would happen in its many possible futures, especially in the long run.

I now understood his argument. If we had certainty about how our actions would affect the world, the moral imperative would be clear. But certainty about the future was unattainable, for the path from unknown to known is the arrow of time itself. Henry’s hypothetical then was inherently contradictory, a square circle he imagined were an actual shape.

One could never be assured about the long term effects of one’s actions, and any attempt to do the math was quickly overwhelmed by infinite permutations. Doing something abhorrent as the means to a noble end was to fancy oneself a mathematical God, something no decent person would attempt. It was the ideology of monsters, forever imagining they could create a more perfect history, a more perfect future, a more perfect human race.

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

Table Of Content

• What Are Bitcoin Addresses?

• Understanding the Growth in Bitcoin Total Addresses

• What Does the Growth in Bitcoin Total Addresses Mean?

• Is the Growth in Bitcoin Total Addresses a Sign of Adoption?

• Factors Affecting the Growth in Bitcoin Total Addresses

• Conclusion

• FAQ

Since its inception in 2009, Bitcoin has grown to become one of the most popular cryptocurrencies in the world. Over the years, the number of Bitcoin users has grown significantly, leading to an increase in the total number of Bitcoin addresses. This growth has left many wondering whether the rapid increase in Bitcoin total addresses is a sign of adoption. In this article, we will explore the significance of the growth in Bitcoin total addresses and its implications for the adoption of Bitcoin.

What Are Bitcoin Addresses?

Before diving into the topic of whether the rapid growth of Bitcoin total addresses is a sign of adoption, it's essential to understand what Bitcoin addresses are. In simple terms, a Bitcoin address is a unique identifier that represents a destination for Bitcoin transactions. Each Bitcoin address is a string of alphanumeric characters that is generated randomly and is associated with a private key.

Understanding the Growth in Bitcoin Total Addresses

The total number of Bitcoin addresses has been increasing at an unprecedented rate over the past few years. In September 2015, there were just over 11 million Bitcoin addresses. As of March 2023, the number has surged to over 885 million. This represents a growth of more than 8,000% in just over six years.

What Does the Growth in Bitcoin Total Addresses Mean?

The rapid growth in Bitcoin total addresses is a clear indication of the increasing interest in Bitcoin. It suggests that more people are interested in owning Bitcoin and using it for transactions. However, it's important to note that not all Bitcoin addresses represent unique users. One person may have multiple Bitcoin addresses, which means that the total number of Bitcoin users may be lower than the total number of Bitcoin addresses.

Is the Growth in Bitcoin Total Addresses a Sign of Adoption?

The growth in Bitcoin total addresses is undoubtedly a sign of adoption. It indicates that more people are becoming interested in Bitcoin, which is essential for its growth and success. However, it's important to note that the growth in Bitcoin total addresses doesn't necessarily translate to an increase in the number of Bitcoin users. Some people may be holding Bitcoin for investment purposes rather than using it for transactions.

Factors Affecting the Growth in Bitcoin Total Addresses

Several factors are driving the growth in Bitcoin total addresses. One significant factor is the increasing awareness of Bitcoin and its benefits. As more people become aware of Bitcoin, they are more likely to invest in it and use it for transactions. Additionally, the increasing acceptance of Bitcoin by businesses is also contributing to the growth in Bitcoin total addresses. More businesses are accepting Bitcoin payments, which is making it easier for people to use Bitcoin for transactions.

Conclusion

The rapid growth of Bitcoin total addresses is undoubtedly a sign of adoption. It indicates that more people are becoming interested in Bitcoin, which is essential for its growth and success. However, it's important to note that not all Bitcoin addresses represent unique users. Some people may be holding Bitcoin for investment purposes rather than using it for transactions. Nonetheless, the increasing awareness and acceptance of Bitcoin suggest that the growth in Bitcoin total addresses may continue in the coming years. As more businesses accept Bitcoin payments and more people become aware of its benefits, Bitcoin adoption may continue to grow, leading to more widespread use of the cryptocurrency.

FAQs

Does the growth in Bitcoin total addresses mean that more people are buying Bitcoin? Not necessarily. The growth in Bitcoin total addresses indicates that more people are interested in Bitcoin. However, not all Bitcoin addresses represent unique users. One person may have multiple Bitcoin addresses, which means that the total number of Bitcoin users may be lower than the total number of Bitcoin addresses.

Can the growth in Bitcoin total addresses be attributed to investment rather than adoption? Yes, it's possible. Some people may be holding Bitcoin for investment purposes rather than using it for transactions.

Is the growth in Bitcoin total addresses sustainable? It's difficult to predict whether the growth in Bitcoin total addresses is sustainable. However, the increasing awareness and acceptance of Bitcoin suggest that the growth may continue in the coming years.

That's all for today

If you want more, be sure to follow us on:

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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.

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Embarking on the journey of operating your own Lightning node on the Bitcoin Layer 2 network is more than just a tech-savvy endeavor; it's a step into a realm of financial autonomy and cutting-edge innovation. By running a node, you become a vital part of a revolutionary movement that's reshaping how we think about money and digital transactions. This role not only offers a unique perspective on blockchain technology but also places you at the heart of a community dedicated to decentralization and network resilience. Beyond the technicalities, it's about embracing a new era of digital finance, where you contribute directly to the network's security, efficiency, and growth, all while gaining personal satisfaction and potentially lucrative rewards.

In essence, running your own Lightning node is a powerful way to engage with the forefront of blockchain technology, assert financial independence, and contribute to a more decentralized and efficient Bitcoin network. It's an adventure that offers both personal and communal benefits, from gaining in-depth tech knowledge to earning a place in the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency.

Running your own Lightning node for the Bitcoin Layer 2 network can be an empowering and beneficial endeavor. Here are 10 reasons why you might consider taking on this task:

1. Direct Contribution to Decentralization: Operating a node is a direct action towards decentralizing the Bitcoin network, crucial for its security and resistance to control or censorship by any single entity.

2. Financial Autonomy: Owning a node gives you complete control over your financial transactions on the network, free from reliance on third-party services, which can be subject to fees, restrictions, or outages.

3. Advanced Network Participation: As a node operator, you're not just a passive participant but an active player in shaping the network, influencing its efficiency and scalability through direct involvement.

4. Potential for Higher Revenue: With strategic management and optimal channel funding, your node can become a preferred route for transactions, potentially increasing the routing fees you can earn.

5. Cutting-Edge Technological Engagement: Running a node puts you at the forefront of blockchain and bitcoin technology, offering insights into future developments and innovations.

6. Strengthened Network Security: Each new node adds to the robustness of the Bitcoin network, making it more resilient against attacks and failures, thus contributing to the overall security of the ecosystem.

7. Personalized Fee Structures: You have the flexibility to set your own fee policies, which can balance earning potential with the service you provide to the network.

8. Empowerment Through Knowledge: The process of setting up and managing a node provides deep learning opportunities, empowering you with knowledge that can be applied in various areas of blockchain and fintech.

9. Boosting Transaction Capacity: By running a node, you help to increase the overall capacity of the Lightning Network, enabling more transactions to be processed quickly and at lower costs.

10. Community Leadership and Reputation: As an active node operator, you gain recognition within the Bitcoin community, which can lead to collaborative opportunities and a position of thought leadership in the space.

These reasons demonstrate the impactful and transformative nature of running a Lightning node, appealing to those who are deeply invested in the principles of bitcoin and wish to actively shape its future. Jump aboard, and embrace the journey toward full independence. 🐶🐾🫡🚀🚀🚀

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Venturing into the dynamic world of bitcoin's layer 2 networks, particularly the lightning network, can seem like an exciting frontier for tech enthusiasts and cryptocurrency aficionados. however, the decision to run your own lightning node is not one to be taken lightly. While the allure of contributing to the bitcoin ecosystem and potentially earning transaction fees is strong, there are significant considerations that should temper the enthusiasm of would-be node operators. From the intricate technicalities to unexpected challenges, here are 10 compelling reasons why running your own lightning node might not be the electrifying experience you anticipated.

Running your own lightning node for the bitcoin layer 2 network can be a complex and demanding task. Here are 10 reasons why you might choose not to:

1. Technical complexity: setting up and managing a lightning node requires a good understanding of blockchain technology and network management, which can be overwhelming for beginners.

2. Security risks: running a node means you're responsible for securing it against potential cyber attacks, which requires constant vigilance and technical expertise.

3. Resource intensive: a lightning node requires continuous internet connection and sufficient hardware resources, which can be costly in terms of electricity and equipment.

4. Liquidity requirements: to facilitate transactions, you need to lock up a significant amount of bitcoin in your channels, which might not be ideal if you prefer liquidity.

5. Maintenance efforts: regular maintenance and updates are necessary to keep the node running smoothly, which can be time-consuming.

6. Limited privacy: operating a node might expose some of your transaction details or ip address, potentially compromising privacy.

7. Slow ROI: the financial return on operating a lightning node can be slow and uncertain, especially if the network fees are low.

8. Network complexity: understanding and managing channel capacities, routing, and fees can be complicated and require continuous learning and adaptation.

9. Scalability issues: as the network grows, managing a node can become increasingly challenging, with more channels and transactions to handle.

10. Downtime risks: if your node goes offline, you might miss out on transaction fees or, worse, risk losing funds in channels due to outdated channel states.

These reasons reflect the challenges and responsibilities that come with running your own lightning node and may discourage some individuals, especially those with limited technical background or resources. If you are still up for a challenge, thank you for supporting the network! 🐶🐾🫡🙏🏻

@ aad03c9f:8e1ae2aa

Bitcoin

Seeing a lot of hate for the Orange B on #Nostr lately.. What's up with that??

@ 7ab1ed7a:f8e15275

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Chef's notes

Serving these two dishes together will create a delightful centerpiece for your Thanksgiving meal, offering a perfect blend of traditional flavors with a homemade touch.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 30 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 1 - 2 hours
• 🍽️ Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 whole turkey (about 12-14 lbs), thawed and ready to cook
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 lemon, halved
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• Apple and Sage Stuffing
• 1 loaf of crusty bread, cut into cubes
• 2 apples, cored and chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups chicken broth
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 325°F (165°C).
2. Prepare the Herb Butter: Mix the softened butter with the chopped thyme, rosemary, and sage. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Prepare the Turkey: Remove any giblets from the turkey and pat it dry. Loosen the skin and spread a generous amount of herb butter under and over the skin.
4. Add Aromatics: Inside the turkey cavity, place the quartered onion, lemon halves, and garlic cloves.
5. Roast: Place the turkey in a roasting pan. Tent with aluminum foil and roast. A general guideline is about 15 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the thigh.
6. Rest and Serve: Let the turkey rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
7. Next: Apple and Sage Stuffing
8. Dry the Bread: Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and let them dry overnight, or toast them in the oven.
9. Cook the Vegetables: In a large skillet, melt the butter and cook the onion, celery, and garlic until soft.
10. Combine Ingredients: Add the apples, sage, and bread cubes to the skillet. Stir in the chicken broth until the mixture is moist. Season with salt and pepper.
11. Bake: Transfer the stuffing to a baking dish and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 30-40 minutes, until golden brown on top.

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Hey there, train enthusiasts! let's chat about one of the most impressive rail systems in the world - japan's trains. when you think of japanese trains, the first image that probably pops into your mind is the sleek, futuristic shinkansen, also known as the bullet train. these high-speed trains are not just a symbol of modern technology; they're a testament to japan's commitment to efficiency and punctuality. it's not an exaggeration to say that japanese trains are famous for being precisely on time. if a train is five minutes late, it's often considered a significant delay!

but it's not just the shinkansen that deserves praise. japan's entire railway network, from city subways to rural train lines, is incredibly well-organized. the trains are clean, comfortable, and surprisingly quiet, making even a regular commute a pleasant experience. what's more impressive is the frequency of these trains. in major cities like tokyo and osaka, you rarely have to wait more than a few minutes for a train, reducing the stress of travel and making commuting more predictable.

and let's not forget the level of service! train staff in japan are known for their politeness and helpfulness. whether you're a tourist struggling with your luggage or a local needing directions, there's always someone to help. plus, the stations themselves are marvels - clean, well-signed, and packed with amenities like shops and restaurants. in short, japan's trains aren't just a mode of transportation; they're an experience, reflecting the country's dedication to quality, punctuality, and customer service. so, next time you're in japan, hop on a train and enjoy the ride - it's an adventure in itself! 🚆🌸🐶🐾🫂

@ 7f5c2b4e:a818d75d

What is Obsidian?

Obsidian.md is a versatile and powerful note-taking and knowledge management application that's gained immense popularity among users seeking a robust digital tool for organizing their thoughts, ideas, and information.

Obsidian boasts an array of features and benefits that can't all be covered in a single article. Instead, this #guide focuses on a unique, yet potent use case that has recently emerged - the ability to publish #Nostr notes and long-form posts directly from the app.

This capability has been made feasible through the complementary nature of Obsidian and Nostr. Obsidian is an open-source software with a thriving community and extensive support for custom plugins. On the other hand, Nostr is an open protocol with a rapidly expanding suite of tools, simplifying the integration of Nostr across various corners of the Internet. The plugin I will cover in this guide is called Nostr Writer.

Obsidian link: obsidian://show-plugin?id=nostr-writer

GitHub: https://github.com/jamesmagoo/nostr-writer

Developer: nostr:npub10a8kw2hsevhfycl4yhtg7vzrcpwpu7s6med27juf4lzqpsvy270qrh8zkw

But before we dive in, let me share some thoughts on why should one use Obsidian to publish long-form posts (and potentially even short notes) on Nostr.

Why post with Obsidian?

This is a question that naturally comes to mind: "Why use Obsidian to publish on Nostr when the legendary Nostr developers have already set up all the necessary infrastructure for browser-based publishing?" Well, there are several reasons:

1. Native Markdown Support: To begin, Obsidian employs plain text Markdown formatting for notes, just like all Nostr-based blogging platforms. This makes it an ideal choice for creating, formatting, and editing Nostr posts.

2. Illustrative Preview: While other blogging platforms offer preview tools, Obsidian has perfected this feature. It provides a beautifully customizable preview window that can be positioned anywhere in your workspace, allowing you to visualize how formatting, media, and embeds will appear in the published post[^1].

3. State-of-the-Art Flexibility: Since 2020, Obsidian has continuously improved the way writers interact with it. What sets it apart is not only the dedicated team but also its thriving community, all contributing to its refinement. Obsidian supports an extensive array of plugins, shortcuts, and hotkeys, offering unparalleled flexibility and customization. Comprehensive documentation and a ton of videos and even courses on YouTube provide a wealth of information to tailor Obsidian to your preferences.

4. Boosted Productivity: The Nostr Writer plugin is a game-changer for power users of Obsidian. If you're already using Obsidian for note-taking, employing this tool to publish your notes on Nostr is a no-brainer. If you haven't explored it yet, I strongly recommend giving it a try. It has the potential to transform how you think, plan, and structure your ideas for the better. Trying it for broader objectives will help you appreciate how well it complements Nostr.

5. Distraction-Free Composition: While you may disagree, browsers can be a significant source of distraction, with constant alerts, notifications, and blinking extensions. Composing within Obsidian offers a tranquil, clutter-free experience, fostering focus and productivity.

6. Local Record Keeping: Thanks to Nostr Writer, Obsidian keeps a local record of events you published to Nostr in a JSON file on your computer. Your long-form posts are also securely stored in the .md format on your machine, just like all the Obsidian notes you create. On top of that a separate tab holding all of your long-form posts posted via Obsidian is created.

nostr: note1z70v5fsty7v7kaaslsv3ckru50nxym32a62kgx0z7cjdure39hps363sh7

1. Drafts You Can Count On: Drafts are often a weak point in long-form platforms. Even though Nostr developers have addressed some of these concerns, the "vanishing drafts problem" still lingers. Obsidian, designed with data safety in mind, stores all your notes locally on your device. Whether you open your laptop tomorrow or in a year, your files will be there, safe from external disruptions. For added redundancy, consider using Obsidian Sync, which encrypts and synchronizes your notes across your chosen devices.

While there are more benefits to utilizing Obsidian for both Nostr publishing and in your general workflow, these reasons should provide a solid understanding. Now, let's shed some light on the Nostr Writer plugin.

Nostr Writer

I stumbled upon Obsidian not too long ago, all thanks to nostr:npub1zvvv8fm7w2ngwdyszg3y6zgp6vwqlht8zrr8wcmjaxjecrvpjfwsd0zs7w. He's also the one who introduced me to the Nostr Writer plugin. Until recently, I primarily used Obsidian "as intended" - for documenting my thoughts and writing articles. What I found especially convenient was using it to compose long-form Nostr posts. And then, the revelation came when I discovered the Nostr Writer plugin - it transformed the experience. No more copy-pasting and meticulous adjustments were required; I can simply compose, add a cover image and description, and publish - it's as straightforward as that.

As I mentioned earlier, Obsidian boasts a vast library of community-driven plugins. To begin using Nostr Writer, simply install the plugin from the "Community plugins" section and navigate to the plugin settings to set up your publishing workflow.

You can install the plugin by clicking this link while having Obsidian open on your device, or by going to the "Community plugins" tab in the settings and typing "Nostr" in the search field.

Once the plugin is installed, you'll need to customize it to enable publishing your Obsidian notes to Nostr.

Primarily, you'll need to paste your private key (nsec) into the corresponding field. Additionally, I recommend configuring your relays to ensure the widest reach for your posts. If you're unfamiliar with Nostr relays or wish to enhance your understanding, you can explore my relay guide here.

Many Nostr users naturally have concerns about sharing their private keys with apps. In this case, worry not. Your private key is stored exclusively on your local device and never leaves it. More details can be found here. Even if you use Obsidian sync to keep your notes updated across multiple devices, all information is locally encrypted and safeguarded by the password of your choice. Neither the Obsidian developers nor the plugin developer have access to your files. For additional information, you can refer to the "Security and privacy" section of the Obsidian documentation.

As you can see in the screenshot above, Nostr Writer also provides the option to post short notes. By toggling the corresponding slider, a pencil icon will appear on the sidebar, allowing you to post short notes without leaving Obsidian:

While I wouldn't claim that the plugin surpasses any of the "Twitter-like" Nostr clients, it can prove handy if you're already working within Obsidian and wish to share a quote or any other snippet of information you've come across in your notes.

Publishing

Publishing posts with Nostr Writer is straightforward. If you're already familiar with Obsidian, composing and formatting will be a total breeze, and the actual posting process is no different from posting with Habla, or any other Nostr-native blogging platform.

The only thing that may differ from some Nostr platforms is that Nostr Writer does not provide a specific field for adding hashtags when publishing. Instead, you should incorporate them directly into your text.

Once you've finished crafting your blog post, simply click on the upload icon in the side menu to specify the title, add a summary, and attach a cover image.

When you're ready, click "Confirm and Publish."

Another point to note is the relays indicator in the bottom-left corner. Relay connection may get interrupted if left inactive for a while, but a simple click on the widget will reconnect you to Nostr in no time.

Practice makes perfect

As I mentioned earlier, I find this approach to publishing long-form posts on Nostr the most efficient and convenient. Moreover, there are numerous improvements in the pipeline for the plugin, which is nothing short of exciting.

With that said, it's worth visiting Habla after publishing your post to double-check that everything appears as intended. Initially, you might encounter some formatting peculiarities that you'll need to get accustomed to, but with practice, you'll effortlessly master them. Soon, you won't even have to worry about how the article looks in Nostr clients because you'll be able to visualize every single aspect of your post in your mind.

---

I hope you found this guide useful and consider utilizing Obsidian for both publishing Nostr posts and elevating your overall productivity. If that's the case, please show your support for nostr:npub10a8kw2hsevhfycl4yhtg7vzrcpwpu7s6med27juf4lzqpsvy270qrh8zkw' work.

Please feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions—I'm always eager to hear from you! Don't forget that my Habla blog page contains a ton of Nostr guides, so you can find answers to almost any Nostr-related questions. If there are specific topics you believe I should cover, do let me know.

See you on the other side of the Nostr rabbit hole.

Tony

---

P.S. This post was composed, formatted and published to Nostr from Obsidian. No Nostr-related blogging platform was used.

[^1]: Nostr-native syntax, including tagging and Nostr-events embeds, is an exception here. Not all platforms on the Internet currently support Nostr syntax standards like tagging users with their npub, as in nostr:npub10awzknjg5r5lajnr53438ndcyjylgqsrnrtq5grs495v42qc6awsj45ys7, so it may not be available for preview. However, tags and embeds will be displayed on Habla. You can learn more about Habla's features in my previous guide here.

@ 9d51218e:a0c80d65

https://forex-strategy.com/2024/08/26/new-zealand-repeals-food-safety-laws/ New Zealand repeals food safety laws Why has it been so eerie in New Zealand the last few years? Why is the population of this country being literally destroyed? You will get answers to all this with us.

politics #newzealand #food #safety

@ 361d3e1e:50bc10a8

https://forex-strategy.com/2024/08/26/new-zealand-repeals-food-safety-laws/

New Zealand repeals food safety laws

Why has it been so eerie in New Zealand the last few years? Why is the population of this country being literally destroyed? You will get answers to all this with us.

politics #newzealand #food #safety

@ d6dc9554:d0593a0c

Nas blockchains PoW o consenso é alcançado por meio de prova de trabalho computacional e o objetivo principal é evitar que atores mal intencionados consumam ou ataquem a rede de forma perigosa. Este método de consenso requer um grande poder computacional para criar novos blocos, mas é muito simples, por parte de outros, verificar esse trabalho. Por isso se diz que PoW é uma estratégia assimétrica.

Nas blockchains PoS o objetivo é o mesmo, criar blocos e chegar a um consenso, mas nas PoS não é necessário um poder de processamento tão grande como nas PoW. Em média as PoS gastam menos de 1% da energia das PoW. Nas PoS os mineradores são chamados de validadores. Enquanto que nas PoW quem fica com a recompensa é quem resolve primeiro a charada matemática, nas PoS o validador que vai ganhar a recompensa é escolhido de forma aleatória, mas dando maior probabilidade aos que respeitem determinados critérios. A comunidade bitcoin é muito relutante em relação a PoS porque é mais fácil conseguir uma grande quantidade da moeda em causa do que mais que 51% de poder processamento. Logo as PoS são mais vulneráveis no que toca a segurança. Mas aqui cada caso é um caso e é preciso fazer essa análise para cada moeda.

As blockchains PoW tendem a ser mais descentralizadas enquanto as PoS mais centralizadas, não só em acesso, mas também em operação. Mais de metade dos validadores de ethereum estão na cloud da amazon. As blockchains PoW apresentam grandes desafios na escalabilidade de operação, muitas vezes exigindo soluções de segunda camada (L2), enquanto que as PoS possuem mecanismos de escalabilidade muito mais flexíveis. Os algoritmos PoW são muito mais simples de implementar do que os PoS e, portanto, menos suscetíveis a erros. Um bom exemplo é o PoS da ethereum que estava a ser implementado desde 2018.

@ 7d4417d5:3eaf36d4

I'm learning as I go, so take the text below for what it is: my notes on the process. These steps could become outdated quickly, and I may have some wrong assumptions at places. Either way, I have had success, and would like to share my experience for anyone new to the process. If I have made any errors, please reply with corrections so that others may avoid potential pitfalls.

!!! If you have "KYC Bitcoin", keep it in separate wallets from your "Anonymous Bitcoin". Any Anonymous Bitcoin in a wallet with KYC Bitcoin becomes 100% KYC Bitcoin.

!!! It took me several days to get all the right pieces set up before I could even start an exchange with someone.

!!! Using a VPN is highly recommended. If you're not already using one, take the time to find one that suits you and get it running.

!!! If you don't normally buy Amazon Gift Cards, start doing so now, and just send them to yourself, or friends that will give you cash in return, etc. For my first trade, Amazon locked me out of my account for about 22 hours, while I was in the middle of an exchange. All because I had never purchased an Amazon Gift Card before. It was quite nerve wracking. My second trade was for $300, and although my Amazon account wasn't shut down, that order had a status of "Sending" for about 22 hours, due to the large amount. In each of these cases I had multiple phone calls with their customer support, all of whom gave me false expectations. Had I already been sending gift cards to the anonymous email address that I created in the steps below, and maybe other anonymous email addresses that I could make, then I might not have been stalled so much.

---

1. Install Tor Browser for your OS. The RoboSats.com website issues a warning if you are not using Tor Browser. If you don't know what Tor is, I won't explain it all here, but trust me, it's cool and helps keep you anonymous. If you use Firefox, the interface will look very familiar to you.

2. Create a KYC-free e-mail address. I used tutanota.com in Firefox, as it would not allow me to create an account using Tor Browser. After the account was created, using Tor Browser to login, check emails, etc. has been working perfectly. Tutanota requires a 48 hour (or less) waiting period to prevent bots from using their system. You'll be able to login, and even draft an email, but you won't be able to send. After you've been approved, you should be able to login and send an email to your new address. It should show up in your Inbox almost instantly if it's working.

3. Have, or create, at least one Lightning wallet that is compatible with RoboSats.com and has no KYC Bitcoin in it. The RoboSats website has a compatibility chart available to find the best wallet for you. During an exchange on RoboSats, you will need to put up an escrow payment, or bond, in Satoshis. This amount is usually 3% of the total amount being exchanged. If the exchange is successful, the bond payment is canceled, leaving that amount in your wallet untouched, and with no record of it having been used as escrow. If you don't hold up your end of the trade, the bond amount will be transfered from your wallet. I created a wallet, using my new email address, with the Alby extension in the Tor Browser. This anonymous wallet was empty, so I used a separate wallet for the bond payment of my first trade. This wallet had KYC Bitcoin, but since it is being used for a bond payment, and no transaction will be recorded if everything goes okay, I don't mind taking the minuscule risk. After the first trade, I don't need to use the "KYC wallet", and I will use only my anonymous Lightning wallet for transactions related to performing a trade.

4. Create a new Robot Token by going to RoboSats using the Tor Browser. Copy the Token (Robot ID) to a text file as a temporary backup. It is recommended to create a new robot-token for every session of exchanges you make.

5. Select "Offers" to browse what others are presenting. "Create" is for when you want to create an offer of your own. You may need to create your own offer if none of the existing offers match your criteria.

6. Select "Buy" at the top of the page.

7. Select your currency (USD).

8. Select your payment methods by typing "amazon" and selecting (Amazon Gift Card). Repeat this process and select (Amazon USA Gift Card).

9. Determine Priorities - If you prefer to trade quickly, and don't care as much about premiums, look for users with a green dot on the upper-right of their robot icon. If you're not in a hurry, sort users by premium and select the best deal, even if they are inactive. They may become active once they are notified that their offer has activity from you.

10. The Definition of Price = the price with the premium added, but not the bond

11. A. Find A Compatible Offer - Select the row of the desired offer and enter the amount you would like to buy. i.e. $100 If you do not find a compatible offer, you will have to create your own offer.

    B.  **Create An Offer** - First, take a look at "Sell" offers for your same currency and payment method(s) that you will be using.  Take note of the premium those buyers are willing to pay.  If your premium is drastically less than theirs, your offer may get ignored.  Select "Create" at the bottom of the screen.  There is a slider at the top of the screen, select it to see all the options. Select "Buy". Enter the minimum and maximum amount that you wish to spend.  Type "amazon" to select the methods that you would like to use (Amazon Gift Card, Amazon USA Gift Card).  For "Premium Over Market", enter an amount that is competitive with premiums you saw at the start of this step and do not use the % sign!  You can adjust the duration, timer, and bond amount, but I leave those at their default settings.  Select the "Create Order" button, and follow the instructions for making a bond payment.
    

12. Pay the Bond - Copy the invoice that is presented. From your wallet that contains bond funds, select "Send", and paste the invoice as the recipient. This money will never leave your account if the exchange completes without issue. No transaction will be recorded. If there is a complication with the exchange, it is possible that this transaction will complete.

13. Create and Submit Your Invoice for Their Bitcoin Payment To You - Select "Lightning", if not selected by default.* Select the Copy Icon to copy the correct amount of Satoshis. This amount already has the premium deducted. From your anonymous Lightning Wallet, select "Receive", and paste the Satoshi amount. If you enter a description, it's probably best to keep it cryptic. Copy the invoice and paste it into RoboSats; then select "Submit".

    * If you plan on "mixing" your Bitcoin after purchase, it may be better to select "On Chain" and pay the necessary fees swap and mining fees. In the example this comes from, Sparrow wallet is used and has whirlpool ability in its interface.

14. Connect With Seller and Send Funds - Greet the seller in the chat window. The seller has now provided RoboSats with the Bitcoin to transfer to you. Your move is to buy an Amazon eGift Card for the amount of the trade. Log in to your Amazon account and start the process of buying an eGift card. For delivery there is the option of email or txt message. Ask the seller what their preference is, and get their address, or phone number, to enter into Amazon's form. Complete the purchase process on Amazon, and check the status of your order. Once you see the status of "Sent", go back to RoboSats in your Tor Browser.

15. Confirm Your Payment - Select the "Confirm ___ USD Sent" button and notify the seller to check their e-mail/txt messages.

16. Seller Confirmation - Once the seller select their "Confirm" button, the trade will immediately end with a confirmation screen.

17. Verify - If you check the anonymous wallet, the new amount should be presented.

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Test Bounty Note

@ 0271e1b9:ad8cff90

Hey everyone,

So during the weekend I launched a little side project called:

"A Stoic Resurrection"

https://image.nostr.build/682ddced4e4c823dcdc28bd34cc920ce0802964b170f9fa08295a89afe08df6c.jpg

For now I will be sharing my favorite quotes from both historical and contemporary thinkers in the form of photos or short videos, plus some of my own thoughts, as I have noticed they seem to be very much aligned with the Stoic philosophy in general.

I played around with some ideas regarding the design and aesthetics, and settled on this kind of style for now:

Photo examples https://image.nostr.build/878bf80e40c522320820e766723dcd7b2ea5a4029dc8effd9c66a56f0fbbbc54.jpg https://image.nostr.build/3d994d3fb52def142d4b331ef0edb53a9862c8ab071d57da580a8fa08430198a.jpg https://image.nostr.build/d583755e9065cc5c49357ead1734e7e2ab5d43c56bd3345cb14331cab61cd505.jpg

Video examples

https://youtube.com/shorts/OMKKRQ4zNLM

https://youtube.com/shorts/UkFBFBniCp8

For now I'm using copyright free images from Unsplash plus copyright free recordings of classical music via Musopen (starting off with Chopin) for the content as per my Open Source Culture philosophy.

The current goal is to post 1 quote per day on average.

I do have some additional ideas for the future, but as I said, this is a side project and how much time & energy I'm going to invest in this will depend both on the amount of free(ish) time I have on hand, my current level of interest in the subject, as well as how much demand & audience there is (or isn't) for this kind of content.

Please feel free to share your thoughts, criticisms, suggestions, and perhaps some of your personal favorite Stoic thinkers / ideas from both past and the present that have caught your attention.

Oh, and of course, if stoic philosophy sounds like your cup of tea, please feel free to give the project a follow on your preferred social media platform(s) and/or show your appreciation with zaps:

nostr: nostr:npub1angxrnwzujemyzkhgef2gwcy0s4ayjh62574p8g2xwnlfp8pxeaq4frrpe

X

YouTube

Instagram

TikTok

Peace & love,

Kontext

@ 32092ec1:8e9fd13a

Bitcoin maximalism, to many, has evolved from a belief that bitcoin is the only crypto asset worth owning to a belief that bitcoin is the only asset worth owning. In addition, many observe that those who declare themselves to be bitcoin maximalists have also declared their allegiance to many other lifestyle choices. This was well articulated by Jameson Lopp in his blog post “A History of Bitcoin Maximalism.”

While some (myself included for a while) embrace the title of bitcoin maximalist, perhaps out of spite given that it was originally intended to be a derogatory term, I eventually have decided to reject it. While I do not own any other crypto assets, and I do believe that bitcoin offers the best risk adjusted investment across many asset classes, it is not, nor could it ever realistically be, my only investment. Due to the ambiguity of the definition of a “bitcoin maximalist” to some, even the fact that I have equity in my primary residence may call into question my status as a bitcoin maximalist. Although most people likely agree that this point of view is nonsensical, I feel that it is also completely pointless to take the time to defend the purity of my “bitcoin maximalism;” and so, I reject it. In place of the bitcoin maximalist label, I hereby declare myself to be a truth maximalist.

The truth is that 99% of non-bitcoin crypto assets are completely worthless; specifically, what I mean is that they literally add zero net positivity to humanity. The remaining 1% of non-bitcoin crypto assets may indeed serve some limited improvements to existing systems or other alternative benefits; however, these crypto assets are also, in my opinion, already highly over valued given the magnitude of the problems they are intending to solve. Most of the incremental improvements offered by cryptos are related to marginally improving systems based on fiat money and the banking industry both of which bitcoin intends to largely obsolete and are still net negative to humanity and designed to syphon wealth from the powerless to the powerful.

I do believe that open source, decentralized, cryptographic solutions will play additional roles in society and offer an opportunity to disrupt many existing centralized solutions. However, most of these solutions will not be investable assets, just as the internet itself is not an investable asset.

I believe it also to be true that investment properties intended for yield generation come with a host of additional costs and risks that are rarely properly accounted for when assessing the value of these assets. After accounting for the probability weighted costs of evictions, seizures, taxes, maintenance, inflation, and loan interest, I find it difficult to justify these investments over bitcoin held in self-custody.

Many other investable assets that simply sit on a bank’s balance sheet (e.g., stocks, bonds, etc.) can easily be seized if any number of three letter agencies decided that you should not have these assets. This can be done with no due process and does not require any in depth investigation to determine the validity of their claims. I believe that the probability of these types of seizures is much higher for known bitcoiners who are also critical of the government and the media, especially if current financial systems begin to collapse and/or if bitcoin’s value dramatically increases.

Beyond seizure of your individual assets, as the world begins to divest from the highly inflated store of value assets listed on the NYSE and NASDAQ due to seizure risks at the sovereign level, the risk of extreme inflation adjusted devaluation of your portfolio should also be considered. Compounding this risk is the opportunity cost associated with the fact that some of the wealth that may be withdrawn from the US stock market is also likely going to flow into bitcoin. These risks are rarely accounted for or quantified when determining the value of a stock portfolio in contrast to simply holding bitcoin in self-custody.

My opinions on these matters are common among bitcoiners who are largely labeled bitcoin maximalists. However, the title of truth maximalist also fits nicely when trying to counter some of the softer points made in Lopp’s blog post mentioned above. My thesis is that most people who have adopted the bitcoin maximalist “lifestyle” choices have done so as a result of their quest for truth, not as a result of their desire to virtue signal their status as bitcoin maximalists.

The truth is that a carnivore diet is much healthier than governments, media and academia would like you to believe (disclosure: I have never tried a carnivore diet)

The truth is that weightlifting is more beneficial than cardio to overall health (disclosure: I am not into weightlifting)

The truth is that traditional gender roles are beneficial to mental health (disclosure: although my wife is a full-time, stay-at-home mom, my marriage is far from perfect).

The truth is that extreme consequences from greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere are extrapolatory and predictions have historically failed miserably (disclosure: I do not think there is zero risk of extreme disasters from excessive levels of carbon in the atmosphere).

The truth is that seed oils are terrible for you (disclosure: I have ingested seed oils since discovering this).

The truth is that COVID vaccines pointlessly add risk to healthy people and children (disclosure: I received two doses of the COVID vaccine prior to realizing this truth and my wife still disagrees with me on this).

The truth is that natural health solutions are often more beneficial than big pharma would like you to believe (disclosure: I have not used any exotic natural remedies).

The truth is that modern art and architecture is garbage (disclosure: this is only a personal opinion).

The Truth is that Jesus Christ died on a cross and ascended into Heaven in order to save the world from sin (disclosure: although I have always been a Christian, over the last year or so I have dedicated a significant amount of time researching this and so far, everything is supporting this to be literally true and much more easily believable than you might think).

Maybe you disagree with some of these things that I have determined to be true. But let me ask, have done your own research? What is your basis for a counter argument to any of these truths? Did you verify or are you trusting someone else’s opinion? If you are trusting someone else’s research, did you investigate their credibility or determine if they have significant biases? Certainly, my opinions on the topics listed above not always based on exhaustive independent research, but I did approach each with skepticism and did not always believe these things with conviction prior to looking into them. I think any bitcoiner would agree that if you are trusting fiat funded academia, government organizations or mainstream media, you may need to do more research.

The truth is that I will continue to seek the truth and I will encourage others to do the same. The truth is that I welcome new information and listening to opinions that counter my beliefs. When choosing to have strong conviction in minority opinions about the truth, it is extremely valuable to be able to articulate and refute the points that are contrary to your beliefs. It is also important to be able to change your mind when presented with sufficient evidence against your opinion. This is what it means to be a truth maximalist. It just so happens that the truth is that bitcoin is the only crypto asset worth investing in. Don’t believe me? Prove it.

786973

@ 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.

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

This is your chance to update your predictions from July: https://stacker.news/items/619305/r/Undisciplined. August picks are due before the end of August.

If you're new, check out the June post for details. This contest will be open to new entrants all the way through the end of the NBA regular season.

If you want to join, put your predictions in the comments for MVP, Champion, and All NBA 1st Team.

Current Predictions

| | @Undisciplined | @grayruby | @gnilma | @BitcoinAbhi | @Bell_curve | @0xbitcoiner | |-|------------------|---------------|--------------|---------------------|-------------------|-----------------| | Champ | OKC | Pacers | OKC | Denver | Celtics | Pacers | | MVP | Luka | Giannis | SGA | Luka | Luka | Jokic | | All NBA | Jokic | Jokic | SGA | Jokic | Jokic | Jokic | | | Giannis | Giannis | Jokic | Giannis | Giannis | Giannis | | | Luka | Luka | Luka | Luka | Luka | Luka | | | Ant | Mitchell | Brunson | Ant | Ant | Ant | | | SGA | Brunson | Wemby | SGA | SGA | Brunson |

The only change last month was me switching my title pick to OKC.

Prize

1334 sats (plus all future zaps)

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/662489

@ 8f69ac99:4f92f5fd

No mundo das bandas desenhadas, poucos personagens são tão icónicos como Astérix e Capitão América. Estes dois heróis, oriundos de culturas e épocas muito diferentes, representam atitudes marcadamente distintas em relação ao poder e à autoridade. Astérix, o astuto gaulês de uma pequena aldeia que se opõe de forma destemida ao Império Romano, encarna o espírito de resistência e independência. Em contraste, Capitão América, frequentemente retratado como o soldado patriótico, simboliza lealdade, dever e conformidade com a autoridade governamental, especialmente nas suas primeiras representações.

Estes personagens contrastantes oferecem mais do que apenas entretenimento; reflectem valores e atitudes sociais mais profundos em relação à autoridade. Enquanto Astérix e os seus compatriotas usam a sua astúcia e uma poção misteriosa para manter a sua autonomia, o Capitão América frequentemente actua dentro dos limites de um sistema, esforçando-se para proteger o status quo. Estas diferenças podem servir como uma lente através da qual examinamos questões modernas de poder, controlo e resistência.

O Espírito de Astérix

Astérix é mais do que uma série de banda desenhada; é um fenómeno cultural que cativou audiências em todo o mundo desde a sua estreia em 1959. Criada pela brilhante dupla de escritor René Goscinny e ilustrador Albert Uderzo, a série fez a sua primeira aparição na revista francesa Pilote a 29 de Outubro de 1959. Ambientada em 50 a.C., Astérix segue as aventuras de uma pequena, mas indomável aldeia gaulesa que ousa resistir à ocupação romana. No coração destas histórias estão Astérix, um guerreiro astuto e engenhoso, e o seu melhor amigo Obélix, que possui uma força sobre-humana graças a uma poção mágica preparada pelo druida da aldeia, Panoramix.

A poção mágica é um elemento central na série, concedendo aos aldeãos habilidades sobre-humanas temporárias que lhes permitem repelir as poderosas forças romanas lideradas por Júlio César. No entanto, não é apenas a poção que mantém os romanos à distância; é o espírito indomável dos aldeãos, a sua astúcia e a sua unidade que os tornam uma força formidável. A resistência desta pequena aldeia contra o poder de Roma é simbólica dos temas maiores de liberdade, independência e desafio que permeiam a série.

Os personagens principais da série, incluindo Astérix, Obélix, Panoramix e o chefe da aldeia Vitalstatistix, contribuem cada um para o rico enredo de resistência e liberdade pessoal. Astérix, apesar de pequeno em estatura, é um herói astuto e corajoso que frequentemente usa a sua inteligência para superar os romanos. Obélix, com a sua inocência infantil e força imensa, proporciona tanto alívio cómico como músculo, enquanto a poção mágica de Panoramix serve como um símbolo da resiliência e engenho dos aldeãos.

Os temas de Astérix—resistência à opressão, busca pela liberdade pessoal e o poder da unidade—são tão relevantes hoje em dia quanto eram quando a série foi criada pela primeira vez. A luta dos aldeãos para manter a sua independência sem procurar derrubar o sistema romano reflecte um desejo de paz e autodeterminação, em vez de dominação. Neste sentido, a luta dos gauleses pode ser vista como uma metáfora para qualquer pequeno grupo desafiador que busca viver nos seus próprios termos, livre do controlo de uma entidade maior e mais poderosa.

No final, Astérix não é apenas uma história sobre um grupo de aldeãos resistindo ao domínio romano; é uma narrativa atemporal sobre o desejo universal de liberdade e a coragem de enfrentar probabilidades esmagadoras. Este espírito de resistência e independência é o que torna Astérix não apenas uma série de banda desenhada adorada, mas também um poderoso símbolo de liberdade pessoal e desafio à autoridade.

A Conformidade do Capitão América

O Capitão América, uma das figuras mais icónicas da história dos quadrinhos americanos, nasceu numa época em que o mundo estava mergulhado em conflito. Criado pelo escritor Joe Simon e pelo artista Jack Kirby, o Capitão América fez a sua estreia na Captain America Comics #1, publicada a 20 de dezembro de 1940, pela Timely Comics, antecessora do que hoje conhecemos como Marvel Comics. O personagem, cuja identidade civil é Steve Rogers, foi apresentado como um jovem frágil do Brooklyn, Nova Iorque, transformado em um super-soldado através de um soro experimental. Esta transformação permitiu-lhe tornar-se um símbolo do patriotismo americano e uma arma potente contra as potências do Eixo durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial.

Desde o seu início, o Capitão América foi concebido para ser mais do que um super-herói; ele era uma figura representativa dos ideais e valores americanos durante um período de guerra. A sua edição de estreia retratou-o famosamente a socar Adolf Hitler na capa, uma afirmação audaciosa que ressoou fortemente com o público americano. A série rapidamente se tornou uma sensação, vendendo mais de um milhão de cópias por edição, e estabeleceu o Capitão América como uma figura de destaque na luta contra a tirania, tendo o agente nazi Caveira Vermelha como seu principal adversário. Ao lado do seu parceiro, Bucky Barnes, o Capitão América embarcou em inúmeras missões que personificavam os temas de justiça, dever e patriotismo.

Os primeiros quadrinhos do Capitão América eram diretos na sua representação do bem contra o mal, refletindo a moralidade clara da época. Steve Rogers era retratado como o soldado ideal—leal, obediente e firme no seu compromisso de proteger o modo de vida americano. A sua força residia não apenas na sua destreza física, aprimorada pelo soro do super-soldado, mas também na sua fortaleza moral e disposição para seguir ordens, mesmo quando o caminho era difícil.

Apesar de alguns momentos de desafio, a identidade central do Capitão América permanece enraizada no seu papel como símbolo dos ideais americanos—lealdade, dever e a defesa da ordem estabelecida. Ele é um personagem que, durante grande parte da sua história, encarnou a conformidade com a autoridade governamental, muitas vezes trabalhando dentro do sistema para manter o status quo. Mesmo quando desafia a autoridade, como visto na história de "O Capitão," as acções de Rogers são impulsionadas pelo desejo de proteger os princípios sobre os quais o sistema é fundado, em vez de desmantelá-lo completamente.

O legado duradouro do Capitão América é um testemunho do seu papel como ícone cultural, representando as virtudes do heroísmo, resiliência e uma crença profunda no sonho americano. No entanto, esse legado também sublinha uma abordagem mais conformista à autoridade, uma que contrasta fortemente com o espírito rebelde representado por personagens como Astérix. Embora a narrativa do Capitão América se tenha certamente tornado mais complexa ao longo do tempo, a sua jornada muitas vezes retorna a uma lealdade fundamental aos ideais e estruturas da governança americana.

Um Paralelo Moderno

A Poção Secreta dos Gauleses

No mundo de Astérix, a resistência da pequena aldeia gaulesa contra o poderio do Império Romano assenta num segredo poderoso — a sua poção mágica. Esta poção, preparada pelo druida Panoramix, confere aos aldeões uma força extraordinária, permitindo-lhes resistir à dominação romana apesar do seu reduzido número. A poção é mais do que um simples instrumento de fortalecimento físico; simboliza a feroz independência dos aldeões e a sua recusa em ser subjugados por uma força mais poderosa. A poção permite aos gauleses equilibrar as forças, tornando possível a sua resistência face a probabilidades esmagadoras. É a essência da sua autonomia, um elixir mágico que protege o seu modo de vida do controlo externo.

Bitcoin como uma "Poção Secreta" dos Tempos Modernos

Semelhante à poção secreta dos gauleses, Bitcoin representa uma ferramenta moderna de resistência contra uma estrutura de poder dominante e centralizada. Uma moeda digital descentralizada, oferece a indivíduos e pequenos grupos a capacidade de realizar transacções e armazenar valor fora dos sistemas financeiros tradicionais controlados por governos e bancos centrais. É uma ferramenta financeira que, tal como a poção dos gauleses, empodera o indivíduo contra o poder da autoridade centralizada.

Assim como os romanos não podiam controlar os gauleses enquanto eles tinham acesso à sua poção, os estados modernos e as instituições financeiras acham desafiante exercer controlo total sobre indivíduos que utilizam o Bitcoin. Ele opera numa rede peer-to-peer, livre da supervisão de qualquer entidade única, tornando-o resistente à censura, à inflação e aos caprichos das autoridades centrais. Bitcoin, neste sentido, é o equivalente moderno da poção dos gauleses — uma forma de resistência que permite aos indivíduos manter a sua autonomia financeira face à crescente centralização.

Capitão América, Moeda Fiat e Controlo Estatal do Dinheiro

Em contraste, a representação inicial do Capitão América alinha-se mais de perto com os princípios da moeda fiat e o controlo centralizado do dinheiro pelo estado. Moedas fiat, como o dólar americano, o euro, yen, etc..., são emitidas e regulamentadas pelos governos, representando uma forma de autoridade que os cidadãos devem confiar e obedecer. Assim como o Capitão América muitas vezes é visto como um símbolo de lealdade ao estado, as moedas fiat exigem uma forma de confiança no poder centralizado. O estado controla a oferta de dinheiro, regulamenta o seu uso e detém a autoridade para impor políticas monetárias, tal como o Capitão América defende os valores e directrizes do seu governo.

Este controlo centralizado é ainda mais exemplificado no conceito das Moedas Digitais de Banco Central (CBDCs). As CBDCs representam a evolução máxima do dinheiro controlado pelo estado — totalmente digital, gerido centralmente e capaz de ser monitorizado e controlado a um nível sem precedentes. Os paralelos com o Capitão América são claros: ambos representam um sistema onde a autoridade é centralizada, onde o indivíduo deve confiar e obedecer às decisões tomadas por aqueles no poder.

No entanto, assim como a lealdade inquestionável do Capitão América ao estado contrasta fortemente com a defiance de Astérix, as moedas fiat e as CBDCs estão em oposição marcante à natureza descentralizada e resistente de Bitcoin. Enquanto o Capitão América pode representar o status quo, onde os indivíduos operam dentro de um sistema desenhado e controlado pelo estado, Bitcoin, como Astérix, simboliza um desafio a esse sistema — uma forma de os indivíduos afirmarem a sua independência e resistirem à intrusão do poder centralizado.

Traçar Paralelos

A comparação entre Astérix e Bitcoin, e entre Capitão América e o dinheiro controlado pelo estado, revela uma narrativa mais profunda sobre poder, controlo e resistência. Assim como os gauleses utilizam a sua poção para resistir à ocupação romana, os indivíduos modernos podem usar o Bitcoin para resistir ao controlo exercido pelos governos e instituições financeiras através das moedas fiat e das CBDCs. A poção secreta em Astérix não é apenas uma ferramenta física, mas um símbolo de liberdade e a capacidade de viver nos próprios termos. Da mesma forma, Bitcoin oferece um meio de liberdade financeira, permitindo aos indivíduos operar fora dos sistemas tradicionais de controlo.

Num mundo onde as autoridades centrais estão a consolidar cada vez mais o poder, o espírito de Astérix, encarnado no uso de Bitcoin, oferece uma alternativa poderosa ao conformismo e à obediência frequentemente representados pelo Capitão América. É um lembrete de que a verdadeira liberdade muitas vezes exige resistir ao status quo, questionar a autoridade e encontrar novas maneiras de manter a autonomia face a um poder avassalador.

A Necessidade de Mais Astérix e Menos Capitão América

À medida que o mundo evoluiu, também evoluíram os leitores que antes devoravam as aventuras de Astérix e Capitão América. As gerações que cresceram com estas bandas desenhadas agora encontram-se num mundo em rápida transformação, onde os poderes do Estado se expandiram, frequentemente à custa das liberdades individuais. O que outrora era domínio da ficção distópica—vigilância, censura e erosão da privacidade—tornou-se uma realidade que muitos aceitam com um encolher de ombros. Esta complacência, esta deriva subtil para a conformidade, é precisamente a razão pela qual precisamos mais do espírito de Astérix e menos da adesão inicial do Capitão América à autoridade.

O Capitão América, especialmente nas suas primeiras encarnações, era um símbolo de lealdade, dever e confiança inabalável nas instituições de poder. Ele lutava não apenas pelo povo, mas pelos ideais consagrados por aqueles no poder—ideais que, com o tempo, têm vindo a ser cada vez mais comprometidos. No mundo actual, onde os governos justificam a vigilância em massa em nome da segurança e restringem liberdades sob o pretexto do bem público, o tipo de patriotismo do Capitão América pode facilmente deslizar para a cumplicidade. Este não é o herói que precisamos agora.

Contrastemos isto com Astérix—uma figura pequena, astuta e ferozmente independente que, juntamente com seus conterrâneos, se recusa a curvar-se perante o poder do Império Romano. Os gauleses não procuram derrubar Roma; eles simplesmente querem viver livres nas suas próprias condições, resistindo às forças opressoras que tentariam privá-los da sua autonomia. Este espírito de desafio, esta recusa em aceitar a dominação de um poder centralizado, é o que o mundo de hoje carece desesperadamente. A poção secreta dos gauleses, um símbolo do seu poder e independência, é uma metáfora para as ferramentas que temos à nossa disposição—ferramentas como o Bitcoin—que nos permitem resistir ao crescente autoritarismo que está a enraizar-se na Europa e no mundo Ocidental.

Estamos a viver numa época em que os próprios alicerces da democracia estão a ser erodidos por aqueles que afirmam protegê-los. Os governos ultrapassam cada vez mais os seus limites, as corporações exploram, e os cidadãos, anestesiados pela conveniência e pelo medo, conformam-se. O resultado? Uma sociedade mais condescendente do que nunca, mais disposta a trocar liberdade por uma falsa sensação de segurança. Mas este não é o caminho inevitável; é uma escolha. E é uma escolha que Astérix nunca faria.

O que o mundo precisa agora é de um ressurgimento do espírito gaulês—uma disposição para questionar, resistir e afirmar os nossos direitos contra o poder estatal que avança. Precisamos ser mais como Astérix, prontos para defender a nossa autonomia com todas as ferramentas disponíveis, seja através da desobediência civil, das moedas criptográficas, ou simplesmente recusando aceitar as narrativas alimentadas por aqueles no poder. Isto não se trata apenas de proteger os nossos direitos; é sobre preservar a própria essência do que significa ser livre.

Portanto, para aqueles que cresceram com Astérix e Capitão América, é hora de se perguntarem: Qual herói vocês vão querer ser à medida que o mundo se torna mais escuro? Serão o soldado diligente, contente por seguir ordens e manter um sistema que já não serve o povo? Ou vão canalizar o espírito irreverente e indomável de Astérix, lutando não por poder, mas pelo simples direito de viver livre e independentemente? A escolha é sua, e pode muito bem definir o futuro das nossas sociedades.

Num mundo cada vez mais dominado pelo poder centralizado e pelo autoritarismo crescente, não precisamos de mais Capitães América. Precisamos de mais Astérixes—mais rebeldes, mais pensadores livres, mais pessoas que se recusam a se curvar ao inevitável. O momento de escolher é agora, antes que a poção acabe e seja tarde demais para reagir.

Conclusão

As histórias contrastantes de Astérix e Capitão América oferecem mais do que entretenimento; apresentam-nos duas maneiras distintas de lidar com o poder e a autoridade. Astérix incorpora um espírito de rebelião, independência e uma recusa em aceitar a dominação, enquanto o Capitão América, especialmente nos seus primeiros anos, simboliza lealdade à ordem estabelecida e conformidade com a autoridade. Estes personagens, enraizados nas suas culturas e épocas, ressoam profundamente com as gerações que cresceram lendo as suas aventuras.

Mas à medida que essas gerações enfrentam agora um mundo onde o poder estatal está a crescer sem controle e as liberdades individuais estão cada vez mais ameaçadas, é hora de reconsiderar qual desses heróis devemos olhar para inspiração. Numa era de vigilância em massa, censura e erosão das normas democráticas, o espírito de Astérix—desafiador, inteligente e inflexível—é mais relevante do que nunca. Precisamos canalizar esse espírito nas nossas próprias vidas, resistindo ao autoritarismo crescente que ameaça a nossa autonomia.

Bitcoin, tal como a poção secreta dos gauleses, representa uma das ferramentas que temos para afirmar a nossa independência neste novo cenário. Mas ferramentas sozinhas não são suficientes; também devemos adoptar uma mentalidade que questiona, desafia e se recusa a conformar-se com estruturas de poder injustas. Num mundo que cada vez mais exige conformidade, a chamada para abraçar o espírito de Astérix não é apenas uma nostalgia pelo passado—é uma postura necessária para salvaguardar o nosso futuro.

À medida que navegamos por estes tempos desafiantes, lembremos a lição que Astérix nos ensina: a verdadeira liberdade vale a pena lutar, mesmo contra probabilidades avassaladoras. Numa época em que o mundo parece precisar de mais soldados conformistas, escolhemos em vez disso ser os gauleses irreprimíveis, ousando viver nas nossas próprias condições. O futuro pertence não àqueles que simplesmente seguem, mas àqueles que ousam resistir.

@ 8f69ac99:4f92f5fd

Num mundo cada vez mais digital, a relação entre o dinheiro e o controlo estatal tem sido alvo de escrutínio, especialmente com o surgimento de tecnologias financeiras descentralizadas como o Bitcoin. Tradicionalmente, os governos detêm as rédeas dos sistemas monetários, emitindo e regulando moedas para manter a estabilidade económica e o controlo. No entanto, essa centralização de poder também gerou preocupações sobre a ingerência governamental, má gestão financeira e a erosão das liberdades individuais.

Simultaneamente, governos e bancos centrais estão a explorar as Moedas Digitais de Bancos Centrais (CBDCs) como uma forma de modernizar o sistema financeiro e manter o controlo na era digital. Embora as CBDCs prometam eficiência e inclusão financeira, também levantam preocupações significativas sobre privacidade, vigilância governamental e um controlo estatal aumentado sobre as actividades financeiras individuais.

Entra o Bitcoin – uma moeda digital revolucionária que opera de forma independente de qualquer autoridade central. Nascido da crise financeira de 2008, o Bitcoin oferece uma alternativa tanto ao dinheiro tradicional controlado pelo estado quanto às CBDCs, prometendo transparência, segurança e o potencial para liberdade económica em escala global. Neste artigo, exploraremos o conceito de separar o dinheiro do estado, examinando como o Bitcoin poderia servir como uma alternativa viável. Argumentaremos que, ao desafiar o sistema monetário tradicional, o Bitcoin oferece um novo sistema de freios e contrapesos, capacitando indivíduos enquanto promove responsabilidade fiscal e inovação.

Separar o Dinheiro do Estado

Contexto Histórico

A relação entre o dinheiro e o poder estatal tem uma longa e complexa história. Durante séculos, os governos exerceram controlo sobre os sistemas monetários, desde o uso de moeda nas civilizações antigas até o estabelecimento de bancos centrais nos tempos modernos. Historicamente, o dinheiro muitas vezes era lastreado por activos tangíveis, como o ouro, que proporcionava um freio sobre os gastos e a expansão monetária do governo. O Padrão Ouro, que atava a moeda a uma quantidade fixa de ouro, foi um desses sistemas que limitou a capacidade dos estados de manipular suas moedas.

No entanto, a transição para o dinheiro fiduciário no século XX marcou uma mudança significativa. O dinheiro fiduciário, que é emitido pelo governo e não lastreado por uma mercadoria física, depende exclusivamente da confiança e da autoridade do estado emissor. Essa mudança deu aos governos um controlo sem precedentes sobre seus sistemas monetários, permitindo-lhes imprimir dinheiro à vontade e exercer mais influência sobre a economia. Embora esse sistema permitisse maior flexibilidade na resposta a crises económicas, também abriu a porta para potenciais abusos, inflação e a erosão da riqueza individual.

Importância da Separação

À luz desses desenvolvimentos, a ideia de separar o dinheiro do estado ganhou força, particularmente no contexto de preocupações crescentes sobre a ingerência governamental, instabilidade financeira e até a capacidade do estado de travar guerras sem a aprovação directa dos cidadãos. Há várias razões-chave pelas quais essa separação é crucial:

1. Prevenir a Ingerência Governamental: Quando os governos controlam o sistema monetário, podem manipulá-lo para fins políticos, como financiar guerras, expandir programas sociais ou influenciar eleições. Esse poder descontrolado permite que os governos persigam políticas que podem não ter apoio popular, sem enfrentar restrições financeiras imediatas. Separar o dinheiro do estado pode limitar essa manipulação política, criando um ambiente económico mais estável e previsível.

2. Limitar a Capacidade de Travar Guerras: Na história recente, os governos frequentemente confiaram na capacidade de imprimir dinheiro para financiar guerras, contornando a necessidade de tributação directa ou aprovação pública. Isso leva a guerras sendo travadas sem o consentimento explícito da população, que mais tarde arca com os custos através da inflação e da dívida. Ao restringir a capacidade do estado de criar dinheiro do nada, uma separação entre dinheiro e estado exigiria que os governos financiassem guerras através de impostos ou empréstimos. Isso tornaria mais difícil para os estados se envolverem em conflitos prolongados sem o apoio claro dos seus cidadãos, uma vez que aumentar impostos ou tomar empréstimos geralmente requer debate público e aprovação democrática.

3. Promover a Responsabilidade Fiscal: Sem a capacidade de imprimir dinheiro para cobrir défices, os governos seriam forçados a manter orçamentos mais equilibrados e tomar decisões financeiras mais responsáveis. Isso poderia reduzir a probabilidade de crises de dívida e inflação descontrolada, uma vez que a disciplina fiscal (os gastos do estado) se tornaria uma necessidade e não uma escolha.

4. Proteger a Riqueza Individual: As moedas fiduciárias são propensas à inflação, que corrói o poder de compra das poupanças ao longo do tempo. Em contraste, um sistema monetário que é independente do controlo estatal—como o Bitcoin, com sua oferta fixa—pode proteger a riqueza dos indivíduos contra a desvalorização e a deterioração. Em tal sistema, a capacidade do governo de corroer a riqueza através de políticas inflacionárias seria severamente limitada.

5. Incentivar a Liberdade Económica: Quando o dinheiro está livre do controlo estatal, permite que as forças do mercado determinem seu valor. Isso promove uma economia mais dinâmica e competitiva, onde indivíduos e empresas têm maior liberdade para inovar e transaccionar sem interferência governamental.

6. Reduzir a Corrupção e o Clientelismo: Sistemas monetários controlados pelo estado podem criar oportunidades para corrupção, onde indivíduos ou corporações politicamente conectados ganham vantagens financeiras injustas. Separar o dinheiro do estado reduz o potencial para tal clientelismo, promovendo um campo de jogo mais nivelado.

7. Fomentar a Inovação: Um sistema monetário descentralizado pode possibilitar inovações financeiras que não estão restritas por autoridades centrais. Isso pode levar ao desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias, serviços e produtos financeiros que beneficiam a sociedade como um todo.

O conceito de separar o dinheiro do estado desafia as estruturas de poder tradicionais que governaram as economias durante séculos. Ao limitar a influência do estado sobre o dinheiro, podemos criar um sistema que promove maior liberdade individual, responsabilidade fiscal e inovação. Além disso, ao restringir a capacidade do estado de financiar guerras através da expansão monetária, tal sistema também pode servir como um freio ao poder governamental, assegurando que decisões tão importantes quanto a guerra devem ser tomadas com a aprovação explícita do povo. Bitcoin, como uma moeda digital descentralizada, incorpora essa visão, oferecendo um caminho potencial para redefinir a relação entre o dinheiro e o poder estatal.

Proposta de Valor de Bitcoin

Bitcoin emergiu como uma inovação financeira revolucionária, desafiando o sistema monetário tradicional e oferecendo um novo paradigma para o dinheiro na era digital. Suas características únicas destacam-no tanto das moedas fiduciárias quanto de outros activos digitais, posicionando-o como uma ferramenta poderosa para preservar a riqueza, promover a liberdade económica e resistir à ingerência governamental. Vamos explorar os principais aspectos da proposta de valor de Bitcoin e por que tem ganho destaque como uma alternativa viável ao dinheiro controlado pelo estado.

Escassez Digital

Uma das características mais definidoras de Bitcoin é sua oferta fixa de 21 milhões de moedas. Esta escassez digital está codificada no protocolo de Bitcoin, garantindo que não serão criados mais do que 21 milhões de bitcoins. Ao contrário das moedas fiduciárias, que podem ser impressas em quantidades ilimitadas pelos bancos centrais, a oferta de Bitcoin é finita, tornando-o uma protecção robusta contra a inflação e a desvalorização da moeda. À medida que governos em todo o mundo se envolvem em políticas monetárias expansionistas, frequentemente levando à inflação e à perda do poder de compra, a escassez de Bitcoin fornece uma reserva de valor que é imune a tais riscos.

Descentralização e Resistência à Censura

Bitcoin opera numa rede descentralizada de computadores (nós) espalhados pelo mundo. Esta descentralização assegura que nenhuma entidade ou governo possa controlar ou manipular a rede Bitcoin. As transacções são verificadas por um mecanismo de consenso chamado proof-of-work, que adiciona camadas de segurança e evita a censura. Esta resistência à censura é crucial num mundo onde as transacções financeiras podem ser bloqueadas ou revertidas por governos ou instituições financeiras. Com Bitcoin, os indivíduos têm o poder de enviar e receber dinheiro sem interferência, ou permissão, promovendo uma maior autonomia financeira.

Transacções Globais e Sem Permissões

Bitcoin permite transacções peer-to-peer sem a necessidade de intermediários como bancos ou processadores de pagamentos. Isso torna possível enviar dinheiro através de fronteiras rapidamente, com segurança e a um custo relativamente baixo. Ao contrário dos sistemas financeiros tradicionais que frequentemente exigem permissões, documentação e intermediários, Bitcoin opera de forma sem permissões, o que significa que qualquer pessoa com uma conexão à internet pode participar na rede. Isso abre oportunidades para indivíduos em regiões não cobertas pelo sistema bancário (os "sem banco") acederem a serviços financeiros e participar na economia global.

Reserva de Valor vs. Volatilidade de Preços

Um dos desafios em compreender o valor de Bitcoin reside em separar o conceito de valor e preço. Enquanto o preço de Bitcoin pode ser altamente volátil, flutuando devido ao comércio especulativo e ao sentimento do mercado, seu valor intrínseco como um activo descentralizado, escasso e resistente à censura permanece. Valor, neste contexto, refere-se à capacidade de Bitcoin de preservar a riqueza, oferecer soberania financeira e fornecer uma protecção contra a inflação e o controlo autoritário. Preço, por outro lado, reflecte dinâmicas de mercado e pode iludir aqueles que equacionam flutuações de curto prazo com potencial de longo prazo. Compreender essa distinção é crucial para reconhecer o verdadeiro valor de Bitcoin além de sua natureza especulativa.

Impacto de Bitcoin em Países em Desenvolvimento

Enquanto Bitcoin é frequentemente visto como um investimento especulativo ou uma ferramenta para "tech bros" no Ocidente, o seu impacto em países em desenvolvimento, particularmente na África e na América do Sul, é profundo. Em regiões onde o acesso a serviços financeiros tradicionais é limitado e onde regimes autoritários controlam a economia, Bitcoin oferece uma tábua de salvação. Permite aos indivíduos armazenar valor em um activo estável, realizar transacções sem interferência governamental e contornar sistemas financeiros corruptos. Observadores ocidentais devem reconhecer seu privilégio financeiro e considerar como o Bitcoin está a capacitar milhões em países mais pobres que carecem de serviços bancários básicos e enfrentam constante incerteza económica.

A Realidade do Autoritarismo e Exclusão Financeira

De acordo com a Fundação para os Direitos Humanos (HRF), 54% da população mundial—aproximadamente 4,2 mil milhões de pessoas—vive sob regimes autoritários. Estes governos frequentemente restringem liberdades básicas, incluindo a autonomia financeira, e controlam o acesso dos cidadãos à economia global. Além disso, muitos desses indivíduos estão "desbancarizados", significando que não têm acesso a serviços bancários tradicionais. Esta falta de inclusão financeira, combinada com a regra autoritária, cria barreiras significativas à liberdade económica e à segurança pessoal. Bitcoin oferece uma solução para esses desafios ao fornecer uma forma de dinheiro descentralizada e resistente à censura, acessível a qualquer pessoa, independentemente do seu ambiente político.

Efeitos de Rede

À medida que mais pessoas adoptam Bitcoin, a sua utilidade e valor aumentam através dos efeitos de rede. A crescente adopção de Bitcoin por indivíduos, empresas e até investidores institucionais fortalece sua posição como uma alternativa viável às moedas tradicionais. Com cada novo participante, a rede torna-se mais robusta, segura e valiosa. Esse ciclo positivo ajuda a consolidar o status de Bitcoin como uma moeda digital global e uma reserva de valor credível.

Protecção Contra Riscos das Políticas Monetárias

Bitcoin também serve como uma possível protecção contra os riscos associados às políticas monetárias expansionistas, como a flexibilização quantitativa (QE) e as taxas de juros negativas. Essas políticas, frequentemente implementadas para estimular o crescimento económico, podem levar à inflação, desvalorização da moeda e instabilidade financeira. Bitcoin, com sua oferta fixa e natureza descentralizada, fornece uma salvaguarda contra tais riscos, funcionando como uma "apólice de seguro" para indivíduos e instituições que buscam proteger sua riqueza dos efeitos adversos das políticas monetárias controladas pelo governo.

Em resumo, a proposta de valor de Bitcoin reside na sua capacidade de oferecer uma alternativa descentralizada, escassa e resistente à censura ao dinheiro tradicional. Sua oferta fixa, acessibilidade global e rede crescente fazem desta uma ferramenta poderosa para preservar a riqueza e promover a liberdade económica num mundo cada vez mais incerto. À medida que mais pessoas reconhecem seu potencial, particularmente em regiões que sofrem com controlo autoritário e exclusão financeira, Bitcoin continua a consolidar o seu papel como uma força revolucionária no sistema financeiro global.

Implicações das Moedas Digitais de Banco Central (CBDCs)

À medida que os bancos centrais em todo o mundo avançam no desenvolvimento das Moedas Digitais de Banco Central (CBDCs), é essencial examinar criticamente as verdadeiras motivações por trás dessas iniciativas. Embora as CBDCs sejam frequentemente promovidas como ferramentas para modernizar o sistema financeiro e melhorar a eficiência, uma análise mais profunda revela que elas visam, na verdade, consolidar o controlo e o poder nas mãos dos governos e das elites globais. Em contraste, Bitcoin já oferece uma alternativa descentralizada, transparente e eficiente que aborda muitos dos desafios que as CBDCs afirmam resolver — sem os riscos de intervenção estatal e controlo autoritário.

Introdução às CBDCs
As CBDCs são versões digitais das moedas nacionais emitidas e reguladas pelos bancos centrais. Ao contrário das criptomoedas descentralizadas, como o Bitcoin, que operam de forma independente de qualquer autoridade central, as CBDCs são totalmente controladas pelo estado. Essa centralização do poder faz com que elas sejam fundamentalmente diferentes de Bitcoin e levanta questões importantes sobre seu verdadeiro propósito — nomeadamente, a ampliação do controlo governamental sobre os sistemas financeiros e as liberdades individuais.

Benefícios Potenciais
Os defensores das CBDCs argumentam que elas podem melhorar a eficiência dos pagamentos e aumentar a inclusão financeira. As moedas digitais podem facilitar transacções mais rápidas, baratas e seguras, tanto no âmbito nacional quanto internacional. Também prometem proporcionar acesso a serviços financeiros para aqueles que actualmente não têm conta bancária, ajudando a preencher a lacuna entre os marginalizados e a economia formal.

No entanto, é importante reconhecer que esses benefícios já podem ser alcançados através das tecnologias existentes, particularmente o Bitcoin. Bitcoin oferece transacções globais, sem permissão, que são seguras, eficientes e acessíveis a qualquer pessoa com uma conexão à internet. A verdadeira questão, então, é por que os governos estão pressionando por CBDCs quando uma solução melhor já existe. A resposta reside nas dinâmicas de poder e controlo que as CBDCs podem oferecer aos governos e às elites.

Preocupações e Riscos
Os riscos associados às CBDCs vão muito além das considerações técnicas e económicas — eles ameaçam fundamentalmente as liberdades e a autonomia individuais. A introdução das CBDCs poderia marcar uma expansão perigosa do controlo governamental sobre todos os aspectos da vida financeira.

1. Exclusão Intencional e Controlo Social:
   As CBDCs poderiam facilmente tornar-se ferramentas de controlo social. Os governos poderiam excluir selectivamente indivíduos ou grupos do sistema financeiro com base em critérios arbitrários, como crenças políticas ou comportamento social. Em regimes autoritários, esse poder poderia ser usado para suprimir a dissidência e forçar a conformidade com os mandatos do estado. Mesmo em nações democráticas, o potencial de abuso é real, à medida que políticos e burocratas — frequentemente influenciados por elites poderosas — buscam consolidar o controlo sobre a sociedade.

2. Restrições de Gastos:
   As CBDCs poderiam permitir que os governos imponham restrições sobre onde e como o dinheiro pode ser gasto, controlando efectivamente o comportamento dos cidadãos. Imagine um cenário em que um governo pudesse bloquear transacções relacionadas a actividades que considera indesejáveis, como protestos políticos, mídia alternativa ou negócios independentes. Esse nível de controlo daria aos políticos e burocratas o poder de moldar a sociedade de acordo com seus próprios interesses, marginalizando aqueles que resistem à sua agenda.

3. Limites de Quantidade e Remuneração Escalonada:
   Alguns designs de CBDCs propõem tectos sobre quanto indivíduos podem manter ou impor taxas de juros negativas sobre valores acima de certos limites. Isso poderia limitar as economias pessoais e forçar as pessoas a gastar ou investir seu dinheiro de maneiras que estejam alinhadas com os objectivos do governo. Essa forma de repressão financeira é um ataque directo à soberania financeira individual e uma ferramenta para os governos manipularem o comportamento económico em seu benefício.

4. Anonimato Reduzido:
   Ao contrário do dinheiro físico ou das criptomoedas descentralizadas como bitcoin, as CBDCs não teriam verdadeiro anonimato. Cada transacção poderia ser rastreada e registada pelo governo, dando aos políticos e burocratas uma visibilidade sem precedentes sobre as actividades financeiras dos cidadãos. Esse nível de vigilância não é apenas uma violação da privacidade — abre a porta para formas mais directas de controlo e coerção, à medida que o estado ganha mais poder sobre as decisões financeiras dos indivíduos.

5. Repressão Financeira e Expropriação de Riqueza:
   A capacidade de impor taxas de juros negativas sobre as CBDCs é outra forma de controlo governamental, onde o estado pode efectivamente tributar a riqueza sem aprovação legislativa. Isso poderia ser usado para redistribuir riqueza ou financiar programas governamentais sem a necessidade de transparência ou supervisão democrática. Tais políticas prejudicariam desproporcionalmente aqueles que buscam preservar sua riqueza e poderiam levar a uma erosão gradual da segurança financeira individual.

China e o Yuan Digital

O desenvolvimento do yuan digital pela China exemplifica os perigos potenciais das CBDCs nas mãos de um regime autoritário. A falta de freios e contrapesos no sistema político da China, combinada com a estreita relação entre o banco central e o Partido Comunista, levanta sérias preocupações de que o yuan digital poderia se tornar uma poderosa ferramenta de controlo social. Ao integrar a CBDC com seu sistema de crédito social existente, a China pode restringir ainda mais as liberdades com base em critérios definidos pelo governo, utilizando o controlo financeiro como meio de impor conformidade e lealdade ao estado.

Implicações para a UE e Além

Mesmo em democracias como a UE, a pressão por CBDCs levanta sinais de alerta. O desenvolvimento do euro digital pelo Banco Central Europeu (BCE), actualmente na fase de preparação, em Novembro de 2023, pode parecer benigno à primeira vista. No entanto, sem as devidas salvaguardas, essa moeda digital também se poderá tornar uma ferramenta de controlo estatal, particularmente se políticos e burocratas — movidos pelos seus próprios interesses e pelos das elites globais — decidirem usá-la para impor restrições à liberdade financeira e privacidade. O euro digital, como outras CBDCs, poderá ser projectado para priorizar a supervisão estatal sobre a autonomia individual.

Bitcoin: A Solução Existente

A realidade é que não há necessidade de uma CBDC. Bitcoin já oferece uma solução que proporciona os benefícios que as CBDCs afirmam entregar — eficiência, segurança e inclusão financeira — sem os riscos de controlo governamental. Bitcoin é descentralizado, transparente e resistente à censura, tornando-o uma ferramenta poderosa para a liberdade individual e a soberania financeira. Ao contrário das CBDCs, Bitcoin não serve aos interesses dos governos ou das elites globais — pois capacita os indivíduos a assumir o controlo de seus próprios destinos financeiros.

A pressão por CBDCs não se trata de resolver problemas que Bitcoin já não tenha abordado. Trata-se de poder — centralizando-o nas mãos dos governos e das elites que os influenciam. Políticos e burocratas, muitas vezes motivados por interesses próprios e pelas agendas de poderosos actores globais, veem as CBDCs como uma forma de expandir seu controlo sobre a sociedade. Em contraste, Bitcoin representa um caminho para a descentralização, autonomia e verdadeira liberdade financeira.

À medida que governos e bancos centrais avançam para implementar as CBDCs, é crucial reconhecer as verdadeiras motivações por trás dessas iniciativas. Embora as CBDCs sejam frequentemente apresentadas como inovações necessárias, elas são, em última análise, sobre controlo — ampliando o poder do estado e das elites globais às custas da liberdade individual. Bitcoin, por outro lado, oferece uma alternativa descentralizada que preserva a privacidade, a autonomia e a soberania financeira. O futuro do dinheiro deve ser um onde os indivíduos, e não os governos ou elites, detenham o poder.

Adoptar um Padrão Bitcoin

À medida que o mundo enfrenta as consequências das moedas fiduciárias controladas pelo estado—que vão desde a inflação até a instabilidade financeira—Bitcoin apresenta uma alternativa convincente: a adopção de um padrão Bitcoin. Semelhante ao Padrão Ouro do passado, que forneceu uma base monetária estável ao vincular a moeda a uma oferta fixa de ouro, um padrão Bitcoin oferece uma solução moderna baseada em princípios de dinheiro sólido. No entanto, Bitcoin vai além do que o ouro alguma vez poderia, trazendo consigo inovações tecnológicas únicas, acessibilidade global e a promessa de soberania financeira.

Comparação com o Padrão Ouro

O Padrão Ouro, que dominou grande parte dos séculos XIX e início do século XX, ofereceu uma estrutura onde o dinheiro em papel estava directamente vinculado a uma oferta finita de ouro. Este sistema restringia os gastos do governo e a inflação, pois a oferta monetária não podia ser expandida arbitrariamente. Da mesma forma, a oferta fixa de 21 milhões de moedas em Bitcoin impõe um limite rígido à expansão monetária, fornecendo uma base para um sistema monetário estável e deflacionário.

No entanto, ao contrário do ouro, Bitcoin não está sobrecarregado por limitações físicas ou centralização. Enquanto o ouro exigia armazenamento seguro e frequentemente era controlado por autoridades centrais, Bitcoin é digital e descentralizado, tornando-o mais acessível e resistente à confiscação. Além disso, a capacidade de Bitcoin de facilitar transacções instantâneas e globais dá-lhe uma vantagem sobre o ouro na economia moderna.

Benefícios de um Padrão Bitcoin

1. Princípios de Dinheiro Sólido:
No cerne de um padrão Bitcoin está o princípio do dinheiro sólido. A oferta fixa e sua natureza deflacionária incentivam um comportamento económico responsável, planeamento de longo prazo e estabilidade. Ao contrário das moedas fiduciárias, que podem ser desvalorizadas por meio da impressão infinita, a escassez de Bitcoin garante que o seu valor seja preservado ao longo do tempo. Essa previsibilidade promove um ambiente económico estável onde empresas e indivíduos podem tomar decisões com base numa reserva de valor confiável.

2. Protecção Contra a Desvalorização da Moeda:
Uma das vantagens mais significativas de um padrão Bitcoin é sua protecção contra a desvalorização da moeda. Num sistema fiduciário, os governos frequentemente recorrem à impressão de mais dinheiro para financiar déficits, levando à inflação e à perda do poder de compra. A oferta fixa de Bitcoin previne tal manipulação, protegendo a riqueza dos indivíduos dos efeitos erosivos da inflação. Sob um padrão Bitcoin, as pessoas podem ter a certeza de que suas economias manterão valor a longo prazo, livres das oscilações dos bancos centrais e políticos.

3. Soberania Financeira:
Um padrão Bitcoin capacita tanto indivíduos quanto nações ao fornecer dinheiro resistente à censura. Num mundo onde os sistemas financeiros são cada vez mais controlados e monitorizados por governos e instituições, Bitcoin oferece uma forma de dinheiro que não pode ser arbitrariamente apreendida ou congelada. Esta soberania financeira é particularmente crucial para aqueles que vivem sob regimes opressivos ou em países com moedas instáveis. Bitcoin permite que os indivíduos mantenham controlo sobre sua riqueza, independentemente das pressões políticas externas.

4. Inclusão Financeira Global:
A natureza descentralizada de Bitcoin e as baixas barreiras à entrada tornam-no uma ferramenta ideal para a inclusão financeira global. Ao contrário dos sistemas bancários tradicionais, que frequentemente excluem os "sem banco" ou impõem altas taxas em transacções internacionais, Bitcoin pode ser acedido por qualquer pessoa com uma conexão à internet. Esta inclusividade estende-se às remessas, onde a capacidade de Bitcoin de facilitar transferências instantâneas e de baixo custo pode reduzir significativamente o fardo financeiro para aqueles que enviam dinheiro para familiares no exterior. Ao adoptar um padrão Bitcoin, o mundo poderia ver uma redução dramática na exclusão financeira e a democratização das oportunidades económicas.

Inovação Tecnológica A adopção de um padrão Bitcoin também desencadearia uma onda de inovação tecnológica. Uma das tecnologias subjacentes de Bitcoin, a blockchain, permite uma ampla gama de aplicações além da moeda. A Lightning Network, por exemplo, oferece uma solução para escalar Bitcoin, permitindo transacções mais rápidas e baratas. Esta inovação abre portas para microtransações e poderia revolucionar indústrias como jogos, criação de conteúdo e finanças descentralizadas (DeFi).

Além disso, a programabilidade de Bitcoin através de contratos inteligentes fornece uma base para a construção de aplicações descentralizadas que operam sem a necessidade de intermediários. Essas inovações não apenas aumentam a funcionalidade de Bitcoin como moeda, mas também criam novas oportunidades para crescimento e eficiência económica.

Implicações Geopolíticas

1. Redução da Manipulação da Moeda:
Um padrão Bitcoin limitaria significativamente a capacidade dos governos de manipular moedas para vantagem geopolítica. Hoje, as nações frequentemente envolvem-se em desvalorização da moeda ou ajustes na política monetária para obter uma vantagem competitiva no comércio ou exercer influência no cenário global. Sob um padrão Bitcoin, com sua oferta fixa e natureza descentralizada, tais tácticas tornariam-se muito mais difíceis. Isso poderia levar a um campo de jogo mais nivelado no comércio internacional e reduzir o potencial de conflitos económicos impulsionados por guerras de moedas.

2. Igualdade de Condições para Países Mais Pobres:
Para países pobres, ou mais pequenos, adoptar um padrão Bitcoin poderia oferecer protecção contra a dominação económica de países maiores. Ao usar uma moeda neutra e descentralizada, economias menores poderiam isolar-se das políticas de grandes bancos centrais, como o Federal Reserve ou o Banco Central Europeu, que frequentemente têm impactos desproporcionais nos mercados globais. Essa mudança poderia capacitar nações menores, permitindo-lhes participar da economia global em termos mais equitativos e reduzindo sua vulnerabilidade a choques monetários externos.

Adoptar um padrão Bitcoin oferece um caminho para a estabilidade económica, soberania financeira e inclusão global. Ao basear-se nos princípios do dinheiro sólido, Bitcoin pode proteger contra as armadilhas da desvalorização da moeda, promovendo a inovação e nivelando o campo de jogo geopolítico. À medida que o mundo enfrenta os desafios do século XXI, Bitcoin surge como uma alternativa viável que promove a liberdade individual e a resiliência económica, oferecendo um futuro onde o dinheiro verdadeiramente pertence ao povo.

Controlo sobre o Abuso de Poder Governamental através de um Padrão Bitcoin

A adopção de um padrão Bitcoin representa mais do que uma simples mudança na política monetária; funciona como um poderoso controlo sobre o abuso de poder governamental. Num mundo onde os governos frequentemente manipulam as moedas, restringem a liberdade financeira e utilizam a política monetária como uma ferramenta de controlo, Bitcoin oferece uma alternativa descentralizada e resistente à censura que devolve o poder ao indivíduo. Este capítulo explora como um padrão Bitcoin poderia limitar o abuso de poder governamental ao impor disciplina fiscal, prevenir acções financeiras arbitrárias e capacitar os cidadãos com soberania financeira.

Restaurar a Disciplina Fiscal Uma das consequências mais significativas de um sistema monetário baseado em moeda fiduciária é a erosão da disciplina fiscal. Os governos, sem a restrição de um padrão de dinheiro sólido, podem imprimir dinheiro à vontade para financiar déficits, levando à inflação, acumulação de dívida e instabilidade económica. Sob um padrão Bitcoin, a capacidade de imprimir dinheiro seria eliminada, forçando os governos a viver dentro dos seus meios.

Com um fornecimento fixo de 21 milhões de moedas, Bitcoin impõe uma limitação natural à expansão monetária. Os governos já não seriam capazes de inflacionar a sua dívida ou desvalorizar a sua moeda para cobrir gastos excessivos. Em vez disso, teriam de equilibrar os seus orçamentos, priorizar os gastos e garantir que as suas decisões financeiras são sustentáveis a longo prazo. Este retorno à disciplina fiscal poderia reduzir os riscos de crises económicas causadas por políticas monetárias irresponsáveis e restaurar a confiança no sistema financeiro.

Prevenir Acções Financeiras Arbitrárias No sistema fiduciário actual, os governos e bancos centrais têm o poder de congelar contas, apreender activos e restringir o acesso a serviços financeiros com pouca supervisão ou responsabilidade. Esta concentração de poder pode ser usada para visar dissidentes políticos, suprimir activismo ou controlar o comportamento público. Um padrão Bitcoin, com a sua natureza descentralizada e resistente à censura, oferece uma defesa robusta contra tais acções financeiras arbitrárias.

A rede descentralizada de Bitcoin opera fora do controlo governamental, tornando quase impossível para qualquer entidade única congelar ou confiscar fundos unilateralmente. As transacções na rede Bitcoin são seguras, transparentes e irreversíveis, garantindo que os indivíduos mantenham o controlo sobre a sua riqueza. Esta protecção é especialmente importante para aqueles que vivem sob regimes autoritários ou em regiões politicamente instáveis, onde a repressão financeira é uma ferramenta comum de poder estatal.

Ao impedir que os governos apreendam arbitrariamente activos ou restrinjam a actividade financeira, um padrão Bitcoin protege os direitos e liberdades individuais. Limita a capacidade do Estado de usar os sistemas financeiros como um meio de coerção ou punição, garantindo que o dinheiro continue a ser uma ferramenta de capacitação em vez de controlo.

Capacitar os Cidadãos No seu cerne, um padrão Bitcoin capacita os cidadãos ao dar-lhes controlo directo sobre os seus activos financeiros. Ao contrário das moedas fiduciárias, que estão sujeitas às políticas governamentais, decisões de bancos centrais e à influência de elites poderosas, Bitcoin opera numa rede descentralizada onde nenhuma autoridade única tem influência. Esta mudança de controlo do Estado para o indivíduo é uma alteração profunda, com implicações abrangentes para a liberdade pessoal e autonomia económica.

Os indivíduos podem armazenar e transferir riqueza sem depender de instituições financeiras tradicionais, frequentemente entrelaçadas com interesses governamentais. Esta soberania financeira significa que as pessoas estão menos vulneráveis às restrições impostas pelo governo, inflação e manipulação económica. Numa era em que a privacidade e a autonomia estão cada vez mais ameaçadas, Bitcoin oferece uma forma de proteger a independência financeira dos indivíduos.

Além disso, a natureza global e sem permissões de Bitcoin permite que qualquer pessoa, independentemente da localização ou status, participe no sistema financeiro. Esta inclusão é um contra-peso poderoso ao controlo centralizado exercido por governos e grandes instituições financeiras. Ao adoptar um padrão Bitcoin, cidadãos de todo o mundo podem recuperar a sua liberdade financeira e participar numa economia verdadeiramente descentralizada que prioriza os direitos individuais em vez do poder estatal.

Protege Contra controlos de Capital Um exemplo concreto do poder de Bitcoin para controlar o abuso de poder governamental é a sua capacidade de contornar controlos de capital. Em muitos países, os governos impõem regulamentações rigorosas sobre o fluxo de dinheiro através das fronteiras, limitando a capacidade dos cidadãos de mover activos para fora do país. Estes controlos são frequentemente usados para sustentar moedas em dificuldade ou prevenir a fuga de capitais durante crises económicas, mas também aprisionam os cidadãos num sistema financeiro instável e desvalorizado.

Bitcoin oferece uma forma de contornar essas restrições. Como opera numa rede descentralizada, as transacções não podem ser facilmente bloqueadas ou monitorizadas pelos governos. Os indivíduos podem mover a sua riqueza através das fronteiras sem depender dos sistemas bancários tradicionais, que estão sujeitos ao controlo estatal. Esta capacidade é crucial para proteger os activos pessoais da interferência governamental e garantir que as pessoas mantenham acesso à sua riqueza, mesmo em tempos de turbulência económica.

Implicações a Longo Prazo para a Governança Democrática Um padrão Bitcoin também poderia ter implicações profundas para a governança democrática. Ao limitar a capacidade do Estado de manipular dinheiro e finanças, Bitcoin força uma maior transparência e responsabilidade nas acções governamentais. Quando os governos já não podem contar com políticas inflacionárias para encobrir a má gestão fiscal, são forçados a tomar decisões mais responsáveis e transparentes.

Além disso, a descentralização do dinheiro alinha-se com princípios democráticos ao reduzir a concentração de poder nas mãos de poucos. Numa sistema fiduciário, bancos centrais e governos exercem uma enorme influência sobre a economia e os meios de subsistência individuais. Um padrão Bitcoin redistribui este poder, tornando o sistema financeiro mais democrático e alinhado com os interesses da população em geral.

Um padrão Bitcoin oferece um poderoso controlo sobre o abuso de poder governamental ao restaurar a disciplina fiscal, prevenir acções financeiras arbitrárias e capacitar os cidadãos com soberania financeira. Numa era onde os governos buscam cada vez mais controlar e monitorizar as actividades financeiras, Bitcoin oferece uma alternativa descentralizada que prioriza a liberdade individual e a autonomia económica. Ao adoptar um padrão Bitcoin, as sociedades podem criar um sistema financeiro mais transparente, responsável e democrático que serve os interesses do povo, em vez do Estado.

Conclusão

O argumento central é claro: Bitcoin oferece um sistema descentralizado, resistente à censura e transparente que pode proteger a riqueza individual, promover a liberdade económica e servir como um controlo sobre o poder governamental. Ao contrário das moedas fiduciárias, que são susceptíveis à inflação, manipulação e controlo central, o fornecimento fixo e a natureza descentralizada de Bitcoin garantem que este permaneça fora do alcance dos governos e das elites.

Ao adoptar um padrão Bitcoin, as sociedades podem beneficiar dos princípios do dinheiro sólido que encorajam a responsabilidade fiscal, protegem contra a desvalorização da moeda e capacitam os indivíduos com soberania financeira. As inovações tecnológicas que Bitcoin traz, desde a Lightning Network até contratos inteligentes, ampliam ainda mais o seu potencial como um sistema financeiro global que é inclusivo e acessível a todos.

A ascensão das CBDCs, por outro lado, apresenta riscos significativos para a privacidade, liberdade financeira e governança democrática. Embora estas moedas digitais sejam frequentemente apresentadas como soluções modernas para desafios financeiros, elas servem, em última análise, para centralizar o controlo e expandir o poder estatal sobre as vidas financeiras dos indivíduos. Em contraste, Bitcoin oferece um caminho para a descentralização, onde o poder é distribuído e os indivíduos controlam o seu próprio destino financeiro.

A adopção de um padrão Bitcoin poderia remodelar fundamentalmente o sistema financeiro global ao impor controlos e equilíbrios sobre o abuso de poder governamental, promover a inovação e fomentar a liberdade financeira individual. Representa uma mudança do controlo centralizado do dinheiro pelos governos para um futuro financeiro mais democrático, transparente e resiliente. Numa era em que os sistemas financeiros são cada vez mais usados como armas por estados e elites, Bitcoin ergue-se como um farol de esperança para aqueles que valorizam a liberdade, a autonomia e a justiça.

À medida que o debate sobre o futuro do dinheiro se intensifica, é crucial que indivíduos, legisladores e empresas considerem as implicações destas ideias. O potencial papel de Bitcoin na remodelação do sistema financeiro global não deve ser subestimado. É tempo de explorar e abraçar as oportunidades que o dinheiro sólido e descentralizado oferece e desafiar o status quo que permitiu aos governos e elites exercerem um controlo desproporcionado sobre os sistemas financeiros mundiais.

Ao educarmo-nos, advogar pela soberania financeira e adoptar o Bitcoin como padrão, podemos ajudar a construir um futuro onde o dinheiro serve os interesses do povo, e não do Estado. O caminho a seguir pode ser desafiante, mas as recompensas — um mundo mais livre, justo e próspero — valem bem o esforço.

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Photo by Aedrian Salazar on Unsplash

@ d4e9eedf:bbd14b69

In the era of digitization and increasing control over digital communication, the need to create social applications and messengers based on a decentralized database and infrastructure is becoming ever more pressing. A key aspect of a decentralized structure is the absence of a single owner or leader who could become a target for repression. In traditional, centralized systems, it is precisely this central entity – a person, company, or server – that is most vulnerable to pressure, attacks, or legal actions. In a decentralized network, control is exercised by the entire community, making it virtually unstoppable because it's impossible to shut down thousands of nodes scattered around the world. Even if one link is eliminated, the rest of the network continues to function, and attempts at repression become ineffective.

An example that clearly illustrates the need for decentralization is the arrest of Pavel Durov, the creator of Telegram, in France. #Durov, by refusing to cooperate with governments through his refusal to create a backdoor for his application, became a target for the authorities, which ultimately led to his arrest. If Telegram operated fully on a decentralized structure, actions against one person would not affect the entire network.

Why Decentralization?

• Resistance to Censorship and Blockades: Applications based on decentralized protocols cannot be easily blocked by app stores. In the traditional model, when a central company managing an app becomes a target of legal or political attack, the entire service can be shut down. In a decentralized system, responsibility and control are distributed, significantly complicating such actions.
• Security and Privacy for Users: Decentralized applications can offer end-to-end encryption without the need to trust a single central entity, which could be forced to cooperate with authorities. Users have greater control over their data.
• Inability to Stop the Entire Network: If Telegram had a completely decentralized structure, the arrest of one person, even as key as Durov, would not significantly impact the app's operation. In a decentralized system, there is no single "head" or central server that can be shut down or taken over. The network operates through the cooperation of many nodes, meaning that arresting one person does not affect the whole community.
• Protocol Over Application: It's crucial for the communication protocol to be open and available for various applications. This approach fosters competition and innovation while preventing monopolization and control by single entities. If one app is blocked, users can switch to another using the same protocol without losing their network of contacts.

Summary: The arrest of Pavel Durov (@durov) serves as an alarm signal, indicating the urgent need for change in how communication apps are designed and managed. Decentralized systems can provide greater freedom of speech, privacy, and security, resisting censorship and government controls. We need an architecture that not only allows but encourages the existence of multiple interoperable applications, where the fall or blockade of one does not affect the entire ecosystem.

In subsequent posts, I will inform about current possibilities, protocols, and applications based on blockchain that already offer decentralized solutions and can serve as alternatives to traditional, centralized services.

Decentralization #Blockchain #DigitalFreedom #Privacy #Security #Censorship #Communication #NewTechnologies #FreedomOfSpeech #Web3 #OpenSource #FreeDurov #Libertarianism #FREESPEECH

@ aad03c9f:8e1ae2aa

https://image.nostr.build/2f1a24e14752b9f152cdbbbd48e72258ae52dd481098786499e3f55d53a9ae0f.jpg Focus and attention are critical components in achieving any goal, whether personal or financial. The ability to concentrate on a single task or objective allows individuals to filter out distractions and channel their efforts toward meaningful progress. Research suggests that small, incremental changes can compound over time, leading to substantial results. For instance, dedicating just a few minutes each day to a specific goal can accumulate into a significant achievement over months and years.

@ aad03c9f:8e1ae2aa

Focus and attention are critical components in achieving any goal, whether personal or financial. The ability to concentrate on a single task or objective allows individuals to filter out distractions and channel their efforts toward meaningful progress. Research suggests that small, incremental changes can compound over time, leading to substantial results. For instance, dedicating just a few minutes each day to a specific goal can accumulate into a significant achievement over months and years.

@ aad03c9f:8e1ae2aa

Focus and attention are critical components in achieving any goal, whether personal or financial. The ability to concentrate on a single task or objective allows individuals to filter out distractions and channel their efforts toward meaningful progress. Research suggests that small, incremental changes can compound over time, leading to substantial results. For instance, dedicating just a few minutes each day to a specific goal can accumulate into a significant achievement over months and years.

@ 79af0b42:4722d742

1) Background information regarding Eskom (the main electricity provider) in South Africa:

Eskom is a 100% state-owned electricity company in South Africa, providing energy to greater SA through 30 power plants with a nominal capacity of 44,172 megawatts. Unfortunately, it has faced significant challenges in recent years:

1. Widespread Corruption: Eskom has been plagued by corruption, affecting its efficiency and financial stability.
2. Rising Operational Costs: The cost of maintaining and operating power plants has escalated, impacting Eskom's financial health.
3. Staggering Debt: Eskom carries a massive debt load, threatening the country's utility framework.
4. Uncertain Future: Without successful reforms and a transition to a more efficient system, SA's industrial and economic growth remains uncertain.

The Eskom crisis has broader implications for the southern African region, prompting SA to seek power imports from neighboring countries. Transitioning away from coal is central to SA's plans, supported by international climate finance through the Just Energy Transition Partnership. The utility's sales decline and tariff increases have exacerbated its challenges with the cost of electricity having increased, on average, around 15% per year for the last 10 years. This figure does not include the proposed 36% increase in prices that Eskom has requested NERSA (The National Energy Regulator of South Africa) to approve next year

In recent years, independent power suppliers were allowed to feed the Eskom grid with electricity generated in return for electricity credits with Eskom, to assist it in supplying the country with electricity, which it is struggling with seeing as it implemented “load shedding” (planned power outages/blackouts) on 335 of the 365 calendar days in 2023. This has had a devastating impact on the South Africa’s economy as it directly impacts productivity, profitability and jobs

2) Where we are today:

Naturally, commercial consumers of electricity have had to seek cheaper and more reliable sources of electricity over the last few years in order to keep their business operations alive

There has been a substantial increase in independent power producers that generate their own electricity for their operations and then feed any surplus energy they generate into the Eskom grid for electricity credits. As the price of electricity continues to increase substantially every year, these investments start to make even more sense over time as it can bring down electricity costs as well as be used as a source of electricity for operations during load shedding

3) What’s the problem with this scheme?

For one, the process to have your business registered with Eskom to become an independent power producer and to start feeding electricity into the grid for credits, is extremely cumbersome. This process takes months to complete and can only be started once the plant is finished, as the plant itself has to comply with all of Eskom’s requirements in order to apply to become a power producer. The application and infrastructure required to satisfy the requirements of the plant, costs money, quite a sum of money (second issue) Another issue is, once you are registered with Eskom to feed electricity into the grid, is the credit amounts you receive per kwh of electricity you provide the grid with. I have outlined an example from one of my clients that had a solar plant built on one of their farms to supply the farm with electricity and, of course, feed surplus electricity into the Eskom grid for credits:

For the month of July 2024, the solar plant/client: 1. Supplied the Eskom grid with 5 943.79 kwh of electricity

1. Had received a gross credit amount of R10 807.96 (which is about $606 or 950k sats)

2. Was charged, by Eskom, a daily fee of R113.84 for being connected to the grid, which amounted to R3 529.04 ($197.4 or 308k sats) for the month

3. Was charged, by Eskom, a monthly fee of R3 805.56 ($213.42 or 332k sats) for a “service charge”

4. Netted a total of R3 473.36 ($194.80 or 303k sats) worth of electricity credits for the month for supplying Eskom with 5 943.79 kwh of electricity, which comes down to about R0.59 per kwh ($0.03 or 52 sats per kwh)

What is striking from the above details are the fact that about 68% of the credits are deducted from the gross credits for different fees charged by Eskom, for providing Eskom with electricity

4) Possible solution:

Rather direct the surplus electricity to the Bitcoin network. It will cost money to get the infrastructure up and running, but independent power producers will be able to start earning immediately (don’t have to apply and wait for approval, which takes months), they can save a lot of money by not having to comply with all the additional infrastructure requirements needed in order to apply with Eskom to provide them with electricity AND they receive non-KYC Bitcoin for their surplus electricity, which is the best money available and not just credits with Eskom that can only be offset with future electricity usage (can use for anything in your business)

Thanks for reading :)

@ aad03c9f:8e1ae2aa

Focusing on long-term goals and maintaining consistent attention can lead to significant transformations over time. This principle applies not only to personal development but also to financial strategies, such as stacking Bitcoin during both bullish and bearish market conditions.

The Power of Focus and Attention

Focus and attention are critical components in achieving any goal, whether personal or financial. The ability to concentrate on a single task or objective allows individuals to filter out distractions and channel their efforts toward meaningful progress. Research suggests that small, incremental changes can compound over time, leading to substantial results. For instance, dedicating just a few minutes each day to a specific goal can accumulate into a significant achievement over months and years.

The Role of Consistency

Consistency is key when it comes to focus. Establishing habits that prioritize long-term objectives can create a solid foundation for success. Techniques such as setting daily priorities, tracking progress, and reflecting on achievements can reinforce this focus. For example, the practice of choosing an "anchor task" each day helps individuals concentrate on what truly matters, thereby enhancing productivity and motivation.

Stacking Bitcoin: A Long-Term Perspective

The cryptocurrency market, particularly Bitcoin, exemplifies the importance of maintaining focus amid volatility. Bitcoin has experienced extreme price fluctuations, often influenced by market sentiment and external factors. However, the strategy of "stacking" Bitcoin—buying and holding the asset regardless of market conditions—can yield significant long-term benefits.

Buying in Good and Bad Times

Investors who adopt a long-term perspective and continue to accumulate Bitcoin during both highs and lows can mitigate the risks associated with market volatility. This approach aligns with the concept of dollar-cost averaging, where regular investments are made over time, reducing the impact of price fluctuations. By focusing on the long-term potential of Bitcoin, investors can benefit from its historical upward trajectory despite short-term setbacks.

The Importance of Long-Term Goals

Setting long-term financial goals is crucial in navigating the unpredictable nature of cryptocurrencies. Investors who remain committed to their strategies, regardless of market conditions, are more likely to achieve substantial returns over time. This mindset fosters resilience and encourages individuals to look beyond immediate price movements, focusing instead on the overarching potential of their investments.

Conclusion

The interplay between focus, attention, and long-term goal setting is vital for success in both personal endeavors and financial investments like Bitcoin. By prioritizing consistent actions and maintaining a long-term perspective, individuals can harness the power of small changes to create significant outcomes over time. Whether it’s through personal development or strategic financial planning, the commitment to focus can lead to transformative results.

@ 2b2c72ff:5f641ebf

اکسیژن مایع یکی از اشکال فیزیکی گاز اکسیژن است که در دمای بسیار پایین، حدود ۱۹۶- درجه سانتی‌گراد، به حالت مایع در می‌آید. این مایع به رنگ آبی کم‌رنگ است و در صنایع مختلفی کاربرد دارد.

کاربردهای اکسیژن مایع صنعت پزشکی: یکی از مهم‌ترین کاربردهای اکسیژن مایع در صنعت پزشکی است. در بیمارستان‌ها از اکسیژن مایع برای تامین اکسیژن بیماران استفاده می‌شود. همچنین در عمل‌های جراحی و اتاق‌های عمل برای کمک به تنفس بیماران به کار می‌رود. صنعت فضایی: اکسیژن مایع به عنوان اکسیدکننده در موتورهای موشک استفاده می‌شود. ترکیب اکسیژن مایع با سوخت‌های مختلف، نیروی محرکه لازم برای پرتاب فضاپیماها را فراهم می‌کند. صنعت فولاد: در صنعت فولاد از اکسیژن مایع برای افزایش دمای کوره‌ها و تسریع فرآیند تولید فولاد استفاده می‌شود. صنعت برش و جوشکاری: اکسیژن مایع به عنوان یکی از اجزای اصلی در فرایند برش و جوشکاری با شعله استفاده می‌شود. صنعت غذایی: در صنعت غذا از اکسیژن مایع برای بسته‌بندی مواد غذایی و افزایش ماندگاری آن‌ها استفاده می‌شود. همچنین در تولید برخی از محصولات غذایی مانند بستنی و اسپری‌های خامه نیز کاربرد دارد. نحوه تولید اکسیژن مایع اکسیژن مایع از طریق فرایند تقطیر جزئی هوا تولید می‌شود. در این فرایند، هوا ابتدا فشرده و سپس سرد می‌شود تا به حالت مایع تبدیل شود. سپس با استفاده از تقطیر جزئی، اکسیژن از سایر گازهای موجود در هوا جدا می‌شود.

خطرات اکسیژن مایع اگرچه اکسیژن مایع کاربردهای فراوانی دارد، اما استفاده از آن خطراتی نیز به همراه دارد. تماس مستقیم با اکسیژن مایع می‌تواند باعث سوختگی شدید شود. همچنین بخارات اکسیژن سنگین‌تر از هوا هستند و در محیط‌های بسته می‌توانند باعث خفگی شوند. بنابراین، هنگام کار با اکسیژن مایع باید نکات ایمنی را به دقت رعایت کرد.

نکات مهم در استفاده از اکسیژن مایع حفاظت شخصی: هنگام کار با اکسیژن مایع باید از دستکش، عینک ایمنی و لباس محافظ استفاده کرد. تهویه مناسب: محیط کار با اکسیژن مایع باید دارای تهویه مناسب باشد تا از تجمع بخارات اکسیژن جلوگیری شود. نگهداری در ظروف مخصوص: اکسیژن مایع باید در ظروف مخصوص و عایق‌بندی شده نگهداری شود. دور نگه داشتن از منابع حرارتی: اکسیژن مایع بسیار سرد است و باید از تماس آن با منابع حرارتی اجتناب کرد. در نتیجه، اکسیژن مایع یک ماده بسیار مهم و کاربردی است که در صنایع مختلفی از جمله پزشکی، فضایی، فولاد، برش و جوشکاری و غذا استفاده می‌شود. با رعایت نکات ایمنی، می‌توان از این ماده به صورت ایمن و موثر استفاده کرد.

@ 5dcce619:a97cbb07

الکترود برنز نوعی الکترود جوشکاری است که از آلیاژ برنز ساخته شده و برای جوشکاری انواع مختلف فلزات، به ویژه آلیاژهای مسی و برنزی، استفاده می‌شود. این الکترودها به دلیل خواص منحصر به فردی مانند هدایت حرارتی بالا، مقاومت در برابر خوردگی و قابلیت جوشکاری در دمای پایین، در صنایع مختلف کاربرد فراوانی دارند.

کاربردهای الکترود برنز جوشکاری آلیاژهای مسی: الکترود برنز به طور گسترده برای جوشکاری آلیاژهای مسی مانند برنج، برنز و مس خالص استفاده می‌شود. جوشکاری فولادهای کربنی: در برخی موارد از الکترود برنز برای جوشکاری فولادهای کربنی نیز استفاده می‌شود، اما برای این منظور معمولاً از الکترودهای فولادی استفاده می‌شود. جوشکاری فلزات ناهمسان: الکترود برنز برای جوشکاری فلزات ناهمسان مانند مس و فولاد نیز کاربرد دارد. تعمیرات و تعویض قطعات: از الکترود برنز برای تعمیر و تعویض قطعات برنزی و مسی استفاده می‌شود. مزایای استفاده از الکترود برنز هدایت حرارتی بالا: الکترود برنز هدایت حرارتی بالایی دارد که باعث می‌شود جوشکاری به صورت یکنواخت انجام شود و از ایجاد تنش‌های داخلی در جوش جلوگیری شود. مقاومت در برابر خوردگی: آلیاژ برنز مقاومت بسیار خوبی در برابر خوردگی دارد که باعث می‌شود جوش ایجاد شده نیز در برابر خوردگی مقاوم باشد. قابلیت جوشکاری در دمای پایین: الکترود برنز را می‌توان در دمای پایین‌تر نسبت به سایر الکترودها استفاده کرد. جوشکاری تمیز و زیبا: جوش ایجاد شده با الکترود برنز معمولاً تمیز و زیبا است و نیاز به پرداختکاری کمی دارد. انواع الکترود برنز الکترود برنز در انواع مختلفی تولید می‌شود که هر یک برای کاربرد خاصی مناسب است. برخی از انواع رایج این الکترود عبارتند از:

الکترود برنز فسفره: این نوع الکترود حاوی فسفر است و برای جوشکاری فلزات با ضخامت کم مناسب است. الکترود برنز قلع دار: این نوع الکترود حاوی قلع است و برای جوشکاری فلزات ناهمسان مناسب است. الکترود برنز سیلیکونی: این نوع الکترود حاوی سیلیکون است و برای جوشکاری آلیاژهای آلومینیوم برنز مناسب است. نکات مهم هنگام استفاده از الکترود برنز آماده سازی سطح: قبل از جوشکاری، سطح فلز را باید تمیز و عاری از هرگونه آلودگی شود. انتخاب جریان مناسب: جریان جوشکاری باید متناسب با ضخامت فلز و نوع الکترود انتخاب شود. حفاظت از گاز: هنگام جوشکاری با الکترود برنز باید از گاز محافظ استفاده شود تا از اکسید شدن جوش جلوگیری شود. سرعت جوشکاری: سرعت جوشکاری باید به گونه‌ای باشد که جوش به صورت یکنواخت و بدون ایجاد حفره ایجاد شود. جمع‌بندی

الکترود برنز یکی از مهم‌ترین ابزارها برای جوشکاری آلیاژهای مسی و برنزی است. این الکترود به دلیل مزایای فراوان خود مانند هدایت حرارتی بالا، مقاومت در برابر خوردگی و قابلیت جوشکاری در دمای پایین، در صنایع مختلف کاربرد فراوانی دارد. با انتخاب مناسب الکترود برنز و رعایت نکات ایمنی، می‌توان جوشکاری با کیفیت و مطمئنی انجام داد.

@ e3256734:60a1b1a7

استرچ پالت یکی از روش‌های رایج و کارآمد برای بسته‌بندی و محافظت از کالاها بر روی پالت است. در این روش، یک فیلم پلاستیکی کشسان به نام استرچ به دور پالت و بار قرار می‌گیرد و با ایجاد یک لایه محافظتی، از کالا در برابر آسیب‌های فیزیکی، گرد و غبار و رطوبت محافظت می‌کند.

اهمیت استفاده از استرچ پالت استفاده از استرچ پالت مزایای بسیاری دارد که از جمله آن‌ها می‌توان به موارد زیر اشاره کرد:

حفاظت از کالا: استرچ پالت از کالا در برابر آسیب‌های فیزیکی مانند ضربه، خراش و سایش محافظت می‌کند. ثبات بار بر روی پالت: فیلم استرچ با ایجاد یک لایه یکپارچه، باعث می‌شود کالاها به خوبی بر روی پالت ثابت شوند و از جابه‌جایی و افتادن آن‌ها جلوگیری می‌کند. جلوگیری از آلودگی: استرچ پالت از نفوذ گرد و غبار، رطوبت و سایر آلودگی‌ها به کالا جلوگیری می‌کند. تسهیل در حمل و نقل: بسته‌بندی کالا با استفاده از استرچ پالت باعث می‌شود حمل و نقل کالاها به صورت پالت به پالت آسان‌تر و سریع‌تر انجام شود. کاهش هزینه‌های بسته‌بندی: استفاده از استرچ پالت نسبت به سایر روش‌های بسته‌بندی، هزینه‌های کمتری را در بر دارد. انواع استرچ پالت استرچ پالت در انواع مختلفی تولید می‌شود که هر یک برای کاربرد خاصی مناسب است. برخی از انواع رایج استرچ پالت عبارتند از:

استرچ پالت دستی: این نوع استرچ به صورت دستی بر روی پالت کشیده می‌شود و برای بسته‌بندی حجم کم کالا مناسب است. استرچ پالت نیمه اتوماتیک: در این نوع استرچ، عملیات کشیدن و برش فیلم توسط دستگاه انجام می‌شود و کاربر تنها نیاز به قرار دادن پالت بر روی دستگاه دارد. استرچ پالت تمام اتوماتیک: این نوع استرچ به صورت کاملاً اتوماتیک عمل می‌کند و برای بسته‌بندی حجم بالای کالا در صنایع مختلف مورد استفاده قرار می‌گیرد. عوامل موثر بر انتخاب نوع استرچ پالت حجم و وزن کالا: برای کالاهای سنگین و حجیم، بهتر است از استرچ پالت‌های تمام اتوماتیک استفاده شود. نوع کالا: برای کالاهای حساس و شکننده، باید از استرچ پالتی استفاده شود که به کالا آسیبی وارد نکند. فضای موجود: برای کارگاه‌ها و انبارهایی که فضای محدودی دارند، استرچ پالت‌های دستی یا نیمه اتوماتیک مناسب‌تر هستند. بودجه: قیمت استرچ پالت‌های تمام اتوماتیک نسبت به سایر انواع بالاتر است. کاربردهای استرچ پالت استرچ پالت در صنایع مختلفی از جمله صنایع غذایی، دارویی، شیمیایی، خودروسازی و... مورد استفاده قرار می‌گیرد. از جمله کاربردهای مهم استرچ پالت می‌توان به موارد زیر اشاره کرد:

بسته‌بندی محصولات تولیدی: برای بسته‌بندی محصولات تولیدی در کارخانه‌ها و کارگاه‌ها بسته‌بندی کالاهای صادراتی: برای بسته‌بندی کالاهایی که قرار است به کشورهای دیگر صادر شوند. بسته‌بندی کالاهای خطرناک: برای بسته‌بندی کالاهای خطرناک مانند مواد شیمیایی بسته‌بندی کالاهای حساس: برای بسته‌بندی کالاهای حساس مانند محصولات الکترونیکی جمع‌بندی:

استرچ پالت یکی از روش‌های بسیار موثر و کاربردی برای بسته‌بندی و محافظت از کالاها است. با انتخاب نوع مناسب استرچ پالت، می‌توان از کالاها در حین حمل و نقل و انبارداری به بهترین شکل محافظت کرد و هزینه‌های بسته‌بندی را کاهش داد.

@ 0be52e90:59486ed8

خرید اینترنتی دستگیره درب ورودی یکی از ساده‌ترین و سریع‌ترین روش‌ها برای تغییر دکوراسیون ورودی منزل است. با گسترش فروشگاه‌های اینترنتی، امکان مقایسه انواع مختلف دستگیره درب ورودی، بررسی مشخصات فنی و قیمت آن‌ها، و انتخاب بهترین گزینه تنها با چند کلیک فراهم شده است.

مزایای خرید اینترنتی دستگیره درب ورودی تنوع بالا: در فروشگاه‌های اینترنتی، انواع مختلف دستگیره درب ورودی با طرح‌ها، رنگ‌ها و جنس‌های متنوعی موجود است. این تنوع به شما امکان می‌دهد تا دستگیره‌ای متناسب با سلیقه و دکوراسیون منزلتان انتخاب کنید. مقایسه آسان: با مقایسه قیمت و مشخصات محصولات مختلف، می‌توانید بهترین گزینه را با توجه به بودجه خود انتخاب کنید. صرفه جویی در زمان: خرید اینترنتی دستگیره درب ورودی باعث صرفه‌جویی در زمان می‌شود، زیرا شما نیازی به مراجعه حضوری به فروشگاه‌ها ندارید. امکان بازگشت کالا: در صورت عدم رضایت از محصول خریداری شده، می‌توانید از امکان بازگشت کالا استفاده کنید. نکات مهم در خرید اینترنتی دستگیره درب ورودی اندازه گیری دقیق: قبل از خرید اینترنتی دستگیره درب ورودی، ابعاد دقیق در ورودی خود را اندازه گیری کنید تا از مناسب بودن محصول انتخابی اطمینان حاصل کنید. جنس دستگیره: جنس دستگیره بر روی دوام و ظاهر آن تأثیرگذار است. دستگیره‌های فلزی و استیل از مقاومت بالاتری برخوردار هستند و دستگیره‌های چوبی ظاهری کلاسیک‌تر دارند. طرح و مدل: طرح و مدل دستگیره باید با سبک دکوراسیون ورودی منزلتان هماهنگ باشد. کیفیت ساخت: برای اطمینان از کیفیت محصول، بهتر است از برندهای معتبر خرید کنید و نظرات سایر خریداران را مطالعه نمایید. بهترین فروشگاه‌ها برای خرید اینترنتی دستگیره درب ورودی برای خرید اینترنتی دستگیره درب ورودی، می‌توانید به فروشگاه‌های اینترنتی معتبر مانند دیجی‌کالا، ترب، یا فروشگاه‌های تخصصی یراق‌آلات مراجعه کنید. این فروشگاه‌ها دارای تنوع بالایی از محصولات هستند و امکان مقایسه آسان آن‌ها را فراهم می‌کنند.

جمع‌بندی

خرید اینترنتی دستگیره درب ورودی یک روش آسان و سریع برای تغییر دکوراسیون ورودی منزل است. با توجه به نکات ذکر شده در این مقاله، می‌توانید بهترین گزینه را برای منزل خود انتخاب کنید.

توجه: قبل از انجام هرگونه خرید اینترنتی، حتماً از معتبر بودن فروشگاه اطمینان حاصل کنید و از پرداخت هزینه‌ها از طریق درگاه‌های پرداخت امن استفاده نمایید.

@ 99468e3b:45f55118

ارم‌ها یا لوگوهای ماشین‌ها، بیش از یک تصویر ساده هستند. آن‌ها نمادی از هویت، ارزش‌ها و تاریخچه هر برند خودرو محسوب می‌شوند. در طراحی ارم ماشین‌های مختلف، طراحان از نمادها، خطوط و رنگ‌هایی استفاده می‌کنند که به طور مستقیم یا غیرمستقیم به ویژگی‌های خودرو یا فلسفه شرکت سازنده اشاره دارد.

چرا ارم ماشین‌ها اهمیت دارد؟

هویت بصری: ارم‌ها اولین و مهم‌ترین عنصری هستند که یک برند را از رقبا متمایز می‌کنند. با دیدن یک ارم ماشین، بلافاصله می‌توانیم برند مربوطه را تشخیص دهیم. انتقال ارزش‌ها: هر ارم، داستان خاص خود را دارد و ارزش‌هایی را که یک برند برای خود قائل است به نمایش می‌گذارد. ایجاد ارتباط عاطفی: ارم‌ها می‌توانند با مشتریان ارتباط عاطفی برقرار کنند و حس وفاداری به برند را تقویت کنند. نماد تاریخچه: بسیاری از ارم ماشین‌های مختلف، تغییراتی را در طول زمان تجربه کرده‌اند. این تغییرات، بازتابی از تحولات و پیشرفت‌های یک برند هستند. عناصر تشکیل‌دهنده ارم ماشین‌های مختلف:

نمادها: نمادهایی مانند ستاره، شمشیر، پرنده و... اغلب در ارم ماشین‌های مختلف استفاده می‌شوند و هر کدام معنای خاصی را منتقل می‌کنند. خطوط: خطوط می‌توانند حس قدرت، سرعت، ظرافت یا کلاسیک بودن را القا کنند. رنگ‌ها: رنگ‌ها نیز مانند نمادها و خطوط، نقش مهمی در انتقال مفاهیم دارند. هر رنگ، احساسات و ویژگی‌های خاصی را تداعی می‌کند. فونت: فونت مورد استفاده در ارم، می‌تواند به کلاسیک بودن یا مدرن بودن یک برند اشاره کند. ارم ماشین‌های مختلف، تنوع بسیار زیادی دارند و هر کدام داستان و فلسفه خاص خود را روایت می‌کنند. برخی از ارم‌ها ساده و مینیمال هستند، در حالی که برخی دیگر پیچیده و پرجزئیات هستند. اما همه آن‌ها یک هدف مشترک دارند: ایجاد یک هویت بصری قوی و ماندگار برای برند.

مثال‌هایی از نمادگرایی در ارم ماشین‌ها:

مرسدس بنز: ستاره سه پر، نماد تسلط بر زمین، دریا و هوا است. بی‌ام‌و: دو بخش آبی و سفید، نماد پرچم بایرن است که نشان‌دهنده منشأ این برند است. آئودی: چهار حلقه، نماد ادغام چهار شرکت خودروسازی آلمانی است. فورد: نام فورد به صورت ساده و خوانا، نمادی از سادگی و قابلیت اطمینان است. در کل، ارم ماشین‌های مختلف، یک زبان بصری قدرتمند هستند که می‌توانند اطلاعات زیادی را در مورد یک برند به ما بدهند. با مطالعه و تحلیل این ارم‌ها، می‌توانیم به درک عمیق‌تری از هویت و ارزش‌های برندهای خودروسازی دست پیدا کنیم.

@ 361d3e1e:50bc10a8

Gradually, the government begins to recognize, more and more, its evils in the past and now.

The US Department of Health and Human Services has acknowledged a link between fluoridated drinking water and ....

Full story: https://forex-strategy.com/2024/08/25/the-us-department-of-health-confirms-the-fluoride-conspiracy-as-true/

@ 361d3e1e:50bc10a8

He believes that the main initiators of Durov’s arrest in Paris were the CIA, MI6 and representatives of the US Democratic Party. According to Bennett, NATO countries ..

Full story: https://forex-strategy.com/2024/08/25/they-will-leave-him-without-food-and-water-until-he-hands-over-telegram-and-vk/

@ 80854f6e:073697fe

Hello friend, now AI systems are getting more sophisticated, I see when I play social media like Facebook, when we want to upload photos or videos, there is a command that says "made with AI" I don't understand what the meaning of that setting is, whether it is problematic or not, What do you think?

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

Table Of Content

• The Features of Cleanspark's New Acquisition

• Potential Benefits for Cleanspark

• Impact on the Industry

• Conclusion

• FAQ

Bitcoin mining is an energy-intensive process that requires powerful hardware to solve complex algorithms and validate transactions. As the price of Bitcoin continues to soar, more miners are joining the network, making competition for mining rewards fierce. In this competitive environment, mining companies need to have cutting-edge technology and energy-efficient systems to remain profitable.

The Features of Cleanspark's New Acquisition

Cleanspark's new acquisition includes 20,000 S19j Pro Antminers, which are the latest models from Bitmain, one of the leading Bitcoin mining hardware manufacturers. The S19j Pro Antminers are known for their high hash rates, low power consumption, and advanced cooling systems.

Some of the key features of the S19j Pro Antminers include Hash rate of 100 terahashes per second (TH/s)

Power consumption of 3,100 watts

Advanced cooling system with two fans and a high-temperature protection mechanism

Compatible with various mining pools and software

Can mine other cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Bitcoin SV (BSV)

These features make the S19j Pro Antminers some of the most efficient and powerful Bitcoin miners in the market today. With 20,000 of these miners, Cleanspark's mining facilities will have a combined hash rate of 2 exahashes per second (EH/s), which is a significant boost from its previous hash rate of 315 petahashes per second (PH/s).

Potential Benefits for Cleanspark

The acquisition of 20,000 Bitcoin miners is a significant investment for Cleanspark. However, the company expects to reap several benefits from the move. Some of these benefits include:

Increased Mining Rewards

With the high hash rate of the new miners, Cleanspark's mining facilities can validate more transactions and earn more mining rewards.

Reduced Energy Costs

The S19j Pro Antminers have a lower power consumption rate compared to previous models, which means Cleanspark can save on energy costs.

Improved Sustainability

Cleanspark's clean energy solutions coupled with the energy-efficient new miners will contribute to a more sustainable Bitcoin mining industry with a lower carbon footprint.

Enhanced Reputation

Cleanspark's commitment to sustainable mining practices has gained it a positive reputation in the industry. The acquisition of the new miners will further cement its position as a leading clean energy solutions provider for Bitcoin mining.

Impact on the Industry

The Bitcoin mining industry has been criticized for its high energy consumption and carbon footprint. However, companies like Cleanspark are leading the way in promoting sustainable mining practices that minimize the industry's impact on the environment. The acquisition of 20,000 Bitcoin miners by Cleanspark is a significant step towards this goal. The advanced features of the S19j Pro Antminers make them ideal for energy-efficient mining, which aligns with Cleanspark's mission to promote sustainability.

Moreover, the increased hash rate of the new miners will contribute to the security and stability of the Bitcoin network. The more miners there are on the network, the more difficult it is for any single entity to control the network's operations.

Cleanspark's new acquisition also signals the company's commitment to expanding its operations and scaling up its mining facilities. With the addition of the 20,000 Bitcoin miners, Cleanspark can increase its production and revenue streams, making it a more competitive player in the market.

The move also has implications for other Bitcoin mining companies that are struggling to remain profitable in the current market. As mining difficulty increases, companies need to invest in more efficient and powerful hardware to remain competitive. Cleanspark's acquisition of 20,000 Bitcoin miners sets a high bar for other companies to match if they want to remain relevant in the industry.

Conclusion

Cleanspark's new acquisition of 20,000 Bitcoin miners for next-level mining facilities is a significant move that has the potential to impact the Bitcoin mining industry positively. The advanced features of the new miners make them energy-efficient, which aligns with Cleanspark's mission to promote sustainable mining practices. Moreover, the increased hash rate of the new miners will contribute to the security and stability of the Bitcoin network. The move also signals Cleanspark's commitment to expanding its operations and scaling up its mining facilities. The acquisition sets a high bar for other companies to match if they want to remain competitive in the industry.

FAQs

How much did Cleanspark pay for the 20,000 Bitcoin miners? Cleanspark has not disclosed the cost of the acquisition.

When will the new miners be operational? The company plans to have the new miners operational by Q3 2021.

What is the hash rate of the new miners? The S19j Pro Antminers have a hash rate of 100 TH/s.

That's all for today

If you want more, be sure to follow us on:

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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.

@ c230edd3:8ad4a712

Chef's notes

Allow meat to soak for 1-24 hours. The rougher the cut, the longer the soak. This is great for open flame grilling, as well as pan seared, though the latter is preferable. Petit Sirloin can marinade for approximately 1 hour and still develop tenderness. I like to score the steaks if they will only be resting in the mix for a short time. All seasonings can be adjusted to taste. Base ingredients scale well, for any number of steaks. Equal parts, enough to coat the meat is really all that matters.

I'm terrible at remembering cooking pictures, so image is a random steak. I will try to remember to update that next time I make these.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 10
• 🍳 Cook time: However long you usually cook your steak to preferred doneness

Ingredients

• 4 petite sirloin steaks or other cut
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3-5 cloves garlic, depending on size, minced and salted
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1\2 tsp crushed red pepper

Directions

1. Mix ingredients and marinade 1-24 hours.
2. Grill or pan sear to your preferred doneness
3. Enjoy!

@ cbaa0c82:e9313245

🍞 ♥️ U

Thank You

It’s been an amazing first year for Bread and Toast. Besides the website, Bread and Toast is meant to be #NostrOnly content so a huge thank you to everyone who has reacted, reposted, or zapped a note. At the time of this writing the nPub currently has a little over 250 followers (according to nostr.band). The support that has been shown has been very welcomed and is incredibly special. Nostr is still so young so anytime a pleb decides to press that follow button while using their favorite client is so important.

An additional thank you to all the people who have checked out BreadandToast.com regardless of whether you are using Nostr or not. Those views matter us.

Much Learned

Seeing that it was the first year there was so much to learn. So many improvements were made to the process of developing ideas for singles and other possible content. From idea creation to scheduling or something as simple as how to structure the notes that were put out to Nostr. The website went through some design changes to simplify it and make it easier to navigate so that way visitors could better enjoy the content. The amount of sections that are now on the website is more than was ever planned for the first year.

Most Important

In terms of importance, at the top of the list of what was learned this first year was the power of collaboration. It was about a half year into this project when other users of the nostr protocol were reached out to as a way of helping promote the Bread and Toast nPub. Just about every time someone has created an original piece of content for a Bread and Toast Promotional it has increased the follower count on nostr. As more creators contributed in this way an unexpected collection of content was added to. At a certain point it could no longer be ignored, and the idea for sharing this collection at BreadandToast.com was developed and called “The Bakery.” The amount of connections that have been made with people all across the world. Art from at least 5 different countries. The communication and business that was done was energy and time well spent. Some incredible friendships were made. The continued support from those who did contribute means so much. Thank you to all the Bakers!

Year Two now lies ahead. Let’s see what we can bake up.

Bread, Toast, and End-Piece

@ 68ce424d:56845ef5

1. Control your perceptions.
2. Accept what you cannot change.
3. Focus on the present moment.
4. Cultivate Humility and Empathy
5. Practive Gratitude.
6. Embrace Adversity as an opportunity for growth.
7. Be guided by reason.
8. Cultivate inner peace.
9. Practice Detachment.
10. Keep moving forward.

@ 68ce424d:56845ef5

The way you manage your managers greatly influences how they manage their own teams. Want them to give consistent feedback to their teams? Start giving consistent feedback to your managers. Want them to handle conflicts well? Start doing it yourself without ignoring or avoiding conflicts. Want them to speak up and disagree? Use every opportunity to engage in healthy disagreements.

@ b9946fa3:4c8e9aa4

The Problem:\ Millions of people around the globe either lack access to education or are forced to contend with poor-quality education they can’t afford. Traditional education systems often apply a one-size-fits-all model, which fails to meet the diverse needs of students, leaving many disengaged and without the skills they need for the future.

The Dream Solution:\ Imagine an education system that is as unique as each student, engaging, accessible, and affordable. This vision leverages the Nostr protocol — a decentralised, simple social graph — and the power of Bitcoin to create a revolutionary platform that could democratise education worldwide.

Key Components

1. Custom-Made, Tailored Education:

2. The Nostr client offers personalised curriculums created through an initial rigorous assessment. This includes personality tests and consideration of each student’s hobbies and interests.

3. The AI-driven system ensures that the curriculum is not just relevant but also engaging and aligned with the student’s goals, making learning both fun and effective.

2. Engaging and Fun Learning:

• Real-world experiences, like apprenticeships and work-integrated learning, are built into the curriculum, ensuring that students are not just learning theory but also applying their knowledge in practical ways.
• The innovative teaching methods aim to keep students motivated and interested, making education a continuous and exciting journey.

3. Global Accessibility:

• The Nostr client operates both online and in physical locations, ensuring that students from any part of the world can access quality education.
• The Nostr client will be multiple languages, making it inclusive and globally relevant.

4. Nostr ID and Accreditation:

• Each student, teacher, and business/institution will have a Nostr ID , which securely stores all relevant metrics — scores, time spent learning/teaching, and ratings. These metrics are public and transparent, building a credible reputation for all participants.
• This decentralised approach ensures that credentials and achievements are recognised and respected globally, regardless of where a student is based.

5. Affordable Education with Incentives:

• The platform is designed to be accessible financially, using a zapping system powered by Bitcoin. Students and teachers can earn rewards and incentives, ensuring that education is both affordable and financially rewarding.
• A value-for-value (V4V) monetisation method allows students and teachers to earn according to their contributions and success.

6. Real-Time Learning Matchmaking:

• A Nostr client functions similarly to Uber, where students can see available teachers, their ratings, zaps, specialties, and other metrics before choosing who they want to learn from.
• AI facilitates the connection, ensuring that students can begin learning with their chosen teacher almost immediately.

7. Feedback Loop and Continuous Improvement:

• After each session, both the student and the teacher must provide feedback, which is crucial for continuous improvement.

Role of Businesses and Institutions

How They Participate:

• Businesses, employers, and institutions can join the Nostr clients by creating a profile using a Nostr ID. They have access to the same public and private portals as students and teachers, allowing them to interact directly with the educational ecosystem.
• The Nostr client allows businesses and institutions to scout and hire students directly from the system based on their scores, ratings, and other metrics. Employers can view detailed profiles of students, including their completed courses, projects, and feedback from teachers, making it easier to find candidates who match their specific needs.
• Students, in turn, can choose to work with companies that have high ratings and reputations on the platform, ensuring that both parties benefit from a transparent and merit-based system.
• For example, a company could offer scholarships or financial incentives to top-performing students, which not only aids the student financially but also builds the company’s reputation on the platform.
• These organisations can donate or pay funds (in Bitcoin) to receive higher ratings or more visibility on the platform, similar to sponsored content or advertising. This helps them build a reputation within the community and attract top talent.
• Businesses and institutions contribute to a communal pool of funds, which is distributed primarily to teachers and students based on their ratings and scores. This model incentivizes quality education and ensures that everyone involved in the learning process is rewarded appropriately.
• A small percentage of these funds is allocated to cover the Nostr client operational fees, ensuring that the service remains sustainable and continues to provide high-quality education.

Example: A Student’s Journey

Consider a student from anywhere in the world logging into the Nostr client . After the AI sorts their curriculum and completes the initial assessments, they can go online at any time to see which teachers are available. The Nostr client shows each teacher’s ratings, zaps, and specialties, allowing the student to make an informed choice.

Once the student selects a teacher, the AI facilitates the connection instantly. If a teacher declines, another one picks up the session. During the lesson, the AI listens in and can add comments or suggestions in real-time if necessary.

At the end of the session, both the student and teacher provide feedback. If the student cannot afford to pay, they still have the option to leave feedback. If they can pay more, they are encouraged to do so, supporting the teacher.

For this student, the Nostr client offers more than just education; it builds a track record and reputation that could lead to job opportunities globally. The scores, ratings, and zaps accumulated could potentially help the student secure employment with a prestigious company in another country, breaking down traditional barriers to opportunity.

Conclusion

This is not just a fantasy but a visionary idea that leverages the power of Bitcoin as the internet of money and Nostr as a simple social graph protocol. The dream of a decentralised, accessible, and tailored education system is within reach, and it has the potential to transform lives globally. What do you think? Is this a feasible solution, or does it still feel like a dream? What would you add to make this vision a reality?

You can find me:

Nostr: npub1hx2xlg66zdwgldvz6y08yu4lul2n0zq3ulug094ul5wc2nywn2jqpkf8z3

website: https://somalimajlis.com

Email: somalimajlis@gmail.com

@ 57c4ec91:16504232

This Bitcoin Talk is Dangerous!: How My Talk Got Censored at BHB 2024

Due to some unfortunate circumstances, I was not able to attend the Baltic HoneyBadger 2024 conference where I was invited to give a talk and participate on a bitcoin mining panel. This, sadly, wasn't the worst part of it! What was worse was that I was censored at BHB. Yes, really. Please keep in mind, that everything I am describing here is my personal opinion of the events as they unfolded and to the best of my knowledge.

The title of my talk was, "Jeff Booth is a Communist". Because, well, he is in the very best way possible. I explain this in my actual talk. Regardless of what you think about communism, banning a word does not make it go away. To the credit of the conference organizers, they did not censor my talk's title. Based on my conversations with them, it appears that The Human Rights Foundation's Compliance Team did.

Yes, compliance team. You read correctly. Don't believe me? I have receipts. Please keep in mind, when I was invited to speak at the conference, I was not told that I was going to be on an HRF sponsored stage with speech restrictions prior to agreeing to speak there. Nor that the travel stipend was likely from an HRF grant. I would never have agreed to such terms if I had known.

I have to say, I was furious that my title was censored. Censorship is the last thing I would expect at a bitcoin conference. I decided it was best for me to give my talk anyway. Sadly, a day later I learned that my passport had arrived but was missing in the package delivery facility. Long story here that isn't worth going into, needless to say, I worked very hard to get it back to no avail.

Now that I was stuck in the US and unable to travel, I tried getting a virtual talk to the conference organizers. I was told this was acceptable and that they would find room for it on the agenda and put it on a different stage that HRF was not sponsoring. So, I worked very hard on Saturday to finish my talk and record it. I got a file to the conference A/V person. Sadly, despite being told they would place my talk on the agenda and play it as part of the conference, for whatever reason unknown to me, it was not and I received no explanation for this.

Ben Arc, after learning of what was happening, said he would play it during his LNBits workshop. So thankfully, my talk still played in front of an audience of BHB conference attendees. If you're bothered that I've gone public rather than use background channels, please understand that based on what I was told, it is my belief that HRF's team made a unilateral decision and made no effort to contact me in private to discuss the content of my talk. Since the courtesy was not offered to me, I do not feel the need to offer this to HRF or BHB.

I am disappointed that the organization that I held in such high esteem and believed was aligned with my commitment to free speech, appears to not share my values. I can't emphasize enough the disappointment, pain, and sadness I feel over what has happened. I never expected this from an organization that promotes human rights. Free speech is a human right.

I want to thank my friends who supported me throughout this. Especially Ben Arc, who offered me time during his workshop to play my talk. Thank you for supporting me. I cannot say this enough.

The video and talk are posted as part of this article. I will also post them in a separate, standalone nostr article. Thank you for reading this. Please watch the recording of my talk and share it with others.

Baltic HoneyBadger 2024: Jeff Booth is a Communist

Click the image to watch the talk on YouTube.

TRANSCRIPT:

My original intent with this talk was to be a little provocative, but mostly to have a little bit of fun with some ideas I’ve been playing with this summer. Sadly, I’m no longer in a lighthearted mood as this has been a trying week. I was looking forward to speaking in person at Honey Badger, but the universe had different plans. Considering that the universe has chosen to set me on a slightly different path, I think it is most appropriate that my talk adapts to this new path.

In 2008, Bifo Berardi, an Italian philosopher of the autonomist movement, was part of a discussion at the Tate Modern art gallery in London that reflected on the relationship between art, labor, and politics. We know about this discussion because David Graeber, the late anarchist and anthropologist, wrote a review.

What Graeber noted was a complete lack of reflection on modern art beyond the 1960s or 1970s. There was an attempt to understand the challenges of the 21st century within the context of the 20th century. But what really stood out was Berardi’s depressing comments about the future. First, you have to understand something about Bifo if you’ve never seen him speak. He’s the most jovial, bouncy-energy, and uplifting, white haired Italian philosopher you could ever witness.

Bifo said–according to Graeber’s recollection, “The twentieth century was the “century of the future.”

But that’s over. In the current moment, which is no longer one of conjunction but of connection, there is no longer a future. Cyber-space is infinite, but cyber-time is most definitively not. The precarity of labor means life is pathologized; and where once Lenin could teeter back and forth from depressive breakdowns to decisive historical action, no such action is now possible, suicide is the only form of effective political action; art and life have fused and it’s a disaster; any new wave of radical subjectification is inconceivable now. If there was hope, it is only for some great catastrophe, after which possibly, maybe, everything might change.”

Depressing right? Bifo was arguing that the future is dead. The 20th century was the century of the future and the 21st century is the century of precarity with no future in sight.To quote Graeber’s review of the talk, “We have come to a point where it is impossible to even imagine projecting ourselves forwards in time in any meaningful way, where the only radical gesture left to us is therefore self-mutilation or suicide.”

(Graeber/Fisher slide)I can’t help but imagine that 2008 was a pivotal moment for thinkers like Graeber and another favorite of mine, Mark Fisher. Mark Fisher was a social critic and best known for his book, “Capitalist Realism”. Seeing the Great Financial Crisis play out as critics of the existing system, in light of the historical failures of the 1960s and 1970s to create revolution to avoid the future that we find ourselves in at that moment, and for some the greatest intellectual thinkers of the 20th century to simply say there was no hope, had to weigh heavy on them.

Which is why I think they rejected the idea that there was no way out. All around in their environment, they saw a future lost, even Fisher acknowledged that the future was cancelled through his analysis of how music and culture as a whole changes after the 1970s. Graeber condenses it into one word: Dreamworld. Meaning that we could only make sense of this lost future through a kind of fantasy, through sci-fi, or literally dreams. Yet, rather than give into the desire to be defeated, they tried to find a way out.

(All possibilities slide) Something that I really like about Graeber, which really isn’t his idea alone, Marcel Mauss made this observation as well. Which is that all possibilities occur simultaneously in our current world. I like this because it reveals the possibility of contradictions that can be exploited for the creation of new opportunities for revolution. It also suggests that the future is not dead, but already here, or at least, the path toward a future that takes us out of this state of precarity is already here.

(Chancellor slide) The reality is that Bitcoin arises from this reality that all possibilities occur simultaneously. All of us are survivors of the crisis that happened in 2008. We’re acutely aware of this event in part because Bitcoin was born during this time. The genesis block is a historical documentation of the most critical aspect. Chancellor on the brink of second bailout. The banks were bailed out, the cycle of capital destruction–or creative destruction–was stifled. Since the recession of the 1970s, cue the website, “WTF Happened in 1971?”, we’ve been stuck. Everyone knows this. Everyone feels this. It’s something like when you walk into a casino, and the stench of cigarette smokes permeates and clings to every fiber it touches. You can’t get it out no matter how much Fabreeze you use.

(Kliman/Marx/Schumpeter slide) If you were to ask Andrew Kliman, a Marxist economist, it’s because the government and Federal Reserve feared the fallout of the business cycle. Maybe you didn’t know this, but Karl Marx, the original Marxist economist, documented this cycle, which he called capital destruction. You might be more familiar with the term creative destruction, defined by the Austrian economist, Joseph Schumpeter. Either way, the natural order of capitalism has been subverted because capitalism is built on a contradiction, which is that it’s very innovative process leads to its own self-destruction. This is actually necessary, so that new capital can be created and capitalism can be reborn.

What happened then was that American government and central bank refused to let this happen. Of course, with the destruction of capital comes a certain amount of economic crisis that affects the value of stocks and employment. If your businesses are leveraged, it might lead to deflation. But if you keep delaying the natural process of capitalism, what you do is set a course for something that could be potentially much worse than a brief crisis that resolves mostly on its own, maybe with some help to keep workers afloat while new capital is created within newer, more efficient industries. A crisis so much worse, that it could destroy not just the economic system, but our ecological system, too. Leaving in its wake a dystopian, technofeudalistic slave world where you indeed own nothing and are happy insofar as you are told you are to believe you are happy while you wear industrial scale face masks because the world is so damaged that it isn’t safe to breathe the air without them.

(Solarpunk slide) This is where we are, headed toward a crisis far worse than capitalism could have ever designed. We’re on course for something much worse than the worst aspects of capitalism. But luckily, the future is already here. It already exists. What we have is the Internet. We have distributed networks. We have peer to peer. We have free and open source software. We have crowdfunding. We have the ability to build mesh networks in a way that we could not do 10 years ago. We have high-speed Internet access that can allow us to locally host most of our content and share it with anyone around the world. We have cryptography. Even though we’re entering a stage that is nothing like the capitalism that Marx or Schumpeter once described, nor the kind of capitalism that workers organized against, which the cultural revolutionaries of the 1960s and 1970s could not fathom, we still have evidence that we can get through the end of capitalism with the tools that capitalism has provided us.

Bitcoin is a distributed, peer-to-peer monetary system. It takes the cypherpunk beyond the virtual world of the Internet and into the real world. It breaks down the barriers because it is tied to the physical world, not just through its energy use, but through its purchase power. It allows us to transfer and influence the social layer because it is a network that anyone can participate in. Like the Internet and as a result of it, Bitcoin challenges system capture. While mega corporations have managed to capture aspects of the Internet through mega platforms like Facebook, Amazon, and others, we can still build our own platforms and protocols that belong to us and which no one can control. Obviously, Nostr is a prime example.

Bitcoin is in a struggle against system capture, this is especially true at the center of the financial system, Wall Street. So many have cheered the development of Bitcoin ETFs, and the arrival of institutional investors. But I caution against this cheering, because this is only system capture, not revolution. If Wall Street succeeds, Bitcoin will be objectified and commodified in the true sense of the word. It will be packaged and sold back to you in a form that will at the surface feel familiar but will ultimately be a hollow reflection of what it once was.

Yet, because Bitcoin is peer-to-peer, it can at least exist in simultaneous contradiction. Even if Wall St tries to capture Bitcoin, we can still use Bitcoin as it was originally intended. The question is, will the original intent of a peer-to-peer electronic cash system be that which scales with mass adoption, or will it be the reified package that Wall Street sells you? Remember, we can still use torrents to download movies, music, and books for free because it's peer-to-peer, but most people pay for a Netflix subscription these days.

If Bitcoin is the bridge from the virtual world of simultaneous possibilities that are possible thanks to the revolutionary power of the Internet–which challenges the very fundamental notions of capitalism which are property rights and scarcity–then perhaps we can escape the destructive path that the Federal Reserve put us on.

To do this, we have to focus our efforts on building tools that make it easy to use Bitcoin. If we can empower people to break out of the economic system, then we can empower them to make a new choice. We don’t have to be debt slaves. When we interact with Bitcoin, not just as a store of value but as a medium of exchange, then I think we start to realize the power that it gives us. It gives us a taste of true freedom that exists right now as a possibility alongside the possibility of totalitarianism. Bitcoin must be easier to use. We have scaling issues to deal with still. We need developers to work together, not against each other, toward the goal of bringing Bitcoin to the masses. Along with that, we have to pass along the values that we’ve learned from the Internet. A free and open society is the only way forward. Working in collaboration with each other, with the freedom to participate in certain projects or not, is a powerful lesson in community building. We have to harness the ability of crowdfunding as a way of building communities that transcend our local ones. Cypherpunks write code, but if you can’t write code, then build peer-to-peer communities that are both physical and virtual. We must take the next step forward before it is too late. We must bring the cypherpunk into the physical world.

(Booth slide) Anyway, this talk was originally inspired by my favorite communist, Jeff Booth. It was originally titled, “Jeff Booth is a communist” but the Human Rights Foundation decided to act unilaterally–kind of like one of those state-communist parties that dictate from the top what kind of speech is acceptable–to censor my title. But let me tell you something, if you believe that we need to accept a new system is coming, and that abundance will result from technological deflation while we will make less money but also work less (if at all) for more, then you’re by definition a post-scarcity, post-work, anti-capitalist. Or, better said, you’re into fully automated luxury communism. This isn’t Maduro’s communism. This isn’t Mao’s communism. This is what happens only when capitalism finally out innovates itself to the point that it drives profits toward zero. When abundance is accepted, artificial scarcity–one of the necessary conditions for capitalism to exist–will be destroyed. When workers are no longer part of the production system, then the concept of value, whether from the point of view of the labor theory of value or of subjective value theory, will dramatically change into something that would be unrecognizable and probably incompatible with capitalism. With abundance, private property would also be challenged–another fundamental property of capitalism. Remember how stupid we all thought NFTs were because anyone could hit control+C and download an identical copy of their monkey jpg? That’s exactly what abundance does to artificial scarcity. It makes a mockery of it. It makes a mockery of capitalism.

Embrace your communist side. As Graeber pointed out, we’re already communists. The future is already here.

“We are at a crossroads. What worked before will not work in the future. Technology is moving too fast—and it will only move faster from here. Even if we wanted to, we can’t put the genie back into the bottle. We need to build a new framework for our local and global economies, and soon, or the same technology that has the power to bring abundance to us and our world will instead destroy it.” --Jeff Booth, The Price of Tomorrow

@ aad03c9f:8e1ae2aa

The way you manage your managers greatly influences how they manage their own teams. Want them to give consistent feedback to their teams? Start giving consistent feedback to your managers. Want them to handle conflicts well? Start doing it yourself without ignoring or avoiding conflicts. Want them to speak up and disagree? Use every opportunity to engage in healthy disagreements.

@ aad03c9f:8e1ae2aa

The way you manage your managers greatly influences how they manage their own teams. Want them to give consistent feedback to their teams? Start giving consistent feedback to your managers. Want them to handle conflicts well? Start doing it yourself without ignoring or avoiding conflicts. Want them to speak up and disagree? Use every opportunity to engage in healthy disagreements.

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

All of us, when considering “what is good?” end up using the wrong measuring stick. We measure ourselves by the people around us rather than by God’s standard written in the Bible or by Jesus’s example given when He lived a perfect, sinless life as a man. We fail to judge correctly. We like to say like the Pharisees:

The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. (Luke 18:11)

What Measuring Reference?

More than anything we all like to think of ourselves as “good” people and as “better” than others, but we forget what the Bible says about us and righteousness:

As it is written,“There is none righteous, not even one;
There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks for God;
All have turned aside, together they have become useless;
There is none who does good,There is not even one.” (Romans 3:10-12)

Even if we are better than some others (at least in certain areas), that doesn’t make us good. “There is none who does good, There is not even one.”

I think part of thinking we are “good” people is the way we compare ourselves to others (rather than to God, as we should). We compare ourselves to the worst, to make us look better. We pick the areas that are our strengths and compare it to those who are weak in those areas, but then we avoid comparing our weak areas to their strengths. When we have an area where we are weak, we usually either make excuses or put on blinders so we can’t see our own weaknesses.

For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. (2 Corinthians 10:12-13)

The Bible specifically condemns us using our own measure instead of His measure and says, “when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.”

Confession

Confessing each particular sin is one area where I am weak. I fully understand that we all (including me) sin continually and displease God with our thoughts, words, and actions. I fully understand that I fall miserably short of God’s ideal. I can honestly say, “Forgive me because I have sinned.” The thing I am very poor at is asking forgiveness for specific sins. I am terrible at seeing each individual sin, each individual offense against God. I don’t have an excuse. I guess I have put on blinders because I don’t want to see my sins. I don’t want to see how poorly I do. I don’t want to see how I regularly offend God. Are you the same way? Do you regularly confess each specific sin?

Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin”? (Proverbs 20:9)

We are told to Confess our sins to God.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

We are told that failing to confess our sins will lead to our harm.

He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. (Proverbs 28:9,13)

We are encouraged to confess our sins to God first and foremost, but we are also encouraged to confess to others. Obviously, we should confess our sins (apologize) to someone that we wronged or hurt in some way, but we can also be helped by confessing to another because it keeps us honest about our sins and helps keep us accountable.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. (James 5:16)

This could be a confession to a close friend or family member. It could be a confession to a mentor or spiritual leader. When we confess our sins to another person, we aren’t asking for them to absolve us from our sins. Only Jesus can do that. Having someone to whom we regularly confess our sins, worries, and weaknesses helps us to stay accountable. Being right with God is what matters, but having a physical person look us in the eyes and ask how we are doing in areas where we are weak can help us stay the course set for us by God.

Wrong View of Sin

We generally all treat most of our sins as not that big of a deal. We excuse that “little white lie.” We discount that moment of pride or jealousy. We rationalize putting other things before God.

All sin comes down to disobeying God and making ourselves to be our own god over the one true God. All sin is idolatry. All sin, no matter how minor we think it is, is an affront to God.

Every single sin is deserving of death. If we could see our sins as God sees them, we would be filled with terror.

For we have been consumed by Your anger
And by Your wrath we have been dismayed.
You have placed our iniquities before You,
Our secret sins in the light of Your presence.
For all our days have declined in Your fury;
We have finished our years like a sigh.
As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years,
Or if due to strength, eighty years,
Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow;
For soon it is gone and we fly away.
Who understands the power of Your anger
And Your fury, according to the fear that is due You?
So teach us to number our days,
That we may present to You a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:7-12)

We need to fall down on our faces and beg forgiveness for our blatant offences against our creator God. We need to see our sins in the same way God sees them, as abhorrent actions that separate us from God.

Deliver me from all my transgressions;Make me not the reproach of the foolish. (Psalms 39:8)

Luckily for us, God made a way for us to get right with God despite our foolish, sinful thoughts and actions. God did not leave us alone and suffering in the wilderness of His wrath without a way of escape.

even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Ephesians 2:5-10)

Jesus knew that we would fail. Jesus knew that we would let Him down. Jesus knew that we would be unable to makes things right, so He made a way for us. He lived the perfect life that we never could and died on the cross to take away our sins. Jesus agreed to cover our sins if we only repent and submit to Him.

Do Not Judge so That You Will Not Be Judged

Jesus made it so that those who trust in Him will not be judged as we deserve. Because He has been merciful to us, we also should be merciful to others. We have failed miserably and therefore should not judge others.

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.” (Luke 6:37)

Once again, we have a tendency to judge others who are weak where we are strong or to judge others who are having problems in an areas where we used to fail, but have learned to do better. Most of us are bad at seeing the areas where we fail miserably and if we can see it, we make excuses while not allowing others to make excuses for their sins.

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5)

Yes, there absolutely are times in which we need to help a fellow believer deal with their personal sin or we need to help an unbeliever see their sins so they can see their need for a savior, but we need to deal honestly with our own sins beforehand and we need to be honest with others about our own struggle with sin. We need to not lie to them (and ourselves) about our own struggles with sin. In reality, when we admit our own sins and don’t pretend to have it all together, they are actually more likely to listen to what we have to say than when we pretend to be the perfect little Christian saint.

If we are going to point out another’s sins, the Bible gives us particular patterns to follow. Our correction of another is not about judgement or embarrassment, but is about reconciling sinners to their holy God.

“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 18:15-18)

All correction should have the goal of reconciling the corrected with Christ and the church. It should be for the good of the person being corrected. Correction should never have the goal embarrassing the person, winning an argument, or beating them into submission.

If we take a line out of “The Lord’s Prayer” or “The Model Prayer,” and pray “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12) or “And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.” (Luke 11:4) then we are more likely to do correction in a godly manner.

Do Not Be A Stumbling Block

In addition to not sinning, judging ourselves and others correctly, and correcting only in a merciful and loving manner, we need to make sure our actions are not a stumbling block to others that either leads them to sin or drives them away from God and the Church.

He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” (Luke 17:1-4)

God has given us many freedoms, but we aren’t to use those freedoms in a way that harms others. This harm could come from being too lenient or being too strict and legalistic. We need to act in such a way as to be a blessing to everyone around us. We need to use what God has given to us to bless others and not to just use it selfishly.

When we use the right measuring stick to judge our own lives and we truly see what an awesome, holy, unfathomably good God we serve, this right view of the world will help lead us in the right direction far better than any list of commands and prohibitions.

Trust Jesus.

your sister in Christ,

Christy For more posts check out the Trust Jesus Substack.

Bible verses are NASB (New American Standard Bible) 1995 edition unless otherwise stated

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

```js useEffect(() => { if (typeof window === 'undefined') return;

    const bitcoinConnectConfig = window.localStorage.getItem('bc:config');

    if (bitcoinConnectConfig) {
        setBitcoinConnect(true);
    }
}, []);

```

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

@ aad03c9f:8e1ae2aa

The contrast between Bitcoin’s inception and traditional monetary systems illustrates a profound divergence in approach: one grounded in rationality and technical precision, the other steeped in emotional appeal and authority. I'll explore how Bitcoin, as articulated by its creator Satoshi Nakamoto, embodies a rational, decentralized alternative to the emotionally charged narratives often employed by governments to justify their monetary policies.

Bitcoin emerged in 2009, following the publication of Nakamoto's white paper titled "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System." This document laid out a systematic and technical framework for a decentralized currency, relying on cryptography and a distributed ledger known as the blockchain. Unlike traditional monetary systems, which often invoke national pride and historical narratives to garner support, Bitcoin's launch was devoid of emotional manipulation. It was a straightforward presentation of technology and its potential to disrupt existing financial paradigms.

In stark contrast, His Majesty’s Government of England along with the US government historically relied on emotional appeals to authority and patriotism to maintain control over monetary systems. Governments often invoke a sense of national identity and duty to justify economic policies, particularly during times of crisis. This reliance on emotional resonance can obscure the practicalities and technicalities necessary for a functional monetary system. For instance, despite enduring two world wars and numerous financial crises, governments have frequently failed to provide a coherent, practical framework for alternative monetary systems, instead leaning on appeals to loyalty and tradition.

Satoshi Nakamoto's approach was fundamentally different. The Bitcoin network was operational within months of its announcement, showcasing a commitment to practicality and functionality over emotional rhetoric. The cold precision of Nakamoto’s writing reflects a stark departure from the emotionally charged narratives of traditional finance. Bitcoin's decentralized nature means it is not beholden to any single authority, reducing the potential for corruption and manipulation that often accompanies state-controlled currencies.

The absence of technical specifications from traditional monetary authorities highlights a significant flaw in their approach. While Nakamoto provided a clear and concise technical blueprint for Bitcoin, governments have historically failed to offer similar clarity. This lack of transparency can lead to distrust among citizens, who may feel manipulated by emotional appeals rather than informed by rational discourse. Bitcoin's transparent and open-source nature invites scrutiny and fosters trust among its users, contrasting sharply with the opaque practices of traditional financial systems.

The dichotomy between Bitcoin and traditional monetary systems underscores the importance of rationality in the development of financial technologies. While governments may rely on emotional appeals to maintain control, Bitcoin’s success is rooted in its technical foundations and decentralized ethos. As the world continues to grapple with financial instability and crises, the lessons from Bitcoin’s inception may pave the way for a more rational and transparent approach to currency and finance. By prioritizing technical specifications and operational functionality over emotional manipulation, Bitcoin represents a revolutionary shift in how we conceive of money and its role in society.

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

worst code ever

``js for (const lesson of processedLessons) { let savedLesson; if (lesson.unpublished) { const validationResult = validateEvent(lesson.unpublished); if (validationResult !== true) { console.error('Invalid event:', validationResult); showToast('error', 'Error',Invalid event: ${validationResult}`); return; }

                const published = await lesson.unpublished.publish();
                savedLesson = await handlePostResource(lesson.unpublished);

                if (published && savedLesson) {
                    const deleted = await axios.delete(`/api/drafts/${lesson.d}`);
                    if (deleted && deleted.status === 204) {
                        const savedLesson = await handlePostLesson(lesson);
                        if (savedLesson) {
                            createdLessons.push(savedLesson);
                        }
                    }
                }
            } else {
                const savedLesson = await handlePostLesson(lesson);
                if (savedLesson) {
                    createdLessons.push(savedLesson);
                }
            }
        }

```

@ f9489647:b997379c

@ 41fa852b:af7b7706

“Bitcoin is a censorship-resistant and privacy-enhancing system by default, and that’s incredibly valuable in a world increasingly dominated by surveillance.” — Nick Szabo

Welcome back for your weekly dose of UK Bitcoin Community News.

This week, I'm excited to share details on 12 meet-ups happening across the country. With so many options, there's no reason to stay home. 😉

Glasgow looks like the place to be with a mini-conference and a live show from Roger9000! 🤩🎸

Finally, we’ll delve into an upcoming event that’s set to spark some debate: a discussion on the potential risks of the government adopting a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). Spoiler: it's another step towards total state control. 🚨

So, let’s dive into this week’s happenings!

---

Upcoming Bitcoin Meetups

Happening this week...

1. Bitcoin 101: Discover bitcoin wallets, nodes, privacy, and other key topics. The class is customized to ensure everyone is challenged. It's a 2-hour session on Tuesday 27th at 7 pm, please arrive ahead of time. 🔐
2. Leamington Spa: Meetups on the last Tuesday of each month at 7 PM. You'll find them this month at the White Horse, CV32 5PZ on the 27th. 🍻
3. Brighton Bitcoin: Building a bitcoin community in the Brighton & Hove area. A regular informal meetup happens every last Wednesday of the month. This month on the 28th. 🍻
4. Bitcoin Nottingham: The Bitcoin Nottingham Meetup date for your diary is 29th of August at 6:30 PM at Carlton Town Football Club. 🍻
5. Manchester Bitcoin: On the 29th it’s Manchesters turn. Join them at The Smithfield Market Tavern, at 7 pm. 🍻
6. Roger9000 Live: This is a super special event on the 29th. The legendary Roger9000 will play live at the Record Factory, G11 5RD, Glasgow. Before the mini-conference kicks off on Saturday morning, get yourself fired up with some Bitcoin energy by watching Roger rock the house at 7 PM. 🎸
7. The Satoshi Society - Southampton: Join a friendly group of bitcoiners at The Maritimo Lounge, Ocean Village on Friday 30th 6 PM for food and a Bitcoin chat.🍽️🍻
8. Bitcoin - The change you've been waiting for: Don’t miss your chance to get tickets for this event, happening on Saturday, August 31 at 10:30 AM at the Glasgow University Union. Tickets are just £10, and the focus will be on Bitcoin’s transformative potential. As Bitcoin continues to impact individuals and businesses worldwide, understanding its implications is essential. Guest speakers Allen Farrington and Rick Messitt will share their expertise, making this event ideal for both seasoned investors and those curious about Bitcoin. Join them to explore how Bitcoin could shape your financial future. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿📣
9. Bitcoin Walk - Edinburgh**: Every Saturday they walk around Arthur's Seat in this historic city. Join them at 12 pm to chat about all things Bitcoin and keep fit. 🚶‍♂️🚶🏻‍♀️🚶🏻
10. Plymouth Bitcoiners: A change of location this month in Plymouth. The Steel Brew, Royal William Rd will play host, everyone is welcome and bring some friends along too. Saturday the 31st at 12 PM. 🍻🫖
11. Bitcoin Derby: On Saturday the 31st August Bitcoin Derby will be at Ye Olde Dolphin, DE1 3DL at 3 PM. 🍻🫖
12. Leeds Bitcoin Network: The first Sunday of every month the Leeds Bitcoin Network meet at the Global Tribe Cafe, LS1 6LG at 1 PM. That makes them the first meetup for September and August is over already! 🔮☕️

---

New Businesses Accepting Bitcoin

Three new businesses this week including another one at Tooting Market which brings the current total there to 13!

• The Nutrition Advice Centre: Transform your body with Phil, performance nutritionist, UK veteran @RAPTC_Official, 2021 world record holder rowing the Atlantic. Now accepting bitcoin. 💪
• Tikka Express: Just outside the rear entrance of Tooting Market, 1 Tooting High Street. Now accepting bitcoin."I can safely say it’s the best chicken tikka I’ve ever eaten" — Hashley Giles. 🍗🍽️
• Oakmont High Reach Window Cleaning Ltd: Pay with bitcoin for a 21% discount. Commercial and domestic service. Covering the Penicuik area.🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🪟🧽🫧

---

Upcoming Special Events

These events aren’t happening next week, but they’re important to add to your calendar now as tickets are going fast.

• CBDC's - The Silent Attack on British Democracy?: The Bank of England is pushing forward with a central bank digital currency (CBDC). But is this really in the public's interest, or is it just another way for the government to tighten its control? The Legatum Institute is hosting a discussion on the potential dangers of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) for British democracy. Are these digital currencies just another tool for government overreach, threatening our freedoms and privacy?

  Speakers include:

  • Nick Anthony, author of "Digital Currency or Digital Control?: Decoding CBDC and the Future of Money."
  • Professor Kevin Dowd of Durham University, in conversation with Claire Cummings, founder of The Centre for Digital Assets and Democracy.
  • Freddie New from Bitcoin Policy UK.
  • David Rennie, from the Digital Pound Foundation’s Identity and Privacy Working Group.
  • The discussion will be moderated by Susie Ward, co-founder of Bitcoin Policy UK, and is sponsored by the Human Rights Foundation.

• Southampton Trip to Real Bedford: The Satoshi Society in Southampton are pleased to announce an upcoming trip to cheer on the Pirates in their league game against Ware on Saturday the 28th of September. All meetups around the country are welcome to join them. After the game, there will be drinks in Bedford (location TBA). Check out the link for more details.

---

Get Involved

• Volunteer Opportunities: Bridge2Bitcoin is actively seeking volunteers who share our passion for merchant adoption. We'd be delighted to connect if you're eager to contribute. Reach out to us on Twitter or through our website.
• Start Your Own Meetup: Interested in launching a Bitcoin meetup? We’re here to support you every step of the way. We’ve assisted numerous UK Bitcoin meetups in getting started. Get in touch via Twitter.
• Telegram users: You might find our Telegram Channel another useful way to keep up-to-date with UK meetups.
• Feedback and Suggestions: We value your input! Share your ideas on how we can enhance this newsletter.

---

Products I Endorse

Laser Eyes Cards: Bolt Cards with laser eyes. Worldwide shipping. Visit lasereyes.cards/buy-now.

---

Get out and support the meetups where you can, visit Bitcoin Events UK for more info on each meetup and to find your closest on the interactive map.

Consider subscribing on Substack.

Stay tuned for more updates next week!

Simon.

@ 47193857:505a78a3

Deepologic sends you greetings. In May, he created three tracks, so sit back and tune into the rhythm of his heart. Here’s a bit about the EP:

“Morning Breathing” was crafted using the Yamaha Seqtrak groovebox and later mixed in Ableton.

“Ladenie” features only four tracks and is highly meditative; it was created for a special occasion and dedicated to his wife, Veronika.

“Bike” showcases Deepologic’s experiments with the emulator of the legendary Oberhausen synthesizer.

Enjoy! 🎶

@ 47193857:505a78a3

Deepologic - With your eyes closed /SINGLES/

This is a live recording of the very useful Yamaha Seqtrak. It was made on 13.3.2024 together with the video footage. The recording has been mastered. Enjoy it and let me know how you liked it :)

@ dd664d5e:5633d319

The user is never wrong

Here are some non-suspect ways a dev team can respond to a bug report

1) Thank you for reporting. We already opened issue ABC123 to track that and you can follow the progress on our issues board.

2) Oh, wow! That's an odd behavior. 🤔 Can you give me more information about your setup and the precise steps you took to find that, so that we can track down the cause?

3) Yeah, that's a known flaw, I'm afraid. We've got this workaround available...

4) Oh, that's actually a path/use-case/feature we hadn't considered, yet. I'll discuss it with the team and get back to you, concerning the possible implementation.

Sus ways a dev team can respond to a bug report

1) User error.

2) No one else has reported that.

3) Do I look like I have all day to deal with your whining? The road map. Read it.

4) 🦗🦗🦗🦗

@ 2f5de000:2f9bcef1

As governments worldwide intensify their scrutiny of encrypted messaging services, the importance of decentralized protocols has never been more apparent. The recent arrest of Telegram's founder, Pavel Durov, and legislative moves to undermine end-to-end encryption reveal the vulnerabilities inherent in centralized platforms. Unlike centralized services, decentralized protocols like Nostr offer a more robust defense against surveillance and censorship, ensuring privacy remains intact. In this context, decentralization isn't just a technological choice—it's a critical strategy in the ongoing fight for privacy and freedom of expression.\ \ Centralized Platforms: A Single Point of Failure

The centralized model also presents a security risk. Since all data traffic is routed through a central server or a series of interconnected servers controlled by a single organization, these servers become attractive targets for hackers. In the event of a breach, a significant amount of user data could potentially be exposed. Moreover, centralized services often operate under the jurisdiction of specific countries, making them subject to national laws and regulations that may not align with the privacy interests of global users.

Distributing Trust and Power

Decentralized protocols like Nostr offer an alternative approach. Nostr (Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays) is a decentralized network protocol that allows users to send messages and share content directly, without relying on a centralized server. This decentralized model has several critical advantages:

No Central Authority: Unlike centralized services, Nostr does not have a single point of control. This means there isn't a single entity that governments can pressure or shut down. Users operate on a peer-to-peer basis, distributing the responsibility and control across the entire network.

Enhanced Resilience: Decentralized protocols are inherently more resilient to censorship and attacks. If one server (or relay in Nostr's case) is compromised or taken down, the network continues to function as other relays take over. This distributed nature makes it much harder for authorities to disrupt communication.

Improved Privacy: Decentralization allows for more robust privacy features. In Nostr, for instance, the absence of a central server means there's no central repository of user data that could be exploited or subpoenaed. Users retain more control over their own data, which is distributed across various relays, each holding only a fragment of the whole.

Resistance to Surveillance: Decentralized protocols can implement stronger encryption and anonymization techniques, making it harder for surveillance entities to track or monitor communications. By eliminating centralized data points, these networks make it more difficult for third parties to gather comprehensive information about user activities.

Learning from the Crypto Wars

The Crypto Wars of the 1990s highlighted the lengths to which governments would go to control encryption technologies. Back then, the use of encryption was restricted, and the government attempted to insert backdoors into encryption protocols. Today, the battle has shifted to messaging platforms, but the underlying issues remain the same: the right to private communication versus the desire for surveillance and control.

Decentralized protocols offer a powerful solution to this recurring problem. By removing central points of failure and distributing control across many nodes, these systems make it more challenging for any single entity to impose backdoors or surveillance mechanisms. The robustness of decentralized networks helps ensure that privacy rights are maintained, even in the face of government opposition.

Supporting Decentralization for Privacy and Freedom

The arrest of Pavel Durov and similar actions against centralized platforms should serve as a wake-up call for the importance of supporting decentralized technologies. While centralized companies have played a vital role in providing secure communication tools, their vulnerabilities make them less suited for the ongoing struggle for privacy. Decentralized protocols like Nostr offer a viable and more resilient alternative.

Privacy advocates, developers, and users must invest in and support the development of decentralized communication platforms. These protocols not only safeguard individual privacy but also protect the freedom of speech and expression in increasingly repressive environments. Decentralization democratizes communication, placing control back into the hands of users and reducing the risk of authoritarian overreach.Centralized messaging services such as Telegram and Signal, while offering strong encryption, have a fundamental vulnerability: they operate through a single, centralized entity. This makes them prime targets for government pressure, legal action, and even physical detention of their leadership, as evidenced by Durov's recent arrest. Centralized platforms are easier to regulate, coerce, or shut down entirely, providing governments with a clear target for imposing their will.

@ 3c827db6:66418fc3

Instant settlement profoundly transforms our behavior as it reconnects us with the elemental laws of nature. The existing paradigm mirrors the primal imperative of reaping benefits in exchange for labor–working to survive, but the pay-per-time system in the labor market is creating the incentive to get something for nothing. In the whole “fiat stack,” everyone optimizes their efforts to achieve this on different levels, as I explain below. How can I get money for nothing? As we explore the effects of instant settlement across diverse industries, a fundamental divide between workers and clockwatchers emerges, as I have argued throughout this series. Fiat payments work without instant settlement; instead, a virtual credit arrives immediately with the actual settlement usually coming much later. The Lightning Network enables instant settlement. That is a key advantage, and it’s why Bitcoin is the only financial network that has the potential to achieve the vision that I am describing in this series.

The fiat monetary system is training us to play the game of rent-seeking without realizing it, and it is no wonder that the best players become the richest. From our first jobs, we learn how to extract maximum payment for minimum effort, and the incentives reward creative ways of doing just that. The first trick everyone learns is how to “milk the clock” by doing as little as possible without getting fired. A slightly more advanced technique is learning how to take credit for others’ work. Skilled players seek promotions in order to gain access to others’ labor for their own benefit. This is the fiat game.

As if that weren’t bad enough, the rent-seeking game also corrodes skills. Just as my results in the gym are correlated with the effort I invest into my workout, employees’ mastery comes from effort. But time-based compensation rewards passing time rather than performance, allowing skills to atrophy. In technologically primitive societies, skill development was imperative for survival. The problem was friction: assessing the value for each miniscule action and compensating each one individually. So the obvious way to reduce friction was to collapse all the tasks into a single variable — time. But after decades of time-based compensation and diminishing initiative, we are becoming lethargic, weak, skill-deficient, and reliant on free money. The result is a culture of dependency, where the quest for easy money overshadows the pursuit of self-improvement. How many steps are we from enslaving our own children to avoid working?

Perhaps the key to overcoming this fate is deciding not to chase the fucking money, but to pursue other goals instead and just using the money to achieve them. Make a list of what you want in life and start working towards it. Instead of working for wages, saving money, and buying a house, you can build your own house. Yes, it will take years, but that is the point. Do the work! If you object that you can’t build a house, you’re probably right. You can’t do anything until you can. It’s simply a matter of placing one brick on top of another, a roof on top of the walls, and so on. Work transforms us, makes us better, faster, stronger, and more skillful versions of our former selves. Bitcoin preserves the value of your energy, allowing you to achieve your goals faster than is possible with fiat. When you are working for others’ goals, you should be compensated instantly, which is almost like double compensation. You get skills and money. In the fiat system, when you get free money (money for time passed), you do not acquire any skills, and the skills you have start to atrophy because you are not using them. The only incentive that pushes people to do something is the fear of getting fired. That is why they seek to find the balance right between minimal work and not getting fired.

But there remains an undeniable obstacle: why should I work for my money rather than simply waiting and receiving it without exertion? The status quo is comfortable, but comfort is the enemy. Defeating this enemy requires a collective willingness to break free from the allure of effortless gains and embracing a more natural, purposeful way of working.

Those who shun time-based compensation will have the advantage of attracting and retaining the most exceptional individuals as employees. As these forward-thinkers continually evolve–growing faster, stronger, and more skillful over time–their products and services will outshine pay-per-time systems.

In the new market landscape I have described throughout this series, employees who are paid for their work rather than their time are no longer tethered to a single company. The quality of products and services is propelled by the collective efforts of the contributors rather than malingering clock milkers supervised and pushed by management. Labor exploitation becomes untenable, and pay-for-work is what retains the best talent. This is true simply because the best want to be paid based on results, and the only fair compensation to both the employee and employer is pay-per-work, which is based on those results.

This newfound power may lead individuals to focus on the things they want to see built rather than what the company tells them to build. They gain not only a decentralized income but can also benefit the most from the tasks they complete. If there is an open project to fix ten roads, I will contribute to fixing the one that I use most. It is the most selfish altruistic thing. That benefit is not private; it is shared. The money I receive is private. As long as we chase money rather than projects, it is no surprise we are indifferent towards other people's problems. In this new paradigm, the balance of power shifts decisively to the people, aligning with their preferences and aspirations, not the agenda of a single company.

Additionally, the pay-for-work system mirrors the competitive nature of sports–individuals are compensated for their time and effort, but victory is contingent on active participation and skill. In sports, the best players distinguish themselves with their superior skills, the effort they invest, and their adaptability in the face of competition. This natural dynamic, favoring the fastest, strongest, and most adaptable, can now enrich the labor market. Survival and prosperity will hinge not only on individual effort but on the ability to outperform others in the pursuit of a larger share of benefits. Even those merely chasing money prosper by simply mirroring Bitcoin. If I do something selfishly in Bitcoin, the whole network benefits.

In the world of sports, fame and wealth often follow the best players, but their initial motivation lies in the desire to be the best. Encouragement in the pay-for-work labor market takes the form of payment, catalyzing continued dedication and progress. The accumulation of these payments, akin to encouragement, propels people to refine their skills, enhance their performance, and, in turn, receive more Bitcoin in acknowledgment of their efforts.

The reward in this system is not acclaim or praise; it starts as a necessity for money and progresses to satisfaction derived from the work. Instant settlement becomes the Trojan horse guiding us back to this ethos. In this continuous competition, unlike the win-lose dynamics of warfare, everyone stands to gain. Individuals work for themselves, driven by the desire to achieve their own goals, while the finished product simultaneously serves a common need because a lot of them are collective goods. The swifter, more efficient, and cost-effective completion of tasks that benefit the community will induce a snowball effect where subsequent benefits build on previous ones. In this interconnected web, where everyone coordinates efficiently, there is no theft or exploitation; rather, it is a shared journey toward collective betterment.

With pay-for-time, people seek to climb the hierarchy and obtain the privilege of delegating, which lets them shift accountability and find scapegoats. In stark contrast, the pay-for-work built on instant-settlement systems operates like the immutable and uncompromising laws of physics. Every individual bears complete responsibility for their work. This paradigm gauges individuals not by their inclination to assign blame or dwell on problems, but by their responsibility and their commitment to accomplishing the job at hand. The best performance yields the most money, so pay-for-work puts the job first, unlike pay-for-time, where more money results from more time passed, and the job is almost irrelevant. In the pay-for-work system, responsibility becomes a measure of personal and professional integrity, fostering a culture where the focus is on getting the work done efficiently and collaboratively.

Roy Sheinfeld, Breez CEO and my boss, has said that we should not tell people what experiences to create in their apps. I agree. The point of the previous chapters was to spark interest in the possibilities so the experts can create those experiences. I am not the right person to say how construction, logistics, book publishing, and other industries should evolve. I am trying to open the window for them to realize the potential they can create and build for all of us. If they do this we all win. They receive Bitcoin, and in turn, we spend Bitcoin more efficiently on things that enrich our lives. This collaborative venture is an invitation to explore, innovate, and contribute to a shared future where everyone stands to gain.

Here’s a quick recap with the take-home messages from the previous articles in this series:

The first article: The Construction Industry - https://highlighter.com/a/naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzq0yz0kmvghm7vgsl5yvmjczyavdyzg2x586kw36zsa8hkfnyrr7rqy88wumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmv9uqrxjtwwd6xzmn594fk2ar5d3jk6etwwsk4g6r994pk7mnnw3e82cm5d9hkut2fdej82um5wfuj6enjdajh5dgjvwd2p

• What is work?
• The conflict between people who are asked to work but benefit from passing time without working.
• How reputation depends on the work done, not someone’s job title.

Second article: The Logistics Industry - https://habla.news/u/nackoo2000@nostrplebs.com/1710669936221

• How delaying payments creates counterparty risk.
• How intermediaries (banks) compound that risk.
• How split payments align everyone’s incentives to deliver on a project.
• Decentralization fostering competition.

Third article: The Publishing Industry - https://habla.news/u/nackoo2000@nostrplebs.com/1713678439491

• The dematerialized economy is now on steroids
• The benefit of any work is determined more by demand for it than supply of it
• Talking and selling are not the same, so commissions are the best way to compensate influencers

Forth article: Real-time Streaming Payments - https://habla.news/u/nackoo2000@nostrplebs.com/1716207313944

• Benefiting from work can be a continuous process with streaming payments.
• Global benefits deserve global compensation.
• Auctioning seats to events can transform live entertainment.

Fifth article: The Gambling Industry - https://habla.news/u/nackoo2000@nostrplebs.com/1723862506021

• Fiat is gambling.
• Licenses and credentials disadvantage the poor and reinforce the power of the rich.
• How to invest wisely.

A transitional period is crucial. If a business were to suddenly shift to a performance-based pay model without considering the existing workforce, it could lead to unrest and prompt employees to leave for a pay-per-time company. Those who recognize the need for change should adopt a long-term perspective and implement both payment methods – pay-per-time and instant settlement – simultaneously. The objective is to have these methods coexist, attracting top performers and fostering a culture of excellence. Once the company establishes a foundation of high-performing individuals, it can then phase out the pay-per-time structure entirely. I draw inspiration for this approach from my mentor from a distance, Jeff Booth, as these two systems represent distinct paradigms, necessitating a careful and strategic transition rather than an abrupt shift.

These are my final messages:

Build utility, do not promise future fortunes.

Do not wait or ask permission to do work. Do the work that you want to do.

Let's Fucking GO!

@ 4d4e415f:48e5e42b

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

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@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

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@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

hello draft

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

sql model Lesson { id String @id @default(uuid()) courseId String? course Course? @relation(fields: [courseId], references: [id]) resourceId String? resource Resource? @relation(fields: [resourceId], references: [id]) draftId String? draft Draft? @relation(fields: [draftId], references: [id]) index Int createdAt DateTime @default(now()) updatedAt DateTime @updatedAt }

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

sql model Lesson { id String @id @default(uuid()) courseId String? course Course? @relation(fields: [courseId], references: [id]) resourceId String? resource Resource? @relation(fields: [resourceId], references: [id]) draftId String? draft Draft? @relation(fields: [draftId], references: [id]) index Int createdAt DateTime @default(now()) updatedAt DateTime @updatedAt }

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

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Table Of Content

• The Importance of Diversification

• The Principle of Honesty in Business

• The Concept of Risk and Reward

• The Concept of Patience

• The Concept of Tzedakah

• Conclusion

• FAQ

For thousands of years, Judaism has emphasized the importance of financial responsibility and investment. The Talmud, the central text of Rabbinic Judaism, contains many teachings and principles that are still relevant today. In recent years, Bitcoin has emerged as a new form of investment, and many investors are curious about how it relates to traditional Jewish teachings. In this article, we will explore the intersection of Bitcoin and the Talmud and how they can inform our investment decisions.

The Importance of Diversification

The Talmud emphasizes the importance of diversification in investing. One famous quote states, "Let every man divide his money into three parts, and invest a third in land, a third in business, and a third let him keep by him in reserve" (Talmud, Baba Metzia 42a). This advice is still relevant today, as it encourages investors to spread their risk across multiple asset classes.

When it comes to Bitcoin, diversification is equally important. Bitcoin is a highly volatile asset, and its price can fluctuate rapidly. Therefore, investors should consider diversifying their portfolios by investing in other assets as well, such as stocks, bonds, and real estate.

The Principle of Honesty in Business

The Talmud places a strong emphasis on honesty and integrity in business dealings. It states, "The seal of the Holy One, blessed be He, is truth" (Talmud, Shabbat 55a). This principle should guide our investment decisions as well. We should only invest in companies or projects that align with our values and that operate with integrity.

When it comes to Bitcoin, investors should be wary of scams and fraudulent projects. There are many cryptocurrency projects that make false promises and mislead investors. Therefore, it is important to do thorough research and due diligence before investing in any Bitcoin-related project.

The Concept of Risk and Reward

The Talmud recognizes that there is always a tradeoff between risk and reward in investing. It states, "One should not enter into a risky venture unless the potential reward justifies the potential risk" (Talmud, Eruvin 2b). This principle is still relevant today, as investors should carefully consider the risks and rewards of any investment before making a decision.

When it comes to Bitcoin, investors should be aware that it is a high-risk, high-reward investment. The potential for profit is significant, but so is the potential for loss. Therefore, investors should only invest what they can afford to lose and should carefully consider the risks before investing.

The Concept of Patience

The Talmud recognizes that investing requires patience and a long-term perspective. It states, "One who is patient in his investments will ultimately be successful" (Talmud, Taanit 20a). This principle is still relevant today, as investors should take a long-term approach to investing and avoid making impulsive decisions based on short-term market fluctuations.

When it comes to Bitcoin, investors should be patient and avoid making emotional decisions based on short-term market movements. Bitcoin is a volatile asset, and its price can fluctuate significantly in a short period of time. Therefore, investors should take a long-term approach and focus on the fundamentals of the technology and its potential for long-term growth.

The Concept of Tzedakah

Tzedakah, or charitable giving, is a central principle in Judaism. The Talmud states, "Tzedakah is equal in importance to all the other commandments combined" (Talmud, Bava Bathra 9a). This principle should guide our investment decisions as well. We should consider investing in projects or companies that have a positive

Conclusion

The Talmud provides many valuable principles and teachings that are still relevant to modern-day investment, including the importance of diversification, honesty in business, the concept of risk and reward, patience, and the importance of charitable giving. These principles can help guide our decisions when it comes to investing in Bitcoin and other assets. By following these teachings, investors can approach their investments with integrity, patience, and a long-term perspective, ultimately leading to greater success and fulfillment in their financial endeavors.

FAQ

What is the Talmud? The Talmud is a central text of Rabbinic Judaism, consisting of discussions and teachings of Jewish scholars and rabbis over a period of several centuries.

How can the Talmud inform our investment decisions? The Talmud provides teachings and principles that emphasize the importance of financial responsibility, honesty, diversification, patience, and charitable giving, which can guide our investment decisions and help us make more informed choices.

Should I invest in Bitcoin? Whether or not to invest in Bitcoin depends on your individual financial situation and risk tolerance. It is important to do thorough research and consult with financial professionals before making any investment decisions.

That's all for today

If you want more, be sure to follow us on:

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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.

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@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

js import React, { useState, useEffect, useCallback } from "react"; import axios from "axios"; import { InputText } from "primereact/inputtext"; import { InputNumber } from "primereact/inputnumber"; import { InputSwitch } from "primereact/inputswitch"; import { Button } from "primereact/button"; import { useRouter } from "next/router";; import { useSession } from "next-auth/react"; import { useToast } from "@/hooks/useToast"; import { useNDKContext } from "@/context/NDKContext"; import { NDKEvent } from "@nostr-dev-kit/ndk"; import dynamic from 'next/dynamic'; const MDEditor = dynamic( () => import("@uiw/react-md-editor"), { ssr: false, } ); import 'primeicons/primeicons.css';

@ 8cb60e21:5f2deaea

js import React, { useState, useEffect, useCallback } from "react"; import axios from "axios"; import { InputText } from "primereact/inputtext"; import { InputNumber } from "primereact/inputnumber"; import { InputSwitch } from "primereact/inputswitch"; import { Button } from "primereact/button"; import { useRouter } from "next/router";; import { useSession } from "next-auth/react"; import { useToast } from "@/hooks/useToast"; import { useNDKContext } from "@/context/NDKContext"; import { NDKEvent } from "@nostr-dev-kit/ndk"; import dynamic from 'next/dynamic'; const MDEditor = dynamic( () => import("@uiw/react-md-editor"), { ssr: false, } ); import 'primeicons/primeicons.css';

@ 4d4e415f:48e5e42b

Having spent numerous weeks of my life on various Bitcoin conferences around the globe, I came to the conclusion that Adopting Bitcoin in El Salvador is the best one.

Sure enough, this is all based on subjective opinion and besides it being pointless to compare Bitcoin conferences, there's also no black and white answer to which Bitcoin conference is the best. They're all great and unique. Bitcoin conferences such as Baltic Honey Badger, Bitcoin Atlantis, Surfin Bitcoin all have a place in history.

Further, it depends on what you are looking for. Are you a developer or not, do you have family or not, are you just looking to have fun or are you looking for a job or for clients.

However, there are a number of reasons why #AdoptingBitcoin in El Salvador is a top choice for Bitcoiners worldwide:

1. It's taking place in Bitcoin country and it's close to impossible to match the Bitcoin merchant adoption rate of El Salvador at this point, there's nothing you can't buy with bitcoin.
2. It's the perfect climate, sun, warm, sea, surf, just such a great atmosphere.
3. It's an almost unbelievable story, from daily violence to full of hope.
4. It's the only conference (yet) that focuses on Bitcoin adoption as money and medium of exchange.
5. It's a gathering of builders and people who DO things, not just talk.
6. The most energetic compared to other conferences, perhaps because everything is such a intense combination, the money that had to push through, in the country that had to push through, attendees having to put in some proof of work to travel and show up etc etc

Whether you have attended in the past or not, AdoptingBitcoin is one that people really get FOMO if they can't make it. I hope to see you there.

60 Minutes report about El Zonte: https://x.com/60Minutes/status/1512813362773647361

Tickets: https://pretix.eu/galoy/ab24/redeem?voucher=LASERFOCUS .

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First published on hodder.law

It’s over for Craig Wright. At least according to official UK court procedures as the deadline to file an appeal has now passed.

Craig Wright has not filed an appeal against his UK court verdict despite two online accounts under his name claiming he had.

“Wright had 21 days to ask the UK appellate courts for permission to appeal after injunctions were imposed on him on July 16. This made the deadline August 5, midnight. ” reports Protos.

No Appeal from Craig Wright, did he Capitulate?

Despite assertions from online accounts purporting to be Wright, the UK’s Judicial Office has confirmed that no appeal has been filed against the recent court verdict.

However, Wright could still file an appeal if he would submit an additional application for an extension of time. Given the mountain of evidence against him in the final court rule, it is unlikely that Wright will do that. The court issued a £1.5m freezing order in July to seize Wright’s assets.

Two accounts on X and Slack which pretend to be Wright posted that he had planned to file an appeal on August 5 and that actually submitted the relevant filing. It’s questionable if these sources are legitimate.

Craig Wright, an Australian computer scientist, first publicly claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto in 2016. This claim has been met with widespread skepticism in the cryptocurrency community and has led to numerous legal battles.

The Bitcoin whitepaper was published in 2008, and the first Bitcoin block was mined in 2009. The true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto has been a subject of intense speculation and investigation for over a decade, with Wright’s claim being one of the most prominent and controversial.

Recent Developments in the Craig Wright Case

Following a UK court ruling on July 16, 2024, Wright had 21 days to seek permission to appeal. This deadline passed on August 5 at midnight, with no appeal filed. The UK’s Justice case tracker for civil appeals corroborates this information.

Interestingly, two online accounts claiming to be Wright – one on X (formerly Twitter) and another on Slack – stated that an appeal had been planned and submitted. These claims appear to be false, raising questions about the veracity of other statements made through these channels.

It’s worth noting that the court had mandated Wright to post specific notices on his social media accounts, including Slack. The presence of these notices on the accounts in question suggests they may indeed be controlled by Wright or his representatives, making the false claims about the appeal particularly puzzling.

Pattern of Abandoned Appeals: This is not the first time Wright has failed to follow through on an appeal. In Norway, he abandoned an appeal against bitcoin influencer Hodlonaut following the 2024 UK ruling. Additionally, a 2022 appeal against the Peter McCormack defamation verdict was rejected. In that case, Wright was awarded a nominal £1 in damages, with the judge citing a “deliberately false case” brought by Wright.

Legal Implications: The July 16 ruling not only imposed injunctions on Wright but also referred him to the Crown Prosecution Service for potential perjury charges. Curiously, the court noted uncertainty about Wright’s current location, suggesting he could be anywhere from Southeast Asia to Siberia.

Looking Forward: While the deadline for a standard appeal has passed, there remains a possibility for Wright to submit an application for an extension of time. However, given the pattern of abandoned appeals and false claims, the cryptocurrency community and legal observers remain skeptical about future developments in this case.

Observer of the case Arthur van Pelt points out on X: “My guess is also that he couldn’t find a counsel (his current counsel Harcus Parker already stated they didn’t appeal for him) that wants to risk their reputation on this guy, who can only throw more lies and forgeries at court when it’s about the Mellor “not Satoshi” ruling.”

As this complex legal drama continues to unfold, it serves as a reminder of the enduring mystery surrounding Bitcoin’s creation and the challenges of proving identity in the digital age.

The hodder.law blog will continue to monitor and analyze these developments as they impact the intersection of cryptocurrency, identity, and law.