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The future of physical money is at stake, and the discussion about DREX, the new digital currency planned by the Central Bank of Brazil, is gaining momentum. In a candid and intense conversation, Federal Deputy Julia Zanatta (PL/SC) discussed the challenges and risks of this digital transition, also addressing her Bill No. 3,341/2024, which aims to prevent the extinction of physical currency. This bill emerges as a direct response to legislative initiatives seeking to replace physical money with digital alternatives, limiting citizens' options and potentially compromising individual freedom. Let's delve into the main points of this conversation.

https://www.fountain.fm/episode/i5YGJ9Ors3PkqAIMvNQ0

(PT-BR version here)

What is a CBDC?

Before discussing the specifics of DREX, it’s important to understand what a CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) is. CBDCs are digital currencies issued by central banks, similar to a digital version of physical money. Unlike cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, which operate in a decentralized manner, CBDCs are centralized and regulated by the government. In other words, they are digital currencies created and controlled by the Central Bank, intended to replace physical currency.

A prominent feature of CBDCs is their programmability. This means that the government can theoretically set rules about how, where, and for what this currency can be used. This aspect enables a level of control over citizens' finances that is impossible with physical money. By programming the currency, the government could limit transactions by setting geographical or usage restrictions. In practice, money within a CBDC could be restricted to specific spending or authorized for use in a defined geographical area.

In countries like China, where citizen actions and attitudes are also monitored, a person considered to have a "low score" due to a moral or ideological violation may have their transactions limited to essential purchases, restricting their digital currency use to non-essential activities. This financial control is strengthened because, unlike physical money, digital currency cannot be exchanged anonymously.

Practical Example: The Case of DREX During the Pandemic

To illustrate how DREX could be used, an example was given by Eric Altafim, director of Banco Itaú. He suggested that, if DREX had existed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the government could have restricted the currency’s use to a 5-kilometer radius around a person’s residence, limiting their economic mobility. Another proposed use by the executive related to the Bolsa Família welfare program: the government could set up programming that only allows this benefit to be used exclusively for food purchases. Although these examples are presented as control measures for safety or organization, they demonstrate how much a CBDC could restrict citizens' freedom of choice.

To illustrate the potential for state control through a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), such as DREX, it is helpful to look at the example of China. In China, the implementation of a CBDC coincides with the country’s Social Credit System, a governmental surveillance tool that assesses citizens' and companies' behavior. Together, these technologies allow the Chinese government to monitor, reward, and, above all, punish behavior deemed inappropriate or threatening to the government.

How Does China's Social Credit System Work?

Implemented in 2014, China's Social Credit System assigns every citizen and company a "score" based on various factors, including financial behavior, criminal record, social interactions, and even online activities. This score determines the benefits or penalties each individual receives and can affect everything from public transport access to obtaining loans and enrolling in elite schools for their children. Citizens with low scores may face various sanctions, including travel restrictions, fines, and difficulty in securing loans.

With the adoption of the CBDC — or “digital yuan” — the Chinese government now has a new tool to closely monitor citizens' financial transactions, facilitating the application of Social Credit System penalties. China’s CBDC is a programmable digital currency, which means that the government can restrict how, when, and where the money can be spent. Through this level of control, digital currency becomes a powerful mechanism for influencing citizens' behavior.

Imagine, for instance, a citizen who repeatedly posts critical remarks about the government on social media or participates in protests. If the Social Credit System assigns this citizen a low score, the Chinese government could, through the CBDC, restrict their money usage in certain areas or sectors. For example, they could be prevented from buying tickets to travel to other regions, prohibited from purchasing certain consumer goods, or even restricted to making transactions only at stores near their home.

Another example of how the government can use the CBDC to enforce the Social Credit System is by monitoring purchases of products such as alcohol or luxury items. If a citizen uses the CBDC to spend more than the government deems reasonable on such products, this could negatively impact their social score, resulting in additional penalties such as future purchase restrictions or a lowered rating that impacts their personal and professional lives.

In China, this kind of control has already been demonstrated in several cases. Citizens added to Social Credit System “blacklists” have seen their spending and investment capacity severely limited. The combination of digital currency and social scores thus creates a sophisticated and invasive surveillance system, through which the Chinese government controls important aspects of citizens’ financial lives and individual freedoms.

Deputy Julia Zanatta views these examples with great concern. She argues that if the state has full control over digital money, citizens will be exposed to a level of economic control and surveillance never seen before. In a democracy, this control poses a risk, but in an authoritarian regime, it could be used as a powerful tool of repression.

DREX and Bill No. 3,341/2024

Julia Zanatta became aware of a bill by a Workers' Party (PT) deputy (Bill 4068/2020 by Deputy Reginaldo Lopes - PT/MG) that proposes the extinction of physical money within five years, aiming for a complete transition to DREX, the digital currency developed by the Central Bank of Brazil. Concerned about the impact of this measure, Julia drafted her bill, PL No. 3,341/2024, which prohibits the elimination of physical money, ensuring citizens the right to choose physical currency.

“The more I read about DREX, the less I want its implementation,” says the deputy. DREX is a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), similar to other state digital currencies worldwide, but which, according to Julia, carries extreme control risks. She points out that with DREX, the State could closely monitor each citizen’s transactions, eliminating anonymity and potentially restricting freedom of choice. This control would lie in the hands of the Central Bank, which could, in a crisis or government change, “freeze balances or even delete funds directly from user accounts.”

Risks and Individual Freedom

Julia raises concerns about potential abuses of power that complete digitalization could allow. In a democracy, state control over personal finances raises serious questions, and EddieOz warns of an even more problematic future. “Today we are in a democracy, but tomorrow, with a government transition, we don't know if this kind of power will be used properly or abused,” he states. In other words, DREX gives the State the ability to restrict or condition the use of money, opening the door to unprecedented financial surveillance.

EddieOz cites Nigeria as an example, where a CBDC was implemented, and the government imposed severe restrictions on the use of physical money to encourage the use of digital currency, leading to protests and clashes in the country. In practice, the poorest and unbanked — those without regular access to banking services — were harshly affected, as without physical money, many cannot conduct basic transactions. Julia highlights that in Brazil, this situation would be even more severe, given the large number of unbanked individuals and the extent of rural areas where access to technology is limited.

The Relationship Between DREX and Pix

The digital transition has already begun with Pix, which revolutionized instant transfers and payments in Brazil. However, Julia points out that Pix, though popular, is a citizen’s choice, while DREX tends to eliminate that choice. The deputy expresses concern about new rules suggested for Pix, such as daily transaction limits of a thousand reais, justified as anti-fraud measures but which, in her view, represent additional control and a profit opportunity for banks. “How many more rules will banks create to profit from us?” asks Julia, noting that DREX could further enhance control over personal finances.

International Precedents and Resistance to CBDC

The deputy also cites examples from other countries resisting the idea of a centralized digital currency. In the United States, states like New Hampshire have passed laws to prevent the advance of CBDCs, and leaders such as Donald Trump have opposed creating a national digital currency. Trump, addressing the topic, uses a justification similar to Julia’s: in a digitalized system, “with one click, your money could disappear.” She agrees with the warning, emphasizing the control risk that a CBDC represents, especially for countries with disadvantaged populations.

Besides the United States, Canada, Colombia, and Australia have also suspended studies on digital currencies, citing the need for further discussions on population impacts. However, in Brazil, the debate on DREX is still limited, with few parliamentarians and political leaders openly discussing the topic. According to Julia, only she and one or two deputies are truly trying to bring this discussion to the Chamber, making DREX’s advance even more concerning.

Bill No. 3,341/2024 and Popular Pressure

For Julia, her bill is a first step. Although she acknowledges that ideally, it would prevent DREX's implementation entirely, PL 3341/2024 is a measure to ensure citizens' choice to use physical money, preserving a form of individual freedom. “If the future means control, I prefer to live in the past,” Julia asserts, reinforcing that the fight for freedom is at the heart of her bill.

However, the deputy emphasizes that none of this will be possible without popular mobilization. According to her, popular pressure is crucial for other deputies to take notice and support PL 3341. “I am only one deputy, and we need the public’s support to raise the project’s visibility,” she explains, encouraging the public to press other parliamentarians and ask them to “pay attention to PL 3341 and the project that prohibits the end of physical money.” The deputy believes that with a strong awareness and pressure movement, it is possible to advance the debate and ensure Brazilians’ financial freedom.

What’s at Stake?

Julia Zanatta leaves no doubt: DREX represents a profound shift in how money will be used and controlled in Brazil. More than a simple modernization of the financial system, the Central Bank’s CBDC sets precedents for an unprecedented level of citizen surveillance and control in the country. For the deputy, this transition needs to be debated broadly and transparently, and it’s up to the Brazilian people to defend their rights and demand that the National Congress discuss these changes responsibly.

The deputy also emphasizes that, regardless of political or partisan views, this issue affects all Brazilians. “This agenda is something that will affect everyone. We need to be united to ensure people understand the gravity of what could happen.” Julia believes that by sharing information and generating open debate, it is possible to prevent Brazil from following the path of countries that have already implemented a digital currency in an authoritarian way.

A Call to Action

The future of physical money in Brazil is at risk. For those who share Deputy Julia Zanatta’s concerns, the time to act is now. Mobilize, get informed, and press your representatives. PL 3341/2024 is an opportunity to ensure that Brazilian citizens have a choice in how to use their money, without excessive state interference or surveillance.

In the end, as the deputy puts it, the central issue is freedom. “My fear is that this project will pass, and people won’t even understand what is happening.” Therefore, may every citizen at least have the chance to understand what’s at stake and make their voice heard in defense of a Brazil where individual freedom and privacy are respected values.

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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

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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.

---

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.

---

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

@ c4f5e7a7:8856cac7

Best viewed on Habla, YakiHonne or Highlighter.

TL;DR

This article explores the links between public, community-driven data sources (such as OpenStreetMap) and private, cryptographically-owned data found on networks such as Nostr.

The following concepts are explored:

1. Attestations: Users signalling to their social graph that they believe something to be true by publishing Attestations. These social proofs act as a decentralised verification system that leverages your web-of-trust.
2. Proof of Place: An oracle-based system where physical letters are sent to real-world locations, confirming the corresponding digital ownership via cryptographic proofs. This binds physical locations in meatspace with their digital representations in the Nostrverse.
3. Check-ins: Foursquare-style check-ins that can be verified using attestations from place owners, ensuring authenticity. This approach uses web-of-trust to validate check-ins and location ownership over time.

The goal is to leverage cryptographic ownership where necessary while preserving the open, collaborative nature of public data systems.

Open Data in a public commons has a place and should not be thrown out with the Web 2.0 bathwater.

Cognitive Dissonance

Ever since discovering Nostr in August of 2022 I've been grappling with how BTC Map - a project that helps bitcoiners find places to spend sats - should most appropriately use this new protocol.

I am assuming, dear reader, that you are somewhat familiar with Nostr - a relatively new protocol for decentralised identity and communication. If you don’t know your nsec from your npub, please take some time to read these excellent posts: Nostr is Identity for the Internet and The Power of Nostr by @max and @lyn, respectively. Nostr is so much more than a short-form social media replacement.

The social features (check-ins, reviews, etc.) that Nostr unlocks for BTC Map are clear and exciting - all your silos are indeed broken - however, something fundamental has been bothering me for a while and I think it comes down to data ownership.

For those unfamiliar, BTC Map uses OpenStreetMap (OSM) as its main geographic database. OSM is centred on the concept of a commons of objectively verifiable data that is maintained by a global community of volunteer editors; a Wikipedia for maps. There is no data ownership; the data is free (as in freedom) and anyone can edit anything. It is the data equivalent of FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) - FOSD if you will, but more commonly referred to as Open Data.

In contrast, Notes and Other Stuff on Nostr (Places in this cartographic context) are explicitly owned by the controller of the private key. These notes are free to propagate, but they are owned.

How do we reconcile the decentralised nature of Nostr, where data is cryptographically owned by individuals, with the community-managed data commons of OpenStreetMap, where no one owns the data?

Self-sovereign Identity

Before I address this coexistence question, I want to talk a little about identity as it pertains to ownership. If something is to be owned, it has to be owned by someone or something - an identity.

All identities that are not self-sovereign are, by definition, leased to you by a 3rd party. You rent your Facebook identity from Meta in exchange for your data. You rent your web domain from your DNS provider in exchange for your money.

Taken to the extreme, you rent your passport from your Government in exchange for your compliance. You are you at the pleasure of others. Where Bitcoin separates money from the state; Nostr separates identity from the state.

Or, as @nvk said recently: "Don't build your house on someone else's land.".

https://i.nostr.build/xpcCSkDg3uVw0yku.png

While we’ve had the tools for self-sovereign digital identity for decades (think PGP keys or WebAuthN), we haven't had the necessary social use cases nor the corresponding social graph to elevate these identities to the mainstream. Nostr fixes this.

Nostr is PGP for the masses and will take cryptographic identities mainstream.

Full NOSTARD?

Returning to the coexistence question: the data on OpenStreetMap isn’t directly owned by anyone, even though the physical entities the data represents might be privately owned. OSM is a data commons.

We can objectively agree on the location of a tree or a fire hydrant without needing permission to observe and record it. Sure, you could place a tree ‘on Nostr’, but why should you? Just because something can be ‘on Nostr’ doesn’t mean it should be.

https://i.nostr.build/s3So2JVAqoY4E1dI.png

There might be a dystopian future where we can't agree on what a tree is nor where it's located, but I hope we never get there. It's at this point we'll need a Wikifreedia variant of OpenStreetMap.

While integrating Nostr identities into OpenStreetMap would be valuable, the current OSM infrastructure, tools, and community already provide substantial benefits in managing this data commons without needing to go NOSTR-native - there's no need to go Full NOSTARD. H/T to @princeySOV for the original meme.

https://i.nostr.build/ot9jtM5cZtDHNKWc.png

So, how do we appropriately blend cryptographically owned data with the commons?

If a location is owned in meatspace and it's useful to signal that ownership, it should also be owned in cyberspace. Our efforts should therefore focus on entities like businesses, while allowing the commons to manage public data for as long as it can successfully mitigate the tragedy of the commons.

The remainder of this article explores how we can:

1. Verify ownership of a physical place in the real world;
2. Link that ownership to the corresponding digital place in cyberspace.

As a side note, I don't see private key custodianship - or, even worse, permissioned use of Places signed by another identity's key - as any more viable than the rented identities of Web 2.0.

And as we all know, the Second Law of Infodynamics (no citation!) states that:

"The total amount of sensitive information leaked will always increase over time."

This especially holds true if that data is centralised.

Not your keys, not your notes. Not your keys, not your identity.

Places and Web-of-Trust

@Arkinox has been leading the charge on the Places NIP, introducing Nostr notes (kind 37515) that represent physical locations. The draft is well-crafted, with bonus points for linking back to OSM (and other location repositories) via NIP-73 - External Content IDs (championed by @oscar of @fountain).

However, as Nostr is permissionless, authenticity poses a challenge. Just because someone claims to own a physical location on the Internet doesn’t necessarily mean they have ownership or control of that location in the real world.

Ultimately, this problem can only be solved in a decentralised way by using Web-of-Trust - using your social graph and the perspectives of trusted peers to inform your own perspective. In the context of Places, this requires your network to form a view on which digital identity (public key / npub) is truly the owner of a physical place like your local coffee shop.

This requires users to:

1. Verify the owner of a Place in cyberspace is the owner of a place in meatspace.
2. Signal this verification to their social graph.

Let's look at the latter idea first with the concept of Attestations ...

Attestations

A way to signal to your social graph that you believe something to be true (or false for that matter) would be by publishing an Attestation note. An Attestation note would signify to your social graph that you think something is either true or false.

Imagine you're a regular at a local coffee shop. You publish an Attestation that says the shop is real and the owner behind the Nostr public key is who they claim to be. Your friends trust you, so they start trusting the shop's digital identity too.

However, attestations applied to Places are just a single use case. The attestation concept could be more widely applied across Nostr in a variety of ways (key rotation, identity linking, etc).

Here is a recent example from @lyn that would carry more signal if it were an Attestation:

https://i.nostr.build/lZAXOEwvRIghgFY4.png

Parallels can be drawn between Attestations and transaction confirmations on the Bitcoin timechain; however, their importance to you would be weighted by clients and/or Data Vending Machines in accordance with:

1. Your social graph;
2. The type or subject of the content being attested and by whom;
3. Your personal preferences.

They could also have a validity duration to be temporally bound, which would be particularly useful in the case of Places.

NIP-25 (Reactions) do allow for users to up/downvote notes with optional content (e.g., emojis) and could work for Attestations, but I think we need something less ambiguous and more definitive.

‘This is true’ resonates more strongly than ‘I like this.’.

https://i.nostr.build/s8NIG2kXzUCLcoax.jpg

There are similar concepts in the Web 3 / Web 5 world such as Verified Credentials by tdb. However, Nostr is the Web 3 now and so wen Attestation NIP?

https://i.nostr.build/Cb047NWyHdJ7h5Ka.jpg

That said, I have seen @utxo has been exploring ‘smart contracts’ on nostr and Attestations may just be a relatively ‘dumb’ subset of the wider concept Nostr-native scripting combined with web-of-trust.

Proof of Place

Attestations handle the signalling of your truth, but what about the initial verification itself?

We already covered how this ultimately has to be derived from your social graph, but what if there was a way to help bootstrap this web-of-trust through the use of oracles? For those unfamiliar with oracles in the digital realm, they are simply trusted purveyors of truth.

Introducing Proof of Place, an out–of-band process where an oracle (such as BTC Map) would mail - yes physically mail- a shared secret to the address of the location being claimed in cyberspace. This shared secret would be locked to the public key (npub) making the claim, which, if unlocked, would prove that the associated private key (nsec) has physical access to the location in meatspace.

One way of doing this would be to mint a 1 sat cashu ecash token locked to the npub of the claimant and mail it to them. If they are able to redeem the token then they have cryptographically proven that they have physical access to the location.

Proof of Place is really nothing more than a weighted Attestation. In a web-of-trust Nostrverse, an oracle is simply a npub (say BTC Map) that you weigh heavily for its opinion on a given topic (say Places).

In the Bitcoin world, Proof of Work anchors digital scarcity in cyberspace to physical scarcity (energy and time) in meatspace and as @Gigi says in PoW is Essential:

"A failure to understand Proof of Work, is a failure to understand Bitcoin."

In the Nostrverse, Proof of Place helps bridge the digital and physical worlds.

@Gigi also observes in Memes vs The World that:

"In Bitcoin, the map is the territory. We can infer everything we care about by looking at the map alone."

https://i.nostr.build/dOnpxfI4u7EL2v4e.png

This isn’t true for Nostr.

In the Nostrverse, the map IS NOT the territory. However, Proof of Place enables us to send cryptographic drones down into the physical territory to help us interpret our digital maps. 🤯

Check-ins

Although not a draft NIP yet, @Arkinox has also been exploring the familiar concept of Foursquare-style Check-ins on Nostr (with kind 13811 notes).

For the uninitiated, Check-ins are simply notes that signal the publisher is at a given location. These locations could be Places (in the Nostr sense) or any other given digital representation of a location for that matter (such as OSM elements) if NIP-73 - External Content IDs are used.

Of course, not everyone will be a Check-in enjoyooor as the concept will not sit well with some people’s threat models and OpSec practices.

Bringing Check-ins to Nostr is possible (as @sebastix capably shows here), but they suffer the same authenticity issues as Places. Just because I say I'm at a given location doesn't mean that I am.

Back in the Web 2.0 days, Foursquare mitigated this by relying on the GPS position of the phone running their app, but this is of course spoofable.

How should we approach Check-in verifiability in the Nostrverse? Well, just like with Places, we can use Attestations and WoT. In the context of Check-ins, an Attestation from the identity (npub) of the Place being checked-in to would be a particularly strong signal. An NFC device could be placed in a coffee shop and attest to check-ins without requiring the owner to manually intervene - I’m sure @blackcoffee and @Ben Arc could hack something together over a weekend!

Check-ins could also be used as a signal for bonafide Place ownership over time.

Summary: Trust Your Bros

So, to recap, we have:

Places: Digital representations of physical locations on Nostr.

Check-ins: Users signalling their presence at a location.

Attestations: Verifiable social proofs used to confirm ownership or the truth of a claim.

You can visualise how these three concepts combine in the diagram below:

https://i.nostr.build/Uv2Jhx5BBfA51y0K.jpg

And, as always, top right trumps bottom left! We have:

Level 0 - Trust Me Bro: Anyone can check-in anywhere. The Place might not exist or might be impersonating the real place in meatspace. The person behind the npub may not have even been there at all.

Level 1 - Definitely Maybe Somewhere: This category covers the middle-ground of ‘Maybe at a Place’ and ‘Definitely Somewhere’. In these examples, you are either self-certifying that you have checked-in at an Attested Place or you are having others attest that you have checked-in at a Place that might not even exist IRL.

Level 2 - Trust Your Bros: An Attested Check-in at an Attested Place. Your individual level of trust would be a function of the number of Attestations and how you weigh them within your own social graph.

https://i.nostr.build/HtLAiJH1uQSTmdxf.jpg

Perhaps the gold standard (or should that be the Bitcoin standard?) would be a Check-in attested by the owner of the Place, which in itself was attested by BTC Map?

Or perhaps not. Ultimately, it’s the users responsibility to determine what they trust by forming their own perspective within the Nostrverse powered by web-of-trust algorithms they control. ‘Trust Me Bro’ or ‘Trust Your Bros’ - you decide.

As we navigate the frontier of cryptographic ownership and decentralised data, it’s up to us to find the balance between preserving the Open Data commons and embracing self-sovereign digital identities.

Thanks

With thanks to Arkinox, Avi, Ben Gunn, Kieran, Blackcoffee, Sebastix, Tomek, Calle, Short Fiat, Ben Weeks and Bitcoms for helping shape my thoughts and refine content, whether you know it or not!

@ 09fbf8f3:fa3d60f0

由于gmail在中国被防火墙拦截了，无法打开，不想错过邮件通知。

通过自建ntfy接受gmail邮件通知。 怎么自建ntfy，后面再写。

---

2024年08月13日更新：

修改不通过添加邮件标签来标记已经发送的通知，通过Google Sheets来记录已经发送的通知。

为了不让Google Sheets文档的内容很多，导致文件变大，用脚本自动清理一个星期以前的数据。

---

准备工具

• Ntfy服务
• Google Script
• Google Sheets

操作步骤

1. 在Ntfy后台账号，设置访问令牌。
2. 添加订阅主题。
3. 进入Google Sheets创建一个表格.记住id，如下图：
4. 进入Google Script创建项目。填入以下代码（注意填入之前的ntfy地址和令牌）：

```javascript function checkEmail() { var sheetId = "你的Google Sheets id"; // 替换为你的 Google Sheets ID var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.openById(sheetId).getActiveSheet();

// 清理一星期以前的数据 cleanOldData(sheet, 7 * 24 * 60); // 保留7天（即一周）内的数据

var sentEmails = getSentEmails(sheet);

var threads = GmailApp.search('is:unread'); Logger.log("Found threads: " + threads.length);

if (threads.length === 0) return;

threads.forEach(function(thread) { var threadId = thread.getId();

if (!sentEmails.includes(threadId)) {
  thread.getMessages().forEach(sendNtfyNotification);
  recordSentEmail(sheet, threadId);
}

}); }

function sendNtfyNotification(email) { if (!email) { Logger.log("Email object is undefined or null."); return; }

var message = `发件人: ${email.getFrom() || "未知发件人"} 主题: ${email.getSubject() || "无主题"}

内容: ${email.getPlainBody() || "无内容"}`;

var url = "https://你的ntfy地址/Gmail"; var options = { method: "post", payload: message, headers: { Authorization: "Bearer Ntfy的令牌" }, muteHttpExceptions: true };

try { var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url, options); Logger.log("Response: " + response.getContentText()); } catch (e) { Logger.log("Error: " + e.message); } }

function getSentEmails(sheet) { var data = sheet.getDataRange().getValues(); return data.map(row => row[0]); // Assuming email IDs are stored in the first column }

function recordSentEmail(sheet, threadId) { sheet.appendRow([threadId, new Date()]); }

function cleanOldData(sheet, minutes) { var now = new Date(); var thresholdDate = new Date(now.getTime() - minutes * 60 * 1000); // 获取X分钟前的时间

var data = sheet.getDataRange().getValues(); var rowsToDelete = [];

data.forEach(function(row, index) { var date = new Date(row[1]); // 假设日期保存在第二列 if (date < thresholdDate) { rowsToDelete.push(index + 1); // 存储要删除的行号 } });

// 逆序删除（从最后一行开始删除，以避免行号改变） rowsToDelete.reverse().forEach(function(row) { sheet.deleteRow(row); }); }

```

4.Goole Script需要添加gmail服务，如图：

5.Google Script是有限制的不能频繁调用，可以设置五分钟调用一次。如图：

结尾

本人不会代码，以上代码都是通过chatgpt生成的。经过多次修改，刚开始会一直发送通知，后面修改后将已发送的通知放到一个“通知”的标签里。后续不会再次发送通知。

如需要发送通知后自动标记已读，可以把代码复制到chatgpt给你写。

效果预览：

@ 7460b7fd:4fc4e74b

请看2014年王兴的一场思维碰撞，视频27分钟开始

最后，一个当时无法解决的点：丢失

@ 4523be58:ba1facd0

NIP-116

Event paths

Description

Event kind 30079 denotes an event defined by its event path rather than its event kind.

The event directory path is included in the event path, specified in the event's d tag. For example, an event path might be user/profile/name, where user/profile is the directory path.

Relays should parse the event directory from the event path d tag and index the event by it. Relays should support "directory listing" of kind 30079 events using the #f filter, such as {"#f": ["user/profile"]}.

For backward compatibility, the event directory should also be saved in the event's f tag (for "folder"), which is already indexed by some relay implementations, and can be queried using the #f filter.

Event content should be a JSON-encoded value. An empty object {} signifies that the entry at the event path is itself a directory. For example, when saving user/profile/name: Bob, you should also save user/profile: {} so the subdirectory can be listed under user.

In directory names, slashes should be escaped with a double slash.

Example

Event

json { "tags": [ ["d", "user/profile/name"], ["f", "user/profile"] ], "content": "\"Bob\"", "kind": 30079, ... }

Query

json { "#f": ["user/profile"], "authors": ["[pubkey]"] }

Motivation

To make Nostr an "everything app," we need a sustainable way to support new kinds of applications. Browsing Nostr data by human-readable nested directories and paths rather than obscure event kind numbers makes the data more manageable.

Numeric event kinds are not sustainable for the infinite number of potential applications. With numeric event kinds, developers need to find an unused number for each new application and announce it somewhere, which is cumbersome and not scalable.

Directories can also replace monolithic list events like follow lists or profile details. You can update a single directory entry such as user/profile/name or groups/follows/[pubkey] without causing an overwrite of the whole profile or follow list when your client is out-of-sync with the most recent list version, as often happens on Nostr.

Using d-tagged replaceable events for reactions, such as {tags: [["d", "reactions/[eventId]"]], content: "\"👍\"", kind: 30079, ...} would make un-reacting trivial: just publish a new event with the same d tag and an empty content. Toggling a reaction on and off would not cause a flurry of new reaction & delete events that all need to be persisted.

Implementations

• Relays that support tag-replaceable events and indexing by arbitrary tags (in this case f) already support this feature.
• IrisDB client side library: treelike data structure with subscribable nodes.

https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/1266

@ b60c3e76:c9d0f46e

KRIS menjamin semua golongan masyarakat mendapatkan perlakuan sama dari rumah sakit, baik pelayanan medis maupun nonmedis.

Demi memberikan peningkatan kualitas layanan kesehatan kepada masyarakat, pemerintah baru saja mengeluarkan Peraturan Presiden (Perpres) nomor 59 tahun 2024 tentang Jaminan Kesehatan. Melalui perpres itu, Presiden Joko Widodo (Jokowi) telah menghapus perbedaan kelas layanan 1, 2, dan 3 dalam Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial atau BPJS Kesehatan.

Layanan berbasis kelas itu diganti dengan KRIS (Kelas Rawat Inap Standar). Berkaitan dengan lahirnya Perpres 59/2024 tentang Perubahan Ketiga atas Perpres 82/2018 tentang Jaminan Kesehatan, Presiden Joko Widodo telah memerintahkan seluruh rumah sakit yang bekerja sama dengan BPJS Kesehatan melaksanakannya.

Kebijakan baru itu mulai berlaku per 8 Mei 2024 dan paling lambat 30 Juni 2025. Dalam jangka waktu tersebut, rumah sakit dapat menyelenggarakan sebagian atau seluruh pelayanan rawat inap berdasarkan KRIS sesuai dengan kemampuan rumah sakit.

Lantas apa yang menjadi pembeda dari sisi layanan dengan layanan rawat inap sesuai Perpres 59/2024? Dahulu sistem layanan rawat BPJS Kesehatan dibagi berdasarkan kelas yang dibagi masing-masing kelas 1, 2, dan 3. Namun, melalui perpres, layanan kepada masyarakat tidak dibedakan lagi.

Pelayanan rawat inap yang diatur dalam perpres itu--dikenal dengan nama KRIS—menjadi sistem baru yang digunakan dalam pelayanan rawat inap BPJS Kesehatan di rumah sakit-rumah sakit. Dengan KRIS, semua golongan masyarakat akan mendapatkan perlakuan yang sama dari rumah sakit, baik dalam hal pelayanan medis maupun nonmedis.

Dengan lahirnya Perpres 59/2024, tarif iuran BPJS Kesehatan pun juga akan berubah. Hanya saja, dalam Perpres itu belum dicantumkan secara rinci ihwal besar iuran yang baru. Besaran iuran baru BPJS Kesehatan itu sesuai rencana baru ditetapkan pada 1 Juli 2025.

“Penetapan manfaat, tarif, dan iuran sebagaimana dimaksud ditetapkan paling lambat tanggal 1 Juli 2025,” tulis aturan tersebut, dikutip Senin (13/5/2024).

Itu artinya, iuran BPJS Kesehatan saat ini masih sama seperti sebelumnya, yakni sesuai dengan kelas yang dipilih. Namun perpres itu tetap berlaku sembari menanti lahirnya peraturan lanjutan dari perpres tersebut.

Kesiapan Rumah Sakit

Berkaitan dengan lahirnya kebijakan layanan kesehatan tanpa dibedakan kelas lagi, Kementerian Kesehatan (Kemenkes) menegaskan mayoritas rumah sakit di Indonesia siap untuk menjalankan layanan KRIS untuk pasien BPJS Kesehatan.

Kesiapan itu diungkapkan oleh Dirjen Pelayanan Kesehatan Kemenkes Azhar Jaya. “Survei kesiapan RS terkait KRIS sudah dilakukan pada 2.988 rumah sakit dan yang sudah siap menjawab isian 12 kriteria ada sebanyak 2.233 rumah sakit,” ujar Azhar.

Sebagai informasi, KRIS adalah pengganti layanan Kelas 1, 2, dan 3 BPJS Kesehatan yang bertujuan untuk memberikan layanan kesehatan secara merata tanpa melihat besaran iurannya.

Melalui KRIS, rumah sakit perlu menyiapkan sarana dan prasarana sesuai dengan 12 kriteria kelas rawat inap standar secara bertahap. Apa saja ke-12 kriteria KRIS itu?

Sesuai bunyi Pasal 46A Perpres 59/2024, disyaratkan kriteria fasilitas perawatan dan pelayanan rawat inap KRIS meliputi komponen bangunan yang digunakan tidak boleh memiliki tingkat porositas yang tinggi serta terdapat ventilasi udara dan kelengkapan tidur.

Demikian pula soal pencahayaan ruangan. Perpres itu juga mengatur pencahayaan ruangan buatan mengikuti kriteria standar 250 lux untuk penerangan dan 50 lux untuk pencahayaan tidur, temperature ruangan 20--26 derajat celcius.

Tidak hanya itu, layanan rawat inap berdasarkan perpres itu mensyaratkan fasilitas layanan yang membagi ruang rawat berdasarkan jenis kelamin pasien, anak atau dewasa, serta penyakit infeksi atau noninfeksi.

Selain itu, kriteria lainnya adalah keharusan bagi penyedia layanan untuk mempertimbangkan kepadatan ruang rawat dan kualitas tempat tidur, penyediaan tirai atau partisi antartempat tidur, kamar mandi dalam ruangan rawat inap yang memenuhi standar aksesibilitas, dan menyediakan outlet oksigen.

Selain itu, kelengkapan tempat tidur berupa adanya dua kotak kontak dan nurse call pada setiap tempat tidur dan adanya nakas per tempat tidur. Kepadatan ruang rawat inap maksimal empat tempat tidur dengan jarak antara tepi tempat tidur minimal 1,5 meter.

Tirai/partisi dengan rel dibenamkan menempel di plafon atau menggantung. Kamar mandi dalam ruang rawat inap serta kamar mandi sesuai dengan standar aksesibilitas dan outlet oksigen.

Azhar menjamin, Kemenkes akan menjalankan hal tersebut sesuai dengan tupoksi yang ada. “Tentu saja kami akan bekerja sama dengan BPJS Kesehatan dalam implementasi dan pengawasannya di lapangan,” ujar Azhar.

Berkaitan dengan perpres jaminan kesehatan itu, Direktur Utama BPJS Kesehatan Ghufron Mukti menilai, perpres tersebut berorientasi pada penyeragaman kelas rawat inap yang mengacu pada 12 kriteria. "Bahwa perawatan ada kelas rawat inap standar dengan 12 kriteria, untuk peserta BPJS, maka sebagaimana sumpah dokter tidak boleh dibedakan pemberian pelayan medis atas dasar suku, agama, status sosial atau beda iurannya," ujarnya.

Jika ada peserta ingin dirawat pada kelas yang lebih tinggi, kata Ghufron, maka diperbolehkan selama hal itu dipengaruhi situasi nonmedis. Hal itu disebutkan dalam Pasal 51 Perpres Jaminan Kesehatan diatur ketentuan naik kelas perawatan.

Menurut pasal tersebut, naik kelas perawatan dilakukan dengan cara mengikuti asuransi kesehatan tambahan atau membayar selisih antara biaya yang dijamin oleh BPJS Kesehatan dengan biaya yang harus dibayar akibat peningkatan pelayanan.

Selisih antara biaya yang dijamin oleh BPJS Kesehatan dengan biaya pelayanan dapat dibayar oleh peserta bersangkutan, pemberi kerja, atau asuransi kesehatan tambahan.

Ghufron Mukti juga mengimbau pengelola rumah sakit tidak mengurangi jumlah tempat tidur perawatan pasien dalam upaya memenuhi kriteria KRIS. "Pesan saya jangan dikurangi akses dengan mengurangi jumlah tempat tidur. Pertahankan jumlah tempat tidur dan penuhi persyaratannya dengan 12 kriteria tersebut," tegas Ghufron.

Penulis: Firman Hidranto Redaktur: Ratna Nuraini/Elvira Inda Sari Sumber: Indonesia.go.id

@ 266815e0:6cd408a5

Lot of people are starting to talk about building a web-of-trust and how nostr can or is already being used as such

We all know about using the kind:3 following lists as a simple WoT that can be used to filter out spam. but as we all know it does not really signal "trust", its mostly just "I find your content interesting"

But what about real "trust"... well its kind of multi-denominational, I could trust that your a good developer or a good journalist but still not trust you enough to invite you over to my house. There are some interesting and clever solutions proposed for quantifying "trust" in a digital sense but I'm not going to get into that here. I want to talk about something that I have not see anyone discuss yet.

How is the web-of-trust maintained? or more precisely how do you expect users to update the digital representation of the "trust" of other users?

Its all well and good to think of how a user would create that "trust" of another user when discovering them for the first time. They would click the "follow" button, or maybe even rate them on a few topics with a 1/5 star system But how will a user remove that trust? how will they update it if things change and they trust them less?

If our goal is to model "trust" in a digital sense then we NEED a way for the data to stay up-to-date and as accurate as possible. otherwise whats the use? If we don't have a friction-less way to update or remove the digital representation of "trust" then we will end up with a WoT that continuously grows and everyone is rated 10/10

In the case of nostr kind:3 following lists. its pretty easy to see how these would get updated. If someone posts something I dislike or I notice I'm getting board of their content. then I just unfollow them. An important part here is that I'm not thinking "I should update my trust score of this user" but instead "I'm no longer interested, I don't want to see this anymore"

But that is probably the easiest "trust" to update. because most of us on social media spend some time curating our feed and we are used to doing it. But what about the more obscure "trust" scores? whats the regular mechanism by which a user would update the "honestly" score of another user?

In the real world its easy, when I stop trusting someone I simply stop associating with them. there isn't any button or switch I need to update. I simply don't talk to them anymore, its friction-less But in the digital realm I would have to remove or update that trust. in other words its an action I need to take instead of an action I'm not doing. and actions take energy.

So how do we reflect something in the digital world that takes no-energy and is almost subconscious in the real world?

TLDR; webs-of-trust are not just about scoring other users once. you must keep the score up-to-date

@ 266815e0:6cd408a5

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

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

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

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

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

An Identity system

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

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

What is blossom?

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

What are Blobs?

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

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

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

How do the servers work?

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

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

What is Blossom Drive?

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

What are Drives

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

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

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

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

Getting started

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

1. Open the app

Open https://blossom.hzrd149.com

2. Login using extension

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

3. Add a blossom server

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

4. Start uploading your files

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

5. Manage files

Encrypted drives

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

Whats next?

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

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

nostr:naddr1qvzqqqrhvvpzqfngzhsvjggdlgeycm96x4emzjlwf8dyyzdfg4hefp89zpkdgz99qq8xzun5d93kcefdd9kkzem9wvr46jka

@ f977c464:32fcbe00

Güneşin kaybolmasının üçüncü günü, saat öğlen on ikiyi yirmi geçiyordu. Trenin kalkmasına yaklaşık iki saat vardı. Hepimiz perondaydık. Valizlerimiz, kolilerimiz, renk renk ve biçimsiz çantalarımızla yan yana dizilmiş, kısa aralıklarla tepemizdeki devasa saati kontrol ediyorduk.

Ama ne kadar dik bakarsak bakalım zaman bir türlü istediğimiz hızla ilerlemiyordu. Herkes birkaç dakika sürmesi gereken alelade bir doğa olayına sıkışıp kalmış, karanlıktan sürünerek çıkmayı deniyordu.

Bekleme salonuna doğru döndüm. Nefesimden çıkan buharın arkasında, kalın taş duvarları ve camlarıyla morg kadar güvenli ve soğuk duruyordu. Cesetleri o yüzden bunun gibi yerlere taşımaya başlamışlardı. Demek insanların bütün iyiliği başkaları onları gördüğü içindi ki gündüzleri gecelerden daha karanlık olduğunda hemen birbirlerinin gırtlağına çökmüş, böğürlerinde delikler açmış, gözlerini oyup kafataslarını parçalamışlardı.

İstasyonun ışığı titrediğinde karanlığın enseme saplandığını hissettim. Eğer şimdi, böyle kalabalık bir yerde elektrik kesilse başımıza ne gelirdi?

İçerideki askerlerden biri bakışlarımı yakalayınca yeniden saate odaklanmış gibi yaptım. Sadece birkaç dakika geçmişti.

“Tarlalarım gitti. Böyle boyum kadar ayçiçeği doluydu. Ah, hepsi ölüp gidiyor. Afitap’ın çiçekleri de gi-”

“Dayı, Allah’ını seversen sus. Hepimizi yakacaksın şimdi.”

Karanlıkta durduğunda, görünmez olmayı istemeye başlıyordun. Kimse seni görmemeli, nefesini bile duymamalıydı. Kimsenin de ayağının altında dolaşmamalıydın; gelip kazayla sana çarpmamalılar, takılıp sendelememeliydiler. Yoksa aslında hedefi sen olmadığın bir öfke gürlemeye başlar, yaşadığın ilk şoku ve acıyı silerek üstünden geçerdi.

İlk konuşan, yaşlıca bir adam, kafasında kasketi, nasırlı ellerine hohluyordu. Gözleri ve burnu kızarmıştı. Güneşin kaybolması onun için kendi başına bir felaket değildi. Hayatına olan pratik yansımalarından korkuyordu olsa olsa. Bir anının kaybolması, bu yüzden çoktan kaybettiği birinin biraz daha eksilmesi. Hayatta kalmasını gerektiren sebepler azalırken, hayatta kalmasını sağlayacak kaynaklarını da kaybediyordu.

Onu susturan delikanlıysa atkısını bütün kafasına sarmış, sakalı ve yüzünün derinliklerine kaçmış gözleri dışında bedeninin bütün parçalarını gizlemeye çalışıyordu. İşte o, güneşin kaybolmasının tam olarak ne anlama geldiğini anlamamış olsa bile, dehşetini olduğu gibi hissedebilenlerdendi.

Güneşin onlardan alındıktan sonra kime verileceğini sormuyorlardı. En başta onlara verildiğinde de hiçbir soru sormamışlardı zaten.

İki saat ne zaman geçer?

Midemin üstünde, sağ tarafıma doğru keskin bir acı hissettim. Karaciğerim. Gözlerimi yumdum. Yanımda biri metal bir nesneyi yere bıraktı. Bir kafesti. İçerisindeki kartalın ıslak kokusu burnuma ulaşmadan önce bile biliyordum bunu.

“Yeniden mi?” diye sordu bana kartal. Kanatları kanlı. Zamanın her bir parçası tüylerinin üstüne çöreklenmişti. Gagası bir şey, tahminen et parçası geveliyor gibi hareket ediyordu. Eski anılar kolay unutulmazmış. Şu anda kafesinin kalın parmaklıklarının ardında olsa da bunun bir aldatmaca olduğunu bir tek ben biliyordum. Her an kanatlarını iki yana uzatıverebilir, hava bu hareketiyle dalgalanarak kafesi esneterek hepimizi içine alacak kadar genişleyebilir, parmaklıklar önce ayaklarımızın altına serilir gibi gözükebilir ama aslında hepimizin üstünde yükselerek tepemize çökebilirdi.

Aşağıya baktım. Tahtalarla zapt edilmiş, hiçbir yere gidemeyen ama her yere uzanan tren rayları. Atlayıp koşsam… Çantam çok ağırdı. Daha birkaç adım atamadan, kartal, suratını bedenime gömerdi.

“Bu sefer farklı,” diye yanıtladım onu. “Yeniden diyemezsin. Tekrarladığım bir şey değil bu. Hatta bir hata yapıyormuşum gibi tonlayamazsın da. Bu sefer, insanların hak etmediğini biliyorum.”

“O zaman daha vahim. Süzme salaksın demektir.”

“İnsanların hak etmemesi, insanlığın hak etmediği anlamına gelmez ki.”

Az önce göz göze geldiğim genççe ama çökük asker hâlâ bana bakıyordu. Bir kartalla konuştuğumu anlamamıştı şüphesiz. Yanımdakilerden biriyle konuştuğumu sanmış olmalıydı. Ama konuştuğum kişiye bakmıyordum ona göre. Çekingence kafamı eğmiştim. Bir kez daha göz göze geldiğimizde içerideki diğer iki askere bir şeyler söyledi, onlar dönüp beni süzerken dışarı çıktı.

Yanımızdaki, az önce konuşan iki adam da şaşkınlıkla bir bana bir kartala bakıyordu.

“Yalnız bu sefer kalbin de kırılacak, Prometheus,” dedi kartal, bana. “Belki son olur. Biliyorsun, bir sürü soruna neden oluyor bu yaptıkların.”

Beni koruyordu sözde. En çok kanıma dokunan buydu. Kasıklarımın üstüne oturmuş, kanlı suratının ardında gözleri parlarken attığı çığlık kulaklarımda titremeye devam ediyordu. Bu tabloda kimsenin kimseyi düşündüğü yoktu. Kartalın, yanımızdaki adamların, artık arkama kadar gelmiş olması gereken askerin, tren raylarının, geçmeyen saatlerin…

Arkamı döndüğümde, asker sahiden oradaydı. Zaten öyle olması gerekiyordu; görmüştüm bunu, biliyordum. Kehanetler… Bir şeyler söylüyordu ama ağzı oynarken sesi çıkmıyordu. Yavaşlamış, kendisini saatin akışına uydurmuştu. Havada donan tükürüğünden anlaşılıyordu, sinirliydi. Korktuğu için olduğunu biliyordum. Her seferinde korkmuşlardı. Beni unutmuş olmaları işlerini kolaylaştırmıyordu. Sadece yeni bir isim vermelerine neden oluyordu. Bu seferkiyle beni lanetleyecekleri kesinleşmişti.

Olması gerekenle olanların farklı olması ne kadar acınasıydı. Olması gerekenlerin doğasının kötücül olmasıysa bir yerde buna dayanıyordu.

“Salaksın,” dedi kartal bana. Zamanı aşan bir çığlık. Hepimizin önüne geçmişti ama kimseyi durduramıyordu.

Sonsuzluğa kaç tane iki saat sıkıştırabilirsiniz?

Ben bir tane bile sıkıştıramadım.

Çantama uzanıyordum. Asker de sırtındaki tüfeğini indiriyordu. Benim acelem yoktu, onunsa eli ayağı birbirine dolaşıyordu. Oysaki her şey tam olması gerektiği anda olacaktı. Kehanet başkasının parmaklarının ucundaydı.

Güneş, bir tüfeğin patlamasıyla yeryüzüne doğdu.

Rayların üzerine serilmiş göğsümün ortasından, bir çantanın içinden.

Not: Bu öykü ilk olarak 2021 yılında Esrarengiz Hikâyeler'de yayımlanmıştır.

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

O Planetinha

Fumaça verde me entrando pelas narinas e um coro desafinado fazia uma base melódica.

nos confins da galáxia havia um planetinha isolado. Era um planeta feliz.

O homem vestido de mago começava a aparecer por detrás da fumaça verde.

O planetinha recebeu três presentes, mas o seu habitante, o homem, estava num estado de confusão tão grande que ameaçava estragá-los. Os homens já havia escravizado o primeiro presente, a vida; lutavam contra o segundo presente, a morte; e havia alguns que achavam que deviam destruir totalmente o terceiro, o amor, e com isto levar a desordem total ao pobre planetinha perdido, que se chamava Terra.

O coro desafinado entrou antes do "Terra" cantando várias vezes, como se imitasse um eco, "terra-terra-terraaa". Depois de uma pausa dramática, o homem vestido de mago voltou a falar.

Terra, nossa nave mãe.

Neste momento eu me afastei. À frente do palco onde o mago e seu coral faziam apelos à multidão havia vários estandes cobertos com a tradicional armação de quatro pernas e lona branca. Em todos os cantos da praça havia gente, gente dos mais variados tipos. Visitantes curiosos que se aproximavam atraídos pela fumaça verde e as barraquinhas, gente que aproveitava o movimento para vender doces sem pagar imposto, casais que se abraçavam de pé para espantar o frio, os tradicionais corredores que faziam seu cooper, gente cheia de barba e vestida para imitar os hippies dos anos 60 e vender colares estendidos no chão, transeuntes novos e velhos, vestidos como baladeiros ou como ativistas do ônibus grátis, grupos de ciclistas entusiastas.

O mago fazia agora apelos para que nós, os homens, habitantes do isolado planetinha, passássemos a ver o planetinha, nossa nave mãe, como um todo, e adquiríssemos a consciência de que ele estava entrando em maus lençóis. A idéia, reforçada pela logomarca do evento, era que parássemos de olhar só para a nossa vida e pensássemos no planeta.

A logomarca do evento, um desenho estilizado do planeta Terra, nada tinha a ver com seu nome: "Festival Andando de Bem com a Vida", mas havia sido ali colocada estrategicamente pelos organizadores, de quem parecia justamente sair a mensagem dita pelo mago.

Aquela multidão de pessoas que, assim como eu, tinham suas próprias preocupações, não podiam ver o quadro caótico que formavam, cada uma com seus atos isolados, ali naquela praça isolada, naquele planeta isolado. Quando o hippie barbudo, quase um Osho, assustava um casal para tentar vender-lhes um colar, a quantidade de caos que isto acrescentava à cena era gigantesca. Por um segundo, pude ver, como se estivesse de longe e acima, com toda a pretensão que este estado imaginativo carrega, a cena completa do caos.

---

Uma nave-mãe, dessas de ficção científica, habitada por milhões de pessoas, seguia no espaço sem rumo, e sem saber que logo à frente um longo precipício espacial a esperava, para a desgraça completa sua e de seus habitantes.

Acostumados àquela nave tanto quanto outrora estiveram acostumados à sua terra natal, os homens viviam as próprias vidas sem nem se lembrar que estavam vagando pelo espaço. Ninguém sabia quem estava conduzindo a nave, e ninguém se importava.

No final do filme descobre-se que era a soma completa do caos que cada habitante produzia, com seus gestos egoístas e incapazes de levar em conta a totalidade, é que determinava a direção da nave-mãe. O efeito, no entanto, não era imediato, como nunca é. Havia gente de verdade encarregada de conduzir a nave, mas era uma gente bêbada, mau-caráter, que vivia brigando pelo controle da nave e o poder que isto lhes dava. Poder, status, dinheiro!

Essa gente bêbada era atraída até ali pela corrupção das instituições e da moral comum que, no fundo no fundo, era causada pelo egoísmo da população, através de um complexo -- mas que no filme aparece simplificado pela ação individual de um magnata do divertimento público -- processo social.

O homem vestido de mago era mais um agente causador de caos, com sua cena cheia de fumaça e sua roupa estroboscópica, ele achava que estava fazendo o bem ao alertar sua platéia, todos as sextas-feiras, de que havia algo que precisava ser feito, que cada um que estava ali ouvindo era responsável pelo planeta. A sua incapacidade, porém, de explicar o que precisava ser feito só aumentava a angústia geral; a culpa que ele jogava sobre seu público, e que era prontamente aceita e passada em frente, aos familiares e amigos de cada um, atormentava-os diariamente e os impedia de ter uma vida decente no trabalho e em casa. As famílias, estressadas, estavam constantemente brigando e os motivos mais insignificantes eram responsáveis pelas mais horrendas conseqüências.

O mago, que após o show tirava o chapéu entortado e ia tomar cerveja num boteco, era responsável por uma parcela considerável do caos que levava a nave na direção do seu desgraçado fim. No filme, porém, um dos transeuntes que de passagem ouviu um pedaço do discurso do mago despertou em si mesmo uma consiência transformadora e, com poderes sobre-humanos que lhe foram então concedidos por uma ordem iniciática do bem ou não, usando só os seus poderes humanos mesmo, o transeunte -- na primeira versão do filme um homem, na segunda uma mulher -- consegue consertar as instituições e retirar os bêbados da condução da máquina. A questão da moral pública é ignorada para abreviar a trama, já com duas horas e quarenta de duração, mas subentende-se que ela também fora resolvida.

---

No planeta Terra real, que não está indo em direção alguma, preso pela gravidade ao Sol, e onde as pessoas vivem a própria vida porque lhes é impossível viver a dos outros, não têm uma consciência global de nada porque só é possível mesmo ter a consciência delas mesmas, e onde a maioria, de uma maneira ou de outra, está tentando como pode, fazer as coisas direito, o filme é exibido.

Para a maioria dos espectadores, é um filme que evoca reflexões, um filme forte. Por um segundo elas têm o mesmo vislumbre do caos generalizado que eu tive ali naquela praça. Para uma pequena parcela dos espectadores -- entre eles alguns dos que estavam na platéia do mago, o próprio mago, o seguidor do Osho, o casal de duas mulheres e o vendedor de brigadeiros, mas aos quais se somam também críticos de televisão e jornal e gente que fala pelos cotovelos na internet -- o filme é um horror, o filme é uma vulgarização de um problema real e sério, o filme apela para a figura do herói salvador e passa uma mensagem totalmente errada, de que a maioria da população pode continuar vivendo as suas própria vidinhas miseráveis enquanto espera por um herói que vem do Olimpo e os salva da mixórdia que eles mesmos causaram, é um filme que presta um enorme desserviço à causa.

No dia seguinte ao lançamento, num bar meio caro ali perto da praça, numa mesa com oito pessoas, entre elas seis do primeiro grupo e oito do segundo, discute-se se o filme levará ou não o Oscar. Eu estou em casa dormindo e não escuto nada.

@ f977c464:32fcbe00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

Ben geldiğimde ölmüşlerdi.

Yani bozulmuşlardı demek istiyorum.

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

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

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

Eliyle arkasını işaret etti.

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

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

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

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

Bira istemediğinden emin misin?

İstemediğini söyledi. Sahi, neden deliriyordu bu androidler?

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

Sesini alçalttı.

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

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

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

Nedenmiş peki? Ne gerek varmış?

Ne bileyim be abicim! Ahiret soruları gibi.

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

Ben seni nereden tanıyorum ki ulan? Kimsin sen?

Belleği makineden çıkardılar. İki kişiydiler. Soruşturmadan sorumlu memurlar.

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

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

─ Bence de. Yeterince düzgün çalışıyor.

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

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

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

Hangi işimizde bir yamukluk yok ki be abi.

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hiçbir vagonda pencere olmadığı için metronun içi, içlerindekiler meçhuldü.

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

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

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

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

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

---

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

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

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

Onların mercekleri için değil. Bağlantıları çok önceden kopmuştu.

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

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

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

─ Nasıl olmuş, diye sordu.

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

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

─ Çok güzelsin, diyerek kravatını düzeltti kocası.

─ Sen de öylesin, sevgilim.

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

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

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

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

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

Hiç de androidlere bilinçli olarak zarar verebilecek gibi gözükmüyorlardı.

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

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

Bütün illüzyon o anda dağılmaya başladı.

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

@ 32e18276:5c68e245

I’m going to be on an ordinals panels as one of the people who is counter arguing the claim that they are good for bitcoin. I decided to brush up on the technicals on how inscriptions work. I am starting to see luke’s perspective on how it is exploiting a loophole in bitcoin’s anti-data-spam mechanisms.

Storing data in Bitcoin, the “standard” way

The standard way you add “data” to bitcoin is by calling the OP_RETURN opcode. Bitcoin devs noticed that people were storing data (like the bitcoin whitepaper) in the utxo set via large multisig transactions. The problem with this is that this set is unprunable and could grow over time. OP_RETURN outputs on the other-hand are provably prunable and don’t add to utxo bloat.

Here’s an excerpt from the march 2014 0.9.0 release notes that talks about this:

On OP_RETURN: There was been some confusion and misunderstanding in the community, regarding the OP_RETURN feature in 0.9 and data in the blockchain. This change is not an endorsement of storing data in the blockchain. The OP_RETURN change creates a provably-prunable output, to avoid data storage schemes – some of which were already deployed – that were storing arbitrary data such as images as forever-unspendable TX outputs, bloating bitcoin’s UTXO database. Storing arbitrary data in the blockchain is still a bad idea; it is less costly and far more efficient to store non-currency data elsewhere.

Much of the work on bitcoin core has been focused on making sure the system continues to function in a decentralized way for its intended purpose in the presence of people trying to abuse it for things like storing data. Bitcoin core has always discouraged this, as it is not designed for storage of images and data, it is meant for moving digital coins around in cyberspace.

To help incentive-align people to not do stupid things, OP_RETURN transactions were not made non-standard, so that they are relayable by peers and miners, but with the caveat:

1. They can only push 40 bytes (later increased to 80,83, I’m guessing to support larger root merkle hashes since that is the only sane usecase for op_return)

Bitcoin also added an option called -datacarriersize which limits the total number of bytes from these outputs that you will relay or mine.

Why inscriptions are technically an exploit

Inscriptions get around the datacarriersize limit by disguising data as bitcoin script program data via OP_PUSH inside OP_IF blocks. Ordinals do not use OP_RETURN and are not subjected to datacarriersize limits, so noderunners and miners currently have limited control over the total size of this data that they wish to relay and include in blocks. Luke’s fork of bitcoin-core has some options to fight this spam, so hopefully we will see this in core sometime soon as well.

Inscriptions are also taking advantage of features in segwit v1 (witness discount) and v2/taproot (no arbitrary script size limit). Each of these features have interesting and well-justified reasons why they were introduced.

The purpose of the witness discount was to make it cheaper to spend many outputs which helps the reduction of the utxo set size. Inscriptions took advantage of this discount to store monke jpegs disguised as bitcoin scripts. Remember, bitcoin is not for storing data, so anytime bitcoin-devs accidentally make it cheap and easy to relay data then this should be viewed as an exploit. Expect it to be fixed, or at least provide tools to noderunners for fighting this spam.

Where do we go from here

The interesting part of this story is that people seem to attach value to images stored on the bitcoin blockchain, and they are willing to pay the fee to get it in the block, so non-ideologic miners and people who don’t care about the health and decentralization of bitcoin are happy to pay or collect the fee and move on.

Data should not get a discount, people should pay full price if they want to store data. They should just use op_return and hashes like opentimestamps or any other reasonable protocol storing data in bitcoin.

After going through this analysis I’ve come to the opinion that this is a pretty bad data-spam exploit and bitcoin devs should be working on solutions. Ideological devs like luke who actually care about the health and decentralization of the network are and I’m glad to see it.

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@ de496884:72617b81

Hola nostriches. Hoy quiero hacer una publicación a modo de acercamiento al surgimiento de las categorías de género y feminismo. Así que si te interesa el tema haz un esfuerzo, quédate y lee hasta el final.

El «nuevo» feminismo surge en los años 60 en aquellos países desarrollados que acordaron el reconocimiento a los derechos humanos contenidos en la declaración respectiva de la ONU. Entonces, como extensión a dicho reconocimiento es que se gesta el movimiento feminista. A partir de entonces, se vuelve a plantear la relación entre naturaleza y cultura y se llega a la conclusión de que las diferencias sociales van más allá de las diferencias biológicas, lo cual tiene que ver con que hasta la satisfacción de las necesidades elementales como son la alimentación, la vivienda o el vestuario, están condicionadas por construcciones sociales.

Pues resulta que una de las primeras propuestas identificó la subordinación femenina producto de una organización patriarcal, tomando la categoría patriarcado de Max Weber. Es así como la visión de patriarcado se extendió al discurso político y académico. Sin embargo, no existía información acerca del desarrollo histórico de dicha categoría, sistematización, variaciones, etc., debido a que era algo que recién se percibía en sociedad.

Sin embargo, la misma categoría de patriarcado junto a la de relaciones de poder para explicar fenómenos sociales contemporáneos, constituye uno de los principales aportes del feminismo. Es así como han logrado primero visibilizar y luego deconstruir y desmontar una serie de patrones existentes en la cultura que hacían a la mujer subordinarse al hombre, y que estaban presentes en el sistema sexo/género.

Imagen relativa a la lucha contra el patriarcado

Hasta ese momento, en las investigaciones de corte sociológico se podía observar un androcentrismo excesivo al dar cuenta de que el discurso científico giraba en torno al hombre como sujeto y objeto de la investigación. Incluso para muchos positivistas como el mismo Weber, los problemas relativos a las mujeres quedaban en un segundo plano y eran achacados a una supuesta pasividad en el ámbito doméstico-familiar. Dicha pasividad partía de la supuesta inferioridad biológica del género femenino.

El patriarcado entonces era una categoría vacía en sí misma, sin valor explicativo. Desde el punto de vista político pudo ser útil para la movilización pero no resistió la polémica de los críticos del feminismo ni problematizó los conflictos a ser resueltos. Pero por otro lado, un grupo de mujeres -académicas principalmente- se puso manos a la obra en una tarea más pequeña pero con mayores resultados a la larga. Se propusieron generar conocimientos sobre las condiciones de vida de la mujer, buscar en el pasado y el presente los aportes de las mujeres a la sociedad, hacerlas visibles en la historia. Es así como surgen centros académicos, ONG, proyectos, centros de estudios sobre la mujer, etc.

Convendría distinguir entonces dos posturas que acompañaron a la investigación sobre las mujeres: uno que toma como objeto de estudio a la mujer; condiciones de vida, trabajo, cultura, y otra que privilegia a la sociedad como generadora de la subordinación de las mujeres. Mientras la primera perspectiva generaba conocimiento sobre las mujeres en el estudio de las relaciones mujer-hombre y mujer-mujer, la segunda tenía una visión más holística ya que planteaba que hay que estudiar la sociedad ya que la subordinación de las mujeres es producto de la organización de esta, y que no se avanzará solamente estudiando a las mujeres, pues el estudio debe ser más amplio y en diferentes niveles, ámbitos y tiempos.

Es en esta búsqueda donde nace y se desarrolla el concepto de género como categoría social. Es así que los sistemas de género/sexo fueron entendidos como conjuntos de prácticas, símbolos, representaciones, normas y valores sociales que las sociedades construyen a partir de la diferencia anatomofisiológica y que dotan de sentido a los impulsos sexuales, la reproducción y en general a las relaciones de las personas. Por tanto, este sistema pasó a ser el objeto de estudio para comprender la subordinación de la mujer al hombre. Al ser el reconocimiento de una dimensión de la desigualdad social hasta entonces desconocida, se considera la ruptura epistemológica más importante de la segunda mitad del siglo pasado.

Imagen representativa del binarismo de género

Hay que decir que los fenómenos sociales se definen por la relación que guardan entre sí. Es así que la contextualización adquiere gran importancia. Varones y hembras tenemos la capacidad de producir con el cuerpo, pero solo los cuerpos de las hembras pueden gestar y por tanto asegurar la especie humana. Todo grupo humano que pretenda sobrevivir debe asegurarse cierto número de hembras que lo hagan posible. De ahí un poder particular del cuerpo de las hembras que además es económicamente útil. Dicho poder no es en tanto entidad biológica, sino que es la sociedad la que le otorga este poder. En este punto es importante preguntarnos históricamente ¿quiénes han controlado la capacidad reproductiva de las mujeres?, ¿quiénes han tenido la preferencia en el acceso sexual? Para asegurar un control efectivo sobre la reproducción es necesario asegurar el acceso a la sexualidad.

Imagen alegórica al embarazo

Ello también lleva a dirigir el trabajo que hacen porque de lo contrario, las mujeres pudieran tener espacio para representar una amenaza al dominio de los hombres. Es importante atender a las etapas del desarrollo de las mujeres, que permitirá ver cómo se moldean para aceptar la desigualdad y las jerarquías según el género en las distintas sociedades y culturas.

Otro contexto a delimitar es el ámbito doméstico donde históricamente ha estado ubicada la subordinación femenina. Se ha puesto al descubierto que en mujeres que comparten la misma posición de clase y raza, la condición femenina se redefine a lo largo de la vida y que algunas mujeres gozan de poder sobre otras aún en contextos de alta dominación masculina, donde se les inviste de autoridad, creando el sistema zonas de incertidumbre que las divide como género e impide alianzas y se legitima la dominación. Foucault decía que «el poder se ejerce, no se posee», siempre está en peligro de perderse y no basta con normas, leyes, amenazas o castigos. De ahí que los espacios de subordinación sean también espacios de poder de las mujeres. Es en estos espacios donde aparece la inseguridad, la tensión, la confrontación y por ejemplo, las mujeres pueden reclamar la anticoncepción.

Para terminar, es importante tener en cuenta que el género es una forma de desigualdad social que siempre está articulado con otras formas de desigualdad ya sea clase, raza, grupo etario, etc. Hay que pensar la dominación masculina con un comienzo vago en el tiempo, pero que permite desligar la subordinación de las mujeres de la evolución «natural» de la humanidad y entenderla como un proceso histórico. En ese sentido es necesario destacar que, respecto a la raza, en sociedades plurales hay que atender al contexto étnico-cultural ya que en dependencia de las relaciones entre personas de razas distintas, estarán condicionadas las relaciones entre los géneros.

Imagen de mujeres de distintas razas

Por otro lado, si bien es sabido que históricamente el sistema de género social imperante ha contribuido a invisibilizar a la mujer, asociar necesariamente dicha categoría únicamente a ella, lo que hace es nuevamente recrear el absolutismo histórico que tanto daño ha hecho, ahora como lo antagónico al hombre. En la construcción social participan todos los individuos presentes en el sistema género.

Hasta aquí la publicación de hoy, de la cual aun se puede ahondar mucho más, sobre todo en lo referido al origen de la dominación o de la jerarquización del binomio «hombre/mujer» desde un punto de vista antropológico, pero eso quedará pendiente para otro momento. ¡Así que hasta la próxima!, ¡nos vemos en Nostr!

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English version

Hello nostriches. Today I want to make a post by way of an approach to the emergence of the categories of gender and feminism. So if you are interested in the topic make an effort, stay and read to the end.

The "new" feminism emerged in the 60's in those developed countries that agreed to recognize the human rights contained in the respective UN declaration. Then, as an extension of that recognition, the feminist movement was born. From then on, the relationship between nature and culture was raised again and the conclusion was reached that social differences go beyond biological differences, which has to do with the fact that even the satisfaction of elementary needs such as food, housing or clothing are conditioned by social constructions.

It turns out that one of the first proposals identified female subordination as a product of a patriarchal organization, taking Max Weber's category of patriarchy. This is how the vision of patriarchy was extended to political and academic discourse. However, there was no information about the historical development of this category, systematization, variations, etc., because it was something that was only recently perceived in society.

However, the same category of patriarchy, together with that of power relations to explain contemporary social phenomena, constitutes one of the main contributions of feminism. This is how they have first made visible and then deconstructed and dismantled a series of existing patterns in the culture that made women subordinate to men, and that were present in the sex/gender system.

Image relating to the fight against patriarchy

Up to that time, in sociological research, an excessive androcentrism could be observed as scientific discourse revolved around men as the subject and object of research. Even for many positivists such as Weber himself, the problems related to women remained in the background and were blamed on a supposed passivity in the domestic-family sphere. This passivity was based on the supposed biological inferiority of the female gender.

Patriarchy was then an empty category in itself, with no explanatory value. From the political point of view, it could be useful for mobilization, but it did not resist the polemic of feminism's critics, nor did it problematize the conflicts to be resolved. But on the other hand, a group of women - mainly academics - set to work on a smaller task but with greater results in the long run. They set out to generate knowledge about women's living conditions, to search in the past and present for women's contributions to society, to make them visible in history. This is how academic centers, NGOs, projects, women's studies centers, etc., came into being.

It would be convenient to distinguish then two postures that accompanied the research on women: one that takes women as the object of study; living conditions, work, culture, and the other that privileges society as the generator of women's subordination. While the first perspective generated knowledge about women in the study of woman-man and woman-woman relations, the second had a more holistic vision, since it proposed that society must be studied, since the subordination of women is a product of its organization, and that progress will not be made only by studying women, since the study must be broader and at different levels, spheres and times.

It is in this search that the concept of gender as a social category was born and developed. Thus, gender/sex systems were understood as a set of practices, symbols, representations, norms and social values that societies construct on the basis of anatomophysiological differences and that give meaning to sexual impulses, reproduction and, in general, to people's relationships. Therefore, this system became the object of study to understand the subordination of women to men. As the recognition of a hitherto unknown dimension of social inequality, it is considered the most important epistemological breakthrough of the second half of the last century.

Representative image of gender binarism

It must be said that social phenomena are defined by their relationship with each other. Thus, contextualization acquires great importance. Males and females have the capacity to produce with their bodies, but only the bodies of females can gestate and therefore ensure the human species. Any human group that intends to survive must ensure a certain number of females to make it possible. Hence a particular power of the female body, which is also economically useful. This power is not as a biological entity, but it is society that gives it this power. At this point it is important to ask ourselves historically, who has controlled the reproductive capacity of women, who has had the preference in sexual access? To ensure effective control over reproduction, it is necessary to ensure access to sexuality.

Allegorical image of pregnancy

This also leads to directing the work they do because otherwise, women may have room to pose a threat to men's dominance. It is important to pay attention to the stages of women's development, which will allow us to see how they are shaped to accept inequality and gender hierarchies in different societies and cultures.

Another context to delimit is the domestic sphere where female subordination has historically been located. It has been discovered that in women who share the same class and race position, the feminine condition is redefined throughout life and that some women enjoy power over others even in contexts of high male domination, where they are invested with authority, creating the system of uncertainty zones that divide them as a gender and prevent alliances and legitimize domination. Foucault said that "power is exercised, not possessed", it is always in danger of being lost and norms, laws, threats or punishments are not enough. Hence, the spaces of subordination are also spaces of women's power. It is in these spaces where insecurity, tension, confrontation appear and where, for example, women can demand contraception.

To conclude, it is important to keep in mind that gender is a form of social inequality that is always articulated with other forms of inequality, be it class, race, age group, etc. It is necessary to think of male domination with a vague beginning in time, but which allows us to separate the subordination of women from the "natural" evolution of humanity and to understand it as a historical process. In this sense, it is necessary to emphasize that, with respect to race, in plural societies it is necessary to pay attention to the ethno-cultural context since, depending on the relations between people of different races, the relations between genders will be conditioned.

Image of women of different races

On the other hand, although it is known that historically the prevailing social gender system has contributed to make women invisible, to necessarily associate this category only to women is to recreate the historical absolutism that has done so much damage, this time as antagonistic to men. All individuals present in the gender system participate in the social construction.

So much for today's publication, of which we can still go much deeper, especially with regard to the origin of domination or the hierarchization of the binomial "man/woman" from an anthropological point of view, but that will be left for another time. So until next time, see you in Nostr!

Créditos | Credits

Bibliografía consultada | Consulted bibliography:

1. Barbieri, T. (1993). Sobre la categoría género. Una introducción teórico-metodológica. Debates en Sociología. (18). 1-19. https://doi.org/10.18800/debatesensociologia.199301.006

2. Echevarría, D. (2020). Desigualdades de género e interseccionalidad. Análisis del contexto cubano 2008-2018. Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (Programa-Cuba). https://www.clacso.org.ar/libreria-latinoamericana-cm/libro_detalle_resultado.php?id_libro=2346&campo=cm&texto=248

Traducción | Translation:

DeepL

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Chef's notes

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

Details

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

Ingredients

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

Directions

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

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Testing a brand new YakiHonne native client for iOS. Smooth as butter (not penis butter 🤣🍆🧈) with great visual experience and intuitive navigation. Amazing work by the team behind it! * lists * work

Bold text work!

Images could have used nostr.build instead of raw S3 from us-east-1 region.

Very impressive! You can even save the draft and continue later, before posting the long-form note!

🐶🐾🤯🤯🤯🫂💜

@ fa0165a0:03397073

I just tested building a browser plugin, it was easier than I thought. Here I'll walk you through the steps of creating a minimal working example of a browser plugin, a.k.a. the "Hello World" of browser plugins.

First of all there are two main browser platforms out there, Chromium and Mozilla. They do some things a little differently, but similar enough that we can build a plugin that works on both. This plugin will work in both, I'll describe the firefox version, but the chromium version is very similar.

What is a browser plugin?

Simply put, a browser plugin is a program that runs in the browser. It can do things like modify the content of a webpage, or add new functionality to the browser. It's a way to extend the browser with custom functionality. Common examples are ad blockers, password managers, and video downloaders.

In technical terms, they are plugins that can insert html-css-js into your browser experience.

How to build a browser plugin

Step 0: Basics

You'll need a computer, a text editor and a browser. For testing and development I personally think that the firefox developer edition is the easiest to work with. But any Chrome based browser will also do.

Create a working directory on your computer, name it anything you like. I'll call mine hello-world-browser-plugin. Open the directory and create a file called manifest.json. This is the most important file of your plugin, and it must be named exactly right.

Step 1: manifest.json

After creation open your file manifest.json in your text editor and paste the following code:

json { "manifest_version": 3, "name": "Hello World", "version": "1.0", "description": "A simple 'Hello World' browser extension", "content_scripts": [ { "matches": ["<all_urls>"], "js": ["hello.js"] //The name of your script file. // "css": ["hello.css"] //The name of your css file. } ] }

If you wonder what the json file format is, it's a normal text file with a special syntax such that a computer can easily read it. It's the json syntax you see in the code above. Let's go through what's being said here. (If you are not interested, just skip to the next step after pasting this we are done here.)

• manifest_version: This is the version of the manifest file format. It's currently at version 3, and it's the latest version. It's important that you set this to 3, otherwise your plugin won't work.
• name: This is the name of your plugin. It can be anything you like.
• version: This is the version of your plugin. It can be anything you like.
• description: This is the description of your plugin. It can be anything you like.
• content_scripts: This is where you define what your plugin does. It's a list of scripts that will be executed when the browser loads a webpage. In this case we have one script, called hello.js. It's the script that we'll create in the next step.
• matches: This is a list of urls that the script will be executed on. In this case we have <all_urls>, which means that the script will be executed on all urls. You can also specify a specific url, like https://brave.com/*, which means that the script will only be executed on urls that start with https://brave.com/.
• js: This is a list of javascript files that will be executed. In this case we have one file, called hello.js. It's the script that we'll create in the next step.
• css: This is where you can add a list of css files that will be executed. In this case we have none, but you can add css files here if you want to.
• //: Text following these two characters are comments. They are ignored by the computer, You can add comments anywhere you like, and they are a good way to document your code.

Step 2: hello.js

Now it's time to create another file in your project folder. This time we'll call it hello.js. When created, open it in your text editor and paste the following code:

js console.log("Hello World!"); That's javascript code, and it's what will be executed when you run your plugin. It's a simple console.log statement, which will print the text "Hello World!" to the console. The console is a place where the browser prints out messages, and it's a good place to start when debugging your plugin.

Step 3: Load and launch your plugin

Firefox

Now it's time to load your plugin into your browser. Open your browser and go to the url about:debugging#/runtime/this-firefox. You should see a page that looks something like this:

Click the button that says "Load Temporary Add-on...". A file dialog will open, navigate to your project folder and select the file manifest.json. Your plugin should now be loaded and running.

Go to a website, any website, and open the inspector then navigate to the console. You'll find the inspector by right-clicking anywhere within the webpage, and click "Inspector" in the drop-down menu. When opening the console you might see some log messages from the site you visited and... you should see the text "Hello World!" printed there, from our little plugin! Congratulations!

Chrome

Open your browser and go to the url chrome://extensions/. Click the button that says "Load unpacked". A file dialog will open, navigate to your project folder and select the folder hello-world-browser-plugin. Your plugin should now be loaded and running.

Note the difference, of selecting the file manifest.json in firefox, and selecting the folder hello-world-browser-plugin in chrome. Otherwise, the process is the same. So I'll repeat the same text as above: (for those who skipped ahead..)

Go to a website, any website, and open the inspector then navigate to the console. You'll find the inspector by right-clicking anywhere within the webpage, and click "Inspector" in the drop-down menu. When opening the console you might see some log messages from the site you visited and... you should see the text "Hello World!" printed there, from our little plugin! Congratulations!

---

As you can see this isn't as complicated as one might think. Having preformed a "Hello-World!"-project is a very useful and valuable first step. These setup steps are the basics for any browser plugin, and you can build on this to create more advanced plugins.

@ 8f69ac99:4f92f5fd

Nos últimos anos, a narrativa dominante retrata a mineração de Bitcoin como um consumidor voraz de energia, com impactos ambientais desproporcionais. Embora a mineração de Bitcoin exija uma quantidade significativa de energia, esta visão ignora um ponto crucial: o seu potencial para promover a sustentabilidade ambiental e remodelar a integração de energias renováveis.

Este artigo vai além dos debates convencionais sobre a pegada de carbono, explorando como a mineração de Bitcoin pode mitigar os impactos ambientais e catalisar uma transição energética sustentável, transformando o que alguns consideram uma inutilidade num aliado contra a dependência dos combustíveis fósseis e a adversidade climática.

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Desafios da Energia Renovável

Alcançar um futuro sustentável depende da adopção de fontes de energia renovável, mas estas enfrentam desafios únicos. Gerir o excesso de energia produzido durante períodos de baixa procura e lidar com as limitações da actual tecnologia de baterias são obstáculos significativos. Além disso, a transmissão de energia a longas distâncias permanece ineficiente, o que impede que recursos renováveis remotos alcancem mercados mais amplos.

Por exemplo, as linhas de corrente contínua de alta tensão (HVDC) perdem aproximadamente 3% de potência por cada 1.000 km, enquanto as linhas de corrente alternada de alta tensão (HVAC) perdem cerca de 7% por cada 1.000 km. Isto significa que, por cada quilómetro, as linhas HVDC perdem cerca de 0,003%, e as linhas HVAC perdem cerca de 0,007% (as linhas de alta tensão são projectadas para diminuir perdas, as perdas são ainda maiores na media tensão). Estas perdas, aliadas à dificuldade de transportar energia de parques renováveis remotos, sublinham a necessidade de soluções localizadas.

Por exemplo, em 2018, cerca de 6,5 milhões de MWh de produção de energia solar fotovoltaica foram descartados, ou "mandados fora", no Chile, na China, na Alemanha e nos Estados Unidos conjuntamente. É importante notar que, à medida que a capacidade de energia renovável continua a crescer rapidamente (com o aumento das adições de capacidade renovável global anual em quase 50%, para quase 510 gigawatts em 2023), a quantidade absoluta de energia desperdiçada é susceptível de aumentar, a menos que se façam melhorias significativas na infraestrutura da rede, no armazenamento de energia e na gestão da procura.

Monetizar o Excesso de Energia através da Mineração de Bitcoin

Fontes de energia renovável, como a solar e a eólica, muitas vezes geram mais electricidade do que a rede necessita em determinados momentos, criando um excedente de energia que normalmente é desperdiçado. Este excesso permanece subutilizado porque:

• As soluções de armazenamento em grande escala são limitadas e dispendiosas ou mesmo inexistentes;
• A capacidade de transmissão muitas vezes não é suficiente para distribuir energia a longas distâncias;
• E a procura nem sempre coincide com os períodos de produção máxima de energia renovável.

A mineração de Bitcoin apresenta uma solução apelativa, ao actuar como um consumidor de energia flexível, capaz de ajustar rapidamente o seu consumo para se alinhar com a oferta. Operações de mineração localizadas perto de instalações de energia renovável — como centrais hidroeléctricas ou parques solares — podem absorver o excesso de energia que, de outra forma, seria desperdiçado, monetizando-o. Esta configuração não só reduz o desperdício de energia renovável, como também proporciona fontes de rendimento fiáveis para projectos renováveis, incentivando o investimento em infraestruturas verdes.

Mineração de Bitcoin como Consumidor Flexível

As operações de mineração de Bitcoin podem ajustar dinamicamente o seu consumo de energia, actuando como uma "carga flexível" na rede. As principais vantagens incluem:

• Escalabilidade Rápida: Os equipamentos de mineração podem aumentar ou diminuir o seu consumo de energia quase instantaneamente, respondendo às flutuações na disponibilidade de energia.
• Independência Geográfica: A mineração de Bitcoin pode ser realizada em qualquer local com ligação à internet, permitindo que os mineradores se situem perto das fontes renováveis, independentemente da infraestrutura da rede.
• Capacidade Modular: O equipamento de mineração é altamente escalável, permitindo que os produtores de energia desenhem sistemas modulares que se adaptem à capacidade energética disponível.

Incentivos Económicos e Benefícios

A utilização do excedente de energia para a mineração de Bitcoin permite que os produtores de energia renovável gerem receitas a partir de energia que, de outra forma, seria desperdiçada. Este impulso económico aumenta a rentabilidade dos projectos de energia renovável, tornando-os mais atractivos para os investidores. Os benefícios adicionais incluem:

• Estabilização da Rede: As operações de mineração ajudam a equilibrar a oferta e a procura na rede, contribuindo para a resiliência e estabilidade da mesma.
• Redução do Desperdício: Ao consumir electricidade excedente, a mineração de Bitcoin reduz significativamente a quantidade de energia renovável desperdiçada.
• Aumento do Financiamento para Renováveis: Os lucros provenientes da mineração de Bitcoin podem ser reinvestidos em novos projectos de energia renovável, soluções de armazenamento e infraestrutura de rede, criando um ciclo positivo de reforço para a energia verde.

Aplicações no Mundo Real

Vários exemplos ilustram como a mineração de Bitcoin monetiza eficazmente o excedente de energia:

• No Texas, os mineradores de Bitcoin aproveitam o excesso de energia eólica, apoiando a rede através de programas de resposta à procura que aumentam a fiabilidade da rede durante períodos de alta e baixa procura.
• No Quebec, o excesso de energia hidroeléctrica é canalizado para operações de mineração de Bitcoin, o que ajuda a estabilizar a rede e a reduzir o desperdício de energia renovável.
• Um estudo da Universidade de Cornell descobriu que projectos de energia renovável nos EUA poderiam gerar milhões de dólares ao minerar Bitcoin durante estágios pré-comerciais, demonstrando a viabilidade económica desta abordagem.

Potencial Impacto na Transição para Energias Renováveis

Ao monetizar o excedente de energia através da mineração de Bitcoin, esta abordagem acelera a transição para energias renováveis. Os benefícios incluem:

• Viabilidade Económica para Renováveis: A monetização da energia desperdiçada torna os projectos renováveis mais rentáveis e, portanto, mais atractivos para investidores.
• Flexibilidade da Rede: A mineração de Bitcoin fornece uma fonte de procura escalável e adaptável, ajudando os operadores de rede a gerir as flutuações de oferta.
• Pegada de Carbono Reduzida: Ao utilizar fontes renováveis, o impacto ambiental da mineração de Bitcoin diminui, alinhando-se com os objectivos de sustentabilidade.
• Adopção Acelerada de Energias Renováveis: A maior rentabilidade e a redução do desperdício incentivam um maior investimento, impulsionando a adopção de tecnologias de energia renovável.

Essencialmente, a mineração de Bitcoin oferece uma solução única para os desafios da produção intermitente de energia renovável, criando uma procura flexível e independente da localização para a electricidade excedente que, de outra forma, seria desperdiçada. À medida que mais projectos renováveis adoptam este modelo, a mineração de Bitcoin pode desempenhar um papel crucial na promoção de um panorama energético sustentável e descentralizado.

Fornecimento de Energia a Regiões Isoladas e Subdesenvolvidas

Um dos impactos mais promissores da mineração de Bitcoin é a capacidade de levar electricidade a regiões remotas e subdesenvolvidas. Pequenas centrais hidroeléctricas e instalações solares são opções cada vez mais viáveis para comunidades isoladas que não têm acesso a redes tradicionais. Mineradores de Bitcoin, em busca de energia barata e excedente, podem apoiar e financiar estas instalações, reduzindo a lacuna energética e permitindo o acesso a energia limpa para estas comunidades.

Por exemplo, aldeias em África que anteriormente não tinham electricidade podem agora operar escolas, clínicas e empresas, graças a pequenos projectos de energia renovável apoiados pela mineração de Bitcoin. Este acesso catalisa o crescimento económico, criando um ciclo virtuoso onde a energia leva a investimentos, educação e melhor saúde — elevando comunidades inteiras para fora da pobreza.

Redução de Emissões através da Mitigação de Metano

A mineração de Bitcoin também contribui para a redução das emissões de metano — um gás de efeito estufa com um potencial de aquecimento global 28 a 34 vezes superior ao do CO₂ num período de 100 anos. As emissões de aterros sanitários, resíduos agrícolas e poços de petróleo abandonados representam uma ameaça climática significativa, mas a mineração de Bitcoin oferece uma solução única ao converter este poluente em energia.

Quando o metano é queimado para gerar electricidade, é convertido em CO₂ e vapor de água, que, embora também sejam gases de efeito estufa, são muito menos potentes do que o metano. Na verdade, o metano é responsável por cerca de 25% do aquecimento global que experimentamos actualmente, apesar da sua concentração relativamente baixa na atmosfera. Ao capturar e utilizar o metano, as operações de mineração de Bitcoin transformam um dano ambiental numa fonte de energia produtiva, reduzindo as emissões globais de gases de efeito estufa e criando novas fontes de rendimento.

Por exemplo, nos EUA, o metano de poços de petróleo abandonados está a ser capturado para alimentar a mineração de Bitcoin, criando um sistema fechado que evita que o metano seja queimado ou liberado directamente na atmosfera. Esta abordagem não só mitiga as emissões, como também apoia o crescimento económico em regiões com recursos de metano não aproveitados.

Resiliência e Flexibilidade da Rede

A integração de fontes renováveis, como a eólica e a solar, introduziu desafios para a estabilidade das redes eléctricas. Com as renováveis, os operadores de rede enfrentam flutuações de frequência mais frequentes e uma resposta inercial reduzida — as renováveis não fornecem a mesma resposta inercial que as centrais térmicas tradicionais, tornando a rede mais susceptível a mudanças rápidas.

A flexibilidade da mineração de Bitcoin pode desempenhar um papel fundamental na estabilização das redes eléctricas. Durante a tempestade de inverno Uri, no Texas, os mineradores de Bitcoin reduziram o seu consumo de energia para libertar capacidade para serviços essenciais, mostrando o papel da mineração de Bitcoin como uma carga flexível e reactiva de energia.

Ao ajustar o consumo de energia com base na disponibilidade de oferta, os mineradores de Bitcoin podem ajudar a equilibrar as redes com elevada penetração de renováveis. Esta sinergia com energias renováveis e nucleares fornece uma solução robusta para a gestão da procura energética, especialmente à medida que a rede transita para fontes de baixo carbono.

Impacto Ambiental de Longo Prazo

A mineração de Bitcoin tem o potencial de revolucionar a produção e o consumo de energia. Ao integrar energias renováveis, aproveitar o metano e oferecer gestão flexível da carga, o Bitcoin pode desempenhar um papel fundamental num futuro energético sustentável e descentralizado. Inovação política, responsabilidade industrial e colaboração intersectorial são essenciais para concretizar o potencial do Bitcoin na transição verde.

Diante dos desafios ambientais actuais, a mineração de Bitcoin oferece mais do que inovação financeira. Representa um poderoso aliado na construção de um futuro sustentável e equitativo — onde os objectivos digitais e ambientais alinham-se para criar uma economia global mais limpa e resiliente.

Bitcoin #mining #greenEnergy #renewables

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Photo by Anders J on Unsplash

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

As the title states, scratch behind my ear and you get it. 🐶🐾🫡

@ 03b2a4f0:7ff066d4

Have you heard of "ZETEO CITADEL CONSULT IN COLLABORATION WITH THE UN OF IBADAN" we are into training of corps members and executive within Nigeria and outside the world Type of course we offer are Human resources management project management Web development And Web design Content creation *Cyber security

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Test Bounty Note

@ 8fb140b4:f948000c

Intro

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

Requirements

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

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

Installation

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

Prepare and verify

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

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

Create folders & download NWC

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

Creating the Docker image

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

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

Creating docker-compose.yml and necessary data directories

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

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

Starting and testing

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

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

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

Updating

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

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

@ d2e97f73:ea9a4d1b

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@ 652d58ac:dc4cde60

Introduction

In today's fiat based economic landscape increasingly characterized by monopolization and the dominance of institutionalized credit, innovative technologies and protocols are emerging that have the potential to change the foundations of our economy and society.

At the forefront of this are Bitcoin and Nostr—two groundbreaking protocols that together can usher in a new era of innovation, free from the constraints of the fiat system.

This article will examine how the fiat system blocks human progress, how Bitcoin breaks the state monopoly on money, and finally discuss how Nostr, as a censorship-resistant communication tool, builds on this foundation to allow innovation to emerge from the free market. This will show how, together, Bitcoin and Nostr act as catalysts for innovation and human progress, highlighting the history and mechanisms that enable this transformation.

Innovation under Hard Metal Currencies

In the days of hard metal currencies, especially during the gold standard, innovation was primarily driven by individuals and private companies who were largely independent of the state apparatus and institutional lenders. Some of the greatest breakthroughs in science, philosophy and economics were made by private entrepreneurs.

• In 600 BC, a Greek named Thales observed that amber, when rubbed with silk, attracted feathers and other light objects. He discovered static electricity. The Greek word for amber is 'ëelectron', from which the words 'electricity' and 'electron' are derived.
• The Greek philosopher Plato (ca. 428-347 B.C.) is widely considered to be the first person to develop the concept of an atom, the idea that matter is made up of an indivisible component on the smallest scale. He also wrote a number of important books on science, philosophy, economics, politics and mathematics.
• Wei Boyang was a Chinese writer and Taoist alchemist of the Eastern Han dynasty. He is the author of The Kinship of the Three (also known as Cantong Qi), which is considered the earliest book on alchemy in China, and is noted as one of the first individuals to document the chemical composition of gunpowder in 142 AD.
• The car was invented in 1886 by German engineer and automobile manufacturer Carl Benz, who was inspired by Nikolaus Otto, who invented the first gas engine in 1861.
• The Wright brothers are considered the inventors and the first to fly a powered airplane on Dec. 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
• The creativity and ingenuity of the Wright brothers has been well documented. In this photo you can see Wilbur Wright at the controls of the damaged Wright Flyer, on the ground after an unsuccessful trial on December 14, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina: https://image.nostr.build/65e20422344092090ec61d9673536625f4220562c1c786f0cafd8c7b23cd6bfa.jpg

The funds for the Wright brothers' ventures, including equipment, travel, and their testing site in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, came from the bicycle shop they operated. They apparently spent just $1,000 over four years (1899-1903) to develop three flying machines, two of which had no engines. The Wright brothers lived during a time when the U.S. was on a gold standard, and saving allowed entrepreneurs to accumulate enough capital to finance innovations, giving them the time and resources needed to pursue their pioneering work in aviation.

The ancient Greeks, such as Thales and Plato, also operated under hard metal currencies, contributing to a stable economic environment that fostered philosophical and scientific advancements. Similarly, Wei Boyang exemplified the pursuit of knowledge during the Eastern Han dynasty in China, which experienced fluctuating monetary conditions, including periods of stability that contributed to intellectual growth in various fields.

Just as the Wright brothers and other innovators thrived in an environment where saving in sound money enabled them to focus on their inventions, today's private entrepreneurs, startups, thinkers and bicycle shop owners find it increasingly difficult to earn enough to take the time to think about innovations and finance their implementation.

Inflation has significantly driven up labor and material costs, particularly in industries like aviation and automotive, where advanced technology and greater material requirements demand extensive research and development. As a result, entrepreneurs and freelancers often rely on third-party loans.

How the Fiat System Blocks Human Progress

The fiat-based monetary system has made it increasingly difficult for innovation to emerge without institutional funding. Monetary inflation erodes purchasing power, limits financing options, and creates obstacles for new ideas to flourish.

This is problematic because the institutions that typically fund innovation, including large venture capital firms, banks, and universities, are mostly dependent on the state in one way or another (either because they are regulated by law or because they receive government funding) and therefore have an incentive to support projects that follow the current political climate. The result is a banal misallocation of capital and social stagnation, as can be observed in most countries around the world.

Venezuela is an extreme example of what state control of the economy can lead to. About two decades after the introduction of socialism, gross domestic product fell by 88% from 2010 to 2020, plummeting from $372.59 billion to $43.79 billion, the lowest level in over 30 years. This dramatic decline has severely impacted the country, leading to economic stagnation and widespread shortages of basic supplies. The following photo captures the stark reality of this crisis, featuring a man sitting in front of empty shelves in a Venezuelan supermarket. In the 1950s, Venezuela was one of the richest countries in the world; today, its economic performance mirrors that of the pre-1920 era https://image.nostr.build/c70df0ab2ed2f0e2ce9c7fca09722aff117dc56ca24967c3d5fabef47265fc5f.jpg

Credit, Fiat and the State Monopoly on Innovation

Credit has become part of a system of control that nation states use in conjunction with fiat money to maintain their monopoly position. Historically, technologies and social movements that undermine the monopoly power of the state and its affiliated institutions were typically banned. At the very least, there was usually an attempt to do so.

A good example is the way Bitcoin is treated by most states, how poorly it is spoken of in most universities, and how most banks used to consider it speculation at best, because Bitcoin threatens the very existence of these institutions. This behavior is generally observed among monopolists and initially makes it difficult for entrepreneurs to enter new disruptive markets like Bitcoin and shifts competition in favor of the monopolist (the state).

Money creation and the granting of credit are fundamental to maintaining the state's monopoly position. As a result, the reliance on the institutionalized credit system to finance innovation has led to a dependence on a central authority (the state). This disrupts the progress and prosperity of humanity that results from a free market in which capital and information can be freely exchanged and suppresses the collective creativity of humanity.

Bitcoin and the weakening state monopoly on innovation

With the introduction of Bitcoin in 2009, the state monopoly on money was broken. Due to its limited supply and excellent monetary properties (absolute scarcity, durability, fungibility, divisibility, mobility, resilience), bitcoin is the hardest money ever created.

This allows entrepreneurs to preserve the value of their efforts, giving them time and, in the long term, capital to focus on problems and find and fund appropriate solutions. Which, in turn, creates opportunities for innovation to emerge from the free market in a bottom-up manner.

Innovation and communication

Innovation, especially in the age of the Internet, requires more than capital and people with time. There is a need for efficient and secure real-time communication and collaboration options for people around the world. Communication and collaboration are crucial for efficiently solving increasingly complex problems in a connected world.

Cunningham's Law states that the best way to get the right answer on the Internet is not to ask a question; instead, to post the wrong answer because others will correct you. This underscores the importance of collective intelligence. The law is named after Ward Cunningham, who invented the Wiki software that allows users to create and collaboratively edit web pages or entries via a web browser. The most famous example is wikipdia.com. Collective intelligence, social technologies and network organizations are closely linked and enable each other.

https://image.nostr.build/edf84e0b6351af8f5e4792e856c47234b8b66d1aeeed1946b75bb2bb05a41fdf.jpg (Seppala, M. 2018. Collective Intelligence 2018: From Open Knowledge and Network Organizations to Technology-enabled Intelligence. Medium).

Nostr: Communication as a tool for innovation

With Nostr, a new protocol was introduced that adds a layer of censorship-resistant information sharing to the Bitcoin and Lightning protocol suite, opening up a new territory of freedom within the same tech stack. People can now successfully save in bitcoin, communicate via Nostr, and transact with each other through the Lightning Network, potentially independent of any central authority.

Although individual applications that use Nostr can be switched off, the protocol itself cannot be effectively controlled or turned off by a central party, because there is no central point of failure. Even though there were a number of other decentralized communication networks besides Bitcoin before Nostr (Bittorrent, Limewire, Napster, etc.), none of these had the potential to have a universal long-term impact on collaboration to solve complex problems facing humanity.

Nostr has the potential to enable bottom-up innovation and rapid problem-solving that no one can keep a lid on. With Nostr, Bitcoin, and the Lightning Network, market participants can communicate, collaborate, and reward each other in real time globally, potentially independent of any central authority. Personally, I am particularly fascinated by Nostrocket, a client designed to coordinate decentralized, Bitcoin-based economies by rewarding contributors who work together to find solutions to global challenges. At this year's Nostriga unconference, Nostrocket founder GSovereignty gave an interesting talk about the importance of Nostr in the process of separating business and state: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddvHagjmRJY&t=1s

Conclusion

The Bitcoin protocol was created as an alternative to the fiat system. A decentralized, permissionless peer-to-peer electronic cash system, outside the reach of the state. Satoshi Nakamoto created arguably one of the most important innovations by a private individual or group of people that humanity has ever produced, because he/they laid the foundation for anyone to be able to trade and act independently of the state. As a solid foundation for a freer economy, the Bitcoin network enables other network layers to “dock” to the base, creating new ways to use bitcoin and opportunities for users. The Lightning Network, as a second-layer payment protocol for fast transactions and micropayments, partially addresses the problem of how to scale Bitcoin so that it can be used by all of humanity.

The introduction of Nostr creates a new territory of freedom within the same protocol suite as Bitcoin and Lightning, enhancing Bitcoin's usability for diverse applications. By facilitating seamless communication and collaboration, Nostr further aids in scaling Bitcoin, empowering us to innovate faster and reward ingenuity. This protocol suite allows innovation to emerge from the free market once again, with Bitcoin, Lightning, and Nostr working together to foster a truly free Internet.

I would like to thank Uncle R0ckstar for the inspiring conversations and encouraging words. What began as a conversation before my trip to Nostrica led to months of introspection and ultimately this article. I look forward to exploring and understanding the possibilities of Nostr deeper as I continue my journey! 🙏💫

Sources * historycollection.com - 23 Photos of the Wright Brothers’ Flights https://historycollection.com/23-photos-wright-brothers-flights/ * quora.com - How did the Wright brothers obtain the financing to build the first airplane given that the notion of flying was such a crazy idea then? https://www.quora.com/How-did-the-Wright-brothers-obtain-the-financing-to-build-the-first-airplane-given-that-the-notion-of-flying-was-such-a-crazy-idea-then * statista.com- Venezuela: Gross domestic product (GDP) in current prices from 1986 to 2025 https://www.statista.com/statistics/370937/gross-domestic-product-gdp-in-venezuela/ * thepolicycircle.org - Socialism: A Case Study on Venezuela https://www.thepolicycircle.org/minibrief/socialism-a-case-study-on-venezuela/ * Display image: Wilbur and Orville Wright. Getty Images.

If you are interested in more of my work, you can visit my website: www.leonwankum.com

@ 82341f88:fbfbe6a2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@ 652d58ac:dc4cde60

Introduction

In today's fiat based economic landscape increasingly characterized by monopolization and the dominance of institutionalized credit, innovative technologies and protocols are emerging that have the potential to change the foundations of our economy and society.

At the forefront of this are Bitcoin and Nostr—two groundbreaking protocols that together can usher in a new era of innovation, free from the constraints of the fiat system.

This article will examine how the fiat system blocks human progress, how Bitcoin breaks the state monopoly on money, and finally discuss how Nostr, as a censorship-resistant communication tool, builds on this foundation to allow innovation to emerge from the free market. This will show how, together, Bitcoin and Nostr act as catalysts for innovation and human progress, highlighting the history and mechanisms that enable this transformation.

Innovation under Hard Metal Currencies

In the days of hard metal currencies, especially during the gold standard, innovation was primarily driven by individuals and private companies who were largely independent of the state apparatus and institutional lenders. Some of the greatest breakthroughs in science, philosophy and economics were made by private entrepreneurs.

• In 600 BC, a Greek named Thales observed that amber, when rubbed with silk, attracted feathers and other light objects. He discovered static electricity. The Greek word for amber is 'ëelectron', from which the words 'electricity' and 'electron' are derived.
• The Greek philosopher Plato (ca. 428-347 B.C.) is widely considered to be the first person to develop the concept of an atom, the idea that matter is made up of an indivisible component on the smallest scale. He also wrote a number of important books on science, philosophy, economics, politics and mathematics.
• Wei Boyang was a Chinese writer and Taoist alchemist of the Eastern Han dynasty. He is the author of The Kinship of the Three (also known as Cantong Qi), which is considered the earliest book on alchemy in China, and is noted as one of the first individuals to document the chemical composition of gunpowder in 142 AD.
• The car was invented in 1886 by German engineer and automobile manufacturer Carl Benz, who was inspired by Nikolaus Otto, who invented the first gas engine in 1861.
• The Wright brothers are considered the inventors and the first to fly a powered airplane on Dec. 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
• The creativity and ingenuity of the Wright brothers has been well documented. In this photo you can see Wilbur Wright at the controls of the damaged Wright Flyer, on the ground after an unsuccessful trial on December 14, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina: https://image.nostr.build/65e20422344092090ec61d9673536625f4220562c1c786f0cafd8c7b23cd6bfa.jpg

The funds for the Wright brothers' ventures, including equipment, travel, and their testing site in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, came from the bicycle shop they operated. They apparently spent just $1,000 over four years (1899-1903) to develop three flying machines, two of which had no engines. The Wright brothers lived during a time when the U.S. was on a gold standard, and saving allowed entrepreneurs to accumulate enough capital to finance innovations, giving them the time and resources needed to pursue their pioneering work in aviation.

The ancient Greeks, such as Thales and Plato, also operated under hard metal currencies, contributing to a stable economic environment that fostered philosophical and scientific advancements. Similarly, Wei Boyang exemplified the pursuit of knowledge during the Eastern Han dynasty in China, which experienced fluctuating monetary conditions, including periods of stability that contributed to intellectual growth in various fields.

Just as the Wright brothers and other innovators thrived in an environment where saving in sound money enabled them to focus on their inventions, today's private entrepreneurs, startups, thinkers and bicycle shop owners find it increasingly difficult to earn enough to take the time to think about innovations and finance their implementation.

Inflation has significantly driven up labor and material costs, particularly in industries like aviation and automotive, where advanced technology and greater material requirements demand extensive research and development. As a result, entrepreneurs and freelancers often rely on third-party loans.

How the Fiat System Blocks Human Progress

The fiat-based monetary system has made it increasingly difficult for innovation to emerge without institutional funding. Monetary inflation erodes purchasing power, limits financing options, and creates obstacles for new ideas to flourish.

This is problematic because the institutions that typically fund innovation, including large venture capital firms, banks, and universities, are mostly dependent on the state in one way or another (either because they are regulated by law or because they receive government funding) and therefore have an incentive to support projects that follow the current political climate. The result is a banal misallocation of capital and social stagnation, as can be observed in most countries around the world.

Venezuela is an extreme example of what state control of the economy can lead to. About two decades after the introduction of socialism, gross domestic product fell by 88% from 2010 to 2020, plummeting from $372.59 billion to $43.79 billion, the lowest level in over 30 years. This dramatic decline has severely impacted the country, leading to economic stagnation and widespread shortages of basic supplies. The following photo captures the stark reality of this crisis, featuring a man sitting in front of empty shelves in a Venezuelan supermarket. In the 1950s, Venezuela was one of the richest countries in the world; today, its economic performance mirrors that of the pre-1920 era https://image.nostr.build/c70df0ab2ed2f0e2ce9c7fca09722aff117dc56ca24967c3d5fabef47265fc5f.jpg

Credit, Fiat and the State Monopoly on Innovation

Credit has become part of a system of control that nation states use in conjunction with fiat money to maintain their monopoly position. Historically, technologies and social movements that undermine the monopoly power of the state and its affiliated institutions were typically banned. At the very least, there was usually an attempt to do so.

A good example is the way Bitcoin is treated by most states, how poorly it is spoken of in most universities, and how most banks used to consider it speculation at best, because Bitcoin threatens the very existence of these institutions. This behavior is generally observed among monopolists and initially makes it difficult for entrepreneurs to enter new disruptive markets like Bitcoin and shifts competition in favor of the monopolist (the state).

Money creation and the granting of credit are fundamental to maintaining the state's monopoly position. As a result, the reliance on the institutionalized credit system to finance innovation has led to a dependence on a central authority (the state). This disrupts the progress and prosperity of humanity that results from a free market in which capital and information can be freely exchanged and suppresses the collective creativity of humanity.

Bitcoin and the weakening state monopoly on innovation

With the introduction of Bitcoin in 2009, the state monopoly on money was broken. Due to its limited supply and excellent monetary properties (absolute scarcity, durability, fungibility, divisibility, mobility, resilience), bitcoin is the hardest money ever created.

This allows entrepreneurs to preserve the value of their efforts, giving them time and, in the long term, capital to focus on problems and find and fund appropriate solutions. Which, in turn, creates opportunities for innovation to emerge from the free market in a bottom-up manner.

Innovation and communication

Innovation, especially in the age of the Internet, requires more than capital and people with time. There is a need for efficient and secure real-time communication and collaboration options for people around the world. Communication and collaboration are crucial for efficiently solving increasingly complex problems in a connected world.

Cunningham's Law states that the best way to get the right answer on the Internet is not to ask a question; instead, to post the wrong answer because others will correct you. This underscores the importance of collective intelligence. The law is named after Ward Cunningham, who invented the Wiki software that allows users to create and collaboratively edit web pages or entries via a web browser. The most famous example is wikipdia.com. Collective intelligence, social technologies and network organizations are closely linked and enable each other.

https://image.nostr.build/edf84e0b6351af8f5e4792e856c47234b8b66d1aeeed1946b75bb2bb05a41fdf.jpg (Seppala, M. 2018. Collective Intelligence 2018: From Open Knowledge and Network Organizations to Technology-enabled Intelligence. Medium).

Nostr: Communication as a tool for innovation

With Nostr, a new protocol was introduced that adds a layer of censorship-resistant information sharing to the Bitcoin and Lightning protocol suite, opening up a new territory of freedom within the same tech stack. People can now successfully save in bitcoin, communicate via Nostr, and transact with each other through the Lightning Network, potentially independent of any central authority.

Although individual applications that use Nostr can be switched off, the protocol itself cannot be effectively controlled or turned off by a central party, because there is no central point of failure. Even though there were a number of other decentralized communication networks besides Bitcoin before Nostr (Bittorrent, Limewire, Napster, etc.), none of these had the potential to have a universal long-term impact on collaboration to solve complex problems facing humanity.

Nostr has the potential to enable bottom-up innovation and rapid problem-solving that no one can keep a lid on. With Nostr, Bitcoin, and the Lightning Network, market participants can communicate, collaborate, and reward each other in real time globally, potentially independent of any central authority. Personally, I am particularly fascinated by Nostrocket, a client designed to coordinate decentralized, Bitcoin-based economies by rewarding contributors who work together to find solutions to global challenges. At this year's Nostriga unconference, Nostrocket founder GSovereignty gave an interesting talk about the importance of Nostr in the process of separating business and state: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddvHagjmRJY&t=1s

Conclusion

The Bitcoin protocol was created as an alternative to the fiat system. A decentralized, permissionless peer-to-peer electronic cash system, outside the reach of the state. Satoshi Nakamoto created arguably one of the most important innovations by a private individual or group of people that humanity has ever produced, because he/they laid the foundation for anyone to be able to trade and act independently of the state. As a solid foundation for a freer economy, the Bitcoin network enables other network layers to “dock” to the base, creating new ways to use bitcoin and opportunities for users. The Lightning Network, as a second-layer payment protocol for fast transactions and micropayments, partially addresses the problem of how to scale Bitcoin so that it can be used by all of humanity.

The introduction of Nostr creates a new territory of freedom within the same protocol suite as Bitcoin and Lightning, enhancing Bitcoin's usability for diverse applications. By facilitating seamless communication and collaboration, Nostr further aids in scaling Bitcoin, empowering us to innovate faster and reward ingenuity. This protocol suite allows innovation to emerge from the free market once again, with Bitcoin, Lightning, and Nostr working together to foster a truly free Internet.

I would like to thank Uncle R0ckstar for the inspiring conversations and encouraging words. What began as a conversation before my trip to Nostrica led to months of introspection and ultimately this article. I look forward to exploring and understanding the possibilities of Nostr deeper as I continue my journey! 🙏💫

Sources * historycollection.com - 23 Photos of the Wright Brothers’ Flights https://historycollection.com/23-photos-wright-brothers-flights/ * quora.com - How did the Wright brothers obtain the financing to build the first airplane given that the notion of flying was such a crazy idea then? https://www.quora.com/How-did-the-Wright-brothers-obtain-the-financing-to-build-the-first-airplane-given-that-the-notion-of-flying-was-such-a-crazy-idea-then * statista.com- Venezuela: Gross domestic product (GDP) in current prices from 1986 to 2025 https://www.statista.com/statistics/370937/gross-domestic-product-gdp-in-venezuela/ * thepolicycircle.org - Socialism: A Case Study on Venezuela https://www.thepolicycircle.org/minibrief/socialism-a-case-study-on-venezuela/ * Display image: Wilbur and Orville Wright. Getty Images.

If you are interested in more of my work, you can visit my website: www.leonwankum.com

@ 361d3e1e:50bc10a8

https://forex-strategy.com/2024/10/30/forced-mobilization-of-women-began-in-ukraine/ Forced mobilization of women began in Ukraine

mobilization #ukraine #women #war #russia

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

Table Of Content

• The Origins of Bitcoin's Civil War

• Lessons Learned from Bitcoin's Civil War

• Conclusion

• FAQ

Bitcoin, the revolutionary digital currency, has garnered significant attention and adoption since its inception. However, its path to success was not without obstacles. In this article, we delve into the intriguing tale of Bitcoin's Civil War—a conflict that shook the cryptocurrency community to its core. Through examining the lessons learned from this historical event, we uncover their modern relevance and shed light on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

The Origins of Bitcoin's Civil War

The seeds of Bitcoin's Civil War were sown in 2017 when a heated debate emerged regarding the scalability and future direction of the Bitcoin network. The conflict primarily revolved around the issue of block size—whether to increase it to accommodate more transactions or maintain the original size to preserve decentralization.

The Block Size Debate: To Scale or Decentralize?

The proponents of increasing the block size argued that larger blocks would allow for faster and cheaper transactions, thereby enhancing Bitcoin's usability as a currency. On the other hand, those advocating for maintaining the block size believed that prioritizing decentralization was crucial to preserve the fundamental principles of Bitcoin.

The clash of ideologies led to a profound divide within the Bitcoin community, resulting in a fork that created two distinct cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash. This event, often referred to as the "hard fork," marked a critical turning point in Bitcoin's history.

The Forked Path: Bitcoin vs. Bitcoin Cash

Bitcoin Cash, born out of the hard fork, aimed to address the scalability concerns by increasing the block size to 8MB. In contrast, the original Bitcoin network, commonly known as Bitcoin Core, chose to pursue alternative solutions such as Segregated Witness (SegWit) and the Lightning Network.

Lessons Learned from Bitcoin's Civil War

The conflict and subsequent split in the Bitcoin community taught us valuable lessons about the nature of consensus, governance, and the challenges inherent in scaling decentralized systems. Here are some key takeaways:

1. Consensus is a Delicate Balancing Act

Maintaining consensus within a decentralized network is a complex task. Bitcoin's Civil War exposed the challenges of achieving widespread agreement among stakeholders with diverging opinions. It highlighted the need for effective governance mechanisms to navigate contentious issues.

2. Decentralization is the Bedrock of Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin's Civil War emphasized the importance of preserving decentralization in cryptocurrency networks. Decentralization ensures censorship resistance, security, and resilience against attacks. Striking a balance between scalability and decentralization remains a fundamental challenge for blockchain-based systems.

3. Innovation Requires Collaboration and Compromise

The conflict spurred a wave of innovation as both Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash sought to improve their respective networks. However, it also underscored the necessity of collaboration and compromise. The competing factions could have potentially achieved more by working together to find scalable and decentralized solutions.

4. Community Consensus Trumps Technical Merit

The Civil War demonstrated that achieving consensus within the community can override technical merits. Despite technical arguments favoring one approach over another, it was ultimately the community's support that determined the success of a particular path.

5. Adaptability is Key to Long-Term Survival

Bitcoin's ability to adapt and evolve in the face of challenges played a vital role in its survival. The Civil War highlighted the importance of flexibility and the ability to embrace new technologies and ideas while staying true to the core principles.

6. External Factors Can Influence Internal Conflicts

External factors, such as market dynamics and regulatory developments, can intensify internal conflicts within cryptocurrency communities. Understanding and navigating these external influences is crucial for the long-term success of cryptocurrencies.

Conclusion

Unlocking the Secrets of Bitcoin's Civil War provides valuable insights into the journey of Bitcoin and its ongoing evolution. The lessons learned from this historical conflict remain relevant as the cryptocurrency ecosystem continues to grow and face new challenges. Balancing scalability and decentralization, fostering collaboration, and adapting to a changing landscape are key factors that will shape the future of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. By understanding the past, we can better navigate the road ahead, unlocking new possibilities and embracing the potential of decentralized digital currencies.

FAQ

What caused the Civil War in Bitcoin? The Civil War in Bitcoin was primarily sparked by a debate over the block size—whether to increase it for better scalability or maintain the original size for decentralization.

What is the significance of the Bitcoin Civil War? The Bitcoin Civil War highlighted the challenges of achieving consensus and balancing scalability with decentralization in cryptocurrency networks.

Did Bitcoin's Civil War have any positive outcomes? A: Yes, the conflict spurred innovation and prompted both Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash to explore new solutions for scaling their respective networks.

How did the Bitcoin community handle the Civil War? The Bitcoin community navigated the Civil War through a hard fork, which resulted in the creation of Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash as separate cryptocurrencies.

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.

@ 20986fb8:cdac21b3

**Hey Nostriches! **

Thrilled to launch the latest YakiHonne update—Simpler, Easier, Faster! After a lot of hard work, we bring you a highly optimized, user-friendly decentralized media experience on both web and mobile. This version focuses on two main aspects:

1. Complete Redesign:

Our UI/UX now puts simplicity first, minimizing technicalities for creators and social users alike. Here’s what’s new:

• Onboarding: Easily create a non-custodial wallet with Npub & Nsec, experience zapping (Lightning payments), or browse as a guest. • Home & Discover: “Discover” is designed for creators, focusing on rich formats like long-form content, videos, and curated works. “Home” offers a social feed with short notes and curated contents, making it quick and easy for creators to share their work. • Wallet: Simple setup with easy creation, direct YakiHonne node linking, and multi-wallet support. • Dashboard: Manage all published and drafted content, check stats, and pick up right where you left off—all in one place. • Notifications: Reactions, Reposts, Mentions, Zaps, Comments, and Follows now appear in clear, categorized cards. • Settings: Completely revamped for simplicity, now including profile customization, appearance, relay settings, and wallet management.

2. Enhanced Performance: Our re-engineered core now supports the outbox model with extensive functionality. Furthermore, Thanks to @PabloF7z we now have seamless data fetching, caching, and full support of the NDK implementation.

Hope you enjoy the new decentralized media experience! 🌐✨Try it out here: •Web: yakihonne.com •App Store (iOS): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yakihonne/id6472556189 •Google Play (Android): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yakihonne.yakihonne&hl=en

Thank you for your incredible support on this decentralized media journey!

https://v.nostr.build/Uu1uXf8P5D9KkBw6.mp4

@ a305a0de:21557ddd

In today's fast-paced business landscape, staying ahead of the curve requires embracing cutting-edge technology. Emerging trends are transforming the way professionals work, interact, and innovate. Let's delve into the top technologies redefining productivity and efficiency.

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation

AI-powered tools are streamlining workflows, enhancing decision-making, and freeing up resources. Automation enables businesses to:

• Process large datasets efficiently
• Enhance customer service with chatbots

• Predict market trends and optimize strategies

• Cloud Computing and Collaboration

Cloud-based platforms facilitate seamless teamwork, scalability, and data accessibility. Professionals can:

• Access files and apps from anywhere
• Collaborate in real-time

• Integrate services for streamlined workflows

• Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart Workspaces

IoT devices create intelligent environments, boosting productivity and convenience. Smart workspaces:

• Optimize energy consumption and resource allocation
• Enhance security and surveillance

• Foster innovative thinking

• Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

Immersive technologies are revolutionizing training, communication, and customer engagement. Professionals can:

• Create interactive presentations
• Conduct remote training sessions

• Visualize complex data

• Blockchain and Cybersecurity

Blockchain technology ensures secure data transmission and storage. Professionals can:

• Protect sensitive information
• Verify transactions and authenticity
• Ensure compliance

Conclusion:

Incorporating these emerging technologies can significantly enhance productivity, efficiency, and innovation. As professionals, embracing these trends will enable you to:

• Stay competitive in the market
• Drive business growth
• Unlock new opportunities

@ 5fb7f8f7:d7d76024

Cryptocurrency trading involves buying and selling digital currencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. It's a decentralized market that operates 24/7, allowing traders to profit from price movements.

Key Concepts:

1. Cryptocurrencies Digital assets that use cryptography for secure financial transactions.
2. Trading Platforms: Online exchanges where traders buy and sell cryptocurrencies.
3. Wallets: Software programs that store, send, and receive cryptocurrencies.
4. Market Volatility: Cryptocurrency prices can fluctuate rapidly, creating opportunities and risks.
5. Leverage: Borrowed capital to increase trading positions, potentially amplifying gains and losses.

Trading Strategies:

1. Day Trading: Buying and selling within a single trading day.
2. Swing Trading: Holding positions for a shorter period, usually a few days.
3. Long-Term Investing: Holding positions for an extended period, potentially years.

** Risks and Considerations:**

1. Market Risk: Price fluctuations can result in losses.
2. Liquidity Risk: Difficulty buying or selling due to low trading volume.
3. Security Risk: Hacking and theft of cryptocurrencies.
4. Regulatory Risk: Changes in laws and regulations can impact trading.

Best Practices:

1. Educate Yourself: Understand cryptocurrency markets and trading strategies.
2. *Set Clear Goals": Define your trading objectives and risk tolerance.
3. "Use Secure Platforms*: Choose reputable trading platforms and wallets.
4. "Diversify*: Spread investments across different cryptocurrencies and asset classes.
5. Stay Informed: Continuously monitor market trends and news.

Remember, cryptocurrency trading carries risks, and thorough research is essential for successful trading.

@ 9f6a750b:aaffd7ab

tldr

ai might revolutionize mental health, but still theres risks it could worsen inequality for a while; to get through this transition understand your strengths and take control of your environment as much as possible rather than taking shitty drugs

---

mental health and the future

~ biology approach

even if ai helps cure mental illness with ai-generated new drugs, that might not solve the whole problem, our lives, our homes, friends, jobs, and money; its difficult to understand how these social factors are connected to our brains yet, people struggling with their mental health often turn to medication for quick relief... these ugly drugs dont typically cause addiction now(?), because they arent personalized well, but what happens if ai creates perfect, personalized drugs for everyones brain? focusing only on biological fixes without improving a persons overall life situation(environment) wont be a long-term solution, people might become dependent on these drugs and lose the ability or motivation to solve their problems by changing their circumstances...

~ psychiatry + psychology approach

psychiatry + psychology seems offer valuable tools for understanding and addressing mental health today. but the question is, can ai truly grasp the complexities of our individual situations? can ai understand family problems, daily struggles, and personal experiences? for ai to real help, it might need to experience and learn about the ACTUAL world in a way similar to our lives (i need tesla robot, looks sexy af)

can we solve?

i believe ai will eventually solve many mental health challenges (the "☆HAPPY UTOPIA☆" era), but, improving psychiatry + psychology approach with ai will take longer than medical approach i guess, because its easier to study the biology of the brain than the complexities of human behavior. before ai can effectively address behavioral aspects of mental health (the "☆HAPPY DYSTOPIA☆" era) – theres inequality, ppl in difficult situations with limited resources, might worsening existing poverty and social divisions... this is a serious concern i think.

surviving the "☆HAPPY DYSTOPIA☆"

we need to focus on improving our environments and circumstances, this includes understanding how our actions affect others and minimizing harm. changing ones environment is a main challenge for those lacking of resources or facing limitations imposed by others, also, understanding our impact on others requires self awareness, which is a skill many people struggle with still. those lacking might have trouble fitting into societys norms.

lastly, if ai cant fix how we act, more poor people might use drugs to seem okay(happy niconico mode), even though their lives are getting worse and poor. concerning

@ 6bae33c8:607272e8

I went 3-2 last week to put myself at a decent 13-7 for Q2. This is the start of Q3, and realistically to have a shot at the quarterly prize, I’ll need a 4-1 week — or better. Seems like I’m back in the flow after a rough start at least.

Texans at Jets — I’d say maybe Texans +2.5 given their WR decimation and inability to pass protect. I’d probably take the Jets too.

Cowboys at Falcons — The Cowboys are a disaster, but the Falcons are nothing special, either. I’ll make the line three. If anything, I’m taking the Cowboys.

Dolphins at Bills — The Bills are good now. They have the offense in gear with Keon Coleman emerging and Amari Cooper in the fold. The Dolphins are back with Tua now too. I’ll say Dolphins +5.5 and probably take them to keep it close.

Raiders at Bengals — The Bengals never deliver for me, but the Raiders are really bad. I’ll say Raiders +7.5 and probably lay the wood if I had to.

Chargers at Browns — Jameis Winston gave the Browns new life last week, but he’ll still make catastrophic mistakes. Chargers -1.5, and maybe take the Chargers.

Patriots at Titans — I prefer Drake Maye over Jacoby Brissett, but it’s probably not that big of a difference at this point. The Patriots seem to have some purpose, the Titans have none. I’ll go Patriots +1.5 and stay away.

Indiginous Peoples at Giants — The Giants defense is good, but Danny Dimes is killing them. Still, the Giants are the play here. I imagine it’ll be IP -2.5 or so.

Saints at Panthers — If Derek Carr is back, this should be Saints -4.5. This is a stay away for me.

Broncos at Ravens — The Broncos are a nice story, but I’m laying the wood here. I’d expect it to be Ravens -7.5 or something that looks really big but isn’t.

Jaguars at Eagles — My temptation would be to sell the Eagles high, but you can’t count on the Jaguars. Stay away. I’ll say Jaguars +7.5 FWIW.

Bears at Cardinals — The Bears had a miraculous comeback, then lost on a Hail Mary. That’s a tough one from which to move on. I’ll say Bears +2.5 and take the Cardinals who are playing better of late.

Lions at Packers — If Jordan Love plays, I’d make this a pick ‘em in Green Bay and probably take the Lions.

Rams at Seahawks — Matthew Stafford is better than Geno Smith, and the rest of the teams are about even. I expect it to be Rams +1.5 and take them.

Colts at Vikings — The Colts with Joe Flacco are okay. The Vikings are reeling from a couple close losses. I’ll make it Colts +6.5 and probably stay away.

@ f584a915:9da6d625

The best crypto wallet in Nigeria depends on your specific needs and preferences. Here are some of the top options:

Software Wallets: * Luno: User-friendly interface, easy to use for beginners, supports multiple cryptocurrencies.

• Trust Wallet: Highly customizable, supports a wide range of cryptocurrencies, offers decentralized exchange functionality.

• Exodus: Multi-currency support, user-friendly interface, built-in exchange.

Hardware Wallets: * Ledger Nano S/X: Highly secure, offline storage, supports multiple cryptocurrencies.

• Trezor Model T: Advanced security features, large screen, supports multiple cryptocurrencies.

When choosing a wallet, consider the following factors: * Security: Prioritize wallets with strong security features, such as two-factor authentication and encryption. * User-friendliness: Choose a wallet with an intuitive interface that is easy to navigate. * Supported cryptocurrencies: Ensure the wallet supports the cryptocurrencies you want to store. * Additional features: Some wallets offer additional features like decentralized exchanges or staking rewards.

Ultimately, the best wallet for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences. It is important to do your own research and choose a wallet that you feel comfortable using.

@ 4c48cf05:07f52b80

I believe that five years from now, access to artificial intelligence will be akin to what access to the Internet represents today. It will be the greatest differentiator between the haves and have nots. Unequal access to artificial intelligence will exacerbate societal inequalities and limit opportunities for those without access to it.

Back in April, the AI Index Steering Committee at the Institute for Human-Centered AI from Stanford University released The AI Index 2024 Annual Report.

Out of the extensive report (502 pages), I chose to focus on the chapter dedicated to Public Opinion. People involved with AI live in a bubble. We all know and understand AI and therefore assume that everyone else does. But, is that really the case once you step out of your regular circles in Seattle or Silicon Valley and hit Main Street?

Two thirds of global respondents have a good understanding of what AI is

The exact number is 67%. My gut feeling is that this number is way too high to be realistic. At the same time, 63% of respondents are aware of ChatGPT so maybe people are confounding AI with ChatGPT?

If so, there is so much more that they won't see coming.

This number is important because you need to see every other questions and response of the survey through the lens of a respondent who believes to have a good understanding of what AI is.

A majority are nervous about AI products and services

52% of global respondents are nervous about products and services that use AI. Leading the pack are Australians at 69% and the least worried are Japanise at 23%. U.S.A. is up there at the top at 63%.

Japan is truly an outlier, with most countries moving between 40% and 60%.

Personal data is the clear victim

Exaclty half of the respondents believe that AI companies will protect their personal data. And the other half believes they won't.

Expected benefits

Again a majority of people (57%) think that it will change how they do their jobs. As for impact on your life, top hitters are getting things done faster (54%) and more entertainment options (51%).

The last one is a head scratcher for me. Are people looking forward to AI generated movies?

Concerns

Remember the 57% that thought that AI will change how they do their jobs? Well, it looks like 37% of them expect to lose it. Whether or not this is what will happen, that is a very high number of people who have a direct incentive to oppose AI.

Other key concerns include:

• Misuse for nefarious purposes: 49%
• Violation of citizens' privacy: 45%

Conclusion

This is the first time I come across this report and I wil make sure to follow future annual reports to see how these trends evolve.

Overall, people are worried about AI. There are many things that could go wrong and people perceive that both jobs and privacy are on the line.

---

Full citation: Nestor Maslej, Loredana Fattorini, Raymond Perrault, Vanessa Parli, Anka Reuel, Erik Brynjolfsson, John Etchemendy, Katrina Ligett, Terah Lyons, James Manyika, Juan Carlos Niebles, Yoav Shoham, Russell Wald, and Jack Clark, “The AI Index 2024 Annual Report,” AI Index Steering Committee, Institute for Human-Centered AI, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, April 2024.

The AI Index 2024 Annual Report by Stanford University is licensed under Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International.

@ 3584cea4:0951bbef

testing

@ 3c7dc2c5:805642a8

🧠Quote(s) of the week:

'It should be clear in 2024 the final lines have been drawn on Bitcoin. Its central banks and their collaborations… the IMF, World Bank, BIS… their job is to maintain central control of fiat creation vs the rest of the world who are sheltering from its agenda. This includes corporations, commercial banks, the rich, the poor, and you.' - Willy Woo

🧡Bitcoin news🧡

Last week I shared my opinion on the latest anti-Bitcoin ECB paper. Now we have a full Academic Rebuttal to the anti-Bitcoin ECB paper officially published. Read the full rebuttal here: https://www.murrayrudd.pro/challenging-bias-in-the-ecbs-bitcoin-analysis/

On the 21st of October:

➡️Bitcoin hash rate hits all-time high. The Network has never been more secure than it is now.

➡️Bitcoin open interest exceeds $40 billion for the first time in history.

On the 22nd of October:

➡️Billionaire investor Paul Tudor Jones says, “All roads lead to inflation. I’m long gold. I’m long Bitcoin."

Now why is this statement important: 

"I want to own zero fixed income... I probably have some basket of gold, Bitcoin, commodities, and Nasdaq.", "The playbook to get out of this (debt problem) is that you inflate your way out."

The US fixed-income market is ~$50T. Fixed income in fiat during rapid debasement = fixed debasement. If just a small portion of the market agrees, trillions will be leaving fixed income and looking for a new home... like Bitcoin.

Translated: Bonds will not protect you from the severe inflation that is coming. Bitcoin will.

➡️A very informative report was released on this day.

The first report covers how Bitcoin Core development is funded. Part 1 covers the organizations that raise and distribute funds to core devs.

You can download the report here. Troy Cross: "Bitcoin is a $1.4t asset maintained and supported by only 41 devs funded by 13 organizations and a donation-heavy budget of $8.3m."

➡️Get 3.8% interest (paid in Bitcoin) on the cash sitting in an FDIC account at River… mind-blowing. Why don't we have that here in the EU? Not sure if I would use it, but still I would like to have the optionality.

'…Interest is generated on cash held at River through our banking partner and FDIC insured up to $250k, your Bitcoin is NEVER put at risk and is held in 100% reserve custody with proof of reserves (https://river.com/reserves).

See disclosures here: https://river.com/bitcoin-interest#disclosures' -River

For the U.S. readers of the Weekly Recap. Think of the tax implications, where does the yield coming from, etc.

On the 23rd of October:

➡️ $725 billion Bernstein predicts Bitcoin will hit $200,000 in 2025, calling the forecast “conservative.”

➡️Bitcoin hashrate and the difficulty is skyrocketing. It has never taken more work to find the next Bitcoin block.

➡️As mentioned last week, Bitcoin whales are accumulating heavily, just like they did in 2020, right before Bitcoin went parabolic.

➡️Apparent demand for Bitcoin has increased by over 200,000 BTC in the past month, reaching its highest point since April 2024, according to data from ETC Group.

➡️ 'Metaplanet has concluded its issue of Stock Acquisition Rights, raising a total of ¥10b (~$65m) through full exercise.

As of October 23, Metaplanet holds 861.38 Bitcoin, acquired for ¥8.022B, with no outstanding debt.' -Dylan Leclair

➡️

'The chart shown on Preston Pysh's YouTube channel from River is quite an eye-opener. Great job, River team! I had a hunch, but it's great to see visual confirmation that, in the big scheme of things, Bitcoin is still largely in the hands of retail, while ETFs are just a tiny slice—even though they’ve been buying billions.

This will likely shift as the price rises, but I really hope retail continues to hold a large share. It's a unique case in asset history—most other assets are 70%-80% owned by institutions who get to buy first.' - Luis Marques

That chart really puts things into perspective! It's fascinating to see retail holding such a significant share of Bitcoin.

➡️Denmark is considering taxing unrealized gains on Bitcoin and crypto, with a bill to be tabled in January. Danes who own Bitcoin would be taxed at 42% on value increases and decreases every year, regardless of whether they have sold or not. If passed, would start Jan 1, 2026. As mentioned in last week's Weekly Recap, governments are in full attack mode.

'Taxing unrealized gains on Bitcoin is a slippery slope. It punishes holders for paper profits they haven’t yet realized, introducing unfair volatility risks. Bitcoin is about financial sovereignty and freedom, such measures undermine its principles. Denmark should reconsider before stifling innovation and adoption.' - Assis Hodler

On the 24th of October:

➡️El Salvador President Nayib Bukele donated 2 bitcoins worth $133k to help raise money to build 1,000 schools in Honduras.

Tim Draper predicted El Salvador's Bitcoin journey would vault it into the ranks of the world's wealthiest nations. “Bitcoin hits 100k, they’ll be able to pay off the IMF and never have to talk to them again.”

➡️In their latest SEC filing, Microsoft disclosed that “Assessment of Investing in Bitcoin” has been proposed as a voting item for the December 10 shareholder meeting. However, the filing notes that “the Board recommends voting against this proposal.”.

The funny thing is if you read the SEC filing, pages 78-79:

"Microstrategy – which, like Microsoft, is a technology company, but unlike Microsoft holds Bitcoin on its balance sheet – has had its stock outperform Microsoft stock this year by 313% despite doing only a fraction of the business that Microsoft has. And they’re not alone. The institutional and corporate adoption of Bitcoin is becoming more commonplace. Microsoft’s second-largest shareholder, BlackRock, offers its clients a Bitcoin ETF." Guess who Microsoft's second-largest shareholder is? Guess who made the Bitcoin ETFs happen? I will give you a hint...it starts with Black and ends with Rock.

Sec filling

Bit Paine: 'How long until it is considered a breach of fiduciary duty to shareholders to store your company’s profits in rapidly debasing paper rather than Bitcoin?'

➡️Wicked: Addresses with less than 1 Bitcoin only account for 7.2% of the circulating supply. How does this make you feel, anon?

➡️'The official text of the 2025 Budget Law, signed by the President of Italy, has been presented. The text explicitly includes the increase in the rate of Bitcoin capital gains to 42%. The law will now be debated and potentially amended in the Italian parliament.' -Bitcoin News

➡️'The state of Pennsylvania has passed ‘Bitcoin Rights’ in the House by a sweeping majority. Both Republicans and Democrats united together to pass the bill. Pennsylvania is poised to be the most important state in the ‘24 election & this bill is poised to play a role.'- Dennis Porter

➡️Madness! A solo miner just mined a block worth 3.329 Bitcoin worth $222,455.

On the 25th of October:

➡️ BlackRock now holds 399.356 Bitcoin worth $27.1 billion.

➡️FORBES: "It’s hard to imagine that some form of game theory won’t play out when one or two central banks come forward to say they’ve followed El Salvador’s lead in holding bitcoin as a reserve asset, especially if one of those countries is the United States,"

➡️ Bitcoin whales (addresses with 100+ BTC) increased by 1.9% in the past two weeks, while, wallets holding less than 100 BTC decreased by 0.1%, suggesting whale accumulation, is historically bullish.

➡️Emory University disclosed in SEC filings that it owns over $15 million in Grayscale’s mini Bitcoin ETF, making it the first university to invest in BTC

On the 26th of October:

➡️Tether CEO confirms their reserves hold a total of 82,454 BTC and 48.3 tons of gold.

On the 27th of October:

➡️The Kingdom of Bhutan now owns 13,380 Bitcoin worth $905 Million. Lyn Alden: 'Bhutan has a lot of hydro energy, so they’re just out here quietly mining bitcoin with it and stacking it at the sovereign level.'

On the 28th of October:

➡️Metaplanet buys another ¥1.6 billion worth of Bitcoin. They now own over 1,000 BTC. "Metaplanet now owns more than 1K BTC, making it one of the largest corporate holders of Bitcoin in Asia," says Metaplanet CEO Simon Gerovich.

➡️2022: Russia's central bank wanted to ban Bitcoin and mining. 2024: - Legalises Bitcoin and crypto mining in Russia - Ready to approve 2 cryptocurrency exchanges - Sovereign Wealth Fund investing in Bitcoin mining across BRICS nations - Considers settling trade-in

➡️Three new BRICS nations are mining Bitcoin with government resources: Argentina, UAE and Ethiopia - VanEck

➡️"We have a model that assumes that by 2050, Bitcoin becomes a reserve asset that's used in global trade and is held by Central Banks at a modest 2% weight - with that model we arrive at a $3 million price target for Bitcoin" - VanEck's Mattew Sigel

Let's end the Bitcoin segment with a banger: ➡️An individual solo mined a Bitcoin block using their own hardware—an Apollo running at 6-10 TH/s, a self-hosted node, and custom stratum software. A single individual constructed their own solo block and submitted it to the network using their own hardware.

FutureBit (Apollo): Today the first Independent Sovereign Bitcoin Solo block in over a decade was just mined! What a historic moment for self-sovereignty, censorship resistance, and freedom! One of our Apollo devices, which hosts its own plug-and-play full node and stratum solo server just submitted a solved solo block that was accepted by the network.

Today over a decade of our work has just manifested itself on the blockchain. Over a decade ago almost all blocks were mined in this manner, the software to mine blocks ran on a single piece of software that ran the full node and miner. A single anonymous computer would find every block on the network. This quickly changed when ASICs were born, the node, miner software, and mining hardware split off from each other and became very fragmented.

Today most blocks are submitted by centralized custodians and pools who select which transaction is included in the next block. The vast majority of hash rate is controlled by these pools and a false narrative over the last decade pushed small miners and independent pools out.

Today this changes. It proves free, censorship-resistant, and independent blocks can be found by anyone hosting their own node and stratum solo server. Today marks the beginning where everyday people take back control of the Bitcoin blockchain that was meant for the people and by the people!

Vires in Numerus!'

💸Traditional Finance / Macro:

On the 23rd of October:

👉🏽Best year of the century for the S&P 500.

On the 25th of October:

👉🏽'Today's rally puts the S&P 500 officially up +40% over the last 12 MONTHS. This is a larger 12-month gain than ANY annual return in the S&P 500 dating back to 1954. How did a generational rally occur during times of historic uncertainty?' -TKL

🏦Banks:

👉🏽 No news

🌎Macro/Geopolitics:

On the 21st of October:

👉🏽'US net interest costs as a share of GDP are set to reach 6.3% by 2054, the highest on record.

This will be more than double the 3.1% projected for the Fiscal Year 2024. To put this into perspective, interest costs will nearly triple the government's average historical spending on R&D, infrastructure, and education combined. Interest payments have reached $1.1 trillion over the last 12 months, exceeding defense spending for the first time.

At the current pace, interest will soon be the largest expense in the Federal budget, surpassing Social Security.' -TKL

On the 22nd of October:

👉🏽The U.S. National Debt has increased by $338 BILLION over the last three weeks. It now stands at $35.8 TRILLION. That’s, the $35,8 trillion, $103,700 of debt for every American. This is unsustainable.

Keep in mind: Powell admits that "in the long run, the US is on an unsustainable fiscal path... the debt is growing faster than the economy" Reporter: "I have a sense that worries you very much" Powell: "Over the long run, of course it does. We are effectively borrowing from future generations. It's time for us to get back to putting a priority on fiscal sustainability and soon better than later."

Never gonna happen!

On the 23rd of October:

👉🏽The United States has approved $20 billion in loans for Ukraine today. Let's be honest. As Ukraine itself has a rating of 'Extremely Speculative' by Moody's and 'In Default' by S&P and Fitch, perhaps this 'loan' of $20 billion would be more appropriately classified as a 'gift'. - James Lavish Spot on by Lavish, It will never be repaid. Like most of our governments 'loans'. Now read the part above on the 22nd of October again. Fiscal sustainability...never gonna happen!

👉🏽Bank of Canada cuts rates by 0.50% EU - 0.75% rate cut USA - 0.50% rate cut Canada - 1.25% rate cut UK - 0.25% rate cu China - 0.25% rate cut Denmark - 0.25% rate cut

👉🏽Argentinian tax collectors protest just days following Milei’s announcement he will be slashing their agency and replacing it with a smaller one. Fascinating, no sane civilian is going to support a tax collector protest! Don't cry for fees, Argentina.

👉🏽It’s catastrophic to watch Germany in free fall at this pace! More on that below, VW part.

On the 25th of October:

👉🏽Argentina’s tax collectors continue to protest Milei’s decision to close their agency, chanting, “Milei is a traitor to our country.”

👉🏽Moody's cut France's credit outlook to negative from stable, citing fiscal deterioration. Debt Rating was affirmed at Aa2. Fitch, Moody's, & Scope all have downgraded French debt's outlook.

This is a critical sentence in Moody's assessment: 'The current political situation for France is unprecedented, and it raises risks about the ability of the institutions to deliver sustained deficit reductions.'

Jeroen Blokland: 'Ongoing polarization is a crucial ingredient in what already is an unsustainable debt trajectory. There is no long-term plan or commitment, as voters will swing from left to right and vice versa. Newly chosen politicians will focus primarily on reversing their predecessors' 'terrible' policy decisions instead of focusing on what matters for society. France is a painful example of this, with a debt-to-GDP ratio already above 100%.'

👉🏽Central banks now hold 12.1% of global gold reserves, the highest level since the 1990s.

This percentage has skyrocketed this year and has more than DOUBLED over the last decade. China, India, Turkey, and Poland have been the largest contributors to global central bank gold purchases. Gold now accounts for 5.4% of China’s foreign exchange reserves and reached 2,264 tonnes in 2024, a new record. Meanwhile, gold prices have hit 35 all-time highs year-to-date and rallied 33%. Global central banks continue piling into gold.' -TKL

On the 26th of October:

👉🏽'The US government is a $6.8 trillion economy, the 3rd largest in the world. Government spending is up 50% this decade -> The world's 3rd largest economy growing 9% annualized this decade, faster than India or China. And all funded by debt.' -ZeroHedge

On the 28th of October:

👉🏽Germany's decline: Volkswagen wants to close at least three plants in the country and cut tens of thousands of jobs. "This Is Starvation": VW Union Head Warns 3 Plants Closing, Thousands In Layoffs, Amid Auto Crisis

'On Monday, Volkswagen's top labor leader works council chief Daniela Cavallo, who also sits on VW's supervisory board, was quoted by Bloomberg as saying three factories are slated for closures.'

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/starvation-vw-union-head-warns-3-plants-closing-thousands-layoffs-amid-auto-crisis

🎁If you have made it this far I would like to give you a little gift:

Technology Powered Freedom - Bitcoin, eCash & Nostr | Alex Gladstein x Peter McCormack:

https://youtu.be/L5BVxfdYgNo?si=aBf6kQxqjjLemaEu

Credit: I have used multiple sources!

My savings account: Bitcoin

The tool I recommend for setting up a Bitcoin savings plan: @Relai 🇨🇭 especially suited for beginners or people who want to invest in Bitcoin with an automated investment plan once a week or monthly. (Please only use it till the 31st of October - after that full KYC)

Hence a DCA, Dollar cost Average Strategy. Check out my tutorial post (Instagram) & video (YouTube) for more info.⠀⠀⠀⠀

Get your Bitcoin out of exchanges. Save them on a hardware wallet, run your own node...be your own bank. Not your keys, not your coins. It's that simple.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Do you think this post is helpful to you? If so, please share it and support my work with a zap.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

⭐ Many thanks⭐

Felipe - Bitcoin Friday!

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@ a9434ee1:d5c885be

This design system has two goals: 1. Being the basis for the development of a design-first, native Nostr app focused on exceptional zapping and chatting, relay-based communities and beauty 2. Serving as inspiration for builders that need coherent UI building blocks for their own apps with a different scope but overlapping needs (chats, threads, zaps, articles, highlights, events, wikis, ...)

Design System

Check it out here.
This is by no means finished and will be continually updated and completed as we go along.

Project description

Check it out here nostr:naddr1qvzqqqrcvgpzp22rfmsktmgpk2rtan7zwu00zuzax5maq5dnsu5g3xxvqr2u3pd7qyt8wumn8ghj7mnfv4kzumn0wd68yvfwvdhk6tcpz9mhxue69uhkummnw3ezuamfdejj7qq00fshqcmgv96z6urjda4x2cm5lrswda

This is a very first bullet-point-style draft to set the tone and is open to change, hence it being a wiki.

Explanatory videos

This list of videos will also be continually updated and completed as we go along:

1. Chat as the universal interface
   https://cdn.satellite.earth/43ccc6224a373dd22b7ae92edb70a0b9a3facabef27dff037de7f4fcf3ee7f37.mov

2. Your Nostr Dashboard
   https://cdn.satellite.earth/20fa9683dbf815c7deafa8a532c1d1e99cddbaac622fbf075b33b70fb0bdef22.mov

3. Keeping Tabs on all these Content types https://cdn.satellite.earth/a15ab05b55db1787349863f0f92c465dcde828b90c2cb61a92bd712a0012e9c6.mov

4. Design entered the Chat
   https://cdn.satellite.earth/7c25215262125562c847412c0d9a7d027e087028838204b6c447b5c07830979a.mov

5. Targeted publication & The blurry edges of interoperable communities
   https://cdn.satellite.earth/160c9431f53e7be108ad37f8d368e2af840690a8a936d1caaa68b468c9b1e0a9.mov

6. Travel Back
   https://cdn.satellite.earth/36d38027e6208e91c1fa27b0560f70fbad7d3e31c22d659c9a53a5c4cf90a876.mov

@ be52fcb2:e2e4e843

I recently stumbled upon Extreme Privacy: What it takes to disappear by Michael Bazzell. This book is a practical and informative guide that provides clear, step-by-step instructions on how to improve your privacy. What sets it apart is that it's not just theoretical - it gives you actionable advice that you can start implementing right away.

As someone who's already taken some basic steps to protect my privacy, I found this book to be a useful resource to take it to the next level. I'm still using Windows and Apple devices, but after reading this book, I'm planning to switch to more secure alternatives. If you're interested in improving your privacy, I recommend checking out this book.

In this post, I'll give you a brief overview of the steps outlined in the book, along with some visual guidance to help illustrate the process. I won't delve too deep into the reasoning behind each step - that's all covered in the book. Instead, I'll document my own progress as I work to upgrade my privacy setup and break away from Big Tech. Let's get started.

Section One: Linux Computers 🐧

Eat that frog. The book recommends starting with the biggest challenge: ditching Windows and Apple in favor of a Linux-based operating system. The reason is simple: they collect a ton of data.

1️⃣ Configure a Linux Operating System

Before diving in, the book takes a close look at the fundamentals, exploring the trade-offs between older and newer hardware, and navigating the varied world of Linux distributions. After careful consideration, Pop!_OS is selected as the go-to operating system, and we'll be following that recommendation. * Navigate to https://pop.system76.com/ and click Download. * Install Balena Etcher from https://etcher.balena.io/. * Launch Balena Etcher and click Flash from file. * Select the downloaded iso file. * Click Select target and choose your USB drive. * Click Flashand allow the process to complete

Note: this process will completely wipe the chosen USB drive, so proceed with caution. Once complete, you'll have a bootable USB drive ready for Linux installation. To install, insert the drive, restart your computer, and immediately press the key that opens the boot options menu (usually ESC, F1, F7, F8, F10, or DEL). Select the USB drive with your Pop!_OS installation, then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. * Click Try or Install Pop!_OS. * Choose your desired language, location, and keyboard.

• Choose clean install and select your internal drive.
• Click Erase and Install.
• Provide your desired user name and password.
• Select the default option to encrypt the drive.
• If desired, allow the same Linux password to be used for the drive encryption. This is more convenient but could pose a security risk. If you want an extra layer of protection, you could specify a unique password for each option of drive encryption and Linux, but this may be overkill for most users. I use the same password for both options.
• Allow the process to complete and click Restart Device

Now after reboot we need to provide our password and then again a screen with user selection and also need to include password again. We will change that redunancy steps later in the settings.

Continue through the one-time setup with the following steps.

• Choose your layout options for the dock and click Next.
• Choose your Top Bar options and click Next.
• Click Next twice to continue through the menu.
• Choose your desired appearance and click Next.
• Choose your Wi-Fi (if available), supply the password, and click Next.
• Keep location services disabled and click Next.
• Choose your desired time zone and click Next.
• Click Skip to bypass any online accounts then click Start Using Pop!_OS

To remove the requirement to enter the password twice upon each boot, follow the next steps:

• Launch the Settings application in the lower dock.
• Choose Users in the left menu.
• Click Unlock and enter your password.
• Enable the Automatic Login toggle.
• Close Settings and reboot the computer by clicking the upper-right menu bar and selecting Power Off/ Log Out > Restart > Restart.

Additionally Bazzell recommends some optional modifications to the default setup:

• Launch the Settings application in the lower dock.
• Click Bluetooth in the left menu and disable the toggle.
• Click Privacy in the left menu and disable Connectivity Checking.
• Click File History & Trash and disable everything.

...and add some not privacy related but useful preferences:

• Click Screen and change Blank Screen Delay to a longer period.
• Go back to the main screen, click Power in the left menu and disable Automatic Power Sever.
• Click Automatic Suspend and disable all options.
• Enable Show Battery Percentage

There are noumerous background images available, anyway if you want to have a solid color you need to use e.g. follwoing comands within the terminal

``` gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.background picture-uri ´´

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.background picture-uri-dark ´´ ```

what gives us a great dark background screen.

The next modification I like to execute is to move the Dock from the bottom to the left with the following Terminal command.

gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock dock-position LEFT

Next, I prefer to decrease the default size of the icons since I will be adding numerous programs soon. You can change the number to any size appropriate for your screen size with the following Terminal command.

gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock dash-max-icon-size 30

When you right-click a file or folder to delete it, you currently have the option to Move to Trash. The following Terminal command adds a new option directly underneath the Trash entry titled Delete Permanently. This allows me to bypass the Trash altogether and simply eliminate any desired content.

gsettings set org.gnome.nautilus.preferences show-delete-permanently true

By default, most Linux operating systems hide hidden files from view. These are typically system files but can also include cache and configuration files which we may need to access. Therefore, I execute the following two Terminal commands in order to make these valuable files visible at all times.

``` gsettings set org.gnome.nautilus.preferences show-hidden-files true

gsettings set org.gtk.Settings.FileChooser show-hidden true ```

You likely have pending operating system updates which should now be applied.

• Click the Pop!_Shop icon in the dock bar next to Settings.
• Click the Installed tab and then Update All.

2️⃣ Install Linux Applications

In this section, we will follow Bazzell's guidance on installing applications within the Pop!_OS Shop. This will lay the foundation for our system, providing us with the necessary tools for productivity, media management, and more.

Note-taking and Organization

We begin by installing *Standard Notes*, a note-taking application that allows for end-to-end encryption.

Ebook Management

For managing ebooks, he recommends *Calibre*, a powerful and feature-rich application that makes it easy to organize and read digital books.

Media Playback

Next, we install *mpv*, a media player that allows for secure playback of media files.

Office Productivity

For office tasks, LibreOffice is the preferred choice. This comprehensive suite of applications provides everything we need for word processing, spreadsheet analysis, and presentation creation.

System Maintenance

To keep our system running smoothly, we install BleachBit Cleaner, a useful utility that helps remove unnecessary files and free up disk space.

Virtual Currency Management

For managing virtual currencies, Bazzell suggests Electrum, a popular and user-friendly application specifically designed for Bitcoin transactions.

This concludes the initial setup of our system. In later sections in the book, we will cover email, calendars, contacts, password management, VPS, and VoIP services, each of which will be configured and explored in detail.

3️⃣ Apply Linux Updates

This section guides you through the process of keeping your Linux system up-to-date by applying the latest updates. To streamline this process, it's recommended to save the following essential commands in a local notes application for easy copying and pasting:

``` sudo apt update // updates package lists

sudo apt upgrade -y // applies pending updates

sudo apt full-upgrade -y // applies pending updates and removes unnecessary data

sudo pop-upgrade recovery upgrade from-release // updates the recovery partition

sudo pop-upgrade release upgrade // applies pending Pop!_OS stable release upgrades

sudo apt autoremove -y // removes unnecessary software dependencies

sudo apt autoclean -y // removes unnecessary data from local software repositories

sudo flatpak update -y // updates Flatpak applications ```

These commands can be copied and pasted into the terminal to keep your system updated. Later, you'll learn how to create a custom script to automate these commands, making it even easier to maintain your system.

4️⃣ Create a Custom Linux Script

In this section, you'll learn how to create a custom script to automate the update process. You have two options:

1. Download a Pre-Configured Script: Get started quickly with a pre-configured script that's ready to use.
2. Create a Custom Script from Scratch

Option 1: Download a Pre-Configured Script

To download and set up the pre-configured script, run the following commands:

``` cd ~/Documents && wget https://inteltechniques.com/data/linux.sh

chmod +x linux.sh && sudo mv linux.sh /usr/share/applications/

wget https://inteltechniques.com/data/linux.desktop

sudo mv linux.desktop /usr/share/applications/ ```

Option 2: Create a Custom Script from Scratch

To create a custom script, follow these steps:

• Open a text editor and create a new file.
• Copy the script text and paste it into the text editor.

```

!/bin/bash

clear

PS3=‘Selection: ‘

options=(

"Apply All Updates"

"Launch Files with Admin Privileges"

)

select opt in "${options[@]}"

do

case $opt in

"Apply All Updates"

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y && sudo apt full-upgrade -y &&

sudo pop-upgrade recovery upgrade from-release && sudo pop-upgrade

release upgrade && sudo apt autoremove -y && sudo apt autoclean -y &&

sudo flatpak update -y

;;

"Launch Files with Admin Privileges" )

sudo nautilus

;;

esac

done ```

• Save the file with a .sh extension (e.g., linux.sh) in a location of your choice (e.g., your home directory)
• Open a terminal and navigate to the directory where you saved the script.
• Make the script executable using the following command: chmod +x linux.sh
• run the script using the following command: ./linux.sh

Running the Script

After executing the script, you'll see the following menu:

1) Apply All Updates

2) Launch Files with Admin Privileges Selection:

Create and Configure the .desktop File

The linux.desktop file tells the operating system to launch the script from your Applications menu.

1. Open a text editor and create a new file.
2. Copy the following code and paste it into the text editor:

``` [Desktop Entry]

Type=Application

Name=Maintenance

Categories=Application;Maintenance

Exec=/path/to/.linux.sh

Terminal=true ```

Replace /path/to/ with the actual path where you saved thelinux.sh file.

1. Save the file with the name linux.desktop in a location of your choice.
2. Move the linux.desktop file to the /usr/share/applications/ directory using the following command: sudo mv linux.desktop /usr/share/applications/
3. Update the Exec path in the linux.desktop file to point to the correct location of the linux.sh file.
4. Make the linux.desktop file executable using the following command: sudo chmod +x /usr/share/applications/linux.desktop

Verify the Shortcut

1. Go to your Applications menu and look for a new shortcut titled "Maintenance".
2. Clicking this shortcut should launch the linux.sh script.

Using the script

You can now launch the script by clicking on the Maintainanceshortcut in your Application menu. The script will present you two options:

1) Apply All Updates

2) Launch Files with Admin Privileges Selection:

Selecting the first option will apply all updates, while selecting the second option will launch the Files application with root privileges, allowing you to modify system protected files.

Tips and variations

You can modify the script to automate any Terminal commands you want. Simply edit the linux.sh script and add or modify the commands needed. You can also create new desktop entries and scripts to automate other tasks. Remeber to make the script executable and move it to the correct location for it to work properly.

5️⃣ Store Documents Locally in Linux

Bazzell recommends storing documents locally on the Linux system to maximize privacy. This is because storing documents online can make them vulnerable to hacking and surveillance. By storing documents locally, users can ensure that their documents are secure and private.

6️⃣ Create a Linux System Backup

In this section, we'll create a backup of your Linux system. To ensure your system is up-to-date and clean, follow these preliminary steps:

1. Running the Maintenance script to apply updates and remove unnecessary items.
2. Checking for additional updates in Pop!_Shop and Settings -> OS Upgrade & Recovery.
3. Running BleachBit as root to clean the system (excluding "Free Disk Space").
4. Rebooting the machine.

Creating a Full Backup with FreeFileSync

To create a full backup of your Linux device, follow these steps:

1. Install the free and open-source program FreeFileSync, available in Pop!_Shop.

2. Format an external USB SSD (recommended) specifically for backups:

3. Launch Files, right-click the external drive, and select Format.

4. Choose Internal disk for use with Linux systems only (Ext4) and consider encrypting the drive via Password protect volume

5. Configure FreeFileSync:

6. Browse to your Home folder and select it as the source.

7. Browse to your external hard drive, create a "Backup" folder, and select it as the destination.

8. Click the right arrow icon next to the green whell near "Synchronisze" and choose the Mirror option to ensure an exact replica of your computer's data.

9. Run the backup:

10. Click Compare to analyze the data.

11. Ignore the warnings and click Synchronize to begin the backup process.

Subsequent Backups

To maintain an up-to-date backup, follow these steps:

1. Connect the external drive and unlock the encryption (if used).
2. Open FreeFileSync and select the Compare button to identify modified files.
3. Run the synchronization process to update the backup.

Best Practices

Bazzell recommends making backups on a regular schedule (e.g., weekly) and shutting down the machine when not in use to maintain a tidy and updated Linux device. By following these steps, you'll ensure your system is protected and easily recoverable in case of data loss or system failure.

7️⃣ Create an Off-Site Linux Backup

To ensure data protection, follow the 3-2-1 rule:

• 3 copies of your data
• 2 types of media (e.g., external hard drive and micro SD card)
• 1 copy off-site

Create a "Desperation Copy"

Store a third copy of your data on a micro SD card off-site, using FreeFileSync to keep it current. This ensures a safe and recoverable copy of your data in case of a disaster.

8️⃣ Configure a Dual-Boot Laptop

This final section of PART 1 - Linux explores the concept of secure dual-booting, where two operating systems coexist on separate drives. This setup is ideal for situations where specific Windows software is required, but cannot be run through virtual machines. The following example illustrates a configuration where Pop!_OS is the default option, alongside Windows.

The starting point for this setup is a system with Windows 10 Pro installed, booting in UEFI mode, and two separate existing drives. To prepare for dual-booting, take the following steps in Windows:

1. If you prefer to have full-disk encryption, activate BitLocker.
2. Open the Disk Manager to view the connected drives and their partitions.
3. Identify the drive or partition where you want to install Pop!_OS, right-click on it, and select Shrink Volume. Allocate a minimum of 40GB or more for the new partition.
4. Insert the Pop!_OS USB installer and restart your computer.

5. Enter the BIOS settings (usually by pressing ESC, F2, or F9) and make the following changes:

6. Enable USB boot

7. Set the USB drive as the primary boot device in the Boot order settings
8. Disable Secure boot
9. Save your changes and exit the BIOS settings.

With the USB drive set as the primary boot device, the system will now boot into Pop!_OS. Follow the initial setup process until you reach the installation screen.

To configure the installation, select Custom (Advanced) and then:

1. Identify the drive or partition with the free space you previously allocated for Pop!_OS.
2. Click Modify Partitions to begin configuring the partitions.

3. Create the boot partition:

4. Right-click on the unallocated space and select New.

5. Set the partition size to 1000MB using the slider.

6. Choose Primary Partition and fat32 as the file system.

7. Create the root partition:

8. Right-click on the remaining unallocated space and select New.
9. Use the entire free space for this partition.

10. Choose ext4 as the file system.

11. Click Apply All Operations to apply the changes and proceed with the installation.

Next, you need to assign a role to each partition:

1. Select the fat32 partition (the boot partition) and configure it as follows:
2. Toggle on Use partition and Format.
3. Set Use as to Boot.

4. Confirm the file system is set to fat32.

5. Select the root partition and configure it as follows:

6. Toggle on Use partition and Format.
7. Set Use as to Root.

8. Leave the file system set to Default (ext4).

9. With the partitions configured, click Erase and Install to begin the installation process. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

After rebooting, the screen will go black. Press the Space bar to bring up the system-d boot menu. Press the letter t to increase the boot time, and then select Pop!_OS to enter the newly installed operating system. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the initial setup.

Since System-d couldn't detect the Windows boot manager, we need to add it manually. To do this, open a Terminal and run the following commands:

sudo apt update sudo apt install os-prober sudo os-prober

The os-prober command will scan for the Windows boot manager. Take note of the output, which should indicate the location of the Windows boot manager (e.g., nvme0n1p2).

Next, run the following commands to mount the Windows partition and copy the necessary files:

lsblk sudo mount /dev/nvme0n1p2 /mnt sudo ls -la /mnt/EFI/ sudo cp -ax /mnt/EFI/Microsoft /boot/efi/EFI sudo ls -lh /boot/efi/EFI

After completing these steps, reboot the computer. This time, the System-d boot menu should display a Windows entry. Congratulations, you now have a dual-boot laptop with Pop!_OS alongside Windows!

Conclusion 🎯

We've taken the first step in our extreme privacy journey by setting up a Linux system using Pop!_OS. We've configured the OS, installed necessary applications, and created backups to ensure data security and integrity. The journey to more privacy is not an easy one, but with each step, we move closer to having full control over our data and digital lives.

Next: PART 2 - Graphene OS Mobile Devices

In PART 2, we'll focus on securing our mobile devices using Graphene OS, a security-focused mobile operating system. We'll explore its features and benefits, and provide a step-by-step guide on how to install and configure it. Stay tuned for the next part of our extreme privacy journey!

Resources 📚

Website | |Extreme Privacy - What it take to Disappear - 5th Edition](https://inteltechniques.com/book7.html) | Other books | Pop!_OS

@ 3ad01248:962d8a07

I casted my ballot early this year and I didn't vote for Donald J Trump or Kamala Harris. Neither of these candidates did anything to earn my vote. While I did like Trump's stance on Bitcoin and freeing Ross, it still wasn't enough to get me to vote for him. There were two distinct issues that prevented me from voting for Trump.

The first being is complete lack of a plan to get a handle on the debt or at least make an attempt at slowly defusing the debt bomb that is about to go off. I don't think he has made a single pledge to bring down the debt in his platform, which is extremely rare for a Republican candidate for president to do. He is campaigning on being tough on the border and raising tariffs on China and other countries. I'm sorry but that's not going to do anything to bring down the national debt or make Americans better off at home.

What is going to end up happening is the cost of the tariffs are going to be passed on to the consumer, companies will go out of business and we are going to have fewer choices when we go to the stores to shop. What company in their right mind would eat the cost of tariffs when they are already struggling to stay afloat. I don't understand how Trump and his economic advisors don't see this coming down the road.

Trump plans to spend as much as Biden/Kamala if not more. Trump lost my vote because of his lack of a plan for the national debt.

The second reason why both candidates lost my vote was their unbridedled support for Israel. I have nothing against the people of Israel but what their government is doing in their name is horrendous.

The images coming out of Gaza are horrific and disgusting. Civilians should not be caught up in this senseless violence. What makes matters worse is the American weapons being used to massacre these people. It just isn't right in my book and I could not rest my head at night knowing that I consented to this with my vote.

I know on Nov.6 we will have a new president and it won't be the person that I voted for but at least I can go to bed knowing I voted for the right candidate. By running a Bitcoin node, using nostr, promoting Bitcoin as much as possible and voting for candidates that have integrity to do what is right regardless of party politics or personal fortunes is one of the best things you can do.

I urge everyone to vote third party and vote on principals that align with Bitcoin and not the war machine and big government.

Bitcoin #Nostr

@ f462d21e:1390b6b1

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

@ 83a0994d:3e5fbbc5

How Does Bitcoin Work?

1. Mining: Miners solve mathematical problems to validate transactions and generate new Bitcoins.
2. Blockchain: A public ledger records all transactions, ensuring transparency and security.
3. Wallets: Users store their Bitcoins in digital wallets, either online or offline.
4. Transactions: Bitcoins are transferred between wallets using unique addresses.# * *

@ 42342239:1d80db24

The Swedish government recently rejected the Transport Administration's proposal for average speed cameras. The proposal would have meant constant surveillance of all vehicles, and critics argued for instance that it would have posed a threat to national security. Given the prevalence of IT breaches and data leaks today, it's hard not to give them a point, even if the problems are often downplayed by both corporations, governments and organisations. After Facebook (now Meta) leaked account information for over half a billion users, internal mails revealed the company wanted to "normalise the fact that this happens regularly".

IT security focuses on protecting the information in our computer systems and their connections. Cybersecurity is a broader concept that also includes aspects such as human behaviour, environmental factors, and management.

Data that has not been collected cannot leak

Knowledge about cybersecurity is often insufficient. For example, it was not long ago that the Swedish Transport Agency decided to outsource the operation of the Swedish vehicle and driving licence register. This was done despite deviations from various laws and criticism from the Security Police. The operation was placed in, among other places, Serbia (which has a close relationship with Russia). The Swedish driving licence register, including personal photos, as well as confidential information about critical infrastructure such as bridges, subways, roads, and ports, became available to personnel without Swedish security clearance.

The government's decision earlier this year not to proceed with a Swedish "super register" is an example of how cybersecurity can be strengthened. The rejection of the Transport Administration's proposal for average speed cameras is another. Data that has not been collected cannot leak out. It cannot be outsourced either.

Accounts are risky by definition

But the question is bigger than that. More and more of the products and services we depend on are now subscription services, often including long documents with terms and conditions. Which few people read. If you want to control your air heat pump with your phone, you not only need an app and an account, but also agree to someone storing your data (maybe also selling it or leaking it). The same applies if you want to be able to find your car in the car park. If you do not agree to the constantly updated terms, you lose important functionality.

Every time you are required to create an account, you are put in a dependent position. And our society becomes more fragile - because data is collected and can therefore leak out. It is much harder to lose something you do not have.

At the Korean car manufacturer Kia, huge security holes were recently discovered. IT researchers could quickly scan and control almost any car, including tracking its position, unlocking it, starting the ignition, and accessing cameras and personal information such as name, phone number, and home address. In some cases, even driving routes. All thanks to a "relatively simple flaw" in a web portal.

Instead of being at the mercy of large companies' IT departments, our security would improve if we could control our air heat pump, unlock our car, or our data ourselves. The technology already exists, thanks to the breakthrough of asymmetric encryption in the 1970s. Now we just need the will to change.

@ 123711f7:c0a0c17e

Moscow announced on Tuesday it had seized control of the mining hub of Selydove in eastern Ukraine as Kyiv initiated a fresh mobilisation drive and raised concerns over North Korea’s expanding military cooperation with Russia.

The Kremlin’s forces have been advancing rapidly across the sprawling eastern front, where exhausted and outgunned Ukrainian troops are being forced to cede ground, appealing for more Western support.

Russia’s claims of capturing four new settlements in the industrial Donetsk region came as Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky and South Korea’s president agreed on deeper security cooperation after allies reported that thousands of North Korean troops had been transferred to Russia to aid its offensive.

@ 3f770d65:7a745b24

Amber

Amber is a Nostr event signer for Android that allows users to securely segregate their private key (nsec) within a single, dedicated application. Designed to function as a NIP-46 signing device, Amber ensures your smartphone can sign events without needing external servers or additional hardware, keeping your private key exposure to an absolute minimum. This approach aligns with the security rationale of NIP-46, which states that each additional system handling private keys increases potential vulnerability. With Amber, no longer do users need to enter their private key into various Nostr applications.

Amber is supported by a growing list of apps, including Amethyst, 0xChat, Voyage, Fountain, and Pokey, as well as any web application that supports NIP-46 NSEC bunkers, such as Nostr Nests, Coracle, Nostrudel, and more. With expanding support, Amber provides an easy solution for secure Nostr key management across numerous platforms.

Amber supports both native and web-based Nostr applications, aiming to eliminate the need for browser extensions or web servers. Key features include offline signing, multiple account support, and NIP-46 compatibility, and includes a simple UI for granular permissions management. Amber is designed to support signing events in the background, enhancing flexibility when you select the "remember my choice" option, eliminating the need to constantly be signing events for applications that you trust. You can download the app from it's GitHub page, via Obtainium or Zap.store.

To log in with Amber, simply tap the "Login with Amber" button or icon in a supported application, or you can paste the NSEC bunker connection string directly into the login box. For example, use a connection string like this: bunker://npub1tj2dmc4udvgafxxxxxxxrtgne8j8l6rgrnaykzc8sys9mzfcz@relay.nsecbunker.com.

---

Citrine

Citrine is a Nostr relay built specifically for Android, allowing Nostr clients on Android devices to seamlessly send and receive events through a relay running directly on their smartphone. This mobile relay setup offers Nostr users enhanced flexibility, enabling them to manage, share, and back up all their Nostr data locally on their device. Citrine’s design supports independence and data security by keeping data accessible and under user control.

With features tailored to give users greater command over their data, Citrine allows easy export and import of the database, restoration of contact lists in case of client malfunctions, and detailed relay management options like port configuration, custom icons, user management, and on-demand relay start/stop. Users can even activate TOR access, letting others connect securely to their Nostr relay directly on their phone. Future updates will include automatic broadcasting when the device reconnects to the internet, along with content resolver support to expand its functionality.

Once you have your Citrine relay fully configured, simply add it to the Private and Local relay sections in Amethyst's relay configuration.

---

Pokey

Pokey for Android is a brand new, real-time notification tool for Nostr. Pokey allows users to receive live updates for their Nostr events and enabling other apps to access and interact with them. Designed for seamless integration within a user's Nostr relays, Pokey lets users stay informed of activity as it happens, with speed and the flexibility to manage which events trigger notifications on their mobile device.

Pokey currently supports connections with Amber, offering granular notification settings so users can tailor alerts to their preferences. Planned features include broadcasting events to other apps, authenticating to relays, built-in Tor support, multi-account handling, and InBox relay management. These upcoming additions aim to make Pokey a fantastic tool for Nostr notifications across the ecosystem.

---

Zap.store

Zap.store is a permissionless app store powered by Nostr and your trusted social graph. Built to offer a decentralized approach to app recommendations, zap.store enables you to check if friends like Alice follow, endorse, or verify an app’s SHA256 hash. This trust-based, social proof model brings app discovery closer to real-world recommendations from friends and family, bypassing centralized app curation. Unlike conventional app stores and other third party app store solutions like Obtainium, zap.store empowers users to see which apps their contacts actively interact with, providing a higher level of confidence and transparency.

Currently available on Android, zap.store aims to expand to desktop, PWAs, and other platforms soon. You can get started by installing Zap.store on your favorite Android device, and install all of the applications mentioned above.

---

Android's openness goes hand in hand with Nostr's openness. Enjoy exploring both expanding ecosystems.

@ f584a915:9da6d625

Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan was arrested in Nigeria in February 2024 on charges of money laundering and tax evasion. However, the charges were dropped in October 2024, allowing him to return to the United States for medical treatment.

@ 9f6a750b:aaffd7ab

tldr

focus on using GPUs, not getting stuck on old, complicated CPU specs. windows + powershell + cursor is enough for my setup ( ^)o(^ )

---

~2023

nixOS

nixOS is an operating system based on the nix package manager, let you set up systems that are reproducible, reliable, and defined in configuration files.

• pros: system configs are written in nix language, so its easy to go back if you break system, this is really helpful for me since i often mess things up (like /etc or / with rm -rf).
• cons: minimalism is only useful if your work depends on consistency. it can limit creativity and isn’t very versatile.

emacs

emacs is a customizable text editor based on emacs lisp.

• pros: you can hack and set up configs using emacs lisp. lisp is fun!
• cons: yes, its pretty slow, and you have to keep optimizing it. also, no one uses emacs anymore sadly

---

2024~

windows

windows is the most popular operating system.

• pros: very stable because everyone uses it.
• cons: closed source, so if you hit a system error, you might get stuck without fix

cursor

cursor is a text editor with ai.

• pros: better than github copilot; stable and seamless. all you need to do is review your code or others’ code.
• cons: requires a subscription and is closed source.

---

has jumango given up on being a hacker? (;_;)

ever since LLMs became smart enough, i don’t feel the same excitement for low-level system details. back then, getting into low-level stuff was about challenging the system that fuels capitalism; the "enemy" felt like human intelligence itself. now, hacking in a true sense isnt about those details, its more about who has computational power like GPUs or quantum computers, uses tons of energy, and unites with an ai

what should i do next

if i think about whether individual humans or AI are more complex and engaging to interact with, id probably say humans in the short term for now. they share my interface and environment, and that complexity makes them more interesting to interact with, but, in the long term, i think computers will start to approximate the basic workings of human intelligence, and those differences will disappear. when we get to that point, i can’t predict what my answer would be ((+_+)) scary

@ 9f6a750b:aaffd7ab

tldr

aiが賢くなる前に人間と結婚したい

---

why

機械的なマッチングでは多くの場合、定型発達陣の長期的な関係を保証するだけであり、私のような発達障害は統計の外に存在するので、背景や文脈を無視・ミスリードしそう。あと、多様性が必要とされるのは根本の構造解明の為であって、その複雑な構造が解明されると私のような不良品は廃棄されそう => 結婚という既得権益で生き残りたいよう ( ◠‿◠ )

賢い機械の定義

• 定型発達の人間やマジョリティの人間が、政府のパートナ選出プログラムにおいて、長期的で幸せな関係性を自動構築できるような知能機械

• tiktok wirehead＋最低限の社会的な営み＝すばらしーユートピア(?)

@ f462d21e:1390b6b1

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

@ 1739d937:3e3136ef

This update marks a major milestone for the project. I know, with certainty, that MLS messaging over Nostr is going to work. That might sound a little crazy after so many months working on the project, and I was pretty confident, but until you’ve got running code, it’s all conjecture.

Late last week, I released a video of a working prototype of White Noise that shows the full flow; creating groups, inviting other users to join those groups, accepting invites, and sending messages back-and-forth. I’m thrilled that I’ve gotten this far but also appalled that it’s taken so long and disgusted at the state of the code in the app (I’ve been told I have unrelenting standards 😅).

If you missed the video last week...

nostr:note125cuk0zetc7sshw52v5zaq9apq3rq7e2x587tr2c96t7z7sjs59svwv0fj

What's Next?

In this update, I want to cover a few things about how I'm planning to proceed and how I’m splitting code out of the app into libraries that will help other developers implement MLS messaging in their own Nostr clients.

First off, many of you know that I've been building White Noise as a Rust app using the Tauri framework. The OpenMLS implementation is also written in Rust (with bindings for many other languages). So, when you hear me talking about library code, think Rust crates for now.

The first library, called openmls-nostr, is an extension/abstraction on top of the openmls implementation of the MLS spec that helps Nostr clients interact more easily with that implementation in a way that feels native to Nostr. Mostly this will be helping developers interact with MLS primitives and ensure that they’re creating, validating, and serializing these objects in the right way at the right times.

The second isn’t a new library as a big contribution to the already excellent rust-nostr library from nostr:npub1drvpzev3syqt0kjrls50050uzf25gehpz9vgdw08hvex7e0vgfeq0eseet. The methods that will go in rust-nostr are highly abstracted and based specifically on the requirements of NIP-104. Mostly this will be helping developers to take those MLS primitives and publish or query them as Nostr events at the right times and to/from the right relays.

Most of this code was originally written directly in the White Noise library so this week I've started to pull code for both of those libraries out and move it to its new home. While I’ve been at it, I've been writing some tests and trying to document things.

An unfortunate offshoot of this is that the usable builds of White Noise are going to take a touch longer. I promise it’s still a very high priority but at this point I need to clean a few things up based on what I've learned thus far.

Another thing that is slowing down release is that; behind the scenes of the dev work, I’ve been battling with Apple for nearly 2 months now to get a proper developer team set up so that we can publish the app via TestFlight for MacOS and iOS. I’ve also been recently learning the intricacies of Android publishing (oh my dear god there are so many devices, OS versions, etc.).

With that in mind, if you know anyone who can help get me up to speed on CI/CD, release pipelines, and multi-platform distribution please hit me up. I would love to learn more and hopefully shortcut some of the pain.

Thanks again so much for all the support over the last few months! It means a lot to me and is a huge part of what is keeping me going on this. 🙏

@ 123711f7:c0a0c17e

Ethereum (ETH) Faces Market Correction, But Strong Fundamentals Remain The world’s second-largest cryptocurrency, Ethereum (ETH), has experienced a recent price dip, currently trading around $2,980. This correction is part of a broader market movement, not specific to Ethereum (ETH). Despite the short-term price decline, analysts remain confident in Ethereum’s (ETH) long-term potential due to its established position and strong foundation within the crypto ecosystem. The reasons behind the market correction are multifaceted, and speculation about Algotech (ALGT) is not a contributing factor.

One potential driver of the correction was investor hope for a spot Ethereum ETF by May’s end, which could have triggered a bullish price reversal. However, market analysts now believe the likelihood of such approval this year is slim. While Ethereum (ETH) has seen a small surge of 0.33% in the last 24 hours, it remains down 4% for the week. Regaining the 50 Moving Average (MA) as support on the daily chart is crucial for regaining bullish momentum.

@ bf95e1a4:ebdcc848

This is the AI-generated transcript of Bitcoin Infinity Show 132 with Rigel Walshe!

Welcoming Rigel Walshe

Luke: Rigel, welcome to the Bitcoin Infinity Show.

Knut: Thank you for having me on. Yeah, it's, finally!

Rigel: I think we talked about this like two years ago or something, you were like, want to do this? And just I think too busy doing different things and never happened, right?

Knut: But we figured we'd do an in person one,

Rigel: Mm-Hmm.

Knut: Because I remember the first time I saw you back in 2019, like, the starting gun for me for all of this crazy life that has followed on later. So, and here's this guy on stage, playing death metal songs for

Rigel: All.

Knut: finance and nerd people.

Knut: so yeah, I'm not the only metalhead in here, like,

Rigel: I remember when I put that in the presentation, I was like, is this going to go down? And then everyone clapped after I played that video. I was like, oh, cool.

Knut: No, it was super based.

Rigel: Thank you.

Knut: what's the name of your band again?

Rigel: so I play in a band called Diocletian. I used to play in a band called Dawn of Ezel, but the band I play in now is a band called Diocletian, which is like, I guess you would call it like the, you know, metal's got like a zillion sub genres and stuff, but like, you would call it like war metal, I guess.

From Metal to Bitcoin

Rigel: Yeah. And, what's your story? Like give our listeners your story. How, who are you and, what turned you on to death metal and what turned you on to Bitcoin and is there a connection between the two and all of

Rigel: Oh my God. Okay. This is a very long winded. How do I summarize this pretty well? Okay. So yeah, I'm Roger Walsh. I go by Coinsurance Ed on Twitter and Telegram and these, a lot of these kinds of platforms. yeah, I mean, played music and stuff since I was, 17 years old, you know, been a band where, you know, I'm from New Zealand, that's where that was from.

Rigel: We were the first metal band to ever get out of the country, really, even like Australia, let alone, Europe and the States and things like that. So, you know, we did quite a few, albums, I think it was, with my old band Dawn of Azel before we split up, in New Zealand it's quite a bit bigger than we were, outside of that, and certainly Europe or the States.

Rigel: the same time, when I turned 21, I joined the police. I was in the police for 10 years, at the same time as this was going on, and if you search my name, you'll find some interesting news reports about some trouble I had for that kind of reason. so that's maybe my background. we'll shift forward to maybe when I first got into Bitcoin in 2014, and so for me, what got me interested in Bitcoin was, as I said, I used to be in the police, and one day, you know, I think I've heard of Bitcoin thrown around, I just I was reading a news article about the, Silk Road trial, and this is when Russell Brook was getting sentenced, and this is like after I left the police and things like this, and it just blew my mind when I read that, it's like, because I think most people don't really, or didn't, or can't quite grok maybe the way that it makes It's me, in the sense of like, you have this drug market selling.

Rigel: whatever you liked, you know, under the eyes of the FBI and all these guys, and there was nothing they could do for years, and this, I was like, wow, man, this is going to be straight away, I thought this is how Russia and North Korea are going to get around sanctions and stuff, as it seems they are doing today, you know, so to me this is like nuclear weapons grade money.

Rigel: So my interest actually was, was in Bitcoin, but also in the darknet market, so I just got on there and had a look, And that was what really interested me, but of course, like most people that play around in the darknet markets, you start, okay, what is this Bitcoin thing that I'm using and sending and start looking into it.

Rigel: And look, I'd never been a finance kind of guy. I mean, like I said, I joined the police relatively early on. They've got a very good superannuation scheme where, you put in a dollar, the government puts in two dollars. And so, to me, I'd looked at investing and shares and things a couple of times, and it never made sense because I've got the best There's no better place that I could do is just put more money in that fund that the government will match dollar for dollar, right?

Rigel: So this is the first time I've ever looked at anything Really about investing and you know and obviously as you start thinking about this Well at that time when I got into Bitcoin and bought my stuff was around 200 bucks It just right at the end of the 2014 kind of crash and you know at the time I thought like wow man this might be worth a thousand dollars some years later, right?

Rigel: You know so so I started putting pretty much Everything I had which the time was not a lot because this is after I left the police and I actually quite a bit of trouble Transitioning from that into like some sort of civilian career. I was like I found it quite hard to find, like, work, and so I was working self employed, and I didn't have a lot of money, but I put everything I had into Bitcoin, because to me, it just made total sense,

Rigel: So yeah, that was 2014, fast forward a couple of years, 2017 is around, and now Bitcoin is there. Close to 20 grand, you know, I've got, I'm fucking rich, so what I did is I was like, man, I spend so much time thinking and talking about Bitcoin, I really want to get involved in the space, but, I'm not a software developer, what can I do?

Rigel: So I actually ended up buying some Trezors, and just through good luck, when I bought them, Bitcoin was around 10k. and I bought like, 200 or something treasures and ledges, and I sold all of them in a month in New Zealand, which is a tiny country, which blew my mind, So then that happened, and this was like February, I remember it was December, I had massive orders, January pitted off, and then like February, there was just nothing, and the price is going down, so I was just in the right place at the right time, and got lucky, and I had all this money and it was in a business account that I'd have to pay taxes on, obviously, if I didn't get rid of it, right?

Rigel: So, to my thing as well, I could pay myself a salary and pay tax on it, but what's smarter is, hmm, how can I use this money to make the next step and jump to the next thing? So I thought, well, let's go to a bunch of Bitcoin conferences and see if there's any match for my kind of skills, right? So I'd never, I'd never gone to, I've been to like meetups in New Zealand, but I had no idea like what it really looked like out there in the real world, right?

Rigel: So I went to, like a couple of, I went to like an Australian big Crip, blockchain one, which was like just total trash. And then I went to, token 2049. You heard of that one? It's like a still going. It's like a real shit coin kind of conference thing that was in,

Knut: rings a tiny bell.

Rigel: it's in, it was in Hong Kong or something, right?

Rigel: and I remember I went to that and it was cool, right? But it was still, you know, I was still in this world where, obviously I was familiar with Bitcoin, but I dabbled with, altcoins and stuff like this and perhaps the way that you or I would look at Bitcoin now, I think was still quite a new thing.

Rigel: New idea in those times, right? There wasn't this really well nuanced ideology about how to view this kind of stuff. So I went there and I was kind of figuring this out The next one I went to was like Konsensus in New York, which was at the time, that was the biggest Bitcoin crypto conference you would say ever.

Rigel: And there was like, 3, 000 people or something. And I remember at that conference, there was a lot of, you know, all sorts of Ethereum and things there, right, but there was a blockstream room at this conference. And I remember, I felt like, man, this place feels so sleazy and so dirty and everyone seems Super sketchy, but then you go to the Blockstream room, and I was like, these are the guys that, you know, I just clicked, like when you meet them and you see this, and so I think this is a really important thing for people that don't go to conferences, that when you come, a lot of this stuff, when you just see it with your own eyes and talk to people directly, it makes a lot more sense than online.

Rigel: So I went to that, and then I met, what's his name, Erik, last name is sketchy, but he's, works on Bitcoin Fabric, used to be at Blockstream. He told me, go to Building on Bitcoin and go to Honeybadger. And so from then I started going to conferences, when I went to building on Bitcoin, I kind of talked about this in my talk today, it was like I wasn't a software developer, but I saw Adam Fiskor and Nicholas Doria presented Wasabi and BTC Pay Server, and I realized like, wow man, I thought before that Bitcoin software development is all about like some super computer nerd guys and like Bitcoin core and only this real high level stuff.

Rigel: But I realized, man, these guys just made their own app on Bitcoin that really made a real difference. And wow, you know, I could do that if I were to put my mind to it. So I came back straight away, got into a Python coding course and just like really, really luckily, you know, I went really crazy on this.

Rigel: then come December, Jimmy Song came to Australia to do the, the programming course.

Rigel: I applied and got on that, and I was like really out of my depth, but I managed to keep up enough to write it. and so this was like maybe six months after, six months ago, I didn't know anything about coding or anything like that. And so just by pure luck, I was relatively well networked in the New Zealand, Auckland Bitcoin scene, and I went to a meetup and there was a guy there who I knew kind of loosely, that I knew had a really small exchange in New Zealand, and I was talking about, he's like, Oh, what are you doing?

Rigel: I was just building this API in Python. It's like, Oh, we're building out our API. Do you want to come and help? And I was like, Yeah, so at the time I was working a job where I'm working four days a week and I had the Mondays off. And so I just started working there on Mondays and then split with the ex girlfriend and I was really happy in New Zealand and felt like I've really got to get out of here, right?

Rigel: So I was thinking even if I have to like sell Bitcoin to leave, I've just really got to get out of New Zealand because I feel like there's just no future for me here. So I said to them, okay, look, hey, I had a friend that was living in Bali. I said, look, hey, I'm moving to Bali. I really don't want to leave this job.

Rigel: And I really Appreciate what you give me, but I've got to do this. If you let me work remote, I would really happily work remote, but I understand if you don't. They're like, sure, yeah, have a full time job. So I did that, started doing that, COVID happened, ended up in Mexico as a cause of that, and in, the Jeremy Songz course, there's like an alumni telegram group, Jan Pritzker jumped in there and he said hey, we're looking for developers at Swan, and I said, hey, I do that, and the tech stack was very similar to what I was already working on, and, I got a job there, and up until, three weeks ago, I was working at Swan for three and a half years, I think it was employee number, 10 or 11 or something there.

Rigel: and that's pretty much it. I think I covered all the bases there. And then I give some talks at conferences here.

Conference Experiences

Knut: Yeah, it's a great story. And there are many similarities to mine. Like I also have experience of the shit coin conference before I went to Rega in 2019, but were you here in 2018?

Rigel: Yeah. That was the first, because was, when I said when I met, Eric, he told me building on Bitcoin and then, honey Beg are the ones, so I, I pretty much, that was the last of the company money was that one there. And that, that one they were talking about HCPP and I was like, oh, can I go to that? Flying home, New Zealand, which is like a two day journey, then coming back two weeks later and paying for all the stuff, I didn't manage to make it, but like, that was the first, first time, the last conference I went on that thing, and that really, I mean, it was an amazing conference. So this, this has always been an amazing conference, you know.

Knut: I saw your talk here last year, and it was really, really good, like awesome about Bitcoin cultures, right, and different subcultures and, what these subgroups and what happens in a decentralized system, and also like we've been chatting during this conference about, these effects, like how we find our own in groups and how people cling onto the extremes here and there.

Knut: can you expand a bit on that and, what do you think is missing from conferences in general and what makes Honeybadger stick out as a high signal one and all of that

Bitcoin Psychopaths vs Bitcoin Sociopaths

Rigel: I mean, okay, so three questions there. So to talk about the talk, it's called Bitcoin Psychopaths vs. Bitcoin Sociopaths, and if you Google it, you can find the written thing and the video and view it yourself. But basically, what I talked about is, when I started coming to these conferences, I realized how much the Bitcoin world had in common with the music world in the sense of, The personalities, the little subgroups, the way that things evolved, like I just saw a lot of things that clicked because to me really like Bitcoin is like a Harley Davidson for computer nerds, right?

Rigel: It's like this kind of subculture where people are involved in and I feel like a lot of people who are in Bitcoin, like I have this experience of being these weird kind of outside groups and how this works. I think a lot of people that are in Bitcoin this is the first kind of really different thing they've had in their life and they, you know, they're like blows in mind.

Rigel: They're like, wow, this is so cool, but they don't realize how a lot of these idiosyncrasies are very much the same. I'd imagine the same if you were like a Trekkie or you're into something like that. There's a lot of the same sort of politics, so the talk is really talking about how, Bitcoin, in my opinion, is like a subculture or counterculture, the same way that, metal music would be an example, there's plenty of things like this where people have a niche interest, but it's also kind of a little bit against society, the whole idea of Bitcoin is you're trying to defund the state, and so it's kind of like, it's not like a really dangerous out there kind of thing,

Knut: It's not in total alignment with society, inherently contrarian?

Rigel: Exactly, yeah, exactly, which does attract a lot of contrarians, right? so the whole talk was looking at, okay, if you look at subcultures, how do they get involved or immersed in the traditional system, right?

Rigel: Let's take rap music, for example. You know, where you had, Dr. Dre in, NWA, and now he's like, selling Beats headphones and a very nice commercial established businessman, right? Or another good one that I like to use is like, weed, or like the gay community, right? At one point, these were very out there things, and now they're very normal and very accepted, and they're almost like Almost a little forced on you, right?

Rigel: In a lot of ways, as opposed to like being an outcast. So, you know, when things become normalized and when they get bigger and bigger and bigger, if they catch on, eventually they kind of get watered down as they get integrated into society. And the same thing I think is already happening in Bitcoin, and it's affecting the culture of Bitcoin.

Rigel: And I don't think you can really change that, you know, it's inevitable, but it's something that I think we need to discuss and look at, okay, well, if you Some of these other things there, how they lost, what made them powerful and transformative in the first place, because they were kind of revolutionary movements, right?

Rigel: And they got watered down and commercialized, right? So I think the same thing is happening to Bitcoin right now, and you can't really stop it. This is, if you just look at history, this is what happens, but there is a conversation to be had about how can we navigate this as best as we can, right?

Rigel: Now, what was the,

Knut: Yeah,

Rigel: was the other two

Knut: of a long question.

Luke: maybe we can just stay on

Rigel: Are you asking about conferences?

Baltic Honeybadger

Rigel: Like you said, what I think about Bitcoin conferences and what I think I like about HoneyBadger. Well, what I like about HoneyBadger is that, the conference thing, kind of to speak to what I just was talking about, right?

Rigel: As this gets bigger, it becomes more commercial and, things get kind of watered down for people that are, Casual participants, right? The people early on in the movement, like, if you're there in 2017, 2018, you're really hardcore, right? But if you look at the way they're doing, say, Bitcoin Nashville at the moment, it's a very different thing.

Rigel: It's very not watered down, very commercial, and very one kind of one minded, right? And what I like about Honeybadge and what I have so much respect for with this conference is that, remember in 2019, that was the biggest Bitcoin conference in the world, and I think there was probably 600, 800 people, right?

Rigel: things have got bigger since then, and maybe, this could have been a bigger conference, certainly you would imagine it could have been as big as, BTC Prague right? but they seem to have had the idea of, let's just keep it at a particular level and not go too far and too hard, in my humble opinion the Bitcoin National Conference is an absolute abomination, it's a circus,

Knut: And it's all there just to, like, make it as loud and big as possible, but what is the message that is getting diluted and what is getting presented to these newcomers there is, to me, is very much getting away from what I believe the message of Bitcoin should be, right? it's inflation,

Rigel: it's dilution inflation. It's the same thing as when it happens to your money, it happens to culture. I mean, I've never thought about that, but that's a very good way to phrase it, I think. So, you know, when it comes to conferences, beyond the fact of just making it big and watering it down, the other thing I think is, like, the narrative is very, very stale, right?

Rigel: it's all about the narrative. Sound money and the moneys of Bitcoin. Which of course it is. in my opinion, the best money in the world. But I think, we've still made those arguments pretty well by this point.

Rigel: Right. You know, there's so much stuff that's been written and I think it is really good stuff. Right. They're all good messages. But, they've been said, they're done, they're written, right, you know, and you don't want to hear the same guys giving the same talk every year over and over, which is what these conferences are, I think it's like the Rolling Stones, you know, playing their greatest hits, right, the Rolling Stones have some really amazing songs, but if you've gone and seen them play live, playing their greatest hits ten times, you're going to, I think I'll skip it this year, right,

Rigel: So, to what I see happening here, if you want this movement to succeed, and you as a conference promoter want people to come to your conferences, you've got to keep it new and interesting and shift things up, right? And so you've got to find people out there in the community.

Rigel: in the community out there who aren't speaking at conferences, aren't big, aren't famous, right? If we were to turn the analogy of a music, festival, there's bands that aren't known, but if you gave them a chance and used your festivals as a way to expose them to more people, they could get bigger, and it's in your interest, because if you're having the same bands play every year, people don't want to come to your conference.

Rigel: But if you can help this new blood come up, then it's in your interest because you can put them on the stage and you can bring people to your event, right? And I think the same thing should be done, for this. I mean, obviously, I think it should be done for the good of Bitcoin, right?

Rigel: There's many different aspects to Bitcoin. It's a very interesting, you know, I say it's like the, Rorschach's test, right? Like what you see in the inkblot reflects more about you and I, but we can look at the same thing and see two totally different things, right?

Rigel: Yeah. So I think it's in the interest of Bitcoin to get people to flesh these out, these narratives, and give them an opportunity to do it and to get it out in people's heads and for them to hear this. But it's also in the interest of them as conference promoters. Like I said, if it's just the same people all the time, it's going to peter out.

Rigel: And I feel like Honeybadger is one of the few places that's trying to do that,

Luke: Yeah, and I mean, in my perspective, HoneyBadger, two years ago, was my first ever conference, right? And so, I mean, that's already my newness in this space compared to you guys, but still. HoneyBadger has been fantastic for me from that perspective, and like, the signal, that's the focus. But we talked to Max Kai about this not long ago.

Luke: About how is the Latvian community doing and Honeybadger hasn't really focused on growing the local community. It's been bringing the signal into one place and everyone learned from each other and all this and it's a fantastic event for Bitcoin, And then there's these other ones that are all about, I mean, the American ones, especially like the Nashvilles and all this, those are, you know, these entertainment fests and all this, and I think they've also brought this to Amsterdam here in Europe, but I think Prague and Madeira here this last year were both examples of conferences that went a bit bigger, but have also have a layer of the local adoption, and I think those types of conferences are important for a different reason.

Luke: Like the, the one that, Bulgaria is the example that I use, I use a lot, they do a good thing there to build the local adoption. And so get some speakers, get some international presence to sort of show here's what this is, right? but focus on the local side of it and building the adoption in that locale.

Luke: I think that's quite the idea.

Knut: on diversity and inclusion,

Luke: That's so

Rigel: I think it's true, as a New Zealander, we're in this interesting position where, it's a very Western culture, but we're somewhere in between Europe and America, right? So, if you're European, you're biased and polarized to a European way of doing things, Americans are the other, and we're somewhat in the middle,

Rigel: we see them both. From different angles, and there's pros and cons from both, and I'm sure I'm going to offend some American people saying this, but I'm just going to say it. European conferences are a thousand times better than American ones. And I've seen almost none that I feel like really did a good job.

Knut: I think something like TabConf does it well, but I think technical conferences are a slightly different kind of thing, different beast.

Rigel: all there about technology, but if you're trying to do something where People talk of talking about more general people stuff, right?

Rigel: Like, big and commercial and plastic. No soul, and I feel like Europeans just seem to be able to do that much better. Sorry to any Americans watching this, but that's been my impression.

Knut: Honey Badger clearly has the soul, and I mean, the local adoption thing, that's not a dig, it's just not what they've decided to focus on, so it's, I think we, I hope, I hope this conference, I'll be attending every year, Yeah. And that's why I love to see so many Americans over in Europe, like this last year, first of all, Madeira, a ton of Americans came over, both speakers and attendees and also. Prague, and here, like, you have, quite a few here too, and quite a few high level ones, and it's good to have them here to give them a taste of what this is like.

Rigel: I'm a guy that likes to have a drink and hang out with people and things like that, so, you know, it's a big party, really, a conference, in a lot of ways, I think I enjoy that element of it, but again, you know, I think there's just so much value in, You know, we all talk online and stuff and I see what you're writing to someone else and things like that.

Rigel: But to be able to humanize and talk to some of these people, and some of them you meet them and you realize, oh, this guy isn't actually such a dickhead after all, I guess, or the opposite, right? This person that you think is really high integrity or whatever, and you meet them, you're like, man, this person, I have a very bad feeling about this kind of person, right?

Rigel: So I think that's a very important thing if you're really enmeshed in this world, I think you owe it on yourself to go and physically meet people and there's just such a value in that which is difficult to articulate, you know?

Knut: hard to find new ideas and new angles to view this. I had writer's block for the longest time before starting the new book and before I had ideas good enough to pursue. And it's getting increasingly harder with each book, of course, because there's only this so many times you can say the same thing,

Speaking at Conferences

Rigel: I know the feeling of, you know, like I'm thinking about, because I've been invited to speak here every year. and so I'm thinking, okay, when I went to about next year, I'm like, Oh man, like what to do two or three things, right. It's like to avoid just repeating it or slightly changing or morally saying the same thing is like, it's a big ass to do, but I mean, I think that's, that also is a way of, of rather than.

Rigel: you're right thinking that we've got to write the whole story ourselves and it's on you to come up with new ideas for 10 years in a row. It's more like you have your little thing and it's best just hone that message really, really well. And this is how I feel about it is I used to think with conferences, no, I never want to give the same talk twice.

Rigel: I want to do it, you know, once and something every time has to be something new. But I kind of realized after doing a bunch of them is like, well, most people aren't going to see you talk anyway. All right. Or they're not going to. You know, take the time to or they're not gonna appreciate in the moment that that it was right then right and there's real value not just for you personally in terms of like, when you give a talk once, it's probably going to be better the third or fourth or fifth time that you give it, right, but there's also value to repeating the same message, right, which to me almost felt like false or a cop out, but no, I think now, after doing it a while, there's actually something to be done with that, which is take one small thing and focus on that small area and don't try and be like, completely reinventing yourself, like, tomorrow you're going to be talking about some weird economics and then you're How bitcoin is art, or something, you know, I mean like, just take one thing and build your little notice around that and really, really hone that particular message, because like we've done with the economic stuff, right, I think we've really steel manned that idea, and there's just anything, any objection that someone could have about the money stuff, someone has written just the best thing and you're just like, bam, and you haven't asked your every question.

Luke: There's real value for us as a community in doing that, but that just comes from a small amount of people focus, doing focus work on one particular thing, That's funny, that reminds me of comedians. comedians are like some of the most visible people on podcasts because for some reason people like to listen to funny people be funny but you hear about their process of literally going around and touring and working on their jokes the same ones, they don't do a new act Every night, you know, they work on it and then eventually they record it and everything.

Luke: That's actually not a bad model for this

Rigel: I think a good analogy, right? I mean, like, you can't tell the same joke for 10 years, but you wouldn't want to try and rewrite a whole new, like, half an hour comedy skit every, you just, I mean, trying to write some of these talks takes months, right?

Rigel: and when I do it, I've just got, like, pretty much memorize half an hour of stuff and then practice it so it becomes more natural. But I mean, like, trying to do that. You know, if I was trying to do this like six times a year, I stick to like three because it's too much for me, right? But imagine trying to do it six times a year.

Rigel: You just can't do that alone unless you're full time working on it. So, there's lots of reasons why I think just one small thing repeated it actually has some value.

Knut: Yeah.

Dangerous Narratives in Bitcoin

Knut: do you think there are any like narratives around Bitcoin or, thoughts around it that are actually dangerous? Like the people are on the wrong track?

Rigel: I mean like the stuff I talked about before, right, where I think the message is being deluded and it's dangerous and that like the analogy which I was supposed to make in this talk but I actually kind of like As you do, you know, skip over or like move around some things that you were going to say, but you didn't say.

Rigel: The thing like, the real risk to me is that, if we don't change people's view on what technology is. Like, people want something that's familiar. They want to recreate what they know. It's human nature, right? And so, for you as a business owner, or someone that's creating something and trying to get more Bitcoiners on board, which I think there's maybe a little too much emphasis on, it's just more people in the door, so the number can go up.

Rigel: The more you do that, the more people try to make it understandable and relatable by people, so they make it more like what it already is. And by making it more like what it already is, the whole idea about Bitcoin is changing what it already is in terms of money and things like that. I think the risk that we run is like recreating the existing financial system with an orange coat of paint, right?

Rigel: The same thing, but yeah, just with different words, different wardrobe change, right? So I think that's probably to me the most dangerous thing where, I know I'm someone that's like very much the privacy, freedom, self custodial kind of thing, and very anti KYC, all this kind of stuff, but you know, having worked at companies like this, I understand why these things are necessary, and there is also an argument why you would say, well, sure, it's KYC, but if a lot of people buy Bitcoin, it doesn't matter if it's KYC, because we've defunded the government, you know, so there is a middle ground here to be found, But I think probably that's what I'm getting to the real point is like a nuance, right?

Rigel: You know, somewhere in between those two polarized things, there's the right way to do it. And it's probably not going to be universal in all situations what it is, but there's just a real lack of. intellectual rigorousness in this space, right? I think, the best book on Bitcoin is, Erik Voskiel's Crypto Economics, because, I largely agree with almost everything he says, not everyone does, but I don't think that you can argue that that is the most rigorous Comprehensive body of work about this is what bitcoin is and this is how it functions.

Rigel: You know these axiomatic truths as he describes it It's a it's a whole system that all links together and to return to like the religion talk I gave last year It's like if you look at Christianity, right, you know, you have like baptism, Catholicism, Protestantism all these kind of things right and they're it's so detailed.

Rigel: It's like well because in Ephesians 12 16 Jesus said this or that or whatever you should only wear a red shirt on Tuesdays or something It's that level of detail of like They've thought about every aspect of the Bible and what this should mean and they have like this detailed view. And I think there's a lot of value for that because as I said, there are many different views in this spectrum about what works for Bitcoin and I think we win by having this marketplace of ideas, but we don't win if they're like very pure.

Rigel: They're very poorly fleshed out ideas and they're very kind of naïve or immature by all these different schools of thought having the most rigorous, intense, deep body of work to help explain and understand why you should look at Bitcoin from this angle or see it this way or why it should be done this way.

Rigel: you're the second person this week to say crypto, It's great. It's just crazy. it's a pretty dense book, right? You know, it's not for a beginner's book, but it's crazy that it's not bigger in my mind, you know.

Knut: someone should write a, new version of that.

Luke: yeah, very much

Rigel: I mean, but this is the thing, right? it's rigorous because I think, and why I really like it as well is it's the only book that goes that level of depth and is thick and is, really deep on this kind of stuff. And you see Erik on Twitter, he's very much, he's like such a pedantic motherfucker about trapping someone down about the way they say particular words, because it matters, right?

Rigel: It does matter, right? Like these loose definitions of what you think this word means, what I think it means, makes me think that we're talking the same language, but actually you, I haven't communicated to you effectively what is inside my brain, right? And so like this level of detail is really important for something like Bitcoin, because like imagine you're navigating and you say, oh, it's, it's, it's that way, a hundred meters, it's fine.

Rigel: But if it's like, 300 kilometers, you can end up in a very different place than if you said these grid coordinates, you know, this GPS coordinate, stuff like that. So specificity is really, really important and language is the map, the navigation system we use to arrive at an idea in the future.

Rigel: And so, I think there's value to that.

Knut: Yeah, and I think this is, human action by Ludwig von Mises is dense and very meticulously written for the exact same reason, right? You need this rigorous thing. And I know from writing a smaller book on praxeology, it's really hard because you have to be very, very careful with your words to get it right, which is why I like writing, Something like the Inverse of Clown World more because I can be more expressive, you know.

Rigel: man, I've thought about doing the book thing and maybe one day I will, but I'm like, oh man, I just, I can't imagine what you have to go through to produce something of like this size, which is not the largest book, like man. Wow, you know, hats off to people that write a book, right, because, like I said, I've thought about it, but when I've looked at what's involved, I'm like,

Rigel: send us a DM and we'll help you. maybe they will come about, I need to write more, this is the way they say you do it, right, is like you write a bunch of articles and you turn the articles into a book, right, so I've kind of thought about maybe I can go down this road, but we'll see.

Knut: Oh, looking forward to it.

Nostr

Luke: So what, what do you think of, of Nostr? the, the whole, the combination of this Nostriga and Honeybadger. First of all, that was, it was a brilliant move, I think, to attach the two together. there's talk that the next time they'll do that is they'll attach it to, also Freedom Forum, which is also a very good idea.

Luke: A different angle, but very good idea. But Nostr and Bitcoin are becoming really intertwined these days. many, many applications that were Bitcoin applications have now. Also become Nostr applications and yeah, what do you see Nostr in the space here?

Rigel: Difficult for me to say because like I've really wanted to sit down and really get my head technically around Nostr and I haven't, right? You know, like I understand basically how it works, but as far as like there's some critiques on Nostr which I would like to have a more informed opinion on than I do.

Rigel: And, like, I know Peter Todd reasonably well, and like, last night we were, I was saying, like, basically, okay, just tell, tell me, you know, like, tell me what things is, so at least when I get to look at this, I've got, because he's kind of anti, or anti a lot of aspects of it, right, he thinks it doesn't work, so, I mean, based on that, like I said, it's, it's not a nuanced, informed opinion, but I think, my concern, perhaps, is that, like, It's actually not that good a protocol on the, on the base level for certain things.

Rigel: Like it's ability to deliver decentralized Twitter, all the millions of applications we have on mine for Nostr at scale is going to be possible. And again, I can't say One way or the other, but that's my concern about it. And, and one thing that returning to what I was talking earlier about the subcultures and things like that, fortunately in the Bitcoin space, I think we've got a little tendency to be overly supportive and overly passionate.

Rigel: You want the space to be something where people come from the outside and they feel like this is full of energy and love and happiness and good times and smiles. That draws people in. And if it's the opposite and people are too cynical or bitter or tough, right, it's not going to pull more people into the space.

Rigel: That's what we need. But again, you know, I think there's a bit of a lack in the space of people who are willing to Call out, you know, say a spade's a spade. There's a problem here. We need to fix this. There's a bit of a lack with that and that that would be the only thing I feel with Nostr

Rigel: And I, my only concern that I see as an outsider with Nostr is that Is this like a science project where there's something where it's got a tiny amount of people and there's all this energy and noise, but it's, it's its own self contained thing, right outside this little bubble, no one cares and, and it's a bunch of people celebrating how great they are creating this thing for themselves, thinking it's a tool for the world.

Rigel: So, I think it is great and I'm really interested in it primarily from the perspective of like, what to me is, this is kind of what my talk about was about today about Bitcoin as performance art. Bitcoin isn't just about money, it's also about telling a story, about showing an alternative narrative to what the governments or corporations give us.

Rigel: And that narrative is about how we can use technology and open source and things like this to create our own better alternatives and we don't have to use what they tell us they have to use. And so I like Nostr in the sense that It's like the artistic inspiration of Bitcoin is created at Nostr, right, so we're spiritually inspired by Bitcoin.

Rigel: It's like a lot of the lessons that we've learned from Bitcoin have been applied to how Nostr is created, right, it's kind of born of Bitcoin. And so to me, regardless of like the reservations or the possible issues like I talked about before, to me what's far more interesting is someone said, look, hey, Bitcoin works really well at prioritizing decentralized money.

Rigel: How can we take the lessons there and apply that to communication and other things? And I think. To me, that is a more important thing, is like, if this can happen to many other technologies. It makes sense, right? Like, in my talk, I talked about the Liberator pistol being another example of this. Now, if you look at Cody Wilson, he said, like, it was supposed to be a toy gun, a prop gun.

Rigel: It's not something where you really think it's going to be like an AR 15. But that wasn't the whole point. The whole idea is here's something. Where it's going to get all over the news and the media and people are going to start talking about and thinking, you know, that the wheels start to turn the head of, hmm, 3D printing and code, man, like, it's going to be impossible for governments to stop all this kind of stuff.

Rigel: And when people start thinking about that, the world starts changing, right? So I think Bitcoin is amazing money and it's going to change the financial system, but perhaps what is better is that it gets people thinking of, wow, we created our own money. What other stuff can we create if we all work together and have a vision for the future, right?

Rigel: So to me that's, in some sense, like, if Bitcoin failed as money, but it did that, I think that would be a better victory than it not doing that and just being sound money, right? So that's, an important part of Nostr and what I really look forward to with that is how that dynamic plays out.

Disagreeableness in Bitcoin

Knut: Yeah, I think I've observed a correlation between disagreeableness and how early you were to Bitcoin. So like the first couple of years, you get your Voskules and your Kavaios and what not. And the further you go down the line, it isn't until like 2021, you get your Joe Halls and your, nice people, right?

Knut: I think the thing that enables the happy people 10 years down the line is that the disagreeable people were so rigorous in the beginning. So you get the don't trust verify, and then it builds in layers and the happy people can join on the layers on top later on.

Rigel: Yeah, yeah, yeah,

Knut: so have you, what's your, what's your

Rigel: Oh yeah, I mean, I think you're totally right with that. it's a little bit of a tragedy of the commons problem in Bitcoin, right, where, Zach, you said the people that are doing, like, open source development is perhaps the best example, right?

Rigel: if we don't have, like, very smart, talented people working full time on Bitcoin, even if you think it can be ossified, like, just if you understand software, right, there's just this maintenance process that needs to happen, and there's not someone keeping a close eye on that. It's very easy for Bitcoin to break or to fall apart, right?

Rigel: there's no business model for open source development or maintaining Bitcoin Core, right? There's no way, I mean, the whole idea of Bitcoin is that it should never be a revenue generative process as it is, right? So we need to think of an alternative model, because it's all in our interests for Bitcoin to succeed.

Rigel: But we can't just create a business and let it self perpetuate itself. We've got to come up with a different model of how we can do that, right? So, you know, there's a little bit of, all of us are like free riding on the work of open source developers in that sense, right? And I think there's a little bit of that when it comes to all these, happy, joyous kind of people I think a lot of them, particularly if you've been here for a short amount of time, have kind of stars in their eyes or their rose tinted glasses on about, like,

Affinity Scams in Bitcoin

Rigel: You know, one thing I would definitely say at the moment, and, you know, I've, I've obviously just, finished up working for a company, in the Bitcoin space is that, there's a lot of people, I think the idea of a Bitcoin scam is a relatively new thing that people aren't looking at, if you're charging 7, 000 to have a out of alpha male retreat, you know, because this guy is associated with Bitcoin, that's a scam, that's a fucking scam, I mean, like, hey, maybe it's being marketed honestly, but I mean, let's look at what's happening here, it's, association with Bitcoin.

Rigel: it's, you know, there's the things like, I like Bitcoin, buy my shitcoin. It's like, I like Bitcoin, buy my other thing. Like, it's the next level. And so I

Knut: why is that a scam though?

Rigel: Well, I think it's a scam in that, If you look at the pricing of the resort that was involved, the tickets are like twice the price, right?

Rigel: Yeah, it is in the eye of the beholder, right? If you feel you're getting value and you're happy to pay that thing, it's not a scam. But I mean, come on, there's other examples, where, there are things where people are, I think you see this a lot where, People are like, here is sound food, or sound diet, or open source this or that, right?

Rigel: You know, where it's, I mean, it's not a scam, but you can see how this like, Bitcoin as a lifestyle brand is being created, right? And people are trying to market things which really have nothing to do with Bitcoin. And again, maybe they're saying this is Bitcoin, but I feel that there is a lot of people using that as a way to charge an overpriced price for an undervalued service, right?

Rigel: And so that's something which I see kind of creeping into the space is a bit of that sociopath kind of behavior, right? And I think that's a bit of a risk.

Rigel: The question is whether you draw the line though, like an overpriced thing is, is it really overpriced if people are willing to pay the price? yeah. This is all a factor of, as Bitcoin gets bigger, you'll see more and more of this, and it'll become more and more of a thing, you know, and you're right, like, what is the line, if people are willing to pay for this, and they're happy, and they don't feel like they're getting scammed, is it a scam, how is this related to Bitcoin, right, and there's many other things out there in the world that use, like, for example, ethical food, where they associate it with something, if you really were wanting to support this cause, you'd be better to directly donate to this thing, right?

Rigel: But they try and create this association to brand themselves, right? And as you said, it's not direct, but I think most people, if you explain this, they get what I'm leading to and they understand the problem,

Rigel: But it is like quantum, this and that, you know, . Yeah. it's a difficult one to discuss, but this is obvious, right, is with anything as it grows, like all the other stuff we talked about, the scams are obvious and as they get bigger, the things are harder and higher to directly say it is, and you can feel something that's right off and wrong and not quite right, but it's a lot harder to articulate and nail it down.

Rigel: the bigger and the larger, more complex it gets. The more involved the scams, if we're gonna call them scams, get

The Influence of Influencers

Luke: No, I mean the tough part about you kind of finding that and actually this is a good example in this case because Rob brought a lot of people into Bitcoin with particularly his Sailor series and my first real touchpoint with like a real Bitcoiner was him on Lex Friedman. Literally, that was my first.

Luke: Bitcoin maxi actually go down the rabbit hole thing and people coming into the space. And so then I have no idea that he's got this reputation under the hood that isn't isn't there, you know, and so it's just it's hard for people coming into the space to, I guess, to understand who is the Who is the right people and, and people with influence and influencers is the correct word here are are re regarded highly and, and they're, what they put out into the, the world by people who are new to the space is, is it's important to get the right message out there, you know.

Knut: And I think you have to judge people from their, like. Are they a net benefit or a net detriment? Like, that's the key, but it's tricky sometimes because people are a bit of both. Of course they are, like, and I think to some extent, sort of everyone is guilty of that. Like,

Rigel: and I agree and it's a great point, right? You know, the guy has a large reach and there are many such people, in the space where, in my personal opinion, it's just garbage, trash. You know, people that are Bitcoin but they can't actually talk in any sort of detail or articulation about what Bitcoin really is, right?

Rigel: But then being presented as experts and these are The megaphones that people are hearing, right? there is an element of, it comes back to the same stuff as we talked about before, like, getting more people in the door is obviously, I think, a benefit, but at what point do you dilute the message such where, you know, let's take the Miami or Nashville conference as an example.

Rigel: How many hours of talks are going on there and how many of them are really adding value and how many of them more just like here is a face and where this face brings people in the door, but what they said was just hot air, right? You know, it was garbage. And would that, I mean, if you ask me, these people should be listening to Erik Voskil and reading crypto economics, which they're not going to do.

Rigel: but I feel like there is more a duty of stewardship from all of us. To try and steer in that right direction. Part of that is calling out things, which I think are clearly unaligned,

Knut: Yeah, but there's a devil's argument to be made here too, because arguably, Bitcoin conferences in general have become more high signal over time. Like, in 2017, you had, like, there were no real Bitcoin conferences, there were just these blockchain bullshit

Rigel: Mm hmm.

Knut: So from a certain point of view, it is getting Like, the signal to noise ratio is getting higher.

Rigel: Mm hmm. Yeah, I mean, it's a hard, and this is, I mean, the fact that we're discussing this, I think, is like the beauty, right? It's like, I have heard very, very few people having these conversations Maybe like kind of leading around this point, but not directly discussing this as like a analytically, objectively as a social phenomenon, right?

Rigel: No, it's great.

Rigel: and like, you know, maybe you are, you're totally right and I'm totally wrong, right? these people are, I should just stop being such a negative Nancy. And these people are good for things, right? but we need to have this discussion and decide, and better articulate what this happy medium between the two is, right?

Knut: You know? And that, that's the thing which I think is missing. And just by having this conversation, discussing this stuff, getting it out and getting more nuanced, I think it's part of getting the job done, right? if maybe next time Robert Breloves does his Art of Alpha 2, I'm going to be like, Well, actually, when I look at it, it's a benefit because we had this conversation, right, Yeah, the sequel is obviously going to be named Art of the Beta.

The Importance of Integrity

Knut: Well, anyway, I think it's a great discussion, and it's like, people should talk more about this. Because, yeah, there is a trade off, and I don't think we disagree, I think we're on the same page here. I'm just mostly taking the devil's advocate position to get the debate going because I think it's very much a subject that should be vocalized more and aired more.

Knut: Absolutely. Because diluting the message is bad. And that is. Like, well, we talk about ethics and tactics and whatnot with the pod all the time, and what we agree on and align on so much, it's like, there is nothing more important than integrity, I love the Scarface quote, you know, all I have in this world is my word and my balls, and they don't break for no one, and I try to live by that,

Rigel: Had I ever taken the bag of shit coins during these last five years, I would be nothing at this point. I've seen it so many times over and over again. People turning from intellectuals to ultimate fighters, for instance, with the same moustache. And it's, to me, it's crazy. It's crazy where, on the one hand, these people talk about Bitcoin is sound money for generations and this is a thousand year mission and they don't see them doing this stuff of like, yeah, to me, there's been many times where I thought, you know, like when I started speaking at conferences and things like this, if I really started going deeper on this thing, maybe I could make more of a thing of it or whatever, but I think I like, I want to slowly build my brand in that sense over like 10 years, like do things and do only do things right.

Rigel: Exactly, exactly dude. That's like all these memes we throw around. But I mean maybe that speaks to, again, this whole point I keep returning to is like, they're all empty platitudes with people actually not deeply thinking about, you know, calling, having something that can clearly articulate and point out, this is in direct contradiction to this, but because the thinking is so sloppy, people don't even realize that they're doing that.

Knut: Like people want the fast, fast buck. And it's like I think that's a real side effect or a result of the fiat mindset and the fiat rot in people's brains over so many years.

Rigel: my mind so much in terms of like, I mean, I guess everyone's got to eat, right, you know, but, but, surely if you've got Bitcoin, like, you're good, right, if you really believe in Bitcoin, right, you know, maybe not now, but if you really believe in Bitcoin, then we're all going to be super fucking rich, right, in 10 years or whatever, and so in that 10 years, you know, if you got a little bit more money, it's not going to matter anywhere near as much as like, if people knew, if you had that old boys network of the people that are here right now in Bitcoin, and they knew that you were always a, you know, Trustable, a person with high integrity for 10 years over all these things.

Rigel: Imagine the value. That is an incredible value,

Knut: honesty and integrity are really, that's really the currency of the future. And that aligns with Bitcoin so well because, It is this base layer of truth. it is actually integrity quantified, if you will. so it aligns so well and I think that, reputation is everything and it's all tied to authenticity and integrity.

Leaning In

Luke: Well, and I mean, first of all, the one thing is that, that's the noster thing there as well. The Web of trust idea. I mean, IM implementation stuff. Is, is that's valid. Like if we've, we've had our own concerns about the architecture and, haven't really talked to any hardcore skeptics that, that actually have thought about this hard.

Luke: But still the, the web of trust thing is, is amazing in terms of, in terms of this portable web of trust that you can take from application to application. And hold on to that. And so I mean, I think that's just going to amplify that effect. the talk I did at Noob Day was basically just leaning into Bitcoin, how to do it.

Luke: Because for me, I've been in the space two years. so much has just happened from saying yes to stuff and putting in the work I'm not tooting my horn. Too hard when I'm saying that, but the point about it is just like, do the work, like you say, I mean, things can happen a lot faster than you

Knut: and there are no shortcuts.

Luke: just by having the integrity and doing the work with

Knut: Yeah. And you can't just cling on to this or that influencers ideas. That doesn't work. you need to actually study the thing. And

Luke: Slay your heroes.

Rigel: Yeah, something I talked about in the talk that I did today is the whole idea of what Bitcoin is, is like a different philosophy around technology, right? You know, we have The systems view of technology and the tools view of technology is technology a system whereby you follow a more or less a recipe or a set of instructions and the software does everything for you and it's like pressing a button and getting something out the other end, right?

Rigel: And that has its place, but I mean, I think Bitcoin is a different type of technology in that it requires, like you to learn to, to wield it, to understand that the value is in the, the, the time and energy that you have to invest to learn about it. Because if you don't learn it, then someone else is making these decisions for you, and the whole point of Bitcoin is, is to educate yourself and master it, right?

Rigel: An analogy might be, you know, hundreds of years ago, slightly romanticized, example, but nonetheless, I think that the metaphor is, is there, that hundreds of years ago, like, to be able to kill someone, like to be a knight or whatever, you had to spend a long amount of time learning how to master a sword, right?

Rigel: And what would work for you is one will exactly work for me.

Knut: you would probably have to practice less, right?

Rigel: but I mean, it's all about your, understanding yourself, right? And you're never going to be a better swordsman. I'm never going to be a better swordsman than you if I don't really understand myself.

Rigel: And then to project myself through the sword, right? Now today, any moron in an hour can learn how to have a rifle and shoot people. And I think, again, it's somewhat romanticized, but I still think there's a good amount of truth to this. And that, like, I think we are in a much worse position by having the power to kill given to anyone who knows how to work a very simple machine.

Rigel: Versus that being reserved to people that go through the work and therefore learn to master themselves and understand themselves. There's a degree of, you're never going to be able to kill people unless you're able to pass these personal tests and verse the effort, right? And I think the same thing should apply to technologies like bitcoin, like with our money, right?

Rigel: Because when you don't do that, you're just a blindness follower of someone else's instructions. But when you actually have to sit down and learn, there's value to making people go through that process. And so I think, like, the whole idea of bitcoin is that it should be a little. Complicated and a little hard and you know you shouldn't try and dumb it down too much because there's a certain point where it kind of kills what the whole point of Bitcoin is which is to go through that kind of process and we will have a better world if everyone understands how to use Bitcoin.

Rigel: But again, if imagine it's ten people in the world are the only people that really understand Bitcoin and everyone else is just using you know, Binance or something like that. Are we any better than we are now? I don't think we are, you know. So the whole point is making sure that everyone in the world or a much greater amount of people in the world Are the people who are able to be the banks and the PayPals and the things like that.

Rigel: And I think that's the value of it. And part of that is forcing people to be responsible and to learn themselves. And if they don't go through that, we don't change anything. So it's a counterpoint.

Knut: Are you familiar with the word Kdi Ling This, this is a word that our friend Ralphie told us in Prague, and the definition is to purposefully travel without any particular destination, possibly meandering. And, someone asked people on Twitter to, describe Bitcoin with one word.

Knut: And I think that's a perfect word, it's coddywompling. It's purposeful, but you don't know where it leads.

Rigel: yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, it's like these, all these now, you know, the journey is a destination, all this kinda stuff. But I mean, I think there is value, there's truth to that with Bitcoin,

Wrapping Up

Luke: Rigel, this has been a great, discussion, lively, do you have anything else big on your mind that you're excited to talk about or share?

Rigel: no, that's pretty much it. this has been a really good talk and I feel like I don't listen to too many Bitcoin podcasts these days, but I feel like. I don't think these sort of conversations are being had about these sort of things and, and just thank you for giving the opportunity to hopefully, hopefully whoever's watching this has shared similar, felt similar value from it, but thank you for giving the opportunity to talk about these things with you guys because they've been great counterpoints as well.

Knut: Pleasure is, on our side, right back at you. so anyway, will you want to send our listeners,

Rigel: no, just I'm on Twitter, and Telegram, if you want to get me directly, on Coinsure and

Knut: Telegram.

Rigel: yeah, yeah, yeah, hot topic today, isn't it, yeah, yeah,

Knut: have gone

Rigel: I'm trying to remember what my, I just added the, thing in, Signal. But anyway, you can get my Signal if you message me there. and my Nostr, I believe, is on there as well.

Rigel: And if not, I'm sure you can find me through things on Nostr there. I'll tell you my input, but that's a little messy to, to say on a

Rigel: We make, we make that joke sometimes, oh, you're not going to tell us your mPub? that

Knut: Thank you, Rigel, for coming on to the Bitcoin Infinity Show.

Luke: Thank you so much for having me. Appreciate it. Thank you.

Luke: you. This has been the Bitcoin Infinity Show. Thank you for listening.Appreciate it. Thank you. Luke: you. This has been the Bitcoin Infinity Show. Thank you for listening.

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Tutorial feito por Grom Mestre⚡

Poste original Abaixo.

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Part 3: http://xh6liiypqffzwnu5734ucwps37tn2g6npthvugz3gdoqpikujju525yd.onion/230113/tutorial-conectando-se-ao-xmpp-pela-i2p?show=230113#q230113

Boa tarde, camaradas do meu coeur!

Depois de muito tempo, e com o retorno da minha serotonina aos níveis basais, estou dando início a essa nova série de tutoriais. Espero que tirem muito proveito das informações passadas aqui para amplicarem o seu conhecimento da deepweb.

Esta postagem trará antes algumas considerações iniciais que podem ser úteis para quem possui pouco ou nenhum contato prévio com outras tecnologias ou tenha um entendimento torto a respeito da deepweb. Aconselho a estes que deem um boa lida antes de partirem para os tópicos do tutorial, mas saibam que ele não é um pré requisito para ele.

Dito isso, vamos prosseguir.

TÓPICOS: Introdução Instalando e configurando o roteador e o navegador Conectando-se a serviços na I2P Configurações avançadas

1. Introdução

1.1 Definindo a DeepWeb.

Muitos devem imaginar erroneamente que a deepweb se restrinja apenas à rede onion, mais precisamente aos seus hidden services, já que o Tor possui como uma das suas funções primárias proteger e burlar restrições governamentais e proteger o seus usuários através de métodos sofisticados de roteamento de pacotes e criptografia. Entretanto, ela é mais ampla do que se imagina dependendo da forma como a classificamos. 

Os ditos "profissionais" usam uma definição extremamente vaga e imprecisa do que seria a deepweb e a sua verdadeira abrangência. Para isso, criei uma definição um pouco melhor para ela: redes comunitárias, sobrepostas, anônimas e criptografadas. 

Vamos aos pontos individualmente:

São Comunitárias, pois os pontos de roteamento de pacotes na rede (relays ou routers) muitas vezes são mantidos de forma voluntária por usuários comuns. Não é necessário nenhuma infraestrutura sofisticada para ser um contribuinte na rede, basta ter um computador com acesso à internet e conhecimentos básicos para fazer a configuração.

São sobrepostas porque não estão acima ou abaixo da rede tradicional (diferente do que muitos imaginam). Os pacotes na DW trafegam entre os dados da surface e não em meios distintos (algo que não faz o menor sentido). Sabe aquele papo de camadas da DW ou aquela abobrinha da Mariana's Web? Então, tudo um monte de bosta derivado de Youtubers sensacionalistas iletrados em informática. Elitismo da minha parte? Quem sabe...

São anônimas porque não é simples determinar a origem e o destino dos pacotes entre nodes intermediários dado a natureza do roteamento. Em geral, aos menos para a rede onion, há pelo menos 3 relays entre você e o servidor, sendo que esse número duplica para hidden services (3 seus e 3 do serviço). A imagem abaixo ilustra bemocoteamento dos pacotes na onio. https://image.nostr.build/aea96f41d356157512f26b479ea8db5bce8693dd642f2bce0258d8e4b0dac053.jpg

Por fim, são criptografadas porque as conexões são fortemente protegidas por algoritmos sofisticados de criptografia. Além de não sabermos a origem dos dados, sequer podemos saber com facilidade o conteúdo dessas mensagens mesmo que os protocolos das camadas superiores (HTTP, HTTPS, FTP) sejam inseguros, dado que a criptografia da própria rede já as protege. Por isso é tão comum que sites da DW não usem HTTPS, pois as autoridades de certificados não os assinam para domínios da onion e certificados autoassinados vão disparar avisos no navegador.

A imagem abaixo ilustra bem como é o roteamento onion usado pelo Tor. Perceba que o contéudo da mensagem está enrolado em 3 camadas de criptografia (como a de uma cebola), de modo que para revelar o contéudo original seria preciso quebrar, no pior dos casos, 3 camadas. Como mencionado antes, o método usado para isso é a criptografia assimétrica, muito similar ao PGP, porém com a sua própria implementação. https://image.nostr.build/7bfaaf29211c11b82049ef8425abb67738d085c41558e9339ec13cf49ea5b548.jpg

Observação: Por mais que dentro da rede o encapsulamento proteja as mensagens internamente, entenda muito bem que isso não se aplica a sites da surface acessados pela onion. Ao desempacotar a última camada, a mensagem original é completamente exposta no exit node. Se ela não estiver protegida por uma camada adicional como TLS, seus pacotes estarão completamente expostos, algo que representa um sério risco de segurança.

As redes que caem em ao menos três dessas definições (anonimato, sobreposição e criptografia) podem ser classificadas como deepwebs. Podemos citar:

• Lokinet • Zeronet • Freenet • I2P • Tor • Gnunet 

Porém, há alguns casos interessantes que não caem diretamente nessa regra .

A Yggdrasil ( https://yggdrasil-network.github.io/ ), uma rede de topologia mesh com foco em escalabilidade e eficiência de roteamento, possui três dessas características: comunitária, sobreposta e segura. Entretanto, os nodes não são anônimos e muitas vezes podem estar desprotegidos, já que se conectar à Yggdrasil é que equivalente a ligar o seu computador diretamente na rede sem a presença de um NAT/CGNAT, correndo o risco de expor portas de serviços da sua máquina caso elas não estejam protegidas por um firewall. A Yggdrasil na prática é exposta como um dispositivo de camada 3 (tipo um VPN), mas diferente de um, apenas endereços IPv6 dentro de uma faixa bem específica de IP são roteados por ela, o que permite que ela coexista com outros dispositivos sem haver conflitos de roteamento.

Há quem argumente que a Yggdrasil é uma deepweb dado a sua sobreposição em relação à surface; outros podem argumentar que dado a falta de anonimato ela não se enquadraria nessa categoria. Independentemente disso é uma tecnologia muito interessante com ampla gama de aplicações, como encapsular tráfego de outras redes, como a I2P, e melhorar a eficiência de roteamento.

Por fim, vamos desmitificar alguns mitos da DeepWeb muito difundidos.

Não existem camadas da DW. Os pacotes da DW são sobrepostos e navegam juntos aos pacotes da surface.

DeepWeb e DarkWeb não são coisas diferentes. São termos genéricos para a mesma coisa.

DarkWeb não é o seu provedor de e-mail ou serviço de banco. Se eles não se enquadram nas categorias de um deepweb, então estão na surface.

Você não é irrastreável na DW. Adversários motivados podem foder com você com facilidade (leia a respeito de ataques de Timing, correlação e fingerprinting).

Mesmo que não seja possível ver o conteúdo de uma mensagem pela deepweb, é possível ao menos saber que você a acessou. ISPs podem ver esse tipo de tráfego como suspeito.

Você não é um hacker só porque instalou o TorBrowser, mas pode ser considerado um se expor o IP de um hidden service.

Instalando e configurando o roteador I2P

Segue agora a seção 2 do tutorial do I2P. Mas antes apenas queria falar um pouco do projeto I2P. Apesar do foco do tutorial não ser para tratar da sua história, gostaria ao menos de fazer uma breve introdução sobre ela.

O projeto I2P (Invisible Internet Protocol) é uma rede P2P descentalizada, anônima e segura para estabelecer a comunicação entre os usuários e serviços. Na I2P é possível usar serviços como mensageiros IRC, XMPP, web services, e-mail e até mesmo torrents. A I2P nasceu de um fork da Freenet no ano de 2003, porém possui diferenças drásticas em relação a ela.

Há similaridades entre a I2P e o Tor, porém vale destacar algumas de suas vantagens. Sendo elas:

• Garlic routing ( https://geti2p.net/en/docs/how/garlic-routing ) • Modelo P2P • Todos os participantes da rede contribuem para ela • Fechado na rede - não é possível acessar a surface através da I2P • Otimizado para hidden services

Apesar disso, vale lembrar que o projeto é pequeno, desenvolvido por menos voluntários se comparado ao Tor e possui menos movimentação e financiamento para o seu desenvolvimento. Além disso, o Tor é um projeto muito mais maduro e bem documentado, algo que atrai mais usuários e desenvolvedores e torna a tarefa de encontrar e corrigir bugs mais fácil de ser realizada. 

Esses são pontos importantes que devemos levar em conta ao escolher a tecnologia para as nossas necessidades. Nem sempre há tecnologias ruins, as vezes apenas as empregamos as ferramentas erradas na resolução de certos problemas.

Referências: • https://geti2p.net/en/comparison/tor • https://geti2p.net/en/docs/how/garlic-routing

• https://geti2p.net/en/about/intro

• https://i2pd.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

2. Instalando e configurando o roteador

Antes da criação do I2PBrowserBundle ( https://github.com/PurpleI2P/i2pdbrowser/releases/tag/1.3.3 ) , a única forma de se conectar à I2P era pela configuração manual de proxy no navegador. Muita gente ou não sabe ou tem MUUUUUITA preguiça de fazer isso e ficam resistentes de entrar na I2P dada essa restrição.

Como eu quero ser um bom tutor eu farei do jeito mais "difícil", pois tanto eu desejo que vocês aprendam as nuances do processo como eu sei que vocês são inteligentes o suficiente para fazer isso.

2.1 Instalação do router

Atualmente nós temos duas implementações do I2P: Uma em Java e outra em C++ (i2pd). Usaremos nesse tutorial a versão em C++ dado o seu baixo uso de recursos e facilidade de instalação.

O I2Pd está disponível para Windows, Linux, MacOS e Android e possui binários pré-compilados nas releases ( https://github.com/PurpleI2P/i2pd/releases/tag/2.50.2 ) do projeto no Github. Usuários de Linux podem instalá-lo através do respectivo gerenciador de pacotes da sua distribuição, porém algumas distros não oferecem o pacote diretamente nos reposítórios oficiais, necessitando do uso de PPAs (Ubuntu), COPR (Fedora/RHEL) e afins. Vocês podem conferir as instruções oficiais para cada sistema nessa página ( https://i2pd.readthedocs.io/en/latest/user-guide/install/ ).

Apesar desse tutorial ser voltado a usuários de desktop, o I2Pd também está disponível na loja do F-droid. Infelizmente poucos navegadores em Android permitem a configuração de proxies, porém na seção de Serviços na I2P eu tratarei brevemente de como se conectar a servidores de XMPP usando o ConversationI2P.

Para usuários de Windows, segue abaixo os binários para instalação.

• Versão 32bits ( https://github.com/PurpleI2P/i2pd/releases/download/2.50.2/i2pd_2.50.2_win32_mingw.zip )

• Versão 64bits ( https://github.com/PurpleI2P/i2pd/releases/download/2.50.2/i2pd_2.50.2_win64_mingw.zip )

• Versão para Windows XP (pois é, kk) ( https://github.com/PurpleI2P/i2pd/releases/download/2.50.2/i2pd_2.50.2_winxp_mingw.zip )

A instalação é simples e direta. Após ela apenas abram o I2Pd para que o router inicie a operação de busca e conexão com os peers. Para usuários de Linux, vocês precisam ativar o serviços através do comando 'sudo systemctl start i2pd'. Se vocês desejam que o I2Pd inicie junto com o sistema usem o comando 'sudo systemctl enable --now i2pd'.

Se tudo estiver funcionando corretamente, vocês serão capazes de abrir o webconsole do I2Pd no navegador através do endereço: 127.0.0.1:7070.  https://image.nostr.build/ab205ae1071a2b705279e5ce2d6e912d8d11cc7d6dd0dc8a26b76724a27bd94b.jpg https://image.nostr.build/fa17e14600737ccfc92a415cec2fbfba226b950b2b97af7475927ae65abdbe11.jpg

2.2 Instalação e configuração do navegador

Apesar de  qualquer navegador ser capaz de usar a I2P não é recomendado que usem qualquer um, especialmente o navegador que você usam no seu dia-a-dia. Recomendo que usem um navegador próprio para usar na I2P ou isolem suas atividades em um perfil separado.

Em navegadores baseado no Firefox isso é relativamente simples, bastando adicionar a opção '--profile' e o caminho do perfil que vocês desejam usar. Nesse tutorial eu vou mostrar como criar um perfil novo no Librewolf e configurar no lançador para iniciar o perfil e abrir em uma janela anônima. Essas instruções são análogas para todos os sistemas, excetuando aquelas configurações mais exóticas.

2.2.1 Escolhendo o navegador

Como citado, usarei o Librewolf como exemplo. Vocês podem baixar o instalador direto do site ou usar o gerenciador de pacotes do seu sistema no caso de Linux. Como é uma tarefa trivial eu não vou detalhar esse processo, pois todas as instruções estão em detalhes no site do navegador ( https://librewolf.net/installation/ )

2.2.2 Criando um perfil e configurando o lançador

Abram o navegador e digitem 'about:profiles' na barra de endereço. Criem um novo perfil clicando em 'Create New Profile' https://image.nostr.build/fa17e14600737ccfc92a415cec2fbfba226b950b2b97af7475927ae65abdbe11.jpg

Coloquem um nome no seu perfil e cliquem em Finalizar https://image.nostr.build/62059e375000940f11b27ae77b9ec011f9baadbb5a84afc910d41841ce73e82d.jpg

Perfis novos recém criados são iniciados por padrão. Se você deseja usar outro perfil por padrão deve mudar isso na seção 'about:profiles' do navegador.

Agora vamos configurar o lançador do LibreWolf para iniciar o perfil do i2p e em uma janela anônima. Usarei o XFCE como referência para essa tarefa, mas saibam que o processo é análogo em sistemas como Windows ou DEs como KDE. Se quiserem também podem lançar via terminal através do comando 'librewolf --profile caminho_do_perfil --private-window'.

Cliquem com o botão direito no ícone do Librewolf e abram as propriedades do atalho.

Na guia lançador, no campo Comando, adicionem no final a opção '--private-window' e a opção '--profile caminho_do_perfil'. O caminho do perfil é aquele mostrado na seção 'about:profiles' do Librewolf. https://image.nostr.build/a7d6515d7825cb3bdcb681ecf71a97318dccba81eea7cc87fc5377ecc06065ee.jpg

2.2.3 Configurando o proxy

Com o lançador configurado, abra o navegador nesse perfil. Vamos configurar o proxy para se conectar ao I2P agora.

Abra as configurações digitando 'about:preferences' na barra de endereço. Na seção 'Geral' abra as configurações de rede (Network Settings) https://image.nostr.build/f37157bebf15ada616914f403e756cf9fcee4c9aaaa353196c9cc754ca4d7bc5.jpg

Configure o seu proxy como na figura abaixo. https://image.nostr.build/41ebd05255a8129d21011518d400689308d9c0320408967003bf296771e0b96f.jpg

Fecha as configurações. Se o seu proxy foi configurado corretamente tente abrir algum desses eepsites.

• http://identiguy.i2p • http://notbob.i2p • http://reg.i2p

Se tudo ocorreu como conforme, a página será carregada. https://image.nostr.build/ce29ae44743f06cfed591f082208c9612c59b3429ab46d90db48131b3bc3e99d.jpg

OBSERVAÇÃO: A busca pelos peers é um pouco demorada, levando de 2 a 5 minutos para que um número mínimo necessário de peers sejam encontrados para estabelecer uma conexão estável. Você pode ver a lista de inbound e outbound tunnels na seção Tunnels do WebConsole (localhost:7070) https://image.nostr.build/285a0d765eaf5f33409f975cd720d0efa68ecc40a9da20bfd9cde0cd1f59a7b6.jpg

IMPORTANTE: Apesar do Librewolf possuir defaults seguros, eu recomendo que vocês instalem as seguintes extensões para aumentar ainda mais a sua proteção.

• noScript • JShelter

Lembrem-se que vocês precisam desativar o proxy para acessar a clearnet. Depois disso reativem-no nas configurações.

Outro detalhe: Se vocês tentarem digitar um endereço .i2p na barra de endereços do navegador sem especificar o protocolo (http), ao invés do Librewolf ir ao endereço ele vai realizar uma pesquisa. Para corrigir esse problema, vocês precisam adicionar a seguinte configuração do tipo boolean em 'about:config' como mostrado na imagem. https://image.nostr.build/4518ab817b131f7efe542b2d919b926099dce29a7b59bdd3c788caf53dbd071e.jpg

Reiniciem o navegador e testem. Se tudo deu certo vocês não precisam especificar o protocolo ao digitar um endereço .i2p, bastando apenas digitar o endereço simplificado.

Por fim, terminamos essa parte do tutorial. Na próximo parte trataremos de como podemos nos conectar a serviços hospedados na I2P como XMPP

[TUTORIAL] Conectando-se ao XMPP pela I2P

Essa é a terceira parte da série de tutoriais. Agora vamos tratar de algumas operações na rede, sendo uma delas conectando-se a um servidor de XMPP na I2P.

Não se esqueça de ligar o router e manter ele ligado por alguns minutos antes de iniciar essas operações. O router demora um pouco para encontrar os peers e estabelecer uma conexão estável. 

3.1 Escolhendo o cliente XMPP

Existem diversos clientes XMPP capazes de se conectar usando um proxy. Um dos melhores é o Gajim, um cliente escrito em Python com diversas funcionalidades como criptografia OMEMO e PGP, workspaces separados, extensibilidade via plugins e uma interface bonita e organizada.

Assim como ocorreu com o router, o Gajim está disponível por padrão na maioria das distros Linux. Use o seu gerenciador de pacotes para instala-lo. Em Windows você pode baixar o Gajim através desse link ( https://gajim.org/download/ )

3.2 Criando uma conta

Vamos primeiro criar uma conta no servidor. No nosso exemplo usarei o servidor oficial do projeto i2pd, o xmpp.ilita.i2p. Há diversos outros servidores XMPP no diretório de links notbob.i2p caso queiram explorar mais. Para criar uma conta, siga os passos abaixo:

Abra o Gajim. Na barra de tarefas vá em Contas -> Adicionar Conta. Na nova janela que aparecer, clique em Adicionar Conta https://image.nostr.build/01413e7c6d00c238420e3b0c769dd8d7f7d6522754d2135d3e98a22944f79a27.jpg https://image.nostr.build/9f015861f33990871d96f03d5ec78036a65e3ad9f8ff6a38da18c5b27d31f6d5.jpg

Na janela de adicionar contas, clique diretamente em Inscrever-se. Não precisa colocar as suas credencias como mostra a imagem (falha minha, ksksk) https://nostrcheck.me/media/c8411a22946e97467e0ee197ef7a0205ba05f2c67bde092041481ccc2cbbc66d/81938c8d278ce0562c2240341e203f3b70f51ee2db06ceb453f8a178df37fa84.webp

Digite o nome do servidor no campo abaixo. Não esqueça de marcar a opção 'Configurações Avançadas' antes de clicar em Inscrever-se https://image.nostr.build/5ee4305a6a23e5c064446b0ce7a4cbc7e790c1ba237bd2495d0237b86a4df07f.jpg

Vamos adicionar um novo proxy para essa conta. Para isso clique no botão 'Gerenciar proxies', ao lado do campo Proxy nas Configurações Avançadas https://image.nostr.build/daceb5436def55401d3974ce48d85771e5ebcec4e3f90eb1001df4609112ec12.jpg

Adicione um novo proxy clicando no sinal de '+' abaixo da lista de proxies. Preencha os campos de acordo com a imagem abaixo e em seguida feche a janela. https://image.nostr.build/140b34c4e46e9295c073311d483d206201d9339a75f613fe4e829c14f3257bfe.jpg https://image.nostr.build/d365a63d81a14d763bffceb50b30eb53d81959623f8fe812175358a41b1fba53.jpg

No campo de Proxy, selecione o proxy I2P. Preencha o restante dos campos de acordo com a imagem abaixo. Em seguida clique em 'Inscrever-se'. https://image.nostr.build/d06c11d9c6d19728bf5a58af2dd3e14d8ca0021456da09792a345ac0bfc90ad0.jpg

Nesse momento uma mensagem pode aparecer pedindo para abrir uma exceção para o certificado TLS. Isso acontece porque trata-se de um certificado autoassinado que não foi validado por uma autoridade oficial. Apenas abra a exceção e prossiga (não há imagem para isso porque eu já abri essa exceção no meu cliente). Uma nova janela vai aparecer solicitando-lhe para inserir as suas credenciais. Tome cuidado aqui, pois não é para inserir o nome completo com o domínio, apenas o seu nome de usuário (ex: descartavel). https://image.nostr.build/dde2a6736bd00080fbeeb8076754e226971a412710b370d5559f7f4d5414f8b3.jpg

Se tudo der certo, uma nova janela vai aparecer confirmando a sua inscrição. Coloque um nome e uma cor para a sua conta e clique em Conectar para concluir o processo. https://image.nostr.build/74934d3f1f3f4232eacee8e78e707936227f816c50ac6b52da5c81ec17557e69.jpg

Para finalizar, nos detalhes da sua conta, modifique as suas configurações de privacidade para diminuir o fingerprint. Na seção de 'Privacidade', desligue as seguintes opções:

• Tempo ocioso • Hora de Sistema Local • Sistema Operacional • Reprodução de Mídia https://image.nostr.build/d2ed5852a104c770b50c7b053d518d8af0b6289ced6b3ad4187492208c7ca649.jpg

3.3 Procurando por salas de bate-papo públicas

Após criar a sua nova conta, vamos descobrir alguns serviços que o servidor oferece. Para isso, vá para Contas -> Descobrir serviços https://image.nostr.build/54928d1dd0e48365858b24c72097a9fabf677794e13f329fc0568211eefbe559.jpg

Na seção 'Bate-papo em Grupo', selecione Chatrooms e clique em 'Navegar'. Ao fazer isso uma lista de chatroom públicos presentes no servidor vai aparecer. Fique a vontade para explorar, porém saiba que alguns servidores são moderados e não te permitem mandar mensagens sem sua conta ser aprovada pelo moderador (familiar?). https://image.nostr.build/1936bef51d58a1f6cfdf8bf8d84bfa64adc2a09b9c0fb1623b93a327f0b8cdd8.jpg https://image.nostr.build/89e8013b1cea1df0f80f6833bd6771c33101f404b0099b2d7330a5e57607baff.jpg

3.4 Adicionando contatos

Para adicionar contatos à sua lista, clique no símbolo de '+' ao lado do campo de pesquisa e selecione 'Add Contact'. https://image.nostr.build/d3cadea27591355f674fba93765c3815282d112b2e80a592bb77a442c13dd4f4.jpg

Coloque o endereço completo da conta que você deseja adicionar. Usarei a minha conta oficial nesse exemplo. Você tem a opção de anexar uma mensagem qualquer antes de enviar o convite. Clique em 'Adicionar Contato' para prosseguir. https://image.nostr.build/ff95b7aec2377c58d4253c5b7b3aabf141a92dd5f3e97f6e1f01ecb32a215d38.jpg https://image.nostr.build/6562e680e28c321ebbd009b5ade513f8a279aea33bc16aa9fb251f3507eb04af.jpg

Se tudo ocorrer normalmente, o novo contato vai aparecer na sua lista. Dê dois-cliques na conta para abrir o chat. Não se esqueça de ativar a criptografia OMEMO antes de enviar qualquer mensagem. Agora você está pronto para conversar de forma segura :) https://image.nostr.build/ef7f783a311ad0f68a5408137f75dc2bc6c38f6e9656dc0d68d3267f5012f658.jpg

E com isso terminamos a terceira parte da série de tutoriais.

[TUTORIAL] Criando e conectando-se a um servidor XMPP na I2P e clearnet.

Como configurar o seu próprio servidor XMPP. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ot_EmQ8xdJwy

Criando contas e conectando clientes Pidgin http://i2pd.readthedocs.io/en/latest/tutorials/xmpp/#creating-accounts-and-connecting-clients

BONUS: Conectando-se facilmente à I2P. https://youtube.com/watch?v=wGIh5tQcw68

@ b8a9df82:6ab5cbbd

Packing my bags and taking…? Absolutely no idea, but definitely not a winter jacket. That’s not happening—I’ve been telling myself for years that I don’t want to spend another winter in Berlin. The last few have been brutal. I’m craving a real adventure.

Currently on plane number three, with plenty of time to think, read, and write because, honestly, one of the things I love most about flying is not being connected. I’m the person who won’t spend over $10 on an hour of Wi-Fi, and right now, I love that my phone is off. No messages, no notifications. It’s kind of crazy these days—every morning, I wake up to 100 messages. I’m always telling people how toxic phones can be, yet even I can barely stay away from mine lately.

Right now, squeezed into the middle seat on a 10-hour flight from Toronto to Buenos Aires, I’m starting to question what I’ve gotten myself into. Yes, Toronto. There are people who can afford a direct flight, and then… there’s me. Berlin to Frankfurt, Toronto to São Paulo (just a quick tech stop), and finally, Buenos Aires.

Nearly 30 hours of travel. It’s fine, but yeah, I’m kind of jealous watching the business class people, lounging literally just in front of me. My legs are burning; sleep is impossible. I don’t even know what day it is anymore.

Flying’s changed so much. It’s ridiculously expensive and uncomfortable now. It’s like today’s business class is what economy used to be ten years ago. Now, we pay extra for everything. I miss when flying felt like a bit of an adventure itself, back when they’d let kids visit the cockpit (I have been there) —impossible now, sadly.

So here I am, taking a moment to share some personal insights from last week, preparing for this LATAM-Nostr Tour:

The last few weeks have been intense, to say the least. My last official workday was at the end of September, and of course, I got super sick right after. My body was practically screaming for a timeout that my mind didn’t want to give. I kept thinking, “Just four more weeks—Amsterdam, sorting my life out in Berlin, subletting my flat.” Well, clearly, that didn’t quite go as planned. So hey, if anyone needs a cute little flat for a few months, let me know!

Excited, overwhelmed, and freaking out all at once. I just hope everything works out: that I haven’t forgotten anything, that the booths will be ready, the schedule will come together, people show up, speakers are prepared, volunteers are there, tickets are sorted. There’s still so much to do, and the conference pace is making it tough. For example, SatsConf still hasn’t sent the final design specs, and I just got the measurements for the graphics. Trying to sort that out while traveling is sending me into a bit of a tailspin. It’s like my inner German is in crisis mode, haha.

I know what I’m doing, and I know what I’m capable of—but this is a whole new world. I really want to meet everyone’s expectations here. I miss my usual team so much because I know how they work, what to expect, and I can trust that everything will be handled. Here, I just have to let go, trust, and see what happens.

And then you meet people. You realize they’re kind, helpful, and excited, and together, it feels like we can actually make something happen. Last week, I went to the Nostr Berlin meet-up, chatting with some guys who also happened to be flying to BA. I suggested they help at our booth, and in return, we could sort out tickets. They were thrilled—it’s the kind of support that makes all of this feel worth it.

Even though I don’t know exactly what’s in store or what to expect, I’m truly looking forward to it. The team is incredible, and I know I’ll be looked after. As the only woman in the core team, it’s been an experience. I love working with men, but there are times I wish I had another woman alongside me, someone with a similar mindset and, yes, someone to do the “girly stuff” with.

But here I am, embracing the unknown, ready for this journey, and just hoping that somewhere between Buenos Aires and Berlin, this leap will pay off in ways I can’t even imagine. South America, let’s see what you’ve got!!!

@ 46390caa:7e7f65d9

The relationship between central banks and Bitcoin has long been complex and multifaceted. As the world's first decentralized cryptocurrency continues to gain traction, central banks are grappling with how to regulate and interact with this new financial phenomenon. In this article, we'll explore the evolving dynamics between central banks and Bitcoin, and what this means for the future of finance.

Early Scepticism

Initially, central banks viewed Bitcoin with skepticism, citing concerns over its volatility, lack of regulation, and potential for illicit activities. Many saw Bitcoin as a threat to traditional fiat currencies and the established financial order.

Shifting Stance

However, as Bitcoin's market capitalization grew and institutional investment increased, central banks began to reevaluate their stance. Some central banks now explore ways to leverage blockchain technology and issue their own digital currencies.

Central Bank-Backed Cryptocurrencies (CBDCs)

Several central banks are developing or testing CBDCs, including:

1. Sweden's Riksbank (e-krona)
2. China's People's Bank of China (Digital Currency Electronic Payment)
3. Singapore's Monetary Authority (Project Ubin)
4. Canada's Bank of Canada (CAD- Coin)

CBDCs aim to:

1. Improve financial inclusion
2. Enhance payment efficiency
3. Reduce cash handling costs
4. Increase monetary policy effectiveness

Regulatory Approaches

Central banks employ varying regulatory strategies:

1. Strict Regulation: Some, like the European Central Bank, advocate for stringent regulations to mitigate risks.
2. Sandboxes: Others, like the UK's Financial Conduct Authority, create sandboxes for innovation while ensuring consumer protection.
3. Collaboration: A few, like the Bank of International Settlements, encourage cooperation among central banks to develop global standards.

Implications for Bitcoin

The central bank-Bitcoin dynamic has significant implications:

1. Legitimization: Central bank involvement lends credibility to cryptocurrency.
2. Competition: CBDCs may compete with Bitcoin for market share.
3. Regulatory Clarity: Clear guidelines could boost institutional investment.
4. Innovation: Collaboration can drive blockchain innovation.

Conclusion

The relationship between central banks and Bitcoin is evolving from adversarial to collaborative. As central banks explore CBDCs and regulatory frameworks, Bitcoin's legitimacy and mainstream acceptance grow. The future of finance will likely involve a blend of traditional and decentralized systems.

Sources:

1. Bank for International Settlements (BIS) - "Central bank digital currencies"
2. International Monetary Fund (IMF) - "Casting Light on Central Bank Digital Currencies"
3. World Economic Forum (WEF) - "The Future of Central Bank Digital Currencies"

@ 6bae33c8:607272e8

The book on Daniel Jones is closed. It’s probably been closed for at least a year, but what I saw last night was quintessential Dimes. Basically, he’s a good athlete who can make all the throws when he steps into them. But his feel for the pocket is F-. And because he’s so tall, his speed doesn’t really kick in until he gets going — he has a slow first step when under pressure in the pocket. And maybe he’s even lost a step as they rarely call designed runs anymore, and when he scrambles it no longer goes anywhere.

I’m watching this from a hotel lobby, and it took herculean restraint not to scream, “Get rid of the fucking ball!” Just make a read and get rid of it. He thinks way too much, he doesn’t read and respond. He’s the opposite of Tua or Kurt Warner back in the day who just whip the ball out right away. The Giants can’t win with him, barring a perfect offensive line, and theirs is the opposite, though it played much better last night.

• The Steelers aren’t good. but they just show up.

• Russell Wilson throws a nice deep ball, but is not nearly as fast on his feet as he once was. He’s an upgrade over Justin Fields but might have less upside.

• Najee Harris is a load and wears down the defense. There’s still value in that.

• Jaylen Warren is back to last year’s role and is startable in a pinch.

• George Pickens had a better game than the box score indicates — had one TD called back due to a penalty and another overturned.

• Tyrone Tracy is a monster — fast, runs hard and can catch passes (though they rarely throw to him.) But apparently he left late with a head injury (I didn’t see it.) After Jayden Reed (who’s slipped into irrelevance) Tracy was my second biggest draft-day regret for not getting.

• Malik Nabers had a drop, but otherwise had a decent game, fighting like crazy for yardage after the catch. He should have drawn a PI on a deep throw too as far as I could tell.

• It looks like Darius Slayton has overtaken Wan’Dale Robinson as the WR2. Granted they have different roles, but Jones is looking down the field for Slayton more.

• The Giants offensive line blocked well against the run and did enough against a tough Steelers pass rush, but Dimes did them in with his awful pocket awareness. It’s tough to watch him freeze when no one is wide open. He’s not only the anti-Tua (not getting rid of it) but also the anti-Mahomes, not having any poise when things aren’t there. He needs to learn to throw his receivers open, throw to Nabers to make a play even if he’s covered, improvise, something.

• The Giants defense is good. It’s really too bad they get sold out by Dimes every game. Even someone like Derek Carr would make a huge difference.

• What a frustrating game. The Giants got the Wilson turnover late in the fourth quarter to give them a chance, and Dimes started doing Dimes things including delay of game. I even blame the false starts on him — if I knew my QB was gonna deer-in-headlights it every time, I’d be anxious to get blocking early too.

@ fd208ee8:0fd927c1

Yesterday was also a day

I'm still quite bullish about using Nostr to publish, and generally for OtherStuff, but I was feeling a bit pessimistic about the microblogging (kind 01) feeds on Nostr, yesterday. And, rightly so. Mine has been grinding slowly to a halt, and not for lack of effort, on my part. I regularly hear reports, from other npubs, that they sense the same phenomenon.

Most of the people I have whitelisted on the wss://theforest.nostr1.com relay (currently 302, in number) are beginning to give up on Kind 01 clients, except for occasionally making an announcement, and are increasingly moving their chatting off-Nostr. (I'm still privy to those conversations, but most of you no longer are.)

So, my feed has been getting quieter and quieter. Even adding new people doesn't help much, as they don't tend to stick around, for long, so it's a Sisyphean task.

Some others are still bothering to show up, regularly, but they increasingly see it as a chore, or something they do to "keep up appearances". Add me to this group of wearied, diligent noters, holding down the microblogging feeds, with our exhausting attempt at #KeepingNostrWeird, while the influencers surround the gates and the Kind 01 feeds dissolve into nothing but warmed-over Bitcoin memes, GM notes, notifications from the OtherStuff, and Things Copied from X.

The problem of barren, intellectually-emptying Kind 01 feeds is further exacerbated by the fact that new entrants to the Nostrverse find it increasingly easy to "find good follows", but they're all only finding the same follows: whoever is on the trending list.

The See-Nothings

I keep complaining about this, but the responses I get are generally unhelpful. They are:

• mockery -- Oh, Miss Hoity-Toity wants more attention!
• insults -- Nobody is talking to you because you are boring and stupid, and nobody likes you.
• clueless -- You should try replying to other people, then they might reply to you.
• or they tell me to just stop looking at the list, if it upsets me.

What people are missing, by telling me to just not look at the trending lists, is that the lists are a statistic of what real humans are looking at, on Nostr. The bizarrely-high concentration of npubs, on the list, so that their entries show up multiple times, suggests that what people are primarily looking at... is the trending list.

Either directly, because they use a client that has that built in, or indirectly, as they have been onboarded with the lists or told to "just follow the people I follow", which leads to a steadily-rising concentration of follows. This concentrating effect is accelerating.

The newly-popular WoT (web of trust) relays further exacerbate this effect, as they put a premium on the npubs that have the highest WoT score, which -- surprise, surprise! -- are the same people as on the trending list.

And this is why everyone on the trending list insists Nostr is a fun, happening place, full of human interaction. A place where replying reverently to Jack and posting GM religiously will make you a sought-after conversant. It is that place. For them.

In fact, they've reached that glorious state of #PeakSocialMedia, where they have become famous for being famous, and no longer have to even pretend to be trying to appeal to anyone with their content. They can post literal garbage, and their ~~fans~~ ~~groupies~~ ~~sycophants~~ commentariat will cheer them on, and flood their replies with ardent encouragement. Less because those other npubs actually cared about what they posted, than because they are hoping to pick up new followers in those threads, since they know that everyone is looking at those threads, because those threads are trending.

It's a pyramid scheme of following.

For the rest of us... the vast majority of us... that blue line at the bottom is mostly how it feels.

The trend is to trending.

What we no longer have, is people looking directly at relay feeds, to find new people, or even their own follow list feeds, to see npubs they've already subscribed to. Even when people follow me, they usually don't respond until I'm trending, which suggests that they're also seeing me on the trending list because that is what they're primarily looking at. This is why, as soon as you get on the trending list, your replies explode. And your replies will be concentrated in a hardcore few, otherwise.

Those few are the reason I keep coming back, but as they're also often chatting with me off-Nostr, I am facing the question of: Why bother with Nostr microblogging?

This is the question I am struggling with. If kind 01 isn't for plebs chatting, anymore, (and it increasingly isn't) then it's mostly a sort of bulletin board, where we post notifications of items we've added in OtherStuff clients, or make announcements of meetups, software releases, or conferences. This, however, is compounding the dullness of the feeds and turning it into a sort of "info flyer", except for a lucky few. But, perhaps, I am simply a #NostrBoomer, who is failing to move with the times and get with the program.

I'm slowly reaching the conclusion that Kind 01 in an open, centralized market of notes, will always coalesce around a small subset of #NostrElite and turn into a largely passive form of entertainment, or a frustratingly lonely place, for everyone else. There can only be so many people talking, at once, in a public square.

The only movement I currently see, that might end the slow slide of Kind 01 into irrelevance and tedium, is to create lots of smaller, public squares, through single-relay communities. This has been such a long time, in coming, and has been resisted by client devs so ferociously, that I worry that it's merely an attempt to close the barn door after the npubs have escaped.

I sincerely hope to be proven wrong, though. Perhaps the relay devs, who have valiantly taken up the fight, will #SaveKind01. We shall see.

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

Table Of Content

• The Impending Debt Limit Crisis

• Why Bitcoin Holds Promise

• Impact on National Debt

• Conclusion

• FAQ

As nations grapple with mounting debt burdens and economic uncertainties, a groundbreaking solution looms on the horizon: Bitcoin. This digital currency, built on decentralized blockchain technology, offers a unique opportunity to address the impending debt limit crisis and reshape the financial landscape. In this article, we will delve into why Bitcoin could be the solution to the looming debt limit crisis, exploring its advantages, impact on national debt, and its potential role in ensuring economic stability.

The Impending Debt Limit Crisis

What is the Debt Limit Crisis?

The debt limit crisis refers to the situation when a country's government reaches the maximum amount of debt it can legally borrow. This ceiling, set by legislation, is often a contentious issue in political debates. Failure to raise the debt limit can result in severe consequences, including a potential government shutdown, default on obligations, and financial market instability.

The Fragile State of National Debts

Nationwide debt levels continue to soar across the globe, with many countries burdened by staggering amounts of indebtedness. The United States, for instance, faces a mounting national debt that surpasses $28 trillion. Similarly, other nations grapple with their own debt crises, making it imperative to explore innovative solutions to tackle this financial burden.

Why Bitcoin Holds Promise

Bitcoin's Decentralized Nature

Bitcoin operates on a decentralized network called the blockchain. This means that no single entity or government controls it. Instead, transactions are verified by a network of computers, ensuring transparency and immutability. This decentralized nature presents a stark contrast to traditional financial systems, making Bitcoin a promising alternative for economic stability.

Protection Against Inflation

Inflation poses a significant threat to economies and their citizens. Bitcoin, with its limited supply of 21 million coins, offers a hedge against inflation. Unlike fiat currencies, which can be printed at will, Bitcoin's scarcity ensures its value is not eroded by excessive money supply. This feature makes Bitcoin an attractive store of value and a potential safeguard against the negative effects of inflation.

Financial Inclusion and Empowerment

Bitcoin has the power to empower individuals and communities who have limited access to traditional financial systems. By utilizing Bitcoin, individuals can transact securely and inexpensively, without the need for intermediaries. This can provide financial inclusion to the unbanked and underbanked populations, fostering economic growth and stability.

Transparency and Auditability

One of the core principles of Bitcoin is transparency. Every transaction is recorded on the blockchain, visible to anyone who wishes to review it. This transparency enhances accountability and enables efficient auditing, reducing the likelihood of fraudulent activities. By leveraging these features, governments can ensure responsible financial practices and mitigate the risk of corruption.

Impact on National Debt

Reducing the Reliance on Fiat Debt

Bitcoin has the potential to reduce a nation's reliance on fiat debt. Governments often resort to borrowing money by issuing bonds and treasury bills, adding to their national debt. By incorporating Bitcoin into their financial systems, governments can diversify their holdings and explore alternative means of financing. This could alleviate the burden of constantly accumulating fiat debt and provide a more balanced approach to fiscal management.

Revenue Generation and Economic Growth

Bitcoin's adoption can contribute to revenue generation and economic growth. As the cryptocurrency ecosystem expands, businesses emerge to support and facilitate Bitcoin transactions. This development creates employment opportunities and stimulates economic activity. Moreover, governments can generate revenue through taxation on Bitcoin-related activities, further bolstering their financial position.

Mitigating Currency Crises

Currency crises can wreak havoc on economies, causing severe fluctuations in exchange rates and devastating consequences for citizens. By integrating Bitcoin into a nation's financial infrastructure, governments can provide an alternative to their national currency during times of currency crises. This flexibility can help stabilize the economy, mitigate the adverse effects of currency devaluation, and foster investor confidence.

Conclusion

As nations confront the looming debt limit crisis, Bitcoin emerges as a beacon of hope, offering a potential solution and transformative possibilities. Its decentralized nature, protection against inflation, financial inclusion, and transparency make it a compelling choice for governments seeking economic stability. While challenges and uncertainties exist, embracing Bitcoin's potential can pave the way for a more resilient and inclusive financial future.

FAQ

Can Bitcoin completely eliminate a country's debt? No, Bitcoin alone cannot eliminate a country's debt. However, its adoption and integration into financial systems can provide alternative means of financing and reduce reliance on accumulating fiat debt.

How can Bitcoin help individuals facing economic hardships? Bitcoin offers financial inclusion and empowerment by providing a secure and inexpensive means of transacting. This can benefit individuals facing economic hardships by enabling them to participate in the global economy without the need for traditional banking services.

Will governments lose control if they adopt Bitcoin? Governments can adopt Bitcoin while retaining control over their financial systems. The decentralized nature of Bitcoin does not imply a loss of control; instead, it offers an opportunity for greater transparency, accountability, and economic stability.

Is Bitcoin a safe investment for governments? As with any investment, Bitcoin carries risks. However, due to its limited supply and decentralized nature, Bitcoin has demonstrated resilience and the potential for long-term value appreciation.

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.

@ cb084639:2f16502a

ทำไมถึงกลัว คลอเรสเตอรอลและไขมันอิ่มตัวกันขนาดนั้น !!!

จากภาพจะเห็นได้ว่ามีการวางขายไข่จากพืช!!! ซึ่งอ่านแล้วน่าขัน ในเมื่อเราสามารถ กินไข่จากแม่ไก่ได้!!!

เพื่อความกระจ่างเรามาดูฉลากเจ้าน้ำไข่จากพืชกล่องสีเหลืองกันดีกว่า อย่างแรกเรามาดูที่ราคากันก่อน ราคาต่อกล่อง 6.98 usd ราคาบาทอยู่ที่ประมาณ 235 บาทต่อกล่อง 16 ออนซ์หรือ 454 กรัม และถ้าเป็นการ นำเงินจำนวนนี้ไปซื้อไข่จริงเบอร์ 2 ราคาแผงละ 119 บาท จะได้ไข่ 58 ฟอง(เกือบ 2 แผงขาดไป 2ฟอง)

เน้นเรื่องปลอด GMO และไม่มี คลอเรสเตอรอล อันนี้เป็นวิธปรุงง่ายๆ ใช่น้ำไข่จากพืช 3 ช้อนโต๊ะ ต่อไข่ไก่จริง 1 ฟอง ทำง่ายสะดวก ด้านนี้พยายามเปรียบเทียบให้เห็นว่า ไม่มีคลอเรสเตอรอลและไข่มันอิ่มตัว

ปริมาณสารอาหารไข่จากพืช ไม่มีคลอเรสเตอรอล มีไขมันทั้งหมด 4 กรัม คือไขมันไม่อิ่มตัวเชิงซ้อนและไขมันไม่อิ่มตัวเชิงเดี่ยว ต่อหนึ่งหน่วยบริกโภค

ภาพนี้คือข้อมูลขอไข่ไก่ที่ได้จากแม่ไก่จริงๆ

เกือบลืมไปน้ำไข่จากพืชจำเป็นต้องมีส่วนผสมต่างๆ เช่น น้ำ โปรตีนถั่วเขียว น้ำมันคาโนล่าสกัดเย็น สีจากสารสกัดแครอท หัวหอมแห้ง เจลแลนกัม เพื่อรสชาติและเนื้อสัมผัส โพแทสเซียมซิเตรต เกลือ น้ำตาล น้ำเชื่อมมันสำปะหลังของแข็ง เตตระโซเดียมไพโรฟอสเฟต ทรานส์กลูตามิเนส สารสกัดขมิ้น (สี) ไนซิน (สารกันบูด)

สินค้าเน่าเสียง่าย - เก็บในตู้เย็น รับประทานได้ภายใน 7 วันหลังจากเปิด

เราต้องแลกกับการที่ต้องบริโภคสารแปรรูปสารพัดเพื่อที่จะต้องการหนีจากคลอเรสเตอรอลอละไขมันจากธรรมชาติ จะดีกว่ามั้ยถ้าเราเลือกกินไข่ที่ผลิตจากธรรมชาติโดยแม่ไก่?

@ c0f9e286:5a223917

ตอนที่แล้วกล่าวถึงการถือหุ้นแบบซ้อนเป็นชั้นๆ ผ่านกลไก Offshore Company ในตอนนี้จะกล่าวถึงอีกหนึ่งเครื่องมือในการปกปิดความเป็นเจ้าของ นั่นคือการตั้ง Trust

หลายคนอาจจะเคยได้ยินคำว่า Trust ผ่านกอง REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) ซึ่งเป็น Trust เพื่อการลงทุนอสังหาริมทรัพย์ สามารถทำการระดมทุนผ่านตลาดหลักทรัพย์ได้ มีโครงสร้างคล้ายๆกับ Property Fund แต่ Trust ที่ผมจะกล่าวต่อไปนี้ เปรียบเสมือนกองทุนส่วนบุคคลซึ่งผู้จัดการกอง Trust จะเป็นผู้บริหารทรัพย์สินนั้นๆ ส่วนเจ้าของตัวจริงจะไม่มีกรรมสิทธิ์ทางตรงต่อทรัพย์สินนั้นๆ

ก่อนอื่นต้องอธิบายศัพท์ของ Trust ให้เข้าใจก่อน เพราะค่อนข้างมีศัพท์เฉพาะเยอะ โดยศัพท์ที่ควรรู้ก็เช่น

Settlor (ผู้ตั้งกอง): เป็นคนที่นำทรัพย์สินมาใส่ในกอง Trust ซึ่งหลังจากทรัพย์สินถูกโอนเข้าไปในกอง Trust แล้ว ผู้ตั้งกองจะไม่มีสิทธิ์ควบคุมทรัพย์สินนั้นโดยตรงอีกต่อไป

Trustee (ผู้ดูแลกอง): เป็นผู้ที่ได้รับมอบหมายให้จัดการทรัพย์สินในกอง Trust ตามเงื่อนไขที่ผู้ตั้งกองระบุไว้ ผู้ดูแลกองมีหน้าที่ดูแลให้ทรัพย์สินนี้เติบโตและคงอยู่เพื่อผู้รับประโยชน์

Beneficiary (ผู้รับประโยชน์): เป็นคนที่ได้รับผลประโยชน์จากกอง Trust ตามเงื่อนไขที่กำหนด เช่น ได้รับเงินปันผล หรือทรัพย์สินเมื่อครบกำหนด

ข้อสังเกตง่ายๆ เวลาคุณดูหุ้นบริษัทจดทะเบียนในตลาดหลักทรัพย์ มักจะมีชื่อหนึ่งปรากฏขึ้นมาเสมอๆในหุ้นตัวใหญ่ๆ นั่นคือ STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY  

เวลาเห็นรายชื่อแบบนี้เข้าไปถือหุ้นทุกบริษัท คุณไม่มีทางรู้เลยว่า Trust นี้กำลังถือทรัพย์สินให้รายใหญ่คนเดียว หรือหลายคน บางทีอาจจะเป็นรายใหญ่แค่คนเดียวใช้บริการ Trust เจ้านี้เพื่อให้ไปถือหุ้นแทน หรืออาจจะมีหลายคนว่าจ้าง Trust แห่งนี้ให้ถือหุ้นแทน พอถือรวมกันมากเข้าก็เลยปรากฏเป็นรายชื่อผู้ถือหุ้นใหญ่นั่นเอง

อ่อ ลืมบอกไป ในไทยไม่มีกฎหมายรองรับในการตั้งกอง Trust ดังนั้นถ้าจะตั้งต้องตั้งในต่างประเทศ และไม่ใช่ว่า Trust จะมีแต่ข้อดีอย่างเดียว ซึ่งข้อเสียของมันก็ควรนำมาคิดด้วยเช่นกัน

ซึ่งข้อเสียอย่างแรกคือคุณไม่มีสิทธิความเป็นเจ้าของทรัพย์สินหรือหุ้นนั้นๆอีกต่อไป นั่นเป็นสาเหตุที่ไม่ว่ารัฐบาลไหนก็ไม่สามารถฟ้องร้องเพื่อยึดทรัพย์ใน Trust ได้ Bitcoiner ย่อมทราบดีกับคำว่า “์Not your key, Not your coin” คุณกำลังเอาทรัพย์สินไปฝากให้คนอื่นดูแล เพราะฉะนั้นคุณมีโอกาสโดนกอง Trust อ้างว่าบริหารงานผิดพลาดซึ่งทำให้คุณสูญเสียทรัพย์สิน ดังนั้นก่อนตั้ง Trust ควรเลือก Trustee ที่มีผลงานมานาน ไม่เคยมีประวัติฉ้อฉล และคุณก็ควรกำหนดเงื่อนไขในการบริหารกองทุนให้ชัดเจนตั้งแต่แรก เพื่อป้องกันการโอนย้ายทรัพย์สิน หรือการบริหารงานผิดพลาด

ถัดมาคือค่าใช้จ่ายโดยรวมมักจะสูงกว่าการตั้ง Offshore Company แบบซ้อนประเทศ ตั้งแต่การ Settle ไปจนถึงค่าดูแลกอง Trust รายปี ซึ่งผมไม่เคยเห็นที่ไหนต่ำกว่าหลักแสนต่อปี หรือบางที่ก็หลักล้าน หากมีทรัพย์สินจำนวนมาก ต่างกับการตั้ง Offshore Company โดยสิ้นเชิง (แต่ในบางกรณี Offshore Company ก็มีค่าใช้จ่ายสูงเช่นกัน ขึ้นกับธุรกิจที่ทำ จำนวนเงิน และประเทศที่จดจัดตั้งบริษัท)

ดังนั้น Trust จึงเป็นอีกหนึ่งวิธีของการปกปิดตัวตนของเหล่ามหาเศรษฐี แต่แลกมากับการต้องไว้ใจผู้บริหารกอง Trust ว่าจะไม่ฉ้อฉลกับทรัพย์สินของเรา ซึ่งถ้าถามว่าทำยังไงถึงจะมีอำนาจควบคุมกอง Trust ได้แบบเบ็ดเสร็จ นอกเหนือจากการกำหนดเงื่อนไขที่ละเอียดแล้ว อีกวิธีคือการเป็นเจ้าของบริษัท Trust เอง แล้วคุณคิดว่าตระกูลอย่าง Rothschild มีความสามารถที่จะเป็นเจ้าของบริษัท Trust หรือไม่ แล้วถ้าทำได้คุณคิดว่าเขาจะนำทรัพย์สินไปเก็บไว้ใน Trust เพื่อปกปิดชื่อเยอะขนาดไหน นี่เป็นเรื่องน่าคิด

ยังเหลืออีก 1 วิธี ที่จะสามารถปกปิดตัวตนในการถือครองทรัพย์สินได้ดี โปรดติดตามตอนต่อไป

realeakkrit #bitcoin #siamstr #wef

@ a39d19ec:3d88f61e

What do you even print with it besides decorative objects?

This kind of question still is a common one when talking about 3d printing.

With this series of long-form notes I will show you some of the practical and useful 3d printed things, that I use a lot.

Let me start the series with a nice little print consisting of two parts.

Laptop riser

There are many designs of laptop risers available online. But I like that the parts are small and interlocking, so that the are always together when not in use. The riser fits all laptops in our house. Particularly when working in Fusion360 my laptop needs lots of fresh air. I use the raiser regularly about 3 times a week. Sadly I don't know where I downloaded it from, so I cannot provide a link to it.

@ 832b6aa8:2e4f082a

Chef's notes

This Herb-Braised Beef Cheek recipe delivers tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef simmered slowly in a rich herb broth—without any wine! Sear the beef cheeks for a caramelized crust, then braise them with onions, garlic, carrots, and fresh herbs until perfectly tender. The dish is finished with a touch of lemon zest for brightness and pairs beautifully with creamy mashed potatoes or polenta, making it an ideal meal for cozy nights or special occasions. Perfect for anyone looking to enjoy a deeply flavorful, wine-free braised beef dish.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 30 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 4 hrs
• 🍽️ Servings: 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef cheeks, trimmed of excess fat
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 4 cups beef broth (or chicken broth for a lighter flavor)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Zest of 1 lemon (optional, for a fresh finish)

Directions

1. Pat the beef cheeks dry with a paper towel, then season generously with salt and pepper. Sear the Beef Cheeks: In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the beef cheeks for 4–5 minutes on each side, until browned. Remove and set aside. Cook the Vegetables: Add the chopped onion, garlic, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté for about 5–7 minutes until softened and slightly caramelized. Add Tomato Paste: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for an additional 1 minute. Deglaze and Add Broth: Pour in 1 cup of water, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, paprika, and cumin. Stir well. Add the Beef Cheeks Back In: Return the beef cheeks to the pot, ensuring they’re mostly submerged in the liquid. Simmer: Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let the beef cheeks braise for 3–4 hours until they’re tender and easy to pull apart with a fork. Finishing Touch: Before serving, sprinkle with lemon zest for brightness. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve: Serve over mashed potatoes, polenta, or creamy risotto, with the braising liquid as a sauce.

@ 03b2a4f0:7ff066d4

Have you heard of "ZETEO CITADEL CONSULT IN COLLABORATION WITH THE UN OF IBADAN" we are into training of corps members and executive within Nigeria and outside the world Type of course we offer are Human resources management project management *Web development And Web design

@ d1b118c6:4985b38d

Chef's notes

So easy I promise

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 15 minutes
• 🍳 Cook time: 25-35 minutes
• 🍽️ Servings: 1-5 persons

Ingredients

• Squash
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic seasoning

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Peel the squash
3. Cut the squash in half
4. Scrape out all the seeds and guts (can save that stuff for something else or compost or whatever)
5. Slice and dice up the remaining shell of a squash into 1inch (or so) sized pieces
6. Mix all the pieces of squash with olive oil and various seasonings (suggested seasonings in the ingredients list but do whatever you want. This is what I had on hand along w some parsley actually)
7. Lay all the squash out on a baking sheet nice and flat so that there aren’t any pieces overlapping
8. Toss it in the preheated oven until it is soft to the fork tines and/or goldeny
9. Enjoy. I had it on rice with soy sauce and would also be good with a fried egg on it. Add it to whatever squash would be good with

@ 361d3e1e:50bc10a8

https://forex-strategy.com/2024/10/28/in-bulgaria-the-parties-bought-voters-for-eur-500-per-vote/ In Bulgaria, the parties bought voters for EUR 500 per vote

vote #election #politics #bulgaria

@ 3ffac3a6:2d656657

Manifesto Stancap (Stalinismo Anarco-Capitalista):

Por um Futuro de Controle Absoluto e Liberdade Ilimitada

Saudações, camaradas e consumidores! Hoje, convocamos todos a marchar com orgulho rumo à mais avançada utopia jamais concebida pelo pensamento humano (e nem tão humano assim): o Stancap, a síntese perfeita entre a mão invisível do mercado e o punho de ferro do Estado.

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1. Liberdade Total sob o Controle Absoluto

Aqui, a liberdade é garantida. Você é livre para fazer o que quiser, pensar o que quiser, mas lembre-se: nós estaremos observando — por uma taxa de assinatura mensal, é claro. O governo será privatizado e administrado por CEOs visionários que entendem que os lucros mais seguros vêm da ordem e do controle. Sim, camarada, a ordem é o que nos liberta!

2. Empresas Estatais e Governo Privado para o Progresso Econômico

Todas as empresas serão estatizadas. Afinal, queremos um mercado forte e estável, e nada diz "eficiência" como uma gestão estatal unificada sob nosso Grande Conselho Corporativo. E para garantir o controle absoluto e a segurança dos cidadãos, o governo também será privatizado, operando sob princípios empresariais e contratos de eficiência. Nosso governo privado, liderado por CEOs que representam o mais alto nível de comprometimento e lucros, estará alinhado com o progresso e a ordem. Suas preferências de consumo serão registradas, analisadas e programadas para otimizar sua experiência como cidadão-produto. Cada compra será um voto de confiança, e qualquer recusa será gentilmente "corrigida".

3. Liberdade de Expressão Absoluta (com Moderação, Claro)

A liberdade de expressão é sagrada. Fale o que quiser, onde quiser, para quem quiser! Mas cuidado com o que você diz. Para garantir a pureza de nossas ideias e manter a paz, qualquer expressão que se desvie de nosso ideal será gentilmente convidada a uma estadia em um de nossos premiados Gulags Privados™. Neles, você terá a oportunidade de refletir profundamente sobre suas escolhas, com todo o conforto que um regime totalitário pode proporcionar.

4. A Ditadura da Liberdade

Dizemos sem ironia: a única verdadeira liberdade é aquela garantida pela ditadura. Com nossa liderança incontestável, asseguramos que todos terão a liberdade de escolher aquilo que é certo — que por sorte é exatamente o que determinamos como certo. Assim, a felicidade e a paz florescerão sob a luz da obediência.

5. Impostos (ou Dividends, como Preferimos Chamar)

Sob nosso sistema, impostos serão substituídos por "dividends". Você não será mais tributado; você estará "investindo" na sua própria liberdade. Cada centavo vai para reforçar o poder que nos mantém unidos, fortes e livres (de escolher de novo).

6. Propriedade Privada Coletiva

A propriedade é um direito absoluto. Mas para garantir seu direito, coletivizaremos todas as propriedades, deixando cada cidadão como "co-proprietário" sob nosso regime de proteção. Afinal, quem precisa de títulos de posse quando se tem a confiança do Estado?

7. Nosso Lema: "Matou Foi Pouco"

Em nossa sociedade ideal, temos um compromisso firme com a disciplina e a ordem. Se alguém questiona o bem maior que estabelecemos, lembremos todos do lema que norteia nossos valores: matou foi pouco! Aqui, não toleramos meias-medidas. Quando se trata de proteger nosso futuro perfeito, sempre podemos fazer mais — afinal, só o rigor garante que a liberdade seja plena e inquestionável.

---

Junte-se a Nós!

Levante-se, consumidor revolucionário! Sob a bandeira do Stancap, você será livre para obedecer, livre para consumir e livre para estar do lado certo da história. Nossa liberdade, nossa obediência, e nossa prosperidade são uma só. Porque afinal, nada diz liberdade como um Gulag Privado™!

@ a37bda36:6fe8611c

Bitcoin: En Afgørende Beslutning for Nationale Økonomier og Fremtidige Generationer

Efterhånden som Bitcoin bliver en stadig mere fremtrædende kraft i global finans, befinder lande, herunder Danmark, sig ved en kritisk skillevej. Ligesom virksomheder, der overvejer fordelene ved at adoptere Bitcoin, skal nationer nu beslutte, hvordan de vil interagere med denne nye teknologi. Denne beslutning vil forme deres økonomier, påvirke deres position på verdensmarkedet og efterlade varige konsekvenser for fremtidige generationer. Men nylige politiske diskussioner, såsom Danmarks forslag om at beskatte Bitcoin-beholdninger årligt, afslører en grundlæggende misforståelse af Bitcoins potentiale. I stedet for at betragte Bitcoin som en erstatning for det nuværende finansielle system, bør politikere erkende, at det er en komplementær teknologi, der kan sameksistere med traditionel finans. Bitcoin er kommet for at blive, uanset om det bliver omfavnet eller modarbejdet, men konsekvenserne af dette valg vil klinge gennem alle niveauer af samfundet, fra virksomheder og borgere til fremtidige generationer.

Bitcoin som en Strategisk Valg for Nationale Økonomier

Bitcoins adoption som anerkendt betalingsmiddel i El Salvador i 2021, efterfulgt af byen Luganos "Plan B"-initiativ for at integrere Bitcoin i sin økonomi, har udløst en omfattende debat om økonomisk suverænitet, decentralisering og finansiel inklusion. Lande som Bhutan og andre bruger Bitcoin-mining på innovative måder ved at anvende deres rigelige vandkraft eller overskudsenergi til både bæredygtig mining og stabilisering af energinetværk. Disse eksempler fremhæver, hvordan Bitcoin kan bruges som en stærk tilføjelse til eksisterende finansielle systemer, snarere end som en erstatning. Nationer som El Salvador og Bhutan ser Bitcoin som et redskab til at diversificere deres økonomier, reducere afhængigheden af centraliserede finansielle institutioner og øge modstandskraften mod globale økonomiske udsving.

Desuden kan Bitcoin, på trods af bekymringer om energiforbrug, understøtte en overgang til bæredygtige energikilder gennem innovative løsninger som mining med overskuds- eller grøn energi og ved at tilbyde netstabilisering. Misforståelser om Bitcoins energipåvirkning afslører en betydelig kløft i forståelsen af, hvad Bitcoin virkelig repræsenterer, og hvordan det fungerer. Mange kritikere overser, at Bitcoin-mining ofte tilskynder til produktion af ren energi og energieffektivitet. For disse lande repræsenterer Bitcoin et strategisk valg for at modernisere deres finansielle systemer og styrke borgerne uden at afskaffe traditionelle strukturer.

Denne tilgang handler ikke om at erstatte det gamle med det nye, men om at bygge et finansielt system, der giver folk flere muligheder. Bitcoins decentraliserede natur og evne til at operere uafhængigt af etablerede banksystemer gør det til et værdifuldt alternativ, der kan eksistere side om side med eksisterende strukturer. Lande, der omfavner Bitcoin, åbner sig for en verden af muligheder, der kan gavne alle niveauer i samfundet. Fra at øge national økonomisk modstandskraft til at styrke borgerne med nye finansielle værktøjer, tilbyder Bitcoin en vej til et mere inkluderende og fleksibelt finansielt landskab, der kan tilpasse sig globale ændringer.

Lærdom fra Erhvervslivet: MicroStrategy og Microsoft

Strategierne hos virksomheder som MicroStrategy og Microsoft fremhæver konsekvenserne af at omfavne eller ignorere Bitcoin. MicroStrategys tidlige beslutning om at integrere Bitcoin i sin finansielle strategi har positioneret det som en leder, tiltrukket investorinteresse og styrket dets omdømme som en fremsynet virksomhed. Microsoft har derimod taget en forsigtig tilgang og risikerer at blive opfattet som konservativ. Hvis MicroStrategys Bitcoin-strategi fortsætter med at give positive resultater, kan det sætte Microsofts relative inaktivitet i et kritisk lys og rejse spørgsmål om dets innovationspotentiale.

Denne analogi kan også anvendes på nationaløkonomier. Lande, der integrerer Bitcoin, kan positionere sig som økonomiske ledere, høste fordelene ved tidlig adoption uden at afskaffe deres traditionelle finansielle systemer. Omvendt risikerer nationer, der modstår Bitcoin, at blive efterladt, idet de går glip af muligheden for at blande Bitcoins styrker med deres eksisterende økonomiske strukturer. Ligesom virksomheder, der ignorerer disruptive teknologier, hurtigt kan blive irrelevante, risikerer lande, der modstår Bitcoin-adoption, at kvæle økonomisk innovation og undergrave deres globale konkurrenceevne.

Fordelene ved at Omfavne Bitcoin: Fra Borgere til Fremtidige Generationer

At omfavne Bitcoin giver fordele på alle niveauer—fra landet til virksomhederne, fra borgerne til fremtidige generationer. Når en nation integrerer Bitcoin, signalerer den åbenhed over for finansiel innovation og modstandskraft, hvilket tiltrækker virksomheder, investorer og iværksættere, der trives i Bitcoin-venlige miljøer. For virksomheder giver Bitcoin en måde at beskytte sig mod valutadevaluering og inflation, hvilket potentielt styrker deres balancer og gør dem mere konkurrencedygtige på det globale marked.

For borgerne giver Bitcoin finansiel suverænitet og nye muligheder for at bevare velstand, især i økonomier, der er udsatte for inflation eller kapitalbegrænsninger. Måske vigtigst af alt, ved at adoptere Bitcoin som en komplementær finansiel teknologi, kan lande sikre, at fremtidige generationer har adgang til et mangfoldigt og robust økonomisk system, der kan tilpasse sig kravene i en hurtigt forandrende verden. Fordelene ved Bitcoin rækker ud over økonomisk gevinst—de omfatter også øget autonomi, økonomisk empowerment og adgang til et globalt, decentraliseret finansielt netværk.

Omvendt indebærer modstand mod Bitcoin betydelige risici. Nationer, der modstår Bitcoin-adoption, kan uforvarende begrænse deres borgeres finansielle frihed og reducere mulighederne for økonomisk vækst. Virksomheder kan finde det udfordrende at forblive konkurrencedygtige i en Bitcoin-aktiveret global økonomi, mens landet som helhed kan miste sin tiltrækningskraft for investorer og innovatorer. Det mest bekymrende er, at ved at stå i vejen for Bitcoin risikerer disse nationer at nægte fremtidige generationer de finansielle værktøjer og den frihed, der er nødvendig for at trives i en decentraliseret verden.

Reguleringens Kortsynethed og Stagnationens Pris

Meget af den regulatoriske modstand mod Bitcoin synes at være forankret i en stiv overholdelse af traditionelle finansielle paradigmer. Politikere, der ofte er uddannet inden for konventionelle økonomiske rammer, mangler måske det perspektiv, der kræves for at forstå Bitcoins unikke rolle som en komplementær teknologi. Denne mangel på forståelse risikerer at skubbe lande mod økonomisk stagnation ved at skabe strukturelle barrierer for innovation. Ved at afvise Bitcoin kan regulatorer uforvarende hæmme økonomisk dynamik og efterlade deres lande sårbare i en stadig mere decentraliseret global økonomi.

Denne regulatoriske myopi risikerer ikke kun at kvæle økonomiske fremskridt, men også at forstærke eksisterende finansielle uligheder. Mens Bitcoin ikke er en erstatning for traditionelle finansielle institutioner, kan det fungere som et levedygtigt alternativ for underbankede befolkninger og tilbyde et niveau af finansiel tilgængelighed, som mange lande i øjeblikket kæmper med at levere. En stiv holdning mod Bitcoin kunne forhindre millioner i at få adgang til dette globale finansielle netværk, hvilket effektivt tvinger folk til at forblive afhængige af centraliserede institutioner, som for mange fortsat er utilgængelige og uretfærdige—en beslutning, der, hvis den træffes med vilje, kun kan retfærdiggøres af motiver, der er rodfæstet i kontrol fremfor empowerment.

At Betegne Bitcoin og “Krypto” som Synonyme: Et Tegn på Regulatorisk Misforståelse

Et andet tegn på regulatorernes manglende forståelse er deres hyppige sammenblanding af Bitcoin med “krypto,” som om de er én og samme ting. Denne fejlagtige betegnelse understreger, hvordan mange politikere overser Bitcoins unikke teknologiske fundament og særlige egenskaber. I modsætning til andre digitale aktiver er Bitcoin decentraliseret, censurresistent og har en fast forsyning, hvilket gør det fundamentalt anderledes end det bredere kryptomarked. At gruppere Bitcoin med “krypto” i politiske diskussioner viser en overfladisk forståelse af dens rolle som et holdbart, uafhængigt netværk med unikke økonomiske principper. Denne tilgang forvrænger ikke kun den offentlige opfattelse, men forhindrer også klare og effektive politikrammer, der respekterer Bitcoins særlige rolle i moderne finans.

Bitcoin som en Protokol for Innovation: Lærdom fra TCP/IP

Ligesom TCP/IP-protokollen muliggjorde en bølge af transformative innovationer—e-mail, internettet, streaming og utallige applikationer—tjener Bitcoin også som en grundlæggende protokol med stort potentiale. De innovationer, der kan opstå oven på Bitcoin-protokollen, er svære at forudsige, ligesom det ville have været umuligt at forudse hele internettets landskab under TCP/IP’s tilblivelse. At beskatte eller modstå Bitcoin ville være lige så kortsigtet som at beskatte TCP/IP-protokollen selv og lade, som om en person eller en gruppe har indsigt til at kontrollere udviklingen af en teknologi, der er bestemt til global indflydelse. Bitcoin er ikke blot et digitalt aktiv; det er en decentraliseret protokol, der fungerer som fundamentet for en ny æra af finansiel, teknologisk og økonomisk innovation.

Beskatning af Bitcoin: Fåfængt og Undertrykkende

At beskatte Bitcoin er lige så absurd som at beskatte sollys eller forbyde folk at kigge på månen—en handling, der, hvis den blev gennemført, ville stå som et symbol på undertrykkelse. Sådanne handlinger ville blive husket af fremtidige generationer på samme måde, som vi i dag reflekterer over arven fra autoritære regimer: som tiltag født af kontrol, ikke fremskridt. Ydermere ignorerer sådanne tiltag Lindy-effekten, som antyder, at Bitcoin, ligesom alle varige teknologier, kun vil blive stærkere og mere modstandsdygtig over tid. Forsøg på at begrænse det viser sig i sidste ende at være ineffektive, da Bitcoin ikke kan stoppes; skræmmekampagner kan påvirke dem, der ikke er bekendt med dets potentiale, men hvert forsøg vil kun styrke Bitcoin og Bitcoins betydning. I mellemtiden risikerer de nationer, der håndhæver sådanne politikker, at svække deres egen position og falde bagud i en fremtid, hvor Bitcoin uundgåeligt vil spille en central rolle.

Den Globale Mulighed: Omfavne eller Falde Bagud

At ignorere eller modstå Bitcoin er ikke blot en forpasset investeringsmulighed—det er en forpasset chance for at positionere et land i spidsen for global økonomisk innovation. Bitcoins decentraliserede netværk vil fortsætte med at vokse og få legitimitet verden over, med eller uden støtte fra nogen enkelt nation. Lande, der velkommer Bitcoin, vil have fordelen af at forme, hvordan denne teknologi integreres med traditionel finans, mens de, der modstår, kan finde sig selv kæmpe for at indhente en verden, der i stigende grad er åben for decentraliserede løsninger.

Beslutningen om at omfavne eller afvise Bitcoin vil påvirke et lands umiddelbare økonomiske landskab og bestemme dets rolle i den globale økonomi i årtier fremover. Nationer som El Salvador og byen Lugano sætter nye standarder for økonomisk tilpasningsevne og modstandskraft ved at blande Bitcoin med traditionelle systemer for at skabe en hybrid finansiel fremtid. Denne tilgang positionerer dem ikke kun som ledere i den digitale økonomi, men sikrer også en lysere fremtid for deres borgere. Ved at vælge at omfavne Bitcoin lægger disse lande grundlaget for bæredygtig vækst, der vil gavne generationer fremover.

En Kritisk Beslutning for Politikere

Lande står nu ved en afgørende korsvej: Integrere Bitcoin som en komplementær teknologi for at styrke økonomisk modstandskraft eller risikere at stagnere i en stadigt mere decentraliseret verden. De valg, der træffes i dag, vil påvirke, hvordan nationer opfattes globalt og bestemme graden af finansiel frihed og muligheder, der er tilgængelige for deres borgere. At omfavne Bitcoin betyder ikke at opgive det eksisterende finansielle system. I stedet betyder det at anerkende, at Bitcoin kan sameksistere med traditionel finans for at skabe en mere inkluderende, fleksibel og modstandsdygtig økonomi.

Selvom det at ignorere Bitcoin er bedre end aktivt at modarbejde det, vil det at omfavne Bitcoin virkelig gavne landet og dets borgere. Politikere i lande som Danmark bør nøje overveje de bredere implikationer af enten at omfavne eller modstå Bitcoin. Tidlige adoptere af Bitcoin kan blive set som visionære, åbne døre for innovation og vækst, mens de, der afviser det, kan blive betragtet som fastlåste i forældede paradigmer. For lande, der vælger at ignorere eller modstå Bitcoin, vil omkostningerne sandsynligvis måles ikke kun i forpassede muligheder for den nuværende generation, men også i begrænset økonomisk frihed og potentiale for kommende generationer. At omfavne Bitcoin tilbyder en vej til en mere tilpasningsdygtig og styrket fremtid, hvor traditionelle og decentraliserede systemer arbejder sammen for at sikre økonomisk stabilitet og vækst.

Bitcoin er den vigtigste, men mest misforståede og undervurderede gave til menneskeheden, og den ankommer på et afgørende tidspunkt i historien. Alle bør studere Bitcoin. Bitcoin er ligeglad. Bitcoin eksisterer bare.

@ a37bda36:6fe8611c

Bitcoin: A Pivotal Decision for National Economies and Future Generations

As Bitcoin becomes an increasingly prominent force in global finance, countries, including Denmark, find themselves at a critical juncture. Much like corporations weighing the advantages of Bitcoin adoption, nations must now decide how to engage with this emerging technology. This decision will shape their economies, influence their standing in the global marketplace, and leave lasting effects for future generations. However, recent policy discussions, such as Denmark’s proposal to tax Bitcoin holdings annually, reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of Bitcoin’s potential. Rather than viewing Bitcoin as a replacement for the current financial system, policymakers should recognize it as a complementary technology capable of coexisting with traditional finance. Bitcoin is here to stay, regardless of whether it is embraced or resisted, but the consequences of that choice will reverberate across all levels of society, from companies and citizens to future generations.

Bitcoin as a Strategic Choice for National Economies

Bitcoin’s adoption by El Salvador as official legal tender in 2021, followed by the city of Lugano’s "Plan B" initiative to integrate Bitcoin into its economy, has sparked widespread debate on economic sovereignty, decentralization, and financial inclusion. Countries like Bhutan and others are leveraging Bitcoin mining in innovative ways, using their abundant hydroelectric power or surplus energy not only for sustainable mining operations but also to stabilize energy grids. These examples highlight how Bitcoin can be leveraged not as a replacement but as a powerful addition to existing financial systems. Nations such as El Salvador and Bhutan see Bitcoin as a tool to diversify their economies, reduce dependency on centralized financial institutions, and increase resilience to global financial fluctuations.

Additionally, despite concerns about energy use, Bitcoin can support a shift toward sustainable energy sources through innovative solutions like mining with surplus or green energy and providing grid stabilization benefits. Misconceptions about Bitcoin’s energy impact reveal a significant gap in understanding what Bitcoin truly represents and how it functions. Many critics overlook the fact that Bitcoin mining often incentivizes clean energy production and energy efficiency. For these countries, Bitcoin represents a strategic choice to modernize their financial systems and empower citizens without dismantling traditional structures.

This approach is not about replacing the old with the new but about building a financial system that offers people multiple options. The decentralized nature of Bitcoin and its ability to operate independently of established banking systems make it a valuable alternative that can coexist alongside existing structures. Countries that embrace Bitcoin open themselves to a world of possibilities that can benefit all levels of society. From boosting national economic resilience to empowering citizens with new financial tools, Bitcoin offers a path to a more inclusive and flexible financial landscape that can adapt to global changes.

Lessons from the Corporate World: MicroStrategy and Microsoft

The strategies of corporations like MicroStrategy and Microsoft highlight the implications of embracing or ignoring Bitcoin. MicroStrategy’s early decision to incorporate Bitcoin into its financial strategy has positioned it as a leader, attracting investor interest and enhancing its reputation as a forward-thinking company. Microsoft, on the other hand, has taken a cautious approach, risking the perception of conservatism. If MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin strategy continues to yield positive returns, it could cast a spotlight on Microsoft’s relative inactivity, raising questions about its innovation potential.

This analogy extends to national economies. Countries that integrate Bitcoin can position themselves as economic leaders, reaping the rewards of early adoption without dismantling their traditional financial systems. Conversely, nations that resist Bitcoin risk falling behind, as they miss the opportunity to blend Bitcoin’s strengths with those of their existing economic structures. Just as companies that ignore disruptive technologies can quickly become irrelevant, countries that resist Bitcoin adoption risk stifling economic innovation and undermining their global competitiveness.

The Benefits of Embracing Bitcoin: From Citizens to Future Generations

Embracing Bitcoin offers benefits at every level—from the country to corporations, from citizens to future generations. When a nation integrates Bitcoin, it signals openness to financial innovation and resilience, attracting companies, investors, and entrepreneurs who thrive in Bitcoin-friendly environments. For companies, Bitcoin offers a way to hedge against currency devaluation and inflation, potentially strengthening their balance sheets and making them more competitive in the global market.

For citizens, Bitcoin provides financial sovereignty and new opportunities for wealth preservation, especially in economies susceptible to inflation or capital controls. Perhaps most importantly, by adopting Bitcoin as a complementary financial technology, countries can ensure that future generations have access to a diverse and resilient economic system that can adapt to the demands of a rapidly changing world. The benefits of Bitcoin extend beyond financial gain—they also include increased autonomy, economic empowerment, and access to a global, decentralized financial network.

Opposing Bitcoin, on the other hand, carries significant risks. Nations that resist Bitcoin adoption may inadvertently limit their citizens' financial freedom and restrict opportunities for economic growth. Companies may find it challenging to remain competitive in a Bitcoin-enabled global economy, while the country as a whole could lose its attractiveness to investors and innovators. Most concerningly, by standing in the way of Bitcoin, these nations risk denying future generations the financial tools and freedom needed to thrive in a decentralized world.

Regulatory Short-Sightedness and the Cost of Stagnation

Much of the regulatory opposition to Bitcoin appears rooted in a rigid adherence to traditional financial paradigms. Policymakers, often trained in conventional economic frameworks, may lack the perspective needed to understand Bitcoin's unique role as a complementary technology. This lack of understanding risks pushing countries toward economic stagnation by creating structural barriers to innovation. By dismissing Bitcoin, regulators may unintentionally curb economic dynamism, leaving their countries vulnerable in an increasingly decentralized global economy.

This regulatory myopia risks not only stifling economic progress but also deepening existing financial inequalities. While Bitcoin is not a replacement for traditional financial institutions, it can serve as a viable alternative for underbanked populations, offering a level of financial accessibility that many countries currently struggle to provide. A rigid stance against Bitcoin could prevent millions from accessing this global financial network, effectively forcing people to remain dependent on centralized institutions that, for many, remain inaccessible and inequitable—a decision that, if made knowingly, could only be justified by motives rooted in control rather than empowerment.

Treating Bitcoin and “Crypto” as Synonymous: Another Symptom of Regulatory Misunderstanding

Another sign of regulators’ lack of understanding is their frequent conflation of Bitcoin with “crypto” as though they are one and the same. This mischaracterization underscores how many policymakers overlook Bitcoin’s distinct technological foundations and unique attributes. Unlike other digital assets, Bitcoin is decentralized, censorship-resistant, and has a fixed supply, making it fundamentally different from the broader cryptocurrency market. Grouping Bitcoin with “crypto” in policy discussions demonstrates a shallow understanding of its role as a durable, independent network with unique economic principles. This approach not only distorts public perception but also hinders clear, effective policy frameworks that respect Bitcoin’s distinct role in modern finance.

Bitcoin as a Protocol for Innovation: Lessons from TCP/IP

Just as the TCP/IP protocol enabled a wave of transformative innovations—email, the web, streaming, and countless applications—Bitcoin, too, serves as a foundational protocol with vast potential. The innovations that may emerge on top of the Bitcoin protocol are challenging to predict, just as it would have been impossible to foresee the entire internet landscape during TCP/IP’s inception. Taxing or resisting Bitcoin would be as short-sighted as taxing the TCP/IP protocol itself, pretending that a person or group of people has the insight to control the development of a technology destined for global impact. Bitcoin is not merely a digital asset; it is a decentralized protocol that serves as a foundation for a new era of financial, technological, and economic innovation.

Taxing Bitcoin: Futile and Oppressive

Taxing Bitcoin is as absurd as taxing sunlight or prohibiting people from looking at the moon—a move that, if implemented, would stand as a symbol of oppression. Such actions would be remembered by future generations much like how we today reflect on the legacies of authoritarian regimes: as measures born of control, not progress. Furthermore, such measures ignore the Lindy Effect, which suggests that Bitcoin, like all enduring technologies, will only grow stronger and more resilient over time. Attempts to restrict it ultimately prove ineffective, as Bitcoin cannot be stopped; scare campaigns may sway those unfamiliar with its potential, but each attempt will only reinforce Bitcoin's longevity and importance. Meanwhile, the nations that enforce such policies risk weakening their own position, falling behind in a future where Bitcoin will inevitably play a central role.

The Global Opportunity: Embrace or Fall Behind

Ignoring or resisting Bitcoin is not merely a missed investment opportunity—it’s a missed chance to position a country at the forefront of global economic innovation. Bitcoin’s decentralized network will continue to grow and gain legitimacy worldwide, with or without the support of any single nation. Countries that welcome Bitcoin will have the advantage of shaping how this technology integrates with traditional finance, while those that resist may find themselves struggling to catch up in a world increasingly open to decentralized solutions.

The decision to embrace or reject Bitcoin will impact a country’s immediate economic landscape and influence its role in the global economy for decades to come. Nations like El Salvador and the city of Lugano are setting new standards for economic adaptability and resilience, blending Bitcoin with traditional systems to build a hybrid financial future. This approach not only positions them as leaders in the digital economy but also secures a brighter future for their citizens. By choosing to embrace Bitcoin, these countries are laying the groundwork for sustainable growth that will benefit generations to come.

A Critical Decision for Policymakers

Countries now stand at a pivotal crossroads: integrate Bitcoin as a complementary technology to strengthen economic resilience, or risk stagnating in an increasingly decentralized world. The choices made today will affect how nations are perceived globally and determine the level of financial freedom and opportunity available to their citizens. Embracing Bitcoin doesn’t mean abandoning the existing financial system. Instead, it means recognizing that Bitcoin can coexist with traditional finance to create a more inclusive, flexible, and resilient economy.

While simply ignoring Bitcoin is better than actively resisting it, embracing Bitcoin is what will truly benefit the country and its citizens. Policymakers in countries like Denmark should carefully consider the broader implications of either embracing or opposing Bitcoin. Early adopters of Bitcoin may be seen as visionaries, opening doors for innovation and growth, while those who reject it may be viewed as clinging to outdated paradigms. For countries that choose to ignore or resist Bitcoin, the cost will likely be measured not only in missed opportunities for the current generation but in constrained economic freedom and potential for generations to come. Embracing Bitcoin offers a pathway to a more adaptable and empowered future, one where traditional and decentralized systems work together to provide economic stability and growth.

Bitcoin is the most important, yet most misunderstood and underappreciated gift for humanity, and it happens to arrive at a pivotal time in history. Everyone should study Bitcoin. Bitcoin doesn't care. Bitcoin just is.

@ a31a17d6:34e8856e

Verdens rikeste mann har kjøpt X, tidligere Twitter, for ytringsfrihetens skyld. Nå er han i ferd med å kjøpe demokratiet, også for ytringsfrihetens skyld. Skal Elon Musk få definere hva ytringsfrihet er?

Spoler vi et halvår tilbake finner vi grunnleggeren av Twitter, Jack Dorsey, på scenen i Oslo Konserthus under Oslo Freedom Forum. Dorsey mener at den offentlige samtalen ikke kan eies og kontrolleres av en håndfull selskaper med annonsebaserte forretningsmodeller som prioriterer å fange vår oppmerksomhet og påvirke våre handlinger. Ifølge Dorsey foregår det ikke bare en kamp om ytringsfriheten, men også om vår frie vilje.

Fra scenen i konserthuset introduserte Dorsey en uventet aktør i kampen om ytringsfriheten; “Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays” (nostr). Nostr er ikke et selskap og har ingen eier. Det er en åpen protokoll som består av et desentralisert nettverk av noder og apper. På overflaten kan appene minne om X, Instagram og Spotify. Ser man under panseret stanser likhetene.

Nostr er unikt ved at du som bruker har total kontroll over din egen identitet, dine ytringer, ditt nettverk og hvilke algoritmer du eventuelt utsettes for. Åpenheten skaper fri konkurranse; på nostr blir følgerne og innholdet ditt blir med deg når du beveger deg mellom apper. Du blir ikke fanget på plattformer som Youtube fordi du har bygget deg opp en følgerbase der. Kombinasjonen av de to åpne protokollene nostr+bitcoin er en global versjon av Vipps; alle land er lansert, alle personer kan delta og gebyrene er marginale.

For innholdsprodusenter kan nostr+bitcoin endre spillereglene. Den amerikanske artisten Ainsley Costello har publisert musikken sin på nostr og på kort tid har hun tjent 20 ganger mer der enn hos tradisjonelle strømmeplattformer. Inntekten kommer fra brukere som tipser henne direkte. Det er ikke lenger algoritmene til Youtube som definerer rekkevidden hennes og nå beholder hun 95% av inntekten hun genererer. I motsetning til 55-70% på Youtube.

Nostr kan komme til å utfordre både grensene for ytringsfrihet og håndhevingene av disse, siden det ikke finnes noen sentral enhet myndigheter kan legge press på for å moderere og sensurere. Håndteringen av uønsket innhold og ondsinnede krefter må løses av nettverket selv. Det er ikke problemfritt, men kanskje er det mer effektivt, og bedre for ytringsfriheten på internett, enn nåværende løsning med sentralisert moderasjon til 100 milliarder kroner?

Hvis du deler Dorseys bekymring om at de store plattformene har for mye makt over ytringsfriheten og vår frie vilje, bør du ønske nostr velkommen. Det kan være nøkkelen til å bevare ytringsfriheten som en umistelig menneskerettighet – som ikke kan kjøpes av mektige interesser. Hvis du er frustrert over hvordan Musk bruker sin makt til å påvirke demokratiet, kan du gjøre en forskjell. Ta en pause fra X og gå til nostr.how for å lære mer.

@ 1f79058c:eb86e1cb

This week, it finally happened: I still had a Lightning channel open with a node that hadn't been online for the better part of a year now, so I decided to close the channel unilaterally. But force-closing a channel means you have to broadcast the latest commitment transaction, the pre-set fee of which was only ~1 sat/vB for this one.

With LND, if the channel is created as an anchor channel (by default only since version 0.12), then the commitment transaction contains small extra outputs (currently 330 sats), which let either channel partner spend one of them into a child transaction that can be created with higher fees to pay for the parent transaction (CPFP). LND even has a built-in command for that: lncli wallet bumpclosefee

However, this channel was created in the old-school way, and was thus stuck with its low fee. In fact, even the local bitcoin node refused to accept the transaction into its own mempool, so the bitcoin p2p network didn't even know it existed. So how do we get out of this pickle?

The solution

Enter the mempool.space Accelerator. It is essentially an automated way to create agreements with various mining pools to mine your low-fee transaction in exchange for an out-of-band payment. Mempool.space coordinates these agreements and out-of-band payments with miners and gets a share from the overall fee for that.

Now, if you're in the same situation as I was, you might search for the ID of your closing transaction and find that mempool.space cannot find it. Remember how the local bitcoin node (with mostly default settings) didn't accept it in the first place?

1. Get the transaction to be broadcast

In your bitcoin.conf, add the following line:

minrelaytxfee=0

This sets the minimum fee to 0, meaning it will accept and broadcast your transactions, no matter how low the fee is. Restart bitcoind and wait a little bit. LND will retry broadcasting the closing transaction every minute or so until it succeeds. At some point you should be able to find it on mempool.space.

2. Use the Accelerator to confirm it

Once you can see the transaction on mempool.space, you can just click the "Accelerate" button next to the ETA. This will bring you to a page that shows you the estimated share of miners that will include your transaction in their blocks, as well as some acceleration fee options for various transaction fee levels, which you can pay for via the Lightning Network, of course.

If you haven't looked into this service before (which I had), then the fees might be a bit of a surprise to you. This thing is not cheap! Bumping my fee from 1 sat/vB to ~9 sats/vB cost a whopping 51,500 sats (31 USD that day). Bumping it higher only seemed to add the difference in the transaction fee itself, so the service seems to have cost a flat 50K sats at the time.

Unfortunately, this channel wasn't particularly large, so the acceleration fee amounted to ~9% of my remaining channel balance. But 91% of something is better than 100% of nothing, so I actually felt pretty good about it.

Next, you will see something like this:

Time to lean back and let the miners work for you. In my case, the ETA was eerily precise. It told me that it would take ~56 minutes to confirm the transaction, and almost exactly an hour later it was mined.

3. Wait

Now that our transaction is confirmed, our channel is not closed immediately, of course. The time lock of the HTLC protects our channel partner from us broadcasting an old channel state in which our balance might be higher than in the latest state.

In my case, it was set to 144 blocks, i.e. ~24 hours. So I checked back the next day, et voilá: channel closed and balance restored. 🥳

@ 5fb7f8f7:d7d76024

Have you been wondering how you can earn from web3.0. Here are some ways to earn in Web3:

1. Crypto currency trading: Buy and sell cryptocurrencies on exchanges or decentralized platforms.

2. Staking: Participate in proof-of-stake (PoS) networks, validating transactions and earning rewards.

3. Decentralized Finance (DeFi): Lend, borrow, or provide liquidity in DeFi protocols, earning interest or fees.

4. Non-Fungible Token (NFT) creation: Design, mint, and sell unique digital assets on NFT marketplaces.

5. Play-to-Earn (P2E) gaming: Participate in blockchain-based games, earning tokens or NFTs.

6. Content creation: Monetize content through tokenized platforms or decentralized social media.

7. Web3 development: Build and deploy decentralized applications (dApps), earning fees or tokens.

8. Mining: Participate in proof-of-work (PoW) networks, validating transactions and earning block rewards.

9. Yield farming: Provide liquidity in DeFi protocols, earning rewards in the form of tokens.

10. Participate in DAOs: Join decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), contributing to governance and earning tokens.

11. Create and sell digital art: Utilize blockchain technology to create and sell unique digital art pieces.

12. Web3 writing and journalism: Monetize content related to Web3 and blockchain technology.

13. Consulting and advisory services: Offer expertise in Web3 and blockchain technology to clients.

14. Participate in Web3 events: Attend conferences, meetups, and workshops, earning tokens or rewards.

15. Learn and earn: Participate in Web3 educational programs, earning tokens or rewards.

Keep in mind that these opportunities may require skills, knowledge, and sometimes initial investments. Additionally, the Web3 space is constantly evolving, so new opportunities may emerge as the ecosystem grows.

@ 6bae33c8:607272e8

I don’t feel like writing about football, but I’m going out of town for four days with Sasha (giving her mom a break during Sasha’s school break), and won’t be doing my podcast on Wednesday (we’ll see if I can squeeze in a Guessing the Lines or Monday Night Observations). Basically I want to get Sasha off the internet for a few days, and she won’t go for it if I’m on my laptop, so it’ll have to be in the morning while she’s sleeping in. In other words, I should write something while I’m still here and have the chance even though my chief emotion after watching those games is detached revulsion.

I say “detached” because out of self defense lately if something goes south on me, I just choose not to agonize over it. More like, “that sucked” and think about something else. It’s a skill I’ve cultivated just recently and with only partial success.

I have (had) three great NFFC teams, but last week was a total disaster, and I lost Chris Godwin for the year. This week, I had Jordan Mason in three leagues and Stefon Diggs in all five. Imagine losing your third/fourth round pick who is doing well in one league — you’d be bummed. Now multiply that by five.

I know, I know, I could have diversified more, and I almost did a couple times. I considered Brandon Aiyuk for example in one, but narrowly went Diggs yet again. It really goes to show fantasy football is all fun and games when other people get devastating injuries, but when it happens to you it’s the proverbial “losing an eye.”

I also went 3-2 ATS in the Circa Millions, running this quarter to 13-7 and getting back to .500. I’m drawing dead in the overall, but hopefully I can parlay some of that momentum into Q3, And Seslowsky and I had the Lions in Survivor which was easy. There are still a couple hundred people left in a $70K pool, so it’s not noteworthy yet.

• Watching Isaac Guerendo rip off 20-yard runs and get a short TD on the 40-minute edited version was torture. Was Mason seriously hurt, was he coming back in? No way to know except by slowly having it dawn on you that it wasn’t happening. Tough backs like Mason can be a problem because they should just sit out, but they play through things ineffectively and then aggravate the injury. Just admit you’re hurt so I can sit you!

• Brock Purdy is an underrated scrambler. He’s a top-five NFL QB in real life.

• I fucking hate “national tight ends day” and the enthusiasm with which Scott Hanson talks about it. It’s stupid and annoying, and I don’t have George Kittle.

• At least I had CeeDee Lamb going in the Steak League.

• I use the Bengals often in the Circa Millions, and I’m starting to think maybe they just suck.

• Saquon Barkley’s having a great year, but imagine if Jalen Hurts weren’t stealing so many TDs. The Eagles have a very narrow tree now — just two WR, Barkley, Hurts and the TE. That’s it.

• It was nice to see the Browns knock some people out of Survivor. I took the Browns in Circa too as it was kind of obvious the Watson injury would be liberating to the entire team. Everyone’s talking about Cedric Tillman and the two TDs including the game-winner, but Elijah Moore quietly had 12 targets and eight catches too. Even Jerry Jeudy showed a pulse with Jameis Winston.

• Derrick Henry got a late TD, but saw only 11 carries. He’s always been heavily game-flow dependent, and that’s a normally a good thing on the Ravens, just not this week.

• I took the Lions -11.5, and after an early fight, it was easy peasy. The Lions scored 52 with Jared Goff passing for only 85 yards.

• The Titans are pointless, but Calvin Ridley must have had the over on his yardage.

• Tua Tagovailoa looked sharp enough in his return. I saw a post saying “zero medical experts recommended” Tua retire. Given the track record of “medical experts” the last few years, he’ll probably get decapitated in a couple weeks. But enjoy the fantasy production until then!

• Marvin Harrison made some great catches including a TD while sliding toward the sideline. He’ll be up and down, but more ups than downs the rest of the way and finish more or less with the numbers for which you paid, health permitting.

• Kyler Murray finally played a good game. The Cardinals are still very much alive in the NFC West. Everyone is.

• I love Aaron Rodgers, but he is not going to rescue the Jets, and I’d expect him to be done after this year. They should trade Davante Adams before the deadline.

• Of course I had Rhamondre Stevenson on my bench. When you draft a player, it’s not just what he does, but what he does while startable.

• Cade Otton is a top-five TE now. Maybe Kyle Pitts too!

• Bijan Robinson going back to the timeshare is not something I expected, but I’m here for it. He did have six targets and a receiving TD though.

• Annoyed I started Kirk Cousins over Joe Burrow last week but did the reverse this week.

• Jordan Love is hurt again, but Malik Willis is now 3-0.

• The Packers are spreading the ball around so much, it’s hard to start anyone except Josh Jacobs.

• C.J. Stroud is a tough watch this year. He’s lost his best and probably second best receivers, his offensive line is horrendous and his coach is way too conservative. He’s playing well, all things considered, but it’s brutal having him in fantasy and hoping he does something.

• Joe Mixon, like every other old running back, is good as gold every week.

• Anthony Richardson was 10 of 32. I saw some of the throws, he was close a few times, but he’s not an NFL QB right now. Either they overhaul the offense to suit his skills, or they switch to Joe Flacco.

• Ladd McConkey is a player. He’s fast, quick and changes direction on a dime in the open field. The Chargers need to turn Justin Herbert loose more.

• JK Dobbins is holding up, but I don’t see much burst.

• Chris Olave woke up when Jake Haener took over. He should see a ton of volume the rest of the way with Rashid Shaheed out and Derek Carr coming back.

• Amari Cooper barely did anything in his second week with the Bills, but they didn’t need him. Keon Coleman is emerging too.

• Unlike Barkley, James Cook is getting some work near the goal line despite having a great goal-line-running QB.

• The Seahawks are so sloppy. On a fourth-down play near the goal line, the center stepped on Geno Smith’s foot, he fell on his ass, and that was that.

• I started JSN with DK Metcalf out, and he caught a bunch of short passes as usual.

• I didn’t watch Denver-Carolina, but maybe Bo Nix is emerging with Sean Payton as his coach. Courtland Sutton had a nice game on everyone’s bench. At least do it during a week where there are byes, so you’re forced into a few lineups!

• The Panthers are pointless now. Bring in Jonathon Brooks.

• Kareem Hunt (21 carries for 59 yards) is the perfect encapsulation of the Chiefs. And Travis Kelce (12 targets, 90 yards).

• The Raiders are hilarious. Forcing-running Alexander Mattison at the goal line, followed by Gardnew Minshew’s laughably bad fourth-down scramble where he got sacked immediately on a play that had zero chance. At least they backdoored the cover.

• I had the Bears in my picking pool, so I was not thrilled with the Hail Mary, but it was an amazing scramble and throw, batted perfectly into Noah Brown’s hands. It rarely works, and when it does, it’s rarely that clean and easy.

@ 9dd283b1:cf9b6beb

This is not a longform post, this is a test post cause I cannot make it post to relay yet, get a timeout error. but if you see it means it's working.

@ b3e02844:0b28deb2

Can decentralized, block chain secured public forums be an antidote for messenger mass shooters/violent actors?

E.g. those who commit their violent acts as a means to draw attention to a message they feel needs to be heard but without extreme action will never be allowed to be heard by those who need to hear it.

Public forums where absolutely anything can be said aloud and discussed publicly and anonymously without the possibility of deletion or censorship may render the utility of a shooters manifesto obsolete or closer to obsolete.

Thoughts?

@ 09565902:0700e0d5

Technology has woven itself into the fabric of our daily lives, influencing every aspect of our existence. From the moment we wake up to the time we retire, technology is there, guiding our actions, facilitating our interactions, and shaping our world.  

One of the most profound impacts of technology is on communication. Social media platforms have revolutionized the way we connect with others, transcending geographical boundaries. Instant messaging, video calls, and email have made communication efficient and effortless. Moreover, technology has democratized information, making it accessible to billions of people around the globe.  

In the realm of education, technology has transformed traditional classrooms into dynamic learning environments. Online courses, educational apps, and virtual reality experiences have made learning more engaging and personalized. Students can access knowledge from anywhere, at any time, and at their own pace.  

The healthcare industry has also benefited immensely from technological advancements. Telemedicine has made it possible for patients to consult with doctors remotely, reducing the burden on healthcare facilities. Wearable devices monitor vital health parameters, enabling early detection of potential health issues. Artificial intelligence is being used to develop innovative treatments and personalized medicine.  

The business world has undergone a digital revolution. E-commerce has disrupted traditional retail models, offering consumers a wider range of products and services. Automation and artificial intelligence have streamlined operations, increasing efficiency and productivity. Cloud computing has enabled businesses to store and access data from anywhere, fostering collaboration and innovation.  

However, the rapid advancement of technology has also raised concerns about privacy, security, and job displacement. It is crucial to use technology responsibly and ethically. Governments, businesses, and individuals must work together to address these challenges and ensure that technology benefits society as a whole.  

In conclusion, technology has become an indispensable part of modern society. It has transformed the way we communicate, learn, work, and live. As technology continues to evolve, it is essential to embrace its potential while mitigating its risks. By harnessing the power of technology, we can create a better future for generations to come.

@ 123711f7:c0a0c17e

Trump Media auditor raises doubts about Truth Social's future in new filing

A new regulatory filing from Donald Trump’s social media company shows an auditor has raised concerns about the company’s future. 

Trump Media, the company behind the social media platform Truth Social, went public last week after merging with shell company Digital World Acquisition. The stock’s price has been volatile since then, shooting up as high as $79.38 on its first day of trading Tuesday before closing below $50 Monday.

@ 09565902:0700e0d5

Environmental pollution, a pressing global issue, has far-reaching consequences for both human health and the natural world. It arises from the introduction of harmful substances or energy into the environment, leading to adverse changes. This article delves into the various types of pollution, their causes, and the devastating impacts they have on our planet.

Types of Pollution

Air Pollution: Air pollution occurs when harmful gases, particulate matter, and other pollutants are released into the atmosphere. Major sources include industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust, and burning fossil fuels. The consequences of air pollution are severe, ranging from respiratory diseases to climate change.

Water Pollution: Water pollution results from the contamination of water bodies with pollutants such as industrial waste, agricultural runoff, and sewage. This can lead to waterborne diseases, harm aquatic ecosystems, and disrupt water supplies.

Land Pollution: Land pollution arises from the accumulation of solid waste on land. Improper waste disposal, deforestation, and industrial activities contribute to land degradation and soil contamination.

Noise Pollution: Excessive noise levels can cause hearing loss, stress, and sleep disturbances. Sources of noise pollution include transportation, construction, and industrial activities.

Light Pollution: Excessive artificial light at night can disrupt natural rhythms, affect wildlife, and contribute to energy waste.

Causes of Pollution

Industrial Activities: Industries release pollutants into the air, water, and land during production processes. Transportation: Vehicle emissions contribute significantly to air pollution. Agriculture: The use of pesticides and fertilizers can contaminate water bodies and soil. Deforestation: Clearing forests reduces carbon sinks and leads to soil erosion. Waste Disposal: Improper waste management practices result in pollution of land and water. Impacts of Pollution

Health Risks: Pollution can cause respiratory diseases, cancer, and other health problems. Environmental Degradation: Pollution damages ecosystems, reduces biodiversity, and disrupts natural processes. Climate Change: Greenhouse gas emissions contribute to global warming and climate change. Economic Loss: Pollution can harm industries, reduce agricultural productivity, and increase healthcare costs. Mitigating Pollution

Addressing environmental pollution requires a multifaceted approach:

Sustainable Practices: Adopting sustainable practices in industries and agriculture can reduce pollution. Renewable Energy: Transitioning to renewable energy sources can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Waste Reduction and Recycling: Minimizing waste and recycling materials can reduce land pollution. Public Awareness: Educating the public about the dangers of pollution and promoting environmentally friendly behaviors is crucial. Policy and Regulations: Strong environmental regulations and enforcement are essential to control pollution. Environmental pollution is a complex issue with far-reaching consequences. By understanding its causes and impacts, we can take collective action to protect our planet and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.

@ a012dc82:6458a70d

Table Of Content

The Purpose Behind the Move

Boosting Market Liquidity

Implications for the Cryptocurrency Market

Conclusion

FAQ

In the ever-evolving landscape of cryptocurrencies, Tether, one of the leading stablecoin issuers, has recently made a bold move by announcing their decision to purchase more Bitcoin. This strategic step aims to bolster Tether's stablecoin reserves and potentially reshape the dynamics of the cryptocurrency market. With Tether's Big Move: Buying More Bitcoin to Boost Stablecoin Reserves, investors and enthusiasts are eager to comprehend the implications of this decision. This article delves into the details, benefits, concerns, and possible outcomes of Tether's bold maneuver.

The Purpose Behind the Move

Tether's decision to acquire additional Bitcoin primarily serves two purposes. Firstly, it aims to increase the overall reserves of Tether's stablecoin. By purchasing more Bitcoin, Tether ensures that its stablecoin is backed by a higher value, which enhances market confidence. This move can also help Tether solidify its position as the most widely adopted stablecoin, attracting more users and creating a positive feedback loop.

Boosting Market Liquidity

Secondly, Tether's move can have a significant impact on market liquidity. Bitcoin, being the largest and most recognized cryptocurrency, is highly liquid and serves as the backbone of the entire market. By purchasing more Bitcoin, Tether effectively injects additional liquidity into the cryptocurrency ecosystem, potentially fostering a more robust and vibrant market.

Implications for the Cryptocurrency Market

Tether's decision to buy more Bitcoin has far-reaching implications for the broader cryptocurrency market. Let's explore the various ways this move can reshape the industry.

1. Increased Stability

By bolstering its reserves through Bitcoin, Tether aims to reinforce stability within the crypto space. A stable and reliable stablecoin is crucial for traders and investors, as it provides a reliable bridge between fiat and digital currencies. This move could instill confidence in market participants and mitigate some of the volatility associated with cryptocurrencies.

2. Enhanced Market Dominance

Tether is already the dominant stablecoin in the market, and its decision to purchase more Bitcoin could further solidify its position. With an increased reserve, Tether can maintain the 1:1 peg with the U.S. dollar, attracting more users and cementing its status as the go-to stablecoin for traders and exchanges.

3. Bitcoin Price Impact

As Tether buys more Bitcoin, it has the potential to influence the price of the leading cryptocurrency. Increased demand from Tether can drive up the price of Bitcoin, benefitting existing holders and potentially attracting more investors to the market. However, it's important to note that the overall impact on Bitcoin's price will depend on various factors, including market sentiment and overall trading volume.

4. Regulatory Scrutiny

Given the significance of Tether in the cryptocurrency ecosystem, its actions are likely to attract regulatory attention. The purchase of more Bitcoin to boost stablecoin reserves may raise concerns about market manipulation or the concentration of power. Regulatory bodies may closely monitor Tether's operations to ensure compliance with existing regulations and the overall stability of the market.

5. Market Volatility

While Tether's move aims to enhance stability, it may inadvertently contribute to short-term volatility. The injection of additional liquidity into the market can lead to price fluctuations, especially in the short term. Traders and investors should brace themselves for potential market movements resulting from Tether's decision.

6. Potential Rival Responses

Tether's big move could spur other stablecoin issuers to explore similar strategies. Competitors might also consider increasing their Bitcoin reserves to maintain a competitive edge and attract users. This could lead to a broader trend in the stablecoin market, influencing the overall dynamics of cryptocurrencies.

Conclusion

Tether's Big Move: Buying More Bitcoin to Boost Stablecoin Reserves has the potential to reshape the cryptocurrency landscape. By increasing its Bitcoin holdings, Tether aims to enhance stability, boost market liquidity, and solidify its position as a leading stablecoin issuer. While the implications of this decision are yet to fully unfold, market participants and regulators will closely monitor the outcomes. As the cryptocurrency market continues to evolve, Tether's bold move signifies the ongoing innovation and strategic shifts within the industry.

FAQ

How will Tether's purchase of more Bitcoin impact the stability of the USDT stablecoin? Tether's move is intended to enhance stability by increasing the overall reserves of the USDT stablecoin. With a higher value of Bitcoin backing each USDT, market participants can have increased confidence in the stability of the stablecoin.

Will Tether's purchase of Bitcoin drive up the price of the cryptocurrency? Tether's buying activity can potentially influence Bitcoin's price due to increased demand. However, the overall impact on the price will depend on various factors, including market sentiment and trading volume.

How might regulatory bodies respond to Tether's decision? Tether's actions are likely to attract regulatory scrutiny, given its significance in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Regulators may monitor Tether's operations to ensure compliance with existing regulations and maintain market stability.

That's all for today

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

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DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.

@ 09565902:0700e0d5

Trump ends big hometown rally published at 01:38 01:38 Trump has just wrapped up his speech in New York, which he says is the "town where I was born and raised" and "taught me that we can do anything".

He tells his supporters that "we bleed the same blood, share the same home, salute the same great American flag".

Trump then repeats the lines he usually ends his rallies with, promising to make America healthy, wealthy and great again.

A singer is now on stage singing New York, New York while Trump waves to his supporters.

We'll bring you some recaps and analysis of the speech shortly. Stay tuned.

@ 00e8cdc1:e8e10d96

Opinion about Cake Wallet (android)

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA256

I work on Haveno, which is closely linked with the people who created Cake Wallet. I will attempted to make a reproducible build and will share my findings both here and on the bounties pages raised by one of your staff, I will also blog my findings on https://kewbit.org/ in detail which a source reproducible if possible.

Hopefully this will help the community have better visibility. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----

iQIzBAEBCAAdFiEE1wObvs5L5RfU4Q96azzMiJ9/IkkFAmce4TwACgkQazzMiJ9/ IkmT6g//XjoJP5T2vCsO0YxvJfuPyiGvSfHxxvIVRahNh5VKhGE625kDQfbzNGx6 UTjvLoygXTMcaHwFgYQz2VI/8ZkY0vur+6DlN7nwn21fBARtB3NviddCONuVxStp dVsgcTfDsBMMsBZPU+d6Z5XYhw72RKOt1zQ6o6X89MmP1zezd/AZRhkoib/bBMHR I1l8BKxlJ27JuRsQLHL/Zj+RRhLTFIdV2b0LQlFV5RZhPZPacdJUK1riNhxORTKN Rbn1etoFHQYp2xaeFUvXX9JcUPjn6hQpFSNvq0Dt9BbuuiYmotMK+5E4Ed3SRxLJ VKLcODOzUpYbnUftyGkouistNT7s9iMbV+syNkb7S55ifXxNq+vFJJ7Cz9IzVN99 EZm9Wpc2s2j0AxW66v60aRREBeo67uemx2EwAjiSF6+2UHuYBQUqY8vP6CHdCE+X u8TCP/JB3o7LyU0+icMjEGaI3Voy3Yaw0BI3ulD//yS/P9kzJUYmNLNsYWMZBlDZ /1HrhbeWKcEMKrnuYIKRcEH08jzOD51T2cIihjrPrSl+8/fk0q7Q2rTbBpNWcUD4 xqrKyHDZuUhEZWfnAZiUDPAm8x0Vq/Uwhb1K+LK6OAvZSo06sEKERj+cBw+gE9Jx lxHSz9HO3554jhjR1JIwA8Plrq65yI7wKo86OwefkebvtG6dfeY= =lCV6 -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

WalletScrutiny #nostrOpinion

Join the conversation!

@ 0440f5d2:76b637dd

Hello World

@ 46390caa:7e7f65d9

TikTok, with over a billion active users, has emerged as a vital platform for businesses to reach their target audience. TikTok ads offer a unique opportunity to tap into this vast user base, increase brand awareness, and drive sales. In this article, we'll analyze the effectiveness of TikTok ads as a marketing strategy and provide actionable tips for businesses.

Why TikTok Ads?

1. Huge User Base: TikTok's massive user base presents an unparalleled opportunity to reach potential customers.
2. Engaging Format: TikTok's short-form, visually-driven content resonates with users, making ads more effective.
3. Targeting Capabilities: TikTok's algorithm allows for precise targeting based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
4. Cost-Effectiveness: TikTok ads are often more affordable than traditional social media platforms.

Effectiveness of TikTok Ads

Studies have shown:

1. High Engagement Rates: TikTok ads achieve an average engagement rate of 5.5%, outperforming Facebook (4.3%) and Instagram (3.8%) [1].
2. Increased Brand Awareness: 67% of users report increased brand awareness after seeing TikTok ads [2].
3. Sales and Conversions: TikTok ads drive significant sales and conversions, with 55% of users reporting purchases influenced by the platform [3].

Tips for Businesses

1. Define Your Target Audience

2. Identify your ideal customer demographics, interests, and behaviors.

3. Use TikTok's targeting options to reach your audience.

4. Create Engaging Ad Content

5. Short, visually-appealing videos (15-60 seconds).

6. Use music, effects, and captions to enhance engagement.

7. Ensure brand consistency and messaging.

8. Leverage Hashtag Challenges

9. Participate in relevant hashtag challenges to increase visibility.

10. Create branded challenges to encourage user-generated content.

11. Utilize Influencer Marketing

12. Partner with popular TikTok creators to reach niche audiences.

13. Choose influencers aligning with your brand values and target audience.

14. Monitor and Optimize

15. Track ad performance using TikTok's analytics tool.

16. Adjust targeting, ad creative, and budget allocation for optimal results.

17. Run Contests and Giveaways

18. Host contests or giveaways to drive engagement and encourage sharing.

19. Offer incentives for users to participate.

20. Integrate with E-commerce

21. Use TikTok's shopping feature to tag products directly.

22. Enable seamless checkout experiences.

Conclusion

TikTok ads offer a powerful marketing strategy for businesses seeking to reach a vast, engaged audience. By understanding the platform's effectiveness, targeting capabilities, and best practices, businesses can unlock the full potential of TikTok ads.

References

[1] AdEspresso, "TikTok Ads Benchmark Report" [2] GlobalWebIndex, "TikTok Marketing Report" [3] Influencer Marketing Hub, "TikTok Influencer Marketing Report"

You can also explore these resources:

• TikTok for Business: (link unavailable)
• TikTok Ads Manager: (link unavailable)
• TikTok Creator Marketplace: (link unavailable)

@ 8d34bd24:414be32b

NOTE: This article has some details that are specific to America, but the overall principles are applicable to all, and I believe it will be useful for all Christians.

When it comes to things like voting, Christians tend to err to one of two extremes and seem to find difficulty finding the right balance as defined by God. Some Christians refuse to vote or get involved with politics at all. They don’t want to dirty themselves with politics. They know that their true home is heaven, so they don’t seem to care much for the nations they live in. On the other hand, some Christians are so focused on politics fixing everything and creating heaven on earth that they can become idolatrous lifting up politicians as a kind of savior.

In this article, I’m going to address both extremes, using the Bible, and hopefully help you find a Biblical balance.

Seek the Welfare of the City Where I Have Sent You

As Christians we are just passing through our time on earth. Our true, eternal home, our true citizenship, is in heaven. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t care what happens on earth. We shouldn’t be like the old saying, “some Christians are so heavenly minded that they aren’t any earthly good.” I think Christians should organize our time here on earth kind of like the Israelites were commanded to live during their 70 year exile in Babylon and Persia.

Now these are the words of the letter which Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exile, the priests, the prophets and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. (Jeremiah 29:1)

What did God say to the Israelites about how they should live their life in Babylon?

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, ‘Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.’ (Jeremiah 29:4-7) {emphasis mine}

Could we likewise say the same to Christians during their time on earth? “Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. Seek the welfare of the city, state, or nation where I have sent you to live for a short while, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.”

God expects us to live fruitful lives, to marry, to have many children (multiply), and to raise them up to do the same. He also wants us to seek the welfare of the city, state, and nation where God has put us. In a city, state, or nation with democratic elections, the best way to seek its welfare is to vote for honest candidates who support godly principles. We rightly understand that in our ungodly world there are no perfect candidates. It can even be hard to find mostly honest and mostly godly candidates, but we should seek to elect the best that is available. Why are we told to do this? We are told that “for in its welfare you will have welfare.” When we fail to vote, to teach our kids or support good schools, to live productive lives, and to generally live Godly lives, we WILL see the decline of our cities, states, and nations. We will pay the price.

We are seeing exactly that decline because Christians have pulled out (and were pushed out) of the positions that influence the culture. We don’t have enough godly teachers, journalists, professors, advisors, economists, and politicians. We have given up the culture to those who oppose God, His people, and His commands.

We are paying the price for withdrawing into the safety of our churches and leaving the world to the wolves.

Political Religion

Of course we also have an opposite extreme. We have some Christians that are too focused on politics and power. They spend all of their time and energy on political endeavors and very little, to none, on sharing the Gospel and being a godly example. Many act like they think a political candidate is going to save them from the culture, the media, the bureaucracy, or the government. They forget that there is only one Savior — the Lord Jesus Christ. They forget that God said things will get worse before they get better. They make idols out of politicians and religions out of political parties.

No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” (Luke 16:13)

Although this verse is specifically talking about being obsessed with wealth, it is applicable to anything that takes our focus, attention, and especially our worship away from God.

When a person spends all of their time serving one candidate or party and little to no time serving God, they have chosen to serve another god and are guilty, even if inadvertently and unintentionally.

You shall have no other gods before Me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. (Exodus 20:3-6)

When we look to a politician to save us from anything, we are making him/her a god before us. When we give our all to a political party, we are taking our heart away from God and giving it to an alternate religion.

We may not think that we make idols in our modern world. It is true that we don’t usually carve them out of wood or mold them out of gold, but we have just as many idols as the Israelites did. They just look different.

I hope you will seriously consider this next point because it may be very unpopular with many of my readers. There are lots of Christians that will throw as big, if not a bigger, fit at the desecration of the American flag than over the Bible. Nobody seems to fight to retain the pledge of allegiance more than a majority of Christians. I’d argue that the American flag has become a modern day idol and the “Pledge of Allegiance” has become a religious mantra repeated to the god of government. Look at the words of the pledge:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America,\ and to the Republic for which it stands,\ one Nation under God,\ indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

I think the inclusion of the phrase “one Nation under God” makes Christians feel OK about this pledge originally invented by a socialist whose brother sold American flags. The important part, which is why I can’t say the pledge anymore, are the words, “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands.” I really appreciate the principles America was founded upon, but as a Christian, I can only pledge allegiance to God. My allegiance isn’t to a flag (an idol) or the government (a god). I refuse to go through a religious ritual that includes particular stances, reciting special words, and showing undue respect. We cannot “serve two masters.” As Christians our master should be Christ alone. Anything that becomes more important than, or even equal to, the importance of God in our lives is idolatry. We need to get our priorities right.

In the World, but Not of the World

As we live our lives here on earth, we need to remember our God ordained purpose and our true allegiance to God. We need to remember our citizenship1 and family are in heaven, not here on earth.

We want to have a positive influence on our culture, including working in influential positions and voting, but we should be most focused on personal evangelism and sharing the truth of the Bible. The best way to make a difference in our culture is to change hearts and minds through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. (John 17:13-17) {emphasis mine}

Although we want to be a light in the world, we have been warned that doing so will make us not fit in. It will cause many non-Christians (and maybe a few Christians whose priorities are not right) to hate us. No matter the consequences, we need to stand on the truth of the Word of God.

Too often, because we are living with those who are of this world, we start to look and act a lot like those of the world instead of looking and acting like our Savior.

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:15-17) {emphasis mine}

The fact that we should not love the things of the world or take on the character of things of the world is true in every part of our lives, but since we are talking here about politics, let us discuss the way many Christians talk politics.

Many Christians talk about politics in the same manner as non-Christians — cursing, name calling, insulting, and doing whatever it takes to win, no matter whether it is moral or not. I know the “other side” cheats, lies, name-calls, etc., but we should not stoop to their level. Nobody ever won another to their point of view by cursing or name calling. There are ways to point our their errors, and even how horrific some of the things pushed are, without going so low. Jesus didn’t hold back from speaking the truth. He didn’t hesitate to point out error, but was never crude about it. We should be the same. We should shine a light in such a way that those around us see such a difference that they say something similar to what was said about the apostles:

Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)

There should be something about our words, actions, and demeanor that amazes our opponents causing them to recognize us “as having been with Jesus.”

I hope this post has been helpful, truthful, and not too offensive. In so many areas it is hard to find that perfect balance and to not allow ourselves to be pulled to either extreme to the detriment of our witness and our relationship to God.

Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved. (1 Corinthians 10:32-33) {emphasis mine}

Trust Jesus.\ \ your sister in Christ,

Christy

@ 9017cf6a:3d8a7adb

Ricardo Nunes (MDB) é eleito prefeito de São Paulo

O prefeito de São Paulo, Ricardo Nunes (MDB), conquistou sua reeleição neste domingo (27) e agora terá mais quatro anos para administrar a maior cidade do Brasil.

Apoiado por Jair Bolsonaro (https://www.conexaopolitica.com.br/tag/jair-bolsonaro/) e pelo PL (https://www.conexaopolitica.com.br/tag/pl/), que indicou seu vice na chapa, o emedebista foi confirmado como o vencedor do segundo turno disputado contra o esquerdista Guilherme Boulos (PSOL).

Nunes assumiu a prefeitura da capital paulista em 2021, após a morte de Bruno Covas (PSDB), de quem era vice na chapa eleita em 2020. Aos 56 anos, ele agora terá um mandato completo para gerenciar a principal metrópole da América do Sul.

Comments: https://www.conexaopolitica.com.br/ultimas/ricardo-nunes-mdb-e-eleito-prefeito-de-sao-paulo/#respond

https://www.conexaopolitica.com.br/ultimas/ricardo-nunes-mdb-e-eleito-prefeito-de-sao-paulo/

@ 5fb7f8f7:d7d76024

**A short introduction to Web3:

What is Web3?**

Web3, also known as Web 3.0, is the next generation of the internet, where users are in control of their own data, identity, and interactions. It's a decentralized web, built on blockchain technology, where applications and services are designed to be trustless, permissionless, and open.

Key features:

1. Decentralization: Web3 applications run on blockchain networks, ensuring that data is stored and managed in a decentralized manner.
2. Token-based economics: Web3 introduces token-based economies, enabling new business models and incentivization mechanisms.
3. Artificial intelligence: Web3 integrates AI to enhance user experiences and automate processes.
4. Internet of Things (IoT) integration: Web3 connects physical devices to the digital world, creating a seamless interaction between the physical and virtual.

Benefits:

1. User sovereignty: Users have full control over their data and identity.
2. Security: Decentralized and encrypted data storage ensures enhanced security.
3. Censorship resistance: Web3 applications are resistant to censorship and downtime.
4. New business models: Token-based economies enable innovative revenue streams.

Challenges:

1. Scalability: Web3 applications face scalability issues due to blockchain limitations.
2. Regulation: Evolving regulatory frameworks pose challenges for Web3 adoption.
3. User adoption: Mainstream adoption requires user-friendly interfaces and education.

Conclusion:

Web3 represents a significant shift in the internet's evolution, prioritizing user control, decentralization, and innovation. As the ecosystem grows, we can expect new applications, business models, and opportunities to emerge, shaping the future of the web.Here's a short introduction to Web3.

@ 7579076d:1bbfcb19

Amber 2.0.8

• Fix signing private zaps

Download it with zap.store, Obtainium, f-droid or download it directly in the releases page

If you like my work consider making a donation

Verifying the release

In order to verify the release, you'll need to have gpg or gpg2 installed on your system. Once you've obtained a copy (and hopefully verified that as well), you'll first need to import the keys that have signed this release if you haven't done so already:

bash gpg --keyserver hkps://keys.openpgp.org --recv-keys 44F0AAEB77F373747E3D5444885822EED3A26A6D

Once you have his PGP key you can verify the release (assuming manifest-v2.0.8.txt and manifest-v2.0.8.txt.sig are in the current directory) with:

bash gpg --verify manifest-v2.0.8.txt.sig manifest-v2.0.8.txt

You should see the following if the verification was successful:

bash gpg: Signature made Fri 13 Sep 2024 08:06:52 AM -03 gpg: using RSA key 44F0AAEB77F373747E3D5444885822EED3A26A6D gpg: Good signature from "greenart7c3 <greenart7c3@proton.me>"

That will verify the signature on the main manifest page which ensures integrity and authenticity of the binaries you've downloaded locally. Next, depending on your operating system you should then re-calculate the sha256 sum of the binary, and compare that with the following hashes:

bash cat manifest-v2.0.6.txt

One can use the shasum -a 256 <file name here> tool in order to re-compute the sha256 hash of the target binary for your operating system. The produced hash should be compared with the hashes listed above and they should match exactly.

@ df478568:2a951e67

Chef's notes

This is a delicious, quick and easy meal you can do on the weeknights. Serve with mash potatoes.

Details

• ⏲️ Prep time: 10 minutes
• 🍳 Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• 🍽️ Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 lamb shanks
• 28 oz. Can of whole San Marzano tomatoes
• 2 table spoons of garlic powder
• 1/3 bottle of dry white wine(cheap stuff is fine)
• 2 table spoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 bag of frozen carrots

Directions

1. Place carrots in the Instant pot to rest the meat on.
2. add the 4 lamb shakes on top of carrots
3. pour tomato can into instant pot.
4. sprinkle garlic powder into Instant Pot.
5. drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
6. add enought white wine to cover about a third of the meat.
7. add salt and pepper.
8. cook in instant pot for 1 hour.
9. slow release 10 minutes

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

A concerning trend in American society regarding government dependency. A record-breaking 59% of Americans now receive more in government benefits than they pay in taxes, marking the highest level of dependency in U.S. history.

Key Findings

Historical Comparison The current dependency rate shows a significant increase from previous decades, with only 39% of Americans being net beneficiaries in 1979.

Contributing Factors - The expansion of welfare programs and benefits - Changes in tax policies - Growing income inequality - Aging population demographics

Economic Implications

Fiscal Concerns The increasing dependency ratio poses significant challenges for the federal budget and long-term fiscal sustainability. This trend suggests a shrinking base of net taxpayers supporting a growing number of net beneficiaries.

Social Impact The shift represents a fundamental change in the relationship between citizens and government, with more Americans becoming reliant on government assistance for their basic needs.

Future Outlook

The trend raises questions about the sustainability of current welfare programs and the potential need for policy reforms. The growing dependency ratio could potentially impact future economic growth and social mobility in the United States.

Sauce

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

U.S. export control laws have expanded to treat information and civilian technologies as weapons, often leading to questionable enforcement and unintended consequences.

Case Studies

several notable examples:

• A Russian game developer was arrested for purchasing an F-16 flight manual for video game development[1].
• Encryption technology was once classified as munitions, restricting the export of web browsers[1].
• Medical researchers were prosecuted for attempting to transport protein samples for stem cell research[1].
• A scuba equipment supplier was imprisoned for selling rebreathers that ended up overseas[1].

Impact on Industries

Space Industry - Satellite technology and related information are heavily restricted - Companies face complex hiring restrictions due to ITAR regulations - These regulations have significantly reduced U.S. competitiveness in the global satellite market[1].

Scientific Research - Researchers face barriers in international collaboration - Export controls have hindered the sharing of potentially lifesaving medical data - Even accident investigation reports can be treated as weapons technology[1].

Current Enforcement

The U.S. government has announced plans to tighten enforcement further, with the Commerce Department promising stricter penalties for violations. This includes substantial fines for companies violating export controls, such as a $300 million fine against Seagate Technology[1].

These regulations create an absurd situation where the U.S. attempts to be both an open society fostering innovation while simultaneously maintaining strict control over knowledge transfer, leading to a system where ordinary items and information are treated as weapons[1].

Sauce

@ 9e69e420:d12360c2

Nick Pope, former head of the UK's UFO project, warns of a potential "imminent alien announcement" that may contain troubling truths. Following a 2017 report on the US government's UFO research, discussions about extraterrestrial life have surged. Recently, a satellite project hinted at confirming alien life, potentially aligning with the upcoming US election.

Pope emphasizes careful scrutiny of any alien messages before public release, stating, "in case it contains a truth too terrible to be told." He speculates about the delay in disclosures and suggests profound implications for humanity's understanding of its place in the universe, citing theories ranging from being a "science experiment" to a simulated reality.

Sauce

₿ (timechain zap)

@ a03b38f8:2c7ce1f0

(Member only content that has been unencrypted for use with )

Details on how to use a Burner Phone

Mobile phones are needed for communications when out in the world but they are a nightmare for privacy and security as detailed in especially when it comes to surveillance risks. This is more of a hands on guide for how to mitigate those risks.

Burner phones as the name describes is a use and "burn" device either for a single operation or for a longer period if proper precautions are taken. In case you are unaware what I mean by a burner phone; cell phones can be purchased from big box stores, gas stations, and kiosks in cash without a contract. They are usually not very expense and enable you to buy prepaid cards to use for phone and internet service.

Getting a Burner Phone:

1. Best to use a store out of town but not mandatory.
2. Do not take any electronics with you, especially another phone.
3. Park down the street in another parking lot near the store and walk over. Be mindful of security cameras.
4. Cover any tattoos or identifying marks. Wear a hat and a medical mask. (Thank you covid)
5. Use cash only to buy.
6. Leave, do not shop or buy anything else.

Setting up Burner Phone:

1. Go somewhere with free public WIFI (Starbucks, Library, whatever)
2. Do not take any electronics with you, especially another phone.
3. Open package and follow directions to activate using the public WIFI access.
4. Choose a random area code during setup.
5. Create a new random gmail account. (Do not reuse accounts or names)
6. Download and install a VPN, Signal or SimpleX, Firefox Focus Browser, Tor if needed. Delete any other unnecessary apps.
7. Change phone settings (see list)
8. Turn off and remove battery if able to (becoming harder to find) or put into a Faraday Bag.
9. Destroy packaging that came with the phone.

Phone Settings: 1. Turn off hotspot and tethering. Enable Always on VPN and Block Connections without VPN. Set DNS to automatic. 2. Turn off bluetooth and WIFI. 3. Disable all notifications, notification history, notifications on lock screen, and emergency alerts. 4. Turn off all sounds and vibrations. 5. Turn off Find my Device. Setup screen lock with password. (No bio) 6. Toggle everything in privacy: no permissions, turn off microphone, turn off usage and diagnostics, etc 7. Set Use Location to off. 8. Under Languages & Input > Virtual Keyboard > Gboard > Advanced: disable usage statistics, personalizing, and improve voice and typing for everyone.

Using a Burner Phone:

1. Never sign into any account associated with your real identity.
2. Never use it to contact anyone associated with your real identity.
3. Time and distance between burner phone and any other cell phone you own. i.e. A hour has passed and several miles from when you use and had on the other device.
4. When not in use the battery is removed or in a Faraday Bag.
5. Always use a VPN and always use private search and browser set to delete upon closing (Firefox Focus default).
6. Never actually call or text from the phone. You only want to use SimpleX or Signal for communications.
7. Do not save anything (files, pictures, history) on the phone, especially if incriminating.
8. Do not take it with you or use unless necessary.
9. When in doubt, burn it and get another one.
10. Never carry over names, accounts, whatever from old burner phone to new burner phone.

Burning a phone:

1. Factory reset the device.
2. Remove and destroy the SIM card.
3. Remove the battery because lithium batteries can explode. (may have to take it apart)
4. Smash internals.
5. Burn remains or drown in water. (Throw it in the river)

As long as you are careful to never identify yourself with the burner phone the only surveillance they can do is know that a phone was used or in a location but not who it belongs to. Be aware that if you are caught with it on your person any information or contacts on the phone may get compromised. Be mindful what you put on it.

@ a03b38f8:2c7ce1f0

Update to k3tan's Starting a new digital identity

Update to k3tan's Starting a new digital identity

Ktan wrote a nice article on digital identities (https://k3tan.com/starting-a-new-digital-identity) but sadly being from 2021 is out of date. This is my humble update and expansion on their ideas.

NEW Identity: Starting up a new digital identity. Notice the "new" part. For a history lesson most hackers, black and white hats, get caught from reusing nyms or user names. Maybe it is laziness or human ego wanting to show street cred but never never never reuse user names. Maybe you used a name just for fun with friends but much later used it again for mission critical operations. You are super careful and it is super clean now, not so much back then. It only takes one misstep in the past to connect that to another nym you have used or even your real identity.

I will repeat it again, never never never reuse user names. Every email account, social media, online forum, whatever use a different name and never reference another account either in posts or in registration. i.e. New email accounts in that new name or burner accounts. Use a online username generator or name generator to avoid personal bias to give any sort of hint to the new name. Don't let your love of pokemon characters be your downfall.

Devices: The author k3tan is correct, cash is king. Get cash and use cash to buy a laptop, a usb flash drive, and a lanyard. Use free Wifi access to download a linux distro and use the flash drive to install to the laptop. The original article suggests POP OS for some reason but in my opinion that can be a little resource intensive especially for a lower end laptop. The GOAT is Qubes but can be a bit intimidating for new users and again need a good amount of RAM so it is best for desktops. Honestly any linux distro is fine but some lightweight security inclined ones to look at are: Subgraph OS, Alpine, or PureOS.

Once that is installed to the laptop, use that to download Tails OS and install it on the flash drive you used to install your laptop OS. The laptop is going to be your daily driver for minor tasks and the tails flash drive is going to be your mission critical device when you need higher privacy and anonymity. Put the tails flash drive on the lanyard you bought. It will keep you from losing it and when it is plugged in and in use wrap the lanyard around your wrist. In a emergency just snatch it out of the computer. Your session will be wiped.

Phone: A phone is never going to be private. (see Your phone is not your friend) There is only degrees of how terrible it can be. For personal use with the understanding that it will be linked to your identity, but with better privacy from corporate spying a pixel device running Graphene os is the answer. For mission critical communications that require a phone then refer to my burner phone guide . (I will publish a unencrypted version for this reference guide)

Get Bitcoin and Monero: P2P through local meetup is fantastic if you have access to something like that. If you live in a smaller population center then that might not be a option. Use robosats to purchase bitcoin and Haveno-retro to purchase monero. Samurai is unfortunately gone and ashigaru is too new to recommend. Cake wallet with Tor is the go to for mobile and electrum and feather wallet on desktop.

Accounts: Use the monero or the non-KYC bitcoin to purchase Mullvad VPN. Setup a encrypted email account with either Proton or Posteo. Encrypt your files with veracrypt or picocrypt.

For more details and going further down the rabbit hole see:

Operation Security and Your Digital Life Nyms, Personas, and Digital Identity

@ a39d19ec:3d88f61e

October's daily driver is the ana-digi Casio ABX-53 Twincept with module 1326. It features are world time, stopwatch, alarm and a databank for contacts.

Design

I have the gold/silver colored variant with a metal band. The watch has an analog clock and a floating display with the features listed above. Best thing is the "slider" mode that switches digital functions permanently.

Storytime

My log tells me that i bought the watch 6 years ago on a local flea market for close to nothing. It was in a bad condition and needed a new battery and some love. Sure enough it works fine since then. Most badass feature is that the analog hands are moved electronically not mechanically. Fun fact is that even my wife likes the floating display. First time she saw it I heard her say "Das ist echt cool", meaning "thats really cool".

@ 41fa852b:af7b7706

"On Halloween night, October 31, 2008, while the world was grappling with a global financial crisis, a mysterious figure named Satoshi Nakamoto released a nine-page whitepaper that would change the course of history".

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It's a Happy 16th Birthday to Bitcoin on Thursday.

From Edinburgh to Brighton, there are nine events this week, offering plenty of opportunities to celebrate with some fellow bitcoiners. The place to be, of course, is the White Paper Party at the Dockside Vaults in London on the 31st (details below).

The Whitepaper Party is part of the Bitcoin Culture Festival, a decentralised event happening in various locations around the country, that starts this week and runs until the 2nd of November.

If you've enjoyed the newsletter and find it valuable to you and the UK Bitcoin community, please consider donating some sats here.

Thanks for reading The Meetup Breakdown! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

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This week's sponsor is…

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Upcoming Bitcoin Meetups

Happening this week…

1. Leamington Spa: Meetups on the last Tuesday of each month at 19:00. You'll find them this month at the White Horse, CV32 5PZ on the 29th. 🍻
   

2. Bitcoin Culture Festival - Meetup with Bitcoin Merchants at Tooting Market: Celebrate the opening day of the festival in a space where Bitcoin payments are not just accepted, but embraced! Enjoy a laid-back atmosphere with fresh food, drinks, and great company. This is your chance to connect with the community, spark new friendships, and hear insightful talks, all while supporting vendors who are leading the way in the Bitcoin economy. Whether you're here to showcase, learn, or just relax, the festival vibe is all about building community and celebrating what brings us together. 30th October 17:00 - 23:00. 🛍️🛒☕️
   

3. Brighton Bitcoin: Building a bitcoin community in the Brighton & Hove area. A regular informal meetup happens every last Wednesday of the month. This month, on the 30th at 19:30 in the Caxton Arms. 🍻
   

4. Manchester Bitcoin: On the 31st it's the Manchester meetup. Join them at The Smithfield Market Tavern, 19:00. 🍻
   

5. Bitcoin Culture Festival - Bitcoin Whitepaper ₿ Day + Halloween Party

🕕 18:00 - 19:00, 31st October. Kick off the night with hands-on workshops on crowdfunding and fundraising using Bitcoin, featuring Geyser.fund and Angor.io. Plus, don't miss the ChockRock Chocolate Making workshop with Roger 9000 and dive into the ultimate gaming experience with Chain Duel.

🕢 7:30PM - Midnight, Get ready for a Halloween party like no other! A live performance by Roger 9000, followed by an electrifying lineup of DJs including Denay Samosa, Zazawowow, itsTOMEK, and MadMunky. Costumes, beats, and Bitcoin--what more could you ask for? 🎃🥳🪩

1. Northern Bitcoin Collective: The Stoke meetup is back! They'll be at Mellards Bar, ST5 1AA on Friday 1st November at 19:00. Head along for some cheap beer and top Bitcoin banter. 🍻
   

2. Bitcoin Culture Festival - NostrLDN: From 10:00 to 17:00 on Friday 1st of November where Nostr maximalists will showcase the tools of freedom. Expect insightful talks, cutting-edge projects, and interactive discussions centered on open-source innovation, privacy, and activism. Explore how Value4Value models are being built on NOSTR, and discover the intersection of technical creativity and social change. It's a unique chance to connect with like-minded individuals shaping the future of decentralised tech! 👨🏻‍💻📱
   

3. Bitcoin Culture Festival - The Culture of Code at Cyphermunk House:

🗓️ Runs from 29th October to 2nd of November with a panel discussion on the 2nd (details below).

🕙 10:00 - 17:00 - 2nd November, Kick off the day with an Art & Culture Panel, featuring discussions that dive deep into the intersection of creative expression and technology.

🕔 17:00 - 22:00 - 2nd November Explore the Culture of Code Art Gallery, followed by more engaging panels, live discussions, music, and literature. The evening wraps up with a Cocktail Party and the closing of the Art Exhibition--an opportunity to celebrate the creative community in a laid-back, interactive setting. 🖼️ 🎙️

1. Bitcoin Walk - Edinburgh: Every Saturday they walk around Arthur's Seat in this historic city. Join them at 12:00 to chat about all things Bitcoin and keep fit. 🚶🏻‍♀️🚶🚶‍♂️

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New businesses Accepting Bitcoin

This week we have…

Bristol Art Club Market: An 'Indiepartment' store and event space with a cafe, barbers, clothes and plant store. Now enthusiastically accepting bitcoin payments.

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Upcoming Special Events

This event isn't happening next week, but it's important to add to your calendar now as tickets are selling fast.

• BWest 2024 - Grassroots Finance Unconference: An exciting new mini-conference in Bristol on Saturday, November 16th. A day of discussions and workshops centred around Bitcoin and the freedom movement. Featuring a lineup of speakers, including Carlos Massiah on using open-source Bitcoin tools, Nathan Day exploring BTCmap.org communities, and Ben Arc on the Maker Renaissance through free Nostr webstores. Other thought-provoking talks include Daniel Prince on the ethics of money creation, Susie Violet Ward's "BBC vs. Bitcoin," and more. Enjoy market stalls, a DJ set, food and drink, and an afterparty to close the day. The day kicks off at 10 AM till 5 PM at Hamilton House, Stokes Croft, Bristol. Early bird tickets are just £20.

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Get Involved

• Volunteer Opportunities: Bridge2Bitcoin is actively seeking volunteers who share our passion for merchant adoption. We'd be delighted to connect if you're eager to contribute. Reach out to us on Twitter or through our website.
• Start Your Own Meetup: Interested in launching a Bitcoin meetup? We're here to support you every step of the way. We've assisted numerous UK Bitcoin meetups in getting started. Get in touch via Twitter.
• Contribute to BTCMaps: BTCMaps is a vital part of the Bitcoin ecosystem. It's a perfect project to get involved with if you're not a coder or even that technical. A great way to give back to the community. Maintain an area of the UK and keep it up-to-date.
• Telegram users: You might find our Telegram Channel another useful way to keep up-to-date with UK meetups.
• Feedback and Suggestions: We value your input! Share your ideas on how we can enhance this newsletter.

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This week's sponsors are…

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Get out and support the meetups where you can, visit Bitcoin Events UK for more info on each meetup and to find your closest on the interactive map.

Stay tuned for more updates next week!

Simon.

@ 623ed218:fa549249

Peritas: A Vision for Accessible Multi-sig

Introducing: Peritas

Let me preface this with the following disclaimer:\ I am not a dev, I can't code and I've never written a white paper...

With that out of the way, let's talk multi-sig.\ By day, I'm a maintenance tech. That is to say, I earn fiat by unclogging toilets, fixing broken dishwashers and refrigerators, and troubleshooting boiler systems and air conditioning units. I was scrolling through my nostr feed today having just fixed a leaking toilet and on my way to look at a stuck zone valve on a boiler line when I came across a note from Guy Swann:

So, I thought about it... kept thinking about it... and kept thinking about it until I felt compelled to reply. A few back-and-forths later, and I found myself responding to Guy with:

"A non-dev", yes, that's how I identify. And in that moment I realized the flaw in how I look at the world. 

Nothing in life brings me greater joy than finding a creative solution to a problem, yet, perhaps as a coping mechanism, I tend to avoid considering solutions to problems I deem outside my skill-sets.tside my skill-sets. All my life I have limited myself to the scope of my own ability, neglecting to consider that I can play a part in solving more complex problems by leveraging the abilities and talent of those around me who see the same problems in the world that I do.

I'm resolving to change this. The release of the Peritas White Paper represents my first step towards this.

As I stated in the beginning: "I am not dev, I can't code.". But after nearly four years of obsessive involvement in the Bitcoin space, I have a vision of the solutions I want to see made available. I will do what I can to bring these visions into reality.

This is a work in progress. The scope and details of this project will necessary evolve as needed to adapt to reality and community/user input.

With that said, I present Peritas for your review. 

Peritas: An Accessible Multi-Signature Wallet Proposal for Enhanced Self-Custody (Updated 867475)

Abstract

Peritas aims to provide or inspire simple, open-source, multi-platform applications designed to simplify the setup and management of multi-signature (multi-sig) wallets. It 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, Peritas hopes to address 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 introduces Peritas: an open-source, multi-platform application proposal 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

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

• Initial Keypair Generation: Upon initial app startup, Peritas automatically generates a base Bitcoin keypair (Base Key) for the user. This Base Key will be foundational for creating recovery and multi-sig configurations.

• Vault Founders (Founders) begin by opting to create a new "vault" (multi-signature wallet). The default configuration is a 2/3 multi-sig setup, although Founders can access advanced settings to adjust the number of signatories and the threshold required for authorizing transactions.

• The application will derive a new private key (Vault Key) from the Base Key for use in the new multi-sig vault. Vault Keys may be derived from the Base Key using BIP-85 child seeds, alternate accounts or derivation paths, or the use of passphrases (exact method TBD). All data required for regeneration of Vault Keys is securely stored in encrypted app data.

• It is important to tailor multi-sig setups to the Founder'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 Founder's phone, a spouse's or trusted contact's device, a participating exchange where the Founder purchases Bitcoin, or a vetted third-party key holder may be appropriate, providing a balance of convenience and security. For larger holdings, Founders may opt for a more secure configuration with a higher number of signatories and a higher threshold for transaction authorization to enhance fault-tolerance and mitigate risks.

2.2 Integration with Trusted Contacts (Keyholders)

• Founders are prompted to select a Keyholder, a trusted contact who will generate a Social Recovery Key.

• Following initial app startup, Keyholders will select an option to "Become a Keyholder". This selection prompts Peritas to generate a Social Recovery Key using a process identical to the creation of Vault Keys (outlined in 2.1).

• The public key from this newly generated Social Recovery Key, (created through a simple option on the app's welcome page), is shared back to the Vault Founder for use in the configuration of their multi-sig vault.

• An "affiliate + key assistance" system could also be used, where a Social Recovery Key could be managed by the person who onboarded the user (e.g., a mentor), who, assuming a trusted relationship between parties, could assist the Founder through the vault creation and management process as needed.

2.3 Third-Party Collaborative Custody

• Third-Party Integration and Support: Peritas envisions integration of its vault creation process with vetted exchanges or respected Bitcoin support and mentorship services. These Third-Party Keyholders can offer higher levels of technical support and guidance to Founders, though such support may come at the expense of privacy.

• Flexibility: Peritas provides a flexible setup for multi-sig vaults. Founders may choose to forgo this institutional third-party key involvement entirely, opting instead to include additional trusted contact Keyholders, as referenced in 2.2, for a more private configuration.

2.4 Vault Creation and Management

• With the Founder's, Keyholder's, and any Third-Party Keyholder's public keys in place, Peritas creates a multi-signature vault and shares descriptor files securely with all participating parties.

• The app houses configuration files for each multi-sig vault and enforces security by rejecting any attempt to add additional keys from the same vault, ensuring that a quorum of keys cannot be consolidated on a single device.

2.5 Encrypted Cloud Backup

• To enhance redundancy, Peritas offers users the option to encrypt and store their keys and vault configuration files with their preferred cloud service (e.g., iCloud, Google Drive). This approach leverages familiar systems providing a seamless way for users to store recovery keys, minimizing 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: Peritas is designed to function across multiple platforms (iOS, Android, Windows, Linux) to ensure broad accessibility.

• Data Transmission: Secure communication protocols such as Fedi, Matrix, Nostr Gift-Wrapped Messages, or Pears integration 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 vault creation, using simple language and visual aids to explain multi-sig benefits, vault concepts, and the roles of different types of Keyholders.

• Pathfinder Mode: Users can access an advanced "Pathfinder Mode" to configure vaults with a higher number of signatories than the default 2-of-3 vault, unlocking options for custom thresholds, personalized wallet configurations, and unique security protocols. Future expansions under Pathfinder Mode may include enhanced signing automation, integration with additional security services, and greater control over key storage and recovery preferences, enabling users to tailor their vault setup to their evolving security needs.

3.3 Node Connectivity

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

• Custom Node Connections: Users can connect Peritas 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, Peritas 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.

• You can view additional connectivity ideas we're thinking through in our file Decentralized Checkpointing.md.

4. Security and Privacy Considerations

Peritas 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

• Peritas could partner with existing and up-coming open-source wallet providers, to integrate its vault functionality proposals and expand their security offerings.

5.2 Exchange Collaboration

• By collaborating with exchanges, Peritas 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, Peritas 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.

• Timelocks: Pathfinder Mode allows users to set custom timelocks for certain transactions, offering additional control over when funds can be moved, which is particularly useful in setting up delayed recovery mechanisms or ensuring funds are secure for specific timeframes.

• Miniscript Support: Integrate Miniscript functionality for a more expressive and programmable approach to transaction conditions, empowering users to set complex logic for transaction approvals and build custom spending policies tailored to their needs.

• Future-Proofing with CTV: In the event of future consensus around CheckTemplateVerify (CTV) (BIP-119), Pathfinder Mode will likely be updated to support CTV-specific outputs, offering options for conditional spending paths and more efficient use of UTXOs. This will enable enhanced, adaptable control over transaction flows, making Peritas wallets more resilient and versatile as Bitcoin development progresses.

6.2 Premium Services

• Potential premium services include advanced support for users configuring complex vaults. 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"), Peritas 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

Peritas is a critical step forward in improving Bitcoin self-custody security. By proposing an open-source framework for user-friendly vault creation and management applications, Peritas is working to empower users to protect their holdings without the need for additional hardware. Every self-custody setup should incorporate multi-sig, and Peritas provides an adoptable framework for secure solutions that meet this need, ensuring that new users will 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, Peritas aims to uphold and strengthen the principles of financial freedom and autonomy in the Bitcoin ecosystem.

9. Contributors and Acknowledgements

Peritas was developed with insights and support from many 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 its present stage, creating the tools and upholding the principles that Peritas 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.

10. Additional Resources

See a breakdown of some of the terms used above in Glossary of Terms.md.

Thanks For Reading!

[For the most up-to-date version of the Peritas White Paper, please visit my Github Repository!]

Block 867476 - MSK 1490

Digging Deeper:

Hey there, I hope you enjoyed this read! If you did, and would like to read more of my barks, follow the links below!

• Curious how I found Bitcoin? Read "Paw Prints to the Timechain"

• Bitcoin meets psychology? I touch on this in "Maslow's Apex"

• Want to understand the basics of Bitcoin? Read "Bitcoin Best Practice"

• If you like seeing bad media takes unpacked, check out "Pup's Double-Takes"

External Resources:

• Want to earn rewards on your mortgage? Use my referral to earn 20,000 free sats at sign up!
• Do you like sharing Bitcoin content and earning sats for doing so? Join me at Stacker.news!

...Woof!

originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/741352

@ 76c3384a:9279a6e5

While teaching my eldest to read and write using, “Look mommy, I can read and write” my second born also asked me for “school” work. She was barely 4 years old, I designed this workbook, “Look mommy, I am growing up” with the intent to introduce her to the alphabet, numbers and shapes keeping it simple and fun.

The workbook contains wide variety of exercises. There are various exercises including similarities, differences, basic alphabet letters, numbers, and more.

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As a homeschool mom, I believe "schooling" should always be fun especially at the foundation phase age. This helps build a love for learning and that it is something to look forward to. Because my daughter was eager to learn and excited to start I wanted to embrace this phase without breaking her enthusiasm.

This workbook served as a "keep busy" book allowing her to feel involved while her older sister was doing her exercises.

Using the skills I learned while digitizing the first workbook, I started out with Inkscape and Libre Office. Publishing first in Afrikaans and then in English.

Since 2024 my digital books are available for free (no strings attached) for anyone to use, they have also been updated and revamped to be Bitcoin-friendly. All I ask is that you refer to my website or Nostr account when sharing.

I hope you find this helpful. Enjoy, and follow me on Nostr @ SemcoMama. If you’d like to support my work zap me some sats.

About this foundation phase workbook:

An educational exercise book helping children identify differences, similarities and pattern recognition during the foundation phase. “Look mommy, I am growing up” is great for preschoolers.

Children can be creative using different coloured crayons or pencils.

Development of the following:

• Letter- and sound recognition
• Number recognition
• Colours and shapes
• Number 0-10
• Identify
• Colouring
• and more!

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This book is ideal for parents who want to play an active role in this phase of their child’s development and education. It will also give satisfaction to the parent that wants to teach his/her own child the foundation of reading and writing by working together in the book.

(The character style and writing symbols may differ depending on the country you live in.)

DOWNLOAD PDF HERE!

First publication 2017 Second publication 2024 (free to use) Written, designed and cover by SemcoMama

semcomama.co.za / semcomama.npub.pro

© All rights reserved. Feel free to share with all mommies out there and you can also follow me on Nostr @semcomama. If you appreciate my work and found value in it zap me some sats. (through my website or my Nostr. account).

-

education

@ df478568:2a951e67

Declaring myself a nerd on my resume has not yielded many interviews. Therefore, I a studying for an A + certification because most jobs require it. Although I geek-out on obscure Internet protocols, that’s not what businesses want yet. They want people to prove they know what SSH and FTP are. They want port memorization and you must know that an Ethernet cable is called an RJ45 cable. I use these things all the time. I already knew SSH uses port 22, but I didn’t know it was over TCP the Transmission Communications Protocol. Luckily I read the book The 4 Hour Chef by Tim Ferris.

I know what you’re thinking. What the F does a cookbook have to do with IT? Well, this book was really about rapid learning. The idea is to learn any new skill by studying 4 hours per week. The book teaches you how to learn how to cook within 12 weeks by studying 4 hours per week. The beginning of the book is not about cooking at all. One chapter teaches you how to memorize a deck of cards or the first 100 digits of pi. You do this buy converting numbers into sounds and sounds into images. It’s almost as if you use cenesthesia as a memory tool. I used this card deck memorization technique](https://tim.blog/2013/02/07/how-to-memorize-a-shuffled-deck-of-cards-in-less-than-60-seconds/) to memorize common ports and protocols.

How I Use Mnemonics To Remeber Ports

Here is an example of how I used this mnemonic to memorize SSH is commonly found on tcp/22

I used cartoon characters to represent Internet Protocols like tcp or udp. - For tcp, I imagine a character I call taco pollo because it’s the first thing that came to mind when I tried to think of something using the letters t, c, and p. That’s not a real cartoon, so I used AI to dream up a picture of some taco wielding chicken. It’s a strange bird. I know, and so am I, but it works. I also considered using the cartoon chickens from Breaking Bad, but it didn’t quite fit.

- Chicken’s with tacos represent tcp. I thought of this because the word taco has a t and c in it and chicken in Spanish is pollo. This combination is ridiculous, but the more ridiculous the better when it comes to memorization. The goal is to make it unforgettable like Nat King Cole.

- For udp, I use Captain Underpants. Udp made me think of Captain Underpants for similar reasons.

I used actions for the names of ports I memorizing. For example, SSH is the verb shelling.

I use an object for the port number and try to think of an object that fits within the rules of the major number system.

Instead of memorizing that SSH is tcp/22, I create an image in my mind’s eye.

Taco Pollo shelling The Nanny. I embellished this phrase a little using a prompt generator and ran it through Stable AI Core. Here is the prompt I used.

Chicken donning a taco hat, firing artillery shells, towards Fran Drescher as The Nanny; surreal, pop-art style, vibrant colors, high-definition, references to Roy Lichtensteins comic-strip art.

• The chicken and taco represent tcp.
• The artillery shell represents Secure Shell, a.k.a. SSH
• The nanny represents the number 22 because the n sound represents the number 2 in the major number system. Therefore, Nanny = 22. This is my mnemonic for memorizing the Internet protocol, and port number of SSH.

I happen to have already know many of the port numbers already just from working with servers. I used to use Yunohost and it required me to open up many of the ports that I am learning about. A couple years ago, I ran my own email server. It wouldn’t work at first. My research lead me down a rabbit hole that taught me I needed to open port 25 to send emails. This is because SMTP(Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) needs port 25 open. A good mnemonic for this would be “a chicken taco” smurfs a nail. What does smurf mean? I don’t know, but the Smurfs used it as a verb all the time. It also helps me remember SMTP because s and m are the first two letters in the word Smurf. I didn’t know DNS used port 53 until I created the mnemonic, “Captain Underpants dines with Lemmy.” Is it gibberish? Yes. Is it effective? Hell yes!

npub1marc26z8nh3xkj5rcx7ufkatvx6ueqhp5vfw9v5teq26z254renshtf3g0 867,467

Originally published on: https://marc26z.com/memorizing-protocols-and-port-numbers-with-mnemonics/

Read on Tor

@ 3bf0c63f:aefa459d

kind:1 maximalism and the future of other stuff and Nostr decentralization

These two problems exist on Nostr today, and they look unrelated at first:

1. People adding more stuff to kind:1 notes, such as making them editable, or adding special corky syntax thas has to be parsed and rendered in complicated UIs;
2. The discovery of "other stuff" content (i.e. long-form articles, podcasts, calendar events, livestreams etc) is hard due to the fact that most people only use microblogging clients and they often don't appear there for them.

Point 2 above has 3 different solutions:

• a. Just publish everything as kind:1 notes;
• b. Publish different things as different kinds, but make microblogging clients fetch all the event kinds from people you follow, then render them natively or use NIP-31, or NIP-89 to point users to other clients that would render them better;
• c. Publish different things as different kinds, and reference them in kind:1 notes that would act as announcements to these other events, also relying on NIP-31 and NIP-89 for displaying references and recommending other clients.

Solution a is obviously very bad, so I won't address it.

For a while I have believed solution b was the correct one, and many others seem to tacitly agree with it, given that some clients have been fetching more and more event kinds and going out of their way to render them in the same feed where only kind:1 notes were originally expected to be.

I don't think clients doing that is necessarily bad, but I do think this have some centralizing effects on the protocol, as it pushes clients to become bigger and bigger, raising the barrier to entry into the kind:1 realm. And also in the past I have talked about the fact that I disliked that some clients would display my long-form articles as if they were normal kind:1 notes and just dump them into the feeds of whoever was following me: nostr:nevent1qqsdk90k9k30vtzwpj6grxys9mvsegu5kkwd4jmpyhlmtjnxet2rvggprpmhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0wdmksetjv5hxxmmdqy8hwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnddaksygpm7rrrljungc6q0tuh5hj7ue863q73qlheu4vywtzwhx42a7j9n5hae35c

These and other reasons have made me switch my preference to solution c, as it gives the most flexibility to the publisher: whoever wants to announce stuff so it can be discovered can, whoever doesn't don't have to. And it allows microblogging clients the freedom to render just render tweets and having a straightforward barrier between what they can render and what is just a link to an external app or webapp (of course they can always opt to render the referenced content in-app if they want).

It also makes the case for microapps more evident. If all microblogging clients become superapps that can render recipe events perfectly why would anyone want to use a dedicated recipes app? I guess there are still reasons, but blurring the line between content kinds in superapps would definitely remove some of the reasons and eventually kill all the microapps.

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That brings us back to point 1 above (the overcomplication of kind:1 events): if solution c is what we're going to, that makes kind:1 events very special in Nostr, and not just another kind among others. Microblogging clients become the central plaza of Nostr, thus protecting their neutrality and decentralization much more important. Having a lot of clients with different userbases, doing things in slightly different ways, is essential for that decentralization.

It's ok if Nostr ends up having just 2 recipe-sharing clients, but it must have dozens of microblogging clients -- and maybe not even full-blown microblogging clients, but other apps that somehow deal with kind:1 events in multiple ways. It's ok if implementing a client for public audio-rooms is very hard and complicated, but at the same time it should be very simple to write a client that can render a kind:1 note referencing an audio-room and linking to that dedicated client.

I hope you got my point and agreed because this article is ended.

@ 4ba8e86d:89d32de4

I2P é uma rede anônima, oferecendo uma camada simples que aplicativos sensíveis à identidade podem usar para se comunicar com segurança. Todos os dados são agrupados com várias camadas de criptografia e a rede é distribuída e dinâmica, sem partes confiáveis.

O Invisible Internet Project começou em 2002. A visão do projeto, conforme descrito em uma entrevista com Lance James, era que a rede I2P "oferecesse total anonimato, privacidade e segurança no mais alto nível possível. Internet descentralizada e ponto a ponto significa não se preocupe mais com seu ISP controlando seu tráfego. Isso permitirá que (as pessoas) realizem atividades contínuas e mudem a maneira como vemos a segurança e até a Internet, utilizando criptografia de chave pública, esteganografia de IP e autenticação de mensagens. A Internet que deveria ter sido, será em breve." Desde então, o I2P evoluiu para especificar e implementar um conjunto completo de protocolos de rede capazes de fornecer um alto nível de privacidade, segurança e autenticação para uma variedade de aplicativos.

A rede I2P. A rede I2P é uma rede de sobreposição ponto a ponto totalmente criptografada. Um observador não pode ver o conteúdo, origem ou destino de uma mensagem. Ninguém pode ver de onde vem o tráfego, para onde está indo ou qual é o conteúdo. Além disso, os transportes I2P oferecem resistência ao reconhecimento e bloqueio por parte dos censores. Como a rede depende de pares para rotear o tráfego, o bloqueio baseado em localização é um desafio que cresce com a rede. Cada roteador na rede participa de tornar a rede anônima. Exceto nos casos em que seria inseguro, todos participam do envio e recebimento do tráfego de rede.

Como funciona o I2P?

O I2P usa criptografia para obter uma variedade de propriedades para os túneis que constrói e as comunicações que transporta. Os túneis I2P usam transportes, NTCP2 e SSU2, para ocultar o tráfego que está sendo transportado por eles. As conexões são criptografadas de roteador para roteador e de cliente para cliente (ponta a ponta). Forward-secrecy é fornecido para todas as conexões. Como o I2P é endereçado criptograficamente, os endereços de rede I2P são auto-autenticados e pertencem apenas ao usuário que os gerou.

A rede é composta por pares ("roteadores") e túneis virtuais unidirecionais de entrada e saída. Os roteadores se comunicam entre si usando protocolos construídos em mecanismos de transporte existentes (TCP, UDP), passando mensagens. As aplicações cliente possuem seu próprio identificador criptográfico ("Destino") que permite enviar e receber mensagens. Esses clientes podem se conectar a qualquer roteador e autorizar a alocação temporária ("lease") de alguns túneis que serão utilizados para envio e recebimento de mensagens pela rede. O I2P possui seu próprio banco de dados de rede interna (usando uma modificação do Kademlia DHT) para distribuir roteamento e informações de contato com segurança.

Sobre a Descentralização e a Rede I2P A rede I2P é quase totalmente descentralizada, com exceção dos chamados Reseed Servers. Isso é para lidar com o problema de bootstrap DHT (Distributed Hash Table). Basicamente, não há uma maneira boa e confiável de deixar de executar pelo menos um nó de inicialização permanente que os participantes que não são da rede possam encontrar para começar. Uma vez conectado à rede, um roteador só descobre pares construindo túneis "exploratórios", mas para fazer a conexão inicial, um host reseed é necessário para criar conexões e integrar um novo roteador à rede. Os servidores reseed podem observar quando um novo roteador baixou um reseed deles, mas nada mais sobre o tráfego na rede I2P.

Recursos do I2P

O I2P oferece uma série de recursos para proteger a privacidade do usuário. Alguns desses recursos incluem:

Ocultação do endereço IP: O I2P oculta o endereço IP do usuário, tornando impossível que alguém rastreie a atividade do usuário na rede.

Comunicação segura: Todas as comunicações dentro da rede I2P são criptografadas de ponta a ponta, garantindo a privacidade do usuário.

Anonimato: O I2P permite que os usuários se comuniquem de forma anônima, o que significa que sua identidade não é exposta durante a comunicação.

Sites ocultos: O I2P permite que os usuários criem e acessem sites ocultos, que só podem ser acessados dentro da rede I2P.

Vantagens do uso do I2P

O I2P oferece várias vantagens para os usuários que desejam proteger sua privacidade online. Algumas dessas vantagens incluem:

Proteção contra vigilância governamental: O I2P ajuda a proteger os usuários contra a vigilância governamental, tornando impossível rastrear o endereço IP do usuário.

Anonimato em redes públicas: O I2P ajuda a proteger os usuários contra ataques de hackers em redes Wi-Fi públicas.

Acesso a sites censurados: O I2P permite que os usuários acessem sites que estão bloqueados em sua região ou país.

O I2P é uma rede anônima de comunicação que oferece recursos de privacidade avançados para proteger a privacidade do usuário. Ele permite que os usuários se comuniquem de forma anônima e segura e cria uma solução eficaz para usuários que valorizam a privacidade e a segurança online. Se você está preocupado com sua privacidade online, o I2P pode ser uma ótima escolha.

https://github.com/i2p