@ c3f12a9a:06c21301

Destination: Medieval Venice, 1100 AD

How did Venice build its trade empire through collaboration, innovation, and trust in decentralized networks?

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Venice: A City of Merchants and Innovators

In medieval times, Venice was a symbol of freedom and prosperity. Unlike the monarchies that dominated Europe, Venice was a republic – a city-state where important decisions were made by the Council of Nobles, and (the Doge, the elected chief magistrate of Venice who served as a ceremonial head of state with limited power), not an absolute ruler. Venice became synonymous with innovative approaches to governance, banking, and trade networks, which led to its rise as one of the most powerful trading centers of its time.

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Decentralized Trade Networks

The success of Venice lay in its trust in decentralized trade networks. Every merchant, known as a patrician, could freely develop their trade activities and connect with others. While elsewhere trade was often controlled by kings and local lords, Venetians believed that prosperity would come from a free market and collaboration between people.

Unlike feudal models based on hierarchy and absolute power, Venetian trade networks were open and based on mutual trust. Every merchant could own ships and trade with the Middle East, and this decentralized ownership of trade routes led to unprecedented prosperity.

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Story: The Secret Venetian Alliance

A young merchant named Marco, who inherited a shipyard from his father, was trying to make a name for himself in the bustling Venetian spice market. In Venice, there were many competitors, and competition was fierce. Marco, however, learned that an opportunity lay outside the traditional trade networks – among small merchants who were trying to maintain their independence from the larger Venetian patricians.

Marco decided to form an alliance with several other small merchants. Together, they began to share ships, crew costs, and information about trade routes. By creating this informal network, they were able to compete with the larger patricians who controlled the major trade routes. Through collaboration and shared resources, they began to achieve profits they would never have achieved alone.

In the end, Marco and his fellow merchants succeeded, not because they had the most wealth or influence, but because they trusted each other and worked together. They proved that small players could thrive, even in a market dominated by powerful patricians.

Satoshi ends his journey here, enlightened by the lesson that even in a world where big players exist, trust and collaboration can ensure that the market remains free and open for everyone.

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Venice and Trust in Decentralized Systems

Venice was a symbol of how decentralization could lead to prosperity. There was no need for kings or powerful rulers, but instead, trust and collaboration among merchants led to the creation of a wealthy city-state.

Venice demonstrated that when people collaborate and share resources, they can achieve greater success than in a hierarchical system with a single central ruler.

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A Lesson from Venice for Today's World

Today, as we think about the world of Bitcoin and decentralized finance (DeFi), Venice reminds us that trust among individuals and collaboration are key to maintaining independence and freedom. Just as in Venice, where smaller merchants found strength in collaboration, we can also find ways to keep the crypto world decentralized, open, and fair.

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Key

| Term | Explanation | |------|-------------| | Doge | The elected chief magistrate of Venice who served as a ceremonial head of state with limited power. | | Patrician | A member of the noble class in Venice, typically involved in trade and governance. | | Decentralized Finance (DeFi) | A financial system that does not rely on central financial intermediaries, instead using blockchain technology and smart contracts. |

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/737232

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

I'm hoping someone can help me trouble shoot a problem I'm having.

I have two private channels with lots of inbound liquidity on my Alby Hub node, but I'm not receiving sats to the wallet through them.

I opened a public channel to Stacker News, which has been receiving sats. The problem is that I run out of inbound liquidity on that channel pretty fast.

What might be going on with my private channels that prevents routes from being found? How do I troubleshoot this sort of thing? And, what can I do to fix it?

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/737200

@ 23acd1fa:0484c9e0

Chef's notes

Cocoa powder: You can use 100% natural unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder – both work well.

Gluten free flour: There are many different gluten free flours on the market. I tested this recipe using White Wings All Purpose Gluten Free flour. I recommend choosing a gluten free flour that says it can be subbed 1:1 for regular plain or all purpose flour.

*Chocolate chips: Double check your chocolate chips are gluten free if you are making this brownie for someone who is celiac.

Cook times: Cook times will vary depending on your oven, but you’ll know these brownies are done when they firm up around the edges and no longer wobble in the middle. Keep in mind they will continue to cook slightly as they cool. You can also check they’re done by inserting a skewer into the middle of the brownie. If the skewer emerges with only a few crumbs on it, they’re ready. If it is covered in wet, gooey batter, keep baking the brownies and check them in another 5 minutes.

Storage: Brownies will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days. To serve warm, microwave each brownie for 20 seconds. You can also freeze these brownies to enjoy at a later date. Simply thaw at room temperature and then microwave if you prefer them warm.

Serving Size: 1 brownie Calories: 278 Sugar: 26.4 g Sodium: 22.9 mg Fat: 15.5 g Carbohydrates: 34.1 g Protein: 3 g Cholesterol: 77.3 mg Nutrition information is a guide only.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 20 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 35 min
• 🍽️ Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 170 grams (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
• 200 grams (1 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
• 90 grams (1/2 cup) brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 40 grams (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
• 70 grams (1/2 cup) gluten free plain or all purpose flour
• 75 grams milk or dark chocolate chips*

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Grease and line an 8-inch square pan with baking or parchment paper, ensuring two sides overhang.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add melted butter and sugars and gently whisk together. Add vanilla extract and stir.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring in-between, then sift in the cocoa powder and flour. Stir until just combined. Add chocolate chips.
4. Pour the brownie batter in the prepared pan and place in the oven. Bake brownies for approximately 30-35 minutes or until they no longer wobble in the middle.
5. Leave brownie in pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. These brownies are quite fragile so if you can, transfer to the fridge for an hour before cutting into squares to serve.

@ 9349d012:d3e98946

Chef's notes

Ingredients

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into thin strips 1 1/4 cups orzo (about 8 ounces) 3 cups low-salt chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon (loosely packed) saffron threads, crushed 1 pound slender asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Parmesan cheese shavings

Preparation

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto and sauté until almost crisp, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in same skillet over high heat. Add orzo; stir 1 minute. Add broth and saffron; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until orzo begins to soften, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add asparagus; cover and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover; simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Mix in prosciutto and 1/2 cup grated cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Garnish with Parmesan shavings. Makes 6 servings.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 30
• 🍳 Cook time: 30

Ingredients

• See Chef’s Notes

Directions

1. See Chef’s Notes

@ 57d1a264:69f1fee1

Welcome back to our weekly JABBB, Just Another Bitcoin Bubble Boom, a comics and meme contest crafted for you, creative stackers!

If you'd like to learn more, check our welcome post here.

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This week sticker: Bitcoin Students Network

You can download the source file directly from the HereComesBitcoin website in SVG and PNG.

The task

Starting from this sticker, design a comic frame or a meme, add a message that perfectly captures the sentiment of the current most hilarious take on the Bitcoin space. You can contextualize it or not, it's up to you, you chose the message, the context and anything else that will help you submit your comic art masterpiece.

Are you a meme creator? There's space for you too: select the most similar shot from the gifts hosted on the Gif Station section and craft your best meme... Let's Jabbb!

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If you enjoy designing and memeing, feel free to check our JABBB archive and create more to spread Bitcoin awareness to the moon.

Submit each proposal on the relative thread, bounties will be distributed next week together with the release of next JABBB contest.

₿ creative and have fun!

---

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/736536

@ a853296a:209e695f

👋 Howdy fellow stackers & cowboys!

We've been head down for a while and we're excited today to announce a new AI application called Jamie.

⚡ In 3 clicks, Jamie can take any audio or video file, transcribe it and instantly churn out AI generated content like blog posts, summaries or social media captions!

🛠️ How Jamie Works

📝 Step 1

Upload or provide the link to the file:

🎯 Step 2

Choose the prompt to generate content (or skip to just transcribe). You have 9 default options including creating your own Custom Prompt:

✏️Optional: Customize the Prompt/Give More Context

It can help to tweak the prompt to your needs or provide more information to the LLM about what exactly you've uploaded

⏳ Step 3: Await the Result

After about one minute your result will appear. In this case, I chose to make a blog post based on the CASCDR Startup Day Talk :

📜 Transcript & Job History

We are moving toward a paradigm of making it easier to reuse content and combine them with other tools. With the Blog Post job shown above, I can always go back to the original transcript and quickly make other content like social media posts, summaries or even translations with follow up prompts.

🚀 Future Plans

• Expand and continually improve on Jamie's capabilities. Our goal is to make Jamie a great assistant for all things media pre-production, post-production and even research! Please hit us with feedback as we pursue that goal.
• Make it easier to switch between local file analysis and analysis of published podcast rss feeds like we did in the RSS Agent
• Make other services follow this Job History + interoperability paradigm so we live up to our name of cascading services!
• Teaser: we are the proud owners of pullthatupjamie.ai. We plan to make the most out of that and provide you with great AI enhanced researching tools. This new tool to be announced will provide unparalleled utility, convenience and privacy aligned with our other applications

🧡 If you made it this far, thank you for your time and attention.. Check out our bitcoin payable services and apps at https://cascdr.xyz

Cheers.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/736898

@ fa0165a0:03397073

Chef's notes

This recipe is for 48 buns. Total cooking time takes at least 90 minutes, but 60 minutes of that is letting the dough rest in between processing.

The baking is a simple three-step process. 1. Making the Wheat dough 2. Making and applying the filling 3. Garnishing and baking in the oven

When done: Enjoy during Fika!

PS;

• Can be frozen and thawed in microwave for later enjoyment as well.

• If you need unit conversion, this site may be of help: https://www.unitconverters.net/

• Traditionally we use something we call "Pearl sugar" which is optimal, but normal sugar or sprinkles is okay too. Pearl sugar (Pärlsocker) looks like this: https://search.brave.com/images?q=p%C3%A4rlsocker

Ingredients

• 150 g butter
• 5 dl milk
• 50 g baking yeast (normal or for sweet dough)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1 1/2 dl sugar
• (Optional) 2 teaspoons of crushed or grounded cardamom seeds.
• 1.4 liters of wheat flour
• Filling: 50-75 g butter, room temperature
• Filling: 1/2 - 1 dl sugar
• Filling: 1 teaspoons crushed or ground cardamom and 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon (or 2 teaspoons of cinnamon)
• Garnish: 1 egg, sugar or Almond Shavings

Directions

1. Melt the butter/margarine in a saucepan.
2. Pour in the milk and allow the mixture to warm reach body temperature (approx. + 37 ° C).
3. Dissolve the yeast in a dough bowl with the help of the salt.
4. Add the 37 ° C milk/butter mixture, sugar and if you choose to the optional cardamom. (I like this option!) and just over 2/3 of the flour.
5. Work the dough shiny and smooth, about 4 minutes with a machine or 8 minutes by hand.
6. Add if necessary. additional flour but save at least 1 dl for baking.
7. Let the dough rise covered (by a kitchen towel), about 30 minutes.
8. Work the dough into the bowl and then pick it up on a floured workbench. Knead the dough smoothly. Divide the dough into 2 parts. Roll out each piece into a rectangular cake.
9. Stir together the ingredients for the filling and spread it.
10. Roll up and cut each roll into 24 pieces.
11. Place them in paper molds or directly on baking paper with the cut surface facing up. Let them rise covered with a baking sheet, about 30 minutes.
12. Brush the buns with beaten egg and sprinkle your chosen topping.
13. Bake in the middle of the oven at 250 ° C, 5-8 minutes.
14. Allow to cool on a wire rack under a baking sheet.

@ 75d12141:3458d1e2

Chef's notes

A childhood favorite of mine! Just don't go too crazy with the scallions as you don't want to overpower the pork flavor.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 15
• 🍳 Cook time: 15-20 mins
• 🍽️ Servings: 3-5

Ingredients

• 1 pound of lean ground pork
• 1 tablespoon of diced scallions
• Ground black pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Lightly coat your palms with olive oil to prevent the meat from sticking to you and to assist in keeping its ball form
2. Mix the ground pork and diced scallions in a large bowl
3. Roll the pork into the preferred portion size until it feels like it won't fall apart
4. Cook in a skillet for 15-20 mins

@ 42342239:1d80db24

TL;DR: The mathematics of trust says that news reporting will fall flat when the population becomes suspicious of the media. Which is now the case for growing subgroups in the U.S. as well as in Sweden.

A recent wedding celebration for Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson resulted in controversy, as one of the guests in attendance was reportedly linked to organized crime. Following this “wedding scandal”, a columnist noted that the party’s voters had not been significantly affected. Instead of a decrease in trust - which one might have expected - 10% of them stated that their confidence in the party had actually increased. “Over the years, the Sweden Democrats have surprisingly emerged unscathed from their numerous scandals,” she wrote. But is this really so surprising?

In mathematics, a probability is expressed as the likelihood of something occurring given one or more conditions. For example, one can express a probability as “the likelihood that a certain stock will rise in price, given that the company has presented a positive quarterly report.” In this case, the company’s quarterly report is the basis for the assessment. If we add more information, such as the company’s strong market position and a large order from an important customer, the probability increases further. The more information we have to go on, the more precise we can be in our assessment.

From this perspective, the Sweden Democrats’ “numerous scandals” should lead to a more negative assessment of the party. But this perspective omits something important.

A couple of years ago, the term “gaslighting” was chosen as the word of the year in the US. The term comes from a 1944 film of the same name and refers to a type of psychological manipulation, as applied to the lovely Ingrid Bergman. Today, the term is used in politics, for example, when a large group of people is misled to achieve political goals. The techniques used can be very effective but have a limitation. When the target becomes aware of what is happening, everything changes. Then the target becomes vigilant and views all new information with great suspicion.

The Sweden Democrats’ “numerous scandals” should lead to a more negative assessment of the party. But if SD voters to a greater extent than others believe that the source of the information is unreliable, for example, by omitting information or adding unnecessary information, the conclusion is different. The Swedish SOM survey shows that these voters have lower trust in journalists and also lower confidence in the objectivity of the news. Like a victim of gaslighting, they view negative reporting with suspicion. The arguments can no longer get through. A kind of immunity has developed.

In the US, trust in the media is at an all-time low. So when American media writes that “Trump speaks like Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini,” that his idea of deporting illegal immigrants would cost hundreds of billions of dollars, or gets worked up over his soda consumption, the consequence is likely to be similar to here at home.

The mathematics of trust says that reporting will fall flat when the population becomes suspicious of the media. Or as the Swedish columnist put it: like water off a duck’s back.

Cover image: Ingrid Bergman 1946. RKO Radio Pictures - eBay, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

@ 0861144c:e68a1caf

To read about the first 20 popes, click here.

In the first stage, we found Popes who focused on promoting the administrative and operational structuring of the Church. In the work of the following Popes, this ecclesial structuring continues but under the constant oppression of certain Roman emperors. Despite this, we see some Popes overcoming the situation, managing to save not only the theological aspect but also the administrative one, making it clear that bishops must unite under one Church. Various heresies began to spread from all sides, and the Popes responded accordingly.

1. Cornelius [251-253] During a time of persecution and turmoil, this Pope took a 180º turn by readmitting Christians into the Church after a public apology. It’s important to remember that the persecution in Rome was fierce, and many renounced their faith to save their lives. A key point is that this Pope rightfully stated that in the Church we are sinners called to holiness. Cornelius also encouraged people to live a pure life, far from worldly vices. He laid the groundwork for what would later become monasticism. He died as a martyr.
2. Lucius I [253-254] He took a step further than [21] by also readmitting Christians who had embraced paganism. There were two types: those who renounced their faith due to persecution and those who did so out of love for other religions. The condition? The Christian wishing to return had to prove their faith. This Pope did something particular: he segregated men and women into separate lives so that...passions wouldn't interfere with the work of Christians.

23. Stephen I [254-257] Continuing the work of [22], this Pope focused on combating common heresies of the time, taking advantage of the lull in persecution by the emperors during his papacy. In the years prior, bishops Basilides and Martial had purchased penitence. An appeal process was initiated, and they were ultimately expelled at the Council of Bishops of Hispania. He had many disagreements with Cyprian of Carthage (constructive ones), and to assert his opinion against the Novatianism movement, he is documented as the first Pope to use the verse Matthew 16:18, which says And I tell you that you are Peter,[a] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[b] will not overcome it; however, several bishops rejected this, arguing that all shared in the succession of Peter. Although it was Victor [14] who made decisions from Rome, this Pope used a modern monarchical structure to assert his rulings. After this event, the modern use of Pope became more aligned to Roman priesthood. 24. Sixtus II [257-258] Here, persecution resumed, this time under Valerian. This Pope is remembered for literally dying during a liturgical celebration. After him, Saint Lawrence met the same fate, but this time by being burned to death on a grill. 25. Dionysius [259-268] A good priest, a good Pope, who reorganized churches across the empire despite the ongoing persecution and the martyrdom of his predecessor. In the theological field, he took on the task of combating tritheism[^2], which was popular in his time as a consequence of Sabellian teachings. 26. Felix I [269-274] He took advantage of the pause in Christian persecution by Emperor Aurelian to hold masses. He is credited with being one of the Popes who paid the most attention to the work of martyrs. He also fought the heresy of Paul of Samosata[^1] through the institution of churches and constant preaching. 27. Eutychius [275-283] I didn’t find anything interesting to share. 28. Caius [283-296] This Pope is credited with developing the theological school, where during his pontificate, one could not become a bishop without first having been an ostiarius > lector > acolyte > exorcist > subdeacon > deacon > bishop. 29. Marcellinus [296-304] Persecution returned, and so did the deaths. This time much more brutal, as Galerius issued an edict confiscating the properties of all Christians, expelling them from the army, and desecrating and destroying temples and writings. The Donatists launched a...disinformation campaign against this Pope, accusing him of handing over sacred books to the Romans, a claim that was refuted by Augustine of Hippo. He died a martyr. 30. Marcellus I [308-309] The persecution was at its peak, but this Pope didn’t care and, like a true Chad, began to reorganize the Church administratively, leaving behind an enviable structure. He had encounters with the lapsis[^3] and upheld the thesis of his predecessors that, to be readmitted, they had to go through a process of penance, which cost him his papacy, as he died in exile by Roman orders. 31. Eusebius [309-310] His papacy was short, approximately four months. He dedicated this time to combating all known heresies mentioned above.

The next era of Popes begins with the end of the persecution, so stay tight we'll continue in the next chapter...

[^1]: Paul of Samosata taught that Jesus was born human and later, throughout his life, received the Logos or wisdom of God. In other words, that God from above controlled Jesus. This was later shown to have little consensus in synods of bishops, affirming that Father and Son are two natures in one person. He was promoted by Zenobia, ruler of Palmira. [^2]: Tritheism considered that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were three distinct natures, three distinct persons, and therefore, three distinct gods. This doctrine was popular and consistent with the polytheism of the time. [^3]: Lapsis were people who renounced their Christian faith under Roman power following the edicts of Decius. They wanted to return to Christianity just like that. The Popes said no.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/736674

@ 42342239:1d80db24

It was recently reported that Sweden's Minister for Culture, Parisa Liljestrand, wishes to put an end to anonymous accounts on social media. The issue has been at the forefront following revelations of political parties using pseudonymous accounts on social media platforms earlier this year.

The importance of the internet is also well-known. As early as 2015, Roberta Alenius, who was then the press secretary for Fredrik Reinfeldt (Moderate Party), openly spoke about her experiences with the Social Democrats' and Moderates' internet activists: Twitter actually set the agenda for journalism at the time.

The Minister for Culture now claims, amongst other things, that anonymous accounts pose a threat to democracy, that they deceive people, and that they can be used to mislead, etc. It is indeed easy to find arguments against anonymity; perhaps the most common one is the 'nothing to hide, nothing to fear' argument.

One of the many problems with this argument is that it assumes that abuse of power never occurs. History has much to teach us here. Sometimes, authorities can act in an arbitrary, discriminatory, or even oppressive manner, at least in hindsight. Take, for instance, the struggles of the homosexual community, the courageous dissidents who defied communist regimes, or the women who fought for their right to vote in the suffragette movement.

It was difficult for homosexuals to be open about their sexuality in Sweden in the 1970s. Many risked losing their jobs, being ostracised, or harassed. Anonymity was therefore a necessity for many. Homosexuality was actually classified as a mental illness in Sweden until 1979.

A couple of decades earlier, dissidents in communist regimes in Europe used pseudonyms when publishing samizdat magazines. The Czech author and dissident Václav Havel, who later became the President of the Czech Republic, used a pseudonym when publishing his texts. The same was true for the Russian author and literary prize winner Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Indeed, in Central and Eastern Europe, anonymity was of the utmost importance.

One hundred years ago, women all over the world fought for the right to vote and to be treated as equals. Many were open in their struggle, but for others, anonymity was a necessity as they risked being socially ostracised, losing their jobs, or even being arrested.

Full transparency is not always possible or desirable. Anonymity can promote creativity and innovation as it gives people the opportunity to experiment and try out new ideas without fear of being judged or criticised. This applies not only to individuals but also to our society, in terms of ideas, laws, norms, and culture.

It is also a strange paradox that those who wish to limit freedom of speech and abolish anonymity simultaneously claim to be concerned about the possible return of fascism. The solutions they advocate are, in fact, precisely what would make it easier for a tyrannical regime to maintain its power. To advocate for the abolition of anonymity, one must also be of the (absurd) opinion that the development of history has now reached its definitive end.

@ d76726da:5ce3e5fe

The Stacker News dev environment has 10x'd in the past 6 moths... sndev is ridiculously good.

Congrats @k00b & @ek

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/736578

@ 805b34f7:3620fac3

** I published this article on 3/26/2020. I'm back in Puerto now and just re-read this to fire myself up for some potential tubes. Now, I want it to live on Nostr.

“When in doubt, don’t go out” is a well-known aphorism among surfers. I think it’s bs. Let me explain.

**I speak from my experiences as a regular surfer and with my close group of regular surfers in mind.

In surfing, there’s a comfort zone, an adrenaline zone, an aw crap zone (doubt), and a hell no zone.

Comfort zone —It is in this place where it is safe and fun to try new maneuvers. The heart rate is low and the stoke rate high.

Adrenaline zone- This is personally my favorite zone. The surf is big or good enough to get the heart rate up and the juices flowing. Each movement matters and this is where some of the best surfing goes down.

Aw crap zone — This is the land of the I don’t know, the doubt. It’s always damn near impossible to sleep before an aw crap day of surfing. This is the place where limits are tested. Maybe you’re surfing in a new place with new risks such as shallow reef, a difficult takeoff, or it’s just huge. This aw crap zone will test and define your limits.

Hell no zone — When you know, you know. This is beyond doubt. You’re totally satisfied (yet still curious) from watching from afar. Maybe one day!

These zones are bound to change as the surfer progresses. One day there may be no “hell no zone” as the surf master has pushed his or her limits to the extreme.

Pushing

Pros are only as good as their home breaks. NOT. Tell that to Kelly Slater and the Hopgood brothers who grew up surfing Florida slop. Although, perhaps their garbage wave situation lit a fire underneath them which inspired them to seek out better waves and progress rapidly. Anyways, a surfer grows up surfing their home breaks often. Some people grow up on the North Shore or in Tahiti, others grow up in Huntington. A surfer’s perspective on waves and danger is influenced by their exposure.

I finally got bored with myself surfing my home waves. Sure, there were days that were outside of my comfort zone and epic, but it was time to go find waves that I had only seen in videos. I decided to pack my backpack and head to those famed Indonesian reefs that I’ve mind surfed for hours, but always had the question mark in my head as to whether or not I could conquer them.

Surfing over shallow reef is something that I was not used to and it terrified me, but I also knew that every surfer does it including five-year-olds so I had to send it. I escaped the first mission unscathed and with some of the best waves in my life.

In order to find those best waves of my life, I had to enter the ‘aw crap zone’. The I don’t know land. The unknown. When in doubt, I went out.

And Now I’m Here

I blew this wave, but wow pretty.

Current forecast looks like it will be right at my edge.. again. We'll see.

I’m surfing the famous Playa Zicatela every day with the whole world shut down due to Co-Vid19. I’ve always been curious to know what it’s like to be inside massive barrels, so I’m slowly making it happen. This is a battle that I chose. I’m learning how to sleep with surf anxiety. The first couple of nights were rough, but I’m starting to accept it now.

This very morning inspired this article. I got up, went to the roof, and checked out the waves. It looked pretty mellow despite the fact that I knew there was a lot of swell in the water. I just thought, eh, maybe it’s not big like it was forecasted. I got in the water, took my first wave, wiped out, but whatever. I’ve been here for a week and I still wipeout on just about every first wave. But, I quickly found out that this was not the real set. The next set was enormous, and it sent adrenaline shrieking through my spine and filled my brain with the aw craps. The questioning of my life and why I’m out here quickly followed. Am I good enough for this? (maybe). Could I survive a wipeout that size?(probably). Is my board right for this? (definitely not). The second wave I took was bigger and I pulled the eject cord and jumped from what felt like the top of a cliff all the way to the bottom and got creamed (my perspective). After a couple of flips, I popped up the back laughing and was ready for another. I survived, therefore, I can keep pushing.

Not gonna lie, surfing almost feels like work lately. Almost every day here is just about in my personal aw crap zone.

However, it’s worth it for me. This is a journey that I deem worthy of my time. It does it for me. It’s those little moments inside the barrel and gosh-dang-golly hopefully soon getting shot out of the barrel that keep me stoked and looking forward to tomorrow. It’s proving to myself that I can do things I didn’t know for sure were possible.

The Process to Progress

Progression sometimes feels like a snail crawling up Mt. Everest. But when you zoom out, those incremental small improvements compound over time. Each wipeout is a little victory. Each wave that is ridden is a little victory. Your brain is learning from every experience that you choose to give it. Confidence slowly builds as we continue to learn from the masters and even develop our own style. Next thing you know you’re drinking a beer in a barrel that can kill a normal man like Mr. Slater did here.

Freakin Goat

Stagnation leads to burnout, depression, and boredom (Not scientific facts but I’m right I know it). 

The great danger is that we give in to feelings of boredom, impatience, fear, and confusion. We stop observing and learning. The process comes to a halt. — Farnam Street Blog 

I’ve seen a few buddies give up surfing or digress. It happened to me while I was focusing on baseball. It’s sad because surfing is fun and the better you get the more fun it is. It’s even more fun with a core group of guys who are at a similar level pushing each other. It can get boring if you don’t push yourself, and it gets scary real quick if you aren’t in surf shape.

“Whenever we learn a skill, we frequently reach a point of frustration — what we are learning seems beyond our capabilities. Giving in to these feelings, we unconsciously quit on ourselves before we actually give up.” FS Blog

Progression takes effort. Effort takes a conscious decision to expend your limited energy. It’s the only way to get gains in whatever game you are playing. Also, progression takes humility.

I got the pleasure of surfing Kelly Slater’s Wave Ranch. I knew I was going to have fun, but the night before I was damn nervous. Why? Well, I knew there’d be cameras and that I didn't want to blow it. I’d be surfing with pros and I was going to look horrible compared to them. Sure enough, the one right the camera got, I blew. Oh well. No 30-second barrels for the boys. Life moves on.

Full vid here https://vimeo.com/367128298

Can't wait to go back here one day

You’re bound to fail, especially when you take risks. If you’re a prideful person, the setbacks will be greater. It’s how you deal with the failure that determines if you will become a master.

So if in doubt, go out. Your hell no zone is going to start to shrink. This applies any skill that you are sharpening. You’re only going to get the big clients if you go after them, a piano player will improve by practicing harder songs, a black belt gains nothing from fighting a white belt, etc.

Pick your battles wisely. Then…SEND IT, SURVIVE, LEARN, APPLY, REPEAT.

10/19 - Even though I'm a much more experienced surfer now, I'm still terrified. On my way to go get a board now and get ready for some swell! I'm on my honeymoon, so we'll see how hard I push. I have quite a few more responsibilities now then I did back in Covid times... But if in doubt, I will go out. PV.

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

Your first NOSTR note.

Some of you may be lurking wondering how why or what for your first note here on nostr. Here's some advice from an pseudonymous douchebag. To start with, your first note should be to come out swinging. Make lots of friends maybe even some enemies. Most people get a lot of love with their first introductions post.

Make it short.

Your first note will probably (and probably should) be a kind one event. The note you're reading is a 30023 event for long form notes. (More on this some other time). Keep it short and concise. You probably could publish a book in a kind one note. But I really don't think anyone believes you should and I'm sure many relays would reject it. It will also appear without formatting which just looks ugly for anything other than a microblog.

Introduce yourself.

Just as you would in an IRL interaction. What's your name? But more importantly what do you want us to call you? What brought you here? What are your interests? It's important to be real here even if you decide to be pseudonymous. Chances are your tribe is already here. If you're the first then that makes you king of your little corner of the nostr. Which will likely pay dividends in and of itself.

Make it a banger.

Here's my first note (I should disclose this is just the first note from this npub And I have already been here for over a year at this point):

note1pnufmzwy2gj4p5qza6jk7k40nns0p3k2w0fsrqq568utjlnyphdqyg8cpq

Have fun

Don't take this or anything else too seriously. We are all the same here because we are just as unique as each other. Be as weird as you want.

** & Don't forget to use the "#indroductions" hashtag **

@ 4ba8e86d:89d32de4

Ele permite que os usuários descubram, baixem e instalem aplicativos em seus dispositivos Android sem depender da Google Play Store, que é a loja de aplicativos padrão do Android.

História do F-Droid

O F-Droid foi lançado em 2010 por um grupo de desenvolvedores liderados por Ciaran Gultnieks. A ideia por trás do projeto era criar uma alternativa de código aberto para a Google Play Store, que é uma plataforma centralizada controlada por uma única empresa. O F-Droid foi desenvolvido como um catálogo de aplicativos que só inclui aplicativos de código aberto que podem ser baixados e instalados gratuitamente.

Desde o lançamento, o F-Droid cresceu significativamente e agora oferece mais de 3.500 aplicativos de código aberto para Android, com uma ampla gama de categorias, incluindo jogos, educação, produtividade, privacidade e segurança. O projeto é mantido por uma comunidade de desenvolvedores voluntários e é executado sem fins lucrativos.

Os problemas que o F-Droid resolve

O F-Droid resolve vários problemas associados à Google Play Store e outras lojas de aplicativos. O primeiro é o controle centralizado de uma única empresa. A Google Play Store pode remover aplicativos que violem suas políticas, e os desenvolvedores podem ser impedidos de distribuir aplicativos por meio da loja por motivos arbitrários. O F-Droid, por outro lado, é administrado por uma comunidade sem fins lucrativos e não há restrições sobre quais aplicativos podem ser incluídos no catálogo.

Além disso, o F-Droid oferece uma alternativa para os usuários preocupados com a privacidade que não querem depender dos serviços da Google. O F-Droid é independente do Google Play Services e não rastreia os usuários ou coleta informações pessoais, tornando-se uma escolha atraente para aqueles que buscam maior privacidade.

Por que usar o F-Droid?

Há várias razões pelas quais você pode querer usar o F-Droid em vez da Google Play Store ou outras lojas de aplicativos. Aqui estão algumas delas:

1. Privacidade: Como mencionado anteriormente, o F-Droid é independente do Google Play Services e não rastreia os usuários. Isso significa que você pode baixar e instalar aplicativos sem se preocupar com a coleta de dados pessoais.

2. Segurança: O F-Droid oferece apenas aplicativos de código aberto e de software livre, o que significa que a comunidade pode examinar o código-fonte para garantir que não haja vulnerabilidades ou backdoors mal-intencionados.

3. Controle: O F-Droid permite que os usuários controlem seus próprios dispositivos Android e decidam quais aplicativos são instalados e atualizados.

4. Escolha: O F-Droid oferece uma ampla gama de aplicativos de código aberto e de software

Também é importante observar que nem todos os aplicativos disponíveis no F-Droid são completamente livres de riscos. Portanto, é sempre recomendável ler cuidadosamente as informações sobre o aplicativo e avaliar os riscos antes de baixá-lo e instalá-lo.

Aqui está o passo a passo para instalar o F-Droid em seu dispositivo Android:

1. Acesse o site oficial do F-Droid em https://f-droid.org/ usando um navegador da web no seu dispositivo Android.

2. Verifique a assinatura PGP do arquivo APK que você irá baixar. Para isso, clique no link "PGP Signature" abaixo do botão "Download F-Droid" na página inicial do site. Na página seguinte, baixe o arquivo "F-Droid.apk.asc" clicando no botão "Download". Baixe também a chave pública do desenvolvedor do F-Droid, clicando no link "PGP key of F-Droid release signing key" na mesma página. É importante verificar a assinatura antes de prosseguir com a instalação.

3. Clique no botão "Download F-Droid" para baixar o arquivo APK.

4. Abra o arquivo APK baixado em seu dispositivo Android. Se você não sabe como abrir o arquivo, vá até o gerenciador de arquivos do seu dispositivo e encontre o arquivo APK que acabou de baixar. Toque no arquivo e siga as instruções na tela para instalar o aplicativo.

5. Se aparecer uma mensagem de alerta informando que a instalação de aplicativos de fontes desconhecidas está desativada, vá até as configurações de segurança do seu dispositivo e habilite a opção "Fontes desconhecidas". Isso permitirá que você instale aplicativos de fora da Google Play Store.

6. Clique em "Instalar" e aguarde a instalação ser concluída.

7. Após a instalação, abra o aplicativo F-Droid e aguarde a inicialização do repositório de aplicativos.

8. Pronto! Agora você pode navegar e baixar aplicativos do F-Droid em seu dispositivo Android. O F-Droid oferece uma ampla variedade de aplicativos de código aberto e de software livre, e todos são gratuitos para baixar e usar. Você pode usar o F-Droid como uma alternativa à Google Play Store se estiver preocupado com privacidade, segurança ou controle de seus próprios dispositivos Android.

https://github.com/f-droid

@ c3f12a9a:06c21301

Destination: Medieval Iceland, 930 AD

What lead almost 100 years old decentralized grouping of Icelandic settlers to start centralization and what we can learn from it in modern days?

The Icelandic Commonwealth and the Danger of Centralized Power

In 930 AD, Iceland underwent a pivotal moment in its history. After nearly a century of living without kings, formal government, or centralized authority, the Icelanders decided to establish a parliament—Alþing.

Iceland Before 930 AD

Iceland was settled in the 9th century, primarily by Norse settlers seeking to escape the rule of kings in Norway. This new land, with its rugged landscape filled with volcanoes, hot springs, and vast uninhabited plains, offered refuge to those who desired freedom and independence

For almost a hundred years, Icelanders lived without a formal state. Society was organized around family ties and personal agreements.

Power was decentralized, divided among various goðar—chieftains or leaders of local communities. These goðar were not rulers but intermediaries in disputes and protective patrons of their followers. People turned to them for help negotiating peace or resolving conflicts, but there was no central authority to impose laws or collect taxes.

This system of personal responsibility and mutual aid was the cornerstone of Icelandic society.

If conflicts arose, they were resolved through negotiation between individuals or families. Many Icelanders took pride in maintaining order without the need for a centralized state.

By 930 AD, Iceland thrived on its simple way of life. Its inhabitants sustained themselves through fishing, herding, and trade. Farms sprouted across the country, often miles apart, and people were accustomed to self-sufficiency. The distance between settlements and the harsh terrain made travel difficult, further reinforcing the need for local relations and decentralized governance.

However, this decentralized way of life was not without problems. As the population grew and wealth began to concentrate in the hands of some agressive goðar, disputes became more frequent. Personal conflicts between powerful families sometimes escalated into violence, which started to affect entire communities.

In this context, the idea of a formal parliament—Alþing—began to take shape as a way to maintain peace and resolve these disputes.

Alþing

The Alþing is one of the oldest parliamentary institutions in the world, established in 930 AD in Iceland. It served as a national assembly where chieftains, known as goðar, and free men gathered at Þingvellir to settle disputes, create laws, and maintain social order. The Alþing functioned as both a legislative and judicial body, where people could present grievances and seek resolutions. Although there was no centralized ruler, the Alþing became a key institution for organizing Icelandic society and resolving conflicts through a legal framework rather than violence.

While this was seen by many as a step towards civilizing the resolution of disputes, some feared that this move would lead to the loss of the freedom that Icelandic settlers had cherished for so long.

The Story: A Family’s Loss in the Shadow of the Alþing

The story begins with Úlfljótur, a man sent to Norway to study its laws. Úlfljótur believed that Iceland needed a better way to resolve disputes among powerful goðar and maintain peace. After years of studying abroad, he returned with a legal system that would form the basis of the Alþing.

Úlfljótur joined forces with his half-brother, Grímur Geitskör, who was tasked with finding a suitable location for the assembly. After a long search, Grímur discovered the wide plains of Þingvellir, a dramatic landscape that proved ideal for public gatherings.

While many Icelanders, especially the powerful goðar, welcomed the establishment of the Alþing as a means to maintain order, one of them Hallr the Saylor was almost in agonia. He saw an opinion how to become even more stronger. But not everyone was in agreement. Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson, the legendary explorer who had discovered Iceland and given it its name, was deeply skeptical. Flóki, who had made his living fishing and trading with other settlers, had always relied on unwritten rules of mutual respect and honest dealings among free people. The idea of a centralized parliament filled him with distrust.

Hallr the Saylor visited Flóki with asking to go to on his side with asking and Flóki asks

“Why should we need laws crafted by a few men far from our homes?” Flóki asked during a public gathering. “Iceland has been a free land where every man governs his own affairs. What will Alþing bring, other than power for those who crave to rule?”

Hallr the Saylor he says because it will help mostly the people he cares about and it will make the community thrive and that's what we're all about

And unfortunately, that kind of faking was enough for Saylor to convince the naive Flóki Drama at Þingvellir: The Hidden Agenda of the Goðar

Fateful night

In 930, the first Alþing was convened. The goðar, including Úlfljótur and other powerful chieftains, gathered at Þingvellir to establish a legal framework for resolving disputes. Hrafna-Flóki did not attend the assembly, but his grandson, young Þorleifur, traveled in secret to witness what was happening.

Behind the scenes, Þorleifur discovered that some goðar, especially Hallr the Saylor (fictional character created for drama), were planning to use the Alþing to strengthen their own power. Rather than serving as a tool for fairness, the parliament was becoming a mechanism for a few individuals as Saylor to consolidate wealth and influence. Hallr the Saylor, in particular, was positioning himself to control key disputes and resources of sound like food and water.

On the day the Alþing was founded, the assembly was celebrated as a triumph of cooperation. But Þorleifur saw the truth—it was the beginning of a subtle yet devastating shift in power. Although no king sat on a throne, the seeds of monopolistic rule had been planted.

Returning home, Þorleifur confronted his grandfather, Flóki, with what he had learned. Flóki, a man who had always trusted in the integrity of Icelandic society, was heartbroken.

On the other side of Iceland were Úlfljótur returning home after that Alþing surprisingly heartbroken too. He realized too late that the Alþing, which he suggested to preserve peace, had laid the foundation for centralized control.

It was allready late to do something and that is where Satoshi ending his travel to Medival Iceland and he’s going back to home, enlightened by mistakes of settlers.

Conclusion: Iceland’s Lesson for Today

The founding of the Alþing was a milestone in Iceland’s history, but it also serves as a reminder of how quickly power can be centralized into the hands of a few. While Icelandic settlers had survived for almost a century without a formal government, the Alþing symbolized the beginning of centralized power, which would later have serious consequences for Icelandic society.

The lesson for us today is clear: centralization of power—whether in legal or financial systems—can easily lead to the erosion of personal freedom. In today’s Bitcoin ecosystem, we see figures like Michael Saylor, who resemble the powerful chieftains of Medieval Iceland, using the legal framework of the Alþing to consolidate their power. Although Saylor’s large purchases of Bitcoin might not seem harmful at first, the danger lies in his potential to use Bitcoin’s strength to support centralized systems with monopolistic control.

Just as the Alþing, originally intended in good faith, it was eventually used by a few to dominate Icelandic society, Bitcoin’s decentralized promise could also be hijacked.

If influential figures like Saylor push for solutions that favor centralization within Bitcoin’s infrastructure, they risk undermining its core values. What started as a tool for financial freedom could quickly become another system controlled by a select few, leading to the same monopolistic dominance that Bitcoin was meant to resist.

Just don’t sell your coins to Saylor!

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/735970

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

Check out earlier posts in God Makes Himself Known series:

• God Demonstrates His Power: Part 1 (Egypt)

• God Defends His Honor: Part 2 (Phillistines)

• The One True God: Part 3 (Who deserves worship)

• Jesus is God: Part 4 (Jews & Gentiles)

Throughout history, God has shown His power and glory at different times and different places and to different people, but never shown it to everyone at once. The time is coming when God will show His power, glory, and judgement to all mankind.

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) {emphasis mine}

God’s first end times miracle will be the rapture of the church. All true believers (dead & alive) will be taken out of this world, given new, perfect, eternal bodies, and join Jesus in paradise. The world will see these Christians disappear. They will be there one moment and gone the next.

I always thought it strange, that after the Bible’s prophecies of the church being raptured, that most people would not believe God had removed His followers. I think something (maybe fallen angels pretending to be aliens who have rescued mankind) will make people not get panicked about millions of Christians all disappearing in an instant. Maybe it will be solely based on people’s hard hearts and their unwillingness to consider an unpleasant thought (that they were left behind), but life will go on.

The Bible makes it sound like there will be a short time of disarray, but then a man will come who make peace for a time (the Anti-Christ). After 3.5 years, things will get worse than they have ever been in the history of mankind.

The 7 Seals

In the end times, the world will experience unfathomably hard times. At first everything that happens will be things that have happened before, just worse. In Revelation 6, we see each of the 7 seals opened:

1. White Horse = Conquering

2. Red Horse = Takes away peace so men slay one another

3. Black Horse = Famine

4. Pale (Ashen) Horse = A quarter of the earth killed by war, famine, pestilence, and animals.

5. Those who trust in Jesus are martyred.

6. Awesome, terrifying natural disasters:\ — A great earthquake,\ — the sun becomes black,

— the moon becomes like blood,\ — the stars fall to earth,\ — the sky is split like a scroll,\ — every mountain & island moved out of its place,\ — everyone from kings to slaves hide in fear due to the wrath of the Lord.

The 7 Trumpets

The opening of the 7th Seal leads to the 7 trumpets which are more terrifying than the first 6 seals and in faster succession. These miraculous signs of God’s wrath are beyond anything mankind has ever experienced and to a degree never experienced. First there is a half hour of silence and reprieve before the sounding of the trumpets in Revelation 8 & 9:

1. Hail & fire, mixed with blood, fall to earth and “a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.” This burning will likely destroy crops and kill livestock causing famine.

2. “something like a great mountain burning with fire [asteroid?] was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.” A mountain sized asteroid would cause terrible tsunamis. The death of a third of the sea creatures will cause worse famine. The destruction of a third of the ships will cause a disruption in international trade leading to shortages and prices skyrocketing.

3. “a great star [comet?] fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters.” A third of the waters of earth are poisoned. If you don’t have clean water, you die. People will be dying of thirst and of drinking the poisoned waters out of desperation.

4. “a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened.” The world will experience fearful darkness. Sinful man hid their evil deeds under the cover of darkness and will now experience darkness that they don’t want.

5. A “star from heaven” (most likely a fallen angel) falls to earth with the key to the bottomless pit and “smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke came locusts [fallen angels that procreated with women: see Genesis 6] upon the earth.” These “locusts” will torment those who reject God and are forbidden from harming the remaining plants. The torment will last 5 months and will be so bad that people will desperately want to die.

6. Four angels will “kill a third of mankind.” Death comes through an army of 200 million that kills with “fire and smoke and brimstone” that comes out of their mouths. The fourth seal resulted in the death of a quarter of mankind. The sixth trumpet will then lead to an additional third of mankind dying.

The 2 Witnesses

God’s wrath will be unimaginably bad, but God still cares and he sends two witnesses to witness to the world to make sure that every person on earth has the opportunity to repent and turn to God. Many will, but many more will reject God despite His miraculous judgements upon them.

And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire. (Revelation 11:3-6) {emphasis mine}

God’s two witnesses will:

• Prophecy

• Shoot flames out of their mouths to devour those who want to harm them

• Stop the rain as judgement

• Turn water into blood

• Strike the earth with every plague

After 1260 days, God will allow:

• The beast to kill them

• Their bodies lie in the streets watched by the world as the world celebrates

But after 3.5 days, the witnesses will be raised from the dead in the view of every person on earth and be raised in the air up to heaven. God’s unmistakable power will be demonstrated in a way that there will not be any excuse for any person to reject Him as God and Creator.

And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. (Revelation 11:13)

At this point the unholy trinity (Satan always copies God because he can’t create anything himself) will rule the world and will begin to seriously persecute all those who have believed in Jesus and trusted Him as savior.

Amazingly, after all that God has demonstrated, the majority of people will worship the Anti-Christ rather than their creator who is the one, true God.

Additional Witnesses

As if the two witnesses that are seen by every person on earth is not enough, God sends other witnesses. He makes sure that every person truly knows who He is, what everyone is expected to do, and the consequences of refusing.

First God marks 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from every tribe, to be witnesses throughout the world. Then God sends an angel up in the sky to witness:

And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.” (Revelation 14:6-7)

He sends a second angel to warn that Babylon the Great has fallen. He then sends a third angel to give warning to people against following the Beast (Anti-Christ) or receiving his mark.

“If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” (Revelation 14:9b-11) {emphasis mine}

Most of those who believe and are saved during the seven year tribulation will be martyred, but they are promised “rest from their labors” and that “their deeds follow with them”:

… “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.” (Revelation 14:13b)

The 7 Bowls

The final miracles that show the wrath of God against those who refuse to trust in Him come in the 7 bowls (or vials). These are poured out in very rapid succession, probably hours or a few days.

1. “… a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.” (Revelation 16:2b)

2. “the sea … became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died.” (Revelation 16:3b) Notice that this blood isn’t like the other instances where it is like fresh blood. This blood is “like that of a dead man.” Every creature in the sea died, and I’m sure caused a rotting, putrid mess that smelled of death.

3. “… rivers and the springs of waters … became blood.” (Revelation 16:4b) God gave those who had murdered the prophets blood as the only thing they could drink, as a just punishment.

4. “… the sun … was given to it to scorch men with fire.” (Revelation 16:8b)

5. “… his *[the beast’s*] kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain.” (Revelation 16:10b) [clarification mine]

6. “… the Euphrates … water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east.” (Revelation 16:12b)

7. “… a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.” (Revelation 16:17b) and “… there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth …” (Revelation 16:18b) “And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men. …” (Revelation 16:20-21a)

More than half of the population of earth will be killed during the tribulation. Some will repent and turn to God, but then pay with their lives. Others will willfully disobey and reject God and refuse to submit to Him despite knowing who He is and why He should be worshipped. God will have shared His mercy and then His wrath in order to turn people back to Him, but too many will be hard hearted and reject Him. They will be guilty and every punishment they receive will be well deserved. Justice will ultimately be served.

The 4 Hallelujahs

Right before the end the whole earth will hear the voice of a great multitude in heaven saying:

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her.” And a second time they said, “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” And a voice came from the throne, saying, “Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.” Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. (Revelation 19:4-6) {emphasis mine}

The 2nd Coming of Jesus

Last of all is the greatest moment in all of history when Jesus returns to earth as Lord and King to claim His own and to judge those who rejected Him and lived evil lives.

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. (Revelation19:11-13)

The most magnificent man who ever lived, the eternal, creator God comes down from heaven in the sight of all with all of His followers behind Him dressed in white, but all those, both man and angel, who refused to worship Him and submit to Him decide to line up for battle against Him. They somehow think they have a chance against the very one who upholds their life with the power of His mind. All of the men who took the mark of the beast will line up for battle against their creator.

The Millennium

Of course these rebels have no chance. The beast and false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire. The rest are destroyed by the sword in the mouth of Jesus while His followers watch, never having to lift a hand or dirty their white attire. Satan is bound for a thousand years and Jesus reigns over all of the earth for a thousand years on earth fulfilling the promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David, and everyone else in the Bible. There will be a thousand years without the evil influences of Satan and his fallen angels. What a wonderful time that will be, but sadly, not all will fully submit to the perfect, sinless, creator God and one more moment of glory will be shown before the earth is burned with fire.

Judgement Throne of God

At the end of 1,000 years, there will be one more rebellion when Satan is released.

I used to think it strange that God would allow Satan to be released again to mislead, but I think it is a test to expose those who are not really trusting in Jesus. During the millennial reign, there will not be much outright sin, but not all will follow with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength. Many will be going through the motions. They will be going along to stay out of trouble, but not because their hearts are following Jesus. When temptation comes along, many will turn away from God again into judgment. Satan will gather people from all the nations to surround the saints, but God will send fire down from heaven to devour all of the rebels

And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)

Great White Throne Judgement

In the end, everyone that rejected Jesus will have their lives judged at the Great White Throne.

And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. (Revelation 20:12)

We are all sinners and do not want to be given what we deserve. We want God’s grace. Those who had trusted Jesus before the tribulation were judged by Jesus to determine their rewards. Those who rejected Jesus will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgement and will experience the just wrath of our holy, creator God. I hope you will be one of those who trust Jesus, otherwise you will receive your just punishment:

And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)

By the end every person who has ever lived on earth will know who God is and will understand how much they have failed Him. Every knee will bow — whether in awe or in terror.

God made Himself known through His creation. God made Himself known through His blessings. God made Himself known by coming to earth to die for mankind to take away our sins. God made Himself known through His written word. God made Himself known through His wrath. Nobody can reject Him and claim they did not know.

Trust Jesus.\ \ your sister in Christ,

Christy

Bible verses are NASB (New American Standard Bible) 1995 edition unless otherwise stated

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

Table Of Content

• The Origins of the Debate

• The Rise of Bitcoin

• HODLing: A Strategy to Weather the Storm

• The Skepticism of Peter Schiff

• The Bitcoin Community's Response

• Conclusion

• FAQ

In the world of finance, few debates have garnered as much attention as the showdown between Peter Schiff and Bitcoin. As an outspoken critic of the cryptocurrency, Peter Schiff, a well-known economist, has long been skeptical of its value and viability. However, as the Bitcoin market experienced unprecedented growth and adoption, the concept of "HODLing" emerged victorious. This article delves into the clash between Schiff and Bitcoin, exploring the reasons behind their differing views and ultimately highlighting how the strategy of HODLing prevailed.

The Origins of the Debate

It all began when Bitcoin, the first decentralized cryptocurrency, was introduced to the world in 2009. While many were intrigued by the concept of digital currency, Schiff expressed skepticism and voiced his concerns regarding its lack of intrinsic value. Schiff, a proponent of traditional investments like gold, believed that Bitcoin's meteoric rise was nothing more than a speculative bubble waiting to burst. This clash of ideologies set the stage for an ongoing battle between Schiff and Bitcoin enthusiasts.

The Rise of Bitcoin

Despite Schiff's reservations, Bitcoin steadily gained traction and captured the imagination of investors worldwide. Its decentralized nature, limited supply, and potential as a store of value attracted a growing number of individuals looking to diversify their portfolios. Bitcoin's disruptive technology and its ability to facilitate fast and secure transactions also played a significant role in its ascent.

HODLing: A Strategy to Weather the Storm

As Bitcoin's price exhibited volatility, a strategy emerged among its proponents: HODLing. This term, originating from a misspelling of "hold" in a Bitcoin forum post, refers to the practice of holding onto Bitcoin for the long term, irrespective of short-term market fluctuations. HODLers believed that Bitcoin's underlying technology and its potential to revolutionize the financial industry made it a worthwhile investment, regardless of temporary setbacks.

The Skepticism of Peter Schiff

While Bitcoin continued to surge in popularity, Peter Schiff remained steadfast in his skepticism. He argued that Bitcoin's lack of intrinsic value made it a speculative asset rather than a legitimate currency or store of wealth. Schiff often compared Bitcoin to gold, highlighting the tangible and historical significance of the precious metal. He warned investors of the potential risks associated with Bitcoin, emphasizing the possibility of a catastrophic collapse.

The Bitcoin Community's Response

Bitcoin enthusiasts fervently defended their chosen asset against Schiff's criticism. They pointed out that while Bitcoin may not possess intrinsic value like gold, its value is derived from its decentralized network, scarcity, and the trust placed in its underlying technology. They highlighted the benefits of Bitcoin's borderless transactions, low fees, and the potential for financial inclusion. The community also stressed that Bitcoin's volatility was merely a temporary characteristic during its early stages of adoption.

Conclusion

In the ultimate showdown between Peter Schiff and Bitcoin, the concept of HODLing emerged victorious. Despite Schiff's skepticism, Bitcoin's decentralized nature, technological innovation, and growing adoption propelled it forward. The strategy of HODLing, fueled by the belief in Bitcoin's long-term potential, allowed investors to weather the storm of market volatility. As the world continues to embrace digital currencies and explore the possibilities they offer, the clash between traditionalists and innovators will persist. The story of Peter Schiff vs Bitcoin serves as a testament to the ever-evolving landscape of finance.

FAQ

Is Bitcoin a reliable investment in the long term? Bitcoin's reliability as an investment depends on one's risk tolerance and long-term perspective. While it has exhibited significant growth, its volatility and regulatory uncertainties make it a speculative asset that carries inherent risks.

Can Bitcoin replace traditional forms of currency? Bitcoin's potential to replace traditional forms of currency is still highly debated. While it offers certain advantages, such as faster and cheaper cross-border transactions, widespread adoption and regulatory clarity would be necessary for it to become a mainstream currency.

How does HODLing differ from traditional investing? HODLing differs from traditional investing as it involves holding onto an asset for the long term, regardless of short-term market fluctuations. Traditional investing often involves active management, buying and selling based on market trends and analysis.

That's all for today

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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.

@ 35f3a26c:92ddf231

https://image.nostr.build/d9a16c4ae85023410248d88cbd5885d376468b85e9e5d1e3e50aecf32dfd822c.png

What is BOLT12

Bitcoin Lightning Network protocol BOLT12 is a proposed upgrade to the existing BOLT11 protocol, designed to enable re-usable payment requests, increased receiver privacy, and better censorship resistance.

Background:

BOLT11 was the previous version of the protocol, which has been widely used since its inception. . BOLT12 aims to address some of the shortcomings of BOLT11 and provide a more streamlined experience for users.

Current Adoption:

While BOLT12 is still in the development phase, there have been some early adopters and testers who have already implemented the new protocol:

1. Phoenix Wallet

https://image.nostr.build/fd798202b6f6d7ad4e462eb5456e458a1b88b6fd882c472c3230eed378beab63.png

From version 2.3.1 (Jul 3, 2024), Phoenix Wallet has introduced support for BOLT12, a Lightning Network specification that aims to improve payment requests and receiver privacy. Offers are the Lightning equivalent to a Bitcoin address: it's a reusable, static payment request that can be used for donation use cases, or to easily pay/get paid by your friends. Since BOLT12 is not yet well supported, Phoenix keep displaying a BOLT11 invoice by default.

From version 2.3.3 (Jul 11, 2024) the wallet supports paying BIP353 DNS addresses. It allows users to have a user@domain email-like handle, which are much easier to share with friends or on social networks than a BOLT12 offer

This wallet uses very innovative features and is, IMO, best in class of all the non custodial Lighting Network wallets, from the ones new to the technology to the most advanced.

I always run the “mass adoption test” with a small sample of my family and friends that are not tech savvy and this wallet passed with flying colors, after the installation and without my assistance they managed to use the wallet to receive and send sats.

1. Zeus Wallet

https://image.nostr.build/6e8b176dec133a1b412467dee0074bf14b7e8e8ce38cbaf5ca13eee2754bb48f.png

ZEUS Wallet is a mobile Bitcoin wallet and * node management * app that offers full functionalities of a Bitcoin Lightning wallet. It enables users to make Bitcoin payments and manage their Lightning nodes from their mobile device

This wallet does not pass the “mass adoption test” , the test users were not comfortable with the user interface neither understood most of the settings.

For the advance users that manage their own nodes, this mobile wallet is best in class.

Adoption summary: The widespread adoption is still awaited, as many users and merchants are yet to upgrade to the new protocol.

PROS & CONS

https://image.nostr.build/db35c2a028e9f740181daabe2deef4e707653fa2d82f1602086e0ac4b5ee84fd.png

Pros:

1. Re-usable payment requests

2. Increased receiver privacy

3. Better censorship resistance

Cons:

1. Complexity of implementation

2. Compatibility with older nodes and applications which could lead fragmentation

Next Steps:

Many developers are working to improve and implement the protocol ensuring a smooth transition. As the protocol is refined and tested, it is expected to become more widely adopted.

Here the web addresses of few projects actively working on BOLT12:

1. https://ocean.xyz/
2. https://zeusln.com/
3. https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/pull/1551/files
4. https://twelve.cash/
5. https://clams.tech/
6. https://www.roygbiv.guide/
7. https://www.ridethelightning.info/
8. https://github.com/gudnuf/bolt12-covenant-zapper
9. https://lampo.devcrew.cc/
10. https://github.com/urza/payto
11. https://strike.me/blog/bolt12-playground/ 12, https://phoenix.acinq.co/
12. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/plasma-core-lightning-wallet/id6468914352
13. https://satsto.me/
14. https://dplus.plus/offer
15. https://x.com/eltordev

For updates, specs or to get involved with BOLT12, bookmark the main website:

https://www.bolt12.org

What are your thoughts about BOLT12?

Did I missed any wallet that has implemented it already?

Which one is your favorite wallet, custodial or non custodial, supporting BIP353 DNS addresses?

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/735926

@ e968e50b:db2a803a

It's time to pull our own weight in hash

How it started

Back in July, I wrote up this post about my experience at the big Nashville conference. The TLDR is that most industrial miners don't put much thought into concerns about centralization when deciding what pool they mine with. This is a concern because the prevailing argument against centralization doomers has been that everybody will just switch pools if some pool starts to censure folks. This is clearly not true if those that control the hash aren't even thinking about such things.

The ensuing discussion was not encouraging. Here are a few observations from stackers.

I imagine that most industrial miners are hyper-focused on maximizing profit and are not really all that focused on doing right by bitcoin, i.e. protecting against 51% attacks, routing to the "best" mining pool based on "ethics", etc.

Mining is the industry for people who literally have no ideas. It is the industry where the product to be delivered and its quantity is pre-ordained for eternity. It is more basic than the business of logging or mining for talc powder. It is no more interesting than janitorial or waste management services, yet is able to draw frenzy from identitarian bitcoiners, who ironically, dilute how special the transition that is upon us is. The desire for a simulacrum of the thing is an attack on the thing and a detraction from those who desire it sincerely.

Miners are their for the profit, or else they wouldnt be doing it. Many people are in bitcoin to make a profit, not to see it become the currency it deserves to be.

There are others. Many of these comments have a tone of concern, which makes sense to me. Others seem to have a tone of, "boys will be boys. Let them play in the dirt. I like to do smarty-pants things." I'm not trying to pick on anybody's comment in particular, but the problem here is that these are the boys securing the network! This is like being an arborist who's really into leaf health because it's sophisticated and pretty, but not so much into root health. He may be sad to find his leaves looking a little sickly one day.

How it's going

"Users of bitcoin should be viewing miners as an adversary."

TLDR: bad

The above quotation is the inspiration for this post and a direct quotation from a mining hardware distributer I was speaking with this week. I've spent the last half a year researching ways to heat my house with bitcoin mining exhaust and the winds are starting to blow chilly again in my corner of the globe. I'm about ready to buy some equipment a bit beefier than my s9i fleet and have picked back up on conversations with sellers. The above quote came out after one particular seller had encouraged me to use a more affordable miner. I appreciate him looking out for my losses, but it expressed the same sentiment I keep hearing less bluntly everywhere I turn.

He said that if I was mostly concerned about decentralization, I should run a node. Well I do run a node, but blockchain validation is not the area I'm worried about centralizing. I'm worried about mining pool centralization. He went on to explain that it's just too competitive because industrial miners have been incentivized to buy miners that might not be profitable because they can depreciate them on their taxes. He reiterated that industrial miners are "fiat minded."

Enemy ____ the Gates

Let's explore this for a little bit.

What he was describing was not the enemy AT the gates. This is the enemy GUARDING the gates. If fiat minded people take over the lightning network, nodes can close their channels. If fiat minded people take over all of bitcoin development, nodes can ignore their changes. If fiat minded people take over stacker news, you can sell your cowboy credits to darthcoin. If fiat minded people are the ones securing the network, long term, the best case scenario is a hard fork in which the network looses a MASSIVE amount of hash rate (security), takes a massive blow in the eyes of the public, challenging the value proposition of bitcoin, and a competing "legitimate" coin emerges. That's the best case scenario. Am I wrong? I can think of some that are worse.

No Escape

After my post in July generated some noise, I shared it with a famous bitcoin influencer. I mentioned that this person is sponsored by one of the industrial miners that I spoke with at the conference. I asked if this person might consider having someone from the industry on to discuss what pools they contribute to and why. They wrote me back a one line response saying that they couldn't speak on behalf of their sponsor.

On one level, I get that. This person didn't want to implicate his sponsor in irresponsibility. On the other hand, since I haven't really heard any refutation of this concern, this guy either doesn't understand what I'm saying, or is fine having his adversary guarding his whole life savings.

I also applied for a research position at Foundry, sighting that post. Wait, what?! You may be thinking, "isn't Foundry the organization that you're most harshly critiquing here?" Sure, but they will be smote with the rest of us if they get to that level of power, because the whole value proposition of bitcoin collapses. They might be holding all of their wealth in fiat at that point, but the business model goes down with the network.

Pull your own weight in hash

Tabletop solo miners are awesome. I hope to get one when I have some disposable cash. It's not going to solve this problem though. As a badass bookshelf decoration, hopefully it will solve the problem of having a bitcoin conversation icebreaker with my cousin Mikey. But they're literally currently more expensive than an s9 (I see one for sale online right now for less than half the price of a Bitaxe), which has over fifteen times the hashrate. Admittedly, running the s9 also adds a coffee worth of expense to your daily routine, and the hardware comes from the central manufacturer of most bitcoin mining. ...but it's fifteen times the hashrate. If you can afford an s19, it's one-hundred times the hashrate of one of these solo guys.

Waste not, want not

AND, you can recycle the heat. My point is, let's wrestle with our adversaries this winter. Let's generate some real kick-em-the-teeth hash and motivate the manufacturers to build more real hash-producing miners for our homes. It's definitely in our best interest...and it's in the best interest of any honest industrial miner too!

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/735779

@ 4ba8e86d:89d32de4

Para ajudar a contornar a censura da Internet em locais onde o acesso ao Tor é bloqueado. Ele é uma espécie de ponte do Tor que permite que os usuários se conectem à rede Tor por meio de um sistema distribuído de voluntários.

A história do Snowflake começou em 2019, quando o Tor Project percebeu que muitas pessoas em locais com restrições de acesso à Internet estavam recorrendo a soluções de VPN e proxies para contornar a censura. No entanto, muitas dessas soluções eram bloqueadas pelas autoridades governamentais, o que criou a necessidade de encontrar novas maneiras de contornar a censura. Foi aí que surgiu a ideia do Snowflake, que foi lançado como uma solução para ajudar a aumentar a capacidade do Tor de contornar a censura da Internet em todo o mundo.

O Snowflake funciona por meio de um sistema distribuído de voluntários que oferecem seus proxies para ajudar a contornar a censura. Quando um usuário se conecta ao Snowflake, seu tráfego é roteado por meio de um conjunto de proxies voluntários que se oferecem para ajudar a contornar a censura. Esses proxies são distribuídos em todo o mundo, o que ajuda a garantir que haja sempre uma opção disponível para os usuários que desejam acessar a Internet livremente.

O Snowflake resolve o problema de acesso à Internet em locais onde o acesso ao Tor é bloqueado. Ele permite que os usuários contornem a censura e a vigilância da Internet, acessando sites e aplicativos que seriam bloqueados em suas regiões. Com o Snowflake, os usuários podem navegar na Internet com mais privacidade e segurança, evitando serem detectados pelos censores da Internet.

"A privacidade é necessária para uma sociedade aberta na era eletrônica. Privacidade não é sigilo. Uma sociedade livre requer privacidade na comunicação, bem como privacidade na busca e na associação." - Eric Hughes

https://snowflake.torproject.org/

https://youtu.be/ZC6GXRJOWmo

@ ff18165a:dd7ca7f0

Chef's notes

1. DO NOT add too much Peppermint Extract! It’s extremely strong and it will make your milkshake way too strong if you add more than a few drops.
2. Feel free to be creative with your toppings. We used Caramel Flavored Whipped Topping and it turned out great!

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 5 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 2 min
• 🍽️ Servings: 1

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup Milk
• 2 drops Peppermint Extract
• 2 packets Stevia
• 1 cup Ice
• 2 drops Green Food Coloring
• Green Sprinkles
• 1 Crushed Peppermint Candy
• 2 Mint Leaves

Directions

1. 1. Blend together until smooth and frothy
2. 1. Pour into a tall glass
3. 1. Top with listed toppings
4. 1. Add straw and enjoy

@ 0861144c:e68a1caf

Some time ago, I asked what to do with over 20 pages of findings, which are essentially notes I took while reading about history, documents, papal bulls, doctrines, conversations, conspiracies, leadership lessons, and much more. And so, here I am. To clarify, the religion I profess is Catholicism, and this exercise began out of curiosity and led me down the rabbit hole. Even now, as I write this, I continue learning about historical documents. Final clarification: this is not a historical apology, nor does it aim to defend or condemn any side. These writings are intended to analyze the Popes and their main contributions (both good and/or bad) to modern history. These are lessons I drew as I read, so I also hope for your input in the comments to further this conversation.

Let’s start from the beginning. What is a Pope?

The Pope is the highest authority of the Roman Catholic Church, which, according to historical records, has been succeeding one another since Peter the Apostle. Currently, Pope Francis holds a direct line of succession tied to the apostles of Jesus. The Papacy can be divided into three different categories:

• It is a service: The Papacy is a call to gather, administer, and watch over the Universal Church of God (hence the name Catholic, which means universal). In the name of the Trinity, a Tradition was built, which, once settled over centuries, became customs that changed over time.

• He is the Bishop of Rome: As Bishop of Rome and Supreme Head of the College of Cardinals, the Pope is the highest theological authority in the Catholic Church. Although he has an administrative, operational, and ecclesial body that provides advice and issues documents, in case of controversy or seeking consensus, it is the Pope who has the final word on theological matters, though not on administrative or political ones.

• He is the Head of State: For nearly 1,600 years, through ups and downs, the Popes wielded unmatched political power in Europe, leveraging their position and direct succession from the ecclesial organization left by Peter and Paul. In modern history, this is the role that has caused the most controversy, and for good reason.

So, with all this in mind, let’s begin with Popes 1 to 20. These Popes stood out for organizing the Church during a time when emperors were hostile toward Christians. At the same time, they began to combat strong heresies that would prove fatal for Christians, but not for the faith and doctrine they professed.

Popes 1 to 20: The Early Ones

1. Peter and Paul
2. Linus
3. Anacletus
4. Clement
5. Evaristus
6. Alexander
7. Sixtus
8. Telesphorus
9. Hyginus
10. Pius

These early Popes dedicated the first century of the Church to organizing Christian communities. Everything was about structure and organization, as frequent and constant persecution prevented them from building temples or conducting rites. These Popes used letters as their primary means of communication with everyone.

1. Anicetus [155-166] – This Pope is known for initiating ecclesiastical organization.
2. Soter [166-174] – He fostered communion among Christians to mitigate the persecutions of those days.
3. Eleutherius [174-189] – A friend of Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon. Under this Pope, the first catechism and theology schools were organized, aiming to structure Christian teachings and distance them from heresies[^1]. Main heresies: Marcionism, Montanism, and Valentianism.
4. Victor [189-198] – With the growth of Christian communities and the rise of people teaching non-Christian or mixed Christian doctrines, excommunication began to be used as a tool of separation, with prior notification to the communities. This Pope left two strong legacies in history: first, he adopted Latin as the main language of the Church, and second, he rejected the idea that a human could be chosen by God (adopted) to exercise power, like monarchs. Decisions started being made more frequently from Rome under his reign.
5. Zephyrinus [198-217] – This Pope was quite interesting; although he did not have a formal theological background, he faced many criticisms from all sides. He carried the consequences of his predecessor, who was accused of wanting to be both King and God. His main legacy was his fight against heresies, including Marcionism, Montanism, Valentianism, and Theodotionism.
6. Callixtus I [217-222] – This Pope was a slave freed by the family of Emperor Commodus. Historically, it’s known that Marcia, Commodus’ wife, held him in high esteem. He initiated Christological debates, focusing on the figure of Christ, and invited everyone, regardless of social status, to reintegrate with the faith. His main battle was against Sabellians in matters of heresy.
7. Urban I [222-230] – I found nothing particularly interesting about him.
8. Pontian [230-235] – He faced arbitrary political and theological persecutions in Roman territory, renounced the papacy, and died as a martyr. His main legacy was the use of "Dominus vobiscum" ("The Lord be with you") and the incorporation of psalms in the masses.
9. Anterus [235-236] – He reigned for 40 days and ordered the compilation of the acts of martyrs.
10. Fabian [236-250] – To increase the Church's outreach and protection of its followers, he improved its structure. By this point, the Church had hundreds of thousands of members, mostly deacons and laypeople. A dark period followed: Emperor Decius, early in his reign, declared Christians the direct cause of the Empire's troubles, leading to horrific persecution, torture, and the death of hundreds, including the Pope. Many Christians, unwilling to die, became pagans, raising a theological question: If you convert to paganism to avoid death, can you return to Christianity?

We'll continue in the next chapter...

[^1]: Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/735219

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

Joe Biden and Senator Lindsey Graham about securing a U.S.-Saudi defense treaty, as revealed in Bob Woodward's new book "War".

The Proposed "Megadeal"

The conversation took place in the context of Biden's attempts to negotiate a "megadeal" between the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Israel[1]. The goal was to create a permanent, U.S.-led security alliance in the Middle East[1].

Bipartisan Collaboration

Graham reportedly told Biden that only a Democratic president could convince Democrats to "vote to go to war for Saudi Arabia," to which Biden responded, "Let's do it"[1]. This exchange highlights the bipartisan willingness to consider military commitments in the Middle East[2].

Political Calculations

Graham suggested that: - A Republican administration wouldn't be able to secure such a deal - Democrats wouldn't support it if introduced by Trump - Republicans could provide 45 votes if Israel encouraged it Biden assured Graham he could secure the remaining Democratic votes[1].

Saudi Arabia's Perspective

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was reportedly interested in the deal to gain protection under the U.S. nuclear umbrella[1]. However, after the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, bin Salman became hesitant, fearing potential assassination if he didn't stand up for Palestinian rights[1].

Current Status

The deal is currently in suspended animation due to bin Salman's concerns and changing regional dynamics. The Biden administration continues to pursue negotiations, urging Israel to make concessions on Palestinian rights to facilitate the agreement.

The article concludes by noting that if Woodward's reporting is accurate, both Biden and Graham seemed willing to commit American troops to potential conflict with relative ease.

Sauce: https://reason.com/2024/10/18/biden-and-graham-reportedly-schemed-on-how-to-go-to-war-for-saudi-arabia/

@ 4ba8e86d:89d32de4

Ele possibilita o compartilhamento seguro de arquivos e mensagens entre dispositivos próximos em uma rede Wi-Fi local, sem a necessidade de uma conexão com a Internet.

O LocalSend é um aplicativo de plataforma cruzada que utiliza uma API REST e criptografia HTTPS para garantir a segurança da comunicação. Diferentemente de outros aplicativos de mensagens que dependem de servidores externos, o LocalSend não requer acesso à Internet ou servidores de terceiros.

Para assegurar a máxima segurança, o LocalSend utiliza um protocolo de comunicação seguro em que todos os dados são enviados por HTTPS, e um certificado TLS/SSL é gerado instantaneamente em cada dispositivo durante a comunicação.

https://f-droid.org/pt_BR/packages/org.localsend.localsend_app/

https://github.com/localsend/localsend

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

Former Democratic Representative Tulsi Gabbard has officially joined the Republican Party, announcing her decision at a Donald Trump rally in North Carolina. As one of the few voices of reason within the Democratic Party, Gabbard's departure marks the end of her journey from Democratic presidential candidate to Republican Party member[1]. Her transition began with her exit from the Democratic Party in 2022, when she accurately called it an "elitist cabal of warmongers"[3].

Throughout her congressional career, Gabbard demonstrated a consistent anti-interventionist stance and a strong defense of civil liberties. She was an original member of the bi-partisan 4th Amendment Caucus, fighting against warrantless searches and championing privacy rights in the digital age[4]. Her principled opposition to the surveillance state and bulk data collection set her apart from the establishment of both major parties.

While some may view her political evolution as opportunistic, Gabbard's core positions on foreign policy have remained remarkably consistent. She has maintained her opposition to unnecessary foreign interventions and has been vocal about the risks of nuclear war[2]. Her criticism of the military-industrial complex and her calls for the Democratic party to renounce the influence of military contractors and corporate lobbyists demonstrate a commitment to principles over party loyalty[4]. Though her recent alignment with Trump may raise eyebrows, her consistent advocacy for peace and opposition to the warfare state make her a unique figure in American politics[1].

Sauce: [1] Tulsi Gabbard's Political Evolution | TIME https://time.com/7096376/tulsi-gabbard-democrat-republican-political-evolution-history-trump/ [2] Tulsi Gabbard wants to serve under Trump, but do their policies align? https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/06/19/tulsi-gabbard-trump-vp-secretary-policy/73968445007/ [3] Tulsi Gabbard announces she is leaving Democratic Party https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/tulsi-gabbard-announces-leaving-democratic-party/story?id=91326164%2F [4] Political positions of Tulsi Gabbard - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Tulsi_Gabbard [5] Tulsi Gabbard Turning Republican Is 'Surprise' to Donald Trump https://www.newsweek.com/tulsi-gabbard-donald-trump-republican-party-1973340

@ eac63075:b4988b48

Imagine sending a private message to a friend, only to learn that authorities could be scanning its contents without your knowledge. This isn't a scene from a dystopian novel but a potential reality under the European Union's proposed "Chat Control" measures. Aimed at combating serious crimes like child exploitation and terrorism, these proposals could significantly impact the privacy of everyday internet users. As encrypted messaging services become the norm for personal and professional communication, understanding Chat Control is essential. This article delves into what Chat Control entails, why it's being considered, and how it could affect your right to private communication.

https://www.fountain.fm/episode/coOFsst7r7mO1EP1kSzV

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0IZ6kMExfxFm4FHg5DAWT8?si=e139033865e045de

Sections:

• Introduction
• What Is Chat Control?
• Why Is the EU Pushing for Chat Control?
• The Privacy Concerns and Risks
• The Technical Debate: Encryption and Backdoors
• Global Reactions and the Debate in Europe
• Possible Consequences for Messaging Services
• What Happens Next? The Future of Chat Control
• Conclusion

---

What Is Chat Control?

"Chat Control" refers to a set of proposed measures by the European Union aimed at monitoring and scanning private communications on messaging platforms. The primary goal is to detect and prevent the spread of illegal content, such as child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and to combat terrorism. While the intention is to enhance security and protect vulnerable populations, these proposals have raised significant privacy concerns.

At its core, Chat Control would require messaging services to implement automated scanning technologies that can analyze the content of messages—even those that are end-to-end encrypted. This means that the private messages you send to friends, family, or colleagues could be subject to inspection by algorithms designed to detect prohibited content.

Origins of the Proposal

The initiative for Chat Control emerged from the EU's desire to strengthen its digital security infrastructure. High-profile cases of online abuse and the use of encrypted platforms by criminal organizations have prompted lawmakers to consider more invasive surveillance tactics. The European Commission has been exploring legislation that would make it mandatory for service providers to monitor communications on their platforms.

How Messaging Services Work

Most modern messaging apps, like Signal, Session, SimpleX, Veilid, Protonmail and Tutanota (among others), use end-to-end encryption (E2EE). This encryption ensures that only the sender and the recipient can read the messages being exchanged. Not even the service providers can access the content. This level of security is crucial for maintaining privacy in digital communications, protecting users from hackers, identity thieves, and other malicious actors.

Key Elements of Chat Control

• Automated Content Scanning: Service providers would use algorithms to scan messages for illegal content.
• Circumvention of Encryption: To scan encrypted messages, providers might need to alter their encryption methods, potentially weakening security.
• Mandatory Reporting: If illegal content is detected, providers would be required to report it to authorities.
• Broad Applicability: The measures could apply to all messaging services operating within the EU, affecting both European companies and international platforms.

Why It Matters

Understanding Chat Control is essential because it represents a significant shift in how digital privacy is handled. While combating illegal activities online is crucial, the methods proposed could set a precedent for mass surveillance and the erosion of privacy rights. Everyday users who rely on encrypted messaging for personal and professional communication might find their conversations are no longer as private as they once thought.

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Why Is the EU Pushing for Chat Control?

The European Union's push for Chat Control stems from a pressing concern to protect its citizens, particularly children, from online exploitation and criminal activities. With the digital landscape becoming increasingly integral to daily life, the EU aims to strengthen its ability to combat serious crimes facilitated through online platforms.

Protecting Children and Preventing Crime

One of the primary motivations behind Chat Control is the prevention of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) circulating on the internet. Law enforcement agencies have reported a significant increase in the sharing of illegal content through private messaging services. By implementing Chat Control, the EU believes it can more effectively identify and stop perpetrators, rescue victims, and deter future crimes.

Terrorism is another critical concern. Encrypted messaging apps can be used by terrorist groups to plan and coordinate attacks without detection. The EU argues that accessing these communications could be vital in preventing such threats and ensuring public safety.

Legal Context and Legislative Drivers

The push for Chat Control is rooted in several legislative initiatives:

• ePrivacy Directive: This directive regulates the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in electronic communications. The EU is considering amendments that would allow for the scanning of private messages under specific circumstances.

• Temporary Derogation: In 2021, the EU adopted a temporary regulation permitting voluntary detection of CSAM by communication services. The current proposals aim to make such measures mandatory and more comprehensive.

• Regulation Proposals: The European Commission has proposed regulations that would require service providers to detect, report, and remove illegal content proactively. This would include the use of technologies to scan private communications.

Balancing Security and Privacy

EU officials argue that the proposed measures are a necessary response to evolving digital threats. They emphasize the importance of staying ahead of criminals who exploit technology to harm others. By implementing Chat Control, they believe law enforcement can be more effective without entirely dismantling privacy protections.

However, the EU also acknowledges the need to balance security with fundamental rights. The proposals include provisions intended to limit the scope of surveillance, such as:

• Targeted Scanning: Focusing on specific threats rather than broad, indiscriminate monitoring.

• Judicial Oversight: Requiring court orders or oversight for accessing private communications.

• Data Protection Safeguards: Implementing measures to ensure that data collected is handled securely and deleted when no longer needed.

The Urgency Behind the Push

High-profile cases of online abuse and terrorism have heightened the sense of urgency among EU policymakers. Reports of increasing online grooming and the widespread distribution of illegal content have prompted calls for immediate action. The EU posits that without measures like Chat Control, these problems will continue to escalate unchecked.

Criticism and Controversy

Despite the stated intentions, the push for Chat Control has been met with significant criticism. Opponents argue that the measures could be ineffective against savvy criminals who can find alternative ways to communicate. There is also concern that such surveillance could be misused or extended beyond its original purpose.

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The Privacy Concerns and Risks

While the intentions behind Chat Control focus on enhancing security and protecting vulnerable groups, the proposed measures raise significant privacy concerns. Critics argue that implementing such surveillance could infringe on fundamental rights and set a dangerous precedent for mass monitoring of private communications.

Infringement on Privacy Rights

At the heart of the debate is the right to privacy. By scanning private messages, even with automated tools, the confidentiality of personal communications is compromised. Users may no longer feel secure sharing sensitive information, fearing that their messages could be intercepted or misinterpreted by algorithms.

Erosion of End-to-End Encryption

End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is a cornerstone of digital security, ensuring that only the sender and recipient can read the messages exchanged. Chat Control could necessitate the introduction of "backdoors" or weaken encryption protocols, making it easier for unauthorized parties to access private data. This not only affects individual privacy but also exposes communications to potential cyber threats.

Concerns from Privacy Advocates

Organizations like Signal and Tutanota, which offer encrypted messaging services, have voiced strong opposition to Chat Control. They warn that undermining encryption could have far-reaching consequences:

• Security Risks: Weakening encryption makes systems more vulnerable to hacking, espionage, and cybercrime.
• Global Implications: Changes in EU regulations could influence policies worldwide, leading to a broader erosion of digital privacy.
• Ineffectiveness Against Crime: Determined criminals might resort to other, less detectable means of communication, rendering the measures ineffective while still compromising the privacy of law-abiding citizens.

Potential for Government Overreach

There is a fear that Chat Control could lead to increased surveillance beyond its original scope. Once the infrastructure for scanning private messages is in place, it could be repurposed or expanded to monitor other types of content, stifling free expression and dissent.

Real-World Implications for Users

• False Positives: Automated scanning technologies are not infallible and could mistakenly flag innocent content, leading to unwarranted scrutiny or legal consequences for users.
• Chilling Effect: Knowing that messages could be monitored might discourage people from expressing themselves freely, impacting personal relationships and societal discourse.
• Data Misuse: Collected data could be vulnerable to leaks or misuse, compromising personal and sensitive information.

Legal and Ethical Concerns

Privacy advocates also highlight potential conflicts with existing laws and ethical standards:

• Violation of Fundamental Rights: The European Convention on Human Rights and other international agreements protect the right to privacy and freedom of expression.
• Questionable Effectiveness: The ethical justification for such invasive measures is challenged if they do not significantly improve safety or if they disproportionately impact innocent users.

Opposition from Member States and Organizations

Countries like Germany and organizations such as the European Digital Rights (EDRi) have expressed opposition to Chat Control. They emphasize the need to protect digital privacy and caution against hasty legislation that could have unintended consequences.

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The Technical Debate: Encryption and Backdoors

The discussion around Chat Control inevitably leads to a complex technical debate centered on encryption and the potential introduction of backdoors into secure communication systems. Understanding these concepts is crucial to grasping the full implications of the proposed measures.

What Is End-to-End Encryption (E2EE)?

End-to-end encryption is a method of secure communication that prevents third parties from accessing data while it's transferred from one end system to another. In simpler terms, only the sender and the recipient can read the messages. Even the service providers operating the messaging platforms cannot decrypt the content.

• Security Assurance: E2EE ensures that sensitive information—be it personal messages, financial details, or confidential business communications—remains private.
• Widespread Use: Popular messaging apps like Signal, Session, SimpleX, Veilid, Protonmail and Tutanota (among others) rely on E2EE to protect user data.

How Chat Control Affects Encryption

Implementing Chat Control as proposed would require messaging services to scan the content of messages for illegal material. To do this on encrypted platforms, providers might have to:

• Introduce Backdoors: Create a means for third parties (including the service provider or authorities) to access encrypted messages.
• Client-Side Scanning: Install software on users' devices that scans messages before they are encrypted and sent, effectively bypassing E2EE.

The Risks of Weakening Encryption

1. Compromised Security for All Users

Introducing backdoors or client-side scanning tools can create vulnerabilities:

• Exploitable Gaps: If a backdoor exists, malicious actors might find and exploit it, leading to data breaches.
• Universal Impact: Weakening encryption doesn't just affect targeted individuals; it potentially exposes all users to increased risk.

2. Undermining Trust in Digital Services

• User Confidence: Knowing that private communications could be accessed might deter people from using digital services or push them toward unregulated platforms.
• Business Implications: Companies relying on secure communications might face increased risks, affecting economic activities.

3. Ineffectiveness Against Skilled Adversaries

• Alternative Methods: Criminals might shift to other encrypted channels or develop new ways to avoid detection.
• False Sense of Security: Weakening encryption could give the impression of increased safety while adversaries adapt and continue their activities undetected.

Signal’s Response and Stance

Signal, a leading encrypted messaging service, has been vocal in its opposition to the EU's proposals:

• Refusal to Weaken Encryption: Signal's CEO Meredith Whittaker has stated that the company would rather cease operations in the EU than compromise its encryption standards.
• Advocacy for Privacy: Signal emphasizes that strong encryption is essential for protecting human rights and freedoms in the digital age.

Understanding Backdoors

A "backdoor" in encryption is an intentional weakness inserted into a system to allow authorized access to encrypted data. While intended for legitimate use by authorities, backdoors pose several problems:

• Security Vulnerabilities: They can be discovered and exploited by unauthorized parties, including hackers and foreign governments.
• Ethical Concerns: The existence of backdoors raises questions about consent and the extent to which governments should be able to access private communications.

The Slippery Slope Argument

Privacy advocates warn that introducing backdoors or mandatory scanning sets a precedent:

• Expanded Surveillance: Once in place, these measures could be extended to monitor other types of content beyond the original scope.
• Erosion of Rights: Gradual acceptance of surveillance can lead to a significant reduction in personal freedoms over time.

Potential Technological Alternatives

Some suggest that it's possible to fight illegal content without undermining encryption:

• Metadata Analysis: Focusing on patterns of communication rather than content.
• Enhanced Reporting Mechanisms: Encouraging users to report illegal content voluntarily.
• Investing in Law Enforcement Capabilities: Strengthening traditional investigative methods without compromising digital security.

The technical community largely agrees that weakening encryption is not the solution:

• Consensus on Security: Strong encryption is essential for the safety and privacy of all internet users.
• Call for Dialogue: Technologists and privacy experts advocate for collaborative approaches that address security concerns without sacrificing fundamental rights.

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Global Reactions and the Debate in Europe

The proposal for Chat Control has ignited a heated debate across Europe and beyond, with various stakeholders weighing in on the potential implications for privacy, security, and fundamental rights. The reactions are mixed, reflecting differing national perspectives, political priorities, and societal values.

Support for Chat Control

Some EU member states and officials support the initiative, emphasizing the need for robust measures to combat online crime and protect citizens, especially children. They argue that:

• Enhanced Security: Mandatory scanning can help law enforcement agencies detect and prevent serious crimes.
• Responsibility of Service Providers: Companies offering communication services should play an active role in preventing their platforms from being used for illegal activities.
• Public Safety Priorities: The protection of vulnerable populations justifies the implementation of such measures, even if it means compromising some aspects of privacy.

Opposition within the EU

Several countries and organizations have voiced strong opposition to Chat Control, citing concerns over privacy rights and the potential for government overreach.

Germany

• Stance: Germany has been one of the most vocal opponents of the proposed measures.
• Reasons:
• Constitutional Concerns: The German government argues that Chat Control could violate constitutional protections of privacy and confidentiality of communications.
• Security Risks: Weakening encryption is seen as a threat to cybersecurity.
• Legal Challenges: Potential conflicts with national laws protecting personal data and communication secrecy.

Netherlands

• Recent Developments: The Dutch government decided against supporting Chat Control, emphasizing the importance of encryption for security and privacy.
• Arguments:
• Effectiveness Doubts: Skepticism about the actual effectiveness of the measures in combating crime.
• Negative Impact on Privacy: Concerns about mass surveillance and the infringement of citizens' rights.

Table reference: Patrick Breyer - Chat Control in 23 September 2024

Privacy Advocacy Groups

European Digital Rights (EDRi)

• Role: A network of civil and human rights organizations working to defend rights and freedoms in the digital environment.
• Position:
• Strong Opposition: EDRi argues that Chat Control is incompatible with fundamental rights.
• Awareness Campaigns: Engaging in public campaigns to inform citizens about the potential risks.
• Policy Engagement: Lobbying policymakers to consider alternative approaches that respect privacy.

Politicians and Activists

Patrick Breyer

• Background: A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Germany, representing the Pirate Party.
• Actions:
• Advocacy: Actively campaigning against Chat Control through speeches, articles, and legislative efforts.
• Public Outreach: Using social media and public events to raise awareness.
• Legal Expertise: Highlighting the legal inconsistencies and potential violations of EU law.

Global Reactions

International Organizations

• Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International: These organizations have expressed concerns about the implications for human rights, urging the EU to reconsider.

Technology Companies

• Global Tech Firms: Companies like Apple and Microsoft are monitoring the situation, as EU regulations could affect their operations and user trust.
• Industry Associations: Groups representing tech companies have issued statements highlighting the risks to innovation and competitiveness.

The Broader Debate

The controversy over Chat Control reflects a broader struggle between security interests and privacy rights in the digital age. Key points in the debate include:

• Legal Precedents: How the EU's decision might influence laws and regulations in other countries.
• Digital Sovereignty: The desire of nations to control digital spaces within their borders.
• Civil Liberties: The importance of protecting freedoms in the face of technological advancements.

Public Opinion

• Diverse Views: Surveys and public forums show a range of opinions, with some citizens prioritizing security and others valuing privacy above all.
• Awareness Levels: Many people are still unaware of the potential changes, highlighting the need for public education on the issue.

The EU is at a crossroads, facing the challenge of addressing legitimate security concerns without undermining the fundamental rights that are central to its values. The outcome of this debate will have significant implications for the future of digital privacy and the balance between security and freedom in society.

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Possible Consequences for Messaging Services

The implementation of Chat Control could have significant implications for messaging services operating within the European Union. Both large platforms and smaller providers might need to adapt their technologies and policies to comply with the new regulations, potentially altering the landscape of digital communication.

Impact on Encrypted Messaging Services

Signal and Similar Platforms

• Compliance Challenges: Encrypted messaging services like Signal rely on end-to-end encryption to secure user communications. Complying with Chat Control could force them to weaken their encryption protocols or implement client-side scanning, conflicting with their core privacy principles.

• Operational Decisions: Some platforms may choose to limit their services in the EU or cease operations altogether rather than compromise on encryption. Signal, for instance, has indicated that it would prefer to withdraw from European markets than undermine its security features.

Potential Blocking or Limiting of Services

• Regulatory Enforcement: Messaging services that do not comply with Chat Control regulations could face fines, legal action, or even be blocked within the EU.

• Access Restrictions: Users in Europe might find certain services unavailable or limited in functionality if providers decide not to meet the regulatory requirements.

Effects on Smaller Providers

• Resource Constraints: Smaller messaging services and startups may lack the resources to implement the required scanning technologies, leading to increased operational costs or forcing them out of the market.

• Innovation Stifling: The added regulatory burden could deter new entrants, reducing competition and innovation in the messaging service sector.

User Experience and Trust

• Privacy Concerns: Users may lose trust in messaging platforms if they know their communications are subject to scanning, leading to a decline in user engagement.

• Migration to Unregulated Platforms: There is a risk that users might shift to less secure or unregulated services, including those operated outside the EU or on the dark web, potentially exposing them to greater risks.

Technical and Security Implications

• Increased Vulnerabilities: Modifying encryption protocols to comply with Chat Control could introduce security flaws, making platforms more susceptible to hacking and data breaches.

• Global Security Risks: Changes made to accommodate EU regulations might affect the global user base of these services, extending security risks beyond European borders.

Impact on Businesses and Professional Communications

• Confidentiality Issues: Businesses that rely on secure messaging for sensitive communications may face challenges in ensuring confidentiality, affecting sectors like finance, healthcare, and legal services.

• Compliance Complexity: Companies operating internationally will need to navigate a complex landscape of differing regulations, increasing administrative burdens.

Economic Consequences

• Market Fragmentation: Divergent regulations could lead to a fragmented market, with different versions of services for different regions.

• Loss of Revenue: Messaging services might experience reduced revenue due to decreased user trust and engagement or the costs associated with compliance.

Responses from Service Providers

• Legal Challenges: Companies might pursue legal action against the regulations, citing conflicts with privacy laws and user rights.

• Policy Advocacy: Service providers may increase lobbying efforts to influence policy decisions and promote alternatives to Chat Control.

Possible Adaptations

• Technological Innovation: Some providers might invest in developing new technologies that can detect illegal content without compromising encryption, though the feasibility remains uncertain.

• Transparency Measures: To maintain user trust, companies might enhance transparency about how data is handled and what measures are in place to protect privacy.

The potential consequences of Chat Control for messaging services are profound, affecting not only the companies that provide these services but also the users who rely on them daily. The balance between complying with legal requirements and maintaining user privacy and security presents a significant challenge that could reshape the digital communication landscape.

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What Happens Next? The Future of Chat Control

The future of Chat Control remains uncertain as the debate continues among EU member states, policymakers, technology companies, and civil society organizations. Several factors will influence the outcome of this contentious proposal, each carrying significant implications for digital privacy, security, and the regulatory environment within the European Union.

Current Status of Legislation

• Ongoing Negotiations: The proposed Chat Control measures are still under discussion within the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. Amendments and revisions are being considered in response to the feedback from various stakeholders.

• Timeline: While there is no fixed date for the final decision, the EU aims to reach a consensus to implement effective measures against online crime without undue delay.

Key Influencing Factors

1. Legal Challenges and Compliance with EU Law

• Fundamental Rights Assessment: The proposals must be evaluated against the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, ensuring that any measures comply with rights to privacy, data protection, and freedom of expression.

• Court Scrutiny: Potential legal challenges could arise, leading to scrutiny by the European Court of Justice (ECJ), which may impact the feasibility and legality of Chat Control.

2. Technological Feasibility

• Development of Privacy-Preserving Technologies: Research into methods that can detect illegal content without compromising encryption is ongoing. Advances in this area could provide alternative solutions acceptable to both privacy advocates and security agencies.

• Implementation Challenges: The practical aspects of deploying scanning technologies across various platforms and services remain complex, and technical hurdles could delay or alter the proposed measures.

3. Political Dynamics

• Member State Positions: The differing stances of EU countries, such as Germany's opposition, play a significant role in shaping the final outcome. Consensus among member states is crucial for adopting EU-wide regulations.

• Public Opinion and Advocacy: Growing awareness and activism around digital privacy can influence policymakers. Public campaigns and lobbying efforts may sway decisions in favor of stronger privacy protections.

4. Industry Responses

• Negotiations with Service Providers: Ongoing dialogues between EU authorities and technology companies may lead to compromises or collaborative efforts to address concerns without fully implementing Chat Control as initially proposed.

• Potential for Self-Regulation: Messaging services might propose self-regulatory measures to combat illegal content, aiming to demonstrate effectiveness without the need for mandatory scanning.

Possible Scenarios

Optimistic Outcome:

• Balanced Regulation: A revised proposal emerges that effectively addresses security concerns while upholding strong encryption and privacy rights, possibly through innovative technologies or targeted measures with robust oversight.

Pessimistic Outcome:

• Adoption of Strict Measures: Chat Control is implemented as initially proposed, leading to weakened encryption, reduced privacy, and potential withdrawal of services like Signal from the EU market.

Middle Ground:

• Incremental Implementation: Partial measures are adopted, focusing on voluntary cooperation with service providers and emphasizing transparency and user consent, with ongoing evaluations to assess effectiveness and impact.

How to Stay Informed and Protect Your Privacy

• Follow Reputable Sources: Keep up with news from reliable outlets, official EU communications, and statements from privacy organizations to stay informed about developments.

• Engage in the Dialogue: Participate in public consultations, sign petitions, or contact representatives to express your views on Chat Control and digital privacy.

• Utilize Secure Practices: Regardless of legislative outcomes, adopting good digital hygiene—such as using strong passwords and being cautious with personal information—can enhance your online security.

The Global Perspective

• International Implications: The EU's decision may influence global policies on encryption and surveillance, setting precedents that other countries might follow or react against.

• Collaboration Opportunities: International cooperation on developing solutions that protect both security and privacy could emerge, fostering a more unified approach to addressing online threats.

Looking Ahead

The future of Chat Control is a critical issue that underscores the challenges of governing in the digital age. Balancing the need for security with the protection of fundamental rights is a complex task that requires careful consideration, open dialogue, and collaboration among all stakeholders.

As the situation evolves, staying informed and engaged is essential. The decisions made in the coming months will shape the digital landscape for years to come, affecting how we communicate, conduct business, and exercise our rights in an increasingly connected world.

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Conclusion

The debate over Chat Control highlights a fundamental challenge in our increasingly digital world: how to protect society from genuine threats without eroding the very rights and freedoms that define it. While the intention to safeguard children and prevent crime is undeniably important, the means of achieving this through intrusive surveillance measures raise critical concerns.

Privacy is not just a personal preference but a cornerstone of democratic societies. End-to-end encryption has become an essential tool for ensuring that our personal conversations, professional communications, and sensitive data remain secure from unwanted intrusion. Weakening these protections could expose individuals and organizations to risks that far outweigh the proposed benefits.

The potential consequences of implementing Chat Control are far-reaching:

• Erosion of Trust: Users may lose confidence in digital platforms, impacting how we communicate and conduct business online.
• Security Vulnerabilities: Introducing backdoors or weakening encryption can make systems more susceptible to cyberattacks.
• Stifling Innovation: Regulatory burdens may hinder technological advancement and competitiveness in the tech industry.
• Global Implications: The EU's decisions could set precedents that influence digital policies worldwide, for better or worse.

As citizens, it's crucial to stay informed about these developments. Engage in conversations, reach out to your representatives, and advocate for solutions that respect both security needs and fundamental rights. Technology and policy can evolve together to address challenges without compromising core values.

The future of Chat Control is not yet decided, and public input can make a significant difference. By promoting open dialogue, supporting privacy-preserving innovations, and emphasizing the importance of human rights in legislation, we can work towards a digital landscape that is both safe and free.

In a world where digital communication is integral to daily life, striking the right balance between security and privacy is more important than ever. The choices made today will shape the digital environment for generations to come, determining not just how we communicate, but how we live and interact in an interconnected world.

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Thank you for reading this article. We hope it has provided you with a clear understanding of Chat Control and its potential impact on your privacy and digital rights. Stay informed, stay engaged, and let's work together towards a secure and open digital future.

Read more:

• https://www.patrick-breyer.de/en/posts/chat-control/
• https://www.patrick-breyer.de/en/new-eu-push-for-chat-control-will-messenger-services-be-blocked-in-europe/
• https://edri.org/our-work/dutch-decision-puts-brakes-on-chat-control/
• https://signal.org/blog/pdfs/ndss-keynote.pdf
• https://tuta.com/blog/germany-stop-chat-control
• https://cointelegraph.com/news/signal-president-slams-revised-eu-encryption-proposal
• https://mullvad.net/en/why-privacy-matters

@ ebdee929:513adbad

Software Setup Links:

DC-1 as a monitor:

• SuperDisplay Setup | Best for Windows
• SpaceDesk Wireless and Wired Display Setup | Windows PC Users
• Chrome Remote Desktop Setup | Anyone

APK Installation guide

Purchase and setup links:

Keyboards:

• Keys-To-Go 2 White Keyboard | Logitech
• Keys-To-Go 2 Bluetooth Setup
• Magic Keyboard White | Apple through Amazon.com
• Magic Keyboard Bluetooth Setup
• Air 60 V2 with Blue Switches | Nuphy
• Air 60 V2 Keyboard Folio | Nuphy
• Air 60 V2 Bluetooth and Folio Setup
• Magic Keyboard Case | Fintie through Amazon.com

Pens:

• Premium White Pen
• Ultra Premium Lamy Pen | Amazon.com
• Samsung S Pens (Multiple):
• Small (Galaxy Note Series Style)
• Cheaper Alternative (ZERO Quality Guarantees)
• Medium (Galaxy Fold Style with smooth tip)
• Cheaper Alternative (ZERO Quality Guarantees)
• Larger (Galaxy Tab Style)
• Cheaper Alternative (ZERO Quality Guarantees)

Pen Setup: Just touch the screen and it works, no pairing or charging needed.

Others:

• Bluelight Free Light Bulb | Amazon.com
• Light Bulb Setup
• Comfy Green Sleeve | Amazon.com

Keys-To-Go 2 Bluetooth Setup:

• Step 1: Unbox keyboard from box
• Step 2: Open keyboard and pull tab to enable batteries and keyboard function
• Step 3: Ensure Switch on back of product is in the position where green is showing, not off where red is showing
• Step 4: Hold the key labeled ‘fn’ meanwhile you hold the ‘g’ key for 3 seconds to put the keyboard into android mode, since this is an android tablet
• Step 5: Hold the key labeled ‘fn’ meanwhile you hold the key labeled ‘F1 with the image of the laptop and phone for 3 seconds to put profile 1 into bluetooth pairing mode
• Step 6: On your Daylight DC-1, swipe down on the top of the screen, swipe down again, click on the settings icon that looks like a gear in the bottom right corner
• Step 7: In settings, click the second from the top menu item on the left called ‘Connected devices’ (it says Bluetooth, pairing underneath it)
• Step 8: Click on the button labeled ‘Pair new device’
• Step 9: Under available devices tap on Keys-To-Go 2
• Step 10: It will ask you to type some numbers and hit return/ enter, once you do so the device will show up as connected under ‘Saved Devices’
• Step 11: Turn off the keyboard with the switch on the back if you desire, this will disconnect it from the device

Appendix: Keys-To-Go 2 Documentation:

Apple Magic Keyboard Setup:

• Step 1: Unbox keyboard from box
• Step 2: Ensure Switch on back of product is in the position where green is showing
• Step 3: On your Daylight DC-1, swipe down on the top of the screen, swipe down again, click on the settings icon that looks like a gear in the bottom right corner
• Step 4: In settings, click the second from the top menu item on the left called ‘Connected devices’ (it says Bluetooth, pairing underneath it)
• Step 5: Click on the button labeled ‘Pair new device’
• Step 6: Under available devices tap on Magic Keyboard
• Step 7: It will ask you to type some numbers and hit return/ enter, once you do so the device will show up as connected under ‘Saved Devices’
• Step 8: Turn off the keyboard with the switch on the back if you desire, this will disconnect it from the device

Spacedesk Setup:

THIS IS ONLY FOR PEOPLE USING A WINDOWS PC

• Step 1: Open the Google Play Store: On your device, slide in from the side until and move till you get to the letter ‘P’ and tap ‘Play Store’
• Step 2: Search for SpaceDesk: In the Google Play Store, tap on the search bar at the top and type "SpaceDesk". As you type, suggestions will appear below the search bar. Tap on "SpaceDesk - USB Display for PC" when it appears.
• Step 3: Download and Install the Driver: Visit the

official Spacedesk website and download

the ‘Windows 10/11 (64-bit)’ Spacedesk driver for Windows. Follow the on-screen instructions to install it on your PC. - Step 4: Launch Spacedesk Server: After installation, open the Spacedesk Driver Console application on your Windows PC.

- Step 5: Click the ‘USB Cable Driver Android’ button, then enable the ‘USB Cable Android’ option and let it apply.

- Step 6: Open Spacedesk App: On your Android device, open the Spacedesk app you installed earlier. - Step 7: Improve Quality: Click on the ‘3 lines’ icon and then settings.

- Under ‘Rotation’ enable ‘Auto-Rotation’ and under ‘Quality/Performance’ slide ‘Image Quality’ to max (the right) and set ‘Custom FPS Rate’ to 60. - Step 7A (for wired use): Plug the tablet into your PC - Step 7B (for wired use): Enable USB File Transfer: Swipe down on status bar (the bar at the top of the screen with wifi and notification icons etc. There will be a notification under the ‘Silent’ category named ‘Charging this device via USB’, tap on it to expand it, then tap once more time when it says ‘Tap for more options’. This will open up a menu, all you need to do is click ‘File Transfer’ under the section called ‘Use USB for’ - Step 8: Connect: Reopen the Spacedesk app (use the back arrow or button to leave the settings menu should you need). The app should now detect your Windows PC through USB OR wireless. Tap the listing under your computer's name for wireless connection, or tap the little trident USB icon at the bottom middle of the screen for wired connection, which is recommended.

SuperDisplay Setup:

THIS IS ONLY FOR PEOPLE USING A WINDOWS PC

• Step 1: Open the Google Play Store on the tablet: On your device, slide in from the side until and move till you get to the letter ‘P’ and tap ‘Play Store’
• Step 2: Search for SuperDisplay: In the Google Play Store, tap on the search bar at the top and type "SuperDisplay". As you type, suggestions will appear below the search bar. Tap on "SuperDisplay - Virtual Monitor" when it appears.
• Step 3: Download and Install the Driver on your Windows PC: Visit the

official SuperDisplay website and download

the Windows driver. Follow the on-screen instructions to install it on your PC. - Step 4: Launch SuperDisplay : After installation, open the SuperDisplay Settings application on your Windows PC by hitting the ‘Windows’ Key and typing ‘SuperDisplay Settings’ - Step 5: Launch the application on your tablet. - Step 6: Go into SuperDisplay settings by clicking the settings gear icon in the top right corner. Under ‘Advanced settings’ click ‘Quality’ and slide it to 100. - Step 7 (Wireless): IP Address: Back out of the settings and input the IP address into the desktop program. (Both devices need to be on the same wifi) - Step 7 (Wired): Plug the tablet into the PC - Step 8: Start the connection on the tablet by clicking the central button! - Step 9: In Windows, hit the ‘Windows’ key, type display and hit enter. This will take you to display settings. In display settings set the displays to ‘extend’ and then confirm the change. Select the DC-1 display by clicking the square it is associated with, then set the display to 1584 x 1184 resolution, confirm this by hitting ‘keep changes’, then set to 125% scale.

Chrome Remote Desktop Setup:

Note: This prefers Chrome itself on the tablet and REQUIRES a chromium based browser to be installed on your computer, examples of chromium based browsers are Chrome, Edge, Arc, Opera etc. Basically anything but Safari or Firefox will do. This is because a chrome extension needs to be installed. Both devices need to be signed in to the same Google account to see each other.

• Step 1:

Go to this website

and click the download button here:

- Step 2: Get the extension in the window that pops up:

- Step 3: Once installed, click the download button AGAIN and it will show what is shown below, a program called ‘chromeremotedesktophost’ will download, install it.

- Step 4: In the play store, install the ‘Chrome Remote Desktop’ app and open it, the app's name will be just ‘remote desktop’ as a heads up. - Step 5: On the computer, go to

https://g.co/crd/headless

and click set up remote access under the ‘Remote Access’ tab. Then set a computer name and pin. Accept whatever permissions pop up on your computer

- Step 6: If you have Chrome itself installed on the tablet it will open a page, click the ‘Access my computer’ button, then under remote Access click your device.

APK Installation Guide:

• Note on APK’s: These are apps from outside official sources, they might not update from the play store and in rare cases can have different functionality. Apply extra caution and source these app files from good sources like

https://www.apkmirror.com/

. Just like through the play store or other sources, malicious files can be spread, use common sense and generally avoid downloading any ‘hack’ apps that claim to unlock features. - Step 1: One the home screen, swipe down from the top of the screen, also called the status bar - Step 2: Swipe down again till the settings tiles fill the screen, then click the gear icon in the bottom right hand corner of the screen which will take you to the settings application - Step 3: In settings, tap ‘Apps’, then ‘Special app access’, then ‘Install unknown apps’ - Step 4: Tap your preferred browser application then enable the ‘Allow from this source’ toggle - Step 5: Open your browser of choice, and search ‘apkmirror’ and navigate to

apkmirror.com

, or just type

https://apkmirror.com/ - Step 6: On the apkmirror website, search your application name in the search bat at the top of the apkmirror website. After you search find your app in the results and tap the most recent version. Dismiss any ads you might see. - Step 7: Under the text ‘Verified safe to install (read more)’ tap the button called ‘SCROLL TO AVAILABLE DOWNLOADS’ - Step 8: Find a file tagged ‘APK’ not ‘BUNDLE’ - Step 9: Click on the Download Arrow and line icon that looks like this ⬇️ - Step 10: Under ‘Verified safe to install (read more)’ tap ‘DOWNLOAD APK’ - Step 11: If it appears, dismiss the warning for ‘File might be harmful’ by tapping ‘Download anyway’ - Step 12: After your apk downloads, either - Tap ‘Open’ on the ‘File Download’ Pop-Up - Go to the home screen and open the files app, navigate to the downloads folder and tap on the downloaded apk - Step 13: Tap ‘INSTALL’ on the popup that appears. After it installs tap ‘OPEN’ - Step 14: The app will now be on your device and you can search and open it like every other app

Touch grass,

Daylight Team

@ 623ed218:fa549249

So... I did a thing...

...Woof!

---

Satoshi Vault: An Accessible Multi-Signature Wallet Solution for Enhanced Self-Custody

Abstract

Satoshi Vault aims to provide a simple, open-source, multi-platform application designed to simplify the setup and management of multi-signature (multi-sig) wallets. The application specifically targets new Bitcoin users, enhancing the security of their holdings without requiring additional hardware. By creating an accessible, intuitive interface and aligning with Web of Trust (WOT) principles, Satoshi Vault addresses a significant gap in the Bitcoin ecosystem, promoting higher security with minimal user friction.

1. Introduction

Bitcoin wallets typically take one of two forms: single-signature (single-sig) and multi-signature (multi-sig). Single-sig wallets are the default, and they are most commonly used by those new to self-custody as they are simple to set up and manage. However, single-sig wallets present a security risk as only one key is needed to access and move funds, leaving them vulnerable to theft or compromise.

Multi-sig wallets require multiple keys to authorize transactions, significantly enhancing security by distributing custody across multiple signatories. Multi-sig should be the standard for all Bitcoin self-custody setups, particularly for key recovery and backup processes, as an improvement over traditional paper seed backups.

This white paper proposes Satoshi Vault: an open-source, multi-platform application that simplifies multi-sig wallet creation and operation, making enhanced security accessible to all Bitcoin users without the need for dedicated hardware.

2. System Overview

2.1 Wallet Creation Process

Satoshi Vault provides users with a simple, guided process for creating a secure multi-sig wallet:

• Users begin by selecting the option to create a new "vault" (multi-signature wallet). The default configuration is a 2/3 multi-sig setup, although users can access advanced settings to adjust the number of signatories and the threshold required for authorizing transactions.
• The application generates a new Bitcoin key, securely encrypting it on the user’s device as a software key.
• It is important to tailor multi-sig setups to the user’s situation, skill level, and the size of their holdings. For smaller amounts (e.g., 100,000 sats), a 2/3 service-based multi-sig involving keys held on the user’s phone, a spouse’s or trusted contact's device, and the exchange where one purchases Bitcoin or a vetted third-party key holder may be appropriate, providing a balance of convenience and security. For larger holdings, users may opt for a more secure configuration with a higher number of signatories and a higher threshold for transaction authorization to enhance protection and mitigate risks.

2.2 Integration with Trusted Contacts

• Users are prompted to select a trusted contact who can generate a "Social Recovery Key." The public key from this newly generated keypair, created through a simple option on the app’s welcome page, is shared back with the user for use in the configuration of their multi-sig vault.
• An "affiliate + key assistance" system may also be used, where the additional key could be managed by the person who onboarded the user (e.g., a mentor or trusted friend), reinforcing usability and trust.

2.3 Third-Party Collaborative Custody

• Satoshi Vault offers flexibility for the third key in the multi-sig setup. While users can choose to partner with an exchange, they may also select a vetted partner of their choice. Satoshi Vault will build partnerships with respected Bitcoin support and mentorship services that offer third-party key custody as a service. These vetted partners may charge a fee for advanced support or assistance if required.
• Alternatively, if the user prefers, they can choose another trusted contact to create a second Social Recovery Key, allowing for a more private Vault configuration.

2.4 Vault Creation and Management

• With the user’s, trusted contact’s, and third-party public keys in place, Satoshi Vault creates a multi-signature vault and shares descriptor files securely with the trusted contact and the exchange.
• The app houses configuration files for each multi-sig wallet and enforces security by rejecting any attempt to add additional keys from the same multi-sig setup, ensuring that a quorum of keys cannot be consolidated on a single device.

2.5 Encrypted Cloud Backup

• To enhance redundancy, Satoshi Vault offers users the option to encrypt and store their key material in their preferred cloud service (e.g., iCloud, Google Drive). This approach leverages familiar systems providing a seamless way for users to store recovery keys.
• This minimizes the risk of loss of key material in the event of device loss or app data deletion.

3. Technical Implementation

3.1 Security Architecture

• Encryption: All communication between the app, users, trusted contacts, and exchanges is encrypted using AES-256 and other state-of-the-art encryption protocols to ensure privacy and prevent interception or tampering.
• Cross-Platform Support: Satoshi Vault is designed to function across multiple platforms (iOS, Android, Windows, Linux) to ensure broad accessibility.
• Public Key Transmission: Secure communication protocols such as Fedi, Matrix, or Nostr Gift-Wrapped Messages may be used to transmit public keys, descriptor files, and signatures, safeguarding user information.

3.2 User Experience Design

• Onboarding and Education: A setup wizard guides users through wallet creation, using simple language and visual aids to explain multi-sig benefits, vault concepts, and the roles of trusted contacts and exchanges.
• Customization: Users can access an advanced “Pro Mode” for configuring signatories beyond the default 2/3 setup, allowing for custom thresholds and advanced wallet configurations.

3.3 Node Connectivity

To maintain decentralization and minimize the risk associated with a single point of failure, Satoshi Vault will not rely on a central node for its operations. Instead, the application will offer multiple options for users:

• Custom Node Connections: Users can connect Satoshi Vault to their own Bitcoin nodes, providing maximum control and security. This approach aligns with the Bitcoin ethos of self-sovereignty and reduces reliance on third-party infrastructure.
• Public Node Selection: For users without their own nodes, the application will provide a selection of vetted, community-operated public nodes to connect with. This offers convenience while distributing trust across multiple independent entities, minimizing the risk of centralization.
• Tor Integration: To enhance privacy, Satoshi Vault will support Tor integration, enabling users to connect to nodes anonymously and reducing the risk of tracking and monitoring.
• Automatic Node Load Balancing: The app may implement a feature that automatically rotates between multiple trusted public nodes, ensuring that no single node becomes a point of dependency.

4. Security and Privacy Considerations

Satoshi Vault prioritizes security and privacy:

• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): To protect app access, users may set up MFA as an additional security layer.
• Local and Cloud Encryption Standards: The app uses AES-256 for local storage of keys and end-to-end encryption for cloud backups and transmission of public keys and descriptors.
• Key Recovery and Redundancy: Cloud services are employed for encrypted backups, providing redundancy while ensuring that users retain control over their key material.

5. Integration and Collaboration Opportunities

5.1 Wallet Providers

• Satoshi Vault could partner with existing open-source wallet providers, such as Nunchuk, to integrate its multi-sig functionality and expand their security offerings.

5.2 Exchange Collaboration

• By collaborating with exchanges, Satoshi Vault can provide seamless integration for obtaining Exchange Public Keys, building trust and simplifying the user experience for those securing their funds.

6. Future Development and Monetization

6.1 Feature Expansion

• Hardware Wallet Integration: Future updates will include compatibility with hardware wallets, providing additional security options for advanced users who wish to incorporate dedicated signing devices into their multi-sig setup.
• Automatic Backup Options: Users will have more automated and secure options for backing up their encrypted keys, including automated cloud backups and integration with secure storage solutions.
• Transaction Monitoring: The app will incorporate transaction monitoring services, enabling users to receive alerts and detailed information about incoming and outgoing transactions.
• Guided Key Rotation/Replacement: To maintain long-term security and minimize risks from potential key compromises, Satoshi Vault will offer a guided process for rotating or replacing keys within a multi-sig setup. The feature will provide users with step-by-step instructions on how to update their vault’s keys, ensuring a secure and seamless transition without risking access to funds.

6.2 Premium Services

• Potential premium services advanced support for users configuring complex multi-sig setups. These services may be facilitated through strategic partnerships with community-vetted organizations such as Bitcoin Mentor or The Bitcoin Way, ensuring trusted and expert guidance for users.

7. Market Considerations and Demand

While specialized hardware signing devices will continue to cater to those with heightened security demands (i.e., “paranoid crypto anarchists”), Satoshi Vault fills a gap for new entrants to the space who may not yet be ready or willing to purchase dedicated hardware. Providing robust, easy-to-use software solutions ensures that the demand for secure self-custody is met for all levels of users.

8. Conclusion

Satoshi Vault is a critical step forward in improving Bitcoin self-custody security. By offering an open-source, user-friendly application for multi-signature wallet setup and management, Satoshi Vault empowers users to protect their holdings without the need for additional hardware. Every self-custody setup should incorporate multi-sig, and Satoshi Vault provides an adaptable, secure solution to meet this need, ensuring that new users have access to robust security models that align with the ethos of Bitcoin’s financial sovereignty. By paving a path to accessible and secure Bitcoin self-custody for the coming waves of new Bitcoin participants, Satoshi Vault aims to uphold and strengthen the principles of financial freedom and autonomy in the Bitcoin ecosystem.

9. Contributors and Acknowledgements

Satoshi Vault was developed with insights and support from several key contributors in the Bitcoin community:

• Guy Swann, founder of Bitcoin Audible, provided valuable perspectives on multi-signature setups and emphasized the importance of using multi-sig as the standard for Bitcoin self-custody and recovery processes.
• We also acknowledge the efforts of the many builders and developers who have worked tirelessly to bring Bitcoin self-custody to it's present stage, creating the tools and upholding the principles that Satoshi Vault hopes to further.
• Additional input and feedback were provided by members of the Bitcoin community who share a commitment to enhancing security and accessibility for Bitcoin newcomers.

View the full repo:

https://github.com/bitcoinpup/Satoshi-Vault

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/734826

@ 4ba8e86d:89d32de4

Desenvolvido pelo Tor Project, o OnionShare é um projeto de código aberto que visa proteger a privacidade dos usuários durante o compartilhamento de arquivos.

Criado em 2014 por Micah Lee, um desenvolvedor de software e ativista de privacidade, o OnionShare surgiu como uma solução para compartilhamento seguro e anônimo de arquivos pela rede Tor. O OnionShare faz parte do desenvolvimento contínuo do Tor Project, a mesma equipe responsável pelo navegador Tor. Micah Lee reconheceu a necessidade de uma solução que respeitasse os princípios e valores da rede Tor, fornecendo privacidade aos usuários. O OnionShare utiliza serviços ocultos do Tor para criar servidores web temporários com endereços .onion exclusivos, permitindo que os arquivos compartilhados sejam acessados apenas pela rede Tor. Desde o seu lançamento, o OnionShare tem sido aprimorado e atualizado pela comunidade de desenvolvedores do Tor Project, garantindo a compatibilidade contínua com os princípios e protocolos da rede Tor. A ferramenta tornou-se amplamente reconhecida como uma opção confiável para compartilhamento de arquivos com privacidade e segurança, sendo usada por jornalistas, ativistas e pessoas preocupadas com a privacidade em todo o mundo.

Como funciona o OnionShare:

1. Geração do endereço .onion: Ao iniciar o OnionShare, a ferramenta gera um endereço .onion exclusivo para o compartilhamento dos arquivos. Esse endereço é composto por uma sequência de caracteres aleatórios que serve como identificador único para os arquivos compartilhados.

2. Configuração do servidor web temporário: O OnionShare cria um servidor web temporário no dispositivo do usuário, permitindo que os arquivos sejam acessados por meio desse servidor. O servidor web temporário está vinculado ao endereço .onion gerado.

3. Compartilhamento do endereço .onion: O usuário pode compartilhar o endereço .onion gerado com as pessoas que desejam acessar os arquivos compartilhados. Isso pode ser feito por meio de mensagens, e-mails ou qualquer outro canal de comunicação.

4. Acesso aos arquivos compartilhados: As pessoas que receberem o endereço .onion podem usar o navegador Tor para se conectar à rede Tor. Ao inserir o endereço .onion em seu navegador Tor, elas serão direcionadas ao servidor web temporário do OnionShare.

5. Download dos arquivos: Uma vez que a pessoa tenha acesso ao servidor web temporário por meio do endereço .onion, ela poderá visualizar e baixar os arquivos compartilhados. O OnionShare permite que os arquivos sejam transferidos diretamente do dispositivo do remetente para o dispositivo do destinatário, garantindo a privacidade e a segurança dos dados durante a transferência.

6. Encerramento do compartilhamento: O OnionShare permite definir uma duração específica para o compartilhamento dos arquivos. Após o período especificado, o servidor web temporário é desativado e os arquivos não estarão mais disponíveis para download.

É importante destacar que o OnionShare utiliza a rede Tor para criptografar as comunicações e garantir a privacidade dos usuários. Ele fornece uma camada adicional de segurança, permitindo que os arquivos sejam compartilhados diretamente entre os dispositivos dos usuários, sem a necessidade de intermediários ou serviços de armazenamento em nuvem.

O OnionShare resolve diversos problemas relacionados ao compartilhamento de arquivos, fornecendo uma solução segura e anônima.

1. Privacidade: Ao utilizar o OnionShare, os usuários podem compartilhar arquivos de forma privada e segura. A criptografia e a tecnologia da rede Tor garantem que apenas as pessoas com o endereço .onion específico possam acessar os arquivos compartilhados, mantendo a privacidade dos dados.

2. Anonimato: O OnionShare utiliza a rede Tor, que ajuda a ocultar a identidade dos usuários e a proteger sua localização. Isso permite que os usuários compartilhem arquivos anonimamente, sem revelar sua identidade ou localização geográfica aos destinatários.

3. Segurança dos dados: O OnionShare oferece uma forma segura de compartilhar arquivos, evitando a interceptação e a violação dos dados durante a transferência. A criptografia ponto a ponto e a natureza temporária do servidor web garantem que apenas os destinatários pretendidos tenham acesso aos arquivos compartilhados.

4. Contornar a censura e a vigilância: Através do uso da rede Tor, o OnionShare permite contornar a censura e a vigilância online. A criptografia e a rota de tráfego do Tor ajudam a evitar que terceiros, como governos ou provedores de serviços de internet, monitorem ou restrinjam o acesso aos arquivos compartilhados.

5. Eliminação de intermediários: Com o OnionShare, os arquivos são transferidos diretamente entre os dispositivos do remetente e do destinatário, sem a necessidade de intermediários ou serviços de armazenamento em nuvem. Isso reduz o risco de violações de privacidade ou acessos não autorizados aos arquivos compartilhados.

6. Facilidade de uso: O OnionShare foi projetado para ser uma ferramenta fácil de usar, mesmo para usuários não técnicos. Com uma interface simples, os usuários podem gerar endereços .onion e compartilhar os arquivos de forma conveniente, sem a necessidade de conhecimentos avançados de tecnologia.

O OnionShare resolve problemas relacionados à privacidade, anonimato, segurança dos dados e censura, oferecendo uma maneira confiável e acessível de compartilhar arquivos de forma segura e anônima pela rede Tor. É uma solução simples e eficaz para proteger a privacidade dos usuários durante as transferências de arquivos.

https://onionshare.org/

https://github.com/onionshare/onionshare

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

(Please note that this is not official financial or business advice, but rather a description of something we have done, on an informal basis.)

A long, long time ago

It's been nearly a year, since nostr:nprofile1qydhwumn8ghj7argv4nx7un9wd6zumn0wd68yvfwvdhk6tcpypmhxue69uhkummnw3ezuetfde6kuer6wasku7nfvuh8xurpvdjj7qpqs3ht77dq4zqnya8vjun5jp3p44pr794ru36d0ltxu65chljw8xjqv5atj2 came into being, mostly as a lark, involving a couple of members of our private chat group. Our initial plan was to work toward bounties, but Nostr bounties are a bit of a biased, uncertain thing, and our enthusiasm for that quickly waned.

So, what to do? Here we are, we three (nostr:npub1ecdlntvjzexlyfale2egzvvncc8tgqsaxkl5hw7xlgjv2cxs705s9qs735, nostr:npub1wqfzz2p880wq0tumuae9lfwyhs8uz35xd0kr34zrvrwyh3kvrzuskcqsyn, and I): IT professionals with little time, but plenty of intellectual energy, a Slack chat, a GitHub repo, and lots of frustration with the Nostr status quo.

We were, you see, Nostr end-users. We loved the idea of the protocol, but we were being regularly stymied by the poor quality of many implementations.

• Why can I not login? Oh, they fixed the login! Nope, still can't login.
• If I press this button, it says it sent, but it didn't send. Where note?
• They announced a new feature, but I tried it and it didn't work. Oh well.
• I noticed a bug in the client, reported it, and the issue is just rotting away in the project repo. Ignored.
• The website/relay/repo was here... yesterday. Today it has disappeared, and taken my zaps with it.

It was enough to make us want to tear our hair out. We decided that what Nostr needed... what it really needed... was a Nostr Stable Version. Nothing glamorous. Nothing exotic. Nothing busy or excitable. Just something that stayed where you initially found it, ran, and actually worked. Something where you could report a bug and receive a prompt response. Maybe even something, where you could pay a reasonable fee and be allowed to have expectations of some particular service being returned. And who better to build such a version, than people who want to use it, themselves?

Things working is an underrated concept

I know that the very idea of software running as expected and websites not appearing and disappearing suddenly, based upon what some particular developer had for lunch, tends to be met with little but scorn, from hardened, seasoned Nostriches (who are convinced that bugs are all features), but I think the majority of potential users would see it differently.

I'm with the majority, on this one.

I like to click "save" buttons and have them save. If I publish something, I want it to appear under my list of published somethings. I like to type in the website address I always type in, and have it magically appear on my screen, as if there were a little man sitting at controls in my laptop, just waiting for me to write H-T-T-P-S... and then jump to attention.

My unreasonable expectations have no bounds, it is true. But unreasonable people are also people, so we would also like to have our own unreasonable things to play with. Scorn away. My save button will save, and my published something will publish, and my website will load every damn time, just to spite you.

In the larger scheme of things, you see, we win even if we fail, if we at least increase the competition enough, that things working becomes the new standard. We can simply prove, definitively, that it is possible for Nostr things to work, if they are built by people who care if they work. If we also have fun together, learn something new, and come up with some cool, novel use cases, then that's pure profit.

We can only win, at this endeavor.

Where to start?

Name that brand

So, we had a team, we had a business idea, and we had a heck of a lot of motivation. What we didn't have, is a name. (Never underestimate the importance of naming things.)

We decided to name ourselves "GitCitadel" because "git" sounds techy, hints at our GitRepublic project, and is reminiscent of open-source development, and "citadel" reminds us of Bitcoin. The republic is at home in the citadel, naturally. All other products also live in the same citadel, hence the naming-convention of prefacing everything with "GC" (i.e. "GC Alexandria", "GC Sybil", "GC Aedile", etc.).

Brand yourself

The next thing we did, was rent a domain and run a webserver on it. This is an important step because it gives you an Internet presence, allows you to have company NIP-05 and email addresses (a form of promotion), and it's simply exciting to have one. Feels so much more "official" and it helps increase the name-recognition of your company.

Define yourself

We then sat down, together, over the Internet, and figured out who we are. Not who we individually are, but who we are, as a company. A company, after all, (according to the Cambridge Dictionary) is "an organization that produces or sells goods or services in order to make a profit". Now, a company's profits don't have to be monetary, but they should be something tangible. A company, in other words, is a team of people working toward some defined goal.

What is our goal? Well, we decided to think it over, sat down with the newer additions to the company (you can see who they are, on our project wiki page, and came up with a Vision and a Mission:

The vision is what the overall goals of the company are, whereas the mission describes how those goals shall be achieved. Now, this is a sort of lofty, abstract statement, so it was important that we posted it someplace publicly (to keep ourselves accountable) and look at it regularly, so that we can ponder it and realign whatever we are currently working on, with this statement. We know the statement is well-designed, if considering it helps us make decisions about what to do next.

Pay yourselves

(I'm going to switch from "we" to "you", here, as it's easier to write this part, but let's just pretend I didn't.)

The next thing on the list, is to arrange the finances, usually by setting up a Geyserfund, with an associated wallet, and then deciding how the funds from the wallet will be dispersed or stored. (I won't tell you how we are handling that, as that's internal company business, but I'm sure you'll think of something clever, yourselves. Or just google it.)

I would encourage you to arrange to pay yourselves profits. Not merely because your idea is going to make you all fabulously wealthy and internationally famous (although, that is obviously true), but because profits are the most pure form of communication that consumers in the market have with its producers, and one of the best ways to make decisions and measure increases in efficiency (increasing profits and/or output, while keeping prices steady or falling).

Cutting off this signal, in order to look pious to outsiders, is to shoot yourself in your free-market foot. Nobody says that you have to spend your profits on the proverbial lambo and a bimbo. You could donate them to charity, reinvest them, or store them for your nephews to inherit, but pay them out, you should. You don't have to love money, to value it as a tool and use it shrewdly. Money is a measure, and companies should regularly measure themselves: against their previous state, against their potential state, and against their competition.

(Also, you can use money to buy a lambo and a bimbo, but you didn't hear that from me.)

Organize yourselves

Once you've been working together, for a while, you'll find that you need to figure out how to organize yourselves. The first step is to...

Form a board of directors.

Stop laughing. I'm serious.

Any company has at least two roles (President and Secretary), ideally held by two different people, so any single-proprietor company is a man down. Find a different person, to be your Second, even if they're just your confident, who lets you cry on your shoulder on The Bad Days, when your code refuses to compile, and can tell people that you've become a Bitcoin millionaire and have gone on a sabbatical to hike the Himalayas and will be back in 3 months on The Very Good Days. Because business man was not meant to be alone.

If, like us, you're a small herd of people and have already been working together for a while, then this step is actually really, really fun. Just think about what people are already doing, and put a label on it. That role is now defined and it is clear who is in charge of what.

Scientists become "Chief Science Officer" or "Scientific Advisor". The person who always writes the okay, so this is what we've decided comment in the thread becomes the Secretary, the one managing the Lightning wallet and worrying over paying for the servers is the CFO, the person running the remote server becomes the CTO, and so on and etc.

And everyone knows who the CEO is. Everyone always knows. They do. Just write it down.

Agree how to disagree

Now, have the secretary write up a Member's Agreement. It's a contract between the members, about whatever the group thinks is important concerning the way the company will operate. According to Investopedia, common topics are:

Is this legally binding? Probably not. Maybe. I don't know and wouldn't tell you, even if I did. But it's emotionally binding, which is arguably more important.

Writing things down is an advanced form of naming things and it provides clarity, helps to manage expectations, and allows you to define a working agreement before Real Money shows up and taints your interaction. You're just accepting tips, at the moment. Everyone is calm and cheerful, so now is your best time to negotiate.

Keep it very simple and only address the most basic things. If you wish to incorporate, at a later date, then you just take this to a registered agent, or other experienced person, and have them tidy up any loose ends and add the fine print.

Go forth, together

This has probably taken you weeks, or even months, but you're now a company. Get a logo and a company npub, start dropping the company name into your notes, and get on with the business of being in business.

@ 5d4b6c8d:8a1c1ee3

Hi, my name is Undisciplined and I'm a Raiders fan.

Year after year, this team does just enough in the off-season to give me hope and, year after year, they disappoint in remarkably consistent ways: - Missed tackles - Penalties - Alienating star players - Red zone ineptitude - Inability to create turnovers

How can so many coach/GM combos keep failing in the same way? Is the Davis family the reason they can't tackle, because they're the only constant?

These next ten games are going to be a real slog and they still might not be bad enough to get their QB in the draft. This is the most hopeless situation I can remember.

Our last era of excellence was destroyed by Tom Brady and the goddamn Tuck Rule, 20 years ago. Maybe having Brady join the team will exorcise whatever demons are haunting it.

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/734661

@ bcea2b98:7ccef3c9

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/732719

@ 005bc4de:ef11e1a2

What kind of bizarro clown world did I wake up in?

The FED bank of Minneapolis wrote about "useless pieces of paper (bitcoin for short)" and that "the price of bitcoin converges to zero."

Umm...considered fiat currency?

And yet, the only solutions to this alleged bitcoin problem is to either ban it (a "legal prohibition against bitcoin") or tax it.

Umm...if it's useless, then it's harmless. And, if it's worthless and going to zero, taxing it is pointless.

Somehow, bitcoin is worthless and headed to zero, but yet it's still worthy of being taxed so as to balance deficits.

I'm so confused.

Source: https://www.minneapolisfed.org/research/working-papers/unique-implementation-of-permanent-primary-deficits Article: https://cryptobriefing.com/bitcoin-fiscal-impact-report/

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/734418

@ 472f440f:5669301e

Over the last four years bitcoin has, among other things, established itself as an incredible corporate treasury asset that benefits those who adopt it as such. Microstrategy is the shining example of this theme going from a company that was hovering barely above a ~$1B market cap in mid-2020 to a ~$40B market cap company holding more than 1% of the 21,000,000 bitcoin that will ever exist. Microstrategy's success has emboldened a number of other publicly trader companies to follow suit. Bitcoin as a corporate treasury asset is well on its way to becoming a standard. If you run a business that doesn't hold bitcoin on its balance sheet you are doing yourself, your customers and your shareholders a disservice.

This is a trend that has its legs under it and will accelerate moving forward. A trend that I believe will emerge this cycle is incorporating bitcoin into real estate markets. Leon Wankum has been beating the drum about this for the last few years and I had the pleasure of sitting down with him this morning to record an episode of TFTC that will be published tomorrow morning. Leon is a real estate developer in Germany and he has made it his mission to educate and warn others in real estate about the demonetization of real estate that is under way due to the fact that bitcoin exists and it provides a far superior alternative.

These are pretty stark numbers. Nothing highlights the superior monetary properties of bitcoin better than looking at a chart of the average price of a home priced in USD v. bitcoin.

Since 2016: +46% in USD -99% in BTC

Since 2020: +34% in USD -70% in BTC

The funny thing is that an overwhelming majority of the individuals who make their living in real estate markets do not understand that this is happening to them. Many think they are doing exceptionally well all things considered. Sure, there may be a bit of a slow down and price retraction due to a couple of years of relatively elevated interest rates, but don't worry! The Fed is lowering rates again and the good times are about to start back up. Nothing could be further from the truth. This trend is going to continue unabated until bitcoin is fully monetized and those is the real estate industry, particularly real estate developers and those who lend capital to developers, should seriously take the time to understand what is happening to them.

Real estate is the largest store of value asset in the world at the moment. The most common number that is thrown around for the total size of the market is $300 TRILLION. $300 TRILLION of wealth being stored in an asset that is illiquid, comes with maintenance costs, taxes, insurance premiums, and susceptible to extreme weather event, among other things. Compared to bitcoin - which is extremely liquid, saleable, divisible and hard to confiscate, real estate is a far superior asset to store your wealth in. This is something that I'm sure is well understood by many of you reading this letter.

What's less understood is the dynamics of the real estate development market over the last few years, which have been severely hindered by elevated interest rates. The higher interest rate environment coupled with the inflationary pressures that forced rates higher in the first place have put developers in a predicament; they have a higher cost of capital to start new projects with raw material prices that are still much higher than they were before the economic lock downs of 2020-2022. This has led to a scenario where it isn't advantageous to start new projects and the projects that broke ground in 2021-2023 are finding that they need to incur more debt to get their developments across the finish line.

Despite the fact that interest rates are on their way back down, it doesn't seem like the economics of these projects are going to materially improve in the short to medium-term as headline inflation begins to creep back up. Couple this with the fact that the jobs market is cratering while real wages struggle to keep up with inflation and many builders are going to find themselves in a situation where they do actually complete a development problem but their cash flow suffers because their customers can't afford the inflated rents that builders will have to charge to get a return on their outlaid capital. Many will be put in a situation where they are forced to be happy with lower rents (cash flow) or sit on the sidelines making no cash flow.

The post-1971 era that brought with it a booming real estate industry is suffering the same fate as the bond market; the generation bull market is over. Real estate prices may go up, but that will be nothing more than a mirage of wealth creation. The unit of account those prices are built on is in dollars, which are being debased at an accelerating rate. Developers, banks and borrowers need to de-risk their real estate exposure and, as Leon points out, bitcoin is the only way to do this in an effective way.

Moving forward developers will have to finance by dual collateralizing their debt with the real estate and bitcoin. In the graphic below Leon illustrates what this type of financing structure will look like. Instead of taking $10m of debt to finance a project and putting it all into materials, construction and marketing, a developer will take out a $10m loan, put $1m in bitcoin and the rest toward the development project. Over the course of the construction of the real estate project, bitcoin will sit in the credit structure and, if held for 4+ years, should increase significantly in value. Saving the builder from risk of default and providing him some optionality in terms of what he can do with the project once it's finished.

In this scenario downside risk is contained - a developer isn't pouring all of the cash into bitcoin at the beginning so the worst case scenario is that bitcoin goes to zero (highly unlikely) and they can eat the small loss and hope to make up with it via cash flows once a project is finished, while upside potential is enormous. Bitcoin is still monetizing and having exposure to the hardest monetary asset the world has ever while it's monetizing has proven to be massively beneficial.

We are still in the early days of bitcoin and this idea will likely seem absolutely insane to most Tradfi investors, but I strongly believe that developers, banks and end consumers who don't leverage this type of bitcoin structured credit will be cooked in the long-run. And those that take advantage of this type of structure first will be considered geniuses in 20 years.

There are many more nuanced benefits to this strategy; holding bitcoin allows landlords and management companies to weather ongoing maintenance costs throughout the years, those who take out mortgages dual collateralized with a house and bitcoin not only protect the equity value of their property but could see their equity values increase significantly more than others using vanilla mortgages, and builders who accumulate bitcoin in their treasuries will be able to use better raw materials when building, which leads to more valuable properties that cash flow for longer.

Again, it's going to take time for these types of structures to become commonplace in the market, but I firmly believe this cycle will be the cycle that these strategies get off the ground. In four to five years they will have a track record and after that it will be considered irresponsible not to finance real estate in this way. The banks will begin to demand it.

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Final thought... Sinus congestion sucks.

@ 460c25e6:ef85065c

NIPs (Nostr Implementation Possibilities) are technical specifications that Nostr developers create to define how specific event types and tags are used. These can be written before or after the feature is implemented and often go through multiple revisions before becoming stable enough to matter. Once two or more clients fully implement the proposal, it is merged into the main repository. This process ensures that while new ideas are encouraged, they are also rigorously reviewed and tested.

There are generally two paths for NIPs: 1. New Ideas, when developers just have a hunch on a new solution and want to quickly write something up to gather feedback from the community. These are my favorite NIPs because they generally introduce a new way of thinking about a problem we are all having. And because they are not just a general solution, but a specific proposal, it allows us to see the entire picture in just a few paragraphs. Even though they are my favorite, they are quite "green" and usually spur 2-3 separate solutions in following PRs by different authors. 2. Existing implementations that need to explain what they are doing. These happen when a client is already running the code in production and simply wants to explain to the rest of the community how to generate and interpret the events the client is creating. These NIPs start much more stable than the former and allow for fewer changes, but because there is already an implementation available, it's a market-tested solution that might just need a few adjustments before others start implementing it.

Well-written specs ensure clarity, reduce ambiguity, and help developers implement the proposal consistently. The text should be VERY short, precise, prescriptive, and actionable by other devs. Start by introducing the new kind or tag in the first sentence and jump straight into a mockup of how the event looks like. The mockup should be self-explanatory and provide clues to what the remaining of the document will talk about. Some folks like to add long/verbose introductions, conclusions, and discussions of the reasons why the NIP is needed or why certain features are there. But those are largely unnecessary and are more appropriate to be placed in the body of the Pull Request descriptor.

Start your NIP with the following template:

``` NIP- ======